Urgent Chemotherapy in Sepsis-Like Shock Related to Hematologic Malignancies.

PubMed

Cherruault, Marlène; Le Goff, Marielle; Tamburini, Jérôme; Pène, Frédéric

2018-05-01

Hematologic malignancies may result in multiple organ involvement including pulmonary and renal dysfunctions, and the less common acute circulatory failure. We herein addressed the outcome of patients with sepsis-like shock related to aggressive hematologic malignancies. A 10-year (2007-2016) monocenter retrospective study. A medical ICU in a tertiary care center. Patients with circulatory shock requiring vasopressors and who subsequently received chemotherapy. Shock was presumably related to the underlying malignancy after ruling out an ongoing or new-onset infectious process. The extent and time course of organ failures was assessed by a modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score devoid of the platelet component. None. Seventeen patients were included, including 13 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, two with hyperleukocytic acute myeloid leukemia, and two with "Human Herpes virus 8"-associated multicentric Castleman's disease. The following associated conditions prompted urgent administration of chemotherapy: tumor lysis syndrome (n = 10), hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (n = 3), compressive bulky tumor (n = 3), pulmonary involvement (n = 3), and disseminated intravascular coagulation (n = 1). Following the initiation of chemotherapy, a number of patients died rapidly from untractable multiple organ failure. In contrast, chemotherapy led to a fast and dramatic improvement in organ failures in early survivors, as shown by the decrease in the modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. However, the overall outcome was poor since only four and three patients could be discharged alive from the ICU and the hospital, and three and two patients remained alive at 6 months and 1 year. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome related to hematologic malignancies is associated with a dismal outcome. A chemotherapy trial may provide a fast prognostic assessment of the reversibility of organ failure.

24 CFR 1000.10 - What definitions apply in these regulations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: Neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito..., epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Human Immunodeficiency...

24 CFR 1000.10 - What definitions apply in these regulations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: Neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito..., epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Human Immunodeficiency...

Impact of a comprehensive supportive care team on management of hopelessly ill patients with multiple organ failure.

PubMed

Field, B E; Devich, L E; Carlson, R W

1989-08-01

We developed a supportive care team for hopelessly ill patients in an urban emergency/trauma hospital. The team includes a clinical nurse specialist and a faculty physician as well as a chaplain and social worker. The supportive care team provides an alternative to intensive care or conventional ward management of hopelessly ill patients and concentrates on the physical and psychosocial comfort needs of patients and their families. We describe our experience with 20 hopelessly ill patients with multiple organ failure vs a similar group treated before the development of the supportive care team. Although there was no difference in mortality (100 percent), the length of stay in the medical ICU for patients with multiple organ failure decreased by 12 days to 6 days. Additionally, there were 50 percent fewer therapeutic interventions provided by the supportive care team vs intensive care or conventional ward treatment of multiple organ failure patients. We describe the methods that the supportive care team uses in an attempt to meet the physical and psychosocial comfort needs of hopelessly ill multiple organ failure patients and their families. This multidisciplinary approach to the care of the hopelessly ill may have applications in other institutions facing the ethical, medical, and administrative challenges raised by these patients.

Progressive exercise preconditioning protects against circulatory shock during experimental heatstroke.

PubMed

Hung, Ching-Hsia; Chang, Nen-Chung; Cheng, Bor-Chih; Lin, Mao-Tsun

2005-05-01

Heat shock protein (HSP) 72 expression protects against arterial hypotension in rat heatstroke. HSP72 can also be induced in multiple organs, including hearts from rats with endurance exercise. We validated the hypothesis that progressive exercise preconditioning may confer cardiovascular protection during heatstroke by inducing the overexpression of HSP72 in multiple organs. To deal with the matter, we assessed the effects of heatstroke on mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, stroke volume, total peripheral vascular resistance, colonic temperature, blood gases, and serum or tissue levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in urethane-anesthetized rats pretreated without or with progressive exercise training for 1, 2, or 3 weeks. In addition, HSP72 expression in multiple organs was determined in different groups of animals. Heatstroke was induced by exposing the rats to a high blanket temperature (43 degrees C); the moment at which mean arterial pressure decreased from the peak value was taken as the time of heatstroke onset. Previous exercise training for 3 weeks, but not 1 or 2 weeks, conferred significant protection against hyperthermia, arterial hypotension, decreased cardiac output, decreased stroke volume, decreased peripheral vascular resistance, and increased levels of serum or tissue TNF-alpha during heatstroke and correlated with overexpression of HSP72 in multiple organs, including heart, liver, and adrenal gland. However, 10 days after 3 weeks of progressive exercise training, when HSP72 expression in multiple organs returned to basal values, the beneficial effects exerted by 3 weeks of exercise training were no longer observed. These results strongly suggest that HSP72 preconditioning with progressive exercise training protects against hyperthermia, circulatory shock, and TNF-alpha overproduction during heatstroke.

Detection of Brain Reorganization in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional MRI

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

Page | 2 AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0464 TITLE: Detection of Brain Reorganization in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional MRI...Sep 2014 – 29 Sep 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Detection of Brain Reorganization in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Using Functional...findings include: 1) detection of brain organization in a cohort of 24 pediatric onset multiple sclerosis patients (POMS) and 25 healthy controls

Potential exposure to human prescription pharmaceutical residues from wastewater

EPA Science Inventory

Pharmaceuticals in the environment (PiE) pose a complicated problem, involving multiple dissimilar compounds, multiple routes of potential exposure, and a range of potentially affected organisms that span the tree of life. Key uncertainties include not knowing which of the thous...

Generation of the Dimensional Embryology Application (App) for Visualization of Early Chick and Frog Embryonic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Rebecca L.; Bilitski, James; Zerbee, Alyssa; Symans, Alexandra; Chop, Alexandra; Seitz, Brianne; Tran, Cindy

2015-01-01

The study of embryonic development of multiple organisms, including model organisms such as frogs and chicks, is included in many undergraduate biology programs, as well as in a variety of graduate programs. As our knowledge of biological systems increases and the amount of material to be taught expands, the time spent instructing students about…

COMBAT: A Prospective, Randomized Investigation of Plasma First Resuscitation for Traumatic Hemorrhage and Attenuation of Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

energy depletion. The latter is accompanied by an increased metabolic rate (including in- creased energy expenditure and oxygen consumption ) (14, 18... consumption in response to maximal oxygen availability predicts postinjury multiple organ failure. J Trauma 33: 58–65; discussion 65–67, 1992. 36... oxygen consumption in response to maximal oxygen availability predicts post- injury multiple organ failure. J Trauma. 1992;33(1):58Y65. 16. Minei JP

COMBAT - A Prospective, Randomized Investigation of Plasma First Resuscitation for Traumatic Hemorrhage and Attenuation of Acute Coagulopathy of Trauma

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

energy depletion. The latter is accompanied by an increased metabolic rate (including in- creased energy expenditure and oxygen consumption ) (14, 18... consumption in response to maximal oxygen availability predicts postinjury multiple organ failure. J Trauma 33: 58–65; discussion 65–67, 1992. 36... oxygen consumption in response to maximal oxygen availability predicts post- injury multiple organ failure. J Trauma. 1992;33(1):58Y65. 16. Minei JP

SLA Negotiation for VO Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paurobally, Shamimabi

Resource management systems are changing from localized resources and services towards virtual organizations (VOs) sharing millions of heterogeneous resources across multiple organizations and domains. The virtual organizations and usage models include a variety of owners and consumers with different usage, access policies, cost models, varying loads, requirements and availability. The stakeholders have private utility functions that must be satisfied and possibly maximized.

Development, Prevention, and Treatment of Alcohol-Induced Organ Injury: The Role of Nutrition

PubMed Central

Barve, Shirish; Chen, Shao-Yu; Kirpich, Irina; Watson, Walter H.; McClain, Craig

2017-01-01

Alcohol and nutrition have the potential to interact at multiple levels. For example, heavy alcohol consumption can interfere with normal nutrition, resulting in overall malnutrition or in deficiencies of important micronutrients, such as zinc, by reducing their absorption or increasing their loss. Interactions between alcohol consumption and nutrition also can affect epigenetic regulation of gene expression by influencing multiple regulatory mechanisms, including methylation and acetylation of histone proteins and DNA. These effects may contribute to alcohol-related organ or tissue injury. The impact of alcohol–nutrition interactions has been assessed for several organs and tissues, including the intestine, where heavy alcohol use can increase intestinal permeability, and the liver, where the degree of malnutrition can be associated with the severity of liver injury and liver disease. Alcohol–nutrition interactions also play a role in alcohol-related lung injury, brain injury, and immune dysfunction. Therefore, treatment involving nutrient supplementation (e.g., with zinc or S-adenosylmethionine) may help prevent or attenuate some types of alcohol-induced organ damage. PMID:28988580

New or Progressive Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome in Pediatric Severe Sepsis: A Sepsis Phenotype With Higher Morbidity and Mortality.

PubMed

Lin, John C; Spinella, Philip C; Fitzgerald, Julie C; Tucci, Marisa; Bush, Jenny L; Nadkarni, Vinay M; Thomas, Neal J; Weiss, Scott L

2017-01-01

To describe the epidemiology, morbidity, and mortality of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in children with severe sepsis. Secondary analysis of a prospective, cross-sectional, point prevalence study. International, multicenter PICUs. Pediatric patients with severe sepsis identified on five separate days over a 1-year period. None. Of 567 patients from 128 PICUs in 26 countries enrolled, 384 (68%) developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome within 7 days of severe sepsis recognition. Three hundred twenty-seven had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on the day of sepsis recognition. Ninety-one of these patients developed progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, whereas an additional 57 patients subsequently developed new multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, yielding a total proportion with severe sepsis-associated new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome of 26%. Hospital mortality in patients with progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome was 51% compared with patients with new multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (28%) and those with single-organ dysfunction without multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (10%) (p < 0.001). Survivors of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome also had a higher frequency of moderate to severe disability defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category score of greater than or equal to 3 and an increase of greater than or equal to 1 from baseline: 22% versus 29% versus 11% for progressive, new, and no multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, respectively (p < 0.001). Development of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome is common (26%) in severe sepsis and is associated with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality than severe sepsis without new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Our data support the use of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome as an important outcome in trials of pediatric severe sepsis although efforts are needed to validate whether reducing new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome leads to improvements in more definitive morbidity and mortality endpoints.

Management and integration of engineering and construction activities: Lessons learned from the AP1000{sup R} nuclear power plant China project

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

McCullough, M. C.; Ebeling-Koning, D.; Evans, M. C.

2012-07-01

The lessons learned during the early phase of design engineering and construction activities for the AP1000 China Project can be applied to any project involving multiple disciplines and multiple organizations. Implementation of a first-of-a-kind design to directly support construction activities utilizing resources assigned to design development and design delivery creates challenges with prioritization of activities, successful closure of issues, and communication between site organizations and the home office. To ensure successful implementation, teams were assigned and developed to directly support construction activities including prioritization of activities, site communication and ensuring closure of site emergent issues. By developing these teams, themore » organization is better suited to meet the demands of the construction schedule while continuing with design evolution of a standard plant and engineering delivery for multiple projects. For a successful project, proper resource utilization and prioritization are key for overcoming obstacles and ensuring success of the engineering organization. (authors)« less

Organic Aerosol Composition and Sources in Pasadena, California during the 2010 CalNex Campaign

EPA Science Inventory

Organic aerosols (OA) in Pasadena are characterized using multiple measurements from the California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) campaign. Five OA components are identified using positive matrix factorization including hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) ...

The World Hypertension League: where now and where to in salt reduction

PubMed Central

Lackland, Daniel T.; Lisheng, Liu; Zhang, Xin-Hua; Nilsson, Peter M.; Niebylski, Mark L.

2015-01-01

High dietary salt is a leading risk for death and disability largely by causing increased blood pressure. Other associated health risks include gastric and renal cell cancers, osteoporosis, renal stones, and increased disease activity in multiple sclerosis, headache, increased body fat and Meniere’s disease. The World Hypertension League (WHL) has prioritized advocacy for salt reduction. WHL resources and actions include a non-governmental organization policy statement, dietary salt fact sheet, development of standardized nomenclature, call for quality research, collaboration in a weekly salt science update, development of a process to set recommended dietary salt research standards and regular literature reviews, development of adoptable power point slide sets to support WHL positions and resources, and critic of weak research studies on dietary salt. The WHL plans to continue to work with multiple governmental and non-governmental organizations to promote dietary salt reduction towards the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. PMID:26090335

Developmental regulation of diacylglycerol acyltransferase family gene expression in tung tree tissues

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) are responsible for the final and rate-limiting step of triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis in eukaryotic organisms. DGAT genes have been identified in numerous organisms. Multiple isoforms of DGAT are present in eukaryotes, including DGAT1 and DGAT2 of tung tre...

Structural and Multilingual Approaches to Subject Access on the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Lois Mai; Lin, Xia; Zeng, Marcia

This paper presents some of the efforts currently being made to develop mechanisms that can organize World Wide Web resources for efficient and effective retrieval, as well as programs that can accommodate multiple languages. Part 1 discusses structural approaches to organizing Web resources, including the use of hierarchical or…

Organizational Predictors of Staff Stress, Satisfaction, and Intended Turnover in a Service for People with Multiple Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatton, Chris; Emerson, Eric

1993-01-01

Questionnaire data were collected from 64 direct-care staff members in a residential facility for people with multiple disabilities. Path analyses identified factors predicting levels of perceived stress, overall job satisfaction, overall life satisfaction, and perceived likelihood of leaving the organization. Factors included staff support, job…

Renewable Energy Feasibility Study Leading to Development of the Native Spirit Solar Energy Facility

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

Carolyn Stewart; Tracey LeBeau

2008-01-31

DOE-funded renewable energy feasibility study conducted by Red Mountain Tribal Energy on behalf of the Southwest Tribal Energy Consortium (SWTEC). During the course of the study, SWTEC members considered multiple options for the organization structure, selected a proposed organization structure, and drafted a Memorandum of Understanding for the SWTEC organization. High-level resource assessments for SWTEC members were completed; surveys were developed and completed to determine each member’s interest in multiple participation options, including on-reservation projects. With the survey inputs in mind, multiple energy project options were identified and evaluated on a high-level basis. That process led to a narrowing ofmore » the field of technology options to solar generation, specifically, utility-scale Concentrating Solar-Powered Generation projects, with a specific, tentative project location identified at the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation -- the Native Spirit Solar Energy Facility.« less

Ensuring Payload Safety in Missions with Special Partnerships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staubus, Calvert A.; Willenbring, Rachel C.; Blankenship, Michael D.

2016-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) payload space flight missions involve cooperative work between NASA and partners including spacecraft (or payload) contractors, universities, nonprofit research centers, Agency payload organization, Range Safety organization, Agency launch service organizations, and launch vehicle contractors. The role of NASA's Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directorate is typically fairly straightforward, but when a mission's partnerships become more complex, to realize cost and science benefits (e.g., multi-agency payload(s) or cooperative international missions), the task of ensuring payload safety becomes much more challenging. This paper discusses lessons learned from NASA safety professionals working multiple-agency missions and offers suggestions to help fellow safety professionals working multiple-agency missions.

Many shades of gray—The context-dependent performance of organic agriculture

PubMed Central

Seufert, Verena; Ramankutty, Navin

2017-01-01

Organic agriculture is often proposed as a more sustainable alternative to current conventional agriculture. We assess the current understanding of the costs and benefits of organic agriculture across multiple production, environmental, producer, and consumer dimensions. Organic agriculture shows many potential benefits (including higher biodiversity and improved soil and water quality per unit area, enhanced profitability, and higher nutritional value) as well as many potential costs including lower yields and higher consumer prices. However, numerous important dimensions have high uncertainty, particularly the environmental performance when controlling for lower organic yields, but also yield stability, soil erosion, water use, and labor conditions. We identify conditions that influence the relative performance of organic systems, highlighting areas for increased research and policy support. PMID:28345054

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for Streptococcus pyogenes toxic shock syndrome in pregnancy.

PubMed

Imaeda, Taro; Nakada, Taka-Aki; Abe, Ryuzo; Tateishi, Yoshihisa; Oda, Shigeto

2016-06-01

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), an invasive Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococcus) infection with hypotension and multiple organ failure, is quite rare in pregnancy but is characterized by rapid disease progression and high fatality rates. We present a case of STSS with infection-induced cardiac dysfunction in a pregnant woman who was treated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). A 24-year-old multiparous woman in the third trimester had early symptoms of high fever and diarrhea 1 day prior to admission to the hospital emergency department. On admission, she had multiple organ failure including circulatory failure. Due to fetal distress, emergency Cesarean section was carried out and transferred to intensive care units. She had refractory circulatory failure with depressed myocardial contractility with progressive multiple organ failure, despite receiving significant hemodynamic supports including high-dose catecholamine. Thus, VA-ECMO was initiated 18 h after intensive care unit admission. Consequently, ECMO provided extra time to recover from infection and myocardial depression. She was successfully weaned from VA-ECMO on day 7 and was discharged home on day 53. VA-ECMO can be a therapeutic option for refractory circulatory failure with significant myocardial depression in STSS.

Comparative Chemistry and Toxicity of Diesel and Biomass Combustion Emissions

EPA Science Inventory

Air pollution includes a complex mixture of carbonaceous gases and particles emitted from multiple anthropogenic, biogenic, and biomass burning sources, and also includes secondary organic components that form during atmospheric aging of these emissions. Exposure to these mixture...

EXPERIMENTS AT THE INTERFACE OF CARBON PARTICLE CHEMISTRY AND TOXCIOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Air pollution includes a complex mixture of carbonaceous gases and particles emitted from multiple anthropogenic, biogenic, and biomass burning sources, and also includes secondary organic components that form during atmospheric aging of these emissions. Exposure to these mixture...

A view at the interface between particle chemistry and toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Air pollution includes a complex mixture of carbonaceous gases and particles emitted from multiple anthropogenic, biogenic, and biomass burning sources, and also includes secondary organic components that form during atmospheric aging of these emissions. Exposure to these mixture...

Exploring asynchronous brainstorming in large groups: a field comparison of serial and parallel subgroups.

PubMed

de Vreede, Gert-Jan; Briggs, Robert O; Reiter-Palmon, Roni

2010-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare the results of two different modes of using multiple groups (instead of one large group) to identify problems and develop solutions. Many of the complex problems facing organizations today require the use of very large groups or collaborations of groups from multiple organizations. There are many logistical problems associated with the use of such large groups, including the ability to bring everyone together at the same time and location. A field study involved two different organizations and compared productivity and satisfaction of group. The approaches included (a) multiple small groups, each completing the entire process from start to end and combining the results at the end (parallel mode); and (b) multiple subgroups, each building on the work provided by previous subgroups (serial mode). Groups using the serial mode produced more elaborations compared with parallel groups, whereas parallel groups produced more unique ideas compared with serial groups. No significant differences were found related to satisfaction with process and outcomes between the two modes. Preferred mode depends on the type of task facing the group. Parallel groups are more suited for tasks for which a variety of new ideas are needed, whereas serial groups are best suited when elaboration and in-depth thinking on the solution are required. Results of this research can guide the development of facilitated sessions of large groups or "teams of teams."

Getting a handle on DNFB strategies for boosting performance.

PubMed

2015-03-01

Keeping tabs on DNFB requires a commitment from multiple departments, including clinical documentation, health information management, utilization management, and patient financial services. Monitoring DNFB performance daily, weekly, and monthly can help an organization quickly resolve short-term problems and also identify and respond to more systemic issues. By leveraging historical and comparison data, including performance information from peer organizations, hospitals and health systems can set more realistic targets and further highlight improvement opportunities.

Constraint Based Modeling Going Multicellular.

PubMed

Martins Conde, Patricia do Rosario; Sauter, Thomas; Pfau, Thomas

2016-01-01

Constraint based modeling has seen applications in many microorganisms. For example, there are now established methods to determine potential genetic modifications and external interventions to increase the efficiency of microbial strains in chemical production pipelines. In addition, multiple models of multicellular organisms have been created including plants and humans. While initially the focus here was on modeling individual cell types of the multicellular organism, this focus recently started to switch. Models of microbial communities, as well as multi-tissue models of higher organisms have been constructed. These models thereby can include different parts of a plant, like root, stem, or different tissue types in the same organ. Such models can elucidate details of the interplay between symbiotic organisms, as well as the concerted efforts of multiple tissues and can be applied to analyse the effects of drugs or mutations on a more systemic level. In this review we give an overview of the recent development of multi-tissue models using constraint based techniques and the methods employed when investigating these models. We further highlight advances in combining constraint based models with dynamic and regulatory information and give an overview of these types of hybrid or multi-level approaches.

Persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism and the development of chronic critical illness after surgery.

PubMed

Efron, Philip A; Mohr, Alicia M; Bihorac, Azra; Horiguchi, Hiroyuki; Hollen, McKenzie K; Segal, Mark S; Baker, Henry V; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan; Moldawer, Lyle L; Moore, Frederick A; Brakenridge, Scott C

2018-05-25

As early as the 1990s, chronic critical illness, a distinct syndrome of persistent high-acuity illness requiring management in the ICU, was reported under a variety of descriptive terms including the "neuropathy of critical illness," "myopathy of critical illness," "ICU-acquired weakness," and most recently "post-intensive care unit syndrome." The widespread implementation of targeted shock resuscitation, improved organ support modalities, and evidence-based protocolized ICU care has resulted in significantly decreased in-hospital mortality within surgical ICUs, specifically by reducing early multiple organ failure deaths. However, a new phenotype of multiple organ failure has now emerged with persistent but manageable organ dysfunction, high resource utilization, and discharge to prolonged care facilities. This new multiple organ failure phenotype is now clinically associated with the rapidly increasing incidence of chronic critical illness in critically ill surgery patients. Although the underlying pathophysiology driving chronic critical illness remains incompletely described, the persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome has been proposed as a mechanistic framework in which to explain the increased incidence of chronic critical illness in surgical ICUs. The purpose of this review is to provide a historic perspective of the epidemiologic evolution of multiple organ failure into persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome; describe the mechanism that drives and sustains chronic critical illness, and review the long-term outcomes of surgical patients who develop chronic critical illness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alternative Splicing of sept9a and sept9b in Zebrafish Produces Multiple mRNA Transcripts Expressed Throughout Development

PubMed Central

Hannibal, Mark C.; Kimelman, David

2010-01-01

Background Septins are involved in a number of cellular processes including cytokinesis and organization of the cytoskeleton. Alterations in human septin-9 (SEPT9) levels have been linked to multiple cancers, whereas mutations in SEPT9 cause the episodic neuropathy, hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy (HNA). Despite its important function in human health, the in vivo role of SEPT9 is unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we utilize zebrafish to study the role of SEPT9 in early development. We show that zebrafish possess two genes, sept9a and sept9b that, like humans, express multiple transcripts. Knockdown or overexpression of sept9a transcripts results in specific developmental alterations including circulation defects and aberrant epidermal development. Conclusions/Significance Our work demonstrates that sept9 plays an important role in zebrafish development, and establishes zebrafish as a valuable model organism for the study of SEPT9. PMID:20502708

Rationale of technical requirements for NRG-BR001: The first NCI-sponsored trial of SBRT for the treatment of multiple metastases.

PubMed

Al-Hallaq, Hania A; Chmura, Steven; Salama, Joseph K; Winter, Kathryn A; Robinson, Clifford G; Pisansky, Thomas M; Borges, Virginia; Lowenstein, Jessica R; McNulty, Susan; Galvin, James M; Followill, David S; Timmerman, Robert D; White, Julia R; Xiao, Ying; Matuszak, Martha M

In 2014, the NRG Oncology Group initiated the first National Cancer Institute-sponsored, phase 1 clinical trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of multiple metastases in multiple organ sites (BR001; NCT02206334). The primary endpoint is to test the safety of SBRT for the treatment of 2 to 4 multiple lesions in several anatomic sites in a multi-institutional setting. Because of the technical challenges inherent to treating multiple lesions as their spatial separation decreases, we present the technical requirements for NRG-BR001 and the rationale for their selection. Patients with controlled primary tumors of breast, non-small cell lung, or prostate are eligible if they have 2 to 4 metastases distributed among 7 extracranial anatomic locations throughout the body. Prescription and organ-at-risk doses were determined by expert consensus. Credentialing requirements include (1) irradiation of the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core phantom with SBRT, (2) submitting image guided radiation therapy case studies, and (3) planning the benchmark. Guidelines for navigating challenging planning cases including assessing composite dose are discussed. Dosimetric planning to multiple lesions receiving differing doses (45-50 Gy) and fractionation (3-5) while irradiating the same organs at risk is discussed, particularly for metastases in close proximity (≤5 cm). The benchmark case was selected to demonstrate the planning tradeoffs required to satisfy protocol requirements for 2 nearby lesions. Examples of passing benchmark plans exhibited a large variability in plan conformity. NRG-BR001 was developed using expert consensus on multiple issues from the dose fractionation regimen to the minimum image guided radiation therapy guidelines. Credentialing was tied to the task rather than the anatomic site to reduce its burden. Every effort was made to include a variety of delivery methods to reflect current SBRT technology. Although some simplifications were adopted, the successful completion of this trial will inform future designs of both national and institutional trials and would allow immediate clinical adoption of SBRT trials for oligometastases. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Severe leptospirosis with multiple organ failure successfully treated by plasma exchange and high-volume hemofiltration.

PubMed

Bourquin, Vincent; Ponte, Belén; Hirschel, Bernard; Pugin, Jérôme; Martin, Pierre-Yves; Saudan, Patrick

2011-01-01

Background. Leptospirosis is a spirochetal zoonosis with complex clinical features including renal and liver failure. Case report. We report the case of a Swiss fisherman presenting with leptospirosis. After initial improvement, refractory septic shock and severe liver and kidney failure developed. The expected mortality was estimated at 90% with clinical scores. The patient underwent plasma exchanges and high-volume hemofiltration (HVHF) with complete recovery of hepatic and kidney functions. Discussion. Plasma exchanges and HVHF may confer survival benefit on patients with severe leptospirosis, refractory septic shock, and multiple-organ failure.

Factors Associated with Falls in Community-Dwelling Older People with Focus on Participation in Sport Organizations: The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study Project

PubMed Central

Hayashi, Takahiro; Kondo, Katsunori; Suzuki, Kayo; Yamada, Minoru; Matsumoto, Daisuke

2014-01-01

Objective. Promoting participation in sport organizations may be a population strategy for preventing falls in older people. In this study, we examined whether participation in sport organizations is associated with fewer falls in older people even after adjusting for multiple individual and environmental factors. Methods. We used the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study data of 90,610 people (31 municipalities) who were not eligible for public long-term care. Logistic regression analysis was performed, with multiple falls over the past year as the dependent variable and participation in a sport organization as the independent variable, controlling for 13 factors. These included individual factors related to falls, such as age and sex, and environmental factors such as population density of the habitable area. Results. A total of 6,391 subjects (7.1%) had a history of multiple falls. Despite controlling for 13 variables, those who participated in a sport organization at least once a week were approximately ≥20% less likely to fall than those who did not participate at all (once a week; odds ratio = 0.82 and 95% confidence interval = 0.72–0.95). Conclusion. Participation in a sport organization at least once per week might help prevent falls in the community-dwelling older people. PMID:24955360

Physiologically relevant organs on chips

PubMed Central

Yum, Kyungsuk; Hong, Soon Gweon; Lee, Luke P.

2015-01-01

Recent advances in integrating microengineering and tissue engineering have generated promising microengineered physiological models for experimental medicine and pharmaceutical research. Here we review the recent development of microengineered physiological systems, or organs on chips, that reconstitute the physiologically critical features of specific human tissues and organs and their interactions. This technology uses microengineering approaches to construct organ-specific microenvironments, reconstituting tissue structures, tissue–tissue interactions and interfaces, and dynamic mechanical and biochemical stimuli found in specific organs, to direct cells to assemble into functional tissues. We first discuss microengineering approaches to reproduce the key elements of physiologically important, dynamic mechanical microenvironments, biochemical microenvironments, and microarchitectures of specific tissues and organs in microfluidic cell culture systems. This is followed by examples of microengineered individual organ models that incorporate the key elements of physiological microenvironments into single microfluidic cell culture systems to reproduce organ-level functions. Finally, microengineered multiple organ systems that simulate multiple organ interactions to better represent human physiology, including human responses to drugs, is covered in this review. This emerging organs-on-chips technology has the potential to become an alternative to 2D and 3D cell culture and animal models for experimental medicine, human disease modeling, drug development, and toxicology. PMID:24357624

The Best Anticoagulation Therapy in Multiple-Trauma Patients with Mechanical Heart Valves: Evaluation of Latest Guidelines and Studies.

PubMed

Moeinipour, Aliasghar; Zarifian, Ahmadreza; Sheikh Andalibi, Mohammad Sobhan; Shamloo, Alireza Sepehri; Ahmadabadi, Ali; Amouzeshi, Ahmad; Hoseinikhah, Hamid

2015-12-22

It is common practice for patients with prosthetic cardiac devices, especially heart valve prosthesis, arterial stents, defibrillators, and pacemaker devices, to use anticoagulation treatment. When these patients suffer from multiple trauma after motor vehicle accidents, the best medical management for this challenging position is mandatory. This strategy should include a rapid diagnosis of all possible multiple organ injuries, with special attention to anticoagulation therapy so as to minimize the risk of thromboembolism complication in prosthetic devices. In this review, we describe the best medical management for patients with multiple trauma who use anticoagulants after heart valve replacement. We searched electronic databases PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar using the following terms: anticoagulant, warfarin, heparin, and multiple trauma. Also, similar studies suggested by the databases were included. Non-English articles were excluded from the review. For patients who use anticoagulation therapy, teamwork between cardiac surgeons, general surgeons, anesthesiologists, and cardiologists is essential. For optimal medical management, multiple consults between members of this team is mandatory for rapid diagnosis of all possible damaged organs, with special attention to the central nervous system, chest, and abdominal traumas. With this strategy, it is important to take note of anticoagulation drugs to minimize the risk of thromboembolism complications in cardiac devices. The best anticoagulant agents for emergency operations in patients with multiple trauma who are using an anticoagulant after heart valve replacement are fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC).

Expression profiling of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta (PPAR-delta) in mouse tissues using tissue microarray.

PubMed

Higashiyama, Hiroyuki; Billin, Andrew N; Okamoto, Yuji; Kinoshita, Mine; Asano, Satoshi

2007-05-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta (PPAR-delta) is known as a transcription factor involved in the regulation of fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis in several tissues, such as skeletal muscle, liver and adipose tissues. In this study, to elucidate systemic physiological functions of PPAR-delta, we examined the tissue distribution and localization of PPAR-delta in adult mouse tissues using tissue microarray (TMA)-based immunohistochemistry. PPAR-delta positive signals were observed on variety of tissues/cells in multiple systems including cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, nervous, hematopoietic, immune, musculoskeletal, sensory and reproductive organ systems. In these organs, PPAR-delta immunoreactivity was generally localized on the nucleus, although cytoplasmic localization was observed on several cell types including neurons in the nervous system and cells of the islet of Langerhans. These expression profiling data implicate various physiological roles of PPAR-delta in multiple organ systems. TMA-based immunohistochemistry enables to profile comprehensive protein localization and distribution in a high-throughput manner.

[Multiple organ failure after spontaneous return of circulation in cardiac arrest in children].

PubMed

Carbayo, Tania; de la Mata, Alba; Sánchez, Marina; López-Herce, Jesús; Del Castillo, Jimena; Carrillo, Angel

2017-07-01

To assess the frequency of the multiple organ failure and the prognostic value of multiple organ failure scores in children who have recovered from an in-hospital cardiac arrest. A single centre, observational, and retrospective study was conducted on children between 1 month and 16 years old who suffered an in-hospital cardiac arrest and achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). In the first 24-48hours and between the fifth and the seventh day after ROSC, a record was made of the scores on paediatric severity (PRISM and PIM II) and multiple organ failure scales (PELOD and P-MODS), along with the clinical and analytical data, and including monitoring and treatment, mortality and cause of death. Of the total of 41 children studied, 70.7% male were male, and the median age was 38 months. The overall mortality during admission was 41.5%, with 14.6% dying in the first 48hours, and 7.6% in the following 3 to 5 days. In the first 48hours, clinical severity and multiple organ failure scores were higher in the patients that died than in survivors (PRISM 29 vs. 21) P=.125, PIM II (26.8% vs. 9.2%) P=.02, PELOD (21 vs. 12) P=.005, and P-MODS (9 vs. 6) P=.001. Between the fifth and seventh day, the scores on the four scales were also higher in patients who died, but only those of the PELOD (20.5 vs. 11) p=.002 and P-MODS (6.5 vs. 3) P=.003 reached statistical significance. Mortality in children after return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest is high. The multiple organ failure after return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest in children is associated with increased mortality. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Highlight on the dynamic organization of the nucleus.

PubMed

Thorpe, Stephen D; Charpentier, Myriam

2017-01-02

The last decade has seen rapid advances in our understanding of the proteins of the nuclear envelope, which have multiple roles including positioning the nucleus, maintaining its structural organization, and in events ranging from mitosis and meiosis to chromatin positioning and gene expression. Diverse new and stimulating results relating to nuclear organization and genome function from across kingdoms were presented in a session stream entitled "Dynamic Organization of the Nucleus" at this year's Society of Experimental Biology (SEB) meeting in Brighton, UK (July 2016). This was the first session stream run by the Nuclear Dynamics Special Interest Group, which was organized by David Evans, Katja Graumann (both Oxford Brookes University, UK) and Iris Meier (Ohio State University, USA). The session featured presentations on areas relating to nuclear organization across kingdoms including the nuclear envelope, chromatin organization, and genome function.

Do It Right! Requiring Multiple Submissions of Math and NMR Analysis Assignments in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slade, David J.

2017-01-01

The first-semester introductory organic chemistry laboratory has been adapted to include mini postlab assignments that students must complete correctly, through as many attempts as prove to be necessary. The use of multiple drafts of writing assignments is a standard approach to improving writing, so the system was designed to require drafts for…

On the road to bioartificial organs.

PubMed

Ren, X; Ott, H C

2014-10-01

Biological organs are highly orchestrated systems with well-coordinated positioning, grouping, and interaction of different cell types within their specialized extracellular environment. Bioartificial organs are intended to be functional replacements of native organs generated through bioengineering techniques and hold the potential to alleviate donor organ shortage for transplantation. The development, production, and evaluation of such bioartificial organs require synergistic efforts of biology, material science, engineering, and medicine. In this review, we highlight the emerging platforms enabling structured assembly of multiple cell types into functional grafts and discuss recent advances and challenges in the development of bioartificial organs, including cell sources, in vitro organ culture, in vivo evaluation, and clinical considerations.

36 CFR 219.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... System include: The Organic Administration Act of 1897, as amended (16 U.S.C. 473 et seq.); the Multiple..., forage, timber, wildlife and fish, biological diversity, productive soils, clean air and water, and...

36 CFR 219.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... System include: The Organic Administration Act of 1897, as amended (16 U.S.C. 473 et seq.); the Multiple..., forage, timber, wildlife and fish, biological diversity, productive soils, clean air and water, and...

Organizations, Paradigms, and People: The Challenge of KM Interventions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Teresa; Burton, Yvette

1999-01-01

This paper presents viewgraphs on Knowledge Management (KM) and how these interventions are put into practice by organizations and society. The topics include: 1) The Multiple Paradigm Tool; 2) Four Paradigms: tool for the Analyzing Organizations; 3) Assumptions About the Nature of Social Science; 4) Assumptions About the Nature of Society; 5) Schools of Sociological and Organizational Theory; 6) Meaning and Metaphors in the Four Paradigms; and 7) Possibilities and Conclusions.

Three Hypothetical Inflammation Pathobiology Phenotypes and Pediatric Sepsis-Induced Multiple Organ Failure Outcome.

PubMed

Carcillo, Joseph A; Halstead, E Scott; Hall, Mark W; Nguyen, Trung C; Reeder, Ron; Aneja, Rajesh; Shakoory, Bita; Simon, Dennis

2017-06-01

We hypothesize that three inflammation pathobiology phenotypes are associated with increased inflammation, proclivity to develop features of macrophage activation syndrome, and multiple organ failure-related death in pediatric severe sepsis. Prospective cohort study comparing children with severe sepsis and any of three phenotypes: 1) immunoparalysis-associated multiple organ failure (whole blood ex vivo tumor necrosis factor response to endotoxin < 200 pg/mL), 2) thrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure (new onset thrombocytopenia with acute kidney injury and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 activity < 57%), and/or 3) sequential multiple organ failure with hepatobiliary dysfunction (respiratory distress followed by liver dysfunction with soluble Fas ligand > 200 pg/mL), to those without any of these phenotypes. Tertiary children's hospital PICU. One hundred consecutive severe sepsis admissions. Clinical data were recorded daily, and blood was collected twice weekly. Multiple organ failure developed in 75 cases and eight died. Multiple organ failure cases with any of the three inflammation phenotypes (n = 37) had higher inflammation (C-reactive protein, p = 0.009 and ferritin, p < 0.001) than multiple organ failure cases without any of these phenotypes (n = 38) or cases with only single organ failure (n = 25). Development of features of macrophage activation syndrome and death were more common among multiple organ failure cases with any of the phenotypes (macrophage activation syndrome: 10/37, 27%; death: 8/37, 22%) compared to multiple organ failure cases without any phenotype (macrophage activation syndrome: 1/38, 3%; p = 0.003 and death: 0/38, 0%; p = 0.002). Our approach to phenotype categorization remains hypothetical, and the phenotypes identified need to be confirmed in multicenter studies of pediatric multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

Un Marco Abierto: Un Manual de Matematicas y Ciencas Utilizando Inteligencias Multiples Disenado para Estudiantes Bilingues de Educacion General y Especial (An Open Framework: A Math and Science Manual Utilizing Multiple Intelligences Designed for Bilingual Students in General and Special Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Bilingual Education.

This manual incorporates a Multiple Intelligences perspective into its presentation of themes and lesson ideas for Spanish-English bilingual elementary school students in grades 4-8 and is designed for both gifted and special education uses. Each unit includes practice activities, semantic maps to illustrate and help organize ideas as well as…

Pediatric Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome: Promising Therapies

PubMed Central

Doctor, Allan; Zimmerman, Jerry; Agus, Michael; Rajasekaran, Surender; Wardenburg, Juliane Bubeck; Fortenberry, James; Zajicek, Anne; Typpo, Katri

2016-01-01

Objective To describe the state of the science, identify knowledge gaps, and offer potential future research questions regarding promising therapies for children with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) presented during the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Workshop on Pediatric Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (March 26-27, 2015). Data Sources Literature review, research data, and expert opinion. Study Selection Not applicable. Data Extraction Moderated by an expert from the field, issues relevant to the association of MODS with a variety of conditions were presented, discussed and debated with a focus on identifying knowledge gaps and research priorities. Data Synthesis Summary of presentations and discussion supported and supplemented by relevant literature. Conclusions Among critically ill children, MODS is relatively common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. For outcomes to improve, effective therapies aimed at preventing and treating this condition must be discovered and rigorously evaluated. In this manuscript, a number of potential opportunities to enhance current care are highlighted including the need for a better understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications, the effect of early and optimized nutrition, and the impact of effective glucose control in the setting of MODS. Additionally, a handful of the promising therapies either currently being implemented or developed are described. These include extracorporeal therapies, anti-cytokine therapies, anti-toxin treatments, anti-oxidant approaches and multiple forms of exogenous steroids. For the field to advance, these and other therapies must be assessed in rigorous manner and implemented accordingly. PMID:28248836

Plasma granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels in critical illness including sepsis and septic shock: relation to disease severity, multiple organ dysfunction, and mortality.

PubMed

Presneill, J J; Waring, P M; Layton, J E; Maher, D W; Cebon, J; Harley, N S; Wilson, J W; Cade, J F

2000-07-01

To define the circulating levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) during critical illness and to determine their relationship to the severity of illness as measured by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, the development of multiple organ dysfunction, or mortality. Prospective cohort study. University hospital intensive care unit. A total of 82 critically ill adult patients in four clinically defined groups, namely septic shock (n = 29), sepsis without shock (n = 17), shock without sepsis (n = 22), and nonseptic, nonshock controls (n = 14). None. During day 1 of septic shock, peak plasma levels of G-CSF, interleukin (IL)-6, and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), but not GM-CSF, were greater than in sepsis or shock alone (p < .001), and were correlated among themselves (rs = 0.44-0.77; p < .02) and with the APACHE II score (rs = 0.25-0.40; p = .03 to .18). G-CSF, IL-6, and UF, and sepsis, shock, septic shock, and APACHE II scores were strongly associated with organ dysfunction or 5-day mortality by univariate analysis. However, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only septic shock remained significantly associated with organ dysfunction and only APACHE II scores and shock with 5-day mortality. Similarly, peak G-CSF, IL-6, and LIF were poorly predictive of 30-day mortality. Plasma levels of G-CSF, IL-6, and LIF are greatly elevated in critical illness, including septic shock, and are correlated with one another and with the severity of illness. However, they are not independently predictive of mortality, or the development of multiple organ dysfunction. GM-CSF was rarely elevated, suggesting different roles for G-CSF and GM-CSF in human septic shock.

Donor-derived infection--the challenge for transplant safety.

PubMed

Fishman, Jay A; Grossi, Paolo A

2014-11-01

Organ transplantation, including of the heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, and small bowel, is considered the therapy of choice for end-stage organ failure. Each year, over 70,000 organs are implanted worldwide. One donor may provide multiple organs, as well as corneas and other tissues, for multiple recipients. The degree of risk for transmission of infection carried with grafts, notably of viruses, is largely unknown and, for a specific organ, difficult to assess. The approach to microbiological screening of organ donors varies with national and regional regulations and with the availability and performance of microbiological assays used for potential donors. Transmission of both expected or common, and unexpected infections has been observed in organ transplants, generally recognized after development of clusters of infections among recipients of organs from a common donor. Other than for unusual or catastrophic events, few data exist that define the incidence and manifestations of donor-derived infections or the ideal assays to use in screening to prevent such transmissions. Absolute prevention of the transmission of donor-derived infections in organ transplantation is not possible. However, improvements in screening technologies will enhance the safety of transplantation in the future.

A case with unexplained bleeding from multiple sites: munchausen syndrome by proxy.

PubMed

Tüfekçi, Özlem; Gözmen, Salih; Yılmaz, Şebnem; Hilkay Karapınar, Tuba; Çetin, Benhur; Burak Dursun, Onur; Emiroğlu, Neslihan; Ören, Hale; Irken, Gülersu

2011-08-01

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MBP) is an extreme form of child abuse where children were unnecessarily treated or investigated for medical conditions that were falsified by their caregivers. Here the authors report a 16-year-old female with the complaints of bleeding from multiple and unusual sites, including hemoptysis, hematuria, bloody tears, and bloody nipple discharge, all of which are only witnessed by her mother. Extensive investigation revealed no organic etiologies for bleeding. The diagnosis of MBP was put by a multidisciplinary team. The diagnosis of MBP must be kept in mind in conditions where there is no underlying organic pathology in a bleeding patient.

Managing multiple funding streams and agendas to achieve local and global health and research objectives: lessons from the field

PubMed Central

Holmes, Charles B.; Sikazwe, Izukanji; Raelly, Roselyne; Freeman, Bethany; Wambulawae, Inonge; Silwizya, Geoffrey; Topp, Stephanie; Chilengi, Roma; Henostroza, German; Kapambwe, Sharon; Simbeye, Darius; Sibajene, Sheila; Chi, Harmony; Godfrey, Katy; Chi, Benjamin; Moore, Carolyn Bolton

2014-01-01

Multiple funding sources provide research and program implementation organizations a broader base of funding and facilitate synergy, but also entail challenges that include varying stakeholder expectations, unaligned grant cycles, and highly variable reporting requirements. Strong governance and strategic planning are essential to ensure alignment of goals and agendas. Systems to track budgets and outputs as well as procurement and human resources are required. A major goal is to transition leadership and operations to local ownership. This article details successful approaches used by the newly independent non-governmental organization, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). PMID:24321983

Managing multiple funding streams and agendas to achieve local and global health and research objectives: lessons from the field.

PubMed

Holmes, Charles B; Sikazwe, Izukanji; Raelly, Roselyne L; Freeman, Bethany L; Wambulawae, Inonge; Silwizya, Geoffrey; Topp, Stephanie M; Chilengi, Roma; Henostroza, German; Kapambwe, Sharon; Simbeye, Darius; Sibajene, Sheila; Chi, Harmony; Godfrey, Katy; Chi, Benjamin; Moore, Carolyn Bolton

2014-01-01

Multiple funding sources provide research and program implementation organizations a broader base of funding and facilitate synergy, but also entail challenges that include varying stakeholder expectations, unaligned grant cycles, and highly variable reporting requirements. Strong governance and strategic planning are essential to ensure alignment of goals and agendas. Systems to track budgets and outputs, as well as procurement and human resources are required. A major goal of funders is to transition leadership and operations to local ownership. This article details successful approaches used by the newly independent nongovernmental organization, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia.

Challenges of Implementing a Communication-and-Resolution Program Where Multiple Organizations Must Cooperate.

PubMed

Mello, Michelle M; Armstrong, Sarah J; Greenberg, Yelena; McCotter, Patricia I; Gallagher, Thomas H

2016-12-01

To implement a communication-and-resolution program (CRP) in a setting in which liability insurers and health care facilities must collaborate to resolve incidents involving a facility and separately insured clinicians. Six hospitals and clinics and a liability insurer in Washington State. Sites designed and implemented CRPs and contributed information about cases and operational challenges over 20 months. Data were qualitatively analyzed. Data from interviews with personnel responsible for CRP implementation were triangulated with data on program cases collected by sites and notes recorded during meetings with sites and among project team members. Sites experienced small victories in resolving particular cases and streamlining some working relationships, but they were unable to successfully implement a collaborative CRP. Barriers included the insurer's distance from the point of care, passive rather than active support from top leaders, coordinating across departments and organizations, workload, nonparticipation by some physicians, and overcoming distrust. Operating CRPs where multiple organizations must collaborate can be highly challenging. Success likely requires several preconditions, including preexisting trust among organizations, active leadership engagement, physicians' commitment to participate, mechanisms for quickly transmitting information to insurers, tolerance for missteps, and clear protocols for joint investigations and resolutions. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

RPG: the Ribosomal Protein Gene database.

PubMed

Nakao, Akihiro; Yoshihama, Maki; Kenmochi, Naoya

2004-01-01

RPG (http://ribosome.miyazaki-med.ac.jp/) is a new database that provides detailed information about ribosomal protein (RP) genes. It contains data from humans and other organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, Saccharo myces cerevisiae, Methanococcus jannaschii and Escherichia coli. Users can search the database by gene name and organism. Each record includes sequences (genomic, cDNA and amino acid sequences), intron/exon structures, genomic locations and information about orthologs. In addition, users can view and compare the gene structures of the above organisms and make multiple amino acid sequence alignments. RPG also provides information on small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that are encoded in the introns of RP genes.

RPG: the Ribosomal Protein Gene database

PubMed Central

Nakao, Akihiro; Yoshihama, Maki; Kenmochi, Naoya

2004-01-01

RPG (http://ribosome.miyazaki-med.ac.jp/) is a new database that provides detailed information about ribosomal protein (RP) genes. It contains data from humans and other organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, Saccharo myces cerevisiae, Methanococcus jannaschii and Escherichia coli. Users can search the database by gene name and organism. Each record includes sequences (genomic, cDNA and amino acid sequences), intron/exon structures, genomic locations and information about orthologs. In addition, users can view and compare the gene structures of the above organisms and make multiple amino acid sequence alignments. RPG also provides information on small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that are encoded in the introns of RP genes. PMID:14681386

Learning the organization: a model for health system analysis for new nurse administrators.

PubMed

Clark, Mary Jo

2004-01-01

Health systems are large and complex organizations in which multiple components and processes influence system outcomes. In order to effectively position themselves in such organizations, nurse administrators new to a system must gain a rapid understanding of overall system operation. Such understanding is facilitated by use of a model for system analysis. The model presented here examines the dynamic interrelationships between and among internal and external elements as they affect system performance. External elements to be analyzed include environmental factors and characteristics of system clientele. Internal elements flow from the mission and goals of the system and include system culture, services, resources, and outcomes.

Case report: severe heat stroke with multiple organ dysfunction – a novel intravascular treatment approach

PubMed Central

Broessner, Gregor; Beer, Ronny; Franz, Gerhard; Lackner, Peter; Engelhardt, Klaus; Brenneis, Christian; Pfausler, Bettina; Schmutzhard, Erich

2005-01-01

Introduction We report the case of a patient who developed a severe post-exertional heat stroke with consecutive multiple organ dysfunction resistant to conventional antipyretic treatment, necessitating the use of a novel endovascular device to combat hyperthermia and maintain normothermia. Methods A 38-year-old male suffering from severe heat stroke with predominant signs and symptoms of encephalopathy requiring acute admission to an intensive care unit, was admitted to a ten-bed neurological intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital. The patient developed consecutive multiple organ dysfunction with rhabdomyolysis, and hepatic and respiratory failure. Temperature elevation was resistant to conventional treatment measures. Aggressive intensive care treatment included forced diuresis and endovascular cooling to combat hyperthermia and maintain normothermia. Results Analyses of serum revealed elevation of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF alpha, IL-6), cytokines (IL-2R), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4) and chemokines (IL-8) as well as signs of rhabdomyolysis and hepatic failure. Aggressive intensive care treatment as forced diuresis and endovascular cooling (CoolGard® and CoolLine®) to combat hyperthermia and maintain normothermia were used successfully to treat this severe heat stroke. Conclusion In this case of severe heat stroke, presenting with multiple organ dysfunction and elevation of cytokines and chemokines, which was resistant to conventional cooling therapies, endovascular cooling may have contributed significantly to the reduction of body temperature and, possibly, avoided a fatal result. PMID:16285034

Physiologically relevant organs on chips.

PubMed

Yum, Kyungsuk; Hong, Soon Gweon; Healy, Kevin E; Lee, Luke P

2014-01-01

Recent advances in integrating microengineering and tissue engineering have generated promising microengineered physiological models for experimental medicine and pharmaceutical research. Here we review the recent development of microengineered physiological systems, or also known as "ogans-on-chips", that reconstitute the physiologically critical features of specific human tissues and organs and their interactions. This technology uses microengineering approaches to construct organ-specific microenvironments, reconstituting tissue structures, tissue-tissue interactions and interfaces, and dynamic mechanical and biochemical stimuli found in specific organs, to direct cells to assemble into functional tissues. We first discuss microengineering approaches to reproduce the key elements of physiologically important, dynamic mechanical microenvironments, biochemical microenvironments, and microarchitectures of specific tissues and organs in microfluidic cell culture systems. This is followed by examples of microengineered individual organ models that incorporate the key elements of physiological microenvironments into single microfluidic cell culture systems to reproduce organ-level functions. Finally, microengineered multiple organ systems that simulate multiple organ interactions to better represent human physiology, including human responses to drugs, is covered in this review. This emerging organs-on-chips technology has the potential to become an alternative to 2D and 3D cell culture and animal models for experimental medicine, human disease modeling, drug development, and toxicology. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Overcoming Barriers to Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care Services

PubMed Central

Grazier, Kyle L.; Smiley, Mary L.; Bondalapati, Kirsten S.

2016-01-01

Objective: Despite barriers, organizations with varying characteristics have achieved full integration of primary care services with providers and services that identify, treat, and manage those with mental health and substance use disorders. What are the key factors and common themes in stories of this success? Methods: A systematic literature review and snowball sampling technique was used to identify organizations. Site visits and key informant interviews were conducted with 6 organizations that had over time integrated behavioral health and primary care services. Case studies of each organization were independently coded to identify traits common to multiple organizations. Results: Common characteristics include prioritized vulnerable populations, extensive community collaboration, team approaches that included the patient and family, diversified funding streams, and data-driven approaches and practices. Conclusions: While significant barriers to integrating behavioral health and primary care services exist, case studies of organizations that have successfully overcome these barriers share certain common factors. PMID:27380923

Experiments in evaluation capacity building: Enhancing brain disorders research impact in Ontario.

PubMed

Nylen, Kirk; Sridharan, Sanjeev

2017-05-08

This paper is the introductory paper on a forum on evaluation capacity building for enhancing impacts of research on brain disorders. It describes challenges and opportunities of building evaluation capacity among community-based organizations in Ontario involved in enhancing brain health and supporting people living with a brain disorder. Using an example of a capacity building program called the "Evaluation Support Program", which is run by the Ontario Brain Institute, this forum discusses multiple themes including evaluation capacity building, evaluation culture and evaluation methodologies appropriate for evaluating complex community interventions. The goal of the Evaluation Support Program is to help community-based organizations build the capacity to demonstrate the value that they offer in order to improve, sustain, and spread their programs and activities. One of the features of this forum is that perspectives on the Evaluation Support Program are provided by multiple stakeholders, including the community-based organizations, evaluation team members involved in capacity building, thought leaders in the fields of evaluation capacity building and evaluation culture, and the funders. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

45 CFR 2104.103 - Definition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine...” includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes...

17 CFR 149.103 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genitourinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine...” includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes...

Staging Lung Cancer: Metastasis.

PubMed

Shroff, Girish S; Viswanathan, Chitra; Carter, Brett W; Benveniste, Marcelo F; Truong, Mylene T; Sabloff, Bradley S

2018-05-01

The updated eighth edition of the tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) classification for lung cancer includes revisions to T and M descriptors. In terms of the M descriptor, the classification of intrathoracic metastatic disease as M1a is unchanged from TNM-7. Extrathoracic metastatic disease, which was classified as M1b in TNM-7, is now subdivided into M1b (single metastasis, single organ) and M1c (multiple metastases in one or multiple organs) descriptors. In this article, the rationale for changes in the M descriptors, the utility of preoperative staging with PET/computed tomography, and the treatment options available for patients with oligometastatic disease are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subtle Nonlinearity in Popular Album Charts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentley, R. Alexander; Maschner, Herbert D. G.

Large-scale patterns of culture change may be explained by models of self organized criticality, or alternatively, by multiplicative processes. We speculate that popular album activity may be similar to critical models of extinction in that interconnected agents compete to survive within a limited space. Here we investigate whether popular music albums as listed on popular album charts display evidence of self-organized criticality, including a self-affine time series of activity and power-law distributions of lifetimes and exit activity in the chart. We find it difficult to distinguish between multiplicative growth and critical model hypotheses for these data. However, aspects of criticality may be masked by the selective sampling that a "Top 200" listing necessarily implies.

Thyroid storm with multiple organ failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and stroke with a normal serum FT3 level.

PubMed

Harada, Yuko; Akiyama, Hisanao; Yoshimoto, Tatsuji; Urao, Yasuko; Ryuzaki, Munekazu; Handa, Michiko

2012-01-01

Thyroid storm is a rare disorder with a sudden onset, rapid progression and high mortality. We experienced a case of thyroid storm which had a devastating course, including multiple organ failure (MOF), severe hypoglycemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and stroke. It was difficult to make a diagnosis of thyroid storm in the present patient, because she did not have a history of thyroid disease and her serum FT3 level was normal. Clinicians should be aware that thyroid storm can occur even when there is an almost normal level of thyroid hormones, and that intensive anticoagulation is required for patients with atrial fibrillation to prevent stroke after thyroid storm.

Management of a granulomatous lesion in a patient with Kindler's Syndrome

PubMed Central

Bhatsange, Anuradha; Khadse, Yugandhara; Deshmukh, Sabina; Karwa, Swapnil

2018-01-01

Kindler's syndrome is a rare vesiculobullous dermatological disorder sometimes involving multiple organs. First described by Kindler. The differential diagnosis includes Rothmund-Thomson syndrome and epidermolysis bullosa. Fisher's criteria have simplified the diagnosis with major and minor criteria. Oral manifestation of this syndrome includes multiple painful oral ulcers in the mucosa, periodontal attachment loss, gingival bleeding, and fragile mucosa. These manifestations may impair proper nutrition intake, may cause growth and development problems. This case report deals with the management of oral and gingival manifestations in a 12-year-old female child patient diagnosed with Kindler's syndrome. PMID:29568175

[Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and new directions of antimicrobial chemotherapy].

PubMed

Tateda, Kazuhiro

2012-05-01

The emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms are becoming more and more serious and are a worldwide problem. Recent trends in new antibiotic-resistant organisms include multiple-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP), MDR-Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) and New Deli metallo beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) -producing bacteria. Antibiotic combination therapy is an option to overcome these MDR organisms. A breakpoint checkerboard plate was created to measure antibiotic combination effects at breakpoint concentrations, making it possible to evaluate the synergy of antibiotic combination within 24 hours. In this article, recent topics regarding antibiotic-resistant organisms are briefly reviewed and the directions of antibiotic chemotherapy against these organisms are discussed.

Evidence for light perception in a bioluminescent organ

PubMed Central

Tong, Deyan; Rozas, Natalia S.; Oakley, Todd H.; Mitchell, Jane; Colley, Nansi J.; McFall-Ngai, Margaret J.

2009-01-01

Here we show that bioluminescent organs of the squid Euprymna scolopes possess the molecular, biochemical, and physiological capability for light detection. Transcriptome analyses revealed expression of genes encoding key visual transduction proteins in light-organ tissues, including the same isoform of opsin that occurs in the retina. Electroretinograms demonstrated that the organ responds physiologically to light, and immunocytochemistry experiments localized multiple proteins of visual transduction cascades to tissues housing light-producing bacterial symbionts. These data provide evidence that the light-organ tissues harboring the symbionts serve as extraocular photoreceptors, with the potential to perceive directly the bioluminescence produced by their bacterial partners. PMID:19509343

Upper Paleozoic Marine Shale Characteristics and Exploration Prospects in the Northwestern Guizhong Depression, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhenhong; Yao, Genshun; Lou, Zhanghua; Jin, Aimin; Zhu, Rong; Jin, Chong; Chen, Chao

2018-05-01

Multiple sets of organic-rich shales developed in the Upper Paleozoic of the northwestern Guizhong Depression in South China. However, the exploration of these shales is presently at a relatively immature stage. The Upper Paleozoic shales in the northwestern Guizhong Depression, including the Middle Devonian Luofu shale, the Nabiao shale, and the Lower Carboniferous Yanguan shale, were investigated in this study. Mineral composition analysis, organic matter analysis (including total organic carbon (TOC) content, maceral of kerogen and the vitrinite reflection (Ro)), pore characteristic analysis (including porosity and permeability, pore type identification by SEM, and pore size distribution by nitrogen sorption), methane isothermal sorption test were conducted, and the distribution and thickness of the shales were determined, Then the characteristics of the two target shales were illustrated and compared. The results show that the Upper Paleozoic shales have favorable organic matter conditions (mainly moderate to high TOC content, type I and II1 kerogen and high to over maturity), good fracability potential (brittleness index (BI) > 40%), multiple pore types, stable distribution and effective thickness, and good methane sorption capacity. Therefore, the Upper Paleozoic shales in the northern Guizhong Depression have good shale gas potential and exploration prospects. Moreover, the average TOC content, average BI, thickness of the organic-rich shale (TOC > 2.0 wt%) and the shale gas resources of the Middle Devonian shales are better than those of the Lower Carboniferous shale. The Middle Devonian shales have better shale gas potential and exploration prospects than the Lower Carboniferous shales.

Physiotherapy practice in the private sector: organizational characteristics and models.

PubMed

Perreault, Kadija; Dionne, Clermont E; Rossignol, Michel; Poitras, Stéphane; Morin, Diane

2014-08-29

Even if a large proportion of physiotherapists work in the private sector worldwide, very little is known of the organizations within which they practice. Such knowledge is important to help understand contexts of practice and how they influence the quality of services and patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to: 1) describe characteristics of organizations where physiotherapists practice in the private sector, and 2) explore the existence of a taxonomy of organizational models. This was a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 236 randomly-selected physiotherapists. Participants completed a purpose-designed questionnaire online or by telephone, covering organizational vision, resources, structures and practices. Organizational characteristics were analyzed descriptively, while organizational models were identified by multiple correspondence analyses. Most organizations were for-profit (93.2%), located in urban areas (91.5%), and within buildings containing multiple businesses/organizations (76.7%). The majority included multiple providers (89.8%) from diverse professions, mainly physiotherapy assistants (68.7%), massage therapists (67.3%) and osteopaths (50.2%). Four organizational models were identified: 1) solo practice, 2) middle-scale multiprovider, 3) large-scale multiprovider and 4) mixed. The results of this study provide a detailed description of the organizations where physiotherapists practice, and highlight the importance of human resources in differentiating organizational models. Further research examining the influences of these organizational characteristics and models on outcomes such as physiotherapists' professional practices and patient outcomes are needed.

The Role of Neighborhood Ecological Assets and Activity Involvement in Youth Developmental Outcomes: Differential Impacts of Asset Poor and Asset Rich Neighborhoods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urban, Jennifer Brown; Lewin-Bizan, Selva; Lerner, Richard M.

2009-01-01

Developmental system theories recognize that variables from multiple levels of organization within the bioecology of human development contribute to adolescent development, including individual factors, family factors and the neighborhood which includes extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities provide a context for youth development,…

Tubular organ epithelialisation

PubMed Central

Saksena, Rhea; Gao, Chuanyu; Wicox, Mathew; de Mel, Achala

2016-01-01

Hollow, tubular organs including oesophagus, trachea, stomach, intestine, bladder and urethra may require repair or replacement due to disease. Current treatment is considered an unmet clinical need, and tissue engineering strategies aim to overcome these by fabricating synthetic constructs as tissue replacements. Smart, functionalised synthetic materials can act as a scaffold base of an organ and multiple cell types, including stem cells can be used to repopulate these scaffolds to replace or repair the damaged or diseased organs. Epithelial cells have not yet completely shown to have efficacious cell–scaffold interactions or good functionality in artificial organs, thus limiting the success of tissue-engineered grafts. Epithelial cells play an essential part of respective organs to maintain their function. Without successful epithelialisation, hollow organs are liable to stenosis, collapse, extensive fibrosis and infection that limit patency. It is clear that the source of cells and physicochemical properties of scaffolds determine the successful epithelialisation. This article presents a review of tissue engineering studies on oesophagus, trachea, stomach, small intestine, bladder and urethral constructs conducted to actualise epithelialised grafts. PMID:28228931

Trace organic compounds in wet atmospheric deposition: an overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinheimer, T.R.; Johnson, S.M.

