Penicillin skin testing: potential implications for antimicrobial stewardship.

PubMed

Unger, Nathan R; Gauthier, Timothy P; Cheung, Linda W

2013-08-01

As the progression of multidrug-resistant organisms and lack of novel antibiotics move us closer toward a potential postantibiotic era, it is paramount to preserve the longevity of current therapeutic agents. Moreover, novel interventions for antimicrobial stewardship programs are integral to combating antimicrobial resistance worldwide. One unique method that may decrease the use of second-line antibiotics (e.g., fluoroquinolones, vancomycin) while facilitating access to a preferred β-lactam regimen in numerous health care settings is a penicillin skin test. Provided that up to 10% of patients have a reported penicillin allergy, of whom ~10% have true IgE-mediated hypersensitivity, significant potential exists to utilize a penicillin skin test to safely identify those who may receive penicillin or a β-lactam antibiotic. In this article, we provide information on the background, associated costs, currently available literature, pharmacists' role, antimicrobial stewardship implications, potential barriers, and misconceptions, as well as future directions associated with the penicillin skin test. © 2013 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

Silica nanoparticles capture atmospheric lead: implications in the treatment of environmental heavy metal pollution.

PubMed

Yang, Xifei; Shen, Zhiguo; Zhang, Bing; Yang, Jianping; Hong, Wen-Xu; Zhuang, Zhixiong; Liu, Jianjun

2013-01-01

Lead (Pb) contamination in the air is a severe global problem, most notably in China. Removal of Pb from polluted air remains a significant challenge. It is unclear what potential effects silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) exposure can have on atmospheric Pb. Here we first characterized the features of SiNPs by measuring the particle size, zeta potential and the specific surface area of SiO(2) particles using a Nicomp 380/ZLS submicron particle sizer, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). We measured the content of the metal Pb adsorbed by SiNPs exposed to two Pb polluted electric battery plants using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). It is found that SiNPs exposed to two Pb polluted electric battery plants absorb more atmospheric Pb compared to either blank control or micro-sized SiO(2) particles in a time-dependent manner. This is the first study demonstrating that SiNPs exposure can absorb atmospheric Pb in the polluted environment. These novel findings indicate that SiNPs have potential to serve as a significant adsorbent of Pb from industrial pollution, implicating a potentially novel application of SiNPs in the treatment of environmental heavy metal pollution. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecology: The Tropical Deforestation Debt.

PubMed

Norris, Ken

2016-08-22

Tropical deforestation is a significant cause of global carbon emissions and biodiversity loss. A new study shows that deforestation today leaves a carbon and biodiversity debt to be paid over subsequent years. This has potentially profound implications for forest conservation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in testicular germ cell tumors - a major reason for enhanced chemosensitivity?

PubMed

Shenoy, Niraj; Dronca, Roxana; Quevedo, Fernando; Boorjian, Stephen A; Cheville, John; Costello, Brian; Kohli, Manish; Witzig, Thomas; Pagliaro, Lance

2017-08-01

The molecular basis for enhanced chemosensitivity of testicular germ cell tumors (GCT) has been an area of great interest, as it could potentially give us therapeutic leads in other resistant malignancies. Thus far, however, the increased sensitivity of GCT has been variously attributed to multiple factors - an inability to detoxify cisplatin, a lack of export pumps, an inability to repair the DNA damage, an intact apoptotic cascade and lack of p53 mutation; but a unifying underlying etiology leading to the aforementioned processes and having a translational implication has so far been elusive. Herein, we offer evidence to support a potential significant role for the previously demonstrated low hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression in mediating the general exquisite chemosensitivity of testicular GCT, through the aforementioned processes. This molecular mechanism based hypothesis could have a significant translational implication in platinum refractory GCT as well as other platinum resistant malignancies.

Novel QTL at chromosome 6p22 for alcohol consumption: Implications for the genetic liability of alcohol use disorders

PubMed Central

Kos, Mark Z.; Glahn, David C.; Carless, Melanie A.; Olvera, Rene; McKay, D. Reese; Quillen, Ellen E.; Gelernter, Joel; Chen, Xiang-Ding; Deng, Hong-Wen; Kent, Jack W.; Dyer, Thomas D.; Göring, Harald H.H.; Curran, Joanne E.; Duggirala, Ravi; Blangero, John; Almasy, Laura

2014-01-01

Linkage studies of alcoholism have implicated several chromosome regions, leading to the successful identification of susceptibility genes, including ADH4 and GABRA2 on chromosome 4. Quantitative endophenotypes that are potentially closer to gene action than clinical endpoints offer a means of obtaining more refined linkage signals of genes that predispose alcohol use disorders (AUD). In this study we examine a self-reported measure of the maximum number of drinks consumed in a 24-hour period (abbreviated Max Drinks), a significantly heritable phenotype (h2 = 0.32 ± 0.05; P = 4.61 × 10−14) with a strong genetic correlation with AUD (ρg = 0.99 ± 0.13) for the San Antonio Family Study (n = 1,203). Genome-wide SNPs were analyzed using variance components linkage methods in the program SOLAR, revealing a novel, genome-wide significant QTL (LOD = 4.17; P = 5.85 × 10−6) for Max Drinks at chromosome 6p22.3, a region with a number of compelling candidate genes implicated in neuronal function and psychiatric illness. Joint analysis of Max Drinks and AUD status shows that the QTL has a significant non-zero effect on diagnosis (P = 4.04 × 10−3), accounting for 8.6% of the total variation. Significant SNP associations for Max Drinks were also identified at the linkage region, including one, rs7761213 (P = 2.14 × 10−4), obtained for an independent sample of Chinese families. Thus, our study identifies a potential risk locus for AUD at 6p22.3, with significant pleiotropic effects on the heaviness of alcohol consumption that may not be population specific. PMID:24692236

Bundled payments in orthopedic surgery.

PubMed

Bushnell, Brandon D

2015-02-01

As a result of reading this article, physicians should be able to: 1. Describe the concept of bundled payments and the potential applications of bundled payments in orthopedic surgery. 2. For specific situations, outline a clinical episode of care, determine the participants in a bundling situation, and define care protocols and pathways. 3. Recognize the importance of resource utilization management, quality outcome measurement, and combined economic-clinical value in determining the value of bundled payment arrangements. 4. Identify the implications of bundled payments for practicing orthopedists, as well as the legal issues and potential future directions of this increasingly popular alternative payment method. Bundled payments, the idea of paying a single price for a bundle of goods and services, is a financial concept familiar to most American consumers because examples appear in many industries. The idea of bundled payments has recently gained significant momentum as a financial model with the potential to decrease the significant current costs of health care. Orthopedic surgery as a field of medicine is uniquely positioned for success in an environment of bundled payments. This article reviews the history, logistics, and implications of the bundled payment model relative to orthopedic surgery. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

The "Second Academic Revolution": Interpretations of Academic Entrepreneurship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Peijun

2010-01-01

The number and scope of faculty and institutions involved in academic entrepreneurship continues to expand, and this has significant implications for universities, involving potentially wonderful opportunities but also dire risks. This paper looks beyond academic capitalism, a theory that currently dominates the study of higher education, by…

General medicine and surgery for dental practitioners. Part 5--Psychiatry.

PubMed

Brown, S; Greenwood, M; Meechan, J G

2010-07-10

There are a significant number of patients in society who have some form of psychiatric disorder. It is important that dental practitioners have an awareness of the more common psychiatric disorders and their potential implications as they are likely to encounter them in clinical practice.

Building Organizational Capacity: Strategic Management in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toma, J. Douglas

2010-01-01

Every university or college president envisions bold initiatives--big projects intended to change the nature of an institution with significant implications across all sectors. How can leaders and senior managers charged with implementing reforms effectively frame their work and anticipate potential pitfalls? No organization can maximize its…

Untapped genetic variability in Herefords: implications for climate change

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global climate change (CC) has the potential to significantly alter US cattle productivity. As a result, the creation of genetic resources for a specific environment may be necessary, given that genetic-environmental interactions are present and may become more important. Molecular evaluation of a s...

Metabolic Impact of Rapamycin (Sirolimus) and B-Estradiol Using Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts as a Model for Lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

PubMed

Marsh, Katherine M; Schipper, David; Ferng, Alice S; Johnson, Kitsie; Fisher, Julia; Knapp, Shannon; Dicken, Destiny; Khalpey, Zain

2017-08-01

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, progressive cystic lung disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age. Exogenous rapamycin (sirolimus) has been shown to improve clinical outcomes and was recently approved to treat LAM, whereas estrogen (E 2 ) is implicated in disease progression. No consistent metabolic model currently exists for LAM, therefore wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF +/+) and TSC2 knockout cells (MEF -/-) were used in this study as a model for LAM. Oxygen consumption rates (OCR) and redox potential were measured to determine metabolic state across control cells, MEF +/+ and -/- cells treated with rapamycin (Rapa), and MEF +/+ and -/- cells treated with E 2 . An XF96 extracellular flux analyzer from Seahorse Bioscience ® was used to measure OCR, and a RedoxSYS™ ORP was used to measure redox potential. OCR of MEF -/- cells treated with rapamycin (MEF -/- Rapa) versus MEF -/- control were significantly lower across all conditions. The static oxidation reduction potential of the MEF -/- Rapa group was also lower, approaching significance. The coupling efficiency and ratio of ATP-linked respiration to maximum respiration were statistically lower in MEF -/- Rapa compared to MEF +/+ Rapa. There were no significant metabolic findings across any of the MEF cells treated with E 2 . MEF -/- control cells versus MEF +/+ control cells were not found to significantly differ. MEF cells are thought to be a feasible metabolic model for LAM, which has implications for future pharmacologic and biologic testing.

Experienced and potential medical tourists' service quality expectations.

PubMed

Guiry, Michael; Scott, Jeannie J; Vequist, David G

2013-01-01

The paper's aim is to compare experienced and potential US medical tourists' foreign health service-quality expectations. Data were collected via an online survey involving 1,588 US consumers engaging or expressing an interest in medical tourism. The sample included 219 experienced and 1,369 potential medical tourists. Respondents completed a SERVQUAL questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to determine significant differences between experienced and potential US medical tourists' service-quality expectations. For all five service-quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy) experienced medical tourists had significantly lower expectations than potential medical tourists. Experienced medical tourists also had significantly lower service-quality expectations than potential medical tourists for 11 individual SERVQUAL items. Results suggest using experience level to segment medical tourists. The study also has implications for managing medical tourist service-quality expectations at service delivery point and via external marketing communications. Managing medical tourists' service quality expectations is important since expectations can significantly influence choice processes, their experience and post-consumption behavior. This study is the first to compare experienced and potential US medical tourist service-quality expectations. The study establishes a foundation for future service-quality expectations research in the rapidly growing medical tourism industry.

Effects of pharmacological agents on subcortical resistance shifts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klivington, K. A.

1975-01-01

Microliter quantities of tetrodotoxin, tetraethylammonium chloride, and picrotoxin injected into the inferior colliculus and superior olive of unanesthetized cats differentially affect the amplitude and waveform of click-evoked potentials and evoked resistance shifts. Tetrodotoxin simultaneously reduces the negative phase of the evoked potential and eliminates the evoked resistance shift. Tetraethylammonium enhances the negative evoked potential component, presumably of postsynaptic origin, without significantly altering evoked resistance shift amplitude. Picrotoxin also enhances the negative evoked potential wave but increases evoked resistance shift amplitude. These findings implicate events associated with postsynaptic membrane depolarization in the production of the evoked resistance shift.

Towards Constructions of Musical Childhoods: Diversity and Digital Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Susan

2009-01-01

The changing economic, social, cultural and technological circumstances in which children live impact significantly on the ways in which early childhood is both viewed and experienced. Understanding the implications, the potentials, the challenges that arise as a consequence of the diversity and technological changes that characterise contemporary…

Exploring the Ethical Implications of MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Stephen

2014-01-01

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) represent a potentially exciting opportunity to use technology to realise many of the long-promised benefits of universal higher education. While there are many positive aspects to the MOOCs on offer and in development, there are also significant ethical concerns arising from various initiatives. These include…

Mood instability: significance, definition and measurement.

PubMed

Broome, M R; Saunders, K E A; Harrison, P J; Marwaha, S

2015-10-01

Mood instability is common, and an important feature of several psychiatric disorders. We discuss the definition and measurement of mood instability, and review its prevalence, characteristics, neurobiological correlates and clinical implications. We suggest that mood instability has underappreciated transdiagnostic potential as an investigational and therapeutic target. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Long-term implications of sustained wind power growth in the United States: Potential benefits and secondary impacts

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

Wiser, Ryan; Bolinger, Mark; Heath, Garvin

We model scenarios of the U.S. electric sector in which wind generation reaches 10% of end-use electricity demand in 2020, 20% in 2030, and 35% in 2050. As shown in a companion paper, achieving these penetration levels would have significant implications for the wind industry and the broader electric sector. Compared to a baseline that assumes no new wind deployment, under the primary scenario modeled, achieving these penetrations imposes an incremental cost to electricity consumers of less than 1% through 2030. These cost implications, however, should be balanced against the variety of environmental and social implications of such a scenario.more » Relative to a baseline that assumes no new wind deployment, our analysis shows that the high-penetration wind scenario yields potential greenhouse-gas benefits of $85-$1,230 billion in present-value terms, with a central estimate of $400 billion. Air-pollution-related health benefits are estimated at $52-$272 billion, while annual electric-sector water withdrawals and consumption are lower by 15% and 23% in 2050, respectively. We also find that a high-wind-energy future would have implications for the diversity and risk of energy supply, local economic development, and land use and related local impacts on communities and ecosystems; however, these additional impacts may not greatly affect aggregate social welfare owing to their nature, in part, as resource transfers.« less

How Well Do We Understand the Long-Term Health Implications of Childhood Bullying?

PubMed

Zarate-Garza, Pablo Patricio; Biggs, Bridget K; Croarkin, Paul; Morath, Brooke; Leffler, Jarrod; Cuellar-Barboza, Alfredo; Tye, Susannah J

Once dismissed as an innocuous experience of childhood, bullying is now recognized as having significant psychological effects, particularly with chronic exposure. Victims of bullying are at risk for a number of psychiatric disturbances, and growing evidence suggests that the pathophysiological effects of bullying, as with other forms of trauma and chronic stress, create additional health risks. We review the literature on the known sequelae of bullying, including psychiatric and physiological health effects, with a focus on implications for the victim. In addition, since it is now well established that early and chronic exposure to stress has a significant negative impact on health outcomes, we explore the implications of this research in relation to bullying and victimization in childhood. In particular, we examine how aspects of the stress response, via epigenetic, inflammatory, and metabolic mediators, have the capacity to compromise mental and physical health, and to increase the risk of disease. Research on the relevant mechanisms associated with bullying and on potential interventions to decrease morbidity is urgently needed.

Implications of land disturbance on drinking water treatability in a changing climate: demonstrating the need for "source water supply and protection" strategies.

PubMed

Emelko, Monica B; Silins, Uldis; Bladon, Kevin D; Stone, Micheal

2011-01-01

Forests form the critical source water areas for downstream drinking water supplies in many parts of the world, including the Rocky Mountain regions of North America. Large scale natural disturbances from wildfire and severe insect infestation are more likely because of warming climate and can significantly impact water quality downstream of forested headwaters regions. To investigate potential implications of changing climate and wildfire on drinking water treatment, the 2003 Lost Creek Wildfire in Alberta, Canada was studied. Four years of comprehensive hydrology and water quality data from seven watersheds were evaluated and synthesized to assess the implications of wildfire and post-fire intervention (salvage-logging) on downstream drinking water treatment. The 95th percentile turbidity and DOC remained low in streams draining unburned watersheds (5.1 NTU, 3.8 mg/L), even during periods of potential treatment challenge (e.g., stormflows, spring freshet); in contrast, they were elevated in streams draining burned (15.3 NTU, 4.6 mg/L) and salvage-logged (18.8 NTU, 9.9 mg/L) watersheds. Persistent increases in these parameters and observed increases in other contaminants such as nutrients, heavy metals, and chlorophyll-a in discharge from burned and salvage-logged watersheds present important economic and operational challenges for water treatment; most notably, a potential increased dependence on solids and DOC removal processes. Many traditional source water protection strategies would fail to adequately identify and evaluate many of the significant wildfire- and post-fire management-associated implications to drinking water "treatability"; accordingly, it is proposed that "source water supply and protection strategies" should be developed to consider a suppliers' ability to provide adequate quantities of potable water to meet demand by addressing all aspects of drinking water "supply" (i.e., quantity, timing of availability, and quality) and their relationship to "treatability" in response to land disturbance. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced dental education programs: status and implications for access to care in California.

PubMed

Glassman, Paul

2012-01-01

Primary care residencies in dentistry include general practice residency and advanced education in general dentistry--collectively known as postdoctoral general--dentistry and pediatric dentistry. These primary care programs are the most likely to serve underserved populations during the training experience. An expansion of primary care dental residency positions in California has the potential to positively impact access to care in California. However, there are significant political and financial barriers to realizing this potential.

Trends in Streamflow Characteristics in Hawaii, 1913-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oki, Delwyn S.

2004-01-01

The surface-water resources of Hawaii have significant cultural, aesthetic, ecologic, and economic importance. In Hawaii, surface-water resources are developed for both offstream uses (for example, drinking water, agriculture, and industrial uses) and instream uses (for example, maintenance of habitat and ecosystems, recreational activities, aesthetic values, maintenance of water quality, conveyance of irrigation and domestic water supplies, and protection of traditional and customary Hawaiian rights). Possible long-term trends in streamflow characteristics have important implications for water users, water suppliers, resource managers, and citizens in the State. Proper management of Hawaii's streams requires an understanding of long-term trends in streamflow characteristics and their potential implications. Effects of long-term downward trends in low flows in streams include potential loss of habitat for native stream fauna and reduced water availability for offstream and instream water uses. Effects of long-term upward trends in high flows in streams include construction of bridges and water-conveyance structures that are potentially unsafe if they are not designed with proper consideration of trends in high flows.

Changing the cost of care for chronic myeloid leukemia: the availability of generic imatinib in the USA and the EU.

PubMed

Conti, Rena M; Padula, William V; Larson, Richard A

2015-04-01

Imatinib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor and considered to be the most successful targeted anti-cancer agent yet developed given its substantial efficacy in treating chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and other malignant diseases. In the USA and the European Union (EU), Novartis' composition of matter patent on imatinib will expire in 2016. The potential impact on health system spending levels for CML after generic imatinib becomes available is the subject of significant interest among stakeholders. The extent of the potential savings largely depends on whether and to what extent prices decline and use stays the same or even increases. These are also empirical questions since the likely spending implications following generic imatinib's availability are predicated on multiple factors: physicians' willingness to prescribe generic imatinib, molecule characteristics, and health system priorities. This article discusses each of these issues in turn. We then review their implications for the development of country-specific cost-effectiveness models to predict the implications for cost and quality of care from generic imatinib.

Changing the cost of care for chronic myeloid leukemia: the availability of generic imatinib in the USA and the EU

PubMed Central

Padula, William V.; Larson, Richard A.

2015-01-01

Imatinib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor and considered to be the most successful targeted anti-cancer agent yet developed given its substantial efficacy in treating chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and other malignant diseases. In the USA and the European Union (EU), Novartis’ composition of matter patent on imatinib will expire in 2016. The potential impact on health system spending levels for CML after generic imatinib becomes available is the subject of significant interest among stakeholders. The extent of the potential savings largely depends on whether and to what extent prices decline and use stays the same or even increases. These are also empirical questions since the likely spending implications following generic imatinib’s availability are predicated on multiple factors: physicians’ willingness to prescribe generic imatinib, molecule characteristics, and health system priorities. This article discusses each of these issues in turn. We then review their implications for the development of country-specific cost-effectiveness models to predict the implications for cost and quality of care from generic imatinib. PMID:25814091

Epicardial fat and atrial fibrillation: current evidence, potential mechanisms, clinical implications, and future directions.

PubMed

Wong, Christopher X; Ganesan, Anand N; Selvanayagam, Joseph B

2017-05-01

Obesity is increasingly recognized as a major modifiable determinant of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although body mass index and other clinical measures are useful indications of general adiposity, much recent interest has focused on epicardial fat, a distinct adipose tissue depot that can be readily assessed using non-invasive imaging techniques. A growing body of data from epidemiological and clinical studies has demonstrated that epicardial fat is consistently associated with the presence, severity, and recurrence of AF across a range of clinical settings. Evidence from basic science and translational studies has also suggested that arrhythmogenic mechanisms may involve adipocyte infiltration, pro-fibrotic, and pro-inflammatory paracrine effects, oxidative stress, and other pathways. Despite these advances, however, significant uncertainty exists and many questions remain unanswered. In this article, we review our present understanding of epicardial fat, including its classification and quantification, existing evidence implicating its role in AF, potential mechanisms, implications for clinicians, and future directions for research. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ethical, legal and social implications of incorporating personalized medicine into healthcare.

PubMed

Brothers, Kyle B; Rothstein, Mark A

As research focused on personalized medicine has developed over the past decade, bioethics scholars have contemplated the ethical, legal and social implications of this type of research. In the next decade, there will be a need to broaden the focus of this work as personalized medicine moves into clinical settings. We consider two broad issues that will grow in importance and urgency. First, we analyze the consequences of the significant increase in health information that will be brought about by personalized medicine. Second, we raise concerns about the potential of personalized medicine to exacerbate existing disparities in healthcare.

[Influence of early childhood stress exposure and traumatic life events on pain perception].

PubMed

Tesarz, J; Gerhardt, A; Eich, W

2018-06-05

Adult pain perception is influenced substantially by interactions between mind, body, and social environment during early life. Early stress exposure and traumatic life events induce powerful psychophysical stress reactions that exert multiple neurofunctional processes. This has significant implications for pain perception and pain processing. As part of this review, the complex relationships between traumatic stress experiences and associated psychobiological mechanisms of chronic pain will be discussed. Based on selected studies, psychophysiological findings are presented and possible underlying mechanisms are discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of potential implications for treatment.

Ethical, legal and social implications of incorporating personalized medicine into healthcare

PubMed Central

Brothers, Kyle B; Rothstein, Mark A

2015-01-01

As research focused on personalized medicine has developed over the past decade, bioethics scholars have contemplated the ethical, legal and social implications of this type of research. In the next decade, there will be a need to broaden the focus of this work as personalized medicine moves into clinical settings. We consider two broad issues that will grow in importance and urgency. First, we analyze the consequences of the significant increase in health information that will be brought about by personalized medicine. Second, we raise concerns about the potential of personalized medicine to exacerbate existing disparities in healthcare. PMID:25601880

Climate change and crop phytochemical defenses: Potential implications for food security and food safety

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) increased maize susceptibility to Fusarium verticillioides stalk rot. Even though the pathogen biomass accumulated to significantly higher levels at double ambient [CO2] (2x[CO2]), the projected [CO2] concentration to occur at the end of this...

Metabolic Effects of Nicotine Gum and Cigarette Smoking: Potential Implications for Postcessation Weight Gain?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klesges, Robert C.; And Others

1991-01-01

Twenty smoking women participated in nicotine gum and smoking administration, after which resting energy expenditures (REEs) were measured. Results indicated acute increase in REE for both nicotine gum and cigarettes. Metabolic rates for nicotine gum slowly returned to baseline; rates for cigarettes quickly fell significantly below baseline.…

Methamphetamine Exposure, Iron Deficiency, and Implications for Cognitive-Communicative Function: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Lynette R.; Heiss, Cynthia J.; White, Letitia; Kaf, Wafaa A.; Becker, Alan; Schindler, Jessica B.; Dion, Nancy; Oswalt, Jill

2010-01-01

Methamphetamine (meth) exposure during fetal development has the potential to adversely affect the development of multiple organ systems. An interdisciplinary case study of a 4-year 11-month-old child born to a mother addicted to meth revealed significant cognitive and communicative delays. Possible meth-related consequences for these delays…

Traditional Occupations in a Modern World: Implications for Career Guidance and Livelihood Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratnam, Anita

2011-01-01

This article is an attempt to examine the place and significance of traditional occupations as careers in today's world. The areas of tension and compatibility between ideas and values that signify modernity and the practice of traditional occupations are reviewed. The meaning of "traditional occupations" is unravelled, the potential that…

Application of a Framework for Educational Provision--Research Findings and Implications for Education for Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Nan A.

2007-01-01

Learning for sustainability has the potential to play a significant role in enhancing social ecological resilience--as individuals and institutions develop the capacity to adaptively manage the environment. This article outlines an audience and learning needs analysis of irrigators in Western Australia's East Wanneroo area. Interviews were…

Potential for reducing on-farm greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from dairy cows with prolonged diet alterations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal agriculture significantly contributes to gaseous emissions that are implicated in global climate change and local environmental problems. Dairy cows specifically are responsible for enteric methane (CH4) emissions, and produce nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from manure. Here,...

Still Preparing Children for the 11+: Perceptions of Parental Behaviour in the West Indies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Monica; Barker, D'Orsus

1986-01-01

Examines 200 Barbadian parents' and 100 teachers' perceptions of restrictive and coercive strategies for students taking the Common Entrance Examination. Generally, parents were significantly less likely than teachers to view the strategies as undesirable and/or counter-productive. Implications for parents as a potential educational reform…

Disease implication of hyper-Hippo signalling.

PubMed

Wang, Shu-Ping; Wang, Lan-Hsin

2016-10-01

The Hippo signalling pathway regulates cellular proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation, thus exerting profound effects on cellular homeostasis. Inhibition of Hippo signalling has been frequently implicated in human cancers, indicating a well-known tumour suppressor function of the Hippo pathway. However, it is less certain whether and how hyperactivation of the Hippo pathway affects biological outcome in living cells. This review describes current knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of the Hippo pathway, mainly focusing on hyperactivation of the Hippo signalling nexus. The disease implications of hyperactivated Hippo signalling have also been discussed, including arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, Sveinsson's chorioretinal atrophy, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and diabetes. By highlighting the significance of disease-relevant Hippo signalling activation, this review can offer exciting prospects to address the onset and potential reversal of Hippo-related disorders. © 2016 The Authors.

Disease implication of hyper-Hippo signalling

PubMed Central

Wang, Shu-Ping

2016-01-01

The Hippo signalling pathway regulates cellular proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation, thus exerting profound effects on cellular homeostasis. Inhibition of Hippo signalling has been frequently implicated in human cancers, indicating a well-known tumour suppressor function of the Hippo pathway. However, it is less certain whether and how hyperactivation of the Hippo pathway affects biological outcome in living cells. This review describes current knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of the Hippo pathway, mainly focusing on hyperactivation of the Hippo signalling nexus. The disease implications of hyperactivated Hippo signalling have also been discussed, including arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, Sveinsson's chorioretinal atrophy, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and diabetes. By highlighting the significance of disease-relevant Hippo signalling activation, this review can offer exciting prospects to address the onset and potential reversal of Hippo-related disorders. PMID:27805903

Emotional functioning, attachment style, and attributions as predictors of child abuse potential in domestic violence victims.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Christina M

2006-04-01

To explore cognitive and emotional factors that may exacerbate child-abuse potential among domestic violence victims, 80 participants reported on their depression, hopelessness, anxiety, and anger as well as their attachment style and attributional style. Increased emotional difficulties as well as insecure attachment styles were significantly positively correlated with child abuse potential, although depression and anxiety were the strongest predictors. Externalizing blame for the spousal abuse was not associated with abuse risk. Women residing in shelters demonstrated significantly greater abuse risk than those in transitional housing programs, suggesting that greater temporal proximity to the spousal abuse may in part account for the increased abuse potential. Depression and hopelessness, however, appeared particularly relevant to increased abuse risk in domestic violence victims in the transitional housing system. Implications of these findings for working with battered women in terms of their emotional functioning and attachment style are discussed.

Testing aspects of Carl Rogers's theory of creative environments: child-rearing antecedents of creative potential in young adolescents.

PubMed

Harrington, D M; Block, J H; Block, J

1987-04-01

Longitudinal data involving 106 children and their parents were used to test preschool child-rearing implications of Carl Rogers's theory of creativity-fostering environments (Rogers, 1954). Indices were developed for each parent and for each mother-father combination that reflected the degree to which the parents' child-rearing practices and interactions with their preschool children matched the recommendations implicit in Rogers's description of a creativity-fostering environment. The three indices of Rogers-prescribed child-rearing practices each correlated positively (rs = .38 to .46) and significantly (all ps less than .001) with a composite index of creative potential in early adolescence, 7 to 11 years later. Rogers-prescribed preschool child-rearing practices also emerged as significant antecedents of adolescent creative potential in regression/path analyses that held constant the influence of sex, preschool intelligence, and preschool creative potential. Theoretical and methodological aspects of the study are discussed.

Comparison of the Fungicide Sensitivity of Alberta and Prince Edward Island Isolates of Fusarium graminearum Producing Either 3- or 15-acetyl Deoxynivalenol

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fusarium graminearum Schwabe of the ‘3ADON’ chemotype is now displacing ‘15ADON’ isolates in Canada. One concern regarding this shift in chemotypes is related to potential differences in fungicide sensitivity. This could have significant implications as fungicide application is an important strate...

Compressed Speech: Potential Application for Air Force Technical Training. Final Report, August 73-November 73.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dailey, K. Anne

Time-compressed speech (also called compressed speech, speeded speech, or accelerated speech) is an extension of the normal recording procedure for reproducing the spoken word. Compressed speech can be used to achieve dramatic reductions in listening time without significant loss in comprehension. The implications of such temporal reductions in…

An Examination of Potential Variation in the Benefits of Higher Education for Health and Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauldry, Shawn

2012-01-01

Understanding the implications of the significant expansion in higher education over the latter half of the 20th century remains one of the central questions of research in stratification and inequality. Attaining a college degree is associated with numerous advantages ranging from higher earnings to improved health and wellbeing. As higher…

The common cold: potential for future prevention or cure.

PubMed

Passioti, Maria; Maggina, Paraskevi; Megremis, Spyridon; Papadopoulos, Nikolaos G

2014-02-01

The common cold is the most frequent, although generally mild, human disease. Human Rhinoviruses are the prevalent causative agents, but other viruses are also implicated. Being so common, viral colds, have significant implications on public health and quality of life, but may also be life-threatening for vulnerable groups of patients. Specific diagnosis and treatment of the common cold still remain unmet needs. Molecular diagnostic techniques allow specific detection of known pathogens as well as the identification of newly emerging viruses. Although a number of medications or natural treatments have been shown to have some effect, either on the number or on the severity of common colds, no single agent is considerably effective. Virus-specific management remains in most cases a challenging potential as many factors have to be taken into account, including the diversity of the viral genomes, the heterogeneity of affected individuals, as well as the complexity of this long standing host-virus relationship.

Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam: Implications for Downstream Riparian Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Block, P. J.; Hammond, M.; King, A.

2013-12-01

Ethiopia has begun seriously developing their significant hydropower potential by launching construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile River to facilitate local and regional growth. Although this has required substantial planning on Ethiopia's part, no policy dictating the reservoir filling rate strategy has been publicly issued. This filling stage will have clear implications on downstream flows in Sudan and Egypt, complicated by evaporative losses, climate variability, and climate change. In this study, various filling policies and future climate states are simultaneously explored to infer potential streamflow reductions at Lake Nasser, providing regional decision-makers with a set of plausible, justifiable, and comparable outcomes. Schematic of the model framework Box plots of 2017-2032 percent change in annual average streamflow at Lake Nasser for each filling policy constructed from the 100 time-series and weighted precipitation changes. All values are relative to the no dam policy and no changes to future precipitation.

The Effect of Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol(®) ) on the Development of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and its Implications for Forensic Entomology.

PubMed

Baia, Tainá Costa; Campos, Alessandra; Wanderley, Bruno Mattos Silva; Gama, Renata Antonaci

2016-07-01

This study investigated the potential effects of flunitrazepam (known as "date rape drug") on the developmental cycle of Chrysomya megacephala, an important forensic species, and their possible implications for the calculation of the PMI. A 1050 C. megacephala eggs were divided into five groups with seven replications each. The eggs were placed on artificial diet prepared with four drug concentrations of flunitrazepam (4, 8, 16, and 32 ng/g), besides the control group (prepared with water). Were evaluated the potential effects on development time, weight gain, and mortality during the cycles. The drug had no significant effect on development time or mortality although it did affect the weight of the pupae and adults (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.05). The result can be deduced that the determination of the postmortem interval is not affected. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Implications of bioactive solute transfer from hosts to parasitic plants.

PubMed

Smith, Jason D; Mescher, Mark C; De Moraes, Consuelo M

2013-08-01

Parasitic plants--which make their living by extracting nutrients and other resources from other plants--are important components of many natural ecosystems; and some parasitic species are also devastating agricultural pests. To date, most research on plant parasitism has focused on nutrient transfer from host to parasite and the impacts of parasites on host plants. Far less work has addressed potential effects of the translocation of bioactive non-nutrient solutes-such as phytohormones, secondary metabolites, RNAs, and proteins-on the development and physiology of parasitic plants and on their subsequent interactions with other organisms such as insect herbivores. A growing number of recent studies document the transfer of such molecules from hosts to parasites and suggest that they may have significant impacts on parasite physiology and ecology. We review this literature and discuss potential implications for management and priorities for future research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicological Implications and Inflammatory Response in Human Lymphocytes Challenged with Oxytetracycline

PubMed Central

Di Cerbo, A.; Palatucci, A. T.; Rubino, V.; Centenaro, S.; Giovazzino, A.; Fraccaroli, E.; Cortese, L.; Ruggiero, G.; Guidetti, G.; Canello, S.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Antibiotics are widely used in zoo technical and veterinary practices as feed supplementation to ensure wellness of farmed animals and livestock. Several evidences have been suggesting both the toxic role for tetracyclines, particularly for oxytetracycline (OTC). This potential toxicity appears of great relevance for human nutrition and for domestic animals. This study aimed to extend the evaluation of such toxicity. The biologic impact of the drug was assessed by evaluating the proinflammatory effect of OTC and their bone residues on cytokine secretion by in vitro human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Our results showed that both OTC and OTC‐bone residues significantly induced the T lymphocyte and non‐T cell secretion of interferon (IFN)‐γ, as cytokine involved in inflammatory responses in humans as well as in animals. These results may suggest a possible implication for new potential human and animal health risks depending on the entry of tetracyclines in the food‐processing chain. PMID:26537863

Sleep duration and overweight/obesity in children: implication for pediatric nursing

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Zhang, Angelina; Li, Linda

2012-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to review evidence from the last 5 years (2006-2011) regarding a relationship between sleep duration and childhood overweight/obesity. Conclusions Among the 25 studies selected from PubMed and Web of Knowledge databases, all indicated significant associations between short sleep duration and childhood overweight/obesity. Studies explored a range of pediatric populations, methodologies, and potential contributing factors. Practice Implications Childhood sleep duration may be a modifiable risk factor in preventing obesity. In addition to identifying and assessing patients’ sleep habits, nurses play important roles as educators regarding the importance of adequate sleep and promoting it in children. PMID:22734873

Show me the money: the implications of Schedule H.

PubMed

Salinsky, Eileen

2009-04-21

Responding to policymakers' concerns, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) implemented significant new hospital community benefit reporting under Schedule H of its revised Form 990, the return used by tax-exempt organizations. This issue brief considers the policy implications of the quantitative and qualitative information that hospitals are now mandated to report through Schedule H, including the costs associated with charity care, bad debt, and the unreimbursed costs of Medicaid and Medicare. The paper examines unresolved issues related to the new reporting requirements, such as controversies regarding the scope of Schedule H, and considers the potential for these reports to influence IRS oversight activities, legislative action, and hospital policies and practices.

Geographic Population Structure in Epstein-Barr Virus Revealed by Comparative Genomics

PubMed Central

Chiara, Matteo; Manzari, Caterina; Lionetti, Claudia; Mechelli, Rosella; Anastasiadou, Eleni; Chiara Buscarinu, Maria; Ristori, Giovanni; Salvetti, Marco; Picardi, Ernesto; D’Erchia, Anna Maria; Pesole, Graziano; Horner, David S.

2016-01-01

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latently infects the majority of the human population and is implicated as a causal or contributory factor in numerous diseases. We sequenced 27 complete EBV genomes from a cohort of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and healthy controls from Italy, although no variants showed a statistically significant association with MS. Taking advantage of the availability of ∼130 EBV genomes with known geographical origins, we reveal a striking geographic distribution of EBV sub-populations with distinct allele frequency distributions. We discuss mechanisms that potentially explain these observations, and their implications for understanding the association of EBV with human disease. PMID:27635051

Downsides of an overly context-sensitive self: implications from the culture and subjective well-being research.

PubMed

Suh, Eunkook M

2007-12-01

The self becomes context sensitive in service of the need to belong. When it comes to achieving personal happiness, an identity system that derives its worth and meaning excessively from its social context puts itself in a significantly disadvantageous position. This article integrates empirical findings and ideas from the self, subjective well-being, and cross-cultural literature and tries to offer insights to why East Asian cultural members report surprisingly low levels of happiness. The various cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and affective characteristics of the overly relation-oriented self are discussed as potential explanations. Implications for the study of self and culture are offered.

Functional Imaging for Prostate Cancer: Therapeutic Implications

PubMed Central

Aparici, Carina Mari; Seo, Youngho

2012-01-01

Functional radionuclide imaging modalities, now commonly combined with anatomical imaging modalities CT or MRI (SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and PET/MRI) are promising tools for the management of prostate cancer particularly for therapeutic implications. Sensitive detection capability of prostate cancer using these imaging modalities is one issue; however, the treatment of prostate cancer using the information that can be obtained from functional radionuclide imaging techniques is another challenging area. There are not many SPECT or PET radiotracers that can cover the full spectrum of the management of prostate cancer from initial detection, to staging, prognosis predictor, and all the way to treatment response assessment. However, when used appropriately, the information from functional radionuclide imaging improves, and sometimes significantly changes, the whole course of the cancer management. The limitations of using SPECT and PET radiotracers with regards to therapeutic implications are not so much different from their limitations solely for the task of detecting prostate cancer; however, the specific imaging target and how this target is reliably imaged by SPECT and PET can potentially make significant impact in the treatment of prostate cancer. Finally, while the localized prostate cancer is considered manageable, there is still significant need for improvement in noninvasive imaging of metastatic prostate cancer, in treatment guidance, and in response assessment from functional imaging including radionuclide-based techniques. In this review article, we present the rationale of using functional radionuclide imaging and the therapeutic implications for each of radionuclide imaging agent that have been studied in human subjects. PMID:22840598

Diatomic interhalogens - Systematics and implications of spectroscopic interatomic potentials and curve crossings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Child, M. S.; Bernstein, R. B.

1973-01-01

Spectroscopically derived potential curves for the low-lying excited states of homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomic interhalogens are systematized by the spin-orbit state of their dissociation products. The implications of spectroscopic interatomic potentials and curve crossings are discussed.

Iraq’s Debt Relief: Procedure and Potential Implications for International Debt Relief

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-02

Order Code RL33376 Iraq’s Debt Relief: Procedure and Potential Implications for International Debt Relief Updated October 2, 2008 Martin A. Weiss...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Iraq?s Debt Relief: Procedure and Potential Implications for International Debt Relief 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER...b. ABSTRACT unclassified c. THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Iraq’s Debt Relief: Procedure

Exploring Local Electrostatic Effects with Scanning Probe Microscopy: Implications for Piezoresponse Force Microscopy and Triboelectricity

DOE PAGES

Balke, Nina; Maksymovych, Petro; Jesse, Stephen; ...

2014-09-25

The implementation of contact mode Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) utilizes the electrostatic interactions between tip and sample when the tip and sample are in contact with each other. Surprisingly, the electrostatic forces in contact are large enough to be measured even with tips as stiff as 4.5 N/m. As for traditional non-contact KPFM, the signal depends strongly on electrical properties of the sample, such as the dielectric constant, and the tip-properties, such as the stiffness. Since the tip is in contact with the sample, bias-induced changes in the junction potential between tip and sample can be measured with highermore » lateral and temporal resolution compared to traditional non-contact KPFM. Significant and reproducible variations of tip-surface capacitance are observed and attributed to surface electrochemical phenomena. Lastly, observations of significant surface charge states at zero bias and strong hysteretic electromechanical responses at non-ferroelectric surface have significant implications for fields such as triboelectricity and piezoresponse force microscopy.« less

Influence of surface heterogeneity in electroosmotic flows—Implications in chromatography, fluid mixing, and chemical reactions in microdevices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrover, Alessandra; Giona, Massimiliano; Pagnanelli, Francesca; Toro, Luigi

2007-04-01

We analyze the influence of surface heterogeneity, inducing a random ζ-potential at the walls in electroosmotic incompressible flows. Specifically, we focus on how surface heterogeneity modifies the physico-chemical processes (transport, chemical reaction, mixing) occurring in microchannel and microreactors. While the macroscopic short-time features associated with solute transport (e.g. chromatographic patterns) do not depend significantly on ζ-potential heterogeneity, spatial randomness in the surface ζ-potential modifies the spectral properties of the advection-diffusion operator, determining different long-term properties of transport/reaction phenomena compared to the homogeneous case. Examples of physical relevance (chromatography, infinitely fast reactions) are addressed.

Tactile event-related potentials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Implications for brain-computer interface.

PubMed

Silvoni, S; Konicar, L; Prats-Sedano, M A; Garcia-Cossio, E; Genna, C; Volpato, C; Cavinato, M; Paggiaro, A; Veser, S; De Massari, D; Birbaumer, N

2016-01-01

We investigated neurophysiological brain responses elicited by a tactile event-related potential paradigm in a sample of ALS patients. Underlying cognitive processes and neurophysiological signatures for brain-computer interface (BCI) are addressed. We stimulated the palm of the hand in a group of fourteen ALS patients and a control group of ten healthy participants and recorded electroencephalographic signals in eyes-closed condition. Target and non-target brain responses were analyzed and classified offline. Classification errors served as the basis for neurophysiological brain response sub-grouping. A combined behavioral and quantitative neurophysiological analysis of sub-grouped data showed neither significant between-group differences, nor significant correlations between classification performance and the ALS patients' clinical state. Taking sequential effects of stimuli presentation into account, analyses revealed mean classification errors of 19.4% and 24.3% in healthy participants and ALS patients respectively. Neurophysiological correlates of tactile stimuli presentation are not altered by ALS. Tactile event-related potentials can be used to monitor attention level and task performance in ALS and may constitute a viable basis for future BCIs. Implications for brain-computer interface implementation of the proposed method for patients in critical conditions, such as the late stage of ALS and the (completely) locked-in state, are discussed. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implications of tristability in pattern-forming ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zelnik, Yuval R.; Gandhi, Punit; Knobloch, Edgar; Meron, Ehud

2018-03-01

Many ecosystems show both self-organized spatial patterns and multistability of possible states. The combination of these two phenomena in different forms has a significant impact on the behavior of ecosystems in changing environments. One notable case is connected to tristability of two distinct uniform states together with patterned states, which has recently been found in model studies of dryland ecosystems. Using a simple model, we determine the extent of tristability in parameter space, explore its effects on the system dynamics, and consider its implications for state transitions or regime shifts. We analyze the bifurcation structure of model solutions that describe uniform states, periodic patterns, and hybrid states between the former two. We map out the parameter space where these states exist, and note how the different states interact with each other. We further focus on two special implications with ecological significance, breakdown of the snaking range and complex fronts. We find that the organization of the hybrid states within a homoclinic snaking structure breaks down as it meets a Maxwell point where simple fronts are stationary. We also discover a new series of complex fronts between the uniform states, each with its own velocity. We conclude with a brief discussion of the significance of these findings for the dynamics of regime shifts and their potential control.

The Impact of Foreign Postings on Accompanying Military Spouses: An Ethnographic Study

PubMed Central

Blakely, Gillian; Hennessy, Catherine; Chung, Man C.; Skirton, Heather

2014-01-01

As part of an ethnographic study, the impact of foreign postings on spouses who accompany military personnel was explored. Individual interviews and focus groups with 34 British military spouses based in one location in southern Europe were conducted. Key findings suggested that reaction to a foreign posting was a reflection of personal attitudes, prior experiences, support, ability to adjust to change and strength of relationship with the serving spouse and community. For many the experience was positive due to the increased opportunity for family time, for others this helped to compensate for the difficulties experienced. Some military spouses experienced significant distress on the posting, particularly if the family was not well-supported. The potential implications of military spouses not adapting to foreign postings have significant implications for healthcare practice. Provision of more appropriate support resources before and during the posting would facilitate the transition for the military spouse and their family. PMID:26973933

Early Life Exposure to Fructose and Offspring Phenotype: Implications for Long Term Metabolic Homeostasis

PubMed Central

Sloboda, Deborah M.; Li, Minglan; Patel, Rachna; Clayton, Zoe E.; Yap, Cassandra; Vickers, Mark H.

2014-01-01

The consumption of artificially sweetened processed foods, particularly high in fructose or high fructose corn syrup, has increased significantly in the past few decades. As such, interest into the long term outcomes of consuming high levels of fructose has increased significantly, particularly when the exposure is early in life. Epidemiological and experimental evidence has linked fructose consumption to the metabolic syndrome and associated comorbidities—implicating fructose as a potential factor in the obesity epidemic. Yet, despite the widespread consumption of fructose-containing foods and beverages and the rising incidence of maternal obesity, little attention has been paid to the possible adverse effects of maternal fructose consumption on the developing fetus and long term effects on offspring. In this paper we review studies investigating the effects of fructose intake on metabolic outcomes in both mother and offspring using human and experimental studies. PMID:24864200

Pre-exposure to drought increases the resistance of tropical forest soil bacterial communities to extended drought

PubMed Central

Bouskill, Nicholas J; Lim, Hsiao Chien; Borglin, Sharon; Salve, Rohit; Wood, Tana E; Silver, Whendee L; Brodie, Eoin L

2013-01-01

Global climate models project a decrease in the magnitude of precipitation in tropical regions. Changes in rainfall patterns have important implications for the moisture content and redox status of tropical soils, yet little is known about how these changes may affect microbial community structure. Specifically, does exposure to prior stress confer increased resistance to subsequent perturbation? Here we reduced the quantity of precipitation throughfall to tropical forest soils in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico. Treatments included newly established throughfall exclusion plots (de novo excluded), plots undergoing reduction for a second time (pre-excluded) and ambient control plots. Ten months of throughfall exclusion led to a small but statistically significant decline in soil water potential and bacterial populations clearly adapted to increased osmotic stress. Although the water potential decline was small and microbial biomass did not change, phylogenetic diversity in the de novo-excluded plots decreased by ∼40% compared with the control plots, yet pre-excluded plots showed no significant change. On the other hand, the relative abundances of bacterial taxa in both the de novo-excluded and pre-excluded plots changed significantly with throughfall exclusion compared with control plots. Changes in bacterial community structure could be explained by changes in soil pore water chemistry and suggested changes in soil redox. Soluble iron declined in treatment plots and was correlated with decreased soluble phosphorus concentrations, which may have significant implications for microbial productivity in these P-limited systems. PMID:23151641

Two-dimensional quasineutral description of particles and fields above discrete auroral arcs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, A. L.; Chiu, Y. T.; Cornwall, J. M.

1985-01-01

Stationary hot and cool particle distributions in the auroral magnetosphere are modelled using adiabatic assumptions of particle motion in the presence of broad-scale electrostatic potential structure. The study has identified geometrical restrictions on the type of broadscale potential structure which can be supported by a multispecies plasma having specified sources and energies. Without energization of cool thermal ionospheric electrons, a substantial parallel potential drop cannot be supported down to altitudes of 2000 km or less. Observed upward-directed field-aligned currents must be closed by return currents along field lines which support little net potential drop. In such regions the plasma density appears significantly enhanced. Model details agree well with recent broad-scale implications of satellite observations.

Lateralized goal framing: how selective presentation impacts message effectiveness.

PubMed

McCormick, Michael; Seta, John J

2012-11-01

We tested whether framing a message as a gain or loss would alter its effectiveness by using a dichotic listening procedure to selectively present a health related message to the left or right hemisphere. A significant goal framing effect (losses > gains) was found when right, but not left, hemisphere processing was initially enhanced. The results support the position that the contextual processing style of the right hemisphere is especially sensitive to the associative implications of the frame. We discussed the implications of these findings for goal framing research, and the valence hypothesis. We also discussed how these findings converge with prior valence framing research and how they can be of potential use to health care providers.

Impacts of land use, restoration, and climate change on tropical peat carbon stocks in the twenty-first century: implications for climate mitigation

Treesearch

Matthew W. Warren; Steve Frolking; Zhaohua Dai; Sofyan Kurnianto

2016-01-01

The climate mitigation potential of tropical peatlands has gained increased attention as Southeast Asian peatlands are being deforested, drained and burned at very high rates, causing globally significant carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere. We used a process-based dynamic tropical peatland model to explore peat carbon (C) dynamics...

Vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change: implications for the global carbon cycle

Treesearch

Edward A.G. Schuur; James Bockheim; Josep G. Canadell; Eugenie Euskirchen; Christopher B. Field; Sergey V. Goryachkin; Stefan Hagemann; Peter Kuhry; Peter M. Lafleur; Hanna Lee; Galina Mazhitova; Frederick E. Nelson; Annette Rinke; Vladimir E. Romanovsky; Nikolay Shiklomanov; Charles Tarnocai; Sergey Venevsky; Jason G. Vogel; Sergei A. Zimov

2008-01-01

Thawing permafrost and the resulting microbial decomposition of previously frozen organic carbon (C) is one of the most significant potential feedbacks from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere in a changing climate. In this article we present an overview of the global permafrost C pool and of the processes that might transfer this C into the atmosphere, as well as...

To B or not to B cells-mediate a healthy start to life.

PubMed

Nguyen, T G; Ward, C M; Morris, J M

2013-02-01

Maternal immune responses during pregnancy are critical in programming the future health of a newborn. The maternal immune system is required to accommodate fetal immune tolerance as well as to provide a protective defence against infections for the immunocompromised mother and her baby during gestation and lactation. Natural immunity and antibody production by maternal B cells play a significant role in providing such immunoprotection. However, aberrations in the B cell compartment as a consequence of maternal autoimmunity can pose serious risks to both the mother and her baby. Despite their potential implication in shaping pregnancy outcomes, the role of B cells in human pregnancy has been poorly studied. This review focuses on the role of B cells and the implications of B cell depletion therapy in pregnancy. It highlights the evidence of an association between aberrant B cell compartment and obstetric conditions. It also alludes to the potential mechanisms that amplify these B cell aberrances and thereby contribute to exacerbation of some maternal autoimmune conditions and poor neonatal outcomes. Clinical and experimental evidence suggests strongly that maternal autoantibodies contribute directly to the pathologies of obstetric and neonatal conditions that have significant implications for the lifelong health of a newborn. The evidence for clinical benefit and safety of B cell depletion therapies in pregnancy is reviewed, and an argument is mounted for further clinical evaluation of B cell-targeted therapies in high-risk pregnancy, with an emphasis on improving neonatal outcomes and prevention of neonatal conditions such as congenital heart block and fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. © 2012 British Society for Immunology.

Perturbational Profiling of Metabolites in Patient Fibroblasts Implicates α-Aminoadipate as a Potential Biomarker for Bipolar Disorder

PubMed Central

Huang, Joanne H.; Berkovitch, Shaunna S.; Iaconelli, Jonathan; Watmuff, Bradley; Park, Hyoungjun; Chattopadhyay, Shrikanta; McPhie, Donna; Öngür, Dost; Cohen, Bruce M.; Clish, Clary B.; Karmacharya, Rakesh

2016-01-01

Many studies suggest the presence of aberrations in cellular metabolism in bipolar disorder. We studied the metabolome in bipolar disorder to gain insight into cellular pathways that may be dysregulated in bipolar disorder and to discover evidence of novel biomarkers. We measured polar and nonpolar metabolites in fibroblasts from subjects with bipolar I disorder and matched healthy control subjects, under normal conditions and with two physiologic perturbations: low-glucose media and exposure to the stress-mediating hormone dexamethasone. Metabolites that were significantly different between bipolar and control subjects showed distinct separation by principal components analysis methods. The most statistically significant findings were observed in the perturbation experiments. The metabolite with the lowest p value in both the low-glucose and dexamethasone experiments was α-aminoadipate, whose intracellular level was consistently lower in bipolar subjects. Our study implicates α-aminoadipate as a possible biomarker in bipolar disorder that manifests under cellular stress. This is an intriguing finding given the known role of α-aminoadipate in the modulation of kynurenic acid in the brain, especially as abnormal kynurenic acid levels have been implicated in bipolar disorder. PMID:27606323

Relationships between remotely sensed fisheries distribution information and selected oceanographic parameters in the Mississippi Sound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kemmerer, A. J.; Benigno, J. A.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A feasibility study to demonstrate the potential of satellites for providing fisheries significant information was conducted in the Mississippi Sound and adjacent offshore waters. Attempts were made to relate satellite acquired imagery to selected oceanographic parameters and then to relate these parameters to aircraft remotely sensed distribution patterns of resident surface schooling fishes. Initial results suggest that this approach is valid and that the satellite acquired imagery may have important fisheries resource assessment implications.

Investigation using data from ERTS to develop and implement utilization of living marine resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, W. H. (Principal Investigator); Pastula, E. J., Jr.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A feasibility study to demonstrate the potential of satellites for providing fisheries significant information was conducted in the Mississippi Sound and adjacent offshore waters. Attempts were made to relate satellite acquired imagery to selected oceanographic parameters and then to relate these parameters to aircraft remotely sensed distribution patterns of resident surface schooling fishes. Initial results suggest that this approach is valid and that the satellite acquired imagery may have important fisheries resource assessment implications.

Applying geologic sensitivity analysis to environmental risk management: The financial implications

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

Rogers, D.T.

The financial risks associated with environmental contamination can be staggering and are often difficult to identify and accurately assess. Geologic sensitivity analysis is gaining recognition as a significant and useful tool that can empower the user with crucial information concerning environmental risk management and brownfield redevelopment. It is particularly useful when (1) evaluating the potential risks associated with redevelopment of historical industrial facilities (brownfields) and (2) planning for future development, especially in areas of rapid development because the number of potential contaminating sources often increases with an increase in economic development. An examination of the financial implications relating to geologicmore » sensitivity analysis in southeastern Michigan from numerous case studies indicate that the environmental cost of contamination may be 100 to 1,000 times greater at a geologically sensitive location compared to the least sensitive location. Geologic sensitivity analysis has demonstrated that near-surface geology may influence the environmental impact of a contaminated site to a greater extent than the amount and type of industrial development.« less

Creating value in health care through big data: opportunities and policy implications.

PubMed

Roski, Joachim; Bo-Linn, George W; Andrews, Timothy A

2014-07-01

Big data has the potential to create significant value in health care by improving outcomes while lowering costs. Big data's defining features include the ability to handle massive data volume and variety at high velocity. New, flexible, and easily expandable information technology (IT) infrastructure, including so-called data lakes and cloud data storage and management solutions, make big-data analytics possible. However, most health IT systems still rely on data warehouse structures. Without the right IT infrastructure, analytic tools, visualization approaches, work flows, and interfaces, the insights provided by big data are likely to be limited. Big data's success in creating value in the health care sector may require changes in current polices to balance the potential societal benefits of big-data approaches and the protection of patients' confidentiality. Other policy implications of using big data are that many current practices and policies related to data use, access, sharing, privacy, and stewardship need to be revised. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Long term potentiation, but not depression, in interlamellar hippocampus CA1.

PubMed

Sun, Duk-Gyu; Kang, Hyeri; Tetteh, Hannah; Su, Junfeng; Lee, Jihwan; Park, Sung-Won; He, Jufang; Jo, Jihoon; Yang, Sungchil; Yang, Sunggu

2018-03-26

Synaptic plasticity in the lamellar CA3 to CA1 circuitry has been extensively studied while interlamellar CA1 to CA1 connections have not yet received much attention. One of our earlier studies demonstrated that axons of CA1 pyramidal neurons project to neighboring CA1 neurons, implicating information transfer along a longitudinal interlamellar network. Still, it remains unclear whether long-term synaptic plasticity is present within this longitudinal CA1 network. Here, we investigate long-term synaptic plasticity between CA1 pyramidal cells, using in vitro and in vivo extracellular recordings and 3D holography glutamate uncaging. We found that the CA1-CA1 network exhibits NMDA receptor-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) without direction or layer selectivity. By contrast, we find no significant long-term depression (LTD) under various LTD induction protocols. These results implicate unique synaptic properties in the longitudinal projection suggesting that the interlamellar CA1 network could be a promising structure for hippocampus-related information processing and brain diseases.

Toxicological Implications and Inflammatory Response in Human Lymphocytes Challenged with Oxytetracycline.

PubMed

Di Cerbo, A; Palatucci, A T; Rubino, V; Centenaro, S; Giovazzino, A; Fraccaroli, E; Cortese, L; Ruggiero, G; Guidetti, G; Canello, S; Terrazzano, G

2016-04-01

Antibiotics are widely used in zoo technical and veterinary practices as feed supplementation to ensure wellness of farmed animals and livestock. Several evidences have been suggesting both the toxic role for tetracyclines, particularly for oxytetracycline (OTC). This potential toxicity appears of great relevance for human nutrition and for domestic animals. This study aimed to extend the evaluation of such toxicity. The biologic impact of the drug was assessed by evaluating the proinflammatory effect of OTC and their bone residues on cytokine secretion by in vitro human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Our results showed that both OTC and OTC-bone residues significantly induced the T lymphocyte and non-T cell secretion of interferon (IFN)-γ, as cytokine involved in inflammatory responses in humans as well as in animals. These results may suggest a possible implication for new potential human and animal health risks depending on the entry of tetracyclines in the food-processing chain. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology Published Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Solar-Wind Protons and Heavy Ions Sputtering of Lunar Surface Materials

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

Barghouty, N.; Meyer, Fred W; Harris, Peter R

2011-01-01

Lunar surface materials are exposed to {approx}1 keV/amu solar-wind protons and heavy ions on almost continuous basis. As the lunar surface consists of mostly oxides, these materials suffer, in principle, both kinetic and potential sputtering due to the actions of the solar-wind ions. Sputtering is an important mechanism affecting the composition of both the lunar surface and its tenuous exosphere. While the contribution of kinetic sputtering to the changes in the composition of the surface layer of these oxides is well understood and modeled, the role and implications of potential sputtering remain unclear. As new potential-sputtering data from multi-charged ionsmore » impacting lunar regolith simulants are becoming available from Oak Ridge National Laboratory's MIRF, we examine the role and possible implications of potential sputtering of Lunar KREEP soil. Using a non-equilibrium model we demonstrate that solar-wind heavy ions induced sputtering is critical in establishing the timescale of the overall solar-wind sputtering process of the lunar surface. We also show that potential sputtering leads to a more pronounced and significant differentiation between depleted and enriched surface elements. We briefly discuss the impacts of enhanced sputtering on the composition of the regolith and the exosphere, as well as of solar-wind sputtering as a source of hydrogen and water on the moon.« less

'Underutilised' agricultural land: its definitions, potential use for future biomass production and its environmental implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Saori; Bargiel, Damian

2017-04-01

A growing bioeconomy and increased demand for biomass products on food, health, fibre, industrial products and energy require land resources for feedstock production. It has resulted in significant environmental and socio-economic challenges on a global scale. As a result, consideration of such effects of land use change (LUC) from biomass production (particularly for biofuel feedstock) has emerged as an important area of policy and research, and several potential solutions have been proposed to minimise such adverse LUC effects. One of these solutions is the use of lands that are not in production or not suitable for food crop production, such as 'marginal', 'degraded', 'abandoned' and 'surplus' agricultural lands for future biomass production. The terms referring to these lands are usually associated with the potential production of 'marginal crops', which can grow in marginal conditions (e.g. poor soil fertility, low rainfall, drought) without much water and agrochemical inputs. In our research, we referred to these lands as 'underutilised' agricultural land and attempted to define them for our case study areas located in Australia and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Our goal is to identify lands that can be used for future biomass production and to evaluate their environmental implications, particularly impacts related to biodiversity, water and soil at a landscape scale. The identification of these lands incorporates remote sensing and spatially explicit approaches. Our findings confirmed that there was no universal or single definition of the term 'underutilised' agricultural land as the definitions significantly vary by country and region depending not only on the biophysical environment but also political, institutional and socio-economic conditions. Moreover, our results highlighted that the environmental implications of production of biomass on 'underutilised' agricultural land for biomass production are highly controversial. Thus land use change scenarios with low-impact crops and production system must be designed for future biomass production taking into consideration climate, land use, local biophysical conditions and relevant policies (e.g. conservation) within a regional/ landscape planning framework.

X-ray Crystal Truncation Rod Studies of Surface Oxidation and Reduction on Pt(111)

DOE PAGES

Liu, Yihua; Barbour, Andi; Komanicky, Vladimir; ...

2016-02-26

Here, we present X-ray crystal truncation rods measurements of Pt(111) surface under electrochemical conditions. Analyses of crystal truncation rods reveal that surface oxide formation buckles the top surface layer of platinum to two different heights at the potential (0.95 V vs RHE) below the so-called place-exchange potential. While the anti-Bragg intensity, sensitive to the top surface layer, drops in response to the anodic charge transfers, its responses to the cathodic charge transfers are significantly delayed. Implications to the surface oxidation and reduction behaviors are discussed.

Unacknowledged Rape: The Influences of Child Sexual Abuse and Personality Traits.

PubMed

Wilson, Laura C; Scarpa, Angela

2015-01-01

Evidence supports that the majority of young women who experience sexual victimization that meets the legal definition of rape do not label their experiences as rape--this has been termed unacknowledged rape. In a sample of 77 young adult women, the odds of unacknowledged rape significantly increased as a function of less severe child sexual abuse histories and greater levels of dysfunctional personality traits. Potential explanations for these findings as well as clinical implications are discussed. Because of the potential psychological and societal consequences of unacknowledged rape, it is vital that researchers continue to examine this phenomenon.

The Potential Efficacy of Psychological First Aid on Self-Reported Anxiety and Mood: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Everly, George S; Lating, Jeffrey M; Sherman, Martin F; Goncher, Ian

2016-03-01

The authors explored the efficacy of a randomized controlled trial to assess the potential benefits of psychological first aid (PFA) compared with a social acknowledgement condition in a sample of 42 participants who spoke about a stressful life event. Demographics and standardized questionnaires, including the state version of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale and the Brief Profile of Mood States, assessed anxiety and mood state. Those in the PFA group evidenced significantly lower anxiety scores at 30-minute postdisclosure than at baseline and, although not significant, showed lowered distressed mood compared with baseline at 30-minute postdisclosure. Those in the social acknowledgment condition evidenced increases in anxiety and distressed mood scores, albeit not significantly, at 30 minutes post disclosure compared with their baseline scores. These results provide preliminary empirical evidence for the efficacy of PFA, and implications for intervention and additional assessment are suggested.

A Comprehensive Pan-Cancer Molecular Study of Gynecologic and Breast Cancers.

PubMed

Berger, Ashton C; Korkut, Anil; Kanchi, Rupa S; Hegde, Apurva M; Lenoir, Walter; Liu, Wenbin; Liu, Yuexin; Fan, Huihui; Shen, Hui; Ravikumar, Visweswaran; Rao, Arvind; Schultz, Andre; Li, Xubin; Sumazin, Pavel; Williams, Cecilia; Mestdagh, Pieter; Gunaratne, Preethi H; Yau, Christina; Bowlby, Reanne; Robertson, A Gordon; Tiezzi, Daniel G; Wang, Chen; Cherniack, Andrew D; Godwin, Andrew K; Kuderer, Nicole M; Rader, Janet S; Zuna, Rosemary E; Sood, Anil K; Lazar, Alexander J; Ojesina, Akinyemi I; Adebamowo, Clement; Adebamowo, Sally N; Baggerly, Keith A; Chen, Ting-Wen; Chiu, Hua-Sheng; Lefever, Steve; Liu, Liang; MacKenzie, Karen; Orsulic, Sandra; Roszik, Jason; Shelley, Carl Simon; Song, Qianqian; Vellano, Christopher P; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Weinstein, John N; Mills, Gordon B; Levine, Douglas A; Akbani, Rehan

2018-04-09

We analyzed molecular data on 2,579 tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) of four gynecological types plus breast. Our aims were to identify shared and unique molecular features, clinically significant subtypes, and potential therapeutic targets. We found 61 somatic copy-number alterations (SCNAs) and 46 significantly mutated genes (SMGs). Eleven SCNAs and 11 SMGs had not been identified in previous TCGA studies of the individual tumor types. We found functionally significant estrogen receptor-regulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and gene/lncRNA interaction networks. Pathway analysis identified subtypes with high leukocyte infiltration, raising potential implications for immunotherapy. Using 16 key molecular features, we identified five prognostic subtypes and developed a decision tree that classified patients into the subtypes based on just six features that are assessable in clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aquaculture: a rapidly growing and significant source of sustainable food? Status, transitions and potential.

