Development of a Process for a High Capacity Arc Heater Production of Silicon for Solar Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, W. H.

1979-01-01

A program was established to develop a high temperature silicon production process using existing electric arc heater technology. Silicon tetrachloride and a reductant (sodium) are injected into an arc heated mixture of hydrogen and argon. Under these high temperature conditions, a very rapid reaction is expected to occur and proceed essentially to completion, yielding silicon and gaseous sodium chloride. Techniques for high temperature separation and collection were developed. Included in this report are: test system preparation; testing; injection techniques; kinetics; reaction demonstration; conclusions; and the project status.

Effect of local drug delivery in chronic periodontitis patients: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Kalsi, Rupali; Vandana, K. L.; Prakash, Shobha

2011-01-01

Periodontal diseases are multi-factorial in etiology, and bacteria are one among these etiologic agents. Thus, an essential component of therapy is to eliminate or control these pathogens. This has been traditionally accomplished through mechanical means (scaling and root planing (SRP)), which is time-consuming, difficult, and, sometimes, ineffective. From about the past 30 years, locally delivered, anti-infective pharmacological agents, most recently employing sustained-release vehicles, have been introduced to achieve this goal. This systematic review is an effort to determine the efficacy of the currently available anti-infective agents, with and without concurrent SRP, in controlling chronic periodontitis. Four studies were included, which were all randomized controlled trials, incorporating a total patient population of 80, with 97 control sites and 111 test sites. A meta-analysis completed on these four studies including SRP and local sustained-release agents compared with SRP alone indicated significant adjunctive probing depth (PD) reduction for 10% Doxycycline hycylate (ATRIDOX), minocycline hydrochloride (ARESTIN), tetracycline hydrochloride (PERIODONTAL PLUS AB), and chlorhexidine gluconate (PERIOCHIP). Essentially, all studies reported substantial reductions in gingival inflammation, plaque scores, and bleeding indices, which were similar in both the control and the experimental groups. Use of antimicrobial sustained-release systems as an adjunct to SRP does not result in significant patient-centered adverse events. Local drug delivery combined with SRP appears to provide additional benefits in PD reduction compared with SRP alone. PMID:22368351

Sustained Medication Reduction Following Unilateral VIM Thalamic Stimulation for Essential Tremor.

PubMed

Resnick, Andrew S; Okun, Michael S; Malapira, Teresita; Smith, Donald; Vale, Fernando L; Sullivan, Kelly; Miller, Amber; Jahan, Israt; Zesiewicz, Theresa

2012-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an increasingly utilized therapeutic modality for the management of medication refractory essential tremor (ET). The aim of this study was to determine whether DBS allowed for anti-tremor medication reduction within the year after the procedure was performed. We conducted a retrospective chart review and telephone interviews on 34 consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with ET, and who had undergone unilateral DBS surgery. Of the 34 patients in our cohort, 31 patients (91%) completely stopped all anti-tremor medications either before surgery (21 patients, 62%) or in the year following DBS surgery (10 patients, 29%). Patients who discontinued tremor medications before DBS surgery did so because their tremors either became refractory to anti-tremor medication, or they developed adverse events to tremor medications. Patients who stopped tremor medications after DBS surgery did so due to sufficient tremor control. Only three patients (9%) who were taking tremor medications at the time of surgery continued the use of a beta-blocker post-operatively for the purpose of hypertension management in all cases. The data from this study indicate that medication cessation is common following unilateral DBS for ET.

Sustained Medication Reduction Following Unilateral VIM Thalamic Stimulation for Essential Tremor

PubMed Central

Resnick, Andrew S.; Okun, Michael S.; Malapira, Teresita; Smith, Donald; Vale, Fernando L.; Sullivan, Kelly; Miller, Amber; Jahan, Israt; Zesiewicz, Theresa

2012-01-01

Background Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an increasingly utilized therapeutic modality for the management of medication refractory essential tremor (ET). The aim of this study was to determine whether DBS allowed for anti-tremor medication reduction within the year after the procedure was performed. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review and telephone interviews on 34 consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with ET, and who had undergone unilateral DBS surgery. Results Of the 34 patients in our cohort, 31 patients (91%) completely stopped all anti-tremor medications either before surgery (21 patients, 62%) or in the year following DBS surgery (10 patients, 29%). Patients who discontinued tremor medications before DBS surgery did so because their tremors either became refractory to anti-tremor medication, or they developed adverse events to tremor medications. Patients who stopped tremor medications after DBS surgery did so due to sufficient tremor control. Only three patients (9%) who were taking tremor medications at the time of surgery continued the use of a beta-blocker post-operatively for the purpose of hypertension management in all cases. Discussion The data from this study indicate that medication cessation is common following unilateral DBS for ET. PMID:23440408

Comparison of antifungal activities of various essential oils on the Phytophthora drechsleri, the causal agent of fruit decay

PubMed Central

Mohammadi, Ali; Hashemi, Maryam; Hosseini, Seyed Masoud

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: The efficacy of Mentha piperita L, Zataria multiflora Boiss and Thymus vulgaris L essential oils (EOs) was evaluated for controlling the growth of Phytophthora drechsleri, the causative agent of damage to many crops that is consumed directly by humans. Materials and Methods: The EOs used in this study was purchased from Magnolia Co, Iran. The pour plate method in petri dishes containing Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) was used to evaluate the antifungal properties of EOs. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) as well as mycelial growth inhibition (MGI) were measured. The IC50 value (the concentration inhibited 50% of the mycelium growth) was calculated by probit analysis. Results and Conclusion: The fungal growth was significantly reduced by increasing concentrations of tested EOs. The complete reduction was obtained with Shirazi thyme at all concentrations, whereas the complete reduction for peppermint and thyme was observed at 0.4% and 0.8% (v/v) concentrations, respectively. Meanwhile, the minimum inhibition was observed when 0.1% peppermint (MGI values of 9.37%) was used. The IC50, MIC and MFC values of Shirazi thyme was 0.053, 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. Similarly, MIC and MFC values of peppermint and thyme were recorded 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. The results obtained from this study may contribute to the development of new antifungal agents to protect the crops from this pathogenic fungus and many agricultural plant pathogens causing drastic crop losses. PMID:26644871

Sorbitol dehydrogenase of Aspergillus niger, SdhA, is part of the oxido-reductive D-galactose pathway and essential for D-sorbitol catabolism.

PubMed

Koivistoinen, Outi M; Richard, Peter; Penttilä, Merja; Ruohonen, Laura; Mojzita, Dominik

2012-02-17

In filamentous fungi D-galactose can be catabolised through the oxido-reductive and/or the Leloir pathway. In the oxido-reductive pathway D-galactose is converted to d-fructose in a series of steps where the last step is the oxidation of d-sorbitol by an NAD-dependent dehydrogenase. We identified a sorbitol dehydrogenase gene, sdhA (JGI53356), in Aspergillus niger encoding a medium chain dehydrogenase which is involved in D-galactose and D-sorbitol catabolism. The gene is upregulated in the presence of D-galactose, galactitol and D-sorbitol. An sdhA deletion strain showed reduced growth on galactitol and growth on D-sorbitol was completely abolished. The purified enzyme converted D-sorbitol to D-fructose with K(m) of 50±5 mM and v(max) of 80±10 U/mg. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of Piper aduncum L. (Piperales: Piperaceae) from the Amazon forest for the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

PubMed

Silva, Wilson Castro; Martins, João Ricardo de Souza; de Souza, Hellen Emília Menezes; Heinzen, Horacio; Cesio, Maria Verônica; Mato, Mauricio; Albrecht, Francine; de Azevedo, João Lúcio; de Barros, Neiva Monteiro

2009-10-14

The mortality of 14-21-day-old Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus larvae, and the mortality and fertility of groups of engorged adult females exposed to different concentrations of hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of spiked pepper (Piper aduncum) were evaluated, using a completely randomized design with five treatment groups, two control groups, and two replicates for the larvae and five replicates for the adult females. Similar methodology was used to investigate the toxicity of the essential oil hydro-distillate (94.84% dillapiole) obtained from the P. aduncum crude hexane extract. The LC(50) of the hexane extract was 9.30 mg ml(-1) for larvae and the reproduction reduction ranged from 12.48% to 54.22%, while 0.1mg/ml(-1) of the essential oil induced 100% mortality in larvae. Literature reports on natural products active against R. microplus were listed and compared with the results presented here. These results indicate that P. aduncum extracts, and particularly its essential oil, are potential alternative control agents for R. microplus.

Degradation of Zearalenone by Essential Oils under In vitro Conditions

PubMed Central

Perczak, Adam; Juś, Krzysztof; Marchwińska, Katarzyna; Gwiazdowska, Daniela; Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka; Goliński, Piotr

2016-01-01

Essential oils are volatile compounds, extracted from plants, which have a strong odor. These compounds are known for their antibacterial and antifungal properties. However, data concerning degradation of mycotoxins by these metabolites are very limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of essential oils (cedarwood, cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, white grapefruit, pink grapefruit, lemon, eucalyptus, palmarosa, mint, thymic, and rosemary) on zearalenone (ZEA) reduction under various in vitro conditions, including the influence of temperature, pH, incubation time and mycotoxin and essential oil concentrations. The degree of ZEA reduction was determined by HPLC method. It was found that the kind of essential oil influences the effectiveness of toxin level reduction, the highest being observed for lemon, grapefruit, eucalyptus and palmarosa oils, while lavender, thymic and rosemary oils did not degrade the toxin. In addition, the decrease in ZEA content was temperature, pH as well as toxin and essential oil concentration dependent. Generally, higher reduction was observed at higher temperature in a wide range of pH, with clear evidence that the degradation rate increased gradually with time. In some combinations (e.g., palmarosa oil at pH 6 and 4 or 20°C) a toxin degradation rate higher than 99% was observed. It was concluded that some of the tested essential oils may be effective in detoxification of ZEA. We suggested that essential oils should be recognized as an interesting and effective means of ZEA decontamination and/or detoxification. PMID:27563298

Inhibition of gravitropism in oat coleoptiles by the calcium chelator, ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daye, S.; Biro, R. L.; Roux, S. J.

1984-01-01

A treatment period as brief as 8 h in 10(-3) M EGTA completely blocks gravitropism in 70-80% of the treated coleoptiles of oats (Avena sativa L. cv. Garry) without inhibiting growth. Only about 10% of the plants perfused in water failed to exhibit gravitropism. Subsequent perfusion of EGTA-treated plants with calcium completely restores gravitropism; post-perfusion with water does not. After perfusion in water for 10 h, gravistimulated oat coleoptile segments show the same asymmetry of 45Ca distribution as reported earlier for non-perfused coleoptiles and sunflower hypocotyls. The degree of this asymmetry is reduced in those coleoptiles partially inhibited by perfusion in EGTA and is essentially absent in those coleoptiles completely inhibited by EGTA. The fact that calcium reverses the inhibitory effects of EGTA on gravitropism indicates that the inhibition was probably due to a reduction in the availability of free calcium required for one or more of the transduction steps of gravitropism.

THE EFFECT OF PRESSURE ON THE OXIDATION STATE OF IRON, IV. THIOCYANATE AND ISOTHIOCYANATE LIGANDS*

PubMed Central

Fung, S. C.; Drickamer, H. G.

1969-01-01

The effect of pressure on the Mössbauer resonance spectra of Fe(III) with thiocyanate (M-SCN) and isothiocyanate (M-NCS) ligands has been studied. Fe(NCS)3·6H2O, which has the isothiocyanate structure, reduces with increasing pressure, reversibly, and with a pressure dependence for the conversion very similar to that shown by a wide variety of ionic ferric compounds. K3Fe(SCN)6 has the thiocyanate structure. At low pressures, it exhibits a significantly larger reduction than the Fe(NCS)3. With increasing pressure the thiocyanate complexes isomerize, each complex apparently exhibiting about the same degree of conversion at a given pressure. At 150 kb the isomerization is essentially complete. The reduction of the Fe(III) to Fe(II) is reversible but the isomerization is not, and the sample, when powdered and reloaded in the high-pressure cell, exhibits the isomer shift, quadrupole splitting, and Fe(III) to Fe(II) conversion characteristic of an isothiocyanate. Heating the thiocyanate to 110°C at 5 kb yields a mixture of thiocyanate and isothiocyanate that converts with pressure completely to the isothiocyanate. PMID:16591728

Disruption of the Mouse μ-Calpain Gene Reveals an Essential Role in Platelet Function

PubMed Central

Azam, Mohammad; Andrabi, Shaida S.; Sahr, Kenneth E.; Kamath, Lakshmi; Kuliopulos, Athan; Chishti, Athar H.

2001-01-01

Conventional calpains are ubiquitous calcium-regulated cysteine proteases that have been implicated in cytoskeletal organization, cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell motility, and hemostasis. There are two forms of conventional calpains: the μ-calpain, or calpain I, which requires micromolar calcium for half-maximal activation, and the m-calpain, or calpain II, which functions at millimolar calcium concentrations. We evaluated the functional role of the 80-kDa catalytic subunit of μ-calpain by genetic inactivation using homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. The μ-calpain-deficient mice are viable and fertile. The complete deficiency of μ-calpain causes significant reduction in platelet aggregation and clot retraction but surprisingly the mutant mice display normal bleeding times. No detectable differences were observed in the cleavage pattern and kinetics of calpain substrates such as the β3 subunit of αIIbβ3 integrin, talin, and ABP-280 (filamin). However, μ-calpain null platelets exhibit impaired tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins including the β3 subunit of αIIbβ3 integrin, correlating with the agonist-induced reduction in platelet aggregation. These results provide the first direct evidence that μ-calpain is essential for normal platelet function, not by affecting the cleavage of cytoskeletal proteins but by potentially regulating the state of tyrosine phosphorylation of the platelet proteins. PMID:11238954

On-site manufacture of propellant oxygen from lunar resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberg, Sanders D.

1992-01-01

The Aerojet Carbothermal Process for the manufacture of oxygen from lunar resources has three essential steps: the reduction of silicate with methane to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen; the reduction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen to form methane and water; and the electrolysis of water to form oxygen and hydrogen. This cyclic process does not depend upon the presence of water or water precursors in the lunar materials; it will produce oxygen from silicates regardless of their precise composition and fine structure. Research on the first step of the process was initiated by determining some of the operating conditions required to reduce igneous rock with carbon and silicon carbide. The initial phase of research on the second step is completed; quantitative conversion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to methane and water was achieved with a nickel-on-kieselguhr catalyst. The equipment used in and the results obtained from these process studies are reported in detail.

Process and apparatus for obtaining silicon from fluosilicic acid

DOEpatents

Sancier, Kenneth M.

1985-07-16

Process for producing low cost, high purity solar grade Si wherein a reduction reaction, preferably the reduction of SiF.sub.4, by an alkali metal (liquid Na preferred) is carried out essentialy continuously by injecting of reactants in substantially stoichiometric proportions into a reaction chamber having a controlled temperature thereby to form a mist or dispersion of reactants. The reactants being supplied at such a rate and temperature that the reaction takes place far enough away from the entry region to avoid plugging of reactants at the entry region, the reaction is completed and whereby essentially all reaction product solidifies and forms a free flowing powder before reaction product hits a reaction chamber wall. Thus, the reaction product does not adhere to the reaction chamber wall or pick up impurities therefrom. Separation of reaction products is easily carried out by either a leach or melt separation process.

The onsite manufacture of propellant oxygen from lunar resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberg, Sanders D.; Beegle, Robert L., Jr.; Guter, Gerald A.; Miller, Frederick E.; Rothenberg, Michael

1992-01-01

The Aerojet carbothermal process for the manufacture of oxygen from lunar materials has three essential steps: the reduction of silicate with methane to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen; the reduction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen to form methane and water; and the electrolysis of water to form hydrogen and oxygen. The reactions and the overall process are shown. It is shown with laboratory experimentation that the carbothermal process is feasible. Natural silicates can be reduced with carbon or methane. The important products are carbon monoxide, metal, and slag. The carbon monoxide can be completely reduced to form methane and water. The water can be electrolyzed to produce hydrogen and oxygen. A preliminary engineering study shows that the operation of plants using this process for the manufacture of propellant oxygen has a large economic advantage when the cost of the plant and its operation is compared to the cost of delivering oxygen from Earth.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils obtained from plants grown in Colombia on yellow fever virus replication in vitro.

PubMed

Meneses, Rocío; Ocazionez, Raquel E; Martínez, Jairo R; Stashenko, Elena E

2009-03-06

An antiviral drug is needed for the treatment of patients suffering from yellow fever. Several compounds present in plants can inactive in vitro a wide spectrum of animal viruses. In the present study the inhibitory effect of essential oils of Lippia alba, Lippia origanoides, Oreganum vulgare and Artemisia vulgaris on yellow fever virus (YFV) replication was investigated. The cytotoxicity (CC(50)) on Vero cells was evaluated by the MTT reduction method. The minimum concentration of the essential oil that inhibited virus titer by more than 50% (MIC) was determined by virus yield reduction assay. YFV was incubated 24 h at 4 degrees C with essential oil before adsorption on Vero cell, and viral replication was carried out in the absence or presence of essential oil. Vero cells were exposed to essential oil 24 h at 37 degrees C before the adsorption of untreated-virus. The CC(50) values were less than 100 microg/mL and the MIC values were 3.7 and 11.1 microg/mL. The CC(50)/MIC ratio was of 22.9, 26.4, 26.5 and 8.8 for L. alba, L origanoides, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris, respectively. The presence of essential oil in the culture medium enhances the antiviral effect: L. origanoides oil at 11.1 microg/mL produced a 100% reduction of virus yield, and the same result was observed with L. alba, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris oils at 100 microg/mL. No reduction of virus yield was observed when Vero cells were treated with essential oil before the adsorption of untreated-virus. The essential oils evaluated in the study showed antiviral activities against YFV. The mode of action seems to be direct virus inactivation.

Food preservative potential of essential oils and fractions from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Thymus vulgaris against mycotoxigenic fungi.

PubMed

Nguefack, J; Dongmo, J B Lekagne; Dakole, C D; Leth, V; Vismer, H F; Torp, J; Guemdjom, E F N; Mbeffo, M; Tamgue, O; Fotio, D; Zollo, P H Amvam; Nkengfack, A E

2009-05-31

The food preservative potential of essential oils from three aromatic plants Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Thymus vulgaris and their fractions was investigated against two mycotoxigenic strains each of Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium expansum and P. verrucosum. The fungicidal activity was determined and expressed as a Number of Decimal Reduction of the colony forming units per ml (NDR cfu). The influence of pH variation on this activity was studied. The NDR cfu varied with the essential oils and its concentration, the pH of the medium and the strain tested. The essential oils from O. gratissimum exhibited the highest activity against the six fungal strains under the three pH tested. T. vulgaris and C. citratus essential oils were less active against the Penicillium species tested and A. ochraceus, respectively. Potassium sorbate did not present any activity at pH 6 and 9. At pH 3, its NDR cfu was the lowest against the six fungal strains. At the same pH and at 4000 ppm, the three essential oils presented a NRD cfu > or = 6 against strains of A. ochraceus and P. expansum. The same result was obtained with T. vulgaris and C. citratus at 8000 ppm against both strains of P. verrucosum. The highest activity of the three essential oils was recorded at pH 3 against A. ochraceus strains and at pH 9 against both species of Penicillium. From the fractionation, three active fractions were obtained each from C. citratus and O. gratissimum, and two active fractions from T. vulgaris. These active fractions exhibited a NDR cfu, two to seven folds higher than that of the complete essential oils.

Improving women's nutrition imperative for rapid reduction of childhood stunting in South Asia: coupling of nutrition specific interventions with nutrition sensitive measures essential

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract The implications of direct nutrition interventions on women's nutrition, birth outcome and stunting rates in children in South Asia are indisputable and well documented. In the last decade, a number of studies present evidence of the role of non‐nutritional factors impacting on women's nutrition, birth outcome, caring practices and nutritional status of children. The implications of various dimensions of women's empowerment and gender inequality on child stunting is being increasingly recognised. Evidence reveals the crucial role of early age of marriage and conception, poor secondary education, domestic violence, inadequate decision‐making power, poor control over resources, strenuous agriculture activities, and increasing employment of women and of interventions such as cash transfer scheme and microfinance programme on undernutrition in children. Analysis of the nutrition situation of women and children in South Asia and programme findings emphasise the significance of reaching women during adolescence, pre‐conception and pregnancy stage. Ensuring women enter pregnancy with adequate height and weight and free from being anemic is crucial. Combining nutrition‐specific interventions with measures for empowerment of women is essential. Improvement in dietary intake and health services of women, prevention of early age marriage and conception, completion of secondary education, enhancement in purchasing power of women, reduction of work drudgery and elimination of domestic violence deserve special attention. A range of programme platforms dealing with health, education and empowerment of women could be strategically used for effectively reaching women prior to and during pregnancy to accelerate reduction in stunting rates in children in South Asia. PMID:27187909

Complete reduction of high-density UO2 to metallic U in molten Li2O-LiCl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Eun-Young; Lee, Jeong

2017-10-01

The large size and high density of spent fuel pellets make it difficult to use the pellets directly in electrolytic reduction (also called as oxide reduction, OR) for pyroprocessing owing to the slow diffusion of molten Li2O-LiCl salt electrolyte into the pellets. In this study, we investigated complete OR of high-density UO2 to metallic U without any remaining UO2. Only partial reductions near the surface of high-density UO2 pellets were observed under operation conditions employing fast electrolysis rate that allowed previously complete reduction of low-density UO2 pellets. Complete reduction of high-density UO2 pellets was observed at fast electrolysis rate when the pellet size was reduced. The complete reduction of high-density UO2 pellets without size reduction was achieved at slow electrolysis rate, which allowed sufficient chemical reduction of UO2 with the lithium metal generated by the cathode reaction.

Essential oil of Artemisia vestita exhibits potent in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity: Investigation of the effect of oil on biofilm formation, leakage of potassium ions and survival curve measurement

PubMed Central

YANG, CHANG; HU, DONG-HUI; FENG, YAN

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia vestita and to determine the antibacterial activity of the essential oil and its two major components, grandisol and 1,8-cineole, against certain respiratory infection-causing bacterial strains, in vitro and in vivo. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A micro-well dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values of the essential oil and its major constituents. A model of Streptococcus pyogenes infection in mice was used to determine its in vivo activities. Lung and blood samples were obtained to assess bacterial cell counts. Toxicity evaluation of the essential oil and its components was completed by performing biochemical analysis of the serum, particularly monitoring aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, urea and creatinine. The essential oil exhibited potent antibacterial activity, whereas the two major constituents were less potent. The essential oil exhibited MIC values between 20 and 80 μg/ml, while the values of the two constituents were between 130 and 200 μg/ml. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that the essential oil inhibited biofilm formation and altered its architecture. Survival curves indicated that the essential oil led to a reduction in the viability of different bacteria. The essential oil also induced significant leakage of potassium ions from S. pyogenes. The essential oil (100 μg/mouse) and grandisol (135 μg/mouse) significantly reduced the number of viable bacterial cells in the lungs (P<0.01). However, intake of 100 μg/mouse of essential oil or grandisol 135 μg/mouse once or twice each day for 9 days did not produce any toxic effects in the mice. In conclusion, the in vitro and in vivo results suggested that the essential oil of A. vestita and one of its major constituents, grandisol, can significantly inhibit the growth of different bacterial strains. PMID:26259564

Essential oil of Artemisia vestita exhibits potent in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activity: Investigation of the effect of oil on biofilm formation, leakage of potassium ions and survival curve measurement.

PubMed

Yang, Chang; Hu, Dong-Hui; Feng, Yan

2015-10-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia vestita and to determine the antibacterial activity of the essential oil and its two major components, grandisol and 1,8‑cineole, against certain respiratory infection‑causing bacterial strains, in vitro and in vivo. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography‑mass spectrometry. A micro‑well dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) values of the essential oil and its major constituents. A model of Streptococcus pyogenes infection in mice was used to determine its in vivo activities. Lung and blood samples were obtained to assess bacterial cell counts. Toxicity evaluation of the essential oil and its components was completed by performing biochemical analysis of the serum, particularly monitoring aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, urea and creatinine. The essential oil exhibited potent antibacterial activity, whereas the two major constituents were less potent. The essential oil exhibited MIC values between 20 and 80 µg/ml, while the values of the two constituents were between 130 and 200 µg/ml. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated that the essential oil inhibited biofilm formation and altered its architecture. Survival curves indicated that the essential oil led to a reduction in the viability of different bacteria. The essential oil also induced significant leakage of potassium ions from S. pyogenes. The essential oil (100 µg/mouse) and grandisol (135 µg/mouse) significantly reduced the number of viable bacterial cells in the lungs (P<0.01). However, intake of 100 µg/mouse of essential oil or grandisol 135 µg/mouse once or twice each day for 9 days did not produce any toxic effects in the mice. In conclusion, the in vitro and in vivo results suggested that the essential oil of A. vestita and one of its major constituents, grandisol, can significantly inhibit the growth of different bacterial strains.

Reduction of the Ganglioside Binding Activity of the Tetanus Toxin HC Fragment Destroys Immunogenicity: Implications for Development of Novel Tetanus Vaccines

PubMed Central

Qazi, Omar; Sesardic, Dorothea; Tierney, Robert; Söderbäck, Zahra; Crane, Dennis; Bolgiano, Barbara; Fairweather, Neil

2006-01-01

In this study, the immunogenicities of the nontoxic HC fragment of tetanus toxin and derivatives lacking ganglioside binding activity were compared with that of tetanus toxoid after subcutaneous immunization of mice. Wild-type HC (HCWT) protein and tetanus toxoid both elicited strong antibody responses against toxoid and HC antigens and provided complete protection against toxin challenge. Mutants of HC containing deletions essential for ganglioside binding elicited lower responses than HCWT. HCM115, containing two amino acid substitutions within the ganglioside binding site, provided reduced protection against tetanus toxin challenge compared with HCWT, consistent with lower anti-HC and anti-toxoid antibody titers. Circular-dichroism spectroscopy and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy showed minimal structural perturbation in HCM115. We conclude that the presence of the ganglioside binding site within HC may be essential for induction of a fully protective anti-tetanus response comparable to that induced by tetanus toxoid by subcutaneous injection. PMID:16861677

Virucidal activity of Colombian Lippia essential oils on dengue virus replication in vitro.

PubMed

Ocazionez, Raquel Elvira; Meneses, Rocio; Torres, Flor Angela; Stashenko, Elena

2010-05-01

The inhibitory effect of Lippia alba and Lippia citriodora essential oils on dengue virus serotypes replication in vitro was investigated. The cytotoxicity (CC50) was evaluated by the MTT assay and the mode of viral inhibitory effect was investigated with a plaque reduction assay. The virus was treated with the essential oil for 2 h at 37 masculineC before cell adsorption and experiments were conducted to evaluate inhibition of untreated-virus replication in the presence of oil. Antiviral activity was defined as the concentration of essential oil that caused 50% reduction of the virus plaque number (IC50). L. alba oil resulted in less cytotoxicity than L. citriodora oil (CC50: 139.5 vs. 57.6 microg/mL). Virus plaque reduction for all four dengue serotypes was observed by treatment of the virus before adsorption on cell. The IC50 values for L. alba oil were between 0.4-32.6 microg/mL and between 1.9-33.7 microg/mL for L. citriodora oil. No viral inhibitory effect was observed by addition of the essential oil after virus adsorption. The inhibitory effect of the essential oil seems to cause direct virus inactivation before adsorption on host cell.

Loss and Re-emergence of Legs in Snakes by Modular Evolution of Sonic hedgehog and HOXD Enhancers.

PubMed

Leal, Francisca; Cohn, Martin J

2016-11-07

Limb reduction and loss are hallmarks of snake evolution. Although advanced snakes are completely limbless, basal and intermediate snakes retain pelvic girdles and small rudiments of the femur. Moreover, legs may have re-emerged in extinct snake lineages [1-5], suggesting that the mechanisms of limb development were not completely lost in snakes. Here we report that hindlimb development arrests in python embryos as a result of mutations that abolish essential transcription factor binding sites in the limb-specific enhancer of Sonic hedgehog (SHH). Consequently, SHH transcription is weak and transient in python hindlimb buds, leading to early termination of a genetic circuit that drives limb outgrowth. Our results suggest that degenerate evolution of the SHH limb enhancer played a role in reduction of hindlimbs during snake evolution. By contrast, HOXD digit enhancers are conserved in pythons, and HOXD gene expression in the hindlimb buds progresses to the distal phase, forming an autopodial (digit) domain. Python hindlimb buds then develop transitory pre-chondrogenic condensations of the tibia, fibula, and footplate, raising the possibility that re-emergence of hindlimbs during snake evolution did not require de novo re-evolution of lost structures but instead could have resulted from persistence of embryonic legs. VIDEO ABSTRACT. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils obtained from plants grown in Colombia on yellow fever virus replication in vitro

PubMed Central

Meneses, Rocío; Ocazionez, Raquel E; Martínez, Jairo R; Stashenko, Elena E

2009-01-01

Background An antiviral drug is needed for the treatment of patients suffering from yellow fever. Several compounds present in plants can inactive in vitro a wide spectrum of animal viruses. Aim In the present study the inhibitory effect of essential oils of Lippia alba, Lippia origanoides, Oreganum vulgare and Artemisia vulgaris on yellow fever virus (YFV) replication was investigated. Methods The cytotoxicity (CC50) on Vero cells was evaluated by the MTT reduction method. The minimum concentration of the essential oil that inhibited virus titer by more than 50% (MIC) was determined by virus yield reduction assay. YFV was incubated 24 h at 4°C with essential oil before adsorption on Vero cell, and viral replication was carried out in the absence or presence of essential oil. Vero cells were exposed to essential oil 24 h at 37°C before the adsorption of untreated-virus. Results The CC50 values were less than 100 μg/mL and the MIC values were 3.7 and 11.1 μg/mL. The CC50/MIC ratio was of 22.9, 26.4, 26.5 and 8.8 for L. alba, L origanoides, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris, respectively. The presence of essential oil in the culture medium enhances the antiviral effect: L. origanoides oil at 11.1 μg/mLproduced a 100% reduction of virus yield, and the same result was observed with L. alba, O. vulgare and A. vulgaris oils at100 μg/mL. No reduction of virus yield was observed when Vero cells were treated with essential oil before the adsorption of untreated-virus. Conclusion The essential oils evaluated in the study showed antiviral activities against YFV. The mode of action seems to be direct virus inactivation. PMID:19267922

The Essentials of Protein Import in the Degenerate Mitochondrion of Entamoeba histolytica

PubMed Central

Dolezal, Pavel; Dagley, Michael J.; Kono, Maya; Wolynec, Peter; Likić, Vladimir A.; Foo, Jung Hock; Sedinová, Miroslava; Tachezy, Jan; Bachmann, Anna; Bruchhaus, Iris; Lithgow, Trevor

2010-01-01

Several essential biochemical processes are situated in mitochondria. The metabolic transformation of mitochondria in distinct lineages of eukaryotes created proteomes ranging from thousands of proteins to what appear to be a much simpler scenario. In the case of Entamoeba histolytica, tiny mitochondria known as mitosomes have undergone extreme reduction. Only recently a single complete metabolic pathway of sulfate activation has been identified in these organelles. The E. histolytica mitosomes do not produce ATP needed for the sulfate activation pathway and for three molecular chaperones, Cpn60, Cpn10 and mtHsp70. The already characterized ADP/ATP carrier would thus be essential to provide cytosolic ATP for these processes, but how the equilibrium of inorganic phosphate could be maintained was unknown. Finally, how the mitosomal proteins are translocated to the mitosomes had remained unclear. We used a hidden Markov model (HMM) based search of the E. histolytica genome sequence to discover candidate (i) mitosomal phosphate carrier complementing the activity of the ADP/ATP carrier and (ii) membrane-located components of the protein import machinery that includes the outer membrane translocation channel Tom40 and membrane assembly protein Sam50. Using in vitro and in vivo systems we show that E. histolytica contains a minimalist set up of the core import components in order to accommodate a handful of mitosomal proteins. The anaerobic and parasitic lifestyle of E. histolytica has produced one of the simplest known mitochondrial compartments of all eukaryotes. Comparisons with mitochondria of another amoeba, Dictystelium discoideum, emphasize just how dramatic the reduction of the protein import apparatus was after the loss of archetypal mitochondrial functions in the mitosomes of E. histolytica. PMID:20333239

The role of sensory organs and the forebrain for the development of the craniofacial shape as revealed by Foxg1-cre mediated microRNA loss

PubMed Central

Kersigo, Jennifer; D’Angelo, Alex; Gray, Brian; Soukup, Garrett A.; Fritzsch, Bernd

2011-01-01

Cranial development is critically influenced by the relative growth of distinct elements. Previous studies have shown the transcription factor Foxg1 to be expressed is essential for development of telencephalon, olfactory epithelium, parts of the eye and the ear. Here we investigate the effects of a Foxg1-cre mediated conditional deletion of Dicer1 and microRNA (miRNA) on mouse embryos. We report the rapid and complete loss of the telencephalon and cerebellum as well as severe reduction in the ears and loss of the anterior half of the eyes. These losses result in unexpectedly limited malformations of anterodorsal aspects of the skull. We investigated the progressive disappearance of these initially developing structures and found a specific miRNA of nervous tissue, miR-124, to disappear prior to reduction in growth of the specific neurosensory areas. Correlated with the absence of miR-124, these areas showed numerous apoptotic cells that stained positive for anti-cleaved caspase 3 and the phosphatidylserine stain PSVue prior to the near or complete loss of those brain and sensory areas (forebrain, cerebellum, anterior retina, ear). We conclude that Foxg1-cre mediated conditional deletion of Dicer1 leads to absence of functional miRNA followed by complete or nearly complete loss of neurons. Embryonic neurosensory development therefore depends critically on miRNA. Our data suggest that loss of a given neuronal compartment can be triggered using early deletion of Dicer1 and thus provides a novel means to genetically remove specific neurosensory areas to investigate loss of their function on morphology (this study) or signal processing within the brain. PMID:21225654

A Fourier dimensionality reduction model for big data interferometric imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijay Kartik, S.; Carrillo, Rafael E.; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Wiaux, Yves

2017-06-01

Data dimensionality reduction in radio interferometry can provide savings of computational resources for image reconstruction through reduced memory footprints and lighter computations per iteration, which is important for the scalability of imaging methods to the big data setting of the next-generation telescopes. This article sheds new light on dimensionality reduction from the perspective of the compressed sensing theory and studies its interplay with imaging algorithms designed in the context of convex optimization. We propose a post-gridding linear data embedding to the space spanned by the left singular vectors of the measurement operator, providing a dimensionality reduction below image size. This embedding preserves the null space of the measurement operator and hence its sampling properties are also preserved in light of the compressed sensing theory. We show that this can be approximated by first computing the dirty image and then applying a weighted subsampled discrete Fourier transform to obtain the final reduced data vector. This Fourier dimensionality reduction model ensures a fast implementation of the full measurement operator, essential for any iterative image reconstruction method. The proposed reduction also preserves the independent and identically distributed Gaussian properties of the original measurement noise. For convex optimization-based imaging algorithms, this is key to justify the use of the standard ℓ2-norm as the data fidelity term. Our simulations confirm that this dimensionality reduction approach can be leveraged by convex optimization algorithms with no loss in imaging quality relative to reconstructing the image from the complete visibility data set. Reconstruction results in simulation settings with no direction dependent effects or calibration errors show promising performance of the proposed dimensionality reduction. Further tests on real data are planned as an extension of the current work. matlab code implementing the proposed reduction method is available on GitHub.

Development of a Novel Brayton-Cycle Cryocooler and Key Component Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieczkoski, S. J.; Mohling, R. A.

2004-06-01

Brayton-cycle cryocoolers are being developed to provide efficient cooling in the 6 K to 70 K temperature range. The cryocoolers are being developed for use in space and in terrestrial applications where combinations of long lifetime, high efficiency, compactness, low mass, low vibration, flexible interfacing, load variability, and reliability are essential. The key enabling technologies for these systems are a mesoscale expander and an advanced oil-free scroll compressor. Both these components are nearing completion of their prototype development phase. The emphasis on the component and system development has been on invoking fabrication processes and techniques that can be evolved to further reduction in scale tending toward cryocooler miniaturization.

Selective catalytic two-step process for ethylene glycol from carbon monoxide

PubMed Central

Dong, Kaiwu; Elangovan, Saravanakumar; Sang, Rui; Spannenberg, Anke; Jackstell, Ralf; Junge, Kathrin; Li, Yuehui; Beller, Matthias

2016-01-01

Upgrading C1 chemicals (for example, CO, CO/H2, MeOH and CO2) with C–C bond formation is essential for the synthesis of bulk chemicals. In general, these industrially important processes (for example, Fischer Tropsch) proceed at drastic reaction conditions (>250 °C; high pressure) and suffer from low selectivity, which makes high capital investment necessary and requires additional purifications. Here, a different strategy for the preparation of ethylene glycol (EG) via initial oxidative coupling and subsequent reduction is presented. Separating coupling and reduction steps allows for a completely selective formation of EG (99%) from CO. This two-step catalytic procedure makes use of a Pd-catalysed oxycarbonylation of amines to oxamides at room temperature (RT) and subsequent Ru- or Fe-catalysed hydrogenation to EG. Notably, in the first step the required amines can be efficiently reused. The presented stepwise oxamide-mediated coupling provides the basis for a new strategy for selective upgrading of C1 chemicals. PMID:27377550

Improving women's nutrition imperative for rapid reduction of childhood stunting in South Asia: coupling of nutrition specific interventions with nutrition sensitive measures essential.

PubMed

Vir, Sheila C

2016-05-01

The implications of direct nutrition interventions on women's nutrition, birth outcome and stunting rates in children in South Asia are indisputable and well documented. In the last decade, a number of studies present evidence of the role of non-nutritional factors impacting on women's nutrition, birth outcome, caring practices and nutritional status of children. The implications of various dimensions of women's empowerment and gender inequality on child stunting is being increasingly recognised. Evidence reveals the crucial role of early age of marriage and conception, poor secondary education, domestic violence, inadequate decision-making power, poor control over resources, strenuous agriculture activities, and increasing employment of women and of interventions such as cash transfer scheme and microfinance programme on undernutrition in children. Analysis of the nutrition situation of women and children in South Asia and programme findings emphasise the significance of reaching women during adolescence, pre-conception and pregnancy stage. Ensuring women enter pregnancy with adequate height and weight and free from being anemic is crucial. Combining nutrition-specific interventions with measures for empowerment of women is essential. Improvement in dietary intake and health services of women, prevention of early age marriage and conception, completion of secondary education, enhancement in purchasing power of women, reduction of work drudgery and elimination of domestic violence deserve special attention. A range of programme platforms dealing with health, education and empowerment of women could be strategically used for effectively reaching women prior to and during pregnancy to accelerate reduction in stunting rates in children in South Asia. © 2016 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride using buffered alkaline ascorbic acid.

PubMed

Lin, Ya-Ting; Liang, Chenju

2015-10-01

Alkaline ascorbic acid (AA) was recently discovered as a novel in-situ chemical reduction (ISCR) reagent for remediating chlorinated solvents in the subsurface. For this ISCR process, the maintenance of an alkaline pH is essential. This study investigated the possibility of the reduction of carbon tetrachloride (CT) using alkaline AA solution buffered by phosphate and by NaOH. The results indicated that CT was reduced by AA, and chloroform (CF) was a major byproduct at a phosphate buffered pH of 12. However, CT was completely reduced by AA in 2M NaOH without CF formation. In the presence of iron/soil minerals, iron could be reduced by AA and Fe(2+) tends to precipitate on the mineral surface to accelerate CT degradation. A simultaneous transfer of hydrogenolysis and dichloroelimination would occur under phosphate buffered pH 12. This implies that a high alkaline environment is a crucial factor for maintaining the dominant pathway of two electron transfer from dianionic AA to dehydroascorbic acid, and to undergo dichloroelimination of CT. Moreover, threonic acid and oxalic acid were identified to be the major AA decomposition products in alkaline solutions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antifungal activity of the clove essential oil from Syzygium aromaticum on Candida, Aspergillus and dermatophyte species.

PubMed

Pinto, Eugénia; Vale-Silva, Luís; Cavaleiro, Carlos; Salgueiro, Lígia

2009-11-01

The composition and antifungal activity of clove essential oil (EO), obtained from Syzygium aromaticum, were studied. Clove oil was obtained commercially and analysed by GC and GC-MS. The EO analysed showed a high content of eugenol (85.3 %). MICs, determined according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocols, and minimum fungicidal concentration were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of the clove oil and its main component, eugenol, against Candida, Aspergillus and dermatophyte clinical and American Type Culture Collection strains. The EO and eugenol showed inhibitory activity against all the tested strains. To clarify its mechanism of action on yeasts and filamentous fungi, flow cytometric and inhibition of ergosterol synthesis studies were performed. Propidium iodide rapidly penetrated the majority of the yeast cells when the cells were treated with concentrations just over the MICs, meaning that the fungicidal effect resulted from an extensive lesion of the cell membrane. Clove oil and eugenol also caused a considerable reduction in the quantity of ergosterol, a specific fungal cell membrane component. Germ tube formation by Candida albicans was completely or almost completely inhibited by oil and eugenol concentrations below the MIC values. The present study indicates that clove oil and eugenol have considerable antifungal activity against clinically relevant fungi, including fluconazole-resistant strains, deserving further investigation for clinical application in the treatment of fungal infections.

Gulf Coast Hurricanes Situation Report #40

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2005-11-14

On 11/12 Florida Power & Light (FPL) announced that crews had essentially completed Hurricane Wilma restoration efforts to all 3.2 million customers in South Florida who had been without power. Electricity restoration efforts are now essentially complete in Florida.

Inferring the Minimal Genome of Mesoplasma florum by Comparative Genomics and Transposon Mutagenesis.

PubMed

Baby, Vincent; Lachance, Jean-Christophe; Gagnon, Jules; Lucier, Jean-François; Matteau, Dominick; Knight, Tom; Rodrigue, Sébastien

2018-01-01

The creation and comparison of minimal genomes will help better define the most fundamental mechanisms supporting life. Mesoplasma florum is a near-minimal, fast-growing, nonpathogenic bacterium potentially amenable to genome reduction efforts. In a comparative genomic study of 13 M. florum strains, including 11 newly sequenced genomes, we have identified the core genome and open pangenome of this species. Our results show that all of the strains have approximately 80% of their gene content in common. Of the remaining 20%, 17% of the genes were found in multiple strains and 3% were unique to any given strain. On the basis of random transposon mutagenesis, we also estimated that ~290 out of 720 genes are essential for M. florum L1 in rich medium. We next evaluated different genome reduction scenarios for M. florum L1 by using gene conservation and essentiality data, as well as comparisons with the first working approximation of a minimal organism, Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn3.0. Our results suggest that 409 of the 473 M. mycoides JCVI-syn3.0 genes have orthologs in M. florum L1. Conversely, 57 putatively essential M. florum L1 genes have no homolog in M. mycoides JCVI-syn3.0. This suggests differences in minimal genome compositions, even for these evolutionarily closely related bacteria. IMPORTANCE The last years have witnessed the development of whole-genome cloning and transplantation methods and the complete synthesis of entire chromosomes. Recently, the first minimal cell, Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn3.0, was created. Despite these milestone achievements, several questions remain to be answered. For example, is the composition of minimal genomes virtually identical in phylogenetically related species? On the basis of comparative genomics and transposon mutagenesis, we investigated this question by using an alternative model, Mesoplasma florum, that is also amenable to genome reduction efforts. Our results suggest that the creation of additional minimal genomes could help reveal different gene compositions and strategies that can support life, even within closely related species.

Serodiscussion, Perceived Seroconcordance, and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Dyads of Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Use Geosocial-Networking Smartphone Applications in London.

PubMed

Goedel, William C; Schneider, John A; Hagen, Daniel; Duncan, Dustin T

Serodiscussion-the mutual discussion of HIV statuses between sexual partners-can be viewed as an essential prerequisite for risk-reduction behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM). The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of serodiscussion with one's most recent sexual partner and its association with sexual behaviors with these partners. Broadcast advertisements were placed on a geosocial-networking smartphone application, encouraging users to complete an online survey. A total of 200 MSM completed the survey. Serodiscussion occurred in 43.5% of dyads, and it was most common in dyads where both partners were reported to be HIV positive, χ 2 (5) = 60.3, P < .001. Serodiscussion was associated with engagement in both condomless insertive, χ 2 (1) = 3.847, P = .046, and receptive anal intercourse, χ 2 (1) = 6.5, P = .011. However, there were no significant differences in how recently a respondent was tested for HIV, representing potentially high-risk scenarios.

THE EFFECT OF RADIATION ON ACETABULARIA. III. THE EFFECT OF X RADIATION AND ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ON THE NUCLEATED PART OF ACETABULARIA MEDITERRANEA (in German)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Six, E.

1958-01-01

A study was made of the effect of x rays and ultraviolet radiation of various wave lengths on the nucleated cell part of Acetabularia mediterranea. The x radintion leads to a reduction of the regenerative capacity, to a decrease of cyst formation of the regenerated cells, and to a lowering of the viability of the cysts. After a dose of 400 hr the regenerative capacity is almost completely destroyed. The capacity for the formation of reproductive gametes is lost after 40 hr. The effect of UV irradiation is, on the other hand, much less. It was concluded that the observedmore » functions of the nucleated cell part are essentially determined by the nucleus, which in rhizoids is extensively shielded against UV radiation. A complete regeneration up to cap formation follows so size and shape of the full-grown regenerated cells do not appear to be influenced essertially by x radiation. (tr-auth)« less

Multidisciplinary therapy for treatment of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer

PubMed Central

Yonemura, Yutaka; Elnemr, Ayman; Endou, Yoshio; Hirano, Mitsumasa; Mizumoto, Akiyoshi; Takao, Nobuyuki; Ichinose, Masumi; Miura, Masahiro; Li, Yan

2010-01-01

There is no standard treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) from gastric cancer. A novel multidisciplinary treatment combining bidirectional chemotherapy [neoadjuvant intraperitoneal-systemic chemotherapy protocol (NIPS)], peritonectomy, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) and early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been developed. In this article, we assess the indications, safety and efficacy of this treatment, review the relevant studies and introduce our experiences. The aims of NIPS are stage reduction, the eradication of peritoneal free cancer cells, and an increased incidence of complete cytoreduction (CC-0) for PC. A complete response after NIPS was obtained in 15 (50%) out of 30 patients with PC. Thus, a significantly high incidence of CC-0 can be obtained in patients with a peritoneal cancer index (PCI) ≤ 6. Using a multivariate analysis to examine the survival benefit, CC-0 and NIPS are identified as significant indicators of a good outcome. However, the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with peritonectomy and perioperative chemotherapy make stringent patient selection important. The best indications for multidisciplinary therapy are localized PC (PCI ≤ 6) from resectable gastric cancer that can be completely removed during a peritonectomy. NIPS and complete cytoreduction are essential treatment modalities for improving the survival of patients with PC from gastric cancer. PMID:21160926

[A PhD completed. Prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases and bad breath].

PubMed

van der Sluijs, E; Slot, D E; van der Weijden, G A

2018-01-01

Rinsing the mouth with water, or brushing with a dry toothbrush, does not contribute to an improvement in plaque removal during toothbrushing, nor does brushing according to a specific brushing regimen. Rinsing with water or drinking water has an immediate effect on bad morning breath. The combination of toothbrushing, tongue cleaning and a mouthwash has an effect on bad morning breath after 24 hours, in contrast with brushing with toothpaste only. The use of mouthwash with the specific ingredients chlorhexidine and essential oils has a positive effect on the reduction of gingivitis. The use of similar mouthwashes as a cooling solution in an ultrasonic device has no added effect on treatment results among periodontal patients. Water is an effective cooling solution.

Surface-catalyzed air oxidation reactions of hydrazines: Tubular reactor studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilduff, Jan E.; Davis, Dennis D.; Koontz, Steven L.

1988-01-01

The surface-catalyzed air oxidation reactions of hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, symmetrical dimethylhydrazine, trimethylhydrazine and tetramethylhydrazine were investigated in a metal-powder packed turbular flow reactor at 55 plus or minus 3 C. Hydrazine was completely reacted on all surfaces studied. The major products of monomethylhydrazine (MMH) oxidation were methanol, methane and methyldiazene. The di-, tri- and tetra-methyl hydrazines were essentially unreactive under these conditions. The relative catalytic reactivities toward MMH are: Fe greater than Al2O3 greater than Ti greater than Zn greater than 316 SS greater than Cr greater than Ni greater than Al greater than 304L SS. A kinetic scheme and mechanism involving adsorption, oxidative dehydrogenation and reductive elimination reactions on a metal oxide surface are proposed.

Light scattering techniques for the characterization of optical components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauptvogel, M.; Schröder, S.; Herffurth, T.; Trost, M.; von Finck, A.; Duparré, A.; Weigel, T.

2017-11-01

The rapid developments in optical technologies generate increasingly higher and sometimes completely new demands on the quality of materials, surfaces, components, and systems. Examples for such driving applications are the steadily shrinking feature sizes in semiconductor lithography, nanostructured functional surfaces for consumer optics, and advanced optical systems for astronomy and space applications. The reduction of surface defects as well as the minimization of roughness and other scatter-relevant irregularities are essential factors in all these areas of application. Quality-monitoring for analysing and improving those properties must ensure that even minimal defects and roughness values can be detected reliably. Light scattering methods have a high potential for a non-contact, rapid, efficient, and sensitive determination of roughness, surface structures, and defects.

He + and Ar + bombardment induced chemical changes in CrOSi layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertóti, I.; Tóth, A.; Mohai, M.; Kelly, R.; Marletta, G.

1996-08-01

The effects of 2 keV He + and Ar + bombardment on the surface composition and on the short range chemical structure of sputter deposited amorphous CrOSi layers (with approx. 1 : 1 : 1 atomic ratio) have been studied by XPS. It was found that Ar + bombardment causes an essentially complete reduction of chromium to metallic state (Cr 0) whereas it was partly oxidized in the as-received sample. At the same time about 30% of the oxidized silicon is converted to Si 0 which is stabilized by forming SiCr bonds. He + bombardment, on the contrary, leads to the disruption of SiCr bonds formed by the preceding Ar + bombardment, converting Cr 0 and Si 0 essentially to Cr 3+O, Cr 4+O and Si 4+O, and, at the same time raises the surface oxygen concentration up to three times of the nominal bulk value. The observed transformations are discussed, in connection with the great differences in energy deposition, in terms of direct energy transfer and of ion induced diffusion, together with a significant contribution from thermodynamic driving forces.

Reduction of the ganglioside binding activity of the tetanus toxin HC fragment destroys immunogenicity: implications for development of novel tetanus vaccines.

PubMed

Qazi, Omar; Sesardic, Dorothea; Tierney, Robert; Söderbäck, Zahra; Crane, Dennis; Bolgiano, Barbara; Fairweather, Neil

2006-08-01

In this study, the immunogenicities of the nontoxic H(C) fragment of tetanus toxin and derivatives lacking ganglioside binding activity were compared with that of tetanus toxoid after subcutaneous immunization of mice. Wild-type H(C) (H(C)WT) protein and tetanus toxoid both elicited strong antibody responses against toxoid and H(C) antigens and provided complete protection against toxin challenge. Mutants of H(C) containing deletions essential for ganglioside binding elicited lower responses than H(C)WT. H(C)M115, containing two amino acid substitutions within the ganglioside binding site, provided reduced protection against tetanus toxin challenge compared with H(C)WT, consistent with lower anti-H(C) and anti-toxoid antibody titers. Circular-dichroism spectroscopy and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy showed minimal structural perturbation in H(C)M115. We conclude that the presence of the ganglioside binding site within H(C) may be essential for induction of a fully protective anti-tetanus response comparable to that induced by tetanus toxoid by subcutaneous injection.

7 CFR 766.104 - Borrower eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... economic conditions such as low commodity prices; (iv) Damage or destruction of property essential to the farming operation; or (v) Loss of, or reduction in, the borrower or spouse's essential non-farm income. (2) The borrower does not have non-essential assets for which the net recovery value is sufficient to...

Elimination of glycerol production in anaerobic cultures of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain engineered to use acetic acid as an electron acceptor.

PubMed

Guadalupe Medina, Víctor; Almering, Marinka J H; van Maris, Antonius J A; Pronk, Jack T

2010-01-01

In anaerobic cultures of wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae, glycerol production is essential to reoxidize NADH produced in biosynthetic processes. Consequently, glycerol is a major by-product during anaerobic production of ethanol by S. cerevisiae, the single largest fermentation process in industrial biotechnology. The present study investigates the possibility of completely eliminating glycerol production by engineering S. cerevisiae such that it can reoxidize NADH by the reduction of acetic acid to ethanol via NADH-dependent reactions. Acetic acid is available at significant amounts in lignocellulosic hydrolysates of agricultural residues. Consistent with earlier studies, deletion of the two genes encoding NAD-dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD1 and GPD2) led to elimination of glycerol production and an inability to grow anaerobically. However, when the E. coli mhpF gene, encoding the acetylating NAD-dependent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.10; acetaldehyde+NAD++coenzyme A<-->acetyl coenzyme A+NADH+H+), was expressed in the gpd1Delta gpd2Delta strain, anaerobic growth was restored by supplementation with 2.0 g liter(-1) acetic acid. The stoichiometry of acetate consumption and growth was consistent with the complete replacement of glycerol formation by acetate reduction to ethanol as the mechanism for NADH reoxidation. This study provides a proof of principle for the potential of this metabolic engineering strategy to improve ethanol yields, eliminate glycerol production, and partially convert acetate, which is a well-known inhibitor of yeast performance in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, to ethanol. Further research should address the kinetic aspects of acetate reduction and the effect of the elimination of glycerol production on cellular robustness (e.g., osmotolerance).

Suture retraction technique to prevent parent vessel obstruction following aneurysm tandem clipping.

PubMed

Rayan, Tarek; Amin-Hanjani, Sepideh

2015-08-01

With large or giant aneurysms, the use of multiple tandem clips can be essential for complete obliteration of the aneurysm. One potential disadvantage, however, is the considerable cumulative weight of these clips, which may lead to kinking of the underlying parent vessels and obstruction of flow. The authors describe a simple technique to address this problem, guided by intraoperative blood flow measurements, in a patient with a ruptured near-giant 2.2 × 1.7-cm middle cerebral artery bifurcation aneurysm that was treated with the tandem clipping technique. A total of 11 clips were applied in a vertical stacked fashion. The cumulative weight of the clips caused kinking of the temporal M2 branch of the bifurcation with reduction of flow. A 4-0 Nurolon suture tie was applied to the hub of one of the clips and was tethered to the dura of the sphenoid ridge by a small mini-clip and reinforced by application of tissue sealant. The patient underwent intraoperative indocyanine green videoangiography as well as catheter angiography, which demonstrated complete aneurysmal obliteration and preservation of vessel branches. Postoperative angiography confirmed patency of the bifurcation vessels with mild vasospasm. The patient had a full recovery with no postoperative complications and was neurologically intact at her 6-month follow-up. The suture retraction technique allows a simple solution to parent vessel obstruction following aneurysm tandem clipping, in conjunction with the essential guidance provided by intraoperative flow measurements.

Implementing Liberia's poverty reduction strategy: An assessment of emergency and essential surgical care.

PubMed

Sherman, Lawrence; Clement, Peter T; Cherian, Meena N; Ndayimirije, Nestor; Noel, Luc; Dahn, Bernice; Gwenigale, Walter T; Kushner, Adam L

2011-01-01

To document infrastructure, personnel, procedures performed, and supplies and equipment available at all county hospitals in Liberia using the World Health Organization Tool for Situational Analysis of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care. Survey of county hospitals using the World Health Organization Tool for Situational Analysis of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care. Sixteen county hospitals in Liberia. Infrastructure, personnel, procedures performed, and supplies and equipment available. Uniformly, gross deficiencies in infrastructure, personnel, and supplies and equipment were identified. The World Health Organization Tool for Situational Analysis of Emergency and Essential Surgical Care was useful in identifying baseline emergency and surgical conditions for evidenced-based planning. To achieve the Poverty Reduction Strategy and delivery of the Basic Package of Health and Social Welfare Services, additional resources and manpower are needed to improve surgical and anesthetic care.

Oxidation and reduction under cover: Chemistry at the confined space between ultra-thin nanoporous silicates and Ru(0001)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Anibal Boscoboinik; Zhong, Jian -Qiang; Kestell, John

2016-03-23

The oxidation and reduction of Ru(0001) surfaces at the confined space between two-dimensional nanoporous silica frameworks and Ru(0001) have been investigated using synchrotron-based ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS). The porous nature of the frameworks and the weak interaction between the silica and the ruthenium substrate allow oxygen and hydrogen molecules to go through the nanopores and react with the metal at the interface between the silica framework and the metal surface. In this work, three types of two-dimensional silica frameworks have been used to study their influence in the oxidation and reduction of the ruthenium surface at elevated pressuresmore » and temperatures. These frameworks are bilayer silica (0.5 nm thick), bilayer aluminosilicate (0.5 nm thick), and zeolite MFI nanosheets (3 nm thick). It is found that the silica frameworks stay essentially intact under these conditions, but they strongly affect the oxidation of ruthenium, with the 0.5 nm thick aluminosilicate bilayer completely inhibiting the oxidation. Furthermore, the latter is believed to be related to the lower chemisorbed oxygen content arising from electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged aluminosilicate framework and the Ru(0001) substrate.« less

Efficient reductive elimination of bromate in water using zero-valent zinc prepared by acid-washing treatments.

PubMed

Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew; Lin, Chu-Hung; Lin, Jia-Yin

2017-10-15

Although zero valent zinc (ZVZ) is a strong reductant, studies using ZVZ for bromate reduction are rare. In this study, ZVZ is prepared by acid-washing zinc powder with HCl and used to reduce bromate. The effect of acid-washing on the morphology of zinc powder is also examined. Zinc powder inefficiently reduces bromate, but ZVZ obtained by acid-washing zinc powder eliminates bromate and converts it to bromide. A higher dose of ZVZ enhances elimination efficiency perhaps because the formation of a passivation layer of zinc oxide could be scattered on the large surface of ZVZ. Elevated temperature also substantially improves both elimination efficiency and kinetics. The effect of pH is shown to have the most significant impact on the bromate elimination; elimination efficiency and kinetics are tremendously bolstered at pH = 3, whereas the elimination of bromate is completely suppressed under alkaline conditions. ZVZ can reduce bromate to bromide even in the presence of other anions and also be reused multiple times. Thus, ZVZ can be easily prepared and used to efficiently reduce bromate to bromide. The findings presented here are essential to the design and implementation of bromate elimination in water using zero-valent metals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Renal Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Is Essential for the Hypertension Induced by Nitric Oxide Synthesis Inhibition

PubMed Central

Giani, Jorge F.; Janjulia, Tea; Kamat, Nikhil; Seth, Dale M.; Blackwell, Wendell-Lamar B.; Shah, Kandarp H.; Shen, Xiao Z.; Fuchs, Sebastien; Delpire, Eric; Toblli, Jorge E.; Bernstein, Kenneth E.; McDonough, Alicia A.

2014-01-01

The kidney is an important source of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in many species, including humans. However, the specific effects of local ACE on renal function and, by extension, BP control are not completely understood. We previously showed that mice lacking renal ACE, are resistant to the hypertension induced by angiotensin II infusion. Here, we examined the responses of these mice to the low-systemic angiotensin II hypertensive model of nitric oxide synthesis inhibition with L-NAME. In contrast to wild-type mice, mice without renal ACE did not develop hypertension, had lower renal angiotensin II levels, and enhanced natriuresis in response to L-NAME. During L-NAME treatment, the absence of renal ACE was associated with blunted GFR responses; greater reductions in abundance of proximal tubule Na+/H+ exchanger 3, Na+/Pi co-transporter 2, phosphorylated Na+/K+/Cl− cotransporter, and phosphorylated Na+/Cl− cotransporter; and greater reductions in abundance and processing of the γ isoform of the epithelial Na+ channel. In summary, the presence of ACE in renal tissue facilitates angiotensin II accumulation, GFR reductions, and changes in the expression levels and post-translational modification of sodium transporters that are obligatory for sodium retention and hypertension in response to nitric oxide synthesis inhibition. PMID:25012170

The tremorolytic action of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor is mediated by beta-adrenoceptors located in a deep peripheral compartment.

PubMed

Abila, B; Wilson, J F; Marshall, R W; Richens, A

1985-10-01

The effects of intravenous propranolol 100 micrograms kg-1, sotalol 500 micrograms kg-1, timolol 7.8 micrograms kg-1, atenolol 125 micrograms kg-1 and placebo on essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor were studied. These beta-adrenoceptor blocker doses produced equal reduction of standing-induced tachycardia in essential tremor patients. Atenolol produced significantly less reduction of essential and isoprenaline-induced tremor than the non-selective drugs, confirming the importance of beta 2-adrenoceptor blockade in these effects. Propranolol and sotalol produced equal maximal inhibition of isoprenaline-induced tremor but propranolol was significantly more effective in reducing essential tremor. The rate of development of the tremorolytic effect was similar in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremors but all tremor responses developed significantly more slowly than the heart rate responses. It is proposed that these results indicate that the tremorolytic activity of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor is exerted via the same beta 2-adrenoceptors located in a deep peripheral compartment which is thought to be in the muscle spindles.

The tremorolytic action of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor is mediated by beta-adrenoceptors located in a deep peripheral compartment.

PubMed Central

Abila, B; Wilson, J F; Marshall, R W; Richens, A

1985-01-01

The effects of intravenous propranolol 100 micrograms kg-1, sotalol 500 micrograms kg-1, timolol 7.8 micrograms kg-1, atenolol 125 micrograms kg-1 and placebo on essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor were studied. These beta-adrenoceptor blocker doses produced equal reduction of standing-induced tachycardia in essential tremor patients. Atenolol produced significantly less reduction of essential and isoprenaline-induced tremor than the non-selective drugs, confirming the importance of beta 2-adrenoceptor blockade in these effects. Propranolol and sotalol produced equal maximal inhibition of isoprenaline-induced tremor but propranolol was significantly more effective in reducing essential tremor. The rate of development of the tremorolytic effect was similar in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremors but all tremor responses developed significantly more slowly than the heart rate responses. It is proposed that these results indicate that the tremorolytic activity of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor is exerted via the same beta 2-adrenoceptors located in a deep peripheral compartment which is thought to be in the muscle spindles. PMID:2866785

Optimization of noise in non-integrated instrumentation amplifier for the amplification of very low electrophysiological [corrected] signals. Case of electro cardio graphic signals (ECG).

PubMed

Ngounou, Guy Merlin; Kom, Martin

2014-12-01

In this paper we present an instrumentation amplifier with discrete elements and optimized noise for the amplification of very low signals. In amplifying signals of very weak amplitude, the noise can completely absorb these signals if the used amplifier does not present the optimal guarantee to minimize the noise. Based on related research and re-viewing of recent patents Journal of Medical Systems, 30:205-209, 2006, we suggest an approach of noise reduction in amplification much more thoroughly than re-viewing of recent patents and we deduce from it the general criteria necessary and essential to achieve this optimization. The comparison of these criteria with the provisions adopted in practice leads to the inadequacy of conventional amplifiers for effective noise reduction. The amplifier we propose is an instrumentation amplifier with active negative feedback and optimized noise for the amplification of signals with very low amplitude. The application of this method in the case of electro cardio graphic signals (ECG) provides simulation results fully in line with forecasts.

Synthesis of 2,3-trans-3,4-cis- and 2,3-trans-3,4-trans-2,3,4-triphenyltetrahydrofurans.

PubMed

Munshi, K L; Dikshit, D K; Kapil, R S; Anand, N

1974-04-01

The synthesis of 2,3-trans-3,4-cis- and 2,3-trans-3,4-trans-2,3,4-triphenyltetrahydrofurans was undertaken because these compounds incorportae the essential structural features of certain 2,3-diphenyl-benzofurans and 1,2,3-triphenylalkanones reported earlier to have marked antifertility activity. The synthesis of the 2 tetrahydrofurans was achieved by the cyclization of corresponding 2,3,4-triphenylbutane-1,4-diols upon heating with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The butane 1,4-diols were in turn prepared either by direct litium aluminum hydride (LAH) reduction of methyl 3-benzoyl-2,3-diphenylpropionates or by conversion of these propionates to delta-3,4-butryrolactones followed by LAH reduction. The propionates were prepared from the Fiedel-Crafts reaction of 2,3-diphenylsuccinic anhydride with benzene. Tetrahydrofurans were tested for their antiimplantation activity in rats. 2,3-trans-3,4-cis-2,4-diphenyl-3-p -(beta-pyrrolidinoethoxy) phenyltetrahydrofuran oxalate was found to inhibit implantation completely at 50 mg/kg, but was inefective at a lower dose.

Humic substance-mediated Fe(III) reduction by a fermenting Bacillus strain from the alkaline gut of a humus-feeding scarab beetle larva.

PubMed

Hobbie, Sven N; Li, Xiangzhen; Basen, Mirko; Stingl, Ulrich; Brune, Andreas

2012-06-01

Humus-feeding macroinvertebrates play an important role in the transformation of soil organic matter. Their diet contains significant amounts of redox-active components such as iron minerals and humic substances. In soil-feeding termites, acid-soluble Fe(III) and humic acids are almost completely reduced during gut passage. Here, we show that the reduction of Fe(III) and humic acids takes place also in the alkaline guts of scarab beetle larvae. Sterilized gut homogenates of Pachnoda ephippiata no longer converted Fe(III) to Fe(II), indicating an essential role of the gut microbiota in the process. From Fe(III)-reducing enrichment cultures inoculated with highly diluted gut homogenates, we isolated several facultatively anaerobic, alkali-tolerant bacteria that were closely related to metal-reducing isolates in the Bacillus thioparans group. Strain PeC11 showed a remarkable capacity for dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction, both at pH 7 and 10. Rates were strongly stimulated by the addition of the redox mediator 2,6-antraquinone disulfonate and by redox-active components in the fulvic-acid fraction of humus. Although the contribution of strain PeC11 to intestinal Fe(III) reduction in P. ephippiata remains to be further elucidated, our results corroborate the hypothesis that the lack of oxygen and the solubilization of humic substances in the extremely alkaline guts of humivorous soil fauna provide favorable conditions for the efficient reduction of Fe(III) and humic substances by a primarily fermentative microbiota. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Future Challenge of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Hypertension: From Bench to Bed Side

PubMed Central

Togliatto, Gabriele; Lombardo, Giusy; Brizzi, Maria Felice

2017-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as signaling molecules that control physiological processes, including cell adaptation to stress. Redox signaling via ROS has quite recently become the focus of much attention in numerous pathological contexts, including neurodegenerative diseases, kidney and cardiovascular disease. Imbalance in ROS formation and degradation has also been implicated in essential hypertension. Essential hypertension is characterized by multiple genetic and environmental factors which do not completely explain its associated risk factors. Thereby, even if advances in therapy have led to a significant reduction in hypertension-associated complications, to interfere with the unbalance of redox signals might represent an additional therapeutic challenge. The decrease of nitric oxide (NO) levels, the antioxidant activity commonly found in preclinical models of hypertension and the ability of antioxidant approaches to reduce ROS levels have spurred clinicians to investigate the contribution of ROS in humans. Indeed, particular effort has recently been devoted to understanding how redox signaling may contribute to vascular pathobiology in human hypertension. However, although biomarkers of oxidative stress have been found to positively correlate with blood pressure in preclinical model of hypertension, human data are less convincing. We herein provide an overview of the most relevant mechanisms via which oxidative stress might contribute to the pathophysiology of essential hypertension. Moreover, alternative approaches, which are directed towards improving antioxidant machinery and/or interfering with ROS production, are also discussed. PMID:28914782

Strengthening the perception-assessment tools for dengue prevention: a cross-sectional survey in a temperate region (Madeira, Portugal)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Community participation is mandatory in the prevention of Dengue outbreaks. Taking public views into account is crucial to guide more effective planning and quicker community participation in preventing campaigns. This study aims to assess community perceptions of Madeira population in order to explore their involvement in the A. aegypti’s control and reinforce health-educational planning. Due to the lack of accurate methodologies for measuring perception, a new tool to assess the community’s perceptions was built. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed in the Island’s aegypti-infested area, exploring residents’ perceptions regarding most critical community behaviour: aegypti-source reduction and their domestic aegypti-breeding sites. A novel tool defining five essential topics which underlie the source reduction’s awareness and accession was built, herein called Essential-Perception (EP) analysis. Results Of 1276 individuals, 1182 completed the questionnaire (92 · 6%). EP-Score analysis revealed that community’s perceptions were scarce, inconsistent and possibly incorrect. Most of the population (99 · 6%) did not completely understood the five essential topics explored. An average of 54 · 2% of residents only partially understood each essential topic, revealing inconsistencies in their understanding. Each resident apparently believed in an average of four false assumptions/myths. Significant association (p<0.001) was found between both the EP-Score level and the domestic presence of breeding sites, supporting the validity of this EP-analysis. Aedes aegypti’s breeding sites, consisting of décor/leisure containers, presented an atypical pattern of infestation comparing with dengue prone regions. Conclusions The studied population was not prepared for being fully engaged in dengue prevention. Evidences suggest that EP-methodology was efficient and accurate in assessing the community perception and its compliance to practices. Moreover, it suggested a list of myths that could persist in the community. This is the first study reporting an aegypti-entomological pattern and community’s perception in a developed dengue-prone region. Tailored messages considering findings of this study are recommended to be used in future campaigns in order to more effectively impact the community perception and behaviour. PMID:24428823

Low cost silicon solar array project silicon materials task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A program was established to develop a high temperature silicon production process using existing electric arc heater technology. Silicon tetrachloride and a reductant will be injected into an arc heated mixture of hydrogen and argon. Under these high temperature conditions, a very rapid reaction is expected to occur and proceed essentially to completion, yielding silicon and gaseous sodium chloride. Techniques for high temperature separation and collection of the molten silicon will be developed using standard engineering approaches, and the salt vapor will later be electrolytically separated into its elemental constituents for recycle. Preliminary technical evaluations and economic projections indicate not only that this process appears to be feasible, but that it also has the advantages of rapid, high capacity production of good quality molten silicon at a nominal cost.

