Technical/ administrative options for managing tritium MCL exceedances in P-area groundwater and Steel Creek

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

Ross, J.

2017-04-01

This white paper was requested by the Core Team (United States Department of Energy [USDOE], United States Environmental Protection Agency [USEPA], and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control [SCDHEC]) at the P-Area Groundwater (PAGW) Operable Unit (OU) Scoping Meeting held in January 2017 to discuss recent data and potential alternatives in support of a focused Corrective Measures Study/Feasibility Study (CMS/FS). This white paper presents an overview of the problem, and a range of technical and administrative options for addressing the tritium contamination in groundwater and Steel Creek. As tritium cannot be treated practicably, alternatives are limited to mediamore » transfer, containment and natural attenuation principally relying on radioactive decay. Using other groundwater OU decisions involving tritium as precedent, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) recommends that final tritium alternatives be evaluated in a CMS/FS, understanding that the likely preferred remedy will include natural attenuation with land use controls (LUCs). This is based on the inability to significantly reduce tritium impact to Steel Creek using an engineered solution as compared to natural attenuation. The timing of this evaluation could be conducted concurrently with the final remedy evaluation for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).« less

Comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening colonoscopy vs. sigmoidoscopy and alternative strategies.

PubMed

Sharaf, Ravi N; Ladabaum, Uri

2013-01-01

Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and sigmoidoscopy are proven to decrease colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality. Sigmoidoscopy's benefit is limited to the distal colon. Observational data are conflicting regarding the degree to which colonoscopy affords protection against proximal CRC. Our aim was to explore the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of colonoscopy vs. sigmoidoscopy and alternative CRC screening strategies in light of the latest published data. We performed a contemporary cost-utility analysis using a Markov model validated against data from randomized controlled trials of FOBT and sigmoidoscopy. Persons at average CRC risk within the general US population were modeled. Screening strategies included those recommended by the United States (US) Preventive Services Task Force, including colonoscopy every 10 years (COLO), flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years (FS), annual fecal occult blood testing, annual fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), and the combination FS/FIT. The main outcome measures were quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs. In the base case, FIT dominated other strategies. The advantage of FIT over FS and COLO was contingent on rates of uptake and adherence that are well above current US rates. Compared with FIT, FS and COLO both cost <$50,000/QALY gained when FIT per-cycle adherence was <50%. COLO cost $56,800/QALY gained vs. FS in the base case. COLO cost <$100,000/QALY gained vs. FS when COLO yielded a relative risk of proximal CRC of <0.5 vs. no screening. In probabilistic analyses, COLO was cost-effective vs. FS at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY gained in 84% of iterations. Screening colonoscopy may be cost-effective compared with FIT and sigmoidoscopy, depending on the relative rates of screening uptake and adherence and the protective benefit of colonoscopy in the proximal colon. Colonoscopy's cost-effectiveness compared with sigmoidoscopy is contingent on the ability to deliver ~50% protection against CRC in the proximal colon.

Revisiting the Potential of Alternating Repetition Time Balanced Steady-State Free Precession Imaging of the Abdomen at 3 T.

PubMed

Gurney-Champion, Oliver J; Nederveen, Aart J; Klaassen, Remy; Engelbrecht, Marc R; Bel, Arjan; van Laarhoven, Hanneke W M; Stoker, Jaap; Goncalves, Sonia I

2016-09-01

The aim was to investigate the value of optimized 3-dimensional alternating repetition time balanced steady-state free precession (ATR-SSFP), as an alternative to conventional segmented balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) with fat suppression prepulse (FS-bSSFP), in single breath-hold abdominal magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T. Bloch simulations were performed to determine the optimal flip angle (FA = 1-90 degrees) and τ (1-3) with respect to signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between abdominal organs for ATR-SSFP. These were corroborated by phantom measurements for different T1/T2 values (5-47) as well as in a healthy volunteer. In addition, fat suppression efficiency was studied using phantom and volunteer measurements. The effect of resolution on image quality was studied in a healthy volunteer. Using the optimal settings, ATR-SSFP images as well as FS-bSSFP images were obtained in 15 pancreatic cancer patients. For 10 structures of interest, the signal ratio with respect to the pancreas was computed and compared between both sequences. Finally, 10 items on image quality (fat suppression, artifacts, and sharpness) and tissue conspicuity (ducts, vessels, and duodenum) were scored by 2 abdominal radiologists for both image sequences. The results of simulations, phantom measurements, and volunteer measurements showed that, considering scan time, fat suppression, and clinical relevance, the ideal settings for ATR-SSFP were as follows: τ = 3; TR1 = 3.46 milliseconds; radiofrequency phase cycling 0, 180, 180, 0 degrees; and FA = 13-16 degrees (highest SNR) and 24-26 degrees (highest CNR). The optimized feasible additional settings implemented for patient scans were FA = 18 degrees and resolution = 1.4 × 1.4 × 1.4 mm. In patients, the signal ratios of both ATR-SSFP and FS-bSSFP were comparable and had a T2-like contrast behavior, although more accentuated in ATR-SSFP. The ATR-SSFP scored significantly higher than FS-bSSFP for 9 of 10 items scored. For single breath-hold abdominal imaging at 3 T, ATR-SSFP performs best with τ = 3 and an FA between 13 degrees (highest SNR) and 26 degrees (highest CNR). The scoring of both abdominal radiologists indicated that, at τ = 3, FA = 18 degrees, and 1.4 × 1.4 × 1.4 mm resolution, ATR-SSFP was preferred over conventional FS-bSSFP with similar settings.

FLASH free-electron laser single-shot temporal diagnostic: terahertz-field-driven streaking.

PubMed

Ivanov, Rosen; Liu, Jia; Brenner, Günter; Brachmanski, Maciej; Düsterer, Stefan

2018-01-01

The commissioning of a terahertz-field-driven streak camera installed at the free-electron laser (FEL) FLASH at DESY in Hamburg, being able to deliver photon pulse duration as well as arrival time information with ∼10 fs resolution for each single XUV FEL pulse, is reported. Pulse durations between 300 fs and <15 fs have been measured for different FLASH FEL settings. A comparison between the XUV pulse arrival time and the FEL electron bunch arrival time measured at the FLASH linac section exhibits a correlation width of 20 fs r.m.s., thus demonstrating the excellent operation stability of FLASH. In addition, the terahertz-streaking setup was operated simultaneously to an alternative method to determine the FEL pulse duration based on spectral analysis. FLASH pulse duration derived from simple spectral analysis is in good agreement with that from terahertz-streaking measurement.

Sub-40 fs, 1060-nm Yb-fiber laser enhances penetration depth in nonlinear optical microscopy of human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balu, Mihaela; Saytashev, Ilyas; Hou, Jue; Dantus, Marcos; Tromberg, Bruce J.

2015-12-01

Advancing the practical utility of nonlinear optical microscopy requires continued improvement in imaging depth and contrast. We evaluated second-harmonic generation (SHG) and third-harmonic generation images from ex vivo human skin and showed that a sub-40 fs, 1060-nm Yb-fiber laser can enhance SHG penetration depth by up to 80% compared to a >100 fs, 800 nm Ti:sapphire source. These results demonstrate the potential of fiber-based laser systems to address a key performance limitation related to nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) technology while providing a low-barrier-to-access alternative to Ti:sapphire sources that could help accelerate the movement of NLOM into clinical practice.

Fat suppression with short inversion time inversion-recovery and chemical-shift selective saturation: a dual STIR-CHESS combination prepulse for turbo spin echo pulse sequences.

PubMed

Tanabe, Koji; Nishikawa, Keiichi; Sano, Tsukasa; Sakai, Osamu; Jara, Hernán

2010-05-01

To test a newly developed fat suppression magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prepulse that synergistically uses the principles of fat suppression via inversion recovery (STIR) and spectral fat saturation (CHESS), relative to pure CHESS and STIR. This new technique is termed dual fat suppression (Dual-FS). To determine if Dual-FS could be chemically specific for fat, the phantom consisted of the fat-mimicking NiCl(2) aqueous solution, porcine fat, porcine muscle, and water was imaged with the three fat-suppression techniques. For Dual-FS and STIR, several inversion times were used. Signal intensities of each image obtained with each technique were compared. To determine if Dual-FS could be robust to magnetic field inhomogeneities, the phantom consisting of different NiCl(2) aqueous solutions, porcine fat, porcine muscle, and water was imaged with Dual-FS and CHESS at the several off-resonance frequencies. To compare fat suppression efficiency in vivo, 10 volunteer subjects were also imaged with the three fat-suppression techniques. Dual-FS could suppress fat sufficiently within the inversion time of 110-140 msec, thus enabling differentiation between fat and fat-mimicking aqueous structures. Dual-FS was as robust to magnetic field inhomogeneities as STIR and less vulnerable than CHESS. The same results for fat suppression were obtained in volunteers. The Dual-FS-STIR-CHESS is an alternative and promising fat suppression technique for turbo spin echo MRI. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Complementarity of ResourceSat-1 AWiFS and Landsat TM/ETM+ sensors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goward, S.N.; Chander, G.; Pagnutti, M.; Marx, A.; Ryan, R.; Thomas, N.; Tetrault, R.

2012-01-01

Considerable interest has been given to forming an international collaboration to develop a virtual moderate spatial resolution land observation constellation through aggregation of data sets from comparable national observatories such as the US Landsat, the Indian ResourceSat and related systems. This study explores the complementarity of India's ResourceSat-1 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) with the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). The analysis focuses on the comparative radiometry, geometry, and spectral properties of the two sensors. Two applied assessments of these data are also explored to examine the strengths and limitations of these alternate sources of moderate resolution land imagery with specific application domains. There are significant technical differences in these imaging systems including spectral band response, pixel dimensions, swath width, and radiometric resolution which produce differences in observation data sets. None of these differences was found to strongly limit comparable analyses in agricultural and forestry applications. Overall, we found that the AWiFS and Landsat TM/ETM+ imagery are comparable and in some ways complementary, particularly with respect to temporal repeat frequency. We have found that there are limits to our understanding of the AWiFS performance, for example, multi-camera design and stability of radiometric calibration over time, that leave some uncertainty that has been better addressed for Landsat through the Image Assessment System and related cross-sensor calibration studies. Such work still needs to be undertaken for AWiFS and similar observatories that may play roles in the Global Earth Observation System of Systems Land Surface Imaging Constellation.

A primary estimation of PCDD/Fs release reduction from non-wood pulp and paper industry in China based on the investigation of pulp bleaching with chlorine converting to chlorine dioxide.

PubMed

Xiao, Qingcong; Song, Xiaoqian; Li, Wenchao; Zhang, Yuanna; Wang, Hongchen

2017-10-01

Chlorine bleaching technology (C process, CEH process, H process and theirs combination), which was identified as a primary formation source of PCDD/Fs, is still widely used by the vast majority of Chinese non-wood pulp and paper mills (non-wood PMs). The purpose of this study was to provide information and data support for further eliminating dioxin for non-wood PMs in China, and especially to evaluate the PCDD/Fs release reduction for those mills converting their pulp bleaching processes from CEH to ECF. The PCDD/Fs concentrations of the bleached pulp and bleaching wastewater with ECF bleaching were in the ranges of 0.13-0.8 ng TEQ kg -1 , and 0.15-1.9 pg TEQ L -1 , respectively, which were far lower than those with CEH process, indicating that the ECF process is an effective alternative bleaching technology to replace CEH in Chinese non-wood PMs to reduce dioxin release. The release factor via flue gas of the alkali recovery boiler in Chinese non-wood PMs was first reported to be 0.092 μg TEQ Ad t -1 in this study. On the assumption that pulp bleaching processes of all Chinese non-wood PMs were converted from CEH to ECF, the annual release of PCDD/Fs via the bleaching wastewater and bleached pulp would be reduced by 79.1%, with a total of 1.60 g TEQ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Type II Modic Changes May not Always Represent Fat Degeneration: A Study Using MR Fat Suppression Sequence.

PubMed

Feng, Zhiyun; Liu, Yuanhao; Wei, Wei; Hu, Shengping; Wang, Yue

2016-08-15

A radiological study of type II Modic changes (MCs). The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of type II MCs on fat suppression (FS) magnetic resonance (MR) images and its association with radiological disc degeneration. Type II MCs are common endplate signal changes on MR images. On the basis of limited histological samples, type II MCs are thought to be stable fat degeneration. FS technique on MR, which can quantify fat content, may be an alternative to explore the pathology of MCs. To date, however, the characteristics of type II MCs on FS sequence have not been studied. Lumbar MR images conducted in a single hospital during a defined period were reviewed to include those with type II MCs and FS images. On FS images, signal status of type II MCs was visually classified as suppressed or not-suppressed. Signal intensity of vertebral regions with and without MCs was measured quantitatively on T2-weighted (T2W) and FS images to calculate fat content index and validate the visual classification. Using image analysis program Osirix, MCs size and adjacent disc degeneration were measured quantitatively. Paired t-tests and logistic regressions were used to determine the associations studied. Sixty-four lumbar MRIs were included and 150 endplates with type II MCs were studied. Although signal of 37 (24.7%) type II MCs was suppressed on FS images, that of 113 (75.3%) was not suppressed. The discs adjacent to type II MCs had lower signal intensity (0.13 ± 0.003 vs. 0.14 ± 0.004, P < 0.001), lesser disc height (9.73 ± 1.97 vs. 11.07 ± 1.99, P < 0.001) and greater bulging area (80.0 ± 31.4 vs. 61.3 ± 27.5 for anterior bulging, 33.72 ± 21.24 vs. 27.93 ± 12.79 for posterior bulging, and 113.7 ± 39.9 vs. 89.2 ± 35.2 for total bulging, P < 0.05) than normal controls. Type II MCs that were not suppressed on FS image were associated with greater age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.11, P < 0.001], lower height (OR = 0.94, P < 0.05), and greater posterior bulging (OR = 1.05, P < 0.001) at the adjacent disc. Signal of most type II MCs was not suppressed on FS MR images, suggesting that there are ongoing complicated pathologies. Type II MCs may not merely represent fat replacement. 3.

The exploration of potassium ferrate(VI) as a disinfectant/coagulant in water and wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Jiang, Jia-Qian; Wang, S; Panagoulopoulos, A

2006-04-01

This paper aims to explore potassium ferrate(VI) (K2FeO4) as an alternative water treatment chemical for both drinking water and wastewater treatment. The performance of potassium ferrate(VI) was evaluated in comparison with that of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and that of NaOCl plus ferric sulphate (FS) or alum (AS). The dosages of ferrate(VI), NaOCl and FS/AS and sample pH values were varied in order to investigate the effects of these factors on the treatment performance. The study demonstrates that in drinking water treatment, ferrate(VI) can remove 10-20% more UV(254)-abs and DOC than FS for the same dose compared for natural pH range (6 and 8). The THMFP was reduced to less than 100 microg l(-1) by ferrate(VI) at a low dose. In addition to this, ferrate(VI) can achieve the disinfection targets (>6 log10 inactivation of Escherichia coliform (E. coli)) at a very low dose (6 mg l(-1) as Fe) and over wide working pH in comparison with chlorination (10 mg l(-1) as Cl2) plus coagulation (FS, 4 mg l(-1) as Fe). In wastewater treatment, ferrate(VI) can reduce 30% more COD, and kill 3log10 more bacteria compared to AS and FS at a similar or even smaller dose. Also, potassium ferrate(VI) can produce less sludge volume and remove more pollutants, which could make sludge treatment easier.

A New MRI Masking Technique Based on Multi-Atlas Brain Segmentation in Controls and Schizophrenia: A Rapid and Viable Alternative to Manual Masking.

PubMed

Del Re, Elisabetta C; Gao, Yi; Eckbo, Ryan; Petryshen, Tracey L; Blokland, Gabriëlla A M; Seidman, Larry J; Konishi, Jun; Goldstein, Jill M; McCarley, Robert W; Shenton, Martha E; Bouix, Sylvain

2016-01-01

Brain masking of MRI images separates brain from surrounding tissue and its accuracy is important for further imaging analyses. We implemented a new brain masking technique based on multi-atlas brain segmentation (MABS) and compared MABS to masks generated using FreeSurfer (FS; version 5.3), Brain Extraction Tool (BET), and Brainwash, using manually defined masks (MM) as the gold standard. We further determined the effect of different masking techniques on cortical and subcortical volumes generated by FreeSurfer. Images were acquired on a 3-Tesla MR Echospeed system General Electric scanner on five control and five schizophrenia subjects matched on age, sex, and IQ. Automated masks were generated from MABS, FS, BET, and Brainwash, and compared to MM using these metrics: a) volume difference from MM; b) Dice coefficients; and c) intraclass correlation coefficients. Mean volume difference between MM and MABS masks was significantly less than the difference between MM and FS or BET masks. Dice coefficient between MM and MABS was significantly higher than Dice coefficients between MM and FS, BET, or Brainwash. For subcortical and left cortical regions, MABS volumes were closer to MM volumes than were BET or FS volumes. For right cortical regions, MABS volumes were closer to MM volumes than were BET volumes. Brain masks generated using FreeSurfer, BET, and Brainwash are rapidly obtained, but are less accurate than manually defined masks. Masks generated using MABS, in contrast, resemble more closely the gold standard of manual masking, thereby offering a rapid and viable alternative. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Determination of PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in human milk from mothers residing in the rural areas in Flanders, using the CALUX bioassay and GC-HRMS.

PubMed

Croes, K; Colles, A; Koppen, G; De Galan, S; Vandermarken, T; Govarts, E; Bruckers, L; Nelen, V; Schoeters, G; Van Larebeke, N; Denison, M S; Mampaey, M; Baeyens, W

2013-09-15

Since the CALUX (Chemically Activated LUciferase gene eXpression) bioassay is a fast and inexpensive tool for the determination of dioxin-like compounds in a large number of samples and requires only small sample volumes, the use of this technique in human biomonitoring programs provides a good alternative to GC-HRMS. In this study, a new CALUX method for the separate analysis of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) in small amounts of human milk samples with the new sensitive H1L7.5c1 cell line was used to analyze 84 human milk samples, collected from mothers residing in the Flemish rural communities. The geometric mean CALUX-Bioanalytical Equivalent (CALUX-BEQ) values, reported for the 84 mothers from the study area were 10.4 (95% CI: 9.4-11.4) pg CALUX-BEQ per gram lipid or 0.41 (95% CI: 0.37-0.45) pg CALUX-BEQ per gram milk for the PCDD/Fs and 1.73 (1.57-1.91) pg CALUX-BEQ per gram lipid or 0.07 (95% CI: 0.06-0.08) pg CALUX-BEQ per gram milk for the dioxin-like PCBs. Multiple regression analysis showed significant associations between PCDD/Fs and weight change after pregnancy, smoking and consumption of local eggs. One pooled human milk sample was analyzed with both CALUX and GC-HRMS. The ratio of CALUX and GC-HRMS results for this sample were respectively 1.60, 0.58 and 1.23 for the PCDD/Fs, the dl-PCBs and the sum of both fractions, when using the 2005-TEF values. Additionally, also low levels of certain brominated dioxins and furans were detected in the pooled sample with GC-HRMS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of probe level on the tuning of stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions and behavioral test in human.

PubMed

Wang, Yao; Gong, Qin; Zhang, Tao

2016-05-10

Frequency selectivity (FS) of the auditory system is established at the level of the cochlea and it is important for the perception of complex sounds. Although direct measurements of cochlear FS require surgical preparation, it can also be estimated with the measurements of otoacoustic emissions or behavioral tests, including stimulus frequency otoacoustic emission suppression tuning curves (SFOAE STCs) or psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs). These two methods result in similar estimates of FS at low probe levels. As the compressive nonlinearity of cochlea is strongly dependent on the stimulus intensity, the sharpness of tuning curves which is relevant to the cochlear nonlinearity will change as a function of probe level. The present study aims to investigate the influence of different probe levels on the relationship between SFOAE STCs and PTCs. The study included 15 young subjects with normal hearing. SFOAE STCs and PTCs were recorded at low and moderate probe levels for frequencies centred at 1, 2, and 4 kHz. The ratio or the difference of the characteristic parameters between the two methods was calculated at each probe level. The effect of probe level on the ratio or the difference between the parameters of SFOAE STCs and PTCs was then statistically analysed. The tuning of SFOAE STCs was significantly positively correlated with the tuning of the PTCs at both low and moderate probe levels; yet, at the moderate probe level, the SFOAE STCs were consistently broader than the PTCs. The mean ratio of sharpness of tuning at low probe levels was constantly around 1 while around 1.5 at moderate probe levels. Probe level had a significant effect on the sharpness of tuning between the two methods of estimating FS. SFOAE STC seems a good alternative measurement of PTC for FS assessment at low probe levels. At moderate probe levels, SFOAE STC and PTC were not equivalent measures of the FS in terms of their bandwidths. Because SFOAE STCs are not biased by higher levels auditory processing, they may represent cochlear FS better than PTCs.

Evaluation of EIS alternatives by the science integration team, volume I.

Treesearch

Thomas M. Quigley; Kristine M. Lee; Sylvia J. Arbelbide

1997-01-01

The Evaluation of EIS Alternatives by the Science Integration Team describes the outcomes, interactions, effects, and consequences likely to result from implementing seven different management strategies on Forest Service (FS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands within the Interior Columbia Basin and portions of the Klamath and Great Basins. Two...

Pulmonary nocardiosis

MedlinePlus

... you and listen to your lungs using a stethoscope. You may have abnormal lung sounds, called crackles. ... returning. Alternative Names Nocardiosis - pulmonary; Mycetoma; Nocardia Images Respiratory system References Southwick FS. Nocardiosis. In: Goldman L, ...

Alternative method for enteric coating of HPMC capsules resulting in ready-to-use enteric-coated capsules.

PubMed

Huyghebaert, Nathalie; Vermeire, An; Remon, Jean Paul

2004-04-01

The aim of this study was to develop an alternative method for enteric coating of HPMC capsules that avoids the sealing step before coating, resulting in ready-to-use enteric-coated capsules for the use in retail or hospital pharmacy or R&D sections of pharmaceutical industry and for the production of enteric-coated heat and moisture sensitive biomaterials. HPMC caps and bodies 00 (Vcaps, Capsugel) were coated separately in a fluid bed apparatus prior to filling (GPCG-1, Glatt) with Eudragit L30D-55 or Eudragit FS 30 D (Röhm), Aqoat AS-HF (Shin-Etsu) and Sureteric (Colorcon), using an optimised coating process. The coated bodies were filled and closed with the coated caps without encountering problems of coating damage. The release in 0.1N HCl after 2h from capsules coated with Eudragit L30D-55, Eudragit FS 30 D, Aqoat AS-HF and Sureteric was 0.6+/-.03, 0.6+/-0.3, 1.2+/-0.2 and 7.3+/-1.9%, respectively. The alternative method was reproducible and offered a way to overcome the time-consuming and expensive sealing step required using the conventional coating procedure. The obtained enteric-coated HPMC capsules can be stored (un)-filled for at least 6 months without loosing enteric properties.

Installation Restoration Program. Feasibility Study for Sites 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Michigan Air National Guard. Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Alpena, Michigan.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-04-01

This study is to screen and evaluate remediation alternatives for IRP sites at Alpena CR TC, Alpena , MI. The purpose of this FS is to develop, screen... Alpena CRTC. The first step in the PS process is to identify the RAOs and general response actions (GRAs). RAOs consist of medium-specific or site

Analytical electron microscope study of the omega phase transformation in a zirconium-niobium alloy

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

Zaluzec, N. J.

1979-01-01

The study of the as-quenched omega phase morphology shows that the domain size of Zr-15% Nb is on the order of 30 A. No alignment of omega domains along <222>..beta.. directions was observed and samples having undergone thermal cycling in thin foil form, did not develop a long-period structure of alternating ..beta.. and ..omega.. phases below the omega transformation temperature. (FS)

Landfill Remediation Feasibility Study, Devens, Massachusetts. Volume 1. Text, Figures, and Tables

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-01-01

REMEDIATION FEASIBILITY STUDY DEVENS , MA Remedial Action Alternative Retained Eliminated PA-i: Cap-in-Place AOCs 9, 11, 40, 41 X Excavate/Dispose... AOC * 9 & 40 LANDFILL REMEDIATION FEASIBIUTY STUDY DEVENS , MA DIRECT COSTS NO FURTHER ACTION SA 6 $ 0 SA 12 0 SA 13 0 AOC 41 0 LIMITED REMOVAL AT AOC ... Fort Devens ), Devens , Massachusetts. 11 12 The FS is being conducted in accordance with the U.S. Environmental

Emissions of PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs, dioxin like-PCBs and PAHs from a cement plant using a long-term monitoring system.

PubMed

Conesa, Juan A; Ortuño, Nuria; Abad, Esteban; Rivera-Austrui, Joan

2016-11-15

The aim of the present work was to assess the emission of different persistent organic pollutants from a cement plant over a period of one year, under normal operational conditions. Thus, a long-term sampling device was installed in the clinker kiln stack of the cement plant. The factory uses petroleum coke as primary fuel, but also alternative fuels such as solid recovered fuel (SRF), automotive shredder residue (ASR), sewage sludge, waste tires, and meat and bone meal (MBM) wastes, with an energy substitution level of about 40%. Both PCDD/Fs (together with dl-PCBs) and PBDD/Fs were continuously sampled, with a total of ten samples collected in 2-4week periods. Also, PAHs were sampled during one-week periods, in order to evaluate their emissions in three different samples. The emission levels throughout the year were much lower than the set legal limits in all substances, being <10pgI-TEQ/Nm(3) in the case of PCDD/Fs. The data obtained allowed calculation of updated emission factors for the cement sector, which were 8.5ng I-TEQ/ton clinker for PCDD/Fs and 3.2ng WHO-TEQ/ton clinker for PCBs. With respect to the congener distribution, 2,3,7,8-TCDF accounts for 60 to 68% of the total toxicity for PCDD/Fs, and in PBDD/F emissions, a clear predominance of octa-substituted species (both dioxin and furan) was found. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remedial investigation/feasibility study for the David Witherspoon, Inc., 901 Site, Knoxville, Tennessee: Volume 1

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

NONE

1996-10-01

This remedial investigation (RI)/feasibility study (FS) supports the selection of remedial actions for the David Witherspoon, Inc. 901 Maryville Pike Site in Knoxville, Tennessee. Operations at the site, used as a recycling center, have resulted in past, present, and potential future releases of hazardous substances in to the environment. This Site is a Tennessee Superfund site. A phased approach was planned to (1) gather existing data from previous investigations managed by the Tenn. Dept. of Environment and Conservation; (2) perform a preliminary RI, including risk assessments, and an FS with existing data to identify areas where remedial action may bemore » necessary; (3) gather additional field data to adequately define the nature and extent of risk-based contaminants that present identifiable threats to human and/or ecological receptors; and (4) develop remedial action alternatives to reduce risks to acceptable levels.« less

Remedial investigation/feasibility study badger army ammunition plant Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 2. Feasibility study report

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

NONE

1994-08-01

This Feasibility Study (FS) report for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was prepared by ABB Environmental Services, Inc. (ABB-ES) as a component of Task Order 1 of Contract DAAAl5-91-D-OOO8 with the U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC). This report uses the results presented in the Final Remedial Investigation (RI) report (ABB-ES, 1993a) to develop and screen alternatives for remediation of contaminated media at BAAP. The purpose of this FS report is to develop, screen, and evaluate site-specific remedial alternatives to mitigate the impact of site-derived chemicals and ultimately provide protection of human health and the environment. Preferredmore » alternatives for each site are included in this report. Based on previous environmental studies at BAAP, 11 potential hazardous waste sites were ranked according to potential contributions of hazardous chemicals to the environment. These sites were designated as Waste Management Areas because some of the sites contain multiple Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). The sites selected to undergo facility assessment and corrective actions are: the Propellant Burning Ground (including Landfill), Deterrent Burning Ground, existing Landfill, Settling Ponds and Spoils Disposal Area, Rocket Paste Area, Oleum Plant and Oleum Plant Pond, Nitroglycerine Pond, old Acid Area, new Acid Area, and Ballistics Pond. The USAEC added an 11th site, the Old Fuel Oil Tank, to the list in October 1989 after discovery of fuel-contaminated soils during excavation of a water line in the vicinity of the old fuel oil tank foundation.« less

Remedial investigation/feasibility study badger army ammunition plant Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 3. Feasibility study report (Final)

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

NONE

1994-08-01

This Feasibility Study (FS) report for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was prepared by ABB Environmental Services, Inc. (ABB-ES) as a component of Task Order 1 of Contract DAAAl5-91-D-OOO8 with the U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC). This report uses the results presented in the Final Remedial Investigation (RI) report (ABB-ES, 1993a) to develop and screen alternatives for remediation of contaminated media at BAAP. The purpose of this FS report is to develop, screen, and evaluate site-specific remedial alternatives to mitigate the impact of site-derived chemicals and ultimately provide protection of human health and the environment. Preferredmore » alternatives for each site are included in this report. Based on previous environmental studies at BAAP, 11 potential hazardous waste sites were ranked according to potential contributions of hazardous chemicals to the environment. These sites were designated as Waste Management Areas because some of the sites contain multiple Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). The sites selected to undergo facility assessment and corrective actions are: the Propellant Burning Ground (including Landfill), Deterrent Burning Ground, existing Landfill, Settling Ponds and Spoils Disposal Area, Rocket Paste Area, Oleum Plant and Oleum Plant Pond, Nitroglycerine Pond, old Acid Area, new Acid Area, and Ballistics Pond. The USAEC added an 11th site, the Old Fuel Oil Tank, to the list in October 1989 after discovery of fuel-contaminated soils during excavation of a water line in the vicinity of the old fuel oil tank foundation.« less

Remedial investigation/feasibility study badger army ammunition plant Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 1. Feasibility study report

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

NONE

1994-08-01

This Feasibility Study (FS) report for the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP) in Baraboo, Wisconsin, was prepared by ABB Environmental Services, Inc. (ABB-ES) as a component of Task Order 1 of Contract DAAAl5-91-D-OOO8 with the U.S. Army Environmental Center (USAEC). This report uses the results presented in the Final Remedial Investigation (RI) report (ABB-ES, 1993a) to develop and screen alternatives for remediation of contaminated media at BAAP. The purpose of this FS report is to develop, screen, and evaluate site-specific remedial alternatives to mitigate the impact of site-derived chemicals and ultimately provide protection of human health and the environment. Preferredmore » alternatives for each site are included in this report. Based on previous environmental studies at BAAP, 11 potential hazardous waste sites were ranked according to potential contributions of hazardous chemicals to the environment. These sites were designated as Waste Management Areas because some of the sites contain multiple Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs). The sites selected to undergo facility assessment and corrective actions are: the Propellant Burning Ground (including Landfill), Deterrent Burning Ground, existing Landfill, Settling Ponds and Spoils Disposal Area, Rocket Paste Area, Oleum Plant and Oleum Plant Pond, Nitroglycerine Pond, old Acid Area, new Acid Area, and Ballistics Pond. The USAEC added an 11th site, the Old Fuel Oil Tank, to the list in October 1989 after discovery of fuel-contaminated soils during excavation of a water line in the vicinity of the old fuel oil tank foundation.« less

An alternative model to distribute VO software to WLCG sites based on CernVM-FS: a prototype at PIC Tier1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanciotti, E.; Merino, G.; Bria, A.; Blomer, J.