PubMed

Little, D C; Newton, R W; Beveridge, M C M

2016-08-01

The status and potential of aquaculture is considered as part of a broader food landscape of wild aquatic and terrestrial food sources. The rationale and resource base required for the development of aquaculture are considered in the context of broader societal development, cultural preferences and human needs. Attention is drawn to the uneven development and current importance of aquaculture globally as well as its considerable heterogeneity of form and function compared with established terrestrial livestock production. The recent drivers of growth in demand and production are examined and the persistent linkages between exploitation of wild stocks, full life cycle culture and the various intermediate forms explored. An emergent trend for sourcing aquaculture feeds from alternatives to marine ingredients is described and the implications for the sector with rapidly growing feed needs discussed. The rise of non-conventional and innovative feed ingredients, often shared with terrestrial livestock, are considered, including aquaculture itself becoming a major source of marine ingredients. The implications for the continued expected growth of aquaculture are set in the context of sustainable intensification, with the challenges that conventional intensification and emergent integration within, and between, value chains explored. The review concludes with a consideration of the implications for dependent livelihoods and projections for various futures based on limited resources but growing demand.

The implications of community responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Seyed-Raeisy, Iran; Burgess, Rochelle; Campbell, Catherine

2018-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has significant impacts on mental health. Community-focused interventions have shown promising results for addressing IPV in low-income countries, however, little is known about the implications of these interventions for women’s mental wellbeing. This paper analyses data from a community-focused policy intervention in Rwanda collected in 2013–14, including focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members (n = 59). Our findings point to three ways in which these community members responded to IPV: (1) reconciling couples experiencing violence, (2) engaging community support through raising cases of IPV during community discussions, (3) navigating resources for women experiencing IPV, including police, social services and legal support. These community responses support women experiencing violence by helping them access available resources and by engaging in community discussions. However, assistance is largely only offered to married women and responses tend to focus exclusively on physical rather than psychological or emotional forms of violence. Drawing on Campbell and Burgess’s (2012) framework for ‘community mental health competence’, we interrogate the potential implications of these responses for the mental wellbeing of women affected by violence. We conclude by drawing attention to the gendered nature of community responses to IPV and the potential impacts this may have for the mental health of women experiencing IPV. PMID:29718961

The implications of community responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda.

PubMed

Mannell, Jenevieve; Seyed-Raeisy, Iran; Burgess, Rochelle; Campbell, Catherine

2018-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has significant impacts on mental health. Community-focused interventions have shown promising results for addressing IPV in low-income countries, however, little is known about the implications of these interventions for women's mental wellbeing. This paper analyses data from a community-focused policy intervention in Rwanda collected in 2013-14, including focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members (n = 59). Our findings point to three ways in which these community members responded to IPV: (1) reconciling couples experiencing violence, (2) engaging community support through raising cases of IPV during community discussions, (3) navigating resources for women experiencing IPV, including police, social services and legal support. These community responses support women experiencing violence by helping them access available resources and by engaging in community discussions. However, assistance is largely only offered to married women and responses tend to focus exclusively on physical rather than psychological or emotional forms of violence. Drawing on Campbell and Burgess's (2012) framework for 'community mental health competence', we interrogate the potential implications of these responses for the mental wellbeing of women affected by violence. We conclude by drawing attention to the gendered nature of community responses to IPV and the potential impacts this may have for the mental health of women experiencing IPV.

Potential implications for expansion of freeze-tolerant eucalyptus plantations on water resources in the southern United States

Treesearch

James M. Vose; Chelcy F. Miniat; Ge Sun; Peter V. Caldwell

2014-01-01

The potential expansion of freeze-tolerant (FT) Eucalyptus plantations in the United States has raised concerns about the implications for water resources. Modeling was used to examine the potential effects of expanding the distribution of FT Eucalyptus plantations in US Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 8b and...

Integration of zebrafish fin regeneration genes with expression data of human tumors in silico uncovers potential novel melanoma markers.

PubMed

Hagedorn, Martin; Siegfried, Géraldine; Hooks, Katarzyna B; Khatib, Abdel-Majid

2016-11-01

Tissue regeneration requires expression of a large, unknown number of genes to initiate and maintain cellular processes such as proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, differentiation and migration. A unique model to simulate this process in a controlled manner is the re-growth of the caudal fin of zebrafish after amputation. Within this tissue stem cells differentiate into fibroblasts, epithelial and endothelial cells as well as melanocytes. Many genes implicated in the regeneration process are deregulated in cancer. We therefore undertook a systematic gene expression study to identify genes upregulated during the re-growth of caudal fin tissue. By applying a high stringency cut-off value of 4-fold change, we identified 54 annotated genes significantly overexpressed in regenerating blastema. Further bioinformatics data mining studies showed that 22 out of the 54 regeneration genes where overexpressed in melanoma compared to normal skin or other cancers. Whereas the role of TNC (tenascin C) and FN1 (fibronectin 1) in melanoma development is well documented, implication of MARCKS, RCN3, BAMBI, PEA3/ETV4 and the FK506 family members FKBP7, FKBP10 and FKBP11 in melanoma progression is unclear. Corresponding proteins were detected in melanoma tissue but not in normal skin. High expression of FKBP7, DPYSL5 and MDK was significantly associated with poor survival. We discuss a potential role of these novel melanoma genes, which have promising potential as new therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers.

Challenging previous conceptions of vegetarianism and eating disorders.

PubMed

Fisak, B; Peterson, R D; Tantleff-Dunn, S; Molnar, J M

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand upon previous research that has examined the potential association between vegetarianism and disordered eating. Limitations of previous research studies are addressed, including possible low reliability of measures of eating pathology within vegetarian samples, use of only a few dietary restraint measures, and a paucity of research examining potential differences in body image and food choice motives of vegetarians versus nonvegetarians. Two hundred and fifty-six college students completed a number of measures of eating pathology and body image, and a food choice motives questionnaire. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in measures of eating pathology or body image. However, significant differences in food choice motives were found. Implications for both researchers and clinicians are discussed.

Indoor-Breeding of Aedes albopictus in Northern Peninsular Malaysia and Its Potential Epidemiological Implications

PubMed Central

Dieng, Hamady; Saifur, Rahman G. M.; Hassan, Ahmad Abu; Salmah, M. R. Che; Boots, Michael; Satho, Tomomitsu; Jaal, Zairi; AbuBakar, Sazaly

2010-01-01

Background The mosquito Ae. albopictus is usually adapted to the peri-domestic environment and typically breeds outdoors. However, we observed its larvae in most containers within homes in northern peninsular Malaysia. To anticipate the epidemiological implications of this indoor-breeding, we assessed some fitness traits affecting vectorial capacity during colonization process. Specifically, we examined whether Ae. albopictus exhibits increased survival, gonotrophic activity and fecundity due to the potential increase in blood feeding opportunities. Methodology/Principal Findings In a series of experiments involving outdoors and indoors breeding populations, we found that Ae. albopictus lives longer in the indoor environment. We also observed increased nighttime biting activity and lifetime fecundity in indoor/domestic adapted females, although they were similar to recently colonized females in body size. Conclusion/Significance Taken together these data suggest that accommodation of Ae. albopictus to indoor/domestic environment may increase its lifespan, blood feeding success, nuisance and thus vectorial capacity (both in terms of increased vector-host contacts and vector population density). These changes in the breeding behavior of Ae. albopictus, a potential vector of several human pathogens including dengue viruses, require special attention. PMID:20668543

The Potential for Conflict in Latin America: A Cross-National Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-16

production are not lost on any Chilean. The Argentine arms industry , the recent purchase of modern, highly lethal military equipment, and the nuclear...national strength or vulnerability is the value of government revenues as a percentage of gross domestic product . This indicator measures the degree to... industry . $3 billion in virtually any context is a significant amount of weaponry. The implications of these purchases along with Argentine arms

Sex-specific substance abuse treatment for female healthcare professionals: implications.

PubMed

Koos, Erin; Brand, Michael; Rojas, Julio; Li, Ji

2014-01-01

Gender plays a significant role in the development and treatment of substance abuse disorders. Sex-specific treatment for girls and women has recurrently proven more effective, with better outcomes than traditional treatment. Research on impaired healthcare professionals (HCPs) has largely focused on men, garnering little attention for women and sex differences. With the increasing numbers of female HCPs, it is imperative to identify potential sex differences that may have implications for treatment. Our study compared a convenience sample of male and female HCPs with substance abuse disorders treated in an outpatient program to identify sex differences that may have implications for treatment. Our sample consisted of 96 HCPs (54 men, 42 women) and 17 non-healthcare professional (N-HCP) women. All of the participants were evaluated using the program's clinical interview and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Chart review data contained categorical variables, qualitative variables, diagnoses, and psychological test scores. A second analysis was conducted through two separate comparisons: the PAI results of comparing impaired female HCPs with impaired male HCPs and the PAI results of comparing impaired female HCPs with impaired female N-HCPs. Statistically significant differences indicated more male participants received prior treatment and more intensive treatment than female participants. More female subjects reported being diagnosed as having a comorbid psychiatric condition and taking psychotropic medications. Several statistically significant differences in the PAI scores were found. Among female HCPs, elevations were found in anxiety, depression, paranoia, and borderline personality disorder. Substantive differences, although not statistically significant, were elevations in somatic complaints and anxiety disorders in female HCPs. In the comparison of female HCPs and N-HCPs, the only statistically significant difference was the significantly higher anxiety score of N-HCPs. The results indicate greater differences between female HCPs and male HCPs than between female HCPs and N-HCPs.

Novel and ultra-rare damaging variants in neuropeptide signaling are associated with disordered eating behaviors

PubMed Central

Bahl, Ethan; Hannah, Claire; Hofammann, Dabney; Acevedo, Summer; Cui, Huxing; McAdams, Carrie J.

2017-01-01

Objective Eating disorders develop through a combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental stress, however the genetic basis of this risk is unknown. Methods To understand the genetic basis of this risk, we performed whole exome sequencing on 93 unrelated individuals with eating disorders (38 restricted-eating and 55 binge-eating) to identify novel damaging variants. Candidate genes with an excessive burden of predicted damaging variants were then prioritized based upon an unbiased, data-driven bioinformatic analysis. One top candidate pathway was empirically tested for therapeutic potential in a mouse model of binge-like eating. Results An excessive burden of novel damaging variants was identified in 186 genes in the restricted-eating group and 245 genes in the binge-eating group. This list is significantly enriched (OR = 4.6, p<0.0001) for genes involved in neuropeptide/neurotrophic pathways implicated in appetite regulation, including neurotensin-, glucagon-like peptide 1- and BDNF-signaling. Administration of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist exendin-4 significantly reduced food intake in a mouse model of ‘binge-like’ eating. Conclusions These findings implicate ultra-rare and novel damaging variants in neuropeptide/neurotropic factor signaling pathways in the development of eating disorder behaviors and identify glucagon-like peptide 1-receptor agonists as a potential treatment for binge eating. PMID:28846695

Nanotechnology applications and implications research supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency STAR grants program.

PubMed

Savage, Nora; Thomas, Treye A; Duncan, Jeremiah S

2007-10-01

Since 2002, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been funding research on the environmental aspects of nanotechnology through its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants program. In total, more than $25 million has been awarded for 86 research projects on the environmental applications and implications of nanotechnology. In the applications area, grantees have produced promising results in green manufacturing, remediation, sensors, and treatment using nanotechnology and nanomaterials. Although there are many potential benefits of nanotechnology, there has also been increasing concern about the environmental and health effects of nanomaterials, and there are significant gaps in the data needed to address these concerns. Research performed by STAR grantees is beginning to address these needs.

[Criminal implication of sponsoring in medicine: legal ramifactions and recommendations].

PubMed

Mahnken, A H; Theilmann, M; Bolenz, M; Günther, R W

2005-08-01

As a consequence of the so-called "Heart-Valve-Affair" in 1994, the German public became aware of the potential criminal significance of industrial sponsoring and third-party financial support in medicine. Since 1997, when the German Anti-Corruption Law came into effect, the penal regulations regarding bribery and benefits for public officers were tightened. Due to the lack of explicit and generally accepted guidelines in combination with regional differences of jurisdiction, there is a lingering uncertainty regarding the criminal aspects of third-party funding and industrial sponsoring. The aim of this review is to summarize the penal and professional implications of third-party funding and sponsoring in medicine including recent aspects of jurisdiction. The currently available recommendations on this issue are introduced.

Overview of the Affordable Care Act's impact on military and veteran mental health services: nine implications for significant improvements in care.

PubMed

Russell, Mark C; Figley, Charles R

2014-01-01

On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. Implications of the ACA on mental health care for 9.7 million military active-duty, reserve, and family members and 22.2 million veterans, as well as 1.3 uninsured veterans, is reviewed in light of a major crisis. The authors trace historical roots of the ACA to the World War II generation and efforts to transform the mental health care system by implementing hard-won war trauma lessons. The authors posit 9 principles reflected in the ACA that represent unfulfilled generational war trauma lessons and potential transformation of the military and national mental health care systems.

A population-based survey in Australia of men's and women's perceptions of genetic risk and predictive genetic testing and implications for primary care.

PubMed

Taylor, S

2011-01-01

Community attitudes research regarding genetic issues is important when contemplating the potential value and utilisation of predictive testing for common diseases in mainstream health services. This article aims to report population-based attitudes and discuss their relevance to integrating genetic services in primary health contexts. Men's and women's attitudes were investigated via population-based omnibus telephone survey in Queensland, Australia. Randomly selected adults (n = 1,230) with a mean age of 48.8 years were interviewed regarding perceptions of genetic determinants of health; benefits of genetic testing that predict 'certain' versus 'probable' future illness; and concern, if any, regarding potential misuse of genetic test information. Most (75%) respondents believed genetic factors significantly influenced health status; 85% regarded genetic testing positively although attitudes varied with age. Risk-based information was less valued than certainty-based information, but women valued risk information significantly more highly than men. Respondents reported 'concern' (44%) and 'no concern' (47%) regarding potential misuse of genetic information. This study contributes important population-based data as most research has involved selected individuals closely impacted by genetic disorders. While community attitudes were positive regarding genetic testing, genetic literacy is important to establish. The nature of gender differences regarding risk perception merits further study and has policy and service implications. Community concern about potential genetic discrimination must be addressed if health benefits of testing are to be maximised. Larger questions remain in scientific, policy, service delivery, and professional practice domains before predictive testing for common disorders is efficacious in mainstream health care. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Exome sequences of multiplex, multigenerational families reveal schizophrenia risk loci with potential implications for neurocognitive performance.

PubMed

Kos, Mark Z; Carless, Melanie A; Peralta, Juan; Curran, Joanne E; Quillen, Ellen E; Almeida, Marcio; Blackburn, August; Blondell, Lucy; Roalf, David R; Pogue-Geile, Michael F; Gur, Ruben C; Göring, Harald H H; Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L; Gur, Raquel E; Almasy, Laura

2017-12-01

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness, involving disruptions in thought and behavior, with a worldwide prevalence of about one percent. Although highly heritable, much of the genetic liability of schizophrenia is yet to be explained. We searched for susceptibility loci in multiplex, multigenerational families affected by schizophrenia, targeting protein-altering variation with in silico predicted functional effects. Exome sequencing was performed on 136 samples from eight European-American families, including 23 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. In total, 11,878 non-synonymous variants from 6,396 genes were tested for their association with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Pathway enrichment analyses were conducted on gene-based test results, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and epistatic effects. Using a significance threshold of FDR < 0.1, association was detected for rs10941112 (p = 2.1 × 10 -5 ; q-value = 0.073) in AMACR, a gene involved in fatty acid metabolism and previously implicated in schizophrenia, with significant cis effects on gene expression (p = 5.5 × 10 -4 ), including brain tissue data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (minimum p = 6.0 × 10 -5 ). A second SNP, rs10378 located in TMEM176A, also shows risk effects in the exome data (p = 2.8 × 10 -5 ; q-value = 0.073). PPIs among our top gene-based association results (p < 0.05; n = 359 genes) reveal significant enrichment of genes involved in NCAM-mediated neurite outgrowth (p = 3.0 × 10 -5 ), while exome-wide SNP-SNP interaction effects for rs10941112 and rs10378 indicate a potential role for kinase-mediated signaling involved in memory and learning. In conclusion, these association results implicate AMACR and TMEM176A in schizophrenia risk, whose effects may be modulated by genes involved in synaptic plasticity and neurocognitive performance. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Rivastigmine for Alzheimer's disease: Canadian interpretation of intermediate outcome measures and cost implications.

PubMed

Baladi, J F; Bailey, P A; Black, S; Bouchard, R W; Farcnik, K D; Gauthier, S; Kertesz, A; Mohr, E; Robillard, A

2000-12-01

Clinical studies have shown that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who are treated with rivastigmine have statistically significantly better scores on 5 scales used to assess AD than control patients receiving placebo. However, the clinical meaning and cost implications of these differences are not clear. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical meaning and cost implications of statistically significant results obtained in clinical trials of rivastigmine for the treatment of AD. Potential cost implications for the health care system, caregivers, and society are considered. Data on clinical effects of rivastigmine were obtained from published North American and European clinical studies of patients with mild to moderately severe AD receiving rivastigmine 6 to 12 mg/d (n = 828) or placebo (n = 647). Differences in scores on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Function, Clinician's Interview-Based Impression of Change with both clinical and caregiver information considered, Progressive Deterioration Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Global Deterioration Scale were assessed. A convenience panel of 9 Canadian specialists experienced in the treatment of AD provided their opinions on the clinical importance of the trial results. Chart review was performed to identify specific behaviors that improved, and cost implications of improvements were assessed. The panel determined that statistically significant differences in scores on all scales except the MMSE were likely associated with functional or cognitive differences that were clinically relevant for patients, reflecting stabilization that would have beneficial consequences for caregivers and health care resource use. Subsequent chart review showed that improvement on specific scale items confirmed the physician panel's opinion. Analysis of possible cost implications to society indicated that medication expenditures would be offset largely by delays in the need for paid home care and institutionalization, positive effects on caregiver health, and less time lost from work for the caregiver. From the perspective of a Canadian specialist panel, rivastigmine treatment for AD produces clinically relevant effects for patients that are beneficial to caregivers. These effects suggest decreased use of caregiver resources and delays in the need for institutionalization, both of which reduce societal costs.

A Developmental Perspective on Neuroeconomic Mechanisms of Contingency Management

PubMed Central

Stanger, Catherine; Budney, Alan J.; Bickel, Warren K.

2012-01-01

This paper provides a developmental overview of relevant theory and research on delay discounting and neuroeconomics, and their implications for CM approaches to treatment. Recent advances in neuroscience, and in particular the neuroscience of decision making, have the potential to inform treatment development for adolescent substance use in general, and contingency management (CM) treatments in particular. CM utilizes abstinence-based reinforcement to enhance motivation to engage in treatment and engender abstinence. CM interventions may be informed by research on delay discounting, a type of decision making that reflects how individuals value immediate vs. delayed rewards. Delay discounting reliably distinguishes substance abusers from non abusers and is a significant predictor of individual differences in response to substance use treatments. Delay discounting is also of high potential importance in the development of substance use problems in adolescence. Discounting may also be important in predicting response to CM, as CM attempts to directly influence this decision making process, shifting the preference from the immediate rewards of use to delayed rewards for choosing not to use. Multiple neural processes underlie decision making, and those processes have implications for adolescent substance abuse. There are significant neurodevelopmental processes that differentiate adolescents from adults. These processes are implicated in delay discounting, suggesting that adolescence may reflect a period of plasticity in temporal decision making. Understanding the neural mechanisms of delay discounting has led to promising working memory interventions directly targeting the executive functions that underlie individual choices. These interventions may be particularly helpful in combination with CM interventions that offer immediate rewards for brief periods of abstinence, and may show particular benefit in adolescence due to the heightened neural plasticity of systems that underlie temporal discounting in adolescence. PMID:22663343

Facet personality and surface-level diversity as team mental model antecedents: implications for implicit coordination.

PubMed

Fisher, David M; Bell, Suzanne T; Dierdorff, Erich C; Belohlav, James A

2012-07-01

Team mental models (TMMs) have received much attention as important drivers of effective team processes and performance. Less is known about the factors that give rise to these shared cognitive structures. We examined potential antecedents of TMMs, with a specific focus on team composition variables, including various facets of personality and surface-level diversity. Further, we examined implicit coordination as an important outcome of TMMs. Results suggest that team composition in terms of the cooperation facet of agreeableness and racial diversity were significantly related to team-focused TMM similarity. TMM similarity was also positively predictive of implicit coordination, which mediated the relationship between TMM similarity and team performance. Post hoc analyses revealed a significant interaction between the trust facet of agreeableness and racial diversity in predicting TMM similarity. Results are discussed in terms of facilitating the emergence of TMMs and corresponding implications for team-related human resource practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Nanoparticle Based Galectin-1 Gene Silencing, Implications in Methamphetamine Regulation of HIV-1 Infection in Monocyte Derived Macrophages

PubMed Central

Law, Wing Cheung; Mahajan, Supriya D.; Aalinkeel, Ravikumar; Nair, Bindukumar; Sykes, Donald E.; Yong, Ken-Tye; Hui, Rui; Prasad, Paras N.; Schwartz, Stanley A.

2012-01-01

Galectin-1, an adhesion molecule, is expressed in macrophages and implicated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) viral adsorption. In this study, we investigated the effects of methamphetamine on galectin-1 production in human monocyte derived macrophages (MDM) and the role of galectin-1 in methamphetamine potentiation of HIV-1 infection. Herein we show that levels of galectin-1 gene and protein expression are significantly increased by meth-amphetamine. Furthermore, concomitant incubation of MDM with galectin-1 and methamphetamine facilitates HIV-1 infection compared to galectin-1 alone or methamphetamine alone. We utilized a nanotechnology approach that uses gold nanorod (GNR)-galectin-1 siRNA complexes (nanoplexes) to inhibit gene expression for galectin-1. Nanoplexes significantly silenced gene expression for galectin-1 and reversed the effects of methamphetamine on galectin-1 gene expression. Moreover, the effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 infection were attenuated in the presence of the nanoplex in MDM. PMID:22689223

Cultural competency, race, and skin tone bias among pharmacy, nursing, and medical students: implications for addressing health disparities.

PubMed

White-Means, Shelley; Zhiyong Dong; Hufstader, Meghan; Brown, Lawrence T

2009-08-01

The Institute of Medicine report, Unequal Treatment, asserts that conscious and unconscious bias of providers may affect treatments delivered and contribute to health disparities. The primary study objective is to measure, compare, and contrast objective and subjective cognitive processes among pharmacy, nursing, and medical students to discern potential implications for health disparities. Data were collected using a cultural competency questionnaire and two implicit association tests (IATs). Race and skin tone IATs measure unconscious bias. Cultural competency scores were significantly higher for non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics in medicine and pharmacy compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Multiracial nursing students also had significantly higher cultural competency scores than non-Hispanic Whites. The IAT results indicate that these health care preprofessionals exhibit implicit race and skin tone biases: preferences for Whites versus Blacks and light skin versus dark skin. Cultural competency curricula and disparities research will be advanced by understanding the factors contributing to cultural competence and bias.

Significant relationship between lifetime alcohol use disorders and suicide attempts in an Australian schizophrenia sample.

PubMed

McLean, Duncan; Gladman, Beverley; Mowry, Bryan

2012-02-01

Suicide and attempted suicide are common in individuals with schizophrenia, and evidence exists for a link between substance use disorders and suicidality in this disorder. However, alcohol has not been consistently implicated. We examined the relationship between substance use disorders and suicide attempts in schizophrenia. We recruited a schizophrenia sample in Australia (n = 821) for genetic analyses. We analysed demographic and clinical variables, including substance use disorders, and their relationship to suicide attempts using generalised equation modelling. A significant association was identified between lifetime alcohol abuse/dependence and suicide attempts (OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.24; p = 0.001) after adjustment for potential confounders, but not between cannabis abuse/dependence and suicide attempts, nor between other illicit drug abuse/dependence and suicide attempts. Polysubstance abuse/dependence was also not implicated. These results suggest that the presence of alcohol abuse/dependence may be a risk factor for suicide attempts in individuals with schizophrenia, independent of comorbid substance abuse/dependence.

Cumulative Disadvantage and Youth Well-Being: A Multi-Domain Examination with Life Course Implications

PubMed Central

Nurius, Paula S.; Prince, Dana M.; Rocha, Anita

2015-01-01

Purpose The accumulation of disadvantage has been shown to increase psychosocial stressors that impact life course well-being. This study tests for significant differences, based on disadvantage exposure, on youths’ emotional and physical health, as well as family supports, peer assets, and academic success, which hold potential for resilience and amelioration of negative health outcomes. Methods A 12 item cumulative disadvantage summed index derived from surveys of a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of urban high school seniors (n=9,658) was used to distinguish youth at low, moderate, and high levels. Results Findings supported hypothesized stepped patterns such that as multiple disadvantages accumulate, a concomitant decline is evident across the assessed outcome variables (except positive academic identity). Post-hoc tests indicated a pattern of groups being significantly different from one another. Discussion Overall, results lend support for an additive stress load associated with stacked disadvantage, with implications for continuing trends into adulthood as well as preventive interventions PMID:26617431

Biodegradation of disinfection byproducts as a potential removal process during aquifer storage recovery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landmeyer, J.E.; Bradley, P.M.; Thomas, J.M.

2000-01-01

The biodegradation potential of two drinking water disinfection byproducts was investigated using aquifer materials obtained from approximately 100 and 200 meters below land surface in an aerobic aquifer system undergoing aquifer storage recovery of treated surface water. No significant biodegradation of a model trihalomethane compound, chloroform, was observed in aquifer microcosms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In contrast, between 16 and 27 percent mineralization of a radiolabeled model haloacetic acid compound, chloroacetic acid, was observed. These results indicate that although the potential for biodegradation of chloroacetic acid exists in deep aquifer systems, chloroform entrained within these aquifers or formed in situ will tend to persist. These results have important implications for water managers planning to meet anticipated lowered permissible levels of tri-halomethanes in drinking water.The biodegradation potential of two drinking water disinfection byproducts was investigated using aquifer materials obtained from approximately 100 and 200 meters below land surface in an aerobic aquifer system undergoing aquifer storage recovery of treated surface water. No significant biodegradation of a model trihalomethane compound, chloroform, was observed in aquifer microcosms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In contrast, between 16 and 27 percent mineralization of a radiolabeled model haloacetic acid compound, chloroacetic acid, was observed. These results indicate that although the potential for biodegradation of chloroacetic acid exists in deep aquifer systems, chloroform entrained within these aquifers or formed in situ will tend to persist. These results have important implications for water managers planning to meet anticipated lowered permissible levels of trihalomethanes in drinking water.Aquifer-storage-recovery injection water often contains disinfection byproducts. Results are presented from a study in which two model disinfection byproducts, chloroform and chloroacetic acid, were used to examine biodegradation by indigenous microorganisms. The recharge system studied was near Las Vegas, NV, where the aquifers are recharged artificially during the winter months. Microcosms were constructed using aquifer material recovered from two layers. Results showed that no significant biodegradation of chloroform occurred under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, but chloroacetic acid was biodegraded under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Optimal Management of DoD Lands for Military Training, Ecosystem Services, and Renewable Energy Generation: Framework and Data Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

by at least 25% by 2025. To achieve this ambitious goal, DoD is considering a diverse energy portfolio that includes wind , solar, geothermal...generated power (bioenergy). wind , solar, and bioenergy sources each have significant land-management implications, so this third land-use re- quirement...production, the adverse impacts of conflicting requirements can be minimized. The regional differences in wind , solar, and bioenergy potential

Improving Visual Threat Detection: Research to Validate the Threat Detection Skills Trainer

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

potential threats present in this scene and explain the meaning and implications of these threats. You have two minutes to write a response...could be due to the nature of the tasks or to fatigue. Requiring Soldiers to write answers on multiple trials, and across similar tasks, might have...tasks will likely be significantly different from those experienced in the trainer. This would remove the writing requirement over multiple trials

Measuring teacher effectiveness in physical education.

PubMed

Rink, Judith E

2013-12-01

This article summarizes the research base on teacher effectiveness in physical education from a historical perspective and explores the implications of the recent emphasis on student performance and teacher observation systems to evaluate teachers for physical education. The problems and the potential positive effects of using student performance scores as well as establishing a comprehensive evaluation program are explored with supportive evidence that some level of accountability is necessary in our field to make significant change.

Weather assessment and forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Data management program activities centered around the analyses of selected far-term Office of Applications (OA) objectives, with the intent of determining if significant data-related problems would be encountered and if so what alternative solutions would be possible. Three far-term (1985 and beyond) OA objectives selected for analyses as having potential significant data problems were large-scale weather forecasting, local weather and severe storms forecasting, and global marine weather forecasting. An overview of general weather forecasting activities and their implications upon the ground based data system is provided. Selected topics were specifically oriented to the use of satellites.

Factors influencing movement of two migratory fishes within the tailrace of a large neotropical dam and their implications for hydropower impacts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Suzuki, F. M.; Dunham, Jason B.; Silva, L. G. M.; Alves, C. B. M.; Pompeu, P.S.

2017-01-01

Fish attempting to move upstream through hydroelectric dams can be trapped and killed in turbines. Understanding fish movement patterns can provide useful insights for how to manage dam operations to minimize fish kill in turbines. We evaluated the movements of two migratory fish (Curimba-Prochilodus argenteus and Mandi-Pimelodus maculatus) using acoustic telemetry in the tailrace of Três Marias Dam (São Francisco River, Brazil) from 31 October 2011 to 16 February 2012. The majority of tagged fish left the tailrace in less than one week; however, some individuals returned, performing several visits to the tailrace. Mandi remained longer in the tailrace than Curimba. The number of visits was influenced by diel period, turbine and spillway discharge. Although the diel period was the only important contributor to the visits performed by Curimba, the movements of Mandi were significantly influenced by three factors. We found that whereas Curimba was predominantly diurnal, Mandi showed nocturnal habits. Additionally, visits of Mandi were significantly greater during higher turbine and spillway discharge. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding fish movements in the Três Marias Dam tailrace and their potential implications for adapting hydroelectric operations to minimize fish kills.

Potential ash impact from Antarctic volcanoes: Insights from Deception Island's most recent eruption.

PubMed

Geyer, A; Marti, A; Giralt, S; Folch, A

2017-11-28

Ash emitted during explosive volcanic eruptions may disperse over vast areas of the globe posing a threat to human health and infrastructures and causing significant disruption to air traffic. In Antarctica, at least five volcanoes have reported historic activity. However, no attention has been paid to the potential socio-economic and environmental consequences of an ash-forming eruption occurring at high southern latitudes. This work shows how ash from Antarctic volcanoes may pose a higher threat than previously believed. As a case study, we evaluate the potential impacts of ash for a given eruption scenario from Deception Island, one of the most active volcanoes in Antarctica. Numerical simulations using the novel MMB-MONARCH-ASH model demonstrate that volcanic ash emitted from Antarctic volcanoes could potentially encircle the globe, leading to significant consequences for global aviation safety. Results obtained recall the need for performing proper hazard assessment on Antarctic volcanoes, and are crucial for understanding the patterns of ash distribution at high southern latitudes with strong implications for tephrostratigraphy, which is pivotal to synchronize palaeoclimatic records.

POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OF GENOMICS FOR REGULATORY AND RISK ASSESSMENT APPLICATIONS AT EPA

EPA Science Inventory

Benson, W.H., K. Gallagher and K. Dearfield. In press. Potential Implications of Genomics for Regulatory and Risk Assessment Applications at EPA (Abstract). To be presented at the SETAC Fourth World Congress, 14-18 November 2004, Portland, OR. 1 p. (ERL,GB R1002).

Advance...

New challenges in microalgae biotechnology.

PubMed

Valverde, Federico; Romero-Campero, Francisco J; León, Rosa; Guerrero, Miguel G; Serrano, Aurelio

2016-08-01

Photosynthetic protists, also called microalgae, have been systematically studied for more than a century. However, only recently broad biotechnological applications have fostered a novel wave of research on their potentialities as sustainable resources of renewable energy as well as valuable industrial and agro-food products. At the recent VII European Congress of Protistology held in Seville, three outstanding examples of different research strategies on microalgae with biotechnological implications were presented, which suggested that integrative approaches will produce very significant advances in this field in the next future. In any case, intense research and the application of systems biology and genetic engineering techniques are absolutely essential to reach the full potential of microalgae as cell-factories of bio-based products and, therefore, could contribute significantly to solve the problems of biosustainability and energy shortage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Influence of immobilized quaternary ammonium group surface density on antimicrobial efficacy and cytotoxicity.

PubMed

Cavallaro, Alex; Mierczynska, Agnieszka; Barton, Mary; Majewski, Peter; Vasilev, Krasimir

2016-01-01

Bacterial colonization of medical devices causes infections and is a significant problem in healthcare. The use of antibacterial coatings is considered as a potential solution to this problem and has attracted a great deal of attention. Using concentration density gradients of immobilized quaternary ammonium compounds it was demonstrated that a specific threshold of surface concentration is required to induce significant bacterial death. It was determined that this threshold was 4.18% NR4(+) bonded nitrogen with a surface potential of + 120.4 mV. Furthermore, it is shown for the first time that adhesion of constituents of the culture medium to the quaternary ammonium modified surface eliminated any cytotoxicity towards eukaryotic cells such as primary human fibroblasts. The implications of this type of surface fouling on the antimicrobial efficacy of surface coatings are also discussed.

Possible significance of cubic water-ice, H2O-Ic, in the atmospheric water cycle of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gooding, James L.

1988-01-01

The possible formation and potential significance of the cubic ice polymorph on Mars is discussed. When water-ice crystallizes on Earth, the ambient conditions of temperature and pressure result in the formation of the hexagonal ice polymorph; however, on Mars, the much lower termperature and pressures may permit the crystallization of the cubic polymorph. Cubic ice has two properties of possible importance on Mars: it is an excellant nucleator of other volatiles (such as CO2), and it undergoes an exothermic transition to hexagonal ice at temperatures above 170 K. These properties may have significant implications for both martian cloud formation and the development of the seasonal polar caps.

Exome and deep sequencing of clinically aggressive neuroblastoma reveal somatic mutations that affect key pathways involved in cancer progression

PubMed Central

Lasorsa, Vito Alessandro; Formicola, Daniela; Pignataro, Piero; Cimmino, Flora; Calabrese, Francesco Maria; Mora, Jaume; Esposito, Maria Rosaria; Pantile, Marcella; Zanon, Carlo; De Mariano, Marilena; Longo, Luca; Hogarty, Michael D.; de Torres, Carmen; Tonini, Gian Paolo; Iolascon, Achille; Capasso, Mario

2016-01-01

The spectrum of somatic mutation of the most aggressive forms of neuroblastoma is not completely determined. We sought to identify potential cancer drivers in clinically aggressive neuroblastoma. Whole exome sequencing was conducted on 17 germline and tumor DNA samples from high-risk patients with adverse events within 36 months from diagnosis (HR-Event3) to identify somatic mutations and deep targeted sequencing of 134 genes selected from the initial screening in additional 48 germline and tumor pairs (62.5% HR-Event3 and high-risk patients), 17 HR-Event3 tumors and 17 human-derived neuroblastoma cell lines. We revealed 22 significantly mutated genes, many of which implicated in cancer progression. Fifteen genes (68.2%) were highly expressed in neuroblastoma supporting their involvement in the disease. CHD9, a cancer driver gene, was the most significantly altered (4.0% of cases) after ALK. Other genes (PTK2, NAV3, NAV1, FZD1 and ATRX), expressed in neuroblastoma and involved in cell invasion and migration were mutated at frequency ranged from 4% to 2%. Focal adhesion and regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathways, were frequently disrupted (14.1% of cases) thus suggesting potential novel therapeutic strategies to prevent disease progression. Notably BARD1, CHEK2 and AXIN2 were enriched in rare, potentially pathogenic, germline variants. In summary, whole exome and deep targeted sequencing identified novel cancer genes of clinically aggressive neuroblastoma. Our analyses show pathway-level implications of infrequently mutated genes in leading neuroblastoma progression. PMID:27009842

Exome and deep sequencing of clinically aggressive neuroblastoma reveal somatic mutations that affect key pathways involved in cancer progression.

PubMed

Lasorsa, Vito Alessandro; Formicola, Daniela; Pignataro, Piero; Cimmino, Flora; Calabrese, Francesco Maria; Mora, Jaume; Esposito, Maria Rosaria; Pantile, Marcella; Zanon, Carlo; De Mariano, Marilena; Longo, Luca; Hogarty, Michael D; de Torres, Carmen; Tonini, Gian Paolo; Iolascon, Achille; Capasso, Mario

2016-04-19

The spectrum of somatic mutation of the most aggressive forms of neuroblastoma is not completely determined. We sought to identify potential cancer drivers in clinically aggressive neuroblastoma.Whole exome sequencing was conducted on 17 germline and tumor DNA samples from high-risk patients with adverse events within 36 months from diagnosis (HR-Event3) to identify somatic mutations and deep targeted sequencing of 134 genes selected from the initial screening in additional 48 germline and tumor pairs (62.5% HR-Event3 and high-risk patients), 17 HR-Event3 tumors and 17 human-derived neuroblastoma cell lines.We revealed 22 significantly mutated genes, many of which implicated in cancer progression. Fifteen genes (68.2%) were highly expressed in neuroblastoma supporting their involvement in the disease. CHD9, a cancer driver gene, was the most significantly altered (4.0% of cases) after ALK.Other genes (PTK2, NAV3, NAV1, FZD1 and ATRX), expressed in neuroblastoma and involved in cell invasion and migration were mutated at frequency ranged from 4% to 2%.Focal adhesion and regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathways, were frequently disrupted (14.1% of cases) thus suggesting potential novel therapeutic strategies to prevent disease progression.Notably BARD1, CHEK2 and AXIN2 were enriched in rare, potentially pathogenic, germline variants.In summary, whole exome and deep targeted sequencing identified novel cancer genes of clinically aggressive neuroblastoma. Our analyses show pathway-level implications of infrequently mutated genes in leading neuroblastoma progression.

A Mitochondrial Story: Mitochondrial Replacement, Identity and Narrative.

PubMed

Scully, Jackie Leach

2017-01-01

Mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRT) are intended to avoid the transmission of mitochondrial diseases from mother to child. MRT represent a potentially powerful new biomedical technology with ethical, policy, economic and social implications. Among other ethical questions raised are concerns about the possible effects on the identity of children born from MRT, their families, and the providers or donors of mitochondria. It has been suggested that MRT can influence identity (i) directly, through altering the genetic makeup and physical characteristics of the child, or (ii) indirectly through changing the child's experience of disease, and by generating novel intrafamilial relationships that shape the sense of self. In this article I consider the plausibility and ethical implications of these proposed identity effects, but I focus instead on a third way in which identity may be affected, through the mediating influence of the wider social world on MRT effects on identity. By taking a narrative approach, and examining the nature and availability of identity narratives, I conclude that while neither direct genetic nor indirect experiential effects can be excluded, social responses to MRT are more likely to have a significant and potentially damaging influence on the generation of MRT children's narratives of identity. This conclusion carries some implications for the collective moral responsibility we hold to ensure that MRT, if implemented, are practised in ethically justifiable ways. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Noncoding, Regulatory Mutation Implicates HCFC1 in Nonsyndromic Intellectual Disability

PubMed Central

Huang, Lingli; Jolly, Lachlan A.; Willis-Owen, Saffron; Gardner, Alison; Kumar, Raman; Douglas, Evelyn; Shoubridge, Cheryl; Wieczorek, Dagmar; Tzschach, Andreas; Cohen, Monika; Hackett, Anna; Field, Michael; Froyen, Guy; Hu, Hao; Haas, Stefan A.; Ropers, Hans-Hilger; Kalscheuer, Vera M.; Corbett, Mark A.; Gecz, Jozef

2012-01-01

The discovery of mutations causing human disease has so far been biased toward protein-coding regions. Having excluded all annotated coding regions, we performed targeted massively parallel resequencing of the nonrepetitive genomic linkage interval at Xq28 of family MRX3. We identified in the binding site of transcription factor YY1 a regulatory mutation that leads to overexpression of the chromatin-associated transcriptional regulator HCFC1. When tested on embryonic murine neural stem cells and embryonic hippocampal neurons, HCFC1 overexpression led to a significant increase of the production of astrocytes and a considerable reduction in neurite growth. Two other nonsynonymous, potentially deleterious changes have been identified by X-exome sequencing in individuals with intellectual disability, implicating HCFC1 in normal brain function. PMID:23000143

S-NITROSOGLUTATHIONE

PubMed Central

Broniowska, Katarzyna A.; Diers, Anne R.; Hogg, Neil

2013-01-01

Background S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) is the S-nitrosated derivative of glutathione and is thought to be a critical mediator of the down-stream signaling effects of nitric oxide (NO). GSNO has also been implicated as a contributor to various disease states. Scope of Review This review focuses on the chemical nature of GSNO, its biological activities, the evidence that it is an endogenous mediator of NO action, and implications for therapeutic use. Major Conclusions GSNO clearly exerts its cellular actions through both NO- and S-nitrosation-dependent mechanisms; however, the chemical and biological aspects of this compound should be placed in the context of S-nitrosation as a whole. General Significance GSNO is a central intermediate in formation and degradation of cellular S-nitrosothiols with potential therapeutic applications; thus, it remains an important molecule of study. PMID:23416062

In vitro profiling of toxicity and endocrine disrupting effects of bisphenol analogues by employing MCF-7 cells and two-hybrid yeast bioassay.

PubMed

Lei, Bingli; Xu, Jie; Peng, Wei; Wen, Yu; Zeng, Xiangying; Yu, Zhiqiang; Wang, Yipei; Chen, Tian

2017-01-01

The potentially adverse health implications of bisphenol A (BPA) have led to increasing use of alternative bisphenols (BPs). However, little is known about the toxicity of alternative BPs. In this study, the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, intracellular ROS formation, and Ca 2+ fluctuation effects of BPs on MCF-7 cells were evaluated. At the same time, the estrogenic and thyroidal hormone effect potentials of six BPs were also evaluated using two-hybrid yeast bioassay. The results showed that most BPs at 0.01-1 μM significantly increased cell viability in MCF-7 cells and at higher exposure concentrations of 25-100 μM, they caused a significant decrease of cell viability. At the same time, these BPs also at 25-100 μM significantly increased LDH release of MCF-7 cells. In addition, several BPs at 10-50 μM resulted in a significantly concentration-depended increase in DNA-damaging effect on MCF-7 cells and elevated ROS production. Most BPs at 0.0001-10 μM significantly increased intracellular Ca 2+ level. These results showed that bisphenol AF (BPAF) and thiodiphenol (TDP) exerted cell biological effect, estrogenic, and thyroidal effect potentials greater than those of BPA. The cytotoxicity and endocrine disrupting effects of other BPs are similar to or slightly lower than those of BPA. Therefore, as potential alternatives to BPA, endocrine disrupting effects and potential health harm of alternative BPs to human can also not be ignored. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 278-289, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Biosecurity and the review and publication of dual-use research of concern.

PubMed

Patrone, Daniel; Resnik, David; Chin, Lisa

2012-09-01

Dual-use research of concern (DURC) is scientific research with significant potential for generating information that could be used to harm national security, the public health, or the environment. Editors responsible for journal policies and publication decisions play a vital role in ensuring that effective safeguards exist to cope with the risks of publishing scientific research with dual-use implications. We conducted an online survey of 127 chief editors of life science journals in 27 countries to examine their attitudes toward and experience with the review and publication of dual-use research of concern. Very few editors (11) had experience with biosecurity review, and no editor in our study reported having ever refused a submission on biosecurity grounds. Most respondents (74.8%) agreed that editors have a responsibility to consider biosecurity risks during the review process, but little consensus existed among editors on how to handle specific issues in the review and publication of research with potential dual-use implications. More work is needed to establish consensus on standards for the review and publication of dual-use research of concern in life science journals.

Infectious disease survey of gemsbok in New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bender, L.C.; Li, H.; Thompson, B.C.; Morrow, P.C.; Valdez, R.

2003-01-01

Exotic wildlife can introduce new diseases or act as reservoirs of endemic diseases. On White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico (USA), significant declines in populations of native ungulates generally correspond to increases in range and population density of the exotic gemsbok (Oryx gazella gazella), introduced beginning in 1969. We surveyed gemsbok in 2001 for exposure to a variety of diseases potentially important for native ungulates. High seroprevalence was found for malignant catarrhal fever virus (49 [98%] of 50 sera; 43 [96%] of 45 plasma samples), bluetongue virus (48 [96%] of 50), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (33 [66%] of 50), and parainfluenza-3 virus (10 [20%] of 50). Low numbers of Nematodirus spp. eggs in a few individuals were the only parasites detected in gemsbok. Exposure to the above diseases in gemsbok is of interest to managers because of potential implications for recovery of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) and desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus crooki) in the White Sands area because each has been implicated in mortality in these species either in the White Sands area or elsewhere in the western/southwestern United States. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 2003.

An Overview of Achalasia and Its Subtypes

PubMed Central

Patel, Dhyanesh A.; Lappas, Brian M.

2017-01-01

Achalasia is one of the most studied esophageal motility disorders. However, the pathophysiology and reasons that patients develop achalasia are still unclear. Patients often present with dysphagia to solids and liquids, regurgitation, and varying degrees of weight loss. There is significant latency prior to diagnosis, which can have nutritional implications. The diagnosis is suspected based on clinical history and confirmed by esophageal high-resolution manometry testing. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is necessary to rule out potential malignancy that can mimic achalasia. Recent data presented in abstract form suggest that patients with type II achalasia may be most likely, and patients with type III achalasia may be least likely, to report weight loss compared to patients with type I achalasia. Although achalasia cannot be permanently cured, palliation of symptoms is possible in over 90% of patients with the treatment modalities currently available (pneumatic dilation, Heller myotomy, or peroral endoscopic myotomy). This article reviews the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management options in patients with achalasia, as well as potential insights into histopathologic differences and nutritional implications of the subtypes of achalasia. PMID:28867969

Biosecurity and the Review and Publication of Dual-Use Research of Concern

PubMed Central

Resnik, David; Chin, Lisa

2012-01-01

Dual-use research of concern (DURC) is scientific research with significant potential for generating information that could be used to harm national security, the public health, or the environment. Editors responsible for journal policies and publication decisions play a vital role in ensuring that effective safeguards exist to cope with the risks of publishing scientific research with dual-use implications. We conducted an online survey of 127 chief editors of life science journals in 27 countries to examine their attitudes toward and experience with the review and publication of dual-use research of concern. Very few editors (11) had experience with biosecurity review, and no editor in our study reported having ever refused a submission on biosecurity grounds. Most respondents (74.8%) agreed that editors have a responsibility to consider biosecurity risks during the review process, but little consensus existed among editors on how to handle specific issues in the review and publication of research with potential dual-use implications. More work is needed to establish consensus on standards for the review and publication of dual-use research of concern in life science journals. PMID:22871221

Detection of Campylobacter jejuni in Lizard Faeces from Central Australia Using Quantitative PCR

PubMed Central

Whiley, Harriet; McLean, Ryan; Ross, Kirstin

2016-01-01

Worldwide, Campylobacter is a significant cause of gastrointestinal illness. It is predominately considered a foodborne pathogen, with human exposure via non-food transmission routes generally overlooked. Current literature has been exploring environmental reservoirs of campylobacteriosis including potential wildlife reservoirs. Given the close proximity between lizards and human habitats in Central Australia, this study examined the presence of Campylobacter jejuni from lizard faeces collected from this region. Of the 51 samples collected, 17 (33%) (this included 14/46 (30%) wild and 3/5 (60%) captive lizard samples) were positive for C. jejuni using quantitative PCR (qPCR). This was the first study to investigate the presence of C. jejuni in Australian lizards. This has public health implications regarding the risk of campylobacteriosis from handling of pet reptiles and through cross-contamination or contact with wild lizard faeces. Additionally this has implication for horizontal transmission via lizards of C. jejuni to food production farms. Further research is needed on this environmental reservoir and potential transmission routes to reduce the risk to public health. PMID:28025556

The (Missed) Potential of the Patient-centered Medical Home for Disparities.

PubMed

Reibling, Nadine; Rosenthal, Meredith B

2016-01-01

Disparities in health care and health outcomes are a significant problem in the United States. Delivery system reforms such as the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) could have important implications for disparities. To investigate what role disparities play in current PCMH initiatives and how their set-up might impact on disparities. We selected 4 state-based PCMH initiatives (Colorado, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island), 1 regional initiative in New Orleans, and 1 multistate initiative. We interviewed 30 key actors in these initiatives and 3 health policy experts on disparities in the context of PCMH. Interview data were coded using the constant comparative method. We find that disparities are not an explicit priority in PCMH initiatives. Nevertheless, many policymakers, providers, and initiative leaders believe that the model has the potential to reduce disparities. However, because of the funding structure of initiatives and the lack of adjustment of quality metrics, health policy experts do not share this optimism and safety-net providers report concerns and frustration. Even though disparities are currently not a priority in the PCMH community, the design of initiatives has important implications for disparities.

A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense - Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-08

Affairs June 8, 2016 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R43838 A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential...Implications for Defense Congressional Research Service Summary World events have led some observers, starting in late 2013, to conclude that the...Defense Congressional Research Service Contents Introduction

Deeply discounted medications: Implications of generic prescription drug wars.

PubMed

Czechowski, Jessica L; Tjia, Jennifer; Triller, Darren M

2010-01-01

To describe the history of generic prescription pricing programs at major pharmacy chains and their potential implications on prescribing, quality of care, and patient safety. Publicly available generic prescription discount program drug lists as of May 1, 2009. Fierce competition among major pharmacy chains such as Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart has led to a generic prescription pricing war with unclear public health implications. Introduced in 2006, currently 7 of the 10 largest pharmacy chains advertise a version of a deeply discounted medication (DDM) program, accounting for more than 25,000 locations nationally. By early 2008, almost 70 million Americans had used these programs. Although DDM programs lower drug costs for many patients, DDM formularies include potentially ineffective or harmful medications, have the potential to influence physician prescribing behavior, and may impair pharmacists' ability to review complete drug-dispensing records. DDMs are widespread but have the potential for unintended consequences on patients, providers, and the health care system. A systematic review of DDMs needs to evaluate the clinical, economic, and system-level implications of such programs.

Practical and Scholarly Implications of Information Behaviour Research: A Pilot Study of Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Kyungwon; Rubenstein, Ellen; White, Kelvin

2015-01-01

Introduction: This pilot study examined how current information behaviour research addresses the implications and potential impacts of its findings. The goal was to understand what implications and contributions the field has made and how effectively authors communicate implications of their findings. Methods: We conducted a content analysis of 30…

Maternal Elaborative Reminiscing Mediates the Effect of Child Maltreatment on Behavioral and Physiological Functioning

PubMed Central

Valentino, Kristin; Hibel, Leah C; Cummings, E. Mark; Nuttall, Amy K.; Comas, Michelle; McDonnell, Christina G.

2016-01-01

Theoretical and empirical evidence suggest that the way in which parents discuss everyday emotional experiences with their young children (i.e., elaborative reminiscing) has significant implications for child cognitive and socio-emotional functioning, and that maltreating parents have a particularly difficult time in engaging in this type of dialogue. This dyadic interactional exchange, therefore, has the potential to be an important process variable linking child maltreatment to developmental outcomes at multiple levels of analysis. The current investigation evaluated the role of maternal elaborative reminiscing in associations between maltreatment and child cognitive, emotional, and physiological functioning. Participants included 43 maltreated and 49 nonmaltreated children (aged 3–6) and their mothers. Dyads participated in a joint reminiscing task about four past emotional events, and children participated in assessments of receptive language and emotion knowledge. Child salivary cortisol was also collected from children three times a day (waking, midday, and bedtime) on two consecutive days to assess daily levels and diurnal decline. Results indicated that maltreating mothers engaged in significantly less elaborative reminiscing than nonmaltreating mothers. Maternal elaborative reminiscing mediated associations between child maltreatment and child receptive language and child emotion knowledge. Additionally, there was support for an indirect pathway between child maltreatment and child cortisol diurnal decline through maternal elaborative reminiscing. Directions for future research are discussed and potential clinical implications are addressed. PMID:26535941

Mass and energy budgets of animals: behavioral and ecological implications. Progress report, December 1, 1984-July 1985

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

Porter, W.P.

1985-08-01

We continue to put considerable effort into analysis of the dynamics of interactions between environmental and animal variance and its implications for growth and reproduction. We have completed the physiological experiments necessary for defining a complete mass and energy budget for two species of lizards, Uta stansburiana, and Sceloporus undulatus. We have completed the programming and are evaluating calculations for potential growth and reproduction for Sceloporus undulatus for the sandhill country of western Nebraska, where we have field data on microclimates, doubly labeled water measurements, and growth and reproduction measurements to do a thorough test of the microclimate and ectothermmore » models that together calculate potential growth and reproduction. The doubly labeled water analysis system is calibrated and running very well. We are just beginning analysis of the lizard samples from Nebraska. In deer mice, marmots and prairie dogs we have found significant diurnal and seasonal changes in body temperature and activity times. Deer mice in the field may exhibit 6-7 degree and as much as 20 degree body temperature changes in 15 to 20 minute intervals. Winter work in Jackson Hole at -40C showed capability for core temperature drops in deer mice of 8C in one minute and full recovery once the animal could burrow into the snow. Our calculations show that this variability saves significantly in energy costs.« less

Mechanisms underlying the wound healing potential of propolis based on its in vitro antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Cao, Xue-Ping; Chen, Yi-Fan; Zhang, Jiang-Lin; You, Meng-Meng; Wang, Kai; Hu, Fu-Liang

2017-10-15

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by honeybees, Apis mellifera, from various plant sources. Having various pharmacological and biological activities, it has been used in folk medicine and complementary therapies since ancient times. To evaluate the effects and underlying mechanism of the protective effects of the ethanol extract of Chinese propolis (EECP) on L929 cells injured by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The wound healing activities of EECP in L929 cells with H 2 O 2 -induced damage were investigated. The main components of EECP were analyzed by RP-HPLC, and the free radical scavenging capacity and reducing power were also measured. The effects of EECP on the expression of antioxidant-related genes in fibroblast L929 cells were determined using qRT-PCR and western blotting. EECP had significant protective effects against cell death induced by H 2 O 2 and significantly inhibited the decline of collagen mRNA expression caused by H 2 O 2 in L929 cells. EECP induced the expression of antioxidant-related genes, such as HO-1, GCLM, and GCLC, which has great implications for the potential of propolis to alleviate oxidative stress in wound tissues. The protective effects of propolis have great implications for using propolis as a wound healing regent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Social Cognition Dysfunctions in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Neuroanatomical Correlates and Clinical Implications.

PubMed

Christidi, Foteini; Migliaccio, Raffaella; Santamaría-García, Hernando; Santangelo, Gabriella; Trojsi, Francesca

2018-01-01

Social cognitive function, involved in the perception, processing, and interpretation of social information, has been shown to be crucial for successful communication and interpersonal relationships, thereby significantly impacting mental health, well-being, and quality of life. In this regard, assessment of social cognition, mainly focusing on four key domains, such as theory of mind (ToM), emotional empathy, and social perception and behavior, has been increasingly evaluated in clinical settings, given the potential implications of impairments of these skills for therapeutic decision-making. With regard to neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), most disorders, characterized by variable disease phenotypes and progression, although similar for the unfavorable prognosis, are associated to impairments of social cognitive function, with consequent negative effects on patients' management. Specifically, in some NDs these deficits may represent core diagnostic criteria, such as for behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), or may emerge during the disease course as critical aspects, such as for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. On this background, we aimed to revise the most updated evidence on the neurobiological hypotheses derived from network-based approaches, clinical manifestations, and assessment tools of social cognitive dysfunctions in NDs, also prospecting potential benefits on patients' well-being, quality of life, and outcome derived from potential therapeutic perspectives of these deficits.

Influence of methane emissions and vehicle efficiency on the climate implications of heavy-duty natural gas trucks.

PubMed

Camuzeaux, Jonathan R; Alvarez, Ramón A; Brooks, Susanne A; Browne, Joshua B; Sterner, Thomas

2015-06-02

While natural gas produces lower carbon dioxide emissions than diesel during combustion, if enough methane is emitted across the fuel cycle, then switching a heavy-duty truck fleet from diesel to natural gas can produce net climate damages (more radiative forcing) for decades. Using the Technology Warming Potential methodology, we assess the climate implications of a diesel to natural gas switch in heavy-duty trucks. We consider spark ignition (SI) and high-pressure direct injection (HPDI) natural gas engines and compressed and liquefied natural gas. Given uncertainty surrounding several key assumptions and the potential for technology to evolve, results are evaluated for a range of inputs for well-to-pump natural gas loss rates, vehicle efficiency, and pump-to-wheels (in-use) methane emissions. Using reference case assumptions reflecting currently available data, we find that converting heavy-duty truck fleets leads to damages to the climate for several decades: around 70-90 years for the SI cases, and 50 years for the more efficient HPDI. Our range of results indicates that these fuel switches have the potential to produce climate benefits on all time frames, but combinations of significant well-to-wheels methane emissions reductions and natural gas vehicle efficiency improvements would be required.

Nonribosomal peptides and polyketides of Burkholderia: new compounds potentially implicated in biocontrol and pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Esmaeel, Qassim; Pupin, Maude; Jacques, Philippe; Leclère, Valérie

2017-05-25

Bacteria belonging to the genus Burkholderia live in various ecological niches and present a significant role in the environments through the excretion of a wide variety of secondary metabolites including modular nonribosomal peptides (NRPs) and polyketides (PKs). These metabolites represent a widely distributed biomedically and biocontrol important class of natural products including antibiotics, siderophores, and anticancers as well as biopesticides that are considered as a novel source that can be used to defend ecological niche from competitors and to promote plant growth. The aim of this review is to present all NRPs produced or potentially produced by strains of Burkholderia, as NRPs represent a major source of active compounds implicated in biocontrol. The review is a compilation of results from a large screening we have performed on 48 complete sequenced genomes available in NCBI to identify NRPS gene clusters, and data found in the literature mainly because some interesting compounds are produced by strains not yet sequenced. In addition to NRPs, hybrids NRPs/PKs are also included. Specific features about biosynthetic gene clusters and structures of the modular enzymes responsible for the synthesis, the biological activities, and the potential uses in agriculture and pharmaceutical of NRPs and hybrids NRPs/PKs will also be discussed.

Social Cognition Dysfunctions in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Neuroanatomical Correlates and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

Santamaría-García, Hernando; Santangelo, Gabriella

2018-01-01

Social cognitive function, involved in the perception, processing, and interpretation of social information, has been shown to be crucial for successful communication and interpersonal relationships, thereby significantly impacting mental health, well-being, and quality of life. In this regard, assessment of social cognition, mainly focusing on four key domains, such as theory of mind (ToM), emotional empathy, and social perception and behavior, has been increasingly evaluated in clinical settings, given the potential implications of impairments of these skills for therapeutic decision-making. With regard to neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), most disorders, characterized by variable disease phenotypes and progression, although similar for the unfavorable prognosis, are associated to impairments of social cognitive function, with consequent negative effects on patients' management. Specifically, in some NDs these deficits may represent core diagnostic criteria, such as for behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), or may emerge during the disease course as critical aspects, such as for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. On this background, we aimed to revise the most updated evidence on the neurobiological hypotheses derived from network-based approaches, clinical manifestations, and assessment tools of social cognitive dysfunctions in NDs, also prospecting potential benefits on patients' well-being, quality of life, and outcome derived from potential therapeutic perspectives of these deficits. PMID:29854017

A karate program for improving self-concept and quality of life in childhood epilepsy: results of a pilot study.

PubMed

Conant, Kerry D; Morgan, Amy K; Muzykewicz, David; Clark, Derrick C; Thiele, Elizabeth A

2008-01-01

The potential cognitive and psychosocial effects of childhood epilepsy have significant implications for a child's self-image and academic achievement. This study focuses on a 10-week karate program for children and adolescents with epilepsy aimed at increasing social confidence, self-concept, and quality of life, as well as reducing parental anxiety. Eleven children (8-16 years old) and their parents participated in this questionnaire study, and complete data were available for nine of these families. Measures consisted of the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire, and the Parental Stress Index. By parental report, significant improvement in memory function and largely positive trends in quality of life on multiple subscales were observed. By child report, intellectual self-esteem and social confidence also improved. Parental stress decreased, although not significantly, suggesting a potential benefit and indicating a role for future interventions targeting family anxiety.

Realizing the therapeutic potential of rare earth elements in designing nanoparticles to target and treat glioblastoma.

PubMed

Lu, Victor M; McDonald, Kerrie L; Townley, Helen E

2017-10-01

The prognosis of brain cancer glioblastoma (GBM) is poor, and despite intense research, there have been no significant improvements within the last decade. This stasis implicates the need for more novel therapeutic investigation. One such option is the use of nanoparticles (NPs), which can be beneficial due to their ability to penetrate the brain, overcome the blood-brain barrier and take advantage of the enhanced permeation and retention effect of GBM to improve specificity. Rare earth elements possess a number of interesting natural properties due to their unique electronic configuration, which may prove therapeutically advantageous in an NP formulation. The underexplored exciting potential for rare earth elements to augment the therapeutic potential of NPs in GBM treatment is discussed in this review.

Startle Reflex Potentiation During Aversive Picture Viewing as an Indicator of Trait Fear

PubMed Central

Vaidyanathan, Uma; Patrick, Christopher J.; Bernat, Edward M.

2009-01-01

Measures of fearfulness and measures of psychopathy show positive and negative associations, respectively, with startle reflex potentiation during unpleasant picture viewing. We tested the hypothesis that a common bipolar trait dimension underlies these differing associations. Blink responses to noise probes were recorded during pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures in 88 undergraduates assessed with a battery of self-report scales indexing fear and psychopathy/fearlessness. A significant positive association was found between an omnibus index of fear, consisting of scores on the first component from a PCA of these various scales, and startle potentiation during aversive picture viewing. This association was most robust, across participants overall and within gender subgroups, for scenes that were most directly threatening. Implications for psychophysiological research on individual differences and psychopathology are discussed. PMID:19055499

Modeling Solar-Wind Heavy-Ions' Potential Sputtering of Lunar KREEP Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barghouty, A. F.; Meyer, F. W.; Harris, R. P.; Adams, J. H., Jr.

2012-01-01

Recent laboratory data suggest that potential sputtering may be an important weathering mechanism that can affect the composition of both the lunar surface and its tenuous exosphere; its role and implications, however, remain unclear. Using a relatively simple kinetic model, we will demonstrate that solar-wind heavy ions induced sputtering of KREEP surfaces is critical in establishing the timescale of the overall solar-wind sputtering process of the lunar surface. We will also also show that potential sputtering leads to a more pronounced and significant differentiation between depleted and enriched surface elements. We briefly discuss the impacts of enhanced sputtering on the composition of the regolith and the exosphere, as well as of solar-wind sputtering as a source of hydrogen and water on the moon.