1987-01-01

An overview of the occurrence of organic compounds in wet atmospheric deposition is given. Multiplicity of sources and problems associated with source identification are discussed. Available literature is reviewed by using citations from Chemical Abstracts and Water Resources Abstracts through June 1985 and includes reports published through December 1984 that summarize current knowledge. Approaches to the chemical determination of organic compounds in precipitation are examined in addition to aspects of sampling protocols. Best methods for sample collection and preparation for instrumental analysis continue to be discussed among various investigators. Automatic wet-deposition-only devices for collection and extraction are preferred. Classes of organic compounds that have been identified in precipitation include a spectrum of compounds with differing properties of acidity or basicity, polarity, and water solubility. Those compounds that have been reported in rainfall, snowfall, and ice include hydrocarbons (both aromatic and nonaromatic), chlorinated derivatives of these hydrocarbons, carbonyl compounds (both acidic and nonacidic), and carboxylic acids and esters. Formic and acetic are the most abundant organic acids present. Cloudwater, fogwater, and mist also have been collected and analyzed for organic composition.

The optimal hormonal replacement modality selection for multiple organ procurement from brain-dead organ donors

PubMed Central

Mi, Zhibao; Novitzky, Dimitri; Collins, Joseph F; Cooper, David KC

2015-01-01

The management of brain-dead organ donors is complex. The use of inotropic agents and replacement of depleted hormones (hormonal replacement therapy) is crucial for successful multiple organ procurement, yet the optimal hormonal replacement has not been identified, and the statistical adjustment to determine the best selection is not trivial. Traditional pair-wise comparisons between every pair of treatments, and multiple comparisons to all (MCA), are statistically conservative. Hsu’s multiple comparisons with the best (MCB) – adapted from the Dunnett’s multiple comparisons with control (MCC) – has been used for selecting the best treatment based on continuous variables. We selected the best hormonal replacement modality for successful multiple organ procurement using a two-step approach. First, we estimated the predicted margins by constructing generalized linear models (GLM) or generalized linear mixed models (GLMM), and then we applied the multiple comparison methods to identify the best hormonal replacement modality given that the testing of hormonal replacement modalities is independent. Based on 10-year data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), among 16 hormonal replacement modalities, and using the 95% simultaneous confidence intervals, we found that the combination of thyroid hormone, a corticosteroid, antidiuretic hormone, and insulin was the best modality for multiple organ procurement for transplantation. PMID:25565890

Neuronal intrinsic regenerative capacity: The impact of microtubule organization and axonal transport.

PubMed

Murillo, Blanca; Sousa, Mónica Mendes

2018-05-08

In the adult vertebrate central nervous system, axons generally fail to regenerate. In contrast, peripheral nervous system axons are able to form a growth cone and regenerate upon lesion. Among the multiple intrinsic mechanisms leading to the formation of a new growth cone and to successful axon regrowth, cytoskeleton organization and dynamics is central. Here we discuss how multiple pathways that define the regenerative capacity converge into the regulation of the axonal microtubule cytoskeleton and transport. We further explore the use of dorsal root ganglion neurons as a model to study the neuronal regenerative ability. Finally, we address some of the unanswered questions in the field, including the mechanisms by which axonal transport might be modulated by injury, and the relationship between microtubule organization, dynamics, and axonal transport. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Rab protein evolution and the history of the eukaryotic endomembrane system

PubMed Central

Brighouse, Andrew; Dacks, Joel B.

2010-01-01

Spectacular increases in the quantity of sequence data genome have facilitated major advances in eukaryotic comparative genomics. By exploiting homology with classical model organisms, this makes possible predictions of pathways and cellular functions currently impossible to address in intractable organisms. Echoing realization that core metabolic processes were established very early following evolution of life on earth, it is now emerging that many eukaryotic cellular features, including the endomembrane system, are ancient and organized around near-universal principles. Rab proteins are key mediators of vesicle transport and specificity, and via the presence of multiple paralogues, alterations in interaction specificity and modification of pathways, contribute greatly to the evolution of complexity of membrane transport. Understanding system-level contributions of Rab proteins to evolutionary history provides insight into the multiple processes sculpting cellular transport pathways and the exciting challenges that we face in delving further into the origins of membrane trafficking specificity. PMID:20582450

Spectrum of PORCN mutations in Focal Dermal Hypoplasia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Focal Dermal Hypoplasia (FDH), also known as Goltz syndrome (OMIM 305600), is a genetic disorder that affects multiple organ systems early in development. Features of FDH include skin abnormalities, (hypoplasia, atrophy, linear pigmentation, and herniation of fat through dermal defects); papillomas...

Usefulness of esophagogastroduodenoscopy and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography in detecting synchronous multiple primary cancers with oral cancer.

PubMed

Ishibashi-Kanno, Naomi; Yamagata, Kenji; Uchida, Fumihiko; Hasegawa, Shogo; Yanagawa, Toru; Bukawa, Hiroki

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the value of screening for synchronous multiple primary cancers in other organs by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (PET-CT) in patients newly diagnosed with oral cancer. We retrospectively examined consecutive Japanese patients who were diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and were screened for synchronous multiple primary cancers in other organs by EGD and/or PET-CT between January 2010 and December 2015 at our institution. The study included 190 patients (106 males and 84 females) from 36 to 93 years of age (median age 68.8 years). The patients were screened by EGD, PET-CT, or both before beginning treatment for OSCC. Of 190 Japanese patients with OSCC, 15 had multiple primary cancers: 13 patients had double cancer and two had triple cancers. The sites of the 17 multiple primary cancers were gastric (6), esophageal (4), and lung (3), and ovarian, colon, liver, and thyroid (1 each). All of the gastric and esophageal cancers were found by EGD and were not detected by PET-CT. For three patients, the detection of multiple cancers affected the treatment modality or order of treatment selected for the OSCC. In two cases, the oral cancer and multiple primary cancer(s) in another organ were resected simultaneously by joint surgical teams. PET-CT for oral cancer patients is an effective supporting diagnostic tool. However, the ability of PET-CT has some limitations. Especially for early detection of the upper gastrointestinal cancers, it is necessary to be supplemented by EGD.

3D-printed devices for continuous-flow organic chemistry.

PubMed

Dragone, Vincenza; Sans, Victor; Rosnes, Mali H; Kitson, Philip J; Cronin, Leroy

2013-01-01

We present a study in which the versatility of 3D-printing is combined with the processing advantages of flow chemistry for the synthesis of organic compounds. Robust and inexpensive 3D-printed reactionware devices are easily connected using standard fittings resulting in complex, custom-made flow systems, including multiple reactors in a series with in-line, real-time analysis using an ATR-IR flow cell. As a proof of concept, we utilized two types of organic reactions, imine syntheses and imine reductions, to show how different reactor configurations and substrates give different products.

Advances in Biodegradation of Multiple Volatile Organic Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, M.; Yoshikawa, M.

2017-12-01

Bioremediation of soil and groundwater containing multiple contaminants remains a challenge in environmental science and engineering because complete biodegradation of all components is necessary but very difficult to accomplish in practice. This presentation provides a brief overview on advances in biodegradation of multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including chlorinated ethylenes, benzene, toluene and dichloromethane (DCM). Case studies on aerobic biodegradation of benzene, toluene and DCM, and integrated anaerobic-aerobic biodegradation of 7 contaminants, specifically, tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), DCM, benzene and toluene will be provided. Recent findings based on systematic laboratory experiments indicated that aerobic toluene degradation can be enhanced by co-existence of benzene. Propioniferax, not a known benzene, toluene and DCM degrader can be a key microorganism that involves in biodegradation when the three contaminants co-exist. Integrated anaerobic-aerobic biodegradation is capable of completely degrading the seven VOCs with initial concentrations less than 30 mg/L. Dehalococcoides sp., generally considered sensitive to oxygen, can survive aerobic conditions for at least 28 days, and can be activated during the subsequent anaerobic biodegradation. This presentation may provide a systematic information about biodegradation of multiple VOCs, and a scientific basis for the complete bioremediation of multiple contaminants in situ.

Challenges of self-management when living with multiple chronic conditions

PubMed Central

Liddy, Clare; Blazkho, Valerie; Mill, Karina

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To explore the perspectives of patients who live with multiple chronic conditions as they relate to the challenges of self-management. Data sources On September 30, 2013, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL using relevant key words including chronic disease, comorbidity, multimorbidity, multiple chronic conditions, self-care, self-management, perspective, and perception. Study selection Three reviewers assessed and extracted the data from the included studies after study quality was rated. Qualitative thematic synthesis method was then used to identify common themes. Twenty-three articles met the inclusion criteria, with most coming from the United States. Synthesis Important themes raised by people living with multiple chronic conditions related to their ability to self-manage included living with undesirable physical and emotional symptoms, with pain and depression highlighted. Issues with conflicting knowledge, access to care, and communication with health care providers were raised. The use of cognitive strategies, including reframing, prioritizing, and changing beliefs, was reported to improve people’s ability to self-manage their multiple chronic conditions. Conclusion This study provides a unique view into patients’ perspectives of living with multiple chronic conditions, which are clearly linked to common functional challenges as opposed to specific diseases. Future policy and programming in self-management support should be better aligned with patients’ perspectives on living with multiple chronic conditions. This might be achieved by ensuring a more patient-centred approach is adopted by providers and health service organizations. PMID:25642490

The impact of aging on epithelial barriers.

PubMed

Parrish, Alan R

2017-10-02

The epithelium has many critical roles in homeostasis, including an essential responsibility in establishing tissue barriers. In addition to the fundamental role in separating internal from external environment, epithelial barriers maintain nutrient, fluid, electrolyte and metabolic waste balance in multiple organs. While, by definition, barrier function is conserved, the structure of the epithelium varies across organs. For example, the skin barrier is a squamous layer of cells with distinct structural features, while the lung barrier is composed of a very thin single cell to minimize diffusion space. With the increased focus on age-dependent alterations in organ structure and function, there is an emerging interest in the impact of age on epithelial barriers. This review will focus on the impact of aging on the epithelial barrier of several organs, including the skin, lung, gastrointestinal tract and the kidney, at a structural and functional level.

78 FR 42089 - Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-15

... related to external media relations and internal employee communications including those for the..., visual, and multimedia activities in support of communications efforts through multiple media formats... of Communications and the Office of Management. Specifically, this notice: (1) Transfers the Freedom...

Immuno-therapy of Acute Radiation Syndromes : Extracorporeal Immuno-Lympho-Plasmo-Sorption.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, Dmitri; Maliev, Slava

Methods Results Summary and conclusions Introduction: Existing Medical Management of the Acute Radiation Syndromes (ARS) does not include methods of specific immunotherapy and active detoxication. Though the Acute Radiation Syndromes were defined as an acute toxic poisonous with development of pathological processes: Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), Toxic Multiple Organ Injury (TMOI), Toxic Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome(TMODS), Toxic Multiple Organ Failure (TMOF). Radiation Toxins of SRD Group play an important role as the trigger mechanisms in development of the ARS clinical symptoms. Methods: Immuno-Lympho-Plasmo-Sorption is a type of Immuno-therapy which includes prin-ciples of immunochromato-graphy, plasmopheresis, and hemodialysis. Specific Antiradiation Antitoxic Antibodies are the active pharmacological agents of immunotherapy . Antiradia-tion Antitoxic Antibodies bind selectively to Radiation Neurotoxins, Cytotoxins, Hematotox-ins and neutralize their toxic activity. We have developed the highly sensitive method and system for extracorporeal-immune-lypmh-plasmo-sorption with antigen-specific IgG which is clinically important for treatment of the toxic and immunologic phases of the ARS. The method of extracorporeal-immune-lypmh-plasmo-sorption includes Antiradiation Antitoxic Antibodies (AAA) immobilized on microporous polymeric membranes with a pore size that is capable to provide diffusion of blood-lymph plasma. Plasma of blood or lymph of irradiated mammals contains Radiation Toxins (RT) that have toxic and antigenic properties. Radiation Toxins are Antigen-specific to Antitoxic blocking antibodies (Immunoglobulin G). Plasma diffuses through membranes with immobilized AAA and AA-antibodies bind to the polysaccharide chain of tox-ins molecules and complexes of AAA-RT that are captured on membrane surfaces. RT were removed from plasma. Re-transfusion of plasma of blood and lymph had been provided. We show a statistical significant reduction in postradiation lethality.

Unifying mechanism for different fibrotic diseases

PubMed Central

Wernig, Gerlinde; Chen, Shih-Yu; Cui, Lu; Van Neste, Camille; Tsai, Jonathan M.; Kambham, Neeraja; Vogel, Hannes; Natkunam, Yaso; Gilliland, D. Gary; Nolan, Garry; Weissman, Irving L.

2017-01-01

Fibrotic diseases are not well-understood. They represent a number of different diseases that are characterized by the development of severe organ fibrosis without any obvious cause, such as the devastating diseases idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and scleroderma. These diseases have a poor prognosis comparable with endstage cancer and are uncurable. Given the phenotypic differences, it was assumed that the different fibrotic diseases also have different pathomechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that many endstage fibrotic diseases, including IPF; scleroderma; myelofibrosis; kidney-, pancreas-, and heart-fibrosis; and nonalcoholic steatohepatosis converge in the activation of the AP1 transcription factor c-JUN in the pathologic fibroblasts. Expression of the related AP1 transcription factor FRA2 was restricted to pulmonary artery hypertension. Induction of c-Jun in mice was sufficient to induce severe fibrosis in multiple organs and steatohepatosis, which was dependent on sustained c-Jun expression. Single cell mass cytometry revealed that c-Jun activates multiple signaling pathways in mice, including pAkt and CD47, which were also induced in human disease. αCD47 antibody treatment and VEGF or PI3K inhibition reversed various organ c-Jun–mediated fibroses in vivo. These data suggest that c-JUN is a central molecular mediator of most fibrotic conditions. PMID:28424250

Structural characterization of sulfated steroids that activate mouse pheromone-sensing neurons.

PubMed

Hsu, Fong-Fu; Nodari, Francesco; Kao, Lung-Fa; Fu, Xiaoyan; Holekamp, Terrence F; Turk, John; Holy, Timothy E

2008-12-30

In many species, social behavior is organized via chemical signaling. While many of these signals have been identified for insects, the chemical identity of these social cues (often called pheromones) for mammals is largely unknown. We recently isolated these chemical cues that caused firing in the pheromone-sensing neurons of the vomeronasal organ from female mouse urine [Nodari, F., et al. (2008) J. Neurosci. 28, 6407-6418]. Here, we report their structural characterization. Mass spectrometric approaches, including tandem quadrupole, multiple-stage linear ion trap, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and H-D exchange followed by ESI mass spectrometry, along with (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, including two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy, total correlation spectroscopy, heteronuclear multiple-quantum coherence, and NOE, were used to identify two sulfated steroids, 4-pregnene-11beta,20,21-triol-3-one 21-sulfate (I) (the configuration at C20 was not deduced) and 4-pregnene-11beta,21-diol-3,20-dione 21-sulfate (II), whose presence is sex-specific. The identification of this novel class of mammalian social signaling compounds suggests that steroid hormones, upon conjugation, assume a new biological role, conveying information about the organism's identity and physiological state.

The ABCs of BHD: An In-Depth Review of Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome.

PubMed

Gupta, Shiva; Kang, Hyunseon C; Ganeshan, Dhakshinamoorthy; Morani, Ajaykumar; Gautam, Rabindra; Choyke, Peter L; Kundra, Vikas

2017-12-01

Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited syndrome involving multiple organs. In young patients, renal neoplasms that are multiple, bilateral, or both, such as oncocytomas, chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC), hybrid chromophobe RCC-oncocytomas, clear cell RCC, and papillary RCC, can suggest BHD syndrome. Extrarenal findings, including dermal lesions, pulmonary cysts, and spontaneous pneumothoraces, also aid in diagnosis. Radiologists may be one of the first medical specialists to suggest the diagnosis of BHD syndrome. Knowledge of pathogenesis and management, including the importance of the types of renal neoplasms in a given patient, is needed to properly recognize this rare condition.

Prevalence of multiple organ dysfunction in the pediatric intensive care unit: Pediatric Risk of Mortality III versus Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction scores for mortality prediction

PubMed Central

Hamshary, Azza Abd Elkader El; Sherbini, Seham Awad El; Elgebaly, HebatAllah Fadel; Amin, Samah Abdelkrim

2017-01-01

Objectives To assess the frequency of primary multiple organ failure and the role of sepsis as a causative agent in critically ill pediatric patients; and calculate and evaluate the accuracy of the Pediatric Risk of Mortality III (PRISM III) and Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) scores to predict the outcomes of critically ill children. Methods Retrospective study, which evaluated data from patients admitted from January to December 2011 in the pediatric intensive care unit of the Children's Hospital of the University of Cairo. Results Out of 237 patients in the study, 72% had multiple organ dysfunctions, and 45% had sepsis with multiple organ dysfunctions. The mortality rate in patients with multiple organ dysfunction was 73%. Independent risk factors for death were mechanical ventilation and neurological failure [OR: 36 and 3.3, respectively]. The PRISM III score was more accurate than the PELOD score in predicting death, with a Hosmer-Lemeshow X2 (Chi-square value) of 7.3 (df = 8, p = 0.5). The area under the curve was 0.723 for PRISM III and 0.78 for PELOD. Conclusion A multiple organ dysfunctions was associated with high mortality. Sepsis was the major cause. Pneumonia, diarrhea and central nervous system infections were the major causes of sepsis. PRISM III had a better calibration than the PELOD for prognosis of the patients, despite the high frequency of the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. PMID:28977260

What Specific Facets of Executive Function are Associated with Academic Functioning in Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

PubMed Central

Langberg, Joshua M.; Dvorsky, Melissa R.; Evans, Steven W.

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relation between ratings of Executive Function (EF) and academic functioning in a sample of 94 middle-school-aged youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Mage = 11.9; 78% male; 21% minority). This study builds on prior work by evaluating associations between multiple specific aspects of EF (e.g., working memory, inhibition, and planning and organization) as rated by both parents and teachers on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), with multiple academic outcomes, including school grades and homework problems. Further, this study examined the relationship between EF and academic outcomes above and beyond ADHD symptoms and controlled for a number of potentially important covariates, including intelligence and achievement scores. The EF Planning and Organization subscale as rated by both parents and teachers predicted school grades above and beyond symptoms of ADHD and relevant covariates. Parent ratings of youth’s ability to transition effectively between tasks/situations (Shift subscale) also predicted school grades. Parent-rated symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and planning and organization abilities were significant in the final model predicting homework problems. In contrast, only symptoms of inattention and the Organization of Materials subscale from the BRIEF were significant in the teacher model predicting homework problems. Organization and planning abilities are highly important aspects academic functioning for middle-school-aged youth with ADHD. Implications of these findings for the measurement of EF, and organization and planning abilities in particular, are discussed along with potential implications for intervention. PMID:23640285

Impact of cover crops on soil nitrate, crop yield and quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There are multiple benefits of incorporating cover crops into current production systems including decreasing erosion, improving water infiltration, increasing soil organic matter and biological activity but in water limited areas caution should be utilized. A field study was established in the fal...

Digital Humanities: What Can Libraries Offer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Shun Han Rebekah

2016-01-01

The collaborative aspect of digital humanities is one of the core values of the field. Specialists and organizations involved in digital humanities partnerships may include individual scholars focusing on a particular area, multiple scholars across disciplines, computer scientists, or digital humanities centers. Through a quantitative analysis of…

Defining a Computational Framework for the Assessment of Taxonomic Applicability

EPA Science Inventory

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework describes the effects of environmental stressors across multiple scales of biological organization and function. This includes an evaluation of the potential for each key event to occur across a broad range of species in order to determ...

Multiple nosocomial infections: a risk of modern intensive care.

PubMed

Leviten, D L; Shulman, S T

1980-03-01

Many components of modern medical care greatly predispose subjects to nosocomial infection. These include cancer chemotherapy, organ transplantation, immunosuppression, and intensive supportive care, particularly in conjunction with mechanical ventilatory support, invasive monitoring devices and prolonged central or peripheral intravenous therapy. The hazard of nosocomial infection associated with residence in a modern intensive care unit is dramatized by the case history of a near-drowning victim whose hospital course was complicated by an unusually large number and variety of nosocomial bacterial infections. Sixteen different bacterial organisms were isolated from cultures of blood, purulent thoracostomy tube drainage, or purulent tracheal secretions during the patient's prolonged hospital course. Factors which predisposed this patient to nosocomial infections included prolonged positive pressure mechanical ventilation, long-term broad spectrum antibiotics, indwelling arterial and central venous lines, violation of anatomic barriers by foreign bodies such as multiple thoracostomy tubes, and residence in an intensive care unit. This patient's case demonstrates that effective means to prevent nosocomial colonization and infection are urgently needed.

A population-based study on the association between rheumatoid arthritis and voice problems.

PubMed

Hah, J Hun; An, Soo-Youn; Sim, Songyong; Kim, So Young; Oh, Dong Jun; Park, Bumjung; Kim, Sung-Gyun; Choi, Hyo Geun

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate whether rheumatoid arthritis increases the frequency of organic laryngeal lesions and the subjective voice complaint rate in those with no organic laryngeal lesion. We performed a cross-sectional study using the data from 19,368 participants (418 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 18,950 controls) of the 2008-2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The associations between rheumatoid arthritis and organic laryngeal lesions/subjective voice complaints were analyzed using simple/multiple logistic regression analysis with complex sample adjusting for confounding factors, including age, sex, smoking status, stress level, and body mass index, which could provoke voice problems. Vocal nodules, vocal polyp, and vocal palsy were not associated with rheumatoid arthritis in a multiple regression analysis, and only laryngitis showed a positive association (adjusted odds ratio, 1.59; 95 % confidence interval, 1.01-2.52; P = 0.047). Rheumatoid arthritis was associated with subjective voice discomfort in a simple regression analysis, but not in a multiple regression analysis. Participants with rheumatoid arthritis were older, more often female, and had higher stress levels than those without rheumatoid arthritis. These factors were associated with subjective voice complaints in both simple and multiple regression analyses. Rheumatoid arthritis was not associated with organic laryngeal diseases except laryngitis. Rheumatoid arthritis did not increase the odds ratio for subjective voice complaints. Voice problems in participants with rheumatoid arthritis originated from the characteristics of the rheumatoid arthritis group (higher mean age, female sex, and stress level) rather than rheumatoid arthritis itself.

Performance evaluation of 2D and 3D deep learning approaches for automatic segmentation of multiple organs on CT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiangrong; Yamada, Kazuma; Kojima, Takuya; Takayama, Ryosuke; Wang, Song; Zhou, Xinxin; Hara, Takeshi; Fujita, Hiroshi

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the performance of modern deep learning techniques for automatically recognizing and segmenting multiple organ regions on 3D CT images. CT image segmentation is one of the important task in medical image analysis and is still very challenging. Deep learning approaches have demonstrated the capability of scene recognition and semantic segmentation on nature images and have been used to address segmentation problems of medical images. Although several works showed promising results of CT image segmentation by using deep learning approaches, there is no comprehensive evaluation of segmentation performance of the deep learning on segmenting multiple organs on different portions of CT scans. In this paper, we evaluated and compared the segmentation performance of two different deep learning approaches that used 2D- and 3D deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) without- and with a pre-processing step. A conventional approach that presents the state-of-the-art performance of CT image segmentation without deep learning was also used for comparison. A dataset that includes 240 CT images scanned on different portions of human bodies was used for performance evaluation. The maximum number of 17 types of organ regions in each CT scan were segmented automatically and compared to the human annotations by using ratio of intersection over union (IU) as the criterion. The experimental results demonstrated the IUs of the segmentation results had a mean value of 79% and 67% by averaging 17 types of organs that segmented by a 3D- and 2D deep CNN, respectively. All the results of the deep learning approaches showed a better accuracy and robustness than the conventional segmentation method that used probabilistic atlas and graph-cut methods. The effectiveness and the usefulness of deep learning approaches were demonstrated for solving multiple organs segmentation problem on 3D CT images.

[Application of damage control concept in severe limbs fractures combining with multiple trauma].

PubMed

Bayin, Er-gu-le; Jin, Hong-bing; Li, Ming

2015-09-01

To discuss the application and clinical effect of damage control concept in the treatment of severe limbs fractures combining with multiple trauma. From July 2009 to July 2012, 30 patients with severe limbs fractures combining with multiple trauma were treated with the damage control concept, included 20 males and 10 females with an average age of (34.03 ± 12.81) years old ranging from 20 to 60 years old; the ISS averaged (35.00 ± 12.81) points (ranged from 26 to 54 points). And the control group also contained 30 patients with severe limbs fractures combining with multiple trauma treated by the traditional operation from June 2006 to June 2009, there were 23 males and 7 females with an average age of (34.23 ± 11.04) years old ranging from 18 to 65 years old. The ISS averaged (35.56 ± 11.04) points (ranged from 26 to 51 points). The age, gender, ISS, Gustilo classification, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, blood transfusion,postoperative complications and mortality rate were observed and compared. In the damage control concept group,there were 28 cases surviving and 2 cases (6.7%) death; 6 cases of postoperative complication included 2 cases of adult respiratory distress syndrome, 1 case of multiple organ failure, 1 case of disseminated intravascular coagulation and 2 cases of wound infection. In the control group, there were 22 cases surviving and 8 cases death(26.7%); 13 cases of postoperative complication included 4 cases of adult respiratory distress syndrome,2 cases of multiple organ failure, 2 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation and 3 cases of wound infection. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in age, gender, ISS, Gustilo classfication and complication (P > 0.05), however there were statistically significant differences in mortality rate, operation time, blodd loss, blodd transfusion between two groups (P < 0.05). Damage control concept is used to treat severe limbs fractures combining with multiple trauma which has the rapid and effective therapy, can improve survival rate and reduce complication.

Influence of Multiple Environmental Factors on Organic Matter Chlorination in Podsol Soil.

PubMed

Svensson, Teresia; Montelius, Malin; Andersson, Malin; Lindberg, Cecilia; Reyier, Henrik; Rietz, Karolina; Danielsson, Åsa; Bastviken, David

2017-12-19

Natural chlorination of organic matter is common in soils. The abundance of chlorinated organic compounds frequently exceeds chloride in surface soils, and the ability to chlorinate soil organic matter (SOM) appears widespread among microorganisms. Yet, the environmental control of chlorination is unclear. Laboratory incubations with 36 Cl as a Cl tracer were performed to test how combinations of environmental factors, including levels of soil moisture, nitrate, chloride, and labile organic carbon, influenced chlorination of SOM from a boreal forest. Total chlorination was hampered by addition of nitrate or by nitrate in combination with water but enhanced by addition of chloride or most additions including labile organic matter (glucose and maltose). The greatest chlorination was observed after 15 days when nitrate and water were added together with labile organic matter. The effect that labile organic matter strongly stimulated the chlorination rates was confirmed by a second independent experiment showing higher stimulation at increased availability of labile organic matter. Our results highlight cause-effect links between chlorination and the studied environmental variables in podsol soil-with consistent stimulation by labile organic matter that did overrule the negative effects of nitrate.

MO-D-BRC-04: Multiple-Criteria Optimization Planning

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

Donaghue, J.

Treatment planning is a central part of radiation therapy, including delineation in tumor volumes and critical organs, setting treatment goals of prescription doses to the tumor targets and tolerance doses to the critical organs, and finally generation of treatment plans to meet the treatment goals. National groups like RTOG have led the effort to standardize treatment goals of the prescription doses to the tumor targets and tolerance doses to the critical organs based on accumulated knowledge from decades of abundant clinical trial experience. The challenge for each clinical department is how to achieve or surpass these set goals within themore » time constraints of clinical practice. Using fifteen testing cases from different treatment sites such as head and neck, prostate with and without pelvic lymph nodes, SBRT spine, we will present clinically utility of advanced planning tools, including knowledge based, automatic based, and multiple criteria based tools that are clinically implemented. The objectives of this session are: Understand differences among these three advanced planning tools Provide clinical assessments on the utility of the advanced planning tools Discuss clinical challenges of treatment planning with large variations in tumor volumes and their relationships with adjacent critical organs. Ping Xia received research grant from Philips. Jackie Wu received research grant from Varian; P. Xia, Research support by Philips and Varian; Q. Wu, NIH, Varian Medical.« less

Children's organized physical activity patterns from childhood into adolescence.

PubMed

Findlay, Leanne C; Garner, Rochelle E; Kohen, Dafna E

2009-11-01

Few longitudinal studies of physical activity have included young children or used nationally representative datasets. The purpose of the current study was to explore patterns of organized physical activity for Canadian children aged 4 through 17 years. Data from 5 cycles of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth were analyzed separately for boys (n = 4463) and girls (n = 4354) using multiple trajectory modeling. Boys' and girls' organized physical activity was best represented by 3 trajectory groups. For boys, these groups were labeled: high stable, high decreasing, and low decreasing participation. For girls, these groups were labeled: high decreasing, moderate stable, and low decreasing participation. Risk factors (parental education, household income, urban/rural dwelling, and single/dual parent) were explored. For boys and girls, having a parent with postsecondary education and living in a higher income household were associated with a greater likelihood of weekly participation in organized physical activity. Living in an urban area was also significantly associated with a greater likelihood of weekly participation for girls. Results suggest that Canadian children's organized physical activity is best represented by multiple patterns of participation that tend to peak in middle childhood and decline into adolescence.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome in a pregnant patient: a case report.

PubMed

Harris-Glocker, Miranda; Thornburg, Loralei L; Pressman, Eva K

2013-01-01

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS), a rare autosomal-recessive disorder encompassing multiple organs, is characterized by oculocutaneous albinism, platelet storage pool deficiency resulting in bleeding diathesis, and ceroid lipofuscin deposition which can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, colitis, cardiomyopathy and renal failure. Pregnancy in a patient with HPS can produce multiple complications such as peripartum hemorrhage and difficulties with administration of anesthesia, either regional or general. We present the case of a patient with HPS also complicated by spontaneous triplet pregnancy. A multidisciplinary approach, including the involvement of obstetric, anesthesia, and hematology teams, is the ideal for an HPS patient with the potential for multiple complications in the peripartum period.

Event recognition in personal photo collections via multiple instance learning-based classification of multiple images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Kashif; Conci, Nicola; Boato, Giulia; De Natale, Francesco G. B.

2017-11-01

Over the last few years, a rapid growth has been witnessed in the number of digital photos produced per year. This rapid process poses challenges in the organization and management of multimedia collections, and one viable solution consists of arranging the media on the basis of the underlying events. However, album-level annotation and the presence of irrelevant pictures in photo collections make event-based organization of personal photo albums a more challenging task. To tackle these challenges, in contrast to conventional approaches relying on supervised learning, we propose a pipeline for event recognition in personal photo collections relying on a multiple instance-learning (MIL) strategy. MIL is a modified form of supervised learning and fits well for such applications with weakly labeled data. The experimental evaluation of the proposed approach is carried out on two large-scale datasets including a self-collected and a benchmark dataset. On both, our approach significantly outperforms the existing state-of-the-art.

Dose-response relationships between internally-deposited uranium and select health outcomes in gaseous diffusion plant workers, 1948-2011.

PubMed

Yiin, James H; Anderson, Jeri L; Bertke, Stephen J; Tollerud, David J

2018-05-09

To examine dose-response relationships between internal uranium exposures and select outcomes among a cohort of uranium enrichment workers. Cox regression was conducted to examine associations between selected health outcomes and cumulative internal uranium with consideration for external ionizing radiation, work-related medical X-rays and contaminant radionuclides technetium ( 99 Tc) and plutonium ( 239 Pu) as potential confounders. Elevated and monotonically increasing mortality risks were observed for kidney cancer, chronic renal diseases, and multiple myeloma, and the association with internal uranium absorbed organ dose was statistically significant for multiple myeloma. Adjustment for potential confounders had minimal impact on the risk estimates. Kidney cancer, chronic renal disease, and multiple myeloma mortality risks were elevated with increasing internal uranium absorbed organ dose. The findings add to evidence of an association between internal exposure to uranium and cancer. Future investigation includes a study of cancer incidence in this cohort. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Experimental study of multiple organ injuries after high-velocity missiles].

PubMed

Fu, X B

1990-06-01

Multiple organ injuries after high-velocity missiles shot were studied on the 8 pigs. The experimental results showed that (1) more than two organs (the maximum six organs) wounded could be seen in all the pigs; (2) the injuries were characterized by hemorrhage, tissue rupture and hematoma, etc., the pathologic changes were local edema and necrosis; (3) the marked increase of LPO on the vital organs indicates that multiple organ injuries can also occur at the molecular level; (4) they are due to direct effects of pressure waves and not to shock or infection.

Lead Adsorption into Activated Carbon: A Critical Review of the Literature

EPA Science Inventory

Lead has been widely used in many industries due to its desirable chemical and physical properties such as its malleability and resistance to corrosion. However, Lead poisoning is a serious health hazard that causes severe damage to multiple target organs including kidney, liver,...

UV Irradiation and Humic Acid Mediate Aggregation of Aqueous Fullerene (nC60) Nanoparticles

EPA Science Inventory

The transport and fate of engineered nanomaterials is affected by multiple environmental factors, including sunlight and natural organic matter. In this study, the initial aggregation kinetics of aqueous fullerene (nC60) nanoparticles before and after UVA irradiation was investig...

Fall cover crops boost soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi which can lead to reduced inputs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fall cover crops provide multiple benefits to producers. These benefits include pathogen and pest protection, drought protection, weed control, reduced soil erosion, nutrient acquisition and retention, increased soil organic matter, and conservation of soil water by improvement of soil structure th...

Knowledge management: implications for human service organizations.

PubMed

Austin, Michael J; Claassen, Jennette; Vu, Catherine M; Mizrahi, Paola

2008-01-01

Knowledge management has recently taken a more prominent role in the management of organizations as worker knowledge and intellectual capital are recognized as critical to organizational success. This analysis explores the literature of knowledge management including the individual level of tacit and explicit knowledge, the networks and social interactions utilized by workers to create and share new knowledge, and the multiple organizational and managerial factors associated with effective knowledge management systems. Based on the role of organizational culture, structure, leadership, and reward systems, six strategies are identified to assist human service organizations with implementing new knowledge management systems.

Spatial organization of hominin activities at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel.

PubMed

Alperson-Afil, Nira; Sharon, Gonen; Kislev, Mordechai; Melamed, Yoel; Zohar, Irit; Ashkenazi, Shosh; Rabinovich, Rivka; Biton, Rebecca; Werker, Ella; Hartman, Gideon; Feibel, Craig; Goren-Inbar, Naama

2009-12-18

The spatial designation of discrete areas for different activities reflects formalized conceptualization of a living space. The results of spatial analyses of a Middle Pleistocene Acheulian archaeological horizon (about 750,000 years ago) at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel, indicate that hominins differentiated their activities (stone knapping, tool use, floral and faunal processing and consumption) across space. These were organized in two main areas, including multiple activities around a hearth. The diversity of human activities and the distinctive patterning with which they are organized implies advanced organizational skills of the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov hominins.

3D-printed devices for continuous-flow organic chemistry

PubMed Central

Dragone, Vincenza; Sans, Victor; Rosnes, Mali H; Kitson, Philip J

2013-01-01

Summary We present a study in which the versatility of 3D-printing is combined with the processing advantages of flow chemistry for the synthesis of organic compounds. Robust and inexpensive 3D-printed reactionware devices are easily connected using standard fittings resulting in complex, custom-made flow systems, including multiple reactors in a series with in-line, real-time analysis using an ATR-IR flow cell. As a proof of concept, we utilized two types of organic reactions, imine syntheses and imine reductions, to show how different reactor configurations and substrates give different products. PMID:23766811

Mapping visual cortex in monkeys and humans using surface-based atlases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Essen, D. C.; Lewis, J. W.; Drury, H. A.; Hadjikhani, N.; Tootell, R. B.; Bakircioglu, M.; Miller, M. I.

2001-01-01

We have used surface-based atlases of the cerebral cortex to analyze the functional organization of visual cortex in humans and macaque monkeys. The macaque atlas contains multiple partitioning schemes for visual cortex, including a probabilistic atlas of visual areas derived from a recent architectonic study, plus summary schemes that reflect a combination of physiological and anatomical evidence. The human atlas includes a probabilistic map of eight topographically organized visual areas recently mapped using functional MRI. To facilitate comparisons between species, we used surface-based warping to bring functional and geographic landmarks on the macaque map into register with corresponding landmarks on the human map. The results suggest that extrastriate visual cortex outside the known topographically organized areas is dramatically expanded in human compared to macaque cortex, particularly in the parietal lobe.

The Bayview Hunters Point Foundation for Community Improvement: a pioneering multi-ethnic human service organization (1971-2008).

PubMed

Joe, Ellen; Schwartz, Sara L; Austin, Michael J

2011-01-01

The Bayview Hunters Point Foundation for Community Improvement is a nonprofit organization established in 1971 to defend the legal rights of African-Americans living in its community. Over the years, the agency diversified its services to include mental health and substance abuse treatment, violence prevention, youth programming, and HIV services. The organization has overcome multiple challenges during its 37-year history in relation to social, political, and economic changes that have influenced the way the organization has financed and delivered its services. The history of the organization presents a collaborative approach to community problem-solving and exemplifies the important role that external relationships play in relationship to nonprofit growth and survival.

Precise Sequential DNA Ligation on A Solid Substrate: Solid-Based Rapid Sequential Ligation of Multiple DNA Molecules

PubMed Central

Takita, Eiji; Kohda, Katsunori; Tomatsu, Hajime; Hanano, Shigeru; Moriya, Kanami; Hosouchi, Tsutomu; Sakurai, Nozomu; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Shinmyo, Atsuhiko; Shibata, Daisuke

2013-01-01

Ligation, the joining of DNA fragments, is a fundamental procedure in molecular cloning and is indispensable to the production of genetically modified organisms that can be used for basic research, the applied biosciences, or both. Given that many genes cooperate in various pathways, incorporating multiple gene cassettes in tandem in a transgenic DNA construct for the purpose of genetic modification is often necessary when generating organisms that produce multiple foreign gene products. Here, we describe a novel method, designated PRESSO (precise sequential DNA ligation on a solid substrate), for the tandem ligation of multiple DNA fragments. We amplified donor DNA fragments with non-palindromic ends, and ligated the fragment to acceptor DNA fragments on solid beads. After the final donor DNA fragments, which included vector sequences, were joined to the construct that contained the array of fragments, the ligation product (the construct) was thereby released from the beads via digestion with a rare-cut meganuclease; the freed linear construct was circularized via an intra-molecular ligation. PRESSO allowed us to rapidly and efficiently join multiple genes in an optimized order and orientation. This method can overcome many technical challenges in functional genomics during the post-sequencing generation. PMID:23897972

Relationships between Organizations and Publics: Development of a Multi-Dimensional Organization-Public Relationship Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruning, Stephen D.; Ledingham, John A.

1999-01-01

Attempts to design a multiple-item, multiple-dimension organization/public relationship scale. Finds that organizations and key publics have three types of relationships: professional, personal, and community. Provides an instrument that can be used to measure the influence that perceptions of the organization/public relationship have on consumer…

Multiple-component covalent organic frameworks

PubMed Central

Huang, Ning; Zhai, Lipeng; Coupry, Damien E.; Addicoat, Matthew A.; Okushita, Keiko; Nishimura, Katsuyuki; Heine, Thomas; Jiang, Donglin

2016-01-01

Covalent organic frameworks are a class of crystalline porous polymers that integrate molecular building blocks into periodic structures and are usually synthesized using two-component [1+1] condensation systems comprised of one knot and one linker. Here we report a general strategy based on multiple-component [1+2] and [1+3] condensation systems that enable the use of one knot and two or three linker units for the synthesis of hexagonal and tetragonal multiple-component covalent organic frameworks. Unlike two-component systems, multiple-component covalent organic frameworks feature asymmetric tiling of organic units into anisotropic skeletons and unusually shaped pores. This strategy not only expands the structural complexity of skeletons and pores but also greatly enhances their structural diversity. This synthetic platform is also widely applicable to multiple-component electron donor–acceptor systems, which lead to electronic properties that are not simply linear summations of those of the conventional [1+1] counterparts. PMID:27460607

Multiple-component covalent organic frameworks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Ning; Zhai, Lipeng; Coupry, Damien E.; Addicoat, Matthew A.; Okushita, Keiko; Nishimura, Katsuyuki; Heine, Thomas; Jiang, Donglin

2016-07-01

Covalent organic frameworks are a class of crystalline porous polymers that integrate molecular building blocks into periodic structures and are usually synthesized using two-component [1+1] condensation systems comprised of one knot and one linker. Here we report a general strategy based on multiple-component [1+2] and [1+3] condensation systems that enable the use of one knot and two or three linker units for the synthesis of hexagonal and tetragonal multiple-component covalent organic frameworks. Unlike two-component systems, multiple-component covalent organic frameworks feature asymmetric tiling of organic units into anisotropic skeletons and unusually shaped pores. This strategy not only expands the structural complexity of skeletons and pores but also greatly enhances their structural diversity. This synthetic platform is also widely applicable to multiple-component electron donor-acceptor systems, which lead to electronic properties that are not simply linear summations of those of the conventional [1+1] counterparts.

[Cardiovascular complications of hypertensive crisis].

PubMed

Rosas-Peralta, Martín; Borrayo-Sánchez, Gabriela; Madrid-Miller, Alejandra; Ramírez-Arias, Erick; Pérez-Rodríguez, Gilberto

2016-01-01

It is inexorable that a proportion of patients with systemic arterial hypertension will develop a hypertensive crisis at some point in their lives. The hypertensive crises can be divided in hypertensive patients with emergency or hypertensive emergency, according to the presence or absence of acute end-organ damage. In this review, we discuss the cardiovascular hypertensive emergencies, including acute coronary syndrome, congestive heart failure, aortic dissection and sympathomimetic hypertensive crises (those caused by cocaine use included). Each is presented in a unique way, although some patients with hypertensive emergency report non-specific symptoms. Treatment includes multiple medications for quick and effective action with security to reduce blood pressure, protect the function of organs remaining, relieve symptoms, minimize the risk of complications and improve patient outcomes.

Deep learning of the sectional appearances of 3D CT images for anatomical structure segmentation based on an FCN voting method.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiangrong; Takayama, Ryosuke; Wang, Song; Hara, Takeshi; Fujita, Hiroshi

2017-10-01

We propose a single network trained by pixel-to-label deep learning to address the general issue of automatic multiple organ segmentation in three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) images. Our method can be described as a voxel-wise multiple-class classification scheme for automatically assigning labels to each pixel/voxel in a 2D/3D CT image. We simplify the segmentation algorithms of anatomical structures (including multiple organs) in a CT image (generally in 3D) to a majority voting scheme over the semantic segmentation of multiple 2D slices drawn from different viewpoints with redundancy. The proposed method inherits the spirit of fully convolutional networks (FCNs) that consist of "convolution" and "deconvolution" layers for 2D semantic image segmentation, and expands the core structure with 3D-2D-3D transformations to adapt to 3D CT image segmentation. All parameters in the proposed network are trained pixel-to-label from a small number of CT cases with human annotations as the ground truth. The proposed network naturally fulfills the requirements of multiple organ segmentations in CT cases of different sizes that cover arbitrary scan regions without any adjustment. The proposed network was trained and validated using the simultaneous segmentation of 19 anatomical structures in the human torso, including 17 major organs and two special regions (lumen and content inside of stomach). Some of these structures have never been reported in previous research on CT segmentation. A database consisting of 240 (95% for training and 5% for testing) 3D CT scans, together with their manually annotated ground-truth segmentations, was used in our experiments. The results show that the 19 structures of interest were segmented with acceptable accuracy (88.1% and 87.9% voxels in the training and testing datasets, respectively, were labeled correctly) against the ground truth. We propose a single network based on pixel-to-label deep learning to address the challenging issue of anatomical structure segmentation in 3D CT cases. The novelty of this work is the policy of deep learning of the different 2D sectional appearances of 3D anatomical structures for CT cases and the majority voting of the 3D segmentation results from multiple crossed 2D sections to achieve availability and reliability with better efficiency, generality, and flexibility than conventional segmentation methods, which must be guided by human expertise. © 2017 The Authors. Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Late Quaternary Upwelling Variations in the Eastern Equatorial Atlantic Ocean as Inferred from Dinoflagellate Cysts, Planktonic Foraminifera, and Organic Carbon Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höll, Christine; Kemle-von Mücke, Sylvia

2000-07-01

Analysis of multiple proxies shows that eastern equatorial Atlantic upwelling was subdued during isotope stage 5.5, more intense during stages 4, 5.2, 5.4, and 6, and most intense early in stage 2. These findings are based on proxy measures from a core site about 600 km southwest of Liberia. The proxies include total organic carbon content, the ratio of peridinoid and oceanic organic-walled dinoflagellate cyst species, accumulation rates of calcareous dinoflagellates, estimates of sea surface paleotemperatures, the difference in stable oxygen isotope composition between two species of planktonic foraminifera that live at different water depths, and the abundance of the planktonic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina dutertrei. Most of these parameters consistently vary directly or inversely with one another. Slight discrepancies between the individual parameters show the usefulness of a multiple proxy approach to reconstruct paleoenvironments. Our data confirm that northern summer insolation strongly influences upwelling in the eastern equatorial Atlantic Ocean.

Loss of Pancreas upon Activated Wnt Signaling Is Concomitant with Emergence of Gastrointestinal Identity

PubMed Central

Herrero-Martin, Griselda; Puri, Sapna; Taketo, Makoto Mark; Rojas, Anabel; Hebrok, Matthias; Cano, David A.

2016-01-01

Organ formation is achieved through the complex interplay between signaling pathways and transcriptional cascades. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays multiple roles during embryonic development including patterning, proliferation and differentiation in distinct tissues. Previous studies have established the importance of this pathway at multiple stages of pancreas formation as well as in postnatal organ function and homeostasis. In mice, gain-of-function experiments have demonstrated that activation of the canonical Wnt pathway results in pancreatic hypoplasia, a phenomenon whose underlying mechanisms remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that ectopic activation of epithelial canonical Wnt signaling causes aberrant induction of gastric and intestinal markers both in the pancreatic epithelium and mesenchyme, leading to the development of gut-like features. Furthermore, we provide evidence that β -catenin-induced impairment of pancreas formation depends on Hedgehog signaling. Together, our data emphasize the developmental plasticity of pancreatic progenitors and further underscore the key role of precise regulation of signaling pathways to maintain appropriate organ boundaries. PMID:27736991

Hippo Pathway in Organ Size Control, Tissue Homeostasis, and Cancer

PubMed Central

Yu, Fa-Xing; Zhao, Bin; Guan, Kun-Liang

2015-01-01

Two decades of studies in multiple model organisms have established the Hippo pathway as a key regulator of organ size and tissue homeostasis. By inhibiting YAP and TAZ transcription co-activators, the Hippo pathway regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis, and stemness in response to a wide range of extracellular and intracellular signals, including cell-cell contact, cell polarity, mechanical cues, ligands of G-protein coupled receptors, and cellular energy status. Dysregulation of the Hippo pathway exerts a significant impact on cancer development. Further investigation of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of this pathway will help uncovering the mystery of organ size control and identify new targets for cancer treatment. PMID:26544935

Cardiovascular Physiology Teaching: Computer Simulations vs. Animal Demonstrations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samsel, Richard W.; And Others

1994-01-01

At the introductory level, the computer provides an effective alternative to using animals for laboratory teaching. Computer software can simulate the operation of multiple organ systems. Advantages of software include alteration of variables that are not easily changed in vivo, repeated interventions, and cost-effective hands-on student access.…

Multiple Modes in Corporate Learning: Propelling Business IQ with Formal, Informal and Social Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambrose, John; Ogilvie, Julie

2010-01-01

Recognizing that the shifting corporate environment is placing ever greater stresses on learning organizations, this paper reports how companies are increasingly offering employees a wide choice of learning options beyond conventional classroom training, including online, social learning, and other modalities in "blended" programs. Identifying a…

The Future of the Gender System: An Interventionist Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harkness, Sarah K.; Hall, Deborah L.

2010-01-01

Gender is one of the primary organizers of social life. Given this importance, gender has been studied from multiple vantages, including biological, sociocognitive, interpersonal, network, and institutional perspectives. The diversity of these approaches illustrates the complex nature of gender as a multilevel social construction and that the…

Fruit metabolite networks in engineered and non-engineered tomato genotypes reveal fluidity in a hormone and agroecosystem specific manner

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Multiple strategies have been explored throughout the world to meet food security. These include molecular breeding, transgenic genotype development, reduced-tillage crop production, modification of the soil environment with cover crops or polyethylene mulches and tunnels, and organic farming. Unde...

Multiple Learning Strategies Project. Medical Assistant. [Regular Vocational. Vol. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varney, Beverly; And Others

This instructional package, one of four designed for regular vocational students, focuses on the vocational area of medical assistant. Contained in this document are twenty-six learning modules organized into three units: language; receptioning; and asepsis. Each module includes these elements: a performance objective page telling what will be…

Multiple Learning Strategies Project. Medical Assistant. [Regular Vocational. Vol. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varney, Beverly; And Others

This instructional package, one of four designed for regular vocational students, focuses on the vocational area of medical assistant. Contained in this document are forty learning modules organized into four units: office surgery; telephoning; bandaging; and medications and treatments. Each module includes these elements: a performance objective…

Nuclear Energy Assessment Battery. Form C.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Showers, Dennis Edward

This publication consists of a nuclear energy assessment battery for secondary level students. The test contains 44 multiple choice items and is organized into four major sections. Parts include: (1) a knowledge scale; (2) attitudes toward nuclear energy; (3) a behaviors and intentions scale; and (4) an anxiety scale. Directions are provided for…

Teaching with and through Teams: Student-Written, Instructor-Facilitated Case Writing and the Signatory Code

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, James; Sass, Mary; Swiercz, Paul M.; Seal, Craig; Kayes, D. Christopher

2005-01-01

Modern organizations prize teamwork. Management schools have responded to this reality by integrating teamwork into the curriculum. Two important challenges associated with integrating teams in the management classroom include (a) designing teamwork assignments that achieve multiple, sophisticated learning outcomes and (b) instruction in, and…

The Chinese Cretaceous Continental Scientific Drilling Project in the Songliao Basin, NE China: Organic-rich source rock evaluation with geophysical logs from Borehole SK-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Zou, C.

2017-12-01

The Cretaceous strata have been recognized as an important target of oil or gas exploration in the Songliao Basin, northeast China. The second borehole (SK-2) of the Chinese Cretaceous Continental Scientific Drilling Project in the Songliao Basin (CCSD-SK) is the first one to drill through the Cretaceous continental strata in the frame of ICDP. It was designed not only to solve multiple scientific problems (including the Cretaceous paleoenvironment and paleoclimate, as well as deep resources exploration of the Songliao Basin), but also to expect to achieve new breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration. Based on the project, various geophysical log data (including gamma, sonic, resistivity, density etc.) and core samples have been collected from Borehole SK-2. We do research on organic-rich source rocks estimation using various geophysical log data. Firstly, we comprehensively analyzed organic-rich source rocks' geophysical log response characteristics. Then, source rock's identification methods were constructed to identify organic-rich source rocks with geophysical logs. The main identification methods include cross-plot, multiple overlap and Decision Tree method. Finally, the technique and the CARBOLOG method were applied to evaluate total organic carbon (TOC) content from geophysical logs which provide continuous vertical profile estimations (Passey, 1990; Carpentier et al., 1991). The results show that source rocks are widely distributed in Borehole SK-2, over a large depth strata (985 5700m), including Nenjiang, Qingshankou, Denglouku, Yingcheng, Shahezi Formations. The organic-rich source rocks with higher TOC content occur in the Qingshankou (1647 1650m), Denglouku (2534 2887m) and Shahezi (3367 5697m) Formations. The highest TOC content in these formations can reach 10.31%, 6.58%, 12.79% respectively. The bed thickness of organic-rich source rocks in the these formations are totally up to 7.88m, 74.34m, 276.60m respectively. These organic-rich rocks in the Qingshankou, Denglouku and Shahezi Formations can be considered as excellent source rocks in the Songliao Basin, which are beneficial for oil or gas accumulation. This work was supported by the CCSD-SK of China Geological Survey (No. 12120113017600) and the National Natural Science Foundation Project (grant No.41274185).

[Clinical patterns and stages of multiple organ failure in the elderly].

PubMed

Wang, S

1990-05-01

Multiple organ failure in the elderly (MOFE) is a new clinical syndrome different from multiple organ failure (MOF) caused by trauma occurring most often in young and mid-aged persons. The authors retrospectively analysed 158 cases of MOFE hospitalized in the past 12 years and commented on its definition, diagnostic criteria, clinical patterns and stages. The suggested definition of MOFE is the sequential 2 or more organs failure within a short period in the elderly patients (greater than or equal to 60 years old) with multiple organ chronic diseases in the presence of aging of organs and age-related malfunction. The most common precipitating factors are pulmonary infections and acute attack of chronic cardiac, cerebral and renal diseases. The interval between failures of various organs is mostly less than 10 days and seldom longer than 1 month. MOFE has 3 different patterns: rapid pattern with single phase; delayed pattern with two phases and recurrent pattern with multiple phase. In the last pattern the patients suffer from multiple attacks of multiple organ failure. It is only seen in MOFE, but not in MOF. The presentation of this particular pattern is related to the following facts: (1). A few organs or only the heart and lungs are involved. (2) Kidney, brain and hemopoietic system etc. usually with poor prognosis are not involved. (3) The age of patients are relatively younger. (4) More resuscitation experiences have been accumulated and better resuscitation measures are available. The clinical course of MOFE can be divided into 3 stages: prefailure stage (stage I), failure compensations stage (stage II) and decompensation stage (stage III).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Lifestyle Approaches for People With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Multiple Case Analysis.

PubMed

Steenbergen, Henderika Annegien; Van der Schans, Cees P; Van Wijck, Ruud; De Jong, Johan; Waninge, Aly

2017-11-01

Health care organizations supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) carry out a range of interventions to support and improve a healthy lifestyle. However, it is difficult to implement an active and healthy lifestyle into daily support. The presence of numerous intervention components, multiple levels of influence, and the explicit use of theory are factors that are considered to be essential for implementation in practice. A comprehensive written lifestyle policy provides for sustainability of a lifestyle approach. It is unknown to what extent these crucial factors for successful implementation are taken into consideration by health care organizations supporting this population. To analyze the intervention components, levels of influence, explicit use of theory, and conditions for sustainability of currently used lifestyle interventions within lifestyle approaches aiming at physical activity and nutrition in health care organizations supporting people with ID. In this descriptive multiple case study of 9 health care organizations, qualitative data of the lifestyle approaches with accompanying interventions and their components were compiled with a newly developed online inventory form. From 9 health care organizations, 59 interventions were included, of which 31% aimed to improve physical activity, 10% nutrition, and 59% a combination of both. Most (49%) interventions aimed at the educational component and less at daily (19%) and generic activities (16%) and the evaluation component (16%). Most interventions targeted individuals with ID and the professionals whereas social levels were underrepresented. Although 52% of the interventions were structurally embedded, only 10 of the 59 interventions were theory-driven. Health care organizations could improve their lifestyle approaches by using an explicit theoretical basis by expanding the current focus of the interventions that primarily concentrate on their clients and professionals toward also targeting the social and external environment as well as the introduction of a written lifestyle policy. This policy should encompass all interventions and should be the responsibility of those in the organization working with individuals with ID. In conclusion, comprehensive, integrated, and theory-driven approaches at multiple levels should be promoted. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds using chemical ionization mass spectrometry

DOEpatents

Mowry, Curtis Dale; Thornberg, Steven Michael

1999-01-01

A system for on-line quantitative monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) includes pressure reduction means for carrying a gaseous sample from a first location to a measuring input location maintained at a low pressure, the system utilizing active feedback to keep both the vapor flow and pressure to a chemical ionization mode mass spectrometer constant. A multiple input manifold for VOC and gas distribution permits a combination of calibration gases or samples to be applied to the spectrometer.

Three-dimensional tracking of small aquatic organisms using fluorescent nanoparticles.

PubMed

Ekvall, Mikael T; Bianco, Giuseppe; Linse, Sara; Linke, Heiner; Bäckman, Johan; Hansson, Lars-Anders

2013-01-01

Tracking techniques are vital for the understanding of the biology and ecology of organisms. While such techniques have provided important information on the movement and migration of large animals, such as mammals and birds, scientific advances in understanding the individual behaviour and interactions of small (mm-scale) organisms have been hampered by constraints, such as the sizes of existing tracking devices, in existing tracking methods. By combining biology, chemistry and physics we here present a method that allows three-dimensional (3D) tracking of individual mm-sized aquatic organisms. The method is based on in-vivo labelling of the organisms with fluorescent nanoparticles, so-called quantum dots, and tracking of the organisms in 3D via the quantum-dot fluorescence using a synchronized multiple camera system. It allows for the efficient and simultaneous study of the behaviour of one as well as multiple individuals in large volumes of observation, thus enabling the study of behavioural interactions at the community scale. The method is non-perturbing - we demonstrate that the labelling is not affecting the behavioural response of the organisms - and is applicable over a wide range of taxa, including cladocerans as well as insects, suggesting that our methodological concept opens up for new research fields on individual behaviour of small animals. Hence, this offers opportunities to focus on important biological, ecological and behavioural questions never before possible to address.

Chemotaxis and flagellar genes of Chromobacterium violaceum.

PubMed

Pereira, Maristela; Parente, Juliana Alves; Bataus, Luiz Artur Mendes; Cardoso, Divina das Dores de Paula; Soares, Renata Bastos Ascenço; Soares, Célia Maria de Almeida

2004-03-31

The availability of the complete genome of the Gram-negative beta-proteobacterium Chromobacterium violaceum has increasingly impacted our understanding of this microorganism. This review focuses on the genomic organization and structural analysis of the deduced proteins of the chemosensory adaptation system of C. violaceum. C. violaceum has multiple homologues of most chemotaxis genes, organized mostly in clusters in the bacterial genome. We found at least 67 genes, distributed in 10 gene clusters, involved in the chemotaxis of C. violaceum. A close examination of the chemoreceptors methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs), and the deduced sequences of the members of the two-component signaling system revealed canonical motifs, described as essential for the function of the deduced proteins. The chemoreceptors found in C. violaceum include the complete repertoire of such genes described in bacteria, designated as tsr, tar, trg, and tap; 41 MCP loci were found in the C. violaceum genome. Also, the C. violaceum genome includes a large repertoire of the proteins of the chemosensory transducer system. Multiple homologues of bacterial chemotaxis genes, including CheA, CheB, CheD, CheR, CheV, CheY, CheZ, and CheW, were found in the C. violaceum genome.

Mass screening of multiple abdominal solid organs using mobile helical computed tomography scanner--a preliminary report.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Susumu; Aoki, Jun; Ohwada, Susumu; Takahashi, Toru; Morishita, Yasuo; Ueda, Keisuke

2007-04-01

The possibility of a new screening procedure for multiple abdominal solid organs using a mobile helical computed tomography (CT) scanner was evaluated. A total of 4,543 residents, who were 40 years of age or older, received CT scanning without contrast medium. The mean age of participants was 64 years including 2,022 males and 2,521 females. A total of 2,105 abnormal findings were uniquely detected in 1,594 participants. Liver and kidney diseases including ureter occupied around 30% of total abnormal findings, respectively. Besides frequent cystic or calcified lesions, solid tumours were suspected in 56 lesions, which received further examination by specialized physicians. Five (9%) of them were confirmed as being malignant tumours including pancreatic cancer in two patients, and liver, lung and ovary cancers in one patient each, respectively. All five patients with each malignant lesion received curative operations. Small-sized abdominal aortic aneurysms and heart valve diseases were uniquely found in 22 and two patients, respectively. Qualitative diagnoses of solid tumours were difficult using CT findings without contrast medium. CT screening procedures require further investigation in aspect of the selection of examinees, CT scanning procedure, sensitivity and specificity, and cost-effectiveness.

Enucleation and limited pancreatic resection provide long-term cure for insulinoma in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.

PubMed

Bartsch, Detlef K; Albers, Max; Knoop, Richard; Kann, Peter H; Fendrich, Volker; Waldmann, Jens

2013-01-01

To assess the characteristics and long-term outcome after surgery in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)-associated insulinoma. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of MEN1 patients with organic hyperinsulinism at a tertiary referral center. Thirteen (17%) of 74 patients with MEN1 had organic hyperinsulinism. The median age at diagnosis was 27 (range 9-48) years. In 7 patients insulinoma was the first manifestation of the syndrome. All patients had at least one pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (pNEN) upon imaging, including CT, MRI or endoscopic ultrasonography. Seven patients had solitary lesions upon imaging, 4 patients had one dominant tumor with coexisting multiple small pNENs, and 2 patients had multiple lesions without dominance. Eight patients had limited resections (1 segmental resection, 7 enucleations), 4 subtotal distal pancreatectomies, and 1 patient a partial duodenopancreatectomy. There was no postoperative mortality. Six patients experienced complications, including pancreatic fistula in 5 patients. Pathological examination revealed median three (range 1-14) macro-pNENs sized between 6 and 40 mm, and a total of 14 potentially benign insulinomas were detected in the 13 patients. After median follow-up of 156 months, only 1 patient developed recurrent hyperinsulinism after initial enucleation. Twelve patients developed new pNENs in the pancreatic remnant and 4 patients underwent reoperations (3 for metastatic ZES, 1 for recurrent hyperinsulinism). One of 5 patients with an initial extended pancreatic resection developed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Enucleation and limited resection provide long-term cure for MEN1 insulinoma in patients with solitary or dominant tumors. Subtotal distal pancreatectomy should thus be preserved for patients with multiple pNENs without dominance given the risk of exocrine and endocrine pancreas insufficiency in the mostly young patients. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Clinical features of multiple organ failure in the elderly.

PubMed

Wang, S W; Fan, L

1990-09-01

Multiple organ failure (MOF) in the elderly is a new syndrome evolved from multiple organ chronic diseases on the basis of multiple organ dysfunction in the aged. Its characteristics are clinically different from those of MOF due to serious trauma. 122 cases of MOF were analysed retrospectively and their clinical features discussed. MOF with a long course is the natural presentation in many of the elderly before death. Its main precipitating factors are pulmonary infection, metastatic carcinoma, cardiac attack, etc. The sequence of a failure in organs is heart, lung, kidney, liver, etc. The mortality is similar to that of MOF due to trauma. However, those suffering from 4-organ failure can still survive, and instead, the renal failure can be mostly fatal. More attention should be paid to the prevention of MOF in the elderly so as to shorten its developing course.

A comparison between minerals-modified glutamate medium and lauryl tryptose lactose broth for the enumeration of Escherichia coli and coliform organisms in water by the multiple tube method.