[Advances in microbial genome reduction and modification].

PubMed

Wang, Jianli; Wang, Xiaoyuan

2013-08-01

Microbial genome reduction and modification are important strategies for constructing cellular chassis used for synthetic biology. This article summarized the essential genes and the methods to identify them in microorganisms, compared various strategies for microbial genome reduction, and analyzed the characteristics of some microorganisms with the minimized genome. This review shows the important role of genome reduction in constructing cellular chassis.

Comparison of Cinnamon Essential Oils from Leaf and Bark with Respect to Antimicrobial Activity and Sensory Acceptability in Strawberry Shake.

PubMed

Brnawi, Wafaa I; Hettiarachchy, Navam S; Horax, Ronny; Kumar-Phillips, Geetha; Seo, Han-Seok; Marcy, John

2018-02-01

Cinnamon leaf and bark essential oils have long been used as natural preservatives and flavoring agents in foods. This study determined antimicrobial effects of leaf and bark of cinnamon essential oils (CEOs) against 2 foodborne pathogens, Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T.) and Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.), at 2 initial bacterial levels (4- and 9-log CFU/mL) in strawberry shakes. The antimicrobial study of CEOs at 0.1% and 0.5% in strawberry shakes against S.T. and L.M. showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in log reductions of both bacterial growth at low (4-log CFU/mL) and high (9-log CFU/mL) initial bacterial levels. Addition of 0.5% CEOs into strawberry shakes at 4 °C completely inhibited both bacteria after a period of 8 d storage. Shelf-life study showed that acidity and total solid content were not affected during storage. The strawberry shakes containing bark CEO had higher ratings of sensory acceptability compared to leaf CEO, with or without the addition of 1% masking agent. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that CEO derived from bark was better than that from leaf in terms of their antimicrobial activity and sensory aspect. This study demonstrates that essential oils derived from cinnamon bark and leaf have the potential to be used as natural antimicrobial ingredient in milk beverages with respect to sensory aspect. This finding promotes the acceptance of natural antimicrobials among consumers, while providing enhanced safer products to the food industry application. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

In vitro screening of selected feed additives, plant essential oils and plant extracts for rumen methane mitigation.

PubMed

Durmic, Zoey; Moate, Peter J; Eckard, Richard; Revell, Dean K; Williams, Richard; Vercoe, Philip E

2014-04-01

Ruminants produce large quantities of methane in their rumen as a by-product of microbial digestion of feed. Antibiotics are added to ruminant feed to reduce wasteful production of methane; however, this practice has some downsides. A search for safer and natural feed additives with anti-methanogenic properties is under way. The objective of this research was to examine selected feed additives, plant essential oils and plant extracts for their anti-methanogenic potential in the rumen using an in vitro batch fermentation system. A significant reduction (P < 0.05) in methane production was observed with nine feed additives (up to 40% reduction), all eight essential oils (up to 75% reduction) and two plant extracts (14% reduction) when compared to their respective controls. Amongst these, only an algal meal high in docosahexaenoic acid, preparations of Nannochloropsis oculata, calcareous marine algae, yeast metabolites and two tannins did not inhibit microbial gas and volatile acid production. The current study identified some potent dietary ingredients or plant compounds that can assist in developing novel feed additives for methane mitigation from the rumen. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Investigation of the Redox Chemistry of Anthraquinone Derivatives Using Density Functional Theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bachman, Jonathan E.; Curtiss, Larry A.; Assary, Rajeev S.

2014-09-25

Application of density functional calculations to compute electrochemical properties such as redox windows, effect of substitution by electron donating and electron withdrawing groups on redox windows, and solvation free energies for ~50 anthraquinone (AQ) derivatives are presented because of their potential as anolytes in all-organic redox flow batteries. Computations suggest that lithium ions can increase (by ~0.4 V) the reduction potential of anthraquinone due to the lithium ion pairing by forming a Lewis base-Lewis acid complex. To design new redox active species, the substitution by electron donating groups are essential to improve the reduction window of AQ with adequate oxidativemore » stability. For instance, a complete methylation of AQ can improve its reduction window by ~0.4 V. The quantum chemical studies of the ~50 AQ derivatives are used to derive a relationship that connects the computed LUMO energy and the reduction potential that can be applied as a descriptor for screening thousands of AQ derivatives. Our computations also suggest that incorporating oxy-methyl dioxolane substituents in the AQ framework can increase its interaction with non-aqueous solvent and improve its solubility. Thermochemical calculations for likely bond breaking decomposition reactions of un-substituted AQ anions suggest that the dianions are relatively stable in the solution. These studies provide ideal platform to perform further combined experimental and theoretical studies to understand the electrochemical reversibility and solubility of new quinone molecules as energy storage materials.« less

Effects of music on cardiovascular responses in men with essential hypertension compared with healthy men based on introversion and extraversion.

PubMed

Namdar, Hossein; Taban Sadeghi, Mohammadreza; Sabourimoghaddam, Hassan; Sadeghi, Babak; Ezzati, Davoud

2014-01-01

The present research investigated the effects of two different types of music on cardiovascular responses in essential hypertensive men in comparison with healthy men based on introversion and extraversion. One hundred and thirteen hypertensive men referred to Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz completed the NEO-FFI Questionnaire and after obtaining acceptable scores were classified in four groups: introvert patients, extravert patients, introvert healthy subjects, and extravert healthy subjects (each group with 25 samples with age range 31-50). Baseline blood pressure and heart rate of each subject was recorded without any stimulus. Then subjects were exposed to slow-beat music and blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. After15 minute break, and a little cognitive task for distraction, subjects were exposed to fast-beat music and blood pressure and heart rate were recorded again. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) test showed that extravert patient subjects obtained greater reduction in systolic blood pressure and heart rate after presenting slow-beat music compared with introvert patients (P= 0.035, and P= 0.033 respectively). And extravert healthy subjects obtained greater reduction in heart rate after presenting slow-beat music compared with introvert healthy subjects (P= 0.036). However, there are no significant differences between introvert and extravert groups in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after presenting fast-beat music. Based on our results, introvert subjects experience negative emotions more than extravert subjects and negative emotions cause less change in blood pressure in these subjects compared with extravert subjects.

Effects of Music on Cardiovascular Responses in Men with Essential Hypertension Compared with Healthy Men Based on Introversion and Extraversion

PubMed Central

Namdar, Hossein; Taban Sadeghi, Mohammadreza; Sabourimoghaddam, Hassan; Sadeghi, Babak; Ezzati, Davoud

2014-01-01

Introduction: The present research investigated the effects of two different types of music on cardiovascular responses in essential hypertensive men in comparison with healthy men based on introversion and extraversion. Methods: One hundred and thirteen hypertensive men referred to Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz completed the NEO-FFI Questionnaire and after obtaining acceptable scores were classified in four groups: introvert patients, extravert patients, introvert healthy subjects, and extravert healthy subjects (each group with 25 samples with age range 31-50). Baseline blood pressure and heart rate of each subject was recorded without any stimulus. Then subjects were exposed to slow-beat music and blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. After15 minute break, and a little cognitive task for distraction, subjects were exposed to fast-beat music and blood pressure and heart rate were recorded again. Results: Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) test showed that extravert patient subjects obtained greater reduction in systolic blood pressure and heart rate after presenting slow-beat music compared with introvert patients (P= 0.035, and P= 0.033 respectively). And extravert healthy subjects obtained greater reduction in heart rate after presenting slow-beat music compared with introvert healthy subjects (P= 0.036). However, there are no significant differences between introvert and extravert groups in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after presenting fast-beat music. Conclusion: Based on our results, introvert subjects experience negative emotions more than extravert subjects and negative emotions cause less change in blood pressure in these subjects compared with extravert subjects. PMID:25320667

Effects of timolol and atenolol on benign essential tremor: placebo-controlled studies based on quantitative tremor recording.

PubMed

Dietrichson, P; Espen, E

1981-08-01

Two different beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists, atenolol and timolol, were separately compared with a placebo in the suppression of essential tremor. In two-week single-blind placebo-controlled studies with cross-over, timolol (5 mg twice daily) and atenolol (100 mg once daily) produced an equal reduction in sitting heart rate and sitting blood pressure. Timolol was effective in reducing tremor while atenolol failed to reduce tremor amplitude. These results indicate that essential tremor can be reduced but not blocked, by the adrenergic blocker timolol with both beta 1 and beta 2 blocking properties; but not by the relatively selective beta 1 blocking drug atenolol. Possibly, the tremor reduction is medicated by a peripheral effect on beta 2 adrenoreceptors.

40 CFR 454.52 - Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... CATEGORY Essential Oils Subcategory § 454.52 Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of... this paragraph, which may be discharged from the manufacture of essential oils by a point source...

40 CFR 454.52 - Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Essential Oils Subcategory § 454.52 Effluent limitations and guidelines... properties, controlled by this paragraph, which may be discharged from the manufacture of essential oils by a...

40 CFR 454.52 - Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Essential Oils Subcategory § 454.52 Effluent limitations and guidelines... properties, controlled by this paragraph, which may be discharged from the manufacture of essential oils by a...

40 CFR 454.52 - Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Essential Oils Subcategory § 454.52 Effluent limitations and guidelines... properties, controlled by this paragraph, which may be discharged from the manufacture of essential oils by a...

40 CFR 454.52 - Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CATEGORY Essential Oils Subcategory § 454.52 Effluent limitations and guidelines representing the degree of... this paragraph, which may be discharged from the manufacture of essential oils by a point source...

Effectiveness of Oral Antiseptics on Tooth Biofilm: A Study in vivo.

PubMed

Mouchrek Junior, José Carlos Elias; Nunes, Lívia Helena de Araújo Castro; Arruda, Cleidiane Silveira; Rizzi, Claudia de Castro; Mouchrek, Adriana Quinzeiro E Silva; Tavarez, Rudys Rodolfo De Jesus; Tonetto, Mateus Rodrigues; Bandeca, Matheus Coelho; Maia Filho, Etevaldo Matos

2015-08-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of five different mouthwashes through measurement of the plaque index. Fifty subjects took part in this blind study, randomized into blocks of five groups according to the active ingredient of the mouthwash: CHX group (0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate), essential oils (EO) group, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) group, Tri group (triclosan) and Hamamelis virginiana (HV) group. All subjects were evaluated for a reduction in the bacterial plaque index at 7, 14 and 21 days. There was a significant reduction in the mean plaque index during the period of evaluation (p < 0.01), and the reduction during the period of evaluation was different between mouthwashes (p < 0.01). The reduction in the plaque index at the end of 21 days was, in decreasing order, CHX > EO > CPC > Tri > HV. The reduction in the plaque index during the period of evaluation was different between the types of mouth-wash. The mouthwash containing the active ingredient chlorhexidine was the most effective, followed by the essential oil, cetylpyridinium chloride, triclosan and H. virginiana.

Short-term microbiological effects of scaling and root planing and essential-oils mouthwash in Chinese adults*

PubMed Central

He, Jia-yan; Qi, Gang-gang; Huang, Wu-jing; Sun, Xu-dong; Tong, Yu; Peng, Chun-mei; Zhou, Xue-ping; Chen, Hui

2013-01-01

Objective: To assess the short-term effect of scaling and root planing (SRP) and essential-oils mouthwash on the levels of specific bacteria in Chinese adults. Methods: Fifty Chinese adults with chronic periodontitis were randomly assigned to full-mouth SRP or a 7-d essential-oils mouthwash regimen. In addition, 22 periodontally healthy adults used essential-oils mouthwash for 7 d. Clinical examination and plaque/saliva sampling were performed at baseline and on Day 7. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Prevotella intermedia (Pi), and total bacterial loads in saliva, supra- and sub-gingival plaque samples. Results: The detection frequencies of four tested species remained unchanged after either treatment. However, the bacterial loads of Fn, Pg, and Pi were significantly reduced by SRP; the mean reduction of bacterial counts in saliva ranged from 52.2% to 62.5% (p<0.01), in supragingival plaque from 68.2% to 81.0% (p<0.05), and in subgingival plaque from 67.9% to 93.0% (p<0.01). Total bacterial loads were reduced after SRP in supra- and sub-gingival plaque (p<0.05). Essential-oils mouthwash reduced Fn levels in supragingival plaque by a mean of 53.2%, and reduced total bacterial loads in supra- and sub-gingival plaque (p<0.01). In subgingival plaque from periodontal patients, Pg and Pi reductions were high after SRP compared to essential-oils mouthwash (93.0% vs. 37.7% and 87.0% vs. 21.0%, p<0.05). No significant bacterial reduction was observed in periodontally healthy subjects using essential-oils mouthwash. Conclusions: SRP and essential-oils mouthwash both have an impact on saliva and gingival plaque flora in Chinese periodontitis patients in 7 d, with greater microbiological improvement by SRP. PMID:23645178

Rapid and accurate pyrosequencing of angiosperm plastid genomes

PubMed Central

Moore, Michael J; Dhingra, Amit; Soltis, Pamela S; Shaw, Regina; Farmerie, William G; Folta, Kevin M; Soltis, Douglas E

2006-01-01

Background Plastid genome sequence information is vital to several disciplines in plant biology, including phylogenetics and molecular biology. The past five years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of completely sequenced plastid genomes, fuelled largely by advances in conventional Sanger sequencing technology. Here we report a further significant reduction in time and cost for plastid genome sequencing through the successful use of a newly available pyrosequencing platform, the Genome Sequencer 20 (GS 20) System (454 Life Sciences Corporation), to rapidly and accurately sequence the whole plastid genomes of the basal eudicot angiosperms Nandina domestica (Berberidaceae) and Platanus occidentalis (Platanaceae). Results More than 99.75% of each plastid genome was simultaneously obtained during two GS 20 sequence runs, to an average depth of coverage of 24.6× in Nandina and 17.3× in Platanus. The Nandina and Platanus plastid genomes shared essentially identical gene complements and possessed the typical angiosperm plastid structure and gene arrangement. To assess the accuracy of the GS 20 sequence, over 45 kilobases of sequence were generated for each genome using conventional sequencing. Overall error rates of 0.043% and 0.031% were observed in GS 20 sequence for Nandina and Platanus, respectively. More than 97% of all observed errors were associated with homopolymer runs, with ~60% of all errors associated with homopolymer runs of 5 or more nucleotides and ~50% of all errors associated with regions of extensive homopolymer runs. No substitution errors were present in either genome. Error rates were generally higher in the single-copy and noncoding regions of both plastid genomes relative to the inverted repeat and coding regions. Conclusion Highly accurate and essentially complete sequence information was obtained for the Nandina and Platanus plastid genomes using the GS 20 System. More importantly, the high accuracy observed in the GS 20 plastid genome sequence was generated for a significant reduction in time and cost over traditional shotgun-based genome sequencing techniques, although with approximately half the coverage of previously reported GS 20 de novo genome sequence. The GS 20 should be broadly applicable to angiosperm plastid genome sequencing, and therefore promises to expand the scale of plant genetic and phylogenetic research dramatically. PMID:16934154

Reductive evolution of chloroplasts in non-photosynthetic plants, algae and protists.

PubMed

Hadariová, Lucia; Vesteg, Matej; Hampl, Vladimír; Krajčovič, Juraj

2018-04-01

Chloroplasts are generally known as eukaryotic organelles whose main function is photosynthesis. They perform other functions, however, such as synthesizing isoprenoids, fatty acids, heme, iron sulphur clusters and other essential compounds. In non-photosynthetic lineages that possess plastids, the chloroplast genomes have been reduced and most (or all) photosynthetic genes have been lost. Consequently, non-photosynthetic plastids have also been reduced structurally. Some of these non-photosynthetic or "cryptic" plastids were overlooked or unrecognized for decades. The number of complete plastid genome sequences and/or transcriptomes from non-photosynthetic taxa possessing plastids is rapidly increasing, thus allowing prediction of the functions of non-photosynthetic plastids in various eukaryotic lineages. In some non-photosynthetic eukaryotes with photosynthetic ancestors, no traces of plastid genomes or of plastids have been found, suggesting that they have lost the genomes or plastids completely. This review summarizes current knowledge of non-photosynthetic plastids, their genomes, structures and potential functions in free-living and parasitic plants, algae and protists. We introduce a model for the order of plastid gene losses which combines models proposed earlier for land plants with the patterns of gene retention and loss observed in protists. The rare cases of plastid genome loss and complete plastid loss are also discussed.

Complete internal audit of a mammography service in a reference institution for breast imaging.

PubMed

Badan, Gustavo Machado; Roveda Júnior, Décio; Ferreira, Carlos Alberto Pecci; de Noronha Junior, Ozeas Alves

2014-01-01

Undertaking of a complete audit of the service of mammography, as recommended by BI-RADS(®), in a private reference institution for breast cancer diagnosis in the city of São Paulo, SP, Brazil, and comparison of results with those recommended by the literature. Retrospective, analytical and cross-sectional study including 8,000 patients submitted to mammography in the period between April 2010 and March 2011, whose results were subjected to an internal audit. The patients were followed-up until December 2012. The radiological classification of 7,249 screening mammograms, according to BI-RADS, was the following: category 0 (1.43%), 1 (7.82%), 2 (80.76%), 3 (8.35%), 4 (1.46%), 5 (0.15%) and 6 (0.03%). The breast cancer detection ratio was 4.8 cases per 1,000 mammograms. Ductal carcinoma in situ was found in 22.8% of cases. Positive predictive values for categories 3, 4 and 5 were 1.3%, 41.3% and 100%, respectively. In the present study, the sensitivity of the method was 97.1% and specificity, 97.4%. The complete internal audit of a service of mammography is essential to evaluate the quality of such service, which reflects on an early breast cancer detection and reduction of mortality rates.

Treatment of essential tremor with arotinolol.

PubMed

Kuroda, Y; Kakigi, R; Shibasaki, H

1988-04-01

We investigated the effect of arotinolol, a new peripherally acting beta-adrenergic blocker, in 15 patients with essential tremor. The patients received 30 mg per day of arotinolol for 8 weeks. Accelerometer readings showed a significant reduction in amplitude of postural tremor after treatment. Action tremor also improved to essentially the same degree as postural tremor. The present findings support the view that the therapeutic effect of beta-blockers in essential tremor is mediated by peripheral beta-adrenergic receptors.

Effect of essential oils on the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisin contamination in corn.

PubMed

Fandohan, Pascal; Gbenou, Joachim D; Gnonlonfin, Benoit; Hell, Kerstin; Marasas, Walter F O; Wingfield, Michael J

2004-11-03

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from local plants in Benin, western Africa, and oil from seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) were evaluated in vitro and in vivo for their efficacy against Fusarium verticillioides infection and fumonisin contamination. Fumonisin in corn was quantified using a fluorometer and the Vicam method. Oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum, and Ocimum gratissimum were the most effective in vitro, completely inhibiting the growth of F. verticillioides at lower concentrations over 21 days of incubation. These oils reduced the incidence of F. verticillioides in corn and totally inhibited fungal growth at concentrations of 8, 6.4, and 4.8 microL/g, respectively, over 21 days. At the concentration of 4.8 microL/g, these oils did not affect significantly fumonisin production. However, a marked reduction of fumonisin level was observed in corn stored in closed conditions. The oils adversely affected kernel germination at 4.8 microL/g and therefore cannot be recommended for controlling F. verticillioides on stored corn used as seeds, when used at this concentration. The oil of neem seeds showed no inhibitory effect but rather accelerated the growth of F. verticillioides.

Functional genomics of corrinoid starvation in the organohalide-respiring bacterium Dehalobacter restrictus strain PER-K23

PubMed Central

Rupakula, Aamani; Lu, Yue; Kruse, Thomas; Boeren, Sjef; Holliger, Christof; Smidt, Hauke; Maillard, Julien

2015-01-01

De novo corrinoid biosynthesis represents one of the most complicated metabolic pathways in nature. Organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) have developed different strategies to deal with their need of corrinoid, as it is an essential cofactor of reductive dehalogenases, the key enzymes in OHR metabolism. In contrast to Dehalococcoides mccartyi, the genome of Dehalobacter restrictus strain PER-K23 contains a complete set of corrinoid biosynthetic genes, of which cbiH appears to be truncated and therefore non-functional, possibly explaining the corrinoid auxotrophy of this obligate OHRB. Comparative genomics within Dehalobacter spp. revealed that one (operon-2) of the five distinct corrinoid biosynthesis associated operons present in the genome of D. restrictus appeared to be present only in that particular strain, which encodes multiple members of corrinoid transporters and salvaging enzymes. Operon-2 was highly up-regulated upon corrinoid starvation both at the transcriptional (346-fold) and proteomic level (46-fold on average), in line with the presence of an upstream cobalamin riboswitch. Together, these data highlight the importance of this operon in corrinoid homeostasis in D. restrictus and the augmented salvaging strategy this bacterium adopted to cope with the need for this essential cofactor. PMID:25610435

Effects of timolol and atenolol on benign essential tremor: placebo-controlled studies based on quantitative tremor recording.

PubMed Central

Dietrichson, P; Espen, E

1981-01-01

Two different beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists, atenolol and timolol, were separately compared with a placebo in the suppression of essential tremor. In two-week single-blind placebo-controlled studies with cross-over, timolol (5 mg twice daily) and atenolol (100 mg once daily) produced an equal reduction in sitting heart rate and sitting blood pressure. Timolol was effective in reducing tremor while atenolol failed to reduce tremor amplitude. These results indicate that essential tremor can be reduced but not blocked, by the adrenergic blocker timolol with both beta 1 and beta 2 blocking properties; but not by the relatively selective beta 1 blocking drug atenolol. Possibly, the tremor reduction is medicated by a peripheral effect on beta 2 adrenoreceptors. Images PMID:7028921

Guidelines for the Management of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Recommendations from a Panel of Greek Experts.

PubMed

Androudi, Sofia; Dastiridou, Anna; Pharmakakis, Nikolaos; Stefaniotou, Maria; Kalogeropoulos, Christos; Symeonidis, Chrysanthos; Charonis, Alexandros; Tsilimbaris, Miltiadis

2016-05-01

To propose guidelines for the management of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), taking into account the results of large multicenter studies and clinical experience of retina experts. A team of retina experts developed a consensus paper after three consecutive meetings. The group was focused on guidelines to help clinical decision-making around the definition of successful treatment and the definition of non-response to therapy. Parameters suggestive of a successful response to treatments included: any gain in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) or vision loss that is less than 5-10 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters, reduction of central retinal thickness, partial or complete absorption of subretinal fluid (SRF), reduction of intraretinal fluid, reduction of pigment epithelial detachment or restoration of the anatomy of outer retinal layers. Non-response to current treatment was considered in the case of loss of BCVA greater than 10 ETDRS letters, increased retinal edema or increase of SRF as evidenced by optical coherence tomography or new bleeding in biomicroscopy. The introduction of anti-VEGF agents revolutionized the treatment of wAMD. Given the complexity of the disease, the emerging new agents and the difference of cases recruited in clinical trials compared to those appearing in every-day practice, it is essential to individualize treatment options taking into account the results of clinical trials.

Telescope Scientist on the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Carl M. (Technical Monitor); VanSpeybroeck, Leon; Tananbaum, Harvey D.

2004-01-01

In this period, the Chandra X-ray Observatory continued to perform exceptionally well, with many scientific observations and spectacular results. The HRMA performance continues to be essentially identical to that predicted from ground calibration data. The Telescope Scientist Team has improved the mirror model to provide a more accurate description to the Chandra observers, enabling them to reduce the systematic errors and uncertainties in their data reduction. There also has been good progress in the scientific program. Using the Telescope Scientist GTO time, we carried out an extensive Chandra program to observe distant clusters of galaxies. The goals of this program were to use clusters to derive cosmological constraints and to investigate the physics and evolution of clusters. A total of 71 clusters were observed with ACIS-I; the last observations were completed in December 2003.

Efficacy and safety of valsartan/amlodipine single-pill combination in patients with essential hypertension (PEAK LOW).

PubMed

Kızılırmak, Pınar; Ar, Idilhan; Ilerigelen, Barış

2014-06-01

This study evaluated the efficacy as well as the safety and tolerability profile of low-dose valsartan/amlodipine (Val/Amlo) single-pill combination (SPC) (160/5 mg) in patients with essential hypertension in Turkey. Adult patients with essential hypertension [systolic blood pressure (SBP)>140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP)>90 mmHg], who were on low dose Val/Amlo (160/5 mg) SPC before enrollment and gave informed consent, were accepted for this multi-centric observational study performed at 30 sites. The absolute changes in SBP and DBP from baseline were the primary efficacy outcomes. Safety assessments consisted of recording all adverse events. Of 381 patients enrolled, 327 completed the study; 39% were females. The mean age was 57.3±11.8 years. Median duration of hypertension was 38 months. Both SBP and DBP values showed reductions from 162.6±16.6 mmHg and 94.0±13.2 mmHg to 137.6±14.2 mmHg and 81.9±9.0 mmHg at 4th week and to 131.6±11.5 mmHg and 79.7±7.6 mmHg at 12th week, respectively. The control and response rates at the end of the study were 82.0% and 92.6%, respectively. Twelve patients (3.2%) experienced a total of 12 adverse events; there were no serious adverse events. The most common adverse event was edema (1.3%). Patient compliance was approximately 99%. Low-dose (160/5 mg) Val/Amlo SPC is efficacous and has a good tolerability and safety profile for the management of essential hypertension in Turkey.

Inhibition and inactivation of Salmonella typhimurium biofilms from polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces by essential oils and phenolic constituent carvacrol.

PubMed

Soni, Kamlesh A; Oladunjoye, Ademola; Nannapaneni, Ramakrishna; Schilling, M Wes; Silva, Juan L; Mikel, Benjy; Bailey, R Hartford

2013-02-01

Persistence of Salmonella biofilms within food processing environments is an important source of Salmonella contamination in the food chain. In this study, essential oils of thyme and oregano and their antimicrobial phenolic constituent carvacrol were evaluated for their ability to inhibit biofilm formation and inactivate preformed Salmonella biofilms. A crystal violet staining assay and CFU measurements were utilized to quantify biofilm cell mass, with evaluating factors such as strain variation, essential oil type, their concentrations, exposure time, as well as biofilm formation surface. Of the three Salmonella strains, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 23564 and Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 19585 produced stronger biofilms than Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028. Biofilm formation by different Salmonella strains was 1.5- to 2-fold higher at 22°C than at 30 or 37°C. The presence of nonbiocidal concentrations of thyme oil, oregano oil, and phenolic carvacrol at 0.006 to 0.012% suppressed Salmonella spp. biofilm formation 2- to 4-fold, but could not completely eliminate biofilm formation. There was high correlation in terms of biofilm inactivation, as determined by the crystal violet-stained optical density (at a 562-nm wavelength) readings and the viable CFU counts. Reduction of biofilm cell mass was dependent on antimicrobial concentration. A minimum concentration of 0.05 to 0.1% of these antimicrobial agents was needed to reduce a 7-log CFU biofilm mass to a nondetectable level on both polystyrene and stainless steel surfaces within 1 h of exposure time.

Application of different fertilizers on morphological traits of dill (Anethum graveolens L.).

PubMed

Nejatzadeh-Barandozi, Fatemeh; Gholami-Borujeni, Fathollah

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nitroxin biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer on the growth, yield, and essential oil composition of dill. The experiment was conducted under field condition in randomized complete block design with three replications and two factors. The first factor was the concentrations of nitroxin biofertilizer (0%, 50%, and 100%) of the recommended amount (1 l of biological fertilizer for 30 kg of seed). The second factor was the following chemical fertilizer treatments: no fertilizer (control) and 50 and 100 kg ha(-1) urea along with 300 kg ha(-1) ammonium phosphate. Different characteristics such as plant height, number of umbel per plant, number of umbellet per umbel, number of grain per umbellet, 1,000 seed weight, grain yield, biological yield, and oil percentage were recorded. According to the results, the highest height, biological yield, and grain yield components (except harvest index) were obtained on biological fertilizer. The results showed the highest essential oil content detected in biological fertilizer and chemical fertilizer. Identification of essential oil composition showed that the content of carvone increased with the application of biofertilizers and chemical fertilizers. The results indicated that the application of biofertilizers enhanced yield and other plant criteria in this plant. Generally, it seems that the use of biofertilizers or combinations of biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer could improve dill performance in addition to reduction of environmental pollution.

Salt effects on Origanum majorana fatty acid and essential oil composition.

PubMed

Baâtour, Olfa; Kaddour, Rym; Mahmoudi, Hela; Tarchoun, Imen; Bettaieb, Iness; Nasri, Nawel; Mrah, Sabah; Hamdaoui, Ghaith; Lachaâl, Mokhtar; Marzouk, Brahim

2011-11-01

The effects of salt on the essential oil yield and fatty acid composition of aerial parts of two marjoram varieties were investigated. Plants with 6 leaves were treated with NaCl (75mM). Salt treatment led to a reduction in aerial part growth. Salinity increased the fatty acid content more significantly in Tunisian variety (TV) than in Canadian variety (CV). CV showed an increase in double-bond index (DBI) and a decrease in malondialdehyde content under salt stress, while the opposite was observed in TV. The DBI was mainly affected by a strong reduction in oleic and linoleic acids in TV, whereas a strong stimulation of linoleic acid in CV was observed. Salt decreased and increased the essential oil yield in TV and CV respectively. The main constituents of the essential oil of TV were trans-hydrate sabinene and terpinen-4-ol, which showed a significant decrease under salt stress. In contrast, the main constituents of the essential oil of CV were sabinene and trans-hydrate sabinene, which showed a significant decrease and increase respectively under salt stress. Marjoram oil is a rich source of many compounds such as essential oils and fatty acids, but the distribution of these compounds differed significantly between the two varieties studied. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evidence for declining numbers of Ebola cases--Montserrado County, Liberia, June-October 2014.

PubMed

Nyenswah, Tolbert G; Westercamp, Matthew; Kamali, Amanda Ashraf; Qin, Jin; Zielinski-Gutierrez, Emily; Amegashie, Fred; Fallah, Mosaka; Gergonne, Bernadette; Nugba-Ballah, Roselyn; Singh, Gurudev; Aberle-Grasse, John M; Havers, Fiona; Montgomery, Joel M; Bawo, Luke; Wang, Susan A; Rosenberg, Ronald

2014-11-21

The epidemic of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in West Africa that began in March 2014 has caused approximately 13,200 suspected, probable, and confirmed cases, including approximately 6,500 in Liberia. About 50% of Liberia's reported cases have been in Montserrado County (population 1.5 million), the most populous county, which contains the capital city, Monrovia. To examine the course of the Ebola epidemic in Montserrado County, data on Ebola treatment unit (ETU) admissions, laboratory testing of patient blood samples, and collection of dead bodies were analyzed. Each of the three data sources indicated consistent declines of 53%-73% following a peak incidence in mid-September. The declines in ETU admissions, percentage of patients with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results positive for Ebola, and dead bodies are the first evidence of reduction in disease after implementation of multiple prevention and response measures. The possible contributions of these interventions to the decline is not yet fully understood or corroborated. A reduction in cases suggests some progress; however, eliminating Ebola transmission is the critical goal and will require greatly intensified efforts for complete, high-quality surveillance to direct and drive the rapid intervention, tracking, and response efforts that remain essential.

Linking Syndemic Stress and Behavioral Indicators of Main Partner HIV Transmission Risk in Gay Male Couples.

PubMed

Starks, Tyrel J; Tuck, Andrew N; Millar, Brett M; Parsons, Jeffrey T

2016-02-01

The purpose of the current study was to examine whether syndemic stress in partnered gay men might undermine communication processes essential to the utilization of negotiated safety and other harm reduction strategies that rely on partners' HIV status disclosure. Participants included 100 gay male couples (N = 200 individuals) living in the U.S., who responded to an online survey. Participants completed measures of five syndemic factors (depression, poly-drug use, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and sexual compulsivity). They also reported on whether condoms were used during first intercourse together and the timing of first condomless anal intercourse (CAI) relative to HIV disclosure in their relationship. Results of binary logistic regression analyses supported the hypothesis that the sum of partners' syndemic stress was negatively associated with condom use at first intercourse and with HIV disclosure prior to first CAI. Syndemic stress may contribute to HIV transmission risk between main partners in part because it accelerates the progression to CAI and interferes with communication processes central to harm reduction strategies utilized by gay men in relationships. Implications for prevention strategies and couples interventions, such as couples HIV counseling and testing, that facilitate communication skill-building, are discussed.

Linking syndemic stress and behavioral indicators of main partner HIV transmission risk in gay male couples

PubMed Central

Starks, Tyrel J.; Tuck, Andrew N.; Millar, Brett M.; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to examine whether syndemic stress in partnered gay men might undermine communication processes essential to the utilization of negotiated safety and other harm reduction strategies that rely on partners’ HIV status disclosure. Participants included 100 gay male couples (N = 200 individuals) living in the U.S., who responded to an online survey. Participants completed measures of five syndemic factors (depression, poly-drug use, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and sexual compulsivity). They also reported on whether condoms were used during first intercourse together and the timing of first condomless anal intercourse (CAI) relative to HIV disclosure in their relationship. Results of binary logistic regression analyses supported the hypothesis that the sum of partners’ syndemic stress was negatively associated with condom use at first intercourse and with HIV disclosure prior to first CAI. Syndemic stress may contribute to HIV transmission risk between main partners in part because it accelerates the progression to CAI and interferes with communication processes central to harm reduction strategies utilized by gay men in relationships. Implications for prevention strategies and couples interventions, such as couples HIV counseling and testing, that facilitate communication skill-building, are discussed. PMID:26552658

[Surgical management of ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease)].

PubMed

Allouch, H; Shousha, M; Böhm, H

2017-12-01

Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that is often associated with back pain and restricted spinal movement. In the later stages of the disease, complete ossification of the entire spine and severe deformity can occur, often resulting in a marked reduction in quality of life and an increased risk of loss of independence due to diminished visual field. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis are at greater risk of spinal fractures. These are generally complex fractures associated with high morbidity and mortality; in addition, neurological deficits are not unusual. Conventional radiological diagnosis is often insufficient to establish a diagnosis. Conservative treatment of fractures of the spine in this patient group is unsatisfactory. Surgical procedures, if necessary combined with decompression, are often the preferred treatment of choice in the fractured or malaligned ankylosed spine. Rebalancing of the sagittal profile with normalization of the visual axis and an improvement of quality of life is achieved through corrective osteotomies. Despite the high rate of complications, long-term results following spinal surgery in patients with ankylosing spondylitis are good. Minimally invasive surgery is appropriate for a further reduction in the complication rate. Meticulous preoperative planning is essential in the treatment of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Mechanism of light-dependent biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles mediated by cell extract of Neochloris oleoabundans.

PubMed

Bao, Zeqing; Lan, Christopher Q

2018-06-04

This study investigated the role of chlorophyll and light in the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using disrupted cell aqueous extract of Neochloris oleoabundans. It was found that, while increasing sonication time increased the percentage of disrupted cells and efficiency of aqueous cell extraction, over-sonication reduced AgNPs production. AgNPs biosynthesis required illumination of white, blue, or purple light while AgNPs formation was undetectable under dark condition or illumination of orange or red light, indicating only photons of high energy levels among the photosynthetic active radiations are capable of exciting the electrons of chlorophylls to a state that is sufficient for Ag + reduction. Chlorophylls were demonstrated to be an essential component mediating the reduction of Ag + and results of mass balance suggest that chlorophylls need to be recycled for the reaction to complete. The ultimate electron donor was hypothesized to be water, which supplemented electrons through water splitting catalyzed by photosynthetic enzyme complexes such as photosystem II. A hypothetical reaction mechanism is proposed for the light-dependent biosynthesis of AgNPs based on systematic experimental results and literature data for the first time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Anti-Cariogenic Plaque Effects of Essential Oils Extracted from Culinary Herbs.

PubMed

Wiwattanarattanabut, Kornsit; Choonharuangdej, Suwan; Srithavaj, Theerathavaj

2017-09-01

Cariogenic bacteria including mutans streptococci and lactobacilli are partly but significantly involved in dental caries development. An effective prevention strategy against dental caries is to decrease the accumulation of this microbiota either in planktonic or in biofilm form. To examine the antimicrobial and anti-plaque effects of some culinary herbs (spices), so the herbs are plausibly used as alternative and effective herbal plaque control supplements to promote good oral health. Essential oils extracted from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) , cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) , sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) , kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix) , black pepper (Piper nigrum) , peppermint (Mentha piperita) , and spearmint (Mentha spicata) were primarily examined for their antimicrobial activities against the cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans KPSK2 and Lactobacillus casei) using the agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, respectively. These essential oils were then analysed for anti-plaque effects (retardation of S. mutans biofilm formation and reduction of the in vitro established biofilm). This experimental study was performed at the Department of Oral Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University during June 2015 till August 2016. All selected essential oils showed different degrees of antimicrobial activity against the planktonic form of both cariogenic bacteria. Cinnamon bark essential oil expressed the strongest inhibitory effect against S. mutans {MIC of 0.08% (v/v)} and L. casei {MIC of 0.16% (v/v)}, whereas the weakest effect was found in kaffir lime essential oil {MIC values of 2.5% and 5.0% (v/v) for S. mutans and L. casei , respectively}. Up to 80% of S. mutans biofilm was retarded to form on the substratum primed with these spice essential oils, especially cinnamon oil. The preventive effect of these oils was in dose- and exposure time-dependent manners. For reductive effect against the 24-hour pre-established S. mutans biofilm, at least 50% of the biofilm mass was reduced when the biofilm was treated with each essential oil at the MIC for an hour. The reductive effect against the in vitro established S. mutans biofilm of these culinary herb essential oils only depended on the exposure time. Cinnamon and sweet basil essential oils with impressive in vitro anti-cariogenic bacteria and anti-plaque effects may be proposed as alternative and effective supplements to promote oral health status.

In Vitro Anti-Cariogenic Plaque Effects of Essential Oils Extracted from Culinary Herbs

PubMed Central

Wiwattanarattanabut, Kornsit; Srithavaj, Theerathavaj

2017-01-01

Introduction Cariogenic bacteria including mutans streptococci and lactobacilli are partly but significantly involved in dental caries development. An effective prevention strategy against dental caries is to decrease the accumulation of this microbiota either in planktonic or in biofilm form. Aim To examine the antimicrobial and anti-plaque effects of some culinary herbs (spices), so the herbs are plausibly used as alternative and effective herbal plaque control supplements to promote good oral health. Materials and Methods Essential oils extracted from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix), black pepper (Piper nigrum), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and spearmint (Mentha spicata) were primarily examined for their antimicrobial activities against the cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans KPSK2 and Lactobacillus casei) using the agar disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, respectively. These essential oils were then analysed for anti-plaque effects (retardation of S. mutans biofilm formation and reduction of the in vitro established biofilm). This experimental study was performed at the Department of Oral Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University during June 2015 till August 2016. Results All selected essential oils showed different degrees of antimicrobial activity against the planktonic form of both cariogenic bacteria. Cinnamon bark essential oil expressed the strongest inhibitory effect against S. mutans {MIC of 0.08% (v/v)} and L. casei {MIC of 0.16% (v/v)}, whereas the weakest effect was found in kaffir lime essential oil {MIC values of 2.5% and 5.0% (v/v) for S. mutans and L. casei, respectively}. Up to 80% of S. mutans biofilm was retarded to form on the substratum primed with these spice essential oils, especially cinnamon oil. The preventive effect of these oils was in dose- and exposure time-dependent manners. For reductive effect against the 24-hour pre-established S. mutans biofilm, at least 50% of the biofilm mass was reduced when the biofilm was treated with each essential oil at the MIC for an hour. The reductive effect against the in vitro established S. mutans biofilm of these culinary herb essential oils only depended on the exposure time. Conclusion Cinnamon and sweet basil essential oils with impressive in vitro anti-cariogenic bacteria and anti-plaque effects may be proposed as alternative and effective supplements to promote oral health status. PMID:29207708

Amendment in phosphorus levels moderate the chromium toxicity in Raphanus sativus L. as assayed by antioxidant enzymes activities.

PubMed

Sayantan, D; Shardendu

2013-09-01

Chromium (Z=24), a d-block element, is a potent carcinogen, whereas phosphorus is an essential and limiting nutrient for the plant growth and development. This study undertakes the role of phosphorus in moderating the chromium toxicity in Raphanus sativus L., as both of them compete with each other during the uptake process. Two-factor complete randomized experiment (5 chromium × 5 phosphorus concentrations) was conducted for twenty eight days in green house. The individuals of R. sativus were grown in pots supplied with all essential nutrients. The toxic effects of chromium and the moderation of toxicity due to phosphorus amendment were determined as accumulation of chromium, nitrogen, phosphorus in root tissues and their effects were also examined in the changes in biomass, chlorophyll and antioxidant enzyme levels. Cr and N accumulation were almost doubled at the highest concentration of Cr supply, without any P amendment, whereas at the highest P concentration (125 mM), the accumulation was reduced to almost half. A significant reduction in toxic effects of Cr was determined as there was three-fold increase in total chlorophyll and biomass at the highest P amendment. Antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and lipid peroxidation were analyzed at various levels of Cr each amended with five levels of P. It was observed that at highest level of P amendment, the reduction percentage in toxicity was 33, 44, 39 and 44, correspondingly. Conclusively, the phosphorus amendment moderates the toxicity caused by the supplied chromium in R. sativus. This finding can be utilized to develop a novel technology for the amelioration of chromium stressed fields. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pattern of maxillary and mandibular proximal enamel thickness at the contact area of the permanent dentition from first molar to first molar.

PubMed

Sarig, Rachel; Vardimon, Alexander D; Sussan, Celine; Benny, Lea; Sarne, Ofer; Hershkovitz, Israel; Shpack, Nir

2015-04-01

Proximal enamel thickness (PET) at the mesial and distal contact areas of the complete permanent dentition has not been previously reported. Anatomic investigation of PET is essential for interproximal reduction treatment. Our objectives were to measure the PETs of the complete maxillary and mandibular dentitions at the contact areas, to compare the PETs of adjacent teeth, and to evaluate the vertical position of each contact area. We evaluated 720 extracted teeth; of these, 109 intact teeth were selected. The mesial and distal contact areas were demarcated, and each tooth was embedded in transparent epoxy resin. Blocks were prepared so that the 2 demarcated contact areas were exposed, and 6 measurements were taken and statistically analyzed. Both jaws showed the same PET pattern characterized by 5 features: PET increased progressively from incisor (0.63 mm) to first molar (1.48 mm). Per tooth, mesial and distal PET did not differ. Total maxillary (26.86 mm) and mandibular (24.52 mm) PETs were similar. Paired PETs at the interproximal interface were similar, with the exception of the lateral incisor-canine interfaces. From incisor to first molar, the contact area becomes located farther gingivally. The existing guideline of maximal 0.5-mm interproximal reduction per 2 adjacent teeth should be kept in the anterior region and could be increased to 1 mm in the posterior region, when an equal amount is removed. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The essential oil of Allium sativum as an alternative agent against Candida isolated from dental prostheses.

PubMed

Mendoza-Juache, Alejandro; Aranda-Romo, Saray; Bermeo-Escalona, Josué R; Gómez-Hernández, Araceli; Pozos-Guillén, Amaury; Sánchez-Vargas, Luis Octavio

The colonization of the surfaces of dental prostheses by Candida albicans is associated with the development of denture stomatitis. In this context, the use of fluconazole has been proposed, but its disadvantage is microbial resistance. Meanwhile, the oil of Allium sativum has shown an effect in controlling biofilm formation by C. albicans. The objective of this study was to determine the antifungal activities of the essential oil of A. sativum and fluconazole against clinical isolates of Candida species obtained from rigid, acrylic-based partial or total dentures and to compare these agents' effects on both biofilm and planktonic cells. A total of 48 clinical isolates obtained from the acrylic surface of partial or complete dentures were examined, and the following species were identified: C. albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei. For each isolate, the antifungal activities of the essential oil of A. sativum and fluconazole against both biofilm and planktonic cells were evaluated using the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M27-A3 method. The isolates were also evaluated by semiquantitative XTT reduction. All planktonic Candida isolates were susceptible to the essential oil of A. sativum, whereas 4.2% were resistant to fluconazole. Regarding susceptibilities in biofilms, 43.8% of biofilms were resistant to A. sativum oil, and 91.7% were resistant to fluconazole. All planktonic cells of the different Candida species tested are susceptible to <1mg/ml A. sativum oil, and the majority are susceptible to fluconazole. Susceptibility decreases in biofilm cells, with increased resistance to fluconazole compared with A. sativum oil. The essential oil of A. sativum is thus active against clinical isolates of Candida species obtained from dentures, with effects on both biofilm and planktonic cells in vitro. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Manganese inhibition of microbial iron reduction in anaerobic sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lovley, D.R.; Phillips, E.J.P.

1988-01-01

Potential mechanisms for the lack of Fe(II) accumulation in Mn(IV)-containing anaerobic sediments were investigated. The addition of Mn(IV) to sediments in which Fe(II) reduction was the terminal electron-accepting process removed all the pore-water Fe(II), completely inhibited net Fe(III) reduction, and stimulated Mn(IV) reduction. Results demonstrate that preferential reduction of Mn(IV) by FE(III)-reducing bacteria cannot completely explain the lack of Fe(II) accumulation in anaerobic, Mn(IV)-containing sediments, and indicate that Mn(IV) oxidation of Fe(II) is the mechanism that ultimately prevents Fe(II) accumulation. -Authors

Anti-Legionella activity of essential oil of Satureja cuneifolia.

PubMed

Dunkić, Valerija; Mikrut, Antonija; Bezić, Nada

2014-05-01

The essential oil of Satureja cuneifolia Ten. was characterized by a high concentration of the phenolic compounds carvacrol (21.3%) and thymol (9.2%). The in vitro activity of the essential oil against Legionela pneumophila serogroups (SG) I and 2-15 and Legionella spp. from different sources, using microdilution, showed that L. pneumofila is sensitive to the oil, with MICs ranging from 0.12 to 0.5%, v/v, and a MBC at 0.5 to 1%, v/v. The essential oil of S. cuneifolia was effective in the reduction of Legionellosis infections.

Examination of Noise Management Approaches in the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

each asserting a legally or socially validated position. Finally, the idea of conflicting interests can be expanded on to recognize the often...often the by- product of some individually or socially desirable activity, complete reduction of the noise is usually not an acceptable or practicable...alternative. In between the two polar extremes, complete reduction of the noise and absolutely no reduction or .restriction, lies some socially

14 CFR 398.11 - Funding reductions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Funding reductions. 398.11 Section 398.11 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) POLICY STATEMENTS GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATIONS OF BASIC ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE § 398.11 Funding...

14 CFR 398.11 - Funding reductions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Funding reductions. 398.11 Section 398.11 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) POLICY STATEMENTS GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATIONS OF BASIC ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE § 398.11 Funding...

14 CFR 398.11 - Funding reductions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Funding reductions. 398.11 Section 398.11 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) POLICY STATEMENTS GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATIONS OF BASIC ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE § 398.11 Funding...

Complete magnesiothermic reduction reaction of vertically aligned mesoporous silica channels to form pure silicon nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyoung Hwan; Lee, Dong Jin; Cho, Kyeong Min; Kim, Seon Joon; Park, Jung-Ki; Jung, Hee-Tae

2015-01-01

Owing to its simplicity and low temperature conditions, magnesiothermic reduction of silica is one of the most powerful methods for producing silicon nanostructures. However, incomplete reduction takes place in this process leaving unconverted silica under the silicon layer. This phenomenon limits the use of this method for the rational design of silicon structures. In this effort, a technique that enables complete magnesiothermic reduction of silica to form silicon has been developed. The procedure involves magnesium promoted reduction of vertically oriented mesoporous silica channels on reduced graphene oxides (rGO) sheets. The mesopores play a significant role in effectively enabling magnesium gas to interact with silica through a large number of reaction sites. Utilizing this approach, highly uniform, ca. 10 nm sized silicon nanoparticles are generated without contamination by unreacted silica. The new method for complete magnesiothermic reduction of mesoporous silica approach provides a foundation for the rational design of silicon structures. PMID:25757800

Removal of chromium from synthetic plating waste by zero-valent iron and sulfate-reducing bacteria.

PubMed

Guha, Saumyen; Bhargava, Puja

2005-01-01

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of zero-valent iron and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) for reduction and removal of chromium from synthetic electroplating waste. The zero-valent iron shows promising results as a reductant of hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) to trivalent chromium (Cr+3), capable of 100% reduction. The required iron concentration was a function of chromium concentration in the waste stream. Removal of Cr+3 by adsorption or precipitation on iron leads to complete removal of chromium from the waste and was a slower process than the reduction of Cr+6. Presence SRB in a completely mixed batch reactor inhibited the reduction of Cr+6. In a fixed-bed column reactor, SRB enhanced chromium removal and showed promising results for the treatment of wastes with low chromium concentrations. It is proposed that, for waste with high chromium concentration, zero-valent iron is an efficient reductant and can be used for reduction of Cr+6. For low chromium concentrations, a SRB augmented zero-valent iron and sand column is capable of removing chromium completely.

EFFECT OF PITTING CORROSION PROMOTERS ON THE TREATMENT OF WATERS CONTAMINATED WITH A NITROAROMATIC COMPOUNDS USING INTEGRATED REDUCTIVE/OXIDATIVE PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

All the reaction mechanisms developed during the proposed research activities will provide essential information during risk assessment and evaluation of remediation strategies of NACs contamination. The concept of integrated reductive/oxidative technologies. exper...

Injectable percutaneous polydimethicone in the treatment of pedal keratomas: a single blind randomized trial.

PubMed

Tollafield, D R; Holdcroft, D J; Singh, R; Haque, M S

2001-01-01

Thirty-one subjects who presented with plantar (metatarsal lesions only 21 out of 31 patients completed the study) completed a single blind injection of 350-centistroke polydimethicone or saline over a 6 to 9-month period. The injectable silicone conformed to European Economic Community standards and was accepted by the Medical Devices Agency (UK). The subjects were equally divided between male and female. Two randomly divided groups received silicone (n = 16) and sterile saline (n = 15). Total volumes used were not identical between the groups of subjects (p = .05), although the maximum volume was no greater than 1.5 ml in any subject. The effectiveness of the injection was reviewed using a Harris-Beath ink mat, visual analogue scale, alteration in frequency of treatment, and subjective analysis of reduction in lesions before and after by color photography. Essential histopathology was undertaken on 11 subjects. Granulomatous reactions were only positively identified in one case. Nine matched pairs showed no statistically significant difference between the two treatments (p = .082) using parametric and nonparametric tests. This study found no evidence to show that small quantities of medically prepared liquid silicone caused adverse reactions, although two cases were more sensitive after injection of silicone.

Decontamination of metals using chemical etching

DOEpatents

Lerch, Ronald E.; Partridge, Jerry A.

1980-01-01

The invention relates to chemical etching process for reclaiming contaminated equipment wherein a reduction-oxidation system is included in a solution of nitric acid to contact the metal to be decontaminated and effect reduction of the reduction-oxidation system, and includes disposing a pair of electrodes in the reduced solution to permit passage of an electrical current between said electrodes and effect oxidation of the reduction-oxidation system to thereby regenerate the solution and provide decontaminated equipment that is essentially radioactive contamination-free.

Antimicrobial activities of the essential oils of various plants against tomato late blight disease agent Phytophthora infestans.

PubMed

Soylu, E Mine; Soylu, Soner; Kurt, Sener

2006-02-01

The aim of this study was to find an alternative to synthetic fungicides currently used in the control of devastating oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of late blight disease of tomato. Antifungal activities of essential oils obtained from aerial parts of aromatic plants such as oregano (Origanum syriacum var. bevanii), thyme (Thymbra spicata subsp. spicata), lavender (Lavandula stoechas subsp. stoechas), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and laurel (Laurus nobilis), were investigated against P. infestans. Both contact and volatile phase effects of different concentrations of the essential oils used were determined by using two in vitro methods. Chemical compositions of the essential oils were also determined by GC-MS analysis. Major compounds found in essential oils of thyme, oregano, rosemary, lavender, fennel and laurel were carvacrol (37.9%), carvacrol (79.8), borneol (20.4%), camphor (20.2%), anethole (82.8%) and 1,8-cineole (35.5%), respectively. All essential oils were found to inhibit the growth of P. infestans in a dose-dependent manner. Volatile phase effect of oregano and thyme oils at 0.3 microg/ml air was found to completely inhibit the growth of P. infestans. Complete growth inhibition of pathogen by essential oil of fennel, rosemary, lavender and laurel was, however, observed at 0.4-2.0 microg/ml air concentrations. For the determination of the contact phase effects of the tested essential oils, oregano, thyme and fennel oils at 6.4 microg/ml were found to inhibit the growth of P. infestans completely. Essential oils of rosemary, lavender and laurel were inhibitory at relatively higher concentrations (12.8, 25.6, 51.2 microg/ml respectively). Volatile phase effects of essential oils were consistently found to be more effective on fungal growth than contact phase effect. Sporangial production was also inhibited by the essential oil tested. Light and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation on pathogen hyphae, exposed to both volatile and contact phase of oil, revealed considerable morphological alterations in hyphae such as cytoplasmic coagulation, vacuolations, hyphal shrivelling and protoplast leakage.

Estimated effects of adding universal public coverage of an essential medicines list to existing public drug plans in Canada.

PubMed

Morgan, Steven G; Li, Winny; Yau, Brandon; Persaud, Nav

2017-02-27

Canada's universal health care system does not include universal coverage of prescription drugs. We sought to estimate the effects of adding universal public coverage of an essential medicines list to existing public drug plans in Canada. We used administrative and market research data to estimate the 2015 shares of the volume and cost of prescriptions filled in the community setting that were for 117 drugs on a model list of essential medicines for Canada. We compared prices of these essential medicines in Canada with prices in the United States, Sweden and New Zealand. We estimated the cost of adding universal public drug coverage of these essential medicines based on anticipated effects on medication use and pricing. The 117 essential medicines on the model list accounted for 44% of all prescriptions and 30% of total prescription drug expenditures in 2015. Average prices of generic essential medicines were 47% lower in the US, 60% lower in Sweden and 84% lower in New Zealand; brand-name drugs were priced 43% lower in the US. Estimated savings from universal public coverage of these essential medicines was $4.27 billion per year (range $2.72 billion to $5.83 billion; 28% reduction) for patients and private drug plan sponsors, at an incremental government cost of $1.23 billion per year (range $373 million to $1.98 billion; 11% reduction). Our analysis showed that adding universal public coverage of essential medicines to the existing public drug plans in Canada could address most of Canadians' pharmaceutical needs and save billions of dollars annually. Doing so may be a pragmatic step forward while more comprehensive pharmacare reforms are planned. © 2017 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Platinum recycling going green via induced surface potential alteration enabling fast and efficient dissolution

PubMed Central

Hodnik, Nejc; Baldizzone, Claudio; Polymeros, George; Geiger, Simon; Grote, Jan-Philipp; Cherevko, Serhiy; Mingers, Andrea; Zeradjanin, Aleksandar; Mayrhofer, Karl J. J.

2016-01-01

The recycling of precious metals, for example, platinum, is an essential aspect of sustainability for the modern industry and energy sectors. However, due to its resistance to corrosion, platinum-leaching techniques rely on high reagent consumption and hazardous processes, for example, boiling aqua regia; a mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acid. Here we demonstrate that complete dissolution of metallic platinum can be achieved by induced surface potential alteration, an ‘electrode-less' process utilizing alternatively oxidative and reductive gases. This concept for platinum recycling exploits the so-called transient dissolution mechanism, triggered by a repetitive change in platinum surface oxidation state, without using any external electric current or electrodes. The effective performance in non-toxic low-concentrated acid and at room temperature is a strong benefit of this approach, potentially rendering recycling of industrial catalysts, including but not limited to platinum-based systems, more sustainable. PMID:27767178

Analysis of aerothermodynamic environment of a Titan aerocapture vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tiwari, S. N.; Chow, H.; Moss, J. N.

1982-01-01

The feasibility of an aerocapture vehicle mission has been emphasized recently for inner and outer planetary missions. Aerocapture involves a system concept which utilizes aerodynamic drag to acquire the velocity reduction necessary to obtain a closed planetary orbit from a hyperbolic flyby trajectory. It has been proposed to use the atmosphere of Titan for braking into a Saturn orbit. This approach for a Saturn orbital mission is expected to cut the interplanetary cruise travel time to Saturn from 8 to 3.5 years. In connection with the preparation of such a mission, it will be necessary to provide a complete analysis of the aerodynamic environment of the Titan aerocapture vehicle. The main objective of the present investigation is, therefore, to determine the extent of convective and radiative heating for the aerocapture vehicle under different entry conditions. This can be essentially accomplished by assessing the heating rates in the stagnation and windward regions of an equivalent body.

Redesign of a pediatric pharmacotherapy elective course to accommodate budget reductions.

PubMed

Williams, Jennifer; Motycka, Carol; St Onge, Erin

2011-12-15

To redesign a pediatric elective pharmacotherapy course and determine whether the redesign resulted in changes in outcome measures. Active learning activities were moved to an online format. Prerecorded lectures continued to be used. Peer evaluation was incorporated to give the students more feedback on their performance. ASSESSMENT; Presentation grades, average examination grades, course grades, and evaluation scores from each student who completed University course evaluations were documented for students during the 2 semesters before and the 2 semesters after the course redesign. Although for undetermined reasons a drop in examination grades occurred after the course redesign, no significant differences in presentation grades, final grades, or course evaluation grades occurred. A strategic course redesign successfully reduced the costs and faculty time required to offer an elective course viewed as essential to the curriculum, allowing the course to be continued in the face of state budget cuts.

Low voltage 30-cm ion thruster development. [including performance and structural integrity (vibration) tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, H. J.

1974-01-01

The basic goal was to advance the development status of the 30-cm electron bombardment ion thruster from a laboratory model to a flight-type engineering model (EM) thruster. This advancement included the more conventional aspects of mechanical design and testing for launch loads, weight reduction, fabrication process development, reliability and quality assurance, and interface definition, as well as a relatively significant improvement in thruster total efficiency. The achievement of this goal was demonstrated by the successful completion of a series of performance and structural integrity (vibration) tests. In the course of the program, essentially every part and feature of the original 30-cm Thruster was critically evaluated. These evaluations, led to new or improved designs for the ion optical system, discharge chamber, cathode isolator vaporizer assembly, main isolator vaporizer assembly, neutralizer assembly, packaging for thermal control, electrical terminations and structure.

CRISPR-assisted receptor deletion reveals distinct roles for ERBB2 and ERBB3 in skin keratinocytes.

PubMed

Dahlhoff, Maik; Gaborit, Nadège; Bultmann, Sebastian; Leonhardt, Heinrich; Yarden, Yosef; Schneider, Marlon R

2017-10-01

While the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an established regulator of skin development and homeostasis, the functions of the related tyrosine kinase receptors ERBB2 and ERBB3 in this tissue have only recently been examined. Previously reported, skin-specific deletion of each of these receptors in mice resulted in similar defects in keratinocyte proliferation and migration, resulting in impaired wound healing and tumorigenesis. Because both ERBB2 and ERBB3 are targets for treating an array of cancer types, it is important to examine the consequences of receptor inhibition in human keratinocytes. Here, we employed the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate HaCaT cells (an established human keratinocyte cell line) lacking ERBB2 or ERBB3. HaCaT clones lacking ERBB2 or ERBB3 showed comparable reductions in cell proliferation as assessed by BrdU staining. Apoptosis, in contrast, was reduced in ERBB3-deficient HaCaT cells only. Assessment of cell migration using a wound healing (scratch) assay showed that the closure of the wound gaps was completed by 48 h in mock and in ERBB3 knockout clones. In contrast, this process was considerably delayed in ERBB2 knockout clones, and a complete closure of the gap in the latter cells did not occur before 72 h. In conclusion, both ERBB2 and ERBB3 are essential for normal proliferation of skin keratinocytes, but in contrast to ERBB3, ERBB2 is essential for migration of human keratinocytes. These observations might bear significance to patient adverse effects of therapeutic agents targeting ERBB2 and ERBB3. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Characterization of nickel laterite reduction from Pomalaa, Sulawesi Tenggara

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rhamdani, Ahmad Rizky; Petrus, Himawan T. B. M., E-mail: bayu.petrus@ugm.ac.id; Fahrurrozi, Moh.

2015-12-29

The effect of using different reductors in the reduction process of nickel laterite was investigated. In this work, the author conducted the reduction of nickel laterite ores by anthracite coal, lamtoro charcoal, and carbon raiser, in air and CO{sub 2} atmosphere, within the temperature ranged from 800°C and 1000°C. The results indicate that at higher temperatures, the reduction reactions proceed more complete. According to the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, the type of carbon used greatly influence the rate of the reduction of nickel laterite. The order of reactivity is anthracite coal, lamtoro charcoal, and carbon raiser, respectively. The reductionmore » atmospheric condition also greatly influences the reduction process. The reduction process in CO{sub 2} atmospheric condition gives a lot of significant decrease in hematite and magnetite presence, means that the reduction reactions proceed more complete compared to the reduction process in the air atmospheric condition.« less

Computational tool for optimizing the essential oils utilization in inhibiting the bacterial growth

PubMed Central

El-Attar, Noha E; Awad, Wael A

2017-01-01

Day after day, the importance of relying on nature in many fields such as food, medical, pharmaceutical industries, and others is increasing. Essential oils (EOs) are considered as one of the most significant natural products for use as antimicrobials, antioxidants, antitumorals, and anti-inflammatories. Optimizing the usage of EOs is a big challenge faced by the scientific researchers because of the complexity of chemical composition of every EO, in addition to the difficulties to determine the best in inhibiting the bacterial activity. The goal of this article is to present a new computational tool based on two methodologies: reduction by using rough sets and optimization with particle swarm optimization. The developed tool dubbed as Essential Oil Reduction and Optimization Tool is applied on 24 types of EOs that have been tested toward 17 different species of bacteria. PMID:28919787

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from the edible aromatic plant Aristolochia delavayi.

PubMed

Li, Zhi-Jian; Njateng, Guy S S; He, Wen-Jia; Zhang, Hong-Xia; Gu, Jian-Long; Chen, Shan-Na; Du, Zhi-Zhi

2013-11-01

The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Aristolochia delavayi Franch. (Aristolochiaceae), a unique edible aromatic plant consumed by the Nakhi (Naxi) people in Yunnan, China, was investigated using GC/MS analysis. In total, 95 components, representing more than 95% of the oil composition, were identified, and the main constituents found were (E)-dec-2-enal (52.0%), (E)-dodec-2-enal (6.8%), dodecanal (3.35%), heptanal (2.88%), and decanal (2.63%). The essential oil showed strong inhibitory activity (96% reduction) of the production of bacterial volatile sulfide compounds (VSC) by Klebsiella pneumoniae, an effect that was comparable with that of the reference compound citral (91% reduction). Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and the isolated major compound against eight bacterial and six fungal strains were evaluated. The essential oil showed significant antibacterial activity against Providencia stuartii and Escherichia coli, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 3.9 to 62.5 μg/ml. The oil also showed strong inhibitory activity against the fungal strains Trichophyton ajelloi, Trichophyton terrestre, Candida glabrata, Candida guilliermondii, and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC values ranging from 3.9 to 31.25 μg/ml, while (E)-dec-2-enal presented a lower antifungal activity than the essential oil. Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

THE “NURSING CRISIS”

PubMed Central

McVeagh, Thos. C.

1949-01-01

Three concrete proposals are made for the improvement of the present nursing situation: 1. Make nursing education more easily available by holding the prerequisites to a minimum and concentrating upon the real essentials of nursing, granting the student the R.N. degree when she has completed this basic and essential training. 2. Utilize more fully the principles of group nursing as applied to “specialing” whether in the home or in the hospital. 3. Completely avoid the use of sub-standard nurses, while furnishing to the nurse such non-technical service (through the use of maid assistants or others) as shall make practicable the complete utilization of her skill and training. PMID:18144757

14 CFR 398.11 - Funding reductions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Funding reductions. 398.11 Section 398.11... STATEMENTS GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATIONS OF BASIC ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE § 398.11 Funding... the annual subsidy in effect as of July 1 of the prior fiscal year by the total origin-and-destination...

14 CFR 398.11 - Funding reductions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Funding reductions. 398.11 Section 398.11... STATEMENTS GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATIONS OF BASIC ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE § 398.11 Funding... the annual subsidy in effect as of July 1 of the prior fiscal year by the total origin-and-destination...

Estimating the crash reduction and vehicle dynamics effects of flashing LED stop signs : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

A flashing LED stop sign is essentially a normal octagonal stop sign with light emitted diodes (LED) on the : stop signs corners. A hierarchical Bayes observational before/after study found an estimated reduction of : about 41.5% in right-angle cr...

High School Completion of In-School Suspension Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Joanne S.

1989-01-01

Examines the high school completion rate of students in the class of 1988 assigned to an inschool suspension (ISS) program at some time during their high school career. Clearly, ISS students are high risks for school completion, as shown by this study's less than 50 percent completion rate. Nonetheless, such programs are essential. (MLH)

Quantum space and quantum completeness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurić, Tajron

2018-05-01

Motivated by the question whether quantum gravity can "smear out" the classical singularity we analyze a certain quantum space and its quantum-mechanical completeness. Classical singularity is understood as a geodesic incompleteness, while quantum completeness requires a unique unitary time evolution for test fields propagating on an underlying background. Here the crucial point is that quantum completeness renders the Hamiltonian (or spatial part of the wave operator) to be essentially self-adjoint in order to generate a unique time evolution. We examine a model of quantum space which consists of a noncommutative BTZ black hole probed by a test scalar field. We show that the quantum gravity (noncommutative) effect is to enlarge the domain of BTZ parameters for which the relevant wave operator is essentially self-adjoint. This means that the corresponding quantum space is quantum complete for a larger range of BTZ parameters rendering the conclusion that in the quantum space one observes the effect of "smearing out" the singularity.