2011-12-01

In a distributed computing model as WLCG the software of experiment specific application software has to be efficiently distributed to any site of the Grid. Application software is currently installed in a shared area of the site visible for all Worker Nodes (WNs) of the site through some protocol (NFS, AFS or other). The software is installed at the site by jobs which run on a privileged node of the computing farm where the shared area is mounted in write mode. This model presents several drawbacks which cause a non-negligible rate of job failure. An alternative model for software distribution based on the CERN Virtual Machine File System (CernVM-FS) has been tried at PIC, the Spanish Tierl site of WLCG. The test bed used and the results are presented in this paper.

Identification of informative features for predicting proinflammatory potentials of engine exhausts.

PubMed

Wang, Chia-Chi; Lin, Ying-Chi; Lin, Yuan-Chung; Jhang, Syu-Ruei; Tung, Chun-Wei

2017-08-18

The immunotoxicity of engine exhausts is of high concern to human health due to the increasing prevalence of immune-related diseases. However, the evaluation of immunotoxicity of engine exhausts is currently based on expensive and time-consuming experiments. It is desirable to develop efficient methods for immunotoxicity assessment. To accelerate the development of safe alternative fuels, this study proposed a computational method for identifying informative features for predicting proinflammatory potentials of engine exhausts. A principal component regression (PCR) algorithm was applied to develop prediction models. The informative features were identified by a sequential backward feature elimination (SBFE) algorithm. A total of 19 informative chemical and biological features were successfully identified by SBFE algorithm. The informative features were utilized to develop a computational method named FS-CBM for predicting proinflammatory potentials of engine exhausts. FS-CBM model achieved a high performance with correlation coefficient values of 0.997 and 0.943 obtained from training and independent test sets, respectively. The FS-CBM model was developed for predicting proinflammatory potentials of engine exhausts with a large improvement on prediction performance compared with our previous CBM model. The proposed method could be further applied to construct models for bioactivities of mixtures.

CHARACTERIZING SOILS FOR HAZAROUDS WASTE SITE ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance to Remedial Project Managers (RPM) and On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) concerning soil characterization data types required for decision-making in the CERCLA RI/FS process related to risk assessment and remedial alternative evaluation ...

Guillain-Barré syndrome in a local area in Japan, 2006-2015: an epidemiological and clinical study of 108 patients.

PubMed

Matsui, N; Nodera, H; Kuzume, D; Iwasa, N; Unai, Y; Sakai, W; Miyazaki, Y; Yamazaki, H; Osaki, Y; Mori, A; Furukawa, T; Tsukamoto-Miyashiro, A; Shimatani, Y; Yamasaki, M; Izumi, Y; Kusunoki, S; Arisawa, K; Kaji, R

2018-05-01

Many epidemiological studies of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Fisher syndrome (FS) have been conducted in Europe and America. In contrast, epidemiological studies are rare in Asia where the GBS subtypes differ from those in Western countries. This study was undertaken to clarify the incidence of GBS and FS in a local area in Japan as well as their seasonal trends. Seventy-one GBS and 37 FS patients were recorded from 2006 to 2015 in an area of approximately 1.5 million inhabitants in Japan. The incidence, seasonal trends and clinical features of GBS and FS were examined. The incidence rate of GBS was 0.42 cases per 100 000 person-years and that of FS was 0.22 cases per 100 000 person-years. The incidence of GBS increased with age and FS affected predominantly patients aged from 45 to 64 years old. There was some seasonal clustering of acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) and FS in spring and summer, but it was not significant. AMAN and FS patients had a high frequency of preceding infection (AMAN, 68% gastrointestinal infection; FS, 65% upper respiratory infection). Antecedent respiratory infection was significantly associated with FS as an outcome. Serum antibodies to ganglioside GM1 were detected in 71% of AMAN patients and antibodies to GQ1b were detected in 81% of FS patients. Our study offers evidence of a lower incidence of GBS and a higher incidence of FS in a local area in Japan than in Western countries. © 2018 EAN.

Towards shot-noise limited diffraction experiments with table-top femtosecond hard x-ray sources.

PubMed

Holtz, Marcel; Hauf, Christoph; Weisshaupt, Jannick; Salvador, Antonio-Andres Hernandez; Woerner, Michael; Elsaesser, Thomas

2017-09-01

Table-top laser-driven hard x-ray sources with kilohertz repetition rates are an attractive alternative to large-scale accelerator-based systems and have found widespread applications in x-ray studies of ultrafast structural dynamics. Hard x-ray pulses of 100 fs duration have been generated at the Cu K α wavelength with a photon flux of up to 10 9 photons per pulse into the full solid angle, perfectly synchronized to the sub-100-fs optical pulses from the driving laser system. Based on spontaneous x-ray emission, such sources display a particular noise behavior which impacts the sensitivity of x-ray diffraction experiments. We present a detailed analysis of the photon statistics and temporal fluctuations of the x-ray flux, together with experimental strategies to optimize the sensitivity of optical pump/x-ray probe experiments. We demonstrate measurements close to the shot-noise limit of the x-ray source.

Towards shot-noise limited diffraction experiments with table-top femtosecond hard x-ray sources

PubMed Central

Holtz, Marcel; Hauf, Christoph; Weisshaupt, Jannick; Salvador, Antonio-Andres Hernandez; Woerner, Michael; Elsaesser, Thomas

2017-01-01

Table-top laser-driven hard x-ray sources with kilohertz repetition rates are an attractive alternative to large-scale accelerator-based systems and have found widespread applications in x-ray studies of ultrafast structural dynamics. Hard x-ray pulses of 100 fs duration have been generated at the Cu Kα wavelength with a photon flux of up to 109 photons per pulse into the full solid angle, perfectly synchronized to the sub-100-fs optical pulses from the driving laser system. Based on spontaneous x-ray emission, such sources display a particular noise behavior which impacts the sensitivity of x-ray diffraction experiments. We present a detailed analysis of the photon statistics and temporal fluctuations of the x-ray flux, together with experimental strategies to optimize the sensitivity of optical pump/x-ray probe experiments. We demonstrate measurements close to the shot-noise limit of the x-ray source. PMID:28795079

What is the role of impression management in adolescent cigarette smoking?

PubMed

O'Callaghan, F; Doyle, J

2001-01-01

This study examined the role of impression management in cigarette smoking by linking the constructs of self-monitoring, perceived success in impression management, self-esteem and social anxiety among nonsmokers (NS), occasional smokers (OS), and frequent smokers (FS). High school students (N=243) in years 8-12 completed a questionnaire assessing the above-mentioned variables. Multivariate discriminant function analysis and a priori contrasts were used to analyze the data. In comparison to OS, FS and NS had the lowest levels of self-monitoring, perceived success in impression management and self-esteem, while having the highest levels of social anxiety. Cigarette use may serve an impression management function during adolescence and subsequently influences OS' level of smoking. Intervention programs need to give greater consideration to providing adolescents with alternative strategies for both social acceptance and the acquisition and maintenance of self-esteem.

Evaluation of PCDD/Fs emissions during ceramic production: a laboratory study.

PubMed

Lu, Mang; Luo, Yi-Jing; Zhang, Zhong-Zhi; Xiao, Meng; Zhang, Min

2012-08-30

Because of the ubiquity of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in kaolinitic clays, the ceramic industry is considered to be a potential source of PCDD/Fs. However, studies on the emission of PCDD/Fs from ceramic production are still very scarce. In this study, PCDD/Fs emissions during ceramic production were investigated in an electric laboratory batch kiln. The results showed that the PCDD/Fs were completely removed from the ceramic pieces after 30 min of firing at the peak temperature of 1200°C. Nevertheless, on the mass and international toxic equivalent basis, 27.5% and 46.2% of the total PCDD/Fs amount in the raw clay were released into the atmosphere during firing, respectively. These PCDD/Fs were emitted into the air before the temperature was elevated to a level high enough for their destruction. Dechlorination reactions generated a broad distribution within the PCDD/Fs congeners including a variety of non-2,3,7,8-substituted ones. The emission of PCDD/Fs was decreased to 16.3 wt.% of the total PCDD/Fs amount in the raw clay, when the initial kiln temperature was enhanced to 600°C. The emission of PCDD/Fs could be reduced significantly in the presence of a glaze coating on the ceramic test piece. These results indicated that ceramic production is an un-neglectable source of PCDD/Fs in the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional study on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Mbita district, western Kenya using different copromicroscopic techniques.

PubMed

Ng'etich, Annette I; Rawago, Fredrick O; Jura, Walter G Z O; Mwinzi, Pauline N; Won, Kimberly Y; Odiere, Maurice R

2016-02-16

Identification of populations to be targeted for individual treatment and broad-spectrum therapy in schistosomiasis-endemic areas, assessment of therapy efficacy, morbidity, and evaluation of control strategies need to be based on reliable diagnostic tools. Kato-Katz is routinely used and remains the standard diagnostic technique for schistosomiasis, despite its many challenges. This study was conducted in Nyamanga village, Mbita, western Kenya, and evaluated the diagnostic performance of Kato-Katz, Mini-Parasep and modified Mini-FLOTAC techniques in detection of Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm) ova. Stool samples from 132 individuals were screened for eggs of S. mansoni by the 3 techniques. Mini-Parasep faecal parasite concentrator (Apacor Ltd, England), a single-use diagnostic device with a built-in filter for faecal concentration of helminth eggs by sedimentation was employed on stool samples fixed in 10% formalin. A modified Mini-FLOTAC (University of Naples, Italy) was based on floatation of helminths eggs with two different solutions (FS2 and FS7) using a closed system (Fill-FLOTAC) with 5% formalin. Kato-Katz was performed following WHO recommendation. Prevalence of S. mansoni and STH, sensitivity and degree of agreement among the 3 techniques were determined. Prevalence of S. mansoni was 47.0%, 34.1% and 20.5% by Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 techniques, respectively. Prevalence of any STH infection was 6.1%, 3.0%, 6.1% and 6.8% by Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz, modified Mini-FLOTAC FS2 and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 techniques, respectively. Considering the pooled results of the three methods (Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7) as diagnostic 'gold' standard, the sensitivity of Mini-Parasep, Kato-Katz and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 for S. mansoni was 77.5%, 56.1%, and 33.8%, respectively. Mini-Parasep and modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 techniques had moderate (κ = 0.46) and fairly good (κ = 0.25) agreements with Kato-Katz for S. mansoni, respectively. Mini-Parasep detected a higher proportion of light intensity S. mansoni infections compared to Kato-Katz, which detected high proportions of heavy infections. Mini-Parasep detected a similar mean number of S. mansoni eggs per gram (EPG) of stool compared to the standard Kato-Katz (62.9 vs 97.3; t (131) = -0.49, P = 0.6265) and significantly higher EPG compared to the modified Mini-FLOTAC FS7 (62.9 vs 34.6; t (131) = 5.39, P < 0.0001). The high sensitivity of Mini-Parasep suggests its promising potential as an alternative tool in enhancing diagnosis and in monitoring schistosomiasis transmission and determining endpoint of intervention programs, especially in low endemicity areas. Mini-Parasep is also easy to operate, safe and also permits work with fresh stool.

Preoperative retrolisthesis as a predictive risk factor of reoperation due to delayed-onset symptomatic foraminal stenosis after central decompression for lumbar canal stenosis without fusion.

PubMed

Ikegami, Daisuke; Hosono, Noboru; Mukai, Yoshihiro; Tateishi, Kosuke; Fuji, Takeshi

2017-08-01

For patients diagnosed with lumbar central canal stenosis with asymptomatic foraminal stenosis (FS), surgeons occasionally only decompress central stenosis and preserve asymptomatic FS. These surgeries have the potential risk of converting preoperative asymptomatic FS into symptomatic FS postoperatively by accelerating spinal degeneration, which requires reoperation. However, little is known about delayed-onset symptomatic FS postoperatively. This study aimed to evaluate the rate of reoperation for delayed-onset symptomatic FS after lumbar central canal decompression in patients with preoperative asymptomatic FS, and determine the predictive risk factors of those reoperations. This study is a retrospective cohort study. Two hundred eight consecutive patients undergoing posterior central decompression for lumbar canal stenosis between January 2009 and June 2014 were included in this study. The number of patients who had preoperative FS and the reoperation rate for delayed-onset symptomatic FS at the index levels were the outcome measures. Patients were divided into two groups with and without preoperative asymptomatic FS at the decompressed levels. The baseline characteristics and revision rates for delayed-onset symptomatic FS were compared between the two groups. Predictive risk factors for such reoperations were determined using multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristics analyses. Preoperatively, 118 patients (56.7%) had asymptomatic FS. Of those, 18 patients (15.3%) underwent reoperation for delayed-onset symptomatic FS at a mean of 1.9 years after the initial surgery. Posterior slip in neutral position and posterior extension-neutral translation were significant risk factors for reoperation due to FS. The optimal cutoff values of posterior slip in neutral position and posterior extension-neutral translation for predicting the occurrence of such reoperations were both 1 mm; 66.7% of patients who met both of these cutoff values had undergone reoperation. This study demonstrated that 15.3% of patients with preoperative asymptomatic FS underwent reoperation for delayed-onset symptomatic FS at the index levels at a mean of 1.9 years after central decompression, and preoperative retrolisthesis was a predictive risk factor for such a reoperation. These findings are valuable for establishing standards of appropriate treatment strategies in patients with lumbar central canal stenosis with asymptomatic FS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conditioning of sewage sludge by Fenton's reagent combined with skeleton builders.

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Yang, Jiakuan; Shi, Yafei; Li, Ye; He, Shu; Yang, Changzhu; Yao, Hong

2012-06-01

Physical conditioners, often known as skeleton builders, are commonly used to improve the dewaterability of sewage sludge. This study evaluated a novel joint usage of Fenton's reagent and skeleton builders, referred to as the F-S inorganic composite conditioner, focusing on their efficacies and the optimization of the major operational parameters. The results demonstrate that the F-S composite conditioner for conditioning sewage sludge is a viable alternative to conventional organic polymers, especially when ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and lime are used as the skeleton builders. Experimental investigations confirmed that Fenton reaction required sufficient time (80 min in this study) to degrade organics in the sludge. The optimal condition of this process was at pH=5, Fe(2+)=40 mg g(-1) (dry solids), H(2)O(2)=32 mg g(-1), OPC=300 mg g(-1) and lime=400 mg g(-1), in which the specific resistance to filtration reduction efficiency of 95% was achieved. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Adding Spices to Reduced Sugar Foods on Overall Liking

PubMed Central

Marker, Ryan; Pan, Zhaoxing; Breen, Jeanne Anne; Hill, James O.

2018-01-01

Abstract Reducing sugar intake is a major public health goal but many consumers are reluctant to use low calorie sweeteners. Two studies were conducted in healthy adults aged 18 to 65 to investigate whether addition of culinary spices to foods reduced in sugar could preserve hedonic liking. Test foods, black tea, oatmeal, and apple crisp, were prepared in full sugar (FS), reduced sugar (RS), and reduced sugar with spice (RSS) versions. Sugar reductions were 100%, 35%, and 37% for tea, oatmeal, and apple crisp, respectively. In Study 1, 160 subjects rated absolute liking of FS, RS, and RSS versions of a breakfast of oatmeal and tea and an afternoon snack of apple crisp on consecutive weeks. In Study 2, 150 subjects rated relative liking of all 3 versions of one food at the same seating, with different foods tested 1 wk apart. Liking was assessed using a 9‐point Likert scale. Both studies yielded similar results. For all 3 test items, liking was significantly higher for FS than for RS (P < 0.03). For tea, addition of spices did not significantly improve liking in either study. For oatmeal, addition of spices did not consistently improve liking compared to RS. For apple crisp, relative liking of RSS was not different then FS. These results indicate that it is possible to preserve the hedonic pleasure of a reduced sugar version of a dessert food, apple crisp, by addition of culinary spices. This may be a promising strategy to reduce sugar in some foods without using low calorie sweeteners. Practical Application Reducing sugar consumption is an important public health goal. Many consumers are reluctant to use low calorie sweeteners and alternative approaches are needed. Using culinary spices to enhance the flavor of foods may allow sugar reduction while still preserving acceptable overall liking. PMID:29476623

Socio-cultural acceptability of urine diverted composting toilets: A review of literature for possible adoption in peri-urban areas as a sustainable sanitation solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Sk. Kabir; Ahmed, Sarder Shakil

2017-12-01

The improvements of strategies and treatment options adapted to conditions prevailing in developing countries have long been neglected as regards faecal sludge (FS) - the by-products of on-site sanitation installations. In recent years, an encouraging number of initiatives towards improved FS management, including appropriate FS treatment schemes, have been developed, particularly in Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam and Bangladesh. These initiatives assist urban and peri-urban dwellers and authorities to overcome the challenges of undifferentiating and uncontrolled disposal of faecal sludge into drains, canals and onto open spaces, thus producing a "faecal film" in urban areas that impair public health and cause pollution. Though people around the world are buying, or being offered with, pit latrines, shared toilets, or other enhanced sanitation solutions, this is vital to reduce transmission of diseases; questions arise about how to deal with the fecal sludge management. Sanitation is the hygienic way of upholding health through avoidance of human contact with the hazards of wastes as well as the treatment and proper disposal of sewage or wastewater. Waterborne diseases are the single most vital cause of death and illness in developing countries. The understanding of social issues is paramount introducing an alternative sanitation system. Although treating excreta is a universal aspect of human existence, the topic has not been rigorously investigated by social scientists identifying three cultural influences that affect the acceptance (or rejection) of an alternative sanitation system: psychology, religion and gender. Composting literature review focuses on increasing awareness and developing good understanding of composting toilets as an alternative urban sanitation technology.

Fast alternating projection methods for constrained tomographic reconstruction

PubMed Central

Liu, Li; Han, Yongxin

2017-01-01

The alternating projection algorithms are easy to implement and effective for large-scale complex optimization problems, such as constrained reconstruction of X-ray computed tomography (CT). A typical method is to use projection onto convex sets (POCS) for data fidelity, nonnegative constraints combined with total variation (TV) minimization (so called TV-POCS) for sparse-view CT reconstruction. However, this type of method relies on empirically selected parameters for satisfactory reconstruction and is generally slow and lack of convergence analysis. In this work, we use a convex feasibility set approach to address the problems associated with TV-POCS and propose a framework using full sequential alternating projections or POCS (FS-POCS) to find the solution in the intersection of convex constraints of bounded TV function, bounded data fidelity error and non-negativity. The rationale behind FS-POCS is that the mathematically optimal solution of the constrained objective function may not be the physically optimal solution. The breakdown of constrained reconstruction into an intersection of several feasible sets can lead to faster convergence and better quantification of reconstruction parameters in a physical meaningful way than that in an empirical way of trial-and-error. In addition, for large-scale optimization problems, first order methods are usually used. Not only is the condition for convergence of gradient-based methods derived, but also a primal-dual hybrid gradient (PDHG) method is used for fast convergence of bounded TV. The newly proposed FS-POCS is evaluated and compared with TV-POCS and another convex feasibility projection method (CPTV) using both digital phantom and pseudo-real CT data to show its superior performance on reconstruction speed, image quality and quantification. PMID:28253298

Water supply dynamics and quality of alternative water sources in low-income areas of Lilongwe City, Malawi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chidya, Russel C. G.; Mulwafu, Wapulumuka O.; Banda, Sembeyawo C. T.

2016-06-01

Recent studies in many developing countries have shown that Small Scale Independent Providers (SSIPs) in low-income areas (LIAs) are practical alternatives to water utilities. This study explored supply dynamics and quality of alternative water sources in four LIAs of Lilongwe City in Malawi using qualitative and quantitative methods. Household-level surveys (n = 120) and transect walks were employed to determine the socio-economic activities in the areas. One-on-one discussions were made with water source owners (SSIPs) (n = 24). Data on policy and institutional frameworks was collected through desktop study and Key Informant Interviews (n = 25). Quality of the water sources (shallow wells and boreholes) was determined by collecting grab samples (n = 24) in triplicate using 500 mL bottles. Selected physico-chemical and microbiological parameters were measured: pH, EC, TDS, turbidity, water temperature, salinity, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cl-, F-, NO3-, alkalinity, water hardness, Fecal coliform (FC) and Faecal Streptococci (FS) bacteria. Water quality data was compared with Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water. Shallow wells were reported (65%, n = 120) to be the main source of water for household use in all areas. Some policies like prohibition of boreholes and shallow wells in City locations were in conflict with other provisions of water supply, sanitation and housing. High levels of FC (0-2100 cfu/100 mL) and FS (0-1490 cfu/100 mL) at several sites (>90%, n = 24) suggest water contamination likely to impact on human health. This calls for upgrading and recognition of the water sources for improved water service delivery.

Fat suppression in magnetic resonance imaging of the head and neck region: is the two-point DIXON technique superior to spectral fat suppression?

PubMed

Wendl, Christina M; Eiglsperger, Johannes; Dendl, Lena-Marie; Brodoefel, Harald; Schebesch, Karl-Michael; Stroszczynski, Christian; Fellner, Claudia

2018-05-01

The aim of our study was to systematically compare two-point Dixon fat suppression (FS) and spectral FS techniques in contrast enhanced imaging of the head and neck region. Three independent readers analysed coronal T 1 weighted images recorded after contrast medium injection with Dixon and spectral FS techniques with regard to FS homogeneity, motion artefacts, lesion contrast, image sharpness and overall image quality. 85 patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Images generated with Dixon-FS technique were of higher overall image quality and had a more homogenous FS over the whole field of view compared with the standard spectral fat-suppressed images (p < 0.001). Concerning motion artefacts, flow artefacts, lesion contrast and image sharpness no statistically significant difference was observed. The Dixon-FS technique is superior to the spectral technique due to improved homogeneity of FS and overall image quality while maintaining lesion contrast. Advances in knowledge: T 1 with Dixon FS technique offers, compared to spectral FS, significantly improved FS homogeneity and over all image quality in imaging of the head and neck region.

Recurrence of febrile seizure in Yazd, Iran.

PubMed

Fallah, Razieh; Karbasi, Sedighah Akhavan

2010-01-01

Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common problem in pediatric neurology. The purpose of this study was to determine FS recurrence frequency and to evaluate its risk factors. In a descriptive retrospective study, 139 children with first FS, admitted between March 2004 and August 2005 in Yazd Shaheed Sadoughi Hospital, were followed. Seventy-six boys and 63 girls with a mean age of 2.03 +/- 1.21 years were followed for 25.1 +/- 5.5 months. Thirty-seven percent had FS recurrence, with a mean recurrence time of 6.7 +/- 5.9 months. Sixty-five percent of infants and 30% of children >1 year old had FS recurrence. Sixty-three percent of those with seizure occurring in <1 hour of fever duration had FS recurrence, while only 33% of those with seizure after >1 hour of fever duration had FS recurrence. Seizures in children <1 year old and in <1 hour of fever duration were risk factors for FS recurrence.

A review of dioxin-related substances during municipal solid waste incineration.

PubMed

Zhou, Hui; Meng, Aihong; Long, Yanqiu; Li, Qinghai; Zhang, Yanguo

2015-02-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are among the most toxic chemicals and the main restriction on municipal solid waste incineration. To exert more effective control over the formation of dioxin homologues during municipal solid waste incineration, it is significant to investigate dioxin-related compounds. Despite the numerous studies about PCDD/Fs, a unified understanding regarding many problems has yet to be reached because the homologues of PCDD/Fs are excessive, the measurement of PCDD/Fs is difficult, and the formation mechanisms of PCDD/Fs are complicated. Firstly, this paper briefly introduces the different formation mechanisms of PCDD/Fs, including high temperature homogeneous reaction PCDD/Fs formation and low temperature heterogeneous reaction PCDD/Fs formation. Then the sources of PCDD/Fs including precursors (chlorophenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and residual carbon are summarized. In particular, this paper analyzes the substances that influence PCDD/Fs formation and their impact mechanisms, including different categories of chlorine (Cl2, HCl and chloride in fly ash), O2, copper, sulfur, water, and nitrogen compounds (ammonia and urea). Due to the high cost and complexity of PCDD/Fs measurement, PCDD/Fs indicators, especially chlorobenzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are summarized, to find an effective surrogate for quick, convenient and real-time monitoring of PCDD/Fs. Finally, according to the results of the current study, recommendations for further research and industrial applications prospects are proposed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular Disease and Patterns of Change in Functional Status Over 15 Years: Findings From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

PubMed

Kucharska-Newton, Anna; Griswold, Michael; Yao, Zhihao Howard; Foraker, Randi; Rose, Kathryn; Rosamond, Wayne; Wagenknecht, Lynne; Koton, Silvia; Pompeii, Lisa; Windham, B Gwen

2017-03-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of premature disability, yet few prospective studies have examined functional status (FS) among persons with CVD. Our aim was to examine patterns of change in FS prior to and after hospitalization for nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure among members of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study cohort. FS was assessed using a modified Rosow-Breslau questionnaire administered during routine annual telephone interviews conducted from 1993 through 2007 among 15 277 ARIC study participants. An FS score was constructed as a summary measure of responses to questions about participants' ability to perform selected tasks of daily living (eg, walking half a mile, climbing stairs). Incidence of CVD was assessed through ARIC surveillance of hospitalized events. Rate of change in FS over time prior to and following a CVD event was examined using generalized estimating equations. A decline in FS was observed on average 2 years prior to a myocardial infarction hospitalization and on average 3 years prior to a stroke or heart failure hospitalization. FS post-myocardial infarction declined relative to pre-event levels but improved to close to pre-myocardial infarction levels within 3 years. Decline in FS following incident heart failure and stroke remained over time. Observed patterns of change in FS did not differ appreciably by race or sex. This study documents that a decline in FS precedes incidence of CVD-related hospitalization by at least 2 years, providing a strong argument for routine preventative assessment of FS among older adults. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Femtosecond (FS) laser vision correction procedure for moderate to high myopia: a prospective study of ReLEx(®) flex and comparison with a retrospective study of FS-laser in situ keratomileusis.

PubMed

Vestergaard, Anders; Ivarsen, Anders; Asp, Sven; Hjortdal, Jesper Ø

2013-06-01

To present our initial clinical experience with ReLEx(®) flex (ReLEx) for moderate to high myopia. We compare efficacy, safety and corneal higher-order aberrations after ReLEx with femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). Prospective study of ReLEx compared with a retrospective study of FS-LASIK. ReLEx is a new keratorefractive procedure, where a stromal lenticule is cut by a femtosecond laser and manually extracted. Forty patients were treated with ReLEx on both eyes. A comparable group of 41 FS-LASIK patients were retrospectively identified. Visual acuity, spherical equivalent (SE) and corneal tomography were measured before and 3 months after surgery. Preoperative SE averaged -7.50 ± 1.16 D (ReLEx) and -7.32 ± 1.09 D (FS-LASIK). For all eyes, mean corrected distance visual acuity remained unchanged in both groups. For eyes with emmetropia as target refraction, 41% of ReLEx and 61% of FS-LASIK eyes had an uncorrected distance visual acuity of logMAR ≤ 0.10 at day 1 after surgery, increasing to, respectively, 88% and 69% at 3 months. Mean SE was -0.06 ± 0.35 D 3 months after ReLEx and -0.53 ± 0.60 D after FS-LASIK. The proportion of eyes within ±1.00 D after 3 months was 100% (ReLEx) and 85% (FS-LASIK). For a 6.0-mm pupil, corneal spherical aberrations increased significantly less in ReLEx than FS-LASIK eyes. ReLEx is an all-in-one femtosecond laser refractive procedure, and in this study, results were comparable to FS-LASIK. Refractive predictability and corneal aberrations at 3 months seemed better than or equal to FS-LASIK, whereas visual recovery after ReLEx was slower. © 2012 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2012 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Equitable Access to Healthcare Services and Income Replacement for Cancer: Is Critical Illness Insurance a Help or a Hindrance?