Expensive Egos: Narcissistic Males Have Higher Cortisol

PubMed Central

Reinhard, David A.; Konrath, Sara H.; Lopez, William D.; Cameron, Heather G.

2012-01-01

Background Narcissism is characterized by grandiosity, low empathy, and entitlement. There has been limited research regarding the hormonal correlates of narcissism, despite the potential health implications. This study examined the role of participant narcissism and sex on basal cortisol concentrations in an undergraduate population. Methods and Findings Participants were 106 undergraduate students (79 females, 27 males, mean age 20.1 years) from one Midwestern and one Southwestern American university. Narcissism was assessed using the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and basal cortisol concentrations were collected from saliva samples in a laboratory setting. Regression analyses examined the effect of narcissism and sex on cortisol (log). There were no sex differences in basal cortisol, F(1,97) = .20, p = .65, and narcissism scores, F(1,97) = .00, p = .99. Stepwise linear regression models of sex and narcissism and their interaction predicting cortisol concentrations showed no main effects when including covariates, but a significant interaction, β = .27, p = .04. Narcissism was not related to cortisol in females, but significantly predicted cortisol in males. Examining the effect of unhealthy versus healthy narcissism on cortisol found that unhealthy narcissism was marginally related to cortisol in females, β = .27, p = .06, but significantly predicted higher basal cortisol in males, β = .72, p = .01, even when controlling for potential confounds. No relationship was found between sex, narcissism, or their interaction on self-reported stress. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the HPA axis is chronically activated in males with unhealthy narcissism. This constant activation of the HPA axis may have important health implications. PMID:22292062

Mechanisms and implications of a type IV functional response for short-term intake rate of dry matter in large mammalian herbivores.

PubMed

Mezzalira, Jean C; Bonnet, Olivier J F; Carvalho, Paulo C de F; Fonseca, Lidiane; Bremm, Carolina; Mezzalira, Carlos C; Laca, Emilio A

2017-09-01

The functional response (i.e. the relationship between consumers' intake rate and resource density) is central in plant-herbivore interactions. Its shape and the biological processes leading to it have significant implications for both foraging theory and ecology of grazing systems. A type IV functional response (i.e. dome-shaped relationship) of short-term intake rate of dry matter (intake while grazing) has rarely been reported for large herbivores and the conditions that can lead to it are poorly understood. We report a type IV functional response observed in heifers grazing monocultures of Cynodon sp. and Avena strigosa. The mechanisms and consequences of this type of functional response for grazed system dynamics are discussed. Intake rate was higher at intermediate than at short or tall sward heights in both grass species. The type IV functional response resulted from changes in bite mass instead of a longer time needed to encounter and process bites. Thus, the decrease of intake rate of dry matter in tall swards is not explained by a shift from process 3 (potential bites are concentrated and apparent) to process 2 (potential bites are apparent but dispersed, Spalinger & Hobbs 1992). Bite mass was smaller in tall than in intermediate swards due to a reduction of bite volume possibly caused by the greater proportion of stem and sheath acting as a physical barrier to bite formation. It is generally accepted that potential bites are abundant and apparent in most grassland and meadow systems, as they were in the present experiments. Therefore, a type IV response of intake rate not directly related to digestive constraints may determine the dynamics of intake and defoliation under a much larger set of conditions than previously thought. These results have implications for foraging theory and stability of grazing systems. For example, if animals prefer patches of intermediate stature that yield the highest intake rate, grazing should lead to the widely observed bimodal distribution of plant mass per unit area, even when tall patches are not of significantly lower digestive quality than the pasture average. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

Neural Basis of Empathy and Its Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

donation behavior in rhesus monkeys when there is no perceived cost to self. These findings potentially implicate shared neural mechanisms and validate the...egalitarian and monogamous ones, like prairie voles and humans, when there is no perceived cost to self. These findings potentially implicate shared neural...maximally self-regarding in this context in the absence of OT. Thus, OT robustly enhanced prosocial choices when there was no potential cost to self, but

Hypertext, Hypermedia, and Metacognition: Research and Instructional Implications for Disabled Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest

1990-01-01

The article examines the potential impact of computer-based text technologies, called hypermedia, on disabled readers. Discussed are hypertext, the hypercard, and implications of metacognitive research (such as author versus user control over text manipulations), instructional implications, and instructional text engineering. (DB)

Potential oil spill risk from shipping and the implications for management in the Caribbean Sea.

PubMed

Singh, Asha; Asmath, Hamish; Chee, Candice Leung; Darsan, Junior

2015-04-15

The semi enclosed Caribbean Sea is ranked as having one of the most intense maritime traffic in the world. These maritime activities have led to significant oil pollution. Simultaneously, this sea supports many critical habitats functioning as a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME). While the impacts of oil pollution are recognised, a number of management challenges remain. This study applies spatial modelling to identify critical areas potentially at risk from oil spills in the form of a potential oil spill risk (POSR) model. The model indicates that approximately 83% of the sea could be potentially impacted by oil spills due to shipping. The results from this study collectively support a management framework for minimising ship generated oil pollution in the Caribbean Sea. Among the recommended components are a common policy, surveillance and monitoring controls, standards, monitoring programmes, data collection and greater rates of convention ratifications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personal contextual characteristics and cognitions: predicting child abuse potential and disciplinary style.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Christina M

2010-02-01

According to Social Information Processing theory, parents' cognitive processes influence their decisions to engage in physical maltreatment, although cognitions occur in the context of other aspects of the parents' life. The present study investigated whether cognitive processes (external locus of control, inappropriate developmental expectations) predicted child abuse potential and overreactive disciplinary style beyond personal contextual factors characteristic of the parent (hostility, stress, and coping). 363 parents were recruited online. Results highlight the relative importance of the contextual characteristics (particularly stress, avoidant coping, and irritability) relative to cognitive processes in predicting abuse potential and overreactive discipline strategies, although an external locus of control also significantly contributed. Findings do not support that parents' developmental expectations uniquely predict elevated abuse risk. Results indicate stressed parents who utilize avoidance coping strategies are more likely to use overreactive discipline and report increased abuse potential. Findings are discussed with regard to implications for prevention/intervention efforts.

Threat of invasive pests from within national borders.

PubMed

Paini, Dean R; Worner, Susan P; Cook, David C; De Barro, Paul J; Thomas, Matthew B

2010-11-16

Predicting and ranking potential invasive species present significant challenges to researchers and biosecurity agencies. Here we analyse a worldwide database of pest species assemblages to generate lists of the top 100 insect pests most likely to establish in the United States and each of its 48 contiguous states. For the United States as a whole, all of the top 100 pest species have already established. Individual states however tend to have many more 'gaps' with most states having at least 20 species absent from their top 100 list. For all but one state, every exotic pest species currently absent from a state's top 100 can be found elsewhere in the contiguous United States. We conclude that the immediate threat from known invasive insect pests is greater from within the United States than without. Our findings have potentially significant implications for biosecurity policy, emphasizing the need to consider biosecurity measures beyond established national border interventions.

Fabrication of micron scale metallic structures on photo paper substrates by low temperature photolithography for device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooke, M. D.; Wood, D.

2015-11-01

Using commercial standard paper as a substrate has a significant cost reduction implication over other more expensive substrate materials by approximately a factor of 100 (Shenton et al 2015 EMRS Spring Meeting; Zheng et al 2013 Nat. Sci. Rep. 3 1786). Discussed here is a novel process which allows photolithography and etching of simple metal films deposited on paper substrates, but requires no additional facilities to achieve it. This allows a significant reduction in feature size down to the micron scale over devices made using more conventional printing solutions which are of the order of tens of microns. The technique has great potential for making cheap disposable devices with additional functionality, which could include flexibility and foldability, simple disposability, porosity and low weight requirements. The potential for commercial applications and scale up is also discussed.

Anticancer activity of bacteriophage T4 and its mutant HAP1 in mouse experimental tumour models.

PubMed

Dabrowska, Krystyna; Opolski, Adam; Wietrzyk, Joanna; Switala-Jelen, Kinga; Godlewska, Joanna; Boratynski, Janusz; Syper, Danuta; Weber-Dabrowska, Beata; Gorski, Andrzej

2004-01-01

Previously, we have shown the ability of the bacteriophage T4 and its substrain HAP1 (selected for a higher affinity to melanoma cells) to reveal antimetastatic activity in a mouse melanoma model. Here, we investigated the potential phage anticancer activity in primary tumour models. Mice were inoculated subcutaneously with B16 or LLC cells (collected from in vitro culture). Bacteriophages T4 and HAP1 were injected intraperitoneally daily (8 x 10(8)pfu/mouse, except the experiment concerning the dose-dependence). Treatment with purified preparations of bacteriophage T4 resulted in significant reduction of tumour size, the effect being dose-dependent. HAP1 was more effective than T4 and its activity was also dose-dependent. Parallel experiments with non-purified bacteriophage lysates resulted in significant stimulation of tumour growth. These data suggest that purified bacteriophages may inhibit tumour growth, a phenomenon with potentially important clinical implications in oncology.

Urban heat island-induced increases in evapotranspirative demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zipper, Samuel C.; Schatz, Jason; Kucharik, Christopher J.; Loheide, Steven P.

2017-01-01

Although the importance of vegetation in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) is known, the impacts of UHI-induced changes in micrometeorological conditions on vegetation are not well understood. Here we show that plant water requirements are significantly higher in urban areas compared to rural areas surrounding Madison, WI, driven by increased air temperature with minimal effects of decreased air moisture content. Local increases in impervious cover are strongly associated with increased evapotranspirative demand in a consistent manner across years, with most increases caused by elevated temperatures during the growing season rather than changes in changes in growing season length. Potential evapotranspiration is up to 10% higher due to the UHI, potentially mitigating changes to the water and energy balances caused by urbanization. Our results indicate that local-scale land cover decisions (increases in impervious cover) can significantly impact evapotranspirative demand, with likely implications for water and carbon cycling in urban ecosystems.

Knockdown of TNF-α by DNAzyme Gold Nanoparticles as an Anti-inflammatory Therapy for Myocardial Infarction

PubMed Central

Somasuntharam, Inthirai; Yehl, Kevin; Carroll, Sheridan L.; Maxwell, Joshua T.; Martinez, Mario D.; Che, Pao-Lin; Brown, Milton E.; Salaita, Khalid; Davis, Michael E.

2017-01-01

In this study, we used deoxyribozyme (DNAzyme) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to catalytically silence tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in vivo as a potential therapeutic for myocardial infarction (MI). Using primary macrophages as a model, we demonstrated 50% knockdown of TNF-α, which was not attainable using Lipofectamine-based approaches. Local injection of DNAzyme conjugated to gold particles (AuNPs) in the rat myocardium yielded TNF-α knockdown efficiencies of 50%, which resulted in significant anti-inflammatory effects and improvement in acute cardiac function following MI. Our results represent the first example showing the use of DNAzyme AuNP conjugates in vivo for viable delivery and gene regulation. This is significant as TNF-α is a multibillion dollar drug target implicated in many inflammatory-mediated disorders, thus underscoring the potential impact of DNAzyme-conjugated AuNPs. PMID:26773660

Rocky core solubility in Jupiter and giant exoplanets.

PubMed

Wilson, Hugh F; Militzer, Burkhard

2012-03-16

Gas giants are believed to form by the accretion of hydrogen-helium gas around an initial protocore of rock and ice. The question of whether the rocky parts of the core dissolve into the fluid H-He layers following formation has significant implications for planetary structure and evolution. Here we use ab initio calculations to study rock solubility in fluid hydrogen, choosing MgO as a representative example of planetary rocky materials, and find MgO to be highly soluble in H for temperatures in excess of approximately 10,000 K, implying the potential for significant redistribution of rocky core material in Jupiter and larger exoplanets.

Body habitus in heart failure: understanding the mechanisms and clinical significance of the obesity paradox.

PubMed

Parto, Parham; Lavie, Carl J; Arena, Ross; Bond, Samantha; Popovic, Dejana; Ventura, Hector O

2016-11-01

The prevalence of obesity among adults and children worldwide has reached epic proportions and has become a major independent risk factor for the development of heart failure (HF), in addition to a contributor of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The implications of obesity in the development of HF involve adverse effects on cardiac structure and function. Despite all of this, in the setting of chronic HF, excess body mass is associated with improved clinical outcomes, demonstrating the presence of an obesity paradox. In this review, we will discuss the gender differences, global application, potential mechanisms and role of interventions based on fitness and purposeful weight loss as potential therapeutic strategies.

Coercive and prosocial fathering, antisocial personality, and growth in children's postdivorce noncompliance.

PubMed

DeGarmo, David Scott

2010-01-01

To better understand quantity and quality of divorced father contact, a weighted county sample of 230 divorced fathers with a child aged 4-11 years was employed to test whether fathers' antisocial personality (ASP) moderated effects of monthly contact with children in predicting children's observed noncompliance. Eighteen-month latent growth models obtained significant individual differences in levels of noncompliance and growth rates. ASP significantly moderated beneficial impact of fathers' monthly contact. Fathers' observed parenting practices significantly predicted noncompliance levels but not growth. Parenting did not account for the effect of Contact x ASP, suggesting both environmental and potentially genetic influences on child adjustment. Findings were robust across boys and girls and age levels. Implications for preventive intervention are discussed.

Marine Cyanobacteria Compounds with Anticancer Properties: A Review on the Implication of Apoptosis

PubMed Central

Costa, Margarida; Costa-Rodrigues, João; Fernandes, Maria Helena; Barros, Piedade; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Martins, Rosário

2012-01-01

Marine cyanobacteria have been considered a rich source of secondary metabolites with potential biotechnological applications, namely in the pharmacological field. Chemically diverse compounds were found to induce cytoxicity, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. The potential of marine cyanobacteria as anticancer agents has however been the most explored and, besides cytotoxicity in tumor cell lines, several compounds have emerged as templates for the development of new anticancer drugs. The mechanisms implicated in the cytotoxicity of marine cyanobacteria compounds in tumor cell lines are still largely overlooked but several studies point to an implication in apoptosis. This association has been related to several apoptotic indicators such as cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial dysfunctions and oxidative damage, alterations in caspase cascade, alterations in specific proteins levels and alterations in the membrane sodium dynamics. In the present paper a compilation of the described marine cyanobacterial compounds with potential anticancer properties is presented and a review on the implication of apoptosis as the mechanism of cell death is discussed. PMID:23170077

Genetic testing in hyperlipidemia.

PubMed

Bilen, Ozlem; Pokharel, Yashashwi; Ballantyne, Christie M

2015-05-01

Hereditary dyslipidemias are often underdiagnosed and undertreated, yet with significant health implications, most importantly causing preventable premature cardiovascular diseases. The commonly used clinical criteria to diagnose hereditary lipid disorders are specific but are not very sensitive. Genetic testing may be of value in making accurate diagnosis and improving cascade screening of family members, and potentially, in risk assessment and choice of therapy. This review focuses on using genetic testing in the clinical setting for lipid disorders, particularly familial hypercholesterolemia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic Testing in Hyperlipidemia.

PubMed

Bilen, Ozlem; Pokharel, Yashashwi; Ballantyne, Christie M

2016-03-01

Hereditary dyslipidemias are often underdiagnosed and undertreated, yet with significant health implications, most importantly causing preventable premature cardiovascular diseases. The commonly used clinical criteria to diagnose hereditary lipid disorders are specific but are not very sensitive. Genetic testing may be of value in making accurate diagnosis and improving cascade screening of family members, and potentially, in risk assessment and choice of therapy. This review focuses on using genetic testing in the clinical setting for lipid disorders, particularly familial hypercholesterolemia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of Corporate Organizational Development Experience and its Implications for the Future of the Army’s Organizational Effectiveness Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-06-01

previous exposures to OD/OE of the participants. A significant benefit of the study in the eyes of the participants was the opportunity to learn firsthand of...of management and development. Before going any further, it will be helpful to explore the potential mapping of management theory and the technology...organizational structure and pro- cesses and when called upon for assistance could be -Ixpected to become productive without time lost in learning culture

Gene doping: the hype and the harm.

PubMed

McKanna, Trudy A; Toriello, Helga V

2010-06-01

"Gene doping" is the term used to describe the potential abuse of gene therapy as a performance-enhancing agent. Gene doping would apply the techniques used in gene therapy to provide altered expression of genes that would promote physical superiority. For example, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a primary target for growth hormone; overexpression of IGF-1 can lead to increased muscle mass and power. Although gene doping is still largely theoretical, its implications for sports, health, ethics, and medical genetics are significant.

Neuroanatomical basis for recognition primed decision making.

PubMed

Hudson, Darren

2013-01-01

Effective decision making under time constraints is often overlooked in medical decision making. The recognition primed decision making (RPDM) model was developed by Gary Klein based on previous recognized situations to develop a satisfactory solution to the current problem. Bayes Theorem is the most popular decision making model in medicine but is limited by the need for adequate time to consider all probabilities. Unlike other decision making models, there is a potential neurobiological basis for RPDM. This model has significant implication for health informatics and medical education.

The movement of people in Asia: internal, intra-regional and international migration.

PubMed

Lim, L L; Abella, M

1994-01-01

"The comprehensive overview of Asian-Pacific migration summarizes early population movements during the colonial period and describes the major types of contemporary Asian population movements: (1) environmental refugees, (2) political refugees, (3) internal population movements, (4) contract labor migration, (5) migration of permanent settlers, (6) business related movements and tourism. Projections of net international migration are given. Population growth, employment absorption and emigration pressures are likely to contribute to a large mobility potential for Asia, with significant implications for Australia." excerpt

Deforestation for oil palm alters the fundamental balance of the soil N cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, Liz; Trimmer, Mark; Bradley, Chris; Pinay, Gilles

2016-04-01

Expansion of commercial agriculture in equatorial regions has significant implications for regional nitrogen (N) budgets, particularly nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions, produced largely by microbial nitrification and denitrification. However, current estimates of soil N turnover are poorly constrained in Southeast Asia for nitrogen gas (N2) production and lesser known N transformations such as nitrate ammonification (DNRA) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). We investigated changes in N availability and turnover following replacement of tropical forest with oil palm plantations along a chronosequence of oil palm maturity (3-months to 15-year-old stands) and secondary to primary forest succession in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Samples were taken from ten sites during March and April 2012. Using 15N tracing techniques, we measured rates of gross ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) production (mineralisation and nitrification) and consumption (n= 8), potential denitrification, DNRA and anammox (n= 12) in soil cores and slurries respectively. Gross mineralisation rates (0.05 - 3.08 g N m-2 d-1) remained unchanged in oil palm relative to forests. However, a significant reduction in gross nitrification (0.04 - 2.31 g N m-2 d-1) and an increase in NH4+ immobilisation disrupt the pathway to N2 production substantially reducing (by > 90%) rates of denitrification and anammox in recently planted oil palm relative to primary forest. In forests, N2 produced via anammox was ˜30% of that from denitrification highlighting the potential for anammox to contribute significantly to N2 production. NH4+ production rates from DNRA were over two orders of magnitude less than N2 production rates indicating that denitrification is the primary dissimilatory nitrate consumption process in these soils. Potential N2O emissions were greater than potential N2 production, remaining unchanged across the chronosequence and indicating an increased N2O:N2 emission ratio when soils were first disturbed. These results are an important precursor to studies providing improved estimates of regional N turnover and loss in Southeast Asia which will have global implications for N biogeochemical cycling.

Update in perioperative medicine: practice changing evidence published in 2016.

PubMed

Regan, Dennis W; Kashiwagi, Deanne; Dougan, Brian; Sundsted, Karna; Mauck, Karen

2017-10-01

This summary reviews 18 key articles published in 2016 which have significant practice implications for the perioperative medical care of surgical patients. Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the practice of perioperative medicine, important new evidence is published in journals representing a variety of medical and surgical specialties. Keeping current with the evidence that drives best practice in perioperative medicine is therefore challenging. We set out to identify, critically review, and summarize key evidence which has the most potential for practice change. We integrated the new evidence into the existing body of medical knowledge and identified practical implications for real world patient care. The articles address issues related to anticoagulation, transfusion threshold, immunosuppressive medications, postoperative delirium, myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery, postoperative pain management, perioperative management of antihypertensives, perioperative fasting, and perioperative diabetic control.

Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Chronic Venous Disease and Implications for Venoactive Drug Therapy.

PubMed

Mansilha, Armando; Sousa, Joel

2018-06-05

Chronic venous disease (CVD) is a common pathology, with significant physical and psychological impacts for patients and high economic costs for national healthcare systems. Throughout the last decades, several risk factors for this condition have been identified, but only recently, have the roles of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction been properly assessed. Although still incompletely understood, current knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms of CVD reveals several potential targets and strategies for therapeutic intervention, some of which are addressable by currently available venoactive drugs. The roles of these drugs in the clinical improvement of venous tone and contractility, reduction of edema and inflammation, as well as in improved microcirculation and venous ulcer healing have been studied extensively, with favorable results reported in the literature. Here, we aim to review these pathophysiological mechanisms and their implications regarding currently available venoactive drug therapies.

Forgiveness and relationship satisfaction: mediating mechanisms.

PubMed

Braithwaite, Scott R; Selby, Edward A; Fincham, Frank D

2011-08-01

Although the ability to forgive transgressions has been linked to overall relationship satisfaction, the mechanisms that mediate this association have not been established. We propose that the tendency to forgive a romantic partner increases relationship satisfaction via increased relational effort and decreased negative conflict. In two studies, we used structural equations modeling to examine these variables as potential mechanisms that drive this association. In Study 1 (N = 523) and Study 2 (N = 446) we found that these variables significantly mediated the association between forgiveness and relationship satisfaction. The findings were robust when examined concurrently and longitudinally, across multiple measures of forgiveness, and when accounting for baseline relationship satisfaction and interpersonal commitment. These two mechanisms parallel theorized positive and negative dimensions of forgiveness and the motivational transformation that is said to underlie forgiveness. Theoretical implications and implications for intervention are discussed.

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

Calvin, Katherine V.; Wise, Marshall A.; Kyle, G. Page

Many papers have shown that bioenergy and land-use are potentially important elements in a strategy to limit anthropogenic climate change. But, significant expansion of bioenergy production can have a large terrestrial footprint. In this paper, we test the implications for land use, the global energy system, carbon cycle, and carbon prices of meeting a specific climate target, using a single fossil fuel and industrial sector policy instrument—the carbon tax, but with five alternative bioenergy and land-use policy architectures. We find that the policies we examined have differing effects on the different segments of the economy. Comprehensive land policies can reducemore » land-use change emissions, increasing allowable emissions in the energy system, but have implications for the cost of food. Bioenergy taxes and constraints, on the other hand, have little effect on food prices, but can result in increased carbon and energy prices.« less

Hope, despair and transformation: Climate change and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing

PubMed Central

Fritze, Jessica G; Blashki, Grant A; Burke, Susie; Wiseman, John

2008-01-01

Background This article aims to provide an introduction to emerging evidence and debate about the relationship between climate change and mental health. Discussion and Conclusion The authors argue that: i) the direct impacts of climate change such as extreme weather events will have significant mental health implications; ii) climate change is already impacting on the social, economic and environmental determinants of mental health with the most severe consequences being felt by disadvantaged communities and populations; iii) understanding the full extent of the long term social and environmental challenges posed by climate change has the potential to create emotional distress and anxiety; and iv) understanding the psycho-social implications of climate change is also an important starting point for informed action to prevent dangerous climate change at individual, community and societal levels. PMID:18799005

Proprioception: where are we now? A commentary on clinical assessment, changes across the life course, functional implications and future interventions.

PubMed

Suetterlin, Karen Joan; Sayer, Avan Aihie

2014-05-01

Proprioception, the sense of where one is in space, is essential for effective interaction with the environment. A lack of or reduction in proprioceptive acuity has been directly correlated with falls and with reduced functional independence in older people. Proprioceptive losses have also been shown to negatively correlate with functional recovery post stroke and play a significant role in other conditions such as Parkinson's disease. However, despite its central importance to many geriatric syndromes, the clinical assessment of proprioception has remained remarkably static. We look at approaches to the clinical assessment of proprioception, changes in proprioception across the life course, functional implications of proprioception in health and disease and the potential for targeted interventions in the future such as joint taping, and proprioception-specific rehabilitation and footwear.

Implications of LHCb measurements and future prospects

DOE PAGES

Bharucha, A.; Bigi, I. I.; Bobeth, C.; ...

2013-04-26

During 2011 the LHCb experiment at CERN collected 1.0 fb -1 of √s=7~TeV pp collisions. Due to the large heavy quark production cross-sections, these data provide unprecedented samples of heavy flavoured hadrons. The first results from LHCb have made a significant impact on the flavour physics landscape and have definitively proved the concept of a dedicated experiment in the forward region at a hadron collider. This document discusses the implications of these first measurements on classes of extensions to the Standard Model, bearing in mind the interplay with the results of searches for on-shell production of new particles at ATLASmore » and CMS. The physics potential of an upgrade to the LHCb detector, which would allow an order of magnitude more data to be collected, is emphasised.« less

Graded Elevation of c-Jun in Schwann Cells In Vivo: Gene Dosage Determines Effects on Development, Remyelination, Tumorigenesis, and Hypomyelination.

PubMed

Fazal, Shaline V; Gomez-Sanchez, Jose A; Wagstaff, Laura J; Musner, Nicolo; Otto, Georg; Janz, Martin; Mirsky, Rhona; Jessen, Kristján R

2017-12-13

Schwann cell c-Jun is implicated in adaptive and maladaptive functions in peripheral nerves. In injured nerves, this transcription factor promotes the repair Schwann cell phenotype and regeneration and promotes Schwann-cell-mediated neurotrophic support in models of peripheral neuropathies. However, c-Jun is associated with tumor formation in some systems, potentially suppresses myelin genes, and has been implicated in demyelinating neuropathies. To clarify these issues and to determine how c-Jun levels determine its function, we have generated c-Jun OE/+ and c-Jun OE/OE mice with graded expression of c-Jun in Schwann cells and examined these lines during development, in adulthood, and after injury using RNA sequencing analysis, quantitative electron microscopic morphometry, Western blotting, and functional tests. Schwann cells are remarkably tolerant of elevated c-Jun because the nerves of c-Jun OE/+ mice, in which c-Jun is elevated ∼6-fold, are normal with the exception of modestly reduced myelin thickness. The stronger elevation of c-Jun in c-Jun OE/OE mice is, however, sufficient to induce significant hypomyelination pathology, implicating c-Jun as a potential player in demyelinating neuropathies. The tumor suppressor P19 ARF is strongly activated in the nerves of these mice and, even in aged c-Jun OE/OE mice, there is no evidence of tumors. This is consistent with the fact that tumors do not form in injured nerves, although they contain proliferating Schwann cells with strikingly elevated c-Jun. Furthermore, in crushed nerves of c-Jun OE/+ mice, where c-Jun levels are overexpressed sufficiently to accelerate axonal regeneration, myelination and function are restored after injury. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In injured and diseased nerves, the transcription factor c-Jun in Schwann cells is elevated and variously implicated in controlling beneficial or adverse functions, including trophic Schwann cell support for neurons, promotion of regeneration, tumorigenesis, and suppression of myelination. To analyze the functions of c-Jun, we have used transgenic mice with graded elevation of Schwann cell c-Jun. We show that high c-Jun elevation is a potential pathogenic mechanism because it inhibits myelination. Conversely, we did not find a link between c-Jun elevation and tumorigenesis. Modest c-Jun elevation, which is beneficial for regeneration, is well tolerated during Schwann cell development and in the adult and is compatible with restoration of myelination and nerve function after injury. Copyright © 2017 Fazal, Gomez-Sanchez et al.

Graded Elevation of c-Jun in Schwann Cells In Vivo: Gene Dosage Determines Effects on Development, Remyelination, Tumorigenesis, and Hypomyelination

PubMed Central

Fazal, Shaline V.; Wagstaff, Laura J.; Musner, Nicolo; Janz, Martin

2017-01-01

Schwann cell c-Jun is implicated in adaptive and maladaptive functions in peripheral nerves. In injured nerves, this transcription factor promotes the repair Schwann cell phenotype and regeneration and promotes Schwann-cell-mediated neurotrophic support in models of peripheral neuropathies. However, c-Jun is associated with tumor formation in some systems, potentially suppresses myelin genes, and has been implicated in demyelinating neuropathies. To clarify these issues and to determine how c-Jun levels determine its function, we have generated c-Jun OE/+ and c-Jun OE/OE mice with graded expression of c-Jun in Schwann cells and examined these lines during development, in adulthood, and after injury using RNA sequencing analysis, quantitative electron microscopic morphometry, Western blotting, and functional tests. Schwann cells are remarkably tolerant of elevated c-Jun because the nerves of c-Jun OE/+ mice, in which c-Jun is elevated ∼6-fold, are normal with the exception of modestly reduced myelin thickness. The stronger elevation of c-Jun in c-Jun OE/OE mice is, however, sufficient to induce significant hypomyelination pathology, implicating c-Jun as a potential player in demyelinating neuropathies. The tumor suppressor P19ARF is strongly activated in the nerves of these mice and, even in aged c-Jun OE/OE mice, there is no evidence of tumors. This is consistent with the fact that tumors do not form in injured nerves, although they contain proliferating Schwann cells with strikingly elevated c-Jun. Furthermore, in crushed nerves of c-Jun OE/+ mice, where c-Jun levels are overexpressed sufficiently to accelerate axonal regeneration, myelination and function are restored after injury. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In injured and diseased nerves, the transcription factor c-Jun in Schwann cells is elevated and variously implicated in controlling beneficial or adverse functions, including trophic Schwann cell support for neurons, promotion of regeneration, tumorigenesis, and suppression of myelination. To analyze the functions of c-Jun, we have used transgenic mice with graded elevation of Schwann cell c-Jun. We show that high c-Jun elevation is a potential pathogenic mechanism because it inhibits myelination. Conversely, we did not find a link between c-Jun elevation and tumorigenesis. Modest c-Jun elevation, which is beneficial for regeneration, is well tolerated during Schwann cell development and in the adult and is compatible with restoration of myelination and nerve function after injury. PMID:29109239

Visual Complexity Attenuates Emotional Processing in Psychopathy: Implications for Fear-Potentiated Startle Deficits

PubMed Central

Sadeh, Naomi; Verona, Edelyn

2012-01-01

A long-standing debate is the extent to which psychopathy is characterized by a fundamental deficit in attention or emotion. We tested the hypothesis that the interplay of emotional and attentional systems is critical for understanding processing deficits in psychopathy. Sixty-three offenders were assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and fear-potentiated startle (FPS) were collected while participants viewed pictures selected to disentangle an existing confound between perceptual complexity and emotional content in the pictures typically used to study fear deficits in psychopathy. As predicted, picture complexity moderated emotional processing deficits. Specifically, the affective-interpersonal features of psychopathy were associated with greater allocation of attentional resources to processing emotional stimuli at initial perception (visual N1) but only when picture stimuli were visually-complex. Despite this, results for the late positive potential indicated that emotional pictures were less attentionally engaging and held less motivational significance for individuals high in affective-interpersonal traits. This deficient negative emotional processing was observed later in their reduced defensive fear reactivity (FPS) to high-complexity unpleasant pictures. In contrast, the impulsive-antisocial features of psychopathy were associated with decreased sensitivity to picture complexity (visual N1) and unrelated to emotional processing as assessed by ERP and FPS. These findings are the first to demonstrate that picture complexity moderates FPS deficits and implicate the interplay of attention and emotional systems as deficient in psychopathy. PMID:22187225

Identification of Genes Potentially Regulated by Human Polynucleotide Phosphorylase (hPNPaseold-35) Using Melanoma as a Model

PubMed Central

Sokhi, Upneet K.; Bacolod, Manny D.; Dasgupta, Santanu; Emdad, Luni; Das, Swadesh K.; Dumur, Catherine I.; Miles, Michael F.; Sarkar, Devanand; Fisher, Paul B.

2013-01-01

Human Polynucleotide Phosphorylase (hPNPaseold-35 or PNPT1) is an evolutionarily conserved 3′→5′ exoribonuclease implicated in the regulation of numerous physiological processes including maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis, mtRNA import and aging-associated inflammation. From an RNase perspective, little is known about the RNA or miRNA species it targets for degradation or whose expression it regulates; except for c-myc and miR-221. To further elucidate the functional implications of hPNPaseold-35 in cellular physiology, we knocked-down and overexpressed hPNPaseold-35 in human melanoma cells and performed gene expression analyses to identify differentially expressed transcripts. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis indicated that knockdown of hPNPaseold-35 resulted in significant gene expression changes associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and cholesterol biosynthesis; whereas overexpression of hPNPaseold-35 caused global changes in cell-cycle related functions. Additionally, comparative gene expression analyses between our hPNPaseold-35 knockdown and overexpression datasets allowed us to identify 77 potential “direct” and 61 potential “indirect” targets of hPNPaseold-35 which formed correlated networks enriched for cell-cycle and wound healing functional association, respectively. These results provide a comprehensive database of genes responsive to hPNPaseold-35 expression levels; along with the identification new potential candidate genes offering fresh insight into cellular pathways regulated by PNPT1 and which may be used in the future for possible therapeutic intervention in mitochondrial- or inflammation-associated disease phenotypes. PMID:24143183

Acid sulfate soils and human health--a Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.

PubMed

Ljung, Karin; Maley, Fiona; Cook, Angus; Weinstein, Philip

2009-11-01

Acid sulfate soils have been described as the "nastiest soils on earth" because of their strong acidity, increased mobility of potentially toxic elements and limited bioavailability of nutrients. They only cover a small area of the world's total problem soils, but often have significant adverse effects on agriculture, aquaculture and the environment on a local scale. Their location often coincides with high population density areas along the coasts of many developing countries. As a result, their negative impacts on ecosystems can have serious implications to those least equipped for coping with the low crop yields and reduced water quality that can result from acid sulfate soil disturbance. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment called on by the United Nations in 2000 emphasised the importance of ecosystems for human health and well-being. These include the service they provide as sources of food and water, through the control of pollution and disease, as well as for the cultural services ecosystems provide. While the problems related to agriculture, aquaculture and the environment have been the focus of many acid sulfate soil management efforts, the connection to human health has largely been ignored. This paper presents the potential health issues of acid sulfate soils, in relation to the ecosystem services identified in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. It is recognised that significant implications on food security and livelihood can result, as well as on community cohesiveness and the spread of vector-borne disease. However, the connection between these outcomes and acid sulfate soils is often not obvious and it is therefore argued that the impact of such soils on human well-being needs to be recognised in order to raise awareness among the public and decision makers, to in turn facilitate proper management and avoid potential human ill-health.

Inhibition of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) formation in emulsified porcine patties by phenolic-rich avocado (Persea americana Mill.) extracts.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Carpena, Javier-Germán; Morcuende, David; Petrón, María Jesus; Estévez, Mario

2012-03-07

The effect of phenolic-rich extracts from avocado peel on the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in porcine patties subjected to cooking and chill storage was studied. Eight COPs (7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, 20α-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, cholestanetriol, 5,6β-epoxycholesterol, and 5,6α-epoxycholesterol) were identified and quantified by GC-MS. The addition of avocado extracts (∼600 GAE/kg patty) to patties significantly inhibited the formation of COPs during cooking. Cooked control (C) patties contained a larger variety and greater amounts of COPs than the avocado-treated (T) counterparts. COPs sharply increased in cooked patties during the subsequent chilled storage. This increase was significantly higher in C patties than in the T patties. Interestingly, the amount of COPs in cooked and chilled T patties was similar to those found in cooked C patties. The mechanisms implicated in cholesterol oxidation in a processed meat product, the protective effect of avocado phenolics, and the potential implication of lipid and protein oxidation are thoroughly described in the present paper.

Environmental health implications of global climate change.

PubMed

Watson, Robert T; Patz, Jonathan; Gubler, Duane J; Parson, Edward A; Vincent, James H

2005-09-01

This paper reviews the background that has led to the now almost-universally held opinion in the scientific community that global climate change is occurring and is inescapably linked with anthropogenic activity. The potential implications to human health are considerable and very diverse. These include, for example, the increased direct impacts of heat and of rises in sea level, exacerbated air and water-borne harmful agents, and--associated with all the preceding--the emergence of environmental refugees. Vector-borne diseases, in particular those associated with blood-sucking arthropods such as mosquitoes, may be significantly impacted, including redistribution of some of those diseases to areas not previously affected. Responses to possible impending environmental and public health crises must involve political and socio-economic considerations, adding even greater complexity to what is already a difficult challenge. In some areas, adjustments to national and international public health practices and policies may be effective, at least in the short and medium terms. But in others, more drastic measures will be required. Environmental monitoring, in its widest sense, will play a significant role in the future management of the problem.

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia.

PubMed

Zervoulis, Karyofyllis; Lyons, Evanthia; Dinos, Sokratis

2015-08-01

Aims and method The relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem. Results The results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship. Clinical implications The findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self.

Substance use and its implications for the critical care nurses: a literature review.

PubMed

Brotto, Vanessa; Lee, Geraldine

2007-04-01

Illicit drug use in Australia has been increasing and studies indicate that illicit drug users have a higher risk of accidents which may result in the user needing critical care. However, there is a significant gap in the literature specifically pertaining to the implications of drug use in critical care. The primary objective was to examine the literature for the physiological effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine and amphetamines in critically ill patients. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken and a body systems framework was used to categorise the effects of these illicit drugs. The illicit substances addressed have potentially fatal and long-term side effects. For those users involved in accidents or trauma requiring intensive or critical care nursing, the mortality and co-morbidity risks are increased significantly. It is, therefore, important that nurses are able to recognise the specific physiological effects and possible complications that can occur with the use of each illicit drug. Both nursing and medical staff need to have a thorough understanding of how illicit substances work and how they can affect the critical care patient and the care they are given.

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia

PubMed Central

Zervoulis, Karyofyllis; Lyons, Evanthia; Dinos, Sokratis

2015-01-01

Aims and method The relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem. Results The results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship. Clinical implications The findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self. PMID:26755948

KCNT1 gain-of-function in two epilepsy phenotypes is reversed by quinidine

PubMed Central

Milligan, Carol J.; Li, Melody; Gazina, Elena V.; Heron, Sarah E.; Nair, Umesh; Trager, Chantel; Reid, Christopher A.; Venkat, Anu; Younkin, Donald P.; Dlugos, Dennis J.; Petrovski, Slavé; Goldstein, David B.; Dibbens, Leanne M.; Scheffer, Ingrid E.; Berkovic, Samuel F; Petrou, Steven

2014-01-01

Objective Mutations in KCNT1 have been implicated in autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) and epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS). More recently, a whole exome sequencing study of epileptic encephalopathies identified an additional de novo mutation in one proband with EIMFS. We aim to investigate the electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of hKCNT1 mutations and examine developmental expression levels. Methods Here we use a Xenopus laevis oocyte based automated two-electrode voltage-clamp assay. The effects of quinidine (100 and 300 µM) are also tested. Using quantitative RT-PCR, the relative levels of mouse brain mKcnt1 mRNA expression are determined. Results We demonstrate that KCNT1 mutations implicated in epilepsy cause a marked increase in function. Importantly, there was a significant group difference in gain-of-function between mutations associated with ADNFLE and EIMFS. Finally, exposure to quinidine significantly reduces this gain-of-function for all mutations studied. Interpretation These results establish direction for a targeted therapy and potentially exemplify a translational paradigm for in vitro studies informing novel therapies in a neuropsychiatric disease. PMID:24591078

Polyimine and its potential significance for prebiotic chemistry on Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahm, Martin; Lunine, Jonathan I.; Usher, David; Shalloway, David

2016-10-01

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN), a key reagent in prebiotic chemistry, is being generated in large amounts in the atmosphere of Titan. Contradictions between Cassini-Huygens measurements of the atmosphere and the surface of Titan, suggest that HCN is undergoing reaction chemistry, despite the frigid temperatures of 90-94 K. We will discuss computational results [1] investigating polyimine as one potential explanation for this observation. Polyimine is a polymer identified as the major component of polymerized HCN in laboratory experiments. It is flexible, which aids low temperature mobility, and it is able to form intermolecular and intramolecular =N-H...N hydrogen bonds, allowing for different polymorphs. Polymorphs have been predicted and explored by density functional theory coupled with a structure-searching algorithm. We have calculated the thermodynamics of polymerization, and show that polyimine is capable of absorbing light in a window of relative transparency in Titan's atmosphere. Light absorption and the possible catalytic functions of polyimine are suggestive of it driving photochemistry on the surface, with potential prebiotic implications.References:[1] M. Rahm, J. I. Lunine, D. Usher, D. Shalloway, "Polymorphism and electronic structure of polyimine and its potential significance for prebiotic chemistry on Titan", PNAS, early view. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1606634113

The relationship between experiences of discrimination and mental health among lesbians and gay men: An examination of internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity as potential mechanisms.

PubMed

Feinstein, Brian A; Goldfried, Marvin R; Davila, Joanne

2012-10-01

The current study used path analysis to examine potential mechanisms through which experiences of discrimination influence depressive and social anxiety symptoms. The sample included 218 lesbians and 249 gay men (total N = 467) who participated in an online survey about minority stress and mental health. The proposed model included 2 potential mediators-internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity-as well as a culturally relevant antecedent to experiences of discrimination-childhood gender nonconformity. Results indicated that the data fit the model well, supporting the mediating roles of internalized homonegativity and rejection sensitivity in the associations between experiences of discrimination and symptoms of depression and social anxiety. Results also supported the role of childhood gender nonconformity as an antecedent to experiences of discrimination. Although there were not significant gender differences in the overall model fit, some of the associations within the model were significantly stronger for gay men than lesbians. These findings suggest potential mechanisms through which experiences of discrimination influence well-being among sexual minorities, which has important implications for research and clinical practice with these populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Sesquiterpenoids Lactones: Benefits to Plants and People

PubMed Central

Chadwick, Martin; Trewin, Harriet; Gawthrop, Frances; Wagstaff, Carol

2013-01-01

Sesquiterpenoids, and specifically sesquiterpene lactones from Asteraceae, may play a highly significant role in human health, both as part of a balanced diet and as pharmaceutical agents, due to their potential for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and cancer. This review highlights the role of sesquiterpene lactones endogenously in the plants that produce them, and explores mechanisms by which they interact in animal and human consumers of these plants. Several mechanisms are proposed for the reduction of inflammation and tumorigenesis at potentially achievable levels in humans. Plants can be classified by their specific array of produced sesquiterpene lactones, showing high levels of translational control. Studies of folk medicines implicate sesquiterpene lactones as the active ingredient in many treatments for other ailments such as diarrhea, burns, influenza, and neurodegradation. In addition to the anti-inflammatory response, sesquiterpene lactones have been found to sensitize tumor cells to conventional drug treatments. This review explores the varied ecological roles of sesquiterpenes in the plant producer, depending upon the plant and the compound. These include allelopathy with other plants, insects, and microbes, thereby causing behavioural or developmental modification to these secondary organisms to the benefit of the sesquiterpenoid producer. Some sesquiterpenoid lactones are antimicrobial, disrupting the cell wall of fungi and invasive bacteria, whereas others protect the plant from environmental stresses that would otherwise cause oxidative damage. Many of the compounds are effective due to their bitter flavor, which has obvious implications for human consumers. The implications of sesquiterpenoid lactone qualities for future crop production are discussed. PMID:23783276

Combat-related blast-induced neurotrauma: a public health problem?

PubMed

Jett, Shirley

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article is to raise nurses' awareness of the significance and potential public health impact of combat-related blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT) in U.S. troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. A comprehensive review of the current literature on BINT was completed by the author, based primarily on combat-related blast exposure in the military population. She found that it is necessary to theorize about potential etiologies for mild traumatic brain injury in the military population since the literature suggests that neurological and psychological trauma resulting from military duty may be linked to exposure to blasts. Identification of potential risk factors for BINT in the military population provides direction for scientific inquiry into this emerging phenomenon. Gaps in current knowledge and its health implications for future scientific study in nursing are presented. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The use of lower resolution viewing devices for mammographic interpretation: implications for education and training.

PubMed

Chen, Yan; James, Jonathan J; Turnbull, Anne E; Gale, Alastair G

2015-10-01

To establish whether lower resolution, lower cost viewing devices have the potential to deliver mammographic interpretation training. On three occasions over eight months, fourteen consultant radiologists and reporting radiographers read forty challenging digital mammography screening cases on three different displays: a digital mammography workstation, a standard LCD monitor, and a smartphone. Standard image manipulation software was available for use on all three devices. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) were used to determine the significance of differences in performance between the viewing devices with/without the application of image manipulation software. The effect of reader's experience was also assessed. Performance was significantly higher (p < .05) on the mammography workstation compared to the other two viewing devices. When image manipulation software was applied to images viewed on the standard LCD monitor, performance improved to mirror levels seen on the mammography workstation with no significant difference between the two. Image interpretation on the smartphone was uniformly poor. Film reader experience had no significant effect on performance across all three viewing devices. Lower resolution standard LCD monitors combined with appropriate image manipulation software are capable of displaying mammographic pathology, and are potentially suitable for delivering mammographic interpretation training. • This study investigates potential devices for training in mammography interpretation. • Lower resolution standard LCD monitors are potentially suitable for mammographic interpretation training. • The effect of image manipulation tools on mammography workstation viewing is insignificant. • Reader experience had no significant effect on performance in all viewing devices. • Smart phones are not suitable for displaying mammograms.

Anti-LRP/LR Specific Antibody IgG1-iS18 Impedes Adhesion and Invasion of Liver Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Chetty, Carryn; Khumalo, Thandokuhle; Da Costa Dias, Bianca; Reusch, Uwe; Knackmuss, Stefan; Little, Melvyn; Weiss, Stefan F. T.

2014-01-01

Two key events, namely adhesion and invasion, are pivotal to the occurrence of metastasis. Importantly, the 37 kDa/67 kDa laminin receptor (LRP/LR) has been implicated in enhancing these two events thus facilitating cancer progression. In the current study, the role of LRP/LR in the adhesion and invasion of liver cancer (HUH-7) and leukaemia (K562) cells was investigated. Flow cytometry revealed that the HUH-7 cells displayed significantly higher cell surface LRP/LR levels compared to the poorly-invasive breast cancer (MCF-7) control cells, whilst the K562 cells displayed significantly lower cell surface LRP/LR levels in comparison to the MCF-7 control cells. However, Western blotting and densitometric analysis revealed that all three tumorigenic cell lines did not differ significantly with regards to total LRP/LR levels. Furthermore, treatment of liver cancer cells with anti-LRP/LR specific antibody IgG1-iS18 (0.2 mg/ml) significantly reduced the adhesive potential of cells to laminin-1 and the invasive potential of cells through the ECM-like Matrigel, whilst leukaemia cells showed no significant differences in both instances. Additionally, Pearson's correlation coefficients suggested direct proportionality between cell surface LRP/LR levels and the adhesive and invasive potential of liver cancer and leukaemia cells. These findings suggest the potential use of anti-LRP/LR specific antibody IgG1-iS18 as an alternative therapeutic tool for metastatic liver cancer through impediment of the LRP/LR- laminin-1 interaction. PMID:24798101

Comparison of soil and foliar zinc application for enhancing grain zinc content of wheat when grown on potentially zinc-deficient calcareous soils.

PubMed

Zhao, Ai-qing; Tian, Xiao-hong; Cao, Yu-xian; Lu, Xin-chun; Liu, Ting

2014-08-01

The concentration of Zn and phytic acid in wheat grain has important implications for human health. We conducted field and greenhouse experiments to compare the efficacy of soil and foliar Zn fertilisation in improving grain Zn concentration and bioavailability in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain grown on potentially Zn-deficient calcareous soil. Results from the 2-year field experiment indicated that soil Zn application increased soil DTPA-Zn by an average of 174%, but had no significant effect on grain Zn concentration. In contrast, foliar Zn application increased grain Zn concentration by an average of 61%, and Zn bioavailability by an average of 36%. Soil DTPA-Zn concentrations varied depending on wheat cultivars. There were also significant differences in grain phytic acid concentration among the cultivars. A laboratory experiment indicated that Zn (from ZnSO4 ) had a low diffusion coefficient in this calcareous soil. Compared to soil Zn application, foliar Zn application is more effective in improving grain Zn content of wheat grown in potentially Zn-deficient calcareous soils. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Behavioural and electrophysiological effects related to semantic violations during braille reading.

PubMed

Glyn, Vania; Lim, Vanessa K; Hamm, Jeff P; Mathur, Ashwin; Hughes, Barry

2015-10-01

This study investigated the potential to detect event related potentials (ERPs) occurring in response to a specific task in braille reading. This would expand current methodologies for studying the cognitive processes underlying braille reading. An N400 effect paradigm was utilised, whereby proficient blind braille readers read congruent- and incongruent-ending braille sentences. Kinematic and electroencephalography (EEG) data were obtained simultaneously and synchronised. The ERPs differed between the incongruent and congruent sentences in a manner consistent with the N400 effect found with a previous sighted reading paradigm, demonstrating that ERPs can be obtained during braille reading. The frequency of finger reversals and the degree of intermittency in the finger velocity were significantly higher when reading incongruent versus congruent sentence endings. Both reversals and the potential N400 effect may reflect processes involved in semantic unification. These findings have significant implications for the modelling of braille reading. The refinement of the technique will enable other ERPs to be identified and related to behavioural responses, to further our understanding of the braille reading process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Megacity analysis: a clustering approach to classification

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

kinetic or non -kinetic urban operations. We develop and implement a methodology to classify megacities into groups. Using 33 variables, we construct a...is interested in these megacity networks and their implications for potential urban operations. We develop a methodology to group like megacities...is interested in these megacity networks and their implications for potential urban operations. We develop a methodology to group like megacities

Identifying Potential Implications of Technologies on Military and Security Options

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) ratings. THE DISCUSSION Technology surprise occurs through the use of rapidly-emerging and disruptive technologies by...NATO RTB Systems Analysis and Studies Panel, Exploratory Team on the Impact of Disruptive Technologies The objectives of this task group (TG...Workshop on Emerging Disruptive Technologies and the Implications for Defence advanced the view that TTCP should examine the potential of emerging

Ecosystem services from a degraded peatland of Central Kalimantan: implications for policy, planning, and management.

PubMed

Law, Elizabeth A; Bryan, Bretr A; Meijaard, Erik; Mallawaarachchi, Thilak; Struebig, Matthew; Wilson, Kerrie A

2015-01-01

Increasingly, landscapes are managed for multiple objectives to balance social, economic, and environmental goals. The Ex-Mega Rice Project (EMRP) peatland in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia provides a timely example with globally significant development, carbon, and biodiversity concerns. To inform future policy, planning, and management in the EMRP, we quantified and mapped ecosystem service values, assessed their spatial interactions, and evaluated the potential provision of ecosystem services under future land-use scenarios. We focus on key policy-relevant regulating (carbon stocks and the potential for emissions reduction), provisioning (timber, crops from smallholder agriculture, palm oil), and supporting (biodiversity) services. We found that implementation of existing land-use plans has the potential to improve total ecosystem service provision. We identify a number of significant inefficiencies, trade-offs, and unintended outcomes that may arise. For example, the potential development of existing palm oil concessions over one-third of the region may shift smallholder agriculture into low-productivity regions and substantially impact carbon and biodiversity outcomes. While improved management of conservation zones may enhance the protection of carbon stocks, not all biodiversity features will be represented, and there will be a reduction in timber harvesting and agricultural production. This study highlights how ecosystem service analyses can be structured to better inform policy, planning, and management in globally significant but data-poor regions.

Stabilization of global temperature at 1.5°C and 2.0°C: implications for coastal areas

PubMed Central

Brown, Sally; Wolff, Claudia; Merkens, Jan-Ludolf

2018-01-01

The effectiveness of stringent climate stabilization scenarios for coastal areas in terms of reduction of impacts/adaptation needs and wider policy implications has received little attention. Here we use the Warming Acidification and Sea Level Projector Earth systems model to calculate large ensembles of global sea-level rise (SLR) and ocean pH projections to 2300 for 1.5°C and 2.0°C stabilization scenarios, and a reference unmitigated RCP8.5 scenario. The potential consequences of these projections are then considered for global coastal flooding, small islands, deltas, coastal cities and coastal ecology. Under both stabilization scenarios, global mean ocean pH (and temperature) stabilize within a century. This implies significant ecosystem impacts are avoided, but detailed quantification is lacking, reflecting scientific uncertainty. By contrast, SLR is only slowed and continues to 2300 (and beyond). Hence, while coastal impacts due to SLR are reduced significantly by climate stabilization, especially after 2100, potential impacts continue to grow for centuries. SLR in 2300 under both stabilization scenarios exceeds unmitigated SLR in 2100. Therefore, adaptation remains essential in densely populated and economically important coastal areas under climate stabilization. Given the multiple adaptation steps that this will require, an adaptation pathways approach has merits for coastal areas. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels’. PMID:29610380

Beneficial nutritional properties of olive oil: implications for postprandial lipoproteins and factor VII.

PubMed

Williams, C M

2001-08-01

Previous research concerning protective cardiovascular properties of olive oil has focussed on the beneficial consequences on blood cholesterol levels of substituting dietary saturated fatty acids with oleic acid. Despite evidence implicating raised circulating triglycerides in the postprandial state in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, little research had been conducted to investigate effects of monounsaturated fatty acids on postprandial events. In a case control study of southern (n = 30) versus northern European (n = 30) men, significant differences in postprandial triglyceride and apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 response were observed, with evidence of attenuated and potentially beneficial responses in the Southern Europeans. In a randomised controlled study manufactured foods typical of the Northern European food culture, were used to deliver diets rich in either saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids (from olive oil). During the period of the olive oil enriched diet, LDL-cholesterol levels were 15% lower (p < 0.001) than during the saturated fat diet. Postprandial triglyceride response was shifted towards the profile seen in southern European men and the postprandial activation of factor VII, as well as the production of factor VII antigen, was reduced on the olive oil diet. The study demonstrated significant improvements in biomarkers for cardiovascular disease in subjects osed to high olive oil diets (Southern Europeans) or transferred to such diets in the short term (Northern European volunteers). The study produced novel findings with respect to potential mechanisms by which diets high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) can reduce population risk of cardiovascular disease.

Postprandial energy expenditure in whole-food and processed-food meals: implications for daily energy expenditure.

PubMed

Barr, Sadie B; Wright, Jonathan C

2010-07-02

Empirical evidence has shown that rising obesity rates closely parallel the increased consumption of processed foods (PF) consumption in USA. Differences in postprandial thermogenic responses to a whole-food (WF) meal vs. a PF meal may be a key factor in explaining obesity trends, but currently there is limited research exploring this potential link. The goal was to determine if a particular PF meal has a greater thermodynamic efficiency than a comparable WF meal, thereby conferring a greater net-energy intake. Subjective satiation scores and postprandial energy expenditure were measured for 5-6 h after isoenergetic meals were ingested. The meals were either 'whole' or 'processed' cheese sandwiches; multi-grain bread and cheddar cheese were deemed whole, while white bread and processed cheese product were considered processed. Meals were comparable in terms of protein (15-20%), carbohydrate (40-50%), and fat (33-39%) composition. Subjects were healthy women (n=12) and men (n=5) studied in a crossover design. There were no significant differences in satiety ratings after the two meals. Average energy expenditure for the WF meal (137+/-14.1 kcal, 19.9% of meal energy) was significantly larger than for the PF meal (73.1+/-10.2 kcal, 10.7% of meal energy). Ingestion of the particular PF meal tested in this study decreases postprandial energy expenditure by nearly 50% compared with the isoenergetic WF meal. This reduction in daily energy expenditure has potential implications for diets comprised heavily of PFs and their associations with obesity.

Stabilization of global temperature at 1.5°C and 2.0°C: implications for coastal areas.

PubMed

Nicholls, Robert J; Brown, Sally; Goodwin, Philip; Wahl, Thomas; Lowe, Jason; Solan, Martin; Godbold, Jasmin A; Haigh, Ivan D; Lincke, Daniel; Hinkel, Jochen; Wolff, Claudia; Merkens, Jan-Ludolf

2018-05-13

The effectiveness of stringent climate stabilization scenarios for coastal areas in terms of reduction of impacts/adaptation needs and wider policy implications has received little attention. Here we use the Warming Acidification and Sea Level Projector Earth systems model to calculate large ensembles of global sea-level rise (SLR) and ocean pH projections to 2300 for 1.5°C and 2.0°C stabilization scenarios, and a reference unmitigated RCP8.5 scenario. The potential consequences of these projections are then considered for global coastal flooding, small islands, deltas, coastal cities and coastal ecology. Under both stabilization scenarios, global mean ocean pH (and temperature) stabilize within a century. This implies significant ecosystem impacts are avoided, but detailed quantification is lacking, reflecting scientific uncertainty. By contrast, SLR is only slowed and continues to 2300 (and beyond). Hence, while coastal impacts due to SLR are reduced significantly by climate stabilization, especially after 2100, potential impacts continue to grow for centuries. SLR in 2300 under both stabilization scenarios exceeds unmitigated SLR in 2100. Therefore, adaptation remains essential in densely populated and economically important coastal areas under climate stabilization. Given the multiple adaptation steps that this will require, an adaptation pathways approach has merits for coastal areas.This article is part of the theme issue 'The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'. © 2018 The Authors.

Stabilization of global temperature at 1.5°C and 2.0°C: implications for coastal areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholls, Robert J.; Brown, Sally; Goodwin, Philip; Wahl, Thomas; Lowe, Jason; Solan, Martin; Godbold, Jasmin A.; Haigh, Ivan D.; Lincke, Daniel; Hinkel, Jochen; Wolff, Claudia; Merkens, Jan-Ludolf

2018-05-01

The effectiveness of stringent climate stabilization scenarios for coastal areas in terms of reduction of impacts/adaptation needs and wider policy implications has received little attention. Here we use the Warming Acidification and Sea Level Projector Earth systems model to calculate large ensembles of global sea-level rise (SLR) and ocean pH projections to 2300 for 1.5°C and 2.0°C stabilization scenarios, and a reference unmitigated RCP8.5 scenario. The potential consequences of these projections are then considered for global coastal flooding, small islands, deltas, coastal cities and coastal ecology. Under both stabilization scenarios, global mean ocean pH (and temperature) stabilize within a century. This implies significant ecosystem impacts are avoided, but detailed quantification is lacking, reflecting scientific uncertainty. By contrast, SLR is only slowed and continues to 2300 (and beyond). Hence, while coastal impacts due to SLR are reduced significantly by climate stabilization, especially after 2100, potential impacts continue to grow for centuries. SLR in 2300 under both stabilization scenarios exceeds unmitigated SLR in 2100. Therefore, adaptation remains essential in densely populated and economically important coastal areas under climate stabilization. Given the multiple adaptation steps that this will require, an adaptation pathways approach has merits for coastal areas. This article is part of the theme issue `The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'.

Bison PRNP genotyping and potential association with Brucella spp. seroprevalence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seabury, C.M.; Halbert, N.D.; Gogan, P.J.P.; Templeton, J.W.; Derr, J.N.

2005-01-01

The implication that host cellular prion protein (PrPC) may function as a cell surface receptor and/or portal protein for Brucella abortus in mice prompted an evaluation of nucleotide and amino acid variation within exon 3 of the prion protein gene (PRNP) for six US bison populations. A non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (T50C), resulting in the predicted amino acid replacement M17T (Met ??? Thr), was identified in each population. To date, no variation (T50: Met) has been detected at the corresponding exon 3 nucleotide and/or amino acid position for domestic cattle. Notably, 80% (20 of 25) of the Yellowstone National Park bison possessing the C/C genotype were Brucella spp. seropositive, representing a significant (P = 0.021) association between seropositivity and the C/C genotypic class. Moreover, significant differences in the distribution of PRNP exon 3 alleles and genotypes were detected between Yellowstone National Park bison and three bison populations that were either founded from seronegative stock or previously subjected to test-and-slaughter management to eradicate brucellosis. Unlike domestic cattle, no indel polymorphisms were detected within the corresponding regions of the putative bison PRNP promoter, intron 1, octapeptide repeat region or 3???-untranslated region for any population examined. This study provides the first evidence of a potential association between nucleotide variation within PRNP exon 3 and the presence of Brucella spp. antibodies in bison, implicating PrPC in the natural resistance of bison to brucellosis infection. ?? 2005 International Society for Animal Genetics.

Ecological Implications of a Flower Size/Number Trade-Off in Tropical Forest Trees

PubMed Central

Kettle, Chris J.; Maycock, Colin R.; Ghazoul, Jaboury; Hollingsworth, Pete M.; Khoo, Eyen; Sukri, Rahayu Sukmaria Haji; Burslem, David F. R. P.

2011-01-01

Background In angiosperms, flower size commonly scales negatively with number. The ecological consequences of this trade-off for tropical trees remain poorly resolved, despite their potential importance for tropical forest conservation. We investigated the flower size number trade-off and its implications for fecundity in a sample of tree species from the Dipterocarpaceae on Borneo. Methodology/Principal Findings We combined experimental exclusion of pollinators in 11 species, with direct and indirect estimates of contemporary pollen dispersal in two study species and published estimates of pollen dispersal in a further three species to explore the relationship between flower size, pollinator size and mean pollen dispersal distance. Maximum flower production was two orders of magnitude greater in small-flowered than large-flowered species of Dipterocarpaceae. In contrast, fruit production was unrelated to flower size and did not differ significantly among species. Small-flowered species had both smaller-sized pollinators and lower mean pollination success than large-flowered species. Average pollen dispersal distances were lower and frequency of mating between related individuals was higher in a smaller-flowered species than a larger-flowered confamilial. Our synthesis of pollen dispersal estimates across five species of dipterocarp suggests that pollen dispersal scales positively with flower size. Conclusions and Their Significance Trade-offs embedded in the relationship between flower size and pollination success contribute to a reduction in the variance of fecundity among species. It is therefore plausible that these processes could delay competitive exclusion and contribute to maintenance of species coexistence in this ecologically and economically important family of tropical trees. These results have practical implications for tree species conservation and restoration. Seed collection from small-flowered species may be especially vulnerable to cryptic genetic erosion. Our findings also highlight the potential for differential vulnerability of tropical tree species to the deleterious consequences of forest fragmentation. PMID:21408110

Photodegradation of aqueous argatroban investigated by LC/MSn: Photoproducts, transformation processes and potential implications.

PubMed

Secrétan, Philippe-Henri; Karoui, Maher; Bernard, Mélisande; Ghermani, Noureddine; Safta, Fathi; Yagoubi, Najet; Do, Bernard

2016-11-30

Argatroban (ARGA), used as intravenous anticoagulant drug, has been reported to photodegrade under light exposure, requiring specific precautions at handling, storage and administration. Thus, for the first time, aqueous ARGA photodegradation under aerobic conditions has been described in terms of photoproducts, phototransformation processes and potential implications. ARGA significant photoproducts were successfully separated and characterized by gradient reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution multistage mass spectrometry (LC/HR-MS n ). Hitherto still not available in literature, ARGA in-depth fragmentation study was conducted so as to thoroughly sort out the main mechanisms specific to the molecule and therefore, to propose a fragmentation pattern relevant to the identification of ARGA related substances. Thereafter, in view of the structural characteristics of the photoproducts formed, ARGA photodegradation pathways could be worked out, showing that whether by direct photolysis or through photosensitization, the methyltetrahydroquinoline nitrogen and that of guanidine group would be mainly involved in photolysis initiation reactions, through one-electron oxidation along with proton loss. Desulfonation, cyclisation affording compounds of diazinane type, and/or rearrangements with transfer of the methyltetrahydroquinoline group toward the guanidine function were observed accordingly. Having a good insight into ARGA photodegradation pathways allows for consistent measures in view of mitigating or avoiding the drug decay and the related potential effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drug-drug interactions involving lysosomes: mechanisms and potential clinical implications.