The efficacy of Mentha arvensis L. and M. piperita L. essential oils in reducing pathogenic bacteria and maintaining quality characteristics in cashew, guava, mango, and pineapple juices.

PubMed

de Sousa Guedes, Jossana Pereira; da Costa Medeiros, José Alberto; de Souza E Silva, Richard Sidney; de Sousa, Janaína Maria Batista; da Conceição, Maria Lúcia; de Souza, Evandro Leite

2016-12-05

This study evaluated the ability of the essential oil from Mentha arvensis L. (MAEO) and M. piperita L. (MPEO) to induce ≥5-log reductions in counts (CFU/mL) of E. coli, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in Brain-Heart Infusion broth (BHIB) and cashew, guava, mango, and pineapple juices during refrigerated storage (4±0.5°C). The effects of the incorporation of these essential oils on some physicochemical and sensory parameters of juices were also evaluated. The incorporation of 5, 2.5, 1.25, or 0.625μL/mL of MAEO in BHIB caused a ≥5-log reduction in counts of E. coli and Salmonella Enteritidis after 24h of storage; but only 5μL/mL was able to cause the same reduction in counts of L.monocytogenes. The incorporation of 10μL/mL of MPEO in BHIB caused a ≥5-log reduction in counts of E. coli, Salmonella Enteritidis, and L. monocytogenes after 24h of storage; smaller reductions were observed in BHIB containing 5, 2.5, and 1.25μL/mL of MPEO. Similar reductions were observed when the MAEO or MPEO was incorporated at the same concentrations in mango juice. The incorporation of MAEO or MPEO at all tested concentrations in cashew, guava, and pineapple juices resulted in a ≥5-log reduction in pathogen counts within 1h. The incorporation of MAEO and MPEO (0.625 and 1.25μL/mL, respectively) in fruit juices did not induce alterations in °Brix, pH, and acidity, but negatively affected the taste, aftertaste, and overall acceptance. The use of MAEO or MPEO at low concentrations could constitute an interesting tool to achieve the required 5-log reduction of pathogenic bacteria in cashew, guava, mango, and pineapple fruit juices. However, new methods combining the use of MAEO or MPEO with other technologies are necessary to reduce their negative impacts on specific sensory properties of these juices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Making avian influenza vaccines available, an industry point of view (IFAH).

PubMed

van Aarle, P

2006-01-01

Vaccination against avian influenza (AI) has proved to be an efficient tool in the reduction of virus excretion and in increasing the threshold for infection. Vaccination in outbreaks, as part of a complete programme, has proved to be an essential component of control and eradication programmes. Avian influenza is a serious threat to public health. In contingency plans for outbreaks of highly pathogenic AI (HPAI), the option of emergency vaccination, using inactivated or recombinant vaccines, should be considered. The availability of suitable vaccines has to be ensured in 'peace time' in a contract for a vaccine or antigen bank. Unlike the human influenza vaccines, poultry AI vaccines have proved to provide protection against a wide range of strains within the same H-subtype. However, in case new H5 or H7 strains emerge in poultry, there is no regulatory guideline to support a swift reaction by the vaccine industry. Production of HPAI virus should take place in facilities with a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) to safeguard containment of virus and to prevent infection of manufacturing staff. Vaccine strains for inactivated vaccines should preferably be low pathogenicity AI (LPAI). In a new outbreak, it is essential to determine early which vaccine strain will provide protection against the field virus. Sequencing does not predict the protective capacity of vaccines. Challenge studies, providing essential information, take too much time and can be carried out only in BSL3 facilities. Serological matching of vaccine and field strains would provide a faster system. It is recommended that a matching system be developed and validated.

Pegylated interferon alfa-2a in patients with essential thrombocythaemia or polycythaemia vera: a post-hoc, median 83 month follow-up of an open-label, phase 2 trial.

PubMed

Masarova, Lucia; Patel, Keyur P; Newberry, Kate J; Cortes, Jorge; Borthakur, Gautam; Konopleva, Marina; Estrov, Zeev; Kantarjian, Hagop; Verstovsek, Srdan

2017-04-01

Pegylated interferon alfa-2a is an immunomodulatory agent used to treat polycythemia vera. The durability of responses and long-term safety of this drug in patients with polycythaemia vera and essential thrombocythaemia have not been reported. Here, we present long-term efficacy and safety data from a single-centre, open-label, phase 2 trial, after a median of 83 months follow up. Patients older than 18 years who were diagnosed with essential thrombocythaemia or polycythaemia vera according to 2001 WHO criteria were eligible to enrol in our study. The initial starting dose of pegylated interferon alfa-2a was 450 μg subcutaneously once per week, but was decreased in a stepwise manner due to toxic effects to a final starting dose of 90 mg per week: three patients were started at a dose of 450 mg per week, three at 360 mg per week, 19 at 270 mg per week, 26 at 180 mg per week, and 32 at 90 mg per week. Treatment was continued for as long as the patients derived clinical benefit with reductions in dose and frequency of administration allowed at the discretion of the treating physician. Haematological responses were assessed every 3-6 months on the basis of blood counts as defined by the European LeukemiaNet critieria. The primary endpoint of the initial study was the proportion of patients with a haematological response. Complete haematological response was defined as normalisation of blood counts (for patients with essential thrombocythaemia, platelets ≤440 × 10 9 per L; for patients with polycythaemia vera, haemoglobin <15·0 g/L without phlebotomy) with complete resolution of palpable splenomegaly or symptoms in the absence of a thrombotic event. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics and in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00452023 and is ongoing but not enrolling new patients. Between May 21, 2005, and Dec 1, 2015, patients were followed up for a median of 83 months (IQR 69-94 months). Pegylated interferon alfa-2a induced haematological (66 [80%] of 83 patients) and molecular responses (35 [63%] of 55 patients) in 40 patients with essential thrombocythaemia and 43 patients with polycythaemia vera, with median durations of 66 months (IQR 35-83) and 53 months (24-70), respectively. 26 (39%) of 66 haematological responders and 25 (71%) of 35 molecular responders (with the JAK2 Val617Phe mutation) have maintained some response during follow-up: 49% maintained their best molecular response (nine of ten patients who had a complete response, five of 20 who had a partial response, and three of five who had a minor response). The incidence of major venous-thrombotic events during the study was 1·22 per 100 person-years. Overall, 18 (22%) of 83 patients discontinued therapy due to treatment-related toxicity. Although toxicity rates decreased over time, five patients had treatment-limiting grade 3 or 4 toxicities after 60 months on therapy. 32 patients are still enrolled on the study. Pegylated interferon alfa-2a can induce durable haematological and molecular responses in patients with essential thrombocythaemia and polycythaemia vera. This drug alone and in combination with other drugs could be explored further in clinical trials. US National Cancer Institute. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pediatric reduction mammaplasty: A retrospective analysis of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID).

PubMed

Soleimani, Tahereh; Evans, Tyler A; Sood, Rajiv; Hadad, Ivan; Socas, Juan; Flores, Roberto L; Tholpady, Sunil S

2015-09-01

Pediatric breast reduction mammaplasty is a procedure commonly performed in children suffering from excess breast tissue, back pain, and social anxiety. Minimal information exists regarding demographics, epidemiology, and complications in adolescents. As health care reform progresses, investigating the socioeconomic and patient-related factors affecting cost and operative outcomes is essential. The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) was used from 2000 to 2009. Patients with an International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision code of macromastia and procedure code of reduction mammaplasty 20 and less were included. Demographic data, including age, sex, payer mix, and location, were collected. Significant independent variables associated with complications and duration of stay were identified with bivariate and multiple regression analysis. A total of 1,345 patients between the ages 12 and 20 were evaluated. The majority of patients were white (64%), from a zip code with greatest income (36%), and had private insurance (75%). Overall comorbidity and complication rates were 30% and 3.2%, respectively. Duration of stay was associated with race, income quartile, insurance type, having complications, and hospital type. African-American race, Medicaid, lower income, and private-investor owned hospitals were predictive of greater hospital charges. In this large retrospective database analysis, pediatric reduction mammaplasty had a relatively low early complication rate and short duration of stay. Complications, total charges, and duration of stay discrepancies were associated with race, location, and socioeconomic status. Although demonstrably safe, this is the first study demonstrating the negative effect of race and socioeconomic status on a completely elective procedure involving children. These results demonstrate the intricate association between socioeconomic and patient-related factors influencing overall outcomes in the pediatric population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanobiocatalytic Degradation of Acid Orange 7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hastings, Jason

The catalytic properties of various metal nanoparticles have led to their use in environmental remediation applications. However, these remediation strategies are limited by their ability to deliver catalytic nanoparticles and a suitable electron donor to large treatment zones. Clostridium pasteurianum BC1 cells, loaded with bio-Pd nanoparticles, were used to effectively catalyze the reductive degradation and removal of Acid Orange 7 (AO7), a model azo compound. Hydrogen produced fermentatively by the C. pasteurianum BC1 acted as the electron donor for the process. Pd-free bacterial cultures or control experiments conducted with heat-killed cells showed limited reduction of AO7. Experiments also showed that the in situ biological production of H2 by C. pasteurianum BC1 was essential for the degradation of AO7, which suggests a novel process where the in situ microbial production of hydrogen is directly coupled to the catalytic bio-Pd mediated reduction of AO7. The differences in initial degradation rate for experiments conducted using catalyst concentrations of 1ppm Pd and 5ppm Pd and an azo dye concentration of 100ppm AO7 was 0.39 /hr and 1.94 /hr respectively, demonstrating the importance of higher concentrations of active Pd(0). The degradation of AO7 was quick as demonstrated by complete reductive degradation of 50ppm AO7 in 2 hours in experiments conducted using a catalyst concentration of 5ppm Pd. Dye degradation products were analyzed via Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GCMS), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), UltraViolet-Visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) spectrometry. The presence of 1-amino 2-naphthol, one of the hypothesized degradation products, was confirmed using mass spectrometry.

Research on noise and vibration reduction at DB to improve the environmental friendliness of railway traffic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulte-Werning, B.; Beier, M.; Degen, K. G.; Stiebel, D.

2006-06-01

One of the most prominent keywords relating to the environmental friendliness of railway traffic is noise reduction. Thus, the research and development programme "Low Noise Railway" of Deutsche Bahn (DB) is under way to treat the noise of the vehicles and infrastructure. The noise reduction of the trains and the rail/wheel system are being tackled within several projects. The direct noise experienced by railway-lineside residents due to train movements on the track can be reduced by minimising the sound radiation directly at the source. This is the first-choice solution, as it proves to be the most effective countermeasure regarding a cost-benefit relation. The limit values for the noise emission as specified in the technical specification for interoperability are an essential criterion to be confirmed during the procurement process of railway vehicles. A recently developed acoustical quality management scheme establishes systematic noise management to complete the vehicle procurement process in the phases of concept, design, construction and manufacturing. In freight traffic quiet railway wheels for block brake operation will play an important role in the future to meet the goal of a low-noise railway system. A first attempt to realise successfully the low-noise potential of such optimised wheels was performed, even if with mixed results. To show ways of reducing the noise of the cooling ventilation in locomotives, DB is a partner in a development project led by Siemens. A notable 8 dB(A) noise reduction was measured. Concerning bridge noise, a project was started based on an effective and cost-efficient combination of experiments and simulations in order to develop specifications for the construction of generic low-noise bridges.

Parent Beliefs and Student Absences: Large Absence-Reduction Field Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Todd; Feller, Avi

2016-01-01

School attendance is a robust predictor of course performance, and it is consistently the strongest predictor of high school dropout, even more so than suspensions and test scores. Focusing on getting students to school is an essential part of decreasing high school dropout rates. What is concerning is that up to 20% of students miss essentially a…

Development and application of a technique for reducing airframe finite element models for dynamics analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hashemi-Kia, Mostafa; Toossi, Mostafa

1990-01-01

A computational procedure for the reduction of large finite element models was developed. This procedure is used to obtain a significantly reduced model while retaining the essential global dynamic characteristics of the full-size model. This reduction procedure is applied to the airframe finite element model of AH-64A Attack Helicopter. The resulting reduced model is then validated by application to a vibration reduction study.

Hydromorphic soil development in the coastal temperate rainforest of Alaska

Treesearch

David V. D' Amore; Chien-Lu Ping; Paul A. Herendeen

2015-01-01

Predictive relationships between soil drainage and soil morphological features are essential for understanding hydromorphic processes in soils. The linkage between patterns of soil saturation, reduction, and reductimorphic soil properties has not been extensively studied in mountainous forested terrain. We measured soil saturation and reduction during a 4-yr period in...

Activation of AMPKα2 in adipocytes is essential for nicotine-induced insulin resistance in vivo

PubMed Central

Wu, Yue; Song, Ping; Zhang, Wencheng; Liu, Junhui; Dai, Xiaoyan; Liu, Zhaoyu; Lu, Qiulun; Ouyang, Changhan; Xie, Zhonglin; Zhao, Zhengxing; Zhuo, Xiaozhen; Viollet, Benoit; Foretz, Marc; Wu, Jiliang; Yuan, Zuyi; Zou, Ming-Hui

2015-01-01

Cigarette smoking promotes body weight reduction in humans while paradoxically also promoting insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinemia. The mechanisms behind these effects of smoking are unclear. Here, we show that nicotine, a major constitute of cigarette smoke, selectively activates AMP-activated protein kinase α2 (AMPKα2) in adipocytes, which, in turn, phosphorylates MAP kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP1) at serine 334, initiating a proteasome-dependent degradation of this latter protein. The nicotine-dependent reduction in MKP1 induces the aberrant activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase leading to increased phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) at serine 307. This phosphorylation of IRS1 leads to its degradation, Akt inhibition, and the loss of insulin-mediated inhibition of lipolysis. Consequently, nicotine increases lipolysis, which results in body weight reduction, but this increase also elevates the levels of circulating free fatty acids and thus causes IR in insulin-sensitive tissues. These results newly place AMPKα2 as an essential mediator of nicotine-induced whole-body IR in spite of reductions in adiposity. PMID:25799226

Quantum changes in Helicobacter pylori gene expression accompany host-adaptation

PubMed Central

Wise, Michael J.; Khosravi, Yalda; Seow, Shih-Wee; Amoyo, Arlaine A.; Pettersson, Sven; Peters, Fanny; Tay, Chin-Yen; Perkins, Timothy T.; Loke, Mun-Fai; Marshall, Barry J.; Vadivelu, Jamuna

2017-01-01

Abstract Helicobacter pylori is a highly successful gastric pathogen. High genomic plasticity allows its adaptation to changing host environments. Complete genomes of H. pylori clinical isolate UM032 and its mice-adapted serial derivatives 298 and 299, generated using both PacBio RS and Illumina MiSeq sequencing technologies, were compared to identify novel elements responsible for host-adaptation. The acquisition of a jhp0562-like allele, which encodes for a galactosyltransferase, was identified in the mice-adapted strains. Our analysis implies a new β-1,4-galactosyltransferase role for this enzyme, essential for Ley antigen expression. Intragenomic recombination between babA and babB genes was also observed. Further, we expanded on the list of candidate genes whose expression patterns have been mediated by upstream homopolymer-length alterations to facilitate host adaption. Importantly, greater than four-fold reduction of mRNA levels was demonstrated in five genes. Among the down-regulated genes, three encode for outer membrane proteins, including BabA, BabB and HopD. As expected, a substantial reduction in BabA protein abundance was detected in mice-adapted strains 298 and 299 via Western analysis. Our results suggest that the expression of Ley antigen and reduced outer membrane protein expressions may facilitate H. pylori colonisation of mouse gastric epithelium. PMID:27803027

The Role of Family in a Dietary Risk Reduction Intervention for Cardiovascular Disease.

PubMed

Schumacher, Tracy L; Burrows, Tracy L; Thompson, Deborah I; Callister, Robin; Spratt, Neil J; Collins, Clare E

2016-09-30

Diet is an essential strategy for the prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The objectives were to examine: how families at increased risk of CVD perceived personal risk, their motivations to make dietary changes, their understanding of diet, and the influence of other family members. Individuals (>18 years) who completed an Australian family-based CVD risk reduction program were invited to a semi-structured telephone interview. Responses were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a systematic deductive approach with coding derived from key concepts developed as part of the interview structure. Seventeen participants from eight families were interviewed (aged 18-70 years, 47% male, five with CVD diagnosis). Key themes indicated both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to improve heart health, variations in risk perception, recognition of the role diet plays in heart health, and the extent of family influences on eating patterns. Discrepancies between perceived and actual CVD risk perception impacted on perceived "need" to modify current dietary patterns towards heart health recommendations. Therefore, strategies not reliant on risk perception are needed to engage those with low risk perception. This could involve identifying and accessing the family "ringleader" to influence involvement and capitalising on personal accountability to other family members.

Ozone profile measurements of McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during the spring of 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, D. J.; Harder, J. W.; Rosen, J. M.; Hereford, J. V.; Carpenter, J. R.

1989-01-01

Ozone and temperature profiles were measured in 50 balloon flights at McMurdo Station (78 deg S) during the spring of 1987. Compared to similar data obtained in 1986, stratospheric temperatures were lower and the spring time Antarctic ozone reduction was greater in magnitude, extended to higher altitude, and proceeded at a higher rate in 1987. Ozone partial pressures reached values as low as 3 nbar (as compared to about 10 nbar in 1986) in the 16- to 18-km region in early and late October, down from about 150 nbar in late August. These low values suggest essentially complete removal of ozone in this region. The upper boundary of the depletion region was observed to be 2-3 km higher than in 1986, extending to altitudes as high as 24 km in mid-September. When averaged over September, the ozone mixing ratio at 18 km decayed with a half-life of only 12.4 days, as compared to about 28 days in 1986. Adiabatic vertical motions over 1- to 2-km intervals between 12 and 20 km with consequent ozone reductions were observed in association with the formation of nacreous clouds, indicating these to be rare events on a local scale probably associated with mountain lee waves.

Promising hypotensive effect of hawthorn extract: a randomized double-blind pilot study of mild, essential hypertension.

PubMed

Walker, Ann F; Marakis, Georgios; Morris, Andrew P; Robinson, Paul A

2002-02-01

This pilot study was aimed at investigating the hypotensive potential of hawthorn extract and magnesium dietary supplements individually and in combination, compared with a placebo. Thirty-six mildly hypertensive subjects completed the study. At baseline, anthropometric and dietary assessment, as well as blood pressure measurements were taken at rest, after exercise and after a computer 'stress' test. Volunteers were then randomly assigned to a daily supplement for 10 weeks of either: (a) 600 mg Mg, (b) 500 mg hawthorn extract, (c) a combination of (a) and (b), (d) placebo. Measurements were repeated at 5 and 10 weeks of intervention. There was a decline in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in all treatment groups, including placebo, but ANOVA provided no evidence of difference between treatments. However, factorial contrast analysis in ANOVA showed a promising reduction (p = 0.081) in the resting diastolic blood pressure at week 10 in the 19 subjects who were assigned to the hawthorn extract, compared with the other groups. Furthermore, a trend towards a reduction in anxiety (p = 0.094) was also observed in those taking hawthorn compared with the other groups. These findings warrant further study, particularly in view of the low dose of hawthorn extract used. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pratt & Whitney/Boeing Engine Validation of Noise Reduction Concepts Final Report for NASA Contract NAS3-97144, Phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bock, Larry A.; Hauser, Joseph E.; Mathews, Douglas C.; Topol, David A.; Bielak, Gerald W.; Lan, Justin H.; Premo, John W.

2014-01-01

This report presents results of the work completed in Phase 2 of the Engine Validation of Noise Reduction Concepts (EVNRC) contract. The purpose of the program is to validate, through engine testing, advanced noise reduction concepts aimed at reducing engine noise up to 6 EPNdB and improving nacelle suppression by 50 percent relative to 1992 technology. Phase 1 of the program is completed and is summarized in NASA/CR-2014-218088.

Microbial mineralization of ethene under sulfate-reducing conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, P.M.; Chapelle, F.H.

2002-01-01

A limited investigation of the potential for anaerobic ethylene biodegradation under SO4-reducing conditions was performed. Microorganisms indigenous to a lake-bed sediment completely mineralized [1,2-14C] ethylene to 14CO2 when incubated under SO4-reducing conditions. Reliance on ethylene and/or ethane accumulation as a quantitative indicator of complete reductive dechlorination of chloroethylene contaminants may not be warranted. SO4 addition stimulated SO4 reduction as indicated by decreasing SO4 concentrations (> 40% decrease) and production of dissolved sulfide (880 ??M). SO4 amendment completely suppressed the production of ethane and methane. The concomitant absence of ethane and methane production under SO4-amended conditions was consistent with previous conclusions that reduction of ethylene to ethane occurred under methanogenic conditions. A lack of ethylene accumulation under SO4-reducing conditions may reflect insignificant reductive dechlorination of vinyl chloride or efficient anaerobic mineralization of ethylene to CO2.

Beta 1 versus nonselective blockade in therapy of essential tremor.

PubMed

Larsen, T A; Teräväinen, H

1983-01-01

The beta 1-selective blocker metoprolol was compared to propranolol and a placebo in a double-blind crossover trial in 24 patients with essential tremor. Both beta blockers suppressed the essential tremor, but metoprolol, which caused a mean reduction of 32.0% in tremor intensity from the base-line value, was less effective than propranolol, which reduced mean tremor intensity by 41.3%. Subjective benefit for their tremor was found by 15 of the patients taking propranolol and by one taking metoprolol. The tremor frequency was not affected. No serious side effects were observed. Metoprolol may offer an alternative for those essential tremor patients who cannot tolerate propranolol.

Chemical composition and modulation of bacterial drug resistance of the essential oil from leaves of Croton grewioides.

PubMed

de Medeiros, Vivianne Marcelino; do Nascimento, Yuri Mangueira; Souto, Augusto Lopes; Madeiro, Sara Alves Lucena; Costa, Vicente Carlos de Oliveira; Silva, Suellen Maria P M; Falcão Silva, Vivyanne Dos Santos; Agra, Maria de Fátima; de Siqueira-Júnior, José Pinto; Tavares, Josean Fechine

2017-10-01

The essential oil from leaves of Croton grewioides Baill was obtained by hydrodistillation using Clevenger apparatus, and its chemical composition was analyzed by GC-MS, where 18 compounds were identified, mostly as monoterpenes (55.56%) and sesquiterpenes (44.44%), in which the major constituent was the α-pinene (47.43%). The essential oil of Croton grewioides (EOCg) and its major compound (α-pinene) were evaluated as modulators of antibiotic resistance in strain SA-1199B and IS-58 of Staphylococcus aureus that overexpresses efflux protein. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the antibiotics were determined by the microdilution assay in the absence and in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentration of EOCg and α-pinene. Although the EOCg and α-pinene did not indicate relevant antibacterial activity in vitro, they acted as antibiotic resistance modulators, i.e., EOCg in combination with norfloxacin, reducted its MIC, by 64× whereas in combination with tetracycline it was observed a reduction of 4×. Additionally, it was observed a MIC reduction of tetracycline by 32×, when combined with α-pinene. The results suggest that EOCg and α-pinene modulate or even reverse bacterial resistance as a putative efflux pump inhibitor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytically and biologically active silver nanoparticles synthesized using essential oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vilas, Vidya; Philip, Daizy; Mathew, Joseph

2014-11-01

There are numerous reports on phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles and various phytochemicals are involved in the reduction and stabilization. Pure explicit phytosynthetic protocol for catalytically and biologically active silver nanoparticles is of importance as it is an environmentally benign green method. This paper reports the use of essential oil of Myristica fragrans enriched in terpenes and phenyl propenes in the reduction and stabilization. FTIR spectra of the essential oil and the synthesized biogenic silver nanoparticles are in accordance with the GC-MS spectral analysis reports. Nanosilver is initially characterized by an intense SPR band around 420 nm, followed by XRD and TEM analysis revealing the formation of 12-26 nm sized, highly pure, crystalline silver nanoparticles. Excellent catalytic and bioactive potential of the silver nanoparticles is due to the surface modification. The chemocatalytic potential of nanosilver is exhibited by the rapid reduction of the organic pollutant, para nitro phenol and by the degradation of the thiazine dye, methylene blue. Significant antibacterial activity of the silver colloid against Gram positive, Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition zone - 12 mm) and Gram negative, Escherichia coli (inhibition zone - 14 mm) is demonstrated by Agar-well diffusion method. Strong antioxidant activity of the biogenic silver nanoparticles is depicted through NO scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, reducing power, DPPH and total antioxidant activity assays.

Potential of Plant Essential Oils and Their Components in Animal Agriculture - in vitro Studies on Antibacterial Mode of Action.

PubMed

O'Bryan, Corliss A; Pendleton, Sean J; Crandall, Philip G; Ricke, Steven C

2015-01-01

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils and their components has been recognized for several years. Essential oils are produced as secondary metabolites by many plants and can be distilled from all different portions of plants. The recent emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has spurred research into the use of essential oils as alternatives. Recent research has demonstrated that many of these essential oils have beneficial effects for livestock, including reduction of foodborne pathogens in these animals. Numerous studies have been made into the mode of action of essential oils, and the resulting elucidation of bacterial cell targets has contributed to new perspectives on countering antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of these bacteria. In this review, an overview of the current knowledge about the antibacterial mode of action of essential oils and their constituents is provided.

Potential of Plant Essential Oils and Their Components in Animal Agriculture – in vitro Studies on Antibacterial Mode of Action

PubMed Central

O’Bryan, Corliss A.; Pendleton, Sean J.; Crandall, Philip G.; Ricke, Steven C.

2015-01-01

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils and their components has been recognized for several years. Essential oils are produced as secondary metabolites by many plants and can be distilled from all different portions of plants. The recent emergence of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics has spurred research into the use of essential oils as alternatives. Recent research has demonstrated that many of these essential oils have beneficial effects for livestock, including reduction of foodborne pathogens in these animals. Numerous studies have been made into the mode of action of essential oils, and the resulting elucidation of bacterial cell targets has contributed to new perspectives on countering antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity of these bacteria. In this review, an overview of the current knowledge about the antibacterial mode of action of essential oils and their constituents is provided. PMID:26664964

Harm reduction in Cambodia: a disconnect between policy and practice

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In 2003 the Government of Cambodia officially began to recognise that harm reduction was an essential approach to preventing HIV among people who use drugs and their sexual partners. Several programs aiming to control and prevent HIV among drug users have been implemented in Cambodia, mostly in the capital, Phnom Penh. However, there have been ongoing tensions between law enforcement and harm reduction actors, despite several advocacy efforts targeting law enforcement. This study attempts to better understand the implementation of harm reduction in Cambodia and how the policy environment and harm reduction program implementation has intersected with the role of law enforcement officials in Cambodia. PMID:22770124

The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Is Not Essential for Viability of Human Cells with Genetically Lowered APC/C Activity.

PubMed

Wild, Thomas; Larsen, Marie Sofie Yoo; Narita, Takeo; Schou, Julie; Nilsson, Jakob; Choudhary, Chunaram

2016-03-01

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which inhibits the APC/C, are essential determinants of mitotic timing and faithful division of genetic material. Activation of the APC/C is known to depend on two APC/C-interacting E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes-UBE2C and UBE2S. We show that APC/C activity in human cells is tuned by the combinatorial use of three E2s, namely UBE2C, UBE2S, and UBE2D. Genetic deletion of UBE2C and UBE2S, individually or in combination, leads to discriminative reduction in APC/C function and sensitizes cells to UBE2D depletion. Reduction of APC/C activity results in loss of switch-like metaphase-to-anaphase transition and, strikingly, renders cells insensitive to chemical inhibition of MPS1 and genetic ablation of MAD2, both of which are essential for the SAC. These results provide insights into the regulation of APC/C activity and demonstrate that the essentiality of the SAC is imposed by the strength of the APC/C. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension: six-month results.

PubMed

Dores, Hélder; de Sousa Almeida, Manuel; de Araújo Gonçalves, Pedro; Branco, Patrícia; Gaspar, Augusta; Sousa, Henrique; Canha Gomes, Angela; Andrade, Maria João; Carvalho, Maria Salomé; Campante Teles, Rui; Raposo, Luís; Mesquita Gabriel, Henrique; Pereira Machado, Francisco; Mendes, Miguel

2014-04-01

Increased activation of the sympathetic nervous system plays a central role in the pathophysiology of hypertension (HTN). Catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) was recently developed for the treatment of resistant HTN. To assess the safety and efficacy of RDN for blood pressure (BP) reduction at six months in patients with resistant HTN. In this prospective registry of patients with essential resistant HTN who underwent RDN between July 2011 and May 2013, the efficacy of RDN was defined as ≥ 10 mm Hg reduction in office systolic blood pressure (SBP) six months after the intervention. In a resistant HTN outpatient clinic, 177 consecutive patients were evaluated, of whom 34 underwent RDN (age 62.7 ± 7.6 years; 50.0% male). There were no vascular complications, either at the access site or in the renal arteries. Of the 22 patients with complete six-month follow-up, the response rate was 81.8% (n=18). The mean office SBP reduction was 22 mm Hg (174 ± 23 vs. 152 ± 22 mm Hg; p<0.001) and 9 mm Hg in diastolic BP (89 ± 16 vs. 80 ± 11 mm Hg; p=0.006). The number of antihypertensive drugs (5.5 ± 1.0 vs. 4.6 ± 1.1; p=0.010) and pharmacological classes (5.4 ± 0.7 vs. 4.6 ± 1.1; p=0.009) also decreased significantly. Of the 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and echocardiographic parameters analyzed, there were significant reductions in diastolic load (45 ± 29 vs. 27 ± 26%; p=0.049) and in left ventricular mass index (174 ± 56 vs. 158 ± 60 g/m(2); p=0.014). In this cohort of patients with resistant HTN, RDN was safe and effective, with a significant BP reduction at six-month follow-up. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Salinity alters curcumin, essential oil and chlorophyll of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.).

PubMed

Mostajeran, A; Gholaminejad, A; Asghari, G

2014-01-01

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a perennial rhizomatous plant from the family of Zingibraceae, native in South Asia. The main components of turmeric are curcuminoids and essential oil which are responsible for turmeric characteristic such as odor and taste. Due to the large areas of saline land in Iran and less information related to cultivation of turmeric, in this research, the effect of salinity on growth, curcumin and essential oil of turmeric was evaluated. Rhizomes were planted in coco peat and perlite for germination. Then uniform germinated rhizomes transferred to hydroponic condition containing Hoagland's solution. Two months old plants were exposed to salinity (0, 20, 60 and 100 mM NaCl) for two months via hydroponic media using Hoagland's solution. Then dry weight of different plant parts, chlorophyll, curcumin and essential oil components of turmeric were determined. The result indicated that, dry weight reductions in 100 mM NaCl were 191%, 141%, 56%, 30% in leaf, pseudo-stem, root and rhizome, respectively (This is almost equal to 6.9, 2.87, 0.34 and 0.23 mg plant(-1) mM(-1)NaCl reduction of dry weight, respectively). The reductions in chlorophyll a and b are almost 3.32 and 0.79 μg/gFW respectively due to one unit addition of NaCl (P < 0.05). The addition of curcumin of rhizome for four months old plant versus three months were almost 5 fold for 0 mM NaCl and 2 fold for 100 mM NaCl due to one month of delay in harvest. Low salinity has positive effect in curcumin production but higher salinity (higher than 60 mM) had adverse effect and causes 24% reduction of curcumin compared to control plants. There were more para-cymene and terpineol in volatile oils of turmeric rhizome than the other components, most of the volatile oil compounds were unchanged or varied slightly as salinity changed.

Salinity alters curcumin, essential oil and chlorophyll of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

PubMed Central

Mostajeran, A.; Gholaminejad, A.; Asghari, G.

2014-01-01

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a perennial rhizomatous plant from the family of Zingibraceae, native in South Asia. The main components of turmeric are curcuminoids and essential oil which are responsible for turmeric characteristic such as odor and taste. Due to the large areas of saline land in Iran and less information related to cultivation of turmeric, in this research, the effect of salinity on growth, curcumin and essential oil of turmeric was evaluated. Rhizomes were planted in coco peat and perlite for germination. Then uniform germinated rhizomes transferred to hydroponic condition containing Hoagland's solution. Two months old plants were exposed to salinity (0, 20, 60 and 100 mM NaCl) for two months via hydroponic media using Hoagland's solution. Then dry weight of different plant parts, chlorophyll, curcumin and essential oil components of turmeric were determined. The result indicated that, dry weight reductions in 100 mM NaCl were 191%, 141%, 56%, 30% in leaf, pseudo-stem, root and rhizome, respectively (This is almost equal to 6.9, 2.87, 0.34 and 0.23 mg plant-1 mM-1NaCl reduction of dry weight, respectively). The reductions in chlorophyll a and b are almost 3.32 and 0.79 μg/gFW respectively due to one unit addition of NaCl (P < 0.05). The addition of curcumin of rhizome for four months old plant versus three months were almost 5 fold for 0 mM NaCl and 2 fold for 100 mM NaCl due to one month of delay in harvest. Low salinity has positive effect in curcumin production but higher salinity (higher than 60 mM) had adverse effect and causes 24% reduction of curcumin compared to control plants. There were more para-cymene and terpineol in volatile oils of turmeric rhizome than the other components, most of the volatile oil compounds were unchanged or varied slightly as salinity changed. PMID:25598799

Evaluating the quality and use of economic data in decisions about essential medicines.

PubMed

Moucheraud, Corrina; Wirtz, Veronika J; Reich, Michael R

2015-10-01

To evaluate the quality of economic data provided in applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines and to evaluate the role of these data in decision-making by the expert committee that considers the applications. We analysed applications submitted to the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines between 2002 and 2013. The completeness of data on the price and cost-effectiveness of medicines was extracted from application documents and coded using a four-point scale. We recorded whether or not the expert committee discussed economic information and the outcomes of each application. Associations between the completeness of economic data and application outcomes were assessed using χ 2 tests. The expert committee received 134 applications. Only eight applications (6%) included complete price data and economic evaluation data. Many applicants omitted or misinterpreted the economic evaluation section of the application form. Despite the lack of economic data, all applications were reviewed by the committee. There was no significant association between the completeness of economic information and application outcomes. The expert committee tried to address information gaps in applications by further review and analysis of data related to the application. The World Health Organization should revise the instructions to applicants on economic data requirements; develop new mechanisms to assist applicants in completing the application process; and define methods for the use of economic data in decision-making.

78 FR 57293 - Medicaid Program; State Disproportionate Share Hospital Allotment Reductions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-18

... reductions are prospective, not retrospective. Comment: One commenter requested clarification on how the... establish prospective DSH allotment reductions adjustments that rely on final or completed data from previous years. Response: The final rule establishes prospective DSH allotment reductions based on the most...

Laryngoscopy evaluation protocol for the differentiation of essential and dystonic voice tremor.

PubMed

Moraes, Bruno Teixeira de; Biase, Noemi Grigoletto de

2016-01-01

Although syndromes that cause voice tremor have singular characteristics, the differential diagnosis of these diseases is a challenge because of the overlap of the existing signs and symptoms. To develop a task-specific protocol to assess voice tremor by means of nasofibrolaryngoscopy and to identify those tasks that can distinguish between essential and dystonic tremor syndromes. Cross-sectional study. The transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy protocol, which consisted of the assessment of palate, pharynx and larynx tremor during the performance of several vocal and non-vocal tasks with distinct phenomenological characteristics, was applied to 19 patients with voice tremor. Patients were diagnosed with essential or dystonic tremor according to the phenomenological characterization of each group. Once they were classified, the tasks associated with the presence of tremor in each syndrome were identified. The tasks that significantly contributed to the differential diagnosis between essential and dystonic tremor were /s/ production, continuous whistling and reduction of tremor in falsetto. These tasks were phenomenologically different with respect to the presence of tremor in the two syndromes. The protocol of specific tasks by means of transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy is a viable method to differentiate between essential and dystonic voice tremor syndromes through the following tasks: /s/ production, continuous whistling and reduction of tremor in falsetto. Copyright © 2015 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Anti-oxidant activity and major chemical component analyses of twenty-six commercially available essential oils.

PubMed

Wang, Hsiao-Fen; Yih, Kuang-Hway; Yang, Chao-Hsun; Huang, Keh-Feng

2017-10-01

This study analyzed 26 commercially available essential oils and their major chemical components to determine their antioxidant activity levels by measuring their total phenolic content (TPC), reducing power (RP), β-carotene bleaching (BCB) activity, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging (DFRS) ability. The clove bud and thyme borneol essential oils had the highest RP, BCB activity levels, and TPC values among the 26 commercial essential oils. Furthermore, of the 26 essential oils, the clove bud and ylang ylang complete essential oils had the highest TEAC values, and the clove bud and jasmine absolute essential oils had the highest DFRS ability. At a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL, the clove bud and thyme borneol essential oils had RP and BCB activity levels of 94.56% ± 0.06% and 24.64% ± 0.03% and 94.58% ± 0.01% and 89.33% ± 0.09%, respectively. At a concentration of 1 mg/mL, the clove bud and thyme borneol essential oils showed TPC values of 220.00 ± 0.01 and 69.05 ± 0.01 mg/g relative to gallic acid equivalents, respectively, and the clove bud and ylang ylang complete essential oils had TEAC values of 809.00 ± 0.01 and 432.33 ± 0.01 μM, respectively. The clove bud and jasmine absolute essential oils showed DFRS abilities of 94.13% ± 0.01% and 78.62% ± 0.01%, respectively. Phenolic compounds of the clove bud, thyme borneol and jasmine absolute essential oils were eugenol (76.08%), thymol (14.36%) and carvacrol (12.33%), and eugenol (0.87%), respectively. The phenolic compounds in essential oils were positively correlated with the RP, BCB activity, TPC, TEAC, and DFRS ability. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Analyzing the Cost-Effectiveness of Instruction Expenditures towards High School Completion among Oahu's Public School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Larson S. W. M.

2011-01-01

The following study attempted to ascertain the instructional cost-effectiveness of public high school teachers towards high school completion through a financially based econometric analysis. Essentially, public high school instruction expenditures and completer data were collected from 2000 to 2007 and bivariate interaction analyzed through a…

Identification and analysis of the bacterial endosymbiont specialized for production of the chemotherapeutic natural product ET-743

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schofield, Michael M.; Jain, Sunit; Porat, Daphne

Ecteinascidin 743 (ET-743, Yondelis) is a clinically approved chemotherapeutic natural product isolated from the Caribbean mangrove tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata. Researchers have long suspected that a microorganism may be the true producer of the anti-cancer drug, but its genome has remained elusive due to our inability to culture the bacterium in the laboratory using standard techniques. Here, we sequenced and assembled the complete genome of the ET-743 producer, Candidatus Endoecteinascidia frumentensis, directly from metagenomic DNA isolated from the tunicate. Analysis of the ~631 kb microbial genome revealed strong evidence of an endosymbiotic lifestyle and extreme genome reduction. Phylogenetic analysis suggested thatmore » the producer of the anti-cancer drug is taxonomically distinct from other sequenced microorganisms and could represent a new family of Gammaproteobacteria. The complete genome has also greatly expanded our understanding of ET-743 production and revealed new biosynthetic genes dispersed across more than 173 kb of the small genome. The gene cluster’s architecture and its preservation demonstrate that the drug is likely essential to the interactions of the microorganism with its mangrove tunicate host. In conclusion, taken together, these studies elucidate the lifestyle of a unique, and pharmaceutically-important microorganism and highlight the wide diversity of bacteria capable of making potent natural products.« less

Current Status and New Perspectives on Chitin and Chitosan as Functional Biopolymers.

PubMed

Philibert, Tuyishime; Lee, Byong H; Fabien, Nsanzabera

2017-04-01

The natural biopolymer chitin and its deacetylated product chitosan are found abundantly in nature as structural building blocks and are used in all sectors of human activities like materials science, nutrition, health care, and energy. Far from being fully recognized, these polymers are able to open opportunities for completely novel applications due to their exceptional properties which an economic value is intrinsically entrapped. On a commercial scale, chitosan is mainly obtained from crustacean shells rather than from the fungal and insect sources. Significant efforts have been devoted to commercialize chitosan extracted from fungal and insect sources to completely replace crustacean-derived chitosan. However, the traditional chitin extraction processes are laden with many disadvantages. The present review discusses the potential bioextraction of chitosan from fungal, insect, and crustacean as well as its superior physico-chemical properties. The different aspects of fungal, insects, and crustacean chitosan extraction methods and various parameters having an effect on the yield of chitin and chitosan are discussed in detail. In addition, this review also deals with essential attributes of chitosan for high value-added applications in different fields and highlighted new perspectives on the production of chitin and deacetylated chitosan from different sources with the concomitant reduction of the environmental impact.

Identification and analysis of the bacterial endosymbiont specialized for production of the chemotherapeutic natural product ET-743

DOE PAGES

Schofield, Michael M.; Jain, Sunit; Porat, Daphne; ...

2015-07-21

Ecteinascidin 743 (ET-743, Yondelis) is a clinically approved chemotherapeutic natural product isolated from the Caribbean mangrove tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata. Researchers have long suspected that a microorganism may be the true producer of the anti-cancer drug, but its genome has remained elusive due to our inability to culture the bacterium in the laboratory using standard techniques. Here, we sequenced and assembled the complete genome of the ET-743 producer, Candidatus Endoecteinascidia frumentensis, directly from metagenomic DNA isolated from the tunicate. Analysis of the ~631 kb microbial genome revealed strong evidence of an endosymbiotic lifestyle and extreme genome reduction. Phylogenetic analysis suggested thatmore » the producer of the anti-cancer drug is taxonomically distinct from other sequenced microorganisms and could represent a new family of Gammaproteobacteria. The complete genome has also greatly expanded our understanding of ET-743 production and revealed new biosynthetic genes dispersed across more than 173 kb of the small genome. The gene cluster’s architecture and its preservation demonstrate that the drug is likely essential to the interactions of the microorganism with its mangrove tunicate host. In conclusion, taken together, these studies elucidate the lifestyle of a unique, and pharmaceutically-important microorganism and highlight the wide diversity of bacteria capable of making potent natural products.« less

Horizontal decomposition of data table for finding one reduct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hońko, Piotr

2018-04-01

Attribute reduction, being one of the most essential tasks in rough set theory, is a challenge for data that does not fit in the available memory. This paper proposes new definitions of attribute reduction using horizontal data decomposition. Algorithms for computing superreduct and subsequently exact reducts of a data table are developed and experimentally verified. In the proposed approach, the size of subtables obtained during the decomposition can be arbitrarily small. Reducts of the subtables are computed independently from one another using any heuristic method for finding one reduct. Compared with standard attribute reduction methods, the proposed approach can produce superreducts that usually inconsiderably differ from an exact reduct. The approach needs comparable time and much less memory to reduce the attribute set. The method proposed for removing unnecessary attributes from superreducts executes relatively fast for bigger databases.

Subsurface oxide plays a critical role in CO2 activation by Cu(111) surfaces to form chemisorbed CO2, the first step in reduction of CO2.

PubMed

Favaro, Marco; Xiao, Hai; Cheng, Tao; Goddard, William A; Yano, Junko; Crumlin, Ethan J

2017-06-27

A national priority is to convert CO 2 into high-value chemical products such as liquid fuels. Because current electrocatalysts are not adequate, we aim to discover new catalysts by obtaining a detailed understanding of the initial steps of CO 2 electroreduction on copper surfaces, the best current catalysts. Using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy interpreted with quantum mechanical prediction of the structures and free energies, we show that the presence of a thin suboxide structure below the copper surface is essential to bind the CO 2 in the physisorbed configuration at 298 K, and we show that this suboxide is essential for converting to the chemisorbed CO 2 in the presence of water as the first step toward CO 2 reduction products such as formate and CO. This optimum suboxide leads to both neutral and charged Cu surface sites, providing fresh insights into how to design improved carbon dioxide reduction catalysts.

Subsurface oxide plays a critical role in CO2 activation by Cu(111) surfaces to form chemisorbed CO2, the first step in reduction of CO2

PubMed Central

Favaro, Marco; Yano, Junko; Crumlin, Ethan J.

2017-01-01

A national priority is to convert CO2 into high-value chemical products such as liquid fuels. Because current electrocatalysts are not adequate, we aim to discover new catalysts by obtaining a detailed understanding of the initial steps of CO2 electroreduction on copper surfaces, the best current catalysts. Using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy interpreted with quantum mechanical prediction of the structures and free energies, we show that the presence of a thin suboxide structure below the copper surface is essential to bind the CO2 in the physisorbed configuration at 298 K, and we show that this suboxide is essential for converting to the chemisorbed CO2 in the presence of water as the first step toward CO2 reduction products such as formate and CO. This optimum suboxide leads to both neutral and charged Cu surface sites, providing fresh insights into how to design improved carbon dioxide reduction catalysts. PMID:28607092

Identification and Addressing Reduction-Related Misconceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gal-Ezer, Judith; Trakhtenbrot, Mark

2016-01-01

Reduction is one of the key techniques used for problem-solving in computer science. In particular, in the theory of computation and complexity (TCC), mapping and polynomial reductions are used for analysis of decidability and computational complexity of problems, including the core concept of NP-completeness. Reduction is a highly abstract…

The SCUBA Data Reduction Pipeline: ORAC-DR at the JCMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenness, Tim; Economou, Frossie

The ORAC data reduction pipeline, developed for UKIRT, has been designed to be a completely general approach to writing data reduction pipelines. This generality has enabled the JCMT to adapt the system for use with SCUBA with minimal development time using the existing SCUBA data reduction algorithms (Surf).

Early Acidification of Phagosomes Containing Brucella suis Is Essential for Intracellular Survival in Murine Macrophages

PubMed Central

Porte, Françoise; Liautard, Jean-Pierre; Köhler, Stephan

1999-01-01

Brucella suis is a facultative intracellular pathogen of mammals, residing in macrophage vacuoles. In this work, we studied the phagosomal environment of these bacteria in order to better understand the mechanisms allowing survival and multiplication of B. suis. Intraphagosomal pH in murine J774 cells was determined by measuring the fluorescence intensity of opsonized, carboxyfluorescein-rhodamine- and Oregon Green 488-rhodamine-labeled bacteria. Compartments containing live B. suis acidified to a pH of about 4.0 to 4.5 within 60 min. Acidification of B. suis-containing phagosomes in the early phase of infection was abolished by treatment of host cells with 100 nM bafilomycin A1, a specific inhibitor of vacuolar proton-ATPases. This neutralization at 1 h postinfection resulted in a 2- to 34-fold reduction of opsonized and nonopsonized viable intracellular bacteria at 4 and 6 h postinfection, respectively. Ammonium chloride and monensin, other pH-neutralizing reagents, led to comparable loss of intracellular viability. Addition of ammonium chloride at 7 h after the beginning of infection, however, did not affect intracellular multiplication of B. suis, in contrast to treatment at 1 h postinfection, where bacteria were completely eradicated within 48 h. Thus, we conclude that phagosomes with B. suis acidify rapidly after infection, and that this early acidification is essential for replication of the bacteria within the macrophage. PMID:10417172

Anagrelide reduces thrombotic risk in essential thrombocythaemia vs. hydroxyurea plus aspirin.

PubMed

Dombi, Péter; Illés, Árpád; Demeter, Judit; Homor, Lajos; Simon, Zsofia; Karadi, Eva; Udvardy, Miklos; Egyed, Miklos

2017-02-01

To evaluate the reduction in thrombotic events (TE) in patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) treated with anagrelide versus hydroxyurea + aspirin (HU + ASA). A questionnaire was developed using 2008 WHO diagnostic criteria, and thrombotic risk factors were stratified according to Landolfi criteria. Through questionnaire completion, clinicians at Hungarian haematological centres entered data into the Hungarian MPN Registry on patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms. Based on ET registry data, TEs in anagrelide-treated patients (n = 139) were compared with HU + ASA-treated patients (n = 141). Patients were followed up for (median) 6 yr. TEs were reported in significantly fewer anagrelide-treated patients versus HU + ASA (15.1% versus 49.6%; P < 0.001). Numbers of major arterial and major venous events were similar between the groups, although there were over fivefold more minor arterial and minor venous events in the HU + ASA group (P < 0.001). While median age at diagnosis was older and length of follow-up shorter in the HU + ASA group (P < 0.05), this did not influence TE incidence; medication and TE before diagnosis only influenced TE incidence. Anagrelide significantly decreased the number of patients experiencing minor arterial and minor venous TEs versus HU + ASA over 6 yr. Risk of TE after diagnosis was significantly increased if the patient had TE before diagnosis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Essential Dosage-Dependent Functions of the Transcription Factor Yin Yang 1 in Late Embryonic Development and Cell Cycle Progression†

PubMed Central

Affar, El Bachir; Gay, Frédérique; Shi, Yujiang; Liu, Huifei; Huarte, Maite; Wu, Su; Collins, Tucker; Li, En; Shi, Yang

2006-01-01

Constitutive ablation of the Yin Yang 1 (YY1) transcription factor in mice results in peri-implantation lethality. In this study, we used homologous recombination to generate knockout mice carrying yy1 alleles expressing various amounts of YY1. Phenotypic analysis of yy1 mutant embryos expressing ∼75%, ∼50%, and ∼25% of the normal complement of YY1 identified a dosage-dependent requirement for YY1 during late embryogenesis. Indeed, reduction of YY1 levels impairs embryonic growth and viability in a dose-dependent manner. Analysis of the corresponding mouse embryonic fibroblast cells also revealed a tight correlation between YY1 dosage and cell proliferation, with a complete ablation of YY1 inducing cytokinesis failure and cell cycle arrest. Consistently, RNA interference-mediated inhibition of YY1 in HeLa cells prevents cytokinesis, causes proliferative arrest, and increases cellular sensitivity to various apoptotic agents. Genome-wide expression profiling identified a plethora of YY1 target genes that have been implicated in cell growth, proliferation, cytokinesis, apoptosis, development, and differentiation, suggesting that YY1 coordinates multiple essential biological processes through a complex transcriptional network. These data not only shed new light on the molecular basis for YY1 developmental roles and cellular functions, but also provide insight into the general mechanisms controlling eukaryotic cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. PMID:16611997

Synergistic antibacterial activity of the essential oil of aguaribay (Schinus molle L.).

PubMed

de Mendonça Rocha, Pedro M; Rodilla, Jesus M; Díez, David; Elder, Heriberto; Guala, Maria Silvia; Silva, Lúcia A; Pombo, Eunice Baltazar

2012-10-12

Schinus molle L. (aguaribay, aroeira-falsa, "molle", family Anacardiaceae), a native of South America, produces an active antibacterial essential oil extracted from the leaves and fruits. This work reports a complete study of its chemical composition and determines the antibacterial activity of Schinus molle L. essential oil and its main components. The results showed that the crude extract essential oil has a potent antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, a strong/moderate effect on Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and moderate/weak one on Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853.

A source strength model for prescribed fires in coniferous logging slash.

Treesearch

D.V. Sandberg; Janice Peterson

1984-01-01

Emission reduction has become an essential part of the effort to reduce air pollution from forest slash burning. The State of Washington has set a goal of reducing emissions by 35 percent by 1990, leaving the choice of emission reduction techniques to forest managers. Several thousand harvested areas are burned each year in the Northwest, encompassing a wide variety...

Oxygen reduction reaction on highly-durable Pt/nanographene fuel cell catalyst synthesized employing in-liquid plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amano, Tomoki; Kondo, Hiroki; Takeda, Keigo; Ishikawa, Kenji; Kano, Hiroyuki; Hiramatsu, Mineo; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru

2016-09-01

We recently have established ultrahigh-speed synthesis method of nanographene materials employing in-liquid plasma, and reported high durability of Pt/nanographene composites as a fuel cell catalyst. Crystallinity and domain size of nanographene materials were essential to their durability. However, their mechanism is not clarified yet. In this study, we investigated the oxygen reduction reaction using three-types of nanographene materials with different crystallinity and domain sizes, which were synthesized using ethanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol, respectively. According to our previous studies, the nanographene material synthesized using the lower molecular weight alcohol has the higher crystallinity and larger domain size. Pt nanoparticles were supported on the nanographene surfaces by reducing 8 wt% H2PtCl6 diluted with H2O. Oxygen reduction current densities at a potential of 0.2 V vs. RHE were 5.43, 5.19 and 3.69 mA/cm2 for the samples synthesized using ethanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol, respectively. This means that the higher crystallinity nanographene showed the larger oxygen reduction current density. The controls of crystallinity and domain size of nanographene materials are essential to not only their durability but also highly efficiency as catalyst electrodes.

Budding Yeast ATM/ATR Control Meiotic Double-Strand Break (DSB) Levels by Down-Regulating Rec114, an Essential Component of the DSB-machinery

PubMed Central

Carballo, Jesús A.; Panizza, Silvia; Serrentino, Maria Elisabetta; Johnson, Anthony L.; Geymonat, Marco; Borde, Valérie; Klein, Franz; Cha, Rita S.

2013-01-01

An essential feature of meiosis is Spo11 catalysis of programmed DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). Evidence suggests that the number of DSBs generated per meiosis is genetically determined and that this ability to maintain a pre-determined DSB level, or “DSB homeostasis”, might be a property of the meiotic program. Here, we present direct evidence that Rec114, an evolutionarily conserved essential component of the meiotic DSB-machinery, interacts with DSB hotspot DNA, and that Tel1 and Mec1, the budding yeast ATM and ATR, respectively, down-regulate Rec114 upon meiotic DSB formation through phosphorylation. Mimicking constitutive phosphorylation reduces the interaction between Rec114 and DSB hotspot DNA, resulting in a reduction and/or delay in DSB formation. Conversely, a non-phosphorylatable rec114 allele confers a genome-wide increase in both DSB levels and in the interaction between Rec114 and the DSB hotspot DNA. These observations strongly suggest that Tel1 and/or Mec1 phosphorylation of Rec114 following Spo11 catalysis down-regulates DSB formation by limiting the interaction between Rec114 and DSB hotspots. We also present evidence that Ndt80, a meiosis specific transcription factor, contributes to Rec114 degradation, consistent with its requirement for complete cessation of DSB formation. Loss of Rec114 foci from chromatin is associated with homolog synapsis but independent of Ndt80 or Tel1/Mec1 phosphorylation. Taken together, we present evidence for three independent ways of regulating Rec114 activity, which likely contribute to meiotic DSBs-homeostasis in maintaining genetically determined levels of breaks. PMID:23825959

Platelet morphology and plasma indices of platelet activation in essential hypertension: effects of amlodipine-based antihypertensive therapy.

PubMed

Nadar, Sunil; Blann, Andrew D; Lip, Gregory Y H

2004-01-01

Platelet abnormalities have been described in hypertension, especially in the presence of target organ damage. Our aim was to study the differences in morphology and indices of platelet activation in treatment-naive patients with essential hypertension as compared to normotensive controls and secondly, to study the effects of amlodipine-based antihypertensive therapy on these indices. We recruited 42 previously untreated, newly diagnosed hypertensive patients (25 men; mean age 53 years) for the cross-sectional study, where data were compared with those from 30 normotensive controls (20 men; mean age 57 years). Of the 42 untreated hypertensive patients who were recruited, 27 patients successfully completed, the six-month treatment phase with amlodipine-based antihypertensive therapy. Platelet morphology (volume and mass) was quantified, and plasma markers of platelet activation (betaTG and sPsel) measured in citrated plasma. The mass of P-selectin in each platelet (pPsel) was determined by lysing a fixed number of platelets and then determining the levels of P-selectin in the lysate. Hypertensive patients had significantly higher platelet volume (P = 0.01) and mass (P = 0.003), plasma betaTG and sPsel, and pPsel levels (all P < 0.001) compared to the controls. After a mean treatment time of 6 months, there was a decrease in platelet volume (P < 0.001) and mass (P = 0.02), with lower pPsel, sPsel and BTG levels (all P < 0.001) compared to the untreated state. Treatment of uncomplicated essential hypertension using amlodipine-based anti-hypertensive therapy results in a reversal of the platelet morphology abnormalities and indices of platelet activation. This may contribute to a reduction in thrombosis-related complications seen in those whose blood pressure lowering is effective.

A Coordinated Interdependent Protein Circuitry Stabilizes the Kinetochore Ensemble to Protect CENP-A in the Human Pathogenic Yeast Candida albicans

PubMed Central

Thakur, Jitendra; Sanyal, Kaustuv

2012-01-01

Unlike most eukaryotes, a kinetochore is fully assembled early in the cell cycle in budding yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. These kinetochores are clustered together throughout the cell cycle. Kinetochore assembly on point centromeres of S. cerevisiae is considered to be a step-wise process that initiates with binding of inner kinetochore proteins on specific centromere DNA sequence motifs. In contrast, kinetochore formation in C. albicans, that carries regional centromeres of 3–5 kb long, has been shown to be a sequence independent but an epigenetically regulated event. In this study, we investigated the process of kinetochore assembly/disassembly in C. albicans. Localization dependence of various kinetochore proteins studied by confocal microscopy and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed that assembly of a kinetochore is a highly coordinated and interdependent event. Partial depletion of an essential kinetochore protein affects integrity of the kinetochore cluster. Further protein depletion results in complete collapse of the kinetochore architecture. In addition, GFP-tagged kinetochore proteins confirmed similar time-dependent disintegration upon gradual depletion of an outer kinetochore protein (Dam1). The loss of integrity of a kinetochore formed on centromeric chromatin was demonstrated by reduced binding of CENP-A and CENP-C at the centromeres. Most strikingly, Western blot analysis revealed that gradual depletion of any of these essential kinetochore proteins results in concomitant reduction in cellular protein levels of CENP-A. We further demonstrated that centromere bound CENP-A is protected from the proteosomal mediated degradation. Based on these results, we propose that a coordinated interdependent circuitry of several evolutionarily conserved essential kinetochore proteins ensures integrity of a kinetochore formed on the foundation of CENP-A containing centromeric chromatin. PMID:22536162

Synergistic interaction and mode of action of Citrus hystrix essential oil against bacteria causing periodontal diseases.

PubMed

Wongsariya, Karn; Phanthong, Phanida; Bunyapraphatsara, Nuntavan; Srisukh, Vimol; Chomnawang, Mullika Traidej

2014-03-01

Citrus hystrix de Candolle (Rutaceae), an edible plant regularly used as a food ingredient, possesses antibacterial activity, but there is no current data on the activity against bacteria causing periodontal diseases. C. hystrix essential oil from leaves and peel were investigated for antibiofilm formation and mode of action against bacteria causing periodontal diseases. In vitro antibacterial and antibiofilm formation activities were determined by broth microdilution and time kill assay. Mode of action of essential oil was observed by SEM and the active component was identified by bioautography and GC/MS. C. hystrix leaves oil exhibited antibacterial activity at the MICs of 1.06 mg/mL for P. gingivalis and S. mutans and 2.12 mg/mL for S. sanguinis. Leaf oil at 4.25 mg/mL showed antibiofilm formation activity with 99% inhibition. The lethal effects on P. gingivalis were observed within 2 and 4 h after treated with 4 × MIC and 2 × MIC, respectively. S. sanguinis and S. mutans were completely killed within 4 and 8 h after exposed to 4 × MIC and 2 × MIC of oil. MICs of tested strains showed 4 times reduction suggesting synergistic interaction of oil and chlorhexidine. Bacterial outer membrane was disrupted after treatment with leaves oil. Additionally, citronellal was identified as the major active compound of C. hystrix oil. C. hystrix leaf oil could be used as a natural active compound or in combination with chlorhexidine in mouthwash preparations to prevent the growth of bacteria associated with periodontal diseases and biofilm formation.

Multi-criteria decision analysis for bioenergy in the Centre Region of Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esteves, T. C. J.; Cabral, P.; Ferreira, A. J. D.; Teixeira, J. C.

2012-04-01

With the consumption of fossil fuels, the resources essential to Man's survival are being rapidly contaminated. A sustainable future may be achieved by the use of renewable energies, allowing countries without non-renewable energy resources to guarantee energetic sovereignty. Using bioenergy may mean a steep reduction and/or elimination of the external dependency, enhancing the countries' capital and potentially reducing of the negative effects that outcome from the use of fossil fuels, such as loss of biodiversity, air, water, and soil pollution, … This work's main focus is to increase bioenergy use in the centre region of Portugal by allying R&D to facilitate determination of bioenergy availability and distribution throughout the study area.This analysis is essential, given that nowadays this knowledge is still very limited in the study area. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was the main tool used to asses this study, due to its unseeingly ability to integrate various types of information (such as alphanumerical, statistical, geographical, …) and various sources of biomass (forest, agricultural, husbandry, municipal and industrial residues, shrublands, used vegetable oil and energy crops) to determine the bioenergy potential of the study area, as well as their spatial distribution. By allying GIS with multi-criteria decision analysis, the initial table-like information of difficult comprehension is transformed into tangible and easy to read results: both intermediate and final results of the created models will facilitate the decision making process. General results show that the major contributors for the bioenergy potential in the Centre Region of Portugal are forest residues, which are mostly located in the inner region of the study area. However, a more detailed analysis should be made to analyze the viability to use energy crops. As a main conclusion, we can say that, although this region may not use only this type of energy to be completely independent in terms of energy, it will certainly reduce the amount of consumed fossil fuels, leading to a substantial reduction of the importation of this product.

CASAS Competencies: Essential Life and Work Skills for Youth and Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CASAS - Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (NJ1), 2008

2008-01-01

The CASAS Competencies identify more than 360 essential life skills that youth and adults need to be functionally competent members of their community, their family, and the workforce. Competencies are relevant across the full range of instructional levels, from beginning literacy through high school completion including transition to…

Toxicity of Piper aduncum (Piperaceae) Essential Oil Against Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and Non-Effect on Egg Parasitoids.

PubMed

Turchen, L M; Piton, L P; Dall'Oglio, E L; Butnariu, A R; Pereira, M J B

2016-10-01

Plant essential oils have been recognized as significant natural resources for insecticides. Herein, we have assessed the toxicity of the essential oil of Piper aduncum (Piperaceae) against Euschistus heros (F.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), a key soybean pest in Neotropical America. In addition, we have assessed its effect on the performance of egg parasitoids. The essential oil was obtained from the leaves of P. aduncum via hydrodistillation. Subsequently, bioassays of the concentration response to eggs (contact and immersion methods), nymphs, and adults (topical application) were conducted, to assess the lethal effects on the stink bug. We also evaluated the performance of parasitism and adult emergence of egg parasitoids, when the host eggs were treated with essential oil. In the egg bioassay, both exposure methods were efficient for unviable eggs (immersion LC 50  = 15.64 mg mL -1 ; contact LC 50  = 21.29 mg mL -1 ), with the highlight on the immersion method. The bioassay with nymphs indicated a higher toxicity of essential oil, with lower concentrations (LC 50  = 11.37 mg mL -1 ) being required to cause the death of insects. For adults, a reduction in survival of insects was observed, and consequently, there was a reduction in the number of individuals in the next generation. Although the essential oil was toxic to E. heros, it exhibited lower toxicity for egg parasitoids, as there was no effect on parasitism and the emergence of wasps. We discuss likely explanations for such selectivity. In summary, we found that the essential oil was promising for the control of E. heros, because it caused deleterious effects at all development stages of the stink bug and had no effect on parasitism and emergence of the egg parasitoids, which suggested compatibility with biological control.

Incorporating Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil and sodium bentonite nano-clay open a new perspective to use zein films as bioactive packaging materials.

PubMed

Kashiri, Mahboobeh; Maghsoudlo, Yahya; Khomeiri, Morteza

2017-10-01

Active zein films with different levels of Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil were produced successfully. To enhance properties of this biopolymer for food packaging applications, sodium bentonite clay was used at two levels (2 and 4%). The results indicated that the addition of Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil caused a reduction in tensile strength and Young's modulus and slight increase in the percent of elongation at break of the films. Maximum solubility in water and water vapor permeability was observed by incorporation of 10% Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil in the zein matrix. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs of zein film were verified by the exfoliation of the layers of sodium bentonite clay in the zein matrix. Stronger films with lower water vapor permeability and water solubility were evident of good distribution of sodium bentonite clay in the zein matrix. According to the results, 2% sodium bentonite clay was selected for evaluation of nano active film properties. Water vapor permeability, UV light barrier, tensile strength, and Young's modulus values of active films were improved by incorporation of 2% sodium bentonite clay. The antibacterial activity of different contents of Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil in vapor phase demonstrated that use of Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil in the liquid phase was more effective than in vapor phase. The antibacterial zein-based films showed that active zein film with 5 and 10% Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil had reductions of 1.68 log and 2.99 log, respectively, against Listeria monocytogenes and 1.39 and 3.07 log against Escherichia coli. Nano active zein film containing 10% Z. multiflora Boiss. essential oil and 2% sodium bentonite clay showed better antibacterial properties against L. monocytogenes (3.23 log) and E. coli (3.17 log).

Low-Cost, High-Throughput Sequencing of DNA Assemblies Using a Highly Multiplexed Nextera Process.

PubMed

Shapland, Elaine B; Holmes, Victor; Reeves, Christopher D; Sorokin, Elena; Durot, Maxime; Platt, Darren; Allen, Christopher; Dean, Jed; Serber, Zach; Newman, Jack; Chandran, Sunil

2015-07-17

In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has greatly reduced the cost of sequencing whole genomes, whereas the cost of sequence verification of plasmids via Sanger sequencing has remained high. Consequently, industrial-scale strain engineers either limit the number of designs or take short cuts in quality control. Here, we show that over 4000 plasmids can be completely sequenced in one Illumina MiSeq run for less than $3 each (15× coverage), which is a 20-fold reduction over using Sanger sequencing (2× coverage). We reduced the volume of the Nextera tagmentation reaction by 100-fold and developed an automated workflow to prepare thousands of samples for sequencing. We also developed software to track the samples and associated sequence data and to rapidly identify correctly assembled constructs having the fewest defects. As DNA synthesis and assembly become a centralized commodity, this NGS quality control (QC) process will be essential to groups operating high-throughput pipelines for DNA construction.

Dimensionality Control of d-orbital Occupation in Oxide Superlattices

PubMed Central

Jeong, Da Woon; Choi, Woo Seok; Okamoto, Satoshi; Kim, Jae–Young; Kim, Kyung Wan; Moon, Soon Jae; Cho, Deok–Yong; Lee, Ho Nyung; Noh, Tae Won

2014-01-01

Manipulating the orbital state in a strongly correlated electron system is of fundamental and technological importance for exploring and developing novel electronic phases. Here, we report an unambiguous demonstration of orbital occupancy control between t2g and eg multiplets in quasi-two-dimensional transition metal oxide superlattices (SLs) composed of a Mott insulator LaCoO3 and a band insulator LaAlO3. As the LaCoO3 sublayer thickness approaches its fundamental limit (i.e. one unit-cell-thick), the electronic state of the SLs changed from a Mott insulator, in which both t2g and eg orbitals are partially filled, to a band insulator by completely filling (emptying) the t2g (eg) orbitals. We found the reduction of dimensionality has a profound effect on the electronic structure evolution, which is, whereas, insensitive to the epitaxial strain. The remarkable orbital controllability shown here offers a promising pathway for novel applications such as catalysis and photovoltaics, where the energy of d level is an essential parameter. PMID:25134975

Feeling Thanks and Saying Thanks: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining If and How Socially Oriented Gratitude Journals Work.