PubMed Central

Longo, Christopher J.

2010-01-01

Canada's publicly funded healthcare system ensures that medically necessary hospital and physician services are available without financial barriers, but not all community-based care is covered. Consequently, many patients experience financial shocks (FS) related to community-based healthcare services not funded by government, and perhaps also from lost income, a situation that may be difficult for patients to avoid. Critical illness insurance (CII) offers a patient-funded alternative to those who qualify and desire protection against FS, leaving those without CII exposed. The author discusses the benefits and limitations of CII to mitigate financially derived healthcare access inequities, using cancer as an example. PMID:21532761

National Surface Water Survey, western wilderness area lakes: environmental assessment. Draft

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

Not Available

1985-03-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to sample 498 lakes in federally designated wilderness areas and national parks during the western part of the National Surface Water Survey (NSW). The NSWS has been undertaken to provide high quality data for evaluating the nature and extent of acid deposition throughout the United States. Sampling protocols established for the national survey call for the use of helicopters to gain access to lakes for sampling. Helicopters have already been used in the eastern and midwestern parts of the survey. The US Forest Service (FS) and the National Park Service (NPS) willmore » have to decide which sampling plan for wilderness areas, if any, can be approved under the Wilderness Act of 1964. This Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to evaluate the environmental consequences of alternative means of gaining access to wilderness areas to meet the objectives of the NSWS. Based on this evaluation, EPA has reviewed the possible sampling alternatives and reached a conclusion on the preferred alternative. This assessment is being provided to the FS and the NPS for their use in evaluating the alternatives, including EPA's preferred one. As a result of its evaluation, EPA believes that wilderness area lakes should be included in the survey and that the preferred means of access is using helicopters. 94 references, 14 figures, 18 tables.« less

Diagnostic accuracy of frozen-section analysis of cancer-containing bladder transurethral resection specimens for the presence of muscularis propria invasion.

PubMed

Goyal, Rajen; Zhu, Bing; Parimi, Vamsi; Lin, Xiaoqi; Rohan, Stephen M

2014-07-01

Frozen section (FS) consultation is generally an accurate diagnostic modality. At our institution, we are frequently asked to assess transurethral resection specimens (TURBT) at FS for muscularis propria (MP) invasion by carcinoma. This study documents our experience in evaluating cancer-containing TURBT specimens at FS for MP invasion. 32 TURBT sent for FS from 2008-2010 were identified. The FS and permanent section (PS) diagnoses were reviewed. Cases excluded from the calculation of test performance included: (1) cases without cancer on FS or PS slides, (2) FS diagnosis deferred, (3) cases without MP on FS and subsequent PS slides. Sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPEC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for identifying MP invasion at FS were calculated. In 6 cases, no cancer was present in FS or PS slides (18%). The FS diagnosis was deferred on 3 cases (9%). In one case (3%) MP was not present in the FS or the subsequent PS slides. Of the remaining 22 cases, 2 false positive and 6 false negative diagnoses of MP invasion were identified. The test performance for FS assessment of MP invasion in TURB were SEN=33%, SPEC=84%, PPV=60%, and NPV=64%. Identifying MP invasion on PS can be difficult, and our results suggest that this is more difficult at FS. Though this study is based on small numbers, our results point to the conclusion that examination of TURBT specimens for MP invasion is best done on PS. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Expression of the proteoglycan syndecan-4 and the mechanism by which it mediates stress fiber formation in folliculostellate cells in the rat anterior pituitary gland.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Kotaro; Kouki, Tom; Fujiwara, Ken; Tsukada, Takehiro; Ly, Floren; Kikuchi, Motoshi; Yashiro, Takashi

2012-08-01

Folliculostellate (FS) cells in the anterior pituitary gland appear to have multifunctional properties. FS cells connect to each other at gap junctions and thereby form a histological and functional network. We have performed a series of studies on network formation in FS cells and recently reported that FS cells markedly prolong their cytoplasmic processes and form numerous interconnections with neighboring FS cells in the presence of laminin, an extracellular matrix (ECM) component of the basement membrane. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of this extension of FS cell cytoplasmic processes under the influence of laminin and found that laminin promoted stress fiber formation within FS cells. Next, we noted that formation of stress fibers in FS cells was mediated by syndecan-4, a transmembrane proteoglycan that binds ECM and soluble factors via their extracellular glycosaminoglycan chain. We then observed that expressions of syndecan-4 and α-actinin (a microfilament bundling protein that cross-links actin stress fibers in FS cells) were upregulated by laminin. Using specific siRNA of syndecan-4, actin polymerization of FS cells was inhibited. Our findings suggest that FS cells received a signal from laminin-syndecan-4 interaction, which resulted in morphological changes, and that the formation of a morphological and functional network in FS cells was transduced by a syndecan-4-dependent mechanism in the presence of ECM.

ADVANCED INSULATIONS FOR REFRIGERATOR/FREEZERS: THE POTENTIAL FOR NEW SHELL DESIGNS INCORPORATING POLYMER BARRIER CONSTRUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

The report examines domestic refrigerator/freezer (R/F) design alternatives which may offer greater increase in thermal performance than is possible with panel/foam composites. (NOTE: Current efforts to design and build R/Fs with high performance insulation technology are directe...

SYNOPSIS OF THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY RESIDENTIAL REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS EVALUATION PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The paper is a recapitulation of the experimental testing at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's NRMRL's (National Risk Management Research Laboratory's) Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division on residential refrigerator/freezers (R/Fs). R/F testing at the NRMRL lab...

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 13: Case studies for SeaWiFS calibration and validation, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Mcclain, Charles R.; Comiso, Josefino C.; Fraser, Robert S.; Firestone, James K.; Schieber, Brian D.; Yeh, Eueng-Nan; Arrigo, Kevin R.; Sullivan, Cornelius W.

1994-01-01

Although the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Calibration and Validation Program relies on the scientific community for the collection of bio-optical and atmospheric correction data as well as for algorithm development, it does have the responsibility for evaluating and comparing the algorithms and for ensuring that the algorithms are properly implemented within the SeaWiFS Data Processing System. This report consists of a series of sensitivity and algorithm (bio-optical, atmospheric correction, and quality control) studies based on Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) and historical ancillary data undertaken to assist in the development of SeaWiFS specific applications needed for the proper execution of that responsibility. The topics presented are as follows: (1) CZCS bio-optical algorithm comparison, (2) SeaWiFS ozone data analysis study, (3) SeaWiFS pressure and oxygen absorption study, (4) pixel-by-pixel pressure and ozone correction study for ocean color imagery, (5) CZCS overlapping scenes study, (6) a comparison of CZCS and in situ pigment concentrations in the Southern Ocean, (7) the generation of ancillary data climatologies, (8) CZCS sensor ringing mask comparison, and (9) sun glint flag sensitivity study.

The health risk levels of different age groups of residents living in the vicinity of municipal solid waste incinerator posed by PCDD/Fs in atmosphere and soil.

PubMed

Li, Jiafu; Zhang, Ying; Sun, Tingting; Hao, Huawei; Wu, Hao; Wang, Lili; Chen, Yuxing; Xing, Limin; Niu, Zhiguang

2018-08-01

In our study, health risk levels of different age groups of residents living in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) posed by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in atmosphere and soil were evaluated. The toxic equivalent concentrations of PCDD/Fs (TEQ) in surrounding atmosphere and soil of studied MSWI were 0.05-0.12 pg I-TEQ Nm -3 and 7.622-15.450 ng I-TEQ kg -1 , respectively. The PCDFs/PCDDs (F/D) values of PCDD/Fs in surrounding atmosphere of studied MSWI ranged from 0.40 to 5.90 with a mean of 1.80, suggesting that the PCDD/Fs mainly came from combustion sources and studied MSWI could be a key source of PCDD/Fs in surrounding atmosphere. The F/D ratios of PCDD/Fs in surrounding soil ranged from 0.18 to 1.81 with a mean of 0.90, suggesting combustion is not the mainly sources of PCDD/Fs in surrounding soil, and studied MSWI may have limited influence on PCDD/Fs in surrounding soil. O8CDD and 2,3,4,7,8-P5CDF could be the total PCDD/Fs and TEQ indicators in surrounding atmosphere of studied MSWI, respectively. The carcinogenic risk (CR) values of PCDD/Fs in surrounding atmosphere and soil for children, teens and adults were 1.24E-06, 9.06E-07 and 4.41E-06, respectively, suggesting that the potential cancer risk occurred but the risk was at acceptable levels for both children and adults (<1.00E-05), and the cancer risk for teens was negligible (<1.00E-06). The non-carcinogenic risk (non-CR) values of three age groups were lower than 1, indicating that no obvious non-carcinogenic effects occurred. Inhalation of air was the largest contributor of health risk (both CR and non-CR) for three age groups. In addition, a comparison of the health risk between PCDD/Fs and other emerging contaminants and traditional pollutants in soil and atmosphere was performed, which will help us have a good view of the health risk levels of PCDD/Fs in surrounding environment of MWSI. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of fisetin-loaded folate functionalized pluronic micelles for breast cancer targeting.

PubMed

Pawar, Atmaram; Singh, Srishti; Rajalakshmi, S; Shaikh, Karimunnisa; Bothiraja, C

2018-01-15

The natural flavonoid fisetin (FS) has shown anticancer properties but its in-vivo administration remains challenging due to its poor aqueous solubility. The aim of the study was to develop FS loaded pluronic127 (PF)-folic acid (FA) conjugated micelles (FS-PF-FA) by the way of increasing solubility, bioavailability and active targetability of FS shall increase its therapeutic efficacy. FA-conjugated PF was prepared by carbodiimide crosslinker chemistry. FS-PF-FA micelles were prepared by thin-film hydration method and evaluated in comparison with free FS and FS loaded PF micelles (FS-PF). The smooth surfaces with spherical in shape of FS-PF-PF micelles displayed smaller in size (103.2 ± 6.1 nm), good encapsulation efficiency (82.50 ± 1.78%), zeta potential (-26.7 ± 0.44 mV) and sustained FS release. Bioavailability of FS from FS-PF-PF micelles was increased by 6-fold with long circulation time, slower plasma elimination and no sign of tissue toxicity as compared to free FS. Further, the FS-PF-FA micelles demonstrated active targeting effect on folate overexpressed human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. The concentration of the drug needed for growth inhibition of 50% of cells in a designed time period (GI50) was 14.3 ± 1.2 µg/ml for FS while it was greatly decreased to 9.8 ± 0.78 µg/ml, i.e. a 31.46% decrease for the FS-PF. Furthermore, the GI50 value for FS-PF-FA was 4.9 ± 0.4 µg/ml, i.e. a 65.737% decrease compared to FS and 50% decrease compare to FS-PF. The results indicate that the FS-PF-FA micelles have the potential to be applied for targeting anticancer drug delivery.

Cost-benefit analysis of using sewage sludge as alternative fuel in a cement plant: a case study.

PubMed

Nadal, Martí; Schuhmacher, Marta; Domingo, José L

2009-05-01

To enforce the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol targets, a number of governmental/international institutions have launched emission trade schemes as an approach to specify CO(2) caps and to regulate the emission trade in recent years. These schemes have been basically applied for large industrial sectors, including energy producers and energy-intensive users. Among them, cement plants are included among the big greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. The use of waste as secondary fuel in clinker kilns is currently an intensive practice worldwide. However, people living in the vicinity of cement plants, where alternative fuels are being used, are frequently concerned about the potential increase in health risks. In the present study, a cost-benefit analysis was applied after substituting classical fuel for sewage sludge as an alternative fuel in a clinker kiln in Catalonia, Spain. The economical benefits resulting in the reduction of CO(2) emissions were compared with the changes in human health risks due to exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and carcinogenic metals (As, Cd, Co, and Cr) before and after using sewage sludge to generate 20% of the thermal energy needed for pyro-processing. The exposure to PCDD/Fs and metals through air inhalation, soil ingestion and dermal absorption was calculated according to the environmental levels in soil. The carcinogenic risks were assessed, and the associated cost for the population was estimated by considering the DG Environment's recommended value for preventing a statistical fatality (VPF). In turn, the amount of CO(2) emitted was calculated, and the economical saving, according to the market prices, was evaluated. The use of sewage sludge as a substitute of conventional energy meant a probability cancer decrease of 4.60 for metals and a cancer risk increase of 0.04 for PCDD/Fs. Overall, a net reduction of 4.56 cancers for one million people can be estimated. The associated economical evaluation due to the decreasing cancer for 60,000 people, the current population living near the cement plant, would be of 0.56 million euros (US$ 0.83 million). In turn, a reduction of 144,000 tons of CO(2) emitted between 2003 and 2006 was estimated. Considering a cost of 20 euros per ton of CO(2), the global saving would be 2.88 million euros (US$ 4.26 million). After the partial substitution of the fuel, the current environmental exposure to metals and PCDD/Fs would even mean a potential decrease of health risks for the individuals living in the vicinity of the cement plant. The total benefit of using sewage sludge as an alternative fuel was calculated in 3.44 million euros (US$ 5.09 million). Environmental economics is becoming an interesting research field to convert environmental benefits (i.e., reduction of health risks, emission of pollutants, etc.) into economical value. The results show, that while the use of sewage sludge as secondary fuel is beneficial for the reduction in GHG emissions, no additional health risks for the population derived from PCDD/F and metal emissions are estimated. Cost-benefit analysis seems to be a suitable tool to estimate the environmental damage and benefit associated to industrial processes. Therefore, this should become a generalized practice, mainly for those more impacting sectors such as power industries. On the other hand, the extension of the study could vastly be enlarged by taking into account other potentially emitted GHGs, such as CH(4) and N(2)O, as well as other carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic micropollutants.

Time- and frequency-dependent model of time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) with a picosecond-duration probe pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stauffer, Hans U.; Miller, Joseph D.; Slipchenko, Mikhail N.; Meyer, Terrence R.; Prince, Benjamin D.; Roy, Sukesh; Gord, James R.

2014-01-01

The hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps CARS) technique presents a promising alternative to either fs time-resolved or ps frequency-resolved CARS in both gas-phase thermometry and condensed-phase excited-state dynamics applications. A theoretical description of time-dependent CARS is used to examine this recently developed probe technique, and quantitative comparisons of the full time-frequency evolution show excellent accuracy in predicting the experimental vibrational CARS spectra obtained for two model systems. The interrelated time- and frequency-domain spectral signatures of gas-phase species produced by hybrid fs/ps CARS are explored with a focus on gas-phase N2 vibrational CARS, which is commonly used as a thermometric diagnostic of combusting flows. In particular, we discuss the merits of the simple top-hat spectral filter typically used to generate the ps-duration hybrid fs/ps CARS probe pulse, including strong discrimination against non-resonant background that often contaminates CARS signal. It is further demonstrated, via comparison with vibrational CARS results on a time-evolving solvated organic chromophore, that this top-hat probe-pulse configuration can provide improved spectral resolution, although the degree of improvement depends on the dephasing timescales of the observed molecular modes and the duration and timing of the narrowband final pulse. Additionally, we discuss the virtues of a frequency-domain Lorentzian probe-pulse lineshape and its potential for improving the hybrid fs/ps CARS technique as a diagnostic in high-pressure gas-phase thermometry applications.

Immunohistochemistry of connexin 43 throughout anterior pituitary gland in a transgenic rat with green fluorescent protein-expressing folliculo-stellate cells.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Kotaro; Fujiwara, Ken; Kouki, Tom; Kikuchi, Motoshi; Yashiro, Takashi

2008-12-01

Folliculo-stellate (FS) cells in the anterior pituitary gland have been speculated to possess multifunctional properties. Because gap junctions (GJ) have been identified between FS cells, FS cells may be interconnected electrophysiologically by GJ and serve as signal transmission networks to modulate hormone release in the anterior pituitary gland. But whether GJ are localized among FS cells from the pars tuberalis through the pars distalis is unclear. The S100b-GFP transgenic rat has recently been generated, which expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) specifically in FS cells in the anterior pituitary. This model is expected to be a powerful tool for studies of FS cells. The purpose of the present paper was therefore to examine the localization of GJ on connexin 43 immunohistochemistry throughout the anterior pituitary gland of S100b-GFP rats under confocal laser microscopy. The localization patterns of FS cells was also observed in primary culture of anterior pituitary cells and the question of whether GJ between FS cells are reconstructed in vitro was investigated. In vivo studies showed that GJ were present specifically between FS cells from the pars tuberalis to the pars distalis in the anterior pituitary gland. The appearance of FS cells was distinguished into two types, with localization of GJ differing between types. In vitro, it was observed for the first time that FS cells in primary culture could be categorized into two types. In vivo localization of GJ between FS cells was reconstructed in vitro. These morphological observations are consistent with the hypothesis that FS cells form an electrophysiological network throughout the anterior pituitary for signal transmission.

Prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with frozen shoulder.

PubMed

Schiefer, Marcio; Teixeira, Patricia F Santos; Fontenelle, Cesar; Carminatti, Tiago; Santos, Daniel A; Righi, Lucas D; Conceição, Flavia Lucia

2017-01-01

Hypothyroidism and frozen shoulder (FS) have been associated, although this relationship remains uncertain. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with FS. A case-control study was performed to compare FS patients (cases) with patients who visited an orthopedic service for other clinical conditions (controls). FS was diagnosed according to specific criteria based on anamnesis, physical examination, and shoulder radiographs. A specific questionnaire was applied, and measurements of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free tetraiodothyronine were performed in all subjects. We evaluated 401 shoulders from 93 FS patients and 151 controls. The prevalence of hypothyroidism diagnosis was significantly higher in the FS group (27.2% vs. 10.7%; P = .001). There was also a tendency for higher prevalence of bilateral FS among patients with elevated TSH levels (P = .09). Mean serum TSH levels were higher in patients with bilateral FS compared with those with unilateral compromise (3.39 vs. 2.28; P = .05) and were higher in patients with severe FS compared with those with mild and moderate FS together (3.15 vs. 2.21; P = .03). Multivariate analysis showed that FS was independently related to a diagnosis of hypothyroidism (odds ratio, 3.1 [1.5-6.4]; P = .002). There was a trend toward independent association between high serum TSH levels and both severe (odds ratio, 3.5 [0.8-14.9]; P = .09) and bilateral (odds ratio, 11.7 [0.9-144.8]; P = .05) compromise. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was significantly higher in FS patients than in controls. The results suggest that higher serum TSH levels are associated with bilateral and severe cases of FS. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pollutant emissions during pyrolysis and combustion of waste printed circuit boards, before and after metal removal.

PubMed

Ortuño, Nuria; Conesa, Juan A; Moltó, Julia; Font, Rafael

2014-11-15

The constant increase in the production of electronic devices implies the need for an appropriate management of a growing number of waste electrical and electronic equipment. Thermal treatments represent an interesting alternative to recycle this kind of waste, but particular attention has to be paid to the potential emissions of toxic by-products. In this study, the emissions from thermal degradation of printed circuit boards (with and without metals) have been studied using a laboratory scale reactor, under oxidizing and inert atmosphere at 600 and 850 °C. Apart from carbon oxides, HBr was the main decomposition product, followed by high amounts of methane, ethylene, propylene, phenol and benzene. The maximum formation of PAHs was found in pyrolysis at 850 °C, naphthalene being the most abundant. High levels of 2-, 4-, 2,4-, 2,6- and 2,4,6-bromophenols were found, especially at 600 °C. Emissions of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs were quite low and much lower than that of PBDD/Fs, due to the higher bromine content of the samples. Combustion at 600 °C was the run with the highest PBDD/F formation: the total content of eleven 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners (tetra- through heptaBDD/Fs) was 7240 and 3250 ng WHO2005-TEQ/kg sample, corresponding to the sample with and without metals, respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using mid-infrared femtosecond pulses

DOE PAGES

Hartig, K. C.; Colgan, J.; Kilcrease, D. P.; ...

2015-07-30

Here, we report on a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) experiment driven by mid-infrared (2.05-μm) fs pulses, in which time-resolved emission spectra of copper were studied. Ab-initio modeling is consistent with the results of new fs measurements at 2.05 μm and traditional 800-nm fs-LIBS. Ablation by mid-infrared fs pulses results in a plasma with a lower plasma density and temperature compared to fs-LIBS performed at shorter laser wavelength. LIBS driven by mid-infrared fs pulses results in a signal-to-background ratio ~50% greater and a signal-to-noise ratio ~40% lower than fs-LIBS at near-infrared laser wavelength.

The effect of fibromyalgia syndrome to gravidity, parity and duration of breastfeeding; A prospective study from Turkey.

PubMed

Tulay, Koca Tuba; Emrullah, Tanrikut; Aydin, Arslan; Ciledag, Ozdemir Filiz

2016-01-01

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) is a chronic pain disorder usually affecting women in their fertile period of life. However, the relationship between FS and pregnancy has not been studied in depth. The effect of FS on the course of pregnancy is poorly investigated in the current literature. Here we aimed to investigate the effects of FS to menarche age, gravidity, parity and duration of breastfeeding. One hundred and eighty-seven non-pregnant females attending between March 2015-June 2015, to Malatya State Hospital Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic, were included in this prospective study. One hundred eleven (111) of them were diagnosed with FS according to the American Rheumatology Association (ACR) 2010 criteria and were defined as group 1; group 2 comprised of seventy six (76) non-pregnant healthy volunteers. All participants were asked about their menarche age, marriage age, gravidity, parity, duration of breastfeeding by conducting a basic questionnaire survey. Patients' body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Depression parameters were evaluated by Beck Depression Scale (BDS). The average age of the patients was 39.04±9.21 (FS) and 38.47±9.65 (Control) years; first menarche age was at 13.28±1.38 (FS) and 13.59±1.54 years (Control), and marriage age was 20.1±3.62 (FS) and 20.69±3.90 years (Control), respectively. No statistically significant difference was found (p=0.598) between BMI values (FS, 27.76±4.95; Control 26.90±4.56 kg/m(2)). The results from both groups were similar in terms of gravidity, parity, and breastfeeding duration, with no statistically significant differences (p=0.252, 0.093, 0.075, respectively). The only significant difference was found in the depression parameter. The BDS results were statistically different between the groups, found higher in FS group (p=0.000). FS occurs as a result of symptoms such as mood disorder, anxiety, cognitive and sleep disorders, and also hormonal changes; no exact cause has yet been established. The syndrome usually occurs during fertile period of young female. According to the findings of our study, FS has no negative effect on the outcome of gravidity, parity, and duration of breastfeeding in Turkish women. Further studies about the effects of FS on the course of pregnancy are required.

Lactic acid bacterium and yeast microbiotas of sixteen French traditional sourdoughs.

PubMed

Lhomme, Emilie; Lattanzi, Anna; Dousset, Xavier; Minervini, Fabio; De Angelis, Maria; Lacaze, Guylaine; Onno, Bernard; Gobbetti, Marco

2015-12-23

Sixteen sourdoughs (FS1-FS16) used for the manufacture of traditional French breads were characterized by strongly acid conditions (median value of pH 3.5). The concentration of free amino acids (FAA) was highly variable, due to different proteolytic activity of flour used for back slopping and of dominant microorganisms. Median value of cell density of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was 9.2 log CFU/g. The ratio between LAB and yeasts ranged from 10,000:1 to 10:1. According to the culture-dependent method and 16S metagenetics, Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis was the dominant species in French sourdoughs. FS5 and FS15, propagated according to protocols including one back slopping step at 14 °C, were the only exceptions. High positive correlations were found between L. sanfranciscensis, temperature of back slopping and FAA. The results of this study highlighted the broad adaptability of L. sanfranciscensis to very acid sourdough. Besides species frequently encountered (e.g., Lactobacillus parabrevis/Lactobacillus hammesii, Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides), first Lactobacillus xiangfangensis (FS5) and Lactobacillus diolivorans (FS15) were found in sourdough. As determined by RAPD-PCR analyses, the sourdough samples showed a different number of strains, ranging from 5 (FS9, FS11 and FS15) to 12 (FS1 and FS13), meaning a highly variable bacterial diversity. Cluster analysis showed that different sourdoughs, especially when propagated in the same bakery, may harbor similar strains. Except for L. plantarum (FS5) and Ln. mesenteroides (FS3), all the dominant species were detected by both 16S metagenetics and culture-dependent method. Yeast diversity was lower than LAB. Except for FS4 (solely dominated by Kazachstania servazzii), yeast microbiota of French sourdoughs was dominated by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Strains isolated in this study could be a useful base for developing new basic researches on physiology, metabolism, and intraspecific diversity of L. sanfranciscensis, as well as for standardizing the quality of traditional French breads. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry: A real alternative to high resolution magnetic sector instrument for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls.

PubMed

García-Bermejo, Ángel; Ábalos, Manuela; Sauló, Jordi; Abad, Esteban; González, María José; Gómara, Belén

2015-08-19

This paper reports on the optimisation, characterisation, validation and applicability of gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry in its tandem operation mode (GC-QqQ(MS/MS) for the quantification of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs, dioxins) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in environmental and food matrices. MS/MS parameters were selected to achieve the high sensitivity and selectivity required for the analysis of this type of compounds and samples. Good repeatability for areas (RSD = 1-10%, for PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs) and for ion transition ratios (RSD = 0.3-10%, for PCDD/Fs, and 0.2-15%, for DL-PCBs) and low instrumental limits of detection, 0.07-0.75 pg μL(-1) (for dioxins) and 0.05-0.63 pg μL(-1) (for DL-PCBs), were obtained. A comparative study of the congener specific determination using both GC-QqQ(MS/MS) and gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) was also performed by analysing several fortified samples and certified reference materials (CRMs) with low (feed and foodstuffs), median (sewage sludge) and high (fly ash) toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentration levels, i.e. 0.60, 1.83, 72.9 and 3609 pg WHO-TEQ(PCDD/Fs) g(-1). The agreement between the results obtained for the total TEQs (dioxins) on GC-QqQ(MS/MS) and GC-HRMS in all the investigated samples were within the range of ±4%, and that of DL-PCBs at concentration levels of 0.84 pg WHO-TEQs (DL-PCBs) g(-1), in the case of feedstuffs, was 0.11%. Both instrumental methods have similar and comparable linearity, precision and accuracy. The GC-QqQ(MS/MS) sensitivity, lower than that of GC-HRMS, is good enough (iLODs in the down to low pg levels) to detect the normal concentrations of these compounds in food and environmental samples. These results make GC-QqQ(MS/MS) suitable for the quantitative analysis of dioxins and DL-PCBs and a real alternative tool to the reference sector HRMS instruments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A phase 1/2a follistatin gene therapy trial for becker muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Mendell, Jerry R; Sahenk, Zarife; Malik, Vinod; Gomez, Ana M; Flanigan, Kevin M; Lowes, Linda P; Alfano, Lindsay N; Berry, Katherine; Meadows, Eric; Lewis, Sarah; Braun, Lyndsey; Shontz, Kim; Rouhana, Maria; Clark, Kelly Reed; Rosales, Xiomara Q; Al-Zaidy, Samiah; Govoni, Alessandra; Rodino-Klapac, Louise R; Hogan, Mark J; Kaspar, Brian K

2015-01-01

Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a variant of dystrophin deficiency resulting from DMD gene mutations. Phenotype is variable with loss of ambulation in late teenage or late mid-life years. There is currently no treatment for this condition. In this BMD proof-of-principle clinical trial, a potent myostatin antagonist, follistatin (FS), was used to inhibit the myostatin pathway. Extensive preclinical studies, using adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver follistatin, demonstrated an increase in strength. For this trial, we used the alternatively spliced FS344 to avoid potential binding to off target sites. AAV1.CMV.FS344 was delivered to six BMD patients by direct bilateral intramuscular quadriceps injections. Cohort 1 included three subjects receiving 3 × 10(11) vg/kg/leg. The distance walked on the 6MWT was the primary outcome measure. Patients 01 and 02 improved 58 meters (m) and 125 m, respectively. Patient 03 showed no change. In Cohort 2, Patients 05 and 06 received 6 × 10(11) vg/kg/leg with improved 6MWT by 108 m and 29 m, whereas, Patient 04 showed no improvement. No adverse effects were encountered. Histological changes corroborated benefit showing reduced endomysial fibrosis, reduced central nucleation, more normal fiber size distribution with muscle hypertrophy, especially at high dose. The results are encouraging for treatment of dystrophin-deficient muscle diseases.