PubMed Central

1980-01-01

In a multi-laboratory trial, minerals-modified glutamate medium (MMGM) was compared with lauryl tryptose lactose broth (LTLB) in the multiple tube method for the enumeration of coliform organisms, including Escherichia coli, in water. Samples of raw and chlorinated waters yielded a total of 2313 positive tube-reactions with MMGM and 2174 with LTLB. These were interpreted either as E. coli; other coliform organisms; or as false positive reactions. The results at first reading (18 or 24 h) and at 48 h have been analysed statistically in terms of (i) most probable numbers of coliform organisms; (ii) positive reactions and their interpretation; and (iii) whether or not the sample yielded any E. coli or other coliform organisms. All three analyses indicated the same trends. For the detection of E. coli in raw waters LTLB was better than MMGM at 18-24 h, but MMGM was better at 48 h with waters containing small numbers of coliform organisms; for raw waters with greater numbers of organisms, both media performed equally well. Analysis of a subset of samples read at both 18 and 24 h indicated that the superiority of LTLB over MMGM with raw waters disappeared by 24 h. For chlorinated waters, LTLB yielded more positive gas reactions at 18-24 h, but fewer of these were E. coli than with MMGM; at 48 h MMGM was clearly better than LTLB for total coliform organisms including E. coli--especially if the numbers were small. MMGM therefore remains the medium of choice for the detection of E. coli as an indicator of faecal contamination of chlorinated drinking water supplies. It is also better for the detection of small numbers of E. coli in other waters. PMID:6762395

Vertebrate development in the environment of space: models, mechanisms, and use of the medaka

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolgemuth, D. J.; Herrada, G.; Kiss, S.; Cannon, T.; Forsstrom, C.; Pranger, L. A.; Weismann, W. P.; Pearce, L.; Whalon, B.; Phillips, C. R.

1997-01-01

With the advent of space travel, it is of immediate interest and importance to study the effects of exposure to various aspects of the altered environment of space, including microgravity, on Earth-based life forms. Initial studies of space travel have focused primarily on the short-term effects of radiation and microgravity on adult organisms. However, with the potential for increased lengths of time in space, it is critical to now address the effects of space on all phases of an organism's life cycle, from embryogenesis to post-natal development to reproduction. It is already possible for certain species to undergo multiple generations within the confines of the Mir Space Station. The possibility now exists for scientists to consider the consequences of even potentially subtle defects in development through multiple phases of an organism's life cycle, or even through multiple generations. In this discussion, we highlight a few of the salient observations on the effects of the space environment on vertebrate development and reproductive function. We discuss some of the many unanswered questions, in particular, in the context of the choice of appropriate models in which to address these questions, as well as an assessment of the availability of hardware already existing or under development which would be useful in addressing these questions.

Isl1 Is required for multiple aspects of motor neuron development

PubMed Central

Liang, Xingqun; Song, Mi-Ryoung; Xu, ZengGuang; Lanuza, Guillermo M.; Liu, Yali; Zhuang, Tao; Chen, Yihan; Pfaff, Samuel L.; Evans, Sylvia M.; Sun, Yunfu

2011-01-01

The LIM homeodomain transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) is expressed in multiple organs and plays essential roles during embryogenesis. Isl1 is required for the survival and specification of spinal cord motor neurons. Due to early embryonic lethality and loss of motor neurons, the role of Isl1 in other aspects of motor neuron development remains unclear. In this study, we generated Isl1 mutant mouse lines expressing graded doses of Isl1. Our study has revealed essential roles of Isl1 in multiple aspects of motor neuron development, including motor neuron cell body localization, motor column formation and axon growth. In addition, Isl1 is required for survival of cranial ganglia neurons. PMID:21569850

Threats to family planning services in Michigan: organizational responses to economic and political challenges.

PubMed

Dalton, Vanessa K; Jacobson, Peter D; Berson-Grand, Julie; Weisman, Carol S

2005-01-01

Title X is the only federal funding specifically for contraception and family planning services. This study identifies the threats and challenges Title X family planning organizations face in Michigan, and examines organizational responses to these challenges. We hypothesized that organizational responses to current challenges, including recent legislation, would differ between organizational types. We used a multiple case study design to examine safety net providers that received Title X funding in 2001. Cases were selected to represent economic and geographic diversity and included a mix of population densities. Key informants at each organization participated in face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Interviews collected data on current challenges, organizational planning processes, and organizational responses. All Title X organizations reported significant challenges, including rising costs, increasing need, and inadequate funding. Private organizations were more concerned about political challenges, especially recent Michigan legislation, than health departments. Organizational type was associated with the type of response. Health departments tended to close clinics or cut services, whereas private organizations recruited insured populations and increased patient fees. Based on these findings, the family planning safety net in Michigan appears to be undergoing significant change. These changes may decrease the availability of affordable family planning services in Michigan.

Experience Modulates the Reproductive Response to Heat Stress in C. elegans via Multiple Physiological Processes

PubMed Central

Gouvêa, Devin Y.; Aprison, Erin Z.; Ruvinsky, Ilya

2015-01-01

Natural environments are considerably more variable than laboratory settings and often involve transient exposure to stressful conditions. To fully understand how organisms have evolved to respond to any given stress, prior experience must therefore be considered. We investigated the effects of individual and ancestral experience on C. elegans reproduction. We documented ways in which cultivation at 15°C or 25°C affects developmental time, lifetime fecundity, and reproductive performance after severe heat stress that exceeds the fertile range of the organism but is compatible with survival and future fecundity. We found that experience modulates multiple aspects of reproductive physiology, including the male and female germ lines and the interaction between them. These responses vary in their environmental sensitivity, suggesting the existence of complex mechanisms for coping with unpredictable and stressful environments. PMID:26713620

Genetically engineered humanized anti-ganglioside GM2 antibody against multiple organ metastasis produced by GM2-expressing small-cell lung cancer cells.

PubMed

Yamada, Tadaaki; Bando, Hideaki; Takeuchi, Shinji; Kita, Kenji; Li, Qi; Wang, Wei; Akinaga, Shiro; Nishioka, Yasuhiko; Sone, Saburo; Yano, Seiji

2011-12-01

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) grows rapidly and metastasizes to multiple organs. We examined the antimetastatic effects of the humanized anti-ganglioside GM2 (GM2) antibodies, BIW-8962 and KM8927, compared with the chimeric antibody KM966, in a SCID mouse model of multiple organ metastases induced by GM2-expressing SCLC cells. BIW-8962 and KM8927 induced higher antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity than KM966 against the GM2-expressing SCLC cell line SBC-3 in vitro. These humanized antibodies inhibited the production of multiple organ metastases, increased the number of apoptotic cells, and prolonged the survival of the SCID mice. Histological analyses using clinical specimens showed that SCLC cells expressed GM2. These findings suggest that humanized anti-GM2 antibodies could be therapeutically useful for controlling multiple organ metastases of GM2-expressing SCLC. © 2011 Japanese Cancer Association.

How could health information exchange better meet the needs of care practitioners?

PubMed

Kierkegaard, P; Kaushal, R; Vest, J R

2014-01-01

Health information exchange (HIE) has the potential to improve the quality of healthcare by enabling providers with better access to patient information from multiple sources at the point of care. However, HIE efforts have historically been difficult to establish in the US and the failure rates of organizations created to foster HIE have been high. We sought to better understand how RHIO-based HIE systems were used in practice and the challenges care practitioners face using them. The objective of our study were to so investigate how HIE can better meet the needs of care practitioners. We performed a multiple-case study using qualitative methods in three communities in New York State. We conducted interviews onsite and by telephone with HIE users and non-users and observed the workflows of healthcare professionals at multiple healthcare organizations participating in a local HIE effort in New York State. The empirical data analysis suggests that challenges still remain in increasing provider usage, optimizing HIE implementations and connecting HIE systems across geographic regions. Important determinants of system usage and perceived value includes users experienced level of available information and the fit of use for physician workflows. Challenges still remain in increasing provider adoption, optimizing HIE implementations, and demonstrating value. The inability to find information reduced usage of HIE. Healthcare organizations, HIE facilitating organizations, and states can help support HIE adoption by ensuring patient information is accessible to providers through increasing patient consents, fostering broader participation, and by ensuring systems are usable.

The importance of quality control in validating concentrations of contaminants of emerging concern in source and treated drinking water samples.

EPA Science Inventory

A national-scale survey of 247 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), including organic and inorganic chemical compounds, and microbial contaminants, was conducted in source and treated drinking water samples from 25 treatment plants across the United States. Multiple methods w...

Why Rape Survivors Participate in the Criminal Justice System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Debra; Campbell, Rebecca

2010-01-01

After a rape, survivors may seek help from multiple community organizations including the criminal justice system (CJS). Research has found that few survivors report their assaults to the police and of those who do report, many withdraw their participation during the investigation. However, relatively little is known about the factors that lead…

Selective transcatheter embolization for treatment of post-traumatic hepatic artery and portal vein pseudoaneurysms.

PubMed

Laopaiboon, Vallop; Aphinives, Chalida; Pugkem, Ake; Thummaroj, Jureerat; Puttharak, Warinthorn; Soommart, Yamuna

2006-02-01

The authors report a case of post-traumatic hepatic artery and portal vein pseudoaneurysms caused by blunt abdominal trauma, with multiple organ injuries including liver laceration. Abdominal spiral CT, CDS and DSA were performed to confirm the diagnosis. Both pseudoaneurysms were treated successfully with selective transcatheter embolization.

Missouri Ozark forest soils: perspectives and realities

Treesearch

R. David. Hammer

1997-01-01

Ozark forest soils are dynamic in space and time, and most formed in multiple parent materials. Erosion and mass movement have been variable and extensive. Soil attributes including texture, cation exchange capacity, and mineralogy are related to geologic strata and to geomorphic conditions. Soil organic carbon content is influenced by surface shape, position in...

Alleviating Autonomic Dysreflexia after Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

autonomic disorders greatly influence the functional, psychological , and socioeconomic aspects of patients’ lives. Compared to numer- ous...The disruption of descending autonomic pathways renders abnormalities in multiple organ systems including cardiovascular function, respiration...the rise in blood pressure, the integration center in the brainstem transmits signals to the heart via parasympathetic pathways to reduce the heart

Waste/By-Product Hydrogen

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-13

Waste /By product Hydrogen Waste H2 sources include: � Waste bio‐mass: biogas to high temp fuel cells to produce H2 – there are over two dozen sites...By‐product Hydrogen Fuel Flexibility Biogas : generated from organic waste �Wastewater treatment plants can provide multiple MW of renewable...13 Waste /By product Hydrogen ‐ Biogas

Correlation Study of Physics Achievement, Learning Strategy, Attitude and Gender in an Introductory Physics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sezgin Selcuk, Gamze

2010-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between multiple predictors of physics achievement including reported use of four learning strategy clusters (elaboration, organization, comprehension monitoring and rehearsal), attitudes towards physics (sense of care and sense of interest) and a demographic variable (gender) in order to determine the…

Chronic Pain: The Impact on Academic, Social, and Emotional Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkins, Jason M.; Gfroerer, Susan D.

2009-01-01

Chronic pain is persistent and recurrent pain that tends to fluctuate in severity, quality, regularity, and predictability. It can occur in a single or multiple body regions or organ systems. Some of the most frequently reported types of chronic pain include headaches, recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), and musculoskeletal pain. In contrast to acute…

Changes in Belowground Roots, Rhizomes, and Respiration in Coastal Wetlands in Urbanized Northeastern USA Estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

Many organic-rich salt marshes in the northeastern USA are disappearing at an alarming rate. In the Jamaica Bay Estuary (NY), marshes are reported to be eroding at approximately 14-16 hectares per year. These losses are due to multiple stressors, including sewage effluent inputs,...

Measurement of infrared refractive indices of organic and organophosphorous compounds for optical modeling

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

Tonkyn, Russell G.; Danby, Tyler O.; Birnbaum, Jerome C.

The complex optical refractive index contains the optical constants, n(more » $$\\tilde{u}$$)and k($$\\tilde{u}$$), which correspond to the dispersion and absorption of light within a medium, respectively. By obtaining the optical constants one can in principle model most optical phenomena in media and at interfaces including reflection, refraction and dispersion. We have developed improved protocols based on the use of multiple path lengths to determine the optical constants for dozens of liquids, including organic and organophosphorous compounds. Detailed description of the protocols to determine the infrared indices will be presented, along with preliminary results using the constants with their applications to optical modeling.« less

Localized epigenetic silencing of a damage-activated WNT enhancer limits regeneration in mature Drosophila imaginal discs

PubMed Central

Harris, Robin E; Setiawan, Linda; Saul, Josh; Hariharan, Iswar K

2016-01-01

Many organisms lose the capacity to regenerate damaged tissues as they mature. Damaged Drosophila imaginal discs regenerate efficiently early in the third larval instar (L3) but progressively lose this ability. This correlates with reduced damage-responsive expression of multiple genes, including the WNT genes wingless (wg) and Wnt6. We demonstrate that damage-responsive expression of both genes requires a bipartite enhancer whose activity declines during L3. Within this enhancer, a damage-responsive module stays active throughout L3, while an adjacent silencing element nucleates increasing levels of epigenetic silencing restricted to this enhancer. Cas9-mediated deletion of the silencing element alleviates WNT repression, but is, in itself, insufficient to promote regeneration. However, directing Myc expression to the blastema overcomes repression of multiple genes, including wg, and restores cellular responses necessary for regeneration. Localized epigenetic silencing of damage-responsive enhancers can therefore restrict regenerative capacity in maturing organisms without compromising gene functions regulated by developmental signals. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11588.001 PMID:26840050

Multiparametric Imaging of Organ System Interfaces

PubMed Central

Vandoorne, Katrien; Nahrendorf, Matthias

2017-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases are a consequence of genetic and environmental risk factors that together generate arterial wall and cardiac pathologies. Blood vessels connect multiple systems throughout the entire body and allow organs to interact via circulating messengers. These same interactions facilitate nervous and metabolic system influence on cardiovascular health. Multiparametric imaging offers the opportunity to study these interfacing systems’ distinct processes, to quantify their interactions and to explore how these contribute to cardiovascular disease. Noninvasive multiparametric imaging techniques are emerging tools that can further our understanding of this complex and dynamic interplay. PET/MRI and multichannel optical imaging are particularly promising because they can simultaneously sample multiple biomarkers. Preclinical multiparametric diagnostics could help discover clinically relevant biomarker combinations pivotal for understanding cardiovascular disease. Interfacing systems important to cardiovascular disease include the immune, nervous and hematopoietic systems. These systems connect with ‘classical’ cardiovascular organs, like the heart and vasculature, and with the brain. The dynamic interplay between these systems and organs enables processes such as hemostasis, inflammation, angiogenesis, matrix remodeling, metabolism and fibrosis. As the opportunities provided by imaging expand, mapping interconnected systems will help us decipher the complexity of cardiovascular disease and monitor novel therapeutic strategies. PMID:28360260

Information privacy in organizations: empowering creative and extrarole performance.

PubMed

Alge, Bradley J; Ballinger, Gary A; Tangirala, Subrahmaniam; Oakley, James L

2006-01-01

This article examines the relationship of employee perceptions of information privacy in their work organizations and important psychological and behavioral outcomes. A model is presented in which information privacy predicts psychological empowerment, which in turn predicts discretionary behaviors on the job, including creative performance and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Results from 2 studies (Study 1: single organization, N=310; Study 2: multiple organizations, N=303) confirm that information privacy entails judgments of information gathering control, information handling control, and legitimacy. Moreover, a model linking information privacy to empowerment and empowerment to creative performance and OCBs was supported. Findings are discussed in light of organizational attempts to control employees through the gathering and handling of their personal information. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

Public Roles for the Medical Profession in the United States: Beyond Theories of Decline and Fall

PubMed Central

Stevens, Rosemary A.

2001-01-01

The future role of national medical organizations as a moral voice in health policymaking in the United States deserves attention from both scholarly and strategic perspectives. Arguments for strengthening the public roles of organized professionalism include its long (if neglected) history of public service. Scholarship of the past 40 years has emphasized the decline of a profession imbued with self-interest, together with associated hteories of organizational conflict. Through new concepts and language, a different version of organized medicine from that of the past might be invented for the future—one that draws on multiple medical organizations, encourages more effective cooperation with other health care groups, and builds on traditional professional agendas through adaptation and extension. PMID:11565160

Probing transplant and living donor candidates about their participation in organ vending.

PubMed

Bramstedt, Katrina A

2010-09-01

The selling of human organs for transplant is illegal in the United States and in most countries; however, such transactions still occur. Transplant hospitals and their personnel have multiple ethical duties, including (1) protecting the safety of their living donors and transplant recipients and (2) protecting the integrity of living donation and transplantation as clinical practices. To date, few psychosocial screening tools exist that pertain specifically to a person's risk or intent of pursuing organ vending (buying or selling). This article presents a series of transplant ethics case consultations that spawned the creation of a set of behavioral prompts for teams to probe with regard to organ vending when screening candidates about their suitability for participation as living donors or transplant recipients.

Biodegradation of Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Biodegradability under Co-Existing Conditions.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Miho; Zhang, Ming; Toyota, Koki

2017-09-27

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major pollutants that are found in contaminated sites, particularly in developed countries such as Japan. Various microorganisms that degrade individual VOCs have been reported, and genomic information related to their phylogenetic classification and VOC-degrading enzymes is available. However, the biodegradation of multiple VOCs remains a challenging issue. Practical sites, such as chemical factories, research facilities, and illegal dumping sites, are often contaminated with multiple VOCs. In order to investigate the potential of biodegrading multiple VOCs, we initially reviewed the biodegradation of individual VOCs. VOCs include chlorinated ethenes (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride), BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), and chlorinated methanes (carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and dichloromethane). We also summarized essential information on the biodegradation of each kind of VOC under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, together with the microorganisms that are involved in VOC-degrading pathways. Interactions among multiple VOCs were then discussed based on concrete examples. Under conditions in which multiple VOCs co-exist, the biodegradation of a VOC may be constrained, enhanced, and/or unaffected by other compounds. Co-metabolism may enhance the degradation of other VOCs. In contrast, constraints are imposed by the toxicity of co-existing VOCs and their by-products, catabolite repression, or competition between VOC-degrading enzymes. This review provides fundamental, but systematic information for designing strategies for the bioremediation of multiple VOCs, as well as information on the role of key microorganisms that degrade VOCs.

Biodegradation of Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Effects on Biodegradability under Co-Existing Conditions

PubMed Central

Yoshikawa, Miho; Zhang, Ming; Toyota, Koki

2017-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are major pollutants that are found in contaminated sites, particularly in developed countries such as Japan. Various microorganisms that degrade individual VOCs have been reported, and genomic information related to their phylogenetic classification and VOC-degrading enzymes is available. However, the biodegradation of multiple VOCs remains a challenging issue. Practical sites, such as chemical factories, research facilities, and illegal dumping sites, are often contaminated with multiple VOCs. In order to investigate the potential of biodegrading multiple VOCs, we initially reviewed the biodegradation of individual VOCs. VOCs include chlorinated ethenes (tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, dichloroethene, and vinyl chloride), BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), and chlorinated methanes (carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and dichloromethane). We also summarized essential information on the biodegradation of each kind of VOC under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, together with the microorganisms that are involved in VOC-degrading pathways. Interactions among multiple VOCs were then discussed based on concrete examples. Under conditions in which multiple VOCs co-exist, the biodegradation of a VOC may be constrained, enhanced, and/or unaffected by other compounds. Co-metabolism may enhance the degradation of other VOCs. In contrast, constraints are imposed by the toxicity of co-existing VOCs and their by-products, catabolite repression, or competition between VOC-degrading enzymes. This review provides fundamental, but systematic information for designing strategies for the bioremediation of multiple VOCs, as well as information on the role of key microorganisms that degrade VOCs. PMID:28904262

Comparative multi-goal tradeoffs in systems engineering of microbial metabolism

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Metabolic engineering design methodology has evolved from using pathway-centric, random and empirical-based methods to using systems-wide, rational and integrated computational and experimental approaches. Persistent during these advances has been the desire to develop design strategies that address multiple simultaneous engineering goals, such as maximizing productivity, while minimizing raw material costs. Results Here, we use constraint-based modeling to systematically design multiple combinations of medium compositions and gene-deletion strains for three microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Shewanella oneidensis) and six industrially important byproducts (acetate, D-lactate, hydrogen, ethanol, formate, and succinate). We evaluated over 435 million simulated conditions and 36 engineering metabolic traits, including product rates, costs, yields and purity. Conclusions The resulting metabolic phenotypes can be classified into dominant clusters (meta-phenotypes) for each organism. These meta-phenotypes illustrate global phenotypic variation and sensitivities, trade-offs associated with multiple engineering goals, and fundamental differences in organism-specific capabilities. Given the increasing number of sequenced genomes and corresponding stoichiometric models, we envisage that the proposed strategy could be extended to address a growing range of biological questions and engineering applications. PMID:23009214

It Takes a Village - Strategies to increase Minority Participation in the Earth and Life Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourad, T.

2013-12-01

The issues surrounding minority participation are multifaceted and complex. To be successful in increasing minority participation in the earth and life sciences requires multiple layers of support both in formal and nonformal settings. A comprehensive approach to broadening participation needs to build in: 1) Awareness and exposure to the wide range of career options 2) Nurture of multiple professional experiences from novice to leadership over multiple years 3) mentoring and advice at critical decision stages 4) opportunities for peer networking among other like-minded minority scientists and 5) institutional leadership and investment. The presentation will share the major accomplishments of the award-winning SEEDS program of the Ecological Society of America which recognizes and welcomes the diversity of cultures and perspectives. It seeks to create a professional home for its students, nearly 90% of whom are from minority backgrounds. No single organization can do it all. We will also share how we have partnered with other organizations including the Institute for Broadening Participation's MSPhD's program and discuss strategies that universities can develop to work with professional societies to accomplish your diversity goals.

Homeotropic alignment of multiple bent-core liquid crystal phases using a polydimethylsiloxane alignment layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Eric D.; Foley, Lee M.; Guzman, Edward; Korblova, Eva D.; Visvanathan, Rayshan; Ryu, SeongHo; Gim, Min-Jun; Tuchband, Michael R.; Yoon, Dong Ki; Clark, Noel A.; Walba, David M.

2017-08-01

The control of the molecular orientation of liquid crystals (LCs) is important in both understanding phase properties and the continuing development of new LC technologies including displays, organic transistors, and electro-optic devices. Many techniques have been developed for successfully inducing alignment of calamitic LCs, though these techniques typically do not translate to the alignment of bent-core liquid crystals (BCLCs). Some techniques have been utilized to align various phases of BCLCs, but these techniques are often unsuccessful for general alignment of multiple materials and/or multiple phases. Here, we demonstrate that glass cells treated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thin films induce high quality homeotropic alignment of multiple mesophases of four BCLCs. On cooling to the lowest temperature phase the homeotropic alignment is lost, and spherulitic growth is seen in crystal and crystal-like phases including the dark conglomerate (DC) and helical nanofilament (HNF) phases. Evidence of homeotropic alignment is observed using polarized optical microscopy. We speculate that the methyl groups on the surface of the PDMS films strongly interact with the aliphatic tails of each mesogens, resulting in homeotropic alignment.

Sudden multiple fractures in a patient with sarcoidosis in multiple organs.

PubMed

Sada, Mitsuru; Saraya, Takeshi; Ishii, Haruyuki; Goto, Hajime

2014-04-07

A 30-year-old man who incidentally fractured his right olecranon and other multiple phalanges was admitted to our hospital. He had a 2-year history of uveitis and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL), and pulmonary sarcoidosis was diagnosed from transbronchial lung biopsy. Right elbow arthrodesis was performed, and biopsied specimens showed non-caseating epithelioid cell granuloma, suggesting osseous sarcoidosis. He was discharged uneventfully without further treatment, but BHL had progressed with the appearance of lung parenchymal lesions 3 months later. At that time, involvement of other organs was also noted on Gallium-67 scintigraphy, showing accumulations in BHL, axillary and inguinal lymph nodes, enlarged liver and spleen and subcutaneous areas. After initiation of steroid therapy, multiple organ involvement improved, and no further bone involvement has been recognised to date. Osseous sarcoidosis complicated by bone fracture is an extremely rare presentation, but should be considered in patients with sarcoidosis, especially when multiple organs are involved.

Knowledge Organization through Multiple Representations in a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Namdar, Bahadir; Shen, Ji

2018-01-01

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments provide learners with multiple representational tools for storing, sharing, and constructing knowledge. However, little is known about how learners organize knowledge through multiple representations about complex socioscientific issues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to…

The Crosstown initiative: art, community, and placemaking in Memphis.

PubMed

Thomas, Elizabeth; Pate, Sarah; Ranson, Anna

2015-03-01

This case study examines an arts organization at the center of an urban neighborhood revitalization effort and its contributions to creative placemaking and inclusive community building. The study documents innovative arts practices and explores their meaning for a local context, an understudied city in the Mid-South region of the United States. It builds on the research team's ongoing work as teachers, students, and scholars in partnership with the arts organization. It includes systematic participant observation, interviews with stakeholders, and a review of historical and contemporary media coverage. We found that the organization and its practices provided a rich context for exploring an expanded sense of community including bridging social capital and place-based frameworks. Analysis suggests that the organization's intentional arts based practices bring multiple understandings of community and art into meaningful dialogue through the generation of creative and social friction. These practices illustrate one context-specific strategy addressing the tensions in a community-diversity dialectic (Townley et al. in Am J Commun Psychol 47:69-85, 2011).

[Effect of pharmacologic treatment of the nutritional status of neurologic patients].

PubMed

Piñeiro Corrales, Guadalupe; Vázquez López, Cristina; Álvarez Payero, Miriam

2014-01-01

Clinical manifestations accompanying neurological diseases are diverse and affect multiple organs. Nutritional status of patients with certain neurological diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis can be altered because of symptoms associated with disease course, including certain micronutrient deficiency (folic acid, zinc, vitamin B6 and B12, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin C), changes in energy expenditure, intake decreased, gastrointestinal disorders and dysfunction of the bone mass. Also, we have to take in account other factors as: advanced age, multiple co morbidities, polypharmacy, the use of herbal products, social habits, diet and pharmacological treatments effect. An assessment of the factors related to neurological treatment that cause alterations in metabolic and nutritional status was performed: side effects of anti-Parkinson drugs, antiepileptic drugs, and multiple sclerosis drugs; drug-nutrient interactions; and nutrient-drug interactions.

Daughters of the Enamel Organ: Development, Fate, and Function of the Stratum Intermedium, Stellate Reticulum, and Outer Enamel Epithelium

PubMed Central

Liu, Hui; Yan, Xiulin; Pandya, Mirali; Luan, Xianghong

2016-01-01

The tooth enamel organ (EO) is a complex epithelial cell assembly involved in multiple aspects of tooth development, including amelogenesis. The present study focuses on the role of the nonameloblast layers of the EO, the stratum intermedium, the stellate reticulum, and the outer enamel epithelium (OEE). The secretory stage stratum intermedium was distinguished by p63-positive epithelial stem cell marks, highly specific alkaline phosphatase labeling, as well as multiple desmosomes and gap junctions. At the location of the presecretory stage stellate reticulum, the pre-eruption EO prominently featured the papillary layer (PL) as a keratin immunopositive network of epithelial strands between tooth crowns and oral epithelium. PL cell strands contained numerous p63-positive epithelial stem cells, while BrdU proliferative cells were detected at the outer boundaries of the PL, suggesting that the stellate reticulum/PL epithelial cell sheath proliferated to facilitate an epithelial seal during tooth eruption. Comparative histology studies demonstrated continuity between the OEE and the general lamina of continuous tooth replacement in reptiles, and the outer layer of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath in humans, implicating the OEE as the formative layer for continuous tooth replacement and tooth root extension. Cell fate studies in organ culture verified that the cervical portion of the mouse molar EO gave rise to Malassez rest-like cell islands. Together, these studies indicate that the nonameloblast layers of the EO play multiple roles during odontogenesis, including the maintenance of several p63-positive stem cell reservoirs, a role during tooth root morphogenesis and tooth succession, a stabilizing function for the ameloblast layer, the facilitation of ion transport from the EO capillaries to the enamel layer, as well as safe and seamless tooth eruption. PMID:27611344

Supporting Information Linking and Discovery Across Organizations Using the VIVO Semantic Web Software Suite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayernik, M. S.; Daniels, M. D.; Maull, K. E.; Khan, H.; Krafft, D. B.; Gross, M. B.; Rowan, L. R.

2016-12-01

Geosciences research is often conducted using distributed networks of researchers and resources. To better enable the discovery of the research output from the scientists and resources used within these organizations, UCAR, Cornell University, and UNAVCO are collaborating on the EarthCollab (http://earthcube.org/group/earthcollab) project which seeks to leverage semantic technologies to manage and link scientific data. As part of this effort, we have been exploring how to leverage information distributed across multiple research organizations. EarthCollab is using the VIVO semantic software suite to lookup and display Semantic Web information across our project partners.Our presentation will include a demonstration of linking between VIVO instances, discussing how to create linkages between entities in different VIVO instances where both entities describe the same person or resource. This discussion will explore how we designate the equivalence of these entities using "same as" assertions between identifiers representing these entities including URIs and ORCID IDs and how we have extended the base VIVO architecture to support the lookup of which entities in separate VIVO instances may be equivalent and to then display information from external linked entities. We will also discuss how these extensions can support other linked data lookups and sources of information.This VIVO cross-linking mechanism helps bring information from multiple VIVO instances together and helps users in navigating information spread-out between multiple VIVO instances. Challenges and open questions for this approach relate to how to display the information obtained from an external VIVO instance, both in order to preserve the brands of the internal and external systems and to handle discrepancies between ontologies, content, and/or VIVO versions.

Daughters of the Enamel Organ: Development, Fate, and Function of the Stratum Intermedium, Stellate Reticulum, and Outer Enamel Epithelium.

PubMed

Liu, Hui; Yan, Xiulin; Pandya, Mirali; Luan, Xianghong; Diekwisch, Thomas G H

2016-09-09

The tooth enamel organ (EO) is a complex epithelial cell assembly involved in multiple aspects of tooth development, including amelogenesis. The present study focuses on the role of the nonameloblast layers of the EO, the stratum intermedium, the stellate reticulum, and the outer enamel epithelium (OEE). The secretory stage stratum intermedium was distinguished by p63-positive epithelial stem cell marks, highly specific alkaline phosphatase labeling, as well as multiple desmosomes and gap junctions. At the location of the presecretory stage stellate reticulum, the pre-eruption EO prominently featured the papillary layer (PL) as a keratin immunopositive network of epithelial strands between tooth crowns and oral epithelium. PL cell strands contained numerous p63-positive epithelial stem cells, while BrdU proliferative cells were detected at the outer boundaries of the PL, suggesting that the stellate reticulum/PL epithelial cell sheath proliferated to facilitate an epithelial seal during tooth eruption. Comparative histology studies demonstrated continuity between the OEE and the general lamina of continuous tooth replacement in reptiles, and the outer layer of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath in humans, implicating the OEE as the formative layer for continuous tooth replacement and tooth root extension. Cell fate studies in organ culture verified that the cervical portion of the mouse molar EO gave rise to Malassez rest-like cell islands. Together, these studies indicate that the nonameloblast layers of the EO play multiple roles during odontogenesis, including the maintenance of several p63-positive stem cell reservoirs, a role during tooth root morphogenesis and tooth succession, a stabilizing function for the ameloblast layer, the facilitation of ion transport from the EO capillaries to the enamel layer, as well as safe and seamless tooth eruption.

Answer (in part) blowing in the wind. Comment on "Liberating Lévy walk research from the shackles of optimal foraging" by A. Reynolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Ken

2015-09-01

In a perspective in this issue based on thorough review, Andy Reynolds [1] tackles the issue of how the by now ubiquitously found Lévy walks can be generated, by animals, by organisms other than animals, and other forms of life below the level of organisms, such as cells. The answer comes not in a single whole cloth, but rather in a patchwork of generating factors. Lévy-like movements arise in objects blowing in the wind, or from travelers encountering turbulence in the seas or being repelled by boundaries. A variety of desiderata in movements, not related to achieving optimal foraging, may also engender Lévy-like movements. These include avoiding other organisms or not crossing one's traveled path. Adding to that plethora are ways in which variations on the theme of garden-variety random walks can at least approach a Lévy walk, if not capturing the mathematical form perfectly. Such variations include executing random walks on multiple scales, a strategy exhibited by desert ants [2,3], mussels [4], and quite likely extant hunter-gatherer humans as well [5]. It is possible that fossil tracks over 50 million years old also show this strategy, as the curve fitting with multiple random walks, characterized by multiple exponential distributions, is as good or better than curve fits having the power-law distribution characteristic of Lévy walks [6]. Another variation is to have a random walk search whose scale is expanding over time. In great detail and based on extensive literature - the review has over 200 references - a range of other ways in which Lévy-like movements might come about are also discussed.

Geography of community health information organization activity in the United States: Implications for the effectiveness of health information exchange.

PubMed

Vest, Joshua R

The United States has invested nearly a billion dollars in creating community health information organizations (HIOs) to foster health information exchange. Community HIOs provide exchange services to health care organizations within a distinct geographic area. While geography is a key organizing principle for community HIOs, it is unclear if geography is an effective method for organization or what challenges are created by a geography-based approach to health information exchange. This study describes the extent of reported community HIO coverage in the United States and explores the practical and policy implications of overlaps and gaps in HIO service areas. Furthermore, because self-reported service areas may not accurately reflect the true extent of HIOs activities, this study maps the actual markets for health services included in each HIO. An inventory of operational community HIOs that included self-reported geographic markets and participating organizations was face-validated using a crowd-sourcing approach. Aggregation of the participating hospitals' individual health care markets provided the total geographic market served by each community HIO. Mapping and overlay analyses using geographic information system methods described the extent of community HIO activity in the United States. Evidence suggests that community HIOs may be inefficiently distributed. Parts of the United States have multiple, overlapping HIOs, while others do not have any providing health information exchange services. In markets served by multiple community HIOs, 45% of hospitals were participants of only one HIO. The current geography of community HIO activity does not provide comprehensive patient information to providers, nor community-wide information for public health agencies. The discord between the self-reported and market geography of community HIOs raises concerns about the potential effectiveness of health information exchange, illustrates the limitations of geography as an organizing principle, and indicates operational challenges facing those leading and working with community HIOs.

Structurally Integrated Photoluminescent Chemical and Biological Sensors: An Organic Light-Emitting Diode-Based Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinar, J.; Shinar, R.

The chapter describes the development, advantages, challenges, and potential of an emerging, compact photoluminescence-based sensing platform for chemical and biological analytes, including multiple analytes. In this platform, the excitation source is an array of organic light-emitting device (OLED) pixels that is structurally integrated with the sensing component. Steps towards advanced integration with additionally a thin-film-based photodetector are also described. The performance of the OLED-based sensing platform is examined for gas-phase and dissolved oxygen, glucose, lactate, ethanol, hydrazine, and anthrax lethal factor.

Multiple meanings of "gift" and its value for organ donation.

PubMed

Shaw, Rhonda M; Webb, Robert

2015-05-01

The "gift of life" metaphor is used to promote organ donation where commercialization is prohibited. In this article, we explore how multiple parties involved in organ transfer procedures think of gift terminology by drawing on interview data with transplantation specialists, organ transplant recipients, living directed donors and living nondirected donors. The interviews took place across New Zealand between October 2008 and May 2012, in participants' homes and hospital workplaces. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded manually, and thematically analyzed. Although gift language is often viewed as clear-cut, the gift trope has multiple meanings for different constituent and cultural groups, ranging from positive descriptors to obscuring and romanticizing the complexities of transplantation processes. To account for these multiple perspectives, we suggest new ethical models to capture the nuanced phenomenon of organ transfer in ways that recognize the full range of donation and reception experiences. © The Author(s) 2014.

Protective effect of astaxanthin against multiple organ injury in a rat model of sepsis.

PubMed

Zhou, Liping; Gao, Min; Xiao, Zhiming; Zhang, Juan; Li, Xiangmin; Wang, Aimin

2015-05-15

Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid, holds exceptional promise as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agent. No evidence has been published whether it has protective effects on sepsis. The study aimed to investigate the potential effects of astaxanthin on sepsis and multiple organ dysfunctions. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals subjected to CLP and sham-operated control rats were given vehicle or astaxanthin 100 mg/kg/d by oral gavage for 7 d before the operation. The rats were killed at the indicated time points, and the specimen was collected. Cytokines and multiorgan injury-associated enzymatic and oxidative stress indicators were investigated. Multiorgan tissues were assessed histologically, the peritoneal bacterial load and the 72-h survival was observed too. Sepsis resulted in a significant increase in serum tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 levels showing systemic inflammatory response; it also caused a remarkable decrease in the superoxide dismutase activity and a significant increase in the malondialdehyde content showing oxidative damage; sepsis caused a great increase in organ injury-associated indicators, including blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB isotype, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase, which was confirmed by histologic examination. And there was a dramatical increase of colony-forming units in the peritoneal cavity in septic rats. Astaxanthin reversed these inflammatory and oxidant response, alleviated the organ injury, reduced the peritoneal bacterial load, and improved the survival of septic rats induced by CLP. Astaxanthin exerts impressively protective effects on CLP-induced multiple organ injury. It might be used as a potential treatment for clinical sepsis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chromatin Insulators and Topological Domains: Adding New Dimensions to 3D Genome Architecture

PubMed Central

Matharu, Navneet K.; Ahanger, Sajad H.

2015-01-01

The spatial organization of metazoan genomes has a direct influence on fundamental nuclear processes that include transcription, replication, and DNA repair. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms that shape the 3D organization of the eukaryotic genomes. Chromatin insulators have emerged as one of the central components of the genome organization tool-kit across species. Recent advancements in chromatin conformation capture technologies have provided important insights into the architectural role of insulators in genomic structuring. Insulators are involved in 3D genome organization at multiple spatial scales and are important for dynamic reorganization of chromatin structure during reprogramming and differentiation. In this review, we will discuss the classical view and our renewed understanding of insulators as global genome organizers. We will also discuss the plasticity of chromatin structure and its re-organization during pluripotency and differentiation and in situations of cellular stress. PMID:26340639

Isl1 is required for multiple aspects of motor neuron development.

PubMed

Liang, Xingqun; Song, Mi-Ryoung; Xu, ZengGuang; Lanuza, Guillermo M; Liu, Yali; Zhuang, Tao; Chen, Yihan; Pfaff, Samuel L; Evans, Sylvia M; Sun, Yunfu

2011-07-01

The LIM homeodomain transcription factor Islet1 (Isl1) is expressed in multiple organs and plays essential roles during embryogenesis. Isl1 is required for the survival and specification of spinal cord motor neurons. Due to early embryonic lethality and loss of motor neurons, the role of Isl1 in other aspects of motor neuron development remains unclear. In this study, we generated Isl1 mutant mouse lines expressing graded doses of Isl1. Our study has revealed essential roles of Isl1 in multiple aspects of motor neuron development, including motor neuron cell body localization, motor column formation and axon growth. In addition, Isl1 is required for survival of cranial ganglia neurons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The digestive tract as the origin of systemic inflammation.

PubMed

de Jong, Petrus R; González-Navajas, José M; Jansen, Nicolaas J G

2016-10-18

Failure of gut homeostasis is an important factor in the pathogenesis and progression of systemic inflammation, which can culminate in multiple organ failure and fatality. Pathogenic events in critically ill patients include mesenteric hypoperfusion, dysregulation of gut motility, and failure of the gut barrier with resultant translocation of luminal substrates. This is followed by the exacerbation of local and systemic immune responses. All these events can contribute to pathogenic crosstalk between the gut, circulating cells, and other organs like the liver, pancreas, and lungs. Here we review recent insights into the identity of the cellular and biochemical players from the gut that have key roles in the pathogenic turn of events in these organ systems that derange the systemic inflammatory homeostasis. In particular, we discuss the dangers from within the gastrointestinal tract, including metabolic products from the liver (bile acids), digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas, and inflammatory components of the mesenteric lymph.

Postdoctoral recruitment in neuropsychology: a review and call for inter-organizational action.

PubMed

Belanger, Heather G; Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Silva, Marc A; Cimino, Cynthia R; Roper, Brad L; Bodin, Doug

2013-01-01

The history of centralized matches for postgraduate selection is briefly discussed with a focus on the match instituted by the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) in 2001] Survey data, conducted both by APPCN and independently, are summarized. In general, despite incomplete participation and an estimated 30% rate of "exploding offers", applicants are somewhat satisfied with the match according to recent surveys (although satisfaction varies depending on whether an applicant matched). Given the high rate of withdrawal, the history of other specialties with suboptimal participation, and the concerns most commonly expressed by participants about this issue in survey data, there is cause for concern. We assert that incomplete participation in the match hurts applicants and programs. We propose that focused efforts are needed involving multiple organizations to enhance the match, including the Clinical Neuropsychology Synarchy (CNS) as our specialty council and the multiple organizations represented on the CNS.

Electrophysiological models of neural processing.

PubMed

Nelson, Mark E

2011-01-01

The brain is an amazing information processing system that allows organisms to adaptively monitor and control complex dynamic interactions with their environment across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Mathematical modeling and computer simulation techniques have become essential tools in understanding diverse aspects of neural processing ranging from sub-millisecond temporal coding in the sound localization circuity of barn owls to long-term memory storage and retrieval in humans that can span decades. The processing capabilities of individual neurons lie at the core of these models, with the emphasis shifting upward and downward across different levels of biological organization depending on the nature of the questions being addressed. This review provides an introduction to the techniques for constructing biophysically based models of individual neurons and local networks. Topics include Hodgkin-Huxley-type models of macroscopic membrane currents, Markov models of individual ion-channel currents, compartmental models of neuronal morphology, and network models involving synaptic interactions among multiple neurons.

The Degradome database: mammalian proteases and diseases of proteolysis.

PubMed

Quesada, Víctor; Ordóñez, Gonzalo R; Sánchez, Luis M; Puente, Xose S; López-Otín, Carlos

2009-01-01

The degradome is defined as the complete set of proteases present in an organism. The recent availability of whole genomic sequences from multiple organisms has led us to predict the contents of the degradomes of several mammalian species. To ensure the fidelity of these predictions, our methods have included manual curation of individual sequences and, when necessary, direct cloning and sequencing experiments. The results of these studies in human, chimpanzee, mouse and rat have been incorporated into the Degradome database, which can be accessed through a web interface at http://degradome.uniovi.es. The annotations about each individual protease can be retrieved by browsing catalytic classes and families or by searching specific terms. This web site also provides detailed information about genetic diseases of proteolysis, a growing field of great importance for multiple users. Finally, the user can find additional information about protease structures, protease inhibitors, ancillary domains of proteases and differences between mammalian degradomes.

The Degradome database: mammalian proteases and diseases of proteolysis

PubMed Central

Quesada, Víctor; Ordóñez, Gonzalo R.; Sánchez, Luis M.; Puente, Xose S.; López-Otín, Carlos

2009-01-01

The degradome is defined as the complete set of proteases present in an organism. The recent availability of whole genomic sequences from multiple organisms has led us to predict the contents of the degradomes of several mammalian species. To ensure the fidelity of these predictions, our methods have included manual curation of individual sequences and, when necessary, direct cloning and sequencing experiments. The results of these studies in human, chimpanzee, mouse and rat have been incorporated into the Degradome database, which can be accessed through a web interface at http://degradome.uniovi.es. The annotations about each individual protease can be retrieved by browsing catalytic classes and families or by searching specific terms. This web site also provides detailed information about genetic diseases of proteolysis, a growing field of great importance for multiple users. Finally, the user can find additional information about protease structures, protease inhibitors, ancillary domains of proteases and differences between mammalian degradomes. PMID:18776217

Control of proliferation and cancer growth by the Hippo signaling pathway

PubMed Central

Ehmer, Ursula; Sage, Julien

2015-01-01

The control of cell division is essential for normal development and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Abnormal cell proliferation is associated with multiple pathological states, including cancer. While the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway was initially thought to control organ size and growth, increasing evidence indicates that this pathway also plays a major role in the control of proliferation independent of organ size control. In particular, accumulating evidence indicates that the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway functionally interacts with multiple other cellular pathways and serves as a central node in the regulation of cell division, especially in cancer cells. Here recent observations are highlighted that connect Hippo/YAP signaling to transcription, the basic cell cycle machinery, and the control of cell division. Furthermore, the oncogenic and tumor suppressive attributes of YAP/TAZ are reviewed which emphasizes the relevance of the Hippo pathway in cancer. PMID:26432795

Tackling Energy Loss for High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cells with Integrated Multiple Strategies.

PubMed

Zuo, Lijian; Shi, Xueliang; Jo, Sae Byeok; Liu, Yun; Lin, Fracis; Jen, Alex K-Y

2018-04-01

Limited by the various inherent energy losses from multiple channels, organic solar cells show inferior device performance compared to traditional inorganic photovoltaic techniques, such as silicon and CuInGaSe. To alleviate these fundamental limitations, an integrated multiple strategy is implemented including molecular design, interfacial engineering, optical manipulation, and tandem device construction into one cell. Considering the close correlation among these loss channels, a sophisticated quantification of energy-loss reduction is tracked along with each strategy in a perspective to reach rational overall optimum. A novel nonfullerene acceptor, 6TBA, is synthesized to resolve the thermalization and V OC loss, and another small bandgap nonfullerene acceptor, 4TIC, is used in the back sub-cell to alleviate transmission loss. Tandem architecture design significantly reduces the light absorption loss, and compensates carrier dynamics and thermalization loss. Interfacial engineering further reduces energy loss from carrier dynamics in the tandem architecture. As a result of this concerted effort, a very high power conversion efficiency (13.20%) is obtained. A detailed quantitative analysis on the energy losses confirms that the improved device performance stems from these multiple strategies. The results provide a rational way to explore the ultimate device performance through molecular design and device engineering. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of bee sting induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome: A case report.

PubMed

Das, Sushant K; Zeng, Li-Chuan; Li, Bing; Niu, Xiang-Ke; Wang, Jing-Liang; Bhetuwal, Anup; Yang, Han-Feng

2014-09-28

Occasionally systemic complications with high risk of death, such as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), can occur following multiple bee stings. This case study reports a patient who presented with MODS, i.e., acute kidney injury, hepatic and cardiac dysfunction, after multiple bee stings. The standard clinical findings were then correlated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, which demonstrates that MRI may be utilized as a simpler tool to use than other multiple diagnostics.

Sociological aspects of permanent manned occupancy of space.

PubMed

Bluth, B J

1981-01-01

The author examines human experiences with isolation and confined groups to determine the sociological aspects of social isolation in space. Precedent experiences include Antarctic stations, oceanographic research vessels, submarines, undersea laboratories, and space simulators. The Soviet experience with multiple-person crews on the Salyut 6 space station is explored. Sociological aspects of isolation and confinement aboard a space station include physiological stress, social and psychological stress, group size and composition, group organization, architectural programming, privacy, and work/rest scheduling.

Transactional Pathways of Transgender Identity Development in Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth and Caregivers from the Trans Youth Family Study

PubMed Central

Katz-Wise, Sabra L.; Budge, Stephanie L.; Fugate, Ellen; Flanagan, Kaleigh; Touloumtzis, Currie; Rood, Brian; Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Leibowitz, Scott

2017-01-01

Background A growing body of research has examined transgender identity development, but no studies have investigated developmental pathways as a transactional process between youth and caregivers, incorporating perspectives from multiple family members. The aim of this study was to conceptualize pathways of transgender identity development using narratives from both transgender and gender nonconforming (TGN) youth and their cisgender (non-transgender) caregivers. Methods The sample included 16 families, with 16 TGN youth, ages 7–18 years, and 29 cisgender caregivers (N = 45 family members). TGN youth represented multiple gender identities, including trans boy (n = 9), trans girl (n = 5), gender fluid boy (n = 1), and girlish boy (n = 1). Caregivers included mothers (n = 17), fathers (n = 11), and one grandmother. Participants were recruited from LGBTQ community organizations and support networks for families with transgender youth in the Midwest, Northeast, and South regions of the United States. Each family member completed a one-time in-person semi-structured qualitative interview that included questions about transgender identity development. Results Analyses revealed seven overarching themes of transgender identity development, which were organized into a conceptual model: Trans identity development, sociocultural influences/societal discourse, biological influences, family adjustment/impact, stigma/cisnormativity, support/resources, and gender affirmation/actualization. Conclusions Findings underscore the importance of assessing developmental processes among TGN youth as transactional, impacting both youth and their caregivers. PMID:29527139

Language Development in Down Syndrome: From the Prelinguistic Period to the Acquisition of Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbeduto, Leonard; Warren, Steven F.; Conners, Frances A.

2007-01-01

Down syndrome (DS) is associated with abnormalities in multiple organ systems and a characteristic phenotype that includes numerous behavioral features. Language, however, is among the most impaired domains of functioning in DS and, perhaps, also the greatest barrier to independent meaningful inclusion in the community. In this article, we review…

Adaptive Coping under Conditions of Extreme Stress: Multilevel Influences on the Determinants of Resilience in Maltreated Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cicchetti, Dante; Rogosch, Fred A.

2009-01-01

The study of resilience in maltreated children reveals the possibility of coping processes and resources on multiple levels of analysis as children strive to adapt under conditions of severe stress. In a maltreating context, aspects of self-organization, including self-esteem, self-reliance, emotion regulation, and adaptable yet reserved…

[Epidemiology of infections after liver transplantation in children].

PubMed

Pawłowska, J

2001-01-01

One of the most important problems after solid organ transplantation including liver, remains infections. Multiple risk factors play a role among which the most important are: general patients health before transplantation, prolong operative time, graft function and type of immunosuppression. The most important problems with bacterial, fungal and viral infections was described as well as treatment and profilaxis.

Manufacturing Consent for Privatization in Public Education: The Rise of a Social Finance Network in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poole, Wendy; Sen, Vicheth; Fallon, Gerald

2016-01-01

Multiple forms of privatization are emerging in the Canadian public sector, including public-private partnerships. This article focuses on one approach to public-private partnerships called "social finance," and a network of public, private, and not-for-profit organizations that promotes social finance as a means of funding public…

21 CFR 320.31 - Applicability of requirements regarding an “Investigational New Drug Application.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... patients where either the maximum single or total daily dose exceeds that specified in the labeling of the... application. (2) A multiple-dose study in normal subjects or patients where either the single or total daily... conducting the study, including any contract research organization, shall retain reserve samples of any test...

Diagnosis and conservative management of intrathoracic leakage after oesophagectomy.

PubMed

Sauvanet, A; Baltar, J; Le Mee, J; Belghiti, J

1998-10-01

Although intrathoracic leakage is a major complication of oesophagectomy, precise data concerning diagnostic features and results of conservative treatment are lacking. From 1986 to 1994, 409 oesophagectomies with stapled oesophagogastrostomy were performed, including 358 Lewis-Tanner and 51 Sweet procedures. A water-soluble contrast swallow was routinely performed on day 7 or later, before oral intake was begun. All patients except one received conservative non-surgical treatment, including nutritional support and perianastomotic drainage. Leaks were diagnosed in 38 patients (9.3 per cent). The leakage rate was 7.8 per cent after the Lewis-Tanner procedure and 20 per cent after the Sweet procedure (P < 0.01). Eleven patients had no symptoms. Seven of the 27 patients with symptoms had a contrast swallow that was normal, and subsequently developed a confirmed fistula after the onset of oral intake. Five patients had to undergo reoperation. All asymptomatic patients and 18 symptomatic patients recovered. Nine patients died, mainly from multiple organ failure, including three who had reoperation for resection of the gastroplasty. The potential presence of clinically silent fistula and the deleterious role of oral intake still justify routine detection of leakage after oesophageal resection. Conservative treatment results in survival with preservation of the gastroplasty in most patients, unless multiple organ failure occurs.

The phenoptosis problem: what is causing the death of an organism? Lessons from acute kidney injury.

PubMed

Zorov, D B; Plotnikov, E Y; Jankauskas, S S; Isaev, N K; Silachev, D N; Zorova, L D; Pevzner, I B; Pulkova, N V; Zorov, S D; Morosanova, M A

2012-07-01

Programmed execution of various cells and intracellular structures is hypothesized to be not the only example of elimination of biological systems - the general mechanism can also involve programmed execution of organs and organisms. Modern rating of programmed cell death mechanisms includes 13 mechanistic types. As for some types, the mechanism of actuation and manifestation of cell execution has been basically elucidated, while the causes and intermediate steps of the process of fatal failure of organs and organisms remain unknown. The analysis of deaths resulting from a sudden heart arrest or multiple organ failure and other acute and chronic pathologies leads to the conclusion of a special role of mitochondria and oxidative stress activating the immune system. Possible mechanisms of mitochondria-mediated induction of the signaling cascades involved in organ failure and death of the organism are discussed. These mechanisms include generation of reactive oxygen species and damage-associated molecular patterns in mitochondria. Some examples of renal failure-induced deaths are presented with mechanisms and settings determined by some hypothetical super system rather than by the kidneys themselves. This system plays the key role in the process of physiological senescence and termination of an organism. The facts presented suggest that it is the immune system involved in mitochondrial signaling that can act as the system responsible for the organism's death.

Outcomes of microvascular flap reconstruction of the head and neck in patients receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy for organ transplantation.

PubMed

Schaverien, Mark V; Dean, Riley A; Myers, Jeffrey N; Fang, Lin; Largo, Rene D; Yu, Peirong

2018-05-03

For organ transplant recipients, cancer secondary to immunosuppressive therapy threatens long-term survival. The associated multiple comorbidities make major free flap reconstruction following cancer surgery a complicated event. This study evaluates the outcomes of free flap reconstruction in this population. A retrospective chart review of all head and neck free flap cases in patients with a history of organ transplantation receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy between 2005 and 2017 at a single-institution was conducted. Of 57 organ transplant patients, 25 patients (28 flaps) were included. Flaps used included the anterolateral thigh (n = 17), radial forearm (n = 4), latissimus dorsi (n = 3), fibula (n = 2), lateral arm (n = 1), and thoracodorsal artery perforator (n = 1) flaps. The most common organ transplant was kidney, then lung, liver, and heart. Mean inpatient stay was 8.2 days (range, 4-28). Complications occurred in 15 patients, with no total or partial flap losses. Major head and neck free flap reconstructive surgery can be performed safely in organ transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Meticulous multidisciplinary care is required to achieve consistently successful outcomes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinical residual symptomatology and associated factors in multiple organ failure survivors: A long-term mortgage.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Villar, S; Rodríguez-García, J L; Arévalo-Serrano, J; Sánchez-Casado, M; Fletcher, H

2017-12-01

To evaluate which residual clinical symptoms multi-organ failure (MOF) patients may exhibit post discharge from Intensive Care Units (ICU) and to identify the associated factors that cause such symptoms. A total of 545 adult patients admitted to a medical & surgical ICU in Spain diagnosed with MOF on admission were included in the study. Follow up in the form of a telephone survey regarding the patients clinical symptoms were conducted at 6 and 12 months after discharge from ICU. A total of 266 patients were followed up at both 6 and 12 months post ICU discharge; 62.2% were male; age 60±18 years; 67.8% medical patients. The most common symptoms to appear following hospital discharge included: asthenia (173; 76%), sleep disturbances (112; 50%) and depression (109; 48%). The study revealed frequent residual clinical symptoms persisting for almost a year post ICU discharge, most notably arthromyalgia and asthenia. Depression symptoms during the first 6 months post-hospital discharge were also common among multiple organ failure survivors. The presence of symptomatology over time was found to be related to a poor functional situation at 6 and12 months post ICU discharge, length of hospital stay and severity of illness score on ICU admission. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. All rights reserved.

The Hippo pathway: key interaction and catalytic domains in organ growth control, stem cell self-renewal and tissue regeneration.

PubMed

Cherrett, Claire; Furutani-Seiki, Makoto; Bagby, Stefan

2012-01-01

The Hippo pathway is a conserved pathway that interconnects with several other pathways to regulate organ growth, tissue homoeostasis and regeneration, and stem cell self-renewal. This pathway is unique in its capacity to orchestrate multiple processes, from sensing to execution, necessary for organ expansion. Activation of the Hippo pathway core kinase cassette leads to cytoplasmic sequestration of the nuclear effectors YAP (Yes-associated protein) and TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif), consequently disabling their transcriptional co-activation function. Components upstream of the core kinase cassette have not been well understood, especially in vertebrates, but are gradually being elucidated and include cell polarity and cell adhesion proteins.

Asian Community Mental Health Services at 35: a pioneering ethnic organization (1973-2008).

PubMed

Vu, Catherine M; Schwartz, Sara L; Austin, Michael J

2011-01-01

Asian Community Mental Health Services is a nonprofit organization that delivers mental health services to primarily Asian and Pacific Islander communities. From its early beginnings and over its 35-year history, the agency has had to overcome numerous challenges, including gaining legitimacy as a culturally specific nonprofit, combating stigma surrounding mental health issues within the Asian Pacific Islander community, building resources to fund service delivery, and developing an educated and culturally sensitive workforce. The history of the organization highlights the multiple challenges and rewards of developing a culturally specific nonprofit in an urban area as well as the important role that internal operations play in relation to nonprofit expansion and growth.

NOX2 protects against progressive lung injury and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

PubMed

Whitmore, Laura C; Goss, Kelli L; Newell, Elizabeth A; Hilkin, Brieanna M; Hook, Jessica S; Moreland, Jessica G

2014-07-01

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a common clinical condition in patients in intensive care units that can lead to complications, including multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). MODS carries a high mortality rate, and it is unclear why some patients resolve SIRS, whereas others develop MODS. Although oxidant stress has been implicated in the development of MODS, several recent studies have demonstrated a requirement for NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)-derived oxidants in limiting inflammation. We recently demonstrated that NOX2 protects against lung injury and mortality in a murine model of SIRS. In the present study, we investigated the role of NOX2-derived oxidants in the progression from SIRS to MODS. Using a murine model of sterile systemic inflammation, we observed significantly greater illness and subacute mortality in gp91(phox-/y) (NOX2-deficient) mice compared with wild-type mice. Cellular analysis revealed continued neutrophil recruitment to the peritoneum and lungs of the NOX2-deficient mice and altered activation states of both neutrophils and macrophages. Histological examination showed multiple organ pathology indicative of MODS in the NOX2-deficient mice, and several inflammatory cytokines were elevated in lungs of the NOX2-deficient mice. Overall, these data suggest that NOX2 function protects against the development of MODS and is required for normal resolution of systemic inflammation. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Pathogens and Disease Play Havoc on the Host Epiproteome-The "First Line of Response" Role for Proteomic Changes Influenced by Disorder.

PubMed

Rikkerink, Erik H A

2018-03-08

Organisms face stress from multiple sources simultaneously and require mechanisms to respond to these scenarios if they are to survive in the long term. This overview focuses on a series of key points that illustrate how disorder and post-translational changes can combine to play a critical role in orchestrating the response of organisms to the stress of a changing environment. Increasingly, protein complexes are thought of as dynamic multi-component molecular machines able to adapt through compositional, conformational and/or post-translational modifications to control their largely metabolic outputs. These metabolites then feed into cellular physiological homeostasis or the production of secondary metabolites with novel anti-microbial properties. The control of adaptations to stress operates at multiple levels including the proteome and the dynamic nature of proteomic changes suggests a parallel with the equally dynamic epigenetic changes at the level of nucleic acids. Given their properties, I propose that some disordered protein platforms specifically enable organisms to sense and react rapidly as the first line of response to change. Using examples from the highly dynamic host-pathogen and host-stress response, I illustrate by example how disordered proteins are key to fulfilling the need for multiple levels of integration of response at different time scales to create robust control points.

Listening to food workers: Factors that impact proper health and hygiene practice in food service.

PubMed

Clayton, Megan L; Clegg Smith, Katherine; Neff, Roni A; Pollack, Keshia M; Ensminger, Margaret

2015-01-01

Foodborne disease is a significant problem worldwide. Research exploring sources of outbreaks indicates a pronounced role for food workers' improper health and hygiene practice. To investigate food workers' perceptions of factors that impact proper food safety practice. Interviews with food service workers in Baltimore, MD, USA discussing food safety practices and factors that impact implementation in the workplace. A social ecological model organizes multiple levels of influence on health and hygiene behavior. Issues raised by interviewees include factors across the five levels of the social ecological model, and confirm findings from previous work. Interviews also reveal many factors not highlighted in prior work, including issues with food service policies and procedures, working conditions (e.g., pay and benefits), community resources, and state and federal policies. Food safety interventions should adopt an ecological orientation that accounts for factors at multiple levels, including workers' social and structural context, that impact food safety practice.

A Global Repository for Planet-Sized Experiments and Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Dean; Balaji, V.; Cinquini, Luca; Denvil, Sebastien; Duffy, Daniel; Evans, Ben; Ferraro, Robert D.; Hansen, Rose; Lautenschlager, Michael; Trenham, Claire

2016-01-01

Working across U.S. federal agencies, international agencies, and multiple worldwide data centers, and spanning seven international network organizations, the Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF) allows users to access, analyze, and visualize data using a globally federated collection of networks, computers, and software. Its architecture employs a system of geographically distributed peer nodes that are independently administered yet united by common federation protocols and application programming interfaces (APIs). The full ESGF infrastructure has now been adopted by multiple Earth science projects and allows access to petabytes of geophysical data, including the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) output used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment reports. Data served by ESGF not only include model output (i.e., CMIP simulation runs) but also include observational data from satellites and instruments, reanalyses, and generated images. Metadata summarize basic information about the data for fast and easy data discovery.

Microtubule organization during human parthenogenesis.

PubMed

Terada, Yukihiro; Hasegawa, Hisataka; Ugajin, Tomohisa; Murakami, Takashi; Yaegashi, Nobuo; Okamura, Kunihiro

2009-04-01

In human fertilization, the sperm centrosome plays a crucial role as a microtubule organizing center (MTOC). We studied microtubule organization during human parthenogenesis, which occurs when a human egg undergoes cleavage without a sperm centrosome. Multiple cytoplasmic asters were organized in the human oocyte after parthenogenetic activation, indicating that multiple MTOC are present in the human oocyte cytoplasm and function like a human sperm centrosome during parthenogenesis.

Direction Finding Using Multiple MEMS Acoustic Sensors

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME...6 B. OBJECTIVE AND THESIS ORGANIZATION ..................................10 II. DIRECTION FINDING USING MULTIPLE

How could Health Information Exchange Better Meet the Needs of Care Practitioners?

PubMed Central

Kaushal, R.; Vest, J.R.