PubMed

O'Connell, Brenda H; O'Shea, Deirdre; Gallagher, Stephen

2017-10-01

This study examined the effect of a reflective interpersonal gratitude journal, a reflective-behavioral interpersonal gratitude journal and an active control journal, on primary qualities of well-being and depression. Participants (n = 192; 67.2% female) completed this 3-month longitudinal randomized controlled design. Participants in the reflective-behavioral condition experienced the greatest improvements in affect balance and reductions in depression at immediate posttest. Both gratitude interventions improved affect balance at 1 month, compared to the control. Changes in affect balance for those in the reflective-behavioral condition were mediated by the rate at which people expressed gratitude in their existing relationships. This effect was moderated by participant's baseline depressive status. Expressing felt gratitude to others appears to be a crucial step in deriving benefits, and these benefits may not be limited to the emotionally healthy. Given the applied popularity of gratitude interventions, understanding not only if but also how they work is essential. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Entrepreneurial training for girls empowerment in Lesotho: A process evaluation of a model programme

PubMed Central

Berry, Mary O'Neill; Kuriansky, Judy; Lytle, Megan; Vistman, Bozhena; Mosisili, ‘Mathato S.; Hlothoane, Lieketso; Matlanyane, Mapeo; Mokobori, Thabang; Mosuhli, Silas; Pebane, Jane

2014-01-01

A Girls Empowerment Programme held in 2010 in Lesotho, Sub-Saharan Africa, focused on HIV/AIDS risk reduction and prevention, life skills and entrepreneurial training (income-generating activities). Entrepreneurial training was a crucial part of equipping the camp attendees with basic skills to help them develop sustainable livelihoods. Such skills and financial independence are essential to enable rural girls to complete their secondary schooling (in a fee-based educational system) and to pursue a career, as well as to further help them be less susceptible to transactional sex and its significant risks. The results of a brief process evaluation with some nested supporting data showed considerable improvement in the girls' knowledge about income-generating activities. In addition, almost half of the camp attendees participated in further entrepreneurial training and about half of these girls went on to develop small businesses. Replication of this model of camp training is recommended and being explored in other African countries. PMID:25505804

Entrepreneurial training for girls empowerment in Lesotho: A process evaluation of a model programme.

PubMed

Berry, Mary O'Neill; Kuriansky, Judy; Lytle, Megan; Vistman, Bozhena; Mosisili, 'Mathato S; Hlothoane, Lieketso; Matlanyane, Mapeo; Mokobori, Thabang; Mosuhli, Silas; Pebane, Jane

2013-12-01

A Girls Empowerment Programme held in 2010 in Lesotho, Sub-Saharan Africa, focused on HIV/AIDS risk reduction and prevention, life skills and entrepreneurial training (income-generating activities). Entrepreneurial training was a crucial part of equipping the camp attendees with basic skills to help them develop sustainable livelihoods. Such skills and financial independence are essential to enable rural girls to complete their secondary schooling (in a fee-based educational system) and to pursue a career, as well as to further help them be less susceptible to transactional sex and its significant risks. The results of a brief process evaluation with some nested supporting data showed considerable improvement in the girls' knowledge about income-generating activities. In addition, almost half of the camp attendees participated in further entrepreneurial training and about half of these girls went on to develop small businesses. Replication of this model of camp training is recommended and being explored in other African countries.

Muscle progenitor cells proliferation doesn't sufficiently contribute to maintaining stretched soleus muscle mass during gravitational unloading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarakina, M. V.; Turtikova, O. V.; Nemirovskaya, T. L.; Kokontcev, A. A.; Shenkman, B. S.

Skeletal muscle work hypertrophy is usually connected with muscle progenitor satellite cells (SC) activation with subsequent incorporation of their nuclei into myofibers. Passive stretch of unloaded muscle was earlier established to prevent atrophic processes and is accompanied by enhanced protein synthesis. We hypothesized that elimination of SC proliferation capacity by γ-irradiation would partly avert stretched muscle fiber capability to maintain their size under the conditions of gravitational unloading. To assess the role of muscle progenitor (satellite) cells in development of passive stretch preventive effect SC proliferation was suppressed by local exposing to ionized radiation (2500 rad), subsequent hindlimb suspension or hindlimb suspension with concomitant passive stretch were carried out. Reduction of myofiber cross-sectional area and decrease in myonuclei number accompanying unloaded muscle atrophy were completely abolished by passive stretch both in irradiated and sham-treated animals. We conclude that SC did not make essential contribution to passive stretch preventive action under the conditions of simulated weightlessness.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) are issuing comprehensive guidance on the federal fleet requirements of Executive Order (E.O.) 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade (E.O. 13693), to help federal agencies subject to the executive order develop an overall approach for reducing total fleet greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fleet-wide per-mile GHG emissions, and ensure the approach helps these agencies meet their requirements. Three key GHG emissions reduction strategies - right-sizing fleets to mission, increasing fleet fuel efficiency, and displacing petroleum with alternative fuel use - are essential to meeting themore » requirements and are discussed further in this document. This guidance document is intended to help agency Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) and headquarters fleet managers craft tailored executable plans that achieve the purpose of E.O. 13693. The guidance will assist agencies in completing the first phase of a comprehensive fleet management framework by identifying the strategies each agency will then implement to meet or exceed its requirements.« less

Method for the desulfurization of hot product gases from coal gasifier

DOEpatents

Grindley, Thomas

1988-01-01

The gasification of sulfur-bearing coal produces a synthesis gas which contains a considerable concentration of sulfur compounds especially hydrogen sulfide that renders the synthesis gas environmentally unacceptable unless the concentration of the sulfur compounds is significantly reduced. To provide for such a reduction in the sulfur compounds a calcium compound is added to the gasifier with the coal to provide some sulfur absorption. The synthesis gas from the gasifier contains sulfur compounds and is passed through an external bed of a regenerable solid absorbent, preferably zinc ferrite, for essentially completed desulfurizing the hot synthesis gas. This absorbent is, in turn, periodically or continuously regenerated by passing a mixture of steam and air or oxygen through the bed for converting absorbed hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide. The resulting tail gas containing sulfur dioxide and steam is injected into the gasifier where the sulfur dioxide is converted by the calcium compound into a stable form of sulfur such as calcium sulfate.

Direct repeat sequences are essential for function of the cis-acting locus of transfer (clt) of Streptomyces phaeochromogenes plasmid pJV1.

PubMed

Franco, Bernardo; González-Cerón, Gabriela; Servín-González, Luis

2003-11-01

The functionality of direct and inverted repeat sequences inside the cis acting locus of transfer (clt) of the Streptomyces plasmid pJV1 was determined by testing the effect of different deletions on plasmid transfer. The results show that the single most important element for pJV1 clt function is a series of evenly spaced 9 bp long direct repeats which match the consensus CCGCACA(C/G)(C/G), since their deletion caused a dramatic reduction in plasmid transfer. The presence of these repeats in the absence of any other clt sequences allowed plasmid transfer to occur at a frequency that was at least two orders of magnitude higher than that obtained in the complete absence of clt. A database search revealed regions with a similar organization, and in the same position, in Streptomyces plasmids pSN22 and pSLS, which have transfer proteins homologous to those of pJV1.

Fluorometric Measurement of Pyridine Nucleotide Reduction in the Giant Axon of the Squid

PubMed Central

Doane, Marshall G.

1967-01-01

By monitoring the fluorescence of the isolated giant axon of the squid Loligo pealei, it was possible to follow changes in its oxidation-reduction state as caused by the action of anoxia, cyanide, Amytal, and azide. The response to oxygen depletion was very rapid, the NAD within the axon being 90% reduced within 1–2 min. Cyanide and Amytal gave essentially similar results, although somewhat longer periods of time elapsed during their onset and washout periods. The extent of NAD reduction was essentially the same under conditions of anoxia and treatment with cyanide and Amytal. Azide was less effective in this respect, and at comparatively high levels of concentration (25–50 mM) gave values of 40% or less of the reduction observed with the other inhibitors. The application of ouabain and strophanthidin gave no observable NAD reduction. Variations in the time required to consume given quantities of dissolved oxygen before and after stimulation indicated an increase of 10–20% in oxygen uptake rate associated with activity, although this figure appeared to be a function of the surface-to-volume ratio of the axon. A biochemical analysis of axoplasm for oxidized and reduced pyridine nucleotide was made. Fluorometric examination of centrifuged axoplasm indicated that the NAD-NADH was largely confined to the mitochondria of the axon. PMID:4384698

Inhibition of quorum sensing regulated bacterial functions by plant essential oils with special reference to clove oil.

PubMed

Khan, M S A; Zahin, M; Hasan, S; Husain, F M; Ahmad, I

2009-09-01

To evaluate quorum sensing (QS) inhibitory activity of plant essential oils using strains of Chromobacterium violaceum (CV12472 and CVO26) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1). Inhibition of QS-controlled violacein production in C. violaceum was assayed using disc diffusion and agar well diffusion method. Of the 21 essential oils, four oils showed varying levels of anti-QS activity. Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) oil showed promising anti-QS activity on both wild and mutant strains with zones of pigment inhibition 19 and 17 mm, respectively, followed by activity in cinnamon, lavender and peppermint oils. The effect of clove oil on the extent of violacein production was estimated photometrically and found to be concentration dependent. At sub-MICs of clove oil, 78.4% reduction in violacein production over control and up to 78% reduction in swarming motility in PAO1 over control were recorded. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of clove oil indicated presence of many phytocompounds. Eugenol, the major constituent of clove oil could not exhibit anti-QS activity. Presence of anti-QS activity in clove oil and other essential oils has indicated new anti-infective activity. The identification of anti-QS phytoconstituents is needed to assess the mechanism of action against both C. violaceum and Ps. aeruginosa. Essential oils having new antipathogenic drugs principle because of its anti-QS activity might be important in reducing virulence and pathogenicity of drug-resistant bacteria in vivo.

Redox-shuttling between chloroplast and cytosol: integration of intra-chloroplast and extra-chloroplast metabolism.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Mitsutaka; Miyake, Hiroshi

2012-06-01

Reducing equivalents produced in the chloroplast are essential for many key cellular metabolic enzyme reactions. Two redox shuttle systems transfer reductant out of the chloroplast; these systems consist of metabolite transporters, coupled with stromal and cytosolic dehydrogenase isozymes. The transporters function in the redox shuttle and also operate as key enzymes in carbon/nitrogen metabolism. To maintain adequate levels of reductant and proper metabolic balance, the shuttle systems are finely controlled. Also, in the leaves of C(4) plants, cell-specific division of carbon and nitrogen assimilation includes cell-specific localization of the redox shuttle systems. The redox shuttle systems are tightly linked to cellular metabolic pathways and are essential for maintaining metabolic balance between energy and reducing equivalents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Threat Control through Arms Control. Report to Congress 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-13

reduction, chemical weapons’ elimination, or any of the other growing arms control and nonproliferation challenges America faces, ACDA is an essential...nuclear missile reduction, chemical weapons elimination, or any of. the other growing arms control and nonproliferation challenges America faces... challenging . Nonprolif eration agreements are our first line of defense against the creation of a far more unstable and hazardous world than we have ever

Common pitfalls in statistical analysis: Absolute risk reduction, relative risk reduction, and number needed to treat

PubMed Central

Ranganathan, Priya; Pramesh, C. S.; Aggarwal, Rakesh

2016-01-01

In the previous article in this series on common pitfalls in statistical analysis, we looked at the difference between risk and odds. Risk, which refers to the probability of occurrence of an event or outcome, can be defined in absolute or relative terms. Understanding what these measures represent is essential for the accurate interpretation of study results. PMID:26952180

Aircraft Noise Reduction Subproject Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fernandez, Hamilton; Nark, Douglas M.; Van Zante, Dale E.

2016-01-01

The material presents highlights of propulsion and airframe noise research being completed for the Advanced Air Transport Technology Project. The basis of noise reduction plans along with representative work for the airframe, propulsion, and propulsion-airframe integration is discussed for the Aircraft Noise reduction Subproject.

A Delphi study among internal medicine clinicians to determine which therapeutic information is essential to record in a medical record.

PubMed

van Unen, Robert J; Tichelaar, Jelle; Nanayakkara, Prabath W B; van Agtmael, Michiel A; Richir, Milan C; de Vries, Theo P G M

2015-12-01

Several studies have demonstrated that using a template for recording general and diagnostic information in the medical record (MR) improves the completeness of MR documentation, communication between doctors, and performance of doctors. However, little is known about how therapeutic information should be structured in the MR. The aim of this study was to investigate which specific therapeutic information registrars and consultants in internal medicine consider essential to record in the MR. Therefore, we carried out a 2-round Internet Delphi study. Fifty-nine items were assessed on a 5-point scale; an item was considered important if ≥ 80% of the respondents awarded it a score of 4 or 5. In total, 26 registrars and 30 consultants in internal medicine completed both rounds of the study. Overall, they considered it essential to include information about 11 items in the MR. Subgroup analyses revealed that the registrars considered 8 additional items essential, whereas the consultants considered 1 additional item essential to record. Study findings can be used as a starting point to develop a structured section of the MR for therapeutic information for both paper and electronic MRs. This section should contain at least 11 items considered essential by registrars and clinical consultants in internal medicine. © 2015, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

The comparative effects of ICI 118551 and propranolol on essential tremor.

PubMed Central

Jefferson, D; Wharrad, H J; Birmingham, A T; Patrick, J M

1987-01-01

1. The effects of the selective beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 118551 on essential tremor, heart rate and blood pressure were compared with those of propranolol. 2. ICI 118551 (150 mg daily for 7 days) and propranolol (120 mg daily for 7 days) were about equally effective in reducing essential tremor (by about 40%) and were more effective than placebo. 3. When compared with the effect of placebo, propranolol reduced blood pressure and exercise heart rate whereas ICI 118551 had no significant effect on blood pressure and produced a small but significant reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia. 4. ICI 118551 may be useful in the management of essential tremor while having fewer cardiovascular side-effects than non-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. PMID:2894217

Power-control switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessler, L. L.

1976-01-01

Constant-current source creates drive current independent of input-voltage variations, 50% reduction in power loss in base drive circuitry, maintains essentially constant charge rate, and improves rise-time consistency over input voltage range.

Determinants of condom uptake among HIV voluntary counselling and testing clients: experiences from a hospital-based study in south India

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background HIV voluntary counselling and testing was a key HIV prevention strategy brought to scale by India's National AIDS Control Organization. Condom uptake is an essential metric of intervention impact given the expansion of the epidemic into an increasingly diverse population. With only 20% of first-time counselling and testing clients at the largest HIV treatment hospital in south India reporting previous condom use, the question of intervention impact on condom use deserves investigation. In this study, we track intervention impact across various demographic groups and identify the added value of more thorough counselling. Methods Data were collected from 8,865 individuals who attended counselling multiple times at the Tamil Nadu Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine over the years 2004-2009. Counsellors recorded client demographic characteristics, HIV risk behaviours reported, and counselling services provided after each counselling session. Matching and regression methods were used to determine the probability of condom uptake by serostatus, gender, and receipt of personalized risk reduction counselling while controlling for other characteristics. Results HIV counselling and testing was associated with condom uptake among 29.2% of HIV positive women (CI 24.5-34.4%), 31.7% of HIV positive men (CI 27.8-35.4%), 15.5% of HIV negative women (CI 11.2-20.8%), and only 3.6% of HIV negative men (CI 1.9-5.9%) who had previously never used condoms. Personalized risk reduction counselling increased impact in some groups; for example an additional 18% of HIV negative women (CI 11.3-24.4%) and 17% of HIV positive men (CI 10.9-23.4%) started using condoms. The number of sexual partners was not associated with the impact of counselling completeness. Conclusions Because the components of testing and counselling impact the condom use habits of men and women differently, understanding the dynamics of condom use negotiation between partners is essential to optimizing impact on Indian couples. Clients' predicted condom uptake ranged between 4% and 47% depending on factors like gender, serostatus, and services provided. Personalized risk reduction counselling is associated with increased chance of condom use, with larger gains in HIV negative women and HIV positive men. HIV negative men are least likely to start using condoms and least impacted by additional counselling. PMID:22236357

Determinants of condom uptake among HIV voluntary counselling and testing clients: experiences from a hospital-based study in south India.

PubMed

Myerson, Rebecca; Makela, Susanna M; Chandrasekhar, C; Mathew, Siju; Chakraborty, Sourabh

2012-01-11

HIV voluntary counselling and testing was a key HIV prevention strategy brought to scale by India's National AIDS Control Organization. Condom uptake is an essential metric of intervention impact given the expansion of the epidemic into an increasingly diverse population. With only 20% of first-time counselling and testing clients at the largest HIV treatment hospital in south India reporting previous condom use, the question of intervention impact on condom use deserves investigation. In this study, we track intervention impact across various demographic groups and identify the added value of more thorough counselling. Data were collected from 8,865 individuals who attended counselling multiple times at the Tamil Nadu Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine over the years 2004-2009. Counsellors recorded client demographic characteristics, HIV risk behaviours reported, and counselling services provided after each counselling session. Matching and regression methods were used to determine the probability of condom uptake by serostatus, gender, and receipt of personalized risk reduction counselling while controlling for other characteristics. HIV counselling and testing was associated with condom uptake among 29.2% of HIV positive women (CI 24.5-34.4%), 31.7% of HIV positive men (CI 27.8-35.4%), 15.5% of HIV negative women (CI 11.2-20.8%), and only 3.6% of HIV negative men (CI 1.9-5.9%) who had previously never used condoms. Personalized risk reduction counselling increased impact in some groups; for example an additional 18% of HIV negative women (CI 11.3-24.4%) and 17% of HIV positive men (CI 10.9-23.4%) started using condoms. The number of sexual partners was not associated with the impact of counselling completeness. Because the components of testing and counselling impact the condom use habits of men and women differently, understanding the dynamics of condom use negotiation between partners is essential to optimizing impact on Indian couples. Clients' predicted condom uptake ranged between 4% and 47% depending on factors like gender, serostatus, and services provided. Personalized risk reduction counselling is associated with increased chance of condom use, with larger gains in HIV negative women and HIV positive men. HIV negative men are least likely to start using condoms and least impacted by additional counselling.

Posterior distraction reduction and occipitocervical fixation for the treatment of basilar invagination and atlantoaxial dislocation.

PubMed

Meng, Yang; Chen, Hua; Lou, Jigang; Rong, Xin; Wang, Beiyu; Deng, Yuxiao; Ding, Chen; Hong, Ying; Liu, Hao

2016-01-01

To introduce a novel distraction technique for the treatment of basilar invagination (BI) and atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD) via a posterior-only approach. Twenty-one consecutive patients with BI and AAD who underwent posterior distraction reduction and occipitocervical fixation between January 2009 and June 2013 were enrolled in the present study. This novel distraction technique included two steps. First, the distraction between the occipitocervical junction of the rod (OCJR) and the occipital screws was performed to achieve horizontal and partial vertical reduction. Secondly, the distraction was performed between the C2 screws and OCJR to achieve complete vertical reduction. The pre- and postoperative JOA score, the extent of reduction, the fusion status, and the complications were recorded and analyzed. The mean follow-up was 18.3 months with a range of 10-32 months. No patient incurred neurovascular injury during surgery. The mean JOA score at the last follow-up (15.4) showed significant improvement (P<0.01) compared with the pre-operative parameters (11.2). Complete horizontal reduction was achieved in 18 patients (85.7%), and complete vertical reduction was achieved in 17 patients (80.9%). The rest patients are all received greater than 50% horizontal and vertical reduction. Solid fusion was achieved in 20 patients (95.2%). Mild dysphagia was observed in two patients. One patient suffered from postoperative fever and pulmonary infection. This novel distraction technique may provide satisfactory reduction via a posterior-only approach without exposure of the C1/2 facet joint. Therefore, it is a safe and effective method for the treatment of BI with AAD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel mutant of Escherichia coli asparaginase II to reduction of the glutaminase activity in treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia by molecular dynamics simulations and QM-MM studies.

PubMed

Ardalan, Noeman; Mirzaie, Sako; Sepahi, Abbas Akhavan; Khavari-Nejad, Ramazan Ali

2018-03-01

L-Asparaginases (ASNase) belong to a family of amidohydrolases, have both asparaginase and glutaminase activity. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is an outrageous disease worldwide. Bacterial ASNase has been used for the treatment of ALL. Glutaminase activity of enzyme causes some side effect and it is not essential for anticancer activity. The aim of this study was engineering of Escherichia coli asparaginase II to find a mutant with reduced glutaminase activity by molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) and QM-MM (Quantum mechanics molecular dynamics) simulations. Residues with low free energy of binding to Asn and high free binding energy to Gln were chosen for mutagenesis. Then, a mutant with higher glutaminase free binding energy was selected for further studies. Additionally, the MD simulation and QM-MM computation of wild type (WT) were employed and the selected mutated ASNase were analyzed and discussed. Our data showed that V27T is a good candidate to reduction the glutaminase activity, while has no remarkable effect on asparaginase activity of the enzyme. The simulation analysis revealed that V27T mutant is more stable than WT and mutant simulation was successful completely. QM-MM results confirmed the successfulness of our mutagenesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical knots and contact geometry II. From Ranada dyons to transverse and cosmetic knots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kholodenko, Arkady L.

2016-08-01

Some time ago Ranada (1989) obtained new nontrivial solutions of the Maxwellian gauge fields without sources. These were reinterpreted in Kholodenko (2015) [10] (part I) as particle-like (monopoles, dyons, etc.). They were obtained by the method of Abelian reduction of the non-Abelian Yang-Mills functional. The developed method uses instanton-type calculations normally employed for the non-Abelian gauge fields. By invoking the electric-magnetic duality it then becomes possible to replace all known charges/masses by the particle-like solutions of the source-free Abelian gauge fields. To employ these results in high energy physics, it is essential to extend Ranada's results by carefully analyzing and classifying all dynamically generated knotted/linked structures in gauge fields, including those discovered by Ranada. This task is completed in this work. The study is facilitated by the recent progress made in solving the Moffatt conjecture. Its essence is stated as follows: in steady incompressible Euler-type fluids the streamlines could have knots/links of all types. By employing the correspondence between the ideal hydrodynamics and electrodynamics discussed in part I and by superimposing it with the already mentioned method of Abelian reduction, it is demonstrated that in the absence of boundaries only the iterated torus knots and links could be dynamically generated. Obtained results allow to develop further particle-knot/link correspondence studied in Kholodenko (2015) [13].

Multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 system impairs HCMV replication by excising an essential viral gene.

PubMed

Gergen, Janina; Coulon, Flora; Creneguy, Alison; Elain-Duret, Nathan; Gutierrez, Alejandra; Pinkenburg, Olaf; Verhoeyen, Els; Anegon, Ignacio; Nguyen, Tuan Huy; Halary, Franck Albert; Haspot, Fabienne

2018-01-01

Anti-HCMV treatments used in immunosuppressed patients reduce viral replication, but resistant viral strains can emerge. Moreover, these drugs do not target latently infected cells. We designed two anti-viral CRISPR/Cas9 strategies to target the UL122/123 gene, a key regulator of lytic replication and reactivation from latency. The singleplex strategy contains one gRNA to target the start codon. The multiplex strategy contains three gRNAs to excise the complete UL122/123 gene. Primary fibroblasts and U-251 MG cells were transduced with lentiviral vectors encoding Cas9 and one or three gRNAs. Both strategies induced mutations in the target gene and a concomitant reduction of immediate early (IE) protein expression in primary fibroblasts. Further detailed analysis in U-251 MG cells showed that the singleplex strategy induced 50% of indels in the viral genome, leading to a reduction in IE protein expression. The multiplex strategy excised the IE gene in 90% of all viral genomes and thus led to the inhibition of IE protein expression. Consequently, viral genome replication and late protein expression were reduced by 90%. Finally, the production of new viral particles was nearly abrogated. In conclusion, the multiplex anti-UL122/123 CRISPR/Cas9 system can target the viral genome efficiently enough to significantly prevent viral replication.

Essential Elements in Implementation. College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) Resource Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, 2014

2014-01-01

Educators nationwide confront a troubling phenomenon: Increasingly, students leave high school unready for college, as evidenced by high rates of placement into remedial courses and low rates of college completion. Many students also lack either the attitudes or skills essential to succeed in a postsecondary setting, or knowledge of how to apply…

The Gauss-Bonnet operator of an infinite graph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anné, Colette; Torki-Hamza, Nabila

2015-06-01

We propose a general condition, to ensure essential self-adjointness for the Gauss-Bonnet operator , based on a notion of completeness as Chernoff. This gives essential self-adjointness of the Laplace operator both for functions and 1-forms on infinite graphs. This is used to extend Flanders result concerning solutions of Kirchhoff's laws.

Reflections on Being a Department of the Army Systems Coordinator (DASC)

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-11-01

essential to successful development. Extensive reductions will adversely affect essential tasks, thereby i.ncreasing the program risk and making the program...necessary staffing and to make adjo~tmetits for problems ariiit$g at the ASARC prlimillary review. Lessa thaf 20 day, inicreajes risk if incoplete ASARC...he risks losing control of the orogram, and being reduced to a reaction officer rather than a DASC. In addition to understanding the overall

Alloy formation and metal oxide segregation on Pt-Re/. gamma. -Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalysts as investigated by temperature-programmed reduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagstaff, N.; Prins, R.

1979-10-15

Catalysts resembling reforming catalysts were prepared to contain finely dispersed 0.75% Pt, 0.7% Re, or 0.35% Pt plus 0.1-2% Re on chlorided ..gamma..-alumina. The catalysts were dried in an oxidizing atmosphere and studied by temperature-programed reduction. Up to a Re/Pt ratio of 0.6:1 the metals were completely reduced in hydrogen below 255/sup 0/C, i.e., the platinum catalyzed rhenium reduction. A small amount of added water (< 50 ppm) also promoted rhenium reduction. Segregation of the metals occurred in oxygen above 200/sup 0/C, but at 100/sup 0/C, the rate of segregation was slow. These results suggested that under reforming conditions, Pt-Remore » catalysts are completely reduced bimetallic clusters. The mechanisms of reduction, cluster formation, and oxidative segregation are discussed.« less

Comparison of essential drug list in a rural secondary care hospital in south India with Indian & World Health Organization list 2011.

PubMed

Rao, Seetharama G; Thomas, Dixon; Zachariah, Seeba; Kannan, M S; Alvarez-Uria, Gerardo

2012-01-01

Fixed drug combinations are a major marketing strategy in India but it can compromise the rational use of medicines. In this study we compared the fixed drug combinations and dosage forms in the hospital pharmacy before and after introducing the essential drug list. We also compared the Hospital Essential Drug List (HEDL) 2011 with the World Health Organization (WHO) Essential Drug List (EDL) 2011 and the National Essential Drug List of India (NEDL) 2011. The study was done in a secondary level care charity hospital at Anantapur, AP with a bed size of 315 and an average OP per day of 1200-1700 visits. We compared the three essential drug lists (HEDL, WHOEDL and NEDL) and the hospital drug list before introducing EDL. Drugs which were present in NEDL and not present in the HEDL were also screened. Microsoft excel was used to tabulate the results and for graphs. The number of medicines used in the hospital before and after the introduction of the HEDL was 1627 and 424 respectively. On comparison, WHOEDL 2011 have 350 and NEDL of India have 348 medicines. While preparing the HEDL, 46 double drug combinations decreased to 15 and 9 triple drug combinations decreased to 1. In the case of injections, 20 double drug combinations decreased to 6 and 1 triple drug combination increased to 2. The number of tablets, capsules, injections, syrups, powders and inhalers was reduced to almost half. The great reductions were in 51 ointments to 9, 69 drops to 5, 11 paste to 0, 21 solutions to 3 and 14 creams to 1. The dosage forms removed included elixirs, insulin pens, gums, paste, paints, gargles and mouthwashes. There was drastic reduction in the number of medicines and dosage forms when the HEDL was implemented. Many of the fixed drug combinations were also removed for improving the rational use of medicines. The WHO essential drug list 2011, national essential drug list of India 2011 and the hospital essential drug list 2011 were comparable with few exceptions.

Harm reduction for drug abusing ex-offenders: outcome of the California prevention and education project MORE project.

PubMed

Bowser, Benjamin P; Jenkins-Barnes, Tazima; Dillard-Smith, Carla; Lockett, Gloria

2010-01-01

MORE was a mobile outreach drug abuse prevention and HIV harm reduction program primarily for ex-offenders who are active drug users. Through case management, clients were provided substance abuse education, counseling, and referral. Long term goals of these services were to reduce their drug use and re-incarceration for drug related crimes. From January 2002 to May 2006, 487 unduplicated clients were recruited in year long cohorts and offered services. The program evaluation tool was the Federal Office of Budget and Management Government Performance and Results Act questionnaire. Government Performance and Results Act interviews were conducted at in-take into the program, approximately six months later and again approximately 12 months after their initial in-take. By the six and 12 month follow-up interviews, active drug using clients reported significant reductions in their use of alcohol, cocaine/crack, heroin, and fewer sex partners and crimes. Program completers reported significantly reduced cocaine/crack and heroin use as well as fewer days in jail and crimes than non-completers (p < .01 to .001). Six program components account for these reductions: case management, day-treatment, outpatient services, outreach, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse education. The differences in program service intensity, income, and employment for program completers and non-completers were analyzed using logistic regression. The intensity of case management and all services received along with having higher income by month six were the most significant predictors of program completion.

Alcohol expectancies pre-and post-alcohol use disorder treatment: Clinical implications.

PubMed

Coates, Jason M; Gullo, Matthew J; Feeney, Gerald F X; Young, Ross McD; Dingle, Genevieve A; Connor, Jason P

2018-05-01

Modification of elevated positive expectations of alcohol consumption (alcohol outcome expectancies; AOEs) is a key feature of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) approaches to Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs). Despite extensive research supporting the efficacy of CBT for AUD, few studies have examined AOE change. This study aimed to assess AOE change following completion of CBT for AUD and its association with drinking behaviour. One-hundred and seventy-five patients who completed a 12-week CBT program for AUD were administered the Drinking Expectancy Questionnaire (DEQ) at pre-treatment assessment and upon completion of treatment. Abstinence was achieved by 108 (61.7%) of completing patients. For patients who lapsed, the mean proportion of abstinent days was 93%. DEQ scales assessing expectations of positive alcohol effects on tension reduction, assertiveness, and cognitive enhancement were significantly lower post-treatment (p<0.001). Expectations of negative effects on mood were higher post-treatment (p<0.001). The largest AOE change occurred on the tension reduction scale. Greater percentage of abstinent days over treatment was associated with lower pre-and post-treatment tension reduction expectancy scores (p<0.05). Drinking during treatment was associated with smaller changes in expectations of negative effects of alcohol on mood (p<0.05). Individuals who completed CBT treatment for AUD showed significant AOE change. Tension reduction and affective change expectancies may be particularly important for abstinence and useful markers of lapse risk. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of self-Reiki for stress reduction and relaxation.

PubMed

Bukowski, Elaine L

2015-09-01

More than one-third of college students reported the desire for stress reduction techniques and education. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 20-week structured self-Reiki program on stress reduction and relaxation in college students. Students were recruited from Stockton University and sessions were conducted in the privacy of their residence. Twenty students completed the entire study consisting of 20 weeks of self-Reiki done twice weekly. Each participant completed a Reiki Baseline Credibility Scale, a Reiki Expectancy Scale, and a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) after acceptance into the study. The PSS was completed every four weeks once the interventions were initiated. A global assessment questionnaire was completed at the end of the study. Logs summarizing the outcome of each session were submitted at the end of the study. With the exception of three participants, participants believed that Reiki is a credible technique for reducing stress levels. Except for two participants, participants agreed that Reiki would be effective in reducing stress levels. All participants experienced stress within the month prior to completing the initial PSS. There was a significant reduction in stress levels from pre-study to post-study. There was a correlation between self-rating of improvement and final PSS scores. With one exception, stress levels at 20 weeks did not return to pre-study stress levels. This study supports the hypothesis that the calming effect of Reiki may be achieved through the use of self-Reiki.

Quality preservation of deliberately contaminated milk using thyme free and nanoemulsified essential oils.

PubMed

Ben Jemaa, Mariem; Falleh, Hanen; Neves, Marcos A; Isoda, Hiroko; Nakajima, Mitsutoshi; Ksouri, Riadh

2017-02-15

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of either a solution of Thymus capitatus essential oil or its nanoemulsion on the quality of milk contaminated by bacteria. After 24h of S. aureus inoculation, bacterial growth reached 202×10(3)CFU/ml in the presence of the essential oil while it was limited to 132×10(3)CFU/ml when treated with nanoemulsion. The reduction of antioxidant capacity of milk treated with essential oil was higher when treated with nanoemulsion. Moreover, free essential oil was more efficient in protecting proteins from degradation than the nanoemulsion. For instance, after 24h of E. hirae contamination, 26% of the total proteins were consumed in the presence of nano-encapsulated essential oil, while only 14% of the initial content was consumed when free essential oil was added. Concerning milk acidity increase and the inhibition of peroxide production, no statistical differences have been recorded between the use of free essential oil or its nano-emulsion. In conclusion, bulk or nano-encapsulated T. capitatus essential oil preserve milk quality and can extend its shelf life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monographs for medicines on WHO's Model List of Essential Medicines.

PubMed

Roth, Lukas; Adler, Melissa; Jain, Tanvi; Bempong, Daniel

2018-06-01

To raise awareness about the importance of public pharmaceutical standards, identify if and, if so, where current pharmacopeias are falling short in the development of new and complete monographs and foster collaboration among the various pharmacopeias, to prioritize, develop and make available standards for those key medicines for which no complete monographs exist. In August 2017, we mined eight pharmacopeias to identify which of the 669 medicines in the 20th edition of the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines were covered by complete or incomplete monographs. The pharmacopeias we included were the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission, the International Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Mexican Pharmacopoeia, the Pharmacopeia of the People's Republic of China and the United States Pharmacopeia. For 99 (15%) of the medicines on the Model List, no monographs were available in any of the eight pharmacopeias investigated. Only 3% (1/30) of the cardiovascular medicines listed, but 28% (9/32) of the antiretroviral medicines and 23% (6/26) of the antimalarial medicines lacked monographs. There appear to be no public standards for many so-called essential medicines. To address this shortfall, a greater collaboration in the global health community is needed.

ADP1 Affects Plant Architecture by Regulating Local Auxin Biosynthesis

PubMed Central

Li, Shibai; Qin, Genji; Novák, Ondřej; Pěnčík, Aleš; Ljung, Karin; Aoyama, Takashi; Liu, Jingjing; Murphy, Angus; Gu, Hongya; Tsuge, Tomohiko; Qu, Li-Jia

2014-01-01

Plant architecture is one of the key factors that affect plant survival and productivity. Plant body structure is established through the iterative initiation and outgrowth of lateral organs, which are derived from the shoot apical meristem and root apical meristem, after embryogenesis. Here we report that ADP1, a putative MATE (multidrug and toxic compound extrusion) transporter, plays an essential role in regulating lateral organ outgrowth, and thus in maintaining normal architecture of Arabidopsis. Elevated expression levels of ADP1 resulted in accelerated plant growth rate, and increased the numbers of axillary branches and flowers. Our molecular and genetic evidence demonstrated that the phenotypes of plants over-expressing ADP1 were caused by reduction of local auxin levels in the meristematic regions. We further discovered that this reduction was probably due to decreased levels of auxin biosynthesis in the local meristematic regions based on the measured reduction in IAA levels and the gene expression data. Simultaneous inactivation of ADP1 and its three closest homologs led to growth retardation, relative reduction of lateral organ number and slightly elevated auxin level. Our results indicated that ADP1-mediated regulation of the local auxin level in meristematic regions is an essential determinant for plant architecture maintenance by restraining the outgrowth of lateral organs. PMID:24391508

ADP1 affects plant architecture by regulating local auxin biosynthesis.

PubMed

Li, Ruixi; Li, Jieru; Li, Shibai; Qin, Genji; Novák, Ondřej; Pěnčík, Aleš; Ljung, Karin; Aoyama, Takashi; Liu, Jingjing; Murphy, Angus; Gu, Hongya; Tsuge, Tomohiko; Qu, Li-Jia

2014-01-01

Plant architecture is one of the key factors that affect plant survival and productivity. Plant body structure is established through the iterative initiation and outgrowth of lateral organs, which are derived from the shoot apical meristem and root apical meristem, after embryogenesis. Here we report that ADP1, a putative MATE (multidrug and toxic compound extrusion) transporter, plays an essential role in regulating lateral organ outgrowth, and thus in maintaining normal architecture of Arabidopsis. Elevated expression levels of ADP1 resulted in accelerated plant growth rate, and increased the numbers of axillary branches and flowers. Our molecular and genetic evidence demonstrated that the phenotypes of plants over-expressing ADP1 were caused by reduction of local auxin levels in the meristematic regions. We further discovered that this reduction was probably due to decreased levels of auxin biosynthesis in the local meristematic regions based on the measured reduction in IAA levels and the gene expression data. Simultaneous inactivation of ADP1 and its three closest homologs led to growth retardation, relative reduction of lateral organ number and slightly elevated auxin level. Our results indicated that ADP1-mediated regulation of the local auxin level in meristematic regions is an essential determinant for plant architecture maintenance by restraining the outgrowth of lateral organs.

Subsurface oxide plays a critical role in CO 2 activation by Cu(111) surfaces to form chemisorbed CO 2, the first step in reduction of CO 2

DOE PAGES

Favaro, Marco; Xiao, Hai; Cheng, Tao; ...

2017-06-12

A national priority is to convert CO 2 into high-value chemical products such as liquid fuels. Because current electrocatalysts are not adequate, we aim to discover new catalysts by obtaining a detailed understanding of the initial steps of CO 2 electroreduction on copper surfaces, the best current catalysts. Using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy interpreted with quantum mechanical prediction of the structures and free energies, we show that the presence of a thin suboxide structure below the copper surface is essential to bind the CO 2 in the physisorbed configuration at 298 K, and we show that this suboxide ismore » essential for converting to the chemisorbed CO 2 in the presence of water as the first step toward CO 2 reduction products such as formate and CO. This optimum suboxide leads to both neutral and charged Cu surface sites, providing fresh insights into how to design improved carbon dioxide reduction catalysts.« less

Reduction of Aeromonas hidrophyla biofilm on stainless stell surface by essential oils

PubMed Central

Millezi, Alessandra Farias; Cardoso, Maria das Graças; Alves, Eduardo; Piccoli, Roberta Hilsdorf

2013-01-01

This study demonstrates the possibility of using sanitizing detergents based on natural products for the elimination and/or reduction of Aeromonas hydrophila biofilm formed on stainless steel surfaces. The goal of this work was to determine the reduction effect of sanitizing detergents containing essential oils of Thymus vulgaris (thyme) and Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) on biofilm formed by A. hydrophila on AISI 304 stainless steel coupons, using UHT skimmed milk as substratum. There was adhesion and biofilm formation by A. hydrophila at 28 °C, presenting 7.60 log cfu.cm−2 after the fourth day of cultivation. There was no significant difference between the lemongrass treatment and that of the thyme oil (p < 0.05). However, both treatments significantly reduced the biofilm, differing significantly from the NaOH control (p > 0.05). The treatment with lemongrass solution reduced the biofilm by 4.51 log cfu cm−2 at 25 °C. The thyme detergent also reduced the number of cfu cm−2 by 3.84 log cycles at 25 °C. The use of the lemongrass and thyme solutions efficiently reduced the A. hydrophila biofilm. PMID:24159286

Influence of essential oil of Hyssopus officinalis on the chemical composition of the walls of Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius).

PubMed

Ghfir, B; Fonvieille, J L; Dargent, R

1997-07-01

The cell walls of the growing hyphae of Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius) cultured in the presence or absence of the essential oil of Hyssopus officinalis were isolated and their chemical composition analysed. The presence of the essential oil led to a reduction in levels of neutral sugars, uronic acid and proteins, whereas amino sugars, lipids and phosphorus levels were increased. HPLC analysis of the neutral sugars showed that they consisted mainly of glucose, mannose and galactose, while the amino sugars consisted of glucosamine and galactosamine. The presence of the essential oil in the culture medium induced marked changes in the content of galactose and galactosamine. Cell walls were fractionated by treatment with alkali and acid. The essential oil induced similar alterations in the various fractions with a more marked effect on the major constituents. The alterations were related to changes in the structure of the cells.

[The magnetotherapy of hypertension patients].

PubMed

Ivanov, S G; Smirnov, V V; Solov'eva, F V; Liashevskaia, S P; Selezneva, L Iu

1990-01-01

A study was made of the influence of the constant MKM2-1 magnets on patients suffering from essential hypertension. Continuous action of the magnetic field, created by such magnets, on the patients with stage II essential hypertension was noted to result in a decrease of arterial pressure without the occurrence of any side effects and in a simultaneous reduction of the scope of drug administration. Apart from that fact, magnetotherapy was discovered to produce a beneficial effect on the central hemodynamics and microcirculation. The use of the MKM2-1 magnets may be regarded as a feasible method of the treatment of essential hypertension patients at any medical institution.

Selective nematocidal effects of essential oils from two cultivated Artemisia absinthium populations.

PubMed

García-Rodríguez, Juan José; Andrés, María-Fé; Ibañez-Escribano, Alexandra; Julio, Luis F; Burillo, Jesús; Bolás-Fernández, Francisco; González-Coloma, Azucena

2015-09-01

Essential oils (EOs) obtained from two crops and populations of thujone-free cultivated Artemisia absinthium were tested against two nematode models, the mammalian parasite Trichinella spiralis, and the plant parasitic root knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica. The EOs were characterized by the presence of (Z)-epoxyocimene and chrysanthenol as major components and showed time and population dependent quantitative and qualitative variations in composition. The EOs showed a strong ex vivo activity against the L1 larvae of the nematode Trichinella spiralis with a reduction of infectivity between 72 and 100% at a dose range of 0.5-1 mg/ml in absence of cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. Moreover, the in vivo activity of the EO against T. spiralis showed a 66% reduction of intestinal adults. However, these oils were not effective against M. javanica.

Collaboration essential for an energy neutral urban water cycle.

PubMed

Frijns, Jos; Mulder, Mirabella; Roorda, Jelle; Schepman, Hans; Voskamp, Tom

2013-01-01

Two Dutch water boards prepared a Master Plan with measures to substantially reduce their energy use by 2027. In total, more than 100 measures were identified such as bubble aeration and heat recovery from effluent. Together these measures result in a 90-95% reduction in energy use at the water boards. However, for the whole urban water cycle, thus including the energy required for warm water use in households, the total energy reduction from these measures at the water boards is only 5-6%. To attain the objective to have an energy neutral urban water cycle, collaboration with other sectors such as housing, energy, agriculture and industry will be essential. Active collaboration of the water boards through the incorporation of energy efficient water measures as part of the carbon neutral effort of cities is recognized to be a promising strategy.

Kinetics of zero-valent iron reductive transformation of the anthraquinone dye Reactive Blue 4.

PubMed

Epolito, William J; Yang, Hanbae; Bottomley, Lawrence A; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

2008-12-30

The effect of operational conditions and initial dye concentration on the reductive transformation (decolorization) of the textile dye Reactive Blue 4 (RB4) using zero-valent iron (ZVI) filings was evaluated in batch assays. The decolorization rate increased with decreasing pH and increasing temperature, mixing intensity, and addition of salt (100gL(-1) NaCl) and base (3gL(-1) Na2CO3 and 1gL(-1) NaOH), conditions typical of textile reactive dyebaths. ZVI RB4 decolorization kinetics at a single initial dye concentration were evaluated using a pseudo first-order model. Under dyebath conditions and at an initial RB4 concentration of 1000mgL(-1), the pseudo first-order rate constant (kobs) was 0.029+/-0.006h(-1), corresponding to a half-life of 24.2h and a ZVI surface area-normalized rate constant (kSA) of 2.9x10(-4)Lm(-2)h(-1). However, as the initial dye concentration increased, the kobs decreased, suggesting saturation of ZVI surface reactive sites. Non-linear regression of initial decolorization rate values as a function of initial dye concentration, based on a reactive sites saturation model, resulted in a maximum decolorization rate (Vm) of 720+/-88mgL(-1)h(-1) and a half-saturation constant (K) of 1299+/-273mgL(-1). Decolorization of RB4 via a reductive transformation, which was essentially irreversible (2-5% re-oxidation), is believed to be the dominant decolorization mechanism. However, some degree of RB4 irreversible sorption cannot be completely discounted. The results of this study show that ZVI treatment is a promising technology for the decolorization of commercial, anthraquinone-bearing, spent reactive dyebaths.

Surface tension prevails over solute effect in organic-influenced cloud droplet activation.

PubMed

Ovadnevaite, Jurgita; Zuend, Andreas; Laaksonen, Ari; Sanchez, Kevin J; Roberts, Greg; Ceburnis, Darius; Decesari, Stefano; Rinaldi, Matteo; Hodas, Natasha; Facchini, Maria Cristina; Seinfeld, John H; O' Dowd, Colin

2017-06-29

The spontaneous growth of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) into cloud droplets under supersaturated water vapour conditions is described by classic Köhler theory. This spontaneous activation of CCN depends on the interplay between the Raoult effect, whereby activation potential increases with decreasing water activity or increasing solute concentration, and the Kelvin effect, whereby activation potential decreases with decreasing droplet size or increases with decreasing surface tension, which is sensitive to surfactants. Surface tension lowering caused by organic surfactants, which diminishes the Kelvin effect, is expected to be negated by a concomitant reduction in the Raoult effect, driven by the displacement of surfactant molecules from the droplet bulk to the droplet-vapour interface. Here we present observational and theoretical evidence illustrating that, in ambient air, surface tension lowering can prevail over the reduction in the Raoult effect, leading to substantial increases in cloud droplet concentrations. We suggest that consideration of liquid-liquid phase separation, leading to complete or partial engulfing of a hygroscopic particle core by a hydrophobic organic-rich phase, can explain the lack of concomitant reduction of the Raoult effect, while maintaining substantial lowering of surface tension, even for partial surface coverage. Apart from the importance of particle size and composition in droplet activation, we show by observation and modelling that incorporation of phase-separation effects into activation thermodynamics can lead to a CCN number concentration that is up to ten times what is predicted by climate models, changing the properties of clouds. An adequate representation of the CCN activation process is essential to the prediction of clouds in climate models, and given the effect of clouds on the Earth's energy balance, improved prediction of aerosol-cloud-climate interactions is likely to result in improved assessments of future climate change.

Electronic camera-management system for 35-mm and 70-mm film cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Allan

1993-01-01

Military and commercial test facilities have been tasked with the need for increasingly sophisticated data collection and data reduction. A state-of-the-art electronic control system for high speed 35 mm and 70 mm film cameras designed to meet these tasks is described. Data collection in today's test range environment is difficult at best. The need for a completely integrated image and data collection system is mandated by the increasingly complex test environment. Instrumentation film cameras have been used on test ranges to capture images for decades. Their high frame rates coupled with exceptionally high resolution make them an essential part of any test system. In addition to documenting test events, today's camera system is required to perform many additional tasks. Data reduction to establish TSPI (time- space-position information) may be performed after a mission and is subject to all of the variables present in documenting the mission. A typical scenario would consist of multiple cameras located on tracking mounts capturing the event along with azimuth and elevation position data. Corrected data can then be reduced using each camera's time and position deltas and calculating the TSPI of the object using triangulation. An electronic camera control system designed to meet these requirements has been developed by Photo-Sonics, Inc. The feedback received from test technicians at range facilities throughout the world led Photo-Sonics to design the features of this control system. These prominent new features include: a comprehensive safety management system, full local or remote operation, frame rate accuracy of less than 0.005 percent, and phase locking capability to Irig-B. In fact, Irig-B phase lock operation of multiple cameras can reduce the time-distance delta of a test object traveling at mach-1 to less than one inch during data reduction.

SERPent: Automated reduction and RFI-mitigation software for e-MERLIN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peck, Luke W.; Fenech, Danielle M.

2013-08-01

The Scripted E-merlin Rfi-mitigation PipelinE for iNTerferometry (SERPent) is an automated reduction and RFI-mitigation procedure utilising the SumThreshold methodology (Offringa et al., 2010a), originally developed for the LOFAR pipeline. SERPent is written in the Parseltongue language enabling interaction with the Astronomical Image Processing Software (AIPS) program. Moreover, SERPent is a simple 'out of the box' Python script, which is easy to set up and is free of compilers. In addition to the flagging of RFI affected visibilities, the script also flags antenna zero-amplitude dropouts and Lovell telescope phase calibrator stationary scans inherent to the e-MERLIN system. Both the flagging and computational performances of SERPent are presented here, for e-MERLIN commissioning datasets for both L-band (1.3-1.8 GHz) and C-band (4-8 GHz) observations. RFI typically amounts to <20%-25% for the more problematic L-band observations and <5% for the generally RFI quieter C-band. The level of RFI detection and flagging is more accurate and delicate than visual manual flagging, with the output immediately ready for AIPS calibration. SERPent is fully parallelised and has been tested on a range of computing systems. The current flagging rate is at 110 GB day-1 on a 'high-end' computer (16 CPUs, 100 GB memory) which amounts to ˜6.9 GB CPU-1 day-1, with an expected increase in performance when e-MERLIN has completed its commissioning. The refining of automated reduction and calibration procedures is essential for the e-MERLIN legacy projects and future interferometers such as the SKA and the associated pathfinders (MeerKAT and ASKAP), where the vast data sizes (>TB) make traditional astronomer interactions unfeasible.

Effect of azilsartan versus candesartan on nocturnal blood pressure variation in Japanese patients with essential hypertension.

PubMed

Rakugi, Hiromi; Kario, Kazuomi; Enya, Kazuaki; Igeta, Masataka; Ikeda, Yoshinori

2013-09-01

Abnormal variations in night-time hypertension such as "non-dipping" type (< 10% decrease in nocturnal systolic blood pressure [SBP] from daytime SBP) are a risk factor for cardiovascular events independent of 24-h BP. As part of a randomized, double-blind study of azilsartan (20-40 mg once daily) and candesartan (8-12 mg once daily) in Japanese patients with essential hypertension, an exploratory analysis was performed using ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) at baseline and Week 14. Effects of study drugs on nocturnal BP variations according to patients' nocturnal SBP dipping status were evaluated. ABPM data were available for 273 patients treated with azilsartan and 275 with candesartan. In the dipping group (≥ 10% decrease from daytime SBP), azilsartan produced a greater reduction from baseline in daytime than in night-time SBP (- 14.1 and - 10.9 mmHg, respectively), and the change in daytime SBP was significantly greater with azilsartan than with candesartan (p = 0.0077). In the non-dipping group, azilsartan produced a greater reduction from baseline in night-time than in daytime SBP (- 20.2 and - 9.9 mmHg, respectively), and reductions in both night-time SBP (p = 0.02) and daytime SBP (p = 0.0042) were significantly greater with azilsartan than with candesartan. Once-daily azilsartan improved non-dipping night-time SBP to a greater extent than candesartan in Japanese patients with grade I-II essential hypertension.

What affects completion of the scholarly project? A survey of RANZCP trainees.

PubMed

Cheung, Gary; Gale, Chris; Menkes, David B

2018-05-01

To explore trainee perception of what facilitates or delays completion of the RANZCP Scholarly Project (SP). Of 182 currently registered New Zealand trainees, 33 (18%) completed an online questionnaire and three open-ended questions. Most trainees agreed or strongly agreed that having protected time for research (87.5%) and access to an appropriate supervisor (87.9%) would facilitate the completion of their SP. Other college requirements were identified by most trainees (87.9%) as a factor delaying completion. Identifying and protecting research time and ensuring adequate supervision appear essential to improve the uptake and completion of this training requirement.

78 FR 2692 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed New Collection; Comments Requested: COPS...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-14

... Collection; Comments Requested: COPS Comparative Assessment of Cost Reduction by Agencies Survey ACTION: 30...; comments requested. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: COPS Comparative Assessment of Cost Reduction by... will be asked complete the COPS Comparative Assessment of Cost Reduction Survey. The survey will be...

Complete particle-pair annihilation as a dynamical signature of the spectral singularity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, G.R.; Zhang, X.Z.; Song, Z., E-mail: nkquantum@gmail.com

2014-10-15

Motivated by the physical relevance of a spectral singularity of interacting many-particle system, we explore the dynamics of two bosons as well as fermions in one-dimensional system with imaginary delta interaction strength. Based on the exact solution, it shows that the two-particle collision leads to amplitude-reduction of the wave function. For fermion pair, the amplitude-reduction depends on the spin configuration of two particles. In both cases, the residual amplitude can vanish when the relative group velocity of two single-particle Gaussian wave packets with equal width reaches the magnitude of the interaction strength, exhibiting complete particle-pair annihilation at the spectral singularity.more » - Highlights: • We investigate the physical relevance of a spectral singularity. • The two-particle collision leads to amplitude-reduction of the wave function. • There is a singularity spectrum which leads to complete particle-pair annihilation. • Complete particle-pair annihilation can only occur for two distinguishable bosons and singlet fermions. • Pair annihilation provides a detection method of the spectral singularity in the experiment.« less

Efficacy of an Essential Oil-Based Pesticide for Controlling Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius) Infestations in Apartment Buildings.

PubMed

Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal; Cooper, Richard

2014-11-05

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus F.) are among the most difficult urban pests to manage. Many essential oil-based bed bug control products that are considered reduced risk to mammals compared to synthetic insect neurotoxins have become commercially available, but their effectiveness as a stand-alone control method is unknown. This study assessed the field efficacy of an essential oil-based bed bug control product (EcoRaider; a.i. 1% geraniol + 1% cedar oil + 2% sodium lauryl sulfate) compared to a pyrethroid and neonicotinoid mixture spray (0.075% Temprid SC; a.i. beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid). After 12 weeks, the three treatments-EcoRaider, Temprid SC, and EcoRaider + Temprid SC caused 92.5 ± 2.7, 92.9 ± 3.0, and 91.7% ± 2.7% bed bug count reduction, respectively. No significant differences existed in the bed bug reduction among the treatments. Bed bugs were eliminated from only 22% of the treated apartments. Among those still with bed bugs, 76% of the residents did not know bed bugs were present. We documented the residents' self-control practices and discussed the potential of using essential oil-based insecticides in bed bug management programs to minimize the health risks to building occupants and pets and to slow down the development of insecticide resistance.

Efficacy of an Essential Oil-Based Pesticide for Controlling Bed Bug (Cimex lectularius) Infestations in Apartment Buildings

PubMed Central

Wang, Changlu; Singh, Narinderpal; Cooper, Richard

2014-01-01

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L. and Cimex hemipterus F.) are among the most difficult urban pests to manage. Many essential oil-based bed bug control products that are considered reduced risk to mammals compared to synthetic insect neurotoxins have become commercially available, but their effectiveness as a stand-alone control method is unknown. This study assessed the field efficacy of an essential oil-based bed bug control product (EcoRaider; a.i. 1% geraniol + 1% cedar oil + 2% sodium lauryl sulfate) compared to a pyrethroid and neonicotinoid mixture spray (0.075% Temprid SC; a.i. beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid). After 12 weeks, the three treatments—EcoRaider, Temprid SC, and EcoRaider + Temprid SC caused 92.5 ± 2.7, 92.9 ± 3.0, and 91.7% ± 2.7% bed bug count reduction, respectively. No significant differences existed in the bed bug reduction among the treatments. Bed bugs were eliminated from only 22% of the treated apartments. Among those still with bed bugs, 76% of the residents did not know bed bugs were present. We documented the residents’ self-control practices and discussed the potential of using essential oil-based insecticides in bed bug management programs to minimize the health risks to building occupants and pets and to slow down the development of insecticide resistance. PMID:26462944

Time-dependent antibacterial effects of Aloe vera and Zataria multiflora plant essential oils compared to calcium hydroxide in teeth infected with Enterococcus faecalis.

PubMed

Abbaszadegan, Abbas; Sahebi, Safoora; Gholami, Ahmad; Delroba, Alireza; Kiani, Amin; Iraji, Aida; Abbott, Paul Vincent

2016-02-01

In the present in vitro study, we investigated the time-related antimicrobial efficacy of Aloe vera and Zataria multiflora (Z. multiflora) plant essential oils compared to calcium hydroxide ([Ca[OH]2 ) to eliminate Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) from root canals. A new strain of E. faecalis (Enterococcus spp. AGH04) was isolated from a previously root-filled tooth with persistent apical periodontitis. The 16S rRNA sequence was analyzed and deposited in GeneBank under accession number KF465681. A total of 108 extracted human single-rooted teeth were contaminated with this bacterial strain and treated with Aloe vera essential oil, Z. multiflora essential oil, and Ca(OH)2 for 1, 7, and 14 days. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to determine the chemical composition of the oils. The percentage reduction from initial c.f.u./mL counts were calculated and analyzed. Carvacrol, thymol, and linalool were the main constituents of both essential oils. The c.f.u./mL count reductions significantly increased for all three medicaments when the contact time was extended. A statistically-significant difference was observed between the medicaments after 1 and 7 days, but there was no significant difference after 14 days. Both medicinal herbs showed equal antimicrobial efficiency against E. faecalis, comparable to Ca(OH)2 for the prolonged contact time of 14 days. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Use of generic and essential medicines for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in Portugal.

PubMed

Gama, Helena; Torre, Carla; Guerreiro, José Pedro; Azevedo, Ana; Costa, Suzete; Lunet, Nuno

2017-06-29

The successful control of cardiovascular diseases at the lowest possible cost requires the use of the most effective and affordable medicines. We aimed to describe the trends in the ambulatory use of medicines for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases [Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification system (ATC): C and B01A] in Portugal, between 2004 and 2012, and to estimate the potential for expenditure reduction through changes in patterns of use. We analysed sell-out data, expressed as defined daily doses (DDD) and pharmacy retail price (€), from a nationwide database. We estimated potential reduction in expenditures through the increase, up to 90% of the volume of DDD, in the use of generic and essential medicines; the latter were defined according to guidelines from Portugal and another European country. Overall consumption increased by approximately 50% from 2004 to 2012, reaching nearly 2400 million DDD, whereas expenditure decreased to 753 million € (-31.3% since 2006). Use of generics and essential medicines increased, representing 43.6 and 39.9% of DDD consumption in 2012, respectively. The 40 most used groups of medicines in 2012 accounted for just over 80% of overall consumption; among these, increase in use of generics and essential medicines would have contributed to a saving of 275 million €. Changes in patterns of consumption of medicines towards a more frequent use of generics, a preferential use of essential medicines and a more rational use of fixed-dose combinations may contribute to a more efficient use of health resources.

Electrochemical reduction of (U-40Pu-5Np)O 2 in molten LiCl electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iizuka, Masatoshi; Sakamura, Yoshiharu; Inoue, Tadashi

2006-12-01

The electrochemical reduction of neptunium-containing MOX ((U-40Pu-5Np)O 2) was performed in molten lithium chloride melt at 923 K to investigate fundamental behavior of the transuranium elements and applicability of the method to reduction process for these materials. The Np-MOX was electrochemically reduced at the potential lower than -0.6 V vs. Bi-35 mol% Li reference electrode. The reduced metal grains in the surface region of the sample cohered with each other and made the layer of relatively high density, although it did not prevent the reduction of the sample toward the center. Complete reduction of the Np-MOX was shown by the weight change measurement through the electrochemical reduction and also by SEM-EDX observation. The chemical composition of the reduction products was homogeneous and agreed to that of the initial Np-MOX, which indicates that the reduction was completed and not selective among the actinides. The concentrations of the actinide elements, especially plutonium and americium in the electrolyte, increased with the progress of the tests, although their absolute values were very small. It is quite likely that plutonium and americium dissolve into the melt in the same manner as the lanthanide elements in the lithium reduction process.

Enamel-free teeth: Tbx1 deletion affects amelogenesis in rodent incisors.

PubMed

Catón, Javier; Luder, Hans-Ulrich; Zoupa, Maria; Bradman, Matthew; Bluteau, Gilles; Tucker, Abigail S; Klein, Ophir; Mitsiadis, Thimios A

2009-04-15

TBX1 is a principal candidate gene for DiGeorge syndrome, a developmental anomaly that affects the heart, thymus, parathyroid, face, and teeth. A mouse model carrying a deletion in a functional region of the Tbx1 gene has been extensively used to study anomalies related to this syndrome. We have used the Tbx1 null mouse to understand the tooth phenotype reported in patients afflicted by DiGeorge syndrome. Because of the early lethality of the Tbx1-/- mice, we used long-term culture techniques that allow the unharmed growth of incisors until their full maturity. All cultured incisors of Tbx1-/- mice were hypoplastic and lacked enamel, while thorough histological examinations demonstrated the complete absence of ameloblasts. The absence of enamel is preceded by a decrease in proliferation of the ameloblast precursor cells and a reduction in amelogenin gene expression. The cervical loop area of the incisor, which contains the niche for the epithelial stem cells, was either severely reduced or completely missing in mutant incisors. In contrast, ectopic expression of Tbx1 was observed in incisors from mice with upregulated Fibroblast Growth Factor signalling and was closely linked to ectopic enamel formation and deposition in these incisors. These results demonstrate that Tbx1 is essential for the maintenance of ameloblast progenitor cells in rodent incisors and that its deletion results in the absence of enamel formation.

Enamel-free teeth: Tbx1 deletion affects amelogenesis in rodent incisors

PubMed Central

Catón, Javier; Luder, Hans-Ulrich; Zoupa, Maria; Bradman, Matthew; Bluteau, Gilles; Tucker, Abigail S.; Klein, Ophir; Mitsiadis, Thimios A.

2010-01-01

TBX1 is a principal candidate gene for DiGeorge syndrome, a developmental anomaly that affects the heart, thymus, parathyroid, face, and teeth. A mouse model carrying a deletion in a functional region of the Tbx1 gene has been extensively used to study anomalies related to this syndrome. We have used the Tbx1 null mouse to understand the tooth phenotype reported in patients afflicted by DiGeorge syndrome. Because of the early lethality of the Tbx1−/− mice, we used long-term culture techniques that allow the unharmed growth of incisors until their full maturity. All cultured incisors of Tbx1−/− mice were hypoplastic and lacked enamel, while thorough histological examinations demonstrated the complete absence of ameloblasts. The absence of enamel is preceded by a decrease in proliferation of the ameloblast precursor cells and a reduction in amelogenin gene expression. The cervical loop area of the incisor, which contains the niche for the epithelial stem cells, was either severely reduced or completely missing in mutant incisors. In contrast, ectopic expression of Tbx1 was observed in incisors from mice with upregulated Fibroblast Growth Factor signalling and was closely linked to ectopic enamel formation and deposition in these incisors. These results demonstrate that Tbx1 is essential for the maintenance of ameloblast progenitor cells in rodent incisors and that its deletion results in the absence of enamel formation. PMID:19233155

CdZnTe Background Measurements at Balloon Altitudes with PoRTIA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, A.; Barthelmy, S.; Bartlett, L.; Gehrels, N.; Naya, J.; Stahle, C. M.; Tueller, J.; Teegarden, B.

2003-01-01

Measurements of the CdZnTe internal background at balloon altitudes are essential to determine which physical processes make the most important background contributions. We present results from CdZnTe background measurements made by PoRTIA, a small CdZnTe balloon instrument that was flown three times in three different shielding configurations. PoRTIA was passively shielded during its first flight from Palestine, Texas and actively shielded as a piggyback instrument on the GRIS balloon experiment during its second and third flights from Alice Springs, Australia, using the thick GRIS Nal anticoincidence shield. A significant CdZnTe background reduction was achieved during the third flight with PoRTIA placed completely inside the GRIS shield and blocking crystal, and thus completely surrounded by 15 cm of Nal. A unique balloon altitude background data set is provided by CdZnTe and Ge detectors simultaneously surrounded by the same thick anticoincidence shield; the presence of a single coxial Ge detector inside the shield next to PoRTIA allowed a measurement of the ambient neutron flux inside the shield throughout the flight. These neutrons interact with the detector material to produce isomeric states of the Cd, Zn and Te nuclei that radiatively decay; calculations are presented that indicate that these decays may explain most of the fully shielded CdZnTe background.

Design, fabrication and test of prototype furnace for continuous growth of wide silicon ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R. G.

1975-01-01

Progress is reported during the apparatus design, fabrication, and assembly phases of a program to grow wide, thin silicon dendritic web. The growth facility was essentially completed with any significant problems arising. A complete set of detailed fabrication drawings is included as an appendix.

Rapid reduction versus abrupt quitting for smokers who want to stop soon: a randomised controlled non-inferiority trial

PubMed Central

Lindson, Nicola; Aveyard, Paul; Ingram, Jackie T; Inglis, Jennie; Beach, Jane; West, Robert; Michie, Susan

2009-01-01

Background The standard way to stop smoking is to stop abruptly on a quit day with no prior reduction in consumption of cigarettes. Many smokers feel that reduction is natural and if reduction programmes were offered, many more might take up treatment. Few trials of reduction versus abrupt cessation have been completed. Most are small, do not use pharmacotherapy, and do not meet the standards necessary to obtain a marketing authorisation for a pharmacotherapy. Design/Methods We will conduct a non-inferiority randomised trial of rapid reduction versus standard abrupt cessation among smokers who want to stop smoking. In the reduction arm, participants will be advised to reduce smoking consumption by half in the first week and to 25% of baseline in the second, leading up to a quit day at which participants will stop smoking completely. This will be assisted by nicotine patches and an acute form of nicotine replacement therapy. In the abrupt arm participants will use nicotine patches only, whilst smoking as normal, for two weeks prior to a quit day, at which they will also stop smoking completely. Smokers in either arm will have standard withdrawal orientated behavioural support programme with a combination of nicotine patches and acute nicotine replacement therapy post-cessation. Outcomes/Follow-up The primary outcome of interest will be prolonged abstinence from smoking, with secondary trial outcomes of point prevalence, urges to smoke and withdrawal symptoms. Follow up will take place at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 6 months post-quit day. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN22526020 PMID:19682359

The impact of early symptom change and therapeutic alliance on treatment outcome in cognitive-behavioural therapy for eating disorders.

PubMed

Turner, Hannah; Bryant-Waugh, Rachel; Marshall, Emily

2015-10-01

The present study explored the impact of early symptom change (cognitive and behavioural) and the early therapeutic alliance on treatment outcome in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for the eating disorders. Participants were 94 adults with diagnosed eating disorders who completed a course of CBT in an out-patient community eating disorders service in the UK. Patients completed a measure of eating disorder psychopathology at the start of treatment, following the 6th session and at the end of treatment. They also completed a measure of therapeutic alliance following the 6th session. Greater early reduction in dietary restraint and eating concerns, and smaller levels of change in shape concern, significantly predicted later reduction in global eating pathology. The early therapeutic alliance was strong across the three domains of tasks, goals and bond. Early symptom reduction was a stronger predictor of later reduction in eating pathology than early therapeutic alliance. The early therapeutic alliance did not mediate the relationship between early symptom reduction and later reduction in global eating pathology. Instead, greater early symptom reduction predicted a strong early therapeutic alliance. Early clinical change was the strongest predictor of treatment outcome and this also facilitated the development of a strong early alliance. Clinicians should be encouraged to deliver all aspects of evidence-based CBT, including behavioural change. The findings suggest that this will have a positive impact on both the early therapeutic alliance and later change in eating pathology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe Noc3 Is Essential for Ribosome Biogenesis and Cell Division but Not DNA Replication▿

PubMed Central

Houchens, Christopher R.; Perreault, Audrey; Bachand, François; Kelly, Thomas J.

2008-01-01

The initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication is preceded by the assembly of prereplication complexes (pre-RCs) at chromosomal origins of DNA replication. Pre-RC assembly requires the essential DNA replication proteins ORC, Cdc6, and Cdt1 to load the MCM DNA helicase onto chromatin. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Noc3 (ScNoc3), an evolutionarily conserved protein originally implicated in 60S ribosomal subunit trafficking, has been proposed to be an essential regulator of DNA replication that plays a direct role during pre-RC formation in budding yeast. We have cloned Schizosaccharomyces pombe noc3+ (Spnoc3+), the S. pombe homolog of the budding yeast ScNOC3 gene, and functionally characterized the requirement for the SpNoc3 protein during ribosome biogenesis, cell cycle progression, and DNA replication in fission yeast. We showed that fission yeast SpNoc3 is a functional homolog of budding yeast ScNoc3 that is essential for cell viability and ribosome biogenesis. We also showed that SpNoc3 is required for the normal completion of cell division in fission yeast. However, in contrast to the proposal that ScNoc3 plays an essential role during DNA replication in budding yeast, we demonstrated that fission yeast cells do enter and complete S phase in the absence of SpNoc3, suggesting that SpNoc3 is not essential for DNA replication in fission yeast. PMID:18606828

Combating the Reliability Challenge of GPU Register File at Low Supply Voltage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Jingweijia; Song, Shuaiwen; Yan, Kaige

Supply voltage reduction is an effective approach to significantly reduce GPU energy consumption. As the largest on-chip storage structure, the GPU register file becomes the reliability hotspot that prevents further supply voltage reduction below the safe limit (Vmin) due to process variation effects. This work addresses the reliability challenge of the GPU register file at low supply voltages, which is an essential first step for aggressive supply voltage reduction of the entire GPU chip. We propose GR-Guard, an architectural solution that leverages long register dead time to enable reliable operations from unreliable register file at low voltages.