A Phase 1/2a Follistatin Gene Therapy Trial for Becker Muscular Dystrophy

PubMed Central

Mendell, Jerry R; Sahenk, Zarife; Malik, Vinod; Gomez, Ana M; Flanigan, Kevin M; Lowes, Linda P; Alfano, Lindsay N; Berry, Katherine; Meadows, Eric; Lewis, Sarah; Braun, Lyndsey; Shontz, Kim; Rouhana, Maria; Clark, Kelly Reed; Rosales, Xiomara Q; Al-Zaidy, Samiah; Govoni, Alessandra; Rodino-Klapac, Louise R; Hogan, Mark J; Kaspar, Brian K

2015-01-01

Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a variant of dystrophin deficiency resulting from DMD gene mutations. Phenotype is variable with loss of ambulation in late teenage or late mid-life years. There is currently no treatment for this condition. In this BMD proof-of-principle clinical trial, a potent myostatin antagonist, follistatin (FS), was used to inhibit the myostatin pathway. Extensive preclinical studies, using adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver follistatin, demonstrated an increase in strength. For this trial, we used the alternatively spliced FS344 to avoid potential binding to off target sites. AAV1.CMV.FS344 was delivered to six BMD patients by direct bilateral intramuscular quadriceps injections. Cohort 1 included three subjects receiving 3 × 1011 vg/kg/leg. The distance walked on the 6MWT was the primary outcome measure. Patients 01 and 02 improved 58 meters (m) and 125 m, respectively. Patient 03 showed no change. In Cohort 2, Patients 05 and 06 received 6 × 1011 vg/kg/leg with improved 6MWT by 108 m and 29 m, whereas, Patient 04 showed no improvement. No adverse effects were encountered. Histological changes corroborated benefit showing reduced endomysial fibrosis, reduced central nucleation, more normal fiber size distribution with muscle hypertrophy, especially at high dose. The results are encouraging for treatment of dystrophin-deficient muscle diseases. PMID:25322757

Impacts of using inbred animals in studies for detection of quantitative trait loci.

PubMed

Freyer, G; Vukasinovic, N; Cassell, B

2009-02-01

Effects of utilizing inbred and noninbred family structures in experiments for detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) were compared in this simulation study. Simulations were based on a general pedigree design originating from 2 unrelated sires. A variance component approach of mapping QTL was applied to simulated data that reflected common family structures from dairy populations. Five different family structures were considered: FS0 without inbreeding, FS1 with an inbred sire from an aunt-nephew mating, FS2 with an inbred sire originating from a half-sib mating, FS3 and FS4 based on FS2 but containing an increased number of offspring of the inbred sire (FS3), and another extremely inbred sire with its final offspring (FS4). Sixty replicates each of the 5 family structures in 2 simulation scenarios each were analyzed to provide a praxis-like situation of QTL analysis. The largest proportion of QTL position estimates within the correct interval of 3 cM, best test statistic profiles and the smallest average bias were obtained from the pedigrees described by FS4 and FS2. The approach does not depend on the kind and number of genetic markers. Inbreeding is not a recommended practice for commercial dairy production because of possible inbreeding depression, but inbred animals and their offspring that already exist could be advantageous for QTL mapping, because of reduced genetic variance in inbred parents.

Follistatin induces muscle hypertrophy through satellite cell proliferation and inhibition of both myostatin and activin.

PubMed

Gilson, Hélène; Schakman, Olivier; Kalista, Stéphanie; Lause, Pascale; Tsuchida, Kunihiro; Thissen, Jean-Paul

2009-07-01

Follistatin (FS) inhibits several members of the TGF-beta superfamily, including myostatin (Mstn), a negative regulator of muscle growth. Mstn inhibition by FS represents a potential therapeutic approach of muscle atrophy. The aim of our study was to investigate the mechanisms of the FS-induced muscle hypertrophy. To test the role of satellite cells in the FS effect, we used irradiation to destroy their proliferative capacity. FS overexpression increased the muscle weight by about 37% in control animals, but the increase reached only 20% in irradiated muscle, supporting the role of cell proliferation in the FS-induced hypertrophy. Surprisingly, the muscle hypertrophy caused by FS reached the same magnitude in Mstn-KO as in WT mice, suggesting that Mstn might not be the only ligand of FS involved in the regulation of muscle mass. To assess the role of activin (Act), another FS ligand, in the FS-induced hypertrophy, we electroporated FSI-I, a FS mutant that does not bind Act with high affinity. Whereas FS electroporation increased muscle weight by 32%, the muscle weight gain induced by FSI-I reached only 14%. Furthermore, in Mstn-KO mice, FSI-I overexpression failed to induce hypertrophy, in contrast to FS. Therefore, these results suggest that Act inhibition may contribute to FS-induced hypertrophy. Finally, the role of Act as a regulator of muscle mass was supported by the observation that ActA overexpression induced muscle weight loss (-15%). In conclusion, our results show that satellite cell proliferation and both Mstn and Act inhibition are involved in the FS-induced muscle hypertrophy.

Epidemiology and diagnostic and therapeutic management of febrile seizures in the Italian pediatric emergency departments: A prospective observational study.

PubMed

Vitaliti, Giovanna; Castagno, Emanuele; Ricceri, Fulvio; Urbino, Antonio; Di Pianella, Alberto Verrotti; Lubrano, Riccardo; Caramaschi, Elisa; Prota, Maurizio; Pulvirenti, Rita Maria; Ajovalasit, Patrizia; Signorile, Giuseppe; Navone, Carla; La Bianca, Maria Rosaria; Villani, Alberto; Corsello, Giovanni; Falsaperla, Raffaele

2017-01-01

Febrile seizures (FS) involve 2-5% of the paediatric population, among which Complex FS (CFS) account for one third of accesses for FS in Emergency Departments (EDs). The aim of our study was to define the epidemiology, the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic approach to FS and CFSs in the Italian EDs. A multicenter prospective observational study was performed between April 2014 and March 2015. Patients between 1 and 60 months of age, randomly accessing to ED for ongoing FS or reported FS at home were included. Demographic features and diagnostic-therapeutic follow-up were recorded. FS were categorized in simple (<10min), prolonged (10-30min) and status epilepticus (>30min). The study population consisted of 268 children. Most of the children experienced simple FS (71.65%). Among the 68 (25.37%) patients with complex FS, 11 were 6-12 month-old, accounting for 45.83% of all the infants with FS in the younger age group. No therapy has been administered at home in 76.12% patients; 23.51% of them received endorectal diazepam and only 1 patient received buccal midazolam. At arrival at ED, no therapy was necessary for 70.52% patients; 50.63% received endorectal diazepam and 17.72% an i.v. bolus of midazolam. Blood tests and acid-base balanced were performed respectively in 82.09% of cases. An electroencephalogram at ED was performed in 21.64% of patients. Neuroimagings were done in 3.73% of cases. A neurologic consultation was asked for 36 patients (13.43%). this is the first study assessing epidemiologic characteristics of FS in the Italian pediatric population, evidencing a higher prevalence of CFSs in children younger than 12 months of age and opening a new research scenario on the blood brain barrier vulnerability. On a national level, our study showed the need for a diagnostic standardized work-up to improve the cost/benefit ratio on CFS management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predicting pneumonitis risk: a dosimetric alternative to mean lung dose.

PubMed

Tucker, Susan L; Mohan, Radhe; Liengsawangwong, Raweewan; Martel, Mary K; Liao, Zhongxing

2013-02-01

To determine whether the association between mean lung dose (MLD) and risk of severe (grade ≥3) radiation pneumonitis (RP) depends on the dose distribution pattern to normal lung among patients receiving 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer. Three cohorts treated with different beam arrangements were identified. One cohort (2-field boost [2FB]) received 2 parallel-opposed (anteroposterior-posteroanterior) fields per fraction initially, followed by a sequential boost delivered using 2 oblique beams. The other 2 cohorts received 3 or 4 straight fields (3FS and 4FS, respectively), ie, all fields were irradiated every day. The incidence of severe RP was plotted against MLD in each cohort, and data were analyzed using the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) model. The incidence of grade ≥3 RP rose more steeply as a function of MLD in the 2FB cohort (N=120) than in the 4FS cohort (N=138), with an intermediate slope for the 3FS group (N=99). The estimated volume parameter from the LKB model was n=0.41 (95% confidence interval, 0.15-1.0) and led to a significant improvement in fit (P=.05) compared to a fit with volume parameter fixed at n=1 (the MLD model). Unlike the MLD model, the LKB model with n=0.41 provided a consistent description of the risk of severe RP in all three cohorts (2FB, 3FS, 4FS) simultaneously. When predicting risk of grade ≥3 RP, the mean lung dose does not adequately take into account the effects of high doses. Instead, the effective dose, computed from the LKB model using volume parameter n=0.41, may provide a better dosimetric parameter for predicting RP risk. If confirmed, these findings support the conclusion that for the same MLD, high doses to small lung volumes ("a lot to a little") are worse than low doses to large volumes ("a little to a lot"). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Network Structure of Human Personality According to the NEO-PI-R: Matching Network Community Structure to Factor Structure

PubMed Central

Goekoop, Rutger; Goekoop, Jaap G.; Scholte, H. Steven

2012-01-01

Introduction Human personality is described preferentially in terms of factors (dimensions) found using factor analysis. An alternative and highly related method is network analysis, which may have several advantages over factor analytic methods. Aim To directly compare the ability of network community detection (NCD) and principal component factor analysis (PCA) to examine modularity in multidimensional datasets such as the neuroticism-extraversion-openness personality inventory revised (NEO-PI-R). Methods 434 healthy subjects were tested on the NEO-PI-R. PCA was performed to extract factor structures (FS) of the current dataset using both item scores and facet scores. Correlational network graphs were constructed from univariate correlation matrices of interactions between both items and facets. These networks were pruned in a link-by-link fashion while calculating the network community structure (NCS) of each resulting network using the Wakita Tsurumi clustering algorithm. NCSs were matched against FS and networks of best matches were kept for further analysis. Results At facet level, NCS showed a best match (96.2%) with a ‘confirmatory’ 5-FS. At item level, NCS showed a best match (80%) with the standard 5-FS and involved a total of 6 network clusters. Lesser matches were found with ‘confirmatory’ 5-FS and ‘exploratory’ 6-FS of the current dataset. Network analysis did not identify facets as a separate level of organization in between items and clusters. A small-world network structure was found in both item- and facet level networks. Conclusion We present the first optimized network graph of personality traits according to the NEO-PI-R: a ‘Personality Web’. Such a web may represent the possible routes that subjects can take during personality development. NCD outperforms PCA by producing plausible modularity at item level in non-standard datasets, and can identify the key roles of individual items and clusters in the network. PMID:23284713

The network structure of human personality according to the NEO-PI-R: matching network community structure to factor structure.

PubMed

Goekoop, Rutger; Goekoop, Jaap G; Scholte, H Steven

2012-01-01

Human personality is described preferentially in terms of factors (dimensions) found using factor analysis. An alternative and highly related method is network analysis, which may have several advantages over factor analytic methods. To directly compare the ability of network community detection (NCD) and principal component factor analysis (PCA) to examine modularity in multidimensional datasets such as the neuroticism-extraversion-openness personality inventory revised (NEO-PI-R). 434 healthy subjects were tested on the NEO-PI-R. PCA was performed to extract factor structures (FS) of the current dataset using both item scores and facet scores. Correlational network graphs were constructed from univariate correlation matrices of interactions between both items and facets. These networks were pruned in a link-by-link fashion while calculating the network community structure (NCS) of each resulting network using the Wakita Tsurumi clustering algorithm. NCSs were matched against FS and networks of best matches were kept for further analysis. At facet level, NCS showed a best match (96.2%) with a 'confirmatory' 5-FS. At item level, NCS showed a best match (80%) with the standard 5-FS and involved a total of 6 network clusters. Lesser matches were found with 'confirmatory' 5-FS and 'exploratory' 6-FS of the current dataset. Network analysis did not identify facets as a separate level of organization in between items and clusters. A small-world network structure was found in both item- and facet level networks. We present the first optimized network graph of personality traits according to the NEO-PI-R: a 'Personality Web'. Such a web may represent the possible routes that subjects can take during personality development. NCD outperforms PCA by producing plausible modularity at item level in non-standard datasets, and can identify the key roles of individual items and clusters in the network.

Inhibition of myostatin with emphasis on follistatin as a therapy for muscle disease.

PubMed

Rodino-Klapac, Louise R; Haidet, Amanda M; Kota, Janaiah; Handy, Chalonda; Kaspar, Brian K; Mendell, Jerry R

2009-03-01

In most cases, pharmacologic strategies to treat genetic muscle disorders and certain acquired disorders, such as sporadic inclusion body myositis, have produced modest clinical benefits. In these conditions, inhibition of the myostatin pathway represents an alternative strategy to improve functional outcomes. Preclinical data that support this approach clearly demonstrate the potential for blocking the myostatin pathway. Follistatin has emerged as a powerful antagonist of myostatin that can increase muscle mass and strength. Follistatin was first isolated from the ovary and is known to suppress follicle-stimulating hormone. This raises concerns for potential adverse effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and possible reproductive capabilities. In this review we demonstrate a strategy to bypass off-target effects using an alternatively spliced cDNA of follistatin (FS344) delivered by adeno-associated virus (AAV) to muscle. The transgene product is a peptide of 315 amino acids that is secreted from the muscle and circulates in the serum, thus avoiding cell-surface binding sites. Using this approach our translational studies show increased muscle size and strength in species ranging from mice to monkeys. Adverse effects are avoided, and no organ system pathology or change in reproductive capabilities has been seen. These findings provide the impetus to move toward gene therapy clinical trials with delivery of AAV-FS344 to increase size and function of muscle in patients with neuromuscular disease.

Domestic cooking and food skills: A review.

PubMed

McGowan, Laura; Caraher, Martin; Raats, Monique; Lavelle, Fiona; Hollywood, Lynsey; McDowell, Dawn; Spence, Michelle; McCloat, Amanda; Mooney, Elaine; Dean, Moira

2017-07-24

Domestic cooking skills (CS) and food skills (FS) encompass multiple components, yet there is a lack of consensus on their constituent parts, inter-relatedness, or measurement, leading to limited empirical support for their role in influencing dietary quality. This review assessed the measurement of CS and FS in adults (>16 years); critically examining study designs, psychometric properties of measures, theoretical basis, and associations of CS/FS with diet. Electronic databases (PsychInfo), published reports, and systematic reviews on cooking and home food preparation interventions provided 834 articles of which 26 met the inclusion criteria. Multiple CS/FS measures were identified across three study designs-qualitative, cross-sectional, and dietary interventions-conducted from 1998 to 2013. Most measures were not theory-based, limited psychometric data were available, with little consistency of items or scales used for CS/FS measurements. Some positive associations between CS/FS and fruit and vegetables intake were reported, though lasting dietary changes were uncommon. The role of psycho-social (e.g., gender, attitudes) and external factors (e.g., food availability) on CS/FS is discussed. A conceptual framework of CS/FS components is presented for future measurement facilitation, which highlights the role for CS/FS on food-related behavior and dietary quality. This will aid future dietary intervention design.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in folliculostellate cells of rat anterior pituitary gland.

PubMed

Ilmiawati, Cimi; Horiguchi, Kotaro; Fujiwara, Ken; Yashiro, Takashi

2012-03-01

Folliculostellate (FS) cells of the anterior pituitary gland express a variety of regulatory molecules. Using transgenic rats that express green fluorescent protein specifically in FS cells, we recently demonstrated that FS cells in vitro showed marked changes in motility, proliferation, and that formation of cellular interconnections in the presence of laminin, a component of the extracellular matrix, closely resembled those observed in vivo. These findings suggested that FS cells express matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which assists their function on laminin. In the present study, we investigate MMP-9 expression in rat anterior pituitary gland and examine its role in motility and proliferation of FS cells on laminin. Immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and gelatin zymography were performed to assess MMP-9 expression in the anterior pituitary gland and cultured FS cells. Real-time RT-PCR was used to quantify MMP-9 expression in cultured FS cells under different conditions and treatments. MMP-9 expression was inhibited by pharmacological inhibitor or downregulated by siRNA and time-lapse images were acquired. A 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine assay was performed to analyze the proliferation of FS cells. Our results showed that MMP-9 was expressed in FS cells, that this expression was upregulated by laminin, and that laminin induced MMP-9 secretion by FS cells. MMP-9 inhibition and downregulation did not impair FS motility; however, it did impair the capacity of FS cells to form interconnections and it significantly inhibited proliferation of FS cells on laminin. We conclude that MMP-9 is necessary in FS cell interconnection and proliferation in the presence of laminin.

Assessment of triglyceride and cholesterol in overweight people based on multiple linear regression and artificial intelligence model.

PubMed

Ma, Jing; Yu, Jiong; Hao, Guangshu; Wang, Dan; Sun, Yanni; Lu, Jianxin; Cao, Hongcui; Lin, Feiyan

2017-02-20

The prevalence of high hyperlipemia is increasing around the world. Our aims are to analyze the relationship of triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) with indexes of liver function and kidney function, and to develop a prediction model of TG, TC in overweight people. A total of 302 adult healthy subjects and 273 overweight subjects were enrolled in this study. The levels of fasting indexes of TG (fs-TG), TC (fs-TC), blood glucose, liver function, and kidney function were measured and analyzed by correlation analysis and multiple linear regression (MRL). The back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) was applied to develop prediction models of fs-TG and fs-TC. The results showed there was significant difference in biochemical indexes between healthy people and overweight people. The correlation analysis showed fs-TG was related to weight, height, blood glucose, and indexes of liver and kidney function; while fs-TC was correlated with age, indexes of liver function (P < 0.01). The MRL analysis indicated regression equations of fs-TG and fs-TC both had statistic significant (P < 0.01) when included independent indexes. The BP-ANN model of fs-TG reached training goal at 59 epoch, while fs-TC model achieved high prediction accuracy after training 1000 epoch. In conclusions, there was high relationship of fs-TG and fs-TC with weight, height, age, blood glucose, indexes of liver function and kidney function. Based on related variables, the indexes of fs-TG and fs-TC can be predicted by BP-ANN models in overweight people.

Emission factors and congener-specific characterization of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDD/Fs and PBDEs from an off-road diesel engine using waste cooking oil-based biodiesel blends.

PubMed

Chen, Shui-Jen; Tsai, Jen-Hsiung; Chang-Chien, Guo-Ping; Huang, Kuo-Lin; Wang, Lin-Chi; Lin, Wen-Yinn; Lin, Chih-Chung; Yeh, C Kuei-Jyum

2017-10-05

Few studies have been performed up to now on the emission factors and congener profiles of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) emitted from off-road diesel engines. This investigation elucidates the emission factors and congener profiles of various POPs, namely polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polybrominated dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in the exhausts of a diesel generator fueled with different waste cooking oil-based biodiesel (WCO-based biodiesel) blends. The PCDD/Fs contributed 87.2% of total dioxin-like toxicity (PCDD/Fs+PCBs+PBDD/Fs) in the exhaust, while the PCBs and PBDD/Fs only contributed 8.2% and 4.6%, respectively. Compared with petroleum diesel, B20 (20vol% WCO-based biodiesel+80vol% diesel) reduced total toxicity by 46.5% for PCDD/Fs, 47.1% for PCBs, and 24.5% for PBDD/Fs, while B40 (40vol% WCO-based biodiesel+60vol% diesel) reduced it by 89.5% for PCDD/Fs, 57.1% for PCBs, and 63.2% for PBDD/Fs in POP emission factors. The use of WCO-based biodiesel not only solves the problem of waste oil disposal, but also lowers POP emissions from diesel generators. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of lameness and leg lesions of lactating dairy cows housed in southern Brazil: Effects of housing systems.

PubMed

Costa, Joao H C; Burnett, Tracy A; von Keyserlingk, Marina A G; Hötzel, Maria J

2018-03-01

Within the last few decades, the North American and European dairy industries have been collecting information about lameness and leg injury prevalence on dairy farms and have tried to develop solutions to mitigate these ailments. Few published articles report the prevalence of lameness and leg lesions in areas outside of those 2 regions, or how alternative housing systems, such as compost-bedded packs, affect the prevalence of these maladies. The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of lameness and leg lesions on confined dairies that used freestall, compost-bedded packs, or a combination of these 2 systems in Brazil. Data were collected in the autumn and winter of 2016 from 50 dairy farms located in Paraná state, including 12 compost-bedded pack dairies (CB), 23 freestall dairies (FS), and 15 freestall dairies that used compost-bedded packs for vulnerable cows (FS+C). A visit to the farm consisted of a management questionnaire, an inspection of the housing areas as well as the milking parlor, and an evaluation of all lactating cows as they exited the parlor for lameness (score 1-5), hygiene (score 0-2), body condition score (score 1-5), and hock and knee lesions (score 0-1). Median 1-way chi-squared test was used to compare production systems. We found no difference between farm types in management practices related to hoof health management or average daily milk production per cow [31 (29-33.9) kg/d; median (quartile 1-3)], percentage of Holstein cattle in the herd [100% (90-100%)], conception rate [35.8% (30.2-38%)], or pregnancy rate [15% (13.7-18%)]. The CB farms were smaller [85 (49.5-146.5) milking cows] than both the FS [270 (178-327.5) milking cows] and FS+C farms [360 (150-541.5) milking cows). The overall prevalence of severe lameness (score 4 and 5) across all farms was 21.2% (15.2-28.5%) but was lower on the CB farms [14.2% (8.45-15.5%)] in comparison to the FS [22.2% (16.8-26.7%)] and the FS+C farms [22.2% (17.4-32.8%)]. Less than 1% of all cows scored on CB farms were observed with swollen or wounded knees (or both), which was lower than either the FS or FS+C farms [7.4% (3.6-11.9%) and 6.4% (2.6-11.8%) of all cows scored, respectively]. The same pattern was found for hock lesions, where the farm-level prevalence within the 3 different housing types was 0.5% (0-0.9%), 9.9% (0.8-15.3%), and 5.7% (2.6-10.9%) for CB, FS, and FS+C farms, respectively. No differences between farm systems were observed for hygiene or body condition score. On average, 2.7% (0.8-10.9%) of lactating cows had a soiled side, 15.4% (2.1-37.4%) had dirty legs and 1.7% (0-9.3%) had dirty udders. The average herd-level body condition score across farms was 2.9 (2.9-3), with 0.86% of the all cows scored having a body condition score <2.5. These results indicate that lameness prevalence on confined dairies in Brazil is high and highlight the need for remedial changes in environmental design and management practices. We found that CB farms in this region had reduced lameness and lesions in relation to FS or FS+C dairies. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical differences in children with autism spectrum disorder with and without food selectivity.

PubMed

Postorino, Valentina; Sanges, Veronica; Giovagnoli, Giulia; Fatta, Laura Maria; De Peppo, Lavinia; Armando, Marco; Vicari, Stefano; Mazzone, Luigi

2015-09-01

Several studies have described the atypical eating behaviors frequently occurring in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and food selectivity is the most frequent of these problems. The everyday management of mealtime behaviors among children with ASD can have a negative impact on family routines and become a significant stressor for families. However, much remains unknown about why food selectivity is so prevalent among individuals with ASD. The objective of this study was to investigate clinical and behavioral features in individuals with ASD with the aim of identifying distinctive clinical profiles in children with and without food selectivity. A total of 158 children with ASD were enrolled in this study: 79 participants with food selectivity (FS) were age and sex matched with 79 participants without food selectivity (No FS). All participants and their parents completed a battery of psychological tests for a comprehensive evaluation of ASD symptoms, cognitive abilities, adaptive skills, behavioral problems and parental stress level. No statistically significant difference on gastrointestinal symptoms and growth adequacy was found between the FS group and the No FS group. Overall, the FS group showed significantly higher rates of ASD symptoms as compared to the No FS group in the questionnaires completed by parents. Furthermore, parents of the FS group reported significantly higher levels of parental stress and a larger degree of their children's behavioral problems as compared to the No FS group. Finally, there were no differences between the FS and the No FS group on any adaptive skill domain. Our findings suggest that the identification of distinctive clinical and behavioral patterns in children with ASD and food selectivity is a crucial issue for parents and therapists in the daily management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Prospective Study in Comparison of Ambulatory Phlebectomy and Duplex Guided Foam Sclerotherapy in the Management of Varicosities with Isolated Perforator Incompetence.

PubMed

Kishore, R; Sankar, T Bavani; Anandi, A; Nedunchezhian, S; Murugan, Valarmathy

2016-10-01

Perforators are those which connect the superficial and deep venous system either directly to main veins or indirectly through the muscular and soleal venous plexus. The emergence of minimally invasive techniques like ambulatory phlebectomy (AP) and foam sclerotherapy (FS) has led to increasing interest about the appropriate therapy for the treatment of isolated perforator incompetence. There have been no studies which have compared the effectiveness of these in-office procedures in isolated perforator incompetence due to the low prevalence of cases. The primary goal of this study is to compare the clinical parameters (return to normal activity, primary symptom relief), functional parameters (procedure time, change in disease severity, course of venous ulcer), and duplex parameters (recurrence in treated veins, complete occlusion of treated veins) in the management of leg varicosities having isolated primary perforator incompetence by ambulatory phlebectomy and duplex guided foam sclerotherapy. Though the procedure time was shorter with FS than AP, the other parameters of primary symptom relief such as change in disease severity, faster healing of venous ulcer, complete occlusion of treated veins in follow-up duplex examination, and lower recurrence of treated veins are better with AP than FS. In conclusion, the interruption of perforators is effective in decreasing the symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency and for the rapid healing of ulcers. The interruption of the incompetent perforating veins appears to be essential to decrease ambulatory venous hypertension. It is apparent from this study that ambulatory phlebectomy stands distinct with enormous benefits and serves as a superior alternative to foam sclerotherapy in treating patients with isolated perforator incompetence.

Fabrication and Evaluation of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA Dental Resins/Composites Containing Nano Fibrillar Silicate

PubMed Central

Tian, Ming; Gao, Yi; Liu, Yi; Liao, Yiliang; Hedin, Nyle E.; Fong, Hao

2008-01-01

Objective To investigate the reinforcement of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA dental resins (without conventional glass filler) and composites (with conventional glass filler) with various mass fractions of nano fibrillar silicate (FS). Methods Three dispersion methods were studied to separate the silanized FS as nano-scaled single crystals and uniformly distribute them into dental matrices. The photo-curing behaviors of the Bis-GMA/TEGDMA/FS resins were monitored in situ by RT-NIR to study the photopolymerization rate and the vinyl double bond conversion. Mechanical properties (flexural strength, elastic modulus and work of fracture) of the nano FS reinforced resins/composites were tested, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used for the statistical analysis of the acquired data. The morphology of nano FS and the representative fracture surfaces of its reinforced resins/composites were examined by SEM/TEM. Results Impregnation of small mass fractions (1 % and 2.5 %) of nano FS into Bis-GMA/TEGDMA (50/50 mass ratio) dental resins/composites improved the mechanical properties substantially. Larger mass fraction of impregnation (7.5 %), however, did not further improve the mechanical properties (one way ANOVA, P > 0.05) and may even reduce the mechanical properties. The high degree of separation and uniform distribution of nano FS into dental resins/composites was a challenge. Impregnation of nano FS into dental resins/composites could result in two opposite effects: a reinforcing effect due to the highly separated and uniformly distributed nano FS single crystals, or a weakening effect due to the formation of FS agglomerates/particles. Significance Uniform distribution of highly separated nano FS single crystals into dental resins/composites could significantly improve the mechanical properties of the resins/composites. PMID:17572485

Flaxseed and pure secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, but not flaxseed hull, reduce human breast tumor growth (MCF-7) in athymic mice.

PubMed

Chen, Jianmin; Saggar, Jasdeep K; Corey, Paul; Thompson, Lilian U

2009-11-01

Previous studies have shown that dietary flaxseed (FS) can reduce the growth of established human breast tumors in athymic mice with low circulating estrogen concentrations. In this study, we determined the effect of FS compared with pure lignan at the level it is present in FS [secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG)] and to the lignan-rich fraction [FS hull (FH)] on human breast tumor growth and their potential mechanisms of action. Ovariectomized, athymic mice, each with an implanted 17 beta-estradiol (E2) pellet (0.36 mg), were injected with human estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer cells (MCF-7). When tumors were established, the E2 pellet was removed. Mice were fed either the control basal diet (BD), FS (100 g/kg diet), SDG (1 g/kg diet), or FH (18 g/kg diet) for 8 wk. Compared with the BD, FS and SDG significantly decreased the palpable tumor size, but effects of FS, SDG, and FH did not differ from one another. All treatments significantly inhibited cell proliferation, but only FS and SDG induced significantly higher apoptosis. Both FS and SDG significantly decreased mRNA expressions of Bcl2, cyclin D1, pS2, ERalpha, and ERbeta, epidermal growth factor receptor, and insulin-like growth factor receptor. FS also reduced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 mRNA and SDG decreased phospho-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase expression. FH did not significantly reduce these biomarkers. In conclusion, pure SDG has a similar effect as FS in reducing tumor growth and in mechanisms of action, including downregulating ER- and growth factor-mediated cell signaling. The lesser effects of FH indicate a need for a higher dose to be more effective.