2014-01-01

Summary Background Health information exchange (HIE) has the potential to improve the quality of healthcare by enabling providers with better access to patient information from multiple sources at the point of care. However, HIE efforts have historically been difficult to establish in the US and the failure rates of organizations created to foster HIE have been high. Objectives We sought to better understand how RHIO-based HIE systems were used in practice and the challenges care practitioners face using them. The objective of our study were to so investigate how HIE can better meet the needs of care practitioners. Methods We performed a multiple-case study using qualitative methods in three communities in New York State. We conducted interviews onsite and by telephone with HIE users and non-users and observed the workflows of healthcare professionals at multiple healthcare organizations participating in a local HIE effort in New York State. Results The empirical data analysis suggests that challenges still remain in increasing provider usage, optimizing HIE implementations and connecting HIE systems across geographic regions. Important determinants of system usage and perceived value includes users experienced level of available information and the fit of use for physician workflows. Conclusions Challenges still remain in increasing provider adoption, optimizing HIE implementations, and demonstrating value. The inability to find information reduced usage of HIE. Healthcare organizations, HIE facilitating organizations, and states can help support HIE adoption by ensuring patient information is accessible to providers through increasing patient consents, fostering broader participation, and by ensuring systems are usable. PMID:25589903

Hepatocyte Polarity

PubMed Central

Treyer, Aleksandr; Müsch, Anne

2013-01-01

Hepatocytes, like other epithelia, are situated at the interface between the organism’s exterior and the underlying internal milieu and organize the vectorial exchange of macromolecules between these two spaces. To mediate this function, epithelial cells, including hepatocytes, are polarized with distinct luminal domains that are separated by tight junctions from lateral domains engaged in cell-cell adhesion and from basal domains that interact with the underlying extracellular matrix. Despite these universal principles, hepatocytes distinguish themselves from other nonstriated epithelia by their multipolar organization. Each hepatocyte participates in multiple, narrow lumina, the bile canaliculi, and has multiple basal surfaces that face the endothelial lining. Hepatocytes also differ in the mechanism of luminal protein trafficking from other epithelia studied. They lack polarized protein secretion to the luminal domain and target single-spanning and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored bile canalicular membrane proteins via transcytosis from the basolateral domain. We compare this unique hepatic polarity phenotype with that of the more common columnar epithelial organization and review our current knowledge of the signaling mechanisms and the organization of polarized protein trafficking that govern the establishment and maintenance of hepatic polarity. The serine/threonine kinase LKB1, which is activated by the bile acid taurocholate and, in turn, activates adenosine monophosphate kinase-related kinases including AMPK1/2 and Par1 paralogues has emerged as a key determinant of hepatic polarity. We propose that the absence of a hepatocyte basal lamina and differences in cell-cell adhesion signaling that determine the positioning of tight junctions are two crucial determinants for the distinct hepatic and columnar polarity phenotypes. PMID:23720287

Comprehensive approach to the management of the patient with multiple rib fractures: a review and introduction of a bundled rib fracture management protocol.

PubMed

Witt, Cordelie E; Bulger, Eileen M

2017-01-01

Rib fractures are common among patients sustaining blunt trauma, and are markers of severe bodily and solid organ injury. They are associated with high morbidity and mortality, including multiple pulmonary complications, and can lead to chronic pain and disability. Clinical and radiographic scoring systems have been developed at several institutions to predict risk of complications. Clinical strategies to reduce morbidity have been studied, including multimodal pain management, catheter-based analgesia, pulmonary hygiene, and operative stabilization. In this article, we review risk factors for morbidity and complications, intervention strategies, and discuss experience with bundled clinical pathways for rib fractures. In addition, we introduce the multidisciplinary rib fracture management protocol used at our level I trauma center.

Immunohistochemical analysis of cytochrome P4501A induction in organs and cell types of Rivulus marmoratus exposed to waterborne 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

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

Stegeman, J.; Smolowitz, R.; Burnett, K.

1994-12-31

Identifying target cells and organs is critical to establishing the sites and mechanisms of toxicity of Ah-receptor agonists. Previous studies have described the localization of CYPLA induced in multiple organs of fish exposed to Ah-receptor agonists. Here the authors compare the responses in multiple cell types and organs of small fish (Rivulus) exposed to waterborne TCDD. Adult fish were exposed to TCDD at concentrations from 0.01 to 10 ng/liter for 48 hours, then prepared and analyzed by immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibody to teleost CYPIAI. At the highest dose profound induction was detected in virtually every organ. Structures staining intensely were:more » nasal and cephalic chemoreceptors, including sensory and basal cells; superficial cells in skin and pharynx; cartilage cells (chondrocytes) in the head, gills, growth plates and fins; epithelial and endothelial cells of liver, gut, kidney, and gill; pseudobranch vessels and glandular cells; eye lens epithelium; endothelium in vessels of eye, brain, skin, muscle, thymus and gonad. Lesser concentrations of TCDD elicited less strong responses, and control fish showed mild staining only in cartilage structures. The dose-dependent patterns of induction differed between different cell types. Responsive cells identified is these fish indicate sites where toxicity associated with Ah-receptor agonists or with CYPLA function may be expressed.« less

Idealized modeling of convective organization with changing sea surface temperatures using multiple equilibria in weak temperature gradient simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sentić, Stipo; Sessions, Sharon L.

2017-06-01

The weak temperature gradient (WTG) approximation is a method of parameterizing the influences of the large scale on local convection in limited domain simulations. WTG simulations exhibit multiple equilibria in precipitation; depending on the initial moisture content, simulations can precipitate or remain dry for otherwise identical boundary conditions. We use a hypothesized analogy between multiple equilibria in precipitation in WTG simulations, and dry and moist regions of organized convection to study tropical convective organization. We find that the range of wind speeds that support multiple equilibria depends on sea surface temperature (SST). Compared to the present SST, low SSTs support a narrower range of multiple equilibria at higher wind speeds. In contrast, high SSTs exhibit a narrower range of multiple equilibria at low wind speeds. This suggests that at high SSTs, organized convection might occur with lower surface forcing. To characterize convection at different SSTs, we analyze the change in relationships between precipitation rate, atmospheric stability, moisture content, and the large-scale transport of moist entropy and moisture with increasing SSTs. We find an increase in large-scale export of moisture and moist entropy from dry simulations with increasing SST, which is consistent with a strengthening of the up-gradient transport of moisture from dry regions to moist regions in organized convection. Furthermore, the changes in diagnostic relationships with SST are consistent with more intense convection in precipitating regions of organized convection for higher SSTs.

A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda for Organ Donation Decision Communication.

PubMed

Knox, Kathy; Parkinson, Joy; Pang, Bo; Fujihira, Haruka; David, Patricia; Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn

2017-09-01

This study systematically located and appraised peer-reviewed evidence for the efficacy of strategies to increase organ donation decision communication among adults including an assessment of study quality to guide future research in this field. There is little room to move in strengthening unanimously positive public attitudes toward organ donation. Consequently, researchers have called for a focus on organ donation decision communication to understand modifiable factors to increase organ donation rates. Multiple databases were searched during September 2015, and 44 studies were selected for inclusion. Data concerning participants, design, and outcomes were extracted. Studies were rated for quality and levels of evidence. Although not amenable to meta-analysis, the literature indicates that approximately 50% of adults who are willing to become an organ donor have discussed this decision with family. The majority of research was conducted in a Western context with an overrepresentation of students. Strategies to increase communication include education, motivation, input from lived experience, efforts to address salient audience beliefs, and scheduled reminders or prompts. Intentions and willingness to discuss organ donation were consistently positively related to discussion behavior; however, formative research and experimental studies testing theoretically driven interventions were scarce. There is mixed evidence for the role of demographic and attitudinal characteristics in the success of organ donation communication interventions. Additional theoretically based research is recommended to establish boundary conditions and validate strategies to increase organ donation decision communication among adults.

Systematic genomic identification of colorectal cancer genes delineating advanced from early clinical stage and metastasis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The initial assessment of colorectal cancer involves clinical staging that takes into account the extent of primary tumor invasion, determining the number of lymph nodes with metastatic cancer and the identification of metastatic sites in other organs. Advanced clinical stage indicates metastatic cancer, either in regional lymph nodes or in distant organs. While the genomic and genetic basis of colorectal cancer has been elucidated to some degree, less is known about the identity of specific cancer genes that are associated with advanced clinical stage and metastasis. Methods We compiled multiple genomic data types (mutations, copy number alterations, gene expression and methylation status) as well as clinical meta-data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We used an elastic-net regularized regression method on the combined genomic data to identify genetic aberrations and their associated cancer genes that are indicators of clinical stage. We ranked candidate genes by their regression coefficient and level of support from multiple assay modalities. Results A fit of the elastic-net regularized regression to 197 samples and integrated analysis of four genomic platforms identified the set of top gene predictors of advanced clinical stage, including: WRN, SYK, DDX5 and ADRA2C. These genetic features were identified robustly in bootstrap resampling analysis. Conclusions We conducted an analysis integrating multiple genomic features including mutations, copy number alterations, gene expression and methylation. This integrated approach in which one considers all of these genomic features performs better than any individual genomic assay. We identified multiple genes that robustly delineate advanced clinical stage, suggesting their possible role in colorectal cancer metastatic progression. PMID:24308539

Control of aliphatic halogenated DBP precursors with multiple drinking water treatment processes: Formation potential and integrated toxicity.

PubMed

Zhang, Yimeng; Chu, Wenhai; Yao, Dechang; Yin, Daqiang

2017-08-01

The comprehensive control efficiency for the formation potentials (FPs) of a range of regulated and unregulated halogenated disinfection by-products (DBPs) (including carbonaceous DBPs (C-DBPs), nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs), and iodinated DBPs (I-DBPs)) with the multiple drinking water treatment processes, including pre-ozonation, conventional treatment (coagulation-sedimentation, pre-sand filtration), ozone-biological activated carbon (O 3 -BAC) advanced treatment, and post-sand filtration, was investigated. The potential toxic risks of DBPs by combing their FPs and toxicity values were also evaluated. The results showed that the multiple drinking water treatment processes had superior performance in removing organic/inorganic precursors and reducing the formation of a range of halogenated DBPs. Therein, ozonation significantly removed bromide and iodide, and thus reduced the formation of brominated and iodinated DBPs. The removal of organic carbon and nitrogen precursors by the conventional treatment processes was substantially improved by O 3 -BAC advanced treatment, and thus prevented the formation of chlorinated C-DBPs and N-DBPs. However, BAC filtration leads to the increased formation of brominated C-DBPs and N-DBPs due to the increase of bromide/DOC and bromide/DON. After the whole multiple treatment processes, the rank order for integrated toxic risk values caused by these halogenated DBPs was haloacetonitriles (HANs)≫haloacetamides (HAMs)>haloacetic acids (HAAs)>trihalomethanes (THMs)>halonitromethanes (HNMs)≫I-DBPs (I-HAMs and I-THMs). I-DBPs failed to cause high integrated toxic risk because of their very low FPs. The significant higher integrated toxic risk value caused by HANs than other halogenated DBPs cannot be ignored. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The evolution of computed tomography from organ-selective to whole-body scanning in managing unconscious patients with multiple trauma

PubMed Central

Hong, Zhi-Jie; Chen, Cheng-Jueng; Yu, Jyh-Cherng; Chan, De-Chuan; Chou, Yu-Ching; Liang, Chia-Ming; Hsu, Sheng-Der

2016-01-01

Abstract We aimed to evaluate the benefit of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) scanning for unconscious adult patients suffering from high-energy multiple trauma compared with the conventional stepwise approach of organ-selective CT. Totally, 144 unconscious patients with high-energy multiple trauma from single level I trauma center in North Taiwan were enrolled from January 2009 to December 2013. All patients were managed by a well-trained trauma team and were suitable for CT examination. The enrolled patients are all transferred directly from the scene of an accident, not from other medical institutions with a definitive diagnosis. The scanning regions of WBCT include head, neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. We analyzed differences between non-WBCT and WBCT groups, including gender, age, hospital stay, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, time in emergency department (ED), medical cost, and survival outcome. Fifty-five patients received the conventional approach for treating trauma, and 89 patients received immediate WBCT scanning after an initial examination. Patients’ time in ED was significantly shorter in the WBCT group in comparison with the non-WBCT group (158.62 ± 80.13 vs 216.56 ± 168.32 min, P = 0.02). After adjusting for all possible confounding factors, we also found that survival outcome of the WBCT group was better than that of the non-WBCT group (odds ratio: 0.21, 95% confidence interval: 0.06–0.75, P = 0.016). Early performing WBCT during initial trauma management is a better approach for treating unconscious patients with high-energy multiple trauma. PMID:27631215

The evolution of computed tomography from organ-selective to whole-body scanning in managing unconscious patients with multiple trauma: A retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Hong, Zhi-Jie; Chen, Cheng-Jueng; Yu, Jyh-Cherng; Chan, De-Chuan; Chou, Yu-Ching; Liang, Chia-Ming; Hsu, Sheng-Der

2016-09-01

We aimed to evaluate the benefit of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) scanning for unconscious adult patients suffering from high-energy multiple trauma compared with the conventional stepwise approach of organ-selective CT.Totally, 144 unconscious patients with high-energy multiple trauma from single level I trauma center in North Taiwan were enrolled from January 2009 to December 2013. All patients were managed by a well-trained trauma team and were suitable for CT examination. The enrolled patients are all transferred directly from the scene of an accident, not from other medical institutions with a definitive diagnosis. The scanning regions of WBCT include head, neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. We analyzed differences between non-WBCT and WBCT groups, including gender, age, hospital stay, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, time in emergency department (ED), medical cost, and survival outcome.Fifty-five patients received the conventional approach for treating trauma, and 89 patients received immediate WBCT scanning after an initial examination. Patients' time in ED was significantly shorter in the WBCT group in comparison with the non-WBCT group (158.62 ± 80.13 vs 216.56 ± 168.32 min, P = 0.02). After adjusting for all possible confounding factors, we also found that survival outcome of the WBCT group was better than that of the non-WBCT group (odds ratio: 0.21, 95% confidence interval: 0.06-0.75, P = 0.016).Early performing WBCT during initial trauma management is a better approach for treating unconscious patients with high-energy multiple trauma.

Multiple current peaks in room-temperature atmospheric pressure homogenous dielectric barrier discharge plasma excited by high-voltage tunable nanosecond pulse in air

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

Yang, De-Zheng; Wang, Wen-Chun; Zhang, Shuai

2013-05-13

Room temperature homogenous dielectric barrier discharge plasma with high instantaneous energy efficiency is acquired by using nanosecond pulse voltage with 20-200 ns tunable pulse width. Increasing the voltage pulse width can lead to the generation of regular and stable multiple current peaks in each discharge sequence. When the voltage pulse width is 200 ns, more than 5 organized current peaks can be observed under 26 kV peak voltage. Investigation also shows that the organized multiple current peaks only appear in homogenous discharge mode. When the discharge is filament mode, organized multiple current peaks are replaced by chaotic filament current peaks.

Timing of Acute Palliative Care Consultation in Critically Ill Patients

ClinicalTrials.gov

2016-08-03

Multiple Organ Failure; End Stage Cardiac Failure; End Stage Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease; Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5; Hepatic Encephalopathy; Sepsis; Dementia; Multiple Sclerosis; Parkinson's Disease; In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest; Solid Organ Cancer

Self-assembly of a double-helical complex of sodium.

PubMed

Bell, T W; Jousselin, H

1994-02-03

Spontaneous self-organization of helical and multiple-helical molecular structures occurs on several levels in living organisms. Key examples are alpha-helical polypeptides, double-helical nucleic acids and helical protein structures, including F-actin, microtubules and the protein sheath of the tobacco mosaic virus. Although the self-assembly of double-helical transition-metal complexes bears some resemblance to the molecular organization of double-stranded DNA, selection between monohelical, double-helical and triple-helical structures is determined largely by the size and geometrical preference of the tightly bound metal. Here we present an example of double-helical assembly induced by the weaker and non-directional interactions of an alkali-metal ion with an organic ligand that is pre-organized into a coil. We have characterized the resulting complex by two-dimensional NMR and fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry. These results provide a step toward the creation of molecular tubes or ion channels consisting of intertwined coils.

Bacterial chromosome organization and segregation

PubMed Central

Badrinarayanan, Anjana; Le, Tung BK; Laub, Michael T

2016-01-01

If fully stretched out, a typical bacterial chromosome would be nearly one millimeter long, or approximately 1000 times the length of a cell. Not only must cells massively compact their genetic material, but they must also organize their DNA in a manner that is compatible with a range of cellular processes, including DNA replication, DNA repair, homologous recombination, and horizontal gene transfer. Recent work, driven in part by technological advances, has begun to reveal the general principles of chromosome organization in bacteria. Here, drawing on studies of many different organisms, we review the emerging picture of how bacterial chromosomes are structured at multiple length-scales, highlighting the functions of various DNA-binding proteins and impact of physical forces. Additionally, we discuss the spatial dynamics of chromosomes, particularly during their segregation to daughter cells. Although there has been tremendous progress, we also highlight gaps that remain in understanding chromosome organization and segregation. PMID:26566111

A Multiple Case Study: Gauging the Effects of Poverty on School Readiness amongst Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onesto, Melissa J.

2017-01-01

The home environment, which includes the level of organization and stability in the home, plays a crucial role in the development of executive function and oral language skills. For children who live in a low-SES environment, executive function and oral language acquisition are inferior compared to that of students living at other economic levels.…

Multirate delivery of multiple therapeutic agents from metal-organic frameworks

DOE PAGES

McKinlay, Alistair C.; Allan, Phoebe K.; Renouf, Catherine L.; ...

2014-12-01

The highly porous nature of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offers great potential for the delivery of therapeutic agents. Here, we show that highly porous metal-organic frameworks can be used to deliver multiple therapeutic agents—a biologically active gas, an antibiotic drug molecule, and an active metal ion—simultaneously but at different rates. The possibilities offered by delivery of multiple agents with different mechanisms of action and, in particular, variable timescales may allow new therapy approaches. Here, we show that the loaded MOFs are highly active against various strains of bacteria.

Multiple myeloma associated with acquired cutis laxa.

PubMed

Cho, S Y; Maguire, R F

1980-08-01

Acquired cutis laxa is a rare disorder characterized by diffuse laxity of the skin and loss of connective tissue support with involvement of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, pelvic organs, and aorta. The case report presented herein describes a forty-six year old woman with multiple myeloma and cutis laxa. Her history included several severe allergic reactions and the gradual development of lax skin, loss of connective tissue support throughout the body, and emphysema. At autopsy, multiple myeloma, diffuse laxity of the skin, and panacinar emphysema were found. The amount of elastic fiber in the skin, lungs, and aorta was decreased and showed abnormal fragmentation. Results of direct immunofluorescence study demonstrated IgG bound to dermal elastic fibers. Speculation regarding an immunologic etiology of the elastic tissue abnormality is presented herein.

Multimorbidity, service organization and clinical decision making in primary care: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Bower, Peter; Macdonald, Wendy; Harkness, Elaine; Gask, Linda; Kendrick, Tony; Valderas, Jose M; Dickens, Chris; Blakeman, Tom; Sibbald, Bonnie

2011-10-01

Primary care professionals often manage patients with multiple long-term health conditions, but managing multimorbidity is challenging given time and resource constraints and interactions between conditions. To explore GP and nurse perceptions of multimorbidity and the influence on service organization and clinical decision making. A qualitative interview study with primary care professionals in practices in Greater Manchester, U.K. Interviews were conducted with 15 GPs and 10 practice nurses. Primary care professionals identified tensions between delivering care to meet quality targets and fulfilling the patient's agenda, tensions which are exacerbated in multimorbidity. They were aware of the inconvenience suffered by patients through attendance at multiple clinic appointments when care was structured around individual conditions. They reported difficulties managing patients with multimorbidity in limited consultation time, which led to adoption of an 'additive-sequential' decision-making model which dealt with problems in priority order until consultation resources were exhausted, when further management was deferred. Other challenges included the need for patients to co-ordinate their care, the difficulties of self-management support in multimorbidity and problems of making sense of the relationships between physical and mental health. Doctor and nurse accounts included limited consideration of multimorbidity in terms of the interactions between conditions or synergies between management of different conditions. Primary care professionals identify a number of challenges in care for multimorbidity and adopt a particular model of decision making to deliver care for multiple individual conditions. However, they did not describe specific decision making around managing multimorbidity per se.

Development and implementation of a residency project advisory board.

PubMed

Dagam, Julie K; Iglar, Arlene; Kindsfater, Julie; Loeb, Al; Smith, Chad; Spexarth, Frank; Brierton, Dennis; Woller, Thomas

2017-06-15

The development and implementation of a residency project advisory board (RPAB) to manage multiple pharmacy residents' yearlong projects across several residency programs are described. Preceptor and resident feedback during our annual residency program review and strategic planning sessions suggested the implementation of a more-coordinated approach to the identification, selection, and oversight of all components of the residency project process. A panel of 7 department leaders actively engaged in residency training and performance improvement was formed to evaluate the residency project process and provide recommendations for change. These 7 individuals would eventually constitute the RPAB. The primary objective of the RPAB at Aurora Health Care is to provide oversight and a structured framework for the selection and execution of multiple residents' yearlong projects across all residency programs within our organization. Key roles of the RPAB include developing expectations, coordinating residency project ideas, and providing oversight and feedback. The development and implementation of the RPAB resulted in a significant overhaul of our entire yearlong resident project process. Trends toward success were realized after the first year of implementation, including consistent expectations, increased clarity and engagement in resident project ideas, and more projects meeting anticipated endpoints. The development and implementation of an RPAB have provided a framework to optimize the organization, progression, and outcomes of multiple pharmacy resident yearlong projects in all residency programs across our pharmacy enterprise. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Revisiting the Phylogeny of the Animal Formins: Two New Subtypes, Relationships with Multiple Wing Hairs Proteins, and a Lost Human Formin.

PubMed

Pruyne, David

2016-01-01

Formins are a widespread family of eukaryotic cytoskeleton-organizing proteins. Many species encode multiple formin isoforms, and for animals, much of this reflects the presence of multiple conserved subtypes. Earlier phylogenetic analyses identified seven major formin subtypes in animals (DAAM, DIAPH, FHOD, FMN, FMNL, INF, and GRID2IP/delphilin), but left a handful of formins, particularly from nematodes, unassigned. In this new analysis drawing from genomic data from a wider range of taxa, nine formin subtypes are identified that encompass all the animal formins analyzed here. Included in this analysis are Multiple Wing Hairs proteins (MWH), which bear homology to formin N-terminal domains. Originally identified in Drosophila melanogaster and other arthropods, MWH-related proteins are also identified here in some nematodes (including Caenorhabditis elegans), and are shown to be related to a novel MWH-related formin (MWHF) subtype. One surprising result of this work is the discovery that a family of pleckstrin homology domain-containing formins (PHCFs) is represented in many vertebrates, but is strikingly absent from placental mammals. Consistent with a relatively recent loss of this formin, the human genome retains fragments of a defunct homologous formin gene.

[Therapy of multiple myeloma. What is confirmed?].

PubMed

Peest, D; Ganser, A; Einsele, H

2013-12-01

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant plasma cell disorder with clonal development. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) are precursor stages of MM and both have to be differentiated from MM which is characterized by organ complications. High-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous stem cell support is the therapy of choice for most patients in order to achieve long-lasting complete remission with few symptoms, prevention of new organ complications and survival prolongation. Patients who cannot be intensively treated due to advanced age and comorbidities should be treated with low-dose chemotherapy, normally alkylating agents, for improved quality of life and also survival prolongation. Including thalidomide, lenalidomide, pomalidomide, bortezomib or carfilzomib in both high-dose and low-dose chemotherapy concepts results in a significantly higher remission rate and longer survival. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is associated with a relatively high mortality during the first year after transplantation which will be refined with the aim of healing in various trials and is an alternative treatment approach for selected patients. A treatment concept for MM patients has to be individually complemented by local irradiation, administration of bisphosphonates and supportive infusions of immunoglobulins.

Organ regeneration based on developmental biology: past and future.

PubMed

Takeo, Makoto; Tsuji, Takashi

2018-06-05

In this decade, great progress has been made in the field of organ regeneration by incorporating emerging concepts from the fields of stem cell biology and developmental biology, and this progress has pioneered a new frontier in regenerative medicine. The generation of bioengineered organ germ-utilizing, fate-determined, organ-inductive epithelial and mesenchymal cells has provided evidence for the concept of functional organ regeneration in vivo. Organoid studies have verified that nearly all organs can be generated in the form of a mini-organ by recapitulating embryonic body patterning and establishing an organ-forming field among self-organizing pluripotent stem cells by utilizing cytokines that mimic the patterning and positional signals of organogenesis. More recently, the regeneration of an integumentary organ system composed of multiple organs, including hair follicles, has been achieved, demonstrating that regenerative medicine is forthcoming. In this review, we will introduce current research trends aimed at regenerating a functional three-dimensional (3D) organ, and we will discuss the potential use of these recent achievements and future directions needed to realize the next-generation of regenerative therapy for organ replacement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional grouping and cortical–subcortical interactions in emotion: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

PubMed Central

Kober, Hedy; Barrett, Lisa Feldman; Joseph, Josh; Bliss-Moreau, Eliza; Lindquist, Kristen; Wager, Tor D.

2009-01-01

We performed an updated quantitative meta-analysis of 162 neuroimaging studies of emotion using a novel multi-level kernel-based approach, focusing on locating brain regions consistently activated in emotional tasks and their functional organization into distributed functional groups, independent of semantically defined emotion category labels (e.g., “anger,” “fear”). Such brain-based analyses are critical if our ways of labeling emotions are to be evaluated and revised based on consistency with brain data. Consistent activations were limited to specific cortical sub-regions, including multiple functional areas within medial, orbital, and inferior lateral frontal cortices. Consistent with a wealth of animal literature, multiple subcortical activations were identified, including amygdala, ventral striatum, thalamus, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray. We used multivariate parcellation and clustering techniques to identify groups of co-activated brain regions across studies. These analyses identified six distributed functional groups, including medial and lateral frontal groups, two posterior cortical groups, and paralimbic and core limbic/brainstem groups. These functional groups provide information on potential organization of brain regions into large-scale networks. Specific follow-up analyses focused on amygdala, periaqueductal gray (PAG), and hypothalamic (Hy) activations, and identified frontal cortical areas co-activated with these core limbic structures. While multiple areas of frontal cortex co-activated with amygdala sub-regions, a specific region of dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC, Brodmann’s Area 9/32) was the only area co-activated with both PAG and Hy. Subsequent mediation analyses were consistent with a pathway from dmPFC through PAG to Hy. These results suggest that medial frontal areas are more closely associated with core limbic activation than their lateral counterparts, and that dmPFC may play a particularly important role in the cognitive generation of emotional states. PMID:18579414

Anaerobic biorefinery: Current status, challenges, and opportunities.

PubMed

Sawatdeenarunat, Chayanon; Nguyen, Duc; Surendra, K C; Shrestha, Shilva; Rajendran, Karthik; Oechsner, Hans; Xie, Li; Khanal, Samir Kumar

2016-09-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been in use for many decades. To date, it has been primarily aimed at treating organic wastes, mainly manures and wastewater sludge, and industrial wastewaters. However, with the current advancements, a more open mind is required to look beyond these somewhat restricted original applications of AD. Biorefineries are such concepts, where multiple products including chemicals, fuels, polymers etc. are produced from organic feedstocks. The anaerobic biorefinery concept is now gaining increased attention, utilizing AD as the final disposal step. This review aims at evaluating the potential significance of anaerobic biorefineries, including types of feedstocks, uses for the produced energy, as well as sustainable applications of the generated residual digestate. A comprehensive analysis of various types of anaerobic biorefineries has been developed, including both large-scale and household level applications. Finally, future directives are highlighted showing how anaerobic biorefinery concept could impact the bioeconomy in the near future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impulsivity and the Modular Organization of Resting-State Neural Networks

PubMed Central

Davis, F. Caroline; Knodt, Annchen R.; Sporns, Olaf; Lahey, Benjamin B.; Zald, David H.; Brigidi, Bart D.; Hariri, Ahmad R.

2013-01-01

Impulsivity is a complex trait associated with a range of maladaptive behaviors, including many forms of psychopathology. Previous research has implicated multiple neural circuits and neurotransmitter systems in impulsive behavior, but the relationship between impulsivity and organization of whole-brain networks has not yet been explored. Using graph theory analyses, we characterized the relationship between impulsivity and the functional segregation (“modularity”) of the whole-brain network architecture derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. These analyses revealed remarkable differences in network organization across the impulsivity spectrum. Specifically, in highly impulsive individuals, regulatory structures including medial and lateral regions of the prefrontal cortex were isolated from subcortical structures associated with appetitive drive, whereas these brain areas clustered together within the same module in less impulsive individuals. Further exploration of the modular organization of whole-brain networks revealed novel shifts in the functional connectivity between visual, sensorimotor, cortical, and subcortical structures across the impulsivity spectrum. The current findings highlight the utility of graph theory analyses of resting-state fMRI data in furthering our understanding of the neurobiological architecture of complex behaviors. PMID:22645253

Biomimetics and the case of the remarkable ragworms.

PubMed

Hesselberg, Thomas

2007-08-01

Biomimetics is a rapidly growing field both as an academic and as an applied discipline. This paper gives a short introduction to the current status of the discipline before it describes three approaches to biomimetics: the mechanism-driven, which is based on the study of a specific mechanism; the focused organism-driven, which is based on the study of one function in a model organism; and the integrative organism-driven approach, where multiple functions of a model organism provide inspiration. The first two are established approaches and include many modern studies and the famous biomimetic discoveries of Velcro and the Lotus-Effect, whereas the last approach is not yet well recognized. The advantages of the integrative organism-driven approach are discussed using the ragworms as a case study. A morphological and locomotory study of these marine polychaetes reveals their biomimetic potential, which includes using their ability to move in slippery substrates as inspiration for novel endoscopes, using their compound setae as models for passive friction structures and using their three gaits, slow crawling, fast crawling, and swimming as well as their rapid burrowing technique to provide inspiration for the design of displacement pumps and multifunctional robots.

Biomimetics and the case of the remarkable ragworms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesselberg, Thomas

2007-08-01

Biomimetics is a rapidly growing field both as an academic and as an applied discipline. This paper gives a short introduction to the current status of the discipline before it describes three approaches to biomimetics: the mechanism-driven, which is based on the study of a specific mechanism; the focused organism-driven, which is based on the study of one function in a model organism; and the integrative organism-driven approach, where multiple functions of a model organism provide inspiration. The first two are established approaches and include many modern studies and the famous biomimetic discoveries of Velcro and the Lotus-Effect, whereas the last approach is not yet well recognized. The advantages of the integrative organism-driven approach are discussed using the ragworms as a case study. A morphological and locomotory study of these marine polychaetes reveals their biomimetic potential, which includes using their ability to move in slippery substrates as inspiration for novel endoscopes, using their compound setae as models for passive friction structures and using their three gaits, slow crawling, fast crawling, and swimming as well as their rapid burrowing technique to provide inspiration for the design of displacement pumps and multifunctional robots.

Influence of Organic Matter - Mineral Interfacial Reactions on Metal(loid) Speciation and Bioaccessibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chorover, J.; Kong, S.; Root, R. A.; Thomas, A.

2015-12-01

Bioaccessibility of contaminant metals in geomedia is often measured on the basis of kinetic release to solution during in vitro reaction with biofluid simulants. We postulate that development of a predictive-mechanistic understanding of bioaccessibility requires knowledge of metal(loid) molecular speciation upon sample introduction, as well as its change over the course of the in vitro reaction. Our results - including data from batch, column, mesocosm and field studies pertaining to arsenic, lead, and zinc contaminated materials - indicate the strong influence of organic matter and associated biological activity on metal(loid) speciation in mine tailings and related model systems. Furthermore, presence/absence of organic matter during bioassays affects the kinetics of metal(loid) release into biofluid simulants through multiple mechanisms.

Nuclear receptors and metabolism: from feast to famine.

PubMed

Hong, Suk-Hyun; Ahmadian, Maryam; Yu, Ruth T; Atkins, Annette R; Downes, Michael; Evans, Ronald M

2014-05-01

The ability to adapt to cycles of feast and famine is critical for survival. Communication between multiple metabolic organs must be integrated to properly metabolise nutrients. By controlling networks of genes in major metabolic organs, nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) play central roles in regulating metabolism in a tissue-specific manner. NHRs also establish daily rhythmicity by controlling the expression of core clock genes both centrally and peripherally. Recent findings show that many of the metabolic effects of NHRs are mediated through certain members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. This review focuses on the roles of NHRs in critical metabolic organs, including adipose tissue, liver and muscle, during the fed and fasted states, as well as their roles in circadian metabolism and downstream regulation of FGFs.

Performance improvement of organic thin film transistors by using active layer with sandwich structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Yao; Zhou, Jianlin; Kuang, Peng; Lin, Hui; Gan, Ping; Hu, Shengdong; Lin, Zhi

2017-08-01

We report organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with pentacene/fluorinated copper phthalo-cyanine (F16CuPc)/pentacene (PFP) sandwich configuration as active layers. The sandwich devices not only show hole mobility enhancement but also present a well control about threshold voltage and off-state current. By investigating various characteristics, including current-voltage hysteresis, organic film morphology, capacitance-voltage curve and resistance variation of active layers carefully, it has been found the performance improvement is mainly attributed to the low carrier traps and the higher conductivity of the sandwich active layer due to the additional induced carriers in F16CuPc/pentacene. Therefore, using proper multiple active layer is an effective way to gain high performance OTFTs.

The Unity Council at 40: a pioneering community development and service organization (1967-2007).

PubMed

Orozco, Gabriel; Schwartz, Sara L; Austin, Michael J

2011-01-01

The Spanish Speaking Unity Council (Unity Council) is a community development nonprofit organization that was established in 1964, during the civil rights movement, by a group of community members who wanted to ensure the political representation of the Latino community. Over its 45-year history, the Unity Council has grown into a $12 million community development organization that delivers a range of programming, including social services and employment training as well as facilitating the development and support of local businesses, low-income housing, and neighborhood improvement activities. The history of the agency presents the multiple challenges and rewards associated with development in an underserved community and an example of the important role that leadership plays in the growth of a nonprofit.

Autoimmune diseases in a Nigerian woman--a case report.

PubMed

Talabi, O A; Owolabi, M O; Osotimehin, B O

2003-12-01

Autoimmune diseases (AD) are conditions in which there is the development of antibodies against self cells/ organs. AD could either be organ-specific or non-organ specific (systemic) in clinical presentation. Commonly reported ADs includes: Myasthenia gravis, Hashimoto thyroiditis, Guillian-Barre syndrome, vitiligo, type 1 diabetes mellitus, Graves diseases, Goodpastures syndrome, pemphigus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, Addisons disease, multiple sclerosis, pernicious anaemia, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, chronic active hepatitis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. There is paucity of locally documented information on the occurrence of AD in same patient in our environment. We therefore report the case of a 66 year old woman who presented at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, with a spectrum of the AD, Vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, impaired glucose tolerance.

Multi-scale theory-assisted nano-engineering of plasmonic-organic hybrid electro-optic device performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elder, Delwin L.; Johnson, Lewis E.; Tillack, Andreas F.; Robinson, Bruce H.; Haffner, Christian; Heni, Wolfgang; Hoessbacher, Claudia; Fedoryshyn, Yuriy; Salamin, Yannick; Baeuerle, Benedikt; Josten, Arne; Ayata, Masafumi; Koch, Ueli; Leuthold, Juerg; Dalton, Larry R.

2018-02-01

Multi-scale (correlated quantum and statistical mechanics) modeling methods have been advanced and employed to guide the improvement of organic electro-optic (OEO) materials, including by analyzing electric field poling induced electro-optic activity in nanoscopic plasmonic-organic hybrid (POH) waveguide devices. The analysis of in-device electro-optic activity emphasizes the importance of considering both the details of intermolecular interactions within organic electro-optic materials and interactions at interfaces between OEO materials and device architectures. Dramatic improvement in electro-optic device performance-including voltage-length performance, bandwidth, energy efficiency, and lower optical losses have been realized. These improvements are critical to applications in telecommunications, computing, sensor technology, and metrology. Multi-scale modeling methods illustrate the complexity of improving the electro-optic activity of organic materials, including the necessity of considering the trade-off between improving poling-induced acentric order through chromophore modification and the reduction of chromophore number density associated with such modification. Computational simulations also emphasize the importance of developing chromophore modifications that serve multiple purposes including matrix hardening for enhanced thermal and photochemical stability, control of matrix dimensionality, influence on material viscoelasticity, improvement of chromophore molecular hyperpolarizability, control of material dielectric permittivity and index of refraction properties, and control of material conductance. Consideration of new device architectures is critical to the implementation of chipscale integration of electronics and photonics and achieving the high bandwidths for applications such as next generation (e.g., 5G) telecommunications.

The role of clay minerals in the preservation of organic matter in sediments of Qinghai Lake, NW China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yu, Bingsong; Dong, Hailiang; Jiang, Hongchen; Lv, Guo; Eberl, Dennis D.; Li, Shanying; Kim, Jinwook

2009-01-01

The role of saline lake sediments in preserving organic matter has long been recognized. In order to further understand the preservation mechanisms, the role of clay minerals was studied. Three sediment cores, 25, 57, and 500 cm long, were collected from Qinghai Lake, NW China, and dissected into multiple subsamples. Multiple techniques were employed, including density fractionation, X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), total organic carbon (TOC) and carbon compound analyses, and surface area determination. The sediments were oxic near the water-sediment interface, but became anoxic at depth. The clay mineral content was as much as 36.8%, consisting mostly of illite, chlorite, and halloysite. The TEM observations revealed that organic matter occurred primarily as organic matter-clay mineral aggregates. The TOC and clay mineral abundances are greatest in the mid-density fraction, with a positive correlation between the TOC and mineral surface area. The TOC of the bulk sediments ranges from 1 to 3% with the non-hydrocarbon fraction being predominant, followed by bitumen, saturated hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbons, and chloroform-soluble bitumen. The bimodal distribution of carbon compounds of the saturated hydrocarbon fraction suggests that organic matter in the sediments was derived from two sources: terrestrial plants and microorganisms/algae. Depthrelated systematic changes in the distribution patterns of the carbon compounds suggest that the oxidizing conditions and microbial abundance near the water-sediment interface promote degradation of labile organic matter, probably in adsorbed form. The reducing conditions and small microbial biomass deeper in the sediments favor preservation of organic matter, because of the less labile nature of organic matter, probably occurring within clay mineral-organic matter aggregates that are inaccessible to microorganisms. These results have important implications for our understanding of mechanisms of organic matter preservation in saline lake sediments.

Automatic anatomy partitioning of the torso region on CT images by using multiple organ localizations with a group-wise calibration technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiangrong; Morita, Syoichi; Zhou, Xinxin; Chen, Huayue; Hara, Takeshi; Yokoyama, Ryujiro; Kanematsu, Masayuki; Hoshi, Hiroaki; Fujita, Hiroshi

2015-03-01

This paper describes an automatic approach for anatomy partitioning on three-dimensional (3D) computedtomography (CT) images that divide the human torso into several volume-of-interesting (VOI) images based on anatomical definition. The proposed approach combines several individual detections of organ-location with a groupwise organ-location calibration and correction to achieve an automatic and robust multiple-organ localization task. The essence of the proposed method is to jointly detect the 3D minimum bounding box for each type of organ shown on CT images based on intra-organ-image-textures and inter-organ-spatial-relationship in the anatomy. Machine-learning-based template matching and generalized Hough transform-based point-distribution estimation are used in the detection and calibration processes. We apply this approach to the automatic partitioning of a torso region on CT images, which are divided into 35 VOIs presenting major organ regions and tissues required by routine diagnosis in clinical medicine. A database containing 4,300 patient cases of high-resolution 3D torso CT images is used for training and performance evaluations. We confirmed that the proposed method was successful in target organ localization on more than 95% of CT cases. Only two organs (gallbladder and pancreas) showed a lower success rate: 71 and 78% respectively. In addition, we applied this approach to another database that included 287 patient cases of whole-body CT images scanned for positron emission tomography (PET) studies and used for additional performance evaluation. The experimental results showed that no significant difference between the anatomy partitioning results from those two databases except regarding the spleen. All experimental results showed that the proposed approach was efficient and useful in accomplishing localization tasks for major organs and tissues on CT images scanned using different protocols.

Prevention of triplets and higher order multiples: trends in reproductive medicine.

PubMed

Armour, Kim L; Callister, Lynn Clark

2005-01-01

In the United States and throughout the world, today's healthcare providers are challenged by the risks of multiple gestation pregnancy. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) often used to treat infertility raise ethical issues including informed consent, veracity, and nonmalificence. In the United States, there is the need to improve maternal and fetal/neonatal mortality and morbidity by proposing legislation regulating ART and supporting single embryo transfers with no more than 2 such transfers. Beginning with the diagnosis of infertility, providers have a responsibility to educate, inform, and treat infertile couples. From the moment pregnancy with multiples is confirmed, these families are faced with incredible stressors including decision making on multifetal or selective reduction. Full disclosure of risks involved throughout the course of care should be discussed and documented in the record and plan of care. Currently in the United States, legislation does not regulate ART, including ovulation induction/enhancement and in vitro fertilization. Although the United States does have self-regulation via limited reporting through their professional organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an unlimited number of embryos may be transferred. Unfortunately, many healthcare providers have not recognized the responsibility and burden placed on families and society as a whole. Lack of regulation means women may become pregnant with high order multiples, which raises serious moral and ethical issues.

GPI-anchored protein organization and dynamics at the cell surface

PubMed Central

Saha, Suvrajit; Anilkumar, Anupama Ambika; Mayor, Satyajit

2016-01-01

The surface of eukaryotic cells is a multi-component fluid bilayer in which glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins are an abundant constituent. In this review, we discuss the complex nature of the organization and dynamics of GPI-anchored proteins at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Different biophysical techniques have been utilized for understanding this organization, including fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, single particle tracking, and a number of super resolution methods. Major insights into the organization and dynamics have also come from exploring the short-range interactions of GPI-anchored proteins by fluorescence (or Förster) resonance energy transfer microscopy. Based on the nanometer to micron scale organization, at the microsecond to the second time scale dynamics, a picture of the membrane bilayer emerges where the lipid bilayer appears inextricably intertwined with the underlying dynamic cytoskeleton. These observations have prompted a revision of the current models of plasma membrane organization, and suggest an active actin-membrane composite. PMID:26394904

Cancer of the head and neck region in solid organ transplant recipients.

PubMed

Rabinovics, Naomi; Mizrachi, Aviram; Hadar, Tuvia; Ad-El, Dean; Feinmesser, Raphael; Guttman, Dan; Shpitzer, Thomas; Bachar, Gideon

2014-02-01

Solid organ recipients are at an increased risk of developing various malignancies. We investigated the incidence, clinical features, and outcome of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer after organ transplantation. A retrospective analysis was undertaken of patients who underwent solid organ transplantation (kidney, liver, lung, heart) treated at our institution from 1992 to 2010. Of 2817 organ recipients, 175 patients (6.1%) developed 391 head and neck malignancies. Cutaneous malignancies were the most common (93%): squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; 51%) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC; 42%). The average interval from transplantation to diagnosis of head and neck malignancy was 7.3 years, with liver recipients diagnosed earlier. Eighteen percent of patients presented with an aggressive pattern of head and neck cancer, including 24% of patients with cutaneous SCC. Organ transplantation recipients are at a higher risk to develop head and neck cancer with an aggressive behavior characterized by multiple recurrences and decreased survival. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

GPI-anchored protein organization and dynamics at the cell surface.

PubMed

Saha, Suvrajit; Anilkumar, Anupama Ambika; Mayor, Satyajit

2016-02-01

The surface of eukaryotic cells is a multi-component fluid bilayer in which glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins are an abundant constituent. In this review, we discuss the complex nature of the organization and dynamics of GPI-anchored proteins at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Different biophysical techniques have been utilized for understanding this organization, including fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, single particle tracking, and a number of super resolution methods. Major insights into the organization and dynamics have also come from exploring the short-range interactions of GPI-anchored proteins by fluorescence (or Förster) resonance energy transfer microscopy. Based on the nanometer to micron scale organization, at the microsecond to the second time scale dynamics, a picture of the membrane bilayer emerges where the lipid bilayer appears inextricably intertwined with the underlying dynamic cytoskeleton. These observations have prompted a revision of the current models of plasma membrane organization, and suggest an active actin-membrane composite. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Terrorism in South Korea.

PubMed

Wang, Soon Joo; Choi, Jin Tae; Arnold, Jeffrey

2003-01-01

South Korea has experienced > 30 suspected terrorism-related events since 1958, including attacks against South Korean citizens in foreign countries. The most common types of terrorism used have included bombings, shootings, hijackings, and kidnappings. Prior to 1990, North Korea was responsible for almost all terrorism-related events inside of South Korea, including multiple assassination attempts on its presidents, regular kidnappings of South Korean fisherman, and several high-profile bombings. Since 1990, most of the terrorist attacks against South Korean citizens have occurred abroad and have been related to the emerging worldwide pattern of terrorism by international terrorist organizations or deranged individuals. The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games provided a major stimulus for South Korea to develop a national emergency response system for terrorism-related events based on the participation of multiple ministries. The 11 September 2001 World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks and the 2001 United States of America (US) anthrax letter attacks prompted South Korea to organize a new national system of emergency response for terrorism-related events. The system is based on five divisions for the response to specific types of terrorist events, involving conventional terrorism, bioterrorism, chemical terrorism, radiological terrorism, and cyber-terrorism. No terrorism-related events occurred during the 2002 World Cup and Asian Games held in South Korea. The emergency management of terrorism-related events in South Korea is adapting to the changing risk of terrorism in the new century.

Micro-scale and meso-scale architectural cues cooperate and compete to direct aligned tissue formation

PubMed Central

Gilchrist, Christopher L.; Ruch, David S.; Little, Dianne; Guilak, Farshid

2014-01-01

Tissue and biomaterial microenvironments provide architectural cues that direct important cell behaviors including cell shape, alignment, migration, and resulting tissue formation. These architectural features may be presented to cells across multiple length scales, from nanometers to millimeters in size. In this study, we examined how architectural cues at two distinctly different length scales, “micro-scale” cues on the order of ~1–2 μm, and “meso-scale” cues several orders of magnitude larger (>100 μm), interact to direct aligned neo-tissue formation. Utilizing a micro-photopatterning (μPP) model system to precisely arrange cell-adhesive patterns, we examined the effects of substrate architecture at these length scales on human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) organization, gene expression, and fibrillar collagen deposition. Both micro- and meso-scale architectures directed cell alignment and resulting tissue organization, and when combined, meso cues could enhance or compete against micro-scale cues. As meso boundary aspect ratios were increased, meso-scale cues overrode micro-scale cues and controlled tissue alignment, with a characteristic critical width (~500 μm) similar to boundary dimensions that exist in vivo in highly aligned tissues. Meso-scale cues acted via both lateral confinement (in a cell-density-dependent manner) and by permitting end-to-end cell arrangements that yielded greater fibrillar collagen deposition. Despite large differences in fibrillar collagen content and organization between μPP architectural conditions, these changes did not correspond with changes in gene expression of key matrix or tendon-related genes. These findings highlight the complex interplay between geometric cues at multiple length scales and may have implications for tissue engineering strategies, where scaffold designs that incorporate cues at multiple length scales could improve neo-tissue organization and resulting functional outcomes. PMID:25263687

Flexible spatial perspective-taking: conversational partners weigh multiple cues in collaborative tasks.

PubMed

Galati, Alexia; Avraamides, Marios N

2013-01-01

Research on spatial perspective-taking often focuses on the cognitive processes of isolated individuals as they adopt or maintain imagined perspectives. Collaborative studies of spatial perspective-taking typically examine speakers' linguistic choices, while overlooking their underlying processes and representations. We review evidence from two collaborative experiments that examine the contribution of social and representational cues to spatial perspective choices in both language and the organization of spatial memory. Across experiments, speakers organized their memory representations according to the convergence of various cues. When layouts were randomly configured and did not afford intrinsic cues, speakers encoded their partner's viewpoint in memory, if available, but did not use it as an organizing direction. On the other hand, when the layout afforded an intrinsic structure, speakers organized their spatial memories according to the person-centered perspective reinforced by the layout's structure. Similarly, in descriptions, speakers considered multiple cues whether available a priori or at the interaction. They used partner-centered expressions more frequently (e.g., "to your right") when the partner's viewpoint was misaligned by a small offset or coincided with the layout's structure. Conversely, they used egocentric expressions more frequently when their own viewpoint coincided with the intrinsic structure or when the partner was misaligned by a computationally difficult, oblique offset. Based on these findings we advocate for a framework for flexible perspective-taking: people weigh multiple cues (including social ones) to make attributions about the relative difficulty of perspective-taking for each partner, and adapt behavior to minimize their collective effort. This framework is not specialized for spatial reasoning but instead emerges from the same principles and memory-depended processes that govern perspective-taking in non-spatial tasks.

Flexible spatial perspective-taking: conversational partners weigh multiple cues in collaborative tasks

PubMed Central

Galati, Alexia; Avraamides, Marios N.

2013-01-01

Research on spatial perspective-taking often focuses on the cognitive processes of isolated individuals as they adopt or maintain imagined perspectives. Collaborative studies of spatial perspective-taking typically examine speakers' linguistic choices, while overlooking their underlying processes and representations. We review evidence from two collaborative experiments that examine the contribution of social and representational cues to spatial perspective choices in both language and the organization of spatial memory. Across experiments, speakers organized their memory representations according to the convergence of various cues. When layouts were randomly configured and did not afford intrinsic cues, speakers encoded their partner's viewpoint in memory, if available, but did not use it as an organizing direction. On the other hand, when the layout afforded an intrinsic structure, speakers organized their spatial memories according to the person-centered perspective reinforced by the layout's structure. Similarly, in descriptions, speakers considered multiple cues whether available a priori or at the interaction. They used partner-centered expressions more frequently (e.g., “to your right”) when the partner's viewpoint was misaligned by a small offset or coincided with the layout's structure. Conversely, they used egocentric expressions more frequently when their own viewpoint coincided with the intrinsic structure or when the partner was misaligned by a computationally difficult, oblique offset. Based on these findings we advocate for a framework for flexible perspective-taking: people weigh multiple cues (including social ones) to make attributions about the relative difficulty of perspective-taking for each partner, and adapt behavior to minimize their collective effort. This framework is not specialized for spatial reasoning but instead emerges from the same principles and memory-depended processes that govern perspective-taking in non-spatial tasks. PMID:24133432

Estimates of segregation and overlap of functional connectivity networks in the human cerebral cortex.

PubMed

Yeo, B T Thomas; Krienen, Fenna M; Chee, Michael W L; Buckner, Randy L

2014-03-01

The organization of the human cerebral cortex has recently been explored using techniques for parcellating the cortex into distinct functionally coupled networks. The divergent and convergent nature of cortico-cortical anatomic connections suggests the need to consider the possibility of regions belonging to multiple networks and hierarchies among networks. Here we applied the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model and spatial independent component analysis (ICA) to solve for functionally coupled cerebral networks without assuming that cortical regions belong to a single network. Data analyzed included 1000 subjects from the Brain Genomics Superstruct Project (GSP) and 12 high quality individual subjects from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). The organization of the cerebral cortex was similar regardless of whether a winner-take-all approach or the more relaxed constraints of LDA (or ICA) were imposed. This suggests that large-scale networks may function as partially isolated modules. Several notable interactions among networks were uncovered by the LDA analysis. Many association regions belong to at least two networks, while somatomotor and early visual cortices are especially isolated. As examples of interaction, the precuneus, lateral temporal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex participate in multiple paralimbic networks that together comprise subsystems of the default network. In addition, regions at or near the frontal eye field and human lateral intraparietal area homologue participate in multiple hierarchically organized networks. These observations were replicated in both datasets and could be detected (and replicated) in individual subjects from the HCP. © 2013.

Estimates of Segregation and Overlap of Functional Connectivity Networks in the Human Cerebral Cortex

PubMed Central

Yeo, BT Thomas; Krienen, Fenna M; Chee, Michael WL; Buckner, Randy L

2014-01-01

The organization of the human cerebral cortex has recently been explored using techniques for parcellating the cortex into distinct functionally coupled networks. The divergent and convergent nature of cortico-cortical anatomic connections suggests the need to consider the possibility of regions belonging to multiple networks and hierarchies among networks. Here we applied the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model and spatial independent component analysis (ICA) to solve for functionally coupled cerebral networks without assuming that cortical regions belong to a single network. Data analyzed included 1,000 subjects from the Brain Genomics Superstruct Project (GSP) and 12 high quality individual subjects from the Human Connectome Project (HCP). The organization of the cerebral cortex was similar regardless of whether a winner-take-all approach or the more relaxed constraints of LDA (or ICA) were imposed. This suggests that large-scale networks may function as partially isolated modules. Several notable interactions among networks were uncovered by the LDA analysis. Many association regions belong to at least two networks, while somatomotor and early visual cortices are especially isolated. As examples of interaction, the precuneus, lateral temporal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex participate in multiple paralimbic networks that together comprise subsystems of the default network. In addition, regions at or near the frontal eye field and human lateral intraparietal area homologue participate in multiple hierarchically organized networks. These observations were replicated in both datasets and could be detected (and replicated) in individual subjects from the HCP. PMID:24185018

Central Projections of Antennal and Labial Palp Sensory Neurons in the Migratory Armyworm Mythimna separata

PubMed Central

Ma, Bai-Wei; Zhao, Xin-Cheng; Berg, Bente G.; Xie, Gui-Ying; Tang, Qing-Bo; Wang, Gui-Rong

2017-01-01

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), is a polyphagous, migratory pest relying on olfactory cues to find mates, locate nectar, and guide long-distance flight behavior. In the present study, a combination of neuroanatomical techniques were utilized on this species, including backfills, confocal microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstructions, to trace the central projections of sensory neurons from the antenna and the labial pit organ, respectively. As previously shown, the axons of the labial sensory neurons project via the ipsilateral labial nerve and terminate in three main areas of the central nervous system: (1) the labial-palp pit organ glomerulus of each antennal lobe, (2) the gnathal ganglion, and (3) the prothoracic ganglion of the ventral nerve cord. Similarly, the antennal sensory axons project to multiple areas of the central nervous system. The ipsilateral antennal nerve targets mainly the antennal lobe, the antennal mechanosensory and motor center, and the prothoracic and mesothoracic ganglia. Specific staining experiments including dye application to each of the three antennal segments indicate that the antennal lobe receives input from flagellar olfactory neurons exclusively, while the antennal mechanosensory and motor center is innervated by mechanosensory neurons from the whole antenna, comprising the flagellum, pedicle, and scape. The terminals in the mechanosensory and motor center are organized in segregated zones relating to the origin of neurons. The flagellar mechanosensory axons target anterior zones, while the pedicular and scapal axons terminate in posterior zones. In the ventral nerve cord, the processes from the antennal sensory neurons terminate in the motor area of the thoracic ganglia, suggesting a close connection with motor neurons. Taken together, the numerous neuropils innervated by axons both from the antenna and labial palp indicate the multiple roles these sensory organs serve in insect behavior. PMID:29209176

Making short-term climate forecasts useful: Linking science and action

PubMed Central

Buizer, James; Jacobs, Katharine; Cash, David

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the evolution of scientific and social understanding that has led to the development of knowledge systems supporting the application of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecasts, including the development of successful efforts to connect climate predictions with sectoral applications and actions “on the ground”. The evolution of “boundary-spanning” activities to connect science and decisionmaking is then discussed, setting the stage for a report of outcomes from an international workshop comprised of producers, translators, and users of climate predictions. The workshop, which focused on identifying critical boundary-spanning features of successful boundary organizations, included participants from Australia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands, the US Pacific Northwest, and the state of Ceará in northwestern Brazil. Workshop participants agreed that boundary organizations have multiple roles including those of information broker, convenor of forums for engagement, translator of scientific information, arbiter of access to knowledge, and exemplar of adaptive behavior. Through these roles, boundary organizations will ensure the stability of the knowledge system in a changing political, economic, and climatic context. The international examples reviewed in this workshop demonstrated an interesting case of convergent evolution, where organizations that were very different in origin evolved toward similar structures and individuals engaged in them had similar experiences to share. These examples provide evidence that boundary organizations and boundary-spanners fill some social/institutional roles that are independent of culture. PMID:20133668

Self-Sealing Wet Chemistry Cell for Field Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beegle, Luther W.; Soto, Juancarlos; Lasnik, James; Roark, Shane

2012-01-01

In most analytical investigations, there is a need to process complex field samples for the unique detection of analytes, especially when detecting low concentration organic molecules that may identify extraterrestrial life. Wet chemistry based instruments are the techniques of choice for most laboratory- based analysis of organic molecules due to several factors including less fragmentation of fragile biomarkers, and ability to concentrate target species resulting in much lower limits of detection. Development of an automated wet chemistry preparation system that can operate autonomously on Earth and is also designed to operate under Martian ambient conditions will demonstrate the technical feasibility of including wet chemistry on future missions. An Automated Sample Processing System (ASPS) has recently been developed that receives fines, extracts organics through solvent extraction, processes the extract by removing non-organic soluble species, and delivers sample to multiple instruments for analysis (including for non-organic soluble species). The key to this system is a sample cell that can autonomously function under field conditions. As a result, a self-sealing sample cell was developed that can autonomously hermetically seal fines and powder into a container, regardless of orientation of the apparatus. The cap is designed with a beveled edge, which allows the cap to be self-righted as the capping motor engages. Each cap consists of a C-clip lock ring below a crucible O-ring that is placed into a groove cut into the sample cap.

Making short-term climate forecasts useful: Linking science and action.

PubMed

Buizer, James; Jacobs, Katharine; Cash, David

2016-04-26

This paper discusses the evolution of scientific and social understanding that has led to the development of knowledge systems supporting the application of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecasts, including the development of successful efforts to connect climate predictions with sectoral applications and actions "on the ground". The evolution of "boundary-spanning" activities to connect science and decisionmaking is then discussed, setting the stage for a report of outcomes from an international workshop comprised of producers, translators, and users of climate predictions. The workshop, which focused on identifying critical boundary-spanning features of successful boundary organizations, included participants from Australia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands, the US Pacific Northwest, and the state of Ceará in northwestern Brazil. Workshop participants agreed that boundary organizations have multiple roles including those of information broker, convenor of forums for engagement, translator of scientific information, arbiter of access to knowledge, and exemplar of adaptive behavior. Through these roles, boundary organizations will ensure the stability of the knowledge system in a changing political, economic, and climatic context. The international examples reviewed in this workshop demonstrated an interesting case of convergent evolution, where organizations that were very different in origin evolved toward similar structures and individuals engaged in them had similar experiences to share. These examples provide evidence that boundary organizations and boundary-spanners fill some social/institutional roles that are independent of culture.

LEOPARD syndrome

MedlinePlus

Multiple lentigines syndrome; Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines ... Genetics Home Reference -- ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/noonan-syndrome-with-multiple-lentigines National Organization for Rare Disorders -- ...

The InSight Team at Lockheed Martin

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-25

The InSight Team at Lockheed Martin Space in May 2017 The InSight team is comprised of scientists and engineers from multiple disciplines and is a unique collaboration between countries and organizations around the world. The science team includes co-investigators from the U.S., France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22235

The InSight Team at JPL

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-25

The InSight Team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, in June 2015. The InSight team is comprised of scientists and engineers from multiple disciplines and is a unique collaboration between countries and organizations around the world. The science team includes co-investigators from the U.S., France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22234

Moving Beyond Too Little, Too Late: Managing Emerging Infectious Diseases in Wild Populations Requires International Policy and Partnerships

Treesearch

Jamie Voyles; A. Marm Kilpatrick; James P. Collins; Matthew C. Fisher; Winifred F. Frick; Hamish McCallum; Craig K. R. Willis; David S. Blehert; Kris A. Murray; Robert Puschendorf; Erica Bree Rosenblum; Benjamin M. Bolker; Tina L. Cheng; Kate E. Langwig; Daniel L. Lindner; Mary Toothman; Mark Q. Wilber; Cheryl J. Briggs

2015-01-01

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are on the rise due to multiple factors, including human facilitated movement of pathogens, broad-scale landscape changes, and perturbations to ecological systems (Jones et al. 2008; Fisher et al. 2012). Epidemics in wildlife are problematic because they can lead to pathogen spillover to new host organisms, erode biodiversity and...

Pesticide interactions with soils affected by olive oil mill wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keren, Yonatan; Bukhanovsky, Nadezhda; Borisover, Mikhail

2013-04-01

Soil pesticide sorption is well known to affect the fate of pesticides, their bioavailability and the potential to contaminate air and water. Soil - pesticide interactions may be strongly influenced by soil organic matter (SOM) and organic matter (OM)-rich soil amendments. One special OM source in soils is related to olive oil production residues that may include both solid and liquid wastes. In the Mediterranean area, the olive oil production is considered as an important field in the agricultural sector. Due to the significant rise in olive oil production, the amount of wastes is growing respectively. Olive oil mill waste water (OMWW) is the liquid byproduct in the so-called "three phase" technological process. Features of OMWW include the high content of fatty aliphatic components and polyphenols and their often-considered toxicity. One way of OMWW disposal is the land spreading, e.g., in olive orchards. The land application of OMWW (either controlled or not) is supposed to affect the multiple soil properties, including hydrophobicity and the potential of soils to interact with pesticides. Therefore, there is both basic and applied interest in elucidating the interactions between organic compounds and soils affected by OMWW. However, little is known about the impact of OMWW - soil interactions on sorption of organic compounds, and specifically, on sorption of agrochemicals. This paper reports an experimental study of sorption interactions of a series of organic compounds including widely used herbicides such as diuron and simazine, in a range of soils that were affected by OMWW (i) historically or (ii) in the controlled land disposal experiments. It is demonstrated that there is a distinct increase in apparent sorption of organic chemicals in soils affected by OMWW. In selected systems, this increase may be explained by increase in SOM content. However, the SOM quality places a role: the rise in organic compound - soil interactions may both exceed the SOM content increase and be less than that. Sorption interactions of herbicides with soils demonstrate a strong hysteresis (which is not expected to be related to a biodegradation). The data suggests that the OMWW - soil interaction seems to change the shape of the apparent sorption isotherms of organic sorbates, and, possibly, their sorption mechanisms: from a Langmuir-like sorption isotherm (describing the adsorptive interactions with a saturation of sorption sites) in the native soils to the sigmoidal or linear isotherms (expected for a partitioning into the bulk OM phases and their swelling) in the OMWW-amended soils. These results may have a significant impact on multiple agricultural and hydrological aspects, e.g., such as the application rate of herbicides in the field, and their possible release and the long term effect on groundwater. The authors acknowledge the support from the OLIVEOIL project (SCHA849/13) funded by DFG.

Coupled Land Surface-Subsurface Hydrogeophysical Inverse Modeling to Estimate Soil Organic Carbon Content in an Arctic Tundra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, A. P.; Dafflon, B.; Hubbard, S.