Effect of l-glutamic acid supplementation on performance and nitrogen balance of broilers fed low protein diets.

PubMed

Bezerra, R M; Costa, F G P; Givisiez, P E N; Freitas, E R; Goulart, C C; Santos, R A; Souza, J G; Brandão, P A; Lima, M R; Melo, M L; Rodrigues, V P; Nogueira, E T; Vieira, D V G

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of protein reduction and supplementation of l-glutamic acid in male broiler diets. A total of 648 chicks of the Cobb 500 strain were distributed in a completely randomized design with six treatments and six replications with eighteen birds per experimental unit. The study comprised pre-starter (1-7 days), starter (8-21 days), growth (22-35 days) and final (36-45 days) phases. The first treatment consisted of a control diet formulated according to the requirements of essential amino acids for each rearing phase. The second and third treatments had crude protein (CP) reduced by 1.8 and 3.6 percentage points (pp) in relation to the control diet respectively. In the fourth treatment, l-glutamic acid was added to provide the same glutamate level as the control diet, and in the last two treatments, the broilers were supplemented with 1 and 2 pp of glutamate above that of the control diet respectively. The reduction in CP decreased the performance of broilers and the supplementation of l-glutamic acid did not influence performance when supplied in the diets with excess of glutamate. The lowest excreted nitrogen values were observed in the control diet, and treatments 2 and 3, respectively, in comparison with treatments with the use of l-glutamic acid (5 and 6). Retention efficiency of nitrogen was better in the control diet and in the treatment with a reduction of 1.8 pp of CP. It was verified that the serum uric acid level decreased with the CP reduction. A reduction in CP levels of up to 21.3%, 18.8%, 18.32% and 17.57% is recommended in phases from 1 to 7, 8 to 21, 22 to 35 and at 36 to 42 days, respectively, with a level of glutamate at 5.32%, 4.73%, 4.57%, 4.38%, also in these phases. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

GCN-2 dependent inhibition of protein synthesis activates osmosensitive gene transcription via WNK and Ste20 kinase signaling

PubMed Central

Lee, Elaine Choung-Hee

2012-01-01

Increased gpdh-1 transcription is required for accumulation of the organic osmolyte glycerol and survival of Caenorhabditis elegans during hypertonic stress. Our previous work has shown that regulators of gpdh-1 (rgpd) gene knockdown constitutively activates gpdh-1 expression. Fifty-five rgpd genes play essential roles in translation suggesting that inhibition of protein synthesis is an important signal for regulating osmoprotective gene transcription. We demonstrate here that translation is reduced dramatically by hypertonic stress or knockdown of rgpd genes encoding aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs). Toxin-induced inhibition of translation also activates gpdh-1 expression. Hypertonicity-induced translation inhibition is mediated by general control nonderepressible (GCN)-2 kinase signaling and eIF-2α phosphoryation. Loss of gcn-1 or gcn-2 function prevents eIF-2α phosphorylation, completely blocks reductions in translation, and inhibits gpdh-1 transcription. gpdh-1 expression is regulated by the highly conserved with-no-lysine kinase (WNK) and Ste20 kinases WNK-1 and GCK-3, which function in the GCN-2 signaling pathway downstream from eIF-2α phosphorylation. Our previous work has shown that hypertonic stress causes rapid and dramatic protein damage in C. elegans and that inhibition of translation reduces this damage. The current studies demonstrate that reduced translation also serves as an essential signal for activation of WNK-1/GCK-3 kinase signaling and subsequent transcription of gpdh-1 and possibly other osmoprotective genes. PMID:23076791

Metabolic Flux Analysis of Plastidic Isoprenoid Biosynthesis in Poplar Leaves Emitting and Nonemitting Isoprene1[W

PubMed Central

Ghirardo, Andrea; Wright, Louwrance Peter; Bi, Zhen; Rosenkranz, Maaria; Pulido, Pablo; Rodríguez-Concepción, Manuel; Niinemets, Ülo; Brüggemann, Nicolas; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter

2014-01-01

The plastidic 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway is one of the most important pathways in plants and produces a large variety of essential isoprenoids. Its regulation, however, is still not well understood. Using the stable isotope 13C-labeling technique, we analyzed the carbon fluxes through the MEP pathway and into the major plastidic isoprenoid products in isoprene-emitting and transgenic isoprene-nonemitting (NE) gray poplar (Populus × canescens). We assessed the dependence on temperature, light intensity, and atmospheric [CO2]. Isoprene biosynthesis was by far (99%) the main carbon sink of MEP pathway intermediates in mature gray poplar leaves, and its production required severalfold higher carbon fluxes compared with NE leaves with almost zero isoprene emission. To compensate for the much lower demand for carbon, NE leaves drastically reduced the overall carbon flux within the MEP pathway. Feedback inhibition of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase activity by accumulated plastidic dimethylallyl diphosphate almost completely explained this reduction in carbon flux. Our data demonstrate that short-term biochemical feedback regulation of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase activity by plastidic dimethylallyl diphosphate is an important regulatory mechanism of the MEP pathway. Despite being relieved from the large carbon demand of isoprene biosynthesis, NE plants redirected only approximately 0.5% of this saved carbon toward essential nonvolatile isoprenoids, i.e. β-carotene and lutein, most probably to compensate for the absence of isoprene and its antioxidant properties. PMID:24590857

Desiccation tolerance in the tardigrade Richtersius coronifer relies on muscle mediated structural reorganization.

PubMed

Halberg, Kenneth Agerlin; Jørgensen, Aslak; Møbjerg, Nadja

2013-01-01

Life unfolds within a framework of constraining abiotic factors, yet some organisms are adapted to handle large fluctuations in physical and chemical parameters. Tardigrades are microscopic ecdysozoans well known for their ability to endure hostile conditions, such as complete desiccation--a phenomenon called anhydrobiosis. During dehydration, anhydrobiotic animals undergo a series of anatomical changes. Whether this reorganization is an essential regulated event mediated by active controlled processes, or merely a passive result of the dehydration process, has not been clearly determined. Here, we investigate parameters pivotal to the formation of the so-called "tun", a state that in tardigrades and rotifers marks the entrance into anhydrobiosis. Estimation of body volume in the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer reveals an 87 % reduction in volume from the hydrated active state to the dehydrated tun state, underlining the structural stress associated with entering anhydrobiosis. Survival experiments with pharmacological inhibitors of mitochondrial energy production and muscle contractions show that i) mitochondrial energy production is a prerequisite for surviving desiccation, ii) uncoupling the mitochondria abolishes tun formation, and iii) inhibiting the musculature impairs the ability to form viable tuns. We moreover provide a comparative analysis of the structural changes involved in tun formation, using a combination of cytochemistry, confocal laser scanning microscopy and 3D reconstructions as well as scanning electron microscopy. Our data reveal that the musculature mediates a structural reorganization vital for anhydrobiotic survival, and furthermore that maintaining structural integrity is essential for resumption of life following rehydration.

Comparative efficacy of two daily use mouthrinses: randomized clinical trial using an experimental gingivitis model.

PubMed

Charles, Christine Ann; McGuire, James Anthony; Sharma, Naresh Chandra; Qaqish, James

2011-01-01

Two antimicrobial agents, a fixed combination of essential oils (EOs) and 0.07% cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) are found in commercially available mouthrinses, Listerine® Antiseptic and Crest® Pro HealthTM, respectively. Both mouthrinses have been shown to control dental plaque and gingivitis in short and longer term studies. The aim of this study was to determine the comparative effectiveness of these two mouthrinses using a 2-week experimental gingivitis model. Qualified subjects were randomly assigned to one of three mouthrinse groups: a fixed combination of EOs, 0.07% CPC, or negative control (C) rinse. Following baseline clinical assessments and a dental prophylaxis, subjects began a two-week period in which they rinsed twice daily with their assigned rinse and abstained from any mechanical oral hygiene procedures or other oral care products. Subjects were reassessed at the end of the two-week period. One hundred and forty-seven subjects were randomized and 142 completed this study. After two weeks use, the EOs rinse was superior (p < 0.011) to the CPC rinse in inhibiting the development of gingivitis, plaque, and bleeding, with 9.4% and 6.6% reductions compared to CPC for gingivitis and plaque, respectively. Both rinses were superior to the negative control rinse (p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that the essential oil-containing mouthrinse has superior antiplaque/antigingivitis effectiveness compared to the 0.07% CPC-containing mouthrinse without mechanical oral hygiene influence.

Mirtazapine in the treatment of essential tremor: an open-label, observer-blind study

PubMed Central

Uccellini, Davide; Grampa, G; La Spina, I; Nasuelli, D; Neromante, I; Politini, L; Reverberi, F; Porazzi, D; Carli, V; Camardese, G

2006-01-01

Introduction Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder in the adult population. At present ET treatment shows limited efficacy, particularly in patients with severe and disabling symptoms. This study evaluates the clinical efficacy of mirtazapine in an untreated ET patient population. Materials and methods 30 ET patients (female/male = 19/11; average age = 71.4 ± 8.3 years) were examined by clinical criteria, electromyographic (EMG), and apomorphine tests to study the cortical silent period. The patients were all treated with mirtazapine 30 mg daily. Results Mirtazapine proved to be a good control agent for tremor symptomatology in 23/27 patients (85%) who completed 1 month of treatment, with a marked reduction of tremor; the benefit was maintained during the 12-month follow-up. No significant variation in EMG parameters was observed aside from two prevalent and distinct frequencies of tremors (5–6 Hz and 7–8 Hz) and a group of selected patients whose cortical silent period (SP) was markedly reduced. There were no clinical differences between the two subgroups. All apomorphine-tested patients showed an SP with no significant modifications. Conclusions Mirtazapine proved to be an efficacious drug treatment for tremor symptoms in patients suffering from ET. It had limited side effects and excellent overall tolerability, could be used as daily monotherapy, and did not interfere with any of the many other medications being taken simultaneously by the patients. PMID:19412450

Desiccation Tolerance in the Tardigrade Richtersius coronifer Relies on Muscle Mediated Structural Reorganization

PubMed Central

Halberg, Kenneth Agerlin; Jørgensen, Aslak; Møbjerg, Nadja

2013-01-01

Life unfolds within a framework of constraining abiotic factors, yet some organisms are adapted to handle large fluctuations in physical and chemical parameters. Tardigrades are microscopic ecdysozoans well known for their ability to endure hostile conditions, such as complete desiccation – a phenomenon called anhydrobiosis. During dehydration, anhydrobiotic animals undergo a series of anatomical changes. Whether this reorganization is an essential regulated event mediated by active controlled processes, or merely a passive result of the dehydration process, has not been clearly determined. Here, we investigate parameters pivotal to the formation of the so-called "tun", a state that in tardigrades and rotifers marks the entrance into anhydrobiosis. Estimation of body volume in the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer reveals an 87 % reduction in volume from the hydrated active state to the dehydrated tun state, underlining the structural stress associated with entering anhydrobiosis. Survival experiments with pharmacological inhibitors of mitochondrial energy production and muscle contractions show that i) mitochondrial energy production is a prerequisite for surviving desiccation, ii) uncoupling the mitochondria abolishes tun formation, and iii) inhibiting the musculature impairs the ability to form viable tuns. We moreover provide a comparative analysis of the structural changes involved in tun formation, using a combination of cytochemistry, confocal laser scanning microscopy and 3D reconstructions as well as scanning electron microscopy. Our data reveal that the musculature mediates a structural reorganization vital for anhydrobiotic survival, and furthermore that maintaining structural integrity is essential for resumption of life following rehydration. PMID:24391987

Metabolic flux analysis of plastidic isoprenoid biosynthesis in poplar leaves emitting and nonemitting isoprene.

PubMed

Ghirardo, Andrea; Wright, Louwrance Peter; Bi, Zhen; Rosenkranz, Maaria; Pulido, Pablo; Rodríguez-Concepción, Manuel; Niinemets, Ülo; Brüggemann, Nicolas; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter

2014-05-01

The plastidic 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway is one of the most important pathways in plants and produces a large variety of essential isoprenoids. Its regulation, however, is still not well understood. Using the stable isotope 13C-labeling technique, we analyzed the carbon fluxes through the MEP pathway and into the major plastidic isoprenoid products in isoprene-emitting and transgenic isoprene-nonemitting (NE) gray poplar (Populus×canescens). We assessed the dependence on temperature, light intensity, and atmospheric [CO2]. Isoprene biosynthesis was by far (99%) the main carbon sink of MEP pathway intermediates in mature gray poplar leaves, and its production required severalfold higher carbon fluxes compared with NE leaves with almost zero isoprene emission. To compensate for the much lower demand for carbon, NE leaves drastically reduced the overall carbon flux within the MEP pathway. Feedback inhibition of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase activity by accumulated plastidic dimethylallyl diphosphate almost completely explained this reduction in carbon flux. Our data demonstrate that short-term biochemical feedback regulation of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase activity by plastidic dimethylallyl diphosphate is an important regulatory mechanism of the MEP pathway. Despite being relieved from the large carbon demand of isoprene biosynthesis, NE plants redirected only approximately 0.5% of this saved carbon toward essential nonvolatile isoprenoids, i.e. β-carotene and lutein, most probably to compensate for the absence of isoprene and its antioxidant properties.

The Role of BH3-Mimetic Drugs in the Treatment of Pediatric Hepatoblastoma

PubMed Central

Lieber, Justus; Armeanu-Ebinger, Sorin; Fuchs, Jörg

2015-01-01

Pediatric hepatoblastoma (HB) is commonly treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical tumor resection according to international multicenter trial protocols. Complete tumor resection is essential and survival rates up to 95% have now been achieved in those tumors classified as standard-risk HB. Drug resistance and occurrence of metastases remain the major challenges in the treatment of HB, especially in high-risk tumors. These conditions urgently require the development of alternative therapeutic strategies. One of those alternatives is the modulation of apoptosis in HB cells. HBs regularly overexpress anti-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-family in comparison to healthy liver tissue. This fact may contribute to the development of chemoresistance of HB cells. Synthetic small inhibitory molecules with BH3-mimetic effects, such as ABT-737 and obatoclax, enhance the susceptibility of tumor cells to different cytotoxic drugs and thereby affect initiator proteins of the apoptosis cascade via the intrinsic pathway. Besides additive effects on HB cell viability when used in combination with cytotoxic drugs, BH3-mimetics also play a role in preventing metastasation by reducing adhesion and inhibiting cell migration abilities. Presumably, including additive BH3-mimetic drugs into existing therapeutic regimens in HB patients might allow dose reduction of established cytotoxic drugs and thereby associated immanent side effects, while maintaining the antitumor activity. Furthermore, reduction of tumor growth and inhibition of tumor cell dissemination may facilitate complete surgical tumor resection, which is mandatory in this tumor type resulting in improved survival rates in high-risk HB. Currently, there are phase I and phase II clinical trials in several cancer entities using this potential target. This paper reviews the available literature regarding the use of BH3-mimetic drugs as single agents or in combination with chemotherapy in various malignancies and focuses on results in HB cells. PMID:25690034

Year-round N2O production by benthic NOx reduction in a monomictic south-alpine lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freymond, C. V.; Wenk, C. B.; Frame, C. H.; Lehmann, M. F.

2013-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas, generated through microbial nitrogen (N) turnover processes, such as nitrification, nitrifier denitrification, and denitrification. Previous studies quantifying natural sources have mainly focused on soils and the ocean, but the potential role of terrestrial water bodies in the global N2O budget has been widely neglected. Furthermore, the biogeochemical controls on the production rates and the microbial pathways that produce benthic N2O in lakes are essentially unknown. In this study, benthic N2O fluxes and the contributions of the microbial pathways that produce N2O were assessed using 15N label flow-through sediment incubations in the eutrophic, monomictic south basin of Lake Lugano in Switzerland. The sediments were a significant source of N2O throughout the year, with production rates ranging between 140 and 2605 nmol N2O h-1 m-2, and the highest observed rates coinciding with periods of water column stratification and stably anoxic conditions in the overlying bottom water. Nitrate (NO3-) reduction via denitrification was found to be the major N2O production pathway in the sediments under both oxygen-depleted and oxygen-replete conditions in the overlying water, while ammonium oxidation did not contribute significantly to the benthic N2O flux. A marked portion (up to 15%) of the total NO3- consumed by denitrification was reduced only to N2O, without complete denitrification to N2. These fluxes were highest when the bottom water had stabilized to a low-oxygen state, in contrast with the notion that stable anoxia is particularly conducive to complete denitrification without accumulation of N2O. This study provides evidence that lake sediments are a significant source of N2O to the overlying water and may produce large N2O fluxes to the atmosphere during seasonal mixing events.

[Dietary modification in hypertensives].

PubMed

Berg, A; Kloock, B; König, D

2006-11-23

Successful treatment of hypertension requires a holistic approach. In this connection, focusing on a healthy lifestyle, eating, drinking and consumption behavior and, finally, the quality of foodstuffs and the exercise habits of the patient represents an essential supplement to the classical forms of pharmaceutical treatment. The major dietary-physiological factors have been shown to be weight reduction, the monitoring of salt consumption, appropriate intake of fiber, a preference for vegetables, and a reduction of immoderate alcohol consumption.

Complete genome sequencing and analysis of Saprospira grandis str. Lewin, a predatory marine bacterium

PubMed Central

Saw, Jimmy H. W.; Yuryev, Anton; Kanbe, Masaomi; Hou, Shaobin; Young, Aaron G.; Aizawa, Shin-Ichi

2012-01-01

Saprospira grandis is a coastal marine bacterium that can capture and prey upon other marine bacteria using a mechanism known as ‘ixotrophy’. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of Saprospira grandis str. Lewin isolated from La Jolla beach in San Diego, California. The complete genome sequence comprises a chromosome of 4.35 Mbp and a plasmid of 54.9 Kbp. Genome analysis revealed incomplete pathways for the biosynthesis of nine essential amino acids but presence of a large number of peptidases. The genome encodes multiple copies of sensor globin-coupled rsbR genes thought to be essential for stress response and the presence of such sensor globins in Bacteroidetes is unprecedented. A total of 429 spacer sequences within the three CRISPR repeat regions were identified in the genome and this number is the largest among all the Bacteroidetes sequenced to date. PMID:22675601

78 FR 4071 - Approval and Promulgation of State Implementation Plans; State of Utah; Smoke Management...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-18

... process for gathering the essential post-burn activity information to support emissions inventory and... considers visibility and is based on the criteria of efficiency, economics, law, emission reduction...

Anti-inflammatory activity of leaf essential oil from Cinnamomum longepaniculatum (Gamble) N. Chao.

PubMed

Du, Yong-Hua; Feng, Rui-Zhang; Li, Qun; Wei, Qin; Yin, Zhong-Qiong; Zhou, Li-Jun; Tao, Cui; Jia, Ren-Yong

2014-01-01

The anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil from C. longepaniculatum was evaluated by three experimental models including the dimethyl benzene-induced ear edema in mice, the carrageenan-induced paw edema in rat and the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice. The influence of the essential oil on histological changes and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) production associated with carrageenan-induced rat paw edema was also investigated. The essential oil (0.5, 0.25, 0.13 ml/kg b.w.) showed significantly inhibition of inflammation along with a dose-dependent manner in the three experimental models. The anti-inflammatory activity of essential oil was occurred both in early and late phase and peaked at 4 h after carrageenan injection. The essential oil resulted in a dose dependent reduction of the paw thickness, connective tissue injury and the infiltration of inflammatory cell. The essential oil also significantly reduced the production of PGE2, histamine and 5-HT in the exudates of edema paw induced by carrageenan. Both the essential oil and indomethacin resulted relative lower percentage inhibition of histamine and 5-HT than that of PGE2 at 4 h after carrageenan injection.

Improvements in newborn care and newborn resuscitation following a quality improvement program at scale: results from a before and after study in Tanzania.

PubMed

Makene, Christina Lulu; Plotkin, Marya; Currie, Sheena; Bishanga, Dunstan; Ugwi, Patience; Louis, Henry; Winani, Kiholeth; Nelson, Brett D

2014-11-19

Every year, more than a million of the world's newborns die on their first day of life; as many as two-thirds of these deaths could be saved with essential care at birth and the early newborn period. Simple interventions to improve the quality of essential newborn care in health facilities - for example, improving steps to help newborns breathe at birth - have demonstrated up to 47% reduction in newborn mortality in health facilities in Tanzania. We conducted an evaluation of the effects of a large-scale maternal-newborn quality improvement intervention in Tanzania that assessed the quality of provision of essential newborn care and newborn resuscitation. Cross-sectional health facility surveys were conducted pre-intervention (2010) and post intervention (2012) in 52 health facilities in the program implementation area. Essential newborn care provided by health care providers immediately following birth was observed for 489 newborns in 2010 and 560 in 2012; actual management of newborns with trouble breathing were observed in 2010 (n = 18) and 2012 (n = 40). Assessments of health worker knowledge were conducted with case studies (2010, n = 206; 2012, n = 217) and a simulated resuscitation using a newborn mannequin (2010, n = 299; 2012, n = 213). Facility audits assessed facility readiness for essential newborn care. Index scores for quality of observed essential newborn care showed significant overall improvement following the quality-of-care intervention, from 39% to 73% (p <0.0001). Health worker knowledge using a case study significantly improved as well, from 23% to 41% (p <0.0001) but skills in resuscitation using a newborn mannequin were persistently low. Availability of essential newborn care supplies, which was high at baseline in the regional hospitals, improved at the lower-level health facilities. Within two years, the quality improvement program was successful in raising the quality of essential newborn care services in the program facilities. Some gaps in newborn care were persistent, notably practical skills in newborn resuscitation. Continued investment in life-saving improvements to newborn care through the health services is a priority for reduction of newborn mortality in Tanzania.

Development of a Questionnaire to Assess University Students' Intentions to Use Behavioral Alcohol-Reduction Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, Erin E.; Hoffmann, Erica; Rosenberg, Harold; Kryszak, Elizabeth; Young, Kathleen M.; Ashrafioun, Lisham; Kraus, Shane W.; Bannon, Erin E.

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a new self-report questionnaire designed to assess college students' intentions to employ 31 specific alcohol-reduction strategies. Method: Students attending a large public university were recruited to complete alcohol-reduction, drinking history, and personality questionnaires online.…

A complete hard X-ray selected sample of local, luminous AGNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burtscher, Leonard; Davies, Ric; Lin, Ming-yi; Orban de Xivry, Gilles; Rosario, David

2016-08-01

Choosing a very well defined sample is essential for studying the AGN phenomenon. Only the most luminous AGNs can be expected to require a coherent feeding mechanism to sustain their activity and since host galaxy properties and AGN activity are essentially uncorrelated, nuclear scales must be resolved in order to shed light on the feeding mechanisms of AGNs. For these reasons we are compiling a sample of the most powerful, local AGNs. In this talk we present our on-going programme to observe a complete volume limited sample of nearby active galaxies selected by their 14-195 keV luminosity, and outline its rationale for studying the mechanisms regulating gas inflow and outflow.

Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship: Part 1: An Overview.

PubMed

Zaveri, Pavan P; Hsu, Deborah; Mittiga, Matthew R; Wolff, Margaret; Reynolds, Stacy; Kim, In; Allen, Coburn; McAneney, Constance M; Kou, Maybelle

2016-05-01

This article is the first in a 7-part series (Table 1) that aims to comprehensively describe the current state and future directions of pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training from the essential requirements to considerations for successfully administering and managing a program to the careers that may be anticipated on program completion. This overview article provides a framework for the series.

Assessment of the Equivalence of Conventional versus Computer Administration of the Test of Workplace Essential Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiting, Hal; Kline, Theresa J. B.

2006-01-01

This study examined the equivalency of computer and conventional versions of the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES), a test of adult literacy skills in Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy. Seventy-three college students completed the computer version, and their scores were compared with those who had taken the test in the conventional…

Antibacterial activity of essential oil components and their potential use in seed disinfection.

PubMed

Lo Cantore, Pietro; Shanmugaiah, Vellasamy; Iacobellis, Nicola Sante

2009-10-28

Among the main (> or = 0.7%) components of some essential oils, considerable antibacterial activity was shown by terpenoid and phenylpropanoid derivatives containing phenol and alcohol functionalities. A reduced or no activity was shown by those derivatives containing ketones, aldehydes, ethers, and ester functionalities as well as the remaining terpenoids. Eugenol emulsion treatments (1-8 mg/mL) of bean seeds bearing about 2.6 x 10(6) cfu/seed of strain ICMP239 of Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli var. fuscans determined a highly significant reduction of the bacteria on seeds. In particular, eugenol at 4 mg/mL disinfect seeds bearing about 7.0 x 10(2) cfu/seed and lower densities. However, after 72 h, incubation treatments with 2, 4, and 8 mg/mL of eugenol caused germination reduction of 3%, 7%, and 16%, respectively, which was significantly different from the controls. No effect on germination was observed with 1 mg/mL eugenol emulsion treatment. These data indicate eugenol as potentially useful for bean seed disinfection from X. campestris pv. phaseoli var. fuscans. Further studies on the effects on seed vitality and on formulation of essential oils are needed.

Cholecalciferol administration blunts the systemic renin-angiotensin system in essential hypertensives with hypovitaminosis D.

PubMed

Carrara, Davide; Bernini, Matteo; Bacca, Alessandra; Rugani, Ilaria; Duranti, Emiliano; Virdis, Agostino; Ghiadoni, Lorenzo; Taddei, Stefano; Bernini, Giampaolo

2014-03-01

Vitamin D plasma levels are negatively associated with blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality, and vitamin D supplementation reduces cardiovascular events. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) suppression may be one of the mechanisms involved. However, there are no interventional prospective studies demonstrating a reduction in circulating RAS components after vitamin D treatment. Fifteen consecutive drug-free patients with essential hypertension and hypovitaminosis D underwent therapy with an oral dose of 25000 I.U. of cholecalciferol once a week for two months, while maintaining a constant-salt diet. In basal conditions and at the end of the study, RAS activity (plasma angiotensinogen, renin, PRA, angiotensin II, aldosterone and urinary angiotensinogen) was investigated, in addition to blood pressure and plasma vitamin D levels (25(OH)D). After cholecalciferol administration, all patients exhibited normalized plasma 25(OH)D values. At the end of the study, a reduction (p < 0.05) in plasma renin and aldosterone, and a decrement, although not significant, of PRA and angiotensin II, was observed. No difference was found in plasma and urinary angiotensinogen or blood pressure values. Our data indicate that in essential hypertensives with hypovitaminosis D, pharmacological correction of vitamin D levels can blunt systemic RAS activity.

Surgery for Dystonia and Tremor.

PubMed

Crowell, Jason L; Shah, Binit B

2016-03-01

Surgical procedures for dystonia and tremor have evolved over the past few decades, and our understanding of risk, benefit, and predictive factors has increased substantially in that time. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the most utilized surgical treatment for dystonia and tremor, though lesioning remains an effective option in appropriate patients. Dystonic syndromes that have shown a substantial reduction in severity secondary to DBS are isolated dystonia, including generalized, cervical, and segmental, as well as acquired dystonia such as tardive dystonia. Essential tremor is quite amenable to DBS, though the response of other forms of postural and kinetic tremor is not nearly as robust or consistent based on available evidence. Regarding targeting, DBS lead placement in the globus pallidus internus has shown marked efficacy in dystonia reduction. The subthalamic nucleus is an emerging target, and increasing evidence suggests that this may be a viable target in dystonia as well. The ventralis intermedius nucleus of the thalamus is the preferred target for essential tremor, though targeting the subthalamic zone/caudal zona incerta has shown promise and may emerge as another option in essential tremor and possibly other tremor disorders. In the carefully selected patient, DBS and lesioning procedures are relatively safe and effective for the management of dystonia and tremor.

Who Will Stand the Nordic Guard? Determinants, Options, and Bilateral Canadian-US Responses to the Threat on NATO’s North Flank

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-30

Paper’s authors to downplay that aspect. This paper will argue that a strong, decisive plan to defend Norway is essential for the success of NATO. Soviet...ineffective, as the landings were essentially complete before the troops could man the guns. Beachhead consolidation and the landing of follow-on echelons...Germany and the most significant naval threat was the Baltic Fleet, essentially an adjunct to the land forces. The Northern Fleet, in waters adjacent

Exploration of Using Antisense Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA)-cell Penetrating Peptide (CPP) as a Novel Bactericide against Fire Blight Pathogen Erwinia amylovora.

PubMed

Patel, Ravi R; Sundin, George W; Yang, Ching-Hong; Wang, Jie; Huntley, Regan B; Yuan, Xiaochen; Zeng, Quan

2017-01-01

Erwinia amylovora is a Gram-negative bacterial plant pathogen in the family Enterobacteriaceae and is the causal agent of fire blight, a devastating disease of apple and pear. Fire blight is traditionally managed by the application of the antibiotic streptomycin during bloom, but this strategy has been challenged by the development and spread of streptomycin resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need for effective, specific, and sustainable control alternatives for fire blight. Antisense antimicrobials are oligomers of nucleic acid homologs with antisense sequence of essential genes in bacteria. The binding of these molecules to the mRNA of essential genes can result in translational repression and antimicrobial effect. Here, we explored the possibility of developing antisense antimicrobials against E. amylovora and using these compounds in fire blight control. We determined that a 10-nucleotide oligomer of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) targeting the start codon region of an essential gene acpP is able to cause complete growth inhibition of E. amylovora . We found that conjugation of cell penetrating peptide (CPP) to PNA is essential for the antimicrobial effect, with CPP1 [(KFF)3K] being the most effective against E. amylovora . The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of anti- acpP -CPP1 (2.5 μM) is comparable to the MIC of streptomycin (2 μM). Examination of the antimicrobial mechanisms demonstrated that anti- acpP -CPP1 caused dose-dependent reduction of acpP mRNA in E. amylovora upon treatment and resulted in cell death (bactericidal effect). Anti- acpP -CPP1 (100 μM) is able to effectively limit the pathogen growth on stigmas of apple flowers, although less effective than streptomycin. Finally, unlike streptomycin that does not display any specificity in inhibiting pathogen growth, anti- acpP -CPP1 has more specific antimicrobial effect against E. amylovora . In summary, we demonstrated that PNA-CPP can cause an effective, specific antimicrobial effect against E. amylovora and may provide the basis for a novel approach for fire blight control.

Exploration of Using Antisense Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA)-cell Penetrating Peptide (CPP) as a Novel Bactericide against Fire Blight Pathogen Erwinia amylovora

PubMed Central

Patel, Ravi R.; Sundin, George W.; Yang, Ching-Hong; Wang, Jie; Huntley, Regan B.; Yuan, Xiaochen; Zeng, Quan

2017-01-01

Erwinia amylovora is a Gram-negative bacterial plant pathogen in the family Enterobacteriaceae and is the causal agent of fire blight, a devastating disease of apple and pear. Fire blight is traditionally managed by the application of the antibiotic streptomycin during bloom, but this strategy has been challenged by the development and spread of streptomycin resistance. Thus, there is an urgent need for effective, specific, and sustainable control alternatives for fire blight. Antisense antimicrobials are oligomers of nucleic acid homologs with antisense sequence of essential genes in bacteria. The binding of these molecules to the mRNA of essential genes can result in translational repression and antimicrobial effect. Here, we explored the possibility of developing antisense antimicrobials against E. amylovora and using these compounds in fire blight control. We determined that a 10-nucleotide oligomer of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) targeting the start codon region of an essential gene acpP is able to cause complete growth inhibition of E. amylovora. We found that conjugation of cell penetrating peptide (CPP) to PNA is essential for the antimicrobial effect, with CPP1 [(KFF)3K] being the most effective against E. amylovora. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of anti-acpP-CPP1 (2.5 μM) is comparable to the MIC of streptomycin (2 μM). Examination of the antimicrobial mechanisms demonstrated that anti-acpP-CPP1 caused dose-dependent reduction of acpP mRNA in E. amylovora upon treatment and resulted in cell death (bactericidal effect). Anti-acpP-CPP1 (100 μM) is able to effectively limit the pathogen growth on stigmas of apple flowers, although less effective than streptomycin. Finally, unlike streptomycin that does not display any specificity in inhibiting pathogen growth, anti-acpP-CPP1 has more specific antimicrobial effect against E. amylovora. In summary, we demonstrated that PNA–CPP can cause an effective, specific antimicrobial effect against E. amylovora and may provide the basis for a novel approach for fire blight control. PMID:28469617

Mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction: experience with a bilingual inner-city program.

PubMed

Roth, B; Creaser, T

1997-03-01

This article describes a bilingual mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction program in an inner-city setting. Mindfulness meditation is defined, and the practices of breathing meditation, eating meditation, walking meditation, and mindful yoga are described. Data analysis examined compliance, medical and psychologic symptom reduction, and changes in self-esteem, of English- and Spanish-speaking patients who completed the 8-week Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program at the Community Health Center in Meriden, Conn. Statistically significant decreases in medical and psychologic symptoms and improvement in self-esteem were found. Many program completers reported dramatic changes in attitudes, beliefs, habits, and behaviors. Despite the limitations of the research design, these findings suggest that a mindfulness meditation course can be an effective health care intervention when utilized by English- and Spanish-speaking patients in an inner-city community health center. The article includes a discussion of factors to be considered when establishing a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction program in a health care setting.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Favaro, Marco; Xiao, Hai; Cheng, Tao

A national priority is to convert CO 2 into high-value chemical products such as liquid fuels. Because current electrocatalysts are not adequate, we aim to discover new catalysts by obtaining a detailed understanding of the initial steps of CO 2 electroreduction on copper surfaces, the best current catalysts. Using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy interpreted with quantum mechanical prediction of the structures and free energies, we show that the presence of a thin suboxide structure below the copper surface is essential to bind the CO 2 in the physisorbed configuration at 298 K, and we show that this suboxide ismore » essential for converting to the chemisorbed CO 2 in the presence of water as the first step toward CO 2 reduction products such as formate and CO. This optimum suboxide leads to both neutral and charged Cu surface sites, providing fresh insights into how to design improved carbon dioxide reduction catalysts.« less

Reduction operators of Burgers equation.

PubMed

Pocheketa, Oleksandr A; Popovych, Roman O

2013-02-01

The solution of the problem on reduction operators and nonclassical reductions of the Burgers equation is systematically treated and completed. A new proof of the theorem on the special "no-go" case of regular reduction operators is presented, and the representation of the coefficients of operators in terms of solutions of the initial equation is constructed for this case. All possible nonclassical reductions of the Burgers equation to single ordinary differential equations are exhaustively described. Any Lie reduction of the Burgers equation proves to be equivalent via the Hopf-Cole transformation to a parameterized family of Lie reductions of the linear heat equation.

Reduction operators of Burgers equation

PubMed Central

Pocheketa, Oleksandr A.; Popovych, Roman O.

2013-01-01

The solution of the problem on reduction operators and nonclassical reductions of the Burgers equation is systematically treated and completed. A new proof of the theorem on the special “no-go” case of regular reduction operators is presented, and the representation of the coefficients of operators in terms of solutions of the initial equation is constructed for this case. All possible nonclassical reductions of the Burgers equation to single ordinary differential equations are exhaustively described. Any Lie reduction of the Burgers equation proves to be equivalent via the Hopf–Cole transformation to a parameterized family of Lie reductions of the linear heat equation. PMID:23576819

Interface definition for the Far Ultraviolet Spectrometer Experiment S169

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fastie, W. G.

1971-01-01

A final contract for development, fabrication, test and flight of the ultraviolet spectrometer experiment on an Apollo space mission is reported. Two interface control documents were completed and signed off and three more were essentially completed. Supporting preliminary concepts formulation, design study and component investigation, specification and subcontract negotiation were accomplished.

Review: Assessment of completeness of reporting in intervention studies using livestock: an example from pain mitigation interventions in neonatal piglets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate and complete reporting of study methods, results, and interpretation are essential components of the scientific process, allowing end-users to evaluate the internal and external validity of a study. Several reporting guidelines are now publicly available for animal researchers including the...

Self-Determination and the Enrollment in and Completion of Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petcu, Stefania D.; Van Horn, M. Lee; Shogren, Karrie A.

2017-01-01

This study conducted a secondary analysis using data from the "National Longitudinal Transition Study-2" (NLTS-2) to examine the degree to which three of the four essential characteristics of self-determination (autonomy, psychological empowerment, and self-realization) predict enrollment in, and completion of, postsecondary education…

Antifungal and phytotoxic activity of essential oil from root of Senecio amplexicaulis Kunth. (Asteraceae) growing wild in high altitude-Himalayan region.

PubMed

Singh, Rajendra; Ahluwalia, Vivek; Singh, Pratap; Kumar, Naresh; Prakash Sati, Om; Sati, Nitin

2016-08-01

This work was aimed to evaluate the essential oil from root of medicinally important plant Senecio amplexicaulis for chemical composition, antifungal and phytotoxic activity. The chemical composition analysed by GC/GC-MS showed the presence of monoterpene hydrocarbons in high percentage with marker compounds as α-phellandrene (48.57%), o-cymene (16.80%) and β-ocimene (7.61%). The essential oil exhibited significant antifungal activity against five phytopathogenic fungi, Sclerotium rolfsii, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium debaryanum and Fusarium oxysporum. The oil demonstrated remarkable phytotoxic activity in tested concentration and significant reduction in seed germination percentage of Phalaris minor and Triticum aestivum at higher concentrations. The roots essential oil showed high yield for one of its marker compound (α-phellandrene) which makes it important natural source of this compound.

COMPLETE REDUCTION OF TELLURITE TO PURE TELLURIUM METAL BY MICROORGANISMS

PubMed Central

Tucker, Fayne L.; Walper, John F.; Appleman, Milo Don; Donohue, Jerry

1962-01-01

Tucker, Fayne L. (University of Southern California, Los Angeles), John F. Walper, Milo Don Appleman, and Jerry Donohue. Complete reduction of tellurite to pure tellurium metal by microorganisms. J. Bacteriol. 83:1313–1314. 1962—The black precipitate produced in the presence of potassium tellurite by growing cells of Streptococcus faecalis N83 and Corynebacterium diphtheriae was shown, by X-ray diffraction analysis, to consist of metallic tellurium. The metal was not complexed, to any significant degree, with any organic material. PMID:13922991

Monographs for medicines on WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines

PubMed Central

Adler, Melissa; Jain, Tanvi; Bempong, Daniel

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To raise awareness about the importance of public pharmaceutical standards, identify if and, if so, where current pharmacopeias are falling short in the development of new and complete monographs and foster collaboration among the various pharmacopeias, to prioritize, develop and make available standards for those key medicines for which no complete monographs exist. Methods In August 2017, we mined eight pharmacopeias to identify which of the 669 medicines in the 20th edition of the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines were covered by complete or incomplete monographs. The pharmacopeias we included were the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, the British Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopeia Commission, the International Pharmacopoeia, the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, the Mexican Pharmacopoeia, the Pharmacopeia of the People’s Republic of China and the United States Pharmacopeia. Findings For 99 (15%) of the medicines on the Model List, no monographs were available in any of the eight pharmacopeias investigated. Only 3% (1/30) of the cardiovascular medicines listed, but 28% (9/32) of the antiretroviral medicines and 23% (6/26) of the antimalarial medicines lacked monographs. Conclusion There appear to be no public standards for many so-called essential medicines. To address this shortfall, a greater collaboration in the global health community is needed.

Maximum drag reduction simulation using rodlike polymers.

PubMed

Gillissen, J J J

2012-10-01

Simulations of maximum drag reduction (MDR) in channel flow using constitutive equations for suspensions of noninteracting rods predict a few-fold larger turbulent kinetic energy than in experiments using rodlike polymers. These differences are attributed to the neglect of interactions between polymers in the simulations. Despite these inconsistencies the simulations correctly reproduce the essential features of MDR, with universal profiles of the mean flow and the shear stress budgets that do not depend on the polymer concentration.

Inactivation of Norovirus by Lemongrass Essential Oil Using a Norovirus Surrogate System.

PubMed

Kim, Ye Won; You, Hyun Ju; Lee, Soyoung; Kim, Bomi; Kim, Do Kyung; Choi, Joo-Bong; Kim, Ji-Ah; Lee, Hee Jung; Joo, In Sun; Lee, Jeong Su; Kang, Dong Hyun; Lee, Giljae; Ko, Gwang Pyo; Lee, Sung-Joon

2017-08-01

This study investigated the effect of lemongrass essential oil (LGEO) on the infectivity and viral replication of norovirus. Murine norovirus 1 (MNV-1), a surrogate of human norovirus, was preincubated with LGEO and then used to infect RAW 264.7 cells in a plaque reduction assay. LGEO exhibited a significant reduction in MNV-1 plaque formation in both time- and dose-dependent manners. The quantification of viral genome by quantitative real-time PCR showed similar results in line with those of the plaque reduction assay. It was revealed that citral, a single compound in LGEO, showed dramatic reduction in MNV-1 infectivity (-73.09% when using a treatment of 0.02%, v/v). The inhibitory activity of LGEO on viral replication was further investigated in HG23 cells that harbored a human norovirus replicon. LGEO treatment significantly reduced viral replication in HG23 cells, which suggests that LGEO may have dual inhibitory activities that inactivate viral coat proteins required for viral infection and suppress norovirus genome replication in host cells. In animal experiments, oral administration of murine norovirus preincubated with LGEO significantly suppressed virus infectivity in vivo. Collectively, these results suggest that LGEO, in particular the LGEO component citral, inactivates the norovirus and its subsequent replication in host cells. Thus, LGEO shows promise as a method of inhibiting norovirus within the food industry.

Value and impact of international hospital accreditation: a case study from Jordan.

PubMed

Halasa, Y A; Zeng, W; Chappy, E; Shepard, D S

2015-04-02

We assessed the economic impact of Joint Commission International hospital accreditation on 5 structural and outcome hospital performance measures in Jordan. We conducted a 4-year retrospective study comparing 2 private accredited acute general hospitals with matched non-accredited hospitals, using difference-in-differences and adjusted covariance analyses to test the impact and value of accreditation on hospital performance measures. Of the 5 selected measures, 3 showed statistically significant effects (all improvements) associated with accreditation: reduction in return to intensive care unit (ICU) within 24 hours of ICU discharge; reduction in staff turnover; and completeness of medical records. The net impact of accreditation was a 1.2 percentage point reduction in patients who returned to the ICU, 12.8% reduction in annual staff turnover and 20.0% improvement in the completeness of medical records. Pooling both hospitals over 3 years, these improvements translated into total savings of US$ 593 000 in Jordan's health-care system.

Essential oil from leaves of Liquidambar formosana ameliorates inflammatory response in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse macrophages.

PubMed

Hua, Kuo-Feng; Yang, Tzu-Jung; Chiu, Huan-Wen; Ho, Chen-Lung

2014-06-01

The essential oil from Liquidambar formosana leaves (EOLF) was demonstrated to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in mouse macrophages. EOLF reduced nitrite oxide generation, secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, and expression levels of prointerleukin-beta, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated mouse macrophages. EOLF also reduced NLRP3 inflammasome-derived interleukin-1beta secretion. The underlying mechanisms for the EOLF-mediated anti-inflammatory activity were (1) reduction of LPS-induced reactive oxygen species generation; (2) reduction of LPS-induced activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and p38 MAP kinase; (3) reduction of LPS-induced nuclear factor-kappaBeta activation. Furthermore, 25 compounds were identified in the EOLF using GC-FID and GC-MS and the major compounds were terpinen-4-ol (32.0%), beta-pinene (18.0%), gamma-terpinene (13.8%), and alpha-terpinene (9.7%). We found that LPS-induced nitrite oxide generation was inhibited significantly by terpinen-4-ol. Our results indicated that EOLF has anti-inflammatory activity and may provide a molecular rationale for future therapeutic interventions in immune modulation.

Antimicrobial activity of lavender, tea tree and lemon oils in cosmetic preservative systems.

PubMed

Kunicka-Styczyńska, A; Sikora, M; Kalemba, D

2009-12-01

The aim of the study was to verify the antimicrobial activity of commercial essential oils: lavender, tea tree and lemon as the components of a preservative system in oil in water body milks. The inhibition efficacy of essential oils alone (0.5%), in mixtures (1%) as well as combined with the synthetic preservative 1,3-dimethylol-5,5-dimethylhydantoin and a 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate mixture (0.1% and 0.2%) was tested against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Candida sp. ŁOCK 0008 and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404 in compliance with the standards of the European Pharmacopoeia Commission. The in vitro activity of oils determined by an impedimetric method was also compared with their activity in cosmetic preparations. Criterion A for bacteria (reduction in the inoculum by 3 logarithmic units within 7 days with no increase up to the 28th day) and fungi (reduction in the inoculum by 2 logarithmic units within 14 days with no increase up to the 28th day) was fulfilled for cosmetic formulations containing the tested essential oils with 0.2% of the synthetic preservative. The preservative concentration could be decreased to 0.1% (with preserving the same efficacy) in combination with lavender and tea tree oils at a concentration of 0.5% each. In all combinations of essential oils with the synthetic preservative, a synergistic effect of the preservative system components was observed, which made it possible to reduce the usable level of the synthetic preservative up to 8.5 times. To develop an effective preservative system in cosmetics in which a synthetic chemical preservative is replaced by natural essential oils.

Chemical composition and bioactivity of different oregano (Origanum vulgare) extracts and essential oil.

PubMed

Teixeira, Bárbara; Marques, António; Ramos, Cristina; Serrano, Carmo; Matos, Olívia; Neng, Nuno R; Nogueira, José M F; Saraiva, Jorge Alexandre; Nunes, Maria Leonor

2013-08-30

There is a growing interest in industry to replace synthetic chemicals by natural products with bioactive properties. Aromatic plants are excellent sources of bioactive compounds that can be extracted using several processes. As far as oregano is concerned, studies are lacking addressing the effect of extraction processes in bioactivity of extracts. This study aimed to characterise the in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial properties of oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oil and extracts (in hot and cold water, and ethanol), and the chemical composition of its essential oil. The major components of oregano essential oil were carvacrol, β-fenchyl alcohol, thymol, and γ-terpinene. Hot water extract had the strongest antioxidant properties and the highest phenolic content. All extracts were ineffective in inhibiting the growth of the seven tested bacteria. In contrast, the essential oil inhibited the growth of all bacteria, causing greater reductions on both Listeria strains (L. monocytogenes and L. innocua). O. vulgare extracts and essential oil from Portuguese origin are strong candidates to replace synthetic chemicals used by the industry. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inhibitory effects of some plant essential oils against Arcobacter butzleri and potential for rosemary oil as a natural food preservative.

PubMed

Irkin, Reyhan; Abay, Secil; Aydin, Fuat

2011-03-01

We investigated the inhibitory activity of commercially marketed essential oils of mint, rosemary, orange, sage, cinnamon, bay, clove, and cumin against Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter skirrowii and the effects of the essential oil of rosemary against A. butzleri in a cooked minced beef system. Using the disc diffusion method to determine the inhibitory activities of these plant essential oils against strains of Arcobacter, we found that those of rosemary, bay, cinnamon, and clove had strong inhibitory activity against these organisms, whereas the essential oils of cumin, mint, and sage failed to show inhibitory activity against most of the Arcobacter strains tested. The 0.5% (vol/wt) essential oil of rosemary was completely inhibitory against A. butzleri in the cooked minced beef system at 4°C. These essential oils may be further investigated as a natural solution to the food industry by creating an additional barrier (hurdle technology) to inhibit the growth of Arcobacter strains.

Remediation of soil contaminated with dioxins by subcritical water extraction.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Shunji; Watanabe, Kiyohiko; Nose, Kazutoshi; Morita, Masatoshi

2004-01-01

The effectiveness of subcritical water extraction (SCWE) was examined for removing dioxins from contaminated soil. Most dioxins in the soil sample were reduced at 300 degrees C or more, but decreased dioxin concentrations were also observed at 150 degrees C. After 4 h of extraction, 99.4%, 94.5% and 60% of PCDDs were removed from samples at 350, 300 and 150 degrees C, respectively. It was also determined that degradation of dioxins had occurred, since the sum of dioxins in the soil plus water extracts after the experiments had considerably decreased. This study revealed that pressurizing is not essential for the removal of dioxins. Reduction was complete within 30 min at 350 degrees C; however, it took a much longer time at lower temperatures. The results of addition experiments in which OCDDs were added to different types of soil samples have shown that dechlorination is one of the major reaction pathways. After addition of OCDD to soil samples, experiments were carried out to examine in detail the degradation pathways of PCDDs. The removal rates and congener profiles varied among soil types. Although it was previously assumed that removal rates and congener profiles depended on the chemical components in soil, nonparametric statistical analysis revealed no significant relationship between the rate of reduction and elements present in the soil. It was confirmed from isomer patterns that dechlorination of the 2,3,7,8-positions in PCDDs takes place somewhat faster than for the 1,4,6,9-positions.

Essential role for Bim in mediating the apoptotic and antitumor activities of immunotoxins.

PubMed

Antignani, A; Segal, D; Simon, N; Kreitman, R J; Huang, D; FitzGerald, D J

2017-08-31

Protein synthesis is crucial for regulating cell homeostasis and, when unrestricted, it can lead to tumorigenesis. Immunotoxins derived from Pseudomonas exotoxin are antibody-toxin fusion proteins that inhibit protein synthesis of mammalian cells via ADP-ribosylation of the eukaryotic elongation factor-2. Here we investigate the role of the Bcl-2 family proteins in the response of cancer cells to immunotoxin challenge. Besides the well-known reduction of the prosurvival Bcl-2 family member, Mcl-1, following inhibition of protein synthesis, we show for the first time that immunotoxins also reduce the levels of selected proapoptotic BH-3-only proteins. Among these, only Bim protein levels correlated with the ability of immunotoxins to induce an apoptotic response. To support our findings, we verified that a Bim knockout completely abolished immunotoxin-mediated apoptosis. Further, mice bearing either wild-type or Bid knockout tumors responded to immunotoxin treatment with a decrease in growth kinetics, whereas mice engrafted with Bim knockout tumors showed no reduction in tumor size or prolongation of survival following immunotoxin treatment. From these results, we conclude that Bim expression is a major susceptibility factor for tumor cell death and, as such, constitutes a potential biomarker that could be evaluated before immunotoxin treatment. In support of this hypothesis, clinically, we analyzed patient cells before immunotoxin treatment and report that samples of hairy cell leukemia with high levels of Bim protein responded with a greater decrease in leukemic cell count compared with those samples expressing a low level of Bim.

Optical knots and contact geometry II. From Ranada dyons to transverse and cosmetic knots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kholodenko, Arkady L., E-mail: string@clemson.edu

2016-08-15

Some time ago Ranada (1989) obtained new nontrivial solutions of the Maxwellian gauge fields without sources. These were reinterpreted in Kholodenko (2015) [10] (part I) as particle-like (monopoles, dyons, etc.). They were obtained by the method of Abelian reduction of the non-Abelian Yang–Mills functional. The developed method uses instanton-type calculations normally employed for the non-Abelian gauge fields. By invoking the electric–magnetic duality it then becomes possible to replace all known charges/masses by the particle-like solutions of the source-free Abelian gauge fields. To employ these results in high energy physics, it is essential to extend Ranada’s results by carefully analyzing and classifying all dynamicallymore » generated knotted/linked structures in gauge fields, including those discovered by Ranada. This task is completed in this work. The study is facilitated by the recent progress made in solving the Moffatt conjecture. Its essence is stated as follows: in steady incompressible Euler-type fluids the streamlines could have knots/links of all types. By employing the correspondence between the ideal hydrodynamics and electrodynamics discussed in part I and by superimposing it with the already mentioned method of Abelian reduction, it is demonstrated that in the absence of boundaries only the iterated torus knots and links could be dynamically generated. Obtained results allow to develop further particle-knot/link correspondence studied in Kholodenko (2015) [13].« less

Noise Reduction in High-Throughput Gene Perturbation Screens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Motivation: Accurate interpretation of perturbation screens is essential for a successful functional investigation. However, the screened phenotypes are often distorted by noise, and their analysis requires specialized statistical analysis tools. The number and scope of statistical methods available...

Removal of oxides from alkali metal melts by reductive titration to electrical resistance-change end points

DOEpatents

Tsang, Floris Y.

1980-01-01

Alkali metal oxides dissolved in alkali metal melts are reduced with soluble metals which are converted to insoluble oxides. The end points of the reduction is detected as an increase in electrical resistance across an alkali metal ion-conductive membrane interposed between the oxide-containing melt and a material capable of accepting the alkali metal ions from the membrane when a difference in electrical potential, of the appropriate polarity, is established across it. The resistance increase results from blocking of the membrane face by ions of the excess reductant metal, to which the membrane is essentially non-conductive.

Selective Reduction: "A Soft Cover for Hard Choices" or Another Name for Abortion?

PubMed

Rao, Radhika

2015-01-01

Selective reduction and abortion both involve the termination of fetal life, but they are classified by different designations to underscore the notion that they are regarded as fundamentally different medical procedures: the two are performed using distinct techniques by different types of physicians, upon women under very different circumstances, in order to further dramatically different objectives. Hence, the two procedures appear to call for a distinct moral calculus, and they have traditionally evoked contradictory reactions from society. This essay posits that despite their different appellations, selective reduction and abortion are essentially equivalent. © 2015 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Essential Study Skills: The Complete Guide to Success at University. Second Edition. Sage Study Skills Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Tom; Sinfield, Sandra

2008-01-01

The eagerly-awaited new edition of the successful "Essential Study Skills" continues to provide a truly practical guide to achieving success at university. Whether you are going to university straight from school, a mature student, or an overseas student studying in the UK for the first time, this is the book that will help you to better…

Recruitment and Retention of Pregnant Women for a Behavioral Intervention: Lessons from the Maternal Adiposity, Metabolism, and Stress (MAMAS) Study

PubMed Central

Laraia, Barbara A.; Adler, Nancy; Vieten, Cassandra; Thomas, Melanie; Epel, Elissa

2013-01-01

Introduction Recruiting participants for research studies can be challenging. Many studies fall short of their target or must prolong recruitment to reach it. We examined recruitment and retention strategies and report lessons learned in a behavioral intervention developmental trial to encourage healthy pregnancy weight gain and stress reduction in low-income overweight pregnant women. Methods In the San Francisco Bay area from February 2010 through March 2011, we used direct and indirect strategies to recruit English-speaking overweight and obese pregnant women who were aged 18 to 45, were in the early stages of pregnancy, and who had an annual household income less than 500% of the federal poverty guidelines. Eligible women who consented participated in focus groups or an 8-week behavioral intervention. We identified successful recruiting strategies and sites and calculated the percentage of women who were enrolled and retained. Results Of 127 women screened for focus group participation, 69 were eligible and enrolled. A total of 57 women participated in 9 focus groups and 3 women completed individual interviews for a completion rate of 87%. During recruitment for the intervention, we made contact with 204 women; 135 were screened, 33% were eligible, and 69.1% of eligible women enrolled. At 1 month postpartum, 82.6% of eligible women completed an assessment. Recruiting at hospital-based prenatal clinics was the highest-yielding strategy. Conclusion The narrow window of eligibility for enrolling early stage pregnant women in a group intervention presents obstacles. In-person recruitment was the most successful strategy; establishing close relationships with providers, clinic staff, social service providers, and study participants was essential to successful recruitment and retention. PMID:23469765

Edible films from methylcellulose and nanoemulsions of clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oils as shelf life extenders for sliced bread.

PubMed

Otoni, Caio G; Pontes, Silvania F O; Medeiros, Eber A A; Soares, Nilda de F F

2014-06-04

Consumers are increasingly demanding foods with lower synthetic preservatives. Plant essential oils are natural compounds with remarkable antimicrobial properties and may be incorporated as emulsions into water-soluble polymers to form antimicrobial films. Coarse emulsions (diameters of 1.3-1.9 μm) and nanoemulsions (diameters of 180-250 nm) of clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oils were produced through low-speed mixing and ultrasonication, respectively. Methylcellulose was added for film-forming purposes. Both essential oils reduced the rigidity and increased the extensibility of the methylcellulose films, effects that were even more pronounced for nanodroplets. Both essential oils lessened the counts of yeasts and molds in sliced bread during 15 days, and droplet size reduction provided a further improvement in antimicrobial properties. Due to increased bioavailability, less preservative content might be used and still deliver the same antimicrobial efficiency if encapsulated in smaller particles.

Structural Basis for Inactivation of the Human Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex by Phosphorylation: Role of Disordered Phosphorylation Loops

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kato, Masato; Wynn, R. Max; Chuang, Jacinta L.

2009-09-11

We report the crystal structures of the phosporylated pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1p) component of the human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). The complete phosphorylation at Ser264-{alpha} (site 1) of a variant E1p protein was achieved using robust pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 free of the PDC core. We show that unlike its unmodified counterpart, the presence of a phosphoryl group at Ser264-{alpha} prevents the cofactor thiamine diphosphate-induced ordering of the two loops carrying the three phosphorylation sites. The disordering of these phosphorylation loops is caused by a previously unrecognized steric clash between the phosphoryl group at site 1 and a nearby Ser266-{alpha}, whichmore » nullifies a hydrogen-bonding network essential for maintaining the loop conformations. The disordered phosphorylation loops impede the binding of lipoyl domains of the PDC core to E1p, negating the reductive acetylation step. This results in the disruption of the substrate channeling in the PDC, leading to the inactivation of this catalytic machine.« less

Extrinsic contributions to the dielectric response in sintered BaTiO3 nanostructures in paraelectric and ferroelectric regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaffari, G. Hassnain; Rehman, Atiq ur; Iqbal, Asad M.; Awan, M. S.; Saleemi, Mohsin

2017-11-01

Post sintering studies of BaTiO3 (BTO) nanoparticles are presented in detail. Bulk nanostructures were prepared via three different compaction processes, namely, uniaxial cold pressing (UCP), Cold Isostatic Pressing (CIP) and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). Effect of compaction technique on microstructures have been investigated and correlated with electrical response for each sample. In addition to the transport properties, temperature and frequency dependent dielectric response of variously sintered samples and bulk counterpart was recorded. Several aspects have been identified that are essential to be taken into account in order to completely understand physical processes. Drastically distinct features were observed in paraelectric (PE) regime well above ferroelectric (FE)-PE transition temperature. These features include intra grain conduction with a reduction in the magnitude of PE to FE peak dielectric constant magnitude. Role of strain, grain boundary conduction associated with observation of Maxwell Wagner relaxation and hopping conduction in dielectric and ferroelectric response have been observed and discussed. Densification with presence of oxygen vacancies, significantly enhances conductivity associated with the hopping of the carriers, in turn deteriorated ferroelectric response.

In vivo modification of tRNA with an artificial nucleobase leads to full disease remission in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Varghese, Sreeja; Cotter, Michelle; Chevot, Franciane; Fergus, Claire; Cunningham, Colm; Mills, Kingston H; Connon, Stephen J; Southern, John M; Kelly, Vincent P

2017-02-28

Queuine is a modified pyrrolopyrimidine nucleobase derived exclusively from bacteria. It post-transcriptionally replaces guanine 34 in transfer RNA isoacceptors for Asp, Asn, His and Tyr, in almost all eukaryotic organisms, through the activity of the ancient tRNA guanine transglycosylase (TGT) enzyme. tRNA hypomodification with queuine is a characteristic of rapidly-proliferating, non-differentiated cells. Autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, are characterised by the rapid expansion of T cells directed to self-antigens. Here, we demonstrate the potential medicinal relevance of targeting the modification of tRNA in the treatment of a chronic multiple sclerosis model—murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Administration of a de novo designed eukaryotic TGT substrate (NPPDAG) led to an unprecedented complete reversal of clinical symptoms and a dramatic reduction of markers associated with immune hyperactivation and neuronal damage after five daily doses. TGT is essential for the therapeutic effect, since animals deficient in TGT activity were refractory to therapy. The data suggest that exploitation of the eukaryotic TGT enzyme is a promising approach for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Detection of Nisin and Fibrinogen Adsorption on Poly(ethylene Oxide) Coated Polyurethane Surfaces by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS)

PubMed Central

Schilke, Karl F.; McGuire, Joseph

2011-01-01

Stable, pendant polyethylene oxide (PEO) layers were formed on medical-grade Pellethane® and Tygon® polyurethane surfaces, by adsorption and gamma-irradiation of PEO-polybutadiene-PEO triblock surfactants. Coated and uncoated polyurethanes were challenged individually or sequentially with nisin (a small polypeptide with antimicrobial activity) and/or fibrinogen, and then analyzed with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Data reduction by robust principal components analysis (PCA) allowed detection of outliers, and distinguished adsorbed nisin and fibrinogen. Fibrinogen-contacted surfaces, with or without nisin, were very similar on uncoated polymer surfaces, consistent with nearly complete displacement or coverage of previously-adsorbed nisin by fibrinogen. In contrast, nisin-loaded PEO layers remained essentially unchanged upon challenge with fibrinogen, suggesting that the adsorbed nisin is stabilized within the pendant PEO layer, while the peptide-loaded PEO layer retains its ability to repel large proteins. Coatings of PEO loaded with therapeutic polypeptides on medical polymers have the potential to be used to produce anti-fouling and biofunctional surfaces for implantable or blood-contacting devices. PMID:21440897

Biopreservation of hamburgers by essential oil of Zataria multiflora.

PubMed

Samadi, N; Sharifan, A; Emam-Djomeh, Z; Sormaghi, M H Salehi

2012-01-01

Hamburgers with high nutrient supply and a loosely-packed structure present favourable conditions for microbial growth. In this study, the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Zataria multiflora and its potential application as a natural preservative in reducing the indigenous microbial population of hamburgers were investigated. Carvacrol, thymol and linalool were found to be the most abundant constituents of the essential oil using GC-MS analysis. The essential oil exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Addition of Z. multiflora essential oil in concentrations higher than MIC values influenced the microbial population of hamburgers stored at 25°C, 4°C and -12°C. The significant results of this study are our observations that the use of Z. multiflora essential oil at 0.05% v/w increases the time needed for the natural microflora of hamburgers to reach concentrations able to produce a perceivable spoilage at refrigerator and room temperatures without any inverse effect on their sensory attributes. Freezing of essential oil-treated hamburgers may also reduce the risk of diseases associated with consumption of under-cooked hamburgers through significant microbial reduction by more than 3 log.

The mechanism of antifungal action of essential oil from dill (Anethum graveolens L.) on Aspergillus flavus.

PubMed

Tian, Jun; Ban, Xiaoquan; Zeng, Hong; He, Jingsheng; Chen, Yuxin; Wang, Youwei

2012-01-01

The essential oil extracted from the seeds of dill (Anethum graveolens L.) was demonstrated in this study as a potential source of an eco-friendly antifungal agent. To elucidate the mechanism of the antifungal action further, the effect of the essential oil on the plasma membrane and mitochondria of Aspergillus flavus was investigated. The lesion in the plasma membrane was detected through flow cytometry and further verified through the inhibition of ergosterol synthesis. The essential oil caused morphological changes in the cells of A. flavus and a reduction in the ergosterol quantity. Moreover, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), acidification of external medium, and mitochondrial ATPase and dehydrogenase activities were detected. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation was also examined through fluorometric assay. Exposure to dill oil resulted in an elevation of MMP, and in the suppression of the glucose-induced decrease in external pH at 4 µl/ml. Decreased ATPase and dehydrogenase activities in A. flavus cells were also observed in a dose-dependent manner. The above dysfunctions of the mitochondria caused ROS accumulation in A. flavus. A reduction in cell viability was prevented through the addition of L-cysteine, which indicates that ROS is an important mediator of the antifungal action of dill oil. In summary, the antifungal activity of dill oil results from its ability to disrupt the permeability barrier of the plasma membrane and from the mitochondrial dysfunction-induced ROS accumulation in A. flavus.

Essential oil mediated synthesis of silver nanocrystals for environmental, anti-microbial and antioxidant applications.

PubMed

Vilas, Vidya; Philip, Daizy; Mathew, Joseph

2016-04-01

Our quest for a green, non-toxic and environmentally benign synthetic design for the fabrication of metal nanoparticles has led to the use of essential oil present in plant parts as the bioreductant. In this report, silver particles at nanoscale have been synthesized using essential oil present in the leaves of Coleus aromaticus at physiological pH and at 373 K. UV-vis spectra of the colloid display strong plasmon bands centred around 396-411 nm, characteristic of silver nanoparticles. Comparative studies of the FTIR spectra of essential oil and silver nanoparticles reveal the involvement of terpenes and their phenolic derivatives in reduction and subsequent stabilization. TEM micrographs and XRD pattern show the formation of 26 and 28 nm sized face centred cubic structured crystalline nanospheroids with intermittent formation of nanorods. The phytosynthesized silver nanoparticles are found to be effective in degrading hazardous organic pollutants including methyl orange, methylene blue, eosin yellowish and para nitro phenol within a span of a few minutes. Dose dependant antibacterial activity of the biogenic nanosilver against pathogenic Gramme-negative Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Gramme-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) has been portrayed through agar-well dispersion method. The antioxidant activity including antiradical activity and reducing power have been depicted through superoxide radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, nitric oxide scavenging activity, DPPH assay and reducing power activity involving the reduction of ferric ion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transposon Mutagenesis Identified Chromosomal and Plasmid Genes Essential for Adaptation of the Marine Bacterium Dinoroseobacter shibae to Anaerobic Conditions

PubMed Central

Ebert, Matthias; Laaß, Sebastian; Burghartz, Melanie; Petersen, Jörn; Koßmehl, Sebastian; Wöhlbrand, Lars; Rabus, Ralf; Wittmann, Christoph; Jahn, Dieter

2013-01-01

Anaerobic growth and survival are integral parts of the life cycle of many marine bacteria. To identify genes essential for the anoxic life of Dinoroseobacter shibae, a transposon library was screened for strains impaired in anaerobic denitrifying growth. Transposon insertions in 35 chromosomal and 18 plasmid genes were detected. The essential contribution of plasmid genes to anaerobic growth was confirmed with plasmid-cured D. shibae strains. A combined transcriptome and proteome approach identified oxygen tension-regulated genes. Transposon insertion sites of a total of 1,527 mutants without an anaerobic growth phenotype were determined to identify anaerobically induced but not essential genes. A surprisingly small overlap of only three genes (napA, phaA, and the Na+/Pi antiporter gene Dshi_0543) between anaerobically essential and induced genes was found. Interestingly, transposon mutations in genes involved in dissimilatory and assimilatory nitrate reduction (napA, nasA) and corresponding cofactor biosynthesis (genomic moaB, moeB, and dsbC and plasmid-carried dsbD and ccmH) were found to cause anaerobic growth defects. In contrast, mutation of anaerobically induced genes encoding proteins required for the later denitrification steps (nirS, nirJ, nosD), dimethyl sulfoxide reduction (dmsA1), and fermentation (pdhB1, arcA, aceE, pta, acs) did not result in decreased anaerobic growth under the conditions tested. Additional essential components (ferredoxin, cccA) of the anaerobic electron transfer chain and central metabolism (pdhB) were identified. Another surprise was the importance of sodium gradient-dependent membrane processes and genomic rearrangements via viruses, transposons, and insertion sequence elements for anaerobic growth. These processes and the observed contributions of cell envelope restructuring (lysM, mipA, fadK), C4-dicarboxylate transport (dctM1, dctM3), and protease functions to anaerobic growth require further investigation to unravel the novel underlying adaptation strategies. PMID:23974024

Bacterial radiosensitization by using radiation processing in combination with essential oil: Mechanism of action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacroix, Monique; Caillet, Stéphane; Shareck, Francois

2009-07-01

Spice extracts under the form of essential oils were tested for their efficiency to increase the relative radiosensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157H7 in culture media. The two pathogens were treated by gamma-irradiation alone or in combination with oregano essential oil to evaluate their mechanism of action. The membrane murein composition, and the intracellular and extracellular concentration of ATP was determined. The bacterial strains were treated with two irradiation doses: 1.2 kGy to induce cell damage and 3.5 kGy to cause cell death for L. monocytogenes. A dose of 0.4 kGy to induce cell damages, 1.1 kGy to obtain viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and 1.3 kGy to obtain a lethal dose was also applied on E. coli O157H7. Oregano essential oil was used at 0.020% and 0.025% (w/v), which is the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for L. monocytogenes. For E. coli O157H7, a concentration of 0.006% and 0.025% (w/v) which is the minimum inhibitory concentration was applied. The use of essential oils in combination with irradiation has permitted an increase of the bacterial radiosensitization by more than 3.1 times. All treatments had also a significant effect ( p⩽0.05) on the murein composition, although some muropeptides did not seem to be affected by the treatment. Each treatment influenced differently the relative percentage and number of muropeptides. There was a significant ( p⩽0.05) correlation between the reduction of intracellular ATP and increase in extracellular ATP following treatment of the cells with oregano oil. The reduction of intracellular ATP was even more important when essential oil was combined with irradiation, but irradiation of L. monocytogenes alone induced a significant decrease ( p⩽0.05) of the internal ATP without affecting the external ATP.