Fabrication and evaluation of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA dental resins/composites containing nano fibrillar silicate.

PubMed

Tian, Ming; Gao, Yi; Liu, Yi; Liao, Yiliang; Hedin, Nyle E; Fong, Hao

2008-02-01

To investigate the reinforcement of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA dental resins (without conventional glass filler) and composites (with conventional glass filler) with various mass fractions of nano fibrillar silicate (FS). Three dispersion methods were studied to separate the silanized FS as nano-scaled single crystals and uniformly distribute them into dental matrices. The photo-curing behaviors of the Bis-GMA/TEGDMA/FS resins were monitored in situ by RT-NIR to study the photopolymerization rate and the vinyl double bond conversion. Mechanical properties (flexural strength, elastic modulus and work-of-fracture) of the nano FS reinforced resins/composites were tested, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the statistical analysis of the acquired data. The morphology of nano FS and the representative fracture surfaces of its reinforced resins/composites were examined by SEM/TEM. Impregnation of small mass fractions (1% and 2.5%) of nano FS into Bis-GMA/TEGDMA (50/50 mass ratio) dental resins/composites improved the mechanical properties substantially. Larger mass fraction of impregnation (7.5%), however, did not further improve the mechanical properties (one way ANOVA, P>0.05) and may even reduce the mechanical properties. The high degree of separation and uniform distribution of nano FS into dental resins/composites was a challenge. Impregnation of nano FS into dental resins/composites could result in two opposite effects: a reinforcing effect due to the highly separated and uniformly distributed nano FS single crystals, or a weakening effect due to the formation of FS agglomerates/particles. Uniform distribution of highly separated nano FS single crystals into dental resins/composites could significantly improve the mechanical properties of the resins/composites.

The Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria-fermented Soybean Milk Products on Carrageenan-induced Tail Thrombosis in Rats

PubMed Central

KAMIYA, Seitaro; OGASAWARA, Masayoshi; ARAKAWA, Masayuki; HAGIMORI, Masayori

2013-01-01

Thrombosis is characterized by congenital and acquired procatarxis. Lactic acid bacteria-fermented soybean milk products (FS-LAB) inhibit hepatic lipid accumulation and prevent atherosclerotic plaque formation. However, the therapeutic efficacy of FS-LAB against thrombosis has yet to be investigated. In this study, FS-LAB were administered subcutaneously into the tails of rats, with the subsequent intravenous administration of κ-carrageenan 12 hr after the initial injection. In general, administration of κ-carrageenan induces thrombosis. The length of the infarcted tail regions was significantly shorter in the rats administered a single-fold or double-fold concentration of the FS-LAB solution compared with the region in control rats. Therefore, FS-LAB exhibited significant antithrombotic effects. Our study is the first to characterize the properties of FS-LAB and, by testing their efficacy on an in vivo rat model of thrombosis, demonstrate the potency of their antithrombotic effect. PMID:24936368

Expression of chemokine CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 in folliculostellate (FS) cells of the rat anterior pituitary gland: the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis induces interconnection of FS cells.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Kotaro; Ilmiawati, Cimi; Fujiwara, Ken; Tsukada, Takehiro; Kikuchi, Motoshi; Yashiro, Takashi

2012-04-01

The anterior pituitary gland is composed of five types of hormone-producing cells plus folliculostellate (FS) cells, which do not produce classical anterior pituitary hormones. FS cells are interconnected by cytoplasmic processes and encircle hormone-producing cells or aggregate homophilically. Using living-cell imaging of primary culture, we recently reported that some FS cells precisely extend their cytoplasmic processes toward other FS cells and form interconnections with them. These phenomena suggest the presence of a chemoattractant factor that facilitates the interconnection. In this study, we attempted to discover the factor that induces interconnection of FS cells and succeeded in identifying chemokine (CXC)-L12 and its receptor CXCR4 as potential candidate molecules. CXCL12 is a chemokine of the CXC subfamily. It exerts its effects via CXCR4, a G protein-coupled receptor. The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis is a potent chemoattractant for many types of neural cells. First, we revealed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 are expressed by FS cells in rat anterior pituitary gland. Next, to clarify the function of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in FS cells, we observed living anterior pituitary cells in primary culture with specific CXCL12 inhibitor or CXCR4 antagonist and noted that extension of cytoplasmic processes and interconnection of FS cells were inhibited. Finally, we examined FS cell migration and invasion by using Matrigel matrix assays. CXCL12 treatment resulted in markedly increased FS cell migration and invasion. These data suggest that FS cells express chemokine CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 and that the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis evokes interconnection of FS cells.

Protective effects of Forsythia suspense extract with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in a model of rotenone induced neurotoxicity.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuai; Shao, Si-Yuan; Song, Xiu-Yun; Xia, Cong-Yuan; Yang, Ya-Nan; Zhang, Pei-Cheng; Chen, Nai-Hong

2016-01-01

The present study investigated the neuroprotective effects of Forsythia suspense extract in a rotenone-induced neurotoxic model. FS8, one of the herbal extracts, markedly protected PC12 cells against rotenone toxicity and was selected for the in vivo study. Gavage administration of FS8 (50 and 200mg/kg, but not 10mg/kg) for 25 days significantly improved the behavior function, decreased the loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra (SN), and maintained the level of dopamine in striatum after unilateral infusion of rotenone in SN. Wherein, the protective effects of FS8 at the dose of 200mg/kg were better than selegiline. Further study indicated the excellent antioxidant activity of FS8 on the 5th and 21st days after intranigral injection of rotenone. Moreover, FS8 could inhibit microglia activity and accumulation in SN, and obviously decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS and COX-2), which indicated the anti-inflammatory effects of FS8. In the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB and MAPK pathways, FS8 significantly down-regulated the protein expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-IκB, p-P65, cleaved Caspase 8, p-p38 and p-JNK but not p-mTOR, cleaved Caspase 3 and p-ERK. Therefore, FS8 protected dopamine neurons against rotenone toxicity via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which suggested the promising application of FS8 in the prevention and treatment of Parkinson disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proposed plan for remedial action for the Groundwater Operable Unit at the Chemical Plant Area of the Weldon Spring Site, Weldon Spring, Missouri

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

NONE

1999-08-10

This Proposed Plan addresses the remediation of groundwater contamination at the chemical plant area of the Weldon Spring site in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The site is located approximately 48 km (30 mi) west of St. Louis in St. Charles County . Remedial activities at the site will be conducted in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of the Army (DA), conducted a joint remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) to allow for a comprehensive evaluation of groundwater conditions at the Weldon Spring chemical plant areamore » and the Weldon Spring ordnance works area, which is an Army site adjacent to the chemical plant area. Consistent with DOE policy, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) values have been incorporated into the CERCLA process. That is, the analysis conducted and presented in the RVFS reports included an evaluation of environmental impacts that is comparable to that performed under NEPA. This Proposed Plan summarizes information about chemical plant area groundwater that is presented in the following documents: (1) The Remedial Investigation (RI), which presents information on the nature and extent of contamination; (2) The Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA), which evaluates impacts to human health and the environment that could occur if no cleanup action of the groundwater were taken (DOE and DA 1997a); and (3) The Feasibility Study (FS) and the Supplemental FS, which develop and evaluate remedial action alternatives for groundwater remediation.« less

Fisher's method of scoring in statistical image reconstruction: comparison of Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel iterative schemes.

PubMed

Hudson, H M; Ma, J; Green, P

1994-01-01

Many algorithms for medical image reconstruction adopt versions of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. In this approach, parameter estimates are obtained which maximize a complete data likelihood or penalized likelihood, in each iteration. Implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) penalized algorithms require smoothing of the current reconstruction in the image domain as part of their iteration scheme. In this paper, we discuss alternatives to EM which adapt Fisher's method of scoring (FS) and other methods for direct maximization of the incomplete data likelihood. Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel methods for non-linear optimization provide efficient algorithms applying FS in tomography. One approach uses smoothed projection data in its iterations. We investigate the convergence of Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel algorithms with clinical tomographic projection data.

Afebrile seizure subsequent to initial febrile seizure.

PubMed

Fallah, Razieh; Razieh, Fallah; Akhavan Karbasi, Sedighah; Sedighah, Akhavan Karbasi; Golestan, Motahhareh; Motahhareh, Golestan

2012-05-01

Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common paediatric neurological problem. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of afebrile seizures subsequent to FS in children with initial FS and to evaluate its risk factors. A prospective study was conducted on all children (age 6 months to 6 years) referred with initial FS to the Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran, between August 2004 and March 2006, who were followed up for at least 15 months for the occurrence of subsequent afebrile seizures. 161 boys and 120 girls (mean age 2.12 ± 1.33 years) were followed up for 34.1 ± 7.8 months. 87 (31%) patients had complex FS and 19 (6.7%) patients had subsequent afebrile seizure, with a mean occurrence time of 10.6 ± 6.4 months. Univariate analysis using chi-square test showed that initial FS within one hour of developing fever (p = 0.0001), neurodevelopmental delay (p = 0.0001), family history of epilepsy (p = 0.0001), recurrent FS (p = 0.003) and focal FS (p = 0.04) were risk factors for subsequent afebrile seizure. On multivariate analysis, neurodevelopmental delay (odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-3.4), initial FS within one hour of developing fever (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.1) and family history of epilepsy (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-1.9) were significant factors. Special attention should be paid to children with FS during history-taking and developmental assessments to identify high-risk patients and those who might need prophylactic anticonvulsants.

Correlations between grasp-reflex strengths and serum thyroid-hormone levels depending upon sex and familial sinistrality in human neonates: importance of genetically predetermined cerebral organization.

PubMed

Tan, U

1994-03-01

Relations of grasp-reflex strengths to serum free-thyroid hormone levels were studied in human neonates. In right-dominant (RH) males and females without familial sinistrality (-FS), grasp-reflex strengths from right (R) and left (L) inversely correlated with serum triiodothyronine (T3). In RH, +FS males, grasp-reflex strengths from R and L hands directly correlated with T3 (no correlations in RH, +FS females). There was no significant correlation between grasp reflex and T3 in non-right-handed (NRH), -FS neonates. In NRH +FS neonates, there was a significant negative linear correlation between grasp reflex from left and T3 only in NRH, +FS males. The following correlations were found between grasp reflex and thyroxine (T4): direct relation in RH, +FS males and females; inverse relation in NRH, -FS females only for the right hand; inverse correlations in NRH, +FS females. The R-L grasp reflex directly correlated with T3 in RH, -FS males, and inversely correlated with T3 in RH, -FS females (no significant correlations in others). These results indicated that thyroid hormones may influence cerebral maturation and lateralization differentially according to genetically predetermined cerebral organization. The generalizations of the hormonal effects on, at least, cerebral functioning would be wrong, if the genetically predetermined main features of the brain are neglected.

Training tomorrow's doctors to explain 'medically unexplained' physical symptoms: An examination of UK medical educators' views of barriers and solutions.

PubMed

Joyce, Emmeline; Cowing, Jennifer; Lazarus, Candice; Smith, Charlotte; Zenzuck, Victoria; Peters, Sarah

2018-05-01

Co-occuring physical symptoms, unexplained by organic pathology (known as Functional Syndromes, FS), are common and disabling presentations. However, FS is absent or inconsistently taught within undergraduate medical training. This study investigates the reasons for this and identifies potential solutions to improved implementation. Twenty-eight medical educators from thirteen different UK medical schools participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis proceeded iteratively, and in parallel with data production. Barriers to implementing FS training are beliefs about the complexity of FS, tutors' negative attitudes towards FS, and FS being perceived as a low priority for the curriculum. In parallel participants recognised FS as ubiquitous within medical practice and erroneously assumed it must be taught by someone. They recommended that students should learn about FS through managed exposure, but only if tutors' negative attitudes and behaviour are also addressed. Negative attitudes towards FS by educators prevents designing and delivering effective education on this common medical presentation. Whilst there is recognition of the need to implement FS training, recommendations are multifaceted. Increased liaison between students, patients and educators is necessary to develop more informed and effective teaching methods for trainee doctors about FS and in order to minimise the impact of the hidden curriculum. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of fissure sealants Helioseal Clear Chroma and Delton FS(+): 3 year results.

PubMed

Kargul, B; Tanboga, I; Gulman, N

2009-12-01

To evaluate the retention rates of a resin based colour changing fissure sealant (Helioseal Clear Chroma; Ivoclar Vivadent AG Schaan, Liechtenstein) compared with a coloured resin based fluoride fissure sealant (Delton FS(+); Dentsply De Trey GmbH,Konstanz,Germany). The fissure sealants (FS) were placed on all 4 caries-free first permanent molars of 31 children aged 6-9 years, using a half mouth experimental design by a paediatric dentist according to the manufacturers' instructions. A total of 121 FS were placed at baseline. Teeth were evaluated at 3 month intervals for 36 months where a preventive program including topical fluoride application was applied. Retention rates for 36 months showed a differences between Delton FS(+) and Helioseal Clear Chroma that were statistically significant (p<0.05). Delton FS(+) had total retention rate of 30.4% for 36 months compared with Helioseal Clear Chroma at 10.8% for the same evaluation period. Although Delton FS(+) showed significantly better results than Helioseal Clear Chroma for the evaluation periods, there were no statistically significant differences between Delton FS(+) (90.7%) and Helioseal Clear Chroma (80.4%) with respect to caries incidence at 36 months(p>0.05). Delton FS(+) showed a better complete retention rate for occlusal FS at one year. Both FS were aesthetically acceptable and easy to see during application and follow-up periods and gave significant protection from occlusal decay.

Gaseous Surrogate Hydrocarbons for a Hifire Scramjet that Mimic Opposed Jet Extinction Limits for Cracked JP Fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellett, Gerald L.; Vaden, Sarah N.; Wilson, Lloyd G.

2008-01-01

This paper describes, first, the top-down methodology used to define simple gaseous surrogate hydrocarbon (HC) fuel mixtures for a hypersonic scramjet combustion subtask of the HiFIRE program. It then presents new and updated Opposed Jet Burner (OJB) extinction-limit Flame Strength (FS) data obtained from laminar non-premixed HC vs. air counterflow diffusion flames at 1-atm, which follow from earlier investigations. FS represents a strain-induced extinction limit based on cross-section-average air jet velocity, U(sub air), that sustains combustion of a counter jet of gaseous fuel just before extinction. FS uniquely characterizes a kinetically limited fuel combustion rate. More generally, Applied Stress Rates (ASRs) at extinction (U(sub air) normalized by nozzle or tube diameter, D(sub n or t) can directly be compared with extinction limits determined numerically using either a 1-D or (preferably) a 2-D Navier Stokes simulation with detailed transport and finite rate chemistry. The FS results help to characterize and define three candidate surrogate HC fuel mixtures that exhibit a common FS 70% greater than for vaporized JP-7 fuel. These include a binary fuel mixture of 64% ethylene + 36% methane, which is our primary recommendation. It is intended to mimic the critical flameholding limit of a thermally- or catalytically-cracked JP-7 like fuel in HiFIRE scramjet combustion tests. Our supporting experimental results include: (1) An idealized kinetically-limited ASR reactivity scale, which represents maximum strength non-premixed flames for several gaseous and vaporized liquid HCs; (2) FS characterizations of Colket and Spadaccini s suggested ternary surrogate, of 60% ethylene + 30% methane + 10% n-heptane, which matches the ignition delay of a typical cracked JP fuel; (3) Data showing how our recommended binary surrogate, of 64% ethylene + 36% methane, has an identical FS; (4) Data that characterize an alternate surrogate of 44% ethylene + 56% ethane with identical FS and nearly equal molecular weights; this could be useful when systematically varying the fuel composition. However, the mixture liquefies at much lower pressure, which limits on-board storage of gaseous fuel; (5) Dynamic Flame Weakening results that show how oscillations in OJB input flow (and composition) can weaken (extinguish) surrogate flames up to 200 Hz, but the weakening is 2.5x smaller compared to pure methane; and finally, (6) FS limits at 1-atm that compare with three published 1-D numerical OJB extinction results using four chemical kinetic models. The methane kinetics generally agree closely at 1-atm, whereas, the various ethylene models predict extinction limits that average 45% high, which represents a significant problem for numerical simulation of surrogate-based flameholding in a scramjet cavity. Finally, we continue advocating the FS approach as more direct and fundamental for assessing idealized scramjet flameholding potentials than measurements of "unstrained" premixed laminar burning velocity or blowout in a Perfectly Stirred Reactor.

Agreement Between 35 Published Frailty Scores in the General Population

PubMed Central

Aguayo, Gloria A.; Donneau, Anne-Françoise; Vaillant, Michel T.; Schritz, Anna; Franco, Oscar H.; Stranges, Saverio; Malisoux, Laurent; Guillaume, Michèle; Witte, Daniel R.

2017-01-01

Abstract In elderly populations, frailty is associated with higher mortality risk. Although many frailty scores (FS) have been proposed, no single score is considered the gold standard. We aimed to evaluate the agreement between a wide range of FS in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Through a literature search, we identified 35 FS that could be calculated in ELSA wave 2 (2004–2005). We examined agreement between each frailty score and the mean of 35 FS, using a modified Bland-Altman model and Cohen's kappa (κ). Missing data were imputed. Data from 5,377 participants (ages ≥60 years) were analyzed (44.7% men, 55.3% women). FS showed widely differing degrees of agreement with the mean of all scores and between each pair of scores. Frailty classification also showed a very wide range of agreement (Cohen's κ = 0.10–0.83). Agreement was highest among “accumulation of deficits”-type FS, while accuracy was highest for multidimensional FS. There is marked heterogeneity in the degree to which various FS estimate frailty and in the identification of particular individuals as frail. Different FS are based on different concepts of frailty, and most pairs cannot be assumed to be interchangeable. Research results based on different FS cannot be compared or pooled. PMID:28633404

Prolonged financial stress predicts subsequent obesity: results from a prospective study of an Australian national sample.

PubMed

Siahpush, Mohammad; Huang, Terry T-K; Sikora, Asia; Tibbits, Melissa; Shaikh, Raees A; Singh, Gopal K

2014-02-01

The aim of this research was to assess the association of prolonged financial stress (FS) with subsequent obesity. Data were from Waves 8 (2008), 9 (2009), and 10 (2010) of Household Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The outcome was obesity measured in 2010. Prolonged FS was defined as having experienced FS in both 2008 and 2009. FS was measured in each year using seven questionnaire items. Analyses adjusted for health, physical activity, income, education, baseline obesity, and other covariates. Prolonged FS was a strong predictor of subsequent obesity. The adjusted risk of being obese in 2010 were 20% higher (RR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.10-1.30) among individuals who experienced FS in both 2008 and 2009 than those who did not experience FS in either year. The association of FS with obesity was independent of income and constant across income categories. Obesity prevention research should pay more attention to FS as an important dimension of economic deprivation, a concept that is distinct from common indicators of socioeconomic status such as income. Future research can examine the effect of financial education and counseling programs that help individuals with such skills as money management, budgeting, and saving on a reduction in FS and obesity. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

Gamma frequency SSVEP components differentiate children with febrile seizures from normal controls.

PubMed

Birca, Ala; Carmant, Lionel; Lortie, Anne; Vannasing, Phetsamone; Lassonde, Maryse

2008-11-01

Gamma band electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities have been reported in patients with epilepsy. We aimed to investigate whether patients with febrile seizures (FS) show abnormalities of the gamma frequency steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) components evoked by intermittent photic stimulation (IPS). We analyzed the magnitude and phase alignment of the 50-100 Hz SSVEP components elicited by IPS from 12 FS patients, 5 siblings of FS patients, and 15 control children between 6 and 36 months of age. Patients with FS showed significantly higher SSVEP magnitude and phase alignment values when compared to both the siblings and control groups. Detected abnormalities could either represent the direct consequence of seizures or indicate a preexisting tendency to hypersynchrony in FS patients. Future prospective studies could assess whether SSVEP abnormalities are associated with complex rather than simple FS, or have a prognostic value for the development of epilepsy following FS.

An Evaluation of Oceanographic Optical Instruments and Deployment Methodologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B.; Maritorena, Stephane

1999-01-01

The primary objective of the Sea-viewing, Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Project is to produce water- leaving radiances with an uncertainty of 5% in clear-water regions and chlorophyll a concentrations within +/- 35% over the range of 0.05-50 mg/cu m. Any global mission, like SeaWiFS, requires validation data be submitted from a wide variety of investigators which places a significant challenge on quantifying the total uncertainty associated with the in situ measurements, because each investigator follows slightly different practices when it comes to implementing all of the steps associated with collecting field data, even those with a prescribed set of protocols. This study uses data from multiple cruises to quantify the uncertainties associated with implementing data collection procedures while utilizing differing in-water optical instruments and deployment methods. A comprehensive approach is undertaken and includes: (1) the use of a portable light source and in-water intercomparisons to monitor the stability of the field radiometers, (2) alternative methods for acquiring reference measurements, and (3) different techniques for making in-water profiles. The only system to meet the 5% radiometric objective of the SeaWiFS Project was a free-fall profiler using (relatively inexpensive) modular components, although a more sophisticated (and comparatively expensive) profiler using integral components was very close and only 1% higher. A relatively inexpensive system deployed with a winch and crane was also close, but the ship shadow contamination problem increased the total uncertainty to approximately 6.5%.

Laser surgery of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos using femtosecond laser pulses: Optimal parameters for exogenous material delivery, and the laser's effect on short- and long-term development

PubMed Central

Kohli, Vikram; Elezzabi, Abdulhakem Y

2008-01-01

Background Femtosecond (fs) laser pulses have recently received wide interest as an alternative tool for manipulating living biological systems. In various model organisms the excision of cellular components and the intracellular delivery of foreign exogenous materials have been reported. However, the effect of the applied fs laser pulses on cell viability and development has yet to be determined. Using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as our animal model system, we address both the short- and long-term developmental changes following laser surgery on zebrafish embryonic cells. Results An exogenous fluorescent probe, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), was successfully introduced into blastomere cells and found to diffuse throughout all developing cells. Using the reported manipulation tool, we addressed whether the applied fs laser pulses induced any short- or long-term developmental effects in embryos reared to 2 and 7 days post-fertilization (dpf). Using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy we compared key developmental features of laser-manipulated and control samples, including the olfactory pit, dorsal, ventral and pectoral fins, notochord, pectoral fin buds, otic capsule, otic vesicle, neuromast patterning, and kinocilia of the olfactory pit rim and cristae of the lateral wall of the ear. Conclusion In our study, no significant differences in hatching rates and developmental morphologies were observed in laser-manipulated samples relative to controls. This tool represents an effective non-destructive technique for potential medical and biological applications. PMID:18230185

REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION REPORT FOR THE 200-CW-5 U POND & Z DITCHES & 200-CW-2 S POND & 200-SCW-R T POND & 200-SC-1 STEAM CONDENSATE GROUP OU

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

BAUER, R.G.

2004-08-05

The purpose of this remedial investigation (RI) report is to evaluate the data generated during the RI and other characterization activities at the 200-CW-5 Operable Unit (OU) to (1) determine if sufficient data have been collected to support risk assessment and remedial decision making, (2) estimate risk at the representative sites based on data collected during the RI and on other existing data, (3) determine the need to proceed with a feasibility study (FS), and (4) determine which constituents and site-specific considerations need to be addressed in the FS. This RI report also provides data to support the evaluation ofmore » alternatives in the FS with regard to meeting potential applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements, risk reduction, and potentially significant data gaps (if any). This RI report includes an evaluation of the baseline risk using characterization data generated during the RI and significant data from other investigations (e.g., historical data from the 216-U-10 Pond and the 216-Z-1D, 216-Z-11, 216-U-14, and 216-Z-19 Ditches). Data generated during the RI will support the closeout of waste sites in the 200-CW-5 OU, as well as the waste sites in the 200-CW-2,200-CW-4, and 200-SC-1 consolidated OUs.« less

Enhanced characterization of singly protonated phosphopeptide ions by femtosecond laser-induced ionization/dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (fs-LID-MS/MS).

PubMed

Smith, Scott A; Kalcic, Christine L; Safran, Kyle A; Stemmer, Paul M; Dantus, Marcos; Reid, Gavin E

2010-12-01

To develop an improved understanding of the regulatory role that post-translational modifications (PTMs) involving phosphorylation play in the maintenance of normal cellular function, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) strategies coupled with ion activation techniques such as collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) are typically employed to identify the presence and site-specific locations of the phosphate moieties within a given phosphoprotein of interest. However, the ability of these techniques to obtain sufficient structural information for unambiguous phosphopeptide identification and characterization is highly dependent on the ion activation method employed and the properties of the precursor ion that is subjected to dissociation. Herein, we describe the application of a recently developed alternative ion activation technique for phosphopeptide analysis, termed femtosecond laser-induced ionization/dissociation (fs-LID). In contrast to CID and ETD, fs-LID is shown to be particularly suited to the analysis of singly protonated phosphopeptide ions, yielding a wide range of product ions including a, b, c, x, y, and z sequence ions, as well as ions that are potentially diagnostic of the positions of phosphorylation (e.g., 'a(n)+1-98'). Importantly, the lack of phosphate moiety losses or phosphate group 'scrambling' provides unambiguous information for sequence identification and phosphorylation site characterization. Therefore, fs-LID-MS/MS can serve as a complementary technique to established methodologies for phosphoproteomic analysis. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Novel GABRG2 mutations cause familial febrile seizures

PubMed Central

Boillot, Morgane; Morin-Brureau, Mélanie; Picard, Fabienne; Weckhuysen, Sarah; Lambrecq, Virginie; Minetti, Carlo; Striano, Pasquale; Zara, Federico; Iacomino, Michele; Ishida, Saeko; An-Gourfinkel, Isabelle; Daniau, Mailys; Hardies, Katia; Baulac, Michel; Dulac, Olivier; Leguern, Eric; Nabbout, Rima

2015-01-01

Objective: To identify the genetic cause in a large family with febrile seizures (FS) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and subsequently search for additional mutations in a cohort of 107 families with FS, with or without epilepsy. Methods: The cohort consisted of 1 large family with FS and TLE, 64 smaller French families recruited through a national French campaign, and 43 Italian families. Molecular analyses consisted of whole-exome sequencing and mutational screening. Results: Exome sequencing revealed a p.Glu402fs*3 mutation in the γ2 subunit of the GABAA receptor gene (GABRG2) in the large family with FS and TLE. Three additional nonsense and frameshift GABRG2 mutations (p.Arg136*, p.Val462fs*33, and p.Pro59fs*12), 1 missense mutation (p.Met199Val), and 1 exonic deletion were subsequently identified in 5 families of the follow-up cohort. Conclusions: We report GABRG2 mutations in 5.6% (6/108) of families with FS, with or without associated epilepsy. This study provides evidence that GABRG2 mutations are linked to the FS phenotype, rather than epilepsy, and that loss-of-function of GABAA receptor γ2 subunit is the probable underlying pathogenic mechanism. PMID:27066572

Novel GABRG2 mutations cause familial febrile seizures.

PubMed

Boillot, Morgane; Morin-Brureau, Mélanie; Picard, Fabienne; Weckhuysen, Sarah; Lambrecq, Virginie; Minetti, Carlo; Striano, Pasquale; Zara, Federico; Iacomino, Michele; Ishida, Saeko; An-Gourfinkel, Isabelle; Daniau, Mailys; Hardies, Katia; Baulac, Michel; Dulac, Olivier; Leguern, Eric; Nabbout, Rima; Baulac, Stéphanie

2015-12-01

To identify the genetic cause in a large family with febrile seizures (FS) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and subsequently search for additional mutations in a cohort of 107 families with FS, with or without epilepsy. The cohort consisted of 1 large family with FS and TLE, 64 smaller French families recruited through a national French campaign, and 43 Italian families. Molecular analyses consisted of whole-exome sequencing and mutational screening. Exome sequencing revealed a p.Glu402fs*3 mutation in the γ2 subunit of the GABAA receptor gene (GABRG2) in the large family with FS and TLE. Three additional nonsense and frameshift GABRG2 mutations (p.Arg136*, p.Val462fs*33, and p.Pro59fs*12), 1 missense mutation (p.Met199Val), and 1 exonic deletion were subsequently identified in 5 families of the follow-up cohort. We report GABRG2 mutations in 5.6% (6/108) of families with FS, with or without associated epilepsy. This study provides evidence that GABRG2 mutations are linked to the FS phenotype, rather than epilepsy, and that loss-of-function of GABAA receptor γ2 subunit is the probable underlying pathogenic mechanism.

Prolactin levels during short- and long-term cross-sex hormone treatment: an observational study in transgender persons.