PubMed

Logan, Randall; Funk, Ryan S; Axcell, Erick; Krise, Jeffrey P

2012-08-01

Many commercially available, weakly basic drugs have been shown to be lysosomotropic, meaning they are subject to extensive sequestration in lysosomes through an ion trapping-type mechanism. The extent of lysosomal trapping of a drug is an important therapeutic consideration because it can influence both activity and pharmacokinetic disposition. The administration of certain drugs can alter lysosomes such that their accumulation capacity for co-administered and/or secondarily administered drugs is altered. In this review the authors explore what is known regarding the mechanistic basis for drug-drug interactions involving lysosomes. Specifically, the authors address the influence of drugs on lysosomal pH, volume and lipid processing. Many drugs are known to extensively accumulate in lysosomes and significantly alter their structure and function; however, the therapeutic and toxicological implications of this remain controversial. The authors propose that drug-drug interactions involving lysosomes represent an important potential source of variability in drug activity and pharmacokinetics. Most evaluations of drug-drug interactions involving lysosomes have been performed in cultured cells and isolated tissues. More comprehensive in vivo evaluations are needed to fully explore the impact of this drug-drug interaction pathway on therapeutic outcomes.

Effect of a food waste disposer policy on solid waste and wastewater management with economic implications of environmental externalities.

PubMed

Maalouf, Amani; El-Fadel, Mutasem

2017-11-01

In this study, the carbon footprint of introducing a food waste disposer (FWD) policy was examined in the context of its implications on solid waste and wastewater management with economic assessment of environmental externalities emphasizing potential carbon credit and increased sludge generation. For this purpose, a model adopting a life cycle inventory approach was developed to integrate solid waste and wastewater management processes under a single framework and test scenarios for a waste with high organic food content typical of developing economies. For such a waste composition, the results show that a FWD policy can reduce emissions by nearly ∼42% depending on market penetration, fraction of food waste ground, as well as solid waste and wastewater management schemes, including potential energy recovery. In comparison to baseline, equivalent economic gains can reach ∼28% when environmental externalities including sludge management and emissions variations are considered. The sensitivity analyses on processes with a wide range in costs showed an equivalent economic impact thus emphasizing the viability of a FWD policy although the variation in the cost of sludge management exhibited a significant impact on savings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SET8 promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition and confers TWIST dual transcriptional activities

PubMed Central

Yang, Fen; Sun, Luyang; Li, Qian; Han, Xiao; Lei, Liandi; Zhang, Hua; Shang, Yongfeng

2012-01-01

SET8 is implicated in transcriptional regulation, heterochromatin formation, genomic stability, cell-cycle progression, and development. As such, it is predicted that SET8 might be involved in the development and progression of tumour. However, whether and how SET8 might be implicated in tumourigenesis is currently unknown. Here, we report that SET8 is physically associated with TWIST, a master regulator of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). We demonstrated that SET8 and TWIST are functionally interdependent in promoting EMT and enhancing the invasive potential of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We showed that SET8 acts as a dual epigenetic modifier on the promoters of the TWIST target genes E-cadherin and N-cadherin via its H4K20 monomethylation activity. Significantly, in breast carcinoma samples, SET8 expression is positively correlated with metastasis and the expression of TWIST and N-cadherin and negatively correlated with E-cadherin. Together, our experiments revealed a novel role for SET8 in tumour invasion and metastasis and provide a molecular mechanism underlying TWIST-promoted EMT, suggesting SET8 as a potential target for intervention of the metastasis of breast cancer. PMID:21983900

Prevention of Early Substance Use Mediates, and Variation at SLC6A4 Moderates, SAAF Intervention Effects on OXTR Methylation.

PubMed

Beach, Steven R H; Lei, Man Kit; Brody, Gene H; Philibert, Robert A

2018-01-01

The Strong African American Family (SAAF) program has been shown to have a variety of short and long-term benefits for participating youth and families. However, biological mechanisms potentially influencing long-term effects on resilience in young adulthood have not been examined. In the current investigation, we examine the effects of SAAF on methylation of the OXTR gene in young adulthood, focusing on a regulatory region previously identified to be both responsive to stress and implicated in resilience. Using the subsample of participants from the original study for whom methylation data was available (N = 388), we replicated the previously reported G × E effect on prevention of early substance use and then examined whether there would also be a moderated effect on OXTR methylation in early adulthood, with "s" allele carriers, but not "LL" participants, showing a significant indirect effect of SAAF on OXTR methylation. Results suggest that for susceptible youth (i.e., "s" allele carriers), preventive intervention may "get under the skin," in a manner potentially beneficial for long-term outcomes. Implications for examination of OXTR methylation in future prevention research are discussed.

Bcl-2 upregulation and neuroprotection in guinea pig brain following chronic simvastatin treatment.

PubMed

Franke, Cornelia; Nöldner, Michael; Abdel-Kader, Reham; Johnson-Anuna, Leslie N; Gibson Wood, W; Müller, Walter E; Eckert, Gunter P

2007-02-01

The present study determined if chronic simvastatin administration in vivo would provide neuroprotection in brain cells isolated from guinea pigs after challenge with the Bcl-2 inhibitor HA 14-1 or the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Bcl-2 levels were significantly increased in brains of simvastatin-treated guinea pigs while levels of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax were significantly reduced. The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, being a critical factor of the apoptotic state of cells, was significantly reduced in simvastatin-treated animals. Cholesterol levels in the brain remained unchanged in the simvastatin group. Brain cells isolated from simvastatin-treated guinea pigs were significantly less vulnerable to mitochondrial dysfunction and caspase-activation. These results provide new insight into potential mechanisms for the protective actions of statins within the CNS where programmed cell death has been implicated.

Abnormalities in Functional Connectivity in Collegiate Football Athletes with and without a Concussion History: Implications and Role of Neuroactive Kynurenine Pathway Metabolites.

PubMed

Meier, Timothy B; Lancaster, Melissa A; Mayer, Andrew R; Teague, T Kent; Savitz, Jonathan

2017-02-15

There is a great need to identify potential long-term consequences of contact sport exposure and to identify molecular pathways that may be associated with these changes. We tested the hypothesis that football players with (Ath-mTBI) (n = 25) and without a concussion history (Ath) (n = 24) have altered resting state functional connectivity in regions with previously documented structural changes relative to healthy controls without football or concussion history (HC) (n = 27). As a secondary aim, we tested the hypothesis that group differences in functional connectivity are moderated by the relative ratio of neuroprotective to neurotoxic metabolites of the kynurenine pathway. Ath-mTBI had significantly increased connectivity of motor cortex to the supplementary motor area relative to Ath and HC. In contrast, both Ath-mTBI and Ath had increased connectivity between the left orbital frontal cortex and the right lateral frontal cortex, and between the left cornu ammonis areas 2 and 3/dentate gyrus (CA2-3/DG) of the hippocampus and the middle and posterior cingulate cortices, relative to HC. The relationship between the ratio of plasma concentrations of kynurenic acid to quinolinic acid (KYNA/QUIN) and left pregenual anterior cingulate cortex connectivity to multiple regions as well as KYNA/QUIN and right CA2-3/DG connectivity to multiple regions differed significantly according to football and concussion history. The results suggest that football exposure with and without concussion history can have a significant effect on intrinsic brain connectivity and implicate the kynurenine metabolic pathway as one potential moderator of functional connectivity dependent on football exposure and concussion history.

Pathological alteration in the choroid plexus of Alzheimer's disease: implication for new therapy approaches.

PubMed

Krzyzanowska, Agnieszka; Carro, Eva

2012-01-01

Morphological alterations of choroid plexus in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been extensively investigated. These changes include epithelial atrophy, thickening of the basement membrane, and stroma fibrosis. As a result, synthesis, secretory, and transportation functions are significantly altered resulting in decreased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) turnover. Recent studies discuss the potential impacts of these changes, including the possibility of reduced resistance to stress insults and slow clearance of toxic compounds from CSF with specific reference to the amyloid peptide. Here, we review new evidences for AD-related changes in the choroid plexus. The data suggest that the significantly altered functions of the choroid plexus contribute to the multiparametric pathogenesis of late-onset AD.

The Effect of Religious Involvement on Life Satisfaction among Korean Christians: Focused on the Mediating Effect of Spiritual Well-Being and Self-Esteem.

PubMed

Yoo, Jieun

2017-12-01

The present study examined the relationship between two categories of religious involvement, namely religious belief and religious behavior, and life satisfaction among Korean Christians (N = 278) with spiritual well-being and self-esteem as potential mediators in this relationship by using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results supported the full mediated structural model and indicated that religious belief had a significant indirect effect on life satisfaction through the mediators, spiritual well-being and self-esteem. Religious behavior did not have an indirect or direct effect on life satisfaction among Korean Christians. The significance, implications, and limitations of the study were discussed.

'Knock, and it shall be opened': knocking out and knocking in to reveal mechanisms of disease and novel therapies.

PubMed

Hacking, Douglas F

2008-12-01

Recent significant advances in molecular biology have generated genetically modified bacteria, yeast, nematodes, fruit flies, and fish. However, it is the genetic modification of mammalian model organisms, particularly the mouse, that has the greatest potential to shed light on human development, physiology and pathology in ways that have significant implications for neonatal and paediatric clinical practice. Here, we review some of the techniques for knocking out (inactivating), mutating and knocking in (inserting) selected genes that are important to neonatology and show how this research will lead both to a better understanding of disease and to novel therapies for infants and children.

Changes in Wine Ethanol Content Due to Evaporation from Wine Glasses and Implications for Sensory Analysis.

PubMed

Wollan, David; Pham, Duc-Truc; Wilkinson, Kerry Leigh

2016-10-12

The relative proportion of water and ethanol present in alcoholic beverages can significantly influence the perception of wine sensory attributes. This study therefore investigated changes in wine ethanol concentration due to evaporation from wine glasses. The ethanol content of commercial wines exposed to ambient conditions while in wine glasses was monitored over time. No change in wine ethanol content was observed where glasses were covered with plastic lids, but where glasses were not covered, evaporation had a significant impact on wine ethanol content, with losses from 0.9 to 1.9% alcohol by volume observed for wines that received direct exposure to airflow for 2 h. Evaporation also resulted in decreases in the concentration of some fermentation volatiles (determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) and a perceptible change in wine aroma. The rate of ethanol loss was strongly influenced by exposure to airflow (i.e., from the laboratory air-conditioning unit), together with certain glass shape and wine parameters; glass headspace in particular. This is the first study to demonstrate the significant potential for ethanol evaporation from wine in wine glasses. Research findings have important implications for the technical evaluation of wine sensory properties; in particular, informal sensory trials and wine show judging, where the use of covers on wine glasses is not standard practice.

Activation of cellular immune response in acute pancreatitis.

PubMed Central

Mora, A; Pérez-Mateo, M; Viedma, J A; Carballo, F; Sánchez-Payá, J; Liras, G

1997-01-01

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory mediators have recently been implicated as potential markers of severity in acute pancreatitis. AIMS: To determine the value of neopterin and polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase as markers of activation of cellular immunity and as early predictors of disease severity. PATIENTS: Fifty two non-consecutive patients classified according to their clinical outcome into mild (n = 26) and severe pancreatitis (n = 26). METHODS: Neopterin in serum and the PMN elastase/A1PI complex in plasma were measured during the first three days of hospital stay. RESULTS: Within three days after the onset of acute pancreatitis, PMN elastase was significantly higher in the severe pancreatitis group. Patients with severe disease also showed significantly higher values of neopterin on days 1 and 2 but not on day 3 compared with patients with mild disease. There was a significant correlation between PMN elastase and neopterin values on days 1 and 2. PMN elastase on day 1 predicted disease severity with a sensitivity of 76.7% and a specificity of 91.6%. Neopterin did not surpass PMN elastase in the probability of predicting disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that activation of cellular immunity is implicated in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis and may be a main contributory factor to disease severity. Neopterin was not superior to PMN elastase in the prediction of severity. PMID:9245935

On the widespread capacity for, and functional significance of, extreme inbreeding in ferns.

PubMed

Sessa, Emily B; Testo, Weston L; Watkins, James E

2016-08-01

Homosporous vascular plants utilize three different mating systems, one of which, gametophytic selfing, is an extreme form of inbreeding only possible in homosporous groups. This mating system results in complete homozygosity in all progeny and has important evolutionary and ecological implications. Ferns are the largest group of homosporous land plants, and the significance of extreme inbreeding for fern evolution has been a subject of debate for decades. We cultured gametophytes in the laboratory and quantified the relative frequencies of sporophyte production from isolated and paired gametophytes, and examined associations between breeding systems and several ecological and evolutionary traits. The majority of fern species studied show a capacity for gametophytic selfing, producing sporophytes from both isolated and paired gametophytes. While we did not follow sporophytes to maturity to investigate potential detrimental effects of homozygosity at later developmental stages, our results suggest that gametophytic selfing may have greater significance for fern evolution and diversification than has previously been realized. We present evidence from the largest study of mating behavior in ferns to date that the capacity for extreme inbreeding is prevalent in this lineage, and we discuss its implications and relevance and make recommendations for future studies of fern mating systems. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Vitamin D: Implications for Ocular Disease and Therapeutic Potential

PubMed Central

Reins, Rose Y.; McDermott, Alison M.

2015-01-01

Vitamin D is a multifunctional hormone that is now known to play a significant role in a variety of biological functions in addition to its traditional role in regulating calcium homeostasis. There are a large number of studies demonstrating that adequate vitamin D levels are important in maintaining health and show that vitamin D is able to be utilized at local tissue sites. In the eye, we have increasing evidence of the association between disease and vitamin D. In this narrative review, we summarize recent findings on vitamin D and its relationship to various ocular pathologies and the therapeutic potential for some of these, as well as examine the basic science studies that demonstrate that vitamin D is biologically relevant in the eye. PMID:25724179

Intermuscular Fat: A Review of the Consequences and Causes

PubMed Central

Marcus, Robin L.; LaStayo, Paul C.; Ryan, Alice S.

2014-01-01

Muscle's structural composition is an important factor underlying muscle strength and physical function in older adults. There is an increasing amount of research to support the clear disassociation between the loss of muscle lean tissue mass and strength with aging. This disassociation implies that factors in addition to lean muscle mass are responsible for the decreases in strength and function seen with aging. Intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is a significant predictor of both muscle function and mobility function in older adults and across a wide variety of comorbid conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, diabetes, and COPD. IMAT is also implicated in metabolic dysfunction such as insulin resistance. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide a review of the implications of increased IMAT levels in metabolic, muscle, and mobility function. Potential treatment options to mitigate increasing levels of IMAT will also be discussed. PMID:24527032

Complement activation and choriocapillaris loss in early AMD: Implications for pathophysiology and therapy

PubMed Central

Whitmore, S.Scott; Sohn, Elliott H.; Chirco, Kathleen R.; Drack, Arlene V.; Stone, Edwin M.; Tucker, Budd A.; Mullins, Robert F.

2015-01-01

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common and devastating disease that can result in severe visual dysfunction. Over the last decade, great progress has been made in identifying genetic variants that contribute to AMD, many of which lie in genes involved in the complement cascade. In this review we discuss the significance of complement activation in AMD, particularly with respect to the formation of the membrane attack complex in the aging choriocapillaris. We review the clinical, histological and biochemical data that indicate that vascular loss in the choroid occurs very early in the pathogenesis of AMD, and discuss the potential impact of vascular dropout on the retinal pigment epithelium, Bruch's membrane and the photoreceptor cells. Finally, we present a hypothesis for the pathogenesis of early AMD and consider the implications of this model on the development of new therapies. PMID:25486088

Complement activation and choriocapillaris loss in early AMD: implications for pathophysiology and therapy.

PubMed

Whitmore, S Scott; Sohn, Elliott H; Chirco, Kathleen R; Drack, Arlene V; Stone, Edwin M; Tucker, Budd A; Mullins, Robert F

2015-03-01

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common and devastating disease that can result in severe visual dysfunction. Over the last decade, great progress has been made in identifying genetic variants that contribute to AMD, many of which lie in genes involved in the complement cascade. In this review we discuss the significance of complement activation in AMD, particularly with respect to the formation of the membrane attack complex in the aging choriocapillaris. We review the clinical, histological and biochemical data that indicate that vascular loss in the choroid occurs very early in the pathogenesis of AMD, and discuss the potential impact of vascular dropout on the retinal pigment epithelium, Bruch's membrane and the photoreceptor cells. Finally, we present a hypothesis for the pathogenesis of early AMD and consider the implications of this model on the development of new therapies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Markets for hospital services in Zambia.

PubMed

Nakamba, Pamela; Hanson, Kara; McPake, Barbara

2002-01-01

Hospital reforms involving the introduction of measures to increase competition in hospital markets are being implemented in a range of low and middle-income countries. However, little is understood about the operation of hospital markets outside the USA and the UK. This paper assesses the degree of competition for hospital services in two hospital markets in Zambia (Copperbelt and Midlands), and the implications for prices, quality and efficiency. We found substantial differences among different hospital types in prices, costs and quality, suggesting that the hospital service market is a segmented market. The two markets differ significantly in their degree of competition, with the high cost inpatient services market in Copperbelt relatively more competitive than that in the Midlands market. The implications of these differences are discussed in terms of the potential for competition to improve hospital performance, the impact of market structure on equity of access, and how the government should address the problem of the mine hospitals.

The role of the US in the geopolitics of climate policy and stranded oil reserves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaffe, Amy Myers

2016-10-01

Computer-assisted technological innovation and breakthroughs in drilling are revolutionizing the energy landscape, creating greater uncertainty about the future trends for oil use. These new dynamics are prompting major oil producers to reconsider the commercial value of their assets, potentially changing the long-term outlook for oil prices. A shift in investment and production strategy by major oil-producing countries and large multinational companies to pre-empt the risk of stranded assets would have significant implications on energy markets. This Perspective surveys the competitive forces at play that are able to shift the dynamics of the global oil market and discusses their implications for US climate and energy policy. A declining long-term oil price might imply that energy and climate scientists and policymakers should revisit the road map of the optimum policies to promote the transition to lower carbon energy and to defend technology gains already achieved.

Evidence of a High Density Population of Harvested Leopards in a Montane Environment

PubMed Central

Chase Grey, Julia N.; Kent, Vivien T.; Hill, Russell A.

2013-01-01

Populations of large carnivores can persist in mountainous environments following extensive land use change and the conversion of suitable habitat for agriculture and human habitation in lower lying areas of their range. The significance of these populations is poorly understood, however, and little attention has focussed on why certain mountainous areas can hold high densities of large carnivores and what the conservation implications of such populations might be. Here we use the leopard (Panthera pardus) population in the western Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa, as a model system and show that montane habitats can support high numbers of leopards. Spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) analysis recorded the highest density of leopards reported outside of state-protected areas in sub-Saharan Africa. This density represents a temporally high local abundance of leopards and we explore the explanations for this alongside some of the potential conservation implications. PMID:24349375

Co-Occurring Disorders in Substance Abuse Treatment: Issues and Prospects

PubMed Central

Flynn, Patrick M.; Brown, Barry S.

2008-01-01

This paper explores the epidemiology of co-occurring disorders with an emphasis on the implications of study findings for the functioning and potential of substance abuse treatment. Severity of disorder is discussed as an issue that may have particular significance for the selection of specialized as opposed to traditional substance abuse treatment forms. Exploration is made, as well, of the resources currently available to substance abuse treatment, especially the human resources available, and the implications of resource availability for undertaking initiatives specific to co-occurring disorder. Findings from standard and enhanced treatment for comorbid individuals are examined in an effort to clarify areas of need for specialized and typical treatment personnel. Issues are raised for consideration by the clinical research and treatment provider communities in terms of assessment and diagnosis, manpower and training, and response to the challenge of relapse in this population. PMID:17574791

Towards a Genetic Definition of Cancer-Associated Inflammation

PubMed Central

Prendergast, George C.; Metz, Richard; Muller, Alexander J.

2010-01-01

Chronic inflammation drives the development of many cancers, but a genetic definition of what constitutes ‘cancer-associated’ inflammation has not been determined. Recently, a mouse genetic study revealed a critical role for the immune escape mediator indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in supporting inflammatory skin carcinogenesis. IDO is generally regarded as being immunosuppressive; however, there was no discernable difference in generalized inflammatory processes in IDO-null mice under conditions where tumor development was significantly suppressed, implicating IDO as key to establishing the pathogenic state of ‘cancer-associated’ inflammation. Here we review recent findings and their potential implications to understanding the relationship between immune escape and inflammation in cancer. Briefly, we propose that genetic pathways of immune escape in cancer are synonymous with pathways that define ‘cancer-associated’ inflammation and that these processes may be identical rather than distinct, as generally presumed, in terms of their genetic definition. PMID:20228228

The tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth: tooth shape and ontogenetic shift dynamics in the white shark Carcharodon carcharias.

PubMed

French, G C A; Stürup, M; Rizzuto, S; van Wyk, J H; Edwards, D; Dolan, R W; Wintner, S P; Towner, A V; Hughes, W O H

2017-10-01

Results from this study of the white shark Carcharodon carcharias include measurements obtained using a novel photographic method that reveal significant differences between the sexes in the relationship between tooth cuspidity and shark total length, and a novel ontogenetic change in male tooth shape. Males exhibit broader upper first teeth and increased distal inclination of upper third teeth with increasing length, while females do not present a consistent morphological change. Substantial individual variation, with implications for pace of life syndrome, was present in males and tooth polymorphism was suggested in females. Sexual differences and individual variation may play major roles in ontogenetic changes in tooth morphology in C. carcharias, with potential implications for their foraging biology. Such individual and sexual differences should be included in studies of ontogenetic shift dynamics in other species and systems. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Beyond Ability to Pay: Procedural Justice and Offender Compliance With Restitution Orders.

PubMed

Gladfelter, Andrew S; Lantz, Brendan; Ruback, R Barry

2018-03-01

Restitution to victims is rarely paid in full. One reason for low rates of payments is that offenders lack financial resources. Beyond ability to pay, however, we argue that fair treatment has implications for offender behavior. This study, a survey of probationers who owed restitution, investigated the links between (a) ability to pay, (b) beliefs about restitution and the criminal justice system, and (c) restitution payment, both the amount paid and number of payments. Results indicate that perceived fair treatment by probation staff-those most directly involved with the collection of restitution payments-was significantly associated with greater payment, net of past payment behavior, intention to pay, and ability to pay. Because restitution has potentially rehabilitative aspects if offenders pay more of the court-ordered amount and if they make regular monthly payments, how fairly probation staff treat probationers has implications for both victims and for the criminal justice system.

E-Cigarettes and Smoking Cessation: A Primer for Oncology Clinicians.

PubMed

Zborovskaya, Yanina

2017-02-01

Electronic cigarettes 
(e-cigarettes) are a psychosocial phenomenon of the 21st century with serious implications to public and individual health. The significant increase of their popularity and use has raised concerns in the healthcare community regarding their potential benefits and harm, particularly their use as a smoking cessation methodology. Current knowledge is presented about e-cigarettes, including the clinical implications of their use, and associated controversies are analyzed. In addition, practice recommendations and communication guidance are provided. An integrative review was performed. The long-term effect of e-cigarettes on individual and public health is unknown. Evidence from short-term studies, although limited, shows that e-cigarette use is less harmful than smoking. However, the evidence does not support the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation methodology. Such recommendation remains a judgment call for the clinician based on each individual case.

Gender Equity Issues in CTE and STEM Education: Economic and Social Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toglia, Thomas V.

2013-01-01

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 has significant implications for gender equity in career and technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs--and the relatively low number of women and girls pursuing nontraditional careers has significant economic and social implications. From an…

Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity Predicts Physiological Arousal in a Narrative Task.

PubMed

Smithson, Lisa; Nicoladis, Elena

2016-06-01

Physiological arousal that occurs during narrative production is thought to reflect emotional processing and cognitive effort (Bar-Haim et al. in Dev Psychobiol 44:238-249, 2004). The purpose of this study was to determine whether individual differences in visuospatial working memory and/or verbal working memory capacity predict physiological arousal in a narrative task. Visuospatial working memory was a significant predictor of skin conductance level (SCL); verbal working memory was not. When visuospatial working memory interference was imposed, visuospatial working memory was no longer a significant predictor of SCL. Visuospatial interference also resulted in a significant reduction in SCL. Furthermore, listener ratings of narrative quality were contingent upon the visuospatial working memory resources of the narrator. Potential implications for educators and clinical practitioners are discussed.

The evidence for and against different modes of tumour cell extravasation in the lung: diapedesis, capillary destruction, necroptosis, and endothelialization.

PubMed

Paku, Sándor; Laszlo, Viktoria; Dezso, Katalin; Nagy, Peter; Hoda, Mir Alireza; Klepetko, Walter; Renyi-Vamos, Ferenc; Timar, Jozsef; Reynolds, Andrew R; Dome, Balazs

2017-03-01

The development of lung metastasis is a significant negative prognostic factor for cancer patients. The extravasation phase of lung metastasis involves interactions of tumour cells with the pulmonary endothelium. These interactions may have broad biological and medical significance, with potential clinical implications ranging from the discovery of lung metastasis biomarkers to the identification of targets for intervention in preventing lung metastases. Because of the potential significance, the mechanisms of tumour cell extravasation require cautious, systematic studies. Here, we discuss the literature pertaining to the proposed mechanisms of extravasation and critically compare a recently proposed mechanism (tumour cell-induced endothelial necroptosis) with the already described extravasation mechanisms in the lung. We also provide novel data that may help to explain the underlying physiological basis for endothelialization as a mechanism of tumour cell extravasation in the lung. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identification and interpretation of tectonic features from ERTS-1 imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdel-Gawad, M. (Principal Investigator)

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Many criteria of active or recent fault movements are observable in the imagery. It was observed that where earthquake epicenter clusters occur, evidence of recent fault movements is generally observed. The opposite was not necessarily true as there are areas where evidence of recent faulting is observed, often along major known faults which are peculiarly devoid of significant seismicity. A tentative conclusion is that the seismicity pattern alone can often be a misleading criteria for potential earthquake hazards. The feasibility of recognizing geomorphic criteria of recent fault movement from ERTS-1 imagery suggests that ERTS imagery should be used to map potentially active faults and utilize this data to develop better criteria for the identification of areas prone to future earthquakes. An apparent correlation was observed between the distribution of mercury deposits in the California Coast Range Province and transverse fault zones trending west-northwest oblique to the trend of the San Andreas system. The significance of this correlation and the full extent of its implication on mercury exploration is under study.

Is ambiguity tolerance malleable? Experimental evidence with potential implications for future research.

PubMed

Endres, Megan L; Camp, Richaurd; Milner, Morgan

2015-01-01

We conducted two research studies to address the malleability of tolerance of ambiguity (TA) by manipulating situational ambiguity. Students participated in a semester-end assessment of their management skills (n = 306). In Study 1, students in low and moderate ambiguity conditions had significantly higher post-experiment TA, more positive change in self-efficacy, and marginally higher faculty ratings. In Study 2, a control group (n = 103) did not participate in the assessment and was established for comparison to the first study results. The Study 2 students reported TA significantly lower than Study 1 students in the low and moderate ambiguity conditions. The control group TA was not significantly different from that of the Study 1 high ambiguity condition. This further suggested TA's situational malleability, as those who had controlled access to structured information appeared to have increased their TA over that observed in the other two groups. These results suggest that TA may be malleable. We review the relevant literature, offer hypotheses, report our analyses and findings, and then propose future research, and potential prescriptive applications in such areas as management development, assessment, and decision-making.

An Assessment of FY2016 Locally Developed Questions from the DEOMI Organizational Climate Survey: Recommendations and Potential Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-11

1 An Assessment of FY2016 Locally Developed Questions from the DEOMI Organizational Climate Survey : Recommendations and Potential Implications...Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS). The top 15 questions were ranked across a total of 180,797...Department of Equal Opportunity Management Institute Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS) for fiscal year 2016 by commanders across the Department

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Is It Everything We Feared for Health?

PubMed

Labonté, Ronald; Schram, Ashley; Ruckert, Arne

2016-04-17

Negotiations surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade and investment agreement have recently concluded. Although trade and investment agreements, part of a broader shift to global economic integration, have been argued to be vital to improved economic growth, health, and general welfare, these agreements have increasingly come under scrutiny for their direct and indirect health impacts. We conducted a prospective health impact analysis to identify and assess a selected array of potential health risks of the TPP. We adapted the standard protocol for Health impact assessments (HIAs) (screening, scoping, and appraisal) to our aim of assessing potential health risks of trade and investment policy, and selected a health impact review methodology. This methodology is used to create a summary estimation of the most significant impacts on health of a broad policy or cluster of policies, such as a comprehensive trade and investment agreement. Our analysis shows that there are a number of potentially serious health risks associated with the TPP, and details a range of policy implications for the health sector. Of particular focus are the potential implications of changes to intellectual property rights (IPRs), sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), technical barriers to trade (TBT), investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), and regulatory coherence provisions on a range of issues, including access to medicines and health services, tobacco and alcohol control, diet-related health, and domestic health policy-making. We provide a list of policy recommendations to mitigate potential health risks associated with the TPP, and suggest that broad public consultations, including on the health risks of trade and investment agreements, should be part of all trade negotiations. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Is It Everything We Feared for Health?

PubMed Central

Labonté, Ronald; Schram, Ashley; Ruckert, Arne

2016-01-01

Background: Negotiations surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade and investment agreement have recently concluded. Although trade and investment agreements, part of a broader shift to global economic integration, have been argued to be vital to improved economic growth, health, and general welfare, these agreements have increasingly come under scrutiny for their direct and indirect health impacts. Methods: We conducted a prospective health impact analysis to identify and assess a selected array of potential health risks of the TPP. We adapted the standard protocol for Health impact assessments (HIAs) (screening, scoping, and appraisal) to our aim of assessing potential health risks of trade and investment policy, and selected a health impact review methodology. This methodology is used to create a summary estimation of the most significant impacts on health of a broad policy or cluster of policies, such as a comprehensive trade and investment agreement. Results: Our analysis shows that there are a number of potentially serious health risks associated with the TPP, and details a range of policy implications for the health sector. Of particular focus are the potential implications of changes to intellectual property rights (IPRs), sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), technical barriers to trade (TBT), investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), and regulatory coherence provisions on a range of issues, including access to medicines and health services, tobacco and alcohol control, diet-related health, and domestic health policy-making. Conclusion: We provide a list of policy recommendations to mitigate potential health risks associated with the TPP, and suggest that broad public consultations, including on the health risks of trade and investment agreements, should be part of all trade negotiations. PMID:27694662

Potentially preventable infant and child deaths identified at autopsy; findings and implications.

PubMed

Bamber, Andrew R; Mifsud, William; Wolfe, Ingrid; Cass, Hilary; Pryce, Jeremy; Malone, Marian; Sebire, Neil J

2015-09-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the proportion of pediatric deaths investigated by HM Coronial autopsy which were potentially preventable deaths due to treatable natural disease, and what implications such findings may have for health policies to reduce their occurrence. A retrospective study of 1779 autopsies of individuals between 7 days and 14 years of age requested by HM Coroner, taking place in one specialist pediatric autopsy center, was undertaken. Cases were included if they involved a definite natural disease process in which appropriate recognition and treatment was likely to have affected their outcome. Strict criteria were used and cases were excluded where the individual had any longstanding condition which might have predisposed them to, or altered the recognition of, acute illness, or its response to therapy. Almost 8% (134/1779) of the study group were potentially preventable deaths as a result of natural disease, the majority occurring in children younger than 2 years of age. Most individuals reported between 1 and 7 days of symptoms before their death, and the majority had sought medical advice during this period, including from general practitioners within working hours, and hospital emergency departments. Of those who had sought medical attention, around one-third had done so more than once (28%, 15/53). Sepsis and pneumonia accounted for the majority of deaths (46 and 34% respectively), with all infections (sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis) accounting for 110/134 (82%). Around 10% of pediatric deaths referred to HM Coroner are potentially preventable, being the result of treatable natural acute illnesses. In many cases medical advice had been sought during the final illness. The results highlight how a review of autopsy data can identify significant findings with the potential to reduce mortality, and the importance of centralized investigation and reporting of pediatric deaths.

Significant differences in pediatric psychotropic side effects: Implications for school performance.

PubMed

Kubiszyn, Thomas; Mire, Sarah; Dutt, Sonia; Papathopoulos, Katina; Burridge, Andrea Backsheider

2012-03-01

Some side effects (SEs) of increasingly prescribed psychotropic medications can impact student performance in school. SE risk varies, even among drugs from the same class (e.g., antidepressants). Knowing which SEs occur significantly more often than others may enable school psychologists to enhance collaborative risk-benefit analysis, medication monitoring, data-based decision-making, and inform mitigation efforts. SE data from Full Prescribing Information (PI) on the FDA website for ADHD drugs, atypical antipsychotics, and antidepressants with pediatric indications were analyzed. Risk ratios (RR) are reported for each drug within a category compared with placebo. RR tables and graphs inform the reader about SE incidence differences for each drug and provide clear evidence of the wide variability in SE incidence in the FDA data. Breslow-Day and Cochran Mantel-Haenszel methods were used to test for drug-placebo SE differences and to test for significance across drugs within each category based on odds ratios (ORs). Significant drug-placebo differences were found for each drug compared with placebo, when odds were pooled across all drugs in a category compared with placebo, and between some drugs within categories. Unexpectedly, many large RR differences did not reach significance. Potential explanations are offered, including limitations of the FDA data sets and statistical and methodological issues. Future research directions are offered. The potential impact of certain SEs on school performance, mitigation strategies, and the potential role of the school psychologist is discussed, with consideration for ethical and legal limitations. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Nanocrystalline zirconia can be amorphized by ion irradiation.

PubMed

Meldrum, A; Boatner, L A; Ewing, R C

2002-01-14

Nanocrystalline composites are finding applications in high-radiation environments due to their excellent mechanical and electronic properties. We show, however, that at the smallest particle sizes, radiation damage effects can be so strongly enhanced that under the right conditions, materials that have never been made amorphous can become highly susceptible to irradiation-induced amorphization. Because light-weight, high-strength nanocomposites are potential materials for spacecraft shielding and sensor systems, these fundamental results have significant implications for the design and selection of materials to be used in environments where a large ion flux will be encountered.

Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction: An exploration of the inflammatory hypothesis and novel therapies.

PubMed

Skvarc, David R; Berk, Michael; Byrne, Linda K; Dean, Olivia M; Dodd, Seetal; Lewis, Matthew; Marriott, Andrew; Moore, Eileen M; Morris, Gerwyn; Page, Richard S; Gray, Laura

2018-01-01

Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) is a highly prevalent condition with significant clinical, social and financial impacts for patients and their communities. The underlying pathophysiology is becoming increasingly understood, with the role of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress secondary to surgery and anaesthesia strongly implicated. This review aims to describe the putative mechanisms by which surgery-induced inflammation produces cognitive sequelae, with a focus on identifying potential novel therapies based upon their ability to modify these pathways. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public Health, Ethics, and Autonomous Vehicles

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

With the potential to save nearly 30 000 lives per year in the United States, autonomous vehicles portend the most significant advance in auto safety history by shifting the focus from minimization of postcrash injury to collision prevention. I have delineated the important public health implications of autonomous vehicles and provided a brief analysis of a critically important ethical issue inherent in autonomous vehicle design. The broad expertise, ethical principles, and values of public health should be brought to bear on a wide range of issues pertaining to autonomous vehicles. PMID:28207327

Milk, juice, or cola? Exploring the effect of product placement on children's attitudes and behavior.

PubMed

Royne, Marla B; Kowalczyk, Christine M; Levy, Marian; Fox, Alexa K

2017-01-01

Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern, and scholars and academicians have proposed the use of successful marketing and advertising tactics as a means of influencing healthy behaviors. This research investigates product placement to assess its potential effects on attitudes and behavior when utilized in an animated children's television show. Results from an experiment suggest that multiple product placements may affect children's attitudes toward certain drinks, but also suggest that a child's existing favorite drink is a stronger predictor of actual beverage choice. Implications are provided.

Public Health, Ethics, and Autonomous Vehicles.

PubMed

Fleetwood, Janet

2017-04-01

With the potential to save nearly 30 000 lives per year in the United States, autonomous vehicles portend the most significant advance in auto safety history by shifting the focus from minimization of postcrash injury to collision prevention. I have delineated the important public health implications of autonomous vehicles and provided a brief analysis of a critically important ethical issue inherent in autonomous vehicle design. The broad expertise, ethical principles, and values of public health should be brought to bear on a wide range of issues pertaining to autonomous vehicles.

A retrospective analysis of employee turnover in the health care setting.

PubMed

Bednar, B; McMullen, N

1998-02-01

Significant factors implicated in staff turnover include: variables in organizational structure; employee characteristics; needs and values, and the nature of tasks performed. This article will present the causative factors related to turnover and the conceptual models of the motivational theorists Maslow, Herzberg, Adams, and Mobley. No quantitative or qualitative research could be found on the potential causes of turnover in freestanding dialysis clinics. The staff turnover of a for-profit dialysis company for a 12 month period will be reported by job title, tenure, and level of job satisfaction.

Eating disorder symptoms and parenting styles.

PubMed

Haycraft, Emma; Blissett, Jackie

2010-02-01

This study aimed to examine associations between symptoms of eating disorders and parenting style, in a non-clinical sample. One hundred and five mothers completed self-report measures of eating disorder symptoms and parenting style. Higher levels of eating disorder symptoms were associated with more authoritarian and permissive parenting styles. Authoritative parenting was not significantly related to eating disorder symptoms. The findings demonstrate that eating disorder symptoms in non-clinical individuals are related to less adaptive parenting styles. These findings have potential implications for clinicians working with mothers with eating disorders. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lead in contruction - compliance implications

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

Krentz, R.S.

When Federal OSHA adopted the Lead in Construction standard, the requirements of the standard affected not only the construction trades, but the environmental remediation and technology industries as well. Due to the prevalence of lead-based paint abatement activities and the handling of lead contaminated materials, the potential for significant exposures to construction workers and individuals performing remedial operations has resulted. While similar regulatory measures are being developed by other regulatory agencies, the focus of this paper is upon Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.62 {open_quotes}Lead in Construction.{close_quotes}

The Roles of CD147 and/or Cyclophilin A in Kidney Diseases

PubMed Central

Wang, Chunting; Zhang, Jicheng; Qie, Guoqiang

2014-01-01

CD147 is a widely expressed integral plasma membrane glycoprotein and has been involved in a variety of physiological and pathological activities in combination with different partners, including cyclophilins, caveolin-1, monocarboxylate transporters, and integrins. Recent data demonstrate that both CyPA and CD147 significantly contribute to renal inflammation, acute kidney injury, renal fibrosis, and renal cell carcinoma. Here we review the current understanding of cyclophilin A and CD147 expression and functions in kidney diseases and potential implications for treatment of kidney diseases. PMID:25580061

Significance of Medicare and Medicaid Programs for the Practice of Medicine

PubMed Central

DeWalt, Darren A.; Oberlander, Jonathan; Carey, Timothy S.; Roper, William L.

2005-01-01

The 1965 legislation that established Medicare and Medicaid declared that the Federal Government would not interfere in clinical medicine. Despite the original intent, Medicare and Medicaid have had tremendous influence on medical practice. In this article, we focus on four policy areas that illustrate the influence of CMS (and its predecessor agencies) on medical practice. We discuss the implications of the relationship between CMS and clinical medicine and how this relationship has changed over time. We conclude with thoughts about potential future efforts at CMS. PMID:17290639

Analysis and Application of the Concept of Modesty to Breastfeeding

PubMed Central

Moran, Meghan

1999-01-01

Modesty may be a significant variable impacting breast- feeding outcomes in western cultures, yet this term has received minimal attention in the breastfeeding literature. An analysis of the concept of modesty was conducted to gain greater understanding of the potential impact of modesty on breastfeeding outcomes. Various uses of the term modesty and particularly modesty in the context of breastfeeding are discussed in this paper. The defining attributes of breastfeeding modesty are identified and examples are provided. Implications for research and clinical practice are suggested. PMID:22988417

National Cost Implications of a Potentional Perchlorate Regulation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In this study, a screening level cost assessment was conducted to evaluate the national cost implications of five potential regulatory levels for perchlorate in drinking water 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 ?g/L.

Transportation planning implications of automated/connected vehicles on Texas highways.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-04-01

This research project was focused on the transportation planning implications of automated/connected : vehicles (AV/CVs) on Texas highways. The research assessed how these potentially transformative : technologies can be included in transportation pl...

Microbiota abnormalities and the therapeutic potential of probiotics in the treatment of mood disorders.

PubMed

Rios, Adiel C; Maurya, Pawan Kumar; Pedrini, Mariana; Zeni-Graiff, Maiara; Asevedo, Elson; Mansur, Rodrigo B; Wieck, Andrea; Grassi-Oliveira, Rodrigo; McIntyre, Roger S; Hayashi, Mirian A F; Brietzke, Elisa

2017-10-26

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) are among the leading causes of burden and disability worldwide. Despite intensified research efforts to improve the treatment options and remission rates in mood disorders, no disease modifying treatment exists for these disorders. Accumulating evidence implicates the involvement of the gut microbiota in processes relevant to etiopathology of central nervous system-based disorders. The objective of this article was to critically evaluate the evidence supporting the link between gastrointestinal microbiota and mood disorders and to discuss the potential benefits of using probiotics in the treatment of MDD and BD. The concept of psychobiotics, which is bacterial-based interventions with mental health benefit, is emerging in the field. On the other hand, while probiotics might potentially represent a significant advance, specific roles of microbiota in the pathophysiology of mood disorders still need further investigation along with intervention studies.

Security implications and governance of cognitive neuroscience.

PubMed

Kosal, Margaret E; Huang, Jonathan Y

2015-01-01

In recent years, significant efforts have been made toward elucidating the potential of the human brain. Spanning fields as disparate as psychology, biomedicine, computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, and chemistry, research venturing into the growing domains of cognitive neuroscience and brain research has become fundamentally interdisciplinary. Among the most interesting and consequential applications to international security are the military and defense community's interests in the potential of cognitive neuroscience findings and technologies. In the United States, multiple governmental agencies are actively pursuing such endeavors, including the Department of Defense, which has invested over $3 billion in the last decade to conduct research on defense-related innovations. This study explores governance and security issues surrounding cognitive neuroscience research with regard to potential security-related applications and reports scientists' views on the role of researchers in these areas through a survey of over 200 active cognitive neuroscientists.

Optimized nested Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling: theory

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

Coe, Joshua D; Shaw, M Sam; Sewell, Thomas D

2009-01-01

Metropolis Monte Carlo sampling of a reference potential is used to build a Markov chain in the isothermal-isobaric ensemble. At the endpoints of the chain, the energy is reevaluated at a different level of approximation (the 'full' energy) and a composite move encompassing all of the intervening steps is accepted on the basis of a modified Metropolis criterion. By manipulating the thermodynamic variables characterizing the reference system we maximize the average acceptance probability of composite moves, lengthening significantly the random walk made between consecutive evaluations of the full energy at a fixed acceptance probability. This provides maximally decorrelated samples ofmore » the full potential, thereby lowering the total number required to build ensemble averages of a given variance. The efficiency of the method is illustrated using model potentials appropriate to molecular fluids at high pressure. Implications for ab initio or density functional theory (DFT) treatment are discussed.« less

Acute Tryptophan Depletion Increases Translational Indices of Anxiety but not Fear: Serotonergic Modulation of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis?

PubMed Central

Robinson, Oliver J; Overstreet, Cassie; Allen, Phillip S; Pine, Daniel S; Grillon, Christian

2012-01-01

Serotonin is strongly implicated in the mammalian stress response, but surprisingly little is known about its mode of action. Recent data suggest that serotonin can inhibit aversive responding in humans, but this remains underspecified. In particular, data in rodents suggest that global serotonin depletion may specifically increase long-duration bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)-mediated aversive responses (ie, anxiety), but not short-duration BNST-independent responses (ie, fear). Here, we extend these findings to humans. In a balanced, placebo-controlled crossover design, healthy volunteers (n=20) received a controlled diet with and without the serotonin precursor tryptophan (acute tryptophan depletion; ATD). Aversive states were indexed by translational acoustic startle measures. Fear and anxiety were operationally defined as the increase in startle reactivity during short- and long-duration threat periods evoked by predictable shock (fear-potentiated startle) and by the context in which the shocks were administered (anxiety-potentiated startle), respectively. ATD significantly increased long-duration anxiety-potentiated startle but had no effect on short-duration fear-potentiated startle. These results suggest that serotonin depletion in humans selectively increases anxiety but not fear. Current translational frameworks support the proposition that ATD thus disinhibits dorsal raphé-originating serotonergic control of corticotropin-releasing hormone-mediated excitation of the BNST. This generates a candidate neuropharmacological mechanism by which depleted serotonin may increase response to sustained threats, alongside clear implications for our understanding of the manifestation and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. PMID:22491355

Genome-wide association analyses of child genotype effects and parent-of-origin effects in specific language impairment

PubMed Central

Nudel, R; Simpson, N H; Baird, G; O’Hare, A; Conti-Ramsden, G; Bolton, P F; Hennessy, E R; Ring, S M; Davey Smith, G; Francks, C; Paracchini, S; Monaco, A P; Fisher, S E; Newbury, D F

2014-01-01

Specific language impairment (SLI) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects linguistic abilities when development is otherwise normal. We report the results of a genome-wide association study of SLI which included parent-of-origin effects and child genotype effects and used 278 families of language-impaired children. The child genotype effects analysis did not identify significant associations. We found genome-wide significant paternal parent-of-origin effects on chromosome 14q12 (P = 3.74 × 10−8) and suggestive maternal parent-of-origin effects on chromosome 5p13 (P = 1.16 × 10−7). A subsequent targeted association of six single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 5 in 313 language-impaired individuals and their mothers from the ALSPAC cohort replicated the maternal effects, albeit in the opposite direction (P = 0.001); as fathers’ genotypes were not available in the ALSPAC study, the replication analysis did not include paternal parent-of-origin effects. The paternally-associated SNP on chromosome 14 yields a non-synonymous coding change within the NOP9 gene. This gene encodes an RNA-binding protein that has been reported to be significantly dysregulated in individuals with schizophrenia. The region of maternal association on chromosome 5 falls between the PTGER4 and DAB2 genes, in a region previously implicated in autism and ADHD. The top SNP in this association locus is a potential expression QTL of ARHGEF19 (also called WGEF) on chromosome 1. Members of this protein family have been implicated in intellectual disability. In summary, this study implicates parent-of-origin effects in language impairment, and adds an interesting new dimension to the emerging picture of shared genetic etiology across various neurodevelopmental disorders. PMID:24571439

Use of Bio-Amp, a commercial bio-additive for the treatment of grease trap wastewater containing fat, oil, and grease.

PubMed

Tang, Hao L; Xie, Yuefeng F; Chen, Yen-Chih

2012-11-01

This research investigated the application of Bio-Amp, a commercial bio-additive for the treatment of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) in a grease trap, and evaluated potential impacts of treated effluent on downstream collection system and treatment processes. Results show that after Bio-Amp treatment, FOG deposit formation was reduced by 40%, implicating a potential reduction of sewer line blockages. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and total fatty acids were reduced by 39%, 33%, 56%, and 59%, respectively, which represents an overall loading reduction of 9% COD, 5% TN and 40% TP received by the treatment plant from all the dining halls. On the other hand, readily biodegradable COD fractions significantly increased, which implies a potential improvement on Bio-P removal. Overall, the results showed that application of Bio-Amp in grease trap provides potential reduction of sewer line blockages, and can also alleviate downstream treatment burden. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can we prevent OA? Epidemiology and public health insights and implications.

PubMed

Runhaar, Jos; Zhang, Yuqing

2018-05-01

This narrative review discusses the potential of prevention of OA in different stages of the disease. The theoretical background for primary prevention (i.e. prevention of occurrence of definite structural or clinical OA in subjects free of the disease) and secondary prevention (i.e. prevention of progression of the disease in subjects with pre-clinical pathological changes to the joint) is provided and evidence for effective strategies is discussed. Since direct evidence for the prevention of OA development and progression is scarce, indirect evidence enhancing our current knowledge on the potential of OA prevention is additionally discussed. Also, implications of preventive strategies for study design and public health are considered. Prevention of OA has great potential, but as deliberated in the current review, there are still large gaps in our current knowledge and the implications of preventive strategies for the development and progression of OA require consideration.

Measuring Gambling Reinforcers, Over Consumption and Fallacies: The Psychometric Properties and Predictive Validity of the Jonsson-Abbott Scale.

PubMed

Jonsson, Jakob; Abbott, Max W; Sjöberg, Anders; Carlbring, Per

2017-01-01

Traditionally, gambling and problem gambling research relies on cross-sectional and retrospective designs. This has compromised identification of temporal relationships and causal inference. To overcome these problems a new questionnaire, the Jonsson-Abbott Scale (JAS), was developed and used in a large, prospective, general population study, The Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study (Swelogs). The JAS has 11 items and seeks to identify early indicators, examine relationships between indicators and assess their capacity to predict future problem progression. The aims of the study were to examine psychometric properties of the JAS (internal consistency and dimensionality) and predictive validity with respect to increased gambling risk and problem gambling onset. The results are based on repeated interviews with 3818 participants. The response rate from the initial baseline wave was 74%. The original sample consisted of a random, stratified selection from the Swedish population register aged between 16 and 84. The results indicate an acceptable fit of a three-factor solution in a confirmatory factor analysis with 'Over consumption,' 'Gambling fallacies,' and 'Reinforcers' as factors. Reinforcers, Over consumption and Gambling fallacies were significant predictors of gambling risk potential and Gambling fallacies and Over consumption were significant predictors of problem gambling onset (incident cases) at 12 month follow up. When controlled for risk potential measured at baseline, the predictor Over consumption was not significant for gambling risk potential at follow up. For incident cases, Gambling fallacies and Over consumption remained significant when controlled for risk potential. Implications of the results for the development of problem gambling, early detection, prevention, and future research are discussed.

A preliminary analysis of microRNA as potential clinical biomarker for schizophrenia.

PubMed

Sun, Xin-yang; Zhang, Jin; Niu, Wei; Guo, Wei; Song, Hong-tao; Li, Heng-yu; Fan, Hui-min; Zhao, Lin; Zhong, Ai-fang; Dai, Yun-hua; Guo, Zhong-min; Zhang, Li-yi; Lu, Jim; Zhang, Qiao-li

2015-04-01

MicroRNAs (miRNA, miR) have been implicated as promising blood-based biomarkers for schizophrenia patients. This study aimed to clinically validate miRNA as potential schizophrenia biomarkers. Plasma levels of 10 miRNAs were analyzed using qPCR in a cohort of 61 schizophrenia patients and 62 normal controls, as well as 25 patients particularly selected for a six-week antipsychotic treatment course. Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment Scale (GAS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) were administered to assess the clinical symptoms. The results demonstrated that a panel of miRNAs consisting of miR-30e, miR-181b, miR-34a, miR-346 and miR-7 had significantly increased expression levels with significant combined diagnostic value (AUC:0.713; sensitivity:35.5%; specificity:90.2%). In response to pharmacological treatment, expression levels of miR-132, miR-181b, miR-432 and miR-30e were significantly decreased. In addition, the improvement of clinical symptomatology was significantly correlated with the changes of miR-132, miR-181b, miR-212 and miR-30e expression levels. Furthermore, the decreases of plasma levels of miR-132 and miR-432 were significantly greater in high-effect subgroup than those in low-effect subgroup after six-week treatment course. We conclude that miR-30e, miR-181b, miR-34a, miR-346 and miR-7 combined as a panel are potentially useful non-invasive biomarkers for schizophrenia diagnosis. Markers miR-132, miR-181b, miR-30e and miR-432 are potential indicators for symptomatology improvements, treatment responses and prognosis for schizophrenia patients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prosocial behavior as a protective factor for children's peer victimization.

PubMed

Griese, Emily R; Buhs, Eric S

2014-07-01

A majority of peer victimization research focuses on its associations with negative outcomes, yet efforts to understand possible protective factors that may mitigate these negative outcomes also require attention. The present study was an investigation of the potential moderating effect of prosocial behaviors on loneliness for youth who are peer victimized. Participants were fourth and fifth grade students (511 total; 49 % boys) who were primarily European American (43.4 %) and Hispanic (48.2 %). Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the interaction of prosocial behavior and peer victimization (relational and overt forms) on loneliness 1 year later. The results indicated that prosocial behavior significantly moderated the relationship between peer victimization (for the relational form only) and loneliness while controlling for levels of perceived peer support. A multi-group comparison by gender further indicated the moderation was significant for boys only. Potential implications for intervention/prevention efforts focused on developing children's prosocial skills as a possible protective factor for relationally victimized youth are discussed.

Annual incidence of mortality related to hypertensive disease in Canada and associations with heliophysical parameters.

PubMed

Caswell, Joseph M; Carniello, Trevor N; Murugan, Nirosha J

2016-01-01

Increasing research into heliobiology and related fields has revealed a myriad of potential relationships between space weather factors and terrestrial biology. Additionally, many studies have indicated cyclicity in incidence of various diseases along with many aspects of cardiovascular function. The current study examined annual mortality associated with hypertensive diseases in Canada from 1979 to 2009 for periodicities and linear relationships with a range of heliophysical parameters. Analyses indicated a number of significant lagged correlations between space weather and hypertensive mortality, with solar wind plasma beta identified as the likely source of these relationships. Similar periodicities were observed for geomagnetic activity and hypertensive mortality. A significant rhythm was revealed for hypertensive mortality centered on a 9.6-year cycle length, while geomagnetic activity was fit with a 10.1-year cycle. Cross-correlograms of mortality with space weather demonstrated a 10.67-year periodicity coinciding with the average 10.6-year solar cycle length for the time period examined. Further quantification and potential implications are discussed.

Temperament and risk for exercise dependence: results of a pilot study in female patients with eating disorders compared to elite athletes.

PubMed

Müller, Astrid; Claes, Laurence; Wos, Katharina; Kerling, Arno; Wünsch-Leiteritz, Wally; Cook, Brian; de Zwaan, Martina

2015-01-01

The present pilot study investigated the relationship between temperament and the risk for exercise dependence (EXD). A total of 32 female patients with eating disorders (potentially at risk for secondary EXD) and 29 female elite athletes without eating disturbances (potentially at risk for primary EXD) answered the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Exercise Dependence Scale-German version (EDS-G), the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales, and the effortful control subscale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (ATQ-EC). There were significant positive correlations of the EDS-G with the BIS in women with an eating disorder and with the BAS in elite athletes. No significant association was found between the EDS-G and effortful control. The results indicate that the risk for EXD is associated with avoidance tendencies in women with eating disorders and with approach tendencies in elite athletes. Implications for secondary and primary EXD are discussed. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Annual incidence of mortality related to hypertensive disease in Canada and associations with heliophysical parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caswell, Joseph M.; Carniello, Trevor N.; Murugan, Nirosha J.

2016-01-01

Increasing research into heliobiology and related fields has revealed a myriad of potential relationships between space weather factors and terrestrial biology. Additionally, many studies have indicated cyclicity in incidence of various diseases along with many aspects of cardiovascular function. The current study examined annual mortality associated with hypertensive diseases in Canada from 1979 to 2009 for periodicities and linear relationships with a range of heliophysical parameters. Analyses indicated a number of significant lagged correlations between space weather and hypertensive mortality, with solar wind plasma beta identified as the likely source of these relationships. Similar periodicities were observed for geomagnetic activity and hypertensive mortality. A significant rhythm was revealed for hypertensive mortality centered on a 9.6-year cycle length, while geomagnetic activity was fit with a 10.1-year cycle. Cross-correlograms of mortality with space weather demonstrated a 10.67-year periodicity coinciding with the average 10.6-year solar cycle length for the time period examined. Further quantification and potential implications are discussed.

N-Acetylcysteine treatment of dystrophic mdx mice results in protein thiol modifications and inhibition of exercise induced myofibre necrosis.

PubMed

Terrill, Jessica R; Radley-Crabb, Hannah G; Grounds, Miranda D; Arthur, Peter G

2012-05-01

Oxidative stress is implicated as a factor that increases necrosis of skeletal muscles in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and the dystrophic mdx mouse. Consequently, drugs that minimize oxidative stress are potential treatments for muscular dystrophy. This study examined the in vivo benefits to mdx mice of an antioxidant treatment with the cysteine precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC), administered in drinking water. NAC was completely effective in preventing treadmill exercise-induced myofibre necrosis (assessed histologically) and the increased blood creatine kinase levels (a measure of sarcolemma leakiness) following exercise were significantly lower in the NAC treated mice. While NAC had no effect on malondialdehyde level or protein carbonylation (two indicators of irreversible oxidative damage), treatment with NAC for one week significantly decreased the oxidation of glutathione and protein thiols, and enhanced muscle protein thiol content. These data provide in vivo evidence for protective benefits of NAC treatment on dystropathology, potentially via protein thiol modifications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reticulate evolution and the human past: an anthropological perspective.

PubMed

Winder, Isabelle C; Winder, Nick P

2014-01-01

The evidence is mounting that reticulate (web-like) evolution has shaped the biological histories of many macroscopic plants and animals, including non-human primates closely related to Homo sapiens, but the implications of this non-hierarchical evolution for anthropological enquiry are not yet fully understood. When they are understood, the result may be a paradigm shift in evolutionary anthropology. This paper reviews the evidence for reticulated evolution in the non-human primates and human lineage. Then it makes the case for extrapolating this sort of patterning to Homo sapiens and other hominins and explores the implications this would have for research design, method and understandings of evolution in anthropology. Reticulation was significant in human evolutionary history and continues to influence societies today. Anthropologists and human scientists-whether working on ancient or modern populations-thus need to consider the implications of non-hierarchic evolution, particularly where molecular clocks, mathematical models and simplifying assumptions about evolutionary processes are used. This is not just a problem for palaeoanthropology. The simple fact of different mating systems among modern human groups, for example, may demand that more attention is paid to the potential for complexity in human genetic and cultural histories.

Cost Implications of Value-Based Pricing for Companion Diagnostic Tests in Precision Medicine.

PubMed

Zaric, Gregory S

2016-07-01

Many interpretations of personalized medicine, also referred to as precision medicine, include discussions of companion diagnostic tests that allow drugs to be targeted to those individuals who are most likely to benefit or that allow treatment to be designed in a way such that individuals who are unlikely to benefit do not receive treatment. Many authors have commented on the clinical and competitive implications of companion diagnostics, but there has been relatively little formal analysis of the cost implications of companion diagnostics, although cost reduction is often cited as a significant benefit of precision medicine. We investigate the potential impact on costs of precision medicine implemented through the use of companion diagnostics. We develop a framework in which the costs of companion diagnostic tests are determined by considerations of profit maximization and cost effectiveness. We analyze four scenarios that are defined by the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the new drug in the absence of a companion diagnostic test. We find that, in most scenarios, precision medicine strategies based on companion diagnostics should be expected to lead to increases in costs in the short term and that costs would fall only in a limited number of situations.

PDGFRα and β Play Critical Roles in Mediating Foxq1-Driven Breast Cancer Stemness and Chemoresistance

PubMed Central

Meng, Fanyan; Speyer, Cecilia L.; Zhang, Bin; Zhao, Yongzhong; Chen, Wei; Gorski, David H.; Miller, Fred R.; Wu, Guojun

2015-01-01

Many epithelial—mesenchymal transition (EMT)-promoting transcription factors have been implicated in tumorigenesis and metastasis as well as chemoresistance of cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms mediating these processes are unclear. Here, we report that Foxq1, a forkhead box-containing transcription factor and EMT-inducing gene, promotes stemness traits and chemoresistance in mammary epithelial cells. Using an expression profiling assay, we identified Twist1, Zeb2, and PDGFRα and β as Foxq1 downstream targets. We further show that PDGFRα and β can be directly regulated by Foxq1 or indirectly regulated through the Foxq1/Twist1 axis. Knockdown of both PDGFRα and β results in more significant effects on reversing Foxq1-promoted oncogenesis in vitro and in vivo than knockdown of either PDGFRα or β alone. In addition, PDGFRβ is a more potent mediator of Foxq1-promoted stemness traits than PDGFRα. Finally, pharmacologic inhibition or gene silencing of PDGFRs sensitizes mammary epithelial cells to chemotherapeutic agents in vitro and in vivo. These findings collectively implicate PDGFRs as critical mediators of breast cancer oncogenesis and chemoresistance driven by Foxq1, with potential implications for developing novel therapeutic combinations to treat breast cancer. PMID:25502837

The practice and clinical implications of tablet splitting in international health

PubMed Central

Elliott, Ivo; Mayxay, Mayfong; Yeuichaixong, Sengchanh; Lee, Sue J; Newton, Paul N

2014-01-01

Objective Tablet splitting is frequently performed to facilitate correct dosing, but the practice and implications in low-income settings have rarely been discussed. Methods We selected eight drugs, with narrow therapeutic indices or critical dosages, frequently divided in the Lao PDR (Laos). These were split, by common techniques used in Laos, by four nurses and four laypersons. The mean percentage deviation from the theoretical expected weight and weight loss of divided tablets/capsules were recorded. Results Five of eight study drugs failed, on splitting, to meet European Pharmacopoeia recommendations for tablet weight deviation from the expected weight of tablet/capsule halves with 10% deviating by more than 25%. There was a significant difference in splitting accuracy between nurses and laypersons (P = 0.027). Coated and unscored tablets were less accurately split than uncoated (P = 0.03 and 0.0019 for each half) and scored (0.0001 for both halves) tablets. Conclusion These findings have potential clinical implications on treatment outcome and the development of antimicrobial resistance. Investment by drug companies in a wider range of dosage units, particularly for narrow therapeutic index and critical dosage medicines, is strongly recommended. PMID:24702766

Air pollution, inflammation and preterm birth: a potential mechanistic link.

PubMed

Vadillo-Ortega, Felipe; Osornio-Vargas, Alvaro; Buxton, Miatta A; Sánchez, Brisa N; Rojas-Bracho, Leonora; Viveros-Alcaráz, Martin; Castillo-Castrejón, Marisol; Beltrán-Montoya, Jorge; Brown, Daniel G; O'Neill, Marie S

2014-02-01

Preterm birth is a public health issue of global significance, which may result in mortality during the perinatal period or may lead to major health and financial consequences due to lifelong impacts. Even though several risk factors for preterm birth have been identified, prevention efforts have failed to halt the increasing rates of preterm birth. Epidemiological studies have identified air pollution as an emerging potential risk factor for preterm birth. However, many studies were limited by study design and inadequate exposure assessment. Due to the ubiquitous nature of ambient air pollution and the potential public health significance of any role in causing preterm birth, a novel focus investigating possible causal mechanisms influenced by air pollution is therefore a global health priority. We hypothesize that air pollution may act together with other biological factors to induce systemic inflammation and influence the duration of pregnancy. Evaluation and testing of this hypothesis is currently being conducted in a prospective cohort study in Mexico City and will provide an understanding of the pathways that mediate the effects of air pollution on preterm birth. The important public health implication is that crucial steps in this mechanistic pathway can potentially be acted on early in pregnancy to reduce the risk of preterm birth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AIR POLLUTION, INFLAMMATION AND PRETERM BIRTH: A POTENTIAL MECHANISTIC LINK

PubMed Central

Vadillo-Ortega, Felipe; Osornio-Vargas, Alvaro; Buxton, Miatta A.; Sánchez, Brisa N.; Rojas-Bracho, Leonora; Viveros-Alcaráz, Martin; Castillo-Castrejón, Marisol; Beltrán-Montoya, Jorge; Brown, Daniel G.; O´Neill, Marie S.

2014-01-01

Preterm birth is a public health issue of global significance, which may result in mortality during the perinatal period or may lead to major health and financial consequences due to lifelong impacts. Even though several risk factors for preterm birth have been identified, prevention efforts have failed to halt the increasing rates of preterm birth. Epidemiological studies have identified air pollution as an emerging potential risk factor for preterm birth. However, many studies were limited by study design and inadequate exposure assessment. Due to the ubiquitous nature of ambient air pollution and the potential public health significance of any role in causing preterm birth, a novel focus investigating possible causal mechanisms influenced by air pollution is therefore a global health priority. We hypothesize that air pollution may act together with other biological factors to induce systemic inflammation and influence the duration of pregnancy. Evaluation and testing of this hypothesis is currently being conducted in a prospective cohort study in Mexico City and will provide an understanding of the pathways that mediate the effects of air pollution on preterm birth. The important public health implication is that crucial steps in this mechanistic pathway can potentially be acted on early in pregnancy to reduce the risk of preterm birth. PMID:24382337

Does evidence influence policy? Resource allocation and the Indigenous Burden of Disease study.