2017-12-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is crucial for predicting carbon climate feedbacks in the vulnerable organic-rich Arctic region. However, it is challenging to achieve this property due to the general limitations of conventional core sampling and analysis methods. In this study, we develop an inversion scheme that uses single or multiple datasets, including soil liquid water content, temperature and ERT data, to estimate the vertical profile of SOC content. Our approach relies on the fact that SOC content strongly influences soil hydrological-thermal parameters, and therefore, indirectly controls the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil liquid water content, temperature and their correlated electrical resistivity. The scheme includes several advantages. First, this is the first time SOC content is estimated by using a coupled hydrogeophysical inversion. Second, by using the Community Land Model, we can account for the land surface dynamics (evapotranspiration, snow accumulation and melting) and ice/liquid phase transition. Third, we combine a deterministic and an adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo optimization algorithm to better estimate the posterior distributions of desired model parameters. Finally, the simulated subsurface variables are explicitly linked to soil electrical resistivity via petrophysical and geophysical models. We validate the developed scheme using synthetic experiments. The results show that compared to inversion of single dataset, joint inversion of these datasets significantly reduces parameter uncertainty. The joint inversion approach is able to estimate SOC content within the shallow active layer with high reliability. Next, we apply the scheme to estimate OC content along an intensive ERT transect in Barrow, Alaska using multiple datasets acquired in the 2013-2015 period. The preliminary results show a good agreement between modeled and measured soil temperature, thaw layer thickness and electrical resistivity. The accuracy of estimated SOC content will be evaluated by comparison with measurements from soil samples along the transect. Our study presents a new surface-subsurface, deterministic-stochastic hydrogeophysical inversion approach, as well as the benefit of including multiple types of data to estimate SOC and associated hydrological-thermal dynamics.

Inflammatory response and extracorporeal circulation.

PubMed

Kraft, Florian; Schmidt, Christoph; Van Aken, Hugo; Zarbock, Alexander

2015-06-01

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation (EC) frequently develop a systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Surgical trauma, ischaemia-reperfusion injury, endotoxaemia and blood contact to nonendothelial circuit compounds promote the activation of coagulation pathways, complement factors and a cellular immune response. This review discusses the multiple pathways leading to endothelial cell activation, neutrophil recruitment and production of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. All these factors may induce cellular damage and subsequent organ injury. Multiple organ dysfunction after cardiac surgery with EC is associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. In addition to the pathogenesis of organ dysfunction after EC, this review deals with different therapeutic interventions aiming to alleviate the inflammatory response and consequently multiple organ dysfunction after cardiac surgery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Architecture of human translation initiation factor 3

PubMed Central

Querol-Audi, Jordi; Sun, Chaomin; Vogan, Jacob M.; Smith, Duane; Gu, Yu; Cate, Jamie; Nogales, Eva

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (eIF3) plays a central role in protein synthesis by organizing the formation of the 43S preinitiation complex. Using genetic tag visualization by electron microscopy, we reveal the molecular organization of ten human eIF3 subunits, including an octameric core. The structure of eIF3 bears a close resemblance to that of the proteasome lid, with a conserved spatial organization of eight core subunits containing PCI and MPN domains that coordinate functional interactions in both complexes. We further show that eIF3 subunits a and c interact with initiation factors eIF1 and eIF1A, which control the stringency of start codon selection. Finally, we find that subunit j, which modulates messenger RNA interactions with the small ribosomal subunit, makes multiple independent interactions with the eIF3 octameric core. These results highlight the conserved architecture of eIF3 and how it scaffolds key factors that control translation initiation in higher eukaryotes, including humans. PMID:23623729

Organic palladium and palladium-magnesium chemical modifiers in direct determination of lead in fractions from distillation of crude oil by electrothermal atomic absorption analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalewska, Zofia; Bulska, Ewa; Hulanicki, Adam

1999-05-01

Platinum reforming catalysts are easily poisoned by increased levels of lead, therefore a sensitive atomic absorption spectrometric procedure for lead determination in fractions from crude oil distillation was developed. Lead was present in organic form in the samples analysed therefore the behaviour of various lead compounds (Pb-alkylarylsulphonate, Pb-4-cyclohexanobutyrate, tetraethyllead, Pb in fuel oil) was studied. The best procedure for the determination of lead in different petroleum products, including those containing asphaltenes includes a pretreatment with iodine and methyltrioctylammonium chloride, followed by the use of an organic Pd-Mg modifier. Under these conditions an effective matrix removal is possible at a pyrolysis temperature up to approximately 1100°C and the behaviour of lead present in different forms is unified. The characteristic mass is 11-12 pg Pb, corresponding to a detection limit of 0.25 ng g -1 for 20 μl sample solution. This can be lowered by multiple injection.

Post-transplantation Development of Food Allergies.

PubMed

Newman, Erik N; Firszt, Rafael

2018-01-29

The development of food allergies is increasingly being recognized as a post-solid organ transplant complication. In this article, we review the spectrum of post-transplant food allergy development and the proposed mechanisms for de novo food allergies and the clinical significance they pose. The development of new food allergies is disproportionately associated with pediatric liver transplants, where it occurs in up to 38% of select populations. The mechanism of food allergy development is not completely understood; however, it is likely promoted by unbalanced immune suppression. De novo food allergy development is a common complication of solid organ transplants with the highest risk occurring in pediatric liver transplant recipients. There are likely multiple mechanisms for food allergy development including passive transfer of membrane-bound IgE and lymphocytes from donor to recipient, as well as loss of food tolerance and active development of new food allergies. The optimal management of food allergies following organ transplants has not been well researched but may include changing the immune suppression regimen if the food allergy does not resolve without intervention.

Detection of Organic Constituents Including Chloromethylpropene in the Analyses of the ROCKNEST Drift by Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eigenbrode, J. L.; Glavin, D.; Coll, P.; Summons, R. E.; Mahaffy, P.; Archer, D.; Brunner, A.; Conrad, P.; Freissinet, C.; Martin, M.;

Differential impacts of participation in organized activities and maltreatment types on adolescent academic and socioemotional development.

PubMed

Kwak, Yoonyoung; Mihalec-Adkins, Brittany; Mishra, Aura A; Christ, Sharon L

2018-04-01

Participation in organized activities has been largely regarded as beneficial for academic and socioemotional development for adolescents, but the impacts of various types of organized activities for adolescents at risk for maltreatment have been rarely tested. In this study, we investigated the differential impacts of five types of maltreatment exposure (physical maltreatment, sexual maltreatment, neglect, other type, and multiple types) on the associations between four types of organized activities (mentored groups, art and music clubs, sport clubs, and academic clubs) and academic and socioemotional development (school engagement, delinquency, depressive symptoms, and trauma symptoms) of adolescents who were investigated by Child Protective Services (CPS) for maltreatment exposure. Data came from a national, longitudinal sample of 790 adolescents in contact with CPS in the U.S. After controlling for demographic characteristics of participants and prior levels of each outcome, multiple linear regression models were fitted to the data with interactions between the organized activities and the maltreatment types. The main findings of this study included: 1) adolescents who participated in mentored groups, sport clubs, and academic clubs reported higher levels of school engagement; 2) adolescents who participated in academic clubs reported fewer depressive symptoms; 3) adolescents who participated in art and music clubs reported more trauma symptoms compared to non-participants; and 4) the effects of participation in mentored groups on delinquency and trauma symptoms differed by maltreatment type. These results indicate both possible benefits and risks of organized activity participation for adolescents with certain maltreatment exposures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel clinical uses for cord blood derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

PubMed

Olson, Amanda L; McNiece, Ian K

2015-06-01

Regenerative medicine offers new hope for many debilitating diseases that result in damage to tissues and organs. The concept is straightforward with replacement of damaged cells with new functional cells. However, most tissues and organs are complex structures involving multiple cell types, supportive structures, a microenvironment producing cytokines and growth factors and a vascular system to supply oxygen and other nutrients. Therefore repair, particularly in the setting of ischemic damage, may require delivery of multiple cell types providing new vessel formation, a new microenvironment and functional cells. The field of stem cell biology has identified a number of stem cell sources including embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells that offer the potential to replace virtually all functional cells of the body. The focus of this article is a discussion of the potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from cord blood (CB) for regenerative medicine approaches. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a 48-target analytical method for high-throughput monitoring of genetically modified organisms.

PubMed

Li, Xiaofei; Wu, Yuhua; Li, Jun; Li, Yunjing; Long, Likun; Li, Feiwu; Wu, Gang

2015-01-05

The rapid increase in the number of genetically modified (GM) varieties has led to a demand for high-throughput methods to detect genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We describe a new dynamic array-based high throughput method to simultaneously detect 48 targets in 48 samples on a Fludigm system. The test targets included species-specific genes, common screening elements, most of the Chinese-approved GM events, and several unapproved events. The 48 TaqMan assays successfully amplified products from both single-event samples and complex samples with a GMO DNA amount of 0.05 ng, and displayed high specificity. To improve the sensitivity of detection, a preamplification step for 48 pooled targets was added to enrich the amount of template before performing dynamic chip assays. This dynamic chip-based method allowed the synchronous high-throughput detection of multiple targets in multiple samples. Thus, it represents an efficient, qualitative method for GMO multi-detection.

Development and Validation of A 48-Target Analytical Method for High-throughput Monitoring of Genetically Modified Organisms

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaofei; Wu, Yuhua; Li, Jun; Li, Yunjing; Long, Likun; Li, Feiwu; Wu, Gang

2015-01-01

The rapid increase in the number of genetically modified (GM) varieties has led to a demand for high-throughput methods to detect genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We describe a new dynamic array-based high throughput method to simultaneously detect 48 targets in 48 samples on a Fludigm system. The test targets included species-specific genes, common screening elements, most of the Chinese-approved GM events, and several unapproved events. The 48 TaqMan assays successfully amplified products from both single-event samples and complex samples with a GMO DNA amount of 0.05 ng, and displayed high specificity. To improve the sensitivity of detection, a preamplification step for 48 pooled targets was added to enrich the amount of template before performing dynamic chip assays. This dynamic chip-based method allowed the synchronous high-throughput detection of multiple targets in multiple samples. Thus, it represents an efficient, qualitative method for GMO multi-detection. PMID:25556930

Thermophysical and Electronic Properties Information Analysis Center (TEPIAC): A Continuing Systematic Program on Data Tables of Thermophysical and Electronic Properties of Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

laboratories and agencies, defense contractors and other industrial organizations, and academic institutions. Furthermore, under multiple sponsorship...agencies, defense contractors and other industrial organizations, and academic institutions. Furthermore, under multiple sponsorship four volumes of...1,091 Inquiries from defense contractors and other industrial organizations ... ........... 357 4,007 Inquiries from academic institutions

The use of multiple “Omic” platforms to evaluate the effects of endocrine disrupting compounds in small fish species

EPA Science Inventory

Linking molecular changes at multiple levels of biological organization using “omic” methods provides highly complimentary, “data-dense” information for predicting outcomes for organisms exposed to environmental contaminants. However, performing separate ...

Characterizing biobank organizations in the U.S.: results from a national survey.

PubMed

Henderson, Gail E; Cadigan, R Jean; Edwards, Teresa P; Conlon, Ian; Nelson, Anders G; Evans, James P; Davis, Arlene M; Zimmer, Catherine; Weiner, Bryan J

2013-01-01

Effective translational biomedical research hinges on the operation of 'biobanks,' repositories that assemble, store, and manage collections of human specimens and related data. Some are established intentionally to address particular research needs; many, however, have arisen opportunistically, in a variety of settings and with a variety of expectations regarding their functions and longevity. Despite their rising prominence, little is known about how biobanks are organized and function beyond simple classification systems (government, academia, industry). In 2012, we conducted the first national survey of biobanks in the U.S., collecting information on their origins, specimen collections, organizational structures, and market contexts and sustainability. From a list of 636 biobanks assembled through a multi-faceted search strategy, representatives from 456 U.S. biobanks were successfully recruited for a 30-minute online survey (72% response rate). Both closed and open-ended responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. While nearly two-thirds of biobanks were established within the last decade, 17% have been in existence for over 20 years. Fifty-three percent listed research on a particular disease as the most important reason for establishment; 29% listed research generally. Other reasons included response to a grant or gift, and intent to centralize, integrate, or harmonize existing research structures. Biobank collections are extraordinarily diverse in number and types of specimens and in sources (often multiple) from which they are obtained, including from individuals, clinics or hospitals, public health programs, and research studies. Forty-four percent of biobanks store pediatric specimens, and 36% include postmortem specimens. Most biobanks are affiliated in one or multiple ways with other entities: 88% are part of at least one or more larger organizations (67% of these are academic, 23% hospitals, 13% research institutes). The majority of biobanks seem to fill a particular 'niche' within a larger organization or research area; a minority are concerned about competition for services, although many are worried about underutilization of specimens and long-term funding. Effective utilization of biobank collections and effective policies to govern their use will require understanding of the immense diversity found in organizational features, including the very different history and primary goals that many biobanks have.

An agriculture and health inter-sectorial research process to reduce hazardous pesticide health impacts among smallholder farmers in the Andes.

PubMed

Cole, Donald C; Orozco T, Fadya; Pradel, Willy; Suquillo, Jovanny; Mera, Xavier; Chacon, Aura; Prain, Gordon; Wanigaratne, Susitha; Leah, Jessica

2011-11-08

The use of highly hazardous pesticides by smallholder farmers constitutes a classic trans-sectoral 'wicked problem'. We share our program of research in potato and vegetable farming communities in the Andean highlands, working with partners from multiple sectors to confront this problem over several projects. We engaged in iterative cycles of mixed methods research around particular questions, actions relevant to stakeholders, new proposal formulation and implementation followed by evaluation of impacts. Capacity building occurred among farmers, technical personnel, and students from multiple disciplines. Involvement of research users occurred throughout: women and men farmers, non-governmental development organizations, Ministries of Health and Agriculture, and, in Ecuador, the National Council on Social Participation. Pesticide poisonings were more widespread than existing passive surveillance systems would suggest. More diversified, moderately developed agricultural systems had lower pesticide use and better child nutrition. Greater understanding among women of crop management options and more equal household gender relations were associated with reduced farm pesticide use and household pesticide exposure. Involvement in more organic agriculture was associated with greater household food security and food sovereignty. Markets for safer produce supported efforts by smallholder farmers to reduce hazardous pesticide use.Participatory interventions included: promoting greater access to alternative methods and inputs in a store co-sponsored by the municipality; producing less harmful inputs such as compost by women farmers; strengthening farmer organizations around healthier and more sustainable agriculture; marketing safer produce among social sectors; empowering farmers to act as social monitors; and using social monitoring results to inform decision makers. Uptake by policy makers has included: the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health rolling out pesticide poisoning surveillance modeled on our system; the Ecuadorian Association of Municipalities holding a national virtual forum on healthier agriculture; and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture promulgating restrictions on highly hazardous pesticides in June 2010. Work with multiple actors is needed to shift agriculture towards greater sustainability and human health, particularly for vulnerable smallholders.

Factors related to achievement in sophomore organic chemistry at the University of Arkansas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, Harriet Arlene

The purpose of this study was to identify the significant cognitive and non-cognitive variables that related to achievement in the first semester of organic chemistry at the University of Arkansas. Cognitive variables included second semester general chemistry grade, ACT composite score, ACT English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning subscores, and spatial ability. Non-cognitive variables included anxiety, confidence, effectance motivation, and usefulness. Using a correlation research design, the individual relationships between organic chemistry achievement and each of the cognitive variables and non-cognitive variables were assessed. In addition, the relationships between organic chemistry achievement and combinations of these independent variables were explored. Finally, gender- and instructor-related differences in the relationships between organic chemistry achievement and the independent variables were investigated. The samples consisted of volunteers from the Fall 1999 and Fall 2000 sections of Organic Chemistry I at the University of Arkansas. All students in each section were asked to participate. Data for spatial ability and non-cognitive independent variables were collected using the Purdue Visualization of Rotations test and the modified Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scales. Data for other independent variables, including ACT scores and second semester general chemistry grades, were obtained from the Office of Institutional Research. The dependent variable, organic chemistry achievement, was measured by each student's accumulated points in the course and consisted of scores on quizzes and exams in the lecture section only. These totals were obtained from the lecture instructor at the end of each semester. Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to measure the relationships between organic chemistry achievement and the independent variables. Prior performance in chemistry as measured by second semester general chemistry grade was the best indicator of performance in organic chemistry. The importance of other independent variables in explaining organic chemistry achievement varied between instructors. In addition, gender differences were found in the explanations of organic chemistry achievement variance provided by this study. In general, males exhibited stronger correlations between independent variables and organic chemistry achievement than females. The report contains 19 tables detailing the statistical analyses. Suggestions for improved practice and further research are also included

Multiple stressor effects in relation to declining amphibian populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Linder, Greg L.; Krest, Sherry K.; Sparling, Donald; Little, E.

2003-01-01

Original research discusses the protocols and approaches to studying the effects of multiple environmental stressors on amphibian populations and gives new perspectives on this complicated subject. This new publication integrates a variety of stressors that can act in concert and may ultimately cause a decline in amphibian populations.Sixteen peer-reviewed papers cover:Toxicity Assessment examines methods, which range from long-established laboratory approaches for evaluating adverse chemical effects to amphibians, to methods that link chemicals in surface waters, sediments, and soils with adverse effects observed among amphibians in the field.Field and Laboratory Studies illustrates studies in the evaluation of multiple stressor effects that may lead to declining amphibian populations. A range of laboratory and field studies of chemicals, such as herbicides, insecticides, chlorinated organic compounds, metals, and complex mixtures are also included.Causal Analysis demonstrates the range of tools currently available for evaluating "cause-effect" relationships between environmental stressors and declining amphibian populations.Audience: This new publication is a must-have for scientists and resource management professionals from diverse fields, including ecotoxicology, chemistry, ecology, field biology, conservation biology, and natural resource management.

Diagnostic Features of Common Oral Ulcerative Lesions: An Updated Decision Tree

PubMed Central

Safi, Yaser

2016-01-01

Diagnosis of oral ulcerative lesions might be quite challenging. This narrative review article aims to introduce an updated decision tree for diagnosing oral ulcerative lesions on the basis of their diagnostic features. Various general search engines and specialized databases including PubMed, PubMed Central, Medline Plus, EBSCO, Science Direct, Scopus, Embase, and authenticated textbooks were used to find relevant topics by means of MeSH keywords such as “oral ulcer,” “stomatitis,” and “mouth diseases.” Thereafter, English-language articles published since 1983 to 2015 in both medical and dental journals including reviews, meta-analyses, original papers, and case reports were appraised. Upon compilation of the relevant data, oral ulcerative lesions were categorized into three major groups: acute, chronic, and recurrent ulcers and into five subgroups: solitary acute, multiple acute, solitary chronic, multiple chronic, and solitary/multiple recurrent, based on the number and duration of lesions. In total, 29 entities were organized in the form of a decision tree in order to help clinicians establish a logical diagnosis by stepwise progression. PMID:27781066

Immunonutrition - fact or fad.

PubMed

Schneider, H; Atkinson, S W

2000-01-01

Suggestions that modifications to the diet may have a beneficial effect on health are not new. recent work demonstrates that nutritional supplements may effect immune function. This review examines the evidence for the effects of these supplements including arginine, glutamine, nucleotides and omega - 3 fatty acids. In particular, clinical trials with patients in multiple organ failure are discussed. The evidence published thus far suggests that immunonutrition, if absorbed in adequate amounts both pre- and post-operatively, reduces septic complications and improves surrogate measures of ourcome, including length of stay and requirements for mechanical ventilation.

Listening to food workers: Factors that impact proper health and hygiene practice in food service

PubMed Central

Clegg Smith, Katherine; Neff, Roni A.; Pollack, Keshia M.; Ensminger, Margaret

2015-01-01

Background Foodborne disease is a significant problem worldwide. Research exploring sources of outbreaks indicates a pronounced role for food workers' improper health and hygiene practice. Objective To investigate food workers' perceptions of factors that impact proper food safety practice. Method Interviews with food service workers in Baltimore, MD, USA discussing food safety practices and factors that impact implementation in the workplace. A social ecological model organizes multiple levels of influence on health and hygiene behavior. Results Issues raised by interviewees include factors across the five levels of the social ecological model, and confirm findings from previous work. Interviews also reveal many factors not highlighted in prior work, including issues with food service policies and procedures, working conditions (e.g., pay and benefits), community resources, and state and federal policies. Conclusion Food safety interventions should adopt an ecological orientation that accounts for factors at multiple levels, including workers' social and structural context, that impact food safety practice. PMID:26243248

"We're going through a lot of struggles that people don't even know about": the need to understand African American males' help-seeking for mental health on multiple levels.

PubMed

Lindsey, Michael A; Marcell, Arik V

2012-09-01

Young adult Black males face challenges related to addressing their mental health needs, yet there is much more to know about their help-seeking experiences. Twenty-seven Black males, recruited from four community-based organizations, participated in four focus groups to explore perceptions of help-seeking for mental health. Identified themes, which function at individual, social network, community, and health care system levels, may facilitate or hinder Black males' mental health help-seeking. Themes included (a) "taking care of it oneself" as opposed to seeking help from someone; (b) issues engaging sources of help, including the ability to trust providers or the relationship closeness with social network members; and (c) "tipping points" that activate help-seeking to avert crises. Study findings provide initial evidence about the importance of addressing mental health interventions for Black males on multiple levels beyond the individual including engaging men's social supports, community, and the health care system.

Precise segmentation of multiple organs in CT volumes using learning-based approach and information theory.

PubMed

Lu, Chao; Zheng, Yefeng; Birkbeck, Neil; Zhang, Jingdan; Kohlberger, Timo; Tietjen, Christian; Boettger, Thomas; Duncan, James S; Zhou, S Kevin

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present a novel method by incorporating information theory into the learning-based approach for automatic and accurate pelvic organ segmentation (including the prostate, bladder and rectum). We target 3D CT volumes that are generated using different scanning protocols (e.g., contrast and non-contrast, with and without implant in the prostate, various resolution and position), and the volumes come from largely diverse sources (e.g., diseased in different organs). Three key ingredients are combined to solve this challenging segmentation problem. First, marginal space learning (MSL) is applied to efficiently and effectively localize the multiple organs in the largely diverse CT volumes. Second, learning techniques, steerable features, are applied for robust boundary detection. This enables handling of highly heterogeneous texture pattern. Third, a novel information theoretic scheme is incorporated into the boundary inference process. The incorporation of the Jensen-Shannon divergence further drives the mesh to the best fit of the image, thus improves the segmentation performance. The proposed approach is tested on a challenging dataset containing 188 volumes from diverse sources. Our approach not only produces excellent segmentation accuracy, but also runs about eighty times faster than previous state-of-the-art solutions. The proposed method can be applied to CT images to provide visual guidance to physicians during the computer-aided diagnosis, treatment planning and image-guided radiotherapy to treat cancers in pelvic region.

In vivo imaging of zebrafish digestive organ function using multiple quenched fluorescent reporters.

PubMed

Hama, Kotaro; Provost, Elayne; Baranowski, Timothy C; Rubinstein, Amy L; Anderson, Jennifer L; Leach, Steven D; Farber, Steven A

2009-02-01

Optical clarity of larvae makes the zebrafish ideal for real-time analyses of vertebrate organ function through the use of fluorescent reporters of enzymatic activities. A key function of digestive organs is to couple the generation of enzymes with mechanical processes that enable nutrient availability and absorption. However, it has been extremely difficult, and in many cases not possible, to directly observe digestive processes in a live vertebrate. Here we describe a new method to visualize intestinal protein and lipid processing simultaneously in live zebrafish larvae using a quenched fluorescent protein (EnzChek) and phospholipid (PED6). By employing these reagents, we found that wild-type larvae exhibit significant variation in intestinal phospholipase and protease activities within a group but display a strong correlation between the activities within individuals. Furthermore, we found that pancreas function is essential for larval digestive protease activity but not for larval intestinal phospholipase activity. Although fat-free (ffr) mutant larvae were previously described to exhibit impaired lipid processes, we found they also had significantly reduced protease activity. Finally, we selected and evaluated compounds that were previously suggested to have altered phospholipase activity and are known or suspected to have inflammatory effects in the intestinal tract including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and identified a compound that significantly increases intestinal phospholipid processing. Thus the multiple fluorescent reporter-based methodology facilitates the rapid analysis of digestive organ function in live zebrafish larvae.

Exploring the multiplicity of soil-human interactions: organic carbon content, agro-forest landscapes and the Italian local communities.

PubMed

Salvati, Luca; Barone, Pier Matteo; Ferrara, Carlotta

2015-05-01

Topsoil organic carbon (TOC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) are fundamental in the carbon cycle influencing soil functions and attributes. Many factors have effects on soil carbon content such as climate, parent material, land topography and the human action including agriculture, which sometimes caused a severe loss in soil carbon content. This has resulted in a significant differentiation in TOC or SOC at the continental scale due to the different territorial and socioeconomic conditions. The present study proposes an exploratory data analysis assessing the relationship between the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon and selected socioeconomic attributes at the local scale in Italy with the aim to provide differentiated responses for a more sustainable use of land. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis contributed to understand the effectiveness of local communities responses for an adequate comprehension of the role of soil as carbon sink.

SemanticOrganizer: A Customizable Semantic Repository for Distributed NASA Project Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.; Berrios, Daniel C.; Carvalho, Robert E.; Hall, David R.; Rich, Stephen J.; Sturken, Ian B.; Swanson, Keith J.; Wolfe, Shawn R.

2004-01-01

SemanticOrganizer is a collaborative knowledge management system designed to support distributed NASA projects, including diverse teams of scientists, engineers, and accident investigators. The system provides a customizable, semantically structured information repository that stores work products relevant to multiple projects of differing types. SemanticOrganizer is one of the earliest and largest semantic web applications deployed at NASA to date, and has been used in diverse contexts ranging from the investigation of Space Shuttle Columbia's accident to the search for life on other planets. Although the underlying repository employs a single unified ontology, access control and ontology customization mechanisms make the repository contents appear different for each project team. This paper describes SemanticOrganizer, its customization facilities, and a sampling of its applications. The paper also summarizes some key lessons learned from building and fielding a successful semantic web application across a wide-ranging set of domains with diverse users.

Competition for vitamin B1 (thiamin) structures numerous ecological interactions.

PubMed

Kraft, Clifford E; Angert, Esther R

2017-06-01

Thiamin (vitamin B1) is a cofactor required for essential biochemical reactions in all living organisms, yet free thiamin is scarce in the environment. The diversity of biochemical pathways involved in the acquisition, degradation, and synthesis of thiamin indicates that organisms have evolved numerous ecological strategies for meeting this nutritional requirement. In this review we synthesize information from multiple disciplines to show how the complex biochemistry of thiamin influences ecological outcomes of interactions between organisms in environments ranging from the open ocean and the Australian outback to the gastrointestinal tract of animals. We highlight population and ecosystem responses to the availability or absence of thiamin. These include widespread mortality of fishes, birds, and mammals, as well as the thiamin-dependent regulation of ocean productivity. Overall, we portray thiamin biochemistry as the foundation for molecularly mediated ecological interactions that influence survival and abundance of a vast array of organisms.

Olfactory function in painters exposed to organic solvents.

PubMed

Sandmark, B; Broms, I; Löfgren, L; Ohlson, C G

1989-02-01

The olfactory receptor cells are in direct contact with the exterior environment, and some chemical agents can impair olfactory function. The olfactory function of 54 painters exposed to organic solvents was compared with that of 42 unexposed referents. A new clinical test validated for the sense of smell was used, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. Age, smoking habits, exposure to organic solvents, and medical disorders of importance for the sense of smell were recorded. The painters had a somewhat lower test score than the referents. However, the influence of the exposure variable was not statistically significant in a multiple regression analysis including age and smoking habits. The exposure to organic solvents was low, and therefore an effect of high exposure on olfactory function cannot be ruled out. Since some of the painters had earlier been highly exposed, the effects of high exposure are likely to be reversible.

Influence of experimental rat model of multiple organ dysfunction on cefepime and amikacin pharmacokinetics.

PubMed Central

Mimoz, O; Jacolot, A; Padoin, C; Quillard, J; Tod, M; Louchahi, K; Samii, K; Petitjean, O

1996-01-01

We adapted an experimental model of multiple organ dysfunction to study the alterations it induces in the pharmacology of cefepime and amikacin. The half-lives of both antibiotics were significantly prolonged because of nonsignificant enhancement of the volume of distribution and reduced renal elimination. In the presence of multiple organ dysfunction, the concentration of each antibiotic in the lungs, compared with that in the lungs of healthy controls, was significantly decreased, despite similar concentrations in plasma, indicating that the application of a standard antibiotic concentration in plasma could lead to underdosage in tissues during the initial days of therapy. PMID:8851623

Air quality management in China: issues, challenges, and options.

PubMed

Wang, Shuxiao; Hao, Jiming

2012-01-01

This article analyzed the control progress and current status of air quality, identified the major air pollution issues and challenges in future, proposed the long-term air pollution control targets, and suggested the options for better air quality in China. With the continuing growth of economy in the next 10-15 years, China will face a more severe situation of energy consumption, electricity generation and vehicle population leading to increase in multiple pollutant emissions. Controlling regional air pollution especially fine particles and ozone, as well as lowering carbon emissions from fossil fuel consumption will be a big challenge for the country. To protect public health and the eco-system, the ambient air quality in all Chinese cities shall attain the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and ambient air quality guideline values set by the World Health Organization (WHO). To achieve the air quality targets, the emissions of SO2, NOx, PM10, and volatile organic compounds (VOC) should decrease by 60%, 40%, 50%, and 40%, respectively, on the basis of that in 2005. A comprehensive control policy focusing on multiple pollutants and emission sources at both the local and regional levels was proposed to mitigate the regional air pollution issue in China. The options include development of clean energy resources, promotion of clean and efficient coal use, enhancement of vehicle pollution control, implementation of synchronous control of multiple pollutants including SO2, NOx, VOC, and PM emissions, joint prevention and control of regional air pollution, and application of climate friendly air pollution control measures.

Student Partnerships to Build Organizational Capacity.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Carole; Hyden, Christel

2016-01-01

Public health organizations-whether community-based nonprofits, centers affiliated with a university, or some other entity-can benefit greatly from partnering with students to build capacity and grow in a variety of ways. However, there are many issues to consider before taking on students as interns or volunteers. These include realistic considerations of supervisory time and effort, determining if you can actually match student skills with organizational programming not to mention legal requirements based on federal and state laws. This article provides a detailed overview of steps that organizations interested in partnering with students should follow once determining that taking on a student or multiple students is viable. These include issues around time lines, scheduling, the student selection process, supervising, ongoing mentoring, as well as expectations after the practicum or volunteer experience has ended. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Structure and Management of European R&D Projects: A View from Industrial Liaison Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arranz, N.; de Arroyabe, J. C. Fdez.

2009-01-01

Collaboration between economic agents, especially in technological areas, is characterized by ambiguity in terminology, multiple analytical approaches, a diversity of objectives and multiple organizational forms, among which the network constitutes the most important example of "common organization" in international collaboration. This…

Anthropogenic inputs of dissolved organic matter in New York Harbor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, G. B.; Chen, R. F.; Olavasen, J.; Peri, F.

2016-02-01

The Hudson River flows into the Atlantic Ocean through a highly urbanized region which includes New York City to the east and Newark, New Jersey to the west. As a result, the export of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) from the Hudson to the Atlantic Ocean includes a significant anthropogenic component. A series of high resolution studies of the DOC dynamics of this system were conducted between 2003 and 2010. These included both the Hudson and adjacent large waterways (East River, Newark Bay, Kill Van Kull and Arthur Kill) using coastal research vessels and smaller tributaries (Hackensack, Pasaic and Raritan rivers) using a 25' boat. In both cases measurements were made using towed instrument packages which could be cycled from near surface to near bottom depths with horizontal resolution of approximately 20 to 200 meters depending on depth and deployment strategy. Sensors on the instrument packages included a CTD to provide depth and salinity information and a chromophoric dissolved organic matter(CDOM) fluorometer to measure the fluorescent fraction of the DOC. Discrete samples allowed calibration of the fluorometer and the CDOM data to be related to DOC. The combined data set from these cruises identified multiple scales of source and transport processes for DOC within the Hudson River/New York Harbor region. The Hudson carries a substantial amount of natural DOC from its 230 km inland stretch. Additional sources exist in fringing salt marshes adjacent to the Hackensack and Raritan rivers. However the lower Hudson/New Harbor region receives a large input of DOC from multiple publically owned treatment works (POTW) discharges. The high resolution surveys allowed us to elucidate the distribution of these sources and the manner in which they are rapidly mixed to create the total export. We estimate that anthropogenic sources account for up to 2.5 times the DOC flux contributed by natural processes.

Surgical Non-governmental Organizations: Global Surgery's Unknown Nonprofit Sector.

PubMed

Ng-Kamstra, Joshua S; Riesel, Johanna N; Arya, Sumedha; Weston, Brad; Kreutzer, Tino; Meara, John G; Shrime, Mark G

2016-08-01

Charitable organizations may play a significant role in the delivery of surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, in order to quantify their collective contribution, to account for the care they provide in national surgical plans, and to maximize coordination between organizations, a comprehensive database of these groups is required. We aimed to create such a database using web-available data. We searched for organizations that meet the United Nations Rule of Law definition of non-governmental organizations and provide surgery in LMICs. We termed these surgical non-governmental organizations (s-NGOs). We screened multiple sources including a listing of disaster relief organizations, medical volunteerism databases, charity commissions, and the results of a literature search. We performed a secondary review of each eligible organization's website to verify inclusion criteria and extracted data. We found 403 s-NGOs providing surgery in all 139 LMICs, with most (61 %) incorporating surgery into a broader spectrum of health services. Over 80 % of s-NGOs had an office in the USA, the UK, Canada, India, or Australia, and they most commonly provided surgery in India (87 s-NGOs), Haiti (71), Kenya (60), and Ethiopia (55). The most common specialties provided were general surgery (184), obstetrics and gynecology (140), and plastic surgery (116). This new catalog includes the largest number of s-NGOs to date, but this is likely to be incomplete. This list will be made publicly available to promote collaboration between s-NGOs, national health systems, and global health policymakers.

Neurocomputation by Reaction Diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ping

1995-08-01

This Letter demonstrates the possible role nonsynaptic diffusion neurotransmission may play in neurocomputation using an artificial neural network model. A reaction-diffusion neural network model with field-based information-processing mechanisms is proposed. The advantages of nonsynaptic field neurotransmission from a computational viewpoint demonstrated in this Letter include long-range inhibition using only local interaction, nonhardwired and changeable (target specific) long-range communication pathways, and multiple simultaneous spatiotemporal organization processes in the same medium.

Defense Acquisition Research Journal. Volume 21, Number 2, Issue 69

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

that quickly meets their needs, not a slow and lumbering bureau- cracy better suited to the last century. As important, our military men and women...resolution of urgent needs/ONS. Joint organizations and other military services, however, are not included in this table. As reflected in Table 2, multiple...urgent capability shortfall, the process endures. Materiel release is required for all nonexpendable materiel; high-density military expendables

PANTHER: a browsable database of gene products organized by biological function, using curated protein family and subfamily classification.

PubMed

Thomas, Paul D; Kejariwal, Anish; Campbell, Michael J; Mi, Huaiyu; Diemer, Karen; Guo, Nan; Ladunga, Istvan; Ulitsky-Lazareva, Betty; Muruganujan, Anushya; Rabkin, Steven; Vandergriff, Jody A; Doremieux, Olivier

2003-01-01

The PANTHER database was designed for high-throughput analysis of protein sequences. One of the key features is a simplified ontology of protein function, which allows browsing of the database by biological functions. Biologist curators have associated the ontology terms with groups of protein sequences rather than individual sequences. Statistical models (Hidden Markov Models, or HMMs) are built from each of these groups. The advantage of this approach is that new sequences can be automatically classified as they become available. To ensure accurate functional classification, HMMs are constructed not only for families, but also for functionally distinct subfamilies. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees, including curator-assigned information, are available for each family. The current version of the PANTHER database includes training sequences from all organisms in the GenBank non-redundant protein database, and the HMMs have been used to classify gene products across the entire genomes of human, and Drosophila melanogaster. The ontology terms and protein families and subfamilies, as well as Drosophila gene c;assifications, can be browsed and searched for free. Due to outstanding contractual obligations, access to human gene classifications and to protein family trees and multiple sequence alignments will temporarily require a nominal registration fee. PANTHER is publicly available on the web at http://panther.celera.com.

A veterinary perspective on One Health in the Arctic.

PubMed

Sonne, Christian; Letcher, Robert James; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro; Desforges, Jean-Pierre; Eulaers, Igor; Andersen-Ranberg, Emilie; Gustavson, Kim; Styrishave, Bjarne; Dietz, Rune

2017-12-16

Exposure to long-range transported industrial chemicals, climate change and diseases is posing a risk to the overall health and populations of Arctic wildlife. Since local communities are relying on the same marine food web as marine mammals in the Arctic, it requires a One Health approach to understand the holistic ecosystem health including that of humans. Here we collect and identify gaps in the current knowledge of health in the Arctic and present the veterinary perspective of One Health and ecosystem dynamics. The review shows that exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is having multiple organ-system effects across taxa, including impacts on neuroendocrine disruption, immune suppression and decreased bone density among others. Furthermore, the warming Arctic climate is suspected to influence abiotic and biotic long-range transport and exposure pathways of contaminants to the Arctic resulting in increases in POP exposure of both wildlife and human populations. Exposure to vector-borne diseases and zoonoses may increase as well through range expansion and introduction of invasive species. It will be important in the future to investigate the effects of these multiple stressors on wildlife and local people to better predict the individual-level health risks. It is within this framework that One Health approaches offer promising opportunities to survey and pinpoint environmental changes that have effects on wildlife and human health.

The virtual library: Coming of age

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, Judy F.; Cotter, Gladys A.

1994-01-01

With the high speed networking capabilities, multiple media options, and massive amounts of information that exist in electronic format today, the concept of a 'virtual' library or 'library without walls' is becoming viable. In virtual library environment, the information processed goes beyond the traditional definition of documents to include the results of scientific and technical research and development (reports, software, data) recorded in any format or media: electronic, audio, video, or scanned images. Network access to information must include tools to help locate information sources and navigate the networks to connect to the sources, as well as methods to extract the relevant information. Graphical User Interfaces (GUI's) that are intuitive and navigational tools such as Intelligent Gateway Processors (IGP) will provide users with seamless and transparent use of high speed networks to access, organize, and manage information. Traditional libraries will become points of electronic access to information on multiple medias. The emphasis will be towards unique collections of information at each library rather than entire collections at every library. It is no longer a question of whether there is enough information available; it is more a question of how to manage the vast volumes of information. The future equation will involve being able to organize knowledge, manage information, and provide access at the point of origin.

Current Technologies Based on the Knowledge of the Stem Cells Microenvironments.

PubMed

Mawad, Damia; Figtree, Gemma; Gentile, Carmine

2017-01-01

The stem cell microenvironment or niche plays a critical role in the regulation of survival, differentiation and behavior of stem cells and their progenies. Recapitulating each aspect of the stem cell niche is therefore essential for their optimal use in in vitro studies and in vivo as future therapeutics in humans. Engineering of optimal conditions for three-dimensional stem cell culture includes multiple transient and dynamic physiological stimuli, such as blood flow and tissue stiffness. Bioprinting and microfluidics technologies, including organs-on-a-chip, are among the most recent approaches utilized to replicate the three-dimensional stem cell niche for human tissue fabrication that allow the integration of multiple levels of tissue complexity, including blood flow. This chapter focuses on the physico-chemical and genetic cues utilized to engineer the stem cell niche and provides an overview on how both bioprinting and microfluidics technologies are improving our knowledge in this field for both disease modeling and tissue regeneration, including drug discovery and toxicity high-throughput assays and stem cell-based therapies in humans.

The prolonged gastrointestinal syndrome in rhesus macaques: the relationship between gastrointestinal, hematopoietic, and delayed multi-organ sequelae following acute, potentially lethal, partial-body irradiation.

PubMed

MacVittie, Thomas J; Bennett, Alexander; Booth, Catherine; Garofalo, Michael; Tudor, Gregory; Ward, Amanda; Shea-Donohue, Terez; Gelfond, Daniel; McFarland, Emylee; Jackson, William; Lu, Wei; Farese, Ann M

2012-10-01

The dose response relationship for the acute gastrointestinal syndrome following total-body irradiation prevents analysis of the full recovery and damage to the gastrointestinal system, since all animals succumb to the subsequent 100% lethal hematopoietic syndrome. A partial-body irradiation model with 5% bone marrow sparing was established to investigate the prolonged effects of high-dose radiation on the gastrointestinal system, as well as the concomitant hematopoietic syndrome and other multi-organ injury including the lung. Herein, cellular and clinical parameters link acute and delayed coincident sequelae to radiation dose and time course post-exposure. Male rhesus Macaca mulatta were exposed to partial-body irradiation with 5% bone marrow (tibiae, ankles, feet) sparing using 6 MV linear accelerator photons at a dose rate of 0.80 Gy min(-1) to midline tissue (thorax) doses in the exposure range of 9.0 to 12.5 Gy. Following irradiation, all animals were monitored for multiple organ-specific parameters for 180 d. Animals were administered medical management including administration of intravenous fluids, antiemetics, prophylactic antibiotics, blood transfusions, antidiarrheals, supplemental nutrition, and analgesics. The primary endpoint was survival at 15, 60, or 180 d post-exposure. Secondary endpoints included evaluation of dehydration, diarrhea, hematologic parameters, respiratory distress, histology of small and large intestine, lung radiographs, and mean survival time of decedents. Dose- and time-dependent mortality defined several organ-specific sequelae, with LD50/15 of 11.95 Gy, LD50/60 of 11.01 Gy, and LD50/180 of 9.73 Gy for respective acute gastrointestinal, combined hematopoietic and gastrointestinal, and multi-organ delayed injury to include the lung. This model allows analysis of concomitant multi-organ sequelae, thus providing a link between acute and delayed radiation effects. Specific and multi-organ medical countermeasures can be assessed for efficacy and interaction during the concomitant evolution of acute and delayed key organ-specific subsyndromes.

Highly efficient multiple-layer CdS quantum dot sensitized III-V solar cells.

PubMed

Lin, Chien-Chung; Han, Hau-Vei; Chen, Hsin-Chu; Chen, Kuo-Ju; Tsai, Yu-Lin; Lin, Wein-Yi; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Yu, Peichen

2014-02-01

In this review, the concept of utilization of solar spectrum in order to increase the solar cell efficiency is discussed. Among the three mechanisms, down-shifting effect is investigated in detail. Organic dye, rare-earth minerals and quantum dots are three most popular down-shift materials. While the enhancement of solar cell efficiency was not clearly observed in the past, the advances in quantum dot fabrication have brought strong response out of the hybrid platform of a quantum dot solar cell. A multiple layer structure, including PDMS as the isolation layer, is proposed and demonstrated. With the help of pulse spray system, precise control can be achieved and the optimized concentration can be found.

Information Commons for Rice (IC4R)

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Rice is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population and also a key model organism for plant research. Here, we present Information Commons for Rice (IC4R; http://ic4r.org), a rice knowledgebase featuring adoption of an extensible and sustainable architecture that integrates multiple omics data through community-contributed modules. Each module is developed and maintained by different committed groups, deals with data collection, processing and visualization, and delivers data on-demand via web services. In the current version, IC4R incorporates a variety of rice data through multiple committed modules, including genome-wide expression profiles derived entirely from RNA-Seq data, resequencing-based genomic variations obtained from re-sequencing data of thousands of rice varieties, plant homologous genes covering multiple diverse plant species, post-translational modifications, rice-related literatures and gene annotations contributed by the rice research community. Unlike extant related databases, IC4R is designed for scalability and sustainability and thus also features collaborative integration of rice data and low costs for database update and maintenance. Future directions of IC4R include incorporation of other omics data and association of multiple omics data with agronomically important traits, dedicating to build IC4R into a valuable knowledgebase for both basic and translational researches in rice. PMID:26519466

Chemical evolution of atmospheric organic carbon over multiple generations of oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel; Massoli, Paola; O'Brien, Rachel; Lim, Christopher; Franklin, Jonathan P.; Moss, Joshua A.; Hunter, James F.; Nowak, John B.; Canagaratna, Manjula R.; Misztal, Pawel K.; Arata, Caleb; Roscioli, Joseph R.; Herndon, Scott T.; Onasch, Timothy B.; Lambe, Andrew T.; Jayne, John T.; Su, Luping; Knopf, Daniel A.; Goldstein, Allen H.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Kroll, Jesse H.

2018-02-01

The evolution of atmospheric organic carbon as it undergoes oxidation has a controlling influence on concentrations of key atmospheric species, including particulate matter, ozone and oxidants. However, full characterization of organic carbon over hours to days of atmospheric processing has been stymied by its extreme chemical complexity. Here we study the multigenerational oxidation of α-pinene in the laboratory, characterizing products with several state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Although quantification of some early generation products remains elusive, full carbon closure is achieved (within measurement uncertainty) by the end of the experiments. These results provide new insights into the effects of oxidation on organic carbon properties (volatility, oxidation state and reactivity) and the atmospheric lifecycle of organic carbon. Following an initial period characterized by functionalization reactions and particle growth, fragmentation reactions dominate, forming smaller species. After approximately one day of atmospheric aging, most carbon is sequestered in two long-lived reservoirs—volatile oxidized gases and low-volatility particulate matter.

Chemical evolution of atmospheric organic carbon over multiple generations of oxidation.

PubMed

Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel; Massoli, Paola; O'Brien, Rachel; Lim, Christopher; Franklin, Jonathan P; Moss, Joshua A; Hunter, James F; Nowak, John B; Canagaratna, Manjula R; Misztal, Pawel K; Arata, Caleb; Roscioli, Joseph R; Herndon, Scott T; Onasch, Timothy B; Lambe, Andrew T; Jayne, John T; Su, Luping; Knopf, Daniel A; Goldstein, Allen H; Worsnop, Douglas R; Kroll, Jesse H

2018-04-01

The evolution of atmospheric organic carbon as it undergoes oxidation has a controlling influence on concentrations of key atmospheric species, including particulate matter, ozone and oxidants. However, full characterization of organic carbon over hours to days of atmospheric processing has been stymied by its extreme chemical complexity. Here we study the multigenerational oxidation of α-pinene in the laboratory, characterizing products with several state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Although quantification of some early generation products remains elusive, full carbon closure is achieved (within measurement uncertainty) by the end of the experiments. These results provide new insights into the effects of oxidation on organic carbon properties (volatility, oxidation state and reactivity) and the atmospheric lifecycle of organic carbon. Following an initial period characterized by functionalization reactions and particle growth, fragmentation reactions dominate, forming smaller species. After approximately one day of atmospheric aging, most carbon is sequestered in two long-lived reservoirs-volatile oxidized gases and low-volatility particulate matter.

Thousands of microbial genomes shed light on interconnected biogeochemical processes in an aquifer system

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

Anantharaman, Karthik; Brown, Christopher T.; Hug, Laura A.

The subterranean world hosts up to one-fifth of all biomass, including microbial communities that drive transformations central to Earth's biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about how complex microbial communities in such environments are structured, and how inter-organism interactions shape ecosystem function. Here we apply terabase-scale cultivation-independent metagenomics to aquifer sediments and groundwater, and reconstruct 2,540 draft-quality, near-complete and complete strain-resolved genomes that represent the majority of known bacterial phyla as well as 47 newly discovered phylum-level lineages. Metabolic analyses spanning this vast phylogenetic diversity and representing up to 36% of organisms detected in the system are used to documentmore » the distribution of pathways in coexisting organisms. Consistent with prior findings indicating metabolic handoffs in simple consortia, we find that few organisms within the community can conduct multiple sequential redox transformations. As environmental conditions change, different assemblages of organisms are selected for, altering linkages among the major biogeochemical cycles.« less

Thousands of microbial genomes shed light on interconnected biogeochemical processes in an aquifer system

DOE PAGES

Anantharaman, Karthik; Brown, Christopher T.; Hug, Laura A.; ...

2016-10-24

The subterranean world hosts up to one-fifth of all biomass, including microbial communities that drive transformations central to Earth's biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about how complex microbial communities in such environments are structured, and how inter-organism interactions shape ecosystem function. Here we apply terabase-scale cultivation-independent metagenomics to aquifer sediments and groundwater, and reconstruct 2,540 draft-quality, near-complete and complete strain-resolved genomes that represent the majority of known bacterial phyla as well as 47 newly discovered phylum-level lineages. Metabolic analyses spanning this vast phylogenetic diversity and representing up to 36% of organisms detected in the system are used to documentmore » the distribution of pathways in coexisting organisms. Consistent with prior findings indicating metabolic handoffs in simple consortia, we find that few organisms within the community can conduct multiple sequential redox transformations. As environmental conditions change, different assemblages of organisms are selected for, altering linkages among the major biogeochemical cycles.« less

Thousands of microbial genomes shed light on interconnected biogeochemical processes in an aquifer system

PubMed Central

Anantharaman, Karthik; Brown, Christopher T.; Hug, Laura A.; Sharon, Itai; Castelle, Cindy J.; Probst, Alexander J.; Thomas, Brian C.; Singh, Andrea; Wilkins, Michael J.; Karaoz, Ulas; Brodie, Eoin L.; Williams, Kenneth H.; Hubbard, Susan S.; Banfield, Jillian F.

2016-01-01

The subterranean world hosts up to one-fifth of all biomass, including microbial communities that drive transformations central to Earth's biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about how complex microbial communities in such environments are structured, and how inter-organism interactions shape ecosystem function. Here we apply terabase-scale cultivation-independent metagenomics to aquifer sediments and groundwater, and reconstruct 2,540 draft-quality, near-complete and complete strain-resolved genomes that represent the majority of known bacterial phyla as well as 47 newly discovered phylum-level lineages. Metabolic analyses spanning this vast phylogenetic diversity and representing up to 36% of organisms detected in the system are used to document the distribution of pathways in coexisting organisms. Consistent with prior findings indicating metabolic handoffs in simple consortia, we find that few organisms within the community can conduct multiple sequential redox transformations. As environmental conditions change, different assemblages of organisms are selected for, altering linkages among the major biogeochemical cycles. PMID:27774985

Thousands of microbial genomes shed light on interconnected biogeochemical processes in an aquifer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anantharaman, Karthik; Brown, Christopher T.; Hug, Laura A.; Sharon, Itai; Castelle, Cindy J.; Probst, Alexander J.; Thomas, Brian C.; Singh, Andrea; Wilkins, Michael J.; Karaoz, Ulas; Brodie, Eoin L.; Williams, Kenneth H.; Hubbard, Susan S.; Banfield, Jillian F.

2016-10-01

The subterranean world hosts up to one-fifth of all biomass, including microbial communities that drive transformations central to Earth's biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about how complex microbial communities in such environments are structured, and how inter-organism interactions shape ecosystem function. Here we apply terabase-scale cultivation-independent metagenomics to aquifer sediments and groundwater, and reconstruct 2,540 draft-quality, near-complete and complete strain-resolved genomes that represent the majority of known bacterial phyla as well as 47 newly discovered phylum-level lineages. Metabolic analyses spanning this vast phylogenetic diversity and representing up to 36% of organisms detected in the system are used to document the distribution of pathways in coexisting organisms. Consistent with prior findings indicating metabolic handoffs in simple consortia, we find that few organisms within the community can conduct multiple sequential redox transformations. As environmental conditions change, different assemblages of organisms are selected for, altering linkages among the major biogeochemical cycles.

Thermal energy storage for low grade heat in the organic Rankine cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soda, Michael John

Limits of efficiencies cause immense amounts of thermal energy in the form of waste heat to be vented to the atmosphere. Up to 60% of unrecovered waste heat is classified as low or ultra-low quality, making recovery difficult or inefficient. The organic Rankine cycle can be used to generate mechanical power and electricity from these low temperatures where other thermal cycles are impractical. A variety of organic working fluids are available to optimize the ORC for any target temperature range. San Diego State University has one such experimental ORC using R245fa, and has been experimenting with multiple expanders. One limitation of recovering waste heat is the sporadic or cyclical nature common to its production. This inconsistency makes sizing heat recovery ORC systems difficult for a variety of reasons including off-design-point efficiency loss, increased attrition from varying loads, unreliable outputs, and overall system costs. Thermal energy storage systems can address all of these issues by smoothing the thermal input to a constant and reliable level and providing back-up capacity for times when the thermal input is deactivated. Multiple types of thermal energy storage have been explored including sensible, latent, and thermochemical. Latent heat storage involves storing thermal energy in the reversible phase change of a phase change material, or PCM, and can have several advantages over other modalities including energy storage density, cost, simplicity, reliability, relatively constant temperature output, and temperature customizability. The largest obstacles to using latent heat storage include heat transfer rates, thermal cycling stability, and potentially corrosive PCMs. Targeting 86°C, the operating temperature of SDSU's experimental ORC, multiple potential materials were explored and tested as potential PCMs including Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate (MgCl2˙6H2O), Magnesium Nitrate Hexahydrate (Mg(NO3)2˙6H 2O), montan wax, and carnauba wax. The addition of graphite to augment heat transfer rates was also tested. Melting and solidification temperatures largely matched predictions. The magnesium salts were found to be less stable under thermal cycling than the waxes. Graphite was only soluble in the waxes. Mixtures of magnesium salts and waxes yielded a layered composite with the less dense waxes creating a sealing layer over the salt layer that significantly increased the stability of the magnesium salts. Research into optimum heat exchangers and storage vessels for these applications indicates that horizontally oriented aluminum pipes with vertically oriented aluminum fins would be the best method of storing and retrieving energy. Fin spacing can be predicted by an equation based on target temperatures and PCM characteristics.

Multi-object model-based multi-atlas segmentation for rodent brains using dense discrete correspondences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Joohwi; Kim, Sun Hyung; Styner, Martin

2016-03-01

The delineation of rodent brain structures is challenging due to low-contrast multiple cortical and subcortical organs that are closely interfacing to each other. Atlas-based segmentation has been widely employed due to its ability to delineate multiple organs at the same time via image registration. The use of multiple atlases and subsequent label fusion techniques has further improved the robustness and accuracy of atlas-based segmentation. However, the accuracy of atlas-based segmentation is still prone to registration errors; for example, the segmentation of in vivo MR images can be less accurate and robust against image artifacts than the segmentation of post mortem images. In order to improve the accuracy and robustness of atlas-based segmentation, we propose a multi-object, model-based, multi-atlas segmentation method. We first establish spatial correspondences across atlases using a set of dense pseudo-landmark particles. We build a multi-object point distribution model using those particles in order to capture inter- and intra- subject variation among brain structures. The segmentation is obtained by fitting the model into a subject image, followed by label fusion process. Our result shows that the proposed method resulted in greater accuracy than comparable segmentation methods, including a widely used ANTs registration tool.

Coordinated learning of grid cell and place cell spatial and temporal properties: multiple scales, attention and oscillations.

PubMed

Grossberg, Stephen; Pilly, Praveen K

2014-02-05

A neural model proposes how entorhinal grid cells and hippocampal place cells may develop as spatial categories in a hierarchy of self-organizing maps (SOMs). The model responds to realistic rat navigational trajectories by learning both grid cells with hexagonal grid firing fields of multiple spatial scales, and place cells with one or more firing fields, that match neurophysiological data about their development in juvenile rats. Both grid and place cells can develop by detecting, learning and remembering the most frequent and energetic co-occurrences of their inputs. The model's parsimonious properties include: similar ring attractor mechanisms process linear and angular path integration inputs that drive map learning; the same SOM mechanisms can learn grid cell and place cell receptive fields; and the learning of the dorsoventral organization of multiple spatial scale modules through medial entorhinal cortex to hippocampus (HC) may use mechanisms homologous to those for temporal learning through lateral entorhinal cortex to HC ('neural relativity'). The model clarifies how top-down HC-to-entorhinal attentional mechanisms may stabilize map learning, simulates how hippocampal inactivation may disrupt grid cells, and explains data about theta, beta and gamma oscillations. The article also compares the three main types of grid cell models in the light of recent data.

Determining the Spatial and Seasonal Variability in OM/OC Ratios across the U.S. Using Multiple Regression

EPA Science Inventory

Data from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network are used to estimate organic mass to organic carbon (OM/OC) ratios across the United States by extending previously published multiple regression techniques. Our new methodology addresses com...

Native-View Paradigms: Multiple Cultures and Culture Conflicts in Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Kathleen L.

1983-01-01

After reviewing organizational culture studies done in industrial settings, this paper proposes a native-view paradigm from anthropology for exploring the multiple perspectives of participants in large organizations and describes a study--of Silicon Valley technical professionals' native views--that applies the methods of ethnoscience ethnography.…

Reproductive disturbances in multiple neuroendocrine tumor syndromes.

PubMed

Lytras, Aristides; Tolis, George

2009-12-01

In the context of multiple neuroendocrine tumor syndromes, reproductive abnormalities may occur via a number of different mechanisms, such as hyperprolactinemia, increased GH/IGF-1 levels, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, hypercortisolism, hyperandrogenism, hyperthyroidism, gonadotropin hypersecretion, as well as, tumorigenesis or functional disturbances in gonads or other reproductive organs. Precocious puberty and/or male feminization is a feature of McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS), neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), Carney complex (CNC), and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), while sperm maturation and ovulation defects have been described in MAS and CNC. Although tumorigenesis of reproductive organs due to a multiple neuroendocrine tumor syndrome is very rare, certain lesions are characteristic and very unusual in the general population. Awareness leading to their recognition is important especially when other endocrine abnormalities coexist, as occasionally they may even be the first manifestation of a syndrome. Lesions such as certain types of ovarian cysts (MAS, CNC), pseudogynecomastia due to neurofibromas of the nipple-areola area (NF1), breast disease (CNC and Cowden disease (CD)), cysts and 'hypernephroid' tumors of the epididymis or bilateral papillary cystadenomas (mesosalpinx cysts) and endometrioid cystadenomas of the broad ligament (von Hippel-Lindau disease), testicular Sertoli calcifying tumors (CNC, PJS) monolateral or bilateral macroochidism and microlithiasis (MAS) may offer diagnostic clues. In addition, multiple neuroendocrine tumor syndromes may be complicated by reproductive malignancies including ovarian cancer in CNC, breast and endometrial cancer in CD, breast malignancies in NF1, and malignant sex-cord stromal tumors in PJS.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and computed tomography findings of granulomatosis with polyangiitis presenting with multiple intrarenal microaneurysms: A case report.

PubMed

Kim, Youe Ree; Lee, Young Hwan; Lee, Jong-Ho; Yoon, Kwon-Ha

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a systemic disorder that affects small- and medium- sized vessels in many organs. Although the kidneys are the second most commonly involved organ in patients with GPA, its manifestation as multiple intrarenal aneurysms is rare. We report an unusual manifestation of GPA with multiple intrarenal microaneurysms, as demonstrated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and computed tomography. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated Pathogenesis-Based Diagnosis of Lumbar Neural Foraminal Stenosis via Deep Multiscale Multitask Learning.

PubMed

Han, Zhongyi; Wei, Benzheng; Leung, Stephanie; Nachum, Ilanit Ben; Laidley, David; Li, Shuo

2018-02-15

Pathogenesis-based diagnosis is a key step to prevent and control lumbar neural foraminal stenosis (LNFS). It conducts both early diagnosis and comprehensive assessment by drawing crucial pathological links between pathogenic factors and LNFS. Automated pathogenesis-based diagnosis would simultaneously localize and grade multiple spinal organs (neural foramina, vertebrae, intervertebral discs) to diagnose LNFS and discover pathogenic factors. The automated way facilitates planning optimal therapeutic schedules and relieving clinicians from laborious workloads. However, no successful work has been achieved yet due to its extreme challenges since 1) multiple targets: each lumbar spine has at least 17 target organs, 2) multiple scales: each type of target organ has structural complexity and various scales across subjects, and 3) multiple tasks, i.e., simultaneous localization and diagnosis of all lumbar organs, are extremely difficult than individual tasks. To address these huge challenges, we propose a deep multiscale multitask learning network (DMML-Net) integrating a multiscale multi-output learning and a multitask regression learning into a fully convolutional network. 1) DMML-Net merges semantic representations to reinforce the salience of numerous target organs. 2) DMML-Net extends multiscale convolutional layers as multiple output layers to boost the scale-invariance for various organs. 3) DMML-Net joins a multitask regression module and a multitask loss module to prompt the mutual benefit between tasks. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that DMML-Net achieves high performance (0.845 mean average precision) on T1/T2-weighted MRI scans from 200 subjects. This endows our method an efficient tool for clinical LNFS diagnosis.

Perturbation Theory/Machine Learning Model of ChEMBL Data for Dopamine Targets: Docking, Synthesis, and Assay of New l-Prolyl-l-leucyl-glycinamide Peptidomimetics.

PubMed

Ferreira da Costa, Joana; Silva, David; Caamaño, Olga; Brea, José M; Loza, Maria Isabel; Munteanu, Cristian R; Pazos, Alejandro; García-Mera, Xerardo; González-Díaz, Humbert

2018-06-25

Predicting drug-protein interactions (DPIs) for target proteins involved in dopamine pathways is a very important goal in medicinal chemistry. We can tackle this problem using Molecular Docking or Machine Learning (ML) models for one specific protein. Unfortunately, these models fail to account for large and complex big data sets of preclinical assays reported in public databases. This includes multiple conditions of assays, such as different experimental parameters, biological assays, target proteins, cell lines, organism of the target, or organism of assay. On the other hand, perturbation theory (PT) models allow us to predict the properties of a query compound or molecular system in experimental assays with multiple boundary conditions based on a previously known case of reference. In this work, we report the first PTML (PT + ML) study of a large ChEMBL data set of preclinical assays of compounds targeting dopamine pathway proteins. The best PTML model found predicts 50000 cases with accuracy of 70-91% in training and external validation series. We also compared the linear PTML model with alternative PTML models trained with multiple nonlinear methods (artificial neural network (ANN), Random Forest, Deep Learning, etc.). Some of the nonlinear methods outperform the linear model but at the cost of a notable increment of the complexity of the model. We illustrated the practical use of the new model with a proof-of-concept theoretical-experimental study. We reported for the first time the organic synthesis, chemical characterization, and pharmacological assay of a new series of l-prolyl-l-leucyl-glycinamide (PLG) peptidomimetic compounds. In addition, we performed a molecular docking study for some of these compounds with the software Vina AutoDock. The work ends with a PTML model predictive study of the outcomes of the new compounds in a large number of assays. Therefore, this study offers a new computational methodology for predicting the outcome for any compound in new assays. This PTML method focuses on the prediction with a simple linear model of multiple pharmacological parameters (IC 50 , EC 50 , K i , etc.) for compounds in assays involving different cell lines used, organisms of the protein target, or organism of assay for proteins in the dopamine pathway.

Mitochondrial DNA as an inflammatory mediator in cardiovascular diseases.