Silencing of Essential Genes within a Highly Coordinated Operon in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Goh, Shan; Hohmeier, Angela; Stone, Timothy C; Offord, Victoria; Sarabia, Francisco; Garcia-Ruiz, Cristina; Good, Liam

2015-08-15

Essential bacterial genes located within operons are particularly challenging to study independently because of coordinated gene expression and the nonviability of knockout mutants. Essentiality scores for many operon genes remain uncertain. Antisense RNA (asRNA) silencing or in-frame gene disruption of genes may help establish essentiality but can lead to polar effects on genes downstream or upstream of the target gene. Here, the Escherichia coli ribF-ileS-lspA-fkpB-ispH operon was used to evaluate the possibility of independently studying an essential gene using expressed asRNA and target gene overexpression to deregulate coupled expression. The gene requirement for growth in conditional silencing strains was determined by the relationship of target mRNA reduction with growth inhibition as the minimum transcript level required for 50% growth (MTL50). Mupirocin and globomycin, the protein inhibitors of IleS and LspA, respectively, were used in sensitization assays of strains containing both asRNA-expressing and open reading frame-expressing plasmids to examine deregulation of the overlapping ileS-lspA genes. We found upstream and downstream polar silencing effects when either ileS or lspA was silenced, indicating coupled expression. Weighted MTL50 values (means and standard deviations) of ribF, ileS, and lspA were 0.65 ± 0.18, 0.64 ± 0.06, and 0.76 ± 0.10, respectively. However, they were not significantly different (P = 0.71 by weighted one-way analysis of variance). The gene requirement for ispH could not be determined due to insufficient growth reduction. Mupirocin and globomycin sensitization experiments indicated that ileS-lspA expression could not be decoupled. The results highlight the inherent challenges associated with genetic analyses of operons; however, coupling of essential genes may provide opportunities to improve RNA-silencing antimicrobials. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Silencing of Essential Genes within a Highly Coordinated Operon in Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Hohmeier, Angela; Stone, Timothy C.; Offord, Victoria; Sarabia, Francisco; Garcia-Ruiz, Cristina; Good, Liam

2015-01-01

Essential bacterial genes located within operons are particularly challenging to study independently because of coordinated gene expression and the nonviability of knockout mutants. Essentiality scores for many operon genes remain uncertain. Antisense RNA (asRNA) silencing or in-frame gene disruption of genes may help establish essentiality but can lead to polar effects on genes downstream or upstream of the target gene. Here, the Escherichia coli ribF-ileS-lspA-fkpB-ispH operon was used to evaluate the possibility of independently studying an essential gene using expressed asRNA and target gene overexpression to deregulate coupled expression. The gene requirement for growth in conditional silencing strains was determined by the relationship of target mRNA reduction with growth inhibition as the minimum transcript level required for 50% growth (MTL50). Mupirocin and globomycin, the protein inhibitors of IleS and LspA, respectively, were used in sensitization assays of strains containing both asRNA-expressing and open reading frame-expressing plasmids to examine deregulation of the overlapping ileS-lspA genes. We found upstream and downstream polar silencing effects when either ileS or lspA was silenced, indicating coupled expression. Weighted MTL50 values (means and standard deviations) of ribF, ileS, and lspA were 0.65 ± 0.18, 0.64 ± 0.06, and 0.76 ± 0.10, respectively. However, they were not significantly different (P = 0.71 by weighted one-way analysis of variance). The gene requirement for ispH could not be determined due to insufficient growth reduction. Mupirocin and globomycin sensitization experiments indicated that ileS-lspA expression could not be decoupled. The results highlight the inherent challenges associated with genetic analyses of operons; however, coupling of essential genes may provide opportunities to improve RNA-silencing antimicrobials. PMID:26070674

Simulation-Based Educational Module Improves Intern and Medical Student Performance of Closed Reduction and Percutaneous Pinning of Pediatric Supracondylar Humeral Fractures.

PubMed

Butler, Bennet A; Lawton, Cort D; Burgess, Jamie; Balderama, Earvin S; Barsness, Katherine A; Sarwark, John F

2017-12-06

Simulation-based education has been integrated into many orthopaedic residency programs to augment traditional teaching models. Here we describe the development and implementation of a combined didactic and simulation-based course for teaching medical students and interns how to properly perform a closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of a pediatric supracondylar humeral fracture. Subjects included in the study were either orthopaedic surgery interns or subinterns at our institution. Subjects all completed a combined didactic and simulation-based course on pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures. The first part of this course was an electronic (e)-learning module that the subjects could complete at home in approximately 40 minutes. The second part of the course was a 20-minute simulation-based skills learning session completed in the simulation center. Subject knowledge of closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of supracondylar humeral fractures was tested using a 30-question, multiple-choice, written test. Surgical skills were tested in the operating room or in a simulated operating room. Subject pre-intervention and post-intervention scores were compared to determine if and how much they had improved. A total of 21 subjects were tested. These subjects significantly improved their scores on both the written, multiple-choice test and skills test after completing the combined didactic and simulation module. Prior to the module, intern and subintern multiple-choice test scores were significantly worse than postgraduate year (PGY)-2 to PGY-5 resident scores (p < 0.01); after completion of the module, there was no significant difference in the multiple-choice test scores. After completing the module, there was no significant difference in skills test scores between interns and PGY-2 to PGY-5 residents. Both tests were validated using the scores obtained from PGY-2 to PGY-5 residents. Our combined didactic and simulation course significantly improved intern and subintern understanding of supracondylar humeral fractures and their ability to perform a closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of these fractures.

50 CFR 600.1009 - Bids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS Fishing Capacity Reduction Framework § 600.1009 Bids... prompt scrapping. The scrapping will be at the reduction vessel owner's risk and expense. Upon completion...

Comparative efficacy of Zataria multiflora Boiss., Origanum compactum and Eugenia caryophyllus essential oils against E. coli O157:H7, feline calicivirus and endogenous microbiota in commercial baby-leaf salads.

PubMed

Azizkhani, Maryam; Elizaquível, Patricia; Sánchez, Gloria; Selma, María Victoria; Aznar, Rosa

2013-09-02

Ready-to-eat salads using baby-leaf and multi-leaf mixes are one of the most promising developments in the fresh-cut food industry. There is great interest in developing novel decontamination treatments, which are both safe for consumers and more efficient against foodborne pathogens. In this study, emulsions of essential oils (EOs) from Origanum compactum (oregano), Eugenia caryophyllus (clove), and Zataria multiflora Boiss (zataria) were applied by spray (0.8 ml) after the sanitizing washing step. The aim was to investigate their ability to control the growth of potentially cross-contaminating pathogens and endogenous microbiota in commercial baby leaves, processed in a fresh-cut produce company. Zataria EO emulsions of 3%, 5% and 10% reduced Escherichia coli O157:H7 by 1.7, 2.2 and 3.5 log cfu/g in baby-leaf salads after 5 days of storage at 7°C. By contrast, reductions in E. coli O157:H7 counts remained the same when clove was applied at concentrations of 5% and 10% (2.5 log cfu/g reduction). Oregano (10%) reduced inoculated E. coli O157:H7 counts in baby-leaf salads by a maximum of 0.5 log cfu/g after 5 days of storage. Zataria showed strong antimicrobial efficacy against E. coli O157:H7 and also against the endogenous microbiota of baby-leaf salads stored for 9 days. Feline calicivirus (FCV), a norovirus surrogate, survived on inoculated baby-leaf salads during refrigerated storage (9 days at 7°C) regardless of treatment. Refrigeration temperatures completely annulled the effectiveness of the EOs against FCV inoculated in baby-leaf salads as occurred in FCV cultures. This study shows that EOs, and zataria in particular, have great potential use as an additional barrier to reduce contamination-related risks in baby-leaf salads. However, further research should be done into foodborne viruses in order to improve food safety. © 2013.

Sss1p Is Required to Complete Protein Translocon Activation*

PubMed Central

Wilkinson, Barrie M.; Brownsword, Judith K.; Mousley, Carl J.; Stirling, Colin J.

2010-01-01

Protein translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane occurs at the Sec61 translocon. This has two essential subunits, the channel-forming multispanning membrane protein Sec61p/Sec61α and the tail-anchored Sss1p/Sec61γ, which has been proposed to “clamp” the channel. We have analyzed the function of Sss1p using a series of domain mutants and found that both the cytosolic and transmembrane clamp domains of Sss1p are essential for protein translocation. Our data reveal that the cytosolic domain is required for Sec61p interaction but that the transmembrane clamp domain is required to complete activation of the translocon after precursor targeting to Sec61p. PMID:20709746

Comparison between conjugated linoleic acid and essential fatty acids in preventing oxidative stress in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

PubMed

Basiricò, L; Morera, P; Dipasquale, D; Tröscher, A; Bernabucci, U

2017-03-01

Some in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated protective effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers against oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. However, only a few and conflicting studies have been conducted showing the antioxidant potential of essential fatty acids. The objectives of the study were to compare the effects of CLA to other essential fatty acids on the thiol redox status of bovine mammary epithelia cells (BME-UV1) and their protective role against oxidative damage on the mammary gland by an in vitro study. The BME-UV1 cells were treated with complete medium containing 50 μM of cis-9,trans-11 CLA, trans-10,cis-12 CLA, α-linolenic acid, γ-linolenic acid, and linoleic acid. To assess the cellular antioxidant response, glutathione, NADPH, and γ-glutamyl-cysteine ligase activity were measured 48 h after addition of fatty acids (FA). Intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde production were also assessed in cells supplemented with FA. Reactive oxygen species production after 3 h of H 2 O 2 exposure was assessed to evaluate and to compare the potential protection of different FA against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress. All FA treatments induced an intracellular GSH increase, matched by high concentrations of NADPH and an increase of γ-glutamyl-cysteine ligase activity. Cells supplemented with FA showed a reduction in intracellular malondialdehyde levels. In particular, CLA isomers and linoleic acid supplementation showed a better antioxidant cellular response against oxidative damage induced by H 2 O 2 compared with other FA. The Authors. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Recombinant interferon-α in myelofibrosis reduces bone marrow fibrosis, improves its morphology and is associated with clinical response.

PubMed

Pizzi, Marco; Silver, Richard T; Barel, Ariella; Orazi, Attilio

2015-10-01

Recombinant interferon-α represents a well-established therapeutic option for the treatment of polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia. Recent studies also suggest a role for recombinant interferon-α in the treatment of 'early stage' primary myelofibrosis, but few studies have reported the bone marrow changes after clinically successful interferon therapy. The aim of the present study is to detail the histological responses to recombinant interferon-α in primary myelofibrosis and post-polycythemia vera/post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis and to correlate these with clinical findings. We retrospectively studied 12 patients with primary myelofibrosis or post-polycythemia vera/post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis, who had been treated with recombinant interferon-α. Six patients had received other prior cytoreductive therapies. Bone marrow biopsy was assessed for the following histological parameters: (i) cellularity; (ii) myeloid-to-erythroid ratio; (iii) megakaryocyte tight clusters; (iv) megakaryocyte and naked nuclei density; (v) megakaryocytic atypia; (vi) fibrosis; and (vii) the percentage of blasts. Clinical and laboratory data were included: (i) constitutional symptoms; (ii) splenomegaly, if present; and (iii) complete cell blood count. The clinical response to therapy was evaluated using the International Working Group for Myelofibrosis Research and Treatment/European LeukemiaNet response criteria. The Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS) score was calculated before and after recombinant interferon-α administration. Successful interferon therapy for myelofibrosis was associated with a significant reduction of marrow fibrosis, cellularity, megakaryocyte density and naked nuclei density. The presence of JAK2(V617F) mutation correlated with improved DIPSS score. JAK2(V617F)-negative cases showed worsening of such score or evolution to acute myeloid leukemia. Cytogenetic analysis documented a normal karyotype in all cases. In conclusion, successful clinical response to interferon-α correlates well with an improvement of bone marrow morphology. The prognostic effect of such therapy may be influenced by the JAK2 mutational status. Additional studies are needed to confirm these preliminary data.

Investing in College Completion. The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 11, Number 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States (NJ1), 2010

2010-01-01

States are faced with the difficult challenge of increasing college completion rates at a time of historic budget shortfalls. While most agree that increasing the education level of U.S. citizens is essential to future economic prosperity (and public revenue collection), institutions will need to meet the goal through the more efficient use of…

Closing the College Completion Gap: A Guidebook for the Faith Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Laura A.; Bridgeland, John M.; DiIulio, John J., Jr.

2010-01-01

A degree beyond high school has become an essential element of opportunity in America and is a proven pathway out of poverty. However, the majority of our nation's young people, especially low-income Americans, are finding it difficult to complete this pathway to success. Every day, there are faith communities throughout the country that are…

[Ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum].

PubMed

Haustein, M; Reschke, F; Terai, N; Lesczcynska, A; Wozniak, K; Pillunat, L E; Sommer, F

2014-02-01

The ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum is a congenital eyelid anomaly in which the development of the eyelids is completed but the eyelids are not completely separated at birth. The abnormality can occur as an isolated anomaly, together with other eye diseases or in the context of systemic syndromes. In this case report the current classification and essential diagnostics of AFA will be reviewed.

Mental Health Nursing Practicum: Student and Mentor Perspectives on Stress and Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelabert-Vilella, Sandra; Bonmati-Tomàs, Anna; Bosch-Farré, Cristina; Malagón-Aguilera, M. Carmen; Fuentes-Pumarola, Concepció; Ballester-Ferrando, David

2014-01-01

Nursing students begin to complete practicum experiences during their first year, increasing the number of applied credits as they progress toward degree completion. This contributes to integrating knowledge and skills from all of their courses and to obtaining the basic competencies of the nursing profession. It is also essential to identify the…

Overview of reductants utilized in nuclear fuel reprocessing/recycling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patricia Paviet-Hartmann; Catherine Riddle; Keri Campbell

2013-10-01

Most of the aqueous processes developed, or under consideration worldwide for the recycling of used nuclear fuel (UNF) utilize the oxido-reduction properties of actinides to separate them from other radionuclides. Generally, after acid dissolution of the UNF, (essentially in nitric acid solution), actinides are separated from the raffinate by liquid-liquid extraction using specific solvents, associated along the process, with a particular reductant that will allow the separation to occur. For example, the industrial PUREX process utilizes hydroxylamine as a plutonium reductant. Hydroxylamine has numerous advantages: not only does it have the proper attributes to reduce Pu(IV) to Pu(III), but itmore » is also a non-metallic chemical that is readily decomposed to innocuous products by heating. However, it has been observed that the presence of high nitric acid concentrations or impurities (such as metal ions) in hydroxylamine solutions increase the likelihood of the initiation of an autocatalytic reaction. Recently there has been some interest in the application of simple hydrophilic hydroxamic ligands such as acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) for the stripping of tetravalent actinides in the UREX process flowsheet. This approach is based on the high coordinating ability of hydroxamic acids with tetravalent actinides (Np and Pu) compared with hexavalent uranium. Thus, the use of AHA offers a route for controlling neptunium and plutonium in the UREX process by complexant based stripping of Np(IV) and Pu(IV) from the TBP solvent phase, while U(VI) ions are not affected by AHA and remain solvated in the TBP phase. In the European GANEX process, AHA is also used to form hydrophilic complexes with actinides and strip them from the organic phase into nitric acid. However, AHA does not decompose completely when treated with nitric acid and hampers nitric acid recycling. In lieu of using AHA in the UREX + process, formohydroxamic acid (FHA), although not commercially available, hold promises as a replacement for AHA. FHA undergoes hydrolysis to formic acid which is volatile, thus allowing the recycling of nitric acid. Unfortunately, FHA powder was not stable in the experiments we ran in our laboratory. In addition, AHA and FHA also decompose to hydroxylamine which may undergo an autocatalytic reaction. Other reductants are available and could be extremely useful for actinides separation. The review presents the current plutonium reductants used in used nuclear fuel reprocessing and will introduce innovative and novel reductants that could become reducers for future research on UNF separation.« less

A Toxicological Perspective on Disinfection ByProducts

EPA Science Inventory

Disinfection of water is essential for reduction of microbes harmful to human health and chemical disinfection is considered one of the major public health triumphs of the 20th Century. An unintended consequence of disinfection with oxidizing chemicals is formation of disinfectio...

ENCOURAGING TOXIC USE REDUCTION IN ACADEMIC LABORATORIES

EPA Science Inventory

This project seeks to balance essential research with its associated environmental burdens by promoting the use of less toxic and less polluting alternatives to commonly used toxic chemicals. MIT seeks to use the purchasing process to provide researchers with the o...

Growing evidence for human health benefits of boron

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Growing evidence from numerous laboratories using a variety of experimental models shows that boron is a bioactive beneficial, perhaps essential, element for humans. Reported beneficial actions of boron include arthritis alleviation or risk reduction; bone growth and maintenance; central nervous sys...

78 FR 12780 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-25

... INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information about this ICR, Elizabeth Lemersal, Earthquake Hazards... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Earthquake Hazards Program Research and Monitoring. OMB Control Number: 1028... findings are essential to fulfilling USGS's responsibility under the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act to...

Group Reduction of Test Anxiety: Does It Really Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, David B.

This article summarizes the performance of 52 college students who completed a one-credit class for the reduction of test anxiety. The anxiety reduction program uses a variety of study skills and behavioral strategies to improve school performance. The 8-to-10 week class is taught in small groups of from 2 to 6 students. Content focuses on: (1)…

Delivering data reduction pipelines to science users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freudling, Wolfram; Romaniello, Martino

2016-07-01

The European Southern Observatory has a long history of providing specialized data processing algorithms, called recipes, for most of its instruments. These recipes are used for both operational purposes at the observatory sites, and for data reduction by the scientists at their home institutions. The two applications require substantially different environments for running and controlling the recipes. In this papers, we describe the ESOReflex environment that is used for running recipes on the users' desktops. ESOReflex is a workflow driven data reduction environment. It allows intuitive representation, execution and modification of the data reduction workflow, and has facilities for inspection of and interaction with the data. It includes fully automatic data organization and visualization, interaction with recipes, and the exploration of the provenance tree of intermediate and final data products. ESOReflex uses a number of innovative concepts that have been described in Ref. 1. In October 2015, the complete system was released to the public. ESOReflex allows highly efficient data reduction, using its internal bookkeeping database to recognize and skip previously completed steps during repeated processing of the same or similar data sets. It has been widely adopted by the science community for the reduction of VLT data.

Shell model for drag reduction with polymer additives in homogeneous turbulence.

PubMed

Benzi, Roberto; De Angelis, Elisabetta; Govindarajan, Rama; Procaccia, Itamar

2003-07-01

Recent direct numerical simulations of the finite-extensibility nonlinear elastic dumbbell model with the Peterlin approximation of non-Newtonian hydrodynamics revealed that the phenomenon of drag reduction by polymer additives exists (albeit in reduced form) also in homogeneous turbulence. We use here a simple shell model for homogeneous viscoelastic flows, which recaptures the essential observations of the full simulations. The simplicity of the shell model allows us to offer a transparent explanation of the main observations. It is shown that the mechanism for drag reduction operates mainly on large scales. Understanding the mechanism allows us to predict how the amount of drag reduction depends on the various parameters in the model. The main conclusion is that drag reduction is not a universal phenomenon; it peaks in a window of parameters such as the Reynolds number and the relaxation rate of the polymer.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kreutzer, Cory J.; Rugh, John; Tomerlin, Jeff

Increased market penetration of electric drive vehicles (EDVs) requires overcoming a number of hurdles, including limited vehicle range and the elevated cost in comparison to conventional vehicles. Climate control loads have a significant impact on range, cutting it by over 50% in both cooling and heating conditions. To minimize the impact of climate control on EDV range, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has partnered with Hyundai America and key industry partners to quantify the performance of thermal load reduction technologies on a Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Technologies that impact vehicle cabin heating in cold weather conditions and cabinmore » cooling in warm weather conditions were evaluated. Tests included thermal transient and steady-state periods for all technologies, including the development of a new test methodology to evaluate the performance of occupant thermal conditioning. Heated surfaces demonstrated significant reductions in energy use from steady-state heating, including a 29%-59% reduction from heated surfaces. Solar control glass packages demonstrated significant reductions in energy use for both transient and steady-state cooling, with up to a 42% reduction in transient and 12.8% reduction in steady-state energy use for the packages evaluated. Technologies that demonstrated significant climate control load reduction were selected for incorporation into a complete thermal load reduction package. The complete package is set to be evaluated in the second phase of the ongoing project.« less

Coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Wright, Charles H.

1986-01-01

A process for the liquefaction of coal wherein raw feed coal is dissolved in recycle solvent with a slurry containing recycle coal minerals in the presence of added hydrogen at elevated temperature and pressure. The highest boiling distillable dissolved liquid fraction is obtained from a vacuum distillation zone and is entirely recycled to extinction. Lower boiling distillable dissolved liquid is removed in vapor phase from the dissolver zone and passed without purification and essentially without reduction in pressure to a catalytic hydrogenation zone where it is converted to an essentially colorless liquid product boiling in the transportation fuel range.

Gender and Psychological Essentialism

PubMed Central

Heyman, Gail D.; Giles, Jessica W.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY When individuals reason in an essentialist way about social categories, they assume that group differences reflect inherently different natures (Gelman, 2003; Rothbart & Taylor, 1992). This paper describes the psychological and social implications of essentialist beliefs, and examines the extent to which children exhibit psychological essentialism when reasoning about gender. The authors discuss reasons young children as well as older children show essentialist reasoning in some contexts, but not in others. Finally, the authors suggest directions for future research, and discuss a primary challenge to many working in this field: reduction of rigid gender beliefs. PMID:21528097

The Relationship between Cultural Anxiety and Ethnic Essentialism: The Mediating Role of an Endorsement of Multicultural Ideology

PubMed Central

Yang, Xiao-li; Liu, Li; Shi, Yuan-yuan; Li, Yong-shuai; Tan, Xuyun; Hu, Xiao-meng; Sun, Xiao-min

2015-01-01

Many studies have explored the social consequences of ethnic essentialism in recent decades. In addition, a few studies have focused on the impact of perceived cultural context on ethnic essentialism. However, it is not clear why perceived cultural context can lead to changes in ethnic essentialism. In the present study, we hypothesized that the cultural anxiety of ethnic minorities may trigger a strong endorsement of and support for a multicultural ideology, thereby affecting beliefs about ethnic groups. To address the issue, 226 Tibetan and 102 Hui college students from Mainland China completed our questionnaires. The results across the two samples showed that (1) cultural anxiety was positively associated with both the endorsement of a multicultural ideology and ethnic essentialism, (2) cultural anxiety and the endorsement of a multicultural ideology positively predicted ethnic essentialism after controlling for demographic variables, and (3) cultural anxiety had both a direct effect on ethnic essentialism and an indirect effect on ethnic essentialism through the endorsement of a multicultural ideology. Our findings suggest that when ethnic minorities experience cultural anxiety, they might endorse a multicultural ideology and adopt essentialism to affirm their ethnic identities. PMID:26555505

The Relationship between Cultural Anxiety and Ethnic Essentialism: The Mediating Role of an Endorsement of Multicultural Ideology.

PubMed

Yang, Xiao-li; Liu, Li; Shi, Yuan-yuan; Li, Yong-shuai; Tan, Xuyun; Hu, Xiao-meng; Sun, Xiao-min

2015-01-01

Many studies have explored the social consequences of ethnic essentialism in recent decades. In addition, a few studies have focused on the impact of perceived cultural context on ethnic essentialism. However, it is not clear why perceived cultural context can lead to changes in ethnic essentialism. In the present study, we hypothesized that the cultural anxiety of ethnic minorities may trigger a strong endorsement of and support for a multicultural ideology, thereby affecting beliefs about ethnic groups. To address the issue, 226 Tibetan and 102 Hui college students from Mainland China completed our questionnaires. The results across the two samples showed that (1) cultural anxiety was positively associated with both the endorsement of a multicultural ideology and ethnic essentialism, (2) cultural anxiety and the endorsement of a multicultural ideology positively predicted ethnic essentialism after controlling for demographic variables, and (3) cultural anxiety had both a direct effect on ethnic essentialism and an indirect effect on ethnic essentialism through the endorsement of a multicultural ideology. Our findings suggest that when ethnic minorities experience cultural anxiety, they might endorse a multicultural ideology and adopt essentialism to affirm their ethnic identities.

Design and Implementation of a Thermal Load Reduction System in a Hyundai PHEV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kreutzer, Cory J; Rugh, John P

Increased market penetration of electric drive vehicles (EDVs) requires overcoming a number of hurdles including limited vehicle range and the elevated cost of EDVs as compared to conventional vehicles. Climate control loads have a significant impact on range, cutting it by over 50% in both cooling and heating conditions. In order to minimize the impact of climate control on EDV range, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has partnered with Hyundai America and key industry partners to quantify the performance of thermal load reduction technologies on a Hyundai Sonata PHEV. Technologies that impact vehicle cabin heating in cold weather conditions andmore » cabin cooling in warm weather conditions were evaluated. Tests included thermal transient and steady-state periods for all technologies, including the development of a new test methodology to evaluate the performance of occupant thermal conditioning. Heated surfaces and increased insulation demonstrated significant reductions in energy use from steady-state heating, including a 29% - 59% reduction from heated surfaces. Solar control glass packages demonstrated significant reductions in energy use for both transient and steady-state cooling, with up to a 42% reduction in transient and 12.8% reduction in steady-state energy use for the packages evaluated. Technologies that demonstrated significant climate control load reduction were selected for incorporation into a complete thermal load reduction package. The complete package is set to be evaluated in the second phase of the ongoing project.« less

Vertical Patellar Dislocation: Reduction by the Push Up and Rotate Method, A Case Report and Literature Review.

PubMed

Ahmad Khan, Hayat; Bashir Shah, Adil; Kamal, Younis

2016-11-01

Patellar dislocation is an emergency. Vertical patellar dislocation is rare, often seen in adolescents and mostly due to sports injuries or high-velocity trauma. Few cases have been reported in the literature. Closed or open reduction under general anesthesia is often needed. We report a case of vertical locked patellar dislocation in a 26-year-old male, which was reduced by a simple closed method under spinal anaesthesia. A literature review regarding the various methods of treatment is also discussed. A 26-year-old male experienced a trivial accident while descending stairs, sustaining patellar dislocation. The closed method of reduction was attempted, using a simple technique. Reduction was confirmed and postoperative rehabilitation was started. Follow-up was uneventful. Vertical patellar dislocations are encountered rarely in the emergency department. Adolescents are not the only victims, and high-velocity trauma is not the essential cause. Unnecessary manipulation should be avoided. The closed reduction method is simple, but the surgeon should be prepared for open reduction.

Effect of a toothpaste containing triclosan, cetylpyridinium chloride, and essential oils on gingival status in schoolchildren: a randomized clinical pilot study.

PubMed

Cagetti, Maria Grazia; Strohmenger, Laura; Basile, Valentina; Abati, Silvio; Mastroberardino, Stefano; Campus, Guglielmo

2015-05-01

This randomized double-blind in vivo pilot study has evaluated the effects of a toothpaste containing fluoride (control) versus toothpaste containing fluoride, triclosan, cetylpyridinium chloride and essential oils (experimental) in controlling supragingival dental plaque and bleeding on probing in a sample of healthy schoolchildren. In total, 48 children (8 to 10 years) were selected and randomly divided into two groups (experimental and control), using the two different toothpastes twice a day for 2 minutes each for a 4-week period. The investigation included an evaluation of plaque quantity, using the Turesky modified Quigley-Hein method, and bleeding on probing that was recorded dichotomously. The unit of analysis was set at the gingival site level. Plaque Index and bleeding on probing were analyzed using distribution tables and chi-square test. A generalized estimating equation was used to estimate the parameters of a generalized linear model with a possible unknown correlation between outcomes. In total, 40 schoolchildren completed the trial. Considering each group separately, a statistically significant difference in plaque scores was recorded for both treatments (z-test = 9.23, P < .01 for the experimental toothpaste; and z-test = 7.47, P < .01 for the control toothpaste). Nevertheless, the effect over time was higher for the experimental toothpaste than for the control one (3.38 vs 1.96). No statistically significant results were observed regarding bleeding on probing. The 4-week use of the experimental toothpaste seems to produce higher plaque reduction compared to fluoridated toothpaste without other antibacterial ingredients. This finding has to be confirmed in a larger study.

The very-long-chain hydroxy fatty acyl-CoA dehydratase PASTICCINO2 is essential and limiting for plant development

PubMed Central

Bach, Liên; Michaelson, Louise V.; Haslam, Richard; Bellec, Yannick; Gissot, Lionel; Marion, Jessica; Da Costa, Marco; Boutin, Jean-Pierre; Miquel, Martine; Tellier, Frédérique; Domergue, Frederic; Markham, Jonathan E.; Beaudoin, Frederic; Napier, Johnathan A.; Faure, Jean-Denis

2008-01-01

Very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are synthesized as acyl-CoAs by the endoplasmic reticulum-localized elongase multiprotein complex. Two Arabidopsis genes are putative homologues of the recently identified yeast 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydratase (PHS1), the third enzyme of the elongase complex. We showed that Arabidopsis PASTICCINO2 (PAS2) was able to restore phs1 cytokinesis defects and sphingolipid long chain base overaccumulation. Conversely, the expression of PHS1 was able to complement the developmental defects and the accumulation of long chain bases of the pas2–1 mutant. The pas2–1 mutant was characterized by a general reduction of VLCFA pools in seed storage triacylglycerols, cuticular waxes, and complex sphingolipids. Most strikingly, the defective elongation cycle resulted in the accumulation of 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA intermediates, indicating premature termination of fatty acid elongation and confirming the role of PAS2 in this process. We demonstrated by in vivo bimolecular fluorescence complementation that PAS2 was specifically associated in the endoplasmic reticulum with the enoyl-CoA reductase CER10, the fourth enzyme of the elongase complex. Finally, complete loss of PAS2 function is embryo lethal, and the ectopic expression of PHS1 led to enhanced levels of VLCFAs associated with severe developmental defects. Altogether these results demonstrate that the plant 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydratase PASTICCINO2 is an essential and limiting enzyme in VLCFA synthesis but also that PAS2-derived VLCFA homeostasis is required for specific developmental processes. PMID:18799749

Effect of exercise training in 60- to 69-year-old persons with essential hypertension.

PubMed

Hagberg, J M; Montain, S J; Martin, W H; Ehsani, A A

1989-08-01

This study sought to determine whether 9 months of low- or moderate-intensity exercise training could decrease blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive men and women (mean age 64 +/- 3 years). Patients underwent weekly BP evaluations for 1 month to ensure that they had persistently elevated BP and then completed a maximal treadmill exercise test to exclude those with overt coronary artery disease. The low- and moderate-intensity groups trained at 53 and 73% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), respectively; however, total caloric expenditure per week was similar in both groups. VO2 max did not increase in the low-intensity group with training, but increased 28% in the moderate-intensity group. Diastolic BP decreased 11 to 12 mm Hg in both training groups. Systolic BP decreased 20 mm Hg in the low-intensity group with training, which was significantly greater than the change in the control and the moderate-intensity groups. Although systolic BP decreased 8 mm Hg in the moderate-intensity training group, this reduction was not significant. Training resulted in a somewhat lower cardiac output at rest in the low-intensity group, whereas total peripheral resistance decreased slightly in the moderate-intensity training group. Plasma and blood volumes, plasma renin levels and urinary sodium excretion did not change in either group with training. Both groups manifested lower plasma norepinephrine levels after training during standing rest, but not while supine. Thus, low-intensity training may lower BP as much or more than moderate-intensity training in older persons with essential hypertension, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear.

How to make an efficient and robust molecular catalyst for water oxidation.

PubMed

Garrido-Barros, Pablo; Gimbert-Suriñach, Carolina; Matheu, Roc; Sala, Xavier; Llobet, Antoni

2017-10-16

Energy has been a central subject for human development from Homo erectus to date. The massive use of fossil fuels during the last 50 years has generated a large CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere that has led to the so-called global warming. It is very urgent to come up with C-neutral energy schemes to be able to preserve Planet Earth for future generations to come and still preserve our modern societies' life style. One of the potential solutions is water splitting with sunlight (hν-WS) that is also associated with "artificial photosynthesis", since its working mode consists of light capture followed by water oxidation and proton reduction processes. The hydrogen fuel generated in this way is named as "solar fuel". For this set of reactions, the catalytic oxidation of water to dioxygen is one of the crucial processes that need to be understood and mastered in order to build up potential devices based on hν-WS. This tutorial describes the different important aspects that need to be considered to come up with efficient and oxidatively robust molecular water oxidation catalysts (Mol-WOCs). It is based on our own previous work and completed with essential contributions from other active groups in the field. We mainly aim at describing how the ligands can influence the properties of the Mol-WOCs and showing a few key examples that overall provide a complete view of today's understanding in this field.

Treatment with vacuum-assisted closure and cryo-preserved homologous de-epidermalised dermis of complex traumas to the lower limbs with loss of substance, and bones and tendons exposure.

PubMed

Brandi, C; Grimaldi, L; Nisi, G; Silvestri, A; Brafa, A; Calabrò, M; D'Aniello, C

2008-12-01

Lower-limb injuries with loss of tissue and exposure of bones and tendons are an increasing problem. The condition of the wound locally and the patient in general does not always allow immediate and adequate coverage of the structures exposed by the trauma. Therefore, new therapeutic solutions are needed. A reduction in the time that bones and tendons are exposed is essential to achieve complete healing of bone fractures, with reduced risks of infection and less disabling outcomes. The effectiveness of vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy in supporting wound healing and of cryopreserved homologous de-epidermalised dermis (DED) in providing an effective template for re-epithelialisation has been previously reported. We carried out a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the synergistic and combined use of the two methodologies. Eighteen patients with traumatic loss of tissue in the lower limbs, involving exposure of bone and tendon structures, were enrolled in the study. All participants had local, general contraindications to first-instance reconstructions, or both. All patients received a combination of VAC therapy and DED implants. Granulation tissue was obtained in all wounds, with complete coverage of exposed structures. No infections were detected in the cohort, and all patients were prepared for further necessary reconstructive treatments. In our experience, the combination of VAC therapy and DED could, in selected cases, constitute an effective treatment for complex lower limb traumatic injuries with bone and tendon exposure.

Ion channel signaling influences cellular proliferation and phagocyte activity during axolotl tail regeneration.

PubMed

Franklin, Brandon M; Voss, S Randal; Osborn, Jeffrey L

2017-08-01

Little is known about the potential for ion channels to regulate cellular behaviors during tissue regeneration. Here, we utilized an amphibian tail regeneration assay coupled with a chemical genetic screen to identify ion channel antagonists that altered critical cellular processes during regeneration. Inhibition of multiple ion channels either partially (anoctamin1/Tmem16a, anoctamin2/Tmem16b, K V 2.1, K V 2.2, L-type Ca V channels and H/K ATPases) or completely (GlyR, GABA A R, K V 1.5 and SERCA pumps) inhibited tail regeneration. Partial inhibition of tail regeneration by blocking the calcium activated chloride channels, anoctamin1&2, was associated with a reduction of cellular proliferation in tail muscle and mesenchymal regions. Inhibition of anoctamin 1/2 also altered the post-amputation transcriptional response of p44/42 MAPK signaling pathway genes, including decreased expression of erk1/erk2. We also found that complete inhibition via voltage gated K + channel blockade was associated with diminished phagocyte recruitment to the amputation site. The identification of H + pumps as required for axolotl tail regeneration supports findings in Xenopus and Planaria models, and more generally, the conservation of ion channels as regulators of tissue regeneration. This study provides a preliminary framework for an in-depth investigation of the mechanistic role of ion channels and their potential involvement in regulating cellular proliferation and other processes essential to wound healing, appendage regeneration, and tissue repair. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Liquid Rocket Engine Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rahman, Shamim

2005-01-01

Comprehensive Liquid Rocket Engine testing is essential to risk reduction for Space Flight. Test capability represents significant national investments in expertise and infrastructure. Historical experience underpins current test capabilities. Test facilities continually seek proactive alignment with national space development goals and objectives including government and commercial sectors.

Adding a custom made pressure release valve during air enema for intussusception: A new technique.

PubMed

Ahmed, Hosni Morsi; Ahmed, Osama; Ahmed, Refaat Khodary

2015-01-01

Non-surgical reduction remains the first line treatment of choice for intussusception. The major complication of air enema reduction is bowel perforation. The authors developed a custom made pressure release valve to be added to portable insufflation devices, delivering air at pressures accepted as safe for effective reduction of intussusception in children under fluoroscopic guidance. The aim of this study was to develop a custom made pressure release valve that is suitable for the insufflation devices used for air enema reduction of intussusception and to put this valve into regular clinical practice. An adjustable, custom made pressure release valve was assembled by the authors using readily available components. The valve was coupled to a simple air enema insufflation device. The device was used for the trial of reduction of intussusception in a prospective study that included 132 patients. The success rate for air enema reduction with the new device was 88.2%. The mean pressure required to achieve complete reduction was 100 mmHg. The insufflation pressure never exceeded the preset value (120 mmHg). Of the successful cases, 58.3% were reduced from the first attempt while 36.1% required a second insufflation. Only 5.55% required a third insufflation to complete the reduction. In cases with unsuccessful pneumatic reduction attempt (18.1%), surgical treatment was required. Surgery ranged from simple reduction to resection with a primary end to end anastomosis. No complications from air enema were recorded. The authors recommend adding pressure release valves to ensure safety by avoiding pressure overshoot during the procedure.

Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium marinum ATCC 927T, Obtained Using Nanopore and Illumina Sequencing Technologies.

PubMed

Yoshida, Mitsunori; Fukano, Hanako; Miyamoto, Yuji; Shibayama, Keigo; Suzuki, Masato; Hoshino, Yoshihiko

2018-05-17

Mycobacterium marinum is a slowly growing, broad-host-range mycobacterial species. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a Mycobacterium marinum type strain that was isolated from tubercles of diseased fish. This sequence will provide essential information for future taxonomic and comparative genome studies of its relatives. Copyright © 2018 Yoshida et al.

Revenue sources for essential services in Florida: findings and implications for organizing and funding public health.

PubMed

Livingood, William C; Morris, Michael; Sorensen, Bonita; Chapman, Karen; Rivera, Lillian; Beitsch, Les; Street, Phil; Coughlin, Susan; Smotherman, Carmen; Wood, David

2013-01-01

The Florida Public Health Practice-Based Research Network conducted the study of Florida county health departments (CHDs) to assess relationships between self-assessed performance on essential services (ESs) and sources of funding. Primary data were collected using an online survey based on Public Health Accreditation Board standards for ES. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the relationship of sources and amounts of revenue obtained from the Florida Department of Health financial system to responses to the survey of CHD capacity for ESs. Self-assessed CHD performance for each ES varied extensively among the CHDs and across the 10 ESs, ranging from a high of 98% CHDs completely or almost completely meeting the standards for ES 2 (Investigating Problems and Hazards) to a low of 32% completely or almost completely meeting standards for ES 10 (Research/Evidence). Medicaid revenue and fees were positively correlated with some ESs. Per capita revenue support varied extensively among the CHDs. Revenue for ES is decreasing and is heavily reliant on noncategorical (discretionary) revenue. This study has important implications for continued reliance on ES as an organizing construct for public health.

The Clinical Effectiveness of Post-Brushing Rinsing in Reducing Plaque and Gingivitis: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Patthi, Basavaraj; Singla, Ashish; Gupta, Ritu; Jankiram, Chandrasheker; Kumar, Jishnu Krishna; Vashishtha, Vaibhav; Malhi, Ravneet

2016-01-01

Introduction Dental plaque is the major etiological factor associated with the development of gingivitis. Hence, maintenance of oral hygiene is very essential. Aim To systematically review the literature on the effects of a post toothbrushing rinsing on plaque and parameters of gingival inflammation. Materials and Methods A literature review was performed in PubMed Central and Cochrane library, embase, google scholar were searched up to February 2015 to identify appropriate studies. The primary outcome measure was plaque and gingival inflammation reduction. Results Out of the total 56 titles appeared, 08articles fulfilled the criteria and were selected for the review. One article which was hand searched and one article which was through e-mail was included. A statistically significant reduction in overall plaque and gingivitis was noted when different mouth rinses were compared to the control (p<0.05). It was seen that chlorhexidine is the best antiplaque and antigingivitis agent but due to its side effects after continuous use, was not indicated for long term use. Probiotic was superior to chlorhexidine in terms of reduction of gingival inflammation. Conclusion There are relatively few studies evaluating the association between post toothbrushing rinsing and gingivitis. A clear effect was observed, indicating that different mouthrinses (chlorhexidine, probiotic, herbal, essential oil mouthrinse) when used as an adjunct to mechanical means of oral hygiene, provides an additional benefit with regard to plaque and gingivitis reduction as compared to a placebo or control. PMID:27437376

Effects of aromatherapy massage on face-down posture-related pain after vitrectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Adachi, Naho; Munesada, Minako; Yamada, Noriko; Suzuki, Haruka; Futohashi, Ayano; Shigeeda, Takashi; Kato, Satoshi; Nishigaki, Masakazu

2014-06-01

Postoperative face-down posturing (FDP) is recommended to optimize the effects of intraocular gas tamponade after vitrectomy. However, patients undergoing FDP usually experience physical and psychological burdens. This 3-armed, randomized, single-center trial investigated the effects of aromatherapy on FDP-related physical pain. Sixty-three patients under FDP were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups: aromatherapy massage with essential oil (AT), oil massage without essential oil (OT), and a control group. The AT and OT groups received 10 minutes of massage by ward nurses trained by an aromatherapist, while the control group received usual care. Outcomes were assessed as short-term (pre- to post-intervention) and long-term (first to third postoperative day) changes in physical pain in five body regions using face-scale. The AT and OT groups both revealed similar short-term pain reductions after intervention, compared with the control group. Regarding long-term effects, neither group experienced significant effects until the second day. Significantly more pain reduction compared with usual care occurred on the third day, mainly in the AT group, though there were few significant differences between the AT and OT groups. In conclusion, this study suggests that simple oil massage is an effective strategy for immediate pain reduction in patients undergoing FDP, while aromatherapy may have a long-term effect on pain reduction. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Mexican coriander (Eryngium foetidum) essential oil and its inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and during mild thermal pasteurization of pineapple juice.

PubMed

Ngang, Jean J Essia; Nyegue, Maximilienne A; Ndoye, Foe C; Tchuenchieu Kamgain, Alex D; Sado Kamdem, Sylvain L; Lanciotti, Rosalba; Gardini, Fausto; Etoa, François-Xavier

2014-03-01

The aim of this work was to characterize the essential oil (EO) of Eryngium foetidum (EfEO) and assess its activity toward Listeria monocytogenes in broth and during thermal inactivation of the pathogen in pineapple juice. In this respect, EfEO was chemically characterized, and its antilisteria potential in broth as a function of pH, cell load, and EfEO concentration was assessed through a central composite design. Furthermore, the inactivation kinetics of L. monocytogenes in the juice were assessed by combining EfEO and low pasteurization temperatures. A total of 81 compounds were identified from EfEO. The reduction of pH and cell load increased EO activity. The use of only 15 ppm of EfEO during pasteurization of pineapple juice at 60°C reduced the time required for a 4-log reduction in L. monocytogenes CFU/ml by 74.9% (i.e., from 8.5 to 2.1 min) compared with treatment without EfEO. It could be concluded that EfEO activity toward L. monocytogenes increases with the reduction of pH and that it can be used at sublethal concentrations in combination with low temperatures in pineapple juice pasteurization. This study demonstrates that EO-assisted pasteurization is a promising strategy for the reduction of thermal impact during juice production. EfEO is easily available and compatible with many juices and is thus promising for industrial application.

The effect of D-cycloserine on subliminal cue exposure in spider fearful individuals.

PubMed

Gutner, Cassidy A; Weinberger, Joel; Hofmann, Stefan G

2012-01-01

Research on D-cycloserine (DCS) has demonstrated a significant effect on symptom reduction in human studies that utilized conventional exposure-based approaches. Recent studies have offered promising results for targeting fears through subliminal paradigms. In this double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study, 45 spider fearful individuals received DCS or placebo pills prior to completing a subliminal cue exposure task to images of spiders. Participants completed self-report questionnaires and a behavioral approach task to a live caged tarantula. After repeated exposure to subliminal spider cues, participants in the DCS group reported a greater reduction in disgust than individuals in the placebo group. No difference was observed in fear ratings. These findings suggest that DCS augments the reduction in disgust in spider fearful subjects after subliminal exposure to spider cues.

Approximation of Quantum Stochastic Differential Equations for Input-Output Model Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-25

Approximation of Quantum Stochastic Differential Equations for Input-Output Model Reduction We have completed a short program of theoretical research...on dimensional reduction and approximation of models based on quantum stochastic differential equations. Our primary results lie in the area of...2211 quantum probability, quantum stochastic differential equations REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S) 10. SPONSOR

Noise reduction of pneumatic nailers of up to 8 bar working pressure, considering handling properties and service life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damberg, W.; Floegel, K.; Sahm, A.

1983-02-01

A noise reduction device for pneumatic nailers was developed. Conditions of use, range of products available, market regulations and measuring methods were studied. Ease of operation, service life, functional reliability and maintenance capacity were studied. Results show that the essential noise sources of the device are the compressed air blasts of the working and relation phases and the impact of the piston on the bumper. Packages of measures implemented on a laboratory scale indicate noise reduction possibilities for nailers in the short, medium and long term. The sound level of a single shot can be reduced from 110 dB to 93 dB.

Thermodynamic model for the regeneration of sulfur-poisoned nickel catalyst. 1. Using thermodynamic properties of bulk nickel compounds only

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chughtai, A.R.; Riter, J.R. Jr.

1979-10-18

By the use of the modified computer programs of Gordon and McBride for the determination of heterogeneous phase and chemical equilibria at preassigned temperatures (300-1100 K) and atmospheric pressure (101 325 N m/sup -2/), the oxidation with O/sub 2/ of sulfur-poisoned Raney nickel catalyst and subsequent reduction with H/sub 2/ have been modeled thermodynamically by using the properties of bulk nickel compounds. An alternate process, the direct reduction with H/sub 2/ of the sulfidized nickel, has also been modeled and arguments are advanced for the further investigation of this thermodynamically favored second process. In both processes the mole ratios ofmore » reactants, H/sub 2//NiSO/sub 4/ and H/sub 2//Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/, respectively, for complete disappearance of the last product to be reduced, Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/, increase markedly as the desired temperature for complete thermodynamic reduction decreases. These ratios and the equilibrium activity quotient P/sub H/sub 2///P/sub H/sub 2/S/ have been determined as quantitative functions of this critical reduction temperature. A complete thermodynamic hierarchy of oxidation processes for the reaction of O/sub 2/ with mixtures of Ni and Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/ is developed. From the equilibrium calculations it is brought out that Ni/sub 3/S/sub 2/ is relatively more stable both to oxidation with O/sub 2/ than is Ni and to reduction with H/sub 2/ than is NiO. One point of modest connection with experiment is presented for the reduction processes. 1 figure, 1 table.« less

Reductions in biomarkers of exposure (BoE) to harmful or potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) following partial or complete substitution of cigarettes with electronic cigarettes in adult smokers

PubMed Central

O’Connell, Grant; Graff, Donald W.; D’Ruiz, Carl D.

2016-01-01

Abstract Changes in fifteen urine, blood and exhaled breath BoEs of HPHCs representing classes of compounds reported by FDA to be significant contributors to smoking-associated disease risks were measured in 105 clinical-confined subjects following randomization and a five-day forced-switch from usual brand conventional combustible cigarettes to: (i) exclusive commercial e-cigarette use; (ii) dual-use of commercial e-cigarettes and the subject’s usual cigarette brand; or (iii) discontinued use of all tobacco or nicotine products. Levels of urinary biomarkers in subjects that completely substituted their usual cigarette with e-cigarettes were significantly lower (29–95%) after 5 days. Percent reductions in eight of nine urinary BoEs were indistinguishable to smokers who had quit smoking, except for nicotine equivalents, which declined by 25–40%. Dual users who halved self-reported daily cigarette consumption with e-cigarettes exhibited reductions (7–38%) in eight of nine urinary biomarkers, but had increase (1–20%) in nicotine equivalents. Reductions were broadly proportional to the reduced numbers of cigarettes smoked. Dual user urinary nicotine equivalents were slightly higher, but not statistically significant. After 5 days, blood nicotine biomarker levels were lower in the cessation (75–96%) and exclusive use groups (11–83%); with dual users experiencing no significant reductions. All subjects experienced significant decreases in exhaled CO. Decreases in the cessation and exclusive groups ranged from 88–89% and 27–32% in dual users. Exhaled NO increased in the cessation and exclusive groups (46–63% respectively), whereas the dual users experienced minimal changes. Overall, smokers who completely or partially substituted conventional cigarettes with e-cigarettes over five days, experienced reductions in HPHCs. PMID:27401591

Reductions in biomarkers of exposure (BoE) to harmful or potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) following partial or complete substitution of cigarettes with electronic cigarettes in adult smokers.

PubMed

O'Connell, Grant; Graff, Donald W; D'Ruiz, Carl D

2016-07-01

Changes in fifteen urine, blood and exhaled breath BoEs of HPHCs representing classes of compounds reported by FDA to be significant contributors to smoking-associated disease risks were measured in 105 clinical-confined subjects following randomization and a five-day forced-switch from usual brand conventional combustible cigarettes to: (i) exclusive commercial e-cigarette use; (ii) dual-use of commercial e-cigarettes and the subject's usual cigarette brand; or (iii) discontinued use of all tobacco or nicotine products. Levels of urinary biomarkers in subjects that completely substituted their usual cigarette with e-cigarettes were significantly lower (29-95%) after 5 days. Percent reductions in eight of nine urinary BoEs were indistinguishable to smokers who had quit smoking, except for nicotine equivalents, which declined by 25-40%. Dual users who halved self-reported daily cigarette consumption with e-cigarettes exhibited reductions (7-38%) in eight of nine urinary biomarkers, but had increase (1-20%) in nicotine equivalents. Reductions were broadly proportional to the reduced numbers of cigarettes smoked. Dual user urinary nicotine equivalents were slightly higher, but not statistically significant. After 5 days, blood nicotine biomarker levels were lower in the cessation (75-96%) and exclusive use groups (11-83%); with dual users experiencing no significant reductions. All subjects experienced significant decreases in exhaled CO. Decreases in the cessation and exclusive groups ranged from 88-89% and 27-32% in dual users. Exhaled NO increased in the cessation and exclusive groups (46-63% respectively), whereas the dual users experienced minimal changes. Overall, smokers who completely or partially substituted conventional cigarettes with e-cigarettes over five days, experienced reductions in HPHCs.

Safe transition to surgery: working differently to make blood transfusion process safer for elective surgery.

PubMed

Badjie, Karafa S W; Rogers, James C; Jenkins, Sarah M; Bundy, Kevin L; Stubbs, James R; Cima, Robert R

2015-09-01

Our institutional policy allows patients who are scheduled for elective surgery with no history of a pregnancy or blood transfusion in the preceding 3 months to have a presurgical sample (PSS) collected and tested up to 56 days before their scheduled surgery; however, our PSS TS completion rate in eligible patients before the morning of surgery was 83%. In 2011, a team was charged to develop a standardized process along with other process improvements while ensuring no increase in transfusion-related events. The team followed the DMAIC framework in appraising the effectiveness and efficiency of the current state process including baseline data collection such as PSS TS completion rate, number of eligible patients needing a PSS TS on the day of surgery, benchmarking, SSBO utilization, and future state mapping. First quarter (Q1) 2011 versus Q1 2012 postimplementation results showed significant improvements of the process including a 53% decrease in PSS TS on the day of surgery; a 13% increase in PSS TS completion before the morning of surgery; a 26% reduction in total XM RBCs; and a 58.8% reduction in XM RBCs not issued, plus a 47% decrease in RBC wastage. Q1 2011 versus Q1 2013 showed a 41% reduction in total XM RBCs and an 88.4% reduction in XM RBCs not issued but overall RBCs issued versus returned increased slightly and represents a future opportunity for improvement. The redesigned, transformational process eliminated SSBO and improved ordering process and PSS TS completion rate as well as blood product ordering and utilization. © 2015 AABB.

Growth and Clinical Variables in Nitrogen-Restricted Piglets Fed an Adjusted Essential Amino Acid Mix: Effects of Partially Intact Protein-Based Diets.

PubMed

Worsøe, Päivi S; Sangild, Per T; van Goudoever, Johannes B; Koletzko, Berthold; van der Beek, Eline M; Abrahamse-Berkeveld, Marieke; Burrin, Douglas G; van de Heijning, Bert J M; Thymann, Thomas

2018-06-13

Current recommendations for protein levels in infant formula are intended to ensure that growth matches or exceeds growth of breastfed infants, but may provide a surplus of amino acids (AAs). Recent infant studies with AA-based formulas support specific adjustment of the essential amino acid (EAA) composition allowing for potential lowering of total protein levels. With the use of a combination of intact protein and free EAAs, we designed a formula that meets these adjusted EAA requirements for infants. Our objective was to test whether this adjusted formula is safe and supports growth in a protein-restricted piglet model, and whether it shows better growth than an isonitrogenous formula based on free AAs. Term piglets (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc, n = 72) were fed 1 of 4 isoenergetic formulas containing 70% intact protein and 30% of an EAA mixture or a complete AA-based control for 20 d: standard formula (ST-100), ST-100 with 25% reduction in proteinaceous nitrogen (ST-75), ST-75 with an adjusted EAA composition (O-75), or a diet as O-75, given as a complete AA-based diet (O-75AA). After an initial adaptation period, ST-75 and O-75 pigs showed similar growth rates, both lower than ST-100 pigs (∼25 compared with 31 g · kg-1 · d-1, respectively). The O-75AA pigs showed further reduced growth rate (15 g · kg-1 · d-1) and fat proportion (both P < 0.05, relative to O-75). Formula based partly on intact protein is superior to AA-based formula in this experimental setting. The 25% lower, but EAA-adjusted, partially intact protein-based formula resulted in similar weight gain with a concomitant increased AA catabolism, compared with the standard 25% lower standard formula in artificially reared, protein-restricted piglets. Further studies should investigate if and how the specific EAA adjustments that allow for lowering of total protein levels will affect growth and body composition development in formula-fed infants.

DEFE0023863 Final Report, Technology for GHG Emission Reduction and CostCompetitive MilSpec Jet Fuel Production using CTL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartvigsen, Joseph J; Dimick, Paul; Laumb, Jason D

Ceramatec Inc, in collaboration with IntraMicron (IM), the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC (SES), have completed a three-year research project integrating their respective proprietary technologies in key areas to demonstrate production of a jet fuel from coal and biomass sources. The project goals and objectives were to demonstrate technology capable of producing a “commercially-viable quantity” of jet fuel and make significant progress toward compliance with Section 526 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007 §526) lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions requirements. The Ceramatec led team completed the demonstration of nominalmore » 2 bbl/day Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis pilot plant design, capable of producing a nominal 1 bbl/day in the Jet-A/JP-8 fraction. This production rate would have a capacity of 1,000 gallons of jet fuel per month and provide the design basis of a 100 bbl/day module producing over 2,000 gallons of jet fuel per day. Co-gasification of coal-biomass blends enables a reduction of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from equivalent conventional petroleum derived fuel basis. Due to limits of biomass availability within an economic transportation range, implementation of a significant biomass feed fraction will require smaller plants than current world scale CTL and GTL FT plants. Hence a down-scaleable design is essential. The pilot plant design leverages Intramicron’s MicroFiber Entrapped Catalyst (MFEC) support which increases the catalyst bed thermal conductivity two orders of magnitude, allowing thermal management of the FT reaction exotherm in much larger reactor tubes. In this project, single tube reactors having 4.5 inch outer diameter and multi-tube reactors having 4 inch outer diameters were operated, with productivities as high as 1.5 gallons per day per linear foot of reactor tube. A significant reduction in tube count results from the use of large diameter reactor tubes, with an associated reduction in reactor cost. The pilot plant was designed with provisions for product collection capable of operating with conventional wax producing FT catalysts but was operated with a Chevron hybrid wax-free FT catalyst. Process simplification enabled by elimination of the wax hydrocracking process unit provides economic advantages in scaling to biomass capable plant sizes. Intramicron also provided a sulfur capture system based on their Oxidative Sulfur Removal (OSR) catalyst process. The integrated sulfur removal and FT systems were operated with syngas produced by the Transport Reactor Development Unit (TRDU) gasifier at the University of North Dakota EERC. SES performed modeling of their cryogenic carbon capture process on the energy, cost and CO2 emissions impact of the Coal-biomass synthetic fuel process.« less

Addison disease - diagnosis and initial management.

PubMed

O'Connell, Susan; Siafarikas, Aris

2010-11-01

Adrenal insufficiency is a rare disease caused by either primary adrenal failure (Addison disease) or by impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Steroid replacement therapy normalises quality of life, however, adherence can be problematic. This article provides information on adrenal insufficiency focusing on awareness of initial symptoms and on risk scenarios, emergency management and baseline investigations, complete investigations and long term management. Early recognition of adrenal insufficiency is essential to avoid associated morbidity and mortality. Initial diagnosis and decision to treat are based on history and physical examination. Appropriate management includes emergency resuscitation and steroid administration. Initial investigations can include sodium, potassium and blood glucose levels. However, complete investigations can be deferred. Specialist advice should be obtained and long term management includes a Team Care Arrangement. For patients, an emergency plan and emergency identification are essential.

Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship: Part 4: Beyond Clinical Education.

PubMed

Wolff, Margaret; Carney, Michele; Eldridge, Charles; Zaveri, Pavan; Kou, Maybelle

2016-08-01

This article is the third in a 7-part series that aims to comprehensively describe the current state and future directions of pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training from the essential requirements to considerations for successfully administering and managing a program to the careers that may be anticipated upon program completion. This article focuses on the skills beyond clinical training required of pediatric emergency medicine physicians including teaching, leadership, teamwork, and communication.

Chemical composition, antibacterial and antifungal activities of essential oil from Cordia verbenacea DC leaves.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Fabiola F G; Oliveira, Liana G S; Rodrigues, Fábio F G; Saraiva, Manuele E; Almeida, Sheyla C X; Cabral, Mario E S; Campos, Adriana R; Costa, Jose Galberto M

2012-07-01

Cordia verbenacea is a Brazilian coastal shrub popularly known as "erva baleeira". The essential oil from fresh leaves was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by CG/MS. The main components were identified as β-caryophyllene (25.4%), bicyclogermacrene (11.3%), δ-cadinene (9.%) and α-pinene (9.5%). In this study, the antimicrobial activity of Cordia verbenacea was evaluated. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil was obtained using the broth microdilution assay (from 512 to 8 μg/ml). The results showed that the essential oil presented fungistatic activity against Candida albicans and Candida krusei and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strains (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) and against multiresistant Gram-negative (Escherichia coli 27), in all tests the MIC was 64 μg/ml. When the essential oil was associated to aminoglycosides (subinhibitory concentrations, MIC/8), a synergic and antagonic activity was verified. The synergic effect was observed to the amikacin association (MIC reduction from 256 mlto 64 μg/ml) in all strains tested. The essential oil of Cordia verbenacea influences the activity of antibiotics and may be used as an adjuvant in antibiotic therapy against respiratory tract bacterial pathogens.

Microbial degradation of chloroethenes in groundwater systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Paul M.

2000-01-01

 The chloroethenes, tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) are among the most common contaminants detected in groundwater systems. As recently as 1980, the consensus was that chloroethene compounds were not significantly biodegradable in groundwater. Consequently, efforts to remediate chloroethene-contaminated groundwater were limited to largely unsuccessful pump-and-treat attempts. Subsequent investigation revealed that under reducing conditions, aquifer microorganisms can reductively dechlorinate PCE and TCE to the less chlorinated daughter products dichloroethene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). Although recent laboratory studies conducted with halorespiring microorganisms suggest that complete reduction to ethene is possible, in the majority of groundwater systems reductive dechlorination apparently stops at DCE or VC. However, recent investigations conducted with aquifer and stream-bed sediments have demonstrated that microbial oxidation of these reduced daughter products can be significant under anaerobic redox conditions. The combination of reductive dechlorination of PCE and TCE under anaerobic conditions followed by anaerobic microbial oxidation of DCE and VC provides a possible microbial pathway for complete degradation of chloroethene contaminants in groundwater systems.

Microbial degradation of chloroethenes in groundwater systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, P.M.

2000-01-01

The chloroethenes, tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) are among the most common contaminants detected in groundwater systems. As recently as 1980, the consensus was that chloroethene compounds were not significantly biodegradable in groundwater. Consequently, efforts to remediate chloroethene-contaminated groundwater were limited to largely unsuccessful pump-and-treat attempts. Subsequent investigation revealed that under reducing conditions, aquifer microorganisms can reductively dechlorinate PCE and TCE to the less chlorinated daughter products dichloroethene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). Although recent laboratory studies conducted with halorespiring microorganisms suggest that complete reduction to ethene is possible, in the majority of groundwater systems reductive dechlorination apparently stops at DCE or VC. However, recent investigations conducted with aquifer and stream-bed sediments have demonstrated that microbial oxidation of these reduced daughter products can be significant under anaerobic redox conditions. The combination of reductive dechlorination of PCE and TCE under anaerobic conditions followed by anaerobic microbial oxidation of DCE and VC provides a possible microbial pathway for complete degradation of chloroethene contaminants in groundwater systems.

[In vitro antibacterial activity of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) against nosocomial bacteria in Montería, Colombia].

PubMed

Méndez Álvarez, Nelson; Angulo Ortíz, Alberto; Contreras Martínez, Orfa

2016-09-01

Bacterial resistance is a growing health problem worldwide that has serious economic and social impacts, compromising public health, and the therapeutic action of current antibiotics. Therefore, the search for new compounds with antimicrobial properties is relevant in modern studies, particularly against bacteria of clinical interest. In the present study, in vitro antibacterial activity of the ethanol extract and essential oil of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) was evaluated against nosocomial bacteria, using the microdilution method. Escherichia coli strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus sp. were used, Salmonella sp. and Bacillus sp., isolated from nosocomial infections in a hospital in the city of Monteria and reference strains of S. aureus ATCC 43300, S. aureus ATCC 29213, S. aureus ATCC 25923, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, E. coli ATCC 25922 and K. pneumonia ATCC 700603. The ethanol extract antibacterial profile was more efficient at higher concentrations (1 000 ppm), obtaining significant percentages of reduction of more than 50 % against K. pneumoniae ATCC 700603 and a clinical isolate of E. coli; while compared to Bacillus clinical isolate, was more active than the essential oil. For the rest of microorganisms, the reduction percentages obtained at a concentration of 1 000 ppm varied between 17 and 42 % with ethanolic extract, and 8 to 43 % with essential oil. At concentrations of 100 and 500 ppm antibacterial activity of the extracts was lower. The results indicated that the ethanolic extract and essential oil of C. longa rhizomes have active compounds with antibacterial properties that could be used in future research as a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of infections caused by nosocomial pathogens.

Amino acid homeostasis and signalling in mammalian cells and organisms

PubMed Central

Bröer, Angelika

2017-01-01

Cells have a constant turnover of proteins that recycle most amino acids over time. Net loss is mainly due to amino acid oxidation. Homeostasis is achieved through exchange of essential amino acids with non-essential amino acids and the transfer of amino groups from oxidised amino acids to amino acid biosynthesis. This homeostatic condition is maintained through an active mTORC1 complex. Under amino acid depletion, mTORC1 is inactivated. This increases the breakdown of cellular proteins through autophagy and reduces protein biosynthesis. The general control non-derepressable 2/ATF4 pathway may be activated in addition, resulting in transcription of genes involved in amino acid transport and biosynthesis of non-essential amino acids. Metabolism is autoregulated to minimise oxidation of amino acids. Systemic amino acid levels are also tightly regulated. Food intake briefly increases plasma amino acid levels, which stimulates insulin release and mTOR-dependent protein synthesis in muscle. Excess amino acids are oxidised, resulting in increased urea production. Short-term fasting does not result in depletion of plasma amino acids due to reduced protein synthesis and the onset of autophagy. Owing to the fact that half of all amino acids are essential, reduction in protein synthesis and amino acid oxidation are the only two measures to reduce amino acid demand. Long-term malnutrition causes depletion of plasma amino acids. The CNS appears to generate a protein-specific response upon amino acid depletion, resulting in avoidance of an inadequate diet. High protein levels, in contrast, contribute together with other nutrients to a reduction in food intake. PMID:28546457

Nanostructured Platinum Alloys for Use as Catalyst Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayan, Sri R. (Inventor); Hays, Charles C. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A series of binary and ternary Pt-alloys, that promote the important reactions for catalysis at an alloy surface; oxygen reduction, hydrogen oxidation, and hydrogen and oxygen evolution. The first two of these reactions are essential when applying the alloy for use in a PEMFC.

Nanostructured Platinum Alloys for Use as Catalyst Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hays, Charles C. (Inventor); Narayan, Sri R. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A series of binary and ternary Pt-alloys, that promote the important reactions for catalysis at an alloy surface; oxygen reduction, hydrogen oxidation, and hydrogen and oxygen evolution. The first two of these reactions are essential when applying the alloy for use in a PEMFC.

Frog virus 3 ORF 53R, a putative myristoylated membrane protein, is essential for virus replication in vitro

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitley, Dexter S.; Yu, Kwang; Sample, Robert C.

2010-09-30

Although previous work identified 12 complementation groups with possible roles in virus assembly, currently only one frog virus 3 protein, the major capsid protein (MCP), has been linked with virion formation. To identify other proteins required for assembly, we used an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide to target 53R, a putative myristoylated membrane protein, and showed that treatment resulted in marked reductions in 53R levels and a 60% drop in virus titers. Immunofluorescence assays confirmed knock down and showed that 53R was found primarily within viral assembly sites, whereas transmission electron microscopy detected fewer mature virions and, in some cells, dense granularmore » bodies that may represent unencapsidated DNA-protein complexes. Treatment with a myristoylation inhibitor (2-hydroxymyristic acid) resulted in an 80% reduction in viral titers. Collectively, these data indicate that 53R is an essential viral protein that is required for replication in vitro and suggest it plays a critical role in virion formation.« less

Adaptation to flood risk: Results of international paired flood event studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreibich, Heidi; Di Baldassarre, Giuliano; Vorogushyn, Sergiy; Aerts, Jeroen C. J. H.; Apel, Heiko; Aronica, Giuseppe T.; Arnbjerg-Nielsen, Karsten; Bouwer, Laurens M.; Bubeck, Philip; Caloiero, Tommaso; Chinh, Do T.; Cortès, Maria; Gain, Animesh K.; Giampá, Vincenzo; Kuhlicke, Christian; Kundzewicz, Zbigniew W.; Llasat, Maria Carmen; Mârd, Johanna; Matczak, Piotr; Mazzoleni, Maurizio; Molinari, Daniela; Dung, Nguyen V.; Petrucci, Olga; Schröter, Kai; Slager, Kymo; Thieken, Annegret H.; Ward, Philip J.; Merz, Bruno

2017-10-01

As flood impacts are increasing in large parts of the world, understanding the primary drivers of changes in risk is essential for effective adaptation. To gain more knowledge on the basis of empirical case studies, we analyze eight paired floods, that is, consecutive flood events that occurred in the same region, with the second flood causing significantly lower damage. These success stories of risk reduction were selected across different socioeconomic and hydro-climatic contexts. The potential of societies to adapt is uncovered by describing triggered societal changes, as well as formal measures and spontaneous processes that reduced flood risk. This novel approach has the potential to build the basis for an international data collection and analysis effort to better understand and attribute changes in risk due to hydrological extremes in the framework of the IAHSs Panta Rhei initiative. Across all case studies, we find that lower damage caused by the second event was mainly due to significant reductions in vulnerability, for example, via raised risk awareness, preparedness, and improvements of organizational emergency management. Thus, vulnerability reduction plays an essential role for successful adaptation. Our work shows that there is a high potential to adapt, but there remains the challenge to stimulate measures that reduce vulnerability and risk in periods in which extreme events do not occur.