PubMed

Nota, N M; Dekker, M J H J; Klaver, M; Wiepjes, C M; van Trotsenburg, M A; Heijboer, A C; den Heijer, M

2017-08-01

The cause of prolactin alterations in transgender persons is often assigned to oestrogens, but the precise cause and time course during different phases of cross-sex hormone treatment (CHT) remain unclear. In this study, we prospectively examined prolactin levels in 55 female-to-males (FtMs) and 61 male-to-females (MtFs) during the first year of CHT. Because long-term prolactin data were not available in this population, we studied these levels in a retrospective population of 25 FtMs and 38 MtFs who underwent gonadectomy. FtMs were treated with testosterone and MtFs with estradiol, with or without the anti-androgen cyproterone acetate (CPA) (after gonadectomy CPA is cessated). During the first year of CHT, prolactin decreased with 25% (95CI: -33%, -12%) in FtMs and increased with 193% (95CI: 156%, 219%) in MtFs. Eighteen MtFs developed hyperprolactinemia (≥0.6 IU L -1 ). In the retrospective population, post-gonadectomy levels in FtMs were lower than baseline levels (-39%; 95CI: -51%, -20%) while in MtFs post-gonadectomy levels and baseline levels were comparable (-6%; 95CI: -24%, 15%). No hyperprolactinemia was found after gonadectomy. In conclusion, in FtMs, prolactin decreased consistently during CHT and in MtFs, prolactin increased during pre-surgical CHT but normalised after gonadectomy. It is likely that CPA induces increasing prolactin levels in MtFs. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Source contributions to total concentrations and carcinogenic potencies of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in ambient air: a case study in Suzhou City, China.

PubMed

Xuan, Zhiqiang; Bi, Chenglu; Li, Jiafu; Nie, Jihua; Chen, Zhihai

2017-10-01

The potential source categories and source contributions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in ambient air from Suzhou City, China, were performed by principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). The carcinogenic potencies of PCDD/Fs were quantitatively apportioned based on the positive matrix factorization-toxic equivalent concentration (PMF-TEQ) method. The results of the present study were summarized as follows. (1) The total concentrations and toxic equivalent concentrations of PCDD/Fs (∑PCDD/Fs and TEQ) in ambient air from Suzhou City were 1.34-42.80 pg N m -3 and 0.081-1.22 pg I-TEQ N m -3 , respectively. (2) PCA-MLR suggested that industrial combustion (IC), electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and secondary aluminum smelters (ALSs), unleaded gas-fueled vehicle sources (UGFVs), ALSs, and hazardous solid waste incinerators (HSWIs) could be the primary PCDD/F contributors, accounting for 13.2, 16.7, 35.5, 19.4, and 15.2% of ∑PCDD/Fs, respectively. (3) PMF and PMF-TEQ indicated that EAFs (carbon steel), UGFVs, IC, ALSs, municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) and hospital waste incinerators (HWIs), and HSWIs contributed 10.9, 10.9, 42.8, 11.3, 10.7, and 13.4% to ∑PCDD/Fs, but contributed 8.3, 12.3, 50.3, 12.7, 6.0, and 10.4% to carcinogenic potencies of PCDD/Fs. This study was the first attempt to quantitatively apportion the source-specific carcinogenic potencies of PCDD/Fs in ambient air.

Direct microscopic observation of forward osmosis membrane fouling.

PubMed

Wang, Yining; Wicaksana, Filicia; Tang, Chuyang Y; Fane, Anthony G

2010-09-15

This study describes the application of a noninvasive direct microscopic observation method for characterizing fouling of a forward osmosis (FO) membrane. The effect of the draw solution concentration, membrane orientation, and feed spacer on FO fouling was systematically investigated in a cross-flow setup using latex particles as model foulant in the feedwater. Higher draw solution (DS) concentrations (and thus increased flux levels) resulted in dramatic increase in the surface coverage by latex particles, suggesting that the critical flux concept might be applicable even for the osmotically driven FO process. Under identical draw solution concentrations, the active-layer-facing-the-feed-solution orientation (AL-FS) experienced significantly less fouling compared to the alternative orientation. This may be explained by the lower water flux in AL-FS, which is consistent with the critical flux concept. The use of a feed spacer not only dramatically enhanced the initial flux of the FO membrane, but also significantly improved the flux stability during FO fouling. Despite such beneficial effects of using the feed spacer, a significant amount of particle accumulation was found near the spacer filament, suggesting further opportunities for improved spacer design. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first direct microscopic observation study on FO fouling.

The Flexibility Scale: Development and Preliminary Validation of a Cognitive Flexibility Measure in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Strang, John F; Anthony, Laura G; Yerys, Benjamin E; Hardy, Kristina K; Wallace, Gregory L; Armour, Anna C; Dudley, Katerina; Kenworthy, Lauren

2017-08-01

Flexibility is a key component of executive function, and is related to everyday functioning and adult outcomes. However, existing informant reports do not densely sample cognitive aspects of flexibility; the Flexibility Scale (FS) was developed to address this gap. This study investigates the validity of the FS in 221 youth with ASD and 57 typically developing children. Exploratory factor analysis indicates a five-factor scale: Routines/rituals, transitions/change, special interests, social flexibility, and generativity. The FS demonstrated convergent and divergent validity with comparative domains of function in other measures, save for the Generativity factor. The FS discriminated participants with ASD and controls. Thus, this study suggests the FS may be a viable, comprehensive measure of flexibility in everyday settings.

Lifetimes of $sup 55$Co excited levels

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

Neal, G.F.; Chagnon, P.R.

1976-02-01

Gamma-rays deexciting $sup 55$CO levels have been studied in coincidence with deuterons detected in a particle telescope, in the $sup 54$Fe($sup 3$He,d$gamma$)$sup 55$Co reaction. Excitation energies, relative $gamma$-ray intensities, and Doppler-shift attenuations of 12 levels have been measured. Mean lifetimes and transition strengths are reported. The Doppler-shifted line shape of the 2164$Yields$0-keV transition has been analyzed and has been found consistent with the assumption of a single level. Lifetimes of selected levels are: 2164 keV, 125$sup +25$/sub -//sub 2//sub 0/ fs; 3301 keV, 50$sup +20$/sub -// sub 1//sub 5/ fs; 3322 keV, 45$sup +15$/sub -//sub 1//sub 0/ fs; 3641 keV,more » 300$sup +150$/sub -//sub 1//sub 0//sub 0/ fs; 4163 keV, 30$sup +15$/sub -//sub 1// sub 0/ fs; 4714 keV, 300$sup +200$/sub -//sub 1//sub 5//sub 0/ fs; 4719 keV, <30 fs; and 5172 keV, 10$sup +10$/sub -//sub 5/ fs. (AIP)« less

Risk of subsequent attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder in children with febrile seizures.

PubMed

Ku, Yi-Chia; Muo, Chih-Hsin; Ku, Chin-Shein; Chen, Chao-Huei; Lee, Wen-Yuan; Shen, Ein-Yiao; Chang, Yen-Jung; Kao, Chia-Hung

2014-04-01

In this study, we obtained relevant data from a nationwide cohort database to investigate the risk of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with a history of febrile seizures (FS). We identified 1081 children with FS as the case cohort, and the date of diagnosis was used as an index date. Four controls were matched randomly with each case based on age, sex, urbanisation level, parents' occupation, and index date. We applied Cox's proportional hazards regression to estimate the HR and CI of FS-associated ADHD. After 11 years of follow-up, the incidence of ADHD for the FS and control cohorts is 7.83 and 4.72 per 1000 person-years, respectively. The FS cohort was 1.66 times more at risk of ADHD occurrence (95% CI 1.27 to 2.18) than the control cohort. The risk of developing ADHD increased in conjunction with the frequency of FS-related visits. FS may increase the risk of subsequent ADHD occurrence in children. Children who visited physicians for FS more than twice had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of ADHD.

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 27: Case studies for SeaWiFS calibration and validation, part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Acker, James G. (Editor); Mueller, J. L.; Fraser, R. S.; Biggar, S. F.; Thome, K. J.; Slater, P. N.; Holmes, A. W.; Barnes, R. A.

1995-01-01

This document provides brief reports, or case studies, on a number of investigations sponsored by the Calibration and Validation Team (CVT) within the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Project. Chapter I describes a comparison of the irradiance immersion coefficients determined for several different marine environmental radiometers (MERs). Chapter 2 presents an analysis of how light absorption by atmospheric oxygen will influence the radiance measurements in band 7 of the SeaWiFS instrument. Chapter 3 gives the results of the second ground-based solar calibration of the instrument, which was undertaken after the sensor was modified to reduce the effects of internal stray light. (The first ground-based solar calibration of SeaWiFS is described in Volume 19 in the SeaWiFS Technical Report Series.) Chapter 4 evaluates the effects of ship shadow on subsurface irradiance and radiance measurements deployed from the deck of the R/V Weatherbird 11 in the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda. Chapter 5 illustrates the various ways in which a single data day of SeaWiFS observations can be defined, and why the spatial definition is superior to the temporal definition for operational usage.

Prevalence and Determinants of Frozen Shoulder in Patients with Diabetes: A Single Center Experience from Pakistan

PubMed Central

Ali, Nouman Safdar; Shahid, Haroon; Younus, Fariha

2017-01-01

Introduction Frozen shoulder (FS) or adhesive capsulitis is a constellation of symptoms like pain, stiffness, and/or functional deficit at the glenohumeral joint. It is one of the musculoskeletal complications in patients with diabetes that can be particularly debilitating. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of FS and to compare the determinants of this disease in a population with diabetes from Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods We carried out this cross-sectional study on a systematically randomized sample of 80 patients with diabetes. It included 38 males and 42 females from 2,964 patients registered at the Diabetes Management Center, Services Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. The study was conducted in the months of April, May, and June 2017. A structured questionnaire was designed and the responses of patients were recorded at the clinic after informed verbal and written consent. The questionnaire outlined the key factors that can lead to a higher frequency of FS in patients with diabetes. Results Thirty-three of the total 80 respondents included in the study were diagnosed with FS. The estimated prevalence of FS in diabetics from this data was 41.3% in Lahore, which is an urban area of Pakistan with a population of more than seven million. Female sex, insulin dependence, uncontrolled blood glucose levels, and a positive family history were associated with a significantly higher prevalence of FS. In our study, most patients with FS were in Stage 1 of the disease and had unilateral involvement. Conclusion The present study shows that the prevalence of FS is higher in patients with diabetes residing in Lahore than in comparable foreign populations with diabetes. It can be attributed to socioeconomic status, lack of awareness, a higher threshold for diagnosis, and/or poor glycemic control. Mass awareness campaigns, especially for female patients with diabetes, are required to be initiated to create awareness about the disease and to facilitate early diagnosis and appropriate management. In-depth and multicenter studies are needed to further explore the association between FS and diabetes. PMID:29018641

Prevalence and Determinants of Frozen Shoulder in Patients with Diabetes: A Single Center Experience from Pakistan.

PubMed

Inayat, Faisal; Ali, Nouman Safdar; Shahid, Haroon; Younus, Fariha

2017-08-06

Introduction Frozen shoulder (FS) or adhesive capsulitis is a constellation of symptoms like pain, stiffness, and/or functional deficit at the glenohumeral joint. It is one of the musculoskeletal complications in patients with diabetes that can be particularly debilitating. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of FS and to compare the determinants of this disease in a population with diabetes from Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods We carried out this cross-sectional study on a systematically randomized sample of 80 patients with diabetes. It included 38 males and 42 females from 2,964 patients registered at the Diabetes Management Center, Services Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. The study was conducted in the months of April, May, and June 2017. A structured questionnaire was designed and the responses of patients were recorded at the clinic after informed verbal and written consent. The questionnaire outlined the key factors that can lead to a higher frequency of FS in patients with diabetes. Results Thirty-three of the total 80 respondents included in the study were diagnosed with FS. The estimated prevalence of FS in diabetics from this data was 41.3% in Lahore, which is an urban area of Pakistan with a population of more than seven million. Female sex, insulin dependence, uncontrolled blood glucose levels, and a positive family history were associated with a significantly higher prevalence of FS. In our study, most patients with FS were in Stage 1 of the disease and had unilateral involvement. Conclusion The present study shows that the prevalence of FS is higher in patients with diabetes residing in Lahore than in comparable foreign populations with diabetes. It can be attributed to socioeconomic status, lack of awareness, a higher threshold for diagnosis, and/or poor glycemic control. Mass awareness campaigns, especially for female patients with diabetes, are required to be initiated to create awareness about the disease and to facilitate early diagnosis and appropriate management. In-depth and multicenter studies are needed to further explore the association between FS and diabetes.

Did municipal solid waste landfill have obvious influence on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in ambient air: A case study in East China.

PubMed

Li, Jiafu; Wang, Chong; Du, Lei; Lv, Zhiwei; Li, Xiaonan; Hu, Xuepeng; Niu, Zhiguang; Zhang, Ying

2017-04-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill was a main way to disposal of MSW and almost 95% of MSW was disposed by landfills in the world. In order to understand the influence of MSW landfill on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in surrounding atmosphere, 42 ambient air samples were collected and analyzed from surrounding sites, background site, upwind site and downwind site of a MSW landfill in East China. The results of present study were summarized as follows. (1) The total concentrations of PCDD/Fs (∑PCDD/Fs) in ambient air from surrounding sites, background site, upwind site and downwind site were 2.215±1.004, 2.058±0.458, 2.617±1.092 and 1.822±0.566pgNm -3 , respectively. (2) The toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ) of PCDD/Fs in ambient air from surrounding sites, background site, upwind site and downwind site were 0.103±0.017, 0.096±0.015, 0.120±0.024 and 0.108±0.014pg I-TEQNm -3 , respectively. (3) The congener profiles, ∑PCDD/Fs and TEQ between background atmosphere and surrounding atmosphere of landfill did not show statistically significant difference. (4) The ∑PCDD/Fs and TEQ in ambient air of downwind site were not higher than that of upwind site, suggesting that studied landfill did not have obvious influence on PCDD/Fs in ambient air from downwind site. (5) The 95th percentile carcinogenic risk (CR) of PCDD/Fs in ambient air from surrounding sites, background site, upwind site and downwind site were 8.03×10 -9 , 7.57×10 -9 , 9.69×10 -9 and 8.15×10 -9 , respectively, which were much lower than the threshold value of CR (10 -6 ), suggesting that studied landfill did not influence the CR of PCDD/Fs in surrounding atmosphere and negligible cancer risk occurred. (6) The non-carcinogenic risk (non-CR) analysis indicated that landfill did not have influence on the non-CR of PCDD/Fs in surrounding atmosphere and no obvious non-carcinogenic effects developed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emission characteristic of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from medical waste incinerators (MWIs) in China in 2016: A comparison between higher emission levels of MWIs and lower emission levels of MWIs.

PubMed

Li, Jiafu; Lv, Zhiwei; Du, Lei; Li, Xiaonan; Hu, Xuepeng; Wang, Chong; Niu, Zhiguang; Zhang, Ying

2017-02-01

Emission characteristic of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from 12 medical waste incinerators (MWIs) which have a total yearly capacity of 523 440 ton medical waste and accounted for 8.1% of total yearly capacity of 246 MWIs in China were studied. The congeners profile, emissions and toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ) indicators of PCDD/Fs in stack gas from two groups of MWIs were researched, and the possible formation mechanisms of PCDD/Fs from MWIs were preliminarily discussed. The results of present study were summarized as follows. (1) The total concentrations and TEQ of PCDD/Fs in stack gas from MWIs were 0.516-122.803 ng Nm -3 and 0.031-3.463 ng I-TEQ Nm -3 , respectively. (2) 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-H7CDF, O8CDD, O8CDF and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-H7CDD were the indicatory PCDD/Fs of MWI source, which could be used to apportion the sources of PCDD/Fs in environmental medium in China. (3) The emission factors of PCDD/Fs from MWIs ranged from 32.7 to 4900.0 ng I-TEQ ton -1 with a mean of 1923.6 ng I-TEQ ton -1 . (4) The gas emissions of PCDD/Fs from researched 12 MWIs and all of MWIs in China in 2016 were 37.742 and 465.951 mg I-TEQ year -1 , respectively. (5) 1,2,3,7,8,9-H6CDF and 1,2,3,4,7,8-H6CDF were effective TEQ indicators for the real-time monitoring of the PCDD/Fs emission. (6) The congeners profile and factor composition of PCDD/Fs in stack gas from two groups of MWIs were researched based on positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, and the possible formation mechanisms of PCDD/Fs from MWIs were preliminarily discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Professionals’ Recommended Strategies to Improve Australian Adolescents’ Knowledge of Nutrition and Food Systems

PubMed Central

Sadegholvad, Sanaz; Yeatman, Heather; Parrish, Anne-Maree; Worsley, Anthony

2017-01-01

Background: Education and policy measures within schools are valuable strategies to promote health. This study explored views of experienced food-related educators, researchers and policy-makers regarding their recommended strategies to improve Australian adolescents’ knowledge of nutrition and food systems (N&FS). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-one experienced food-related experts from across Australia. Interviews were conducted either by telephone or face-to-face. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Results: Five central themes and five sub-themes were identified from food professionals’ suggestions for best strategies to improve adolescents’ knowledge of N&FS. The central themes included: (1) specific improvements in schools’ core curricula; (2) pre-service and in-service training of school teachers about N&FS; (3) training students to develop a critical mind about N&FS issues; (4) multidisciplinary collaborations to improve school-based N&FS education; and (5) a supportive N&FS education environment for students. Conclusion and implication: These findings provide a guide for curriculum developers, educational policy developers, and food educators to incorporate the suggested N&FS strategies into Australian education programs in order to improve Australian adolescents’ knowledge and skills of N&FS issues. The results of this investigation also may assist the development of international N&FS curricula guides. PMID:28783108

Professionals' Recommended Strategies to Improve Australian Adolescents' Knowledge of Nutrition and Food Systems.

PubMed

Sadegholvad, Sanaz; Yeatman, Heather; Parrish, Anne-Maree; Worsley, Anthony

2017-08-07

Education and policy measures within schools are valuable strategies to promote health. This study explored views of experienced food-related educators, researchers and policy-makers regarding their recommended strategies to improve Australian adolescents' knowledge of nutrition and food systems (N&FS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-one experienced food-related experts from across Australia. Interviews were conducted either by telephone or face-to-face. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Five central themes and five sub-themes were identified from food professionals' suggestions for best strategies to improve adolescents' knowledge of N&FS. The central themes included: (1) specific improvements in schools' core curricula; (2) pre-service and in-service training of school teachers about N&FS; (3) training students to develop a critical mind about N&FS issues; (4) multidisciplinary collaborations to improve school-based N&FS education; and (5) a supportive N&FS education environment for students. These findings provide a guide for curriculum developers, educational policy developers, and food educators to incorporate the suggested N&FS strategies into Australian education programs in order to improve Australian adolescents' knowledge and skills of N&FS issues. The results of this investigation also may assist the development of international N&FS curricula guides.

A Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter Clinical Trial on the Safety and Efficacy of a Ready-to-Use Fibrin Sealant as an Adjunct to Hemostasis during Vascular Surgery.

PubMed

Chetter, Ian; Stansby, Gerard; Sarralde, José Aurelio; Riambau, Vicente; Giménez-Gaibar, Antonio; MacKenzie, Kent; Acín, Francisco; Navarro-Puerto, Jordi

2017-11-01

Anastomotic or "stitch hole" bleeding is common during vascular surgery with synthetic material such as Dacron or polytetrafluoroethylene. Hemostatic adjuncts such as fibrin sealant (FS) may reduce blood loss and operating time in such circumstances. We evaluated the safety and the hemostatic effectiveness of a ready-to-use human plasma-derived FS in vascular surgery. Patients with mild/moderate suture line bleeding during elective, open, vascular surgery using synthetic grafts or patches were studied. In an initial Exploratory Study, all patients were treated with FS Grifols, and in a subsequent Primary Study were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to FS Grifols or manual compression (MC). The primary efficacy end point was time to hemostasis (TTH), assessed at defined intervals from the start of treatment application, during a 10-min observational period. Safety end points (in Exploratory + Primary Studies) included adverse events (AEs), vital signs, physical assessments, common clinical laboratory tests (coagulation, complete blood count, serum clinical chemistry parameters, microscopic urinalysis), viral markers, and immunogenicity. In the Primary Study, the proportion of patients who achieved hemostasis at the 3-min time point was higher in the FS Grifols group (46.4%, n = 51/110) than in the MC group (26.3%, n = 15/57) (P < 0.05). The benefit was maintained at successive time intervals: 69 FS Grifols patients (62.7%) and 18 MC patients (31.6%) at 4 min; 82 FS Grifols patients (74.5%) and 28 MC patients (49.1%) at 5 min. The differences between the groups persisted for TTH ≤ 7 min and TTH ≤ 10 min. Treatment failure was reported for 13 FS Grifols patients (11.8%) and 16 MC patients (28.1%). TTH was shorter after FS Grifols application than after MC application. Differences were statistically significant in favor of FS Grifols for each TTH category and for the overall comparison (P < 0.001) as well as for each TTH category (cumulative) and for treatment failure (P = 0.016). Overall, AE experience and types of AEs reported were those expected in this patient population and were similar between the 2 treatment groups. The most frequently reported AEs were procedural pain (59.9% and 69.2% of patients in the FS Grifols [n = 72 + 111] and MC [n = 57] groups, respectively) and nausea (23.5% and 19.2% of patients, respectively). FS Grifols was efficacious and safe as an adjunct to anastomotic hemostasis in patients undergoing arterial surgery using prosthetic material with mild to moderate bleeding. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Milan Army Ammunition Plant focused feasibility study for the northern industrial area soil. Final report

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

Locandro, R.R.; Okusu, N.M.; Case, J.

1995-04-01

ICF Kaiser Engineers (ICF) and Environmental Resources Management (ERM) have been contracted by the US Army Environmental Center (USAEC) to perform a Focused Feasibility Study (FS) for contaminated soil within the northern industrial areas of Milan Army Ammunition Plant (MAAP), Tennessee. The purpose of the Focused FS is to develop and evaluate remedial alternatives such that an appropriate remedy can be selected for the site. The MAAP Remedial Investigation (RI) performed in 1989--1991 confirmed that the O-Line Ponds area, facility drainage ditches that received industrial wastewater, and manufacturing and disposal areas have been sources of groundwater contamination. One finding ofmore » the RI Report was that sufficient information was available concerning the O-Line Ponds area to proceed with a Focused FS. The O-Line Ponds area was further divided into two operable units (OUs): OU1 is the groundwater immediately downgradient of the O-Line Ponds area, and OU2 is the soil, surface water, and sediment at the O-Line Ponds area. A Proposed Plan and Record of Decision (ROD) for OU1 were finalized in 1992, which called for groundwater extraction, treatment, and reinjection of the treated water upgradient of the O-Line Ponds. The design of this system was completed in 1993, and construction of the system is currently underway. For OU2, the Proposed Plan and ROD (finalized in 1993) called for the extension of the existing multi-layered cap to cover the contaminated soil around the perimeter of the existing cap. The design of the cap extension was completed in 1994, and construction will begin in late 1994.« less

Enzymatic functional stability of Zn-contaminated field-collected soils: an ecotoxicological perspective.

PubMed

Lessard, Isabelle; Sauvé, Sébastien; Deschênes, Louise

2014-06-15

Functional stability (FS) is an ecosystem attribute that is increasingly promoted in soil health assessment. However, FS is currently assessed comparatively, and it is therefore impossible to generate toxicity parameters. Additionally, the FS scores in the literature do not consider site and contamination history within the score. To address these issues, three new FS scores adapted to an ecotoxicological context and based on the Relative Soil Stability Index (RSSI) method were developed. The aim of the study was then to determine the FS score(s) that best describe the toxicity of metal-contaminated field-collected soils. Twenty pairs of Zn-contaminated soils (contaminated and reference soils) were collected on the field, and their enzymatic FS (arylsulfatase, protease, phosphatase and urease) and metal fractions (total and bioavailable) were analyzed. New RSSI-based and existing FS scores were calculated for each enzyme and correlated to the Zn fractions. One of the new RSSI-based scores was well correlated with the bioavailable labile Zn concentration for the arylsulfatase, phosphatase and urease (coefficients of regression higher than 0.50). Furthermore, this FS score was not affected by the soil organic matter and depended little on other soil properties. Other FS scores were correlated to labile Zn for only one enzyme, which varied according to the score. The new RSSI-based score thus better attributed Zn toxicity to field-collected soils than other FS scores. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The extracellular matrix component laminin promotes gap junction formation in the rat anterior pituitary gland.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Kotaro; Kouki, Tom; Fujiwara, Ken; Kikuchi, Motoshi; Yashiro, Takashi

2011-03-01

Folliculo-stellate (FS) cells in the anterior pituitary gland are believed to have multifunctional properties. FS cells connect to each other not only by mechanical means, but also by gap junctional cell-to-cell communication. Using transgenic rats that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) specifically in FS cells in the anterior pituitary gland (S100b-GFP rats), we recently revealed that FS cells in primary culture markedly change their shape, and form numerous interconnections with neighboring FS cells in the presence of laminin, an extracellular matrix (ECM) component of the basement membrane. Morphological and functional changes in cells are believed to be partly modified by matricrine signaling, by which ECM components function as cellular signals. In the present study, we examined whether gap junction formation between FS cells is affected by matricrine cues. A cell sorter was used to isolate FS cells from male S100b-GFP rat anterior pituitary for primary culture. We observed that mRNA and protein levels of connexin 43 in gap junction channels were clearly higher in the presence of laminin. In addition, we confirmed the formation of gap junctions between FS cells in primary culture by electron microscopy. Interestingly, we also observed that FS cells in the presence of laminin displayed well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Our findings suggest that, in anterior pituitary gland, FS cells may facilitate functional roles such as gap junctional cell-to-cell communication by matricrine signaling.

Dry Eye Disease following Refractive Surgery: A 12-Month Follow-Up of SMILE versus FS-LASIK in High Myopia

PubMed Central

Wang, Bingjie; Chu, Renyuan; Dai, Jinhui; Qu, Xiaomei; Zhou, Hao

2015-01-01

Purpose. To compare dry eye disease following SMILE versus FS-LASIK. Design. Prospective, nonrandomised, observational study. Patients. 90 patients undergoing refractive surgery for myopia were included. 47 eyes underwent SMILE and 43 eyes underwent FS-LASIK. Methods. Evaluation of dry eye disease was conducted preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, using the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Questionnaire (SEEQ) and TBUT. Results. TBUT reduced following SMILE at 1 and 3 months (p < 0.001) and at 1, 3, and 6 months following FS-LASIK (p < 0.001). TBUT was greater following SMILE than FS-LASIK at 3, 6, and 12 months (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.009, resp.). SEEQ scores increased (greater symptoms) following SMILE at 1 month (p < 0.001) and 3 months (p = 0.003) and at 1, 3, and 6 months following FS-LASIK (p < 0.001). SMILE produced lower SEEQ scores (fewer symptoms) than FS-LASIK at 1, 3, and 6 months (p < 0.001). Conclusion. SMILE produces less dry eye disease than FS-LASIK at 6 months postoperatively but demonstrates similar degrees of dry eye disease at 12 months. PMID:26649190

Femtosecond lasers for laser in situ keratomileusis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Huhtala, Anne; Pietilä, Juhani; Mäkinen, Petri; Uusitalo, Hannu

2016-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to review and meta-analyze whether there are differences between reported femtosecond (FS) lasers for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in terms of efficacy, predictability, and safety as primary outcomes and corneal flap thickness measurements and pre- and postoperative complications as secondary outcomes. Methods A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Cochrane CENTRAL Trials Library databases was conducted to identify the relevant prospective randomized controlled trials of FS lasers for LASIK. Thirty-one articles describing a total of 5,404 eyes were included. Results Based on efficacy, IntraLase FS 10 and 30 kHz gave the best results. Based on predictability and safety, there were no differences between various FS lasers. FEMTO LDV and IntraLase FS 60 kHz produced the most accurate flap thicknesses. IntraLase and Wavelight SF200 had the fewest intraoperative complications. IntraLase, Visumax, and Wavelight FS200 had the most seldom postoperative complications. Conclusion There were dissimilarities between different FS lasers based on efficacy and intraoperative and postoperative complications. All FS lasers were predictable and safe for making corneal flaps in LASIK. PMID:27022236

Femtosecond lasers for laser in situ keratomileusis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Huhtala, Anne; Pietilä, Juhani; Mäkinen, Petri; Uusitalo, Hannu

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to review and meta-analyze whether there are differences between reported femtosecond (FS) lasers for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in terms of efficacy, predictability, and safety as primary outcomes and corneal flap thickness measurements and pre- and postoperative complications as secondary outcomes. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Cochrane CENTRAL Trials Library databases was conducted to identify the relevant prospective randomized controlled trials of FS lasers for LASIK. Thirty-one articles describing a total of 5,404 eyes were included. Based on efficacy, IntraLase FS 10 and 30 kHz gave the best results. Based on predictability and safety, there were no differences between various FS lasers. FEMTO LDV and IntraLase FS 60 kHz produced the most accurate flap thicknesses. IntraLase and Wavelight SF200 had the fewest intraoperative complications. IntraLase, Visumax, and Wavelight FS200 had the most seldom postoperative complications. There were dissimilarities between different FS lasers based on efficacy and intraoperative and postoperative complications. All FS lasers were predictable and safe for making corneal flaps in LASIK.