PubMed

Nakayama, Hiroyuki; Otsu, Kinya

2018-03-06

Mitochondria play a central role in multiple cellular functions, including energy production, calcium homeostasis, and cell death. Currently, growing evidence indicates the vital roles of mitochondria in triggering and maintaining inflammation. Chronic inflammation without microbial infection - termed sterile inflammation - is strongly involved in the development of heart failure. Sterile inflammation is triggered by the activation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that sense endogenous ligands called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Mitochondria release multiple DAMPs including mitochondrial DNA, peptides, and lipids, which induce inflammation via the stimulation of multiple PRRs. Among the mitochondrial DAMPs, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is currently highlighted as the DAMP that mediates the activation of multiple PRRs, including Toll-like receptor 9, Nod-like receptors, and cyclic GMP-AMP synthetase/stimulator of interferon gene pathways. These PRR signalling pathways, in turn, lead to the activation of nuclear factor-κB and interferon regulatory factor, which enhances the transcriptional activity of inflammatory cytokines and interferons, and induces the recruitment of inflammatory cells. As the heart is an organ comprising abundant mitochondria for its ATP consumption (needed to maintain constant cyclic contraction and relaxation), the generation of massive amounts of mitochondrial radical oxygen species and mitochondrial DAMPs are predicted to occur and promote cardiac inflammation. Here, we will focus on the role of mtDNA in cardiac inflammation and review the mechanism and pathological significance of mtDNA-induced inflammatory responses in cardiac diseases. © 2018 The Author(s).

β-Glucans Are Masked but Contribute to Pulmonary Inflammation During Pneumocystis Pneumonia

PubMed Central

Kutty, Geetha; Davis, A. Sally; Ferreyra, Gabriela A.; Qiu, Ju; Huang, Da Wei; Sassi, Monica; Bishop, Lisa; Handley, Grace; Sherman, Brad; Lempicki, Richard; Kovacs, Joseph A.

2016-01-01

β-glucans, which can activate innate immune responses, are a major component in the cell wall of the cyst form of Pneumocystis. In the current study, we examined whether β-1,3-glucans are masked by surface proteins in Pneumocystis and what role β-glucans play in Pneumocystis-associated inflammation. For 3 species, including Pneumocystis jirovecii, which causes Pneumocystis pneumonia in humans, Pneumocystis carinii, and Pneumocystis murina, β-1,3-glucans were masked in most organisms, as demonstrated by increased exposure following trypsin treatment. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and microarray techniques, we demonstrated in a mouse model of Pneumocystis pneumonia that treatment with caspofungin, an inhibitor of β-1,3-glucan synthesis, for 21 days decreased expression of a broad panel of inflammatory markers, including interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, and multiple chemokines/chemokine ligands. Thus, β-glucans in Pneumocystis cysts are largely masked, which likely decreases innate immune activation; this mechanism presumably was developed for interactions with immunocompetent hosts, in whom organism loads are substantially lower. In immunosuppressed hosts with a high organism burden, organism death and release of glucans appears to be an important contributor to deleterious host inflammatory responses. PMID:27324243

Creating a framework for the prioritization of biosecurity risks to the New Zealand dairy industry.

PubMed

Muellner, P; Hodges, D; Ahlstrom, C; Newman, M; Davidson, R; Pfeiffer, D; Marshall, J; Morley, C

2018-03-25

The New Zealand dairy sector relies on robust biosecurity measures to control and mitigate a wide range of threats to the industry. To optimize the prioritization of organisms and manage the risk they pose to the sector in a transparent and credible way, the Dairy Biosecurity Risk Evaluation Framework (D-BRiEF) was developed. This comprehensive framework was specifically designed for decision support, using a standardized approach to address the full spectrum of biosecurity threats to the sector, including exotic and endemic animal disease organisms, pest plants and insects. D-BRiEF is underpinned by three main processes, namely (i) hazard identification; (ii) multicriteria risk assessment; and (iii) communication for risk management. Expert knowledge and empirical data, including associated uncertainty, are harnessed in a standardized format. Results feed into a probability-impact model that was developed in close collaboration with dairy sector economists to provide overall comparative 10-year quantitative economic impact estimates for each assessed risk organism. A description of the overarching framework, which applies to diverse organism groups, is presented with detailed methodology on both endemic and exotic animal disease risk organisms. Examples of visual outputs are included, although actual ranking results are not reported due to industry confidentiality. D-BRiEF can provide a decision advantage to DairyNZ biosecurity risk managers and sector stakeholders by creating a transparent process that can be interrogated and updated at multiple levels to fully understand the layers of risk posed by different organisms. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A Suite of Tetraphenylethylene-Based Discrete Organoplatinum(II) Metallacycles: Controllable Structure and Stoichiometry, Aggregation-Induced Emission, and Nitroaromatics Sensing.

PubMed

Yan, Xuzhou; Wang, Haoze; Hauke, Cory E; Cook, Timothy R; Wang, Ming; Saha, Manik Lal; Zhou, Zhixuan; Zhang, Mingming; Li, Xiaopeng; Huang, Feihe; Stang, Peter J

2015-12-09

Materials that organize multiple functionally active sites, especially those with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, are of growing interest due to their widespread applications. Despite promising early architectures, the fabrication and preparation of multiple AIEgens, such as multiple tetraphenylethylene (multi-TPE) units, in a single entity remain a big challenge due to the tedious covalent synthetic procedures often accompanying such preparations. Coordination-driven self-assembly is an alternative synthetic methodology with the potential to deliver multi-TPE architectures with light-emitting characteristics. Herein, we report the preparation of a new family of discrete multi-TPE metallacycles in which two pendant phenyl rings of the TPE units remain unused as a structural element, representing novel AIE-active metal-organic materials based on supramolecular coordination complex platforms. These metallacycles possess relatively high molar absorption coefficients but weak fluorescent emission under dilute conditions because of the ability of the untethered phenyl rings to undergo torsional motion as a non-radiative decay pathway. Upon molecular aggregation, the multi-TPE metallacycles show AIE-activity with markedly enhanced quantum yields. Moreover, on account of their AIE characteristics in the condensed state and ability to interact with electron-deficient substrates, the photophysics of these metallacycles is sensitive to the presence of nitroaromatics, motivating their use as sensors. This work represents a unification of themes including molecular self-assembly, AIE, and fluorescence sensing and establishes structure-property-application relationships of multi-TPE scaffolds. The fundamental knowledge obtained from the current research facilitates progress in the field of metal-organic materials, metal-coordination-induced emission, and fluorescent sensing.

Tetramer-organizing polyproline-rich peptides differ in CHO cell-expressed and plasma-derived human butyrylcholinesterase tetramers.

PubMed

Schopfer, Lawrence M; Lockridge, Oksana

2016-06-01

Tetrameric butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in human plasma is the product of multiple genes, namely one BCHE gene on chromosome 3q26.1 and multiple genes that encode polyproline-rich peptides. The function of the polyproline-rich peptides is to assemble BChE into tetramers. CHO cells transfected with human BChE cDNA express BChE monomers and dimers, but only low quantities of tetramers. Our goal was to identify the polyproline-rich peptides in CHO-cell derived human BChE tetramers. CHO cell-produced human BChE tetramers were purified from serum-free culture medium. Peptides embedded in the tetramerization domain were released from BChE tetramers by boiling and identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 270 proline-rich peptides were sequenced, ranging in size from 6-41 residues. The peptides originated from 60 different proteins that reside in multiple cell compartments including the nucleus, cytoplasm, and endoplasmic reticulum. No single protein was the source of the polyproline-rich peptides in CHO cell-expressed human BChE tetramers. In contrast, 70% of the tetramer-organizing peptides in plasma-derived BChE tetramers originate from lamellipodin. No protein source was identified for polyproline peptides containing up to 41 consecutive proline residues. In conclusion, the use of polyproline-rich peptides as a tetramerization motif is documented only for the cholinesterases, but is expected to serve other tetrameric proteins as well. The CHO cell data suggest that the BChE tetramer-organizing peptide can arise from a variety of proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Barriers and facilitators to family planning access in Canada.

PubMed

Hulme, Jennifer; Dunn, Sheila; Guilbert, Edith; Soon, Judith; Norman, Wendy

2015-02-01

Contraceptives are underutilized in Canada, and nearly one in three Canadian women will have an abortion in her lifetime. To help delineate a national family planning research agenda, the authors interviewed healthcare providers and organizational stakeholders to explore their perspective on barriers to contraception across regions of Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted based on validated frameworks for assessing family planning access and quality. The authors purposefully selected 14 key stakeholders from government agencies, professional organizations and non-governmental organizations for in-person interviews. Fifty-eight healthcare providers and representatives of stakeholder organizations in reproductive health who self-selected through an online survey were also interviewed. Transcripts were analyzed for repeated and saturated themes. Cost was the most important barrier to contraception. Sexual health education was reported as inconsistent, even within provinces. Regional differences were highlighted, including limited access to family physicians in rural Canada and throughout Quebec. Physician bias and outdated practices were cited as significant barriers to quality. New immigrants, youth, young adults and women in small rural, Northern and Aboriginal communities were all identified as particularly vulnerable. Informants identified multiple opportunities for health policy and system restructuring, including subsidized contraception, and enhancing public and healthcare provider education. Sexual health clinics were viewed as a highly successful model. Task-sharing and expanded scope of practice of nurses, nurse practitioners and pharmacists, alongside telephone and virtual healthcare consultations, were suggested to create multiple points of entry into the system. Results underscore the need for a national strategic approach to family planning health policy and health services delivery in Canada. Copyright © 2015 Longwoods Publishing.

Design of Xen Hybrid Multiple Police Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lei; Lin, Renhao; Zhu, Xianwei

2017-10-01

Virtualization Technology has attracted more and more attention. As a popular open-source virtualization tools, XEN is used more and more frequently. Xsm, XEN security model, has also been widespread concern. The safety status classification has not been established in the XSM, and it uses the virtual machine as a managed object to make Dom0 a unique administrative domain that does not meet the minimum privilege. According to these questions, we design a Hybrid multiple police model named SV_HMPMD that organically integrates multiple single security policy models include DTE,RBAC,BLP. It can fullfill the requirement of confidentiality and integrity for security model and use different particle size to different domain. In order to improve BLP’s practicability, the model introduce multi-level security labels. In order to divide the privilege in detail, we combine DTE with RBAC. In order to oversize privilege, we limit the privilege of domain0.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering myeloma (SMM): a practical guide to management.

PubMed

Maciocia, Nicola; Wechalekar, Ashutosh; Yong, Kwee

2017-12-01

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and smoldering multiple myeloma are precursor conditions of symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM). Diagnostic principles are aimed at excluding MM requiring therapy, other conditions associated with paraproteins that may require different management, and risk stratifying patients for the purposes of tailored follow-up and investigation. The International Myeloma Working Group have recently published a revised definition of MM, which singles out a small group of patients with smoldering multiple myeloma who are at very high risk of progression and organ damage; such patients are now included under the definition of MM and recommended to start anti-myeloma treatment. Furthermore, the recently published National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guideline recommends cross-sectional imaging techniques in place of skeletal survey. These recent recommendations are discussed, and practical guidance for investigation and management are presented. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The early inflorescence of Arabidopsis thaliana demonstrates positional effects in floral organ growth and meristem patterning.

PubMed

Plackett, Andrew R G; Powers, Stephen J; Phillips, Andy L; Wilson, Zoe A; Hedden, Peter; Thomas, Stephen G

2018-06-01

Linear modelling approaches detected significant gradients in organ growth and patterning across early flowers of the Arabidopsis inflorescence and uncovered evidence of new roles for gibberellin in floral development. Most flowering plants, including the genetic model Arabidopsis thaliana, produce multiple flowers in sequence from a reproductive shoot apex to form a flower spike (inflorescence). The development of individual flowers on an Arabidopsis inflorescence has typically been considered as highly stereotypical and uniform, but this assumption is contradicted by the existence of mutants with phenotypes visible in early flowers only. This phenomenon is demonstrated by mutants partially impaired in the biosynthesis of the phytohormone gibberellin (GA), in which floral organ growth is retarded in the first flowers to be produced but has recovered spontaneously by the 10th flower. We presently lack systematic data from multiple flowers across the Arabidopsis inflorescence to explain such changes. Using mutants of the GA 20-OXIDASE (GA20ox) GA biosynthesis gene family to manipulate endogenous GA levels, we investigated the dynamics of changing floral organ growth across the early Arabidopsis inflorescence (flowers 1-10). Modelling of floral organ lengths identified a significant, GA-independent gradient of increasing stamen length relative to the pistil in the wild-type inflorescence that was separable from other, GA-dependent effects. It was also found that the first flowers exhibited unstable organ patterning in contrast to later flowers and that this instability was prolonged by exogenous GA treatment. These findings indicate that the development of individual flowers is influenced by hitherto unknown factors acting across the inflorescence and also suggest novel functions for GA in floral patterning.

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

J. Carmack; L. Braase; F. Goldner

The mission of the Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) is to perform Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) activities for advanced fuel forms (including cladding) to enhance the performance and safety of the nation’s current and future reactors, enhance proliferation resistance of nuclear fuel, effectively utilize nuclear energy resources, and address the longer-term waste management challenges. This includes development of a state of the art Research and Development (R&D) infrastructure to support the use of a “goal oriented science based approach.” AFC uses a “goal oriented, science based approach” aimed at a fundamental understanding of fuel and cladding fabrication methods and performancemore » under irradiation, enabling the pursuit of multiple fuel forms for future fuel cycle options. This approach includes fundamental experiments, theory, and advanced modeling and simulation. One of the most challenging aspects of AFC is the management, integration, and coordination of major R&D activities across multiple organizations. AFC interfaces and collaborates with Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) campaigns, universities, industry, various DOE programs and laboratories, federal agencies (e.g., Nuclear Regulatory Commission [NRC]), and international organizations. Key challenges are the development of fuel technologies to enable major increases in fuel performance (safety, reliability, power and burnup) beyond current technologies, and development of characterization methods and predictive fuel performance models to enable more efficient development and licensing of advanced fuels. Challenged with the research and development of fuels for two different reactor technology platforms, AFC targeted transmutation fuel development and focused ceramic fuel development for Advanced LWR Fuels.« less

Episodic radiations in the fly tree of life

PubMed Central

Wiegmann, Brian M.; Trautwein, Michelle D.; Winkler, Isaac S.; Barr, Norman B.; Kim, Jung-Wook; Lambkin, Christine; Bertone, Matthew A.; Cassel, Brian K.; Bayless, Keith M.; Heimberg, Alysha M.; Wheeler, Benjamin M.; Peterson, Kevin J.; Pape, Thomas; Sinclair, Bradley J.; Skevington, Jeffrey H.; Blagoderov, Vladimir; Caravas, Jason; Kutty, Sujatha Narayanan; Schmidt-Ott, Urs; Kampmeier, Gail E.; Thompson, F. Christian; Grimaldi, David A.; Beckenbach, Andrew T.; Courtney, Gregory W.; Friedrich, Markus; Meier, Rudolf; Yeates, David K.

2011-01-01

Flies are one of four superradiations of insects (along with beetles, wasps, and moths) that account for the majority of animal life on Earth. Diptera includes species known for their ubiquity (Musca domestica house fly), their role as pests (Anopheles gambiae malaria mosquito), and their value as model organisms across the biological sciences (Drosophila melanogaster). A resolved phylogeny for flies provides a framework for genomic, developmental, and evolutionary studies by facilitating comparisons across model organisms, yet recent research has suggested that fly relationships have been obscured by multiple episodes of rapid diversification. We provide a phylogenomic estimate of fly relationships based on molecules and morphology from 149 of 157 families, including 30 kb from 14 nuclear loci and complete mitochondrial genomes combined with 371 morphological characters. Multiple analyses show support for traditional groups (Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha, and Schizophora) and corroborate contentious findings, such as the anomalous Deuterophlebiidae as the sister group to all remaining Diptera. Our findings reveal that the closest relatives of the Drosophilidae are highly modified parasites (including the wingless Braulidae) of bees and other insects. Furthermore, we use micro-RNAs to resolve a node with implications for the evolution of embryonic development in Diptera. We demonstrate that flies experienced three episodes of rapid radiation—lower Diptera (220 Ma), lower Brachycera (180 Ma), and Schizophora (65 Ma)—and a number of life history transitions to hematophagy, phytophagy, and parasitism in the history of fly evolution over 260 million y. PMID:21402926

Inflammatory responses to neutral fat and fatty acids in multiple organs in a rat model of fat embolism syndrome.

PubMed

Takada, Meri; Chiba, Shoetsu; Nagai, Tomonori; Takeshita, Hiroshi; Kanno, Sanae; Ikawa, Toru; Sakamoto, Kana; Sagi, Morihisa; Ichiba, Kazue; Mukai, Toshiji

2015-09-01

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a common complication of long bone fractures. FES is rare but with significant morbidity and occasional fatalities. Studies of animal models of FES are numerous; however, few studies compare inflammatory reactions in multiple organs. The present study investigated the effect of neutral fat and fatty acids, which cause changes in multiple organs and induce FES. Using rats we evaluated the ratio of lung-to-body weight and conducted histological analyses and quantitative analysis of inflammatory cytokine mRNAs in the lungs following intravenous administration of neutral fat or fatty acids. Neutral fat increased the ratio of lung-to-body weight, and neutral fat formed emboli in lung capillaries. The levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the lungs increased after injection of neutral fat and oleic acid. Analysis of the histologic changes revealed that the highest numbers of fat droplets, occluding the capillaries of the lungs, kidney, heart, and brain formed 12h after the injection of neutral fat and fat droplets gradually diminished 48h later. Fat droplets were not detected in any organs after the injection of oleic acid. IL-1β and TNF-α levels in the lungs were elevated 9-24h after the injection of neutral fat, although IL-6 levels peaked at 6h. After injection of oleic acid, peak levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were detected at 6h, and IL-6 again increased in all organs and plasma at 15h. Neutral fat, but not fatty acids, formed emboli in the capillaries of multiple organs. These findings suggest that neutral fat increased inflammatory cytokine levels by forming emboli in organ capillaries, particularly in the lungs, while oleic acid augmented inflammatory cytokine levels by stimulating endothelial cells of multiple organs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frogs as integrative models for understanding digestive organ development and evolution

PubMed Central

Womble, Mandy; Pickett, Melissa; Nascone-Yoder, Nanette

2016-01-01

The digestive system comprises numerous cells, tissues and organs that are essential for the proper assimilation of nutrients and energy. Many aspects of digestive organ function are highly conserved among vertebrates, yet the final anatomical configuration of the gut varies widely between species, especially those with different diets. Improved understanding of the complex molecular and cellular events that orchestrate digestive organ development is pertinent to many areas of biology and medicine, including the regeneration or replacement of diseased organs, the etiology of digestive organ birth defects, and the evolution of specialized features of digestive anatomy. In this review, we highlight specific examples of how investigations using Xenopus laevis frog embryos have revealed insight into the molecular and cellular dynamics of digestive organ patterning and morphogenesis that would have been difficult to obtain in other animal models. Additionally, we discuss recent studies of gut development in non-model frog species with unique feeding strategies, such as Lepidobatrachus laev is and Eleutherodactylouscoqui, which are beginning to provide glimpses of the evolutionary mechanisms that may generate morphological variation in the digestive tract. The unparalleled experimental versatility of frog embryos make them excellent, integrative models for studying digestive organ development across multiple disciplines. PMID:26851628

The evolution of colony-level development in the Siphonophora (Cnidaria:Hydrozoa).

PubMed

Dunn, Casey W; Wagner, Günter P

2006-12-01

Evolutionary developmental biology has focused almost exclusively on multicellular organisms, but there are other relevant levels of biological organization that have remained largely neglected. Animal colonies are made up of multiple physiologically integrated and genetically identical units called zooids that are each homologous to solitary, free-living animals. Siphonophores, a group of pelagic hydrozoans (Cnidaria), have the most complex colony-level organization of all animals. Here the colony-level development of five siphonophore species, strategically sampled across the siphonophore phylogeny, is described from specimens collected using deep-sea submersibles and by self-contained underwater breathing apparatus diving. These species include three cystonects, Bathyphysa sibogae, Rhizophysa filiformis, and Rhizophysa eysenhardti, and two "physonects", Agalma elegans and Nanomia bijuga. These data, together with previous findings, are analyzed in a phylogenetic framework to reconstruct key features of the history of colony-level organization and development in the Siphonophora. It is shown that gonodendra and gastrozooids of the examined cystonects arise as independent buds directly on the stem, whereas probud subdivision (the origin of feeding, reproductive, and other zooids from a single bud) is a synapomorphy of the Codonophora. The origin of probud subdivision is associated with the origin of cormidia as integrated units of colony organization, and may have allowed for greater morphological and ecological diversification in the Codonophora relative to the Cystonectae. It is also found that symmetry is labile in siphonophores, with multiple gains and/or losses of directional asymmetry in the group. This descriptive work will enable future mechanistic and molecular studies of colony-level development in the siphonophores.

Organizational resilience: Nonprofit organizations' response to change.

PubMed

Witmer, Hope; Mellinger, Marcela Sarmiento

2016-05-24

Organizational resilience refers to the ability to respond productively to significant disruptive change and transform challenges into opportunities. There is a gap in the literature about resilient nonprofit organizations and its application for identifying organizational conditions for successful adaption to external variables that threaten their existence. The aim of this study was to identify organizational characteristics that point to the resilience of nonprofit behavioral healthcare organizations as they successfully adapt to funding changes. A multiple case study of two behavioral health nonprofit organizations was conducted. Data was collected through interviews and focus groups, and analyzed through a qualitative content analysis. Using the framework of resilience, six themes that equipped these organizations to successfully adapt to funding changes were identified. They included: commitment to the mission, improvisation, community reciprocity, servant and transformational leadership, hope and optimism, and fiscal transparency. The findings suggest that incorporating these qualities into an organizational system equips it to systematically adapt to funding changes and other disruptive challenges. Using resilience as a process and not simply an outcome after recovery, nonprofit organizations can have the capacity to continuously respond to challenges and provide uninterrupted and valuable services to society.

Coagulation and complement system in critically ill patients.

PubMed

Helling, H; Stephan, B; Pindur, G

2015-01-01

Activation of coagulation and inflammatory response including the complement system play a major role in the pathogenesis of critical illness. However, only limited data are available addressing the relationship of both pathways and its assessment of a predictive value for the clinical outcome in intense care medicine. Therefore, parameters of the coagulation and complement system were studied in patients with septicaemia and multiple trauma regarded as being exemplary for critical illness. 34 patients (mean age: 51.38 years (±16.57), 15 females, 19 males) were investigated at day 1 of admittance to the intensive care unit (ICU). Leukocytes, complement factors C3a and C5a were significantly (p <  0.0500) higher in sepsis than in trauma, whereas platelet count and plasma fibrinogen were significantly lower in multiple trauma. Activation markers of coagulation were elevated in both groups, however, thrombin-antithrombin-complex was significantly higher in multiple trauma. DIC scores of 5 were not exceeded in any of the two groups. Analysing the influences on mortality (11/34; 32.35% ), which was not different in both groups, non-survivors were significantly older, had significantly higher multiple organ failure (MOF) scores, lactate, abnormal prothrombin times and lower C1-inhibitor activities, even more pronounced in early deaths, than survivors. In septic non-survivors protein C was significantly lower than in trauma. We conclude from these data that activation of the complement system as part of the inflammatory response is a significant mechanism in septicaemia, whereas loss and consumption of blood components including parts of the coagulation and complement system is more characteristic for multiple trauma. Protein C in case of severe reduction might be of special concern for surviving in sepsis. Activation of haemostasis was occurring in both diseases, however, overt DIC was not confirmed in this study to be a leading mechanism in critically ill patients. MOF score, lactate, C1-inhibitor and prothrombin time have been the only statistically significant predictors for lethal outcome suggesting that organ function, microcirculation, haemostasis and inflammatory response are essential elements of the pathomechanism and clinical course of diseases among critically ill patients.

Analysing the diffusion and adoption of mobile IT across social worlds.

PubMed

Nielsen, Jeppe Agger; Mengiste, Shegaw Anagaw

2014-06-01

The diffusion and adoption of information technology innovations (e.g. mobile information technology) in healthcare organizations involves a dynamic process of change with multiple stakeholders with competing interests, varying commitments, and conflicting values. Nevertheless, the extant literature on mobile information technology diffusion and adoption has predominantly focused on organizations and individuals as the unit of analysis, with little emphasis on the environment in which healthcare organizations are embedded. We propose the social worlds approach as a promising theoretical lens for dealing with this limitation together with reports from a case study of a mobile information technology innovation in elderly home care in Denmark including both the sociopolitical and organizational levels in the analysis. Using the notions of social worlds, trajectories, and boundary objects enables us to show how mobile information technology innovation in Danish home care can facilitate negotiation and collaboration across different social worlds in one setting while becoming a source of tension and conflicts in others. The trajectory of mobile information technology adoption was shaped by influential stakeholders in the Danish home care sector. Boundary objects across multiple social worlds legitimized the adoption, but the use arrangement afforded by the new technology interfered with important aspects of home care practices, creating resistance among the healthcare personnel.

Computer-aided multiple-head 3D printing system for printing of heterogeneous organ/tissue constructs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Jin Woo; Lee, Jung-Seob; Cho, Dong-Woo

2016-02-01

Recently, much attention has focused on replacement or/and enhancement of biological tissues via the use of cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds with an architecture that mimics the tissue matrix, and with the desired three-dimensional (3D) external geometry. However, mimicking the heterogeneous tissues that most organs and tissues are formed of is challenging. Although multiple-head 3D printing systems have been proposed for fabricating heterogeneous cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds, to date only the simple exterior form has been realized. Here we describe a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system for this application. We aim to develop an algorithm to enable easy, intuitive design and fabrication of a heterogeneous cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds with a free-form 3D geometry. The printing paths of the scaffold are automatically generated from the 3D CAD model, and the scaffold is then printed by dispensing four materials; i.e., a frame, two kinds of cell-laden hydrogel and a support. We demonstrated printing of heterogeneous tissue models formed of hydrogel scaffolds using this approach, including the outer ear, kidney and tooth tissue. These results indicate that this approach is particularly promising for tissue engineering and 3D printing applications to regenerate heterogeneous organs and tissues with tailored geometries to treat specific defects or injuries.

Computer-aided multiple-head 3D printing system for printing of heterogeneous organ/tissue constructs.

PubMed

Jung, Jin Woo; Lee, Jung-Seob; Cho, Dong-Woo

2016-02-22

Recently, much attention has focused on replacement or/and enhancement of biological tissues via the use of cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds with an architecture that mimics the tissue matrix, and with the desired three-dimensional (3D) external geometry. However, mimicking the heterogeneous tissues that most organs and tissues are formed of is challenging. Although multiple-head 3D printing systems have been proposed for fabricating heterogeneous cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds, to date only the simple exterior form has been realized. Here we describe a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system for this application. We aim to develop an algorithm to enable easy, intuitive design and fabrication of a heterogeneous cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds with a free-form 3D geometry. The printing paths of the scaffold are automatically generated from the 3D CAD model, and the scaffold is then printed by dispensing four materials; i.e., a frame, two kinds of cell-laden hydrogel and a support. We demonstrated printing of heterogeneous tissue models formed of hydrogel scaffolds using this approach, including the outer ear, kidney and tooth tissue. These results indicate that this approach is particularly promising for tissue engineering and 3D printing applications to regenerate heterogeneous organs and tissues with tailored geometries to treat specific defects or injuries.

Clinical Predictors of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndromes in Pediatric patients with Scrub Typhus.

PubMed

Zhao, Dongying; Zhang, Yongjun; Yin, Zhaoqing; Zhao, Jing; Yang, Defeng; Zhou, Qun

2017-06-01

Scrub typhus can produce multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Early recognition of the patients at risk of MODS would be helpful in providing timely management and reducing the mortality. In all, 449 children with scrub typhus were enrolled at three hospitals in Yunnan, China from January 2010 to January 2015. The patients' clinical status of organ system dysfunction was evaluated on the day of discharge from hospital by using standard criteria. The patients were classified into MODS present (64 cases, 14.3%) or MODS absent (385 cases, 85.7%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the prognostic factors for MODS included skin rash (odds ratio, OR = 3.3, p = 0.037), time interval form treatment to defervescence (OR = 1.2, p = 0.035), hemoglobin (OR = 0.54, p = 0.041), platelet counts (OR = 0.06, p < 0.001), aspartate-aminotransferase (OR = 4.7, p = 0.011) and total bilirubin (OR = 2.3, p = 0.013). By describing risk factors resulting in MODS in pediatric scrub typhus, our study provides clinicians with important information to improve the clinical monitoring and prognostication of MODS. © The Author [2016]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Functional analysis of aromatic biosynthetic pathways in Pseudomonas putida KT2440

PubMed Central

Molina‐Henares, M. Antonia; García‐Salamanca, Adela; Molina‐Henares, A. Jesús; De La Torre, Jesús; Herrera, M. Carmen; Ramos, Juan L.; Duque, Estrella

2009-01-01

Summary Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is a non‐pathogenic prototrophic bacterium with high potential for biotechnological applications. Despite all that is known about this strain, the biosynthesis of essential chemicals has not been fully analysed and auxotroph mutants are scarce. We carried out massive mini‐Tn5 random mutagenesis and screened for auxotrophs that require aromatic amino acids. The biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids was analysed in detail including physical and transcriptional organization of genes, complementation assays and feeding experiments to establish pathway intermediates. There is a single pathway from chorismate leading to the biosynthesis of tryptophan, whereas the biosynthesis of phenylalanine and tyrosine is achieved through multiple convergent pathways. Genes for tryptophan biosynthesis are grouped in unlinked regions with the trpBA and trpGDE genes organized as operons and the trpI, trpE and trpF genes organized as single transcriptional units. The pheA and tyrA gene‐encoding multifunctional enzymes for phenylalanine and tyrosine biosynthesis are linked in the chromosome and form an operon with the serC gene involved in serine biosynthesis. The last step in the biosynthesis of these two amino acids requires an amino transferase activity for which multiple tyrB‐like genes are present in the host chromosome. PMID:21261884

Incomplete ileus and hemafecia as the presenting features of multi-organ involved primary systemic AL amyloidosis: a rare case report.

PubMed

Tian, Li; Tang, Anliu; Zhang, Xian; Mei, Zhen; Liu, Fen; Li, Jingbo; Li, Xiayu; Ai, Feiyan; Wang, Xiaoyan; Shen, Shourong

2017-06-05

AL Amyloidosis is known to be a systemic disease affecting multiple organs and tissue while it's rare that patients present with gastrointestinal symptoms at first and later develop multiple-organ dysfuction. Clinical signs are not specific and the diagnosis is rarely given before performing immunofixation and endoscopy with multiple biopsies. We would like to emphasize the value of precise diagnostic process of AL amyloidosis. In this case report, we describe a 56-year-old man who presented with recurrent periumbilical pain for 4 months and gradually worsened over a month. After a series of tests, he was finally diagnosed with primary systemic AL amyloidosis. He was treated with a chemotherapy regimen (Melphalan, dexamethasone and thalidomide) achieving a good clinical response. On account of the high misdiagnosis rate, establishing the most precise diagnosis in first time with typing amyloidogenic protein becomes increasingly vital. Although the presenting feature is usually nonspecific, AL amyloidosis ought to be considered when multiple organs are involved in a short period.

Health care administrators' perspectives on the role of absorptive capacity for strategic change initiatives: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Kash, Bita A; Spaulding, Aaron; Gamm, Larry; Johnson, Christopher E

2013-01-01

The dimensions of absorptive capacity (ACAP) are defined, and the importance of ACAP is established in the management literature, but the concept has not been applied to health care organizations attempting to implement multiple strategic initiatives. The aim of this study was to test the utility of ACAP by analyzing health care administrators' experiences with multiple strategic initiatives within two health systems. Results are drawn from administrators' assessments of multiple initiatives within two health systems using in-depth personal interviews with a total of 61 health care administrators. Data analysis was performed following deductive qualitative analysis guidelines. Interview transcripts were coded based on the four dimensions of ACAP: acquiring, assimilating, internalizing/transforming, and exploiting knowledge. Furthermore, we link results related to utilization of management resources, including number of key personnel involved and time consumption, to dimensions of ACAP. Participants' description of multiple strategic change initiatives confirmed the importance of the four ACAP dimensions. ACAP can be a useful framework to assess organizational capacity with respect to the organization's ability to concurrently implement multiple strategic initiatives. This capacity specifically revolves around human capital requirements from upper management based on the initiatives' location or stage within the ACAP framework. Strategic change initiatives in health care can be usefully viewed from an ACAP perspective. There is a tendency for those strategic initiatives ranking higher in priority and time consumption to reflect more advanced dimensions of ACAP (assimilate and transform), whereas few initiatives were identified in the ACAP "exploit" dimension. This may suggest that health care leaders tend to no longer identify as strategic initiatives those innovations that have moved to the exploitation stage or that less attention is given to the exploitation elements of a strategic initiative than to the earlier stages.

Metronidazole and the immune system.

PubMed

Shakir, L; Javeed, A; Ashraf, M; Riaz, A

2011-06-01

Metronidazole (MTZ) is a nitroimidazole antibiotic used mainly for the treatment of infections caused by susceptible organisms, particularly anaerobic bacteria and protozoa. Distinct from its antibiotic, amoebicidal, and antiprotozoal effects, MTZ displays immunopharmacological behaviour. This review outlines multiple effects of MTZ on different aspects of immunity, including innate and acquired immunity, and also highlights the immunopharmacological behaviour of MTZ in terms of its relevance to inflammation, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and graft versus host disease (GVHD).

Fatal pneumonia and empyema thoracis caused by imipenem-resistant Nocardia abscessus in a cancer patient.

PubMed

Lai, Chih-Cheng; Tsai, Hsih-Yeh; Ruan, Sheng-Yuan; Liao, Chun-Hsing; Hsueh, Po-Ren

2015-12-01

We describe a case of pneumonia and empyema thoracis caused by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-susceptible, but imipenem-resistant Nocardia abscessus in a cancer patient. The isolate was confirmed to the species level by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. The patient did not respond to antibiotic therapy, including ceftriaxone and imipenem, and died of progressing pneumonia and multiple organ failure. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fragmentation of organic ions bearing fixed multiple charges observed in MALDI MS.

PubMed

Lou, Xianwen; Li, Bao; de Waal, Bas F M; Schill, Jurgen; Baker, Matthew B; Bovee, Ralf A A; van Dongen, Joost L J; Milroy, Lech-Gustav; Meijer, E W

2018-01-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) was used to analyze a series of synthetic organic ions bearing fixed multiple charges. Despite the multiple intrinsic charges, only singly charged ions were recorded in each case. In addition to the pseudo-molecular ions formed by counterion adduction, deprotonation and electron capture, a number of fragment ions were also observed. Charge splitting by fragmentation was found to be a viable route for charge reduction leading to the formation of the observed singly charged fragment ions. Unlike multivalent metal ions, organic ions can rearrange and/or fragment during charge reduction. This fragmentation process will evidently complicate the interpretation of the MALDI MS spectrum. Because MALDI MS is usually considered as a soft ionization technique, the fragment ion peaks can easily be erroneously interpreted as impurities. Therefore, the awareness and understanding of the underlying MALDI-induced fragmentation pathways is essential for a proper interpretation of the corresponding mass spectra. Due to the fragment ions generated during charge reduction, special care should be taken in the MALDI MS analysis of multiply charged ions. In this work, the possible mechanisms by which the organic ions bearing fixed multiple charges fragment are investigated. With an improved understanding of the fragmentation mechanisms, MALDI TOF MS should still be a useful technique for the characterization of organic ions with fixed multiple charges. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Systems biology of human atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Shalhoub, Joseph; Sikkel, Markus B; Davies, Kerry J; Vorkas, Panagiotis A; Want, Elizabeth J; Davies, Alun H

2014-01-01

Systems biology describes a holistic and integrative approach to understand physiology and pathology. The "omic" disciplines include genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolic profiling (metabonomics and metabolomics). By adopting a stance, which is opposing (yet complimentary) to conventional research techniques, systems biology offers an overview by assessing the "net" biological effect imposed by a disease or nondisease state. There are a number of different organizational levels to be understood, from DNA to protein, metabolites, cells, organs and organisms, even beyond this to an organism's context. Systems biology relies on the existence of "nodes" and "edges." Nodes are the constituent part of the system being studied (eg, proteins in the proteome), while the edges are the way these constituents interact. In future, it will be increasingly important to collaborate, collating data from multiple studies to improve data sets, making them freely available and undertaking integrative analyses.

Next generation biofuel engineering in prokaryotes

PubMed Central

Gronenberg, Luisa S.; Marcheschi, Ryan J.; Liao, James C.

2014-01-01

Next-generation biofuels must be compatible with current transportation infrastructure and be derived from environmentally sustainable resources that do not compete with food crops. Many bacterial species have unique properties advantageous to the production of such next-generation fuels. However, no single species possesses all characteristics necessary to make high quantities of fuels from plant waste or CO2. Species containing a subset of the desired characteristics are used as starting points for engineering organisms with all desired attributes. Metabolic engineering of model organisms has yielded high titer production of advanced fuels, including alcohols, isoprenoids and fatty acid derivatives. Technical developments now allow engineering of native fuel producers, as well as lignocellulolytic and autotrophic bacteria, for the production of biofuels. Continued research on multiple fronts is required to engineer organisms for truly sustainable and economical biofuel production. PMID:23623045

Home and community care sector accountability.

PubMed

Steele Gray, Carolyn; Berta, Whitney; Deber, Raisa B; Lum, Janet

2014-09-01

This paper focuses on accountability for the home and community care (HCC) sector in Ontario. The many different service delivery approaches, funding methods and types of organizations delivering HCC services make this sector highly heterogeneous. Findings from a document analysis and environmental scan suggest that organizations delivering HCC services face multiple accountability requirements from a wide array of stakeholders. Government stakeholders tend to rely on regulatory and expenditure instruments to hold organizations to account for service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interview respondents reported that the expenditure-based accountability tools being used carried a number of unintended consequences, both positive and negative. These include an increased organizational focus on quality, shifting care time away from clients (particularly problematic for small agencies), dissuading innovation, and reliance on performance indicators that do not adequately support the delivery of high-quality care. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

Home and Community Care Sector Accountability

PubMed Central

Gray, Carolyn Steele; Berta, Whitney; Deber, Raisa B.; Lum, Janet

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on accountability for the home and community care (HCC) sector in Ontario. The many different service delivery approaches, funding methods and types of organizations delivering HCC services make this sector highly heterogeneous. Findings from a document analysis and environmental scan suggest that organizations delivering HCC services face multiple accountability requirements from a wide array of stakeholders. Government stakeholders tend to rely on regulatory and expenditure instruments to hold organizations to account for service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interview respondents reported that the expenditure-based accountability tools being used carried a number of unintended consequences, both positive and negative. These include an increased organizational focus on quality, shifting care time away from clients (particularly problematic for small agencies), dissuading innovation, and reliance on performance indicators that do not adequately support the delivery of high-quality care. PMID:25305389

A history of the American College of Medical Quality.

PubMed

Fetterolf, Donald; Brodie, Bridget

2011-01-01

The American College of Medical Quality is a national organization of health care professionals who are interested in the advancement of medical quality as a field. Composed primarily of doctorate-level individuals in medicine, dentistry, and podiatry, it also includes affiliate members in preprofessional training as well as nursing. Origins of the organization date to 1973, when it was first called the American College of Utilization Review Physicians. It is formally recognized by the American Medical Association and holds a seat in its House of Delegates. The College views the advancement of medical quality as a field of study within itself and offers multiple venues for self-education, testing, and professional networking for its members. Recently, rising national awareness of quality in health care as a field of endeavor has elevated enrollment levels and increased interest in the organization.

Multiple Hierarchies and Organizational Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Peter B.

1975-01-01

Uses a control-loss model to explore the effects of multiple channels in formal organizations, and presents an argument for the superior control properties of dual hierarchies. Two variant forms of multiple hierarchies are considered. (Author)

Research evidence utilization in policy development by child welfare administrators.

PubMed

Jack, Susan; Dobbins, Maureen; Tonmyr, Lil; Dudding, Peter; Brooks, Sandy; Kennedy, Betty

2010-01-01

An exploratory qualitative study was conducted to explore how child welfare administrators use research evidence in decision-making. Content analysis revealed that a cultural shift toward evidence-based practice (EBP) is occurring in Canadian child welfare organizations and multiple types of evidence inform policy decisions. Barriers to using evidence include individual, organizational, and environmental factors. Facilitating factors include the development of internal champions and organizational cultures that value EBP. Integrating research into practice and policy decisions requires a multifaceted approach of creating organizational cultures that support research utilization and supporting senior bureaucrats to use research evidence in policy development.

Quantifying VOC emissions from polymers: A case study

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

Schulze, J.K.; Qasem, J.S.; Snoddy, R.

1996-12-31

Evaluating residual volatile organic compound emissions emanating from low-density polyethylene can pose significant challenges. These challenges include quantifying emissions from: (a) multiple process lines with different operating conditions; (b) several different comonomers; (c) variations of comonomer content in each grade; and (d) over 120 grades of LDPE. This presentation is a Case Study outlining a project to develop grade-specific emission data for low-density polyethylene pellets. This study included extensive laboratory analyses and required the development of a relational database to compile analytical results, calculate the mean concentration and standard deviation, and generate emissions reports.

Epidemiology and risk factors of multiple-organ failure after multiple trauma: an analysis of 31,154 patients from the TraumaRegister DGU.

PubMed

Fröhlich, Matthias; Lefering, Rolf; Probst, Christian; Paffrath, Thomas; Schneider, Marco M; Maegele, Marc; Sakka, Samir G; Bouillon, Bertil; Wafaisade, Arasch

2014-04-01

In the severely injured who survive the early posttraumatic phase, multiple-organ failure (MOF) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality. An enhanced prediction of MOF might influence individual monitoring and therapy of severely injured patients. We performed a retrospective analysis of a nationwide prospective database, the TraumaRegister DGU of the German Trauma Society. Patients with complete data sets (2002-2011) and a relevant trauma load (Injury Severity Score [ISS] ≥ 16), who were admitted to an intensive care unit, were included. Of a total of 31,154 patients enclosed in this study, 10,201 (32.7%) developed an MOF according to the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. During the study period, mortality of all patients decreased from 18.1% in 2002 to 15.3% in 2011 (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, MOF occurred significantly more often (24.6% in 2002 vs. 31.5% in 2011, p < 0.001), but mortality of MOF patients decreased (42.6% vs. 33.3%, p < 0.001). MOF patients who died survived 2 days less (11 days in 2002 vs. 8.9 days in 2011, p < 0.001). Independent risk factors for the development of MOF following severe trauma were age, ISS, head Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of 3 or higher, thoracic AIS score of 3 or higher, male sex, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8 or less, mass transfusion, base excess of less than -3, systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg at admission, and coagulopathy. Over one decade, we observed an ongoing decrease of mortality after multiple trauma, accompanied by decreasing mortality in the subgroup with MOF. However, incidence of MOF in the severely injured increased significantly. Thus, MOF after multiple trauma remains a challenge in intensive care. The risk factors from multivariate analysis could be instrumental in anticipating the early development of MOF. Furthermore, a reliable prediction model might be supportive for patient enrolment in trauma studies, in which MOF marks the primary end point. Epidemiologic study, level III.

Lessons Learned In Developing Multiple Distributed Planning Systems for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maxwell, Theresa G.; McNair, Ann R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The planning processes for the International Space Station (ISS) Program are quite complex. Detailed mission planning for ISS on-orbit operations is a distributed function. Pieces of the on-orbit plan are developed by multiple planning organizations, located around the world, based on their respective expertise and responsibilities. The "pieces" are then integrated to yield the final detailed plan that will be executed onboard the ISS. Previous space programs have not distributed the planning and scheduling functions to this extent. Major ISS planning organizations are currently located in the United States (at both the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)), in Russia, in Europe, and in Japan. Software systems have been developed by each of these planning organizations to support their assigned planning and scheduling functions. Although there is some cooperative development and sharing of key software components, each planning system has been tailored to meet the unique requirements and operational environment of the facility in which it operates. However, all the systems must operate in a coordinated fashion in order to effectively and efficiently produce a single integrated plan of ISS operations, in accordance with the established planning processes. This paper addresses lessons learned during the development of these multiple distributed planning systems, from the perspective of the developer of one of the software systems. The lessons focus on the coordination required to allow the multiple systems to operate together, rather than on the problems associated with the development of any particular system. Included in the paper is a discussion of typical problems faced during the development and coordination process, such as incompatible development schedules, difficulties in defining system interfaces, technical coordination and funding for shared tools, continually evolving planning concepts/requirements, programmatic and budget issues, and external influences. Techniques that mitigated some of these problems will also be addressed, along with recommendations for any future programs involving the development of multiple planning and scheduling systems. Many of these lessons learned are not unique to the area of planning and scheduling systems, so may be applied to other distributed ground systems that must operate in concert to successfully support space mission operations.

Lessons Learned in Developing Multiple Distributed Planning Systems for the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maxwell, Theresa G.

2002-01-01

The planning processes for the International Space Station (ISS) Program are quite complex. Detailed mission planning for ISS on-orbit operations is a distributed function. Pieces of the on-orbit plan are developed by multiple planning organizations, located around the world, based on their respective expertise and responsibilities. The pieces are then integrated to yield the final detailed plan that will be executed onboard the ISS. Previous space programs have not distributed the planning and scheduling functions to this extent. Major ISS planning organizations are currently located in the United States (at both the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)), in Russia, in Europe, and in Japan. Software systems have been developed by each of these planning organizations to support their assigned planning and scheduling functions. Although there is some cooperative development and sharing of key software components, each planning system has been tailored to meet the unique requirements and operational environment of the facility in which it operates. However, all the systems must operate in a coordinated fashion in order to effectively and efficiently produce a single integrated plan of ISS operations, in accordance with the established planning processes. This paper addresses lessons learned during the development of these multiple distributed planning systems, from the perspective of the developer of one of the software systems. The lessons focus on the coordination required to allow the multiple systems to operate together, rather than on the problems associated with the development of any particular system. Included in the paper is a discussion of typical problems faced during the development and coordination process, such as incompatible development schedules, difficulties in defining system interfaces, technical coordination and funding for shared tools, continually evolving planning concepts/requirements, programmatic and budget issues, and external influences. Techniques that mitigated some of these problems will also be addressed, along with recommendations for any future programs involving the development of multiple planning and scheduling systems. Many of these lessons learned are not unique to the area of planning and scheduling systems, so may be applied to other distributed ground systems that must operate in concert to successfully support space mission operations.

Mechanisms of collective cell movement lacking a leading or free front edge in vivo.

PubMed

Uechi, Hiroyuki; Kuranaga, Erina

2017-08-01

Collective cell movement is one of the strategies for achieving the complex shapes of tissues and organs. In this process, multiple cells within a group held together by cell-cell adhesion acquire mobility and move together in the same direction. In some well-studied models of collective cell movement, the mobility depends strongly on traction generated at the leading edge by cells located at the front. However, recent advances in live-imaging techniques have led to the discovery of other types of collective cell movement lacking a leading edge or even a free edge at the front, in a diverse array of morphological events, including tubule elongation, epithelial sheet extension, and tissue rotation. We herein review some of the developmental events that are organized by collective cell movement and attempt to elucidate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, which include membrane protrusions, guidance cues, cell intercalation, and planer cell polarity, or chirality pathways.

Collaborative efforts to improve system response to families who are experiencing child maltreatment and domestic violence.

PubMed

Banks, Duren; Dutch, Nicole; Wang, Kathleen

2008-07-01

The Greenbook demonstration initiative provided federal funding and other support to six communities to establish collaborations to plan and implement policy and practice changes in systems that serve families who are experiencing domestic violence and child maltreatment or child exposure to domestic violence. The demonstration sites established and organized collaborative groups in accordance with the Greenbook foundational principles and recommendations, including representation from multiple levels within the primary partner systems and other organizations, as well as the community. The sites struggled with how to engage consumers of the primary systems, however, and devoted a great deal of time to understanding and addressing organizational differences among the partners. Other salient collaborative influences included leadership, resources, trust, and commitment. The stakeholders noted that the collaborative relationships required a great deal of work but were ultimately one of the main successes of the initiative.

The impact of the principal in the implementation of promoting science among English language learners (P-SELL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kittrell, Resma

School organizations are in a constant state of change. One of the major changes that all schools encounter is adopting new curriculum. It is important to look at the role of the principal during the implementation of a new curriculum so that we can identify specific strategies that might be useful in other areas of school change. This study focuses on the role of the principal during the adoption of a new science curriculum, Promoting Science Among English Language Learners (P-SELL), within six elementary schools. This multiple case study included teacher focus group interviews, principal interviews, and teacher and principal written surveys to identify specific roles and strategies that principals illustrated during implementation of P-SELL. The overarching themes uncovered included (a) distributive leadership, (b) clear communication, and (c) supportive conditions. These findings can be used to understand the process of change within an organization.

Current understanding of microplastics in the environment: Occurrence, fate, risks, and what we should do.

PubMed

Peng, Jinping; Wang, Jundong; Cai, Liqi

2017-05-01

Microplastics pollution has been documented in the global environment, including at sea, in freshwater and in atmospheric fallout. Ingestion of microplastics by multiple kinds of organisms has been reported and has received increasing attention, because microplastics not only act as a source of toxic chemicals but also a sink for toxic chemicals. To better understand the great concerns about microplastics and associated toxic chemicals potential exposed to the organisms ingesting the debris, we should know more about the occurrence, fate, and risks of microplastics in the environment. What we should do depends on this better understanding. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:476-482. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

When stem cells grow old: phenotypes and mechanisms of stem cell aging.

PubMed

Schultz, Michael B; Sinclair, David A

2016-01-01

All multicellular organisms undergo a decline in tissue and organ function as they age. An attractive theory is that a loss in stem cell number and/or activity over time causes this decline. In accordance with this theory, aging phenotypes have been described for stem cells of multiple tissues, including those of the hematopoietic system, intestine, muscle, brain, skin and germline. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of why adult stem cells age and how this aging impacts diseases and lifespan. With this increased understanding, it is feasible to design and test interventions that delay stem cell aging and improve both health and lifespan. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder in an 11-year-old immunosuppressed boy.

PubMed

Nelson, Alex; Dhamija, Radhika; Nickels, Katherine

2013-05-01

We present an 11-year-old boy who presented with symptoms of subacute facial nerve palsy after cardiac transplant. Neuroimaging revealed multiple ring-enhancing lesions that were most concerning for opportunistic organism abscesses and he was treated with broad-spectrum antifungal and antibacterial therapy. After noninvasive testing failed to identify a causative organism, he underwent brain biopsy. Pathology revealed posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease that was later determined to be isolated to the central nervous system. The patient was treated with reduction in his immunotherapy and chemotherapy including rituximab and methotrexate. This case exemplifies the importance of having a low threshold to consider posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in posttransplant patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phenotip - a web-based instrument to help diagnosing fetal syndromes antenatally.

PubMed

Porat, Shay; de Rham, Maud; Giamboni, Davide; Van Mieghem, Tim; Baud, David

2014-12-10

Prenatal ultrasound can often reliably distinguish fetal anatomic anomalies, particularly in the hands of an experienced ultrasonographer. Given the large number of existing syndromes and the significant overlap in prenatal findings, antenatal differentiation for syndrome diagnosis is difficult. We constructed a hierarchic tree of 1140 sonographic markers and submarkers, organized per organ system. Subsequently, a database of prenatally diagnosable syndromes was built. An internet-based search engine was then designed to search the syndrome database based on a single or multiple sonographic markers. Future developments will include a database with magnetic resonance imaging findings as well as further refinements in the search engine to allow prioritization based on incidence of syndromes and markers.

Strangers and Friends: Collaborative Play in World of Warcraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nardi, Bonnie; Harris, Justin

We analyze collaborative play in an online video game, World of Warcraft, the most popular multiplayer video game with 11 million players in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Based on an immersive ethnographic study, we describe how the social organization of the game and player culture affect players' enjoyment and learning of the game. We discovered that play is characterized by a multiplicity of collaborations from brief informal encounters to highly organized play in structured groups. The variety of collaborations makes the game more fun and provides rich learning opportunities. We contrast these varied collaborations, including those with strangers, to the “gold standard” of Gemeinschaft-like communities of close relations in tightknit groups.

Public health agenda setting in a global context: the International Labor Organization's decent work agenda.

PubMed

Di Ruggiero, Erica; Cohen, Joanna E; Cole, Donald C; Forman, Lisa

2015-04-01

We drew on two agenda-setting theories usually applied at the state or national level to assess their utility at the global level: Kingdon's multiple streams theory and Baumgartner and Jones's punctuated equilibrium theory. We illustrate our analysis with findings from a qualitative study of the International Labor Organization's Decent Work Agenda. We found that both theories help explain the agenda-setting mechanisms that operate in the global context, including how windows of opportunity open and what role institutions play as policy entrepreneurs. Future application of these theories could help characterize power struggles between global actors, whose voices are heard or silenced, and their impact on global policy agenda setting.

Analytical Applications of Transport Through Bulk Liquid Membranes.

PubMed

Diaconu, Ioana; Ruse, Elena; Aboul-Enein, Hassan Y; Bunaciu, Andrei A

2016-07-03

This review discusses the results of research in the use of bulk liquid membranes in separation processes and preconcentration for analytical purposes. It includes some theoretical aspects, definitions, types of liquid membranes, and transport mechanism, as well as advantages of using liquid membranes in laboratory studies. These concepts are necessary to understand fundamental principles of liquid membrane transport. Due to the multiple advantages of liquid membranes several studies present analytical applications of the transport through liquid membranes in separation or preconcentration processes of metallic cations and some organic compounds, such as phenol and phenolic derivatives, organic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and drugs. This review presents coupled techniques such as separation through the liquid membrane coupled with flow injection analysis.

Cellular Homeostasis and Aging.

PubMed

Hartl, F Ulrich

2016-06-02

Aging and longevity are controlled by a multiplicity of molecular and cellular signaling events that interface with environmental factors to maintain cellular homeostasis. Modulation of these pathways to extend life span, including insulin-like signaling and the response to dietary restriction, identified the cellular machineries and networks of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) and stress resistance pathways as critical players in the aging process. A decline of proteostasis capacity during aging leads to dysfunction of specific cell types and tissues, rendering the organism susceptible to a range of chronic diseases. This volume of the Annual Review of Biochemistry contains a set of two reviews addressing our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying aging in model organisms and humans.

Phosphoinositide signaling in sperm development.

PubMed

Brill, Julie A; Yildirim, Sukriye; Fabian, Lacramioara

2016-11-01

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) 1 are membrane lipids with crucial roles during cell morphogenesis, including the establishment of cytoskeletal organization, membrane trafficking, cell polarity, cell-cycle control and signaling. Recent studies in mice (Mus musculus), fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and other organisms have defined germ cell intrinsic requirements for these lipids and their regulatory enzymes in multiple aspects of sperm development. In particular, PIP levels are crucial in germline stem cell maintenance, spermatogonial proliferation and survival, spermatocyte cytokinesis, spermatid polarization, sperm tail formation, nuclear shaping, and production of mature, motile sperm. Here, we briefly review the stages of spermatogenesis and discuss the roles of PIPs and their regulatory enzymes in male germ cell development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When stem cells grow old: phenotypes and mechanisms of stem cell aging

PubMed Central

Schultz, Michael B.; Sinclair, David A.

2016-01-01

All multicellular organisms undergo a decline in tissue and organ function as they age. An attractive theory is that a loss in stem cell number and/or activity over time causes this decline. In accordance with this theory, aging phenotypes have been described for stem cells of multiple tissues, including those of the hematopoietic system, intestine, muscle, brain, skin and germline. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of why adult stem cells age and how this aging impacts diseases and lifespan. With this increased understanding, it is feasible to design and test interventions that delay stem cell aging and improve both health and lifespan. PMID:26732838

Quantification of asymmetric microtubule nucleation at sub-cellular structures

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiaodong; Kaverina, Irina

2012-01-01

Cell polarization is important for multiple physiological processes. In polarized cells, microtubules (MTs) are organized into a spatially polarized array. Generally, in non-differentiated cells, it is assumed that MTs are symmetrically nucleated exclusively from centrosome (microtubule organizing center, MTOC) and then reorganized into the asymmetric array. We have recently identified the Golgi complex as an additional MTOC that asymmetrically nucleates MTs toward one side of the cell. Methods used for alternative MTOC identification include microtubule re-growth after complete drug-induced depolymerization and tracking of growing microtubules using fluorescence labeled MT +TIP binding proteins in living cells. These approaches can be used for quantification of MT nucleation sites at diverse sub-cellular structures. PMID:21773933

Multi-scale modularity and motif distributional effect in metabolic networks.

PubMed

Gao, Shang; Chen, Alan; Rahmani, Ali; Zeng, Jia; Tan, Mehmet; Alhajj, Reda; Rokne, Jon; Demetrick, Douglas; Wei, Xiaohui

2016-01-01

Metabolism is a set of fundamental processes that play important roles in a plethora of biological and medical contexts. It is understood that the topological information of reconstructed metabolic networks, such as modular organization, has crucial implications on biological functions. Recent interpretations of modularity in network settings provide a view of multiple network partitions induced by different resolution parameters. Here we ask the question: How do multiple network partitions affect the organization of metabolic networks? Since network motifs are often interpreted as the super families of evolved units, we further investigate their impact under multiple network partitions and investigate how the distribution of network motifs influences the organization of metabolic networks. We studied Homo sapiens, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli metabolic networks; we analyzed the relationship between different community structures and motif distribution patterns. Further, we quantified the degree to which motifs participate in the modular organization of metabolic networks.

Whole-body voxel-based personalized dosimetry: Multiple voxel S-value approach for heterogeneous media with non-uniform activity distributions.

PubMed

Lee, Min Sun; Kim, Joong Hyun; Paeng, Jin Chul; Kang, Keon Wook; Jeong, Jae Min; Lee, Dong Soo; Lee, Jae Sung

2017-12-14

Personalized dosimetry with high accuracy is becoming more important because of the growing interests in personalized medicine and targeted radionuclide therapy. Voxel-based dosimetry using dose point kernel or voxel S-value (VSV) convolution is available. However, these approaches do not consider medium heterogeneity. Here, we propose a new method for whole-body voxel-based personalized dosimetry for heterogeneous media with non-uniform activity distributions, which is referred to as the multiple VSV approach. Methods: The multiple numbers (N) of VSVs for media with different densities covering the whole-body density ranges were used instead of using only a single VSV for water. The VSVs were pre-calculated using GATE Monte Carlo simulation; those were convoluted with the time-integrated activity to generate density-specific dose maps. Computed tomography-based segmentation was conducted to generate binary maps for each density region. The final dose map was acquired by the summation of N segmented density-specific dose maps. We tested several sets of VSVs with different densities: N = 1 (single water VSV), 4, 6, 8, 10, and 20. To validate the proposed method, phantom and patient studies were conducted and compared with direct Monte Carlo, which was considered the ground truth. Finally, patient dosimetry (10 subjects) was conducted using the multiple VSV approach and compared with the single VSV and organ-based dosimetry approaches. Errors at the voxel- and organ-levels were reported for eight organs. Results: In the phantom and patient studies, the multiple VSV approach showed significant improvements regarding voxel-level errors, especially for the lung and bone regions. As N increased, voxel-level errors decreased, although some overestimations were observed at lung boundaries. In the case of multiple VSVs ( N = 8), we achieved voxel-level errors of 2.06%. In the dosimetry study, our proposed method showed much improved results compared to the single VSV and organ-based dosimetry. Errors at the organ-level were -6.71%, 2.17%, and 227.46% for the single VSV, multiple VSV, and organ-based dosimetry, respectively. Conclusion: The multiple VSV approach for heterogeneous media with non-uniform activity distributions offers fast personalized dosimetry at whole-body level, yielding results comparable to those of the direct Monte Carlo approach. Copyright © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Prevention of cardiorenal syndromes.

PubMed

McCullough, Peter A

2010-01-01

The cardiorenal syndromes (CRS) are composed of five recently defined syndromes which represent common clinical scenarios in which both the heart and the kidney are involved in a bidirectional injury process leading to dysfunction of both organs. Common to each subtype are multiple complex pathogenic factors, a precipitous decline in function and a progressive course. Most pathways that lead to CRS involve acute injury to organs which manifest evidence of chronic disease, suggesting reduced ability to sustain damage, maintain vital functions, and facilitate recovery. Prevention of CRS is an ideal clinical goal, because once initiated, CRS cannot be readily aborted, are not completely reversible, and are associated with serious consequences including hospitalization, complicated procedures, need for renal replacement therapy, and death. Principles of prevention include identification and amelioration of precipitating factors, optimal management of both chronic heart and kidney diseases, and future use of multimodality therapies for end-organ protection at the time of systemic injury. This paper will review the core concepts of prevention of CRS with practical applications to be considered in today's practice. 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of multiple levels of social organization on survival and abundance.

PubMed

Ward, Eric J; Semmens, Brice X; Holmes, Elizabeth E; Balcomb Iii, Ken C

2011-04-01

Identifying how social organization shapes individual behavior, survival, and fecundity of animals that live in groups can inform conservation efforts and improve forecasts of population abundance, even when the mechanism responsible for group-level differences is unknown. We constructed a hierarchical Bayesian model to quantify the relative variability in survival rates among different levels of social organization (matrilines and pods) of an endangered population of killer whales (Orcinus orca). Individual killer whales often participate in group activities such as prey sharing and cooperative hunting. The estimated age-specific survival probabilities and survivorship curves differed considerably among pods and to a lesser extent among matrilines (within pods). Across all pods, males had lower life expectancy than females. Differences in survival between pods may be caused by a combination of factors that vary across the population's range, including reduced prey availability, contaminants in prey, and human activity. Our modeling approach could be applied to demographic rates for other species and for parameters other than survival, including reproduction, prey selection, movement, and detection probabilities. Conservation Biology ©2010 Society for Conservation Biology. No claim to original US government works.

Crossing the implementation chasm: a proposal for bold action.

PubMed

Lorenzi, Nancy M; Novak, Laurie L; Weiss, Jacob B; Gadd, Cynthia S; Unertl, Kim M

2008-01-01

As health care organizations dramatically increase investment in information technology (IT) and the scope of their IT projects, implementation failures become critical events. Implementation failures cause stress on clinical units, increase risk to patients, and result in massive costs that are often not recoverable. At an estimated 28% success rate, the current level of investment defies management logic. This paper asserts that there are "chasms" in IT implementations that represent risky stages in the process. Contributors to the chasms are classified into four categories: design, management, organization, and assessment. The American College of Medical Informatics symposium participants recommend bold action to better understand problems and challenges in implementation and to improve the ability of organizations to bridge these implementation chasms. The bold action includes the creation of a Team Science for Implementation strategy that allows for participation from multiple institutions to address the long standing and costly implementation issues. The outcomes of this endeavor will include a new focus on interdisciplinary research and an inter-organizational knowledge base of strategies and methods to optimize implementations and subsequent achievement of organizational objectives.