Nitrogen loss from anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to Iron(III) reduction in a riparian zone.

PubMed

Ding, Bangjing; Li, Zhengkui; Qin, Yunbin

2017-12-01

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to iron(III) reduction (termed Feammox) is a recently discovered pathway of nitrogen cycling. However, little is known about the pathways of N transformation via Feammox process in riparian zones. In this study, evidence for Feammox in riparian zones with or without vegetation cover was demonstrated using isotope tracing technique and high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that Feammox could occur in riparian zones, and demonstrated that N 2 directly from Feammox was dominant Feammox pathway. The Feammox rates in vegetated soil samples was 0.32-0.37 mg N kg -1 d -1 , which is higher than that in un-vegetated soil samples (0.20 mg N kg -1 d -1 ). Moreover, the growth of vegetation led to a 4.99-6.41% increase in the abundance of iron reducing bacteria (Anaeromyxobacter, Pseudomonas and Geobacter) and iron reducing bacteria play an essential role in Feammox process. An estimated loss of 23.7-43.9 kg N ha -1 year -1 was associated with Feammox in the examined riparian zone. Overall, the co-occurrence of ammonium oxidation and iron reduction suggest that Feammox can play an essential role in the pathway of nitrogen removal in riparian zones. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electronic paramagnetic resonance investigation of the activity of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil on the Listeria monocytogenes membrane.

PubMed

Serio, A; Chiarini, M; Tettamanti, E; Paparella, A

2010-08-01

To evaluate the effect of oregano essential oil on Listeria monocytogenes cytoplasmic membrane. Nitroxide free-radical Electron Paramagnetic Resonance was applied on L. monocytogenes after 30 min exposure to oregano essential oil concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.25%. The impact of essential oil on the number of viable cells was evaluated by plate count. Growth dynamics of survivors in BHI and TSB were evaluated by turbidometry. After exposure to essential oil concentrations up to 0.50%, the membrane fluidity was changed and its order increased. When L. monocytogenes was exposed to higher concentrations, membrane order parameters slightly returned to the values of untreated cells. However, when the cells were exposed to EO in the presence of sodium azide, which impairs energy metabolism, the membrane fluidity was progressively enhanced, even at the lowest EO concentration (0.25%). Microbiological analyses confirmed a progressive reduction of viable count, at increasing essential oil concentrations. Both in BHI and TSB, the Lag phase length increased in treated cells with respect to controls, suggesting a cell damage recovery. The combined approach including microbiological and EPR analyses provided relevant information on membrane modification and cell response to essential oils. EPR approach was demonstrated to be an effective and helpful tool to comprehend the modifications exerted by essential oil on the bacterial membrane.

Prevention of Hypoxemia During Apnea Testing: A Comparison of Oxygen Insufflation And Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

PubMed

Kramer, Andreas H; Couillard, Philippe; Bader, Ryan; Dhillon, Peter; Kutsogiannis, Demetrios J; Doig, Christopher J

2017-08-01

Apnea testing is an essential step in the clinical diagnosis of brain death. Current international guidelines recommend placement of an oxygen (O 2 ) insufflation catheter into the endotracheal tube to prevent hypoxemia, but use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) valve may be more effective at limiting arterial partial pressure of O 2 (PO 2 ) reduction. We performed a multicenter study assessing consecutive apnea tests in 14 intensive care units (ICUs) in two cities utilizing differing protocols. In one city, O 2 catheters are placed and arterial blood gases (ABGs) performed at intervals determined by the attending physician. In the other city, a resuscitation bag with CPAP valve is attached to the endotracheal tube, and ABGs performed every 3-5 min. We assessed arterial PO 2 , partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO 2 ), pH, and blood pressure at the beginning and termination of each apnea test. Thirty-six apnea tests were performed using an O 2 catheter and 50 with a CPAP valve. One test per group was aborted because of physiological instability. There were no significant differences in the degree of PO 2 reduction (-59 vs. -32 mmHg, p = 0.72), rate of PCO 2 rise (3.2 vs. 3.9 mmHg per min, p = 0.22), or pH decline (-0.02 vs. -0.03 per min, p = 0.06). Performance of ABGs at regular intervals was associated with shorter test duration (10 vs. 7 min, p < 0.0001), smaller PCO 2 rise (30 vs. 26 mmHg, p = 0.0007), and less pH reduction (-0.20 vs. -0.17, p = 0.0012). Lower pH at completion of the apnea test was associated with greater blood pressure decline (p = 0.006). Both methods of O 2 supplementation are associated with similar changes in arterial PO 2 and PCO 2 . Performance of ABGs at regular intervals shortens apnea test duration and may avoid excessive pH reduction and consequent hemodynamic effects.

Efficacy of Essential Oils of Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare on Echinococcus granulosus

PubMed Central

Pensel, P. E.; Maggiore, M. A.; Gende, L. B.; Eguaras, M. J.; Denegri, M. G.; Elissondo, M. C.

2014-01-01

The aim of the present work was to determine the in vitro effect of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils against E. granulosus protoscoleces and cysts. Essential oils were added to the medium resulting in thymol final concentrations of 10 μg/mL. The essential oils had a time-dependent effect provoking the complete loss of protoscolex viability after 72 days of postincubation. The results were confirmed at the ultrastructure level. Loss of infectivity in protoscoleces incubated with O. vulgare after 60 days was observed. On the other hand, the weight of cysts recorded in mice inoculated with T. vulgaris treated protoscoleces was significantly lower than that obtained in control group. Gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase activity was readily detected in the culture supernatant of protoscoleces treated either with the essential oils or thymol. T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils and thymol can induce cell apoptosis of protoscoleces after short incubation times. The efficacy of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare essential oils was also demonstrated in vitro on E. granulosus murine cysts. Our data suggest that essential oils of T. vulgaris and O. vulgare have anthelmintic effect against protoscoleces and cysts of E. granulosus. PMID:25180033

Control of Aspergillus section Flavi growth and aflatoxin accumulation by plant essential oils.

PubMed

Bluma, R; Amaiden, M R; Daghero, J; Etcheverry, M

2008-07-01

The antifungal effect of Pimpinella anisum (anise), Pëumus boldus (boldus), Mentha piperita (peppermint), Origanum vulgare (oregano) and Minthosthachys verticillata (peperina) essential oils against Aspergillus section Flavi (two isolates of Aspergillus parasiticus and two isolates of Aspergillus flavus) was evaluated in maize meal extract agar at 0.982 and 0.955 water activities, at 25 degrees C. The percentage of germination, germ-tube elongation rate, growth rate and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) accumulation at different essential oils concentrations were evaluated. Anise and boldus essential oils were the most inhibitory at 500 mg kg(-1) to all growth parameters of the fungus. These essential oils inhibited the percentage of germination, germ-tube elongation rate and fungal growth. AFB(1) accumulation was completely inhibited by anise, boldus and oregano essential oils. Peperina and peppermint essential oils inhibited AFB(1) production by 85-90% in all concentrations assayed. Anise and boldus essential oils could be considered as effective fungitoxicans for Aspergillus section flavi. Our results suggest that these phytochemical compounds could be used alone or in conjunction with other substances to control the presence of aflatoxigenic fungi in stored maize.

Chemical composition and resistance-modifying effect of the essential oil of Lantana camara Linn

PubMed Central

Sousa, Erlânio O.; Silva, Natálya F.; Rodrigues, Fabiola F. G.; Campos, Adriana R.; Lima, Sidney G.; Costa, José Galberto M.

2010-01-01

In this work, the chemical constituents, antibacterial and modulatory activities of the essential oil of Lantana camara Linn were studied. The essential oil was extracted from the leaves of L. camara by hydrodistillation method using Clevenger's apparatus and its chemical constituents were separated and identified by GC-MS, and the relative content of each constituent was determined by area normalization. Among the 25 identified components, bicyclogermacrene (19.42%), isocaryophyllene (16.70%), valecene (12.94%) and germacrene D (12.34%) were the main constituents. The oil was examined to antibacterial and modulatory activities against the multiresistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by microdilution test. The results show an inhibitory activity to E. coli (MIC 512 μg/ml) and S. aureus (MIC 256 μg/ml). The synergism of the essential oil and aminoglycosides was verified too, with significant reduction of MICs (7 ×, 1250-5 μg/ml) against E. coli. It is suggested that the essential oil of Lantana camara Linn could be used as a source of plant-derived natural products with resistance-modifying activity. PMID:20668570

Observing control and data reduction at the UKIRT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridger, Alan; Economou, Frossie; Wright, Gillian S.; Currie, Malcolm J.

1998-07-01

For the past seven years observing with the major instruments at the United Kingdom IR Telescope (UKIRT) has been semi-automated, using ASCII files top configure the instruments and then sequence a series of exposures and telescope movements to acquire the data. For one instrument automatic data reduction completes the cycle. The emergence of recent software technologies has suggested an evolution of this successful system to provide a friendlier and more powerful interface to observing at UKIRT. The Observatory Reduction and Acquisition Control (ORAC) project is now underway to construct this system. A key aim of ORAC is to allow a more complete description of the observing program, including the target sources and the recipe that will be used to provide on-line data reduction. Remote observation preparation and submission will also be supported. In parallel the observatory control system will be upgraded to use these descriptions for more automatic observing, while retaining the 'classical' interactive observing mode. The final component of the project is an improved automatic data reduction system, allowing on-line reduction of data at the telescope while retaining the flexibility to cope with changing observing techniques and instruments. The user will also automatically be provided with the scripts used for the real-time reduction to help provide post-observing data reduction support. The overall project goal is to improve the scientific productivity of the telescope, but it should also reduce the overall ongoing support requirements, and has the eventual goal of supporting the use of queue- scheduled observing.

Budget Reduction in the Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

process; (4) the degree efbudgetary responsiveness in DOD/DON cutback budgeting to criteria developed from two theoretical models of fical reduction... developed from two theoretical models of fiscal reduction methodology. |V ..... A A,’ 4 . 0 f .; . . Dis Apm a al@r Di3t I peala iii, TARLK Or COUTENS...accompanying reshaping of U.S. forces include a continuation of the positive developments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, completion of

Dual Bioactivities of Essential Oil Extracted from the Leaves of Artemisia argyi as an Antimelanogenic versus Antioxidant Agent and Chemical Composition Analysis by GC/MS

PubMed Central

Huang, Huey-Chun; Wang, Hsiao-Fen; Yih, Kuang-Hway; Chang, Long-Zen; Chang, Tsong-Min

2012-01-01

The study was aimed at investigating the antimelanogenic and antioxidant properties of essential oil when extracted from the leaves of Artemisia argyi, then analyzing the chemical composition of the essential oil. The inhibitory effect of the essential oil on melanogenesis was evaluated by a mushroom tyrosinase activity assay and B16F10 melanoma cell model. The antioxidant capacity of the essential oil was assayed by spectrophotometric analysis, and the volatile chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results revealed that the essential oil significantly inhibits mushroom tyrosinase activity (IC50 = 19.16 mg/mL), down-regulates B16F10 intracellular tyrosinase activity and decreases the amount of melanin content in a dose-dependent pattern. Furthermore, the essential oil significantly scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline- 6-sulphonic acid) ABTS radicals, showed an apparent reduction power as compared with metal-ion chelating activities. The chemicals constituents in the essential oil are ether (23.66%), alcohols (16.72%), sesquiterpenes (15.21%), esters (11.78%), monoterpenes (11.63%), ketones (6.09%), aromatic compounds (5.01%), and account for a 90.10% analysis of its chemical composition. It is predicted that eucalyptol and the other constituents, except for alcohols, in the essential oil may contribute to its antioxidant activities. The results indicated that essential oil extracted from A. argyi leaves decreased melanin production in B16F10 cells and showed potent antioxidant activity. The essential oil can thereby be applied as an inhibitor of melanogenesis and could also act as a natural antioxidant in skin care products. PMID:23203088

Dual bioactivities of essential oil extracted from the leaves of Artemisia argyi as an antimelanogenic versus antioxidant agent and chemical composition analysis by GC/MS.

PubMed

Huang, Huey-Chun; Wang, Hsiao-Fen; Yih, Kuang-Hway; Chang, Long-Zen; Chang, Tsong-Min

2012-11-12

The study was aimed at investigating the antimelanogenic and antioxidant properties of essential oil when extracted from the leaves of Artemisia argyi, then analyzing the chemical composition of the essential oil. The inhibitory effect of the essential oil on melanogenesis was evaluated by a mushroom tyrosinase activity assay and B16F10 melanoma cell model. The antioxidant capacity of the essential oil was assayed by spectrophotometric analysis, and the volatile chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results revealed that the essential oil significantly inhibits mushroom tyrosinase activity (IC(50) = 19.16 mg/mL), down-regulates B16F10 intracellular tyrosinase activity and decreases the amount of melanin content in a dose-dependent pattern. Furthermore, the essential oil significantly scavenged 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ABTS radicals, showed an apparent reduction power as compared with metal-ion chelating activities. The chemicals constituents in the essential oil are ether (23.66%), alcohols (16.72%), sesquiterpenes (15.21%), esters (11.78%), monoterpenes (11.63%), ketones (6.09%), aromatic compounds (5.01%), and account for a 90.10% analysis of its chemical composition. It is predicted that eucalyptol and the other constituents, except for alcohols, in the essential oil may contribute to its antioxidant activities. The results indicated that essential oil extracted from A. argyi leaves decreased melanin production in B16F10 cells and showed potent antioxidant activity. The essential oil can thereby be applied as an inhibitor of melanogenesis and could also act as a natural antioxidant in skin care products.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Problematic Internet Pornography Use: A Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Crosby, Jesse M; Twohig, Michael P

2016-05-01

Problematic Internet pornography use is the inability to control the use of pornography, the experience of negative cognitions or emotions regarding pornography use, and the resulting negative effects on quality of life or general functioning. This study compared a 12-session individual protocol of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for problematic Internet pornography use to a waitlist control condition with 28 adult males, all but 1 of whom were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Measures of self-reported pornography viewing, standardized measures of compulsive sexual behavior and related cognitions, and quality of life occurred at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. Results demonstrate significant between-condition reductions in pornography viewing compared to the waitlist condition (93% reduction ACT vs. 21% waitlist). When combining all participants (N=26), a 92% reduction was seen at posttreatment and an 86% reduction at 3-month follow-up. Complete cessation was seen in 54% of participants at posttreatment and at least a 70% reduction was seen in 93% of participants. At the 3-month follow-up assessment, 35% of participants showed complete cessation, with 74% of participants showing at least 70% reduction in viewing. Treatment suggestions and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

NASA's Subsonic Jet Transport Noise Reduction Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, Clemans A.; Preisser, John S.

2000-01-01

Although new jet transport airplanes in today s fleet are considerably quieter than the first jet transports introduced about 40 years ago, airport community noise continues to be an important environmental issue. NASA s Advanced Subsonic Transport (AST) Noise Reduction program was begun in 1994 as a seven-year effort to develop technology to reduce jet transport noise 10 dB relative to 1992 technology. This program provides for reductions in engine source noise, improvements in nacelle acoustic treatments, reductions in the noise generated by the airframe, and improvements in the way airplanes are operated in the airport environs. These noise reduction efforts will terminate at the end of 2001 and it appears that the objective will be met. However, because of an anticipated 3-8% growth in passenger and cargo operations well into the 21st Century and the slow introduction of new the noise reduction technology into the fleet, world aircraft noise impact will remain essentially constant until about 2020 to 2030 and thereafter begin to rise. Therefore NASA has begun planning with the Federal Aviation Administration, industry, universities and environmental interest groups in the USA for a new noise reduction initiative to provide technology for significant further reductions.

Carbothermic reduction with parallel heat sources

DOEpatents

Troup, Robert L.; Stevenson, David T.

1984-12-04

Disclosed are apparatus and method of carbothermic direct reduction for producing an aluminum alloy from a raw material mix including aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, and carbon wherein parallel heat sources are provided by a combustion heat source and by an electrical heat source at essentially the same position in the reactor, e.g., such as at the same horizontal level in the path of a gravity-fed moving bed in a vertical reactor. The present invention includes providing at least 79% of the heat energy required in the process by the electrical heat source.

Reaction kinetics and product distributions in photoelectrochemical cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koval, C.A.

1992-01-01

Hot electron reaction studies at p-InP/CH[sub 3]CN interface revealed essential/desirable features for redox systems used to investigate hot carriers in photoelectrocehmical cells. Reduction of dibromoethylbenzene (DBEB) in presence of metallocene couples is being studied using rotating rink disk electrodes of n-and p-InP disks and Pt rings. At highly doped p-InP electrodes, reduction of DBEB can be very efficient (>30%). A minielectrochemical cell was used to investigate electron transfer at nonilluminated n-WSe[sub 2]/dimethylferrocene[sup +/0] interfaces.

Reducing risks from hazardous glacier lakes in the Cordillera Blanca (Peru): Six decades of experience and perspectives for the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portocarrero, Cesar; Cochachin, Alejo; Frey, Holger; González, Cesar; Haeberli, Wilfried; Huggel, Christian

2016-04-01

Outbursts from glacier lakes at various spatial and temporal scales have had marked geomorphological effects in many mountain ranges. In many glacierized Andean mountain regions substrates of human settlements made out of flood and debris-flow deposits are testimonies of such events. Examples in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, are the towns of Caraz, Carhuaz or parts of Huaraz. Continued glacier shrinking since the end of the Little Ice Age caused the formation or enlargement of numerous lakes. The outburst of Laguna Palcacocha, destroying the centre of Huaraz and causing more than 1800 losses of life in December 1941, marked the beginning of systematic risk reduction work in Peru. Corresponding efforts included glacier and lake inventories, hazard assessments, definition of high-risk situations, and completion of engineering work for lake-level lowering in more than 30 cases. The latter comprises outlet reinforcements on morainic dams as well as artificial tunnels in bedrock thresholds. This work has been remarkably efficient as documented in the latest case of the Laguna Huallcacocha (Carhuaz-Ancash), where the earlier made installations withstood the erosive power of an impact wave from an ice avalanche in 2015. In the case of the Laguna 513, the impact wave and far-reaching flood caused by a rock/ice avalanche from Nevado Hualcán in April 2010 showed that the risk had been essentially reduced by the preventive lake-level lowering in the early 1990s but not to zero. Risk assessments, planning, construction and non-structural risk reduction efforts continue. Work is in progress to increase the safety of Laguna Palcacocha where extensive assessments and model calculations had been carried out. Risks related to rock/ice avalanches into lakes from steep icy slopes and related to de-buttressing processes as well as long-term permafrost degradation increases. Based on morphological indications and numerical modelling (GlabTop) an inventory of possible future lakes likely to form with continued atmospheric warming and glacier retreat has been compiled. The possibility of monitoring the stability of slopes around lakes using satellite-based radar interferometry techniques has been tested in the case of Laguna Parón and a number of other lakes. Hence risk reduction measures applied to critical glacier lakes is based on rigorous science and research progress. For the future it is essential to integrate risk reduction with water resource management because shrinking glaciers reduce water availability during the dry season when various economic sectors depend on melt water. First experiences with development of multi-purpose projects combining risk and water resource management have shown the associated scientific, technical, social and legal challenges. A multi-disciplinary process involving multiple institutions and actors is necessary to secure sustainable development in the Andes of Peru, and related experiences are valuable for other high-mountain regions as well.

Oxidative dissolution of pyrite surfaces by hexavalent chromium: Surface site saturation and surface renewal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Andrew M.; Bouwer, Edward J.

2012-04-01

In-situ reduction of toxic Cr(VI) to nontoxic Cr(III) represents an important natural attenuation process for Cr(VI)-impacted environments. This study investigates the stoichiometry and kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by pyrite, a reduced iron-sulfur mineral ubiquitous in recent estuarine and marine sediments. Pyrite suspensions at surface loadings of 0.28-2.10 m2/L (typical of estuarine or marine sediments) were capable of completely reducing 7-120 μM Cr(VI) on the timescale of minutes to days, with the time to reaction completion decreasing with increasing pyrite loading, decreasing initial Cr(VI) concentration, and decreasing suspension pH. Analysis of metal species (Cr and Fe) and sulfur species in solution and at the mineral surface indicated that Cr(VI) oxidatively dissolved the pyrite surface, releasing ferrous iron and sulfate into solution as the reaction progressed. Surface disulfide groups were postulated as the Cr(VI)-reactive surface entity. Net production or consumption of aqueous Fe(II) was shown to depend upon the relative rates of proton-promoted Fe(II) release, Fe(II) release due to oxidative dissolution of pyrite in the presence of Cr(VI), and Fe(II) consumption due to homogeneous reaction with Cr(VI). Kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by pyrite displayed a biphasic pattern, and the time to reaction completion increased dramatically with increasing initial Cr(VI) concentration. Rapid Cr(VI) removal occurred early in the reaction progress, attributable to Cr(VI) loss under an adsorption-limited regime. Slow, approximately zero-order, Cr(VI) removal occurred over the bulk of the time courses, and corresponded to Cr(VI) removal under surface site saturation conditions. Stoichiometric Cr(VI) reduction was able to proceed under surface site limited conditions owing to regeneration of reactive surface sites following desorption/dissolution of oxidized surface products, as demonstrated in repeat Cr(VI)-spiking experiments. The role of surface passivation was evaluated by comparing rates of Cr(VI) reduction in the presence and absence of the Cr(III)-complexing agent citrate. While citrate addition significantly enhanced Cr(III) solubility, rates of Cr(VI) reduction were only marginally accelerated, suggesting that Cr(OH)3(s) coatings did not completely block access of Cr(VI) to reactive surface sites on pyrite. Given the rapid rates of Cr(VI) reduction with pyrite under pH and surface coverage conditions typical of natural environments, we propose that Cr(VI) reduction by pyrite be considered in fate and transport models for Cr in contaminated sediments.

Metabolic adaptation and in situ attenuation of chlorinated ethenes by naturally occurring microorganisms in a fractured dolomite aquifer near Niagara Falls, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, R.M.; Bilotta, S.E.; Mann, C.L.; Madsen, E.L.

1997-01-01

A combination of hydrogeological, geochemical, and microbiological methods was used to document the biotransformation of trichloroethene (TCE) to ethene, a completely dechlorinated and environmentally benign compound, by naturally occurring microorganisms within a fractured dolomite aquifer. Analyses of groundwater samples showed that three microbially produced TCE breakdown products (cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, and ethene) were present in the contaminant plume. Hydrogen (H2) concentrations in groundwater indicated that iron reduction was the predominant terminal electron-accepting process in the most contaminated geologic zone of the site. Laboratory microcosms prepared with groundwater demonstrated complete sequential dechlorination of TCE to ethene. Microcosm assays also revealed that reductive dechlorination activity was present in waters from the center but not from the periphery of the contaminant plume. This dechlorination activity indicated that naturally occurring microorganisms have adapted to utilize chlorinated ethenes and suggested that dehalorespiring rather than cometabolic, microbial processes were the cause of the dechlorination. The addition of pulverized dolomite to microcosms enhanced the rate of reductive dechlorination, suggesting that hydrocarbons in the dolomite aquifer may serve as electron donors to drive microbially mediated reductive dechlorination reactions. Biodegradation of the chlorinated ethenes appears to contribute significantly to decontamination of the site.A combination of hydrogeological, geochemical, and microbiological methods was used to document the biotransformation of trichloroethene (TCE) to ethene, a completely dechlorinated and environmentally benign compound, by naturally occurring microorganisms within a fractured dolomite aquifer. Analyses of groundwater samples showed that three microbially produced TCE breakdown products (cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, and ethene) were present in the contaminant plume. Hydrogen (H2) concentrations in groundwater indicated that iron reduction was the predominant terminal electron-accepting process in the most contaminated geologic zone of the site. Laboratory microcosms prepared with groundwater demonstrated complete sequential dechlorination of TCE to ethene. Microcosm assays also revealed that reductive dechlorination activity was present in waters from the center but not from the periphery of the contaminant plume. This dechlorination activity indicated that naturally occurring microorganisms have adapted to utilize chlorinated ethenes and suggested that dehalorespiring rather than cometabolic, microbial processes were the cause of the dechlorination. The addition of pulverized dolomite to microcosms enhanced the rate of reductive dechlorination, suggesting that hydrocarbons in the dolomite aquifer may serve as electron donors to drive microbially mediated reductive dechlorination reactions. Biodegradation of the chlorinated ethenes appears to contribute significantly to decontamination of the site.

Computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for children with epilepsy and anxiety: a pilot study.

PubMed

Blocher, Jacquelyn B; Fujikawa, Mayu; Sung, Connie; Jackson, Daren C; Jones, Jana E

2013-04-01

Anxiety disorders are prevalent in children with epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, adaptability, and feasibility of a manual-based, computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for anxiety disorders in children with epilepsy. Fifteen anxious youth (aged 8-13 years) with epilepsy completed 12 weeks of manualized computer-assisted CBT. The children and parents completed a semi-structured interview at baseline, and questionnaires assessing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and behavior problems were completed prior to treatment, at treatment midpoint, after treatment completion, and at three months posttreatment. There were significant reductions in the symptoms of anxiety and depression reported by the children at completion of the intervention and at the three-month follow-up. Similarly, the parents reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and a reduction in behavior problems. No adverse events were reported. This CBT intervention for children with epilepsy and anxiety disorders appears to be safe, effective, and feasible and should be incorporated into future intervention studies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of a lean rounding process in a pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Vats, Atul; Goin, Kristin H; Villarreal, Monica C; Yilmaz, Tuba; Fortenberry, James D; Keskinocak, Pinar

2012-02-01

Poor workflow associated with physician rounding can produce inefficiencies that decrease time for essential activities, delay clinical decisions, and reduce staff and patient satisfaction. Workflow and provider resources were not optimized when a pediatric intensive care unit increased by 22,000 square feet (to 33,000) and by nine beds (to 30). Lean methods (focusing on essential processes) and scenario analysis were used to develop and implement a patient-centric standardized rounding process, which we hypothesize would lead to improved rounding efficiency, decrease required physician resources, improve satisfaction, and enhance throughput. Human factors techniques and statistical tools were used to collect and analyze observational data for 11 rounding events before and 12 rounding events after process redesign. Actions included: 1) recording rounding events, times, and patient interactions and classifying them as essential, nonessential, or nonvalue added; 2) comparing rounding duration and time per patient to determine the impact on efficiency; 3) analyzing discharge orders for timeliness; 4) conducting staff surveys to assess improvements in communication and care coordination; and 5) analyzing customer satisfaction data to evaluate impact on patient experience. Thirty-bed pediatric intensive care unit in a children's hospital with academic affiliation. Eight attending pediatric intensivists and their physician rounding teams. Eight attending physician-led teams were observed for 11 rounding events before and 12 rounding events after implementation of a standardized lean rounding process focusing on essential processes. Total rounding time decreased significantly (157 ± 35 mins before vs. 121 ± 20 mins after), through a reduction in time spent on nonessential (53 ± 30 vs. 9 ± 6 mins) activities. The previous process required three attending physicians for an average of 157 mins (7.55 attending physician man-hours), while the new process required two attending physicians for an average of 121 mins (4.03 attending physician man-hours). Cumulative distribution of completed patient rounds by hour of day showed an improvement from 40% to 80% of patients rounded by 9:30 AM. Discharge data showed pediatric intensive care unit patients were discharged an average of 58.05 mins sooner (p < .05). Staff surveys showed a significant increase in satisfaction with the new process (including increased efficiency, improved physician identification, and clearer understanding of process). Customer satisfaction scores showed improvement after implementing the new process. Implementation of a lean-focused, patient-centric rounding structure stressing essential processes was associated with increased timeliness and efficiency of rounds, improved staff and customer satisfaction, improved throughput, and reduced attending physician man-hours.

Increasing Rates of School Completion: Moving from Policy and Research to Practice. A Manual for Policymakers, Administrators, and Educators. Essential Tools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehr, Camilla A.; Johnson, David R.; Bremer, Christine D.; Cosio, Anna; Thompson, Megan

2004-01-01

This manual provides a synthesis of research-based dropout prevention and intervention and offers examples of interventions that show evidence of effectiveness. This has proven to be a difficult task because the intervention research on dropout and school completion that can be used to inform practice is incomplete (Dynarski & Gleason, 2002;…

Sitting in "Motion"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinks, Kathrin

2009-01-01

For children, the urge to move is a basic need. Movement is essential for the development of physical and mental abilities. Quite often, for children with intellectual and physical disabilities who require special supportive seating, other considerations receive priority over movement in seats. The result is an even greater reduction of their…

76 FR 67403 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-01

..., making business decisions, developing economic models and forecasts, conducting economic research, and... of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Agency: U.... Economic census statistics serve as part of the framework for the national accounts and provide essential...

76 FR 31581 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-01

... accounts and provide essential information for government, business, and the general public. The Federal... public use information from the economic census for evaluating markets, preparing business plans, making... of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Agency: U...

Dose-Response Analysis of Developmental Iodide Deficiency: Reductions in Thyroid Hormones and Impaired Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission

EPA Science Inventory

Iodide is an essential nutrient for thyroid hormone synthesis and severe iodide deficiency (ID) during early development is associated with neurological impairments. Several environmental contaminants can perturb the thyroid axis and this perturbation may be more acute under cond...

Low-temperature solvothermal approach to the synthesis of La4Ni3O8 by topotactic oxygen deintercalation.

PubMed

Blakely, Colin K; Bruno, Shaun R; Poltavets, Viktor V

2011-07-18

A chimie douce solvothermal reduction method is proposed for topotactic oxygen deintercalation of complex metal oxides. Four different reduction techniques were employed to qualitatively identify the relative reduction activity of each including reduction with H(2) and NaH, solution-based reduction using metal hydrides at ambient pressure, and reduction under solvothermal conditions. The reduction of the Ruddlesden-Popper nickelate La(4)Ni(3)O(10) was used as a test case to prove the validity of the method. The completely reduced phase La(4)Ni(3)O(8) was produced via the solvothermal technique at 150 °C--a lower temperature than by other more conventional solid state oxygen deintercalation methods.

Anatomical principles for minimally invasive reconstruction of the acromioclavicular joint with anchors.

PubMed

Xiong, Chuanzhi; Lu, Yaojia; Wang, Qiang; Chen, Gang; Hu, Hansheng; Lu, Zhihua

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a minimally invasive surgical technique for the treatment of patients with acromioclavicular joint dislocation. Sixteen patients with complete acromioclavicular joint dislocation were enrolled in this study. All patients were asked to follow the less active rehabilitation protocol post-operatively. Computed tomography with 3-D reconstruction of the injured shoulder was performed on each patient post operatively for the assessment of the accuracy of the suture anchor placement in the coracoid process and the reduction of the acromioclavicular joint. Radiographs of Zanca view and axillary view of both shoulders were taken for evaluating the maintenance of the acromioclavicular joint reduction at each follow-up visit. The Constant shoulder score was used for function assessment at the final follow-up. Twenty seven of the 32 anchors implanted in the coracoid process met the criteria of good position. One patient developed complete loss of reduction and another had partial loss of reduction in the anteroposterior plane. For the other 14 patients, the mean Constant score was 90 (range, 82-95). For the patients with partial and complete loss of reduction, the Constant score were 92 and 76 respectively. All of them got nearly normal range of motion of the shoulders and restored to pre-operative life and works. With this minimally invasive approach and limited exposure of the coracoid, a surgeon can place the suture anchors at the anatomical insertions of the coracoclavicular ligament and allow the dislocated joint reduced and maintained well. Level IV, Case series; therapeutic study.

The Effect of D-cycloserine on Subliminal Cue Exposure in Spider Fearful Individuals

PubMed Central

Gutner, Cassidy A.; Weinberger, Joel; Hofmann, Stefan G.

2012-01-01

Research on d-cycloserine (DCS) has demonstrated a significant effect on symptom reduction in human studies that utilized conventional exposure-based approaches. Recent studies have offered promising results for targeting fears through subliminal paradigms. In this double-blind, randomized placebo controlled study, 45 spider fearful individuals received DCS or placebo pills prior to completing a subliminal cue exposure task to images of spiders. Participants completed self-report questionnaires and a behavioral approach task to a live caged tarantula. After repeated exposure to subliminal spider cues, participants in the DCS group reported a greater reduction in disgust than individuals in the placebo group. No difference was observed in fear ratings. These findings suggest that DCS augments the reduction in disgust in spider fearful subjects after subliminal exposure to spider cues. PMID:22992160

Expert opinion in the management of aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease (DED).

PubMed

Sy, Aileen; O'Brien, Kieran S; Liu, Margaret P; Cuddapah, Puja A; Acharya, Nisha R; Lietman, Thomas M; Rose-Nussbaumer, Jennifer

2015-10-13

Dry eye disease (DED) affects millions of people worldwide. There are a variety of new treatments beyond traditional therapies such as preservative free artificial tears. Here, we conduct a survey to identify the most common treatments used among specialists and assess their interest in newer therapies. An international survey was distributed to dry eye researchers and expert practitioners via an internet survey. The survey data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics. One hundred and fifteen respondents completed the survey; of these, 66 % were cornea specialists. The most commonly prescribed topical treatments included cyclosporine A (CSA) 0.05 % (71/104, 68 %), fluorometholone (FML) 0.1 % (59/99, 60 %), loteprednol etabonate 0.5 % (50/99, 51 %), and autologous serum eye drops (ASD; 48/97, 49 %). The most commonly prescribed non-topical medications included essential fatty acid supplements (72/104, 69 %), low-dose doxycycline (oral; 61/100, 61 %), and flaxseed supplements (32/96, 33 %) as well as punctal plugs (76/102, 75 %). Respondents reported treatment with topical corticosteroids for 2 to 8 weeks (46/86, 53 %), followed by less than 2 weeks (24/86, 28 %) and with topical CSA between 2 to 8 weeks (45/85, 53 %) followed by 2 to 6 months (24/85, 28 %). The top three signs and symptoms reported to indicate treatment response were, in order, fluorescein staining of the cornea, reduction in foreign body sensation, and reduction in burning sensation. This survey offers insight into current expert opinion in the treatment of DED. The results of this survey are hypothesis generating and will aid in the design of future clinical studies.

A genetic map of tomato based on BC(1) Lycopersicon esculentum x Solanum lycopersicoides reveals overall synteny but suppressed recombination between these homeologous genomes.

PubMed Central

Chetelat, R T; Meglic, V; Cisneros, P

2000-01-01

F(1) hybrids between the cultivated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and the wild nightshade Solanum lycopersicoides are male sterile and unilaterally incompatible, breeding barriers that impede further crosses to tomato. Meiosis is disrupted in 2x hybrids, with reduced chiasma formation and frequent univalents, but is normal in allotetraploid hybrids, indicating the genomes are homeologous. In this study, a partially male-fertile F(1) was backcrossed to tomato, producing the first BC(1) population suitable for genetic mapping from this cross. BC(1) plants were genotyped at marker loci to study the transmission of wild alleles and to measure rates of homeologous recombination. The pattern of segregation distortion, in favor of homozygotes on chromosomes 2 and 5 and heterozygotes on chromosomes 6 and 9, suggested linkage to a small number of loci under selection on each chromosome. Genome ratios nonetheless fit Mendelian expectations. Resulting genetic maps were essentially colinear with existing tomato maps but showed an overall reduction in recombination of approximately 27%. Recombination suppression was observed for all chromosomes except 9 and 12, affected both proximal and distal regions, and was most severe on chromosome 10 (70% reduction). Recombination between markers on the long arm of this chromosome was completely eliminated, suggesting a lack of colinearity between S. lycopersicoides and L. esculentum homeologues in this region. Results are discussed with respect to phylogenetic relationships between the species and their potential use for studies of homeologous pairing and recombination in a diploid plant genome. PMID:10655236

[Acute and persistent antiproteinuric effect of a low-protein diet in chronic kidney disease].

PubMed

Di Iorio, B R; Cucciniello, E; Martino, R; Frallicciardi, A; Tortoriello, R; Struzziero, G

2009-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the anti-proteinuric effect of a very-low-protein diet supplemented with essential amino acids and keto analogs in patients with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease and proteinuria already treated with both ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers. The study was a prospective randomized controlled cross-over trial comparing a very-low-protein diet (VLpD) and a low-protein diet (LpD). We enrolled 32 consecutive patients between June 2000 and June 2005. They were randomized to receive a VpLD (group A) or an LpD (group B) for 6 months; thereafter, patients of both groups were switched to the other diet (group A to LpD; group B to VpLD) for a further 6 months. Finally, all patients were randomized again within each group to receive either LpD or VLpD and were followed for another year. The VLpD group showed a significant reduction of urinary protein excretion during the diet period, with a nadir at the fourth month of treatment; the amount of urinary protein reduction was about 58%. Serum advanced glycation end products (AGE) significantly decreased in 10 patients (5 of group A, 5 of group B; -18% and -19%, respectively) during VLpD. Univariate analysis showed that proteinuria correlated indirectly with VpLD and directly with AGE. This study demonstrates that in patients with moderate to advanced chronic kidney disease and severe proteinuria, a VLpD reduces both proteinuria and serum AGE, even in the presence of complete inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system.

A comprehensive review of the SLMTA literature part 2: Measuring success.

PubMed

Luman, Elizabeth T; Yao, Katy; Nkengasong, John N

2014-01-01

Since its introduction in 2009, the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has been implemented in 617 laboratories in 47 countries. We completed a systematic review of the published literature on SLMTA. The review consists of two companion papers; this article examines quantitative evidence presented in the publications along with a meta-analysis of selected results. We identified 28 published articles with data from SLMTA implementation. The SLMTA programme was evaluated through audits based on a standard checklist, which is divided into 12 sections corresponding to the 12 Quality System Essentials (QSEs). Several basic service delivery indicators reported by programmes were also examined. Results for various components of the programme were reviewed and summarised; a meta-analysis of QSE results grouped by the three stages of the quality cycle was conducted for 126 laboratories in 12 countries. Global programme data show improved quality in SLMTA laboratories in every country, with average improvements on audit scores of 25 percentage points. Meta-analysis identified Improvement Management as the weakest stage, with internal audit (8%) and occurrence management (16%) showing the lowest scores. Studies documented 19% - 95% reductions in turn-around times, 69% - 93% reductions in specimen rejection rates, 76% - 81% increases in clinician satisfaction rates, 67% - 85% improvements in external quality assessment results, 50% - 66% decreases in nonconformities and 67% increases in staff punctuality. The wide array of results reported provides a comprehensive picture of the SLMTA programme overall, suggesting a substantive impact on provision of quality laboratory services and patient care. These comprehensive results establish a solid data-driven foundation for program improvement and further expansion.

Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study on the effects of topical blackcurrant emulsion enriched in essential fatty acids, ceramides and 18-beta glycyrrhetinic acid on clinical signs and skin barrier function in dogs with atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Marsella, Rosanna; Cornegliani, Luisa; Ozmen, Ibrahim; Bohannon, Mary; Ahrens, Kim; Santoro, Domenico

2017-12-01

Lipid-based emulsions can be useful for the management of canine atopic dermatitis (cAD). 18-beta glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA), a component of liquorice root, has anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic effects. To evaluate the effects of a topical lipid emulsion containing ceramides, fatty acids and GRA on clinical signs of cAD and skin barrier in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Client owned (n = 45) dogs with nonseasonal, mild/moderate AD, received either treatment or placebo for three months. Skin lesions, pruritus, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and global assessment (GA) were evaluated. Fourteen dogs receiving treatment and 14 receiving the placebo completed the study. After one month ≥50% reduction in pruritus was seen in seven of 14 dogs (50%) in the Treatment group, and in two of 14 dogs (14.3%) in the Control group (P = 0.047). After two and three months, significant reduction in pruritus was not seen. For Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI), TEWL and GA, there were no significant findings over time or between groups. The emulsion had some transient beneficial clinical effects. However, it was not effective in controlling pruritus as a monotherapy. Further studies should examine whether owner compliance was a factor in the steady decline of effect on pruritus scores. Further studies evaluating its role as an adjunctive therapy are indicated. © 2017 ESVD and ACVD.

Dental Students' Perceptions of Digital Assessment Software for Preclinical Tooth Preparation Exercises.

PubMed

Park, Carly F; Sheinbaum, Justin M; Tamada, Yasushi; Chandiramani, Raina; Lian, Lisa; Lee, Cliff; Da Silva, John; Ishikawa-Nagai, Shigemi

2017-05-01

Objective self-assessment is essential to learning and continued competence in dentistry. A computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) learning software (prepCheck, Sirona) allows students to objectively assess their performance in preclinical prosthodontics. The aim of this study was to evaluate students' perceptions of CAD/CAM learning software for preclinical prosthodontics exercises. In 2014, all third-year dental students at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (n=36) were individually instructed by a trained faculty member in using prepCheck. Each student completed a preclinical formative exercise (#18) and summative examination (#30) for ceramometal crown preparation and evaluated the preparation using five assessment tools (reduction, margin width, surface finish, taper, and undercut) in prepCheck. The students then rated each of the five tools for usefulness, user-friendliness, and frequency of use on a scale from 1=lowest to 5=highest. Faculty members graded the tooth preparations as pass (P), marginal-pass (MP), or fail (F). The survey response rate was 100%. The tools for undercut and taper had the highest scores for usefulness, user-friendliness, and frequency of use. The reduction tool score was significantly lower in all categories (p<0.01). There were significant differences in usefulness (p<0.05) and user-friendliness (p<0.05) scores among the P, MP, and F groups. These results suggest that the prepCheck taper and undercut tools were useful for the students' learning process in a preclinical exercise. The students' perceptions of prepCheck and their preclinical performance were related, and those students who performed poorest rated the software as significantly more useful.

Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers in China: results from a national web-based survey

PubMed Central

Zhang, Danying; Huang, Hanlin

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aims of present study were to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among sonographers in China and to provide evidence for appropriate intervention measures to be taken. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was used to screen WRMSDs experienced by sonographers during the past 12 months. This questionnaire survey was created and hosted on the WeChat official account platform for sonographers. Results: In the present study, 567 sonographers from 521 medical institutions completed the questionnaire. The vast majority (99.3%) of respondents reported experiencing symptoms of WRMSDs for at least one body region during the past 12 months. Work-related musculoskeletal pain or discomfort was most frequently reported for the neck (95.1%), right shoulder (84.1%), lower back (82.4%), right wrist/hand (81.0%), upper back (78.1%), right forearm/elbow (72.0%), and left shoulder (66.1%). Scanning hours per day, number of patients per day, and years of experience were positively associated with the occurrence and frequency of experiencing WRMSDs of some common and specific anatomical regions. Taking a regular rest break during the scanning working day was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs of the right shoulder and right wrist/hand. Adopting a sitting posture while performing scanning was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs, particularly for the lower back and the neck. Performing regular physical activity during leisure time was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs of the neck. Conclusions: The prevalence of WRMSDs among sonographers in China was extremely high. It is necessary and essential to reduce the number of scanning hours and patients per day, adopt a sitting posture while performing scanning, schedule regular rest breaks during the scanning working day, and encourage performance of regular physical activity during leisure time to alleviate this WRMSD issue experienced by sonographers. PMID:28904258

Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among sonographers in China: results from a national web-based survey.

PubMed

Zhang, Danying; Huang, Hanlin

2017-11-25

The aims of present study were to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among sonographers in China and to provide evidence for appropriate intervention measures to be taken. A self-reported questionnaire was used to screen WRMSDs experienced by sonographers during the past 12 months. This questionnaire survey was created and hosted on the WeChat official account platform for sonographers. In the present study, 567 sonographers from 521 medical institutions completed the questionnaire. The vast majority (99.3%) of respondents reported experiencing symptoms of WRMSDs for at least one body region during the past 12 months. Work-related musculoskeletal pain or discomfort was most frequently reported for the neck (95.1%), right shoulder (84.1%), lower back (82.4%), right wrist/hand (81.0%), upper back (78.1%), right forearm/elbow (72.0%), and left shoulder (66.1%). Scanning hours per day, number of patients per day, and years of experience were positively associated with the occurrence and frequency of experiencing WRMSDs of some common and specific anatomical regions. Taking a regular rest break during the scanning working day was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs of the right shoulder and right wrist/hand. Adopting a sitting posture while performing scanning was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs, particularly for the lower back and the neck. Performing regular physical activity during leisure time was associated with a reduction of WRMSDs of the neck. The prevalence of WRMSDs among sonographers in China was extremely high. It is necessary and essential to reduce the number of scanning hours and patients per day, adopt a sitting posture while performing scanning, schedule regular rest breaks during the scanning working day, and encourage performance of regular physical activity during leisure time to alleviate this WRMSD issue experienced by sonographers.

Coal liquefaction process

DOEpatents

Wright, C.H.

1986-02-11

A process is described for the liquefaction of coal wherein raw feed coal is dissolved in recycle solvent with a slurry containing recycle coal minerals in the presence of added hydrogen at elevated temperature and pressure. The highest boiling distillable dissolved liquid fraction is obtained from a vacuum distillation zone and is entirely recycled to extinction. Lower boiling distillable dissolved liquid is removed in vapor phase from the dissolver zone and passed without purification and essentially without reduction in pressure to a catalytic hydrogenation zone where it is converted to an essentially colorless liquid product boiling in the transportation fuel range. 1 fig.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS notice of benefit and payment parameters for 2016. Final rule.

PubMed

2015-02-27

This final rule sets forth payment parameters and provisions related to the risk adjustment, reinsurance, and risk corridors programs; cost sharing parameters and cost-sharing reductions; and user fees for Federally-facilitated Exchanges. It also finalizes additional standards for the individual market annual open enrollment period for the 2016 benefit year, essential health benefits, qualified health plans, network adequacy, quality improvement strategies, the Small Business Health Options Program, guaranteed availability, guaranteed renewability, minimum essential coverage, the rate review program, the medical loss ratio program, and other related topics.

New statistical learning theory paradigms adapted to breast cancer diagnosis/classification using image and non-image clinical data.

PubMed

Land, Walker H; Heine, John J; Raway, Tom; Mizaku, Alda; Kovalchuk, Nataliya; Yang, Jack Y; Yang, Mary Qu

2008-01-01

The automated decision paradigms presented in this work address the false positive (FP) biopsy occurrence in diagnostic mammography. An EP/ES stochastic hybrid and two kernelized Partial Least Squares (K-PLS) paradigms were investigated with following studies: methodology performance comparisonsautomated diagnostic accuracy assessments with two data sets. The findings showed: the new hybrid produced comparable results more rapidlythe new K-PLS paradigms train and operate Essentially in real time for the data sets studied. Both advancements are essential components for eventually achieving the FP reduction goal, while maintaining acceptable diagnostic sensitivities.

New statistical learning theory paradigms adapted to breast cancer diagnosis/classification using image and non-image clinical data

PubMed Central

Raway, Tom; Mizaku, Alda; Kovalchuk, Nataliya; Yang, Jack Y.; Yang, Mary Qu

2015-01-01

The automated decision paradigms presented in this work address the false positive (FP) biopsy occurrence in diagnostic mammography. An EP/ES stochastic hybrid and two kernelized Partial Least Squares (K-PLS) paradigms were investigated with following studies: methodology performance comparisonsautomated diagnostic accuracy assessments with two data sets. The findings showed: the new hybrid produced comparable results more rapidlythe new K-PLS paradigms train and operate Essentially in real time for the data sets studied. Both advancements are essential components for eventually achieving the FP reduction goal, while maintaining acceptable diagnostic sensitivities. PMID:26430470

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lucas, A.

In meeting a 1988 pledge to reduce its worldwide air emissions 90% by the end of 1992, Monsanto completed one of the industry`s most ambitious-and costly-voluntary pollution reduction programs. After $130 million in expenditures and the completion of 250 emission reduction projects, the company had cut its worldwide air emissions 92%, to 5 million lbs, and its U.S. emissions 85%, to 2.7 million lbs. Now Monsanto is looking to take the next step by slashing emission levels of all pollutants. Monsanto has scheduled another round of deadlines that go far beyound regulatory compliance. The company plans on making further reductions,more » including eliminating the release of waste to underground injection wells, which will likely involve fundamental changes in technology. The company`s goal is to reduce its worldwide toxic chemical releases and transfers to less that 100 million lbs/year by 1995, down 240 million lbs for 1990`s 337 million lbs. Many of Monsanto`s efforts since it made its 1988 pledge have focused on reducing air emissions, because those emissions were the highest. While Monsanto reports about half of its air reductions come from shutdowns of inefficient processes, the 1995 reduction efforts will require increased capital investment for new processes.« less

Microbial minimalism: genome reduction in bacterial pathogens.

PubMed

Moran, Nancy A

2002-03-08

When bacterial lineages make the transition from free-living or facultatively parasitic life cycles to permanent associations with hosts, they undergo a major loss of genes and DNA. Complete genome sequences are providing an understanding of how extreme genome reduction affects evolutionary directions and metabolic capabilities of obligate pathogens and symbionts.

Computer program developed for flowsheet calculations and process data reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alfredson, P. G.; Anastasia, L. J.; Knudsen, I. E.; Koppel, L. B.; Vogel, G. J.

1969-01-01

Computer program PACER-65, is used for flowsheet calculations and easily adapted to process data reduction. Each unit, vessel, meter, and processing operation in the overall flowsheet is represented by a separate subroutine, which the program calls in the order required to complete an overall flowsheet calculation.

Microbial reduction of Fe(III) in acidic sediments: isolation of Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5 capable of coupling the reduction of Fe(III) to the oxidation of glucose.

PubMed

Küsel, K; Dorsch, T; Acker, G; Stackebrandt, E

1999-08-01

To evaluate the microbial populations involved in the reduction of Fe(III) in an acidic, iron-rich sediment, the anaerobic flow of supplemental carbon and reductant was evaluated in sediment microcosms at the in situ temperature of 12 degrees C. Supplemental glucose and cellobiose stimulated the formation of Fe(II); 42 and 21% of the reducing equivalents that were theoretically obtained from glucose and cellobiose, respectively, were recovered in Fe(II). Likewise, supplemental H(2) was consumed by acidic sediments and yielded additional amounts of Fe(II) in a ratio of approximately 1:2. In contrast, supplemental lactate did not stimulate the formation of Fe(II). Supplemental acetate was not consumed and inhibited the formation of Fe(II). Most-probable-number estimates demonstrated that glucose-utilizing acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing bacteria approximated to 1% of the total direct counts of 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole-stained bacteria. From the highest growth-positive dilution of the most-probable-number series at pH 2. 3 supplemented with glucose, an isolate, JF-5, that could dissimilate Fe(III) was obtained. JF-5 was an acidophilic, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe that completely oxidized the following substrates via the dissimilation of Fe(III): glucose, fructose, xylose, ethanol, glycerol, malate, glutamate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, and H(2). Growth and the reduction of Fe(III) did not occur in the presence of acetate. Cells of JF-5 grown under Fe(III)-reducing conditions formed blebs, i.e., protrusions that were still in contact with the cytoplasmic membrane. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of JF-5 demonstrated that it was closely related to an Australian isolate of Acidiphilium cryptum (99.6% sequence similarity), an organism not previously shown to couple the complete oxidation of sugars to the reduction of Fe(III). These collective results indicate that the in situ reduction of Fe(III) in acidic sediments can be mediated by heterotrophic Acidiphilium species that are capable of coupling the reduction of Fe(III) to the complete oxidation of a large variety of substrates including glucose and H(2).

The myth and reality of Gray's paradox: implication of dolphin drag reduction for technology.

PubMed

Fish, Frank E

2006-06-01

The inconsistency for the calculated high drag on an actively swimming dolphin and underestimated muscle power available resulted in what has been termed Gray's paradox. Although Gray's paradox was flawed, it has been the inspiration for a variety of drag reduction mechanisms. This review examines the present state of knowledge of drag reduction specific to dolphins. Streamlining and special behaviors provide the greatest drag reduction for dolphins. Mechanisms to control flow by maintaining a completely laminar boundary layer over the body have not been demonstrated for dolphins.

HIPPARCOS - Activities of the data reduction consortia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindegren, L.; Kovalevsky, J.

The complete reduction of data from the ESA astrometry satellite Hipparcos, from some 1012bits of photon counts and ancillary data to a catalogue of astrometric parameters and magnitudes for the 100,000 programme stars, will be independently undertaken by two scientific consortia, NDAC and FAST. This approach is motivated by the size and complexity of the reductions and to ensure the validity of the results. The end product will be a single, agreed-upon catalogue. This paper describes briefly the principles of reduction and the organisation and status within each consortium.

Toxicity of iron overload and iron overload reduction in the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies.

PubMed

Leitch, Heather A; Fibach, Eitan; Rachmilewitz, Eliezer

2017-05-01

Iron is an essential element for key cellular metabolic processes. However, transfusional iron overload (IOL) may result in significant cellular toxicity. IOL occurs in transfusion dependent hematologic malignancies (HM), may lead to pathological clinical outcomes, and IOL reduction may improve outcomes. In hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) for HM, IOL may have clinical importance; endpoints examined regarding an impact of IOL and IOL reduction include transplant-related mortality, organ function, infection, relapse risk, and survival. Here we review the clinical consequences of IOL and effects of IOL reduction before, during and following SCT for HM. IOL pathophysiology is discussed as well as available tests for IOL quantification including transfusion history, serum ferritin level, transferrin saturation, hepcidin, labile plasma iron and other parameters of iron-catalyzed oxygen free radicals, and organ IOL by imaging. Data-based recommendations for IOL measurement, monitoring and reduction before, during and following SCT for HM are made. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gene Selection and Cancer Classification: A Rough Sets Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lijun; Miao, Duoqian; Zhang, Hongyun

Indentification of informative gene subsets responsible for discerning between available samples of gene expression data is an important task in bioinformatics. Reducts, from rough sets theory, corresponding to a minimal set of essential genes for discerning samples, is an efficient tool for gene selection. Due to the compuational complexty of the existing reduct algoritms, feature ranking is usually used to narrow down gene space as the first step and top ranked genes are selected . In this paper,we define a novel certierion based on the expression level difference btween classes and contribution to classification of the gene for scoring genes and present a algorithm for generating all possible reduct from informative genes.The algorithm takes the whole attribute sets into account and find short reduct with a significant reduction in computational complexity. An exploration of this approach on benchmark gene expression data sets demonstrates that this approach is successful for selecting high discriminative genes and the classification accuracy is impressive.

Using Citrus aurantifolia essential oil for the potential biocontrol of Colocasia esculenta (taro) leaf blight caused by Phytophthora colocasiae.

PubMed

Tchameni, Séverin Nguemezi; Mbiakeu, Staelle Njamou; Sameza, Modeste Lambert; Jazet, Pierre Michel Dongmo; Tchoumbougnang, François

2017-11-17

The aim of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of leaves and epicarp of Citrus aurantifolia essential oil against Phytophthora colocasiae, the causative agent of taro leaf blight. Oils were extracted by hydrodistillation, and their chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial activities of oils were tested in vitro against mycelium growth and sporangium production. In situ tests were done on healthy taro leaves, and the necrosis symptoms were evaluated. Results showed that the essential oil extraction yields from leaves and epicarp were 0.61 and 0.36%, respectively. Limonene (48.96%), bornyl acetate (14.18%), geraniol (10.53%), geranial (3.93%), and myrcene (3.14%) were the main components in leaf oil, while limonene (59.09%), cis-hydrate sabinene (7.53%), geranial (5.61%), myrtenol (5.02%), and terpinen-4-ol (3.48%) were the main components in epicarp oil. Both oils exhibited antimicrobial activities with total inhibition of the mycelium growth at 500 and 900 ppm for leaf and epicarp, respectively. The highest inhibitory concentration of sporangium production was 400 (72.84%) and 800 ppm (80.65%) for leaf and epicarp oil, respectively. For the standard fungicide (metalaxyl), the total inhibition value of mycelial growth and sporangium production was 750 ppm. In situ tests showed that, at 5000 ppm, total inhibition (100%) was obtained for a preventive test, while 50% of the inhibition was observed for a curative test when leaf oil was applied. When epicarp essential oil was applied at 5000 ppm, 47.5 and 16.66% of the reduction of leaf necrosis were observed for the preventive and curative test, respectively. There were positive correlations between both the oil concentration and the reduction of necrosis caused by P. colocasiae. These findings suggest that the C. aurantifolia essential oil could serve as an eco-friendly biocontrol for the management of taro leaf blight.

The Essential Oil from Origanum vulgare L. and Its Individual Constituents Carvacrol and Thymol Enhance the Effect of Tetracycline against Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Cirino, Isis Caroline S; Menezes-Silva, Suellen Maria P; Silva, Helena Tainá D; de Souza, Evandro Leite; Siqueira-Júnior, José P

2014-01-01

In an ongoing project to evaluate essential oils as modulators of antibiotic resistance, the essential oil from Origanum vulgare L. (OVEO), as well as its individual constituents carvacrol (CAR) and thymol (THY), were investigated using Staphylococcus aureus strains possessing efflux mechanisms of resistance to norfloxacin, erythromycin and tetracycline. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the antibiotics were determined by agar dilution method, in the absence and in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of OVEO, CAR or THY. Along with relevant antistaphylococcal activity, OVEO, CAR and THY modulated the activity of tetracycline, i.e. in combination with antibiotics a reduction in the MIC was observed (up to fourfold). The results presented here represent, as far as we know, the first report of OVEO, CAR and THY as putative efflux pump inhibitors. Broadly, these findings indicate that essential oils could serve as potential sources of compounds capable of modulating drug resistance. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A simulation trainer for complex articular fracture surgery.

PubMed

Yehyawi, Tameem M; Thomas, Thaddeus P; Ohrt, Gary T; Marsh, J Lawrence; Karam, Matthew D; Brown, Thomas D; Anderson, Donald D

2013-07-03

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a physical model to improve articular fracture reduction skills, (2) to develop objective assessment methods to evaluate these skills, and (3) to assess the construct validity of the simulation. A surgical simulation was staged utilizing surrogate tibial plafond fractures. Multiple three-segment radio-opacified polyurethane foam fracture models were produced from the same mold, ensuring uniform surgical complexity between trials. Using fluoroscopic guidance, five senior and seven junior orthopaedic residents reduced the fracture through a limited anterior window. The residents were assessed on the basis of time to completion, hand movements (tracked with use of a motion capture system), and quality of the obtained reduction. All but three of the residents successfully reduced and fixed the fracture fragments (one senior resident and two junior residents completed the reduction but were unsuccessful in fixating all fragments). Senior residents had an average time to completion of 13.43 minutes, an average gross articular step-off of 3.00 mm, discrete hand motions of 540 actions, and a cumulative hand motion distance of 79 m. Junior residents had an average time to completion of 14.75 minutes, an average gross articular step-off of 3.09 mm, discrete hand motions of 511 actions, and a cumulative hand motion distance of 390 m. The large difference in cumulative hand motion distance, despite comparable numbers of discrete hand motion events, indicates that senior residents were more precise in their hand motions. The present experiment establishes the basic construct validity of the simulation trainer. Further studies are required to demonstrate that this laboratory-based model for articular fracture reduction training, along with an objective assessment of performance, can be used to improve resident surgical skills.

Flow-through Column Experiments and Modeling of Microbially Mediated Cr(VI) Reduction at Hanford 100H

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, L.; Molins, S.; Beller, H. R.; Brodie, E. L.; Steefel, C.; Nico, P. S.; Han, R.

2010-12-01

Microbially mediated Cr(VI) reduction at the Hanford 100H area was investigated by flow-through column experiments. Three separate experiments were conducted to promote microbial activities associated with denitrification, iron and sulfate reduction, respectively. Replicate columns packed with natural sediments from the site under anaerobic environment were injected with 5mM Lactate as the electron donor and 5 μM Cr(VI) in all experiments. Sulfate and nitrate solutions were added to act as the main electron acceptors in the respective experiments, while iron columns relied on the indigenous sediment iron (and manganese) oxides as electron acceptors. Column effluent solutions were analyzed by IC and ICP-MS to monitor the microbial consumption/conversion of lactate and the associated Cr(VI) reduction. Biogeochemical reactive transport modeling was performed to gain further insights into the reaction mechanisms and Cr(VI) bioreduction rates. All experimental columns showed a reduction of the injected Cr(VI). Columns under denitrifying conditions showed the least Cr(VI) reduction at early stages (<60 days) compared to columns run under other experimental conditions, but became more active over time, and ultimately showed the most consistent Cr(VI) reduction. A strong correlation between denitrification and Cr(VI) reduction processes was observed and was in agreement with the results obtained in batch experiments with a denitrifying bacterium isolated from the Hanford site. The accumulation of nitrite does not appear to have an adverse effect on Cr(VI) reduction rates. Reactive transport simulations indicated that biomass growth completely depleted influent ammonium, and called for an additional source of N to account for the measured reduction rates. Iron columns were the least active with undetectable consumption of the injected lactate, slowest cell growth, and the smallest change in Cr(VI) concentrations during the course of the experiment. In contrast, columns under sulfate-reducing/fermentative conditions exhibited the greatest Cr(VI) reduction capacity. Two sulfate columns evolved to complete lactate fermentation with acetate and propionate produced in the column effluent after 40 days of experiments. These fermenting columns showed a complete removal of injected Cr(VI), visible precipitation of sulfide minerals, and a significant increase in effluent Fe and Mn concentrations. Reactive transport simulations suggested that direct reduction of Cr(VI) by Fe(II) and Mn(II) released from the sediment could account for the observed Cr(VI) removal. The biogeochemical modeling was employed to test two hypotheses that could explain the release of Fe(II) and Mn(II) from the column sediments: 1) acetate produced by lactate fermentation provided the substrate for the growth of iron(III) and manganese(IV) oxide reducers, and 2) direct reduction of iron(III) and manganese(IV) oxides by hydrogen sulfide generated during sulfate reduction. Overall, experimental and modeling results suggested that Cr(VI) reduction in the sulfate-reducing columns occurred through a complex network of microbial reactions that included fermentation, sulfate reduction, and possibly the stimulated iron-reducing communities.

Randomized Trial of Complete Versus Lesion-Only Revascularization in Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for STEMI and Multivessel Disease

PubMed Central

Gershlick, Anthony H.; Khan, Jamal Nasir; Kelly, Damian J.; Greenwood, John P.; Sasikaran, Thiagarajah; Curzen, Nick; Blackman, Daniel J.; Dalby, Miles; Fairbrother, Kathryn L.; Banya, Winston; Wang, Duolao; Flather, Marcus; Hetherington, Simon L.; Kelion, Andrew D.; Talwar, Suneel; Gunning, Mark; Hall, Roger; Swanton, Howard; McCann, Gerry P.

2015-01-01

Background The optimal management of patients found to have multivessel disease while undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is uncertain. Objectives CvLPRIT (Complete versus Lesion-only Primary PCI trial) is a U.K. open-label randomized study comparing complete revascularization at index admission with treatment of the infarct-related artery (IRA) only. Methods After they provided verbal assent and underwent coronary angiography, 296 patients in 7 U.K. centers were randomized through an interactive voice-response program to either in-hospital complete revascularization (n = 150) or IRA-only revascularization (n = 146). Complete revascularization was performed either at the time of P-PCI or before hospital discharge. Randomization was stratified by infarct location (anterior/nonanterior) and symptom onset (≤3 h or >3 h). The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, and ischemia-driven revascularization within 12 months. Results Patient groups were well matched for baseline clinical characteristics. The primary endpoint occurred in 10.0% of the complete revascularization group versus 21.2% in the IRA-only revascularization group (hazard ratio: 0.45; 95% confidence interval: 0.24 to 0.84; p = 0.009). A trend toward benefit was seen early after complete revascularization (p = 0.055 at 30 days). Although there was no significant reduction in death or MI, a nonsignificant reduction in all primary endpoint components was seen. There was no reduction in ischemic burden on myocardial perfusion scintigraphy or in the safety endpoints of major bleeding, contrast-induced nephropathy, or stroke between the groups. Conclusions In patients presenting for P-PCI with multivessel disease, index admission complete revascularization significantly lowered the rate of the composite primary endpoint at 12 months compared with treating only the IRA. In such patients, inpatient total revascularization may be considered, but larger clinical trials are required to confirm this result and specifically address whether this strategy is associated with improved survival. (Complete Versus Lesion-only Primary PCI Pilot Study [CvLPRIT]; ISRCTN70913605) PMID:25766941

The technical report on sodium intake and cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries by the joint working group of the World Heart Federation, the European Society of Hypertension and the European Public Health Association.

PubMed

Mancia, Giuseppe; Oparil, Suzanne; Whelton, Paul K; McKee, Martin; Dominiczak, Anna; Luft, Friedrich C; AlHabib, Khalid; Lanas, Fernando; Damasceno, Albertino; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; La Torre, Giuseppe; Weber, Michael; O'Donnell, Martin; Smith, Sidney C; Narula, Jagat

2017-03-07

Ingestion of sodium is essential to health, but excess sodium intake is a risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Defining an optimal range of sodium intake in populations has been challenging and controversial. Clinical trials evaluating the effect of sodium reduction on blood pressure have shown blood pressure lowering effects down to sodium intake of less than 1.5 g/day. Findings from these blood pressure trials form the basis for current guideline recommendations to reduce sodium intake to less than 2.3 g/day. However, these clinical trials employed interventions that are not feasible for population-wide implementation (i.e. feeding studies or intensive behavioural interventions), particularly in low and middle-income countries. Prospective cohort studies have identified the optimal range of sodium intake to reside in the moderate range (3-5 g/day), where the risk of cardiovascular disease and death is lowest. Therefore, there is consistent evidence from clinical trials and observational studies to support reducing sodium intake to less than 5 g/day in populations, but inconsistent evidence for further reductions below a moderate intake range (3-5 g/day). Unfortunately, there are no large randomized controlled trials comparing low sodium intake (< 3 g/day) to moderate sodium intake (3-5 g/day) in general populations to determine the net clinical effects of low sodium intake. Until such trials are completed, it is likely that controversy about optimal sodium intake range will continue. This working group calls for the completion of large definitive clinical trials to clarify the range of sodium intake for optimal cardiovascular health within the moderate to low intake range. We support interventions to reduce sodium intake in populations who consume high sodium intake (> 5 g/day), which should be embedded within an overall healthy dietary pattern. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An animal model of marginal iodine deficiency during development: The thyroid axis and neurodevelopmental outcome

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for brain development and iodine is required for TH synthesis. Environmental chemicals that perturb the thyroid axis result in modest reductions in TH, yet there is a paucity of data on the neurological impairments associated with low level TH ...

An animal model of marginal iodine deficiency during development: The thyroid axis and neurodevelopmental outcome. ##

EPA Science Inventory

Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for brain development and iodine is required for TH synthesis. Environmental chemicals that perturb the thyroid axis result in modest reductions in TH, yet there is a paucity of data on the extent of neurological impairments associated with low...

77 FR 58529 - Submission for OMB Emergency Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-21

... Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995... issue the final rule implementing the Serve America Act's National Service Criminal History Check rule. In an effort to be compliant while maintaining functions essential to the operations of each CNCS...

Evidence for the use of low-grade weirs in drainage ditches to improve nutrient reductions from agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The essential function of drainage ditches is to remove water from the agricultural landscape to avoid crop senescence through flooding and soil saturation. Commonly used slotted board risers provide drainage management strategies over the dormant season; however, by introducing innovative, low-gra...

Late Treatment of Syndesmotic Injuries.