Assessing Alternative Endpoints for Groundwater Remediation at Contaminated Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

HRC), SVE, in-well aeration, phytoremediation , excavation, and pump-and-treat) (Appendix A, sites 2, 7, 21, 42, 43, 48, 55, 69, 72, and 77). Three... phytoremediation 2001 FS, TI evaluation, and ROD Reason(s) for TI Approval: Primary reasons: DNAPL is present in the surficial aquifer...given Cost estimate: Not given Final remedy: Free-phase DNAPL recovery in a localized area, continued phytoremediation , monitored biodegradation

Nanoencapsulation of dietary flavonoid fisetin: Formulation and in vitro antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition activities.

PubMed

Sechi, Mario; Syed, Deeba N; Pala, Nicolino; Mariani, Alberto; Marceddu, Salvatore; Brunetti, Antonio; Mukhtar, Hasan; Sanna, Vanna

2016-11-01

The bioactive flavonoid fisetin (FS) is a diet-derived antioxidant that is being increasingly investigated for its health-promoting effects. Unfortunately, the poor physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties affect and limit the clinical application. In this study, novel polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), based on Poly-(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and PLGA-PEG-COOH, encapsulating FS were formulated as suitable oral controlled release systems. Results showed NPs having a mean diameter of 140-200nm, and a percent loading of FS ranging from 70 to 82%. In vitro release studies revealed that NPs are able to protect and preserve the release of FS in gastric simulated conditions, also controlling the release in the intestinal medium. Moreover, the DPPH and ABTS scavenging capacity of FS, as well as α-glucosidase inhibition activity, that resulted about 20-fold higher than commercial Acarbose, were retained during nanoencapsulation process. In summary, our developed NPs can be proposed as an attractive delivery system to control the release of antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic FS for nutraceutical and/or therapeutic application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Association of IL-1β-511T gene rs16944 polymorphism with febrile seizures].

PubMed

Ren, Xiao-Tun; Sun, Su-Zhen; Liu, Fang; Wang, Xiao-Ming

2014-02-01

Despite substantial research efforts worldwide, the role of inflammatory cytokine IL-1β in the onset of febrile seizures (FS) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between rs16944 polymorphism of the IL-1β-511T gene and occurrence of simple FS in a sample of Han children in northern China. The IL-1β-511T gene rs16944 was genotyped by SNaPshot SNP technique in 141 FS children and 130 healthy control subjects. The genotypic and allelic frequencies in the two groups were comparatively analyzed. There were no significant differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs16944 polymorphism of the IL-1β-511T gene between FS patients and control subjects (P>0.05).When the clinical data on A/A, A/G and G/G genotypes of the rs16944 polymorphism in FS patients, there was statistically significant difference in age of first onset (χ(2)=19.491, P<0.01), temperature of first onset (χ(2)=9.317, P<0.05) and family history of FS (χ(2)=26.798, P<0.01). There is no association between rs16944 polymorphism of the IL-1β-511T gene and the incidence of FS in Han children in Northern China. However, the differences in genotypes of this polymorphism might be associated with pathogenesis and prognosis of simple FS in the population studied.

Long-term neurocognitive outcome and auditory event-related potentials after complex febrile seizures in children.

PubMed

Tsai, Min-Lan; Hung, Kun-Long; Tsan, Ying-Ying; Tung, William Tao-Hsin

2015-06-01

Whether prolonged or complex febrile seizures (FS) produce long-term injury to the hippocampus is a critical question concerning the neurocognitive outcome of these seizures. Long-term event-related evoked potential (ERP) recording from the scalp is a noninvasive technique reflecting the sensory and cognitive processes associated with attention tasks. This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcome of neurocognitive and attention functions and evaluated auditory event-related potentials in children who have experienced complex FS in comparison with other types of FS. One hundred and forty-seven children aged more than 6 years who had experienced complex FS, simple single FS, simple recurrent FS, or afebrile seizures (AFS) after FS and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Patients were evaluated with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC; Chinese WISC-IV) scores, behavior test scores (Chinese version of Conners' continuous performance test, CPT II V.5), and behavior rating scales. Auditory ERPs were recorded in each patient. Patients who had experienced complex FS exhibited significantly lower full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ), perceptual reasoning index, and working memory index scores than did the control group but did not show significant differences in CPT scores, behavior rating scales, or ERP latencies and amplitude compared with the other groups with FS. We found a significant decrease in the FSIQ and four indices of the WISC-IV, higher behavior rating scales, a trend of increased CPT II scores, and significantly delayed P300 latency and reduced P300 amplitude in the patients with AFS after FS. We conclude that there is an effect on cognitive function in children who have experienced complex FS and patients who developed AFS after FS. The results indicated that the WISC-IV is more sensitive in detecting cognitive abnormality than ERP. Cognition impairment, including perceptual reasoning and working memory defects, was identified in patients with prolonged, multiple, or focal FS. These results may have implications for the pathogenesis of complex FS. Further comprehensive psychological evaluation and educational programs are suggested. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Respiratory alkalosis in children with febrile seizures.

PubMed

Schuchmann, Sebastian; Hauck, Sarah; Henning, Stephan; Grüters-Kieslich, Annette; Vanhatalo, Sampsa; Schmitz, Dietmar; Kaila, Kai

2011-11-01

Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common type of convulsive events in children. FS are suggested to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However, the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying FS remain unclear. Using an animal model of experimental FS, it was demonstrated that hyperthermia causes respiratory alkalosis with consequent brain alkalosis and seizures. Here we examine the acid-base status of children who were admitted to the hospital for FS. Children who were admitted because of gastroenteritis (GE), a condition known to promote acidosis, were examined to investigate a possible protective effect of acidosis against FS. We enrolled 433 age-matched children with similar levels of fever from two groups presented to the emergency department. One group was admitted for FS (n = 213) and the other for GE (n = 220). In the FS group, the etiology of fever was respiratory tract infection (74.2%), otitis media (7%), GE (7%), tonsillitis (4.2%), scarlet fever (2.3%) chickenpox (1.4%), urinary tract infection (1.4%), postvaccination reaction (0.9%), or unidentified (1.4%). In all patients, capillary pH and blood Pco(2) were measured immediately on admission to the hospital. Respiratory alkalosis was found in children with FS (pH 7.46 ± 0.04, [mean ± standard deviation] Pco(2) 29.5 ± 5.5 mmHg), whereas a metabolic acidosis was seen in all children admitted for GE (pH 7.31 ± 0.03, Pco(2) 37.7 ± 4.3 mmHg; p < 0.001 for both parameters). No FS were observed in the latter group. A subgroup (n = 15; 7%) of the patients with FS had GE and, notably, their blood pH was more alkaline (pH 7.44 ± 0.04) than in the GE-admitted group. During the enrollment period, eight of the patients were admitted on separate occasions because of FS or GE. Consistent with the view that generation of FS requires a genetic susceptibility in addition to acute seizure triggering factors, each of these patients had an alkalotic blood pH when admitted because of FS, whereas they had an acidotic pH (and no FS) when admitted because of GE (pH 7.47 ± 0.05 vs. pH 7.33 ± 0.03, p < 0.005). The results show that FS are associated with a systemic respiratory alkalosis, irrespective of the severity of the underlying infection as indicated by the level of fever. The lack of FS in GE patients is attributable to low pH, which also explains the fact that children with a susceptibility to FS do not have seizures when they have GE-induced fever that is associated with acidosis. The present demonstration of a close link between FS and respiratory alkalosis may pave the way for further clinical studies and attempts to design novel therapies for the treatment of FS by controlling the systemic acid-base status. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2011 International League Against Epilepsy.

Pain and convalescence following laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.

PubMed

Eriksen, Jens Ravn

2011-12-01

Severe pain is usual after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR). Mesh fixation with titanium tacks may play a key role in the development of acute and chronic pain and alternative fixation methods should therefore be investigated. This PhD thesis was based on three studies and aimed too: 1) assess the intensity and impact of postoperative pain by detailed patient-reported description of pain and convalescence after LVHR (Study I), 2) evaluate the feasibility of fibrin sealant (FS) for mesh fixation in an experimental pig model (Study II), and 3) investigate FS vs. tacks for mesh fixation in LVHR in a randomised, double-blinded, clinical controlled study with acute postoperative pain as the primary outcome (Study III). In Study I - a prospective descriptive study - 35 patients were prospectively included and underwent LVHR. Scores of pain, quality of life, convalescence, fatigue, and general well-being were obtained from each patient. Follow-up was six months. Average pain from postoperative day (POD) 0-2 and POD 0-6 measured on a 0-100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) was 61 and 48, respectively. Pain scores reached preoperative values at POD 30. The incidence of severe chronic pain was 7%. No parameter predicted postoperative pain significantly. Significant correlations were found between pain, and general well-being (rS= -0.8, p < 0.001), satisfaction (rS= -0.67, p < quality of life score (rS= -0.63, p < 0.001) six months postoperatively. Patients resumed normal daily activity at POD 14. In Study II - a randomised experimental study in pigs - nine pigs were operated laparoscopically with insertion of two different meshes fixed with either FS or tacks. All pigs were euthanized on POD 30. The primary outcome parameter was strength of ingrowth between the mesh and the anterior abdominal wall. A mechanical peel test was performed for each tissue sample. The secondary outcome parameters were grade and strength of adhesions to the mesh, shrinkage and displacement/folding of the mesh and histological parameters. All nine pigs survived without complications until sacrifice. No meshes were displaced from their initial position at autopsy, but in two cases mesh folding was observed. No significant difference in strength of ingrowth was found between different fixation methods or mesh types. Furthermore, no significant difference was found in grade or strength of adhesions or any histological parameters. In Study III - a randomised, controlled, double-blinded, multicenter trial - 40 patients with umbilical hernia defects between 1.5-5 cm, were randomly assigned to receive FS or titanium tacks for mesh fixation in LVHR. Patients, care givers and those assessing the outcomes were blinded to group assignment. The primary outcome was average pain from POD 0-2 (VAS score). Secondary outcome parameters were fatigue, general well-being and time to resume normal daily activity. Follow-up was one month for all. Patients in the FS group reported significantly less pain at POD 0-2 (median VAS 38 (range 6-98) vs. 60 (18-96), p = 0.01). Absolute VAS score difference between groups was 20 mm (95% CI 4-35 mm) at activity, and 19 mm (95% CI 3-34 mm) at rest. Patients in the FS group reported significantly less discomfort from POD 0-2 and POD 0-10, compared with the tack group. No significant difference was found in fatigue score between groups. No significant difference in hospital stay, hernia diameter, or morphine consumption in the post anesthesia care unit was found between groups. Patients in the FS group resumed normal daily activity at POD 7 (1-66) versus POD 18 (1-95) in the tack group (p = 0.03). No recurrences were observed. No adverse events or side effects were observed. No significant differences in predefined complications were found between groups. In conclusion, pain is a significant clinical problem after LVHR with impact on general well-being, quality of life and patient satisfaction. This issue must have first priority in future ventral hernia repair research. It is now documented, that the simple application of fibrin glue instead of titanium tacks for mesh fixation in LVHR of defects < 5 cm significantly reduced acute pain, discomfort and the period of convalescence. Long-term follow-up will show the value of FS fixation in terms of chronic pain and recurrence. As FS potentially may solve many of the outcome problems associated with LVHR, future studies should include larger hernia defects including large incisional hernias, as the operative technique may be different.

Single d-metal atoms on F(s) and F(s+) defects of MgO(001): a theoretical study across the periodic table.

PubMed

Neyman, Konstantin M; Inntam, Chan; Matveev, Alexei V; Nasluzov, Vladimir A; Rösch, Notker

2005-08-24

Single d-metal atoms on oxygen defects F(s) and F(s+) of the MgO(001) surface were studied theoretically. We employed an accurate density functional method combined with cluster models, embedded in an elastic polarizable environment, and we applied two gradient-corrected exchange-correlation functionals. In this way, we quantified how 17 metal atoms from groups 6-11 of the periodic table (Cu, Ag, Au; Ni, Pd, Pt; Co, Rh, Ir; Fe, Ru, Os; Mn, Re; and Cr, Mo, W) interact with terrace sites of MgO. We found bonding with F(s) and F(s+) defects to be in general stronger than that with O2- sites, except for Mn-, Re-, and Fe/F(s) complexes. In M/F(s) systems, electron density is accumulated on the metal center in a notable fashion. The binding energy on both kinds of O defects increases from 3d- to 4d- to 5d-atoms of a given group, at variance with the binding energy trend established earlier for the M/O2- complexes, 4d < 3d < 5d. Regarding the evolution of the binding energy along a period, group 7 atoms are slightly destabilized compared to their group 6 congeners in both the F(s) and F(s+) complexes; for later transition elements, the binding energy increases gradually up to group 10 and finally decreases again in group 11, most strongly on the F(s) site. This trend is governed by the negative charge on the adsorbed atoms. We discuss implications for an experimental detection of metal atoms on oxide supports based on computed core-level energies.

SeaWiFS Technical Report Series. Volume 41; Case Studies for SeaWiFS Calibration and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, Eueng-nan; Barnes, Robert A.; Darzi, Michael; Kumar, Lakshmi; Early, Edward A.; Johnson, B. Carol; Mueller, James L.; Trees, Charles C.

1997-01-01

This document provides brief reports, or case studies, on a number of investigations sponsored by the Calibration and Validation Team (CVT) within the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Project. Chapter I describes the calibration and characterization of the GSFC sphere, which was used in the recent recalibration of the SeaWiFS instrument. Chapter 2 presents a revision of the diffuse attenuation coefficient, K(490), algorithm based on the SeaWiFS wavelengths. Chapter 3 provides an implementation scheme for an algorithm to remove out-of-band radiance when using a sensor calibration based on a finite width (truncated) spectral response function, e.g., between the 1% transmission points. Chapter 4 describes the implementation schemes for the stray light quality flag (local area coverage [LAC] and global area coverage [GAC]) and the LAC stray light correction.

Fibrin chain cross-linking, fibrinolysis, and in vivo sealing efficacy of differently structured fibrin sealants.

PubMed

Hedrich, Hans Christian; Simunek, Manuela; Reisinger, Sonja; Ferguson, James; Gulle, Heinz; Goppelt, Andreas; Redl, Heinz

2012-08-01

In this study, we compared the sealing characteristics and efficacy of a fibrin sealant with reduced plasminogen (FS-rplg) and a fibrin sealant with aprotinin as a fibrinolysis inhibitor (FS-apr). The relevant sealing characteristics including clot structure, fibrin chain cross-linking, and clot lysis were tested in the laboratory. The sealing efficacy was then investigated in a follow-up animal model to determine differences in the in vivo sealing properties. A total of 46 animals were available for the final analysis with 23 animals in each treatment arm. In conclusion, we saw differences in vitro between FS-rplg and FS-apr in ultrastructure and α-chain cross-linking rates as well as in the rate of fibrinolysis. These differences may explain the significantly enhanced sealing efficacy in FS-apr compared to FS-rplg shown in vivo in a rabbit intestinal model. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterization of nanoparticle mediated laser transfection by femtosecond laser pulses for applications in molecular medicine.

PubMed

Schomaker, Markus; Heinemann, Dag; Kalies, Stefan; Willenbrock, Saskia; Wagner, Siegfried; Nolte, Ingo; Ripken, Tammo; Murua Escobar, Hugo; Meyer, Heiko; Heisterkamp, Alexander

2015-02-03

In molecular medicine, the manipulation of cells is prerequisite to evaluate genes as therapeutic targets or to transfect cells to develop cell therapeutic strategies. To achieve these purposes it is essential that given transfection techniques are capable of handling high cell numbers in reasonable time spans. To fulfill this demand, an alternative nanoparticle mediated laser transfection method is presented herein. The fs-laser excitation of cell-adhered gold nanoparticles evokes localized membrane permeabilization and enables an inflow of extracellular molecules into cells. The parameters for an efficient and gentle cell manipulation are evaluated in detail. Efficiencies of 90% with a cell viability of 93% were achieved for siRNA transfection. The proof for a molecular medical approach is demonstrated by highly efficient knock down of the oncogene HMGA2 in a rapidly proliferating prostate carcinoma in vitro model using siRNA. Additionally, investigations concerning the initial perforation mechanism are conducted. Next to theoretical simulations, the laser induced effects are experimentally investigated by spectrometric and microscopic analysis. The results indicate that near field effects are the initial mechanism of membrane permeabilization. This methodical approach combined with an automated setup, allows a high throughput targeting of several 100,000 cells within seconds, providing an excellent tool for in vitro applications in molecular medicine. NIR fs lasers are characterized by specific advantages when compared to lasers employing longer (ps/ns) pulses in the visible regime. The NIR fs pulses generate low thermal impact while allowing high penetration depths into tissue. Therefore fs lasers could be used for prospective in vivo applications.

Study of PCDD/Fs distribution in fly ash, ash deposits, and bottom ash from a medical waste incinerator in China.

PubMed

Du, Yingzhe; Jin, Yuqi; Lu, Shengyong; Peng, Zheng; Li, Xiaodong; Yan, Jianhua

2013-02-01

Over the past decades in China, the number of medical waste incinerators (MWIs) has been rising rapidly, causing emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). In this study, samples of fly ash, ash deposits, and bottom ash from typical MWIs were analyzed for PCDD/Fs and their distribution characteristics. Results showed international toxic equivalent (I-TEQ) values in the range of 6.9-67 ng I-TEQ/g in fly ash and ash deposits, whereas the concentration in bottom ash was extremely low (only 1.33 pg I-TEQ/g), yet the generation of PCDD/Fs was mostly de novo synthesis in fly ash and ash deposits according to the ratio of PCDFs to PCDDs; the major distribution differences of PCDD/Fs in fly ash was manifested by the content of toxic furan 2,3,7,8-TCDF but other toxic PCDD/Fs showed similar distribution. Other findings are that 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF had the most contribution to TEQ concentration, and that the most abundant toxic furan congener is 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF. Correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between PCDD/Fs concentration and several other physical and chemical parameters. This paper is of interest because it presents the emission performances of PCDD/Fs in ash from medical waste incineration in China. PCDD/F contents in fly ash and ash deposits vary between 6.9 and 67.3 ng I-TEQ/g. However, the concentration in bottom ash was extremely low (only 1.33 x 10(-3) ng I-TEQ/g). The fingerprints of PCDD/Fs in fly ash are almost similar, except for 2,3,7,8-TCDF. There is no marked correlation between PCDD/Fs and other physicochemical properties.

Digesta retention patterns of solute and different-sized particles in camelids compared with ruminants and other foregut fermenters.

PubMed

Dittmann, Marie T; Runge, Ullrich; Ortmann, Sylvia; Lang, Richard A; Moser, Dario; Galeffi, Cordula; Schwarm, Angela; Kreuzer, Michael; Clauss, Marcus

2015-07-01

The mean retention times (MRT) of solute or particles in the gastrointestinal tract and the forestomach (FS) are crucial determinants of digestive physiology in herbivores. Besides ruminants, camelids are the only herbivores that have evolved rumination as an obligatory physiological process consisting of repeated mastication of large food particles, which requires a particle sorting mechanism in the FS. Differences between camelids and ruminants have hardly been investigated so far. In this study we measured MRTs of solute and differently sized particles (2, 10, and 20 mm) and the ratio of large-to-small particle MRT, i.e. the selectivity factors (SF(10/2mm), SF(20/2mm), SF(20/10mm)), in three camelid species: alpacas (Vicugna pacos), llamas (Llama glama), and Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus). The camelid data were compared with literature data from ruminants and non-ruminant foregut fermenters (NRFF). Camelids and ruminants both had higher SF(10/2mm)FS than NRFF, suggesting convergence in the function of the FS sorting mechanism in contrast to NRFF, in which such a sorting mechanism is absent. The SF(20/10mm)FS did not differ between ruminants and camelids, indicating that there is a particle size threshold of about 1 cm in both suborders above which particle retention is not increased. Camelids did not differ from ruminants in MRT(2mm)FS, MRTsoluteFS, and the ratio MRT(2mm)FS/MRTsoluteFS, but they were more similar to 'cattle-' than to 'moose-type' ruminants. Camelids had higher SF(10/2mm)FS and higher SF(20/2mm)FS than ruminants, indicating a potentially slower particle sorting in camelids than in ruminants, with larger particles being retained longer in relation to small particles.

Synthesis, characterization, and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of truxene-cored diphenylamine derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fusheng; Zhao, Baodong; Chen, Yu; Zhang, Yufei; Wang, Tao; Xue, Song

2017-10-01

Three star-shaped compounds based on a truxene core (FS11, FS12 and FS13) were prepared. The truxene core is incorporating with asymmetric diphenylamines, including one phenyl of diphenylamine substituted by methoxy group and the other phenyl substituted by tolyl, fluorophenyl and phenylethynyl for FS11, FS12 and FS13, respectively. Their one-photon, two-photon absorption, geometric structures, electrochemical behavior and thermal properties were investigated. The absorption maxima of charge transfer band for FS11, FS12 and FS13 are 375 nm, 373 nm and 383 nm, and the corresponding molar extinction coefficients of FS11, FS12 and FS13 is 79,950 M- 1 cm- 1, 67,220 M- 1 cm- 1 and 108,780 M- 1 cm- 1. The ;pull-push; structure promotes charge transfer between asymmetric diphenylamine branches and the truxene core. Their two-photon absorbtion property is measured by two-photon induced fluorescence. The maximum two-photon cross-sections values of FS11, FS12 and FS13 are excited at 750 nm, which are 260 GM, 204GM and 367 GM, respectively.

Characteristics of initial fearful spells and their associations with DSM-IV panic attacks and panic disorder in adolescents and young adults from the community.

PubMed

Asselmann, Eva; Pané-Farré, Christiane; Isensee, Barbara; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Lieb, Roselind; Höfler, Michael; Beesdo-Baum, Katja

2014-08-01

Few studies examined characteristics of initial fearful spells (FS) or panic attacks (PA) and their relation to DSM-IV PA and panic disorder (PD). A community sample of adolescents and young adults (N=3021) was followed up in 4 waves (T0-T3) over up to 10 years. FS, PA, and PD were assessed at each wave using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Characteristics of the initial FS/PA including perceived reasons/triggers, appraisal, duration, and behavioral/emotional consequences of the initial FS/PA were retrospectively assessed at T1 and T2 in those reporting the experience of lifetime FS or PA at these waves (N=363). Multinomial logistic regressions adjusted for sex and age were used to reveal associations of initial FS/PA characteristics (aggregated data from T1 and T2) with PA only (N=88) and PD (N=62; lifetime incidences cumulated across assessment waves) (reference group: No PA/PD). Alcohol consumption, drugs/medication, and physical illness as perceived reasons for the initial FS/PA were associated with PA-only (OR 2.46-5.44), while feelings of depression, feelings of anxiety, and having always been anxious/nervous as perceived reasons for the initial FS/PA, appraising the initial FS/PA as terrible and long-term irritating/burdensome, subsequent feelings of depression, subsequent avoidance, and subsequent consumption of medication, alcohol, or drugs were associated with PD (OR 2.64-4.15). A longer duration until "feeling okay again" was associated with both PA-only (OR=1.29 per category) and PD (OR=1.63). Initial FS/PA characteristics were necessarily assessed retrospectively by self-report only. Thus, our data might be subject to recall/evaluation biases. Aggregated data were used and strictly prospective-longitudinal studies are necessary that replicate our findings. Assessing initial FS/PA characteristics might be useful to identify individuals at increased risk for more severe panic pathology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/ dibenzofurans and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil, vegetation, workshop-floor dust, and electronic shredder residue from an electronic waste recycling facility and in soils from a chemical industrial complex in eastern China.

PubMed

Ma, Jing; Addink, Rudolf; Yun, Sehun; Cheng, Jinping; Wang, Wenhua; Kannan, Kurunthachalam

2009-10-01

The formation and release of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) from the incineration of electronic wastes (e-waste) that contain brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are a concern. However, studies on the determination of PBDD/Fs in environmental samples collected from e-waste recycling facilities are scarce. In this study, 11 2,3,7,8-substituted PBDD/Fs and 10 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners were determined in electronic shredder waste, workshop-floor dust soil, and leaves (of plants on the grounds of the facility) from a large-scale e-waste recycling facility and in surface soil from a chemical-industrial complex (comprising a coke-oven plant, a coal-fired power plant, and a chlor-alkali plant) as well as agricultural areas in eastern China. Total PBDD/F concentrations in environmental samples were in the range of 113-818 pg/g dry wt (dw) for leaves, 392-18500 pg/g dw for electronic shredder residues, 716-800000 pg/g dw for soil samples, and 89600-pg/g dw for workshop-floor dust from the e-waste recycling facility and in a range from nondetect (ND) to 427 pg/g dw in soil from the chemical-industrial complex. The highest mean concentrations of total PBDD/Fs were found in soil samples and workshop-floor dust from the e-waste recycling facility. The dioxin-like toxic equivalent (measured as TEQ) concentrations of PBDD/Fs were greater than the TEQs of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) reported in our previous study for the same set of samples. The concentrations of PBDFs were several orders of magnitude higher than the concentrations of PBDDs in samples from the e-waste facility or from soil from the chemical-industrial complex. A significant correlation was found between the concentrations of sigmaPBDD/Fs and sigmaPBDEs (r = 0.769, p < 0.01) and between sigmaPBDD/Fs and the previously reported sigmaPCDD/F concentrations (r = 0.805, p < 0.01). The estimated daily human intakes of TEQs contributed by PBDD/Fs via soil/dust ingestion and dermal exposures in e-waste recycling facilities were higher than the intakes of TEQs contributed by PCDD/ Fs, calculated in our previous study.

Cortical Thickness Estimations of FreeSurfer and the CAT12 Toolbox in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Seiger, Rene; Ganger, Sebastian; Kranz, Georg S; Hahn, Andreas; Lanzenberger, Rupert

2018-05-15

Automated cortical thickness (CT) measurements are often used to assess gray matter changes in the healthy and diseased human brain. The FreeSurfer software is frequently applied for this type of analysis. The computational anatomy toolbox (CAT12) for SPM, which offers a fast and easy-to-use alternative approach, was recently made available. In this study, we compared region of interest (ROI)-wise CT estimations of the surface-based FreeSurfer 6 (FS6) software and the volume-based CAT12 toolbox for SPM using 44 elderly healthy female control subjects (HC). In addition, these 44 HCs from the cross-sectional analysis and 34 age- and sex-matched patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) were used to assess the potential of detecting group differences for each method. Finally, a test-retest analysis was conducted using 19 HC subjects. All data were taken from the OASIS database and MRI scans were recorded at 1.5 Tesla. A strong correlation was observed between both methods in terms of ROI mean CT estimates (R 2 = .83). However, CAT12 delivered significantly higher CT estimations in 32 of the 34 ROIs, indicating a systematic difference between both approaches. Furthermore, both methods were able to reliably detect atrophic brain areas in AD subjects, with the highest decreases in temporal areas. Finally, FS6 as well as CAT12 showed excellent test-retest variability scores. Although CT estimations were systematically higher for CAT12, this study provides evidence that this new toolbox delivers accurate and robust CT estimates and can be considered a fast and reliable alternative to FreeSurfer. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Neuroimaging published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society of Neuroimaging.

The role of yttrium and titanium during the development of ODS ferritic steels obtained through the STARS route: TEM and XAS study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ordás, Nerea; Gil, Emma; Cintins, Arturs; de Castro, Vanessa; Leguey, Teresa; Iturriza, Iñigo; Purans, Juris; Anspoks, Andris; Kuzmin, Alexei; Kalinko, Alexandr

2018-06-01

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Ferritic Steels (ODS FS) are candidate materials for structural components in future fusion reactors. Their high strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures and their good resistance to neutron radiation damage is obtained through extremely fine microstructures containing a high density of nanometric precipitates, generally yttrium and titanium oxides. This work shows transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) characterization of Fe-14Cr-2W-0.3Ti-0.24Y ODS FS obtained by the STARS route (Surface Treatment of gas Atomized powder followed by Reactive Synthesis), an alternative method to obtain ODS alloys that avoids the mechanical alloying to introduce Y2O3 powder particles. In this route, FS powders already containing Ti and Y, precursors of the nanometric oxides, are obtained by gas atomization. Then, a metastable Cr- and Fe-rich oxide layer is formed on the surface of the powder particles. During consolidation by HIP at elevated temperatures, and post-HIP heat treatments above the HIP temperature, this oxide layer at Prior Particle Boundaries (PPBs) dissociates, the oxygen diffuses, and Y-Ti-O nano-oxides precipitate in the ferritic matrix. TEM characterization combined with XAFS and XANES analyses have proven to be suitable tools to follow the evolution of the nature of the different oxides present in the material during the whole processing route and select appropriate HIP and post-HIP parameters to promote profuse and fine Y-Ti-O nanometric precipitates.

Polybrominated, polychlorinated and monobromo-polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in marine surface sediments from Hong Kong and Korea.