Pathway Tools version 13.0: integrated software for pathway/genome informatics and systems biology

PubMed Central

Paley, Suzanne M.; Krummenacker, Markus; Latendresse, Mario; Dale, Joseph M.; Lee, Thomas J.; Kaipa, Pallavi; Gilham, Fred; Spaulding, Aaron; Popescu, Liviu; Altman, Tomer; Paulsen, Ian; Keseler, Ingrid M.; Caspi, Ron

2010-01-01

Pathway Tools is a production-quality software environment for creating a type of model-organism database called a Pathway/Genome Database (PGDB). A PGDB such as EcoCyc integrates the evolving understanding of the genes, proteins, metabolic network and regulatory network of an organism. This article provides an overview of Pathway Tools capabilities. The software performs multiple computational inferences including prediction of metabolic pathways, prediction of metabolic pathway hole fillers and prediction of operons. It enables interactive editing of PGDBs by DB curators. It supports web publishing of PGDBs, and provides a large number of query and visualization tools. The software also supports comparative analyses of PGDBs, and provides several systems biology analyses of PGDBs including reachability analysis of metabolic networks, and interactive tracing of metabolites through a metabolic network. More than 800 PGDBs have been created using Pathway Tools by scientists around the world, many of which are curated DBs for important model organisms. Those PGDBs can be exchanged using a peer-to-peer DB sharing system called the PGDB Registry. PMID:19955237

Organ-Protective Effects of Red Wine Extract, Resveratrol, in Oxidative Stress-Mediated Reperfusion Injury

PubMed Central

Liu, Fu-Chao; Tsai, Hsin-I; Yu, Huang-Ping

2015-01-01

Resveratrol, a polyphenol extracted from red wine, possesses potential antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, including the reduction of free radicals and proinflammatory mediators overproduction, the alteration of the expression of adhesion molecules, and the inhibition of neutrophil function. A growing body of evidence indicates that resveratrol plays an important role in reducing organ damage following ischemia- and hemorrhage-induced reperfusion injury. Such protective phenomenon is reported to be implicated in decreasing the formation and reaction of reactive oxygen species and pro-nflammatory cytokines, as well as the mediation of a variety of intracellular signaling pathways, including the nitric oxide synthase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, deacetylase sirtuin 1, mitogen-activated protein kinase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1 alpha, hemeoxygenase-1, and estrogen receptor-related pathways. Reperfusion injury is a complex pathophysiological process that involves multiple factors and pathways. The resveratrol is an effective reactive oxygen species scavenger that exhibits an antioxidative property. In this review, the organ-protective effects of resveratrol in oxidative stress-related reperfusion injury will be discussed. PMID:26161238

A case report for fatal Churg-Strauss syndrome complications: first reported death due to rapid progression of prominently huge hepatic capsular hematoma and multi-system organ hemorrhage

PubMed Central

Qian, Jiejing; Tong, Hongyan; Chen, Feifei; Mai, Wenyuan; Lou, Yinjun; Jin, Jie

2014-01-01

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare disease that has an extremely low incidence rate. CSS prognosis is good, in general; and there are no reports of multiple-organ hemorrhage in CSS. We report a unique case of CSS, wherein, an elderly man experienced multiple organ hemorrhage -- a particularly huge hematoma under the capsule of the liver and poor prognosis. PMID:25419420

In vivo imaging of zebrafish digestive organ function using multiple quenched fluorescent reporters

PubMed Central

Hama, Kotaro; Provost, Elayne; Baranowski, Timothy C.; Rubinstein, Amy L.; Anderson, Jennifer L.; Leach, Steven D.; Farber, Steven A.

2009-01-01

Optical clarity of larvae makes the zebrafish ideal for real-time analyses of vertebrate organ function through the use of fluorescent reporters of enzymatic activities. A key function of digestive organs is to couple the generation of enzymes with mechanical processes that enable nutrient availability and absorption. However, it has been extremely difficult, and in many cases not possible, to directly observe digestive processes in a live vertebrate. Here we describe a new method to visualize intestinal protein and lipid processing simultaneously in live zebrafish larvae using a quenched fluorescent protein (EnzChek) and phospholipid (PED6). By employing these reagents, we found that wild-type larvae exhibit significant variation in intestinal phospholipase and protease activities within a group but display a strong correlation between the activities within individuals. Furthermore, we found that pancreas function is essential for larval digestive protease activity but not for larval intestinal phospholipase activity. Although fat-free (ffr) mutant larvae were previously described to exhibit impaired lipid processes, we found they also had significantly reduced protease activity. Finally, we selected and evaluated compounds that were previously suggested to have altered phospholipase activity and are known or suspected to have inflammatory effects in the intestinal tract including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and identified a compound that significantly increases intestinal phospholipid processing. Thus the multiple fluorescent reporter-based methodology facilitates the rapid analysis of digestive organ function in live zebrafish larvae. PMID:19056761

Abdominal Organ Location, Morphology, and Rib Coverage for the 5(th), 50(th), and 95(th) Percentile Males and Females in the Supine and Seated Posture using Multi-Modality Imaging.

PubMed

Hayes, Ashley R; Gayzik, F Scott; Moreno, Daniel P; Martin, R Shayn; Stitzel, Joel D

The purpose of this study was to use data from a multi-modality image set of males and females representing the 5(th), 50(th), and 95(th) percentile (n=6) to examine abdominal organ location, morphology, and rib coverage variations between supine and seated postures. Medical images were acquired from volunteers in three image modalities including Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and upright MRI (uMRI). A manual and semi-automated segmentation method was used to acquire data and a registration technique was employed to conduct a comparative analysis between abdominal organs (liver, spleen, and kidneys) in both postures. Location of abdominal organs, defined by center of gravity movement, varied between postures and was found to be significant (p=0.002 to p=0.04) in multiple directions for each organ. In addition, morphology changes, including compression and expansion, were seen in each organ as a result of postural changes. Rib coverage, defined as the projected area of the ribs onto the abdominal organs, was measured in frontal, lateral, and posterior projections, and also varied between postures. A significant change in rib coverage between postures was measured for the spleen and right kidney (p=0.03 and p=0.02). The results indicate that posture affects the location, morphology and rib coverage area of abdominal organs and these implications should be noted in computational modeling efforts focused on a seated posture.

Developing research and recruitment while fostering stakeholder engagement in a National Institutes of Mental Health-funded Interventions and Practice Research Infrastructure Programs grant for depression.

PubMed

Stirman, Shannon Wiltsey; Goldstein, Lizabeth A; Wrenn, Glenda; Barrett, Marna; Gibbons, Mary Beth Connolly; Casiano, Delane; Thompson, Donald; Green, Patricia P; Heintz, Laura; Barber, Jacques P; Crits-Christoph, Paul

2010-01-01

In the context of a National Institutes of Mental Health-funded Interventions and Practice Research Infrastructure Programs (IP-RISP) grant for the treatment of depression, a partnership was developed between a community mental health organization and a team of researchers. This paper describes the collaborative process, key challenges, and strategies employed to meet the goals of the first phase of the grant, which included development of a working and sustainable partnership and building capacity for recruitment and research. This paper was developed through the use of qualitative interviews and discussion with a variety of IP-RISP partners. Communication with multiple stakeholders through varied channels, feedback from stakeholders on research procedures, and employing a research liaison at the clinic have been key strategies in the first phase of the grant. The strategies we employed allowed multiple stakeholders to contribute to the larger mission of the IP-RISP and helped to establish an ongoing research program within the mental health organization.

Drebrin and Spermatogenesis

PubMed Central

Chen, Haiqi; Li, Michelle W.M.

2018-01-01

Drebrin is a family of actin-binding proteins with two known members called drebrin A and E. Apart from the ability to stabilize F-actin microfilaments via their actin-binding domains near the N-terminus, drebrin also regulates multiple cellular functions due to its unique ability to recruit multiple binding partners to a specific cellular domain, such as the seminiferous epithelium during the epithelial cycle of spermatogenesis. Recent studies have illustrated the role of drebrin E in the testis during spermatogenesis in particular via its ability to recruit branched actin polymerization protein known as actin-related protein 3 (Arp3), illustrating its involvement in modifying the organization of actin microfilaments at the ectoplasmic specialization (ES) which includes the testis-specific anchoring junction at the Sertoli-spermatid (apical ES) interface and at the Sertoli cell-cell (basal ES) interface. These data are carefully evaluated in light of other recent findings herein regarding the role of drebrin in actin filament organization at the ES. We also provide the hypothetical model regarding its involvement in germ cell transport during the epithelial cycle in the seminiferous epithelium to support spermatogenesis. PMID:28865027

Accelerated Genome Engineering through Multiplexing

PubMed Central

Zhao, Huimin

2015-01-01

Throughout the biological sciences, the past fifteen years have seen a push towards the analysis and engineering of biological systems at the organism level. Given the complexity of even the simplest organisms, though, to elicit a phenotype of interest often requires genotypic manipulation of several loci. By traditional means, sequential editing of genomic targets requires a significant investment of time and labor, as the desired editing event typically occurs at a very low frequency against an overwhelming unedited background. In recent years, the development of a suite of new techniques has greatly increased editing efficiency, opening up the possibility for multiple editing events to occur in parallel. Termed as multiplexed genome engineering, this approach to genome editing has greatly expanded the scope of possible genome manipulations in diverse hosts, ranging from bacteria to human cells. The enabling technologies for multiplexed genome engineering include oligonucleotide-based and nuclease-based methodologies, and their application has led to the great breadth of successful examples described in this review. While many technical challenges remain, there also exists a multiplicity of opportunities in this rapidly expanding field. PMID:26394307

Cluster bomb ocular injuries.

PubMed

Mansour, Ahmad M; Hamade, Haya; Ghaddar, Ayman; Mokadem, Ahmad Samih; El Hajj Ali, Mohamad; Awwad, Shady

2012-01-01

To present the visual outcomes and ocular sequelae of victims of cluster bombs. This retrospective, multicenter case series of ocular injury due to cluster bombs was conducted for 3 years after the war in South Lebanon (July 2006). Data were gathered from the reports to the Information Management System for Mine Action. There were 308 victims of clusters bombs; 36 individuals were killed, of which 2 received ocular lacerations and; 272 individuals were injured with 18 receiving ocular injury. These 18 surviving individuals were assessed by the authors. Ocular injury occurred in 6.5% (20/308) of cluster bomb victims. Trauma to multiple organs occurred in 12 of 18 cases (67%) with ocular injury. Ocular findings included corneal or scleral lacerations (16 eyes), corneal foreign bodies (9 eyes), corneal decompensation (2 eyes), ruptured cataract (6 eyes), and intravitreal foreign bodies (10 eyes). The corneas of one patient had extreme attenuation of the endothelium. Ocular injury occurred in 6.5% of cluster bomb victims and 67% of the patients with ocular injury sustained trauma to multiple organs. Visual morbidity in civilians is an additional reason for a global ban on the use of cluster bombs.

Assessment of Mitigation Systems on Vapor Intrusion ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Vapor intrusion is the migration of subsurface vapors, including radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in soil gas from the subsurface to indoor air. Vapor intrusion happens because there are pressure and concentration differentials between indoor air and soil gas. Indoor environments are often negatively pressurized with respect to outdoor air and soil gas (for example, from exhaust fans or the stack effect), and this pressure difference allows soil gas containing subsurface vapors to flow into indoor air through advection. In addition, concentration differentials cause VOCs and radon to migrate from areas of higher to lower concentrations through diffusion, which is another cause of vapor intrusion. Current practice for evaluating the vapor intrusion pathway involves a multiple line of evidence approach based on direct measurements in groundwater, external soil gas, subslab soil gas, and/or indoor air. No single line of evidence is considered definitive, and direct measurements of vapor intrusion can be costly, especially where significant spatial and temporal variability require repeated measurements at multiple locations to accurately assess the chronic risks of long-term exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like chloroform, perchloroethylene (PCE), and trichloroethylene (TCE).

High-resolution measurement of DMS and volatile organic compounds dissolved in seawater using equilibrator inlet-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (EI-PTR-MS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kameyama, S.; Tanimoto, H.; Inomata, S.; Tsunogai, U.; Ooki, A.; Yokouchi, Y.; Takeda, S.; Obata, H.; Tsuda, A.; Uematsu, M.

2010-12-01

We developed an equilibrator inlet-proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (EI-PTR-MS) for high-resolution measurement of multiple volatile organic compounds (VOCs) dissolved in seawater. The equilibration of six VOC species (dimethyl sulfide (DMS), isoprene, propene, acetone, acetaldehyde, and methanol) between seawater and carrier gas, and the response time of the system were evaluated in the laboratory. While isoprene and propene are not in equilibrium associated with slow response time (≈ 15 min) due to low solubility, other species achieve complete equilibrium with overall response time within 2 min under the condition without water droplets on the inner wall of the headspace of the equilibrator. The EI-PTR-MS instrument was deployed during a cruise in the western North Pacific. For DMS and isoprene, comparison of EI-PTR-MS with a membrane tube equilibrator-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was made, showing generally good agreement. EI-PTR-MS captured temporal variations of dissolved VOCs including small-scale variability, demonstrating the performance of EI-PTR-MS technique for continuous measurement of multiple VOCs in seawater.

Real-Time, Fast Neutron Coincidence Assay of Plutonium With a 4-Channel Multiplexed Analyzer and Organic Scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, Malcolm J.; Gamage, Kelum A. A.; Aspinall, M. D.; Cave, F. D.; Lavietes, A.

2014-06-01

The design, principle of operation and the results of measurements made with a four-channel organic scintillator system are described. The system comprises four detectors and a multiplexed analyzer for the real-time parallel processing of fast neutron events. The function of the real-time, digital multiple-channel pulse-shape discrimination analyzer is described together with the results of laboratory-based measurements with 252Cf, 241Am-Li and plutonium. The analyzer is based on a single-board solution with integrated high-voltage supplies and graphical user interface. It has been developed to meet the requirements of nuclear materials assay of relevance to safeguards and security. Data are presented for the real-time coincidence assay of plutonium in terms of doubles count rate versus mass. This includes an assessment of the limiting mass uncertainty for coincidence assay based on a 100 s measurement period and samples in the range 0-50 g. Measurements of count rate versus order of multiplicity for 252Cf and 241Am-Li and combinations of both are also presented.

Multiple organ failure with the adult respiratory distress syndrome in homicidal arsenic poisoning.

PubMed

Bolliger, C T; van Zijl, P; Louw, J A

1992-01-01

A 30-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, who was 28 weeks pregnant, were simultaneously poisoned by eating chocolate containing arsenic trioxide. They developed a picture of multiple organ failure peaking around the 8th to 10th day after ingestion, with the development of life-threatening adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in both patients. This rarely reported complication of arsenic poisoning was managed successfully by intubation and mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure in both patients. Hemodynamic and laboratory data are presented supporting the clinical course. Arsenic toxicity further resulted in intrauterine fetal death. The effects of severe arsenic poisoning leading to early multiple organ failure with ARDS as well as to protracted, debilitating polyneuropathy are discussed.

Cytomegalovirus Colitis in a Critically Ill Patient Following Severe Legionella Pneumonia with Multiple Organ Failure.

PubMed

Nakashima, Kei; Aoshima, Masahiro; Suzuki, Fumi; Watanabe, Junko; Otsuka, Yoshihito

2016-01-01

A 68-year-old man visited an emergency department complaining of dyspnea. He was diagnosed to have Legionella pneumonia with multiple organ failure. Although his multiple organ failure improved, he suffered from persistent abdominal pain and diarrhea with continuous minor bleeding. Colonoscopy revealed a longitudinal ulcer of the rectum, below the peritoneal reflection. He was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis. Antiviral therapy with ganciclovir was initiated. He finally underwent a colostomy after a bowel stricture caused an intestinal outlet obstruction, which made oral intake impossible. Based on the present case, we believe that CMV colitis must be considered as one of the differential diagnoses when critically ill patients develop continuous diarrhea and abdominal pain.

The Iodine Satellite (iSAT) Hall Thruster Demonstration Mission Concept and Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankanich, John W.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Calvert, Derek; Kamhawi, Hani

2014-01-01

The use of iodine propellant for Hall thrusters has been studied and proposed by multiple organizations due to the potential mission benefits over xenon. In 2013, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center competitively selected a project for the maturation of an iodine flight operational feed system through the Technology Investment Program. Multiple partnerships and collaborations have allowed the team to expand the scope to include additional mission concept development and risk reduction to support a flight system demonstration, the iodine Satellite (iSAT). The iSAT project was initiated and is progressing towards a technology demonstration mission preliminary design review. The current status of the mission concept development and risk reduction efforts in support of this project is presented.

Systemic lupus erythematosus diagnostics in the ‘omics’ era

PubMed Central

Arriens, Cristina; Mohan, Chandra

2014-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex autoimmune disease affecting multiple organ systems. Currently, diagnosis relies upon meeting at least four out of eleven criteria outlined by the ACR. The scientific community actively pursues discovery of novel diagnostics in the hope of better identifying susceptible individuals in early stages of disease. Comprehensive studies have been conducted at multiple biological levels including: DNA (or genomics), mRNA (or transcriptomics), protein (or proteomics) and metabolites (or metabolomics). The ‘omics’ platforms allow us to re-examine systemic lupus erythematosus at a greater degree of molecular resolution. More importantly, one is hopeful that these ‘omics’ platforms may yield newer biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus that can help clinicians track the disease course with greater sensitivity and specificity. PMID:24860621

Breast Cancer with Synchronous Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Presentation.

PubMed

Arjunan, Ravi; Kumar, Durgesh; Kumar, K V Veerendra; Premlatha, C S

2016-10-01

Primary cancer arising from multiple organs is a well known fact. Synchronous tumours have been most commonly associated with kidney cancer. Bladder, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer are the most common synchronous primaries with Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) identified till date. We found metachronous tumours of breast with RCC in literature search which included both metastatic tumours as well second primaries. Overall, 25 cases of metastatic breast tumours and eight cases of second primary in previously treated RCC have been reported in the literature. Here, we are reporting a case of synchronous presentation of carcinoma breast with RCC which is very rare because most of the multiple malignancies reported in the literature are metastatic tumours or metachronous breast malignancy with RCC.

Breast Cancer with Synchronous Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Rare Presentation

PubMed Central

Arjunan, Ravi; Kumar, K V Veerendra; Premlatha, C S

2016-01-01

Primary cancer arising from multiple organs is a well known fact. Synchronous tumours have been most commonly associated with kidney cancer. Bladder, prostate, colorectal and lung cancer are the most common synchronous primaries with Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) identified till date. We found metachronous tumours of breast with RCC in literature search which included both metastatic tumours as well second primaries. Overall, 25 cases of metastatic breast tumours and eight cases of second primary in previously treated RCC have been reported in the literature. Here, we are reporting a case of synchronous presentation of carcinoma breast with RCC which is very rare because most of the multiple malignancies reported in the literature are metastatic tumours or metachronous breast malignancy with RCC. PMID:27891445

Review: The size of the risk: Histories of multiple use in the Great Basin by Leisl Carr Childers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Craig A.

2017-01-01

In The Size of the Risk, Leisl Carr Childers chronicles the changing ways in which public lands of the Great Basin have been managed from the latter half of the nineteenth century through the late 1970s. The main focus is the State of Nevada, which constitutes the core of the Great Basin. Rather than proceeding chronologically, the book is organized by the uses to which lands were put, including grazing of cattle and sheep, weapons testing by the military, parks and recreation, and grazing of wild mustangs.Review info: The size of the risk: Histories of multiple use in the Great Basin. By Leisl Carr Childers, 2015. ISBN: 9780806152530, 320pp.

Tandem Repeated Irritation Test (TRIT) Studies and Clinical Relevance: Post 2006.

PubMed

Reddy, Rasika; Maibach, Howard

2018-06-11

Single or multiple applications of irritants can lead to occupational contact dermatitis, and most commonly irritant contact dermatitis (ICD). Tandem irritation, the sequential application of two irritants to a target skin area, has been studied using the Tandem Repeated Irritation Test (TRIT) to provide a more accurate representation of skin irritation. Here we present an update to Kartono's review on tandem irritation studies since 2006 [1]. We surveyed the literature available on PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and the UCSF Dermatology library databases since 2006. The studies included discuss the tandem effects of common chemical irritants, organic solvents, occlusion as well as clinical relevance - and enlarge our ability to discern whether multiple chemical exposures are more or less likely to enhance irritation.

Cleared for Launch - Lessons Learned from the OSIRIS-REx System Requirements Verification Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, Craig; Adams, Angela; Williams, Bradley; Goodloe, Colby

2017-01-01

Requirements verification of a large flight system is a challenge. It is especially challenging for engineers taking on their first role in space systems engineering. This paper describes our approach to verification of the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) system requirements. It also captures lessons learned along the way from developing systems engineers embroiled in this process. We begin with an overview of the mission and science objectives as well as the project requirements verification program strategy. A description of the requirements flow down is presented including our implementation for managing the thousands of program and element level requirements and associated verification data. We discuss both successes and methods to improve the managing of this data across multiple organizational interfaces. Our approach to verifying system requirements at multiple levels of assembly is presented using examples from our work at instrument, spacecraft, and ground segment levels. We include a discussion of system end-to-end testing limitations and their impacts to the verification program. Finally, we describe lessons learned that are applicable to all emerging space systems engineers using our unique perspectives across multiple organizations of a large NASA program.

Milk and serum standard reference materials for monitoring organic contaminants in human samples.

PubMed

Schantz, Michele M; Eppe, Gauthier; Focant, Jean-François; Hamilton, Coreen; Heckert, N Alan; Heltsley, Rebecca M; Hoover, Dale; Keller, Jennifer M; Leigh, Stefan D; Patterson, Donald G; Pintar, Adam L; Sharpless, Katherine E; Sjödin, Andreas; Turner, Wayman E; Vander Pol, Stacy S; Wise, Stephen A

2013-02-01

Four new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) have been developed to assist in the quality assurance of chemical contaminant measurements required for human biomonitoring studies, SRM 1953 Organic Contaminants in Non-Fortified Human Milk, SRM 1954 Organic Contaminants in Fortified Human Milk, SRM 1957 Organic Contaminants in Non-Fortified Human Serum, and SRM 1958 Organic Contaminants in Fortified Human Serum. These materials were developed as part of a collaboration between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with both agencies contributing data used in the certification of mass fraction values for a wide range of organic contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, chlorinated pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners. The certified mass fractions of the organic contaminants in unfortified samples, SRM 1953 and SRM 1957, ranged from 12 ng/kg to 2200 ng/kg with the exception of 4,4'-DDE in SRM 1953 at 7400 ng/kg with expanded uncertainties generally <14 %. This agreement suggests that there were no significant biases existing among the multiple methods used for analysis.

Milk and serum standard reference materials for monitoring organic contaminants in human samples

PubMed Central

Eppe, Gauthier; Focant, Jean-François; Hamilton, Coreen; Heckert, N. Alan; Heltsley, Rebecca M.; Hoover, Dale; Keller, Jennifer M.; Leigh, Stefan D.; Patterson, Donald G.; Pintar, Adam L.; Sharpless, Katherine E.; Sjödin, Andreas; Turner, Wayman E.; Vander Pol, Stacy S.; Wise, Stephen A.

2016-01-01

Four new Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) have been developed to assist in the quality assurance of chemical contaminant measurements required for human biomonitoring studies, SRM 1953 Organic Contaminants in Non-Fortified Human Milk, SRM 1954 Organic Contaminants in Fortified Human Milk, SRM 1957 Organic Contaminants in Non-Fortified Human Serum, and SRM 1958 Organic Contaminants in Fortified Human Serum. These materials were developed as part of a collaboration between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with both agencies contributing data used in the certification of mass fraction values for a wide range of organic contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, chlorinated pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners. The certified mass fractions of the organic contaminants in unfortified samples, SRM 1953 and SRM 1957, ranged from 12 ng/kg to 2200 ng/kg with the exception of 4,4′-DDE in SRM 1953 at 7400 ng/kg with expanded uncertainties generally <14 %. This agreement suggests that there were no significant biases existing among the multiple methods used for analysis. PMID:23132544

Shaped by asymmetrical interdependence: a qualitative case study of the external influences on international non-governmental organizations' implementation of equity principles in HIV/AIDS work.

PubMed

Dyke, Elizabeth; Edwards, Nancy; McDowell, Ian; Muga, Richard; Brown, Stephen

2014-10-08

Addressing inequities is a key role for international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) working in health and development. Yet, putting equity principles into practice can prove challenging. In-depth empirical research examining what influences INGOs' implementation of equity principles is limited. This study examined the influences on one INGO's implementation of equity principles in its HIV/AIDS programs. This research employed a case study with nested components (an INGO operating in Kenya, with offices in North America). We used multiple data collection methods, including document reviews, interviews (with staff, partners and clients of the INGO in Kenya), and participant observation (with Kenyan INGO staff). Participant observation was conducted with 10 people over three months. Forty-one interviews were completed, and 127 documents analyzed. Data analysis followed Auerbach and Silverstein's analytic process (2003), with qualitative coding conducted in multiple stages, using descriptive matrices, visual displays and networks (Miles and Huberman, 1994). There was a gap between the INGO's intent to implement equity principles and actual practice due to multiple influences from various players, including donors and country governments. The INGO was reliant on donor funding and needed permission from the Kenyan government to work in-country. Major influences included donor agendas and funding, donor country policies, and Southern country government priorities and legislation. The INGO privileged particular vulnerable populations (based on its reputation, its history, and the priorities of the Kenyan government and the donors). To balance its equity commitment with the influences from other players, the INGO aligned with the system as well as pushed back incrementally on the donors and the Kenyan government to influence these organizations' equity agendas. By moving its equity agenda forward incrementally and using its reputational advantage, the INGO avoided potential negative repercussions that might result from pushing too fast or working outside the system. The INGO aligned the implementation of equity principles in its HIV/AIDS initiatives by working within a system characterized by asymmetrical interdependence. Influences from the donors and Kenyan government contributed to an implementation gap between what the INGO intended to accomplish in implementing equity principles in HIV/AIDS work and actual practice.

Automatic multiple zebrafish larvae tracking in unconstrained microscopic video conditions.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoying; Cheng, Eva; Burnett, Ian S; Huang, Yushi; Wlodkowic, Donald

2017-12-14

The accurate tracking of zebrafish larvae movement is fundamental to research in many biomedical, pharmaceutical, and behavioral science applications. However, the locomotive characteristics of zebrafish larvae are significantly different from adult zebrafish, where existing adult zebrafish tracking systems cannot reliably track zebrafish larvae. Further, the far smaller size differentiation between larvae and the container render the detection of water impurities inevitable, which further affects the tracking of zebrafish larvae or require very strict video imaging conditions that typically result in unreliable tracking results for realistic experimental conditions. This paper investigates the adaptation of advanced computer vision segmentation techniques and multiple object tracking algorithms to develop an accurate, efficient and reliable multiple zebrafish larvae tracking system. The proposed system has been tested on a set of single and multiple adult and larvae zebrafish videos in a wide variety of (complex) video conditions, including shadowing, labels, water bubbles and background artifacts. Compared with existing state-of-the-art and commercial multiple organism tracking systems, the proposed system improves the tracking accuracy by up to 31.57% in unconstrained video imaging conditions. To facilitate the evaluation on zebrafish segmentation and tracking research, a dataset with annotated ground truth is also presented. The software is also publicly accessible.

B cell biology: implications for treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Anolik, J H

2013-04-01

B cells are critical players in the orchestration of properly regulated immune responses, normally providing protective immunity without autoimmunity. Balance in the B cell compartment is achieved through the finely regulated participation of multiple B cell populations with different antibody-dependent and independent functions. Both types of functions allow B cells to modulate other components of the innate and adaptive immune system. Autoantibody-independent B cell functions include antigen presentation, T cell activation and polarization, and dendritic cell modulation. Several of these functions are mediated by the ability of B cells to produce immunoregulatory cytokines and chemokines and by their critical contribution to lymphoid tissue development and organization including the development of ectopic tertiary lymphoid tissue. Additionally, the functional versatility of B cells enables them to play either protective or pathogenic roles in autoimmunity. In turn, B cell dysfunction has been critically implicated in the pathophysiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a complex disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies and heterogeneous clinical involvement. Thus, the breakdown of B cell tolerance is a defining and early event in the disease process and may occur by multiple pathways, including alterations in factors that affect B cell activation thresholds, B cell longevity, and apoptotic cell processing. Once tolerance is broken, autoantibodies contribute to autoimmunity by multiple mechanisms including immune-complex mediated Type III hypersensitivity reactions, type II antibody-dependent cytotoxicity, and by instructing innate immune cells to produce pathogenic cytokines including IFNα, TNF and IL-1. The complexity of B cell functions has been highlighted by the variable success of B cell-targeted therapies in multiple autoimmune diseases, including those conventionally viewed as T cell-mediated conditions. Given the widespread utilization of B cell depletion therapy in autoimmune diseases and the need for new therapeutic approaches in SLE, a better understanding of human B cell subsets and the balance of pathogenic and regulatory functions is of the essence.

Perspective: Fabrication of integrated organ-on-a-chip via bioprinting.

PubMed

Yang, Qingzhen; Lian, Qin; Xu, Feng

2017-05-01

Organ-on-a-chip has emerged as a powerful platform with widespread applications in biomedical engineering, such as pathology studies and drug screening. However, the fabrication of organ-on-a-chip is still a challenging task due to its complexity. For an integrated organ-on-a-chip, it may contain four key elements, i.e., a microfluidic chip, live cells/microtissues that are cultured in this chip, components for stimulus loading to mature the microtissues, and sensors for results readout. Recently, bioprinting has been used for fabricating organ-on-a-chip as it enables the printing of multiple materials, including biocompatible materials and even live cells in a programmable manner with a high spatial resolution. Besides, all four elements for organ-on-a-chip could be printed in a single continuous procedure on one printer; in other words, the fabrication process is assembly free. In this paper, we discuss the recent advances of organ-on-a-chip fabrication by bioprinting. Light is shed on the printing strategies, materials, and biocompatibility. In addition, some specific bioprinted organs-on-chips are analyzed in detail. Because the bioprinted organ-on-a-chip is still in its early stage, significant efforts are still needed. Thus, the challenges presented together with possible solutions and future trends are also discussed.

Obesity, Inflammation, and Cancer.

PubMed

Deng, Tuo; Lyon, Christopher J; Bergin, Stephen; Caligiuri, Michael A; Hsueh, Willa A

2016-05-23

Obesity, a worldwide epidemic, confers increased risk for multiple serious conditions, including cancer, and is increasingly recognized as a growing cause of preventable cancer risk. Chronic inflammation, a well-known mediator of cancer, is a central characteristic of obesity, leading to many of its complications, and obesity-induced inflammation confers additional cancer risk beyond obesity itself. Multiple mechanisms facilitate this strong association between cancer and obesity. Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ, secreting several hormones, including leptin and adiponectin, and chemokines that can regulate tumor behavior, inflammation, and the tumor microenvironment. Excessive adipose expansion during obesity causes adipose dysfunction and inflammation to increase systemic levels of proinflammatory factors. Cells from adipose tissue, such as cancer-associated adipocytes and adipose-derived stem cells, enter the cancer microenvironment to enhance protumoral effects. Dysregulated metabolism that stems from obesity, including insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia, can further impact tumor growth and development. This review describes how adipose tissue becomes inflamed in obesity, summarizes ways these mechanisms impact cancer development, and discusses their role in four adipose-associated cancers that demonstrate elevated incidence or mortality in obesity.

Using a Mechanistic Reactive Transport Model to Represent Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Climate Sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerry, N.; Riley, W. J.; Maggi, F.; Torn, M. S.; Kleber, M.

2011-12-01

The nature of long term Soil Organic Matter (SOM) dynamics is uncertain and the mechanisms involved are crudely represented in site, regional, and global models. Recent work challenging the paradigm that SOM is stabilized because of its sequential transformations to more intrinsically recalcitrant compounds motivated us to develop a mechanistic modeling framework that can be used to test hypotheses of SOM dynamics. We developed our C cycling model in TOUGHREACT, an established 3-dimensional reactive transport solver that accounts for multiple phases (aqueous, gaseous, sorbed), multiple species, advection and diffusion, and multiple microbial populations. Energy and mass exchange through the soil boundaries are accounted for via ground heat flux, rainfall, C sources (e.g., exudation, woody, leaf, root litter) and C losses (e.g., CO2 emissions and DOC deep percolation). SOM is categorized according to the various types of compounds commonly found in the above mentioned C sources and microbial byproducts, including poly- and monosaccharides, lignin, amino compounds, organic acids, nucleic acids, lipids, and phenols. Each of these compounds is accounted for by one or more representative species in the model. A reaction network was developed to describe the microbially-mediated processes and chemical interactions of these species, including depolymerization, microbial assimilation, respiration and deposition of byproducts, and incorporation of dead biomass into SOM stocks. Enzymatic reactions are characterized by Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with maximum reaction rates determined by the species' O/C ratio. Microbial activity is further regulated by soil moisture content, O2 availability, pH, and temperature. For the initial set of simulations, literature values were used to constrain microbial Monod parameters, Michaelis-Menten parameters, sorption parameters, physical protection, partitioning of microbial byproducts, and partitioning of litter inputs, although there is substantial uncertainty in how these relationships should be represented. We also developed several other model formulations, including one that represents SOM in pools of varying decomposability, but lacking explicit protection mechanisms. We tested the model against several observational and experimental datasets. An important conclusion of our analysis is that although several of the model structural formulations were able to represent the bulk SOM observations, including 14C vertical profiles, the temperature, moisture, and soil chemistry sensitivity of decomposition varied strongly between each formulation. Finally, we applied the model to design observations that would be required to better constrain process representation and improve predictions of changes in SOM under changing climate.

Influence of Chicken Manure Fertilization on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Soil and the Endophytic Bacteria of Pakchoi.

PubMed

Yang, Qingxiang; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Yuhui; Tian, Tiantian

2016-06-30

Animal manure is commonly used as fertilizer for agricultural crops worldwide, even though it is believed to contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance from animal intestines to the soil environment. However, it is unclear whether and how there is any impact of manure fertilization on populations and community structure of antibiotic-resistant endophytic bacteria (AREB) in plant tissues. To investigate the effect of manure and organic fertilizer on endophytic bacterial communities, pot experiments were performed with pakchoi grown with the following treatments: (1) non-treated; (2) chicken manure-treated and (3) organic fertilizer-treated. Manure or organic fertilizer significantly increased the abundances of total cultivable endophytic bacteria (TCEB) and AREB in pakchoi, and the effect of chicken manure was greater than that of organic fertilizer. Further, 16S rDNA sequencing and the phylogenetic analysis indicated that chicken manure or organic fertilizer application increased the populations of multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MARB) in soil and multiple antibiotic-resistant endophytic bacteria (MAREB) in pakchoi. The identical multiple antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations detected in chicken manure, manure- or organic fertilizer-amended soil and the vegetable endophytic system were Brevundimonas diminuta, Brachybacterium sp. and Bordetella sp., suggesting that MARB from manure could enter and colonize the vegetable tissues through manure fertilization. The fact that some human pathogens with multiple antibiotic resistance were detected in harvested vegetables after growing in manure-amended soil demonstrated a potential threat to human health.

Influence of Chicken Manure Fertilization on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Soil and the Endophytic Bacteria of Pakchoi

PubMed Central

Yang, Qingxiang; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Yuhui; Tian, Tiantian

2016-01-01

Animal manure is commonly used as fertilizer for agricultural crops worldwide, even though it is believed to contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance from animal intestines to the soil environment. However, it is unclear whether and how there is any impact of manure fertilization on populations and community structure of antibiotic-resistant endophytic bacteria (AREB) in plant tissues. To investigate the effect of manure and organic fertilizer on endophytic bacterial communities, pot experiments were performed with pakchoi grown with the following treatments: (1) non-treated; (2) chicken manure-treated and (3) organic fertilizer-treated. Manure or organic fertilizer significantly increased the abundances of total cultivable endophytic bacteria (TCEB) and AREB in pakchoi, and the effect of chicken manure was greater than that of organic fertilizer. Further, 16S rDNA sequencing and the phylogenetic analysis indicated that chicken manure or organic fertilizer application increased the populations of multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MARB) in soil and multiple antibiotic-resistant endophytic bacteria (MAREB) in pakchoi. The identical multiple antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations detected in chicken manure, manure- or organic fertilizer-amended soil and the vegetable endophytic system were Brevundimonas diminuta, Brachybacterium sp. and Bordetella sp., suggesting that MARB from manure could enter and colonize the vegetable tissues through manure fertilization. The fact that some human pathogens with multiple antibiotic resistance were detected in harvested vegetables after growing in manure-amended soil demonstrated a potential threat to human health. PMID:27376311

Learning Organization Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1997

This document contains three papers from a symposium on learning organization practices. "Learning Lenses of Leading Organizations: Best Practices Survey" (Laurel S. Jeris) shows that successful learning organizations view learning initiatives through multiple lenses with a clear, sustained focus on strategic outcomes. "Dimensions…

Role of acyl carrier protein isoforms in plant lipid metabolism: Progress report

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

Ohlrogge, J.B.

1989-01-01

Previous research from my lab has revealed that several higher plant species have multiple isoforms of acyl carrier protein (ACP) and therefore this trait appears highly conserved among higher plants. This level of conservation suggests that the existence of ACP isoforms is not merely the results of neutral gene duplications. We have developed techniques to examine a wider range of species. Acyl carrier proteins can be labelled very specifically and to high specific activity using H-palmitate and the E. coli enzyme acyl-ACP synthetase. Isoforms were then resolved by western blotting and native PAGE of H-palmitate labelled ACP's. Multiple isoforms ofmore » ACP were observed the leaf tissue of the monocots Avena sativa and Hordeum vulgare and dicots including Arabidopsis thallina, Cuphea wrightii, and Brassica napus. Lower vascular plants including the cycad, Dioon edule, Ginkgo biloba, the gymnosperm Pinus, the fern Anernia phyllitidis and Psilotum nudum, the most primitive known extant vascular plant, were also found to have multiple ACP isoforms as were the nonvascular liverwort, Marchantia and moss, Polytrichum. Therefore, the development of ACP isoforms occurred early in evolution. However, the uniellular alge Chlamydomonas and Dunaliella and the photosynthetic cyanobacteria Synechocystis and Agmnellum have only a single elecrophotetic form of ACP. Thus, multiple forms of ACP do not occur in all photosynthetic organisms but may be associated with multicellular plants.« less

Multiplicity among Solar-type Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuhrmann, K.; Chini, R.; Kaderhandt, L.; Chen, Z.

2017-02-01

We present a multiplicity census for a volume-complete all-sky survey of 422 stars with distances less than 25 pc and primary main-sequence effective temperatures T eff ≥ 5300 K. Very similar to previous results that have been presented for various subsets of this survey, we confirm the positive correlation of the stellar multiplicities with primary mass. We find for the F- and G-type Population I stars that 58% are non-single and 21% are in triple or higher level systems. For the old intermediate-disk and Population II stars—virtually all of G type and less massive—even two out of three sources prove to be non-single. These numbers being lower limits because of the continuous flow of new discoveries, the unbiased survey clearly demonstrates that the standard case for solar-type field stars is a hydrogen-burning source with at least one ordinary or degenerate stellar companion, and a surprisingly large number of stars are organized in multiple systems. A principal consequence is that orbital evolution, including the formation of blue straggler stars, is a potentially important issue on all spatial scales and timescales for a significant percentage of the stellar systems, in particular among Population II stars. We discuss a number of recent observations of known or suspected companions in the local survey, including a new detection of a double-lined Ba-Bb subsystem to the visual binary HR 8635.

The Rho Kinases: Critical Mediators of Multiple Profibrotic Processes and Rational Targets for New Therapies for Pulmonary Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Knipe, Rachel S.; Tager, Andrew M.

2015-01-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by progressive lung scarring, short median survival, and limited therapeutic options, creating great need for new pharmacologic therapies. IPF is thought to result from repetitive environmental injury to the lung epithelium, in the context of aberrant host wound healing responses. Tissue responses to injury fundamentally involve reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton of participating cells, including epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages. Actin filament assembly and actomyosin contraction are directed by the Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase (ROCK) family of serine/threonine kinases (ROCK1 and ROCK2). As would therefore be expected, lung ROCK activation has been demonstrated in humans with IPF and in animal models of this disease. ROCK inhibitors can prevent fibrosis in these models, and more importantly, induce the regression of already established fibrosis. Here we review ROCK structure and function, upstream activators and downstream targets of ROCKs in pulmonary fibrosis, contributions of ROCKs to profibrotic cellular responses to lung injury, ROCK inhibitors and their efficacy in animal models of pulmonary fibrosis, and potential toxicities of ROCK inhibitors in humans, as well as involvement of ROCKs in fibrosis in other organs. As we discuss, ROCK activation is required for multiple profibrotic responses, in the lung and multiple other organs, suggesting ROCK participation in fundamental pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis of a broad array of fibrotic diseases. Multiple lines of evidence therefore indicate that ROCK inhibition has great potential to be a powerful therapeutic tool in the treatment of fibrosis, both in the lung and beyond. PMID:25395505

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.

Molecular control of brain size: Regulators of neural stem cell life, death and beyond

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

Joseph, Bertrand; Hermanson, Ola, E-mail: ola.hermanson@ki.se

2010-05-01

The proper development of the brain and other organs depends on multiple parameters, including strictly controlled expansion of specific progenitor pools. The regulation of such expansion events includes enzymatic activities that govern the correct number of specific cells to be generated via an orchestrated control of cell proliferation, cell cycle exit, differentiation, cell death etc. Certain proteins in turn exert direct control of these enzymatic activities and thus progenitor pool expansion and organ size. The members of the Cip/Kip family (p21Cip1/p27Kip1/p57Kip2) are well-known regulators of cell cycle exit that interact with and inhibit the activity of cyclin-CDK complexes, whereas membersmore » of the p53/p63/p73 family are traditionally associated with regulation of cell death. It has however become clear that the roles for these proteins are not as clear-cut as initially thought. In this review, we discuss the roles for proteins of the Cip/Kip and p53/p63/p73 families in the regulation of cell cycle control, differentiation, and death of neural stem cells. We suggest that these proteins act as molecular interfaces, or 'pilots', to assure the correct assembly of protein complexes with enzymatic activities at the right place at the right time, thereby regulating essential decisions in multiple cellular events.« less

Does hippotherapy effect use of sensory information for balance in people with multiple sclerosis?

PubMed

Lindroth, Jodi L; Sullivan, Jessica L; Silkwood-Sherer, Debbie

2015-01-01

This case-series study aimed to determine if there were observable changes in sensory processing for postural control in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) following physical therapy using hippotherapy (HPOT), or changes in balance and functional gait. This pre-test non-randomized design study, with follow-up assessment at 6 weeks, included two females and one male (age range 37-60 years) with diagnoses of relapse-remitting or progressive MS. The intervention consisted of twelve 40-min physical therapy sessions which included HPOT twice a week for 6 weeks. Sensory organization and balance were assessed by the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Gait was assessed using the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA). Following the intervention period, all three participants showed improvements in SOT (range 1-8 points), BBS (range 2-6 points), and FGA (average 4 points) scores. These improvements were maintained or continued to improve at follow-up assessment. Two of the three participants no longer over-relied on vision and/or somatosensory information as the primary sensory input for postural control, suggesting improved use of sensory information for balance. The results indicate that HPOT may be a beneficial physical therapy treatment strategy to improve balance, functional gait, and enhance how some individuals with MS process sensory cues for postural control. Randomized clinical trials will be necessary to validate results of this study.

Identifying metabolic enzymes with multiple types of association evidence

PubMed Central

Kharchenko, Peter; Chen, Lifeng; Freund, Yoav; Vitkup, Dennis; Church, George M

2006-01-01

Background Existing large-scale metabolic models of sequenced organisms commonly include enzymatic functions which can not be attributed to any gene in that organism. Existing computational strategies for identifying such missing genes rely primarily on sequence homology to known enzyme-encoding genes. Results We present a novel method for identifying genes encoding for a specific metabolic function based on a local structure of metabolic network and multiple types of functional association evidence, including clustering of genes on the chromosome, similarity of phylogenetic profiles, gene expression, protein fusion events and others. Using E. coli and S. cerevisiae metabolic networks, we illustrate predictive ability of each individual type of association evidence and show that significantly better predictions can be obtained based on the combination of all data. In this way our method is able to predict 60% of enzyme-encoding genes of E. coli metabolism within the top 10 (out of 3551) candidates for their enzymatic function, and as a top candidate within 43% of the cases. Conclusion We illustrate that a combination of genome context and other functional association evidence is effective in predicting genes encoding metabolic enzymes. Our approach does not rely on direct sequence homology to known enzyme-encoding genes, and can be used in conjunction with traditional homology-based metabolic reconstruction methods. The method can also be used to target orphan metabolic activities. PMID:16571130

The effect of social deprivation on local authority sickness absence rates.

PubMed

Wynn, P; Low, A

2008-06-01

There is an extensive body of research relating to the association between ergonomic and psychosocial factors on sickness absence rates. The impact of deprivation on health indices has also been extensively investigated. However, published research has not investigated the extent of any association between standard measures of deprivation and sickness absence and ill-health retirement rates. To establish if a relationship exists between standard measures of deprivation, used by the UK central government to determine regional health and social welfare funding, and sickness absence and ill-health early retirement rates in English local government employers. Local authority sickness absence rates for 2001-02 were regressed against the 2004 Indices of Multiple Deprivation in a multiple regression model that also included size and type of organization as independent variables. A second model using ill-health retirement as the dependent variable was also estimated. In the full regression models, organization size was not significant and reduced models with deprivation and organization type (depending on whether teachers were employed by the organization or not) were estimated. For the sickness absence model, the adjusted R(2) was 0.20, with 17% of the variation in sickness absence rates being explained by deprivation rank. Ill-health retirement showed a similar relationship with deprivation. In both models, the deprivation coefficients were highly significant: for sickness absence [t = -7.85 (P = 0.00)] and for ill-health retirement [t = -4.79 (P = 0.00)]. A significant proportion of variation in sickness absence and ill-health retirement rates in local government in England are associated with local measures of deprivation. Recognition of the impact of deprivation on sickness absence has implications for a number of different areas of work. These include target setting for Local Government Best Value Performance Indicators, history taking in sickness absence consultations and the role of deprivation as a confounding factor in sickness absence intervention studies.

Relative efficacy for radiation reducing methods in scoliotic patients

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

Aikenhead, J.; Triano, J.; Baker, J.

Radiation dosages to sensitive organs in full spine radiography have in recent years been a concern of physicians as well as the general public. The spine is the prime target for exposure in scoliosis radiography, though the exposure usually necessitates irradiation of several radio-sensitive organs. In recent studies, various protection techniques have been used including various lead and aluminum filtration systems, altered patient positioning and varied tube-film distances. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency for radiation dosage reduction of three filtration systems used frequently in the chiropractic profession. The systems tested were the Nolan Multiple X-raymore » Filters, the Clear-Pb system and the Sportelli Wedge system. These systems were tested in seven configurations varying breast shielding, distance and patient positioning. All systems tested demonstrated significant radiation reductions to organs, especially breast tissue. The Clear-Pb system appeared to be the most effective for all organs except the breast, and the Sportelli Wedge system demonstrated the greatest reduction to breast tissue.« less

Assessments of managed care organizations in the Greater Baton Rouge area by physicians and physicians' office managers.

PubMed

Cassidy, W M; Dyson, T; Grenier, C E

2001-03-01

Health care quality assessment under managed care organizations is usually derived from two sources: (1) consumer satisfaction surveys, and (2) The Health Plan Employer Data Information Set reports. There is little published data regarding physicians' critiques. This study surveyed physicians and office managers as to the quality of healthcare under 10 managed care organizations in the Greater Baton Rouge area. Performance indicators in the physician questionnaire focused on personal satisfaction, perception of patient satisfaction, and mental health coverage. The office managers' checklist included payment and certification issues, telephone time spent gaining certification, level of knowledge among plan enrollees of their benefits, appeal process, and adequacy of reimbursement. Means were calculated for each performance indicator and managed care organizations were ranked. Tukey-Kramer's post-hoc multiple comparisons test was used to confirm rank order validity. Significant differences were found among companies. Significant rank-order agreement by both physicians and office managers was evident. The usefulness of such surveys and performing them annually is discussed.

Safety of fluralaner chewable tablets (BravectoTM), a novel systemic antiparasitic drug, in dogs after oral administration

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Fluralaner is a novel systemic insecticide and acaricide that provides long acting efficacy in dogs after a single oral treatment. This study investigated the safety of oral administration of fluralaner in chewable tablets to dogs at the highest recommended treatment dose and at multiples of this dose. Methods Thirty-two (16 male and 16 female) healthy 8-week old Beagle dogs weighing 2.0 - 3.6 kg at first administration were included in the study. Fluralaner was administered on three occasions at 8-week intervals at doses of up to 56, 168, and 280 mg fluralaner/kg body weight, equivalent to 1, 3, and 5 times the highest recommended treatment dose of fluralaner; sham dosed dogs served as controls. During the study, all dogs were clinically observed, and their health was carefully monitored including body weight development, food consumption and measurement of hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry (including measurement of levels of ACTH and C-reactive protein) and urinalysis. Following euthanasia of the dogs, complete gross post mortem examination, including organ weight determination, and histopathological examination of multiple tissues were conducted. Results There were no clinical findings related to fluralaner treatment. Statistically significant differences between the treated groups and the control group were observed for some clinical pathology parameters and organ weights; none of these findings were considered to be of clinical relevance. Conclusions Oral administration of fluralaner at the highest recommended treatment dose (56 mg/kg) at 8-week intervals is well tolerated and has a safety margin of more than five in healthy dogs eight weeks of age or older and weighing at least 2 kg. PMID:24606886

The BioGRID Interaction Database: 2011 update

PubMed Central

Stark, Chris; Breitkreutz, Bobby-Joe; Chatr-aryamontri, Andrew; Boucher, Lorrie; Oughtred, Rose; Livstone, Michael S.; Nixon, Julie; Van Auken, Kimberly; Wang, Xiaodong; Shi, Xiaoqi; Reguly, Teresa; Rust, Jennifer M.; Winter, Andrew; Dolinski, Kara; Tyers, Mike

2011-01-01

The Biological General Repository for Interaction Datasets (BioGRID) is a public database that archives and disseminates genetic and protein interaction data from model organisms and humans (http://www.thebiogrid.org). BioGRID currently holds 347 966 interactions (170 162 genetic, 177 804 protein) curated from both high-throughput data sets and individual focused studies, as derived from over 23 000 publications in the primary literature. Complete coverage of the entire literature is maintained for budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) and thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), and efforts to expand curation across multiple metazoan species are underway. The BioGRID houses 48 831 human protein interactions that have been curated from 10 247 publications. Current curation drives are focused on particular areas of biology to enable insights into conserved networks and pathways that are relevant to human health. The BioGRID 3.0 web interface contains new search and display features that enable rapid queries across multiple data types and sources. An automated Interaction Management System (IMS) is used to prioritize, coordinate and track curation across international sites and projects. BioGRID provides interaction data to several model organism databases, resources such as Entrez-Gene and other interaction meta-databases. The entire BioGRID 3.0 data collection may be downloaded in multiple file formats, including PSI MI XML. Source code for BioGRID 3.0 is freely available without any restrictions. PMID:21071413

Biochemical signatures mimicking multiple carboxylase deficiency in children with mutations in MT-ATP6.

PubMed

Larson, Austin A; Balasubramaniam, Shanti; Christodoulou, John; Burrage, Lindsay C; Marom, Ronit; Graham, Brett H; Diaz, George A; Glamuzina, Emma; Hauser, Natalie; Heese, Bryce; Horvath, Gabriella; Mattman, Andre; van Karnebeek, Clara; Lane Rutledge, S; Williamson, Amy; Estrella, Lissette; Van Hove, Johan K L; Weisfeld-Adams, James D

2018-01-04

Elevations of specific acylcarnitines in blood reflect carboxylase deficiencies, and have utility in newborn screening for life-threatening organic acidemias and other inherited metabolic diseases. In this report, we describe a newly-identified association of biochemical features of multiple carboxylase deficiency in individuals harboring mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in MT-ATP6 and in whom organic acidemias and multiple carboxylase deficiencies were excluded. Using retrospective chart review, we identified eleven individuals with abnormally elevated propionylcarnitine (C3) or hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine (C5OH) with mutations in MT-ATP6, most commonly m.8993T>G in high heteroplasmy or homoplasmy. Most patients were ascertained on newborn screening; most had normal enzymatic or molecular genetic testing to exclude biotinidase and holocarboxylase synthetase deficiencies. MT-ATP6 is associated with some cases of Leigh disease; clinical outcomes in our cohort ranged from death from neurodegenerative disease in early childhood to clinically and developmentally normal after several years of follow-up. These cases expand the biochemical phenotype associated with MT-ATP6 mutations, especially m.8993T>G, to include acylcarnitine abnormalities mimicking carboxylase deficiency states. Clinicians should be aware of this association and its implications for newborn screening, and consider mtDNA sequencing in patients exhibiting similar acylcarnitine abnormalities that are biotin-unresponsive and in whom other enzymatic deficiencies have been excluded. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

Management of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM).

PubMed

Kyle, Robert A; Rajkumar, S Vincent

2011-06-01

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is defined as a serum M protein level of less than 3 g/dL, less than 10% clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow, and the absence of end-organ damage. The prevalence of MGUS is 3.2% in the white population but is approximately twice that high in the black population. MGUS may progress to multiple myeloma, AL amyloidosis, Waldenström macroglobulinemia, or lymphoma. The risk of progression is approximately 1% per year, but the risk continues even after more than 25 years of observation. Risk factors for progression include the size of the serum M protein, the type of serum M protein, the number of plasma cells in the bone marrow, and the serum free light chain ratio. Smoldering (asymptomatic) multiple myeloma (SMM) is characterized by the presence of an M protein level of 3 g/dL or higher and/or 10% or more monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow but no evidence of end-organ damage. The overall risk of progression to a malignant condition is 10% per year for the first 5 years, approximately 3% per year for the next 5 years, and 1% to 2% per year for the following 10 years. Patients with both MGUS and SMM must be followed up for their lifetime.

Collaborative engineering and design management for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope tracker upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mollison, Nicholas T.; Hayes, Richard J.; Good, John M.; Booth, John A.; Savage, Richard D.; Jackson, John R.; Rafal, Marc D.; Beno, Joseph H.

2010-07-01

The engineering and design of systems as complex as the Hobby-Eberly Telescope's* new tracker require that multiple tasks be executed in parallel and overlapping efforts. When the design of individual subsystems is distributed among multiple organizations, teams, and individuals, challenges can arise with respect to managing design productivity and coordinating successful collaborative exchanges. This paper focuses on design management issues and current practices for the tracker design portion of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Wide Field Upgrade project. The scope of the tracker upgrade requires engineering contributions and input from numerous fields including optics, instrumentation, electromechanics, software controls engineering, and site-operations. Successful system-level integration of tracker subsystems and interfaces is critical to the telescope's ultimate performance in astronomical observation. Software and process controls for design information and workflow management have been implemented to assist the collaborative transfer of tracker design data. The tracker system architecture and selection of subsystem interfaces has also proven to be a determining factor in design task formulation and team communication needs. Interface controls and requirements change controls will be discussed, and critical team interactions are recounted (a group-participation Failure Modes and Effects Analysis [FMEA] is one of special interest). This paper will be of interest to engineers, designers, and managers engaging in multi-disciplinary and parallel engineering projects that require coordination among multiple individuals, teams, and organizations.

High-Density Real-Time PCR-Based in Vivo Toxicogenomic Screen to Predict Organ-Specific Toxicity

PubMed Central

Fabian, Gabriella; Farago, Nora; Feher, Liliana Z.; Nagy, Lajos I.; Kulin, Sandor; Kitajka, Klara; Bito, Tamas; Tubak, Vilmos; Katona, Robert L.; Tiszlavicz, Laszlo; Puskas, Laszlo G.

2011-01-01

Toxicogenomics, based on the temporal effects of drugs on gene expression, is able to predict toxic effects earlier than traditional technologies by analyzing changes in genomic biomarkers that could precede subsequent protein translation and initiation of histological organ damage. In the present study our objective was to extend in vivo toxicogenomic screening from analyzing one or a few tissues to multiple organs, including heart, kidney, brain, liver and spleen. Nanocapillary quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) was used in the study, due to its higher throughput, sensitivity and reproducibility, and larger dynamic range compared to DNA microarray technologies. Based on previous data, 56 gene markers were selected coding for proteins with different functions, such as proteins for acute phase response, inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic processes, heat-shock response, cell cycle/apoptosis regulation and enzymes which are involved in detoxification. Some of the marker genes are specific to certain organs, and some of them are general indicators of toxicity in multiple organs. Utility of the nanocapillary QRT-PCR platform was demonstrated by screening different references, as well as discovery of drug-like compounds for their gene expression profiles in different organs of treated mice in an acute experiment. For each compound, 896 QRT-PCR were done: four organs were used from each of the treated four animals to monitor the relative expression of 56 genes. Based on expression data of the discovery gene set of toxicology biomarkers the cardio- and nephrotoxicity of doxorubicin and sulfasalazin, the hepato- and nephrotoxicity of rotenone, dihydrocoumarin and aniline, and the liver toxicity of 2,4-diaminotoluene could be confirmed. The acute heart and kidney toxicity of the active metabolite SN-38 from its less toxic prodrug, irinotecan could be differentiated, and two novel gene markers for hormone replacement therapy were identified, namely fabp4 and pparg, which were down-regulated by estradiol treatment. PMID:22016648

The composition and degradability of upland dissolved organic matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, Catherine; Worrall, Fred; Clay, Gareth

2016-04-01

In order to assess controls on the degradability of DOM in stream water, samples of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) were collected every month for a period of 24 months from an upland, peat-covered catchment in northern England. Each month the degradability of the DOM was assessed by exposing river water to light for up to 24 hours, and the change in the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration in the water was measured. To provide context for the analysis of DOM and its degradability, samples of peat, vegetation, and litter were also taken from the same catchment and analysed. The organic matter samples were analysed by several methods including: elemental analysis (CHN and O), bomb calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, pyrolysis GC/MS, ICP-OES, stable isotope analysis (13C and 15N) and 13C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The water samples were analysed for pH, conductivity, absorbance at 400nm, anions, cations, particulate organic carbon (POC) and DOC concentrations. River flow conditions and meteorology were also recorded at the site and included in the analysis of the composition and degradability of DOM. The results of multiple regression models showed that the rates of DOC degradation were affected by the N-alkyl, O-alkyl, aldehyde and aromatic relative intensities, gross heat, OR and C:N. Of these, the N-alkyl relative intensity had the greatest influence, and this in turn was found to be dependent on the rainfall and soil temperature in the week before sampling.

The Effect of Format and Organization on Extrapolation and Interpolation with Multiple Trend Displays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Mary L.; Martuza, Victor R.

The major purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of format (bar graphs vs. tables) and organization (by year vs. by brand) on the speed and accuracy of extrapolation and interpolation with multiple, nonlinear trend displays. Fifty-six undergraduates enrolled in the College of Education at the University of Delaware served as the…

Targeting Extracellular Histones with Novel RNA Biodrugs for the Treatment of Acute Lung Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

inactivate) circulating histones and prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with multiple organ dysfunction/ acute respiratory distress syndrome ...patients. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome , extracellular...are acute lung injury (ALI) from smoke/chlorine gas inhalation, burns, radiation , influenza and severe infection. Only recently have investigators

The Development of Multiple Intelligence Capabilities for Early Childhood Development Center, Local Administration Organization in Chaiyaphum Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siphai, Sunan; Supandee, Terdsak; Raksapuk, Chunpit; Poopayang, Piangkhae; Kratoorerk, Sangsan

2017-01-01

The aim of this research is to promote multiple intelligence capabilities for Early Childhood Care Center of a Sub-district Administration Organization in Chaiyaphum Province. The sample applied were 61 children aging between 3 and 5 years old at Child Development Center, Tambon Ban Kok, Amphoe Chaturus, Chaiyaphum Province, who were selected…

Additive Manufacturing of Biomedical Constructs with Biomimetic Structural Organizations.

PubMed

Li, Xiao; He, Jiankang; Zhang, Weijie; Jiang, Nan; Li, Dichen

2016-11-09

Additive manufacturing (AM), sometimes called three-dimensional (3D) printing, has attracted a lot of research interest and is presenting unprecedented opportunities in biomedical fields, because this technology enables the fabrication of biomedical constructs with great freedom and in high precision. An important strategy in AM of biomedical constructs is to mimic the structural organizations of natural biological organisms. This can be done by directly depositing cells and biomaterials, depositing biomaterial structures before seeding cells, or fabricating molds before casting biomaterials and cells. This review organizes the research advances of AM-based biomimetic biomedical constructs into three major directions: 3D constructs that mimic tubular and branched networks of vasculatures; 3D constructs that contains gradient interfaces between different tissues; and 3D constructs that have different cells positioned to create multicellular systems. Other recent advances are also highlighted, regarding the applications of AM for organs-on-chips, AM-based micro/nanostructures, and functional nanomaterials. Under this theme, multiple aspects of AM including imaging/characterization, material selection, design, and printing techniques are discussed. The outlook at the end of this review points out several possible research directions for the future.

The history and regulatory mechanism of the Hippo pathway

PubMed Central

Kim, Wantae; Jho, Eek-hoon

2018-01-01

How the organ size is adjusted to the proper size during development and how organs know that they reach the original size during regeneration remain long-standing questions. Based on studies using multiple model organisms and approaches for over 20 years, a consensus has been established that the Hippo pathway plays crucial roles in controlling organ size and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Given the significance of these processes, the dysregulation of the Hippo pathway has also implicated various diseases, such as tissue degeneration and cancer. By regulating the downstream transcriptional coactivators YAP and TAZ, the Hippo pathway coordinates cell proliferation and apoptosis in response to a variety of signals including cell contact inhibition, polarity, mechanical sensation and soluble factors. Since the core components and their functions of the Hippo pathway are evolutionarily conserved, this pathway serves as a global regulator of organ size control. Therefore, further investigation of the regulatory mechanisms will provide physiological insights to better understand tissue homeostasis. In this review, the historical developments and current understandings of the regulatory mechanism of Hippo signaling pathway are discussed. PMID:29397869

Do ecohydrology and community dynamics feed back to banded-ecosystem structure and productivity?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callegaro, Chiara; Ursino, Nadia

2016-04-01

Mixed communities including grass, shrubs and trees are often reported to populate self-organized vegetation patterns. Patterns of survey data suggest that species diversity and complementarity strengthen the dynamics of banded environments. Resource scarcity and local facilitation trigger self organization, whereas coexistence of multiple species in vegetated self-organizing patches, implying competition for water and nutrients and favorable reproduction sites, is made possible by differing adaptation strategies. Mixed community spatial self-organization has so far received relatively little attention, compared with local net facilitation of isolated species. We assumed that soil moisture availability is a proxy for the environmental niche of plant species according to Ursino and Callegaro (2016). Our modelling effort was focused on niche differentiation of coexisting species within a tiger bush type ecosystem. By minimal numerical modelling and stability analysis we try to answer a few open scientific questions: Is there an adaptation strategy that increases biodiversity and ecosystem functioning? Does specific adaptation to environmental niches influence the structure of self-organizing vegetation pattern? What specific niche distribution along the environmental gradient gives the highest global productivity?