PubMed

Doran, Christopher M; Ling, Rod; Searles, Andrew; Hill, Peter

2016-01-01

Objective The Indigenous Burden of Disease (IBoD) report is the most comprehensive assessment of Indigenous disease burden in Australia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential effect of the IBoD report on Australian Indigenous health policy, service expenditure and research funding. Findings have significance for understanding factors that may influence Indigenous health policy. Methods The potential effect of the IBoD report was considered by: (1) conducting a text search of pertinent documents published by the federal government, Council of Australian Governments and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) and observing the quantity and quality of references to IBoD; (2) examining data on government Indigenous healthcare expenditure for trends consistent with the findings and policy implications of the IBoD report; and (3) examining NHMRC Indigenous grant allocation trends consistent with the findings and policy implications of the IBoD report. Results Of 110 government and NHMRC documents found, IBoD was cited in 27. Immediately after publication of the IBoD report, federal and state governments increased Indigenous health spending (relative to non-Indigenous), notably for community health and public health at the state level. Expenditure on Indigenous hospital separations for chronic diseases also increased. These changes are broadly consistent with the findings of the IBoD report on the significance of chronic disease and the need to address certain risk factors. However, there is no evidence that such changes had a causal connection with the IBoD study. After publication of the IBoD report, changes in NHMRC Indigenous research funding showed little consistency with the findings of the IBoD report. Conclusions The present study found only indirect and inconsistent correlational evidence of the potential influence of the IBoD report on Indigenous health expenditure and research funding. Further assessment of the potential influence of the IBoD report on Indigenous health policy will require more targeted research, including interviews with key informants involved in developing health policy. What is known about the topic? There are currently no publications that consider the potential effed of the IBoD study on Indigenous health expenditure and research funding. What does this paper add? This paper offers the first consideration of the potential effect of the IBoD report. It contains analyses of data from readily available sources, examining national expenditures on Indigenous health and NHMRC Indigenous research, before and after the publication of the IBoD report. What are the implications for practitioners? The paper is relevant to analysts interested in drivers of Indigenous health policy. Although it finds correlations between the release of the IBoD report and some subsequent health spending decisions, other factors should be investigated to better understand the complexity of processes that drive government efforts to improve Indigenous health.

Oral and transdermal DL-methylphenidate-ethanol interactions in C57BL/6J mice: potentiation of locomotor activity with oral delivery.

PubMed

Bell, Guinevere H; Griffin, William C; Patrick, Kennerly S

2011-12-01

Many abusers of dl-methylphenidate co-abuse ethanol. The present animal study examined behavioral effects of oral or transdermal DL-methylphenidate in combination with a high, depressive dose of ethanol to model co-abuse. Locomotor activity of C57BL/6J mice was recorded for 3 h following dosing with either oral DL-methylphenidate (7.5 mg/kg) or transdermal DL-methylphenidate (Daytrana®;1/4 of a 12.5 cm(2) patch; mean dose 7.5 mg/kg), with or without oral ethanol (3 g/kg). Brains were enantiospecifically analyzed for the isomers of methylphenidate and the transesterification metabolite ethylphenidate. An otherwise depressive dose of ethanol significantly potentiated oral DL-methylphenidate induced increases in total distance traveled for the first 100 min (p<0.05). Transdermal DL-methylphenidate increased total distance traveled after a latency of 80 min, though this effect was not potentiated by concomitant ethanol. Mean 3 h brain D-methylphenidate concentrations were significantly elevated by ethanol in both the oral (65% increase) and transdermal (88% increase) groups. The corresponding L-ethylphenidate concentrations were 10 ng/g and 130 ng/g. Stimulant induced motor activity in rodents may correlate with abuse liability. Potentiation of DL-methylphenidate motor effects by concomitant ethanol carries implications regarding increased abuse potential of DL-methylphenidate when combined with ethanol. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of tumor related signaling pathways with known compounds to determine potential agents for lung adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Xu, Song; Liu, Renwang; Da, Yurong

2018-06-05

This study compared tumor-related signaling pathways with known compounds to determine potential agents for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) treatment. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathway analyses were performed based on LUAD differentially expressed genes from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project and genotype-tissue expression controls. These results were compared to various known compounds using the Connectivity Mapping dataset. The clinical significance of the hub genes identified by overlapping pathway enrichment analysis was further investigated using data mining from multiple sources. A drug-pathway network for LUAD was constructed, and molecular docking was carried out. After the integration of 57 LUAD-related pathways and 35 pathways affected by small molecules, five overlapping pathways were revealed. Among these five pathways, the p53 signaling pathway was the most significant, with CCNB1, CCNB2, CDK1, CDKN2A, and CHEK1 being identified as hub genes. The p53 signaling pathway is implicated as a risk factor for LUAD tumorigenesis and survival. A total of 88 molecules significantly inhibiting the five LUAD-related oncogenic pathways were involved in the LUAD drug-pathway network. Daunorubicin, mycophenolic acid, and pyrvinium could potentially target the hub gene CHEK1 directly. Our study highlights the critical pathways that should be targeted in the search for potential LUAD treatments, most importantly, the p53 signaling pathway. Some compounds, such as ciclopirox and AG-028671, may have potential roles for LUAD treatment but require further experimental verification. © 2018 The Authors. Thoracic Cancer published by China Lung Oncology Group and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Effect of Psilocybin on Empathy and Moral Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Preller, Katrin H; Kometer, Michael; Dziobek, Isabel; Vollenweider, Franz X

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Impaired empathic abilities lead to severe negative social consequences and influence the development and treatment of several psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, empathy has been shown to play a crucial role in moral and prosocial behavior. Although the serotonin system has been implicated in modulating empathy and moral behavior, the relative contribution of the various serotonin receptor subtypes is still unknown. Methods We investigated the acute effect of psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg p.o.) in healthy human subjects on different facets of empathy and hypothetical moral decision-making using the multifaceted empathy test (n=32) and the moral dilemma task (n=24). Results Psilocybin significantly increased emotional, but not cognitive empathy compared with placebo, and the increase in implicit emotional empathy was significantly associated with psilocybin-induced changed meaning of percepts. In contrast, moral decision-making remained unaffected by psilocybin. Conclusions These findings provide first evidence that psilocybin has distinct effects on social cognition by enhancing emotional empathy but not moral behavior. Furthermore, together with previous findings, psilocybin appears to promote emotional empathy presumably via activation of serotonin 2A/1A receptors, suggesting that targeting serotonin 2A/1A receptors has implications for potential treatment of dysfunctional social cognition. PMID:28637246

Biomimetic synthesis of struvite with biogenic morphology and implication for pathological biomineralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Han; Yao, Qi-Zhi; Wang, Yu-Ying; Li, Yi-Liang; Zhou, Gen-Tao

2015-01-01

Recent studies have found that certain urinary proteins can efficiently inhibit stone formation. These discoveries are significant for developing effective therapies for stone disease, but the inhibition mechanism of crystallization remains elusive. In the present study, polyaspartic acid (PASP) was employed as a model peptide to investigate the effect of urinary proteins on the crystallization and morphological evolution of struvite. The results demonstrate that selective adsorption/binding of PASP onto the {010} and {101} faces of struvite crystals results in arrowhead-shaped morphology, which further evolves into X-shaped and unusual tabular structures with time. Noticeably, these morphologies are reminiscent of biogenic struvite morphology. Concentration-dependent experiments show that PASP can inhibit struvite growth and the inhibitory capacity increases with increasing PASP concentration, whereas aspartic acid monomers do not show a significant effect. Considering that PASP is a structural and functional analogue of the subdomains of aspartic acid-rich proteins, our results reveal that aspartic acid-rich proteins play a key role in regulating biogenic struvite morphology, and aspartic acid residues contribute to the inhibitory capacity of urinary proteins. The potential implications of PASP for developing therapeutic agents for urinary stone disease is also discussed.

Ecological bridges and barriers in pelagic ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briscoe, Dana K.; Hobday, Alistair J.; Carlisle, Aaron; Scales, Kylie; Eveson, J. Paige; Arrizabalaga, Haritz; Druon, Jean Noel; Fromentin, Jean-Marc

2017-06-01

Many highly mobile species are known to use persistent pathways or corridors to move between habitat patches in which conditions are favorable for particular activities, such as breeding or foraging. In the marine realm, environmental variability can lead to the development of temporary periods of anomalous oceanographic conditions that can connect individuals to areas of habitat outside a population's usual range, or alternatively, restrict individuals from areas usually within their range, thus acting as ecological bridges or ecological barriers. These temporary features can result in novel or irregular trophic interactions and changes in population spatial dynamics, and, therefore, may have significant implications for management of marine ecosystems. Here, we provide evidence of ecological bridges and barriers in different ocean regions, drawing upon five case studies in which particular oceanographic conditions have facilitated or restricted the movements of individuals from highly migratory species. We discuss the potential population-level significance of ecological bridges and barriers, with respect to the life history characteristics of different species, and inter- and intra-population variability in habitat use. Finally, we summarize the persistence of bridge dynamics with time, our ability to monitor bridges and barriers in a changing climate, and implications for forecasting future climate-mediated ecosystem change.

Biomimetic synthesis of struvite with biogenic morphology and implication for pathological biomineralization.

PubMed

Li, Han; Yao, Qi-Zhi; Wang, Yu-Ying; Li, Yi-Liang; Zhou, Gen-Tao

2015-01-16

Recent studies have found that certain urinary proteins can efficiently inhibit stone formation. These discoveries are significant for developing effective therapies for stone disease, but the inhibition mechanism of crystallization remains elusive. In the present study, polyaspartic acid (PASP) was employed as a model peptide to investigate the effect of urinary proteins on the crystallization and morphological evolution of struvite. The results demonstrate that selective adsorption/binding of PASP onto the {010} and {101} faces of struvite crystals results in arrowhead-shaped morphology, which further evolves into X-shaped and unusual tabular structures with time. Noticeably, these morphologies are reminiscent of biogenic struvite morphology. Concentration-dependent experiments show that PASP can inhibit struvite growth and the inhibitory capacity increases with increasing PASP concentration, whereas aspartic acid monomers do not show a significant effect. Considering that PASP is a structural and functional analogue of the subdomains of aspartic acid-rich proteins, our results reveal that aspartic acid-rich proteins play a key role in regulating biogenic struvite morphology, and aspartic acid residues contribute to the inhibitory capacity of urinary proteins. The potential implications of PASP for developing therapeutic agents for urinary stone disease is also discussed.

Specificity of Disgust Vulnerability in the Distinction and Treatment of OCD

PubMed Central

Olatunji, Bunmi O.; Tart, Candyce D.; Ciesielski, Bethany G.; McGrath, Patrick B.; Smits, Jasper A. J.

2011-01-01

A growing body of research has implicated disgust as a potential risk factor for the development and maintenance of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). The first aim of the present study was to determine whether related, yet distinct, disgust vulnerabilities are endorsed more strongly by individuals with OCD than by those with another anxiety disorder. The second aim was to examine the unique contributions of changes in disgust to symptom improvement observed with exposure-based treatment for OCD. In study 1, individuals with OCD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and nonclinical controls (NCCs) completed a measure of disgust propensity and disgust sensitivity. Compared to NCCs and individuals with GAD, those with OCD more strongly endorsed disgust propensity. However, individuals with OCD did not significantly differ from individuals with GAD in disgust sensitivity, although both groups reported significantly higher disgust sensitivity levels compared to NCCs. Study 2 comprised mediation analyses of symptom improvement among individuals with OCD and revealed that decreases in disgust propensity over time mediated improvement in OCD symptoms, even after controlling for improvements in negative affect. The implications of these findings for conceptualizing the role of disgust in the nature and treatment of OCD are discussed. PMID:21353249

Tracking the dynamics of divergent thinking via semantic distance: Analytic methods and theoretical implications.

PubMed

Hass, Richard W

2017-02-01

Divergent thinking has often been used as a proxy measure of creative thinking, but this practice lacks a foundation in modern cognitive psychological theory. This article addresses several issues with the classic divergent-thinking methodology and presents a new theoretical and methodological framework for cognitive divergent-thinking studies. A secondary analysis of a large dataset of divergent-thinking responses is presented. Latent semantic analysis was used to examine the potential changes in semantic distance between responses and the concept represented by the divergent-thinking prompt across successive response iterations. The results of linear growth modeling showed that although there is some linear increase in semantic distance across response iterations, participants high in fluid intelligence tended to give more distant initial responses than those with lower fluid intelligence. Additional analyses showed that the semantic distance of responses significantly predicted the average creativity rating given to the response, with significant variation in average levels of creativity across participants. Finally, semantic distance does not seem to be related to participants' choices of their own most creative responses. Implications for cognitive theories of creativity are discussed, along with the limitations of the methodology and directions for future research.

The OPTN Deceased Donor Potential Study: Implications for Policy and Practice.

PubMed

Klassen, D K; Edwards, L B; Stewart, D E; Glazier, A K; Orlowski, J P; Berg, C L

2016-06-01

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Deceased Donor Potential Study, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, characterized the current pool of potential deceased donors and estimated changes through 2020. The goal was to inform policy development and suggest practice changes designed to increase the number of donors and organ transplants. Donor estimates used filtering methodologies applied to datasets from the OPTN, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and used these estimates with the number of actual donors to estimate the potential donor pool through 2020. Projected growth of the donor pool was 0.5% per year through 2020. Potential donor estimates suggested unrealized donor potential across all demographic groups, with the most significant unrealized potential (70%) in the 50-75-year-old age group and potential Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) donors. Actual transplants that may be realized from potential donors in these categories are constrained by confounding medical comorbidities not identified in administrative databases and by limiting utilization practices for organs from DCD donors. Policy, regulatory, and practice changes encouraging organ procurement and transplantation of a broader population of potential donors may be required to increase transplant numbers in the United States. © Copyright 2016 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Disappearing inflaton potential via heavy field dynamics

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

Kitajima, Naoya; Takahashi, Fuminobu, E-mail: kitajima@tuhep.phys.tohoku.ac.jp, E-mail: fumi@tuhep.phys.tohoku.ac.jp

2016-02-01

We propose a possibility that the inflaton potential is significantly modified after inflation due to heavy field dynamics. During inflation such a heavy scalar field may be stabilized at a value deviated from the low-energy minimum. In extreme cases, the inflaton potential vanishes and the inflaton becomes almost massless at some time after inflation. Such transition of the inflaton potential has interesting implications for primordial density perturbations, reheating, creation of unwanted relics, dark radiation, and experimental search for light degrees of freedom. To be concrete, we consider a chaotic inflation in supergravity where the inflaton mass parameter is promoted tomore » a modulus field, finding that the inflaton becomes stable after the transition and contributes to dark matter. Another example is a hilltop inflation (also called new inflation) by the MSSM Higgs field which acquires a large expectation value just after inflation, but it returns to the origin after the transition and finally rolls down to the electroweak vacuum. Interestingly, the smallness of the electroweak scale compared to the Planck scale is directly related to the flatness of the inflaton potential.« less

The Neurotoxic Potential of Engineered Nanomaterials

EPA Science Inventory

The expanding development and production of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have diverse and far-reaching potential benefits in consumer products, food, drugs, medical devices and for enhancing environmental cleanup and remediation. The knowledge of potential implications of ENMs...

Impacts of climate change and socio-economic scenarios on flow and water quality of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM) river systems: low flow and flood statistics.

PubMed

Whitehead, P G; Barbour, E; Futter, M N; Sarkar, S; Rodda, H; Caesar, J; Butterfield, D; Jin, L; Sinha, R; Nicholls, R; Salehin, M

2015-06-01

The potential impacts of climate change and socio-economic change on flow and water quality in rivers worldwide is a key area of interest. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) is one of the largest river basins in the world serving a population of over 650 million, and is of vital concern to India and Bangladesh as it provides fresh water for people, agriculture, industry, conservation and for the delta system downstream. This paper seeks to assess future changes in flow and water quality utilising a modelling approach as a means of assessment in a very complex system. The INCA-N model has been applied to the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna river systems to simulate flow and water quality along the rivers under a range of future climate conditions. Three model realisations of the Met Office Hadley Centre global and regional climate models were selected from 17 perturbed model runs to evaluate a range of potential futures in climate. In addition, the models have also been evaluated using socio-economic scenarios, comprising (1) a business as usual future, (2) a more sustainable future, and (3) a less sustainable future. Model results for the 2050s and the 2090s indicate a significant increase in monsoon flows under the future climates, with enhanced flood potential. Low flows are predicted to fall with extended drought periods, which could have impacts on water and sediment supply, irrigated agriculture and saline intrusion. In contrast, the socio-economic changes had relatively little impact on flows, except under the low flow regimes where increased irrigation could further reduce water availability. However, should large scale water transfers upstream of Bangladesh be constructed, these have the potential to reduce flows and divert water away from the delta region depending on the volume and timing of the transfers. This could have significant implications for the delta in terms of saline intrusion, water supply, agriculture and maintaining crucial ecosystems such as the mangrove forests, with serious implications for people's livelihoods in the area. The socio-economic scenarios have a significant impact on water quality, altering nutrient fluxes being transported into the delta region.

Implications of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) extend well beyond reproductive concerns.

PubMed

Pal, Lubna; Bevilacqua, Kris; Zeitlian, Gohar; Shu, Jun; Santoro, Nanette

2008-01-01

To investigate whether a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) in premenopausal years has adverse implications for skeletal health and quality of life. This was a cross-sectional study of infertile, albeit healthy, mid-reproductive-age women (younger than 42 y) attending an academic infertility practice. Eighty-nine women with varying causes of infertility were prospectively enrolled. Serum (cycle d 1-3) was collected for markers of ovarian reserve, bone metabolism, testosterone, and free androgen index. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed and categorized as low if the Z score was less than -1.0). Infertile women with DOR (n = 28) demonstrated significantly higher serum follicle-stimulating hormone levels (P < 0.001), lower müllerian-inhibiting substance (MIS) levels (P < 0.001), smaller ovarian dimensions (P < 0.05), lower testosterone levels (P = 0.035), lower free androgen index (P = 0.019), and enhanced bone metabolism (P = 0.003); although the prevalence of low BMD was higher in women with DOR who were younger than 41, this relationship was not of statistical significance (P = 0.106). Women younger than 41 years of age with DOR were significantly more likely to manifest disturbed sleep (P = 0.049) and acknowledge dissatisfaction with sexual intimacy (P = 0.004) compared with those with infertility and normal ovarian reserve. After adjustment for potential confounders, a diagnosis of DOR was significantly associated with low BMD, increased bone turnover, sexual dissatisfaction, and disturbed sleep. Our data suggest that DOR unmasked in the context of infertility evaluation has adverse implications for a woman's well-being that extend well beyond the thus far appreciated reproductive concerns. A decline in ovarian hormones, specifically estrogen and testosterone, concomitant with DOR may be hypothesized as a mechanism that can explain the observed multisystem ramifications of DOR including increased bone turnover, low BMD, sexual distress, and disturbed sleep.

Stage-dependent piRNAs in chicken implicated roles in modulating male germ cell development.

PubMed

Chang, Kai-Wei; Tseng, Yen-Tzu; Chen, Yi-Chen; Yu, Chih-Yun; Liao, Hung-Fu; Chen, Yi-Chun; Tu, Yu-Fan Evan; Wu, Shinn-Chih; Liu, I-Hsuan; Pinskaya, Marina; Morillon, Antonin; Pain, Bertrand; Lin, Shau-Ping

2018-06-01

The PIWI/piRNA pathway is a conserved machinery important for germ cell development and fertility. This piRNA-guided molecular machinery is best known for repressing derepressed transposable elements (TE) during epigenomic reprogramming. The extent to which piRNAs are involved in modulating transcripts beyond TEs still need to be clarified, and it may be a stage-dependent event. We chose chicken germline as a study model because of the significantly lower TE complexity in the chicken genome compared to mammalian species. We generated high-confidence piRNA candidates in various stages across chicken germline development by 3'-end-methylation-enriched small RNA sequencing and in-house bioinformatics analysis. We observed a significant developmental stage-dependent loss of TE association and a shifting of the ping-pong cycle signatures. Moreover, the stage-dependent reciprocal abundance of LINE retrotransposons, CR1-C, and its associated piRNAs implicated the developmental stage-dependent role of piRNA machinery. The stage dependency of piRNA expression and its potential functions can be better addressed by analyzing the piRNA precursors/clusters. Interestingly, the new piRNA clusters identified from embryonic chicken testes revealed evolutionary conservation between chickens and mammals, which was previously thought to not exist. In this report, we provided an original chicken RNA resource and proposed an analytical methodology that can be used to investigate stage-dependent changes in piRNA compositions and their potential roles in TE regulation and beyond, and also revealed possible conserved functions of piRNAs in developing germ cells.

The geometry of high angle of attack maneuvers and the implications for Gy-induced neck injuries.

PubMed

Newman, David G; Ostler, David

2011-08-01

Modern super agile fighter aircraft have significantly expanded maneuverability envelopes, often involving very high angles of attack (AOA) in the post-stall region. One such maneuver is the high AOA velocity vector roll. The geometry of this flight maneuver is such that during the roll there is a significant lateral C load imposed on the unrestrained head-neck complex of the pilot. A mathematical analysis of the geometric relationship determining the magnitude of +/- Gy acceleration during high AOA maneuvering was conducted. This preliminary mathematical model is able to predict the Gy load imposed on the head-neck complex of the pilot for a given set of flight maneuver parameters. The analysis predicts that at an AOA of 700 and with a roll rate of 100 degrees x s(-1), the lateral G developed will be approximately 3.5 Gy. Increasing the roll rate increases the lateral G component: at 200 degrees x s(-1) the Gy, load is more than 6 Gy. There are serious potential implications of super agile maneuvers on the neck of the pilot. The G environment experienced by the pilot of super agile aircraft is increasingly multiaxial, involving +/- Gx, +/- Gy, and +/- Gz. The level of lateral G developed during these dynamic flight maneuvers should not be underestimated, as such G loads can potentially lead to neck injuries. While aircraft become ever more capable, a full understanding of the biodynamic effects on the pilot while exploiting the agility of the aircraft still needs to be developed.

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

Tan, Heng Kean

14-Deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (14-DDA), a major diterpenoid isolated from Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees, is known to be cytotoxic and elicits a non-apoptotic cell death in T-47D breast carcinoma cells. In this study, the mechanistic toxicology properties of 14-DDA in T-47D cells were further investigated. 14-DDA is found to induce the formation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) vacuoles and autophagosomes, with concurrent upregulation of LC3-II in the breast carcinoma cells. It stimulated an increase in cytosolic calcium concentration and caused a collapse in mitochondrial membrane potential in these cells. In addition, both DDIT3 and GADD45A, molecules implicated in ER stress pathway, were significantly upregulated.more » DDIT3 knockdown suppressed the formation of both ER vacuoles and autophagosomes, indicating that 14-DDA-induced ER stress and autophagy is dependent on this transcription factor. Collectively, it is possible that GADD45A/p38 MAPK/DDIT3 pathway is involved in the 14-DDA-induced ER-stress-mediated autophagy in T-47D cells. - Highlights: • The mechanistic toxicology properties of 14-DDA in T-47D breast carcinoma cells were investigated. • 14-DDA induces the formation of ER vacuoles and autophagosomes, with concurrent upregulation of LC3-II. • It stimulates an increase in cytosolic calcium concentration and causing collapse in the mitochondrial membrane potential. • Both DDIT3 and GADD45A, molecules implicated in ER stress pathway, were significantly upregulated. • 4-DDA induces ER stress-mediated autophagy in T-47D cells possibly via GADD45A/p38 MAPK/DDIT3 pathway.« less

Analysis of Cyclic Variability of Heat Release for High-EGR GDI Engine Operation with Observations on Implications for Effective Control

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

Kaul, Brian C; Wagner, Robert M; Green Jr, Johney Boyd

2013-01-01

Operation of spark-ignition (SI) engines with high levels of charge dilution through exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) achieves significant engine efficiency gains while maintaining stoichiometric operation for compatibility with three-way catalysts. Dilution levels, however, are limited by cyclic variability-including significant numbers of misfires-that becomes more pronounced with increasing dilution. This variability has been shown to have both stochastic and deterministic components. Stochastic effects include turbulence, mixing variations, and the like, while the deterministic effect is primarily due to the nonlinear dependence of flame propagation rates and ignition characteristics on the charge composition, which is influenced by the composition of residual gasesmore » from prior cycles. The presence of determinism implies that an increased understanding the dynamics of such systems could lead to effective control approaches that allow operation near the edge of stability, effectively extending the dilution limit. This nonlinear dependence has been characterized previously for homogeneous charge, port fuel-injected (PFI) SI engines operating fuel-lean as well as with inert diluents such as bottled N2 gas. In this paper, cyclic dispersion in a modern boosted gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine using a cooled external EGR loop is examined, and the potential for improvement with effective control is evaluated through the use of symbol sequence statistics and other techniques from chaos theory. Observations related to the potential implications of these results for control approaches that could effectively enable engine operation at the edge of combustion stability are noted.« less

Global dimming and brightening: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, Martin

2009-05-01

There is increasing evidence that the amount of solar radiation incident at the Earth's surface is not stable over the years but undergoes significant decadal variations. Here I review the evidence for these changes, their magnitude, their possible causes, their representation in climate models, and their potential implications for climate change. The various studies analyzing long-term records of surface radiation measurements suggest a widespread decrease in surface solar radiation between the 1950s and 1980s ("global dimming"), with a partial recovery more recently at many locations ("brightening"). There are also some indications for an "early brightening" in the first part of the 20th century. These variations are in line with independent long-term observations of sunshine duration, diurnal temperature range, pan evaporation, and, more recently, satellite-derived estimates, which add credibility to the existence of these changes and their larger-scale significance. Current climate models, in general, tend to simulate these decadal variations to a much lesser degree. The origins of these variations are internal to the Earth's atmosphere and not externally forced by the Sun. Variations are not only found under cloudy but also under cloud-free atmospheres, indicative of an anthropogenic contribution through changes in aerosol emissions governed by economic developments and air pollution regulations. The relative importance of aerosols, clouds, and aerosol-cloud interactions may differ depending on region and pollution level. Highlighted are further potential implications of dimming and brightening for climate change, which may affect global warming, the components and intensity of the hydrological cycle, the carbon cycle, and the cryosphere among other climate elements.

Spatiotemporal trend analysis of metal concentrations in sediments of a residential California stream with toxicity and regulatory implications.

PubMed

Hall, Lenwood W; Anderson, Ronald D; Killen, William D

2017-06-07

The objective of this study was to determine if concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc measured in the sediments of a residential stream in California (Pleasant Grove Creek) have changed temporally or spatially from 2006 to 2016. Threshold Effect Levels (TELs), conservative ecological effects benchmarks, and exceedances for the seven metals were also evaluated over the 11-year time period to provide insight into potential metal toxicity to resident benthic communities. In addition, the bioavailability of metals in sediments was also determined by calculating Simultaneous Extracted Metal/Acid Volatle Sulfide (SEM/AVS) ratios to allow an additional assessment of toxicity. Regulatory implications of this data set and the role of metal toxicity are also discussed. Stream-wide temporal trend analysis showed no statistically significant trends for any of the metals. However, spatial analysis for several sites located near storm drains did show a significant increase for most metals over the 11-year period. TEL exceedances during the 7 years of sampling, spanning 2006-2016, were reported for all metals with the number of exceedances ranging from 47 for copper and zinc to 1 for lead. A spatial analysis showed that the highest number of TEL exceedances and the highest number of SEM/AVS ratios greater than one with at least one metal exceeding a TEL occurred at upstream sites. The potentially toxic metal concentrations reported in Pleasant Grove Creek should be used in the 303 (d) listing process for impaired water bodies in California.

Alpha-1A Adrenergic receptor activation increases inhibitory tone in CA1 hippocampus

PubMed Central

Hillman, Kristin L.; Lei, Saobo; Doze, Van A.

2009-01-01

The endogenous catecholamine norepinephrine (NE) exhibits anti-epileptic properties, however it is not well understood which adrenergic receptor (AR) mediates this effect. The aim of this study was to investigate α1-adrenergic receptor (AR) activation in region CA1 of the hippocampus, a subcortical structure often implicated in temporal lobe epilepsies. Using cell-attached and whole-cell recordings in rat hippocampal slices, we confirmed that selective α1-AR activation increases action potential firing in a subpopulation of CA1 interneurons. We found that this response is mediated via the α1A-AR subtype, initiated by sodium influx, and appears independent of second messenger signaling. In CA1 pyramidal cells, α1A-AR activation decreases activity due to increased pre-synaptic GABA and somatostatin release. Examination of post-synaptic receptor involvement revealed that while GABAA receptors mediate the majority of α1A-adrenergic effects on CA1 pyramidal cells, significant contributions are also made by GABAB and somatostatin receptors. Finally, to test whether α1A-AR activation could have potential therapeutic implications, we performed AR agonist challenges using two in vitro epileptiform models. When GABAA receptors were available, α1A-AR activation significantly decreased epileptiform bursting in CA1. Together, our findings directly link stimulation of the α1A-AR subtype to release of GABA and somatostatin at the single cell level and suggest that α1A-AR activation may represent one mechanism by which NE exerts anti-epileptic effects within the hippocampus. PMID:19201164

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

Reduced length of stay in hospital for burn patients following a change in practice guidelines: financial implications.

PubMed

Jansen, Leigh A; Hynes, Sally L; Macadam, Sheina A; Papp, Anthony

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the financial implications of the implementation of new institutional practice guidelines including greater outpatient care and earlier operative intervention in a provincial burn center. A retrospective review was performed including all patients admitted to the Burn Unit with burns up to 20% TBSA between August 2005 and July 2009, including 2 years before and after the new guidelines were introduced. Daily costs for the burn unit were used to calculate this portion of cost. Length of stay (LOS) was based on actual data and representative clinical scenarios. Two hundred sixty-four patients were included. Mean LOS decreased from 10.3 to 3.9 (P < .01) and 21.0 to 13.3 (P > .05) for nonoperative burns 0 to 10% and 10 to 20% TBSA, respectively. Mean LOS for operative burns decreased from 16.6 to 12.9 and 32.3 to 29.8 days for 0 to 10% and 10 to 20% TBSA, respectively (P > .05). Burn patient management requires significant financial resources, and LOS has a large impact on cost. Given per diem rates of Can$1,663, scenario analysis shows potential cost savings of Can$19,956 per patient for operative and nonoperative burns <20% TBSA. With an average of 66 such patients treated each year, potential annual cost savings are Can$1.3 million. If outcomes are not compromised, earlier operative management and greater outpatient care can translate into significant cost savings. A prospective analysis capturing all costs and patient quality of life is required for further assessment.

Pathological Alteration in the Choroid Plexus of Alzheimer’s Disease: Implication for New Therapy Approaches

PubMed Central

Krzyzanowska, Agnieszka; Carro, Eva

2012-01-01

Morphological alterations of choroid plexus in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been extensively investigated. These changes include epithelial atrophy, thickening of the basement membrane, and stroma fibrosis. As a result, synthesis, secretory, and transportation functions are significantly altered resulting in decreased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) turnover. Recent studies discuss the potential impacts of these changes, including the possibility of reduced resistance to stress insults and slow clearance of toxic compounds from CSF with specific reference to the amyloid peptide. Here, we review new evidences for AD-related changes in the choroid plexus. The data suggest that the significantly altered functions of the choroid plexus contribute to the multiparametric pathogenesis of late-onset AD. PMID:22563316

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia: An Update

PubMed Central

Mazzucchelli, Maddalena; Frustaci, Anna Maria; Deodato, Marina; Cairoli, Roberto; Tedeschi, Alessandra

2018-01-01

Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder with distinctive clinical features. Diagnostic and prognostic characterisation in WM significantly changed with the discovery of two molecular markers: MYD88 and CXCR4. Mutational status of these latter influences both clinical presentation and prognosis and demonstrated therapeutic implications. Treatment choice in Waldenstrom disease is strictly guided by patients age and characteristics, specific goals of therapy, the necessity for rapid disease control, the risk of treatment-related neuropathy, disease features, the risk of immunosuppression or secondary malignancies and potential for future autologous stem cell transplantation. The therapeutic landscape has expanded during the last years and the approval of ibrutinib, the first drug approved for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, represents a significant step forward for a better management of the disease. PMID:29326801

Liver Injury from Herbal, Dietary, and Weight Loss Supplements: a Review

PubMed Central

Zheng, Elizabeth X.; Navarro, Victor J.

2015-01-01

Herbal and dietary supplement usage has increased steadily over the past several years in the United States. Among the non-bodybuilding herbal and dietary supplements, weight loss supplements were among the most common type of HDS implicated in liver injury. While drug induced liver injury is rare, its consequences are significant and on the rise. The purpose of this review is to highlight case reports of weight loss products such as Hydroxycut and OxyElite Pro as one form of HDS that have hepatotoxic potential and to characterize its clinical effects as well as pattern of liver injury. We also propose future strategies in the identification and study of potentially hepatotoxic compounds in an effort to outline a diagnostic approach for identifying any drug induced liver injury. PMID:26357638

Reproductive Impacts of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals on Wildlife Species: Implications for Conservation of Endangered Species.

PubMed

Tubbs, Christopher W; McDonough, Caitlin E

2018-02-15

Wildlife have proven valuable to our understanding of the potential effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on human health by contributing considerably to our understanding of the mechanisms and consequences of EDC exposure. But the threats EDCs present to populations of wildlife species themselves are significant, particularly for endangered species whose existence is vulnerable to any reproductive perturbation. However, few studies address the threats EDCs pose to endangered species owing to challenges associated with their study. Here, we highlight those barriers and review the available literature concerning EDC effects on endangered species. Drawing from other investigations into nonthreatened wildlife species, we highlight opportunities for new approaches to advance our understanding and potentially mitigate the effects of EDCs on endangered species to enhance their fertility.

Experimental observation of phase-flip transitions in the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotson, Nicholas M.; Gray, Charles M.

2016-10-01

The phase-flip transition has been demonstrated in a host of coupled nonlinear oscillator models, many pertaining directly to understanding neural dynamics. However, there is little evidence that this phenomenon occurs in the brain. Using simultaneous microelectrode recordings in the nonhuman primate cerebral cortex, we demonstrate the presence of phase-flip transitions between oscillatory narrow-band local field potential signals separated by several centimeters. Specifically, we show that sharp transitions between in-phase and antiphase synchronization are accompanied by a jump in synchronization frequency. These findings are significant for two reasons. First, they validate predictions made by model systems. Second, they have potentially far reaching implications for our understanding of the mechanisms underlying corticocortical communication, which are thought to rely on narrow-band oscillatory synchronization with specific relative phase relationships.

Liver Injury from Herbal, Dietary, and Weight Loss Supplements: a Review.

PubMed

Zheng, Elizabeth X; Navarro, Victor J

2015-06-28

Herbal and dietary supplement usage has increased steadily over the past several years in the United States. Among the non-bodybuilding herbal and dietary supplements, weight loss supplements were among the most common type of HDS implicated in liver injury. While drug induced liver injury is rare, its consequences are significant and on the rise. The purpose of this review is to highlight case reports of weight loss products such as Hydroxycut and OxyElite Pro as one form of HDS that have hepatotoxic potential and to characterize its clinical effects as well as pattern of liver injury. We also propose future strategies in the identification and study of potentially hepatotoxic compounds in an effort to outline a diagnostic approach for identifying any drug induced liver injury.

Next Steps Forward in Understanding Martian Surface and Subsurface Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrier, Brandi L.

2017-09-01

The presence of oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and perchlorate (ClO4-), which have been detected on Mars, has significant implications for chemistry and astrobiology. These oxidants can increase the reactivity of the Martian soil, accelerate the decomposition of organic molecules, and depress the freezing point of water. The study by Crandall et al. "Can Perchlorates be Transformed to Hydrogen Peroxide Products by Cosmic Rays on the Martian Surface" reveals a new formation mechanism by which hydrogen peroxide and other potential oxidants can be generated via irradiation of perchlorate by cosmic rays. This study represents an important next step in developing a full understanding of Martian surface and subsurface chemistry, particularly with respect to degradation of organic molecules and potential biosignatures.

Murine model of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on squamous cell carcinoma: Potential implications for dysphagia therapy

PubMed Central

Linkov, Gary; Branski, Ryan C.; Amin, Milan; Chernichenko, Natalya; Chen, Chun-Hao; Alon, Gad; Langmore, Susan; Wong, Richard J.; Kraus, Dennis H.

2013-01-01

Background Dysphagia is a potential consequence of treatment for head and neck cancer. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has evolved as a treatment option, with the goal of improved swallow function in patients with chronic dysphagia. However, the effects of NMES on tumorigenicity are unknown and often confound the initiation of this therapy, potentially limiting its efficacy in treating patients with head and neck cancer. Methods Squamous cell carcinoma was grown in the flank of athymic, nude mice. Mice were randomized into treatment and control groups; the experimental group received daily NMES directly to the flank for 8 days. Results Tumor volumes, recorded on days 0, 3, 7, and 10, demonstrated no significant differences between groups on each day of measurement. Immunohistochemical analysis of apoptosis, proliferation, and vascularization also failed to demonstrate statistically significant differences between treated and untreated groups. Conclusions NMES does not promote the growth of underlying tumor in our model. These data may provide preliminary evidence that applying electrical stimulation over the muscles of the anterior neck does not increase the risk of tumorigenicity. Early initiation of NMES in this challenging population may be feasible from an oncologic standpoint. PMID:22083666

Cost comparison and economic implications of commonly used originator and generic chemotherapy drugs in India.

PubMed

Lopes, G de L

2013-09-01

Cancer treatments have improved outcomes but access to medications is an issue around the world and especially so in low- and middle-income countries, such as India. Generic substitution may lead to significant cost savings. The author aimed to compare the cost and estimate potential cost savings per cycle, per patient, and for the country as a whole with generic substitution of frequently used chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of common cancers in India. Generic paclitaxel (Taxol), docetaxel (Taxotere), gemcitabine, oxaliplatin and irinotecan cost from 8.9% to 36% of their equivalent branded originator drug, resulting in cost savings of ~ Indian Rupees (INR) 11,000 to >INR 90,000 (USD 200-1600, Euro 160-1300) per cycle; and ~INR 50,000 to >INR 240,000 (USD 900-4300, Euro 700-3400) per patient. Overall, potential yearly savings for health systems in India were nearly INR 47 billion (~USD 843 million, Euro 670 million). In conclusion, generic substitution for frequently used chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of common cancers has an enormous potential to generate significant cost savings and increase access to cancer treatments in India and other low- and middle-income countries.

A review of factors explaining variability in fentanyl pharmacokinetics; focus on implications for cancer patients

PubMed Central

Zandvliet, Maarten L.; Koolen, Stijn L. W.; Mathijssen, Ron H. J.; van der Rijt, Carin C. D.

2016-01-01

Fentanyl is a strong opioid that is available for various administration routes, and which is widely used to treat cancer‐related pain. Many factors influence the fentanyl pharmacokinetics leading to a wide inter‐ and intrapatient variability. This systematic review summarizes multiple studied factors that potentially influence fentanyl pharmacokinetics with a focus on implications for cancer patients. The use of CYP3A4 inhibitors and inducers, impaired liver function, and heating of the patch potentially influence fentanyl pharmacokinetics in a clinically relevant way. In elderly patients, current data suggest that we should carefully dose fentanyl due to alterations in absorption and metabolism. The influence of BMI and gender on fentanyl pharmacokinetics is questionable, most probably due to a large heterogeneity in the published studies. Pharmacogenetics, e.g. the CYP3A5*3 gene polymorphism, may influence fentanyl pharmacokinetics as well, although further study is warranted. Several other factors have been studied but did not show significant and clinically relevant effects on fentanyl pharmacokinetics. Unfortunately, most of the published papers that studied factors influencing fentanyl pharmacokinetics describe healthy volunteers instead of cancer patients. Results from the studies in volunteers may not be simply extrapolated to cancer patients because of multiple confounding factors. To handle fentanyl treatment in a population of cancer patients, it is essential that physicians recognize factors that influence fentanyl pharmacokinetics, thereby preventing potential side‐effects and increasing its efficacy. PMID:27619152

Conditional Deletion of Prnp Rescues Behavioral and Synaptic Deficits after Disease Onset in Transgenic Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Kaufman, Adam C.; Herber, Charlotte S.; Haas, Laura T.; Robinson, Sophie; Lee, Michael K.

2017-01-01

Biochemical and genetic evidence implicate soluble oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβo) in triggering Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. Moreover, constitutive deletion of the Aβo-binding cellular prion protein (PrPC) prevents development of memory deficits in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice, a model of familial AD. Here, we define the role of PrPC to rescue or halt established AD endophenotypes in a therapeutic disease-modifying time window after symptom onset. Deletion of Prnp at either 12 or 16 months of age fully reverses hippocampal synapse loss and completely rescues preexisting behavioral deficits by 17 months. In contrast, but consistent with a neuronal function for Aβo/PrPC signaling, plaque density, microgliosis, and astrocytosis are not altered. Degeneration of catecholaminergic neurons remains unchanged by PrPC reduction after disease onset. These results define the potential of targeting PrPC as a disease-modifying therapy for certain AD-related phenotypes after disease onset. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The study presented here further elucidates our understanding of the soluble oligomeric amyloid-β–Aβo-binding cellular prion protein (PrPC) signaling pathway in a familial form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by implicating PrPC as a potential therapeutic target for AD. In particular, genetic deletion of Prnp rescued several familial AD (FAD)-associated phenotypes after disease onset in a mouse model of FAD. This study underscores the therapeutic potential of PrPC deletion given that patients already present symptoms at the time of diagnosis. PMID:28842420

The Role of Anxiety Control and Treatment Implications of Informant Agreement on Child PTSD Symptoms.

PubMed

Humphreys, Kathryn L; Weems, Carl F; Scheeringa, Michael S

2017-01-01

The goal of this study is to examine parent and child agreement of child posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms pre- and posttreatment, as well as potential moderators of agreement including treatment responder status, child anxiety control, and parent self-reported PTSD symptoms. We examined child self-reported and parent-reported child PTSD symptoms from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. Of the 141 parent-child pairs, the mean age of children was 12.72 (SD = 3.40), 53% were female, and 54% were Black. A subsample of participants (n = 47) was assessed after completion of a cognitive behavioral therapy treatment for PTSD. Moderate levels of agreement were found at baseline, though Criterion D (increased arousal) symptoms had lower levels of agreement than the other symptom clusters. Symptom agreement was lower at posttreatment. Treatment responders had higher levels of baseline informant agreement than treatment nonresponders. Child perceived anxiety control significantly moderated informant agreement, such that pairs with children who had high levels of perceived control of their anxiety had lower PTSD symptom agreement where children reported lower symptoms relative to their parents. Contrary to expectations, parent self-reported PTSD did not moderate parent-child symptom agreement. Factors associated with higher parent-child agreement of child PTSD symptoms were being a PTSD treatment responder and children with lower perceived anxiety control. These findings have potential implications for determining those who may benefit from greater symptom monitoring over the course of intervention and potential alternative intervention approaches.

Hormone levels in vegetarian and nonvegetarian teenage girls: potential implications for breast cancer risk.

PubMed

Persky, V W; Chatterton, R T; Van Horn, L V; Grant, M D; Langenberg, P; Marvin, J

1992-02-01

Between September 1984 and June 1985, a total of 75 adolescent girls, 35 vegetarians residing in a Seventh-Day Adventist school and 40 nonvegetarians residing in a private non-Adventist boarding school, underwent measurement of their plasma hormone levels in the follicular and luteal phase of their menstrual cycles as well as dietary intake measured by 3-day food records, medical history, height, and weight. There were no significant differences between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in average age of the girls, weight, body mass index, age at menarche, years since the onset of menstruation, or percentage of girls with ovulatory cycles. Vegetarian girls had significantly higher levels of log follicular estradiol [2.00 +/- 0.27 (SD) versus 1.85 +/- 0.27 pg/ml, P less than or equal to 0.05] and luteal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHS) (1.88 +/- 0.71 versus 1.45 +/- 0.80 microgram/ml, P less than or equal to 0.05) than nonvegetarian girls. Follicular DHS was higher in vegetarians than in nonvegetarians (1.72 +/- 0.79 versus 1.45 +/- 0.95 microgram/ml), but the difference was not significant. The differences in follicular and luteal DHS, but not the difference in log estradiol, were significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) after controlling for ovulation, smoking, and alcohol intake with multivariable regression analysis. There were no significant differences in testosterone or in percentage free estradiol levels between vegetarians and nonvegetarians. Smoking was significantly associated with follicular and luteal DHS and with percentage free follicular estradiol, while alcohol use was significantly and inversely associated with percentage free follicular estradiol after controlling for other variables. The implications for breast cancer risk are discussed.

El Nino - La Nina Implications on Flood Hazard Mitigation

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

R. French; J. Miller

The effects of El Nino and La Nina periods on the maximum daily winter period depths of precipitation are examined using records from five precipitation gages on the Nevada Test Site. The potential implications of these effects are discussed.

Managed care implications in managing rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Owens, Gary M

2014-05-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory form of arthritis characterized by joint inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness. While contemporary treatment strategies based on early diagnosis, aggressive treatment, and regular monitoring have helped a significant number of patients achieve evidence-based treatment goals, RA still presents substantial management challenges to both clinicians and patients, and has the potential to lead to severe disability over time. In addition to its significant clinical consequences, RA has important economic implications. Both direct and indirect medical costs associated with RA are significant, including costs of medications, ambulatory and office-based care, and quality-of-life and productivity costs. In addition, a significant proportion of patients with prevalent RA have associated cardiovascular disease and other comorbidities, further compounding healthcare costs and complicating management of this disorder. Clinically favorable and cost-effective management must focus on prevention of disease progression and the improved patient health status and productivity than can result from optimal disease control. With the myriad of treatment options both available and emerging, managed care organizations are faced with difficult decisions surrounding the most clinically and cost-effective allocation of treatments designed to improve disease outcomes for patients with RA. It is vital that managed care clinicians and providers analyze both the overall burden and the specific costs of RA. This will allow a better understanding of how costs and issues relating to healthcare utilization affect the treatment of patients with RA and impact individualized therapy, care coordination, and outcomes.

Amygdalar volumetric correlates of social anxiety in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Park, Min-Hyeon; Garrett, Amy; Boucher, Spencer; Howe, Meghan; Sanders, Erica; Kim, Eunjoo; Singh, Manpreet; Chang, Kiki

2015-11-30

The prevalence of social anxiety disorder is high in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (BD) and anxiety may be a significant risk factor in these youth for developing BD. We compared social anxiety symptoms between BD offspring with mood symptoms (high-risk group for developing BD I or II: HR) and healthy controls (HC). We also explored the correlations between the amygdalar volumes and social anxiety symptoms in the HR group with high social anxiety scores (HRHSA) due to the potential involvement of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of both BD and social anxiety. Youth participating in the study included 29h and 17HC of comparable age and gender. To assess social anxiety symptoms, we used the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) social anxiety subscale. The HR group's MASC social anxiety score was significantly higher than that of the HC group. Among the 29h, 17 subjects (58.6%) showed high social anxiety and they were classified as the HRHSA group. No significant difference was observed in amygdalar volume between the HRHSA and HC groups. However, there were significant negative correlations between amydalar volumes and MASC social anxiety score in the HRHSA group. These findings have implications for the link between amygdalar structure and both anxiety and mood control. This link may serve to implicate high social anxiety as a risk marker for future BD development. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Drawbacks of proactivity: Effects of daily proactivity on daily salivary cortisol and subjective well-being.

PubMed

Fay, Doris; Hüttges, Annett

2017-10-01

The benefit of proactive work behaviors for performance-related outcomes has been well established. However, this approach to studying proactivity has not yet acknowledged its potential implications for the actor's well-being. Drawing on the fact that resources at work are limited and that the workplace is a social system characterized by interdependencies, we proposed that daily proactivity could have a negative effect on daily well-being. We furthermore proposed that this effect should be mediated by work overload and negative affect. We conducted a daily diary study (N = 72) to test the potential negative effects of proactivity on daily well-being. Data was collected across 3 consecutive work days. During several daily measurement occasions, participants reported proactivity, work overload, negative affect, and fatigue. They also provided 4 saliva samples per day, from which cortisol was assayed. Based on the 4 samples, a measure of daily cortisol output was produced. Multilevel analyses showed that daily proactivity was positively associated with higher daily cortisol output. The positive association of daily proactivity with bedtime fatigue was marginally significant. There was no support for a mediating effect of work overload and negative affect. Implications for theory-building on the proactivity-well-being link are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding the aetiology and resolution of chronic otitis media from animal and human studies

PubMed Central

Thornton, Ruth B.; Kirkham, Lea-Ann S.; Kerschner, Joseph E.; Cheeseman, Michael T.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Inflammation of the middle ear, known clinically as chronic otitis media, presents in different forms, such as chronic otitis media with effusion (COME; glue ear) and chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). These are highly prevalent diseases, especially in childhood, and lead to significant morbidity worldwide. However, much remains unclear about this disease, including its aetiology, initiation and perpetuation, and the relative roles of mucosal and leukocyte biology, pathogens, and Eustachian tube function. Chronic otitis media is commonly modelled in mice but most existing models only partially mimic human disease and many are syndromic. Nevertheless, these models have provided insights into potential disease mechanisms, and have implicated altered immune signalling, mucociliary function and Eustachian tube function as potential predisposing mechanisms. Clinical studies of chronic otitis media have yet to implicate a particular molecular pathway or mechanism, and current human genetic studies are underpowered. We also do not fully understand how existing interventions, such as tympanic membrane repair, work, nor how chronic otitis media spontaneously resolves. This Clinical Puzzle article describes our current knowledge of chronic otitis media and the existing research models for this condition. It also identifies unanswered questions about its pathogenesis and treatment, with the goal of advancing our understanding of this disease to aid the development of novel therapeutic interventions. PMID:29125825

Analysis of Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP) modeling approach for predicting distributions of fleas implicated as vectors of plague, Yersinia pestis, in California.

PubMed

Adjemian, Jennifer C Z; Girvetz, Evan H; Beckett, Laurel; Foley, Janet E

2006-01-01

More than 20 species of fleas in California are implicated as potential vectors of Yersinia pestis. Extremely limited spatial data exist for plague vectors-a key component to understanding where the greatest risks for human, domestic animal, and wildlife health exist. This study increases the spatial data available for 13 potential plague vectors by using the ecological niche modeling system Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Production (GARP) to predict their respective distributions. Because the available sample sizes in our data set varied greatly from one species to another, we also performed an analysis of the robustness of GARP by using the data available for flea Oropsylla montana (Baker) to quantify the effects that sample size and the chosen explanatory variables have on the final species distribution map. GARP effectively modeled the distributions of 13 vector species. Furthermore, our analyses show that all of these modeled ranges are robust, with a sample size of six fleas or greater not significantly impacting the percentage of the in-state area where the flea was predicted to be found, or the testing accuracy of the model. The results of this study will help guide the sampling efforts of future studies focusing on plague vectors.

Multiscale visualization of the structural and characteristic changes of sewage sludge biochar oriented towards potential agronomic and environmental implication

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jining; Lü, Fan; Zhang, Hua; Shao, Liming; Chen, Dezhen; He, Pinjing

2015-01-01

Sewage sludge biochars were obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures from 300°C to 900°C and their macro- and microscale properties were analyzed. The biochar's plant-available nutrients and humus-like substances in the water-extractable phase and fixed nutrients in the solid fraction were evaluated for their potential agronomic implications. FT-IR, Raman, XRD, XPS, and SEM techniques were used to investigate the chemical structure, functional groups, and microcrystal structure on the surface of the biochar. The results revealed minor chemical changes and dramatic mass loss in the biochar obtained at 300–500°C, whereas significant chemical changes in the biochar were obtained at 600–900°C. The concentrations of plant-available nutrients as well as fulvic- and humic-acid-like materials decreased in the biochar samples obtained at higher temperatures. These results implied that the biochar samples pyrolyzed at 300–500°C could be a direct nutrient source and used to neutralize alkaline soil. The surface area and porosity of the biochar samples increased with temperature, which increased their adsorption capacity. Rearrangement occurred at higher temperature 600–900°C, resulting in the biochar becoming increasingly polyaromatic and its graphite-like carbon becoming organized. PMID:25802185

Large Higgs-electron Yukawa coupling in 2HDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dery, Avital; Frugiuele, Claudia; Nir, Yosef

2018-04-01

The present upper bound on κ e , the ratio between the electron Yukawa coupling and its Standard Model value, is of O(600) . We ask what would be the implications in case that κ e is close to this upper bound. The simplest extension that allows for such enhancement is that of two Higgs doublet models (2HDM) without natural flavor conservation. In this framework, we find the following consequences: (i) Under certain conditions, measuring κ e and κ V would be enough to predict values of Yukawa couplings for other fermions and for the H and A scalars. (ii) In the case that the scalar potential has a softly broken Z 2 symmetry, the second Higgs doublet must be light, but if there is hard breaking of the symmetry, the second Higgs doublet can be much heavier than the electroweak scale and still allow the electron Yukawa coupling to be very different from its SM value. (iii) CP must not be violated at a level higher than O(0.01/{κ}_e) in both the scalar potential and the Yukawa sector. (iv) LHC searches for e + e - resonances constrain this scenario in a significant way. Finally, we study the implications for models where one of the scalar doublets couples only to the first generation, or only to the third generation.

Parents' Differential Treatment of Adolescent Siblings in African American Families.

PubMed

Solmeyer, Anna R; McHale, Susan M

2017-03-01

Research on European and European American families suggests that parents' differential treatment of siblings has negative implications for youths' adjustment, but few studies have explored these dynamics in minority samples. This study examined parents' differential acceptance and conflict in a sample of mothers, fathers, and two adolescent siblings in 179 African American families who were interviewed on three annual occasions. In an effort to replicate findings from European and European American samples, we assessed the longitudinal associations between differential treatment and adolescent adjustment and tested three sibling characteristics (birth order, gender, and dyad gender composition) as potential moderators of these linkages. To illuminate the sociocultural context of differential treatment and its implications, we also explored parents' cultural socialization practices and experiences of financial stress as potential moderators of these links. Multilevel models revealed that, controlling for average parent-child relationship qualities, decreases in parental acceptance and increases in parent-youth conflict over time-relative to the sibling-were associated with increases in youths' risky behavior and depressive symptoms. Links between differential treatment and adjustment were not evident, however, when mothers engaged in high levels of cultural socialization and in families under high financial stress. The discussion highlights the significance of sociocultural factors in family dynamics. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Rubella metapopulation dynamics and importance of spatial coupling to the risk of congenital rubella syndrome in Peru

PubMed Central

Metcalf, C. J. E.; Munayco, C. V.; Chowell, G.; Grenfell, B. T.; Bjørnstad, O. N.

2011-01-01

Rubella is generally a mild childhood disease, but infection during early pregnancy may cause spontaneous abortion or congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which may entail a variety of birth defects. Consequently, understanding the age-structured dynamics of this infection has considerable public health value. Vaccination short of the threshold for local elimination of transmission will increase the average age of infection. Accordingly, the classic concern for this infection is the potential for vaccination to increase incidence in individuals of childbearing age. A neglected aspect of rubella dynamics is how age incidence patterns may be moulded by the spatial dynamics inherent to epidemic metapopulations. Here, we use a uniquely detailed dataset from Peru to explore the implications of this for the burden of CRS. Our results show that the risk of CRS may be particularly severe in small remote regions, a prediction at odds with expectations in the endemic situation, and with implications for the outcome of vaccination. This outcome results directly from the metapopulation context: specifically, extinction–re-colonization dynamics are crucial because they allow for significant leakage of susceptible individuals into the older age classes during inter-epidemic periods with the potential to increase CRS risk by as much as fivefold. PMID:20659931

Parents’ Differential Treatment of Adolescent Siblings in African American Families

PubMed Central

Solmeyer, Anna R.; McHale, Susan M.

2017-01-01

Research on European and European American families suggests that parents’ differential treatment of siblings has negative implications for youths’ adjustment, but few studies have explored these dynamics in minority samples. This study examined parents’ differential acceptance and conflict in a sample of mothers, fathers, and two adolescent siblings in 179 African American families who were interviewed on 3 annual occasions. In an effort to replicate findings from European and European American samples, we assessed the longitudinal associations between differential treatment and adolescent adjustment and tested three sibling characteristics (birth order, gender, and dyad gender composition) as potential moderators of these linkages. To illuminate the sociocultural context of differential treatment and its implications we also explored parents’ cultural socialization practices and experiences of financial stress as potential moderators of these links. Multilevel models revealed that, controlling for average parent-child relationship qualities, decreases in parental acceptance and increases in parent-youth conflict over time—relative to the sibling—were associated with increases in youths’ risky behavior and depressive symptoms. Links between differential treatment and adjustment were not evident, however, when mothers engaged in high levels of cultural socialization and in families under high financial stress. The discussion highlights the significance of sociocultural factors in family dynamics. PMID:26198081

Hematopoietic stem cells from NOD mice exhibit autonomous behavior and a competitive advantage in allogeneic recipients.

PubMed

Chilton, Paula M; Rezzoug, Francine; Ratajczak, Mariusz Z; Fugier-Vivier, Isabelle; Ratajczak, Janina; Kucia, Magda; Huang, Yiming; Tanner, Michael K; Ildstad, Suzanne T

2005-03-01

Type 1 diabetes is a systemic autoimmune disease that can be cured by transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from disease-resistant donors. Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice have a number of features that distinguish them as bone marrow transplant recipients that must be understood prior to the clinical application of chimerism to induce tolerance. In the present studies, we characterized NOD HSCs, comparing their engraftment characteristics to HSCs from disease-resistant strains. Strikingly, NOD HSCs are significantly enhanced in engraftment potential compared with HSCs from disease-resistant donors. Unlike HSCs from disease-resistant strains, they do not require graft-facilitating cells to engraft in allogeneic recipients. Additionally, they exhibit a competitive advantage when coadministered with increasing numbers of syngeneic HSCs, produce significantly more spleen colony-forming units (CFU-Ss) in vivo in allogeneic recipients, and more granulocyte macrophage-colony-forming units (CFU-GMs) in vitro compared with HSCs from disease-resistant controls. NOD HSCs also exhibit significantly enhanced chemotaxis to a stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) gradient and adhere significantly better on primary stroma. This enhanced engraftment potential maps to the insulin-dependent diabetes locus 9 (Idd9) locus, and as such the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family as well as ski/sno genes may be involved in the mechanism underlying the autonomy of NOD HSCs. These findings may have important implications to understand the evolution of autoimmune disease and impact on potential strategies for cure.

Manned Mars mission radiation environment and radiobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nachtwey, D. S.

1986-01-01

Potential radiation hazards to crew members on manned Mars missions are discussed. It deals briefly with radiation sources and environments likely to be encountered during various phases of such missions, providing quantitative estimates of these environments. Also provided are quantitative data and discussions on the implications of such radiation on the human body. Various sorts of protective measures are suggested. Recent re-evaluation of allowable dose limits by the National Council of Radiation Protection is discussed, and potential implications from such activity are assessed.

Iraq’s Debt Relief: Procedure and Potential Implications for International Debt Relief

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-26

countries use different interest rates and levy different penalties for Iraq’s payment arrears . Hence, the debt owed to each creditor can grow at...REPORT DATE 26 JAN 2009 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2009 to 00-00-2009 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Iraq’s Debt Relief: Procedure and...Potential Implications for International Debt Relief 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e

Palaeoecological implications of the preservation potential of soft-bodied organisms in sediment-density flows: testing turbulent waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bath Enright, Orla G.; Minter, Nicholas J.; Sumner, Esther J.

2017-06-01

Interpreting how far organisms within fossil assemblages may have been transported and if they all originated from the same location is fundamental to understanding whether they represent true palaeocommunities. In a three-factorial experimental design, we used an annular flume to generate actualistic sandy sediment-density flows that were fast (2 ms-1) and fully turbulent in order to test the effects of flow duration, sediment concentration, and grain angularity on the states of bodily damage experienced by the freshly euthanized polychaete Alitta virens. Results identified statistically significant effects of flow duration and grain angularity. Increasing sediment concentration had a statistically significant effect with angular sediment but not with rounded sediment. Our experiments demonstrate that if soft-bodied organisms such as polychaetes were alive and then killed by a flow then they would have been capable of enduring prolonged transport in fast and turbulent flows with little damage. Dependent upon sediment concentration and grain angularity, specimens were capable of remaining intact over flow durations of between 5 and 180 min, equating to transport distances up to 21.6 km. This result has significant palaeoecological implications for fossil lagerstätten preserved in deposits of sediment-density flows because the organisms present may have been transported over substantial distances and therefore may not represent true palaeocommunities.

Progestins alter photo-transduction cascade and circadian rhythm network in eyes of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yanbin; Fent, Karl

2016-02-01

Environmental progestins are implicated in endocrine disruption in vertebrates. Additional targets that may be affected in organisms are poorly known. Here we report that progesterone (P4) and drospirenone (DRS) interfere with the photo-transduction cascade and circadian rhythm network in the eyes of zebrafish. Breeding pairs of adult zebrafish were exposed to P4 and DRS for 21 days with different measured concentrations of 7-742 ng/L and 99-13´650 ng/L, respectively. Of totally 10 key photo-transduction cascade genes analyzed, transcriptional levels of most were significantly up-regulated, or normal down-regulation was attenuated. Similarly, for some circadian rhythm genes, dose-dependent transcriptional alterations were also observed in the totally 33 genes analyzed. Significant alterations occurred even at environmental relevant levels of 7 ng/L P4. Different patterns were observed for these transcriptional alterations, of which, the nfil3 family displayed most significant changes. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of sampling time for the determination and interpretation of gene expression data, and put forward recommendations for sampling strategies to avoid false interpretations. Our results suggest that photo-transduction signals and circadian rhythm are potential targets for progestins. Further studies are required to assess alterations on the protein level, on physiology and behavior, as well as on implications in mammals.

A novel 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type1 inhibitor CNX-010-49 improves hyperglycemia, lipid profile and reduces body weight in diet induced obese C57B6/J mice with a potential to provide cardio protective benefits

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background 11ß–hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type1 (11β-HSD1) converts inactive glucocorticoids to active glucocorticoids which, in excess, leads to development of the various risk factors of the metabolic syndrome. Recent studies clearly suggest that both increased expression and activity of 11β-HSD1 in metabolically active tissues such as liver, muscle and adipose are implicated in tissue specific dysregulation which collectively contribute to the whole body pathology seen in metabolic syndrome. In the present study we have evaluated CNX-010-49, a highly potent, selective and ‘pan tissue’ acting 11β-HSD1 inhibitor, for its potential to modulate multiple risk factors of the metabolic syndrome. Methods Male C57B6/J mice on high fat diet (DIO mice) were orally dosed with CNX-010-49 (30 mg/kg twice daily; n = 8) or vehicle for 10 weeks. Fasting glucose, triglycerides, glycerol, free fatty acids, body weight and feed intake were measured at selected time points. At the end of the treatment an OGTT and subsequently organ histology was performed. In vitro, CNX-010-49 was evaluated in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to assess impact on adipocytes differentiation, hypertrophy and lipolysis whereas in fully differentiated C2C12 cells and in primary mouse hepatocytes to assess the impact on glucose metabolism and hepatic glucose output respectively. Results CNX-010-49 a highly potent and selective pan tissue acting 11β-HSD1 inhibitor (EC50 = 6 nM) significantly inhibits glucocorticoids and isoproterenol mediated lipolysis in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes, improves muscle glucose oxidation, reduces proteolysis and enhances mitochondrial biogenesis. Also a significant inhibition of gluconeogenesis in primary mouse hepatocytes was observed. The treatment with CNX-010-49 resulted in a significant decrease in fasting glucose, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Treatment also resulted in a significant decrease in serum triglycerides levels and a complete inhibition of body weight gain without affecting feed consumption. A significant reduction in the serum biomarkers like Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Fetuin-A with CNX-010-49 treatment was observed indicating a potential to modulate processes implicated in cardiovascular benefits. Conclusions These results indicate that inhibition of 11β-HSD1 with CNX-010-49 can give a potential benefit in the management of metabolic dysregulations that are seen in type 2 diabetes. PMID:25098735

Prostitution

PubMed Central

Sawa, R.J.