PubMed

Swords, Michael P; Sands, Andrew; Shank, John R

2017-03-01

Normal syndesmosis anatomy and alignment are essential to ankle function. Although injuries to the syndesmosis are common with ankle injuries, accurate diagnosis and reduction continue to be a challenge. Late reconstruction for syndesmosis is reviewed. A surgical technique for late reconstruction is outlined in detail. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wheat yield and yield stability of eight dryland crop rotations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-fallow (WF) dryland production system employed in the Central Great Plains has evolved in the past 40 years to include a diversity of other crops, with a reduction in fallow frequency. Wheat remains the base crop for essentially all cropping systems. Decisions...

78 FR 7314 - Shared Responsibility Payment for Not Maintaining Minimum Essential Coverage

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... accounting firm in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles the report of which is made... affordable coverage if the individual's required contribution (determined on an annual basis) for minimum... portion of the required contribution made through a salary reduction arrangement and excluded from gross...

The role of family in a dietary risk reduction intervention for cardiovascular disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Diet is an essential strategy for the prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The objectives were to examine: how families at increased risk of CVD perceived personal risk, their motivations to make dietary changes, their understanding of diet, and the influence of o...

Efficacy of essential oils to reduce Salmonella in organic soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Salmonella populations in soil were reduced by up to 5 log CFU/ml after 28 days of incubation using vinegar or eugenol. The bactericidal effect of Cinnamanaldehyde was not evident. S. negev was sensitive to oils resulting in significant reduction of this bacterium. Increase in oil concentration resu...

Stimulation and Inhibition of Anaerobic Digestion by Nickel and Cobalt: A Rapid Assessment Using the Resazurin Reduction Assay.

PubMed

Chen, Jian Lin; Steele, Terry W J; Stuckey, David C

2016-10-03

Stimulation of anaerobic digestion by essential trace metals is beneficial from a practical point of view to enhance the biodegradability and degradation rate of wastes. Hence, a quick method to determine which metal species, and at what concentration, can optimize anaerobic digestion is of great interest to both researchers and operators. In this present study, we investigated the effect of nickel(II), cobalt(II), and their mixture, on the anaerobic digestion of synthetic municipal wastewater. Using a volumetric method, that is, measuring methane production over time, revealed that anaerobic digestion was stimulated by the addition of 5 mg L -1 nickel(II), and cobalt(II), and their mixture in day(s). However, using a novel resazurin reduction assay, and based on its change in rate over time, we evaluated both inhibition at 250 mg L -1 nickel(II) and cobalt(II), and also the stimulatory effect of 5 mg L -1 nickel(II), and cobalt(II), and their mixture, in just 6 h. By investigating the dynamic distribution of these metals in the liquid phase of the anaerobic system and kinetics of resazurin reduction by nickel spiked anaerobic sludge, the concentration of nickel(II) on anaerobic digestion performance was profiled. Three critical concentrations were determined; stimulation starting (around 1 mg L -1 ), stimulation ending (around 100 mg L -1 ) and stimulation maximizing (around 10 mg L -1 ). Hence, we propose that the resazurin reduction assay is a novel and quick protocol for studying the stimulation of anaerobic bioprocesses by bioavailable essential trace metals.

Determination of Motion and Visual System Requirements for Flight Training Simulators

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

maneuvers, and making use of the learned response of the aircraft by em- ploying increasingly more precognitive control actions. A convenient means of...istics, and external disturbances. Beyond this we also want to consider skill development in terms of compensatory, pursuit; and precognitive behavior...essentially complete knowledge of the man-machine characteristics, i.e., be a complete internal model. Although this might be H plausible at the precognitive

Dissolution of cholesterol gall stones using methyltertbutyl ether: a safe effective treatment.

PubMed Central

McNulty, J; Chua, A; Keating, J; Ah-Kion, S; Weir, D G; Keeling, P W

1991-01-01

Methyltertbutyl ether (MTBE) administered by percutaneous transhepatic catheter rapidly dissolves radiolucent cholesterol gall bladder stones. However, complete dissolution and clearance of non-cholesterol debris is essential to prevent recurrence. In this study we analysed 25 consecutive patients with reference to efficacy and recurrence based on the presence or absence of non-cholesterol stone fragments after dissolution. Placement of the catheter was successful in 24 patients, one patient requiring cholecystectomy for bile peritonitis. MTBE was infused and aspirated continuously, four to six cycles per minute, resulting in rapid stone dissolution (median six hours; range 4-23 hours for solitary stones and median seven hours, range 4-30 hours for multiple stones). In 18 patients who had complete dissolution, four (22%) had recurrent stones within six to 18 months. Five patients had residual debris which failed to clear completely despite bile acid treatment. One patient with an incomplete rim of calcium in a large stone did not respond to MTBE treatment. A further patient required cholecystectomy for symptomatic recurrence. There were no serious side effects observed. MTBE treatment is a rapid, safe, and effective treatment for patients who refuse surgery or who for medical reasons cannot undergo cholecystectomy. The results of this study confirm that complete dissolution of all fragments is essential and may prevent recurrence. Images Figure 2 PMID:1773965

Completeness and consistency in recording information in the tuberculosis case register, Cambodia, China and Viet Nam.

PubMed

Hoa, N B; Wei, C; Sokun, C; Lauritsen, J M; Rieder, H L

2010-10-01

Tuberculosis (TB) case registers in Cambodia, two provinces in China and in Viet Nam. To determine completeness and consistency of information for quarterly reports on case finding and treatment outcome. A representative sample of TB case registers was selected in Cambodia, in two provinces in China and in Viet Nam. Quarterly reports were reproduced from double-entered, validated data to determine completeness and consistency. The dataset comprised 37,635 patient records in 2 calendar years. Only 0.2%, 3.6% and 1.1% of cases, respectively, in Cambodia, the two China provinces, and Viet Nam did not allow classification for the quarterly report on case finding. If the treatment outcome was reported as cured, it was correct in 99.9%, 85.7%, and 98.5% of the respective three jurisdictions: errors were mostly due to misclassification of completion as cure. Under-reporting of failures was more frequent than over-reporting in Cambodia and Viet Nam, while in the two provinces in China 84% of reported failures did not actually meet the bacteriological criterion. This evaluation demonstrates that recording essential information is exemplary in all three countries. It will be essential to carefully supervise the ability of staff to correctly define TB treatment outcome results in all three countries.

A complete collection of single-gene deletion mutants of Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1

PubMed Central

de Berardinis, Véronique; Vallenet, David; Castelli, Vanina; Besnard, Marielle; Pinet, Agnès; Cruaud, Corinne; Samair, Sumitta; Lechaplais, Christophe; Gyapay, Gabor; Richez, Céline; Durot, Maxime; Kreimeyer, Annett; Le Fèvre, François; Schächter, Vincent; Pezo, Valérie; Döring, Volker; Scarpelli, Claude; Médigue, Claudine; Cohen, Georges N; Marlière, Philippe; Salanoubat, Marcel; Weissenbach, Jean

2008-01-01

We have constructed a collection of single-gene deletion mutants for all dispensable genes of the soil bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1. A total of 2594 deletion mutants were obtained, whereas 499 (16%) were not, and are therefore candidate essential genes for life on minimal medium. This essentiality data set is 88% consistent with the Escherichia coli data set inferred from the Keio mutant collection profiled for growth on minimal medium, while 80% of the orthologous genes described as essential in Pseudomonas aeruginosa are also essential in ADP1. Several strategies were undertaken to investigate ADP1 metabolism by (1) searching for discrepancies between our essentiality data and current metabolic knowledge, (2) comparing this essentiality data set to those from other organisms, (3) systematic phenotyping of the mutant collection on a variety of carbon sources (quinate, 2-3 butanediol, glucose, etc.). This collection provides a new resource for the study of gene function by forward and reverse genetic approaches and constitutes a robust experimental data source for systems biology approaches. PMID:18319726

Optimization of conditions of solvent-free microwave extraction and study on antioxidant capacity of essential oil from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.

PubMed

Ma, Chun-hui; Yang, Lei; Zu, Yuan-gang; Liu, Ting-ting

2012-10-15

In this article, solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) of essential oil from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill was studied. A multivariate study based on central composite design (CCD) was used to evaluate the influence of three major variables affecting the performance of SFME. The optimum parameters were extraction time 30 min, irradiation power 385 W and moisture content of the fruits was 68%. The extraction yield of essential oil was 11 ml/kg under the optimum conditions. The antioxidant capacity of essential oils extracted by different methods were determined, and compared with traditional antioxidants. GC-MS showed the different composition of essential oil extracted by hydro-distillation (HD), steam-distillation (SD) and SFME. S. chinensis materials treated by different methods were observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Micrographs and thermo gravimetric loss provided more evidences to prove SFME of essential oil is more completed than HD and SD. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro synergistic antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Zingiber cassumunar Roxb against extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains.

PubMed

Boonyanugomol, Wongwarut; Kraisriwattana, Kairin; Rukseree, Kamolchanok; Boonsam, Kraisorn; Narachai, Panchaporn

In this study, we determined the antibacterial and synergistic activities of the essential oil from Zingiber cassumunar against the extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii strains. The antibacterial and synergistic properties of the essential oil from Z. cassumunar were examined by agar disc diffusion tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were evaluated by broth microdilution using the resazurin assay. The in vitro time-kill antibacterial kinetics was analyzed using the plate count technique. We found that the essential oil from Z. cassumunar had antibacterial activity against A. baumannii, with MIC and MBC ranging from 7.00 to 9.24mg/ml. The essential oil could completely inhibit A. baumannii at 1h, and coccoid-shaped bacteria were found after treatment. In addition, the essential oil had a synergistic effect when combined with antibiotics, e.g., aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and folate pathway inhibitors. Thus, the essential oil from Z. cassumunar has strong antibacterial and synergistic activities against XDR A. baumannii, which may provide the basis for the development of a new therapy against drug-resistant bacteria. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Vitex agnus castus essential oil and menopausal balance: a research update [Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery 8 (2003) 148-154].

PubMed

Chopin Lucks, Barbara

2003-08-01

The first trial of two essential oils (derived separately from leaf and fruit) of Vitex agnus castus for menopausal balance was conducted in the summer of 2000 by the author. Surveys completed by the 23 participants in that trial indicated strong symptomatic relief of common menopausal symptoms.(2) This research update details the result of the second round of trials, which were conducted in the summer of 2002 with 52 additional subjects under the supervision of 12 diverse health practitioners. The second trial appears to support the finding of the first trial, as well as identifying some important contraindications to use of the essential oil.

Stability of mycotoxins during food processing.

PubMed

Bullerman, Lloyd B; Bianchini, Andreia

2007-10-20

The mycotoxins that commonly occur in cereal grains and other products are not completely destroyed during food processing operations and can contaminate finished processed foods. The mycotoxins most commonly associated with cereal grains are aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone. The various food processes that may have effects on mycotoxins include sorting, trimming, cleaning, milling, brewing, cooking, baking, frying, roasting, canning, flaking, alkaline cooking, nixtamalization, and extrusion. Most of the food processes have variable effects on mycotoxins, with those that utilize the highest temperatures having greatest effects. In general the processes reduce mycotoxin concentrations significantly, but do not eliminate them completely. However, roasting and extrusion processing show promise for lowering mycotoxin concentrations, though very high temperatures are needed to bring about much of a reduction in mycotoxin concentrations. Extrusion processing at temperatures greater than 150 degrees C are needed to give good reduction of zearalenone, moderate reduction of alfatoxins, variable to low reduction of deoxynivalenol and good reduction of fumonisins. The greatest reductions of fumonisins occur at extrusion temperatures of 160 degrees C or higher and in the presence of glucose. Extrusion of fumonisin contaminated corn grits with 10% added glucose resulted in 75-85% reduction in Fumonisin B(1) levels. Some fumonisin degredation products are formed during extrusion, including small amounts of hydrolyzed Fumonisin B(1) and N-(Carboxymethyl) - Fumonisin B(1) and somewhat higher amounts of N-(1-deoxy-d-fructos-1-yl) Fumonisin B(1) in extruded grits containing added glucose. Feeding trial toxicity tests in rats with extruded fumonisin contaminated corn grits show some reduction in toxicity of grits extruded with glucose.

Eradication of C. albicans and T. rubrum with photoactivated indocyanine green, Citrus aurantifolia essential oil and fluconazole.

PubMed

Fekrazad, Reza; Poorsattar Bejeh Mir, Arash; Ghasemi Barghi, Vadood; Shams-Ghahfarokhi, Masoomeh

2015-06-01

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of alternative therapies rather than the current antifungal conventional therapy and with assessing the hypothesis of photoactivation of citrus essential oil, fluconazole and Indocyanine green to treat two common mucocutaneous fungal infections. Suspensions of Candida albicans and Tricophyton rubrum containing 10(6)cells/ml was prepared. Equal samples were treated with infrared (IR) laser irradiation (810 nm, 55 J/cm(2)) in the presence of Indocyanine green (Emundo, 1 mg/ml) (IRLE), photoactivated Citrus aurantifolia essential oil (EO) with sequential exposure to natural and tungsten lights (CE), control non-activated essential oil (CC), laser alone (IRL), indocyanine green alone (E) and neither of treatments as the control group (C). Additional fluconazole (FL, 25.6 μg/ml) and IR activated fluconazole (IRLFL) groups were designed for T. rubrum fungi. Inoculums were serially diluted to 10(-2) and 10(-4) and streaked on Sabouraud dextrose agar plates. Final outcomes were assessed as the percent of reduction. Cell reduction rates (%) in C. albicans groups were 99.99 (CE), 91.67 (IRLE), 86.67 (CC), 72.37 (E) and 67.27 (RL). Whereas, a 99.99 (CE), 89.99 (CC), 74.5 (IRLE), 64.5 (E), 38.5 (IRLF), 37.5 (RL), and 31 (FL) percent eradication was achieved in T. rubrum groups. Photoactivation of Citrus EO increased the killing capability by 10-13%. A modest 7.5% augmented effect was observed with IR activation of Fluconazole. Both Citrus EO and photothermal-photodynamic therapy with ICG and IR diode laser exhibited remarkable lethal effect on fungal cells. Candida viable cells are more susceptible to laser only and ICG only treatments than Tricophyton cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the implementation outcomes of the Essential Medicines System in Anhui county-level public hospitals: a before-and-after study.

PubMed

Xu, Shuman; Bian, Cheng; Wang, Heng; Li, Niannian; Wu, Jingya; Li, Peng; Lu, Hua

2015-09-22

In August 2009, China formally established the National Essential Medicines System (NEMS) and implemented this system in the government-funded primary care medical and health institutions. After nearly four years of practice, the system has already been generalized to the county-level public hospitals. This study aimed to examine the impact on the operation of the hospitals through implementing the NEMS in Anhui Province and put forward some improvement measures. For quantitative analyses, we distributed 21 questionnaires to 21 county-level public hospitals in Anhui Province, which had implemented the national public hospital reform. Twenty valid questionnaires were returned, response rate was 95.2 %. Questions covered storage, usage and supply of essential medicines, compensation mechanisms, insurance policies, hospital incomes, service amounts and fees from January to June in each of the years from 2011 to 2013. For qualitative study, we chose three from 21 hospitals based on geographical distribution and conducted focus group interviews based on a planned interview outline centered on the implementation status of the system. Following implementation, the types of essential medicines stocked and the proportion of total sales that were composed of essential medicines have increased but do not yet meet the required standards issued in the government document, which was not less than 95 % and 30 % of the total, respectively. The average financial subsidies had increased by 1,665,200 yuan, and significant increases appeared in provincial financial assistance. The average inpatient fees per visit decreased by 487.41 yuan. Increases in income from medicines during hospitalization led to increases in per-visit hospitalization fees. Unexpectedly, higher financial assistance revenue also led to higher average per-visit hospitalization fees. The guiding role of the National Essential Medicines List remains to be reinforced, and specific lists for county hospitals should be developed. Supervision was required to implement the process of guaranteeing the storage and usage of essential medicines. The compensation mechanism was far from sound, and the leverage of the health insurance policies was not obvious. Regarding the reductions in the proportion of income derived from medicines and per-visit inpatient fees, the policy had been partially successful. Our results showed that the implementation of the Essential Medicines System do have a beneficial role in the reduction of the drug fees and further alleviates the burden of the masses. Much effort should be made to the redesign of the compensation mechanism, mainly including the government and the medical insurance compensation, emphasizing on both the fairness and the rationality of the compensation in the future.

Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship: Part 3: Clinical Education and Experience.

PubMed

Mittiga, Matthew R; Nagler, Joshua; Eldridge, Charles D; Ishimine, Paul; Zuckerbraun, Noel S; McAneney, Constance M

2016-07-01

This article is the third in a 7-part series that aims to comprehensively describe the current state and future directions of pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training from the essential requirements to considerations for successfully administering and managing a program to the careers that may be anticipated upon program completion. This article focuses on the clinical aspects of fellowship training including the impact of the clinical environment, modalities for teaching and evaluation, and threats and opportunities in clinical education.

Splitting the chromosome: cutting the ties that bind sister chromatids.

PubMed

Nasmyth, K; Peters, J M; Uhlmann, F

2000-05-26

In eukaryotic cells, sister DNA molecules remain physically connected from their production at S phase until their separation during anaphase. This cohesion is essential for the separation of sister chromatids to opposite poles of the cell at mitosis. It also permits chromosome segregation to take place long after duplication has been completed. Recent work has identified a multisubunit complex called cohesin that is essential for connecting sisters. Proteolytic cleavage of one of cohesin's subunits may trigger sister separation at the onset of anaphase.

Abscisic Acid-Cytokinin Antagonism Modulates Resistance Against Pseudomonas syringae in Tobacco.

PubMed

Großkinsky, Dominik K; van der Graaff, Eric; Roitsch, Thomas

2014-12-01

Phytohormones are known as essential regulators of plant defenses, with ethylene, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid as the central immunity backbone, while other phytohormones have been demonstrated to interact with this. Only recently, a function of the classic phytohormone cytokinin in plant immunity has been described in Arabidopsis, rice, and tobacco. Although interactions of cytokinins with salicylic acid and auxin have been indicated, the complete network of cytokinin interactions with other immunity-relevant phytohormones is not yet understood. Therefore, we studied the interaction of kinetin and abscisic acid as a negative regulator of plant immunity to modulate resistance in tobacco against Pseudomonas syringae. By analyzing infection symptoms, pathogen proliferation, and accumulation of the phytoalexin scopoletin as a key mediator of kinetin-induced resistance in tobacco, antagonistic interaction of these phytohormones in plant immunity was identified. Kinetin reduced abscisic acid levels in tobacco, while increased abscisic acid levels by exogenous application or inhibition of abscisic acid catabolism by diniconazole neutralized kinetin-induced resistance. Based on these results, we conclude that reduction of abscisic acid levels by enhanced abscisic acid catabolism strongly contributes to cytokinin-mediated resistance effects. Thus, the identified cytokinin-abscisic acid antagonism is a novel regulatory mechanism in plant immunity.

Charged black holes in compactified spacetimes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karlovini, Max; Unge, Rikard von

2005-11-15

We construct and investigate a compactified version of the four-dimensional Reissner-Nordstroem-Taub-NUT solution, generalizing the compactified Schwarzschild black hole that has been previously studied by several workers. Our approach to compactification is based on dimensional reduction with respect to the stationary Killing vector, resulting in three-dimensional gravity coupled to a nonlinear sigma model. Knowing that the original noncompactified solution corresponds to a target space geodesic, the problem can be linearized much in the same way as in the case of no electric or Taub-NUT charge. An interesting feature of the solution family is that, for nonzero electric charge but vanishing Taub-NUTmore » charge, the solution has a curvature singularity on a torus that surrounds the event horizon, but this singularity is removed when the Taub-NUT charge is switched on. We also treat the Schwarzschild case in a more complete way than has been done previously. In particular, the asymptotic solution (the Levi-Civita solution with the height coordinate made periodic) has to our knowledge only been calculated up to a determination of the mass parameter. The periodic Levi-Civita solution contains three essential parameters, however, and the remaining two are explicitly calculated here.« less

Use of loud phonation as a voice therapy technique for children with vocal nodules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Noriko; Hirose, Hajime; Nishiyama, Koichiro

2003-10-01

For the treatment of vocal nodules, educational programs for vocal hygiene and voice training for acquisition of correct phonation are essential. In the case of children, special considerations are necessary as some of their vocal behaviors and reaction to voice disorders are different from those of adults. In this study, a voice therapy program for child vocal nodules were developed and good results were obtained for six children. They were four boys and two girls (Age: 4-11 yr) and bilateral nodules were found for all of them. In addition to a conventional vocal hygiene program for children, correct production of loud voice (so-called gBeltingh) was the major focus of the voice therapy as the visual inspection of the larynges and perceptual evaluations of the voice revealed inappropriate loud voice production with laryngeal constriction in all children. After 5-24 voice therapy sessions, disappearance of the nodules was found in five children and the reduction of the nodule sizes was found in one child. Improvement of the GRBAS scores, longer maximum phonation time, and extension of vocal ranges were found after the completion of the therapy programs.

Venetoclax: A novel B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other hematologic malignancies.

PubMed

Olin, Jacqueline L; Griffiths, Carrie L; Smith, Morgan B

2017-01-01

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with the 17p deletion have a poor prognosis and treatment options are limited. Venetoclax, a novel B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor, has been approved for treatment-experienced chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with the 17p deletion. A phase 1 dose-escalation study to 400 mg daily showed overall response rates across all doses of 79% with a complete response achieved in 20%. A phase 2 multicenter open-label study demonstrated overall response rate of 79.4% of patients (95% confidence interval 70.5-86.6) with median duration of follow-up of 12.1 months (IQR 10.1-14.2). Tumor lysis syndrome has been observed during initiation and titration. Assessing risk of tumor lysis syndrome prior to therapy initiation is essential to provide appropriate prophylactic medications. Neutropenia, potentially warranting dose reduction or discontinuation, has been observed. Venetoclax has demonstrated activity in other leukemias, multiple myeloma, and lymphomas. Venetoclax has shown response, and is well tolerated in patients with highly resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It has the potential to be part of the treatment armamentarium for other malignancies.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and chemical characterization of essential oils of Thymusvulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Origanum majorana from northeastern México.

PubMed

Guerra-Boone, Laura; Alvarez-Román, Rocío; Alvarez-Román, Rocío; Salazar-Aranda, Ricardo; Torres-Cirio, Anabel; Rivas-Galindo, Verónica Mayela; de-Torres, Noemí Waksman; González, Gloria; Pérez-López, Luis Alejandro

2015-01-01

There have been no reports of antifungal activity and composition of extracts from Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis or Origanum majorana from northeastern México. Antifungal activity of these oils against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis and Epidermophyton floccosum was measured by diffusion assay. Additionally, antibacterial and antioxidant activities were evaluated. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes was examined by microdilution. Antioxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidracil reduction test. The plant oils were characterized by both GC/MS and GC/FID. Oils of T. vulgaris and O. majorana showed growth inhibition activity against dermatophytes, especially T. vulgaris oil, which completely inhibited growth of all tested dermatophytes. The oils also showed bioactivity against bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 62.5 and 500 μg/mL. The antioxidant activity of the oils was low, with effective concentration (EC50) values <250μg/mL. The major components in the oils were as follows: T. vulgaris, o-cymene, μ-terpinene, thymol and carvacrol; R. officinalis, terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole; O. majorana, terpinen-4-ol and thymol.

Reductive dehalogenation of haloacetic acids by hemoglobin-loaded carbon nanotube electrode.

PubMed

Li, Yu-Ping; Cao, Hong-Bin; Zhang, Yi

2007-01-01

Hemoglobin (Hb) was immobilized on carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode to catalyze the dehalogenation of haloacetic acids (HAAs). FTIR and UV measurements were performed to investigate the activity-keep of Hb after immobilization on CNT. The electrocatalytic behaviors of the Hb-loaded electrode for the dehalogenation of HAAs were studied by cyclic voltammmetry and constant-potential electrolysis technique. An Hb-loaded packed-bed flow reactor was also constructed for bioelectrocatalytic dehalogenation of HAAs. The results showed that Hb retained its nature, the essential features of its native secondary structure, and its biocatalytic activity after immobilization on CNT. Chloroacetic acids and bromoacetic acids could be dehalogenated completely with Hb catalysis through a stepwise dehalogenation process at -0.400V (vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE)) and -0.200V (vs. SCE), respectively. The removal of 10.5mM trichloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid is ca. 97% and 63%, respectively, with electrolysis for 300min at -0.400V (vs. SCE) using the Hb-loaded packed-bed flow reactor, and almost 100% of tribromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid was removed with electrolysis for 40min at -0.200V (vs. SCE). The average current efficiency of Hb-catalytic dehalogenation almost reaches 100%.

In vivo antiplaque efficacy of combined antimicrobial dentifrice and rinse hygiene regimens.

PubMed

White, Donald J; Barker, Matthew L; Klukowska, Malgorzata

2008-06-01

To evaluate using digital plaque image analysis the antiplaque efficacy of oral care regimens including use of antimicrobial toothpaste in combination with antimicrobial mouthrinse. 16 subjects completed the study protocol including: (1) initial treatment phase, all subjects used a standard sodium fluoride dentifrice with 2x/day brushing, (2) second treatment phase, subjects were randomized to two treatment groups: stannous fluoride/sodium hexametaphosphate dentifrice or sodium fluoride triclosan/copolymer dentifrice; (3) third treatment phase, the group using stannous fluoride dentifrice rinsed with alcohol-free cetylpyridinium chloride mouthrinse and the group using triclosan dentifrice rinsed with essential oil mouthrinse. During each phase, plaque levels were assessed in the morning before toothbrushing (AM), post-brushing in the morning (PB) and in the afternoon (PM). Stannous fluoride dentifrice was superior to triclosan dentifrice in plaque growth inhibition between toothbrushing. Both mouthrinses provided additional plaque prevention benefits when used with antimicrobial dentifrices. The cetylpyridinium chloride mouthrinse and stannous fluoride dentifrice regimen was particularly effective, building accretive efficacy over time. Average plaque reductions exceeded 50% vs. sodium fluoride dentifrice alone. Chemotherapeutic dentifrices and rinses increase plaque control used alone and particularly in combination. The stannous fluoride-cetylpyridinium chloride regimen showed the greatest benefits.

AMPK activation by Tanshinone IIA protects neuronal cells from oxygen-glucose deprivation

PubMed Central

Weng, Yingfeng; Lin, Jixian; Liu, Hui; Wu, Hui; Yan, Zhimin; Zhao, Jing

2018-01-01

The current study tested the potential neuroprotective function of Tanshinone IIA (ThIIA) in neuronal cells with oxygen-glucose deprivation (ODG) and re-oxygenation (OGDR). In SH-SY5Y neuronal cells and primary murine cortical neurons, ThIIA pre-treatment attenuated OGDR-induced viability reduction and apoptosis. Further, OGDR-induced mitochondrial depolarization, reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation and DNA damages in neuronal cells were significantly attenuated by ThIIA. ThIIA activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, which was essential for neuroprotection against OGDR. AMPKα1 knockdown or complete knockout in SH-SY5Y cells abolished ThIIA-induced AMPK activation and neuroprotection against OGDR. Further studies found that ThIIA up-regulated microRNA-135b to downregulate the AMPK phosphatase Ppm1e. Notably, knockdown of Ppm1e by targeted shRNA or forced microRNA-135b expression also activated AMPK and protected SH-SY5Y cells from OGDR. Together, AMPK activation by ThIIA protects neuronal cells from OGDR. microRNA-135b-mediated silence of Ppm1e could be the key mechanism of AMPK activation by ThIIA. PMID:29435120

Congenital Dislocation of the Hip

PubMed Central

Specht, Elmer E.

1976-01-01

Congenital dislocation or subluxation of the hip (congenital acetabular dysplasia) is a complete or partial displacement of the femoral head out of the acetabulum. The physical signs essential for diagnosis are age related. In newborns the tests for instability are the most sensitive. After the neonatal period, and until the age of walking, tightness of the adductor muscles is the most reliable sign. Early diagnosis is vital for successful treatment of this partially genetically determined condition. Various therapeutic measures, ranging from abduction splinting to open reduction and osteotomy, may be required. Following diagnosis in the first month of life, the average treatment time in one recent series was only 2.3 months from initiation of therapy to attainment of a normal hip. When the diagnosis was not made until 3 to 6 months of age, ten months of treatment was required to achieve the same outcome. When the diagnosis is not made, or the treatment is not begun until after the age of 6, a normal hip will probably not develop in any patient. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2.Figure 3.Figure 4.Figure 5.Figure 6.Figure 7.Figure 8.Figure 9. PMID:1251603

Cure Cycle Optimization of Rapidly Cured Out-Of-Autoclave Composites.

PubMed

Dong, Anqi; Zhao, Yan; Zhao, Xinqing; Yu, Qiyong

2018-03-13

Out-of-autoclave prepreg typically needs a long cure cycle to guarantee good properties as the result of low processing pressure applied. It is essential to reduce the manufacturing time, achieve real cost reduction, and take full advantage of out-of-autoclave process. The focus of this paper is to reduce the cure cycle time and production cost while maintaining high laminate quality. A rapidly cured out-of-autoclave resin and relative prepreg were independently developed. To determine a suitable rapid cure procedure for the developed prepreg, the effect of heating rate, initial cure temperature, dwelling time, and post-cure time on the final laminate quality were evaluated and the factors were then optimized. As a result, a rapid cure procedure was determined. The results showed that the resin infiltration could be completed at the end of the initial cure stage and no obvious void could be seen in the laminate at this time. The laminate could achieve good internal quality using the optimized cure procedure. The mechanical test results showed that the laminates had a fiber volume fraction of 59-60% with a final glass transition temperature of 205 °C and excellent mechanical strength especially the flexural properties.

Cure Cycle Optimization of Rapidly Cured Out-Of-Autoclave Composites

PubMed Central

Dong, Anqi; Zhao, Yan; Zhao, Xinqing; Yu, Qiyong

2018-01-01

Out-of-autoclave prepreg typically needs a long cure cycle to guarantee good properties as the result of low processing pressure applied. It is essential to reduce the manufacturing time, achieve real cost reduction, and take full advantage of out-of-autoclave process. The focus of this paper is to reduce the cure cycle time and production cost while maintaining high laminate quality. A rapidly cured out-of-autoclave resin and relative prepreg were independently developed. To determine a suitable rapid cure procedure for the developed prepreg, the effect of heating rate, initial cure temperature, dwelling time, and post-cure time on the final laminate quality were evaluated and the factors were then optimized. As a result, a rapid cure procedure was determined. The results showed that the resin infiltration could be completed at the end of the initial cure stage and no obvious void could be seen in the laminate at this time. The laminate could achieve good internal quality using the optimized cure procedure. The mechanical test results showed that the laminates had a fiber volume fraction of 59–60% with a final glass transition temperature of 205 °C and excellent mechanical strength especially the flexural properties. PMID:29534048

Water Column Correction for Coral Reef Studies by Remote Sensing

PubMed Central

Zoffoli, Maria Laura; Frouin, Robert; Kampel, Milton

2014-01-01

Human activity and natural climate trends constitute a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Models predict a significant reduction in reef spatial extension together with a decline in biodiversity in the relatively near future. In this context, monitoring programs to detect changes in reef ecosystems are essential. In recent years, coral reef mapping using remote sensing data has benefited from instruments with better resolution and computational advances in storage and processing capabilities. However, the water column represents an additional complexity when extracting information from submerged substrates by remote sensing that demands a correction of its effect. In this article, the basic concepts of bottom substrate remote sensing and water column interference are presented. A compendium of methodologies developed to reduce water column effects in coral ecosystems studied by remote sensing that include their salient features, advantages and drawbacks is provided. Finally, algorithms to retrieve the bottom reflectance are applied to simulated data and actual remote sensing imagery and their performance is compared. The available methods are not able to completely eliminate the water column effect, but they can minimize its influence. Choosing the best method depends on the marine environment, available input data and desired outcome or scientific application. PMID:25215941

Water column correction for coral reef studies by remote sensing.

PubMed

Zoffoli, Maria Laura; Frouin, Robert; Kampel, Milton

2014-09-11

Human activity and natural climate trends constitute a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Models predict a significant reduction in reef spatial extension together with a decline in biodiversity in the relatively near future. In this context, monitoring programs to detect changes in reef ecosystems are essential. In recent years, coral reef mapping using remote sensing data has benefited from instruments with better resolution and computational advances in storage and processing capabilities. However, the water column represents an additional complexity when extracting information from submerged substrates by remote sensing that demands a correction of its effect. In this article, the basic concepts of bottom substrate remote sensing and water column interference are presented. A compendium of methodologies developed to reduce water column effects in coral ecosystems studied by remote sensing that include their salient features, advantages and drawbacks is provided. Finally, algorithms to retrieve the bottom reflectance are applied to simulated data and actual remote sensing imagery and their performance is compared. The available methods are not able to completely eliminate the water column effect, but they can minimize its influence. Choosing the best method depends on the marine environment, available input data and desired outcome or scientific application.

Assessing the impact of minimizing arginine conversion in fully defined SILAC culture medium in human embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Scheerlinck, Ellen; Van Steendam, Katleen; Daled, Simon; Govaert, Elisabeth; Vossaert, Liesbeth; Meert, Paulien; Van Nieuwerburgh, Filip; Van Soom, Ann; Peelman, Luc; De Sutter, Petra; Heindryckx, Björn; Dhaenens, Maarten; Deforce, Dieter

2016-10-01

We present a fully defined culture system (adapted Essential8 TM [E8 TM ] medium in combination with vitronectin) for human embryonic stem cells that can be used for SILAC purposes. Although a complete incorporation of the labels was observed after 4 days in culture, over 90% of precursors showed at least 10% conversion. To reduce this arginine conversion, E8 TM medium was modified by adding (1) l-proline, (2) l-ornithine, (3) N ω -hydroxy-nor-l-arginine acetate, or by (4) lowering the arginine concentration. Reduction of arginine conversion was best obtained by adding 5 mM l-ornithine, followed by 3.5 mM l-proline and by lowering the arginine concentration in the medium to 99.5 μM. No major changes in pluripotency and cell amount could be observed for the adapted E8 TM media with ornithine and proline. However, our subsequent ion mobility assisted data-independent acquisition (high-definition MS) proteome analysis cautions for ongoing changes in the proteome when aiming at longer term suppression of arginine conversion. © 2016 The Authors. Proteomics Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anorexia Nervosa and its Associated Endocrinopathy in Young People

PubMed Central

Misra, Madhusmita; Klibanski, Anne

2016-01-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a condition of severe undernutrition associated with adaptive changes in many endocrine axes. These changes include hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, acquired growth hormone resistance with low insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, hypercortisolemia, altered secretion of adipokines and appetite regulating hormones, and low bone mineral density (BMD). Bone health is impaired subsequent to low BMI, decreased lean mass, and the endocrine changes described above. In addition to low areal BMD, AN is characterized by a decrease in volumetric BMD, changes in bone geometry, and reductions in strength estimates, leading to an increased risk for fracture. Weight restoration is essential for restoration of normal endocrine function; however, hypercortisolemia, high PYY levels, and ghrelin dynamics may not completely normalize. In some patients, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism persists despite weight restoration. Weight gain and menstrual recovery are critical for improving bone health in AN, however, residual deficits may persist. Physiologic estrogen replacement using transdermal, but not oral, estrogen increases bone accrual in adolescents with AN, while bisphosphonates improve BMD in adults. Recombinant human IGF-1 and teriparatide have been used in a few studies as bone anabolic therapies. More data are necessary to determine the optimal therapeutic strategies for low BMD in AN. PMID:26863308

The brief serenity scale: a psychometric analysis of a measure of spirituality and well-being.

PubMed

Kreitzer, Mary Jo; Gross, Cynthia R; Waleekhachonloet, On-anong; Reilly-Spong, Maryanne; Byrd, Marcia

2009-03-01

This article describes a factor analysis of a 22-item version of the Serenity Scale, a tool that measures spirituality and well-being. A sample of 87 participants, enrolled in a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial examining the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction on symptom management post-solid organ transplantation, completed the abbreviated instrument. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three subscales: acceptance, inner haven, and trust. The Serenity Scale was positively associated with positive affect and mindful awareness and inversely related to negative affect, anxiety, depression, health distress and transplant-related stress. Serenity, a dimension of spirituality that is secular and distinct from religious orientation or religiosity, shows promise as a tool that could be used to measure outcomes of nursing interventions that improve health and well-being. Spirituality is recognized as being an essential component of holistic nursing practice. As nurses expand their use of spiritual interventions, it is important to document outcomes related to nursing care. The Serenity Scale appears to capture a dimension of spirituality, a state of acceptance, inner haven and trust that is distinct from other spirituality instruments.

Addressing the business of discharge: building a case for an electronic discharge summary.

PubMed

Mourad, Michelle; Cucina, Russell; Ramanathan, Rajiv; Vidyarthi, Arpana R

2011-01-01

Hospitalists are increasingly involved in implementing quality improvement initiatives around patient safety, clinical informatics, and transitions of care, but may lack expertise in promoting these important interventions. Developing a sound business case is essential to garnering support and resources for any quality improvement initiative. We present a framework for developing a business case using a structured approach to exploring qualitative and quantitative costs and benefits and describe its application in the experience of developing an electronic discharge summary at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). At our institution, we found that the primary financial benefits are the cost reductions in eliminating transcription needs and decreasing billing delays, as well as reducing the cost of tracking completion of and dissemination of discharge summaries. Costs incurred from a new information technology (IT) infrastructure, programmer time, maintenance and training must also be accounted for. While benefits may be apparent to front line providers (improved communication, efficiency of data transfer, and increased referring physician satisfaction), implementing and sustaining such an innovation depends on articulating a sound business case with a detailed cost-benefit analysis to institutional decision making. Copyright © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Screening for Antiviral Activities of Isolated Compounds from Essential Oils

PubMed Central

Astani, Akram; Reichling, Jürgen; Schnitzler, Paul

2011-01-01

Essential oil of star anise as well as phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes, for example, trans-anethole, eugenol, β-eudesmol, farnesol, β-caryophyllene and β-caryophyllene oxide, which are present in many essential oils, were examined for their antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro. Antiviral activity was analyzed by plaque reduction assays and mode of antiviral action was determined by addition of the drugs to uninfected cells, to the virus prior to infection or to herpesvirus-infected cells. Star anise oil reduced viral infectivity by >99%, phenylpropanoids inhibited HSV infectivity by about 60–80% and sesquiterpenes suppressed herpes virus infection by 40–98%. Both, star anise essential oil and all isolated compounds exhibited anti-HSV-1 activity by direct inactivation of free virus particles in viral suspension assays. All tested drugs interacted in a dose-dependent manner with herpesvirus particles, thereby inactivating viral infectivity. Star anise oil, rich in trans-anethole, revealed a high selectivity index of 160 against HSV, whereas among the isolated compounds only β-caryophyllene displayed a high selectivity index of 140. The presence of β-caryophyllene in many essential oils might contribute strongly to their antiviral ability. These results indicate that phenylpropanoids and sesquiterpenes present in essential oils contribute to their antiviral activity against HSV. PMID:20008902

Chemical composition, antibacterial and antifungal activities of essential oil from Cordia verbenacea DC leaves

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Fabiola F. G.; Oliveira, Liana G. S.; Rodrigues, Fábio F. G.; Saraiva, Manuele E.; Almeida, Sheyla C. X.; Cabral, Mario E. S.; Campos, Adriana R.; Costa, Jose Galberto M.

2012-01-01

Background: Cordia verbenacea is a Brazilian coastal shrub popularly known as “erva baleeira”. The essential oil from fresh leaves was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by CG/MS. The main components were identified as β-caryophyllene (25.4%), bicyclogermacrene (11.3%), δ-cadinene (9.%) and α-pinene (9.5%). In this study, the antimicrobial activity of Cordia verbenacea was evaluated. Materials and Methods: The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil was obtained using the broth microdilution assay (from 512 to 8 μg/ml). Results: The results showed that the essential oil presented fungistatic activity against Candida albicans and Candida krusei and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strains (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) and against multiresistant Gram-negative (Escherichia coli 27), in all tests the MIC was 64 μg/ml. When the essential oil was associated to aminoglycosides (subinhibitory concentrations, MIC/8), a synergic and antagonic activity was verified. The synergic effect was observed to the amikacin association (MIC reduction from 256 mlto 64 μg/ml) in all strains tested. Conclusion: The essential oil of Cordia verbenacea influences the activity of antibiotics and may be used as an adjuvant in antibiotic therapy against respiratory tract bacterial pathogens. PMID:22923954

Potential of Ocimum basilicum L. and Salvia officinalis L. essential oils against biofilms of P. aeruginosa clinical isolates.

PubMed

Stojanović-Radić, Z; Pejcić, M; Stojanović, N; Sharifi-Rad, J; Stanković, N

2016-08-29

Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms, responsible for more than 60% of the chronic human infections and they represent one of the leading concerns in medicine. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is human pathogenic bacteria which causes numerous diseases and is known for its ability to produce biofilm. Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) and Salvia officinalis L. (sage) are widely used plants in traditional medicine for the treatment of different conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential of basil and sage essential oils against P. aeruginosa biofilm producing strains. The efficacy of two essential oils on P. aeruginosa biofilm forming ability was determined using crystal violet method. Out of 15 strains isolated from different clinical biological samples, two were strong, 11 moderate and one weak biofilm producer. Good efficacy of sage essential oil towards strong and weak biofilm producers, but not of basil essential oil, was observed. In the case of moderate biofilm producers, 81.8% showed lower biofilm production after incubation with the sage oil, while 63.6% showed the reduction of biofilm production after basil essential oil treatment. The obtained results showed high potential of both oils for the treatment of persistent infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Synergistic mosquito-repellent activity of Curcuma longa, Pogostemon heyneanus and Zanthoxylum limonella essential oils.

PubMed

Das, N G; Dhiman, Sunil; Talukdar, P K; Rabha, Bipul; Goswami, Diganta; Veer, Vijay

2015-01-01

Mosquito repellents play an important role in preventing man-mosquito contact. In the present study, we evaluated the synergistic mosquito-repellent activity of Curcuma longa, Pogostemon heyneanus and Zanthoxylum limonella essential oils. The mosquito repellent efficacies of three essential oils were evaluated separately and in combination under laboratory and field conditions. N,N-Diethylphenylacetamide (DEPA) and dimethylphthalate (DMP) were used for comparison of the protection time of the mixture of essential oils. At an optimum concentration of 20%, the essential oils of C. longa, Z. limonella and P. heyneanus provided complete protection times (CPTs) of 96.2, 91.4 and 123.4 min, respectively, against Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in the laboratory. The 1:1:2 mixture of the essential oils provided 329.4 and 391.0 min of CPT in the laboratory and field trials, respectively. The percent increases in CPTs for the essential oil mixture were 30 for DMP and 55 for N,N-diethylphenylacetamide (DEPA). The synergistic repellent activity of the essential oils used in the present study might be useful for developing safer alternatives to synthetic repellents for personal protection against mosquitoes. Copyright © 2015 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential Use of Essential Oil Isolated from Cleistocalyx operculatus Leaves as a Topical Dermatological Agent for Treatment of Burn Wound

PubMed Central

Le, Nghia-Thu Tram; Dam, Sao-Mai

2018-01-01

Several herbal remedies have been used as topical agents to cure burn wound, one of the most common injuries in worldwide. In this study, we investigated the potential use of Cleistocalyx operculatus essential oil to treat the burn wound. We identified a total of 13 bioactive compounds of essential oil, several of which exhibited the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, the essential oil showed the antibacterial effect against S. aureus but not with P. aeruginosa. The supportive effect of essential oil on burn wound healing process also has been proven. Among three groups of mice, wound contraction rate of essential oil treated group (100%) was significantly higher than tamanu oil treated (79%) and control mice (71%) after 20 days (0.22 ± 0.03 versus 0.31 ± 0.02 cm2, resp., p < 0.05). Histological studies revealed that burn wounds treated with essential oil formed a complete epidermal structure, thick and neatly arranged fibers, and scattered immune cells in burn wound. On the contrary, saline treated burn wound formed uneven epidermal layer with necrotic ulcer, infiltration of immune cells, and existence of granulation tissue. This finding demonstrated Cleistocalyx operculatus essential oil as promising topical dermatological agent to treat burn wound. PMID:29692805

Potential Use of Essential Oil Isolated from Cleistocalyx operculatus Leaves as a Topical Dermatological Agent for Treatment of Burn Wound.

PubMed

Tran, Gia-Buu; Le, Nghia-Thu Tram; Dam, Sao-Mai

2018-01-01

Several herbal remedies have been used as topical agents to cure burn wound, one of the most common injuries in worldwide. In this study, we investigated the potential use of Cleistocalyx operculatus essential oil to treat the burn wound. We identified a total of 13 bioactive compounds of essential oil, several of which exhibited the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, the essential oil showed the antibacterial effect against S. aureus but not with P. aeruginosa. The supportive effect of essential oil on burn wound healing process also has been proven. Among three groups of mice, wound contraction rate of essential oil treated group (100%) was significantly higher than tamanu oil treated (79%) and control mice (71%) after 20 days (0.22 ± 0.03 versus 0.31 ± 0.02 cm 2 , resp., p < 0.05). Histological studies revealed that burn wounds treated with essential oil formed a complete epidermal structure, thick and neatly arranged fibers, and scattered immune cells in burn wound. On the contrary, saline treated burn wound formed uneven epidermal layer with necrotic ulcer, infiltration of immune cells, and existence of granulation tissue. This finding demonstrated Cleistocalyx operculatus essential oil as promising topical dermatological agent to treat burn wound.

Enantiomeric composition of (3R)-(-)- and (3S)-(+)-linalool in various essential oils of Indian origin by enantioselective capillary gas chromatography-flame ionization and mass spectrometry detection methods.

PubMed

Chanotiya, Chandan S; Yadav, Anju

2009-04-01

Enantiomeric ratios of linalool have been determined in various authentic essential oils of Indian origin using 10% heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-cyclodextrin as a chiral stationary phase. A complete enantiomeric excess (ee) for (3S)-(+)-linalool was characteristic of Lippia alba and Cinnamomum tamala leaf oils while less than 90% excess was noticed in Zanthoxylum armatum leaf, Zingiber roseum root/rhizome and Citrus sinensis leaf oils. On the contrary, an enantiomeric excess of (3R)-(-)-linalool characterizes essential oils of basil (100% for Ocimum basilicum) and bergamot mint (72 to 75% for Mentha citrata). Notably, some essential oils containing both enantiomers in equal ratios or in racemic forms are rose, geranium, lemongrass and Origanum. The enantiomeric composition studies are discussed as indicators of origin authenticity and quality of essential oil of Indian origin.

Improved quality of frozen boer goat semen with the addition of sweet orange essential oil on tris yolk and gentamicin extender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitepu, S. A.; Zaituni, U.; Jaswandi; Hendri

2018-02-01

This research aimed to determine the extent of frozen semen quality Boer Goat by essential oils of sweet orange peel in tris yolk and gentamicin extender. Research has been conducted at the Laboratory Loka Penelitian Kambing Potong Sei Putih, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra in February 2017. This study used a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replications. Treatments are 0.25; 0.5; 0.75 and 1% essential oils as additional diluent. The parameters were measured percentage Motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability Boer Goat frozen semen. The results showed that the addition of essential oils as diluent semen was significant (P <0.01) in the percentage motility, Viability, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity Boer Goat frozen semen. Motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and viability was significantly higher in all treated groups than the control group. The best results of all treatments In the study was the addition of essential oil as much as 1%.

The removal of low level inorganics via electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide in the presence of catalytic amounts of Fe2+.

PubMed

Marrosu, G; Petrucci, R; Trazza, A

2001-01-01

Low level phosphites and hypophosphites were completely converted into phosphates, via hydrogen peroxide generated by cathodic reduction of oxygen in acidic aqueous medium at a reticulated vitreous carbon electrode, in the presence of little amounts of Fe2+. The contemporary regeneration of Fe2+ by cathodic reduction of Fe3+, produced by the well known Fenton reaction, furnishes an excellent way to continuously produce little amounts of the Fenton reactive and, as a consequence, of the powerful oxidant hydroxyl radical HO.. The best conditions for the complete removal of phosphorous as phosphites and hypophosphites are reported.

Student engagement and comfort during a web-based personalized feedback intervention for alcohol and sexual assault.

PubMed

Jaffe, Anna E; Bountress, Kaitlin E; Metzger, Isha W; Maples-Keller, Jessica L; Pinsky, Hanna T; George, William H; Gilmore, Amanda K

2018-07-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate individual engagement and comfort during a web-based intervention for alcohol and sexual assault risk reduction. Participants were 264 college women (aged 18-20) who reported engaging in heavy episodic drinking in the past month. Participants were randomized to either an intervention condition (alcohol, sexual assault risk reduction, or combined) or a control condition (full or minimal assessment). Participants rated their experiences during the procedures following the assessment or receipt of the intervention depending on condition. Survey usage information (e.g., time data, completion of intervention) was automatically recorded. Most participants completed the intervention as intended (in a reasonable amount of time, in private, without consuming substances). Women with a sexual assault history were most comfortable in the sexual assault risk reduction intervention, whereas women who frequently engaged in heavy episodic drinking were least comfortable in the alcohol intervention condition. Self-reported distraction was not impacted by personal relevance of the intervention, but was associated with setting of participation. Results suggest that most college women completed web-based personalized feedback interventions as designed, despite minimal discomfort. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pricing, Carbon Emission Reduction, Low-Carbon Promotion and Returning Decision in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain under Vertical and Horizontal Cooperation

PubMed Central

Li, Hui; Wang, Chuanxu; Shang, Meng; Ou, Wei

2017-01-01

In this paper, we examine the influences of vertical and horizontal cooperation models on the optimal decisions and performance of a low-carbon closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with a manufacturer and two retailers, and study optimal operation in the competitive pricing, competitive the low-carbon promotion, the carbon emission reduction, the used-products collection and the profits. We consider the completely decentralized model, M-R vertical cooperation model, R-R horizontal cooperation model, M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model and completely centralized model, and also identify the optimal decision results and profits. It can be observed from a systematic comparison and numerical analysis that the completely centralized model is best in all optimal decision results among all models. In semi-cooperation, the M-R vertical cooperation model is positive, the R-R horizontal cooperation model is passive, and the positivity of the M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model decreases with competitive intensity increasing in the used-products returning, carbon emissions reduction level, low-carbon promotion effort and the profits of the manufacturer and the entire supply chain. PMID:29104268

Pricing, Carbon Emission Reduction, Low-Carbon Promotion and Returning Decision in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain under Vertical and Horizontal Cooperation.

PubMed

Li, Hui; Wang, Chuanxu; Shang, Meng; Ou, Wei

2017-11-01

In this paper, we examine the influences of vertical and horizontal cooperation models on the optimal decisions and performance of a low-carbon closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with a manufacturer and two retailers, and study optimal operation in the competitive pricing, competitive the low-carbon promotion, the carbon emission reduction, the used-products collection and the profits. We consider the completely decentralized model, M-R vertical cooperation model, R-R horizontal cooperation model, M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model and completely centralized model, and also identify the optimal decision results and profits. It can be observed from a systematic comparison and numerical analysis that the completely centralized model is best in all optimal decision results among all models. In semi-cooperation, the M-R vertical cooperation model is positive, the R-R horizontal cooperation model is passive, and the positivity of the M-R-R vertical and horizontal cooperation model decreases with competitive intensity increasing in the used-products returning, carbon emissions reduction level, low-carbon promotion effort and the profits of the manufacturer and the entire supply chain.

Implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Waste Reduction (WAR) Algorithm in Cape-Open Based Process Simulators

EPA Science Inventory

The Sustainable Technology Division has recently completed an implementation of the U.S. EPA's Waste Reduction (WAR) Algorithm that can be directly accessed from a Cape-Open compliant process modeling environment. The WAR Algorithm add-in can be used in AmsterChem's COFE (Cape-Op...

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Idle Reduction Research and Development

Science.gov Websites

researchers at Argonne National Laboratory completed their analysis of the full fuel-cycle effects of idle Laboratory analyzed the full fuel-cycle effects of current idle reduction technologies. Researchers compared , electrified parking spaces, APUs, and several combinations of these. They compared effects for the United

Understory response to fuel reduction treatments in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon.

Treesearch

Kerry L. Metlen; Carl E. Fiedler; Andrew. Youngblood

2004-01-01

Understory response to fuel reduction treatments was evaluated in fire-adapted ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forests in northeastern Oregon. Treatments included: no management (control), prescribed fall burning (burn), low thinning (thin), and low thinning followed by prescribed fall burning (thin/burn), replicated four times in a completely randomized design. Treatment...

A Pollutant Transformation Laboratory Exercise for Environmental Chemistry: The Reduction of Nitrobenzenes by Anaerobic Solutions of Humic Acid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunnivant, Frank M.; Reynolds, Mark-Cody

2007-01-01

The laboratory experiment, which acts as a capstone, integrated lecture-laboratory exercise involving solution preparation, pH buffers, [E[subscript]H] (reduction potential) buffers, organic reaction mechanisms, reaction kinetics, and instrumental analysis is presented. The students completing the lecture and laboratory exercises could gain a…

Modeling the Population Health Impact of Introducing a Modified Risk Tobacco Product into the U.S. Market.

PubMed

Djurdjevic, Smilja; Lee, Peter N; Weitkunat, Rolf; Sponsiello-Wang, Zheng; Lüdicke, Frank; Baker, Gizelle

2018-05-16

Philip Morris International (PMI) has developed the Population Health Impact Model (PHIM) to quantify, in the absence of epidemiological data, the effects of marketing a candidate modified risk tobacco product (cMRTP) on the public health of a whole population. Various simulations were performed to understand the harm reduction impact on the U.S. population over a 20-year period under various scenarios. The overall reduction in smoking attributable deaths (SAD) over the 20-year period was estimated as 934,947 if smoking completely went away and between 516,944 and 780,433 if cMRTP use completely replaces smoking. The reduction in SADs was estimated as 172,458 for the World Health Organization (WHO) 2025 Target and between 70,274 and 90,155 for the gradual cMRTP uptake. Combining the scenarios (WHO 2025 Target and cMRTP uptake), the reductions were between 256,453 and 268,796, depending on the cMRTP relative exposure. These results show how a cMRTP can reduce overall population harm additionally to existing tobacco control efforts.

Capsaicin-capped silver nanoparticles: its kinetics, characterization and biocompatibility assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amruthraj, Nagoth Joseph; Preetam Raj, John Poonga; Lebel, Antoine

2015-04-01

Capsaicin was used as a bio-reductant for the reduction of silver nitrate to form silver nanoparticles. The formation of the silver nanoparticles was initially confirmed by color change and Tyndall effect of light scattering. It was characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR and TEM. Hemagglutination (H) test and H-inhibition assay were performed in the presence of AgNPs-capsaicin conjugates. The silver colloid solution after complete reduction turned into pale gray color. The characteristic surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) was observed at 450 nm. Time taken for complete bio-reduction of silver nitrate and capping was found to be 16 hours. The amount of capsaicin required to reduce 20 ml of 1 mM silver nitrate solution was found to be 40 μg approximately. The FTIR results confirmed the capping of capsaicin on the silver metal. The particle size was within the range of 20-30 nm. The hemagglutination and H-inhibition test was negative for all the blood groups. The capsaicin-capped silver nanoparticles were compatible with blood cells in hemagglutination test implying biocompatibility as future therapeutic drug.

Mechanochemical processing for metals and metal alloys

DOEpatents

Froes, Francis H.; Eranezhuth, Baburaj G.; Prisbrey, Keith

2001-01-01

A set of processes for preparing metal powders, including metal alloy powders, by ambient temperature reduction of a reducible metal compound by a reactive metal or metal hydride through mechanochemical processing. The reduction process includes milling reactants to induce and complete the reduction reaction. The preferred reducing agents include magnesium and calcium hydride powders. A process of pre-milling magnesium as a reducing agent to increase the activity of the magnesium has been established as one part of the invention.

An Experimental Investigation into NO sub X Control of a Gas Turbine Combustor and Augmentor Tube Incorporating a Catalytic Reduction System

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

An initial experimental investigation was conducted to examine the feasibility of NOx emission control using catalytic reduction techniques in the ...current configuration impractical. Recommendations for alternative configurations are presented. The results of the investigation have proven that further study is warranted....used as a gas generator and catalytic reduction system. Four data runs were made. Three runs were completed without the catalyst installed

Characterization of the biochemical-pathway of uranium (VI) reduction in facultative anaerobic bacteria.

PubMed

Mtimunye, Phalazane J; Chirwa, Evans M N

2014-10-01

Cultures of U(VI) reducing bacteria sourced from abandoned uranium mine tailing dam were evaluated for their ability to reduce U(VI) to U(IV). The species in the cultures reduced U(VI) in solutions with initial U(VI) concentration up to 400mgL(-)(1) under a near neutral pH of 6.5. The electron flow pathway and fate of reduced species was also analysed in the individual species in order to evaluate the potential for control and optimisation of the reduction potential at the biochemical level. The results showed that U(VI) reduction in live cells was completely blocked by the NADH-dehydrogenase inhibitor, rotenone (C23H22O6), and thioredoxin inhibitor, cadmium chloride (CdCl2), showing that U(VI) reduction involves the electron flow through NADH-dehydrogenase, a primary electron donor to the electron transport respiratory (ETR) system. Mass balance analysis of uranium species aided by visual and electron microscopy suggest that most U(VI) reduction occurred on the cell surface of the isolated species. This finding indicates the possibility of easy uranium recovery for beneficial use through biological remediation. Should the U(VI) be reduced inside the cell, recovery would require complete disruption of the cells and therefore would be difficult. The study contributes new knowledge on the underlying mechanisms in the U(VI) reduction in facultative anaerobes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A randomized controlled trial targeting alcohol use and sexual assault risk among college women at high risk for victimization.

PubMed

Gilmore, Amanda K; Lewis, Melissa A; George, William H

2015-11-01

Sexual assault risk reduction programs do not target alcohol use despite the widespread knowledge that alcohol use is a risk factor for being victimized. The current study assessed the effectiveness of a web-based combined sexual assault risk and alcohol use reduction program using a randomized control trial. A total of 207 college women between the ages of 18 and 20 who engaged in heavy episodic drinking were randomized to one of five conditions: full assessment only control condition, sexual assault risk reduction condition, alcohol use reduction condition, combined sexual assault risk and alcohol use reduction condition, and a minimal assessment only condition. Participants completed a 3-month follow-up survey on alcohol-related sexual assault outcomes, sexual assault outcomes, and alcohol use outcomes. Significant interactions revealed that women with higher severity of sexual assault at baseline experienced less incapacitated attempted or completed rapes, less severity of sexual assaults, and engaged in less heavy episodic drinking compared to the control condition at the 3-month follow-up. Web-based risk reduction programs targeting both sexual assault and alcohol use may be the most effective way to target the highest risk sample of college students for sexual assault: those with a sexual assault history and those who engage in heavy episodic drinking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Targeting Alcohol Use and Sexual Assault Risk among College Women at High Risk for Victimization

PubMed Central

Gilmore, Amanda K.; Lewis, Melissa A.; George, William H.

2015-01-01

Current sexual assault risk reduction programs do not target alcohol use despite the widespread knowledge that alcohol use is a risk factor for being victimized. The current study assessed the effectiveness of a web-based combined sexual assault risk and alcohol use reduction program using a randomized control trial. A total of 207 college women between the ages of 18 and 20 who engaged in heavy episodic drinking were randomized to one of five conditions: full assessment only control condition, sexual assault risk reduction condition, alcohol use reduction condition, combined sexual assault risk and alcohol use reduction condition, and a minimal assessment only condition. Participants completed a 3-month follow-up survey on alcohol-related sexual assault outcomes, sexual assault outcomes, and alcohol use outcomes. Significant interactions revealed that women with higher incidence and severity of sexual assault at baseline experienced less incapacitated attempted or completed rapes, less incidence/severity of sexual assaults, and engaged in less heavy episodic drinking compared to the control condition at the 3-month follow-up. Web-based risk reduction programs targeting both sexual assault and alcohol use may be the most effective way to target the highest risk sample of college students for sexual assault: those with a sexual assault history and those who engage in heavy episodic drinking. PMID:26408290

Air- coupled ultrasonic testing of CFRP rods by means of guided waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kažys, Rymantas; Raišutis, Renaldas; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Mažeika, Liudas; Vladišauskas, Alfonsas

2010-01-01

One of the most important parts of the gliders is a lightweight longeron reinforcement made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) rods. These small diameter (a few millimetres) rods during manufacturing are glued together in epoxy filled matrix in order to build the arbitrary spar profile. However, the defects presenting in the rods such as brake of fibres, lack of bonding, reduction of density affect essentially the strength of the construction and are very complicated in repairing. Therefore, appropriate non-destructive testing techniques of carbon fibber rods should be applied before gluing them together. The objective of the presented work was development of NDT technique of CFRP rods used for aerospace applications, which is based on air- coupled excitation/reception of guided waves. The regularities of ultrasonic guided waves propagating in both circular and rectangular cross-section CFRP rods immersed into water were investigated and it was shown that the guided waves propagating along sample of the rod create leaky waves which are radiated into a surrounding medium. The ultrasonic receiver scanned over the rod enables to pick-up the leaky waves and to determine the non-uniformities of propagation caused by the defects. Theoretical investigations were carried out by means of numerical simulations based on a 2D and 3D finite differences method. By modelling and experimental investigations it was demonstrated that presence of any type of the defect disturbs the leaky wave and enables to detect them. So, the spatial position of defects can be determined also. It was shown that such important defects as a disbond of the plies essentially reduce or even completely suppress the leaky wave, so they can be detected quit easily.

DNA replication stress restricts ribosomal DNA copy number.

PubMed

Salim, Devika; Bradford, William D; Freeland, Amy; Cady, Gillian; Wang, Jianmin; Pruitt, Steven C; Gerton, Jennifer L

2017-09-01

Ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) in budding yeast are encoded by ~100-200 repeats of a 9.1kb sequence arranged in tandem on chromosome XII, the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) locus. Copy number of rDNA repeat units in eukaryotic cells is maintained far in excess of the requirement for ribosome biogenesis. Despite the importance of the repeats for both ribosomal and non-ribosomal functions, it is currently not known how "normal" copy number is determined or maintained. To identify essential genes involved in the maintenance of rDNA copy number, we developed a droplet digital PCR based assay to measure rDNA copy number in yeast and used it to screen a yeast conditional temperature-sensitive mutant collection of essential genes. Our screen revealed that low rDNA copy number is associated with compromised DNA replication. Further, subculturing yeast under two separate conditions of DNA replication stress selected for a contraction of the rDNA array independent of the replication fork blocking protein, Fob1. Interestingly, cells with a contracted array grew better than their counterparts with normal copy number under conditions of DNA replication stress. Our data indicate that DNA replication stresses select for a smaller rDNA array. We speculate that this liberates scarce replication factors for use by the rest of the genome, which in turn helps cells complete DNA replication and continue to propagate. Interestingly, tumors from mini chromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2)-deficient mice also show a loss of rDNA repeats. Our data suggest that a reduction in rDNA copy number may indicate a history of DNA replication stress, and that rDNA array size could serve as a diagnostic marker for replication stress. Taken together, these data begin to suggest the selective pressures that combine to yield a "normal" rDNA copy number.

Artemisia spp. essential oils against the disease-carrying blowfly Calliphora vomitoria.

PubMed

Bedini, Stefano; Flamini, Guido; Cosci, Francesca; Ascrizzi, Roberta; Echeverria, Maria Cristina; Guidi, Lucia; Landi, Marco; Lucchi, Andrea; Conti, Barbara

2017-02-13

Synanthropic flies play a considerable role in the transmission of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. In this work, the essential oil (EO) of two aromatic plants, Artemisia annua and Artemisia dracunculus, were evaluated for their abilities to control the blowfly Calliphora vomitoria. Artemisia annua and A. dracunculus EOs were extracted, analysed and tested in laboratory bioassays. Besides, the physiology of EOs toxicity and the EOs antibacterial and antifungal properties were evaluated. Both Artemisia EOs deterred C. vomitoria oviposition on fresh beef meat. At 0.05 μl cm -2 A. dracunculus EO completely inhibited C. vomitoria oviposition. Toxicity tests, by contact, showed LD 50 of 0.49 and 0.79 μl EO per fly for A. dracunculus and A. annua, respectively. By fumigation, LC 50 values were 49.55 and 88.09 μl l -1 air for A. dracunculus and A. annua, respectively. EOs AChE inhibition in C. vomitoria (IC 50  = 202.6 and 472.4 mg l -1 , respectively, for A. dracunculus and A. annua) indicated that insect neural sites are targeted by the EOs toxicity. Finally, the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the two Artemisia EOs may assist in the reduction of transmission of microbial infections/contaminations. Results suggest that Artemisia EOs could be of use in the control of C. vomitoria, a common vector of pathogenic microorganisms and agent of human and animal cutaneous myiasis. The prevention of pathogenic and parasitic infections is a priority for human and animal health. The Artemisia EOs could represent an eco-friendly, low-cost alternative to synthetic repellents and insecticides to fight synanthropic disease-carrying blowflies.

78 FR 13618 - Shasta-Trinity National Forest; California; Elk Late-Successional Reserve Enhancement Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-28

... reduction would be completed using mechanical and hand methods and prescribed fire. Proposed road actions include maintenance and reconstruction of National Forest System roads, construction of temporary roads to complete project activities, and closure and decommissioning of National Forest System roads and existing...

78 FR 21126 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-09

... aims of this project NIOSH has developed a survey designed to collect information about work history..., which will significantly enhance the existing JEMs and develop a survey questionnaire for asthma in... completed using data exclusively from this survey. While aim 2 will be completed using asthma outcome data...

75 FR 26257 - Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-11

... respiratory health effects due to their pre-existing health condition. A more complete understanding of in... symptom diary recording any respiratory symptoms will be completed by the participant prior to the commute... changes in respiratory and cardiovascular health effects. Each participant will conduct the commute two...

30 CFR 250.199 - Paperwork Reduction Act statements-information collection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... be safe and protect the human, marine, and coastal environment, and will result in diligent..., marine, and coastal environment. (5) Subpart E, Oil and Gas Well-Completion Operations (1010-0067) To... that well-completion operations are safe and protect the human, marine, and coastal environment. (6...

Vasorelaxant and cardiovascular properties of the essential oil of Pogostemon elsholtzioides.

PubMed

Shiva Kumar, Arumugasamy; Jeyaprakash, Karnan; Chellappan, David Raj; Murugan, Ramar

2017-03-06

Pogostemon elsholtzioides Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic shrub, endemic to eastern Himalaya region. The leaves are used for treating goiter and high blood pressure (BP) by indigenous people in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Young leaves are used as vegetable and leaf decoction is also used for cough, cold and headache by some indigenous communities in Northeast India. This species is used for treating hypertension and the genus Pogostemon is rich in essential oil. Therefore, the present study was aimed at investigation of the chemical constituents, vasorelaxant and cardiovascular effects of the essential oil of P. elsholtzioides. P. elsholtzioides was collected from Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, India and essential oil was extracted from shade dried leaves. Essential oil was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS and the volatile constituents were identified. Vasorelaxant and cardiovascular properties of the essential oil were studied against phenylephrine induced contraction in isolated endothelium intact aortic preparations and by measuring systolic and diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) after carotid artery cannulation in Wistar rats. The essential oil was rich in sesquiterpenes and curzerene, benzophenone, α-cadinol and germacrone were major constituents. The essential oil exhibited significant vasodilation effect in phenylephrine induced contracted aortic rings. Vasorelaxant effect of the essential oil was also observed both in the presence and absence of Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester against phenylephrine-contracted aortic rings. It also induced reduction of systolic and diastolic BP, MAP and HR. Essential oil of P. elsholtzioides exhibited significant vasorelaxant effect against endothelium intact aortic preparation mediated through nitric oxide dependent pathway and also reduced BP. However, further study is needed to screen the role of calcium ions in both intracellular and extracellular pathway. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.