The zebrafish bozozok locus encodes Dharma, a homeodomain protein essential for induction of gastrula organizer and dorsoanterior embryonic structures.

PubMed

Fekany, K; Yamanaka, Y; Leung, T; Sirotkin, H I; Topczewski, J; Gates, M A; Hibi, M; Renucci, A; Stemple, D; Radbill, A; Schier, A F; Driever, W; Hirano, T; Talbot, W S; Solnica-Krezel, L

1999-04-01

The dorsal gastrula organizer plays a fundamental role in establishment of the vertebrate axis. We demonstrate that the zebrafish bozozok (boz) locus is required at the blastula stages for formation of the embryonic shield, the equivalent of the gastrula organizer and expression of multiple organizer-specific genes. Furthermore, boz is essential for specification of dorsoanterior embryonic structures, including notochord, prechordal mesendoderm, floor plate and forebrain. We report that boz mutations disrupt the homeobox gene dharma. Overexpression of boz in the extraembryonic yolk syncytial layer of boz mutant embryos is sufficient for normal development of the overlying blastoderm, revealing an involvement of extraembryonic structures in anterior patterning in fish similarly to murine embryos. Epistatic analyses indicate that boz acts downstream of beta-catenin and upstream to TGF-beta signaling or in a parallel pathway. These studies provide genetic evidence for an essential function of a homeodomain protein in beta-catenin-mediated induction of the dorsal gastrula organizer and place boz at the top of a hierarchy of zygotic genes specifying the dorsal midline of a vertebrate embryo.

A national survey of organizational transfer practices in chronic disease prevention in Canada.

PubMed

Hanusaik, Nancy; O'Loughlin, Jennifer L; Paradis, Gilles; Kishchuk, Natalie

2011-08-01

Underuse of best practices in chronic disease prevention (CDP) represents missed opportunities to promote healthy living and prevent chronic disease. Better understanding of how CDP programs, practices and policies (PPPs) are transferred from 'resource' organizations that develop them to 'user' organizations that implement them is crucial. The objectives of this work were to develop psychometrically sound measures of transfer practices occurring within resource organizations; describe the use of these transfer practices and identify correlates of the transfer process. Cross-sectional data were collected in structured telephone interviews with the person most knowledgeable about PPP transfer in 77 Canadian organizations that develop PPPs. Independent correlates of transfer were identified using multiple linear regression. The transfer practices most commonly used included: identification of barriers to PPP adoption/implementation, tailoring transfer strategies and designing a transfer plan. Skill at planning/implementing transfer, external sources of funding specifically allocated for transfer, type of resource organization, attitude toward process of collaboration and user-centeredness were all positively associated with the transfer process. These factors represent possible targets for interventions to improve transfer of CDP PPPs.

Effects of computer-based graphic organizers to solve one-step word problems for middle school students with mild intellectual disability: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Sheriff, Kelli A; Boon, Richard T

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of computer-based graphic organizers, using Kidspiration 3© software, to solve one-step word problems. Participants included three students with mild intellectual disability enrolled in a functional academic skills curriculum in a self-contained classroom. A multiple probe single-subject research design (Horner & Baer, 1978) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of computer-based graphic organizers to solving mathematical one-step word problems. During the baseline phase, the students completed a teacher-generated worksheet that consisted of nine functional word problems in a traditional format using a pencil, paper, and a calculator. In the intervention and maintenance phases, the students were instructed to complete the word problems using a computer-based graphic organizer. Results indicated that all three of the students improved in their ability to solve the one-step word problems using computer-based graphic organizers compared to traditional instructional practices. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research directions are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

From intricate to integrated: Biofabrication of articulating joints.

PubMed

Groen, Wilhelmina Margaretha; Diloksumpan, Paweena; van Weeren, Paul René; Levato, Riccardo; Malda, Jos

2017-10-01

Articulating joints owe their function to the specialized architecture and the complex interplay between multiple tissues including cartilage, bone and synovium. Especially the cartilage component has limited self-healing capacity and damage often leads to the onset of osteoarthritis, eventually resulting in failure of the joint as an organ. Although in its infancy, biofabrication has emerged as a promising technology to reproduce the intricate organization of the joint, thus enabling the introduction of novel surgical treatments, regenerative therapies, and new sets of tools to enhance our understanding of joint physiology and pathology. Herein, we address the current challenges to recapitulate the complexity of articulating joints and how biofabrication could overcome them. The combination of multiple materials, biological cues and cells in a layer-by-layer fashion, can assist in reproducing both the zonal organization of cartilage and the gradual transition from resilient cartilage toward the subchondral bone in biofabricated osteochondral grafts. In this way, optimal integration of engineered constructs with the natural surrounding tissues can be obtained. Mechanical characteristics, including the smoothness and low friction that are hallmarks of the articular surface, can be tuned with multi-head or hybrid printers by controlling the spatial patterning of printed structures. Moreover, biofabrication can use digital medical images as blueprints for printing patient-specific implants. Finally, the current rapid advances in biofabrication hold significant potential for developing joint-on-a-chip models for personalized medicine and drug testing or even for the creation of implants that may be used to treat larger parts of the articulating joint. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res 35:2089-2097, 2017. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Occurrence and potential human-health relevance of volatile organic compounds in drinking water from domestic wells in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowe, B.L.; Toccalino, P.L.; Moran, M.J.; Zogorski, J.S.; Price, C.V.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: As the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985-2002. OBJECTIVES: We examined the occurrence of individual and multiple VOCs and assessed the potential human-health relevance of VOC concentrations. We also identified hydrogeologic and anthropogenic variables that influence the probability of VOC occurrence. METHODS: The domestic well samples were collected at the wellhead before treatment of water and analyzed for 55 VOCs. Results were used to examine VOC occurrence and identify associations of multiple explanatory variables using logistic regression analyses. We used a screening-level assessment to compare VOC concentrations to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and health-based screening levels. RESULTS: We detected VOCs in 65% of the samples; about one-half of these samples contained VOC mixtures. Frequently detected VOCs included chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. VOC concentrations generally were < 1 ??g/L. One or more VOC concentrations were greater than MCLs in 1.2% of samples, including dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and ethylene dibromide (fumigants); perchloroethene and trichloroethene (solvents); and 1,1-dichloroethene (organic synthesis compound). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking water supplied by domestic wells is vulnerable to low-level VOC contamination. About 1% of samples had concentrations of potential human-health concern. Identifying factors associated with VOC occurrence may aid in understanding the sources, transport, and fate of VOCs in groundwater.

Late Multiple Organ Surge in Interferon-Regulated Target Genes Characterizes Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B Lethality

PubMed Central

Ferreyra, Gabriela A.; Elinoff, Jason M.; Demirkale, Cumhur Y.; Starost, Matthew F.; Buckley, Marilyn; Munson, Peter J.; Krakauer, Teresa; Danner, Robert L.

2014-01-01

Background Bacterial superantigens are virulence factors that cause toxic shock syndrome. Here, the genome-wide, temporal response of mice to lethal intranasal staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) challenge was investigated in six tissues. Results The earliest responses and largest number of affected genes occurred in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), spleen, and lung tissues with the highest content of both T-cells and monocyte/macrophages, the direct cellular targets of SEB. In contrast, the response of liver, kidney, and heart was delayed and involved fewer genes, but revealed a dominant genetic program that was seen in all 6 tissues. Many of the 85 uniquely annotated transcripts participating in this shared genomic response have not been previously linked to SEB. Nine of the 85 genes were subsequently confirmed by RT-PCR in every tissue/organ at 24 h. These 85 transcripts, up-regulated in all tissues, annotated to the interferon (IFN)/antiviral-response and included genes belonging to the DNA/RNA sensing system, DNA damage repair, the immunoproteasome, and the ER/metabolic stress-response and apoptosis pathways. Overall, this shared program was identified as a type I and II interferon (IFN)-response and the promoters of these genes were highly enriched for IFN regulatory matrices. Several genes whose secreted products induce the IFN pathway were up-regulated at early time points in PBMCs, spleen, and/or lung. Furthermore, IFN regulatory factors including Irf1, Irf7 and Irf8, and Zbp1, a DNA sensor/transcription factor that can directly elicit an IFN innate immune response, participated in this host-wide SEB signature. Conclusion Global gene-expression changes across multiple organs implicated a host-wide IFN-response in SEB-induced death. Therapies aimed at IFN-associated innate immunity may improve outcome in toxic shock syndromes. PMID:24551153

Occurrence and Potential Human-Health Relevance of Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water from Domestic Wells in the United States

PubMed Central

Rowe, Barbara L.; Toccalino, Patricia L.; Moran, Michael J.; Zogorski, John S.; Price, Curtis V.

2007-01-01

Background As the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985–2002. Objectives We examined the occurrence of individual and multiple VOCs and assessed the potential human-health relevance of VOC concentrations. We also identified hydrogeologic and anthropogenic variables that influence the probability of VOC occurrence. Methods The domestic well samples were collected at the wellhead before treatment of water and analyzed for 55 VOCs. Results were used to examine VOC occurrence and identify associations of multiple explanatory variables using logistic regression analyses. We used a screening-level assessment to compare VOC concentrations to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and health-based screening levels. Results We detected VOCs in 65% of the samples; about one-half of these samples contained VOC mixtures. Frequently detected VOCs included chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. VOC concentrations generally were < 1 μg/L. One or more VOC concentrations were greater than MCLs in 1.2% of samples, including dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and ethylene dibromide (fumigants); perchloroethene and trichloroethene (solvents); and 1,1-dichloroethene (organic synthesis compound). Conclusions Drinking water supplied by domestic wells is vulnerable to low-level VOC contamination. About 1% of samples had concentrations of potential human-health concern. Identifying factors associated with VOC occurrence may aid in understanding the sources, transport, and fate of VOCs in groundwater. PMID:18007981

Occurrence and potential human-health relevance of volatile organic compounds in drinking water from domestic wells in the United States.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowe, B.L.; Toccalino, P.L.; Moran, M.J.; Zogorski, J.S.; Price, C.V.

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: As the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985-2002. OBJECTIVES: We examined the occurrence of individual and multiple VOCs and assessed the potential human-health relevance of VOC concentrations. We also identified hydrogeologic and anthropogenic variables that influence the probability of VOC occurrence. METHODS: The domestic well samples were collected at the wellhead before treatment of water and analyzed for 55 VOCs. Results were used to examine VOC occurrence and identify associations of multiple explanatory variables using logistic regression analyses. We used a screening-level assessment to compare VOC concentrations to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and health-based screening levels. RESULTS: We detected VOCs in 65% of the samples; about one-half of these samples contained VOC mixtures. Frequently detected VOCs included chloroform, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and perchloroethene. VOC concentrations generally were < 1 microg/L. One or more VOC concentrations were greater than MCLs in 1.2% of samples, including dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and ethylene dibromide (fumigants); perchloroethene and trichloroethene (solvents); and 1,1-dichloroethene (organic synthesis compound). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking water supplied by domestic wells is vulnerable to low-level VOC contamination. About 1% of samples had concentrations of potential human-health concern. Identifying factors associated with VOC occurrence may aid in understanding the sources, transport, and fate of VOCs in groundwater.

Consequences of organ choice in describing bacterial pathogen assemblages in a rodent population.

PubMed

Villette, P; Afonso, E; Couval, G; Levret, A; Galan, M; Tatard, C; Cosson, J F; Giraudoux, P

2017-10-01

High-throughput sequencing technologies now allow for rapid cost-effective surveys of multiple pathogens in many host species including rodents, but it is currently unclear if the organ chosen for screening influences the number and identity of bacteria detected. We used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to identify bacterial pathogens in the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and spleen of 13 water voles (Arvicola terrestris) collected in Franche-Comté, France. We asked if bacterial pathogen assemblages within organs are similar and if all five organs are necessary to detect all of the bacteria present in an individual animal. We identified 24 bacteria representing 17 genera; average bacterial richness for each organ ranged from 1·5 ± 0·4 (mean ± standard error) to 2·5 ± 0·4 bacteria/organ and did not differ significantly between organs. The average bacterial richness when organ assemblages were pooled within animals was 4·7 ± 0·6 bacteria/animal; Operational Taxonomic Unit accumulation analysis indicates that all five organs are required to obtain this. Organ type influences bacterial assemblage composition in a systematic way (PERMANOVA, 999 permutations, pseudo-F 4,51 = 1·37, P = 0·001). Our results demonstrate that the number of organs sampled influences the ability to detect bacterial pathogens, which can inform sampling decisions in public health and wildlife ecology.

An agriculture and health inter-sectorial research process to reduce hazardous pesticide health impacts among smallholder farmers in the Andes

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The use of highly hazardous pesticides by smallholder farmers constitutes a classic trans-sectoral ‘wicked problem’. We share our program of research in potato and vegetable farming communities in the Andean highlands, working with partners from multiple sectors to confront this problem over several projects. Methods We engaged in iterative cycles of mixed methods research around particular questions, actions relevant to stakeholders, new proposal formulation and implementation followed by evaluation of impacts. Capacity building occurred among farmers, technical personnel, and students from multiple disciplines. Involvement of research users occurred throughout: women and men farmers, non-governmental development organizations, Ministries of Health and Agriculture, and, in Ecuador, the National Council on Social Participation. Results Pesticide poisonings were more widespread than existing passive surveillance systems would suggest. More diversified, moderately developed agricultural systems had lower pesticide use and better child nutrition. Greater understanding among women of crop management options and more equal household gender relations were associated with reduced farm pesticide use and household pesticide exposure. Involvement in more organic agriculture was associated with greater household food security and food sovereignty. Markets for safer produce supported efforts by smallholder farmers to reduce hazardous pesticide use. Participatory interventions included: promoting greater access to alternative methods and inputs in a store co-sponsored by the municipality; producing less harmful inputs such as compost by women farmers; strengthening farmer organizations around healthier and more sustainable agriculture; marketing safer produce among social sectors; empowering farmers to act as social monitors; and using social monitoring results to inform decision makers. Uptake by policy makers has included: the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health rolling out pesticide poisoning surveillance modeled on our system; the Ecuadorian Association of Municipalities holding a national virtual forum on healthier agriculture; and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture promulgating restrictions on highly hazardous pesticides in June 2010. Conclusion Work with multiple actors is needed to shift agriculture towards greater sustainability and human health, particularly for vulnerable smallholders. PMID:22165981

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β attenuates organ injury and dysfunction associated with liver ischemia-reperfusion and thermal injury in the rat.

PubMed

Rocha, Joao; Figueira, Maria-Eduardo; Barateiro, Andreia; Fernandes, Adelaide; Brites, Dora; Pinto, Rui; Freitas, Marisa; Fernandes, Eduarda; Mota-Filipe, Helder; Sepodes, Bruno

2015-04-01

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is a serine-threonine kinase discovered decades ago to have an important role in glycogen metabolism. Today, we know that this kinase is involved in the regulation of many cell functions, including insulin signaling, specification of cell fate during embryonic development, and the control of cell division and apoptosis. Insulin and TDZD-8 (4-benzyl-2-methyl-1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione) are inhibitors of GSK-3β that have been shown to possess organ-protective effects in inflammatory-mediated organ injury models. We aimed to evaluate the cytoprotective effect of GSK-3β inhibition on rat models of liver ischemia-reperfusion and thermal injury. In the liver ischemia-reperfusion model, TDZD-8 and insulin were administered at 5 mg/kg (i.v.) and 1.4 IU/kg (i.v.), respectively, 30 min before induction of ischemia and led to the significant reduction of the serum concentration of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Beneficial effects were found to be independent from blood glucose levels. In the thermal injury model, TDZD-8 was administered at 5 mg/kg (i.v.) 5 min before induction of injury and significantly reduced multiple organ dysfunction markers (liver, neuromuscular, and lung). In the lung, TDZD-8 reduced the histological signs of tissue injury, inflammatory markers (cytokines), and neutrophil chemotaxis/infiltration; reduced GSK-3β, nuclear factor-κB, and Akt activation; reduced caspase-3 and metalloproteinase-9 activation. Our study provides a new insight on the beneficial effects of GSK-3β inhibition on systemic inflammation and further elucidates the mechanism and pathway crosstalks by which TDZD-8 reduces the multiple organ injury elicited by thermal injury.

Fatal Primary Capillary Leak Syndrome in a Late Preterm Newborn.

PubMed

Kulihova, Katarina; Prochazkova, Martina; Semberova, Jana; Janota, Jan

2016-10-01

Primary capillary leak syndrome is a rare disease of unknown etiology, characterized by episodes of vascular collapse and plasma extravasation, which may lead to multiple organ failure. Primary capillary leak is extremely rare in children. The authors report a case of a late preterm newborn with fatal capillary leak syndrome of unknown etiology, manifesting as hypotension unresponsive to treatment, extravasation leading to generalised edema, disseminated intravascular coagulation and finally, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Aggressive volumotherapy and a combination of inotropes and high doses of terlipressin did not influence systemic vascular collapse and plasma extravasation. The newborn developed multiple organ failure and died on day 27 of life. Investigations performed failed to reveal any specific cause of capillary leak. This is the first report of a fatal primary capillary leak syndrome in a newborn.

Application of stable isotope tools for evaluating natural and stimulated biodegradation of organic pollutants in field studies.

PubMed

Fischer, Anko; Manefield, Mike; Bombach, Petra

2016-10-01

Stable isotope tools are increasingly applied for in-depth evaluation of biodegradation of organic pollutants at contaminated field sites. They can be divided into three methods i) determination of changes in natural abundance of stable isotopes using compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA), ii) detection of incorporation of stable-isotope label from a stable-isotope labelled target compound into degradation and/or mineralisation products and iii) determination of stable-isotope label incorporation into biomarkers using stable isotope probing (SIP). Stable isotope tools have been applied as key monitoring tools for multiple-line-of-evidence-approaches (MLEA) for sensitive evaluation of pollutant biodegradation. This review highlights the application of CSIA, SIP and MLEA including stable isotope tools for assessing natural and stimulated biodegradation of organic pollutants in field studies dealing with soil and groundwater contaminations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Should Organizations Promote Equitable Distribution of Benefits from Technological Innovation in Health Care?

PubMed

Nambisan, Satish; Nambisan, Priya

2017-11-01

Technological innovations typically benefit those who have good access to and an understanding of the underlying technologies. As such, technology-centered health care innovations are likely to preferentially benefit users of privileged socioeconomic backgrounds. Which policies and strategies should health care organizations adopt to promote equitable distribution of the benefits from technological innovations? In this essay, we draw on two important concepts-co-creation (the joint creation of value by multiple parties such as a company and its customers) and digitalization (the application of new digital technologies and the ensuing changes in sociotechnical structures and relationships)-and propose a set of policies and strategies that health care organizations could adopt to ensure that benefits from technological innovations are more equitably distributed among all target populations, including resource-poor communities and individuals. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Characteristics of mineral nutrition of plants in the bio-technical life support system with human wastes included in mass exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhomirova, Natalia; Ushakova, Sofya; Kalacheva, Galina; Tikhomirov, Alexander

2016-09-01

The study addresses the effectiveness of using ion exchange substrates (IES) to optimize mineral nutrition of plants grown in the nutrient solutions containing oxidized human wastes for application in bio-technical life support systems. The study shows that the addition of IES to the root-inhabited substrate is favorable for the growth of wheat vegetative organs but causes a decrease in the grain yield. By contrast, the addition of IES to the nutrient solution does not influence the growth of vegetative organs but favors normal development of wheat reproductive organs. Thus, to choose the proper method of adjusting the solution with IES, one should take into account specific parameters of plant growth and development and the possibility of multiple recycling of IES based on the liquid products of mineralization of human wastes.

Emerging hierarchies in dynamically adapting webs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katifori, Eleni; Graewer, Johannes; Magnasco, Marcelo; Modes, Carl

Transport networks play a key role across four realms of eukaryotic life: slime molds, fungi, plants, and animals. In addition to the developmental algorithms that build them, many also employ adaptive strategies to respond to stimuli, damage, and other environmental changes. We model these adapting network architectures using a generic dynamical system on weighted graphs and find in simulation that these networks ultimately develop a hierarchical organization of the final weighted architecture accompanied by the formation of a system-spanning backbone. We quantify the hierarchical organization of the networks by developing an algorithm that decomposes the architecture to multiple scales and analyzes how the organization in each scale relates to that of the scale above and below it. The methodologies developed in this work are applicable to a wide range of systems including the slime mold physarum polycephalum, human microvasculature, and force chains in granular media.

Food allergies developing after solid organ transplant.

PubMed

Needham, J M; Nicholas, S K; Davis, C M

2015-12-01

The development of food allergy is an increasingly recognized form of morbidity after solid organ transplant. It occurs more commonly in liver transplant recipients, although it has also been reported in heart, lung, kidney, and intestinal transplants. Pediatric transplant recipients are more likely to develop symptoms compared to adults, and reports of frequency vary widely from 5% to 38% in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed in the literature, although no single mechanism can yet account for all reported observations. As food allergy can have at worst potentially fatal consequences, and at best require lifestyle adjustment through food avoidance, it is important for recipients to be aware of the donor's food allergies and particularly in pediatrics, the possibility of completely de novo allergies. This review explores the recent reports surrounding food allergy after solid organ transplant, including epidemiology, proposed mechanisms, and implications for practice. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantitative prediction of solvation free energy in octanol of organic compounds.

PubMed

Delgado, Eduardo J; Jaña, Gonzalo A

2009-03-01

The free energy of solvation, DeltaGS0, in octanol of organic compounds is quantitatively predicted from the molecular structure. The model, involving only three molecular descriptors, is obtained by multiple linear regression analysis from a data set of 147 compounds containing diverse organic functions, namely, halogenated and non-halogenated alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amines, ethers and esters; covering a DeltaGS0 range from about -50 to 0 kJ.mol(-1). The model predicts the free energy of solvation with a squared correlation coefficient of 0.93 and a standard deviation, 2.4 kJ.mol(-1), just marginally larger than the generally accepted value of experimental uncertainty. The involved molecular descriptors have definite physical meaning corresponding to the different intermolecular interactions occurring in the bulk liquid phase. The model is validated with an external set of 36 compounds not included in the training set.

Quantitative Prediction of Solvation Free Energy in Octanol of Organic Compounds

PubMed Central

Delgado, Eduardo J.; Jaña, Gonzalo A.

2009-01-01

The free energy of solvation, ΔGS0, in octanol of organic compunds is quantitatively predicted from the molecular structure. The model, involving only three molecular descriptors, is obtained by multiple linear regression analysis from a data set of 147 compounds containing diverse organic functions, namely, halogenated and non-halogenated alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amines, ethers and esters; covering a ΔGS0 range from about −50 to 0 kJ·mol−1. The model predicts the free energy of solvation with a squared correlation coefficient of 0.93 and a standard deviation, 2.4 kJ·mol−1, just marginally larger than the generally accepted value of experimental uncertainty. The involved molecular descriptors have definite physical meaning corresponding to the different intermolecular interactions occurring in the bulk liquid phase. The model is validated with an external set of 36 compounds not included in the training set. PMID:19399236

Fumed silica nanoparticle mediated biomimicry for optimal cell-material interactions for artificial organ development.

PubMed

de Mel, Achala; Ramesh, Bala; Scurr, David J; Alexander, Morgan R; Hamilton, George; Birchall, Martin; Seifalian, Alexander M

2014-03-01

Replacement of irreversibly damaged organs due to chronic disease, with suitable tissue engineered implants is now a familiar area of interest to clinicians and multidisciplinary scientists. Ideal tissue engineering approaches require scaffolds to be tailor made to mimic physiological environments of interest with specific surface topographical and biological properties for optimal cell-material interactions. This study demonstrates a single-step procedure for inducing biomimicry in a novel nanocomposite base material scaffold, to re-create the extracellular matrix, which is required for stem cell integration and differentiation to mature cells. Fumed silica nanoparticle mediated procedure of scaffold functionalization, can be potentially adapted with multiple bioactive molecules to induce cellular biomimicry, in the development human organs. The proposed nanocomposite materials already in patients for number of implants, including world first synthetic trachea, tear ducts and vascular bypass graft. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Nonenzymatic microorganism identification based on ribosomal RNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ives, Jeffrey T.; Pierini, Alicia M.; Stokes, Jeffrey A.; Wahlund, Thomas M.; Read, Betsy; Bechtel, James H.; Bronk, Burt V.

1999-11-01

Effective defense against biological warfare (BW) agents requires rapid, fieldable and accurate systems. For micro- organisms like bacteria and viruses, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) provides a valuable target with multiple advantages of species specificity and intrinsic target amplification. Vegetative and spore forms of bacteria contain approximately 104 copies of rRNA. Direct detection of rRNA copies can eliminate some of the interference and preparation difficulties involved in enzymatic amplification methods. In order to apply the advantages of rRNA to BW defense, we are developing a fieldable system based on 16S rRNA, physical disruption of the micro-organism, solid phase hybridization, and fluorescence detection. Our goals include species-specific identification, complete operation from raw sample to identification in 15 minutes or less, and compact, fieldable instrumentation. Initial work on this project has investigated the lysis and hybridization steps, the species-specificity of oligonucleotides probes, and the development of a novel electromagnetic method to physically disrupt the micro- organisms. Target bacteria have been Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). Continuing work includes further development of methods to rapidly disrupt the micro-organisms and release the rRNA, improved integration and processing, and extension to bacterial and mammalian viruses like MS2 and vesicular stomatitis virus.

Exposure assessment for dioxin-like PCBs intake from organic and conventional meat integrating cooking and digestion effects.

PubMed

Tressou, Jessica; Ben Abdallah, Nadia; Planche, Christelle; Dervilly-Pinel, Gaud; Sans, Pierre; Engel, Erwan; Albert, Isabelle

2017-12-01

In this paper, exposure to Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) related to bovine meat consumption is assessed based on multiples sources of data, namely data collected within the national research project "SoMeat" that objectively assesses the potential risks and benefits of organic and conventional food production systems in terms of contaminants respective contents. The work focuses on dioxin like PCBs in bovine meat in France. A modular Bayesian approach is proposed including measures after production, effect of cooking, levels and frequency of consumption and effect of digestion. In each module, a model is built and prior information can be integrated through previously acquired data commonly used in food risk assessment or vague priors. The output of the global model is the exposure including both production modes (organic and conventional) for three different cooking intensities (rare, medium, and well-done), before digestion and after digestion. The main results show that organic meat is more contaminated than conventional meat in mean after production stage and after cooking although cooking reduces the contamination level. This work is a first step of refined risk assessment integrating different steps such as cooking and digestion in the context of chemical risk assessment similarly to current microbiological risk assessments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural substrates underlying effort, time, and risk-based decision making in motivated behavior.

PubMed

Bailey, Matthew R; Simpson, Eleanor H; Balsam, Peter D

2016-09-01

All mobile organisms rely on adaptive motivated behavior to overcome the challenges of living in an environment in which essential resources may be limited. A variety of influences ranging from an organism's environment, experiential history, and physiological state all influence a cost-benefit analysis which allows motivation to energize behavior and direct it toward specific goals. Here we review the substantial amount of research aimed at discovering the interconnected neural circuits which allow organisms to carry-out the cost-benefit computations which allow them to behave in adaptive ways. We specifically focus on how the brain deals with different types of costs, including effort requirements, delays to reward and payoff riskiness. An examination of this broad literature highlights the importance of the extended neural circuits which enable organisms to make decisions about these different types of costs. This involves Cortical Structures, including the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), the Orbital Frontal Cortex (OFC), the Infralimbic Cortex (IL), and prelimbic Cortex (PL), as well as the Baso-Lateral Amygdala (BLA), the Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc), the Ventral Pallidal (VP), the Sub Thalamic Nucleus (STN) among others. Some regions are involved in multiple aspects of cost-benefit computations while the involvement of other regions is restricted to information relating to specific types of costs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Petrology and diagenetic history of the upper shale member of the Late Devonian-Early Mississippian Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neil S. Fishman,; Sven O. Egenhoff,; Boehlke, Adam; Lowers, Heather A.

2015-01-01

The organic-rich upper shale member of the upper Devonian–lower Mississippian Bakken Formation (Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA) has undergone significant diagenetic alteration, irrespective of catagenesis related to hydrocarbon generation. Alteration includes precipitation of numerous cements, replacement of both detrital and authigenic minerals, multiple episodes of fracturing, and compaction. Quartz authigenesis occurred throughout much of the member, and is represented by multiple generations of microcrystalline quartz. Chalcedonic quartz fills radiolarian microfossils and is present in the matrix. Sulfide minerals include pyrite and sphalerite. Carbonate diagenesis is volumetrically minor and includes thin dolomite overgrowths and calcite cement. At least two generations of fractures are observed. Based on the authigenic minerals and their relative timing of formation, the evolution of pore waters can be postulated. Dolomite and calcite resulted from early postdepositional aerobic oxidation of some of the abundant organic material in the formation. Following aerobic oxidation, conditions became anoxic and sulfide minerals precipitated. Transformation of the originally opaline tests of radiolaria resulted in precipitation of quartz, and quartz authigenesis is most common in more distal parts of the depositional basin where radiolaria were abundant. Because quartz authigenesis is related to the distribution of radiolaria, there is a link between diagenesis and depositional environment. Furthermore, much of the diagenesis in the upper shale member preceded hydrocarbon generation, so early postdepositional processes were responsible for occlusion of significant original porosity in the member. Thus, diagenetic mineral precipitation was at least partly responsible for the limited ability of these mudstones to provide porosity for storage of hydrocarbons.

Factors influencing the contamination rate of human organ-cultured corneas.

PubMed

Röck, Daniel; Wude, Johanna; Bartz-Schmidt, Karl U; Yoeruek, Efdal; Thaler, Sebastian; Röck, Tobias

2017-12-01

To assess the influence of donor, environment and storage factors on the contamination rate of organ-cultured corneas, to consider the microbiological species causing corneal contamination and to investigate the corresponding sensitivities. Data from 1340 consecutive donor corneas were analysed retrospectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the influence of different factors on the contamination rate of organ-cultured corneas for transplantation. The mean annual contamination rate was 1.8 ± 0.4% (range: 1.3-2.1%); 50% contaminations were of fungal origin with exclusively Candida species, and 50% contaminations were of bacterial origin with Staphylococcus species being predominant. The cause of donor death including infection and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome increased the risk of bacterial or fungal contamination during organ culture (p = 0.007 and p = 0.014, respectively). Differentiating between septic and aseptic donors showed an increased risk of contamination for septic donors (p = 0.0020). Mean monthly temperature including warmer months increased the risk of contamination significantly (p = 0.0031). Sex, donor age, death to enucleation, death to corneoscleral disc excision and storage time did not increase the risk of contamination significantly. The genesis of microbial contamination in organ-cultured donor corneas seems to be multifactorial. The main source of fungal or bacterial contamination could be resident species from the skin flora. The rate of microbial contamination in organ-cultured donor corneas seems to be dependent on the cause of donor death and mean monthly temperature. © 2017 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Climate, soil organic layer, and nitrogen jointly drive forest development after fire in the North American boreal zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trugman, A. T.; Fenton, N. J.; Bergeron, Y.; Xu, X.; Welp, L. R.; Medvigy, D.

2016-09-01

Previous empirical work has shown that feedbacks between fire severity, soil organic layer thickness, tree recruitment, and forest growth are important factors controlling carbon accumulation after fire disturbance. However, current boreal forest models inadequately simulate this feedback. We address this deficiency by updating the ED2 model to include a dynamic feedback between soil organic layer thickness, tree recruitment, and forest growth. The model is validated against observations spanning monthly to centennial time scales and ranging from Alaska to Quebec. We then quantify differences in forest development after fire disturbance resulting from changes in soil organic layer accumulation, temperature, nitrogen availability, and atmospheric CO2. First, we find that ED2 accurately reproduces observations when a dynamic soil organic layer is included. Second, simulations indicate that the presence of a thick soil organic layer after a mild fire disturbance decreases decomposition and productivity. The combination of the biological and physical effects increases or decreases total ecosystem carbon depending on local conditions. Third, with a 4°C temperature increase, some forests transition from undergoing succession to needleleaf forests to recruiting multiple cohorts of broadleaf trees, decreasing total ecosystem carbon by ˜40% after 300 years. However, the presence of a thick soil organic layer due to a persistently mild fire regime can prevent this transition and mediate carbon losses even under warmer temperatures. Fourth, nitrogen availability regulates successional dynamics; broadleaf species are less competitive with needleleaf trees under low nitrogen regimes. Fifth, the boreal forest shows additional short-term capacity for carbon sequestration as atmospheric CO2 increases.

System Safety in an IT Service Organization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, Mike; Scutt, Simon

Within Logica UK, over 30 IT service projects are considered safetyrelated. These include operational IT services for airports, railway infrastructure asset management, nationwide radiation monitoring and hospital medical records services. A recent internal audit examined the processes and documents used to manage system safety on these services and made a series of recommendations for improvement. This paper looks at the changes and the challenges to introducing them, especially where the service is provided by multiple units supporting both safety and non-safety related services from multiple locations around the world. The recommendations include improvements to service agreements, improved process definitions, routine safety assessment of changes, enhanced call logging, improved staff competency and training, and increased safety awareness. Progress is reported as of today, together with a road map for implementation of the improvements to the service safety management system. A proposal for service assurance levels (SALs) is discussed as a way forward to cover the wide variety of services and associated safety risks.

Organizing Diverse, Distributed Project Information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keller, Richard M.

2003-01-01

SemanticOrganizer is a software application designed to organize and integrate information generated within a distributed organization or as part of a project that involves multiple, geographically dispersed collaborators. SemanticOrganizer incorporates the capabilities of database storage, document sharing, hypermedia navigation, and semantic-interlinking into a system that can be customized to satisfy the specific information-management needs of different user communities. The program provides a centralized repository of information that is both secure and accessible to project collaborators via the World Wide Web. SemanticOrganizer's repository can be used to collect diverse information (including forms, documents, notes, data, spreadsheets, images, and sounds) from computers at collaborators work sites. The program organizes the information using a unique network-structured conceptual framework, wherein each node represents a data record that contains not only the original information but also metadata (in effect, standardized data that characterize the information). Links among nodes express semantic relationships among the data records. The program features a Web interface through which users enter, interlink, and/or search for information in the repository. By use of this repository, the collaborators have immediate access to the most recent project information, as well as to archived information. A key advantage to SemanticOrganizer is its ability to interlink information together in a natural fashion using customized terminology and concepts that are familiar to a user community.

Frogs as integrative models for understanding digestive organ development and evolution.

PubMed

Womble, Mandy; Pickett, Melissa; Nascone-Yoder, Nanette

2016-03-01

The digestive system comprises numerous cells, tissues and organs that are essential for the proper assimilation of nutrients and energy. Many aspects of digestive organ function are highly conserved among vertebrates, yet the final anatomical configuration of the gut varies widely between species, especially those with different diets. Improved understanding of the complex molecular and cellular events that orchestrate digestive organ development is pertinent to many areas of biology and medicine, including the regeneration or replacement of diseased organs, the etiology of digestive organ birth defects, and the evolution of specialized features of digestive anatomy. In this review, we highlight specific examples of how investigations using Xenopus laevis frog embryos have revealed insight into the molecular and cellular dynamics of digestive organ patterning and morphogenesis that would have been difficult to obtain in other animal models. Additionally, we discuss recent studies of gut development in non-model frog species with unique feeding strategies, such as Lepidobatrachus laevis and Eleutherodactylous coqui, which are beginning to provide glimpses of the evolutionary mechanisms that may generate morphological variation in the digestive tract. The unparalleled experimental versatility of frog embryos make them excellent, integrative models for studying digestive organ development across multiple disciplines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping educational opportunities for healthcare workers on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship around the world.

PubMed

Rogers Van Katwyk, Susan; Jones, Sara L; Hoffman, Steven J

2018-02-05

Antimicrobial resistance is an important global issue facing society. Healthcare workers need to be engaged in solving this problem, as advocates for rational antimicrobial use, stewards of sustainable effectiveness, and educators of their patients. To fulfill this role, healthcare workers need access to training and educational resources on antimicrobial resistance. To better understand the resources available to healthcare workers, we undertook a global environmental scan of educational programs and resources targeting healthcare workers on the topic of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. Programs were identified through contact with key experts, web searching, and academic literature searching. We summarized programs in tabular form, including participating organizations, region, and intended audience. We developed a coding system to classify programs by program type and participating organization type, assigning multiple codes as necessary and creating summary charts for program types, organization types, and intended audience to illustrate the breadth of available resources. We identified 94 educational initiatives related to antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship, which represent a diverse array of programs including courses, workshops, conferences, guidelines, public outreach materials, and online-resource websites. These resources were developed by a combination of government bodies, professional societies, universities, non-profit and community organizations, hospitals and healthcare centers, and insurance companies and industry. Most programs either targeted healthcare workers collectively or specifically targeted physicians. A smaller number of programs were aimed at other healthcare worker groups including pharmacists, nurses, midwives, and healthcare students. Our environmental scan shows that there are many organizations working to develop and share educational resources for healthcare workers on antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. Governments, hospitals, and professional societies appear to be driving action on this front, sometimes working with other types of organizations. A broad range of resources have been made freely available; however, we have noted several opportunities for action, including increased engagement with students, improvements to pre-service education, recognition of antimicrobial resistance courses as continuing medical education, and better platforms for resource-sharing online.

Controlled multiple neutral planes by low elastic modulus adhesive for flexible organic photovoltaics.

PubMed

Kim, Wansun; Lee, Inhwa; Yoon Kim, Dong; Yu, Youn-Yeol; Jung, Hae-Yoon; Kwon, Seyeoul; Seo Park, Weon; Kim, Taek-Soo

2017-05-12

To protect brittle layers in organic photovoltaic devices, the mechanical neutral plane strategy can be adopted through placing the brittle functional materials close to the neutral plane where stress and strain are zero during bending. However, previous research has been significantly limited in the location and number of materials to protect through using a single neutral plane. In this study, multiple neutral planes are generated using low elastic modulus adhesives and are controlled through quantitative analyses in order to protect the multiple brittle materials at various locations. Moreover, the protection of multiple brittle layers at various locations under both concave and convex bending directions is demonstrated. Multilayer structures that have soft adhesives are further analyzed using the finite element method analysis in order to propose guidelines for structural design when employing multiple neutral planes.

The molecular basis of jaundice: An old symptom revisited.

PubMed

Gazzin, Silvia; Masutti, Flora; Vitek, Libor; Tiribelli, Claudio

2017-08-01

Increased serum bilirubin level is a widely used diagnostic marker for hepatic illnesses. Nevertheless, mild elevation of unconjugated serum bilirubin (such as in Gilbert syndrome) has been recently demonstrated to correlate with low risk of chronic inflammatory and/or oxidative stress-mediated diseases. In accord, a low serum bilirubin level has emerged as an important predisposing factor or a biomarker of these pathologic conditions including cardiovascular, tumour, and possibly neurodegenerative diseases. Bilirubin possesses multiple biological actions with interaction in a complex network of enzymatic and signalling pathways. The fact that the liver is the main organ controlling the bioavailability of bilirubin emphasizes the central role of this organ in human health. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Roles for Hedgehog signaling in adult organ homeostasis and repair

PubMed Central

Petrova, Ralitsa; Joyner, Alexandra L.

2014-01-01

The hedgehog (HH) pathway is well known for its mitogenic and morphogenic functions during development, and HH signaling continues in discrete populations of cells within many adult mammalian tissues. Growing evidence indicates that HH regulates diverse quiescent stem cell populations, but the exact roles that HH signaling plays in adult organ homeostasis and regeneration remain poorly understood. Here, we review recently identified functions of HH in modulating the behavior of tissue-specific adult stem and progenitor cells during homeostasis, regeneration and disease. We conclude that HH signaling is a key factor in the regulation of adult tissue homeostasis and repair, acting via multiple different routes to regulate distinct cellular outcomes, including maintenance of plasticity, in a context-dependent manner. PMID:25183867

Drugp-Induced Rhabdomyolysis Atlas (DIRA) for idiosyncratic adverse drug reaction management.

PubMed

Wen, Zhining; Liang, Yu; Hao, Yingyi; Delavan, Brian; Huang, Ruili; Mikailov, Mike; Tong, Weida; Li, Menglong; Liu, Zhichao

2018-06-11

Drug-induced rhabdomyolysis (DIR) is an idiosyncratic and fatal adverse drug reaction (ADR) characterized in severe muscle injuries accompanied by multiple-organ failure. Limited knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of rhabdomyolysis is the main obstacle to developing early biomarkers and prevention strategies. Given the lack of a centralized data resource to curate, organize, and standardize widespread DIR information, here we present a Drug-Induced Rhabdomyolysis Atlas (DIRA) that provides DIR-related information, including: a classification scheme for DIR based on drug labeling information; postmarketing surveillance data of DIR; and DIR drug property information. To elucidate the utility of DIRA, we used precision dosing, concomitant use of DIR drugs, and predictive modeling development to exemplify strategies for idiosyncratic ADR (IADR) management. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Surgical intensive care medicine. Current therapy concepts for septic diseases].

PubMed

Niederbichler, A D; Ipaktchi, K; Jokuszies, A; Hirsch, T; Altintas, M A; Handschin, A E; Busch, K H; Gellert, M; Steinau, H-U; Vogt, P M; Steinsträsser, L

2009-10-01

The clinical appearance of septic disorders is characterized by an enormous dynamic. The sepsis-induced dysbalance of the immune system necessitates immediate and aggressive therapeutic interventions to prevent further damage progression of the disease to septic shock and multiple organ failure. This includes supportive therapy to normalize and maintain organ and tissue perfusion as well as the identification of the infection focus. In cases where an infectious focus is identified, surgical source control frequently is a key element of the treatment strategy besides pharmacologic and supportive measures. The integrative approach of the management of septic patients requires rapid communication between the involved medical disciplines and the nursing personnel. Therefore, this article outlines current therapeutic concepts of septic diseases as well as central nursing aspects.

BANANAS: providing child care services to a multi-ethnic community.

PubMed

Vu, Catherine M; Schwartz, Sara L; Austin, Michael J

2011-01-01

BANANAS, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that has provided child care resource and referral services for over 35 years. BANANAS emerged as a grassroots effort initiated by a group of female volunteers who sought to build a network of women with children who needed childcare. As the organization developed, its leaders recognized and responded to additional needs, including resource and information sharing, workshops and classes, and political advocacy. Beginning as a collective, BANANAS has grown into a multifaceted service delivery and advocacy nonprofit operating with an annual budget of $12 million. This history of the agency reflects the development of a unique community-based effort, its challenges and rewards, and the multiple successes that this pioneering nonprofit has experienced.

Perspective: Theory and simulation of hybrid halide perovskites

PubMed Central

Jung, Young-Kwang

2017-01-01

Organic-inorganic halide perovskites present a number of challenges for first-principles atomistic materials modeling. Such “plastic crystals” feature dynamic processes across multiple length and time scales. These include the following: (i) transport of slow ions and fast electrons; (ii) highly anharmonic lattice dynamics with short phonon lifetimes; (iii) local symmetry breaking of the average crystallographic space group; (iv) strong relativistic (spin-orbit coupling) effects on the electronic band structure; and (v) thermodynamic metastability and rapid chemical breakdown. These issues, which affect the operation of solar cells, are outlined in this perspective. We also discuss general guidelines for performing quantitative and predictive simulations of these materials, which are relevant to metal-organic frameworks and other hybrid semiconducting, dielectric and ferroelectric compounds. PMID:29166078

Microbiology of Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients with Multiple Episodes

PubMed Central

Nessim, Sharon J.; Nisenbaum, Rosane; Bargman, Joanne M.; Jassal, Sarbjit V.

2012-01-01

♦ Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)–associated peritonitis clusters within patients. Patient factors contribute to peritonitis risk, but there is also entrapment of organisms within the biofilm that forms on PD catheters. It is hypothesized that this biofilm may prevent complete eradication of organisms, predisposing to multiple infections with the same organism. ♦ Methods: Using data collected in the Canadian multicenter Baxter POET (Peritonitis, Organism, Exit sites, Tunnel infections) database from 1996 to 2005, we studied incident PD patients with 2 or more peritonitis episodes. We determined the proportion of patients with 2 or more episodes caused by the same organism. In addition, using a multivariate logistic regression model, we tested whether prior peritonitis with a given organism predicted the occurrence of a subsequent episode with the same organism. ♦ Results: During their time on PD, 558 patients experienced 2 or more peritonitis episodes. Of those 558 patients, 181 (32%) had at least 2 episodes with the same organism. The organism most commonly causing repeat infection was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS), accounting for 65.7% of cases. Compared with peritonitis caused by other organisms, a first CNS peritonitis episode was associated with an increased risk of subsequent CNS peritonitis within 1 year (odds ratio: 2.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 2.8; p < 0.001). Among patients with repeat CNS peritonitis, 48% of repeat episodes occurred within 6 months of the earlier episode. ♦ Conclusions: In contrast to previous data, we did not find a high proportion of patients with multiple peritonitis episodes caused by the same organism. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the organism most likely to cause peritonitis more than once in a given patient, and a prior CNS peritonitis was associated with an increased risk of CNS peritonitis within the subsequent year. PMID:22215659

Organ utilization from increased infectious risk donors: An observational study.

PubMed

L'Huillier, Arnaud G; Humar, Atul; Payne, Clare; Kumar, Deepali

2017-12-01

Donors with an increased risk of transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), or hepatitis C virus (HCV) (increased risk donors [IRDs]) are a potential source of organs for transplant. Organs from IRDs can be utilized with appropriate recipient consent and post-transplant follow-up. We reviewed the characteristics and utilization of IRDs in our Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) over a 2-year period. Donor information from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2015 was obtained through the OPO database. Only consented donors were included. Donors were categorized as IRDs according to Health Canada/Canadian Standards Association (CSA) criteria. A total of 494 potential donors were identified, of which 92 (18.6%) were IRDs. Of these, at least one organ was transplanted from 76 (82.6%). Risk factors for IRDs included injection drug user (IDU) (12%), men having sex with men (MSM) (7%), commercial sex worker (CSW) (4%), and incarceration (24%). Fifty-nine percent (253/429) of IRD organs were utilized. The most frequently used organ was kidney, followed by liver. Median number of organs recovered per IRD was 3 (interquartile range: 2-5). Nucleic acid testing (NAT) was performed in 18.5% (17/92) of IRDs. Reasons for NAT were IDU (n = 2), MSM (n = 2), CSW (n = 2), and previous incarceration (n = 7). Organ utilization from donors that had NAT was similar to donors who did not (94% vs 80%, P = .29). Follow-up NAT was done in <5% of recipients from IRDs. In our cohort, IRDs comprised a significant proportion of donors. Utilization of IRD organs occurred at a significant rate regardless of pre-transplant NAT. These data suggest that multiple factors contribute to the perception of infectious risk from such organs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Considering the Differential Impact of Three Facets of Organizational Health Climate on Employees' Well-Being.

PubMed

Zweber, Zandra M; Henning, Robert A; Magley, Vicki J; Faghri, Pouran

2015-01-01

One potential way that healthy organizations can impact employee health is by promoting a climate for health within the organization. Using a definition of health climate that includes support for health from multiple levels within the organization, this study examines whether all three facets of health climate--the workgroup, supervisor, and organization--work together to contribute to employee well-being. Two samples are used in this study to examine health climate at the individual level and group level in order to provide a clearer picture of the impact of the three health climate facets. k-means cluster analysis was used on each sample to determine groups of individuals based on their levels of the three health climate facets. A discriminant function analysis was then run on each sample to determine if clusters differed on a function of employee well-being variables. Results provide evidence that having strength in all three of the facets is the most beneficial in terms of employee well-being at work. Findings from this study suggest that organizations must consider how health is treated within workgroups, how supervisors support employee health, and what the organization does to support employee health when promoting employee health.

Constructing Taxonomies to Identify Distinctive Forms of Primary Healthcare Organizations

PubMed Central

Borgès Da Silva, Roxane; Pineault, Raynald; Hamel, Marjolaine; Levesque, Jean-Frédéric; Roberge, Danièle; Lamarche, Paul

2013-01-01

Background. Primary healthcare (PHC) renewal gives rise to important challenges for policy makers, managers, and researchers in most countries. Evaluating new emerging forms of organizations is therefore of prime importance in assessing the impact of these policies. This paper presents a set of methods related to the configurational approach and an organizational taxonomy derived from our analysis. Methods. In 2005, we carried out a study on PHC in two health and social services regions of Quebec that included urban, suburban, and rural areas. An organizational survey was conducted in 473 PHC practices. We used multidimensional nonparametric statistical methods, namely, multiple correspondence and principal component analyses, and an ascending hierarchical classification method to construct a taxonomy of organizations. Results. PHC organizations were classified into five distinct models: four professional and one community. Study findings indicate that the professional integrated coordination and the community model have great potential for organizational development since they are closest to the ideal type promoted by current reforms. Conclusion. Results showed that the configurational approach is useful to assess complex phenomena such as the organization of PHC. The analysis highlights the most promising organizational models. Our study enhances our understanding of organizational change in health services organizations. PMID:24959575

Multi organ failure following intravenous gasoline for suicide: a case report.

PubMed

Mahmoodpoor, Ata; Soleimanpour, Hassan; Hamishehkar, Hadi

2012-01-01

Hydrocarbons are ubiquitous in daily life and include plant and animal fats, alcohols, solvents, natural gas, petroleum derivates. Majority of intoxication reports of hydrocarbons are due to inhalation or ingestion, but there is few reports about intravenous injection of gasoline. We report a 58 year-old man who injected gasoline intravenously for suicide. He developed soft tissue necrosis of forearm and bilateral pulmonary infiltration. He underwent fasciotomy and extensive debridement of necrotic tissues, at the operation room. He was intubated and mechanically ventilated because of acute lung injury. He developed acute kidney injury after 2 days. These symptoms seem to be due to extravasation of gasoline from vessels which lead to inflammation, cell damage and organ failure. The patient developed multi organ failure which unfortunately did not respond to our treatment and he died at day 21. Management of gasoline intoxication depends on the rout of exposure. Like other types of toxications, intravenous toxication has pulmonary involvement, however in this case we had multiple organ involvement. It seems that in such cases we should consider early end organ targeted therapy to stop the future organ failure. © 2012 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

Self-organization versus Watchmaker: ambiguity of molecular recognition and design charts of cellular circuitry.

PubMed

Kurakin, Alexei

2007-01-01

A large body of experimental evidence indicates that the specific molecular interactions and/or chemical conversions depicted as links in the conventional diagrams of cellular signal transduction and metabolic pathways are inherently probabilistic, ambiguous and context-dependent. Being the inevitable consequence of the dynamic nature of protein structure in solution, the ambiguity of protein-mediated interactions and conversions challenges the conceptual adequacy and practical usefulness of the mechanistic assumptions and inferences embodied in the design charts of cellular circuitry. It is argued that the reconceptualization of molecular recognition and cellular organization within the emerging interpretational framework of self-organization, which is expanded here to include such concepts as bounded stochasticity, evolutionary memory, and adaptive plasticity offers a significantly more adequate representation of experimental reality than conventional mechanistic conceptions do. Importantly, the expanded framework of self-organization appears to be universal and scale-invariant, providing conceptual continuity across multiple scales of biological organization, from molecules to societies. This new conceptualization of biological phenomena suggests that such attributes of intelligence as adaptive plasticity, decision-making, and memory are enforced by evolution at different scales of biological organization and may represent inherent properties of living matter. (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Network analysis of Bogotá's Ciclovía Recreativa, a self-organized multisectorial community program to promote physical activity in a middle-income country.

PubMed

Meisel, Jose D; Sarmiento, Olga L; Montes, Felipe; Martinez, Edwin O; Lemoine, Pablo D; Valdivia, Juan A; Brownson, Ross C; Zarama, Roberto

2014-01-01

Conduct a social network analysis of the health and non-health related organizations that participate in Bogotá's Ciclovía Recreativa (Ciclovía). Cross-sectional study. Ciclovía is a multisectoral community-based mass program in which streets are temporarily closed to motorized transport, allowing exclusive access to individuals for leisure activities and physical activity. Twenty-five organizations that participate in the Ciclovía. Seven variables were examined by using network analytic methods: relationship, link attributes (integration, contact, and importance), and node attributes (leadership, years in the program, and the sector of the organization). The network analytic methods were based on a visual descriptive analysis and an exponential random graph model. Analysis shows that the most central organizations in the network were outside of the Health sector and include Sports and Recreation, Government, and Security sectors. The organizations work in clusters formed by organizations of different sectors. Organization importance and structural predictors were positively related to integration, while the number of years working with Ciclovía was negatively associated with integration. Ciclovía is a network whose structure emerged as a self-organized complex system. Ciclovía of Bogotá is an example of a program with public health potential formed by organizations of multiple sectors with Sports and Recreation as the most central.

Quantifying the Hierarchical Order in Self-Aligned Carbon Nanotubes from Atomic to Micrometer Scale.

PubMed

Meshot, Eric R; Zwissler, Darwin W; Bui, Ngoc; Kuykendall, Tevye R; Wang, Cheng; Hexemer, Alexander; Wu, Kuang Jen J; Fornasiero, Francesco

2017-06-27

Fundamental understanding of structure-property relationships in hierarchically organized nanostructures is crucial for the development of new functionality, yet quantifying structure across multiple length scales is challenging. In this work, we used nondestructive X-ray scattering to quantitatively map the multiscale structure of hierarchically self-organized carbon nanotube (CNT) "forests" across 4 orders of magnitude in length scale, from 2.0 Å to 1.5 μm. Fully resolved structural features include the graphitic honeycomb lattice and interlayer walls (atomic), CNT diameter (nano), as well as the greater CNT ensemble (meso) and large corrugations (micro). Correlating orientational order across hierarchical levels revealed a cascading decrease as we probed finer structural feature sizes with enhanced sensitivity to small-scale disorder. Furthermore, we established qualitative relationships for single-, few-, and multiwall CNT forest characteristics, showing that multiscale orientational order is directly correlated with number density spanning 10 9 -10 12 cm -2 , yet order is inversely proportional to CNT diameter, number of walls, and atomic defects. Lastly, we captured and quantified ultralow-q meridional scattering features and built a phenomenological model of the large-scale CNT forest morphology, which predicted and confirmed that these features arise due to microscale corrugations along the vertical forest direction. Providing detailed structural information at multiple length scales is important for design and synthesis of CNT materials as well as other hierarchically organized nanostructures.

Computer-aided multiple-head 3D printing system for printing of heterogeneous organ/tissue constructs

PubMed Central

Jung, Jin Woo; Lee, Jung-Seob; Cho, Dong-Woo

2016-01-01

Recently, much attention has focused on replacement or/and enhancement of biological tissues via the use of cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds with an architecture that mimics the tissue matrix, and with the desired three-dimensional (3D) external geometry. However, mimicking the heterogeneous tissues that most organs and tissues are formed of is challenging. Although multiple-head 3D printing systems have been proposed for fabricating heterogeneous cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds, to date only the simple exterior form has been realized. Here we describe a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system for this application. We aim to develop an algorithm to enable easy, intuitive design and fabrication of a heterogeneous cell-laden hydrogel scaffolds with a free-form 3D geometry. The printing paths of the scaffold are automatically generated from the 3D CAD model, and the scaffold is then printed by dispensing four materials; i.e., a frame, two kinds of cell-laden hydrogel and a support. We demonstrated printing of heterogeneous tissue models formed of hydrogel scaffolds using this approach, including the outer ear, kidney and tooth tissue. These results indicate that this approach is particularly promising for tissue engineering and 3D printing applications to regenerate heterogeneous organs and tissues with tailored geometries to treat specific defects or injuries. PMID:26899876

Radio Observations of Organics in Comets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milam, Stefanie N.; Charnley, Steven B.; Kuan, Yi-Jehng; Chuang, Yo-Ling; Villanueva, Geronimo; Coulson, Iain; Remijan, Anthony J.

2012-01-01

A major observational challenge in cometary science is to quantify the extent to which chemical compounds can be linked to either interstellar or nebular chemistry. Recently, there have been complimentary observations from multiple facilities to try to unravel the chemical complexity of comets and their origins. Incorporating results from various techniques can gain further insight into the abundances, production rates, distributions, and formation mechanisms of molecules in these objects [I]. Such studies have provided great detail towards molecules with a-typical chemistries, such as H2CO [2]. We report multiwavelength spectral observations of comets from two dynamical families including the JFC 103P/Hartley 2 and a long period comet C/2009 PI (Garradd) with the Arizona Radio Observatory's SMT and 12-m telescopes, as well as the NRAO Greenbank telescope, and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. Multiple parent volatiles (e.g. HCN, CH30H, CO) as well as daughter products (e.g, CS and 01-1) have been detected in these objects. We will present a comparison of molecular abundances in these comets to those observed in others, supporting a long-term effort of building a comet taxonomy based on composition. Previous work has revealed a range of abundances of parent species (from "organics-poor" to "organics-rich") with respect to water among comets [3,4,5], however the statistics are not well constrained.

Metabolic and nutritional aspects of cancer.

PubMed

Krawczyk, Joanna; Kraj, Leszek; Ziarkiewicz, Mateusz; Wiktor-Jędrzejczak, Wiesław

2014-08-22

Cancer, being in fact a generalized disease involving the whole organism, is most frequently associated with metabolic deregulation, a latent inflammatory state and anorexia of various degrees. The pathogenesis of this disorder is complex, with multiple dilemmas remaining unsolved. The clinical consequences of the above-mentioned disturbances include cancer-related cachexia and anorexia-cachexia syndrome. These complex clinical entities worsen the prognosis, and lead to deterioration of the quality of life and performance status, and thus require multimodal treatment. Optimal therapy should include nutritional support coupled with pharmacotherapy targeted at underlying pathomechanisms of cachexia. Nevertheless, many issues still need explanation, and efficacious and comprehensive therapy of cancer-related cachexia remains a future objective.

Reproductive Issues in Women with Turner Syndrome.

PubMed

Folsom, Lisal J; Fuqua, John S

2015-12-01

Turner syndrome is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities affecting female infants. The severity of clinical manifestations varies and it affects multiple organ systems. Women with Turner syndrome have a 3-fold increase in mortality, which becomes even more pronounced in pregnancy. Reproductive options include adoption or surrogacy, assisted reproductive techniques, and in rare cases spontaneous pregnancy. Risks for women with Turner syndrome during pregnancy include aortic disorders, hepatic disease, thyroid disease, type 2 diabetes, and cesarean section delivery. Providers must be familiar with the risks and recommendations in caring for women with Turner syndrome of reproductive age. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stress corrosion in titanium alloys and other metallic materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harkins, C. G. (Editor); Brotzen, F. R.; Hightower, J. W.; Mclellan, R. B.; Roberts, J. M.; Rudee, M. L.; Leith, I. R.; Basu, P. K.; Salama, K.; Parris, D. P.

1971-01-01

Multiple physical and chemical techniques including mass spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, gas chromatography, electron microscopy, optical microscopy, electronic spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray analysis, conductivity, and isotopic labeling were used in investigating the atomic interactions between organic environments and titanium and titanium oxide surfaces. Key anhydrous environments studied included alcohols, which contain hydrogen; carbon tetrachloride, which does not contain hydrogen; and mixtures of alcohols and halocarbons. Effects of dissolved salts in alcohols were also studied. This program emphasized experiments designed to delineate the conditions necessary rather than sufficient for initiation processes and for propagation processes in Ti SCC.

Thermal Studies of Ammonium Cyanide Reactions: A Model for Thermal Alteration of Prebiotic Compounds in Meteorite Parent Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammer, P. G.; Locke, D. R.; Burton, A. S.; Callahan, M. P.

2017-01-01

Organic compounds in carbonaceous chondrites were likely transformed by a variety of parent body processes including thermal and aqueous processing. Here, we analyzed ammonium cyanide reactions that were heated at different temperatures and times by multiple analytical techniques. The goal of this study is to better understand the effect of hydrothermal alteration on cyanide chemistry, which is believed to be responsible for the abiotic synthesis of purine nucleobases and their structural analogs detected in carbonaceous chondrites.

The directory of US coal and technology export resources

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

Not Available

1990-10-01

The purpose of The Directory remains focused on offering a consolidated resource to potential buyers of US coal, coal technology, and expertise. This is consistent with the US policy on coal and coal technology trade, which continues to emphasize export market strategy implementation. Within this context, DOE will continue to support the teaming'' approach to marketing; i.e., vertically integrated large project teams to include multiple industry sectors, such as coal producers, engineering and construction firms, equipment manufacturers, financing and service organizations.

Nursing leadership in professional organizations.

PubMed

Hill, Karen S

2011-04-01

This department highlights nursing leaders who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and lead change. This competency is seen in the ability to create, structure, and implement organizational change through strategic vision, risk taking, and effective communication. Each article showcases a project of a nurse leader who demonstrates change in a variety of environments, ranging from acute care hospitals to home care and alternative practice settings. Included are several "lessons learned" applicable to multiple settings that provide insight for other nurses in executive practice.

Genome complexity, robustness and genetic interactions in digital organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenski, Richard E.; Ofria, Charles; Collier, Travis C.; Adami, Christoph

1999-08-01

Digital organisms are computer programs that self-replicate, mutate and adapt by natural selection. They offer an opportunity to test generalizations about living systems that may extend beyond the organic life that biologists usually study. Here we have generated two classes of digital organism: simple programs selected solely for rapid replication, and complex programs selected to perform mathematical operations that accelerate replication through a set of defined `metabolic' rewards. To examine the differences in their genetic architecture, we introduced millions of single and multiple mutations into each organism and measured the effects on the organism's fitness. The complex organisms are more robust than the simple ones with respect to the average effects of single mutations. Interactions among mutations are common and usually yield higher fitness than predicted from the component mutations assuming multiplicative effects; such interactions are especially important in the complex organisms. Frequent interactions among mutations have also been seen in bacteria, fungi and fruitflies. Our findings support the view that interactions are a general feature of genetic systems.