1987-01-01

A review of the literature discloses that prostitutes are distinguishable into distinct classes, each with distinct clinical implications. The spectre of AIDS suggests that we review the implications of the health risks associated with this profession. This article discusses the potential causes, health problems, and treatment of prostitutes. PMID:21263810

Constraining the Source Craters of the Martian Meteorites: Implications for Prioritiziation of Returned Samples from Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herd, C. D. K.; Tornabene, L. L.; Bowling, T. J.; Walton, E. L.; Sharp, T. G.; Melosh, H. J.; Hamilton, J. S.; Viviano, C. E.; Ehlmann, B. L.

2018-04-01

We have made advances in constraining the potential source craters of the martian meteorites to a relatively small number. Our results have implications for Mars chronology and the prioritization of samples for Mars Sample Return.

Drug and Alcohol Exposed Children: Implications for Special Education for Students Identified as Behaviorally Disordered.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, Anne M.

1991-01-01

This article reviews the literature on children prenatally exposed to drugs and alcohol, the potential impact on the educational and social services systems, and implications for programing for children identified as behaviorally disordered. (Author/JDD)

Nonlinear saturation of the Weibel instability

DOE PAGES

Cagas, P.; Hakim, A.; Scales, W.; ...

2017-11-21

The growth and saturation of magnetic fields due to the Weibel instability (WI) have important implications for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, and this has drawn significant interest recently. Since the WI can generate a large magnetic field from no initial field, the maximum magnitudes achieved can have significant consequences for a number of applications. Hence, an understanding of the detailed dynamics driving the nonlinear saturation of the WI is important. This work considers the nonlinear saturation of the WI when counter-streaming populations of initially unmagnetized electrons are perturbed by a magnetic field oriented perpendicular to the direction of streaming. Previousmore » works have found magnetic trapping to be important and connected electron skin depth spatial scales to the nonlinear saturation of the WI. The results presented in this work are consistent with these findings for a high-temperature case. However, using a high-order continuum kinetic simulation tool, this work demonstrates that when the electron populations are colder, a significant electrostatic potential develops that works with the magnetic field to create potential wells. The electrostatic field develops due to transverse flows induced by the WI and in some cases is strengthened by a secondary instability. This field plays a key role in saturation of the WI for colder populations. In conclusion, the role of the electrostatic potential in Weibel instability saturation has not been studied in detail previously.« less

Examining educational attainment, prepregnancy smoking rate, and delay discounting as predictors of spontaneous quitting among pregnant smokers.

PubMed

White, Thomas J; Redner, Ryan; Skelly, Joan M; Higgins, Stephen T

2014-10-01

We investigated three potential predictors (educational attainment, prepregnancy smoking rate, and delay discounting [DD]) of spontaneous quitting among pregnant smokers. These predictors were examined alone and in combination with other potential predictors using study-intake assessments from controlled clinical trials examining the efficacy of financial incentives for smoking cessation and relapse prevention. Data from 349 pregnant women (231 continuing smokers and 118 spontaneous quitters) recruited from the greater Burlington, VT, area contributed to this secondary analysis, including psychiatric/sociodemographic characteristics, smoking characteristics, and performance on a computerized DD task. Educational attainment, smoking rate, and DD values were each significant predictors of spontaneous quitting in univariate analyses. A model examining those three predictors together retained educational attainment as a main effect and revealed a significant interaction of DD and smoking rate (i.e., DD was a significant predictor at lower but not higher smoking rates). A final model considering all potential predictors, included education, the interaction of DD and smoking rate, and five additional predictors (i.e., stress ratings, the belief that smoking during pregnancy will "greatly harm my baby," age of smoking initiation, marital status, and prior quit attempts during pregnancy). The study presented here contributes new knowledge on predictors of spontaneous quitting among pregnant smokers with substantive practical implications for reducing smoking during pregnancy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Nonlinear saturation of the Weibel instability

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

Cagas, P.; Hakim, A.; Scales, W.

The growth and saturation of magnetic fields due to the Weibel instability (WI) have important implications for laboratory and astrophysical plasmas, and this has drawn significant interest recently. Since the WI can generate a large magnetic field from no initial field, the maximum magnitudes achieved can have significant consequences for a number of applications. Hence, an understanding of the detailed dynamics driving the nonlinear saturation of the WI is important. This work considers the nonlinear saturation of the WI when counter-streaming populations of initially unmagnetized electrons are perturbed by a magnetic field oriented perpendicular to the direction of streaming. Previousmore » works have found magnetic trapping to be important and connected electron skin depth spatial scales to the nonlinear saturation of the WI. The results presented in this work are consistent with these findings for a high-temperature case. However, using a high-order continuum kinetic simulation tool, this work demonstrates that when the electron populations are colder, a significant electrostatic potential develops that works with the magnetic field to create potential wells. The electrostatic field develops due to transverse flows induced by the WI and in some cases is strengthened by a secondary instability. This field plays a key role in saturation of the WI for colder populations. In conclusion, the role of the electrostatic potential in Weibel instability saturation has not been studied in detail previously.« less

Investigation of North Pond crustal fluids by poised potential methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, R. M.; Orcutt, B.

2017-12-01

Microbes are present in the deep subsurface but their rates of activity, potential metabolisms and roles in the environment are still largely unknown. The marine deep crustal subsurface accounts for approximately 2.3x1018 m2 of the earth's volume, making this environment potentially significant to earth processes despite low productivity inherent in resource limited conditions. This has implications for geochemical cycling and exploring limits of life, linking to the `follow the energy' approach for defining habitability on earth and further afield. Most resources for life in the marine deep crust originate from rock. One subset of lithotrophic interactions involves direct transfer between electron acceptors and donors embedded in minerals and microbes. In this investigation, poised potential methods such as chronoamperometry were used to investigate mineral-microbe electron transfer interactions in the context of North Pond, a Mid-Atlantic ridge site representative of cool, sediment-covered basalts that make up the majority of the deep marine subsurface. Electrodes were poised at potentials corresponding approximately to particular lithotrophic oxidation reactions to enrich for sub-sections of North Pond deep subsurface fluid communities that were associated with direct electron transfer at these potentials.

The Personal Genome Project Canada: findings from whole genome sequences of the inaugural 56 participants

PubMed Central

Reuter, Miriam S.; Walker, Susan; Thiruvahindrapuram, Bhooma; Whitney, Joe; Cohn, Iris; Sondheimer, Neal; Yuen, Ryan K.C.; Trost, Brett; Paton, Tara A.; Pereira, Sergio L.; Herbrick, Jo-Anne; Wintle, Richard F.; Merico, Daniele; Howe, Jennifer; MacDonald, Jeffrey R.; Lu, Chao; Nalpathamkalam, Thomas; Sung, Wilson W.L.; Wang, Zhuozhi; Patel, Rohan V.; Pellecchia, Giovanna; Wei, John; Strug, Lisa J.; Bell, Sherilyn; Kellam, Barbara; Mahtani, Melanie M.; Bassett, Anne S.; Bombard, Yvonne; Weksberg, Rosanna; Shuman, Cheryl; Cohn, Ronald D.; Stavropoulos, Dimitri J.; Bowdin, Sarah; Hildebrandt, Matthew R.; Wei, Wei; Romm, Asli; Pasceri, Peter; Ellis, James; Ray, Peter; Meyn, M. Stephen; Monfared, Nasim; Hosseini, S. Mohsen; Joseph-George, Ann M.; Keeley, Fred W.; Cook, Ryan A.; Fiume, Marc; Lee, Hin C.; Marshall, Christian R.; Davies, Jill; Hazell, Allison; Buchanan, Janet A.; Szego, Michael J.; Scherer, Stephen W.

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Personal Genome Project Canada is a comprehensive public data resource that integrates whole genome sequencing data and health information. We describe genomic variation identified in the initial recruitment cohort of 56 volunteers. METHODS: Volunteers were screened for eligibility and provided informed consent for open data sharing. Using blood DNA, we performed whole genome sequencing and identified all possible classes of DNA variants. A genetic counsellor explained the implication of the results to each participant. RESULTS: Whole genome sequencing of the first 56 participants identified 207 662 805 sequence variants and 27 494 copy number variations. We analyzed a prioritized disease-associated data set (n = 1606 variants) according to standardized guidelines, and interpreted 19 variants in 14 participants (25%) as having obvious health implications. Six of these variants (e.g., in BRCA1 or mosaic loss of an X chromosome) were pathogenic or likely pathogenic. Seven were risk factors for cancer, cardiovascular or neurobehavioural conditions. Four other variants — associated with cancer, cardiac or neurodegenerative phenotypes — remained of uncertain significance because of discrepancies among databases. We also identified a large structural chromosome aberration and a likely pathogenic mitochondrial variant. There were 172 recessive disease alleles (e.g., 5 individuals carried mutations for cystic fibrosis). Pharmacogenomics analyses revealed another 3.9 potentially relevant genotypes per individual. INTERPRETATION: Our analyses identified a spectrum of genetic variants with potential health impact in 25% of participants. When also considering recessive alleles and variants with potential pharmacologic relevance, all 56 participants had medically relevant findings. Although access is mostly limited to research, whole genome sequencing can provide specific and novel information with the potential of major impact for health care. PMID:29431110

The Personal Genome Project Canada: findings from whole genome sequences of the inaugural 56 participants.

PubMed

Reuter, Miriam S; Walker, Susan; Thiruvahindrapuram, Bhooma; Whitney, Joe; Cohn, Iris; Sondheimer, Neal; Yuen, Ryan K C; Trost, Brett; Paton, Tara A; Pereira, Sergio L; Herbrick, Jo-Anne; Wintle, Richard F; Merico, Daniele; Howe, Jennifer; MacDonald, Jeffrey R; Lu, Chao; Nalpathamkalam, Thomas; Sung, Wilson W L; Wang, Zhuozhi; Patel, Rohan V; Pellecchia, Giovanna; Wei, John; Strug, Lisa J; Bell, Sherilyn; Kellam, Barbara; Mahtani, Melanie M; Bassett, Anne S; Bombard, Yvonne; Weksberg, Rosanna; Shuman, Cheryl; Cohn, Ronald D; Stavropoulos, Dimitri J; Bowdin, Sarah; Hildebrandt, Matthew R; Wei, Wei; Romm, Asli; Pasceri, Peter; Ellis, James; Ray, Peter; Meyn, M Stephen; Monfared, Nasim; Hosseini, S Mohsen; Joseph-George, Ann M; Keeley, Fred W; Cook, Ryan A; Fiume, Marc; Lee, Hin C; Marshall, Christian R; Davies, Jill; Hazell, Allison; Buchanan, Janet A; Szego, Michael J; Scherer, Stephen W

2018-02-05

The Personal Genome Project Canada is a comprehensive public data resource that integrates whole genome sequencing data and health information. We describe genomic variation identified in the initial recruitment cohort of 56 volunteers. Volunteers were screened for eligibility and provided informed consent for open data sharing. Using blood DNA, we performed whole genome sequencing and identified all possible classes of DNA variants. A genetic counsellor explained the implication of the results to each participant. Whole genome sequencing of the first 56 participants identified 207 662 805 sequence variants and 27 494 copy number variations. We analyzed a prioritized disease-associated data set ( n = 1606 variants) according to standardized guidelines, and interpreted 19 variants in 14 participants (25%) as having obvious health implications. Six of these variants (e.g., in BRCA1 or mosaic loss of an X chromosome) were pathogenic or likely pathogenic. Seven were risk factors for cancer, cardiovascular or neurobehavioural conditions. Four other variants - associated with cancer, cardiac or neurodegenerative phenotypes - remained of uncertain significance because of discrepancies among databases. We also identified a large structural chromosome aberration and a likely pathogenic mitochondrial variant. There were 172 recessive disease alleles (e.g., 5 individuals carried mutations for cystic fibrosis). Pharmacogenomics analyses revealed another 3.9 potentially relevant genotypes per individual. Our analyses identified a spectrum of genetic variants with potential health impact in 25% of participants. When also considering recessive alleles and variants with potential pharmacologic relevance, all 56 participants had medically relevant findings. Although access is mostly limited to research, whole genome sequencing can provide specific and novel information with the potential of major impact for health care. © 2018 Joule Inc. or its licensors.

Seasonal predictability of Arctic Sea Ice: assessing its limits and potential in a GCM and implications for observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanchard-Wrigglesworth, E.

2012-12-01

Arctic sea ice has exhibited a dramatic decrease both in area and thickness over the recent decades, particularly during the summer months. This decrease has led to growing interest in the potential predictability of summer sea ice, spurred in part by the socioeconomic implications. Here we present results of several parallel experiments designed to assess and understand the limits and potential for seasonal predictability of Arctic sea ice, with an emphasis on the summer minimum. Building on our experience from the SEARCH Outlook, we present results of a coupled general circulation model (GCM) hindcast simulation of Arctic summer sea ice variability for the satellite period (1979-present). These are initialized with spring sea ice volume anomalies obtained from a modelling and assimilation system, considered to be a close representation of reality. We show that there is significant predictability, yet the stochastic forcing imparted mainly by the atmosphere can lead to large errors in the hindcast. The model, however, can simulate anomalous runs that lie beyond a Gaussian distribution. Additionally, we investigate the regional characteristics of predictability and its links to sea ice dynamics and the spatio-temporal behavior of sea ice anomalies. We show a distinct difference between models. Unfortunately, observational data of thickness are not yet detailed enough to assess the models. Our results indicate the potential for detailed ice thickness observations in improving regional predictability. Finally, we discuss the importance of experiment design in predictability experiments, and show that predictions made with models that have a large mean state bias in sea ice require a careful initialization in order to fully capture all initial value predictability.

The structure, energetics, and nature of the chemical bonding of phenylthiol adsorbed on the Au(111) surface: implications for density-functional calculations of molecular-electronic conduction.

PubMed

Bilić, Ante; Reimers, Jeffrey R; Hush, Noel S

2005-03-01

The adsorption of phenylthiol on the Au(111) surface is modeled using Perdew and Wang density-functional calculations. Both direct molecular physisorption and dissociative chemisorption via S-H bond cleavage are considered as well as dimerization to form disulfides. For the major observed product, the chemisorbed thiol, an extensive potential-energy surface is produced as a function of both the azimuthal orientation of the adsorbate and the linear translation of the adsorbate through the key fcc, hcp, bridge, and top binding sites. Key structures are characterized, the lowest-energy one being a broad minimum of tilted orientation ranging from the bridge structure halfway towards the fcc one. The vertically oriented threefold binding sites, often assumed to dominate molecular electronics measurements, are identified as transition states at low coverage but become favored in dense monolayers. A similar surface is also produced for chemisorption of phenylthiol on Ag(111); this displays significant qualitative differences, consistent with the qualitatively different observed structures for thiol chemisorption on Ag and Au. Full contours of the minimum potential energy as a function of sulfur translation over the crystal face are described, from which the barrier to diffusion is deduced to be 5.8 kcal mol(-1), indicating that the potential-energy surface has low corrugation. The calculated bond lengths, adsorbate charge and spin density, and the density of electronic states all indicate that, at all sulfur locations, the adsorbate can be regarded as a thiyl species that forms a net single covalent bond to the surface of strength 31 kcal mol(-1). No detectable thiolate character is predicted, however, contrary to experimental results for alkyl thiols that indicate up to 20%-30% thiolate involvement. This effect is attributed to the asymptotic-potential error of all modern density functionals that becomes manifest through a 3-4 eV error in the lineup of the adsorbate and substrate bands. Significant implications are described for density-functional calculations of through-molecule electron transport in molecular electronics.

Identification of Keratinocyte Growth Factor as a Target of microRNA-155 in Lung Fibroblasts: Implication in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Interactions

PubMed Central

Chevalier, Benoit; Puisségur, Marie-Pierre; Lebrigand, Kevin; Robbe-Sermesant, Karine; Bertero, Thomas; Lino Cardenas, Christian L.; Courcot, Elisabeth; Rios, Géraldine; Fourre, Sandra; Lo-Guidice, Jean-Marc; Marcet, Brice; Cardinaud, Bruno; Barbry, Pascal; Mari, Bernard

2009-01-01

Background Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are critical in regulating many aspects of vertebrate embryo development, and for the maintenance of homeostatic equilibrium in adult tissues. The interactions between epithelium and mesenchyme are believed to be mediated by paracrine signals such as cytokines and extracellular matrix components secreted from fibroblasts that affect adjacent epithelia. In this study, we sought to identify the repertoire of microRNAs (miRNAs) in normal lung human fibroblasts and their potential regulation by the cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and TGF-β. Methodology/Principal Findings MiR-155 was significantly induced by inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β while it was down-regulated by TGF-β. Ectopic expression of miR-155 in human fibroblasts induced modulation of a large set of genes related to “cell to cell signalling”, “cell morphology” and “cellular movement”. This was consistent with an induction of caspase-3 activity and with an increase in cell migration in fibroblasts tranfected with miR-155. Using different miRNA bioinformatic target prediction tools, we found a specific enrichment for miR-155 predicted targets among the population of down-regulated transcripts. Among fibroblast-selective targets, one interesting hit was keratinocyte growth factor (KGF, FGF-7), a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family, which owns two potential binding sites for miR-155 in its 3′-UTR. Luciferase assays experimentally validated that miR-155 can efficiently target KGF 3′-UTR. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that only one out of the 2 potential sites was truly functional. Functional in vitro assays experimentally validated that miR-155 can efficiently target KGF 3′-UTR. Furthermore, in vivo experiments using a mouse model of lung fibrosis showed that miR-155 expression level was correlated with the degree of lung fibrosis. Conclusions/Significance Our results strongly suggest a physiological function of miR-155 in lung fibroblasts. Altogether, this study implicates this miRNA in the regulation by mesenchymal cells of surrounding lung epithelium, making it a potential key player during tissue injury. PMID:19701459

Sex hormones and adult hippocampal neurogenesis: Regulation, implications, and potential mechanisms.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Rand; Wainwright, Steven R; Galea, Liisa A M

2016-04-01

Neurogenesis within the adult hippocampus is modulated by endogenous and exogenous factors. Here, we review the role of sex hormones in the regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in males and females. The review is framed around the potential functional implications of sex hormone regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, with a focus on cognitive function and mood regulation, which may be related to sex differences in incidence and severity of dementia and depression. We present findings from preclinical studies of endogenous fluctuations in sex hormones relating to reproductive function and ageing, and from studies of exogenous hormone manipulations. In addition, we discuss the modulating roles of sex, age, and reproductive history on the relationship between sex hormones and neurogenesis. Because sex hormones have diverse targets in the central nervous system, we overview potential mechanisms through which sex hormones may influence hippocampal neurogenesis. Lastly, we advocate for a more systematic consideration of sex and sex hormones in studying the functional implications of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single European currency and Monetary Union. Macroeconomic implications for pharmaceutical spending.

PubMed

Kanavos, P

1998-01-01

This article examines the potential implications of introducing a single currency among the Member States of the European Union for national pharmaceutical prices and spending. In doing so, it provides a brief account of the direct effects of introducing a single currency on pharmaceutical business. These are static in nature and include the elimination of exchange rate volatility and transaction costs, increased price transparency and limited potential for parallel trade. It subsequently analyses the potential medium and long term macroeconomic policy choices facing the Member States and their impact on pharmaceutical spending following the introduction of a single currency. These include policy directions in order to meet the Maastricht convergence criteria in the run-up to forming an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the implications of EMU on national macroeconomic policy thereafter. This article argues that the necessity for tight fiscal policies across the EU and, in particular, in those Member States facing high budget deficits and overall debt levels, will continue to exert considerable downward pressure on pharmaceutical spending.

Is ambiguity tolerance malleable? Experimental evidence with potential implications for future research

PubMed Central

Endres, Megan L.; Camp, Richaurd; Milner, Morgan

2015-01-01

We conducted two research studies to address the malleability of tolerance of ambiguity (TA) by manipulating situational ambiguity. Students participated in a semester-end assessment of their management skills (n = 306). In Study 1, students in low and moderate ambiguity conditions had significantly higher post-experiment TA, more positive change in self-efficacy, and marginally higher faculty ratings. In Study 2, a control group (n = 103) did not participate in the assessment and was established for comparison to the first study results. The Study 2 students reported TA significantly lower than Study 1 students in the low and moderate ambiguity conditions. The control group TA was not significantly different from that of the Study 1 high ambiguity condition. This further suggested TA’s situational malleability, as those who had controlled access to structured information appeared to have increased their TA over that observed in the other two groups. These results suggest that TA may be malleable. We review the relevant literature, offer hypotheses, report our analyses and findings, and then propose future research, and potential prescriptive applications in such areas as management development, assessment, and decision-making. PMID:26042059

Implications of mitochondrial uncoupling in skeletal muscle in the development and treatment of obesity.

PubMed

Thrush, A Brianne; Dent, Robert; McPherson, Ruth; Harper, Mary-Ellen

2013-10-01

Understanding the metabolic factors that contribute to obesity development and weight loss success are critical for combating obesity and obesity-related disorders. This review provides an overview of energy metabolism with a particular focus on mitochondrial function in health and in obesity. Mitochondrial proton leak contributes significantly to whole body energy expenditure and the potential role of energy uncoupling in weight loss success is discussed. We provide evidence to support the hypothesis that differences in energy efficiency are important regulators of body weight and weight loss success. © 2013 FEBS.

Microfluidic Separation of Circulating Tumor Cells Based on Size and Deformability.

PubMed

Park, Emily S; Duffy, Simon P; Ma, Hongshen

2017-01-01

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been implicated as the seeds of cancer metastasis and therefore have the potential to provide significant prognostic and diagnostic values. Here, we describe a procedure for separating CTCs from whole blood based on size and deformability using the microfluidic ratchet device. This device leverages the ratcheting motion of single cells created as they are deformed through funnel-shaped constrictions using oscillatory flow in order to divert cells based on differences in size and deformability. Subsequent methods for CTC identification and enumeration using immunofluorescence after separation are also described.

Using demographics to predict smoking behavior: large sample evidence from an emerging market.

PubMed

Prinsloo, Melani; Tudhope, Lynne; Pitt, Leyland; Campbell, Colin

2008-01-01

Smoking and nicotine addiction are among the major preventable causes of disease and mortality. Being able to target promotional campaigns effectively relies on a good understanding of the demographics of smokers and potential smokers. This study reports on the results of a large sample survey of the demographics of smokers and non-smokers in South African townships. Using logistical regression, it finds that smokers tend to be significantly, older males who are less educated, and somewhat surprisingly, with no religious affiliation. Implications for public health policy are identified, and avenues for future research recognized.

Phytoremediation of chlorpyrifos by Populus and Salix.

PubMed

Lee, Keum Young; Strand, Stuart E; Doty, Sharon L

2012-01-01

Chlorpyrifos is one of the commonly used organophosphorus insecticides that are implicated in serious environmental and human health problems. To evaluate plant potential for uptake of chlorpyrifos, several plant species of poplar (Populus sp.) and willow (Salix sp.) were investigated. Chlorpyrifos was taken up from nutrient solution by all seven plant species. Significant amounts of chlorpyrifos accumulated in plant tissues, and roots accumulated higher concentrations of chlorpyrifos than did shoots. Chlorpyrifos did not persist in the plant tissues, suggesting further metabolism of chlorpyrifos in plant tissue. To our knowledge, this work represents the first report for phytoremediation of chlorpyrifos using poplar and willow plants.

Ethnic group differences in police notification about intimate partner violence.

PubMed

Ackerman, Jeffrey; Love, Tony P

2014-02-01

We analyzed data from the National Crime Victimization Survey to test whether individuals from different ethnic groups differentially notify the police after incidents of partner violence. After finding that minority groups notified the police about intimate partner violence (IPV) events more than non-minorities, we found that socioeconomic status differences between minorities and non-minorities explained a statistically significant proportion of the reasons underlying the differences in notification. We suggest that the pattern of our results supports a structural perspective and has potential implications about the subjective and objective efficacy of police involvement in IPV.

Application of protease technology in dermatology: rationale for incorporation into skin care with initial observations on formulations designed for skin cleansing, maintenance of hydration, and restoration of the epidermal permeability barrier.

PubMed

Del Rosso, James Q

2013-06-01

This article reviews background on proteases and their functions, their physiological significance in skin, and the potential implications of incorporating specific proteases and protease blends into dermatological products, including skin care formulations. The history of protease blend formulations used in wound model studies and for other disorders is reviewed. In vitro data with use of a specific 3-protease blend with evaluation of the impact on various skin proteins and peptides is also discussed in this article.

Alcohol and Stress in the Military

PubMed Central

Schumm, Jeremiah A.; Chard, Kathleen M.

2012-01-01

Although research has independently linked stress experienced by military personnel to both alcohol use and posttraumatic stress disorder, more recently researchers have noted that there also is a significant overlap between stress reactions and alcohol use in veterans and active-duty service members. This overlap seems to be most understood in individuals who have experienced combat or military sexual trauma. This article will provide a brief review of some potential causal mechanisms underlying this relationship, including self-medication and genetic vulnerability models. It also addresses the possible implications for assessment and treatment of military personnel with co-occurring disorders. PMID:23584106

Ticks and Tick-Borne Infections: Complex Ecology, Agents, and Host Interactions.

PubMed

Wikel, Stephen K

2018-06-20

Ticks transmit the most diverse array of infectious agents of any arthropod vector. Both ticks and the microbes they transmit are recognized as significant threats to human and veterinary public health. This article examines the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of ticks and the infections they transmit; the emergence of novel tick-borne pathogens, increasing geographic range and incidence of tick-borne infections; and advances in the characterization of tick saliva mediated modulation of host defenses and the implications of those interactions for transmission, establishment, and control of tick infestation and tick-borne infectious agents.

Effect of a supportive-educative nursing intervention on older adults' perceptions of self-care after a stroke.

PubMed

Folden, S L

1993-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of an individually focused, guided decision-making intervention on individuals' perception of self-care ability following a stroke. A convenience sample of 68 individuals participating in four stroke rehabilitation programs in southeast Florida participated in the study. A quasi-experimental design using a pretest and a posttest was implemented. Findings indicated the potential effectiveness of this intervention in significantly increasing individuals' perceptions of their self-care ability after a stroke. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Plague in a black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes).

PubMed

Williams, E S; Mills, K; Kwiatkowski, D R; Thorne, E T; Boerger-Fields, A

1994-10-01

Diagnosis of sylvatic plague in a captive black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) was based on gross and microscopic lesions, fluorescent antibody tests, culture of Yersinia pestis, and immunohistochemistry. Gross lesions consisted of acute hemorrhage and necrosis associated with cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes, subcutaneous hemorrhages, and pulmonary edema. Acute edema, hemorrhage, and necrosis with numerous bacteria in blood vessels and sinusoids characterized microscopic lesions. Occurrence of fatal plague in a black-footed ferret potentially has significant implications for recovery of this endangered species due to the widespread distribution of plague in prairie dog colonies throughout historic black-footed ferret range.

Thermal Expansion and Diffusion Coefficients of Carbon Nanotube-Polymer Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, Chengyu; Srivastava, Deepak; Cho, Kyeongjae; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations employing Brenner potential for intra-nanotube interactions and van der Waals forces for polymer-nanotube interface have been used to investigate thermal expansion and diffusion characteristics of carbon nanotube-polyethylene composites. Addition of carbon nanotubes to polymer matrix is found to significantly increase the glass transition temperature Tg, and thermal expansion and diffusion coefficients in the composite above Tg. The increase has been attributed to the temperature dependent increase of the excluded volume for the polymer chains, and the findings could have implications in the composite processing, coating and painting applications.

School Competence and Fluent Academic Performance: Informing Assessment of Educational Outcomes in Survivors of Pediatric Medulloblastoma.

PubMed

Holland, Alice Ann; Hughes, Carroll W; Stavinoha, Peter L

2015-01-01

Academic difficulties are widely acknowledged but not adequately studied in survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma. Although most survivors require special education services and are significantly less likely than healthy peers to finish high school, measured academic skills are typically average. This study sought to identify potential factors associated with academic difficulties in this population and focused on school competence and fluent academic performance. Thirty-six patients (ages 7-18 years old) were recruited through the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology at Children's Medical Center Dallas and Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, TX. Participants completed a neuropsychological screening battery including selected Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement subtests. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist. School competence was significantly correlated with measured academic skills and fluency. Basic academic skill development was broadly average, in contrast to significantly worse fluent academic performance. School competence may have utility as a measure estimating levels of educational success in this population. Additionally, academic difficulties experienced by childhood medulloblastoma survivors may be better captured by measuring deficits in fluent academic performance rather than skills. Identification of these potential factors associated with educational outcomes of pediatric medulloblastoma survivors has significant implications for research, clinical assessment, and academic services/interventions.

Measuring Gambling Reinforcers, Over Consumption and Fallacies: The Psychometric Properties and Predictive Validity of the Jonsson-Abbott Scale

PubMed Central

Jonsson, Jakob; Abbott, Max W.; Sjöberg, Anders; Carlbring, Per

2017-01-01

Traditionally, gambling and problem gambling research relies on cross-sectional and retrospective designs. This has compromised identification of temporal relationships and causal inference. To overcome these problems a new questionnaire, the Jonsson-Abbott Scale (JAS), was developed and used in a large, prospective, general population study, The Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study (Swelogs). The JAS has 11 items and seeks to identify early indicators, examine relationships between indicators and assess their capacity to predict future problem progression. The aims of the study were to examine psychometric properties of the JAS (internal consistency and dimensionality) and predictive validity with respect to increased gambling risk and problem gambling onset. The results are based on repeated interviews with 3818 participants. The response rate from the initial baseline wave was 74%. The original sample consisted of a random, stratified selection from the Swedish population register aged between 16 and 84. The results indicate an acceptable fit of a three-factor solution in a confirmatory factor analysis with ‘Over consumption,’ ‘Gambling fallacies,’ and ‘Reinforcers’ as factors. Reinforcers, Over consumption and Gambling fallacies were significant predictors of gambling risk potential and Gambling fallacies and Over consumption were significant predictors of problem gambling onset (incident cases) at 12 month follow up. When controlled for risk potential measured at baseline, the predictor Over consumption was not significant for gambling risk potential at follow up. For incident cases, Gambling fallacies and Over consumption remained significant when controlled for risk potential. Implications of the results for the development of problem gambling, early detection, prevention, and future research are discussed. PMID:29085320

The potential of cover crops for improving soil function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoate, Chris; Crotty, Felicity

2017-04-01

Cover crops can be grown over the autumn and winter ensuring green cover throughout the year. They have been described as improving soil structure, reducing soil erosion and potentially even a form of grass weed control. These crops retain nutrients within the plant, potentially making them available for future crops, as well as increasing soil organic matter. Over the last three years, we have investigated how different cover crop regimes affect soil quality. Three separate experiments over each autumn/winter period have investigated how different cover crops affect soil biology, physics and chemistry, with each experiment building on the previous one. There have been significant effects of cover crops on soil structure, as well as significantly lower weed biomass and increased yields in the following crop - in comparison to bare stubble. For example, the effect of drilling the cover crops on soil structure in comparison to a bare stubble control that had not been driven on by machinery was quantified, and over the winter period the soil structure of the cover crop treatments changed, with compaction reduced in the cover crop treatments, whilst the bare stubble control remained unchanged. Weeds were found in significantly lower biomass in the cover crop mixes in comparison to the bare stubble control, and significantly lower weed biomass continued to be found in the following spring oat crop where the cover crops had been, indicating a weed suppressive effect that has a continued legacy in the following crop. The following spring oats have shown similar results in the last two years, with higher yields in the previous cover crop areas compared to the bare stubble controls. Overall, these results are indicating that cover crops have the potential to provide improvements to soil quality, reduce weeds and improve yields. We discuss the economic implications.

A review of the clinical implications of bisphosphonates in dentistry.

PubMed

Borromeo, G L; Tsao, C E; Darby, I B; Ebeling, P R

2011-03-01

Bisphosphonates are drugs that suppress bone turnover and are commonly prescribed to prevent skeletal related events in malignancy and for benign bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Bisphosphonate associated jaw osteonecrosis (ONJ) is a potentially debilitating, yet poorly understood condition. A literature review was undertaken to review the dental clinical implications of bisphosphonates. The present paper briefly describes the postulated pathophysiology of ONJ and conditions with similar clinical presentations. The implications of bisphosphonates for implantology, periodontology, orthodontics and endodontics are reviewed. Whilst bisphosphonates have potential positive applications in some clinical settings, periodontology particularly, further clinical research is limited by the risk of ONJ. Prevention and management are reviewed, including guidelines for reducing cumulative intravenous bisphosphonate dose, cessation of bisphosphonates prior to invasive dental treatment or after ONJ development, and the use of serum beta-CTX-1 in assessing risk. In the context of substantial uncertainty, the implications of bisphosphonate use in the dental clinical setting are still being determined. © 2010 Australian Dental Association.

Validating a topographically driven model of peatland water table: Implications for understanding land cover controls on water table.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Martin; Allott, Tim; Worrall, Fred; Rowson, James; Maskill, Rachael

2014-05-01

Water table is arguably the dominant control on biogeochemical cycling in peatland systems. Local water tables are controlled by peat surface water balance and lateral transfer of water driven by slope can be a significant component of this balance. In particular, blanket peatlands typically have relatively high surface slope compared to other peatland types so that there is the potential for water table to be significantly contolled by topographic context. UK blanket peatlands are also significantly eroded so that there is the potential for additional topographic drainage of the peatland surface. This paper presents a topographically driven model of blanket peat water table. An initial model presented in Allott et al. (2009) has been refined and tested against further water table data collected across the Bleaklow and Kinderscout plateaux of the English Peak District. The water table model quantifies the impact of peat erosion on water table throughout this dramatically dissected landscape demonstrating that almost 50% of the landscape has suffered significant water table drawdown. The model calibrates the impact of slope and degree of dissection on local water tables but does not incorporate any effects of surface cover on water table conditions. Consequently significant outliers in the test data are potentially indicative of important impacts of surface cover on water table conditions. In the test data presented here sites associated with regular moorland burning are significant outliers. The data currently available do not allow us to draw conclusions around the impact of land cover but they indicate an important potential application of the validated model in controlling for topographic position in further testing of the impact of land cover on peatland water tables. Allott, T.E.H. & Evans, M.G., Lindsay, J.B., Agnew, C.T., Freer, J.E., Jones, A. & Parnell, M. Water tables in Peak District blanket peatlands. Moors for the Future Report No. 17. Moors for the Future Partnership, Edale, 47pp.

PDGFRα/β and VEGFR2 polymorphisms in colorectal cancer: incidence and implications in clinical outcome

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Angiogenesis plays an essential role in tumor growth and metastasis, and is a major target in cancer therapy. VEGFR and PDGFR are key players involved in this process. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of genetic variants in these receptors and its potential clinical implications in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods VEGFR2, PDGFRα and PDGFRβ mutations were evaluated by sequencing their tyrosine kinase domains in 8 CRC cell lines and in 92 samples of patients with CRC. Correlations with clinicopathological features and survival were analyzed. Results Four SNPs were identified, three in PDGFRα [exon 12 (A12): c.1701A>G; exon 13 (A13): c.1809G>A; and exon 17 (A17): c.2439+58C>A] and one in PDGFRβ [exon 19 (B19): c.2601A>G]. SNP B19, identified in 58% of tumor samples and in 4 cell lines (LS174T, LS180, SW48, COLO205), was associated with higher PDGFR and pPDGFR protein levels. Consistent with this observation, 5-year survival was greater for patients with PDGFR B19 wild type tumors (AA) than for those harboring the G-allele genotype (GA or GG) (51% vs 17%; p=0.073). Multivariate analysis confirmed SNP B19 (p=0.029) was a significant prognostic factor for survival, independent of age (p=0.060) or TNM stage (p<0.001). Conclusions PDGFRβ exon 19 c.2601A>G SNP is commonly encountered in CRC patients and is associated with increased pathway activation and poorer survival. Implications regarding its potential influence in response to PDGFR-targeted agents remain to be elucidated. PMID:23146028

A perverse quality incentive in surgery: implications of reimbursing surgeons less for doing laparoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Fader, Amanda N; Xu, Tim; Dunkin, Brian J; Makary, Martin A

2016-11-01

Surgery is one of the highest priced services in health care, and complications from surgery can be serious and costly. Recently, advances in surgical techniques have allowed surgeons to perform many common operations using minimally invasive methods that result in fewer complications. Despite this, the rates of open surgery remain high across multiple surgical disciplines. This is an expert commentary and review of the contemporary literature regarding minimally invasive surgery practices nationwide, the benefits of less invasive approaches, and how minimally invasive compared with open procedures are differentially reimbursed in the United States. We explore the incentive of the current surgeon reimbursement fee schedule and its potential implications. A surgeon's preference to perform minimally invasive compared with open surgery remains highly variable in the U.S., even after adjustment for patient comorbidities and surgical complexity. Nationwide administrative claims data across several surgical disciplines demonstrates that minimally invasive surgery utilization in place of open surgery is associated with reduced adverse events and cost savings. Reducing surgical complications by increasing adoption of minimally invasive operations has significant cost implications for health care. However, current U.S. payment structures may perversely incentivize open surgery and financially reward physicians who do not necessarily embrace newer or best minimally invasive surgery practices. Utilization of minimally invasive surgery varies considerably in the U.S., representing one of the greatest disparities in health care. Existing physician payment models must translate the growing body of research in surgical care into physician-level rewards for quality, including choice of operation. Promoting safe surgery should be an important component of a strong, value-based healthcare system. Resolving the potentially perverse incentives in paying for surgical approaches may help address disparities in surgical care, reduce the prevalent problem of variation, and help contain health care costs.

A chironomid-based record of temperature variability during the past 4000 years in northern China and its possible societal implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Haipeng; Chen, Jianhui; Zhang, Shengda; Zhang, David D.; Wang, Zongli; Xu, Qinghai; Chen, Shengqian; Wang, Shijin; Kang, Shichang; Chen, Fahu

2018-03-01

Long-term, high-resolution temperature records which combine an unambiguous proxy and precise dating are rare in China. In addition, the societal implications of past temperature change on a regional scale have not been sufficiently assessed. Here, based on the modern relationship between chironomids and temperature, we use fossil chironomid assemblages in a precisely dated sediment core from Gonghai Lake to explore temperature variability during the past 4000 years in northern China. Subsequently, we address the possible regional societal implications of temperature change through a statistical analysis of the occurrence of wars. Our results show the following. (1) The mean annual temperature (TANN) was relatively high during 4000-2700 cal yr BP, decreased gradually during 2700-1270 cal yr BP and then fluctuated during the last 1270 years. (2) A cold event in the Period of Disunity, the Sui-Tang Warm Period (STWP), the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Little Ice Age (LIA) can all be recognized in the paleotemperature record, as well as in many other temperature reconstructions in China. This suggests that our chironomid-inferred temperature record for the Gonghai Lake region is representative. (3) Local wars in Shanxi Province, documented in the historical literature during the past 2700 years, are statistically significantly correlated with changes in temperature, and the relationship is a good example of the potential societal implications of temperature change on a regional scale.

Heavy metals in cereals and pulses: health implications in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, Md Saiful; Ahmed, Md Kawser; Habibullah-Al-Mamun, Md

2014-11-05

This research was conducted to evaluate the concentration of seven common heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) in cereals and pulses and associated health implications in Bangladesh. USEPA deterministic approaches were followed to assess the carcinogenic risk (CR) and noncarcinogenic risk which was measured by target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI). Total THQ values for As and Pb were higher than 1, suggesting that people would experience significant health risks if they ingest As and Pb from cereals and pulses. However, the estimated HI value of 1.7 × 10(1) (>1) elucidates a potential noncarcinogenic risk to the consumers. Also, the estimation showed that the carcinogenic risk of As (5.8 × 10(-3)) and Pb (4.9 × 10(-5)) exceeded the USEPA accepted risk level of 1 × 10(-6). Thus, the carcinogenic risk of As and Pb with nutritional deficiency of essential elements for Bangladeshi people is a matter of concern.

Assortative mating among animals of captive and wild origin following experimental conservation releases

PubMed Central

Slade, Brendan; Parrott, Marissa L.; Paproth, Aleisha; Magrath, Michael J. L.; Gillespie, Graeme R.; Jessop, Tim S.

2014-01-01

Captive breeding is a high profile management tool used for conserving threatened species. However, the inevitable consequence of generations in captivity is broad scale and often-rapid phenotypic divergence between captive and wild individuals, through environmental differences and genetic processes. Although poorly understood, mate choice preference is one of the changes that may occur in captivity that could have important implications for the reintroduction success of captive-bred animals. We bred wild-caught house mice for three generations to examine mating patterns and reproductive outcomes when these animals were simultaneously released into multiple outdoor enclosures with wild conspecifics. At release, there were significant differences in phenotypic (e.g. body mass) and genetic measures (e.g. Gst and F) between captive-bred and wild adult mice. Furthermore, 83% of offspring produced post-release were of same source parentage, inferring pronounced assortative mating. Our findings suggest that captive breeding may affect mating preferences, with potentially adverse implications for the success of threatened species reintroduction programmes. PMID:25411380

Variability of the reflectance coefficient of skylight from the ocean surface and its implications to ocean color.

PubMed

Gilerson, Alexander; Carrizo, Carlos; Foster, Robert; Harmel, Tristan

2018-04-16

The value and spectral dependence of the reflectance coefficient (ρ) of skylight from wind-roughened ocean surfaces is critical for determining accurate water leaving radiance and remote sensing reflectances from shipborne, AERONET-Ocean Color and satellite observations. Using a vector radiative transfer code, spectra of the reflectance coefficient and corresponding radiances near the ocean surface and at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) are simulated for a broad range of parameters including flat and windy ocean surfaces with wind speeds up to 15 m/s, aerosol optical thicknesses of 0-1 at 440nm, wavelengths of 400-900 nm, and variable Sun and viewing zenith angles. Results revealed a profound impact of the aerosol load and type on the spectral values of ρ. Such impacts, not included yet in standard processing, may produce significant inaccuracies in the reflectance spectra retrieved from above-water radiometry and satellite observations. Implications for satellite cal/val activities as well as potential changes in measurement and data processing schemes are discussed.

Bumblebee learning and memory is impaired by chronic exposure to a neonicotinoid pesticide

PubMed Central

Stanley, Dara A.; Smith, Karen E.; Raine, Nigel E.

2015-01-01

Bumblebees are exposed to pesticides applied for crop protection while foraging on treated plants, with increasing evidence suggesting that this sublethal exposure has implications for pollinator declines. The challenges of navigating and learning to manipulate many different flowers underline the critical role learning plays for the foraging success and survival of bees. We assessed the impacts of both acute and chronic exposure to field-realistic levels of a widely applied neonicotinoid insecticide, thiamethoxam, on bumblebee odour learning and memory. Although bees exposed to acute doses showed conditioned responses less frequently than controls, we found no difference in the number of individuals able to learn at field-realistic exposure levels. However, following chronic pesticide exposure, bees exposed to field-realistic levels learnt more slowly and their short-term memory was significantly impaired following exposure to 2.4 ppb pesticide. These results indicate that field-realistic pesticide exposure can have appreciable impacts on learning and memory, with potential implications for essential individual behaviour and colony fitness. PMID:26568480

Comparing definitions of outpatient surgery: Implications for quality measurement.

PubMed

Mull, Hillary J; Rivard, Peter E; Legler, Aaron; Pizer, Steven D; Hawn, Mary T; Itani, Kamal M F; Rosen, Amy K

2017-08-01

Adverse event (AE) rates in outpatient surgery are inconsistently reported, partly because of the lack of a standard definition of outpatient surgery. We compared the types and rates of surgical procedures defined by two national healthcare agencies: Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and considered implications for quality measurement. We used HCCI and HCUP definitions to identify FY2012-14 VA outpatient surgeries. There were six times as many HCCI surgeries as HCUP (6,575,830 versus 1,086,640). Ninety-nine percent of HCUP-defined surgeries were also identified by HCCI. More HCUP surgeries had higher average Medicare Relative Value Units then HCCI surgeries [5.3 (SD = 4.4) versus 1.6 (SD = 2.3) RVUs]. Rates and types of procedures vary widely between definitions. Quality measurement using HCCI versus HCUP may produce significantly lower AE rates because many of the surgeries included reflect low complexity and potentially low risk of AEs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Implications of human tissue studies

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

Kathren, R.L.

1986-10-01

Through radiochemical analysis of voluntary tissue donations, the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries are gaining improved understanding of the distribution and biokinetics of actinide elements in occupationally exposed persons. Evaluation of the first two whole body contributions to the Transuranium Registry revealed an inverse proportionality between actinide concentration and bone ash fraction. The analysis of a whole body with a documented /sup 241/Am deposition indicated a significantly shorter half-time in liver and a greater fraction resident in the skeleton than predicted by existing models. Other studies of the Registries are designed to evaluate in vivo estimates of actinide depositionmore » with those derived from postmortem tissue analysis, compare results of animal experiments with human data, and reviw histopathologic slides for tissue toxicity that might be attributable to exposure to uranium and the transuranic elements. The implications of these recent findings and other work of the Registries are discussed from the standpoint of their potential impact on biokinetic modeling, internal dose assessment, safety standards, and operational health physics practices.« less

Perceptions of hospital CEOs about the effects of CEO turnover.

PubMed

Khaliq, Amir A; Thompson, David M; Walston, Stephen L

2006-01-01

Empirical evidence is scarce on chief executive officer (CEO) turnover in U.S. hospitals, with potentially serious implications for many of these organizations. This study, based on a nationwide survey of CEOs at non-federal general surgical and medical community hospitals conducted in the spring of 2004, reports the perceptions of hospital CEOs regarding the circumstances and impact of CEO turnover on U.S. hospitals. In the opinion of the respondents, the impact includes competitors taking advantage of turnover by luring employees and physicians away from the target hospital, significantly increasing the likelihood of other senior executives leaving the hospital, and many of the important strategic activities being delayed or cancelled altogether. Interestingly, the perceptions of CEOs regarding the effects of turnover do not seem to differ regardless of voluntary or involuntary circumstances of turnover. However, there is a notable bias in emphasizing the perceived negative implications of respondents' own departures and allegedly positive effects of their predecessors' departures.

Clinical Implications From an Exploratory Study of Postural Management of Breech Presentation

PubMed Central

Founds, Sandra A.

2013-01-01

The results from an exploratory study of the effectiveness of maternal knee-chest posture for producing cephalic version of breech presentation are shown. Methods are briefly described and clinical implications are presented. Among 25 women, fewer who performed the maternal knee-chest postural intervention experienced fetal cephalic version than women in the control group who did nothing to influence breech presentation. Despite limitations of the underpowered findings, trends in the data may indicate that parity and gestational age were potentially relevant covariates of version. Postural management is not an evidence-based practice. This exploratory study indicates that maternal knee-chest posture may work opposite to the expected direction, but the small sample size precludes generalizations about efficacy of knee-chest postural management. At least one adequately powered trial that controls for parity and gestational age is needed to determine whether knee-chest postural management results in no effect, a small, or small to moderate clinically significant effect. PMID:16814225

In situ sulphate stimulation of mercury methylation in a boreal peatland: Toward a link between acid rain and methylmercury contamination in remote environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branfireun, Brian A.; Roulet, Nigel T.; Kelly, Carol. A.; Rudd, John W. M.

1999-09-01

Recent studies have found that "pristine" peatlands have high peat and pore water methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations and that peatlands may act as large sources of MeHg to the downstream aquatic system, depending upon the degree of hydrologie connectivity and catchment physiography. Sulphate-reducing bacteria have been implicated as principal methylators of inorganic mercury in many environments with previous research focused primarily on mercury methylation in aquatic sediments. Experiments in a poor fen in the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada, demonstrated that the in situ addition of sulphate to peat and peat pore water resulted in a significant increase in pore water MeHg concentrations. As peatlands cover a large area of the Northern Hemisphere, this finding has potentially far ranging implications for the global mercury cycle, particularly in areas impacted by anthropogenically derived sulphate where the methylmercury fraction of total mercury species may be much larger than in nonimpacted environments.

Heat treatment induced bacterial changes in irrigation water and their implications for plant disease management.

PubMed

Hao, W; Hong, C X

2014-05-01

A new heat treatment for recycled irrigation water using 48 °C for 24 h to inactivate Phytophthora and bacterial plant pathogens is estimated to reduce fuel cost and environmental footprint by more than 50 % compared to current protocol (95 °C for 30 s). The objective of this study was to determine the impact of this new heat treatment temperature regime on bacterial community structure in water and its practical implications. Bacterial communities in irrigation water were analyzed before and after heat treatment using both culture-dependent and -independent strategies based on the 16S ribosomal DNA. A significant shift was observed in the bacterial community after heat treatment. Most importantly, bacteria with biological control potential--Bacillus and Paenibacillus, and Pseudomonas species became more abundant at both 48 and 42 °C. These findings imply that the new heat treatment procedure not only controls existing plant pathogens but also may make the heat-treated irrigation water a more antagonistic environment against plant pathogens, promoting sustainable disease management.

CO2-vegetation feedbacks and other climate changes implicated in reducing base flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trancoso, Ralph; Larsen, Joshua R.; McVicar, Tim R.; Phinn, Stuart R.; McAlpine, Clive A.

2017-03-01

Changes in the hydrological cycle have a significant impact in water limited environments. Globally, some of these regions are experiencing declining precipitation yet are simultaneously becoming greener, partly due to vegetation feedbacks associated with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Reduced precipitation together with increasing rates of actual evapotranspiration diminishes streamflow, especially base flow, a critical freshwater dry-season resource. Here we assess recent changes in base flow in Australia from 1981-2013 and 1950-2013 and separate the contribution of precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and other factors on base flow trends. Our findings reveal that these other factors influencing the base flow trends are best explained by an increase in photosynthetic activity. These results provide the first robust observational evidence that increasing atmospheric CO2 and its associated vegetation feedbacks are reducing base flow in addition to other climatic impacts. These findings have broad implications for water resource management, especially in the world's water limited regions.

God, Can I Tell You Something? The Effect of Religious Coping on the Relationship between Anxiety Over Emotional Expression, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Bryan, Jennifer L; Lucas, Sydnee; Quist, Michelle C; Steers, Mai-Ly N; Foster, Dawn W; Young, Chelsie M; Lu, Qian

2016-02-01

The current study investigated whether religious coping would moderate the association between ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) and depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms such that the positive relationship between AEE and depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms would be weaker among those higher in religious coping. Three-hundred and fifty-two undergraduates ( M age=23.51 years, SD =6.80; 84.4% female) completed study materials. Contrary to expectations, results revealed a significant interaction between religious coping and AEE such that religious coping exacerbated the relationship between higher AEE and distress symptoms. The implications of this study suggest that religious coping may not be an ideal coping mechanism for individuals with high levels of AEE. These results indicate the need to further examine the role of AEE in religious coping, and have potential implications for clinicians, healthcare professionals, and religious mentors who may promote the use of religious coping in treatment.

States of fragility: stabilisation and its implications for humanitarian action.

PubMed

Collinson, Sarah; Elhawary, Samir; Muggah, Robert

2010-10-01

This paper explores the evolution of international stabilisation agendas and their significance for humanitarian action. Stabilisation includes a combination of military, humanitarian, political and economic activities to control, contain and manage areas affected by armed conflict and complex emergencies. Encompassing narrow security objectives and broader peace-building efforts, stabilisation is both a conservative and potentially transformative, comprehensive and long-term agenda. The open-ended approach allows for widely varying interpretations and applications in different circumstances and by different actors with an assortment of implications for humanitarian action. The relationship between the two is highly uncertain and contentious, due not only to the controversies surrounding stabilisation policies, but also to deep-seated ambiguities at the heart of humanitarianism. While humanitarian actors are preoccupied with the growing involvement of the military in the humanitarian sphere, the paper argues that it is trends in the humanitarian-political interface that represent the more fundamental dilemma. © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2010.

Backscatter modelling and inversion from Cassini/SAR data: Implications for Titan's sand seas properties and climatic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, A.; Rodriguez, S.; Lemonnier, F.; Paillou, P.; Le Gall, A. A.; Narteau, C.

2015-12-01

Sand seas on Titan may reflect the present and past climatic conditions. Understanding the morphodynamics and physicochemical properties of Titan's dunes is therefore essential for a better comprehension of the climatic and geological history of the largest Saturn's moon. We derived quantitatively surface properties (texture, composition) from the modelling of microwave backscattered signal and Monte Carlo inversion of despeckled Cassini/SAR data over the equatorial sand seas. We show that dunes and inter-dunes have significantly different physical properties. Absorption is more efficient in the dunes compared to the inter-dunes. The inter-dunes are smoother with an higher dielectric constant than the dunes. Considering the composition, the inter-dunes are in between the dunes and the bright inselbergs, suggesting the presence of a shallow layer of sediment in between the dunes. Additionally potential secondary bedforms may have been detected. Implications for dune morphodynamics, sediment inventory and climatic conditions occurring on Titan will be discussed.

Multiple stressors threatening the future of the Baltic Sea-Kattegat marine ecosystem: implications for policy and management actions.

PubMed

Jutterström, S; Andersson, H C; Omstedt, A; Malmaeus, J M

2014-09-15

The paper discusses the combined effects of ocean acidification, eutrophication and climate change on the Baltic Sea and the implications for current management strategies. The scientific basis is built on results gathered in the BONUS+ projects Baltic-C and ECOSUPPORT. Model results indicate that the Baltic Sea is likely to be warmer, more hypoxic and more acidic in the future. At present management strategies are not taking into account temporal trends and potential ecosystem change due to warming and/or acidification, and therefore fulfilling the obligations specified within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, OSPAR and HELCOM conventions and national environmental objectives may become significantly more difficult. The paper aims to provide a basis for a discussion on the effectiveness of current policy instruments and possible strategies for setting practical environmental objectives in a changing climate and with multiple stressors. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Food deprivation and emotional reactions to food cues: implications for eating disorders.

PubMed

Drobes, D J; Miller, E J; Hillman, C H; Bradley, M M; Cuthbert, B N; Lang, P J

2001-01-01

Two studies examined emotional responding to food cues. In experiment 1, normal college students were assigned to 0-, 6- or 24-h of food deprivation prior to presentations of standard emotional and food-related pictures. Food deprivation had no impact on responses elicited by standard emotional pictures. However, subjective and psychophysiological reactions to food pictures were affected significantly by deprivation. Importantly, food-deprived subjects viewing food pictures showed an enhanced startle reflex and increased heart rate. Experiment 2 replicated the food deprivation effects from experiment 1, and examined participants reporting either a habitual pattern of restrained (anorexia-like) or binge (bulimia-like) eating. Food-deprived and binge eater groups showed startle potentiation to food cues, and rated these stimuli as more pleasant, relative to restrained eaters and control subjects. The results are interpreted from the perspective that startle modulation reflects activation of defensive or appetitive motivation. Implications of the data for understanding eating disorders are considered.

Implications for research and practice of the biographic approach for storytelling.

PubMed

Ewens, Beverley; Hendricks, Joyce; Sundin, Deb

2017-01-23

Background Intensive care unit survivors face many physical and psychological difficulties during their recovery following discharge from hospital. These difficulties can significantly affect their quality of life. Healthcare providers and survivors' families often do not understand what recovery means in this population, which may affect the support provided. Aim To consider the potential of the biographical method in helping to create stories that illustrate recovery in intensive care survivors and other populations. Discussion This paper identifies how the biographical approach has provided survivors with a way to uncover the hidden parts of their lives through diaries and interviews, and reveal the hidden stories of intensive care survivorship and recovery. Conclusion The application of the biographical method enabled stories to be created that identified the disruption survivors encounter as they struggle to appear recovered. Implications for practice The biographical method can illuminate experiences uncaptured by other methods. This insight into recovery journeys can help healthcare practitioners and family members to understand and recognise the need for support during recovery.

Space station impact experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, P.; Ahrens, T.; Alexander, W. M.; Cintala, M.; Gault, D.; Greeley, R.; Hawke, B. R.; Housen, K.; Schmidt, R.

1986-01-01

Four processes serve to illustrate potential areas of study and their implications for general problems in planetary science. First, accretional processes reflect the success of collisional aggregation over collisional destruction during the early history of the solar system. Second, both catastrophic and less severe effects of impacts on planetary bodies survivng from the time of the early solar system may be expressed by asteroid/planetary spin rates, spin orientations, asteroid size distributions, and perhaps the origin of the Moon. Third, the surfaces of planetary bodies directly record the effects of impacts in the form of craters; these records have wide-ranging implications. Fourth, regoliths evolution of asteroidal surfaces is a consequence of cumulative impacts, but the absence of a significant gravity term may profoundly affect the retention of shocked fractions and agglutinate build-up, thereby biasing the correct interpretations of spectral reflectance data. An impact facility on the Space Station would provide the controlled conditions necessary to explore such processes either through direct simulation of conditions or indirect simulation of certain parameters.

Formation of 3D cholesterol crystals from 2D nucleation sites in lipid bilayer membranes: implications for atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Varsano, Neta; Fargion, Iael; Wolf, Sharon G; Leiserowitz, Leslie; Addadi, Lia

2015-02-04

Atherosclerosis is the major precursor of cardiovascular disease. The formation of cholesterol crystals in atherosclerotic plaques is associated with the onset of acute pathology. The cholesterol crystals induce physical injury in the plaque core, promoting cell apoptosis and triggering an increased inflammatory response. Herein we address the question of how cholesterol crystal formation occurs in atherosclerosis. We demonstrate that three-dimensional (3D) cholesterol crystals can undergo directed nucleation from bilayer membranes containing two-dimensional (2D) cholesterol crystalline domains. We studied crystal formation on supported lipid bilayers loaded with exogenous cholesterol and labeled using a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes ordered cholesterol arrays. Our findings show that 3D crystals are formed exclusively on the bilayer regions where there are segregated 2D cholesterol crystalline domains and that they form on the domains. This study has potentially significant implications for our understanding of the crucial step in the mechanism by which atherosclerotic lesions form.

Global energy, sustainability, and the conventional development paradigm

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

Raskin, P.D.; Margolis, R.M.

1998-05-01

The conventional development paradigm assumes that the values, consumption patterns, and dynamics of the western industrial system will be progressively played out on a global scale. In this inquiry, the authors explore the implications of the conventional paradigm for the evolution of global energy patterns, and the compatibility with notions of sustainability. They present a global long-range conventional development scenario to the year 2050, and identify major environmental, resource, and social pressures and uncertainties. These include the economic and geopolitical consequences of fossil fuel depletion, the environmental and security implications of increased nuclear generation, the risk of significant climatic change,more » and the threats to social cohesion of distributional inequities. Such potential problems could negate the basic scenario assumption of steady economic and social development. By clarifying the stress points in a conventional picture of energy development, the scenario provides a useful point of departure for examining alternative long-range scenarios for sustainable energy development.« less

Implications of multi-scale sea level and climate variability for coastal resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karamperidou, Christina; Engel, Victor; Lall, Upmanu; Stabenau, Erik; Smith, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

While secular changes in regional sea levels and their implications for coastal zone management have been studied extensively, less attention is being paid to natural fluctuations in sea levels, whose interaction with a higher mean level could have significant impacts on low-lying areas, such as wetlands. Here, the long record of sea level at Key West, FL is studied in terms of both the secular trend and the multi-scale sea level variations. This analysis is then used to explore implications for the Everglades National Park (ENP), which is recognized internationally for its ecological significance, and is the site of the largest wetland restoration project in the world. Very shallow topographic gradients (3–6 cm per km) make the region susceptible to small changes in sea level. Observations of surface water levels from a monitoring network within ENP exhibit both the long-term trends and the interannual-to-(multi)decadal variability that are observed in the Key West record. Water levels recorded at four long-term monitoring stations within ENP exhibit increasing trends approximately equal to or larger than the long-term trend at Key West. Time- and frequency-domain analyses highlight the potential influence of climate mechanisms, such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), on Key West sea levels and marsh water levels, and the potential modulation of their influence by the background state of the North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperatures. In particular, the Key West sea levels are found to be positively correlated with the NAO index, while the two series exhibit high spectral power during the transition to a cold Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). The correlation between the Key West sea levels and the NINO3 Index reverses its sign in coincidence with a reversal of the AMO phase. Water levels in ENP are also influenced by precipitation and freshwater releases from the northern boundary of the Park. The analysis of both climate variability and climate change in such wetlands is needed to inform management practices in coastal wetland zones around the world.

Potential unintended pregnancies averted and cost savings associated with a revised Medicaid sterilization policy

PubMed Central

Borrero, Sonya; Zite, Nikki; Potter, Joseph E.; Trussell, James; Smith, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Objective Medicaid sterilization policy, which includes a mandatory 30-day waiting period between consent and the sterilization procedure, poses significant logistical barriers for many women who desire publicly-funded sterilization. Our goal was to estimate the number of unintended pregnancies and the associated costs resulting from unfulfilled sterilization requests due to Medicaid policy barriers. Study design We constructed a cost effectiveness model from the health care payer perspective to determine the incremental cost over a 1-year time horizon of the current Medicaid sterilization policy compared to a hypothetical, revised policy in which women who desire a post-partum sterilization would face significantly reduced barriers. Probability estimates for potential outcomes in the model were based on published sources; costs of Medicaid-funded sterilizations and Medicaid-covered births were based on data from the Medicaid Statistical Information System and The Guttmacher Institute, respectively. Results With the implementation of a revised Medicaid sterilization policy, we estimated that the number of fulfilled sterilization requests would increase by 45%, from 53.3% of all women having their sterilization requests fulfilled to 77.5%. Annually, this increase could potentially lead to over 29,000 unintended pregnancies averted and $215 million saved. Conclusion A revised Medicaid sterilization policy could potentially honor women's reproductive decisions, reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, and save a significant amount of public funds. Implication Compared to the current federal Medicaid sterilization policy, a hypothetical, revised policy that reduces logistical barriers for women who desire publicly-funded, post-partum sterilization could potentially avert over 29,000 unintended pregnancies annually and therefore lead to a cost savings of $215 million each year. PMID:24028751

Implications of the implementation of the revised dose limit to the lens of the eye: the view of IRPA professionals.

PubMed

Broughton, J; Cantone, M C; Ginjaume, M; Shah, B; Czarwinski, R

2015-06-01

In April 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection issued a statement on reduction of the equivalent dose limits for the lens of the eye, and strongly recommended its consideration in the revision of the International Atomic Energy Agency's International Basic Safety Standards on Radiation Protection. The reduced dose limit was incorporated in the final version of the Basic Safety Standards. As significant concern was expressed by radiation protection professionals worldwide, the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA) established a task group to assess the impact of implementation of the revised dose limit for the lens of the eye for occupational exposure. IRPA Associate Societies (ASs) were asked for their views using a questionnaire addressing three topics: implications for dosimetry, implications for methods of protection, and wider implications. The responses received indicate various methods of approach and express different points of view, reflecting nuances of particular ASs or specific professional groups. Topic experts nominated by ASs were selected to assist with collation of responses, and a report was produced by the task group. Conclusions were drawn on the three issues, including potential cost implications. A number of recommendations were drawn from the responses received including: the request for more understanding about the relationship between exposure of the lens of the eye and cataract formation, and further guidance to assist implementation; the importance of economic and social considerations when introducing the limits into national regulations; the need to propose or define procedures related to employment of people with existing or pre-cataract conditions; and the practical aspects relating to dosimetry and protective equipment. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Adult Neurogenesis in the Mammalian Brain: Significant Answers and Significant Questions

PubMed Central

Ming, Guo-li; Song, Hongjun

2011-01-01

Summary Adult neurogenesis, a process of generating functional neurons from adult neural precursors, occurs throughout life in restricted brain regions in mammals. The past decade has witnessed tremendous progress in addressing questions related to almost every aspect of adult neurogenesis in the mammalian brain. Here we review major advances in our understanding of adult mammalian neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and from the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb. We highlight emerging principles that have significant implications for stem cell biology, developmental neurobiology, neural plasticity, and disease mechanisms. We also discuss remaining questions related to adult neural stem cells and their niches, underlying regulatory mechanisms and potential functions of newborn neurons in the adult brain. Building upon the recent progress and aided by new technologies, the adult neurogenesis field is poised to leap forward in the next decade. PMID:21609825

Coercive and Prosocial Fathering, Antisocial Personality, and Growth in Children's Post-Divorce Noncompliance

PubMed Central

DeGarmo, David S.

2009-01-01

The study employed multiple methods including direct observation of fathering behaviors and child noncompliance to better address our understanding of the quantity and quality of divorced father contact. A weighted county sample of 230 divorced-father families with a focal child aged 4 to 11 years was employed to test whether fathers' antisocial personality (ASP) moderated effects of monthly contact with children in predicting children's observed noncompliance over 18 months. Latent growth models obtained significant individual differences in levels of noncompliance and growth rates. ASP significantly moderated the beneficial impact of fathers' monthly contact. Fathers' observed parenting practices significantly predicted levels but not growth rates. Parenting did not account for the effect of Contact × ASP suggesting both environmental and potentially genetic influences on child adjustment. Findings were robust across boys and girls and age levels. Implications for preventive intervention are discussed. PMID:20438456

Occupational exposure to hydrazines: treatment of acute central nervous system toxicity.

PubMed

Zelnick, Sanford D; Mattie, David R; Stepaniak, Philip C

2003-12-01

Exposure to hydrazine and hydrazines' alkylated derivatives is an important occupational health issue, which will increase in significance as space applications increase. Despite their widespread usage as rocket fuels in manned and unmanned space and missile systems, serious exposures to hydrazines are rare. While a significant number of experimental studies were performed in the late 1950s through the mid-1960s, conflicting information exists concerning the most appropriate treatment for these exposures. A cross-sectional study evaluating the most common rocket fuels such as hydrazine; 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (UDMH); mono-methylhydrazine (MMH); and Aerozine-50 against the most commonly suggested therapies, such as pyridoxine, traditional antiseizure therapies, and arginine is needed to clarify the treatment implications for human exposure. Treatments that have been useful for hyperammonemic states, such as those for the six inherited urea cycle defects, have significant potential for the improvement of hydrazine exposure treatment.

Conceptual systems and teacher attitudes toward regular classroom placement of mildly mentally retarded students.

PubMed

Feldman, D; Altman, R

1985-01-01

The effects of a teacher personality construct (abstract vs. concrete conceptual system) and two pupil variables (race, school behavior) on 454 regular classroom teachers' attitudes toward mainstreaming were determined. Following administration of the Conceptual Systems Test, teachers were randomly assigned a profile of a mildly mentally retarded student that held pupil IQ and school achievement constant while varying pupil's race and school behavior. Subjects responded on an integration inventory comprised of three subscales: social-psychological classroom environment, self-actualization, and classroom cohesiveness. Results revealed a significant main effect on the behavior variable and a significant Personality X Race interaction on all inventory dimensions, suggesting that these teachers perceived maladaptive behavior of mainstreamed retarded students as a significant threat to a conducive instructional atmosphere and the capability of nonretarded students to achieve to their potential. These results have implications for inservice training for teachers based on the pupil race and teacher conceptual system findings.

Nitrogen in rock: Occurrences and biogeochemical implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holloway, J.M.; Dahlgren, R.A.

2002-01-01

There is a growing interest in the role of bedrock in global nitrogen cycling and potential for increased ecosystem sensitivity to human impacts in terrains with elevated background nitrogen concentrations. Nitrogen-bearing rocks are globally distributed and comprise a potentially large pool of nitrogen in nutrient cycling that is frequently neglected because of a lack of routine analytical methods for quantification. Nitrogen in rock originates as organically bound nitrogen associated with sediment, or in thermal waters representing a mixture of sedimentary, mantle, and meteoric sources of nitrogen. Rock nitrogen concentrations range from trace levels (>200 mg N kg -1) in granites to ecologically significant concentrations exceeding 1000 mg N kg -1 in some sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks. Nitrate deposits accumulated in arid and semi-arid regions are also a large potential pool. Nitrogen in rock has a potentially significant impact on localized nitrogen cycles. Elevated nitrogen concentrations in water and soil have been attributed to weathering of bedrock nitrogen. In some environments, nitrogen released from bedrock may contribute to nitrogen saturation of terrestrial ecosystems (more nitrogen available than required by biota). Nitrogen saturation results in leaching of nitrate to surface and groundwaters, and, where soils are formed from ammonium-rich bedrock, the oxidation of ammonium to nitrate may result in soil acidification, inhibiting revegetation in certain ecosystems. Collectively, studies presented in this article reveal that geologic nitrogen may be a large and reactive pool with potential for amplification of human impacts on nitrogen cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Interleukin 1 beta inhibits synaptic strength and long-term potentiation in the rat CA1 hippocampus.

PubMed

Bellinger, F P; Madamba, S; Siggins, G R

1993-11-19

Cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) are released in the nervous system following inflammation or infection. Recently, IL-1 beta was shown to enhance synaptic inhibitory mechanisms. We therefore investigated the effect of IL-1 beta superfusion on long-term potentiation (LTP), the cellular model of memory and learning, evoked in the CA1 region by tetanic stimulation of the stratum radiatum in the rat hippocampal slice. IL-1 beta (150 pM-1.5 nM) superfused 10 min before tetanic stimulation significantly reduced LTP of the slope of the population excitatory postsynaptic potential (pEPSP) and the population spike (PS) amplitude in CA1 in a concentration-dependent manner. IL-1 beta (1.5 nM) applied for 10 min 1 h before tetanus significantly inhibited LTP of the PS amplitude and pEPSP slope and reduced pEPSP and PS values before tetanus as well, although the PS returned to control values before tetanus. Heat-inactivated IL-1 beta had no effect on pre-tetanus pEPSP or PS values or the induction of LTP. These data demonstrate that IL-1 beta modulates synaptic potentials and reduces LTP. These findings have important implications for the role of IL-1 beta in neuronal disorders following infection, perhaps best exemplified by HIV-1-associated dementia.

The Electrical Self-Potential Method as a Non-Intrusive Snow-Hydrological Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulessa, B.; Thompson, S. S.; Luethi, M. P.; Essery, R.

2015-12-01

Building on growing momentum in the application of geophysical techniques to snow problems and, specifically, on new theory and an electrical geophysical snow hydrological model published recently; we demonstrate for the first time that the electrical self-potential geophysical technique can sense in-situ bulk meltwater fluxes. This has broad and immediate implications for snow measurement practice, modelling and operational snow forecasting. Our ability to measure, quantify and assimilate hydrological properties and processes of snow in operational models is disproportionally poor compared to the significance of seasonal snowmelt as a global water resource and major risk factor in flood and avalanche forecasting. Encouraged by recent theoretical, modelling and laboratory work, we show here that the diurnal evolution of aerially-distributed self-potential magnitudes closely track those of bulk meltwater fluxes in melting in-situ snowpacks at Rhone and Jungfraujoch glaciers, Switzerland. Numerical modelling infers temporally-evolving liquid water contents in the snowpacks on successive days in close agreement with snow-pit measurements. Muting previous concerns, the governing physical and chemical properties of snow and meltwater became temporally invariant for modelling purposes. Because measurement procedure is straightforward and readily automated for continuous monitoring over significant spatial scales, we conclude that the self-potential geophysical method is a highly-promising non-intrusive snow-hydrological sensor for measurement practice, modelling and operational snow forecasting.

Nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium processes in ozone - Implications for the energy budget of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milynczak, Martin G.

1991-01-01

The conversion of chemical potential energy and infrared radiative energy to kinetic energy by non-LTE processes involving ozone is a potentially significant source of heat in the terrestrial upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere. Heating rates are calculated and compared using two different statistical equilibrium models previously applied in the analysis of measurements of limb emission from ozone. The calculated heating depends strongly on the assumed distribution and relaxation of energy in the quasi-nascent ozone molecule. Finally, in the absence of a detailed data base of rate coefficients it may be possible to estimate the heating rate due to non-LTE processes in ozone from appropriate satellite measurements of the ozone concentration and of the infrared emission from ozone in the 9-12 micron spectral interval.

Rehabilitation: disability ethics versus Peter Singer.

PubMed

McPherson, Gary W; Sobsey, Dick

2003-08-01

This commentary discusses utilitarian bioethics currently articulated by Peter Singer, one of the most widely known bioethicists of the 21st century. His controversial concepts of personhood and replaceability have important implications for people with disabilities, caregivers, and rehabilitation in general. Singer suggests that people with severe disabilities should not be considered persons and therefore have no rights or status in ethical issues. In addition, he argues that, although some people with less severe disabilities qualify as persons, their potential quality of life is significantly compromised by disability and therefore it may be ethically desirable to eliminate them so that their resources can be used for someone with superior potential. We reject these ideas, and suggest that those involved in rehabilitation carefully consider these ideas because they imply that rehabilitation is an immoral act unless it results in full and typical function.

Requirements for optimization of electrodes and electrolyte for the iron/chromium Redox flow cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jalan, V.; Stark, H.; Giner, J.

1981-01-01

Improved catalyzation techniques that included a pretreatment of carbon substrate and provided normalized carbon surface for uniform gold deposition were developed. This permits efficient use of different batches of carbon felt materials which initially vary significantly in their physical and surface chemical properties, as well as their electrochemical behavior. Further modification of gold impregnation technique gave the best performing electrodes. In addition to the linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry was used to determine the effects of different activation procedures on the Cr(3)/Cr(2) Redox and H2 evolution reactions. The roles of carbon, gold and lead in the overall Redox cycle are identified. The behavior of the electrodes at both normal battery operating potentials and more extreme potentials is discussed preparing efficient and stable electrodes for the energy storage battery is implicated.

I’m Positive, But I’m Negative

PubMed Central

Lindegger, Graham; Slack, Catherine; Wallace, Melissa; Newman, Peter

2015-01-01

HIV vaccine trials (HVTs) are ethically complex, and sound informed consent processes should facilitate optimal decision-making for participants. This study aimed to explore representations of critical HVT-related concepts to enhance the consent process. Four focus group discussions were conducted with participants from key constituencies at a South African HVT site. Thematic analysis was employed to identify representations of key HVT-related concepts. The findings suggest that (potential) participants may negotiate multiple, competing versions of HVT-related concepts in a somewhat unrecognized process, which may have significant implications for the consent process. Stakeholders involved in consent and engagement activities at sites should be assisted to elicit, engage, and resolve competing representations of HVT-related concepts. More empirical research is needed to explore how such stakeholders address competing representations in their interactions with potential participants. PMID:25819758

Medulloblastoma.

PubMed

Millard, Nathan E; De Braganca, Kevin C

2016-10-01

Medulloblastoma accounts for nearly 10% of all childhood brain tumors. These tumors occur exclusively in the posterior fossa and have the potential for leptomeningeal spread. Treatment includes a combination of surgery, radiation therapy (in patients >3 years old). Patients >3 years old are stratified based on the volume of postoperative residual tumor and the presence or absence of metastases into "standard risk" and "high risk" categories with long-term survival rates of approximately 85% and 70%, respectively. Outcomes are inferior in infants and children younger than 3 years with exception of those patients with the medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity histologic subtype. Treatment for medulloblastoma is associated with significant morbidity, especially in the youngest patients. Recent molecular subclassification of medulloblastoma has potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. Future incorporation of molecular subgroups into treatment protocols will hopefully improve both survival outcomes and posttreatment quality of life. © The Author(s) 2016.

Medulloblastoma

PubMed Central

Millard, Nathan E.; De Braganca, Kevin C.

2016-01-01

Medulloblastoma accounts for nearly 10% of all childhood brain tumors. These tumors occur exclusively in the posterior fossa and have the potential for leptomeningeal spread. Treatment includes a combination of surgery, radiation therapy (in patients > 3 years old). Patients > 3 years old are stratified based on the volume of postoperative residual tumor and the presence or absence of metastases into “standard risk” and “high risk” categories with long term survival rates of approximately 85% and 70%, respectively. Outcomes are inferior in infants and children younger than 3 years with exception of those patients with the MBEN histologic subtype. Treatment for medulloblastoma is associated with significant morbidity, especially in the youngest patients. Recent molecular subclassification of medulloblastoma has potential prognostic and therapeutic implications. Future incorporation of molecular subgroups into treatment protocols will hopefully improve both survival outcomes and post-treatment quality of life. PMID:26336203

Lessons From a 17-Year Radiosurgery Experience at the Royal Adelaide Hospital

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

Roos, Daniel E., E-mail: daniel.roos@health.sa.gov.au; Brophy, Brian P.; Taylor, James

2012-01-01

Purpose: To illustrate some of the potential pitfalls of cranial stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and its planning based on prospectively gathered data from a 17-year experience at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Methods and Materials: More than 250 treatments have been planned since 1993 using previously described standard SRS techniques for intracranial benign and malignant lesions. Results: Five case studies are presented (1 meningioma, 1 acoustic neuroma, 2 solitary brain metastasis, 1 arteriovenous malformation), each of which demonstrates at least one salutary lesson. Conclusions: Because SRS delivers a highly conformal dose distribution, it is unforgiving of any geographic miss due to inaccuratemore » outlining and thus dependent on neuroradiological expertise and collaboration. There are also potentially significant implications of misdiagnosis in SRS cases without histological proof-in particular, presumed brain metastases.« less

Coffee component hydroxyl hydroquinone (HHQ) as a putative ligand for PPAR gamma and implications in breast cancer

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Coffee contains several compounds that have the potential to influence breast cancer risk and survival. However, epidemiologic data on the relation between coffee compounds and breast cancer survival are sparse and inconsistent. Results We show that coffee component HHQ has significant apoptotic effect on MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells in vitro, and that ROS generation, change in mitochondrial membrane permeability, upregulation of Bax and Caspase-8 as well as down regulation of PGK1 and PKM2 expression may be important apoptosis-inducing mechanisms. The results suggest that PPARγ ligands may serve as potential therapeutic agents for breast cancer therapy. HHQ was also validated as a ligand for PPARγ by docking procedure. Conclusion This is the first report on the anti-breast cancer (in vitro) activity of HHQ. PMID:24564733

The doctor of nursing practice and nursing education: highlights, potential, and promise.

PubMed

Danzey, Ida Maria; Ea, Emerson; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J; Garbutt, Susan J; Rafferty, Margaret; Zychowicz, Michael E

2011-01-01

The success of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs have exceeded everyone's expectations and resulted in increased interest in doctoral education in nursing. A shortage of doctorally prepared nurse educators continues to plague the profession and has a severe impact on the ability of schools of nursing to educate future generations of nurses. As a terminal degree in nursing practice, there is little focus on DNP graduates who are prepared as educators. To remedy this deficit, this article will therefore discuss and highlight (a) the significant potential of the DNP to mitigate the current nursing faculty shortage and to close the practice-education gap, (b) the specialized role of DNP graduates as educators and leaders in nursing education, and (c) the implications of the DNP for nursing scholarship. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experiences of sexual harassment among elementary school students in Taiwan: implications for school nurses.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Ting; Hayter, Mark; Lin, Mei-Ling

2010-04-01

Sexual harassment is a significant issue in the lives of students. Understanding how young adolescents feel about sexual harassment and their coping strategies is a central element to guide school nursing interventions promoting sexual health. This study explored the sexual harassment experiences of young adolescents in Taiwan. A qualitative research design was employed using focus groups to collect data from 47 elementary students, 10 and 12 years of age. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: "experiences of physical harassment," "experiences of verbal harassment," and "coping with harassment." The potential for school nurses to influence students' behavior, improve sexual health instruction, and create a healthy school environment is significant. School nurses should participate in sexual health education classes actively to advance the sexual health behaviors of school children.

Sex roles in instructional materials: testing the stereotypes.

PubMed

Zimmerman, M L; Casanova, M E; Stern, D P; Auman, S S

1982-01-01

This special report discusses the significance and potential benefit of portraying men in nontraditional sex roles within pictorial instructional print materials on health and child care. It is based on the cognitive and behavioral findings of a comparative research study conducted in selected rural and periurban areas of Mexico on the use of two versions of an ORS pictorial pamphlet. Major findings of the study were: (1) portraying nontraditional sex roles for men in the ORS pamphlet did not reduce the credibility of technical information contained in the pamphlet; (2) a significantly greater number of subjects preferred the version that portrayed the father figure as co-caretaker of a sick child. These unexpected results have important implications for instructional and motivational communication and health education projects throughout the developing world.

Latino adolescents' academic success: the role of discrimination, academic motivation, and gender.

PubMed

Alfaro, Edna C; Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A; Bámaca, Mayra Y; Zeiders, Katharine H

2009-08-01

Guided by the academic resilience perspective, the current longitudinal study examined whether academic motivation mediated the relation between Latino adolescents' (N=221) experiences with discrimination and their academic success. The potential moderating role of gender was also examined. Using multiple group analysis in structural equation modeling, findings indicated that perceived discrimination at Wave 2 significantly predicted academic motivation at Waves 2 and 3 for boys but not girls. Additionally, for boys, academic motivation significantly mediated the relation between perceived discrimination and academic success. Findings underscore the importance of considering the long-term implications of discrimination for Latino boys' academic success. Furthermore, findings encourage moving beyond the examination of gender differences in specific academic outcomes (e.g., academic success) and focusing on how the processes leading to academic success vary by gender.

Parental happiness and strain among young adult parents diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Kroeger, Rhiannon A

2018-03-01

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to examine whether young adult parents diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder experience less parental happiness and/or more parental strain than their counterparts not diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Results from logistic regression models indicated that young adult parents ever diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder have significantly greater odds of feeling overwhelmed as parents and significantly lower odds of feeling close to their children or happy in their role as parents compared to those never diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Potential implications of these results for scholars as well as health professionals treating adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder patients with children are discussed.

Auditory steady-state evoked potentials vs. compound action potentials for the measurement of suppression tuning curves in the sedated dog puppy.

PubMed

Markessis, Emily; Poncelet, Luc; Colin, Cécile; Hoonhorst, Ingrid; Collet, Grégory; Deltenre, Paul; Moore, Brian C J

2010-06-01

Auditory steady-state evoked potential (ASSEP) tuning curves were compared to compound action potential (CAP) tuning curves, both measured at 2 Hz, using sedated beagle puppies. The effect of two types of masker (narrowband noise and sinusoidal) on the tuning curve parameters was assessed. Whatever the masker type, CAP tuning curve parameters were qualitatively and quantitatively similar to the ASSEP ones, with a similar inter-subject variability, but with a greater incidence of upward tip displacement. Whatever the procedure, sinusoidal maskers produced sharper tuning curves than narrow-band maskers. Although these differences are not likely to have significant implications for clinical work, from a fundamental point of view, their origin requires further investigations. The same amount of time was needed to record a CAP and an ASSEP 13-point tuning curve. The data further validate the ASSEP technique, which has the advantages of having a smaller tendency to produce upward tip shifts than the CAP technique. Moreover, being non invasive, ASSEP tuning curves can be easily repeated over time in the same subject for clinical and research purposes.

Determining k channel activation curves from k channel currents often requires the goldman-hodgkin-katz equation.

PubMed

Clay, John R

2009-01-01

Potassium ion current in nerve membrane, I(K), has traditionally been described by I(K) = g(K)(V - E(K)), where g(K) is the K ion conductance, V is membrane potential and E(K) is the K(+) Nernst potential. This description has been unchallenged by most investigators in neuroscience since its introduction almost 60 years ago. The problem with the I(K) approximately (V - E(K)) proportionality is that it is inconsistent with the unequal distribution of K ions in the intra- and extracellular bathing media. Under physiological conditions the intracellular K(+) concentration is significantly higher than the extracellular concentration. Consequently, the slope conductance at potentials positive to E(K) cannot be the same as that for potentials negative to E(K), as the linear proportionality between I(K) and (V - E(K)) requires. Instead I(K) has a non-linear dependence on (V - E(K)) which is well described by the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation. The implications of this result for K(+) channel gating and membrane excitability are reviewed in this report.

Low tumour cell content in a lung tumour bank: implications for molecular characterisation.

PubMed

Goh, Felicia; Duhig, Edwina E; Clarke, Belinda E; McCaul, Elizabeth; Passmore, Linda; Courtney, Deborah; Windsor, Morgan; Naidoo, Rishendren; Franz, Louise; Parsonson, Kylie; Yang, Ian A; Bowman, Rayleen V; Fong, Kwun M

2017-10-01

Lung cancer encompasses multiple malignant epithelial tumour types, each with specific targetable, potentially actionable mutations, such that precision management mandates accurate tumour typing. Molecular characterisation studies require high tumour cell content and low necrosis content, yet lung cancers are frequently a heterogeneous mixture of tumour and stromal cells. We hypothesised that there may be systematic differences in tumour cell content according to histological subtype, and that this may have implications for tumour banks as a resource for comprehensive molecular characterisation studies in lung cancer. To investigate this, we estimated tumour cell and necrosis content of 4267 samples resected from 752 primary lung tumour specimens contributed to a lung tissue bank. We found that banked lung cancer samples had low tumour cell content (33%) generally, although it was higher in carcinoids (77.5%) than other lung cancer subtypes. Tumour cells comprise a variable and often small component of banked resected tumour samples, and are accompanied by stromal reaction, inflammation, fibrosis, and normal structures. This has implications for the adequacy of unselected tumour bank samples for diagnostic and molecular investigations, and further research is needed to determine whether tumour cell content has a significant impact on analytical results in studies using tissue from tumour bank resources. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mobile devices and weak ties: a study of vision impairments and workplace access in Bangalore.

PubMed

Pal, Joyojeet; Lakshmanan, Meera

2015-07-01

To explore ways in which social and economic interactions are changed by access to mobile telephony. This is a mixed-methods study of mobile phone use among 52 urban professionals with vision impairments in Bangalore, India. Interviews and survey results indicated that mobile devices, specifically those with adaptive technology software, play a vital role as multi-purpose devices that enable people with disabilities to navigate economically and socially in an environment where accessibility remains a significant challenge. We found that mobile devices play a central role in enabling and sustaining weak ties, but also that these weak ties have important gender-specific implications. We found that women have less access to weak ties than men, which impacts women's access to assistive technology (AT). This has potential implications for women's sense of safety and independence, both of which are strongly related to AT access. Implications for Rehabilitation Adaptive technologies increase individuals' ability to keep in contact with casual connections or weak ties through phone calls or social media. Men tend to have stronger access to weak ties than women in India due to cultural impediments to independent access to public spaces. Weak ties are an important source of assistive technology (AT) due to the high rate of resale of used AT, typically through informal networks.

Limitations and implications of stream classification

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, K.E.; Fitzpatrick, F.A.

2003-01-01

Stream classifications that are based on channel form, such as the Rosgen Level II classification, are useful tools for the physical description and grouping of streams and for providing a means of communication for stream studies involving scientists and (or) managers with different backgrounds. The Level II classification also is used as a tool to assess stream stability, infer geomorphic processes, predict future geomorphic response, and guide stream restoration or rehabilitation activities. The use of the Level II classification for these additional purposes is evaluated in this paper. Several examples are described to illustrate the limitations and management implications of the Level II classification. Limitations include: (1) time dependence, (2) uncertain applicability across physical environments, (3) difficulty in identification of a true equilibrium condition, (4) potential for incorrect determination of bankfull elevation, and (5) uncertain process significance of classification criteria. Implications of using stream classifications based on channel form, such as Rosgen's, include: (1) acceptance of the limitations, (2) acceptance of the risk of classifying streams incorrectly, and (3) classification results may be used inappropriately. It is concluded that use of the Level II classification for purposes beyond description and communication is not appropriate. Research needs are identified that, if addressed, may help improve the usefulness of the Level II classification.

Delay Discounting as an Index of Sustainable Behavior: Devaluation of Future Air Quality and Implications for Public Health.

PubMed

Berry, Meredith S; Nickerson, Norma P; Odum, Amy L

2017-09-01

Poor air quality and resulting annual deaths represent significant public health concerns. Recently, rapid delay discounting (the devaluation of future outcomes) of air quality has been considered a potential barrier for engaging in long term, sustainable behaviors that might help to reduce emissions (e.g., reducing private car use, societal support for clean air initiatives). Delay discounting has been shown to be predictive of real world behavior outside of laboratory settings, and therefore may offer an important framework beyond traditional variables thought to measure sustainable behavior such as importance of an environmental issue, or environmental attitudes/values, although more research is needed in this area. We examined relations between discounting of air quality, respiratory health, and monetary gains and losses. We also examined, relations between discounting and self-reported importance of air quality and respiratory health, and nature relatedness. Results showed rapid delay discounting of all outcomes across the time frames assessed, and significant positive correlations between delay discounting of air quality, respiratory health, and monetary outcomes. Steeper discounting of monetary outcomes relative to air quality and respiratory health outcomes was observed in the context of gains; however, no differences in discounting were observed across losses of monetary, air quality, and respiratory health. Replicating the sign effect, monetary outcomes were discounted more steeply than monetary losses. Importance of air quality, respiratory health and nature relatedness were significantly and positively correlated with one another, but not with degree of delay discounting of any outcome, demonstrating the need for more comprehensive measures that predict pro-environmental behaviors that might benefit individuals and public health over time. These results add to our understanding of decision-making, and demonstrate alarming rates of delay discounting of air quality and health. These results implicate a major public health concern and potential barriers to individual and societal behavior that reduce pollution and emissions for conservation of clean air.

Delay Discounting as an Index of Sustainable Behavior: Devaluation of Future Air Quality and Implications for Public Health

PubMed Central

Berry, Meredith S.; Nickerson, Norma P.; Odum, Amy L.

2017-01-01

Poor air quality and resulting annual deaths represent significant public health concerns. Recently, rapid delay discounting (the devaluation of future outcomes) of air quality has been considered a potential barrier for engaging in long term, sustainable behaviors that might help to reduce emissions (e.g., reducing private car use, societal support for clean air initiatives). Delay discounting has been shown to be predictive of real world behavior outside of laboratory settings, and therefore may offer an important framework beyond traditional variables thought to measure sustainable behavior such as importance of an environmental issue, or environmental attitudes/values, although more research is needed in this area. We examined relations between discounting of air quality, respiratory health, and monetary gains and losses. We also examined, relations between discounting and self-reported importance of air quality and respiratory health, and nature relatedness. Results showed rapid delay discounting of all outcomes across the time frames assessed, and significant positive correlations between delay discounting of air quality, respiratory health, and monetary outcomes. Steeper discounting of monetary outcomes relative to air quality and respiratory health outcomes was observed in the context of gains; however, no differences in discounting were observed across losses of monetary, air quality, and respiratory health. Replicating the sign effect, monetary outcomes were discounted more steeply than monetary losses. Importance of air quality, respiratory health and nature relatedness were significantly and positively correlated with one another, but not with degree of delay discounting of any outcome, demonstrating the need for more comprehensive measures that predict pro-environmental behaviors that might benefit individuals and public health over time. These results add to our understanding of decision-making, and demonstrate alarming rates of delay discounting of air quality and health. These results implicate a major public health concern and potential barriers to individual and societal behavior that reduce pollution and emissions for conservation of clean air. PMID:28862671

Circular RNA expression profile and potential function of hsa_circ_0045272 in systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Li, Lian-Ju; Zhu, Zhi-Wei; Zhao, Wei; Tao, Sha-Sha; Li, Bao-Zhu; Xu, Shu-Zhen; Wang, Jie-Bing; Zhang, Ming-Yue; Wu, Jun; Leng, Rui-Xue; Fan, Yin-Guang; Pan, Hai-Feng; Ye, Dong-Qing

2018-04-26

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent as a class of non-coding RNAs which form covalently closed RNA circles, and their extensive expression and conservation in mammals are observed. CircRNAs regulate gene expression through acting as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and modulating gene transcription. Accumulating evidence supports the implication of circRNAs in a variety of human diseases. Yet, study exploring the role of circRNAs in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is lacking. The present study measured the circRNAs expression profiles in T cells from SLE patients and healthy controls with human circRNA microarray and identified 127 differentially expressed circRNAs in SLE patients. Downregulation of hsa_circ_0045272 in SLE T cells was verified with quantitative PCR. Jurkat cells with stable hsa_circ_0045272 knockdown were generated using specific lentiviral shRNA for functional studies. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that hsa_circ_0045272 knockdown significantly upregulated the early apoptosis of Jurkat cells. Meanwhile, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that hsa_circ_0045272 knockdown significantly enhanced IL-2 production of activated Jurkat cells. ceRNAs were then predicted for hsa_circ_0045272 and the significant downregulation of two mRNAs predicted as its ceRNAs, NM_003466 (PAX8) and NM_015177 (DTX4), but not their corresponding proteins was validated. Furthermore, dual luciferase reporter assay indicated binding of hsa_circ_0045272 with hsa-miR-6127. circRNAs-mRNAs coexpression networks showed the correlation of circRNAs with mRNAs and provided additional clues to circRNA functions. Our study demonstrated the dysregulated circRNAs in SLE and revealed function of hsa_circ_0045272 in negatively regulating apoptosis and IL-2 secretion and its potential mechanism. The implication of hsa_circ_0045272 and other abnormal circRNAs in SLE merits further investigation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Detoxification of sewage sludge by natural attenuation and implications for its use as a fertilizer on agricultural soils.

PubMed

Mazzeo, Dânia Elisa Christofoletti; Casado, Marta; Piña, Benjamin; Marin-Morales, Maria Aparecida

2016-12-01

Sewage Sludges (SS) from wastewater treatment systems constitute a potential alternative to agricultural fertilizers. However, their use is limited by the presence of toxic substances that may represent significant hazards for the environment and for human health. To test the potential of natural processes to attenuate their putative toxic activities, actual SS samples from domestic sewage were buried in holes in a pollution-free environment for different periods of time, up to one year. Aqueous and organic extracts were obtained after each period of natural attenuation, and their respective toxicity was tested for estrogenic and dioxin-like activity by yeast-based bioassays (ER-RYA and AhR-RYA, respectively) and for general toxicity and teratogenicity in zebrafish embryos. Dioxin-like activity was also tested in zebrafish embryos by monitoring the induction of the marker gene cyp1a. Whereas the results showed essentially no estrogenic activity, both dioxin-like activity and embryotoxicity were observed in the initial samples, decreasing significantly after six months of attenuation. Chemical analysis of toxic SS samples showed the presence of low levels of dioxins and furans, and relatively high levels of m- and p-cresol, at concentrations that only partially justify the observed biological effects. Our data indicates the presence of largely uncharacterized hydrophilic compounds with high biological activity in SS, constituting a potential risk of groundwater pollution upon their disposal into the environment. It also shows that this potential impact may be significantly mitigated by attenuation protocols, as the one presented here. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Features that exacerbate fatigue severity in joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - hypermobility type.

PubMed

Krahe, Anne Maree; Adams, Roger David; Nicholson, Leslie Lorenda

2018-08-01

To assess the prevalence, severity and impact of fatigue on individuals with joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS)/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - hypermobility type (EDS-HT) and establish potential determinants of fatigue severity in this population. Questionnaires on symptoms and signs related to fatigue, quality of life, mental health, physical activity participation and sleep quality were completed by people with JHS/EDS-HT recruited through two social media sites. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of fatigue in this population. Significant fatigue was reported by 79.5% of the 117 participants. Multiple regression analysis identified five predictors of fatigue severity, four being potentially modifiable, accounting for 52.3% of the variance in reported fatigue scores. Predictors of fatigue severity were: the self-perceived extent of joint hypermobility, orthostatic dizziness related to heat and exercise, levels of participation in personal relationships and community, current levels of physical activity and dissatisfaction with the diagnostic process and management options provided for their condition. Fatigue is a significant symptom associated with JHS/EDS-HT. Assessment of individuals with this condition should include measures of fatigue severity to enable targeted management of potentially modifiable factors associated with fatigue severity. Implications for rehabilitation Fatigue is a significant symptom reported by individuals affected by joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - hypermobility type. Potentially modifiable features that contribute to fatigue severity in this population have been identified. Targeted management of these features may decrease the severity and impact of fatigue in joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - hypermobility type.

Reduced avian virulence and viremia of West Nile virus isolates from Mexico and Texas.

PubMed

Brault, Aaron C; Langevin, Stanley A; Ramey, Wanichaya N; Fang, Ying; Beasley, David W C; Barker, Christopher M; Sanders, Todd A; Reisen, William K; Barrett, Alan D T; Bowen, Richard A

2011-10-01

A West Nile virus (WNV) isolate from Mexico (TM171-03) and BIRD1153, a unique genotype from Texas, have exhibited reduced murine neuroinvasive phenotypes. To determine if murine neuroinvasive capacity equates to avian virulence potential, American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) were experimentally inoculated with representative murine neuroinvasive/non-neuroinvasive strains. In both avian species, a plaque variant from Mexico that was E-glycosylation competent produced higher viremias than an E-glycosylation-incompetent variant, indicating the potential importance of E-glycosylation for avian replication. The murine non-neuroinvasive BIRD1153 strain was significantly attenuated in American crows but not house sparrows when compared with the murine neuroinvasive Texas strain. Despite the loss of murine neuroinvasive properties of nonglycosylated variants from Mexico, our data indicate avian replication potential of these strains and that unique WNV virulence characteristics exist between murine and avian models. The implications of reduced avian replication of variants from Mexico for restricted WNV transmission in Latin America is discussed.

Prostate-Specific G-Protein Coupled Receptor, an Emerging Biomarker Regulating Inflammation and Prostate Cancer Invasion.

PubMed

Rodriguez, M; Siwko, S; Liu, M

2016-01-01

Prostate cancer is highly prevalent among men in developed countries, but a significant proportion of detected cancers remain indolent, never progressing into aggressive carcinomas. This highlights the need to develop refined biomarkers that can distinguish between indolent and potentially dangerous cases. The prostate-specific G-protein coupled receptor (PSGR, or OR51E2) is an olfactory receptor family member with highly specific expression in human prostate epithelium that is highly overexpressed in PIN and prostate cancer. PSGR has been functionally implicated in prostate cancer cell invasiveness, suggesting a potential role in the transition to metastatic PCa. Recently, transgenic mice overexpressing PSGR in the prostate were reported to develop an acute inflammatory response followed by emergence of low grade PIN, whereas mice with compound PSGR overexpression and loss of PTEN exhibited accelerated formation of invasive prostate adenocarcinoma. This article will review recent PSGR findings with a focus on its role as a potential prostate cancer biomarker and regulator of prostate cancer invasion and inflammation.

Clarifying Relations Between Dispositional Aggression and Brain Potential Response: Overlapping and Distinct Contributions of Impulsivity and Stress Reactivity

PubMed Central

Venables, Noah C.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Hall, Jason R.; Bernat, Edward M.

2011-01-01

Impulsive-aggressive individuals exhibit deficits in amplitude of the P3 brain potential response, however, it remains unclear how separable dispositional traits account for this association. The current study sought to clarify the basis of this association by examining contributions of trait impulsiveness and stress reactivity to the observed relationship between dispositional aggression and amplitude of the P3 brain potential response in a visual novelty-oddball procedure. A significant negative association was found between aggressiveness and amplitude of P3 response to both target and novel stimuli over frontal-central scalp sites. Impulsivity showed a parallel inverse relationship with P3 amplitude, attributable to its overlap with dispositional aggression. In contrast, stress reactivity did not exhibit a zero-order association with P3 amplitude, but modestly predicted P3 in a positive direction after accounting for its overlap with aggression. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for individual difference variables and brain processes underlying impulsive-aggressive behavior. PMID:21262318

Reduced Avian Virulence and Viremia of West Nile Virus Isolates from Mexico and Texas

PubMed Central

Brault, Aaron C.; Langevin, Stanley A.; Ramey, Wanichaya N.; Fang, Ying; Beasley, David W. C.; Barker, Christopher M.; Sanders, Todd A.; Reisen, William K.; Barrett, Alan D. T.; Bowen, Richard A.

2011-01-01

A West Nile virus (WNV) isolate from Mexico (TM171-03) and BIRD1153, a unique genotype from Texas, have exhibited reduced murine neuroinvasive phenotypes. To determine if murine neuroinvasive capacity equates to avian virulence potential, American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) were experimentally inoculated with representative murine neuroinvasive/non-neuroinvasive strains. In both avian species, a plaque variant from Mexico that was E-glycosylation competent produced higher viremias than an E-glycosylation–incompetent variant, indicating the potential importance of E-glycosylation for avian replication. The murine non-neuroinvasive BIRD1153 strain was significantly attenuated in American crows but not house sparrows when compared with the murine neuroinvasive Texas strain. Despite the loss of murine neuroinvasive properties of nonglycosylated variants from Mexico, our data indicate avian replication potential of these strains and that unique WNV virulence characteristics exist between murine and avian models. The implications of reduced avian replication of variants from Mexico for restricted WNV transmission in Latin America is discussed. PMID:21976584

Snowmelt-Driven Trade-Offs Between Early and Late Season Productivity Negatively Impact Forest Carbon Uptake During Drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knowles, John F.; Molotch, Noah P.; Trujillo, Ernesto; Litvak, Marcy E.

2018-04-01

Future projections of declining snowpack and increasing potential evaporation are predicted to advance the timing of snowmelt in mountain ecosystems globally with unknown implications for snowmelt-driven forest productivity. Accordingly, this study combined satellite- and tower-based observations to investigate the forest productivity response to snowpack and potential evaporation variability between 1989 and 2012 throughout the Southern Rocky Mountain ecoregion, United States. Our results show that early and late season productivity were significantly and inversely related and that future shifts toward earlier and/or reduced snowmelt could decrease snowmelt water use efficiency and thus restrict productivity despite a longer growing season. This was explained by increasing snow aridity, which incorporated evaporative demand and snow water supply, and was modified by summer precipitation to determine total annual productivity. The combination of low snow accumulation and record high potential evaporation in 2012 resulted in the 34 year minimum ecosystem productivity that could be indicative of future conditions.

Increased startle potentiation to unpredictable stressors in alcohol dependence: Possible stress neuroadaptation in humans

PubMed Central

Moberg, Christine A.; Bradford, Daniel E.; Kaye, Jesse T.; Curtin, John J.

2017-01-01

Stress plays a key role in addiction etiology and relapse. Rodent models posit that following repeated periods of alcohol and other drug intoxication, compensatory allostatic changes occur in the central nervous system (CNS) circuits involved in behavioral and emotional response to stressors. We examine a predicted manifestation of this neuroadaptation in recently abstinent alcohol dependent humans. Participants completed a translational laboratory task that uses startle potentiation to unpredictable (vs. predictable) stressors implicated in the putative CNS mechanisms that mediate this neuroadaptation. Alcohol dependent participants displayed significantly greater startle potentiation to unpredictable than predictable stressors relative to non-alcoholic controls. The size of this effect covaried with alcohol-related problems and degree of withdrawal syndrome. This supports the rodent model thesis of a sensitized stress response in abstinent alcoholics. However, this effect could also represent pre-morbid risk or mark more severe and/or comorbid psychopathology. Regardless, pharmacotherapy and psychological interventions may target unpredictable stressor response to reduce stress-induced relapse. PMID:28394145

Two Asian psychologies and their implications for Western psychotherapists.

PubMed

Walsh, R

1988-10-01

In the past, mainstream Western mental health professionals tended to ignore or dismiss Asian psychologies. However, in recent years they have attracted increasing attention and growing evidence suggests that we may have underestimated their potential contributions. This paper provides an introduction to two classical Asian psychologies and certain of their key concepts about human nature, pathology, and potential and psychotherapeutic techniques. Relevant Western research and theory are reviewed, and the implications of these Asian psychologies for, and areas of possible interface with, Western psychology, psychotherapy, and science are examined.

[3Fe-4S] to [4Fe-4S] cluster conversion in Desulfovibrio fructosovorans [NiFe] hydrogenase by site-directed mutagenesis.

PubMed

Rousset, M; Montet, Y; Guigliarelli, B; Forget, N; Asso, M; Bertrand, P; Fontecilla-Camps, J C; Hatchikian, E C

1998-09-29

The role of the high potential [3Fe-4S]1+,0 cluster of [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio species located halfway between the proximal and distal low potential [4Fe-4S]2+,1+ clusters has been investigated by using site-directed mutagenesis. Proline 238 of Desulfovibrio fructosovorans [NiFe] hydrogenase, which occupies the position of a potential ligand of the lacking fourth Fe-site of the [3Fe-4S] cluster, was replaced by a cysteine residue. The properties of the mutant enzyme were investigated in terms of enzymatic activity, EPR, and redox properties of the iron-sulfur centers and crystallographic structure. We have shown on the basis of both spectroscopic and x-ray crystallographic studies that the [3Fe-4S] cluster of D. fructosovorans hydrogenase was converted into a [4Fe-4S] center in the P238 mutant. The [3Fe-4S] to [4Fe-4S] cluster conversion resulted in a lowering of approximately 300 mV of the midpoint potential of the modified cluster, whereas no significant alteration of the spectroscopic and redox properties of the two native [4Fe-4S] clusters and the NiFe center occurred. The significant decrease of the midpoint potential of the intermediate Fe-S cluster had only a slight effect on the catalytic activity of the P238C mutant as compared with the wild-type enzyme. The implications of the results for the role of the high-potential [3Fe-4S] cluster in the intramolecular electron transfer pathway are discussed.

Electro-osmosis over inhomogeneously charged surfaces in presence of non-electrostatic ion-ion interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Uddipta; Chakraborty, Suman

2016-06-01

In this study, we attempt to bring out a generalized formulation for electro-osmotic flows over inhomogeneously charged surfaces in presence of non-electrostatic ion-ion interactions. To this end, we start with modified electro-chemical potential of the individual species and subsequently use it to derive modified Nernst-Planck equation accounting for the ionic fluxes generated because of the presence of non-electrostatic potential. We establish what we refer to as the Poisson-Helmholtz-Nernst-Planck equations, coupled with the Navier-Stokes equations, to describe the complete transport process. Our analysis shows that the presence of non-electrostatic interactions between the ions results in an excess body force on the fluid, and modifies the osmotic pressure as well, which has hitherto remained unexplored. We further apply our analysis to a simple geometry, in an effort to work out the Smoluchowski slip velocity for thin electrical double layer limits. To this end, we employ singular perturbation and develop a general framework for the asymptotic analysis. Our calculations reveal that the final expression for slip velocity remains the same as that without accounting for non-electrostatic interactions. However, the presence of non-electrostatic interactions along with ion specificity can significantly change the quantitative behavior of Smoluchowski slip velocity. We subsequently demonstrate that the presence of non-electrostatic interactions may significantly alter the effective interfacial potential, also termed as the "Zeta potential." Our analysis can potentially act as a guide towards the prediction and possibly quantitative determination of the implications associated with the existence of non-electrostatic potential, in an electrokinetic transport process.

The British Nuclear Deterrent After the Cold War,

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-01-01

Scope for Further Franco-British Cooperation 86 Attitudes of Friends and Allies 9° 7 . SOME POLICY IMPLICATIONS 94 A " Blessing in Disguise" for...on French decision, and French decision alone." 94 SOME POLICY IMPLICATIONS A " BLESSING IN DISGUISE" FOR EUROPEAN SECURITY It is time to take...but those disposing of any form of "weapon of mass i:LVictor A. Utgoff, "The Biotechnology Revolution and Its Potential Military Implications ," in

Cartilaginous Epiphyses in Extant Archosaurs and Their Implications for Reconstructing Limb Function in Dinosaurs

PubMed Central

Holliday, Casey M.; Ridgely, Ryan C.; Sedlmayr, Jayc C.; Witmer, Lawrence M.

2010-01-01

Extinct archosaurs, including many non-avian dinosaurs, exhibit relatively simply shaped condylar regions in their appendicular bones, suggesting potentially large amounts of unpreserved epiphyseal (articular) cartilage. This “lost anatomy” is often underappreciated such that the ends of bones are typically considered to be the joint surfaces, potentially having a major impact on functional interpretation. Extant alligators and birds were used to establish an objective basis for inferences about cartilaginous articular structures in such extinct archosaur clades as non-avian dinosaurs. Limb elements of alligators, ostriches, and other birds were dissected, disarticulated, and defleshed. Lengths and condylar shapes of elements with intact epiphyses were measured. Limbs were subsequently completely skeletonized and the measurements repeated. Removal of cartilaginous condylar regions resulted in statistically significant changes in element length and condylar breadth. Moreover, there was marked loss of those cartilaginous structures responsible for joint architecture and congruence. Compared to alligators, birds showed less dramatic, but still significant changes. Condylar morphologies of dinosaur limb bones suggest that most non-coelurosaurian clades possessed large cartilaginous epiphyses that relied on the maintenance of vascular channels that are otherwise eliminated early in ontogeny in smaller-bodied tetrapods. A sensitivity analysis using cartilage correction factors (CCFs) obtained from extant taxa indicates that whereas the presence of cartilaginous epiphyses only moderately increases estimates of dinosaur height and speed, it has important implications for our ability to infer joint morphology, posture, and the complicated functional movements in the limbs of many extinct archosaurs. Evidence suggests that the sizes of sauropod epiphyseal cartilages surpassed those of alligators, which account for at least 10% of hindlimb length. These data suggest that large cartilaginous epiphyses were widely distributed among non-avian archosaurs and must be considered when making inferences about locomotor functional morphology in fossil taxa. PMID:20927347

Reduced Serotonin Receptor Subtypes in a Limbic and a Neocortical Region in Autism

PubMed Central

Oblak, Adrian; Gibbs, Terrell T.; Blatt, Gene J.

2013-01-01

Autism is a behaviorally defined, neurological disorder with symptom onset before the age of three. Abnormalities in social-emotional behaviors are a core deficit in autism and are characterized by impaired reciprocal social interaction, lack of facial expressions, and the inability to recognize familiar faces. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and fusiform gyrus (FG) are two regions within an extensive limbic-cortical network that contribute to social-emotional behaviors. Evidence indicates that changes in brains of individuals with autism begin prenatally. Serotonin (5HT) is one of the earliest expressed neurotransmitters, and plays an important role in synaptogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and neuronal migration. Abnormalities in 5HT systems have been implicated in several psychiatric disorders including autism, as evidenced by immunology, imaging, genetics, pharmacotherapy, and neuropathology. Although information is known regarding peripheral 5HT in autism, there is emerging evidence that 5HT systems in the CNS, including various 5HT receptor subtypes and transporters, are affected in autism. The present study demonstrated significant reductions in 5HT1A receptor binding density in superficial and deep layers of the PCC and FG, and in the density of 5HT2A receptors in superficial layers of the PCC and FG. Significant reduction in the density of serotonin transporters (5-HTT) was also found in the deep layers of the FG, but normal levels were demonstrated in both layers of the PCC and superficial layers of the FG. These studies provide potential substrates for decreased 5-HT modulation/innervation in the autism brain, and implicate two 5-HT receptor subtypes as potential neuromarkers for novel or existing pharmacotherapies. PMID:23894004

Reduced serotonin receptor subtypes in a limbic and a neocortical region in autism.

PubMed

Oblak, Adrian; Gibbs, Terrell T; Blatt, Gene J

2013-12-01

Autism is a behaviorally defined, neurological disorder with symptom onset before the age of 3. Abnormalities in social-emotional behaviors are a core deficit in autism, and are characterized by impaired reciprocal-social interaction, lack of facial expressions, and the inability to recognize familiar faces. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and fusiform gyrus (FG) are two regions within an extensive limbic-cortical network that contribute to social-emotional behaviors. Evidence indicates that changes in brains of individuals with autism begin prenatally. Serotonin (5-HT) is one of the earliest expressed neurotransmitters, and plays an important role in synaptogenesis, neurite outgrowth, and neuronal migration. Abnormalities in 5-HT systems have been implicated in several psychiatric disorders, including autism, as evidenced by immunology, imaging, genetics, pharmacotherapy, and neuropathology. Although information is known regarding peripheral 5-HT in autism, there is emerging evidence that 5-HT systems in the central nervous system, including various 5-HT receptor subtypes and transporters, are affected in autism. The present study demonstrated significant reductions in 5-HT1A receptor-binding density in superficial and deep layers of the PCC and FG, and in the density of 5-HT(2A) receptors in superficial layers of the PCC and FG. A significant reduction in the density of serotonin transporters (5-HTT) was also found in the deep layers of the FG, but normal levels were demonstrated in both layers of the PCC and superficial layers of the FG. This study provides potential substrates for decreased 5-HT modulation/innervation in the autism brain, and implicate two 5-HT receptor subtypes as potential neuromarkers for novel or existing pharmacotherapies. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cartilaginous epiphyses in extant archosaurs and their implications for reconstructing limb function in dinosaurs.

PubMed

Holliday, Casey M; Ridgely, Ryan C; Sedlmayr, Jayc C; Witmer, Lawrence M

2010-09-30

Extinct archosaurs, including many non-avian dinosaurs, exhibit relatively simply shaped condylar regions in their appendicular bones, suggesting potentially large amounts of unpreserved epiphyseal (articular) cartilage. This "lost anatomy" is often underappreciated such that the ends of bones are typically considered to be the joint surfaces, potentially having a major impact on functional interpretation. Extant alligators and birds were used to establish an objective basis for inferences about cartilaginous articular structures in such extinct archosaur clades as non-avian dinosaurs. Limb elements of alligators, ostriches, and other birds were dissected, disarticulated, and defleshed. Lengths and condylar shapes of elements with intact epiphyses were measured. Limbs were subsequently completely skeletonized and the measurements repeated. Removal of cartilaginous condylar regions resulted in statistically significant changes in element length and condylar breadth. Moreover, there was marked loss of those cartilaginous structures responsible for joint architecture and congruence. Compared to alligators, birds showed less dramatic, but still significant changes. Condylar morphologies of dinosaur limb bones suggest that most non-coelurosaurian clades possessed large cartilaginous epiphyses that relied on the maintenance of vascular channels that are otherwise eliminated early in ontogeny in smaller-bodied tetrapods. A sensitivity analysis using cartilage correction factors (CCFs) obtained from extant taxa indicates that whereas the presence of cartilaginous epiphyses only moderately increases estimates of dinosaur height and speed, it has important implications for our ability to infer joint morphology, posture, and the complicated functional movements in the limbs of many extinct archosaurs. Evidence suggests that the sizes of sauropod epiphyseal cartilages surpassed those of alligators, which account for at least 10% of hindlimb length. These data suggest that large cartilaginous epiphyses were widely distributed among non-avian archosaurs and must be considered when making inferences about locomotor functional morphology in fossil taxa.

Dynamics of Sleep Stage Transitions in Health and Disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kishi, Akifumi; Struzik, Zbigniew R.; Natelson, Benjamin H.; Togo, Fumiharu; Yamamoto, Yoshiharu

2007-07-01

Sleep dynamics emerges from complex interactions between neuronal populations in many brain regions. Annotated sleep stages from electroencephalography (EEG) recordings could potentially provide a non-invasive way to obtain valuable insights into the mechanisms of these interactions, and ultimately into the very nature of sleep regulation. However, to date, sleep stage analysis has been restricted, only very recently expanding the scope of the traditional descriptive statistics to more dynamical concepts of the duration of and transitions between vigilance states and temporal evaluation of transition probabilities among different stages. Physiological and/or pathological implications of the dynamics of sleep stage transitions have, to date, not been investigated. Here, we study detailed duration and transition statistics among sleep stages in healthy humans and patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, known to be associated with disturbed sleep. We find that the durations of waking and non-REM sleep, in particular deep sleep (Stages III and IV), during the nighttime, follow a power-law probability distribution function, while REM sleep durations follow an exponential function, suggestive of complex underlying mechanisms governing the onset of light sleep. We also find a substantial number of REM to non-REM transitions in humans, while this transition is reported to be virtually non-existent in rats. Interestingly, the probability of this REM to non-REM transition is significantly lower in the patients than in controls, resulting in a significantly greater REM to awake, together with Stage I to awake, transition probability. This might potentially account for the reported poor sleep quality in the patients because the normal continuation of sleep after either the lightest or REM sleep is disrupted. We conclude that the dynamical transition analysis of sleep stages is useful for elucidating yet-to-be-determined human sleep regulation mechanisms with a pathophysiological implication.

Prognostic Implications of Multiplex Detection of KRAS Mutations in Cell-Free DNA from Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Kim, Min Kyeong; Woo, Sang Myung; Park, Boram; Yoon, Kyong-Ah; Kim, Yun-Hee; Joo, Jungnam; Lee, Woo Jin; Han, Sung-Sik; Park, Sang-Jae; Kong, Sun-Young

2018-04-01

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is known to provide potential biomarkers for predicting clinical outcome, but its value in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical applicability of quantitative analysis of multiplex KRAS mutations in cell-free DNA from patients with PDAC. A total of 106 patients with PDAC were enrolled in this prospective study. The concentration and fraction of KRAS mutations were determined through multiplex detection of KRAS mutations in plasma samples by use of a droplet digital PCR kit (Bio-Rad). KRAS mutations were detected in 96.1% of tissue samples. Eighty patients (80.5%) harbored KRAS mutations in cfDNA, with a median KRAS mutation concentration of 0.165 copies/μL and a median fractional abundance of 0.415%. Multivariable analyses demonstrated that the KRAS mutation concentration [hazard ratio (HR), 2.08; 95% CI, 1.20-3.63] and KRAS fraction (HR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.02-2.95) were significant factors for progression-free survival. KRAS mutation concentration (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.05-3.67) also had prognostic implications for overall survival. Subgroup analyses showed that KRAS mutation concentration and fractional abundance significantly affected progression-free survival in resectable PDAC ( P = 0.016). Moreover, when combined with the cancer biomarker CA19-9, the KRAS mutation concentration in cfDNA showed additive benefits for the prediction of overall survival. This study demonstrates that multiplex detection of KRAS mutations in plasma cfDNA is clinically relevant, providing a potential candidate biomarker for prognosis of PDAC. © 2018 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Deferred Personal Life Decisions of Women Physicians.

PubMed

Bering, Jamie; Pflibsen, Lacey; Eno, Cassie; Radhakrishnan, Priya

2018-05-01

Inadequate work-life balance can have significant implications regarding individual performance, retention, and on the future of the workforce in medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine whether women physicians defer personal life decisions in pursuit of their medical career. We conducted a survey study of women physicians ages 20-80 from various medical specialties using a combination of social media platforms and women physicians' professional listservs with 801 survey responses collected from May through November 2015. The primary endpoint was whether women physicians deferred personal life decisions in pursuit of their medical career. Secondary outcomes include types of decisions deferred and correlations with age, hours worked per week, specialty, number of children, and career satisfaction. Respondents were categorized into deferred and nondeferred groups. Personal decision deferments were reported by 64% of respondents. Of these, 86% reported waiting to have children and 22% reported waiting to get married. Finally, while 85% of women in the nondeferment group would choose medicine again as a career, only 71% of women in the deferment group would do so (p < 0.0001). Physicians who would choose medicine again cited reasons such as career satisfaction, positive patient interactions, and intellectual stimulation, whereas those who would not choose medicine again reported poor work-life balance, decreasing job satisfaction, and insurance/administrative burden. The results of this survey have significant implications on the future of the workforce in medicine. Overall, our analysis shows that 64% of women physicians defer important life decisions in pursuit of their medical career. With an increase in the number of women physicians entering the workforce, lack of support and deferred personal decisions have a potential negative impact on individual performance and retention. Employers must consider the economic impact and potential workforce shortages that may develop if these issues are not addressed.

Coping with Musculoskeletal Pain: Implications for Office Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oztug, Ozhan; Cowie, Helen

2011-01-01

The aim of the present research was to understand how office workers cope with back, neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders at work (and their implications for work). A small (N = 120) questionnaire survey collected information about potential participants' background and history of musculoskeletal disorders. These data were used to inform…

Vint Cerf. TECHNOS Interview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raney, Mardell

1998-01-01

Discussion with Vinton G. Cerf, widely known as father of the Internet and creator of the original email system, focuses on societal implications of the Internet; filtering; hypertext; email; the need for a global legal framework; e-commerce and potential for Web-based businesses; and implications of the Internet for education. (LRW)

Higher Education and the Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Roger

2008-01-01

In this paper, the author explores the answers to the following questions: (1) What does the "marketisation" of higher education mean? (2) What are the potential implications for United Kingdom higher education? and (3) How should everyone handle those implications? He also cites the three main reasons why higher education cannot simply…

Information Use by Molecular Biologists: Implications for Library Collections and Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurd, Julie M.; Blecic, Deborah D.; Vishwanatham, Rama

1999-01-01

Reports on findings from a citation analysis of publications of university molecular-biology faculty that examined materials cited in published articles to determine the nature of information used in their research. Ranked lists of cited journals provide implications for library services, collection development, and the potential for electronic…

Distribution of Gull Specific Molecular Marker in Coastal Areas of Lake Ontario

EPA Science Inventory

Gulls have been implicated as primary sources of fecal contamination in the Great Lakes, a fact that may have health implications due to the potential spread of microbial pathogens by waterfowl. To better understand the spatial variability of gull fecal contamination, a gull-spe...

Feminist Identity Development: Implications for Feminist Therapy with Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Kathleen; Rickard, Kathryn M.

1989-01-01

Discusses implications of the Downing and Roush (1985) feminist identity development model for feminist therapy with women. Describes potential pitfalls of feminist therapy and emergent issues at subsequent stages of client's identity development. Proposes research agenda for hypothesis testing of model when applied to therapy with women clients.…

Understanding Student Article Retrieval Behaviors: Instructional Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook-Cottone, Catherine P.; Dutt-Doner, Karen; Schoen, David

2005-01-01

This study evaluates the use of full-text databases amongst 425 undergraduate and graduate students in western New York. A review of literature implicated convenience, time issues, article retrieval option knowledge, and the appreciation and understanding of research article quality as potential predictors of full-text reliance. These variables…

Updated estimates of the climate response to emissions and their policy implications (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, M. R.; Otto, A.; Stocker, T. F.; Frame, D. J.

2013-12-01

We review the implications of observations of the global energy budget over recent decades, particularly the 'warming hiatus' period over the 2000s, for key climate system properties including equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS), transient climate response (TCR) and transient climate response to cumulative carbon emissions (TCRE). We show how estimates of the upper bound of ECS remain, as ever, sensitive to prior assumptions and also how ECS, even if it were better constrained, would provide much less information about the social cost of carbon than TCR or TCRE. Hence the excitement over recent, apparently conflicting, estimates of ECS, is almost entirely misplaced. Of greater potential policy significance is the fact that recent observations imply a modest (of order 25%) downward revision in the upper bound and most likely values of TCR and TCRE, as compared to some, but not all, of the estimates published in the mid-2000s. This is partly due to the recent reduced rate of warming, and partly due to revisions in estimates of total anthropogenic forcing to date. Both of these developments may turn out to be short-lived, so the policy implications of this modest revision in TCR/TCRE should not be over-sold: nevertheless, it is interesting to explore what they are. The implications for climate change adaptation of a 25% downward revision in TCR and TCRE are minimal, being overshadowed by uncertainty due to internal variability and non-CO2 climate forcings over typical timescales for adaptation planning. We introduce a simple framework for assessing the implications for mitigation in terms of timing of peak emissions average rates of emission reduction required to avoid specific levels of peak warming. We show that, as long as emissions continue to increase approximately exponentially, the implications for mitigation of any revisions in the climate response are surprisingly small.

The quest for significance model of radicalization: implications for the management of terrorist detainees.

PubMed

Dugas, Michelle; Kruglanski, Arie W

2014-01-01

Radicalization and its culmination in terrorism represent a grave threat to the security and stability of the world. A related challenge is effective management of extremists who are detained in prison facilities. The major aim of this article is to review the significance quest model of radicalization and its implications for management of terrorist detainees. First, we review the significance quest model, which elaborates on the roles of motivation, ideology, and social processes in radicalization. Secondly, we explore the implications of the model in relation to the risks of prison radicalization. Finally, we analyze the model's implications for deradicalization strategies and review preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program targeting components of the significance quest. Based on this evidence, we argue that the psychology of radicalization provides compelling reason for the inclusion of deradicalization efforts as an essential component of the management of terrorist detainees. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nanotechnology in bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Walmsley, Graham G; McArdle, Adrian; Tevlin, Ruth; Momeni, Arash; Atashroo, David; Hu, Michael S; Feroze, Abdullah H; Wong, Victor W; Lorenz, Peter H; Longaker, Michael T; Wan, Derrick C

2015-07-01

Nanotechnology represents a major frontier with potential to significantly advance the field of bone tissue engineering. Current limitations in regenerative strategies include impaired cellular proliferation and differentiation, insufficient mechanical strength of scaffolds, and inadequate production of extrinsic factors necessary for efficient osteogenesis. Here we review several major areas of research in nanotechnology with potential implications in bone regeneration: 1) nanoparticle-based methods for delivery of bioactive molecules, growth factors, and genetic material, 2) nanoparticle-mediated cell labeling and targeting, and 3) nano-based scaffold construction and modification to enhance physicochemical interactions, biocompatibility, mechanical stability, and cellular attachment/survival. As these technologies continue to evolve, ultimate translation to the clinical environment may allow for improved therapeutic outcomes in patients with large bone deficits and osteodegenerative diseases. Traditionally, the reconstruction of bony defects has relied on the use of bone grafts. With advances in nanotechnology, there has been significant development of synthetic biomaterials. In this article, the authors provided a comprehensive review on current research in nanoparticle-based therapies for bone tissue engineering, which should be useful reading for clinicians as well as researchers in this field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential pathogenic aspects of denture plaque.

PubMed

Coulthwaite, L; Verran, J

2007-01-01

Oral health status declines with age and as a result the need for removable prostheses increases. Oral health is a reflection of one's general health, affecting the ability of an individual to eat and speak, and contributes significantly to a sense of confidence and well-being. Currently, there are 15 million denture wearers in the UK, representing a significant consumer base and a special healthcare consideration. The microbiology of denture plaque has received little attention in comparison with dental plaque, yet it differs in location and composition. Denture plaque and poor denture hygiene is associated with stomatitis (Candida infection), may also serve as a reservoir of potentially infectious pathogens, and may contribute to oral malodour and to caries and periodontitis in people who have remaining natural teeth. Oral bacteria have been implicated in bacterial endocarditis, aspiration pneumonia, gastrointestinal infection and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, among others, and dentures offer a reservoir for microorganisms associated with these infections. An effective oral hygiene regimen is important to control denture plaque biofilm and contributes to the control of associated oral and systemic diseases.

Genetic testing and sports medicine ethics.

PubMed

McNamee, Michael John; Müller, Arno; van Hilvoorde, Ivo; Holm, Søren

2009-01-01

Sports medicine ethics is neither a well established branch of sports medicine nor of medical ethics. It is therefore important to raise to more general awareness some of the significant ethical implications of sports medicine practices. The field of genetics in sports is likewise in its infancy and raises significant ethical concerns. It is not yet clear how genetics will alter our understanding of human potential and performance in sports. While a number of professional medical bodies accept genetic interventions of a therapeutic nature, we argue that the use of genetic technologies to predict sports potential may well breach both the European bioethics convention and North American anti-discrimination legislation, which are designed to support important ethical ideals and the ongoing commitment of the physician to the welfare of their patient. We highlight further ethical problems associated with confidentiality and consent that may arise in genetic testing as opposed to more conventional methods of testing in sports medicine. We conclude that genetic testing in sport that is not strictly limited to the protection of the athlete against harm, should be viewed in a very sceptical light by sports medicine professionals.

An in vivo study of Cdh1/APC in breast cancer formation

PubMed Central

Fujita, Takeo; Liu, Weijun; Doihara, Hiroyoshi; Wan, Yong

2017-01-01

Dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in several types of tumorigenesis. Our previous studies have shown the potential role of Cdh1/APC in regulating tumor formation via governing the Skp2-p27-cyclinE/CDK2 axis. In this work, we utilized a xenograft mouse breast cancer model to identify the mechanism by which Cdh1/APC potentially suppresses tumor growth in vivo. Here, we report that depletion of Cdh1 results in a significant enhancement of the breast tumor proliferation, while elevated Cdh1 leads to suppression of breast tumor growth. Analysis of breast tissue arrays has indicated that higher levels of Cdh1 are associated with normal breast epithelial tissues whereas lower Skp2 expression and elevated p27 levels are detected. Conversely, the percentage of breast cancer tissues stained positive for Cdh1 and p27 are significantly lower with higher Skp2 levels. Thus, the E3 ligase, Cdh1/APC, may inhibit breast tumor growth via regulating Skp2-p27 mediated cell cycle progression. PMID:19350629

Leukocyte production of inflammatory mediators is inhibited by the antioxidants phloretin, silymarin, hesperetin, and resveratrol.

PubMed

Fordham, Jezrom B; Naqvi, Afsar Raza; Nares, Salvador

2014-01-01

Antioxidants possess significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. One such disorder is periodontitis characterised by an antimicrobial immune response, inflammation, and irreversible changes to the supporting structures of the teeth. Recognition of conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns is a crucial component of innate immunity to Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, as well as the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. In this study, we investigated the antioxidants Phloretin, Silymarin, Hesperetin, and Resveratrol to ascertain whether they altered the production of inflammatory mediators by innately-activated leukocytes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide purified from Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and the production of cytokines, chemokines, and differentiation factors was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cytometric bead array, and RT-PCR. Significant inhibition of these factors was achieved upon treatment with Phloretin, Silymarin, Hesperetin, and Resveratrol. These data further characterise the potent anti-inflammatory properties of antioxidants. Their ability to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and differentiation factors by a heterogeneous population of leukocytes has clear implications for their therapeutic potential in vivo.

Leukocyte Production of Inflammatory Mediators Is Inhibited by the Antioxidants Phloretin, Silymarin, Hesperetin, and Resveratrol

PubMed Central

Fordham, Jezrom B.; Raza Naqvi, Afsar

2014-01-01

Antioxidants possess significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. One such disorder is periodontitis characterised by an antimicrobial immune response, inflammation, and irreversible changes to the supporting structures of the teeth. Recognition of conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns is a crucial component of innate immunity to Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, as well as the periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. In this study, we investigated the antioxidants Phloretin, Silymarin, Hesperetin, and Resveratrol to ascertain whether they altered the production of inflammatory mediators by innately-activated leukocytes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide purified from Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and the production of cytokines, chemokines, and differentiation factors was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cytometric bead array, and RT-PCR. Significant inhibition of these factors was achieved upon treatment with Phloretin, Silymarin, Hesperetin, and Resveratrol. These data further characterise the potent anti-inflammatory properties of antioxidants. Their ability to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and differentiation factors by a heterogeneous population of leukocytes has clear implications for their therapeutic potential in vivo. PMID:24707119

The impact of the metabotropic glutamate receptor and other gene family interaction networks on autism

PubMed Central

Hadley, Dexter; Wu, Zhi-liang; Kao, Charlly; Kini, Akshata; Mohamed-Hadley, Alisha; Thomas, Kelly; Vazquez, Lyam; Qiu, Haijun; Mentch, Frank; Pellegrino, Renata; Kim, Cecilia; Connolly, John; Pinto, Dalila; Merikangas, Alison; Klei, Lambertus; Vorstman, Jacob A.S.; Thompson, Ann; Regan, Regina; Pagnamenta, Alistair T.; Oliveira, Bárbara; Magalhaes, Tiago R.; Gilbert, John; Duketis, Eftichia; De Jonge, Maretha V.; Cuccaro, Michael; Correia, Catarina T.; Conroy, Judith; Conceição, Inês C.; Chiocchetti, Andreas G.; Casey, Jillian P.; Bolshakova, Nadia; Bacchelli, Elena; Anney, Richard; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Wittemeyer, Kerstin; Wallace, Simon; Engeland, Herman van; Soorya, Latha; Rogé, Bernadette; Roberts, Wendy; Poustka, Fritz; Mouga, Susana; Minshew, Nancy; McGrew, Susan G.; Lord, Catherine; Leboyer, Marion; Le Couteur, Ann S.; Kolevzon, Alexander; Jacob, Suma; Guter, Stephen; Green, Jonathan; Green, Andrew; Gillberg, Christopher; Fernandez, Bridget A.; Duque, Frederico; Delorme, Richard; Dawson, Geraldine; Café, Cátia; Brennan, Sean; Bourgeron, Thomas; Bolton, Patrick F.; Bölte, Sven; Bernier, Raphael; Baird, Gillian; Bailey, Anthony J.; Anagnostou, Evdokia; Almeida, Joana; Wijsman, Ellen M.; Vieland, Veronica J.; Vicente, Astrid M.; Schellenberg, Gerard D.; Pericak-Vance, Margaret; Paterson, Andrew D.; Parr, Jeremy R.; Oliveira, Guiomar; Almeida, Joana; Café, Cátia; Mouga, Susana; Correia, Catarina; Nurnberger, John I.; Monaco, Anthony P.; Maestrini, Elena; Klauck, Sabine M.; Hakonarson, Hakon; Haines, Jonathan L.; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Freitag, Christine M.; Folstein, Susan E.; Ennis, Sean; Coon, Hilary; Battaglia, Agatino; Szatmari, Peter; Sutcliffe, James S.; Hallmayer, Joachim; Gill, Michael; Cook, Edwin H.; Buxbaum, Joseph D.; Devlin, Bernie; Gallagher, Louise; Betancur, Catalina; Scherer, Stephen W.; Glessner, Joseph; Hakonarson, Hakon

2014-01-01

Although multiple reports show that defective genetic networks underlie the aetiology of autism, few have translated into pharmacotherapeutic opportunities. Since drugs compete with endogenous small molecules for protein binding, many successful drugs target large gene families with multiple drug binding sites. Here we search for defective gene family interaction networks (GFINs) in 6,742 patients with the ASDs relative to 12,544 neurologically normal controls, to find potentially druggable genetic targets. We find significant enrichment of structural defects (P≤2.40E−09, 1.8-fold enrichment) in the metabotropic glutamate receptor (GRM) GFIN, previously observed to impact attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Also, the MXD-MYC-MAX network of genes, previously implicated in cancer, is significantly enriched (P≤3.83E−23, 2.5-fold enrichment), as is the calmodulin 1 (CALM1) gene interaction network (P≤4.16E−04, 14.4-fold enrichment), which regulates voltage-independent calcium-activated action potentials at the neuronal synapse. We find that multiple defective gene family interactions underlie autism, presenting new translational opportunities to explore for therapeutic interventions. PMID:24927284

LIMITED GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN THE VOCALIZATIONS OF THE ENDANGERED THICK-BILLED PARROT: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION STRATEGIES

PubMed Central

Guerra, Jaime E.; Cruz-Nieto, Javier; Ortiz-Maciel, Sonia Gabriela; Wright, Timothy F.

2012-01-01

The populations of many species are declining worldwide, and conservation efforts struggle to keep pace with extinction rates. Conservation biologists commonly employ strategies such as translocation and reintroduction, which move individuals of endangered species from one part of their range to another. Because individuals from endangered populations are nonexpendable, identifying any potential barriers to the establishment of viable populations prior to release of individuals should be a priority. This study evaluates the potential for learned communication signals to constrain conservation strategies such as reintroduction in an endangered species, the Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha). We conducted vocal surveys at three geographically distinct breeding populations in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua, Mexico. Acoustic analyses utilizing both spectrogram cross-correlations and parameter measurements from spectrograms revealed no significant differences among the three sites in two common call types. Calls did vary among individuals within a site. The apparent lack of significant geographic variation across sampled sites suggests that differences in learned communication signals are unlikely to pose a barrier to the integration of translocated individuals from different populations into newly established populations. PMID:22307993

Synthetic Vision Enhanced Surface Operations With Head-Worn Display for Commercial Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arthur, Jarvis J., III; Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Shelton, Kevin J.; Kramer, Lynda J.; Williams, Steven P.; Bailey, Randall E.; Norman, R. M.

2007-01-01

Experiments and flight tests have shown that airport surface operations can be enhanced by using synthetic vision and associated technologies, employed on a Head-Up Display (HUD) and head-down display electronic moving maps (EMM). Although HUD applications have shown the greatest potential operational improvements, the research noted that two major limitations during ground operations were its monochrome form and limited, fixed field-of-regard. A potential solution to these limitations may be the application of advanced Head Worn Displays (HWDs) particularly during low-visibility operations wherein surface movement is substantially limited because of the impaired vision of pilots and air traffic controllers. The paper describes the results of ground simulation experiments conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center. The results of the experiments showed that the fully integrated HWD concept provided significantly improved path performance compared to using paper charts alone. When comparing the HWD and HUD concepts, there were no statistically-significant differences in path performance or subjective ratings of situation awareness and workload. Implications and directions for future research are described.

Delay of gratification is associated with white matter connectivity in the dorsal prefrontal cortex: a diffusion tensor imaging study in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

PubMed Central

Latzman, Robert D.; Taglialatela, Jared P.; Hopkins, William D.

2015-01-01

Individual variability in delay of gratification (DG) is associated with a number of important outcomes in both non-human and human primates. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), this study describes the relationship between probabilistic estimates of white matter tracts projecting from the caudate to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and DG abilities in a sample of 49 captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). After accounting for time between collection of DTI scans and DG measurement, age and sex, higher white matter connectivity between the caudate and right dorsal PFC was found to be significantly associated with the acquisition (i.e. training phase) but not the maintenance of DG abilities. No other associations were found to be significant. The integrity of white matter connectivity between regions of the striatum and the PFC appear to be associated with inhibitory control in chimpanzees, with perturbations on this circuit potentially leading to a variety of maladaptive outcomes. Additionally, results have potential translational implications for understanding the pathophysiology of a number of psychiatric and clinical outcomes in humans. PMID:26041344

The effects of cocaine, alcohol and cocaine/alcohol combinations in conditioned taste aversion learning.

PubMed

Busse, Gregory D; Verendeev, Andrey; Jones, Jermaine; Riley, Anthony L

2005-09-01

We have recently reported that alcohol attenuates cocaine place preferences. Although the basis for this effect is unknown, alcohol may attenuate cocaine reward by potentiating its aversive effects. To examine this possibility, these experiments assessed the effects of alcohol on cocaine-induced taste aversions under conditions similar to those that resulted in attenuated place preferences. Specifically, Experiments 1 and 2 assessed the effects of alcohol (0.5 g/kg) on taste aversions induced by 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg cocaine. Experiment 3 examined the role of intertrial interval in the effects of alcohol (0.5 g/kg) on cocaine (30 mg/kg) taste aversions. In Experiments 1 and 2, cocaine was effective at conditioning aversions. Alcohol produced no measurable effect. Combining cocaine and alcohol produced no greater aversion than cocaine alone (and, in fact, weakened aversions at the lowest dose of cocaine). In Experiment 3, varying the intertrial interval from 3 days (as in the case of Experiments 1 and 2) to 1 day (a procedure identical to that in which alcohol attenuated cocaine place preferences) resulted in significant alcohol- and cocaine-induced taste aversions. Nonetheless, alcohol remained ineffective in potentiating cocaine aversions. Thus, under these conditions alcohol does not potentiate cocaine's aversiveness. These results were discussed in terms of their implication for the effects of alcohol on cocaine-induced place preferences. Further, the effects of alcohol on place preferences conditioned by cocaine were discussed in relation to other assessments of the effects of alcohol on the affective properties of cocaine and the implications of these interactions for alcohol and cocaine co-use.

Implications of Perioperative Team Setups for Operating Room Management Decisions.

PubMed

Doll, Dietrich; Kauf, Peter; Wieferich, Katharina; Schiffer, Ralf; Luedi, Markus M

2017-01-01

Team performance has been studied extensively in the perioperative setting, but the managerial impact of interprofessional team performance remains unclear. We hypothesized that the interplay between anesthesiologists and surgeons would affect operating room turnaround times, and teams that worked together over time would become more efficient. We analyzed 13,632 surgical cases at our hospital that involved 64 surgeons and 48 anesthesiologists. We detrended and adjusted the data for potential confounders including age, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and surgical list (scheduled cases of specific surgical specialties). The surgical lists were categorized as ear, nose, and throat surgery; trauma surgery; general surgery; and gynecology. We assessed the relationship between turnaround times and assignment of different anesthesiologists to specific surgeons using a Monte Carlo simulation. We found significant differences in team performances among the different surgical lists but no team learning. We constructed managerial decision tables for the assignment of anesthesiologists to specific surgeons at our hospital. We defined a decision algorithm based on these tables. Our analysis indicated that had this algorithm been used in staffing the operating room for the surgical cases represented in our data, median turnaround times would have a reduction potential of 6.8% (95% confidence interval 6.3% to 7.1%). A surgeon is usually predefined for scheduled surgeries (surgical list). Allocation of the right anesthesiologist to a list and to a surgeon can affect the team performance; thus, this assignment has managerial implications regarding the operating room efficiency affecting turnaround times and thus potentially overutilized time of a list at our hospital.

Prescription opioid abuse, pain and addiction: Clinical issues and implications

PubMed Central

LING, WALTER; MOONEY, LARISSA; HILLHOUSE, MAUREEN

2014-01-01

Issues Prescription opioid misuse in the USA has increased over threefold since 1990 to epidemic proportions, with substantial increases in prescription opioid use also reported in other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. The broad availability of prescription pain medications, coupled with public misconceptions about their safety and addictive potential, have contributed to the recent surge in non-medical use of prescription opioids and corresponding increases in treatment admissions for problems related to opioid misuse. Given competing pressures faced by physicians to both diagnose and treat pain syndromes and identify individuals at risk for addictive disorders, the use of opioids in the treatment of pain poses a significant clinical challenge. Approach This paper reviews the interaction between pain and opioid addiction with a focus on clinical management issues, including risk factors for opioid dependence in patients with chronic pain and the use of assessment tools to identify and monitor at-risk individuals. Treatment options for opioid dependence and pain are reviewed, including the use of the partial μ agonist buprenorphine in the management of concurrent pain and opioid addiction. Implications Physicians should strive to find a reasonable balance between minimising potential adverse effects of opioid medications without diminishing legitimate access to opioids for analgesia. Conclusions The article discusses the need to identify methods for minimising risks and negative consequences associated with opioid analgesics and poses research directions, including the development of abuse-deterrent opioid formulations, genetic risk factors for opioid dependence and opioid-induced hyperalgesia as a potential target for medication therapy. PMID:21545561

Apoptotic impact on Brugia malayi by sulphonamido-quinoxaline: search for a novel therapeutic rationale.

PubMed

Bhoj, Priyanka S; Ingle, Rahul G; Goswami, Kalyan; Jena, Lingaraj; Wadher, Shailesh

2018-05-01

Human lymphatic filariasis although not fatal but poses serious socioeconomic burden due to associated disability. This is reflected by the huge magnitude of the estimated disability-adjusted life years of about 5.09 million. Therefore, following WHO mandate, our earlier studies on antifilarial drug development revealed the significance of apoptosis. Apoptotic impact has been implicated in anticancer rationale of several drugs. In this study, we explored the antifilarial potential of sulphonamido-quinoxaline compounds, shown to be specific inhibitor for c-Met kinase in human cancer cells. Out of studied compounds, Q4, showing favorable drug-likeness and medicinal chemistry properties on bioinformatics platform along with subsequently recorded lowest IC 100 value, was considered as a suitable antifilarial candidate. Significant apoptosis due to mitochondrial involvement was recorded in drug-treated parasite unlike untreated control. In spite of homology between human c-Met kinase and Brugia malayi counterpart, comparative docking result of this compound showed more favorable binding parameters with the parasitic target. The wide gap between IC 100 and LD 50 values further confirmed the therapeutic safety. We propose sulphonamido-quinoxaline derivative as a lead candidate for antifilarial drug development. Further study is warranted to authenticate parasitic c-Met kinase as a novel therapeutic target reminiscent of anticancer rationale implicating inhibition of proliferation.

Implications of human tissue studies for radiation protection.

PubMed

Kathren, R L

1988-08-01

Through radiochemical analysis of voluntary tissue donations, the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTR) are gaining improved understanding of the distribution and biokinetics of actinide elements in occupationally exposed persons. Evaluation of the first two whole-body contributions to the USTR revealed an inverse proportionality between actinide concentration and bone ash. The analysis of a whole body with significant 241Am deposition indicated a significantly shorter half-time in liver and a greater fraction resident in the skeleton than predicted by existing models. Other studies with tissues obtained at autopsy suggest that existing biokinetic models for 238Pu and 241Am and the currently accepted models and limits on intake, which use these models as their basis, may be inaccurately implying that revisions of existing safety standards may be necessary. Other studies of the registries are designed to evaluate in-vivo estimates of actinide deposition with those derived from postmortem tissue analysis, to compare results of animal experiments with human data, and to review histopathologic slides for tissue changes that might be attributable to exposure to transuranic elements. The implications of these recent findings and other work of the registries is discussed from the standpoint of this potential effect on biokinetic modeling, internal dose assessment, and safety standards and operational health physics practices.

Implications of human tissue studies for radiation protection

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

Kathren, R.L.

1988-08-01

Through radiochemical analysis of voluntary tissue donations, the U.S. Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTR) are gaining improved understanding of the distribution and biokinetics of actinide elements in occupationally exposed persons. Evaluation of the first two whole-body contributions to the USTR revealed an inverse proportionality between actinide concentration and bone ash. The analysis of a whole body with significant /sup 241/Am deposition indicated a significantly shorter half-time in liver and a greater fraction resident in the skeleton than predicted by existing models. Other studies with tissues obtained at autopsy suggest that existing biokinetic models for /sup 238/Pu and /sup 241/Am andmore » the currently accepted models and limits on intake, which use these models as their basis, may be inaccurately implying that revisions of existing safety standards may be necessary. Other studies of the registries are designed to evaluate in-vivo estimates of actinide deposition with those derived from postmortem tissue analysis, to compare results of animal experiments with human data, and to review histopathologic slides for tissue changes that might be attributable to exposure to transuranic elements. The implications of these recent findings and other work of the registries is discussed from the standpoint of this potential effect on biokinetic modeling, internal dose assessment, and safety standards and operational health physics practices.« less

Molecular Characterization of Caveolin-induced Membrane Curvature*

PubMed Central

Ariotti, Nicholas; Rae, James; Leneva, Natalya; Ferguson, Charles; Loo, Dorothy; Okano, Satomi; Hill, Michelle M.; Walser, Piers; Collins, Brett M.; Parton, Robert G.

2015-01-01

The generation of caveolae involves insertion of the cholesterol-binding integral membrane protein caveolin-1 (Cav1) into the membrane, however, the precise molecular mechanisms are as yet unknown. We have speculated that insertion of the caveolin scaffolding domain (CSD), a conserved amphipathic region implicated in interactions with signaling proteins, is crucial for caveola formation. We now define the core membrane-juxtaposed region of Cav1 and show that the oligomerization domain and CSD are protected by tight association with the membrane in both mature mammalian caveolae and a model prokaryotic system for caveola biogenesis. Cryoelectron tomography reveals the core membrane-juxtaposed domain to be sufficient to maintain oligomerization as defined by polyhedral distortion of the caveolar membrane. Through mutagenesis we demonstrate the importance of the membrane association of the oligomerization domain/CSD for defined caveola biogenesis and furthermore, highlight the functional significance of the intramembrane domain and the CSD for defined caveolin-induced membrane deformation. Finally, we define the core structural domain of Cav1, constituting only 66 amino acids and of great potential to nanoengineering applications, which is required for caveolin-induced vesicle formation in a bacterial system. These results have significant implications for understanding the role of Cav1 in caveola formation and in regulating cellular signaling events. PMID:26304117

Molecular Characterization of Caveolin-induced Membrane Curvature.

PubMed

Ariotti, Nicholas; Rae, James; Leneva, Natalya; Ferguson, Charles; Loo, Dorothy; Okano, Satomi; Hill, Michelle M; Walser, Piers; Collins, Brett M; Parton, Robert G

2015-10-09

The generation of caveolae involves insertion of the cholesterol-binding integral membrane protein caveolin-1 (Cav1) into the membrane, however, the precise molecular mechanisms are as yet unknown. We have speculated that insertion of the caveolin scaffolding domain (CSD), a conserved amphipathic region implicated in interactions with signaling proteins, is crucial for caveola formation. We now define the core membrane-juxtaposed region of Cav1 and show that the oligomerization domain and CSD are protected by tight association with the membrane in both mature mammalian caveolae and a model prokaryotic system for caveola biogenesis. Cryoelectron tomography reveals the core membrane-juxtaposed domain to be sufficient to maintain oligomerization as defined by polyhedral distortion of the caveolar membrane. Through mutagenesis we demonstrate the importance of the membrane association of the oligomerization domain/CSD for defined caveola biogenesis and furthermore, highlight the functional significance of the intramembrane domain and the CSD for defined caveolin-induced membrane deformation. Finally, we define the core structural domain of Cav1, constituting only 66 amino acids and of great potential to nanoengineering applications, which is required for caveolin-induced vesicle formation in a bacterial system. These results have significant implications for understanding the role of Cav1 in caveola formation and in regulating cellular signaling events. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Mapping Variation in Vegetation Functioning with Imaging Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsend, P. A.; Couture, J. J.; Kruger, E. L.; Serbin, S.; Singh, A.

2015-12-01

Imaging spectroscopy (otherwise known as hyperspectral remote sensing) offers the potential to characterize the spatial and temporal variation in biophysical and biochemical properties of vegetation that can be costly or logistically difficult to measure comprehensively using traditional methods. A number of recent studies have illustrated the capacity for imaging spectroscopy data, such as from NASA's AVIRIS sensor, to empirically estimate functional traits related to foliar chemistry and physiology (Singh et al. 2015, Serbin et al. 2015). Here, we present analyses that illustrate the implications of those studies to characterize within-field or -stand variability in ecosystem functioning. In agricultural ecosystems, within-field photosynthetic capacity can vary by 30-50%, likely due to within-field variations in water availability and soil fertility. In general, the variability of foliar traits is lower in forests than agriculture, but can still be significant. Finally, we demonstrate that functional trait variability at the stand scale is strongly related to vegetation diversity. These results have two significant implications: 1) reliance on a small number of field samples to broadly estimate functional traits likely underestimates variability in those traits, and 2) if trait estimations from imaging spectroscopy are reliable, such data offer the opportunity to greatly increase the density of measurements we can use to predict ecosystem function.

Agricultural lung diseases.

PubMed Central

Kirkhorn, S R; Garry, V F

2000-01-01

Agriculture is considered one of the most hazardous occupations. Organic dusts and toxic gases constitute some of the most common and potentially disabling occupational and environmental hazards. The changing patterns of agriculture have paradoxically contributed to both improved working conditions and increased exposure to respiratory hazards. Animal confinement operations with increasing animal density, particularly swine confinement, have contributed significantly to increased intensity and duration of exposure to indoor air toxins. Ongoing research has implicated bacterial endotoxins, fungal spores, and the inherent toxicity of grain dusts as causes of upper and lower airway inflammation and as immunologic agents in both grain and animal production. Animal confinement gases, particularly ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, have been implicated as additional sources of respiratory irritants. It has become evident that a significant percentage of agricultural workers have clinical symptoms associated with long-term exposure to organic dusts and animal confinement gases. Respiratory diseases and syndromes, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, organic dust toxic syndrome, chronic bronchitis, mucous membrane inflammation syndrome, and asthmalike syndrome, result from ongoing acute and chronic exposures. In this review we focus upon the emerging respiratory health issues in a changing agricultural economic and technologic environment. Environmental and occupational hazards and exposures will be emphasized rather than clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods of prevention, from both engineering controls and personal respiratory perspectives, are also addressed. PMID:10931789

Effect of Psilocybin on Empathy and Moral Decision-Making.

PubMed

Pokorny, Thomas; Preller, Katrin H; Kometer, Michael; Dziobek, Isabel; Vollenweider, Franz X

2017-09-01

Impaired empathic abilities lead to severe negative social consequences and influence the development and treatment of several psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, empathy has been shown to play a crucial role in moral and prosocial behavior. Although the serotonin system has been implicated in modulating empathy and moral behavior, the relative contribution of the various serotonin receptor subtypes is still unknown. We investigated the acute effect of psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg p.o.) in healthy human subjects on different facets of empathy and hypothetical moral decision-making using the multifaceted empathy test (n=32) and the moral dilemma task (n=24). Psilocybin significantly increased emotional, but not cognitive empathy compared with placebo, and the increase in implicit emotional empathy was significantly associated with psilocybin-induced changed meaning of percepts. In contrast, moral decision-making remained unaffected by psilocybin. These findings provide first evidence that psilocybin has distinct effects on social cognition by enhancing emotional empathy but not moral behavior. Furthermore, together with previous findings, psilocybin appears to promote emotional empathy presumably via activation of serotonin 2A/1A receptors, suggesting that targeting serotonin 2A/1A receptors has implications for potential treatment of dysfunctional social cognition. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

VARIATIONS IN SOLAR WIND FRACTIONATION AS SEEN BY ACE/SWICS AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR GENESIS MISSION RESULTS

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

Pilleri, P.; Wiens, R. C.; Reisenfeld, D. B.

We use Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)/Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS) elemental composition data to compare the variations in solar wind (SW) fractionation as measured by SWICS during the last solar maximum (1999–2001), the solar minimum (2006–2009), and the period in which the Genesis spacecraft was collecting SW (late 2001—early 2004). We differentiate our analysis in terms of SW regimes (i.e., originating from interstream or coronal hole flows, or coronal mass ejecta). Abundances are normalized to the low-first ionization potential (low-FIP) ion magnesium to uncover correlations that are not apparent when normalizing to high-FIP ions. We find that relative tomore » magnesium, the other low-FIP elements are measurably fractionated, but the degree of fractionation does not vary significantly over the solar cycle. For the high-FIP ions, variation in fractionation over the solar cycle is significant: greatest for Ne/Mg and C/Mg, less so for O/Mg, and the least for He/Mg. When abundance ratios are examined as a function of SW speed, we find a strong correlation, with the remarkable observation that the degree of fractionation follows a mass-dependent trend. We discuss the implications for correcting the Genesis sample return results to photospheric abundances.« less

Mechanical exposure among general practice dentists in Sweden and possible implications of rationalisation.

PubMed

Jonker, D; Rolander, B; Balogh, I; Sandsjö, L; Ekberg, K; Winkel, J

2011-10-01

The present study investigates the dental work in terms of time distribution and mechanical exposure in value-adding work (VAW) and non-VAW. Further rationalisation of dental work would typically involve an increase in the proportion of VAW. Information on mechanical exposure within the classes of VAW and non-VAW may be used to predict possible implications of rationalisation. Sixteen dentists were investigated. Using a data logger, postures and movements were continuously recorded for each subject during the 4 h of work, which included the 45 min of video recording. Time distribution and mechanical exposure for the six different work activities identified were evaluated from the video recordings, using a loss analysis technique. VAW, which comprised 54% of the total working time, generally implied significantly more constrained mechanical exposures as compared with non-VAW. The results suggest that future rationalisation of dental work, involving a reduction of non-VAW, may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Statement of Relevance: The present study illustrates the potential effects of rationalisation on biomechanical exposures for dentists. The results highlight the significance of integrating ergonomic issues into the rationalisation process in dentistry in addition to ordinary workstation and tool design improvements performed by ergonomists.

Synthetic control and empirical prediction of redox potentials for Co 4O 4 cubanes over a 1.4 V range: implications for catalyst design and evaluation of high-valent intermediates in water oxidation

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

Nguyen, Andy I.; Wang, Jianing; Levine, Daniel S.

The oxo-cobalt cubane unit [Co 4O 4] is of interest as a homogeneous oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) catalyst, and as a functional mimic of heterogeneous cobalt oxide OER catalysts. The synthesis of several new cubanes allows evaluation of redox potentials for the [Co 4O 4] cluster, which are highly sensitive to the ligand environment and span a remarkable range of 1.42 V. The [Co III 4O 4] 4+/[Co III 3Co IVO 4 ]5+ and [Co III 3Co IVO 4] 5+/[Co III 2Co IV 2O 4] 6+ redox potentials are reliably predicted by the pKas of the ligands. Hydrogen bonding is alsomore » shown to significantly raise the redox potentials, by ~500 mV. The potential-p K a correlation is used to evaluate the feasibility of various proposed OER catalytic intermediates, including high-valent Co-oxo species. The synthetic methods and structure–reactivity relationships developed by these studies should better guide the design of new cubane-based OER catalysts.« less

Synthetic control and empirical prediction of redox potentials for Co 4O 4 cubanes over a 1.4 V range: implications for catalyst design and evaluation of high-valent intermediates in water oxidation

DOE PAGES

Nguyen, Andy I.; Wang, Jianing; Levine, Daniel S.; ...

2017-04-07

The oxo-cobalt cubane unit [Co 4O 4] is of interest as a homogeneous oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) catalyst, and as a functional mimic of heterogeneous cobalt oxide OER catalysts. The synthesis of several new cubanes allows evaluation of redox potentials for the [Co 4O 4] cluster, which are highly sensitive to the ligand environment and span a remarkable range of 1.42 V. The [Co III 4O 4] 4+/[Co III 3Co IVO 4 ]5+ and [Co III 3Co IVO 4] 5+/[Co III 2Co IV 2O 4] 6+ redox potentials are reliably predicted by the pKas of the ligands. Hydrogen bonding is alsomore » shown to significantly raise the redox potentials, by ~500 mV. The potential-p K a correlation is used to evaluate the feasibility of various proposed OER catalytic intermediates, including high-valent Co-oxo species. The synthetic methods and structure–reactivity relationships developed by these studies should better guide the design of new cubane-based OER catalysts.« less

Natural gas in the energy industry of the 21st century

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

Cuttica, J.

1995-12-31

This paper provides a gas industry perspective on the impacts of restructuring the natural gas and electric industries. The four main implications discussed are: (1) market trends, (2) strategic positioning, (3) significant market implications, and (4) issues for the future. Market trends discussed include transitioning rate of return to market competition and regulatory impacts. Significant market implications for gas-fired generation identified include limited new generation investment, extension of existing plants, and an opportunity for distributed power generation. 12 tabs.

Reductions in Northeast Refining Activity: Potential Implications for Petroleum Product Markets

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

This report is the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) initial effort to provide information and analysis on the potential impacts on petroleum product markets from reductions in Northeast petroleum refining activity.

Benford analysis of quantum critical phenomena: First digit provides high finite-size scaling exponent while first two and further are not much better

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bera, Anindita; Mishra, Utkarsh; Singha Roy, Sudipto; Biswas, Anindya; Sen(De), Aditi; Sen, Ujjwal

2018-06-01

Benford's law is an empirical edict stating that the lower digits appear more often than higher ones as the first few significant digits in statistics of natural phenomena and mathematical tables. A marked proportion of such analyses is restricted to the first significant digit. We employ violation of Benford's law, up to the first four significant digits, for investigating magnetization and correlation data of paradigmatic quantum many-body systems to detect cooperative phenomena, focusing on the finite-size scaling exponents thereof. We find that for the transverse field quantum XY model, behavior of the very first significant digit of an observable, at an arbitrary point of the parameter space, is enough to capture the quantum phase transition in the model with a relatively high scaling exponent. A higher number of significant digits do not provide an appreciable further advantage, in particular, in terms of an increase in scaling exponents. Since the first significant digit of a physical quantity is relatively simple to obtain in experiments, the results have potential implications for laboratory observations in noisy environments.

Metal and Isotope Analysis of Bird Feathers in a Contaminated Estuary Reveals Bioaccumulation, Biomagnification, and Potential Toxic Effects.

PubMed

Einoder, L D; MacLeod, C K; Coughanowr, C

2018-07-01

The Derwent estuary, in south east Tasmania, is highly contaminated with heavy metals, mainly due to past industrial pollution. This study sought to determine the extent of contamination, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification in the resident bird community and therefore to infer the potential for adverse effects in birds. Thirteen metals were measured from breast feathers (n = 51 individuals) of eight sympatric species of aquatic bird. Stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotopes were used to identify dietary sources of contaminants, trophic level, and potential biomagnification through food chains. Generalised linear models revealed that metal burdens were often poorly correlated with δ 13 C, indicating their uptake from a range of freshwater, brackish, and marine carbon sources-not surprising due to widespread contamination across the tidal estuary. Feather mercury increased significantly with trophic level (inferred from δ 15 N). White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster samples contained 240 times more mercury than feral Goose Anser cygnoides. Feather arsenic and copper concentrations were significantly higher in birds feeding lower in the food chain. For several piscivorous species, both chick and adults were sampled revealing significantly higher feather mercury, zinc, and selenium in adults. Feathers from birds found dead along the banks of the estuary had significantly higher lead loads than from live birds, and numerous individuals had levels of mercury, zinc, and lead above toxic thresholds reported in other studies. These results highlight the need to include biota from higher trophic levels in contaminant monitoring programs to understand fully the fate and broader implications of contaminants in the environment.

Analgesia or addiction?: implications for morphine use after spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Woller, Sarah A; Moreno, Georgina L; Hart, Nigel; Wellman, Paul J; Grau, James W; Hook, Michelle A

2012-05-20

Opioid analgesics are among the most effective agents for treatment of moderate to severe pain. However, the use of morphine after a spinal cord injury (SCI) can potentiate the development of paradoxical pain symptoms, and continuous administration can lead to dependence, tolerance, and addiction. Although some studies suggest that the addictive potential of morphine decreases when it is used to treat neuropathic pain, this has not been studied in a SCI model. Accordingly, the present studies investigated the addictive potential of morphine in a rodent model of SCI using conditioned place preference (CPP) and intravenous self-administration paradigms. A contusion injury significantly increased the expression of a CPP relative to sham and intact controls in the acute phase of injury. However, contused animals self-administered significantly less morphine than sham and intact controls, but this was dose-dependent; at a high concentration, injured rats exhibited an increase in drug-reinforced responses over time. Exposure to a high concentration of morphine impeded weight gain and locomotor recovery. We suggest that the increased preference observed in injured rats reflects a motivational effect linked in part to the drug's anti-nociceptive effect. Further, although injured rats exhibited a suppression of opiate self-administration, when given access to a high concentration, addictive-like behavior emerged and was associated with poor recovery.

CDDO-Me Redirects Activation of Breast Tumor Associated Macrophages.

PubMed

Ball, Michael S; Shipman, Emilie P; Kim, Hyunjung; Liby, Karen T; Pioli, Patricia A

2016-01-01

Tumor-associated macrophages can account for up to 50% of the tumor mass in breast cancer patients and high TAM density is associated with poor clinical prognosis. Because TAMs enhance tumor growth, development, and metastatic potential, redirection of TAM activation may have significant therapeutic benefit. Our studies in primary human macrophages and murine breast TAMs suggest that the synthetic oleanane triterpenoid CDDO-methyl ester (CDDO-Me) reprograms the activation profile of TAMs from tumor-promoting to tumor-inhibiting. We show that CDDO-Me treatment inhibits expression of IL-10 and VEGF in stimulated human M2 macrophages and TAMs but increases expression of TNF-α and IL-6. Surface expression of CD206 and CD163, which are characteristic of M2 activation, is significantly attenuated by CDDO-Me. In contrast, CDDO-Me up-regulates surface expression of HLA-DR and CD80, which are markers of M1 activation, and importantly potentiates macrophage activation of autologous T cells but inhibits endothelial cell vascularization. These results show for the first time that CDDO-Me redirects activation of M2 macrophages and TAMs from immune-suppressive to immune-stimulatory, and implicate a role for CDDO-Me as an immunotherapeutic in the treatment of breast and potentially other types of cancer.

CDDO-Me Redirects Activation of Breast Tumor Associated Macrophages

PubMed Central

Ball, Michael S.; Shipman, Emilie P.; Kim, Hyunjung; Liby, Karen T.; Pioli, Patricia A.

2016-01-01

Tumor-associated macrophages can account for up to 50% of the tumor mass in breast cancer patients and high TAM density is associated with poor clinical prognosis. Because TAMs enhance tumor growth, development, and metastatic potential, redirection of TAM activation may have significant therapeutic benefit. Our studies in primary human macrophages and murine breast TAMs suggest that the synthetic oleanane triterpenoid CDDO-methyl ester (CDDO-Me) reprograms the activation profile of TAMs from tumor-promoting to tumor-inhibiting. We show that CDDO-Me treatment inhibits expression of IL-10 and VEGF in stimulated human M2 macrophages and TAMs but increases expression of TNF-α and IL-6. Surface expression of CD206 and CD163, which are characteristic of M2 activation, is significantly attenuated by CDDO-Me. In contrast, CDDO-Me up-regulates surface expression of HLA-DR and CD80, which are markers of M1 activation, and importantly potentiates macrophage activation of autologous T cells but inhibits endothelial cell vascularization. These results show for the first time that CDDO-Me redirects activation of M2 macrophages and TAMs from immune-suppressive to immune-stimulatory, and implicate a role for CDDO-Me as an immunotherapeutic in the treatment of breast and potentially other types of cancer. PMID:26918785

Prey preferences of aquatic insects: potential implications for the regulation of wetland mosquitoes.

PubMed

Saha, N; Aditya, G; Saha, G K

2014-03-01

Wetlands are potential sites for mosquito breeding and are thus important in the context of public health. The use of chemical and microbial controls is constrained in wetlands in view of their potential impact on the diverse biota. Biological control using generalist aquatic insects can be effective, provided a preference for mosquito larvae is exhibited. The mosquito prey preferences of water bugs and larvae of odonate species were evaluated using chironomid larvae, fish fingerlings and tadpoles as alternative prey. Manly's selectivity (αi ) values with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to judge prey preference patterns. Multivariate analysis of variance (manova) and standardized canonical coefficients were used to test the effects of density on prey selectivity. The αi values indicated a significant preference (P < 0.05) in all of the insect predators tested for mosquito larvae over the alternative prey as a density-dependent function. On a comparative scale, chironomid larvae had the highest impact as alternative prey. In a multiple-prey experiment, predators showed a similar pattern of preference for mosquito larvae over alternative prey, reflecting a significant (P < 0.05) niche overlap. The results suggest that, in a laboratory setting, these insect predators can effectively reduce mosquito density in the presence of multiple alternative prey. © 2013 The Royal Entomological Society.

Effect of Developmental Binocular Vision Abnormalities on Visual Vertigo Symptoms and Treatment Outcome.

PubMed

Pavlou, Marousa; Acheson, James; Nicolaou, Despina; Fraser, Clare L; Bronstein, Adolfo M; Davies, Rosalyn A

2015-10-01

Customized vestibular rehabilitation incorporating optokinetic (OK) stimulation improves visual vertigo (VV) symptoms; however, the degree of improvement varies among individuals. Binocular vision abnormalities (misalignment of ocular axis, ie, strabismus) may be a potential risk factor. This study aimed to investigate the influence of binocular vision abnormalities on VV symptoms and treatment outcome. Sixty subjects with refractory peripheral vestibular symptoms underwent an orthoptic assessment after being recruited for participation in an 8-week customized program incorporating OK training via a full-field visual environment rotator or video display, supervised or unsupervised. Treatment response was assessed at baseline and at 8 weeks with dynamic posturography, Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), and questionnaires for symptoms, symptom triggers, and psychological state. As no significant effect of OK training type was noted for any variables, data were combined and new groups identified on the basis of the absence or presence of a binocular vision abnormality. A total of 34 among 60 subjects consented to the orthoptic assessment, of whom 8 of the 34 had binocular vision abnormalities and 30 of the 34 subjects completed both the binocular function assessment and vestibular rehabilitation program. No significant between-group differences were noted at baseline. The only significant between-group difference was observed for pre-/post-VV symptom change (P = 0.01), with significant improvements noted only for the group without binocular vision abnormalities (P < 0.0005). Common vestibular symptoms, posturography, and the FGA improved significantly for both groups (P < 0.05). Binocular vision abnormalities may affect VV symptom improvement. These findings may have important implications for the management of subjects with refractory vestibular symptoms.Video Abstract available for insights from the authors regarding clinical implication of the study findings (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A115).

Influence of dual-tasking with different levels of attention diversion on characteristics of the movement-related cortical potential.

PubMed

Aliakbaryhosseinabadi, Susan; Kamavuako, Ernest Nlandu; Jiang, Ning; Farina, Dario; Mrachacz-Kersting, Natalie

2017-11-01

Dual tasking is defined as performing two tasks concurrently and has been shown to have a significant effect on attention directed to the performance of the main task. In this study, an attention diversion task with two different levels was administered while participants had to complete a cue-based motor task consisting of foot dorsiflexion. An auditory oddball task with two levels of complexity was implemented to divert the user's attention. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were made from nine single channels. Event-related potentials (ERPs) confirmed that the oddball task of counting a sequence of two tones decreased the auditory P300 amplitude more than the oddball task of counting one target tone among three different tones. Pre-movement features quantified from the movement-related cortical potential (MRCP) were changed significantly between single and dual-task conditions in motor and fronto-central channels. There was a significant delay in movement detection for the case of single tone counting in two motor channels only (237.1-247.4ms). For the task of sequence counting, motor cortex and frontal channels showed a significant delay in MRCP detection (232.1-250.5ms). This study investigated the effect of attention diversion in dual-task conditions by analysing both ERPs and MRCPs in single channels. The higher attention diversion lead to a significant reduction in specific MRCP features of the motor task. These results suggest that attention division in dual-tasking situations plays an important role in movement execution and detection. This has important implications in designing real-time brain-computer interface systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide association analyses of child genotype effects and parent-of-origin effects in specific language impairment.

PubMed

Nudel, R; Simpson, N H; Baird, G; O'Hare, A; Conti-Ramsden, G; Bolton, P F; Hennessy, E R; Ring, S M; Davey Smith, G; Francks, C; Paracchini, S; Monaco, A P; Fisher, S E; Newbury, D F

2014-04-01

Specific language impairment (SLI) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects linguistic abilities when development is otherwise normal. We report the results of a genome-wide association study of SLI which included parent-of-origin effects and child genotype effects and used 278 families of language-impaired children. The child genotype effects analysis did not identify significant associations. We found genome-wide significant paternal parent-of-origin effects on chromosome 14q12 (P = 3.74 × 10(-8)) and suggestive maternal parent-of-origin effects on chromosome 5p13 (P = 1.16 × 10(-7)). A subsequent targeted association of six single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 5 in 313 language-impaired individuals and their mothers from the ALSPAC cohort replicated the maternal effects, albeit in the opposite direction (P = 0.001); as fathers' genotypes were not available in the ALSPAC study, the replication analysis did not include paternal parent-of-origin effects. The paternally-associated SNP on chromosome 14 yields a non-synonymous coding change within the NOP9 gene. This gene encodes an RNA-binding protein that has been reported to be significantly dysregulated in individuals with schizophrenia. The region of maternal association on chromosome 5 falls between the PTGER4 and DAB2 genes, in a region previously implicated in autism and ADHD. The top SNP in this association locus is a potential expression QTL of ARHGEF19 (also called WGEF) on chromosome 1. Members of this protein family have been implicated in intellectual disability. In summary, this study implicates parent-of-origin effects in language impairment, and adds an interesting new dimension to the emerging picture of shared genetic etiology across various neurodevelopmental disorders. © 2014 The Authors. Genes, Brain and Behavior published by International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The potential implications of reclaimed wastewater reuse for irrigation on the agricultural environment: The knowns and unknowns of the fate of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes - A review.

PubMed

Christou, Anastasis; Agüera, Ana; Bayona, Josep Maria; Cytryn, Eddie; Fotopoulos, Vasileios; Lambropoulou, Dimitra; Manaia, Célia M; Michael, Costas; Revitt, Mike; Schröder, Peter; Fatta-Kassinos, Despo

2017-10-15

The use of reclaimed wastewater (RWW) for the irrigation of crops may result in the continuous exposure of the agricultural environment to antibiotics, antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In recent years, certain evidence indicate that antibiotics and resistance genes may become disseminated in agricultural soils as a result of the amendment with manure and biosolids and irrigation with RWW. Antibiotic residues and other contaminants may undergo sorption/desorption and transformation processes (both biotic and abiotic), and have the potential to affect the soil microbiota. Antibiotics found in the soil pore water (bioavailable fraction) as a result of RWW irrigation may be taken up by crop plants, bioaccumulate within plant tissues and subsequently enter the food webs; potentially resulting in detrimental public health implications. It can be also hypothesized that ARGs can spread among soil and plant-associated bacteria, a fact that may have serious human health implications. The majority of studies dealing with these environmental and social challenges related with the use of RWW for irrigation were conducted under laboratory or using, somehow, controlled conditions. This critical review discusses the state of the art on the fate of antibiotics, ARB and ARGs in agricultural environment where RWW is applied for irrigation. The implications associated with the uptake of antibiotics by plants (uptake mechanisms) and the potential risks to public health are highlighted. Additionally, knowledge gaps as well as challenges and opportunities are addressed, with the aim of boosting future research towards an enhanced understanding of the fate and implications of these contaminants of emerging concern in the agricultural environment. These are key issues in a world where the increasing water scarcity and the continuous appeal of circular economy demand answers for a long-term safe use of RWW for irrigation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The anti-cancer agent guttiferone-A permeabilizes mitochondrial membrane: Ensuing energetic and oxidative stress implications

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

Pardo-Andreu, Gilberto L., E-mail: gilbertopardo@infomed.sld.cu; Departamento de Fisica e Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmaceuticas de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Cafe s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirao Preto, SP; Nunez-Figueredo, Yanier

Guttiferone-A (GA) is a natural occurring polyisoprenylated benzophenone with cytotoxic action in vitro and anti-tumor action in rodent models. We addressed a potential involvement of mitochondria in GA toxicity (1-25 {mu}M) toward cancer cells by employing both hepatic carcinoma (HepG2) cells and succinate-energized mitochondria, isolated from rat liver. In HepG2 cells GA decreased viability, dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential, depleted ATP and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. In isolated rat-liver mitochondria GA promoted membrane fluidity increase, cyclosporine A/EGTA-insensitive membrane permeabilization, uncoupling (membrane potential dissipation/state 4 respiration rate increase), Ca{sup 2+} efflux, ATP depletion, NAD(P)H depletion/oxidation and ROS levels increase. Allmore » effects in cells, except mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation, as well as NADPH depletion/oxidation and permeabilization in isolated mitochondria, were partly prevented by the a NAD(P)H regenerating substrate isocitrate. The results suggest the following sequence of events: 1) GA interaction with mitochondrial membrane promoting its permeabilization; 2) mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation; 3) NAD(P)H oxidation/depletion due to inability of membrane potential-sensitive NADP{sup +} transhydrogenase of sustaining its reduced state; 4) ROS accumulation inside mitochondria and cells; 5) additional mitochondrial membrane permeabilization due to ROS; and 6) ATP depletion. These GA actions are potentially implicated in the well-documented anti-cancer property of GA/structure related compounds. - Graphical abstract: Guttiferone-A permeabilizes mitochondrial membrane and induces cancer cell death Display Omitted Highlights: > We addressed the involvement of mitochondria in guttiferone (GA) toxicity toward cancer cells. > GA promoted membrane permeabilization, membrane potential dissipation, NAD(P)H depletion, ROS accumulation and ATP depletion. > These actions could be implicated in the well-documented anti-cancer property of GA/structure related compounds.« less

Neurocriminology: implications for the punishment, prediction and prevention of criminal behaviour.

PubMed

Glenn, Andrea L; Raine, Adrian

2014-01-01

Criminal behaviour and violence are increasingly viewed as worldwide public health problems. A growing body of knowledge shows that criminal behaviour has a neurobiological basis, and this has intensified judicial interest in the potential application of neuroscience to criminal law. It also gives rise to important questions. What are the implications of such application for predicting future criminal behaviour and protecting society? Can it be used to prevent violence? And what are the implications for the way offenders are punished?

Environmental and Economic Implications of Distributed Additive Manufacturing: The Case of Injection Mold Tooling: Environmental Implications of Additive Manufacturing

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

Huang, Runze; Riddle, Matthew E.; Graziano, Diane

Additive manufacturing (AM) holds great potentials in enabling superior engineering functionality, streamlining supply chains, and reducing life cycle impacts compared to conventional manufacturing (CM). This study estimates the net changes in supply-chain lead time, life cycle primary energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and life cycle costs (LCC) associated with AM technologies for the case of injection molding, to shed light on the environmental and economic advantages of a shift from international or onshore CM to AM in the United States. A systems modeling framework is developed, with integrations of lead-time analysis, life cycle inventory analysis, LCC model, and scenariosmore » considering design differences, supply-chain options, productions, maintenance, and AM technological developments. AM yields a reduction potential of 3% to 5% primary energy, 4% to 7% GHG emissions, 12% to 60% lead time, and 15% to 35% cost over 1 million cycles of the injection molding production depending on the AM technology advancement in future. The economic advantages indicate the significant role of AM technology in raising global manufacturing competitiveness of local producers, while the relatively small environmental benefits highlight the necessity of considering trade-offs and balance techniques between environmental and economic performances when AM is adopted in the tooling industry. The results also help pinpoint the technological innovations in AM that could lead to broader benefits in future.« less

The effect of types I and III interferons on adrenocortical cells and its possible implications for autoimmune Addison's disease.

PubMed

Hellesen, A; Edvardsen, K; Breivik, L; Husebye, E S; Bratland, E

2014-06-01

Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) is caused by selective destruction of the hormone-producing cells of the adrenal cortex. As yet, little is known about the potential role played by environmental factors in this process. Type I and/or type III interferons (IFNs) are signature responses to virus infections, and have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune endocrine disorders such as type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroiditis. Transient development of AAD and exacerbation of established or subclinical disease, as well as the induction of autoantibodies associated with AAD, have been reported following therapeutic administration of type I IFNs. We therefore hypothesize that exposure to such IFNs could render the adrenal cortex susceptible to autoimmune attack in genetically predisposed individuals. In this study, we investigated possible immunopathological effects of type I and type III IFNs on adrenocortical cells in relation to AAD. Both types I and III IFNs exerted significant cytotoxicity on NCI-H295R adrenocortical carcinoma cells and potentiated IFN-γ- and polyinosine-polycytidylic acid [poly (I : C)]-induced chemokine secretion. Furthermore, we observed increased expression of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules and up-regulation of 21-hydroxylase, the primary antigenic target in AAD. We propose that these combined effects could serve to initiate or aggravate an ongoing autoimmune response against the adrenal cortex in AAD. © 2014 British Society for Immunology.

The effect of types I and III interferons on adrenocortical cells and its possible implications for autoimmune Addison's disease

PubMed Central

Hellesen, A; Edvardsen, K; Breivik, L; Husebye, E S; Bratland, E

2014-01-01

Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) is caused by selective destruction of the hormone-producing cells of the adrenal cortex. As yet, little is known about the potential role played by environmental factors in this process. Type I and/or type III interferons (IFNs) are signature responses to virus infections, and have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune endocrine disorders such as type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroiditis. Transient development of AAD and exacerbation of established or subclinical disease, as well as the induction of autoantibodies associated with AAD, have been reported following therapeutic administration of type I IFNs. We therefore hypothesize that exposure to such IFNs could render the adrenal cortex susceptible to autoimmune attack in genetically predisposed individuals. In this study, we investigated possible immunopathological effects of type I and type III IFNs on adrenocortical cells in relation to AAD. Both types I and III IFNs exerted significant cytotoxicity on NCI-H295R adrenocortical carcinoma cells and potentiated IFN-γ-and polyinosine-polycytidylic acid [poly (I : C)]-induced chemokine secretion. Furthermore, we observed increased expression of human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules and up-regulation of 21-hydroxylase, the primary antigenic target in AAD. We propose that these combined effects could serve to initiate or aggravate an ongoing autoimmune response against the adrenal cortex in AAD. PMID:24666275

Late regulation of immune genes and microRNAs in circulating leukocytes in a pig model of influenza A (H1N2) infection

PubMed Central

Brogaard, Louise; Heegaard, Peter M. H.; Larsen, Lars E.; Mortensen, Shila; Schlegel, Michael; Dürrwald, Ralf; Skovgaard, Kerstin

2016-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short regulatory RNA molecules which are implicated in modulating gene expression. Levels of circulating, cell-associated miRNAs in response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection has received limited attention so far. To further understand the temporal dynamics and biological implications of miRNA regulation in circulating leukocytes, we collected blood samples before and after (1, 3, and 14 days) IAV challenge of pigs. Differential expression of miRNAs and innate immune factor mRNA transcripts was analysed using RT-qPCR. A total of 20 miRNAs were regulated after IAV challenge, with the highest number of regulated miRNAs seen on day 14 after infection at which time the infection was cleared. Targets of the regulated miRNAs included genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Significant regulation of both miRNAs and mRNA transcripts at 14 days after challenge points to a protracted effect of IAV infection, potentially affecting the host’s ability to respond to secondary infections. In conclusion, experimental IAV infection of pigs demonstrated the dynamic nature of miRNA and mRNA regulation in circulating leukocytes during and after infection, and revealed the need for further investigation of the potential immunosuppressing effect of miRNA and innate immune signaling after IAV infection. PMID:26893019

Intracochlear perfusion of pneumolysin, a pneumococcal protein, rapidly abolishes auditory potentials in the Guinea pig cochlea.

PubMed

Skinner, Liam J; Beurg, Maryline; Mitchell, Timothy J; Darrouzet, Vincent; Aran, Jean-Marie; Dulon, Didier

2004-11-01

Bacterial meningitis and chronic suppurative otitis media caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae are associated with considerable otological morbidity. Specifically, sensorineural hearing loss is a permanent sequela in a third of those who contract pneumococcal meningitis. Pneumolysin, a pneumococcal protein, has been implicated as one of the main virulence/cytotoxic factors. Its pathogenicity is intimately dependent on an ability to form transmembrane pores on binding with cholesterol in target tissues. We perfused wild-type pneumolysin, at a number of different concentrations, into the guinea pig cochlea and used electrocochleography to characterize the effects of this cytolytic exotoxin in the organ of Corti. Intracochlear perfusion of pneumolysin (10 microg/50 microl) reduced the compound action potential of the auditory nerve within seconds. The cochlear microphonics (f1=8 kHz, f2=9.68 kHz) and their distortion product (2f1-f2) were also reduced, albeit in a slightly less dramatic fashion. At lower concentrations (1 microg/50 microl), a selective and earlier effect on inner hair cells was observed. These results clearly show that significant ototoxicity ensues when sensory cells of the organ of Corti are exposed to pneumolysin (and complete cochlear death when the concentration is high enough). Toxicity is dose-dependent and appears to be site-sensitive. This may have implications for any possible future protective strategies against pneumococcal disease in the ear.

The Biology of the Glutamatergic System and Potential Role in Migraine

PubMed Central

Gasparini, C. F.; Griffiths, L. R.

2013-01-01

Migraine is a common genetically linked neurovascular disorder. Approximately ∼12% of the Caucasian population are affected including 18% of adult women and 6% of adult men (1, 2). A notable female bias is observed in migraine prevalence studies with females affected ∼3 times more than males and is credited to differences in hormone levels arising from reproductive achievements. Migraine is extremely debilitating with wide-ranging socioeconomic impact significantly affecting people’s health and quality of life. A number of neurotransmitter systems have been implicated in migraine, the most studied include the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems. Extensive genetic research has been carried out to identify genetic variants that may alter the activity of a number of genes involved in synthesis and transport of neurotransmitters of these systems. The biology of the Glutamatergic system in migraine is the least studied however there is mounting evidence that its constituents could contribute to migraine. The discovery of antagonists that selectively block glutamate receptors has enabled studies on the physiologic role of glutamate, on one hand, and opened new perspectives pertaining to the potential therapeutic applications of glutamate receptor antagonists in diverse neurologic diseases. In this brief review, we discuss the biology of the Glutamatergic system in migraine outlining recent findings that support a role for altered Glutamatergic neurotransmission from biochemical and genetic studies in the manifestation of migraine and the implications of this on migraine treatment. PMID:23675283

Environmental and Economic Implications of Distributed Additive Manufacturing: The Case of Injection Mold Tooling: Environmental Implications of Additive Manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Huang, Runze; Riddle, Matthew E.; Graziano, Diane; ...

2017-08-26

Additive manufacturing (AM) holds great potentials in enabling superior engineering functionality, streamlining supply chains, and reducing life cycle impacts compared to conventional manufacturing (CM). This study estimates the net changes in supply-chain lead time, life cycle primary energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and life cycle costs (LCC) associated with AM technologies for the case of injection molding, to shed light on the environmental and economic advantages of a shift from international or onshore CM to AM in the United States. A systems modeling framework is developed, with integrations of lead-time analysis, life cycle inventory analysis, LCC model, and scenariosmore » considering design differences, supply-chain options, productions, maintenance, and AM technological developments. AM yields a reduction potential of 3% to 5% primary energy, 4% to 7% GHG emissions, 12% to 60% lead time, and 15% to 35% cost over 1 million cycles of the injection molding production depending on the AM technology advancement in future. The economic advantages indicate the significant role of AM technology in raising global manufacturing competitiveness of local producers, while the relatively small environmental benefits highlight the necessity of considering trade-offs and balance techniques between environmental and economic performances when AM is adopted in the tooling industry. The results also help pinpoint the technological innovations in AM that could lead to broader benefits in future.« less

Understanding teen dating violence: practical screening and intervention strategies for pediatric and adolescent healthcare providers.

PubMed

Cutter-Wilson, Elizabeth; Richmond, Tracy

2011-08-01

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a serious and potentially lethal form of relationship violence in adolescence. TDV is highly correlated with several outcomes related to poor physical and mental health. Although incidence and prevalence data indicate high rates of exposure to TDV among adolescents throughout the United States, significant confusion remains in healthcare communities concerning the definition and implications of TDV. Additionally, healthcare providers are uncertain about effective screening and intervention methods. The article will review the definition and epidemiology of TDV and discuss possible screening and intervention strategies. TDV research is a relatively new addition to the field of relationship violence. Although some confusion remains, the definition and epidemiology of TDV are better understood, which has greatly led to effective ways in which to screen and intervene when such violence is detected. Universal screening with a focus on high-risk subgroups combined with referrals to local and national support services are key steps in reducing both primary and secondary exposure. TDV is a widespread public health crisis with serious short-term and long-term implications. It is necessary for pediatric and adolescent healthcare providers to be aware of TDV and its potential repercussions, as well as possible methods for screening and intervention. More research is needed to better understand TDV as well as to further define effective screening and intervention protocol for the clinical environment.

Neuregulin in Cardiovascular Development and Disease

PubMed Central

Odiete, Oghenerukevwe; Hill, Michael F.; Sawyer, Douglas B.

2013-01-01

Studies in genetically modified mice have demonstrated that neuregulin-1 (NRG-1), along with the erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog (ErbB) 2, 3, and 4 receptor tyrosine kinases, is necessary for multiple aspects of cardiovascular development. These observations stimulated in vitro and in vivo animal studies, implicating NRG-1/ErbB signaling in the regulation of cardiac cell biology throughout life. Cardiovascular effects of ErbB2-targeted cancer therapies provide evidence in humans that ErbB signaling plays a role in the maintenance of cardiac function. These and other studies suggest a conceptual model in which a key function of NRG-1/ErbB signaling is to mediate adaptations of the heart to physiological and pathological stimuli through activation of intracellular kinase cascades that regulate tissue plasticity. Recent work implicates NRG-1/ErbB signaling in the regulation of multiple aspects of cardiovascular biology, including angiogenesis, blood pressure, and skeletal muscle responses to exercise. The therapeutic potential of recombinant NRG-1 as a potential treatment for heart failure has been demonstrated in animal models and is now being explored in clinical studies. NRG-1 is found in human serum and plasma, and it correlates with some clinical parameters, suggesting that it may have value as an indicator of prognosis. In this review, we bring together this growing literature on NRG-1 and its significance in cardiovascular development and disease. PMID:23104879

Hepatic AMP Kinase as a Potential Target for Treating Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Evidence from Studies of Natural Products.

PubMed

Xu, Gang; Huang, Kaixun; Zhou, Jun

2018-01-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common chronic liver disease, is the leading cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis and has consistently been implicated in related metabolic disorders, such as dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the pathogenesis of NAFLD remains to be elucidated, and no established therapeutic regimens for treating NAFLD exist. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the main cellular energy sensor, has been implicated as a key regulator of hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism. Recently, emerging evidence indicates that many plant-derived natural products are capable of ameliorating NAFLD by targeting AMPK. The published literature in PubMed relating to this topic was searched through June 2016. Significant advances have been made with respect to understanding the protective effects of plant-derived natural products against NAFLD. A variety of natural products, including alkaloids (berberine, demethyleneberberine, nicotine, caffeine, etc.), polyphenols (resveratrol, puerarin, curcumin, caffeic acid, etc.) and other compounds (β- caryophyllene, gastrodin, compound K, betulinic acid, etc.), have demonstrated promising results in preclinical studies. Mechanistic studies of these compounds have focused on their activation of AMPK and its downstream effectors involved in lipid metabolism. The findings of this review confirm that plant-derived natural products capable of activating the AMPK signaling pathway are potential therapeutic agents for NAFLD. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Understanding Teen Dating Violence: Practical screening and intervention strategies for pediatric and adolescent healthcare providers

PubMed Central

Cutter-Wilson, Elizabeth; Richmond, Tracy

2012-01-01

Purpose of Review Teen Dating Violence (TDV) is a serious and potentially lethal form of relationship violence in adolescence. TDV is highly correlated with several outcomes related to poor physical and mental health. Although incidence and prevalence data indicates high rates of exposure to TDV among adolescents throughout the United States, significant confusion remains in healthcare communities concerning the definition and implications of TDV. Additionally, healthcare providers are uncertain about effective screening and intervention methods. The article will review the definition and epidemiology of TDV and discuss possible screening and intervention strategies. Recent Findings TDV research is a relatively new addition to the field of relationship violence. Although some confusion remains, the definition and epidemiology of TDV is better understood which has greatly lead to effective ways in which to screen and intervene when such violence is detected. Universal screening with a focus on high risk subgroups combined with referrals to local and national support services are key steps in reducing both primary and secondary exposure. Summary TDV is a widespread public health crisis with serious short and long-term implications. It is necessary for pediatric and adolescent healthcare providers to be aware of TDV, its potential repercussions, as well as possible methods for screening and intervention. More research is needed to better understand TDV as well as to further define effective screening and intervention protocol for the clinical environment. PMID:21670679

Late regulation of immune genes and microRNAs in circulating leukocytes in a pig model of influenza A (H1N2) infection.

PubMed

Brogaard, Louise; Heegaard, Peter M H; Larsen, Lars E; Mortensen, Shila; Schlegel, Michael; Dürrwald, Ralf; Skovgaard, Kerstin

2016-02-19

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short regulatory RNA molecules which are implicated in modulating gene expression. Levels of circulating, cell-associated miRNAs in response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection has received limited attention so far. To further understand the temporal dynamics and biological implications of miRNA regulation in circulating leukocytes, we collected blood samples before and after (1, 3, and 14 days) IAV challenge of pigs. Differential expression of miRNAs and innate immune factor mRNA transcripts was analysed using RT-qPCR. A total of 20 miRNAs were regulated after IAV challenge, with the highest number of regulated miRNAs seen on day 14 after infection at which time the infection was cleared. Targets of the regulated miRNAs included genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Significant regulation of both miRNAs and mRNA transcripts at 14 days after challenge points to a protracted effect of IAV infection, potentially affecting the host's ability to respond to secondary infections. In conclusion, experimental IAV infection of pigs demonstrated the dynamic nature of miRNA and mRNA regulation in circulating leukocytes during and after infection, and revealed the need for further investigation of the potential immunosuppressing effect of miRNA and innate immune signaling after IAV infection.