PubMed

Terauchi, Hidenori; Takahashi, Shin; Lam, Paul K S; Min, Byung-Yoon; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2009-03-01

In this study we investigated occurrences and distribution patterns of dioxin-related compounds (DRCs) such as polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), monobromo-polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (MoBPCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in marine surface sediments collected from the coastal waters of Hong Kong and Korea. In most sampling sites, concentrations of PCDDs were the highest, followed by DL-PCBs, PCDFs, PBDFs, PBDDs, MoBPCDDs and MoBPCDFs in this order. Levels of PBDD/Fs were generally 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than chlorinated analogues. Levels of PCDDs are higher than PCDFs in Hong Kong while levels of PBDFs are higher than PBDDs in Korea (p<0.05). Report of PBDD/Fs and MoBPCDD/Fs in sediments from East Asian countries is novel and original. Environmental levels of PBDD/Fs are supposed to start increasing in accordance with rising production, use and disposal of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and recycling processes of e-waste in Asian developing countries.

Trichoderma reesei FS10-C enhances phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil by Sedum plumbizincicola and associated soil microbial activities

PubMed Central

Teng, Ying; Luo, Yang; Ma, Wenting; Zhu, Lingjia; Ren, Wenjie; Luo, Yongming; Christie, Peter; Li, Zhengao

2015-01-01

This study aimed to explore the effects of Trichoderma reesei FS10-C on the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil by the hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola and on soil fertility. The Cd tolerance of T. reesei FS10-C was characterized and then a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the growth and Cd uptake of S. plumbizincicola with the addition of inoculation agents in the presence and absence of T. reesei FS10-C. The results indicated that FS10-C possessed high Cd resistance (up to 300 mg L-1). All inoculation agents investigated enhanced plant shoot biomass by 6–53% of fresh weight and 16–61% of dry weight and Cd uptake by the shoots by 10–53% compared with the control. All inoculation agents also played critical roles in increasing soil microbial biomass and microbial activities (such as biomass C, dehydrogenase activity and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity). Two inoculation agents accompanied by FS10-C were also superior to the inoculation agents, indicating that T. reesei FS10-C was effective in enhancing both Cd phytoremediation by S. plumbizincicola and soil fertility. Furthermore, solid fermentation powder of FS10-C showed the greatest capacity to enhance plant growth, Cd uptake, nutrient release, microbial biomass and activities, as indicated by its superior ability to promote colonization by Trichoderma. The solid fermentation powder of FS10-C might serve as a suitable inoculation agent for T. reesei FS10-C to enhance both the phytoremediation efficiency of Cd-contaminated soil and soil fertility. PMID:26113858

Caveolin 3-mediated integrin β1 signaling is required for the proliferation of folliculostellate cells in rat anterior pituitary gland under the influence of extracellular matrix.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Kotaro; Fujiwara, Ken; Ilmiawati, Cimi; Kikuchi, Motoshi; Tsukada, Takehiro; Kouki, Tom; Yashiro, Takashi

2011-07-01

Folliculostellate (FS) cells in the anterior pituitary gland are believed to have multifunctional properties. Using transgenic rats that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) specifically in FS cells in the anterior pituitary gland (S100b-GFP rats), we recently revealed that FS cells in primary culture exhibited marked proliferation in the presence of laminin, an extracellular matrix (ECM) component of the basement membrane. In a process referred to as matricrine action, FS cells receive ECM as a signal through their receptors, which results in morphological and functional changes. In this study, we investigated matricrine signaling in FS cells and observed that the proliferation of FS cells is mediated by integrin β1, which is involved in various signaling pathways for cell migration and proliferation in response to ECM. Then, we analyzed downstream events of the integrin β1 signaling pathway in the proliferation of FS cells and identified caveolin 3 as a potential candidate molecule. Caveolin 3 is a membrane protein that binds cholesterol and a number of signaling molecules that interact with integrin β1. Using specific small interfering RNA of caveolin 3, the proliferation of FS cells was inhibited. Furthermore, caveolin 3 drove activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades, which resulted in upregulation of cyclin D1 in FS cells. These findings suggest that matricrine signaling in the proliferation of FS cells was transduced by a caveolin 3-mediated integrin β1 signaling pathway and subsequent activation of the MAPK pathway. © 2011 Society for Endocrinology

Feeding schemes and C/N ratio of a laboratory-scale step-fed sequencing batch reactor for liquid swine manure treatment.

PubMed

Wu, Sarah Xiao; Zhu, Jun; Chen, Lide

2017-07-03

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of two split feeding schemes (600 mL/200 mL and 400 mL/400 mL, designated as FS1 and FS2, respectively) on the performance of a step-fed sequencing batch reactor (SBR) in treating liquid swine manure for nutrient removal. The SBR was run on an 8-h cycle with a repeated pattern of anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic phases in each cycle and the two feedings always occurred at the beginning of each anaerobic phase. A low-level aeration was used (1.0 L/m 3 .sec) for the anoxic/aerobic phase to facilitate nitrification and phosphorus uptake while reducing the energy consumption. The results showed that FS1 reduced NH 4 + -N by 98.7% and FS2 by 98.3%. FS1 had 12.3 mg/L NO 3 -N left in the effluent, while FS2 had 4.51 mg/L. For soluble phosphorus removal, FS1 achieved 95.2%, while FS2 reached only 68.5%. Both feeding schemes achieved ≥ 95% removal of COD. A good power regression was observed between total nitrogen (sum of all three nitrogen species) and the carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, with the correlation coefficients of 0.9729 and 0.9542 for FS1 and FS2, respectively, based on which it was concluded that higher C/N ratios were required to achieve higher nitrogen removal efficiencies.

Urinary Amino Acid Alterations in 3-Year-Old Children with Neurodevelopmental Effects due to Perinatal Dioxin Exposure in Vietnam: A Nested Case-Control Study for Neurobiomarker Discovery

PubMed Central

Nishijo, Muneko; Tai, Pham The; Anh, Nguyen Thi Nguyet; Nghi, Tran Ngoc; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Van Luong, Hoang; Anh, Tran Hai; Morikawa, Yuko; Waseda, Tomoo; Kido, Teruhiko; Nishijo, Hisao

2015-01-01

In our previous study of 3-year-old children in a dioxin contamination hot spot in Vietnam, the high total dioxin toxic equivalent (TEQ-PCDDs/Fs)-exposed group during the perinatal period displayed lower Bayley III neurodevelopmental scores, whereas the high 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-exposed group displayed increased autistic traits. In autistic children, urinary amino acid profiles have revealed metabolic alterations in the amino acids that serve as neurotransmitters in the developing brain. Therefore, our present study aimed to investigate the use of alterations in urinary amino acid excretion as biomarkers of dioxin exposure-induced neurodevelopmental deficits in highly exposed 3-year-old children in Vietnam. A nested case-control study of urinary analyses was performed for 26 children who were selected from 111 3-year-old children whose perinatal dioxin exposure levels and neurodevelopmental status were examined in follow-up surveys conducted in a dioxin contaminated hot spot. We compared urinary amino acid levels between the following 4 groups: (1) a high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and high TCDD-exposed group; (2) a high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs but low TCDD-exposed group; (3) a low TEQ-PCDDs/Fs exposed and poorly developed group; and (4) a low TEQ-PCDDs/Fs exposed and well-developed group. Urinary levels of histidine and tryptophan were significantly decreased in the high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and high TCDD group, as well as in the high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs but low TCDD group, compared with the low TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and well-developed group. However, the ratio of histidine to glycine was significantly lower only in the high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and high TCDD group. Furthermore, urinary histidine levels and the ratio of histidine to glycine were significantly correlated with neurodevelopmental scores, particularly for language and fine motor skills. These results indicate that urinary histidine is specifically associated with dioxin exposure-induced neurodevelopmental deficits, suggesting that urinary histidine may be a useful marker of dioxin-induced neurodevelopmental deficits and that histaminergic neurotransmission may be an important pathological contributor to dioxin-mediated neurotoxicity. PMID:25584822

Urinary amino acid alterations in 3-year-old children with neurodevelopmental effects due to perinatal dioxin exposure in Vietnam: a nested case-control study for neurobiomarker discovery.

PubMed

Nishijo, Muneko; Tai, Pham The; Anh, Nguyen Thi Nguyet; Nghi, Tran Ngoc; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Van Luong, Hoang; Anh, Tran Hai; Morikawa, Yuko; Waseda, Tomoo; Kido, Teruhiko; Nishijo, Hisao

2015-01-01

In our previous study of 3-year-old children in a dioxin contamination hot spot in Vietnam, the high total dioxin toxic equivalent (TEQ-PCDDs/Fs)-exposed group during the perinatal period displayed lower Bayley III neurodevelopmental scores, whereas the high 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-exposed group displayed increased autistic traits. In autistic children, urinary amino acid profiles have revealed metabolic alterations in the amino acids that serve as neurotransmitters in the developing brain. Therefore, our present study aimed to investigate the use of alterations in urinary amino acid excretion as biomarkers of dioxin exposure-induced neurodevelopmental deficits in highly exposed 3-year-old children in Vietnam. A nested case-control study of urinary analyses was performed for 26 children who were selected from 111 3-year-old children whose perinatal dioxin exposure levels and neurodevelopmental status were examined in follow-up surveys conducted in a dioxin contaminated hot spot. We compared urinary amino acid levels between the following 4 groups: (1) a high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and high TCDD-exposed group; (2) a high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs but low TCDD-exposed group; (3) a low TEQ-PCDDs/Fs exposed and poorly developed group; and (4) a low TEQ-PCDDs/Fs exposed and well-developed group. Urinary levels of histidine and tryptophan were significantly decreased in the high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and high TCDD group, as well as in the high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs but low TCDD group, compared with the low TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and well-developed group. However, the ratio of histidine to glycine was significantly lower only in the high TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and high TCDD group. Furthermore, urinary histidine levels and the ratio of histidine to glycine were significantly correlated with neurodevelopmental scores, particularly for language and fine motor skills. These results indicate that urinary histidine is specifically associated with dioxin exposure-induced neurodevelopmental deficits, suggesting that urinary histidine may be a useful marker of dioxin-induced neurodevelopmental deficits and that histaminergic neurotransmission may be an important pathological contributor to dioxin-mediated neurotoxicity.

Generation of 103 fs mode-locked pulses by a gain linewidth-variable Nd,Y:CaF2 disordered crystal.

PubMed

Qin, Z P; Xie, G Q; Ma, J; Ge, W Y; Yuan, P; Qian, L J; Su, L B; Jiang, D P; Ma, F K; Zhang, Q; Cao, Y X; Xu, J

2014-04-01

We have demonstrated a diode-pumped passively mode-locked femtosecond Nd,Y:CaF2 disordered crystal laser for the first time to our knowledge. By choosing appropriate Y-doping concentration, a broad fluorescence linewidth of 31 nm has been obtained from the gain linewidth-variable Nd,Y:CaF2 crystal. With the Nd,Y:CaF2 disordered crystal as gain medium, the mode-locked laser generated pulses with pulse duration as short as 103 fs, average output power of 89 mW, and repetition rate of 100 MHz. To our best knowledge, this is the shortest pulse generated from Nd-doped crystal lasers so far. The research results show that the Nd,Y:CaF2 disordered crystal will be a potential alternative as gain medium of repetitive chirped pulse amplification for high-peak-power lasers.

An open-label study on the effect of flax seed powder (Linum usitatissimum) supplementation in the management of diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Mani, Uliyar Vitaldas; Mani, Indirani; Biswas, Mamta; Kumar, Smriti Nanda

2011-09-01

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by hyperglycemia and associated with aberrations in the metabolism of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid that result in development of secondary complications. Extensive studies have indicated that nutritional therapy plays a pivotal role in the controlling or postponing of development of these secondary complications. Several functional foods have been shown to possess hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic properties. Flax seed (FS) is a functional food that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants and is low in carbohydrates. In exploratory studies, FS was incorporated in recipes, which resulted in a reduction in the glycemic index of the food items. These observations prompted us to investigate the efficacy of FS supplementation in type 2 diabetics (n = 29). Subjects were assigned to the experimental (n = 18) or the control group (n = 11) on the basis of their desire to participate in the study. The experimental group's diet was supplemented daily with 10 g of FS powder for a period of 1 month. The control group received no supplementation or placebo. During the study, diet and drug intake of the subjects remained unaltered. The efficacy of supplementation with FS was evaluated through a battery of clinico-biochemical parameters. Supplementation with FS reduced fasting blood glucose by 19.7% and glycated hemoglobin by 15.6%. A favorable reduction in total cholesterol (14.3%), triglycerides (17.5%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (21.8%), and apolipoprotein B and an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (11.9%) were also noticed. These observations suggest the therapeutic potential of FS in the management of diabetes mellitus.

The bioaccessibility of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) in cooked plant and animal origin foods.

PubMed

Shen, Haitao; Starr, James; Han, Jianlong; Zhang, Lei; Lu, Dasheng; Guan, Rongfa; Xu, Xiaomin; Wang, Xiaofeng; Li, Jingguang; Li, Weiwei; Zhang, Yanjun; Wu, Yongning

2016-09-01

In this study, we compared the effect of boiling and frying food preparation methods in determining the bioaccessibility of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) in rice, cabbage, milk powder, eggs, beef, and fresh water fish. We then used these data to calculate a toxic equivalent (TEQ) for risk assessment and compared it to published values that did not account for bioaccessibility. When the foods were prepared by boiling, the mean bioaccessibility (%) in rice (PCBs: 16.5±1.0, PCDD/Fs: 4.9±0.3) and cabbage (PCBs: 4.2±0.9, PCDD/Fs: 1.9±0.7) were lower than in animal origin foods (beef, PCBs: 49.0±3.3, PCDD/Fs: 7.8±0.9; egg, PCBs: 29.7±3.1, PCDD/Fs: 8.6±1.3; fish, PCBs: 26.9±2.5, PCDD/Fs: 7.9±1.3; milk powder, PCBs: 72.3±1.6, PCDD/Fs: 28.4±1.2). When fried in cooking oil, the bioaccessibilities of all analytes in all foods increased, but the increase in plant based foods (rice, PCBs: 3.4×, PCDD/Fs: 3.6×; cabbage, PCBs: 10.3×, PCDD/Fs: 7.9×) was greater than that of animal origin foods (beef, PCBs: 1.6×, PCDD/Fs: 3.4×; egg, PCBs: 2.1×, PCDD/Fs: 1.8×; fish, PCBs: 2.8, PCDD/Fs: 3.2×). Comparison of PCBs/PCDD/Fs bioaccessibility in rice and cabbage showed that bioaccessibility was greater in the low fat, high carbohydrate/protein content food (rice) than in the low carbohydrate/protein, low fat content food (cabbage), regardless of the method used to prepare the food. Adjusting for bioaccessibility reduced the gross estimated daily intake (EDI) of 112pgWHO-TEQ/day, by 88% and 63% respectively for foods prepared by boiling and frying. Our results indicate that: 1) The method used for cooking is an important determinant of PCBs/PCDD/Fs bioaccessibility, especially for plant origin foods, 2) there might be a joint fat, carbohydrate and protein effect that influences the bioaccessibilities of PCBs/PCDD/Fs in foods, and 3) use of bioaccessibility estimates would reduce the uncertainty in TEQ calculations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Algorithm for automatic forced spirometry quality assessment: technological developments.

PubMed

Melia, Umberto; Burgos, Felip; Vallverdú, Montserrat; Velickovski, Filip; Lluch-Ariet, Magí; Roca, Josep; Caminal, Pere

2014-01-01

We hypothesized that the implementation of automatic real-time assessment of quality of forced spirometry (FS) may significantly enhance the potential for extensive deployment of a FS program in the community. Recent studies have demonstrated that the application of quality criteria defined by the ATS/ERS (American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society) in commercially available equipment with automatic quality assessment can be markedly improved. To this end, an algorithm for assessing quality of FS automatically was reported. The current research describes the mathematical developments of the algorithm. An innovative analysis of the shape of the spirometric curve, adding 23 new metrics to the traditional 4 recommended by ATS/ERS, was done. The algorithm was created through a two-step iterative process including: (1) an initial version using the standard FS curves recommended by the ATS; and, (2) a refined version using curves from patients. In each of these steps the results were assessed against one expert's opinion. Finally, an independent set of FS curves from 291 patients was used for validation purposes. The novel mathematical approach to characterize the FS curves led to appropriate FS classification with high specificity (95%) and sensitivity (96%). The results constitute the basis for a successful transfer of FS testing to non-specialized professionals in the community.

Role of black carbon in the sorption of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans at the Diamond Alkali superfund site, Newark Bay, New Jersey.

PubMed

Lambert, Matthew K; Friedman, Carey; Luey, Pamela; Lohmann, Rainer

2011-05-15

The sorption of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) to organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) was measured in two sediment cores taken near the Diamond Alkali superfund site (DA) in the Passaic River and Newark Bay, New Jersey (U.S.A.). An OC partitioning model and a BC-inclusive, Freundlich distribution model were used to interpret measurements of freely dissolved PCDD/Fs using passive samplers in sediment incubations, together with measured sedimentary concentrations of OC, BC, and PCDD/Fs. Samples were also analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as controls on the two distribution models. The OC partitioning model underpredicted the distribution of PAHs and PCDD/Fs by 10-100-fold. The Freundlich model predicted the distribution of PAHs at the DA to within a factor of 2-3 of observations. Black carbon-water partition coefficients (K(iBC)) for PCDD/Fs, derived from literature results of both field and laboratory studies differed up to 1000-fold from values derived from this study. Contrary to expectations, PCDDs displayed stronger sorption than either PCDFs or PAHs relative to their subcooled liquid aqueous solubilities. Even though the presence of BC in the sediments reduced the overall bioavailability of PCDD/Fs by >90%, the sediments at 2 m depth continue to display the highest pore water activities of PCDD/Fs.

The Effect of Family Size on Spanish Simple and Complex Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazaro, Miguel; Sainz, Javier S.

2012-01-01

This study presents the results of three experiments in which the Family Size (FS) effect is explored. The first experiment is carried out with no prime on simple words. The second and third experiments are carried out with morphological priming on complex words. In the first experiment a facilitatory effect of FS is observed: high FS targets…

Identification of an Nav1.1 sodium channel (SCN1A) loss-of-function mutation associated with familial simple febrile seizures

PubMed Central

Mantegazza, Massimo; Gambardella, Antonio; Rusconi, Raffaella; Schiavon, Emanuele; Annesi, Ferdinanda; Cassulini, Rita Restano; Labate, Angelo; Carrideo, Sara; Chifari, Rosanna; Canevini, Maria Paola; Canger, Raffaele; Franceschetti, Silvana; Annesi, Grazia; Wanke, Enzo; Quattrone, Aldo

2005-01-01

Febrile seizures (FS) affect 5–12% of infants and children up to 6 years of age. There is now epidemiological evidence that FS are associated with subsequent afebrile and unprovoked seizures in ≈7% of patients, which is 10 times more than in the general population. Extensive genetic studies have demonstrated that various loci are responsible for familial FS, and the FEB3 autosomal-dominant locus has been identified on chromosome 2q23–24, where the SCN1A gene is mapped. However, gene mutations causing simple FS have not been found yet. Here we show that the M145T mutation of a well conserved amino acid in the first transmembrane segment of domain I of the human Nav1.1 channel α-subunit cosegregates in all 12 individuals of a large Italian family affected by simple FS. Functional studies in mammalian cells demonstrate that the mutation causes a 60% reduction of current density and a 10-mV positive shift of the activation curve. Thus, M145T is a loss-of-function mutant. These results show that monogenic FS should also be considered a channelopathy. PMID:16326807

Estimation of gross primary production and light use efficiency by the tower-based sun-induced fluorescence measurement in the Japanese evergreen coniferous forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimoto, K.; Kato, T.; Hirano, T.; Saitoh, T. M.; Nagai, S.; Akitsu, T.; Nasahara, K. N.

2015-12-01

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is emitted from chlorophyll a and b to release the excess sun-light energy. Recently, ChlF has been utilized to represent the ecosystem photosynthetic activity, i.e. gross primary production (GPP), by the satellite remote-sensing studies (e.g. Frankenberg et al., 2011). Despite its high expectation, small number of ecosystem-level ChlF observation at the ground reduces its availability. The aim of this study is to clarify the relationships between ChlF, and photosynthesis and light use efficiency (LUE) by the ground based measurement in the forest. The observations were carried out in the evergreen coniferous forest in Takayama, Japan, from March 2008 to February 2009. Downward and upward spectral radiances were measured with hemispherical spectroradiometer (MS-700, Eko Instruments, Japan) mounted at 30m-high above the ground surface. We calculated Sun-Induced fluorescence (FS) around the O2-A band (760 nm) from the spectral data with the Fraunhofer Line Depth method. The GPP was calculated from the carbon fluxes measured with eddy covariance at the top of the tower. FS showed the strong correlation to GPP linearly in the diurnal course (sunny day (8 August, 2008): r2 = 0.81, cloudy day (28 July, 2008): r2 = 0.87). In addition, GPP was fitted against FS by rectangular hyperbolic curve. (r2 = 0.87 (daily)). We also investigated the relationship between FS and LUE in daily averages. The FS-LUE relationship could be regressed by logarithm curve for each month (r2 = 0.46 ˜0.95). The seasonal changes in the regression coefficients for FS-GPP and FS-LUE curves were thought to be induced by the seasonal variation in the temperature-dependency of photosynthesis and the phenology. We conclude that FS can be utilized to estimate GPP and LUE in evergreen forest, and that relationship between FS and GPP is influenced by environmental factors such as PAR and air temperature.Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is emitted from chlorophyll a and b to release the excess sun-light energy. Recently, ChlF has been utilized to represent the ecosystem photosynthetic activity, i.e. gross primary production (GPP), by the satellite remote-sensing studies (e.g. Frankenberg et al., 2011). Despite its high expectation, small number of ecosystem-level ChlF observation at the ground reduces its availability. The aim of this study is to clarify the relationships between ChlF, and photosynthesis and light use efficiency (LUE) by the ground based measurement in the forest. The observations were carried out in the evergreen coniferous forest in Takayama, Japan, from March 2008 to February 2009. Downward and upward spectral radiances were measured with hemispherical spectroradiometer (MS-700, Eko Instruments, Japan) mounted at 30m-high above the ground surface. We calculated Sun-Induced fluorescence (FS) around the O2-A band (760 nm) from the spectral data with the Fraunhofer Line Depth method. The GPP was calculated from the carbon fluxes measured with eddy covariance at the top of the tower. FS showed the strong correlation to GPP linearly in the diurnal course (sunny day (8 August, 2008): r2 = 0.81, cloudy day (28 July, 2008): r2 = 0.87). In addition, GPP was fitted against FS by rectangular hyperbolic curve. (r2 = 0.87 (daily)). We also investigated the relationship between FS and LUE in daily averages. The FS-LUE relationship could be regressed by logarithm curve for each month (r2 = 0.46 ˜0.95). The seasonal changes in the regression coefficients for FS-GPP and FS-LUE curves were thought to be induced by the seasonal variation in the temperature-dependency of photosynthesis and the phenology. We conclude that FS can be utilized to estimate GPP and LUE in evergreen forest, and that relationship between FS and GPP is influenced by environmental factors such as PAR and air temperature.

Proposed plan for final remedial action for the groundwater operable unit at the chemical plant area of the Weldon Spring Site, Weldon Spring, Missouri.

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

NONE

2003-08-06

This Proposed Plan (PP) presents the preferred alternative for addressing contaminated groundwater and springs at the Chemical Plant area of the Weldon Spring site, in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The site is located about 30 mi west of St. Louis, in St. Charles County (Figure 1). This proposed action constitutes the final remedial action for the Weldon Spring site. The residual contamination in groundwater and springs at the Chemical Plant area is the only remaining contamination that needs to be addressed for the site. All other contamination has been addressed by previous remedial actions. After this remedial action is implemented, long-termmore » surveillance and maintenance activities will maintain the effectiveness of all remedial actions conducted at the Weldon Spring site, including this final remedial action for groundwater and springs that is being proposed in this plan. DOE complies with the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in conducting remedial activities at the site. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) values have been incorporated into the CERCLA process; that is, the analysis conducted and presented in the remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) reports included an evaluation of environmental impacts that is comparable to that performed under NEPA. This PP is required under CERCLA to (1) notify the public and present a brief analysis of the remedial action alternatives, (2) identify and present the rationale for the preferred remedial action alternative identified in the PP, (3) summarize key information from the RI/FS evaluations, including the Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA), and (4) inform the public of its role in the remedy selection process and give the public the opportunity to participate in the process. Remediation activities at the Weldon Spring site have been coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). The EPA has overall oversight and approval authority, with consultation provided by the MDNR. A range of alternatives was considered in identifying the preferred alternative. The alternatives were developed after careful analysis of geological, environmental, and human health and ecological risk data and an evaluation of the effectiveness, implementability, and cost of the various technologies available for groundwater remediation at the Chemical Plant area. Monitored natural attenuation (MNA) coupled with institutional controls (ICs) and contingency activities has been selected as the preferred alternative.« less

Bioaccumulation of mercury and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in salty water organisms.

PubMed

Liao, Pei-Yu; Liu, Chen-Wuing; Liu, Wen-Yao

2016-01-01

Mercury and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) accumulate in organisms through food webs and exert potentially toxic effects on aquatic organisms and humans. This study examined the levels of mercury and PCDD/Fs in organisms and sediment samples collected from a saltwater pond at the An-Shun site, a chloralkali factory that shut down in Tainan City, Taiwan. It was also a pentachlorophenol production plant. After the factories were shut down in the 1980s, mercury and PCDD/Fs contamination remained, posing severe health hazards. The correlation between PCDD/Fs congener accumulation patterns in distinct fish organs and the sediment was evaluated. Mercury and PCDD/Fs levels in all the fish samples exceeded food safety limits, and the concentrations of mercury and PCDD/Fs in each species were closely correlated (n = 12, Spearman's rank correlation [R] = 0.811, p < 0.01). The mercury concentrations were positively but non-significantly correlated with the weight (n = 11, R = 0.741, p < 0.01) and length (n = 11, R = 0.618, p < 0.05) of the species. The fish likely accumulated the contaminants through ingestion of other organisms or the sediment. However, after the pollutants entered a fish, they exhibited distinct accumulation patterns because of their differing chemical properties. Specifically, the mercury concentration was correlated with organism weight and length, whereas the PCDD/Fs concentration was associated with organ lipid content. The study results are valuable for assessing the health risks associated with ingesting mercury- and PCFF/F-contaminated seafood from the study site.

Characteristic accumulation of PCDD/Fs in pine needles near an MSWI and emission levels of the MSWI in Pearl River Delta: A case study.

PubMed

Chen, Pei; Xiao, Xiao; Mei, Jun; Cai, Ying; Tang, Yuhui; Peng, Ping'an

2017-08-01

Pine needle samples were collected near a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Pearl River Delta, southern China, as well as the stack gas and dust samples of the MSWI were simultaneously collected. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed following the USEPA Method 1613B. The concentration of PCDD/Fs in the pine needles (137-625 ng/kg, 25-51 ng I-TEQ/kg) is the highest level ever detected in China. Congener profile comparison and principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed the MSWI as an important emission source of environmental PCDD/Fs. The PCDD/Fs in the pine needles mainly depended on the atmospheric concentration, exposure time and also the wind direction. The accumulation of PCDD/Fs in this species did not occur at a steady rate, and the total concentrations covered up the actual photolysis information. Gas-phase partitioning of compounds in the atmosphere was the dominant process through which PCDD/Fs were adsorbed onto the pine needle surface in contrast with particle-phase deposition, and subsequent environmental behavior varied between the congeners. Photo-degradation was the major transformation process as PCDD/Fs were adsorbed onto the pine needle surfaces. Higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs were more recalcitrant to photo-degradation than those that were less chlorinated, and PCDDs were more resistant to photo-degradation than PCDFs. On the other hand, the strong ability of lipid-rich pine needles to accumulate dioxin compounds indicates they can be used as the absorption sink of PCDD/Fs in heavily polluted areas because it is easier to dispose of pine needles than it is to clean contaminated air. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prefrontal Parvalbumin Neurons in Control of Attention

PubMed Central

Kim, Hoseok; Ährlund-Richter, Sofie; Wang, Xinming; Deisseroth, Karl; Carlén, Marie

2016-01-01

Summary While signatures of attention have been extensively studied in sensory systems, the neural sources and computations responsible for top-down control of attention are largely unknown. Using chronic recordings in mice, we found that fast-spiking parvalbumin (FS-PV) interneurons in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) uniformly show increased and sustained firing during goal-driven attentional processing, correlating to the level of attention. Elevated activity of FS-PV neurons on the timescale of seconds predicted successful execution of behavior. Successful allocation of attention was characterized by strong synchronization of FS-PV neurons, increased gamma oscillations, and phase locking of pyramidal firing. Phase-locked pyramidal neurons showed gamma-phase-dependent rate modulation during successful attentional processing. Optogenetic silencing of FS-PV neurons deteriorated attentional processing, while optogenetic synchronization of FS-PV neurons at gamma frequencies had pro-cognitive effects and improved goal-directed behavior. FS-PV neurons thus act as a functional unit coordinating the activity in the local mPFC circuit during goal-driven attentional processing. PMID:26771492

Optimizing classification performance in an object-based very-high-resolution land use-land cover urban application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georganos, Stefanos; Grippa, Tais; Vanhuysse, Sabine; Lennert, Moritz; Shimoni, Michal; Wolff, Eléonore

2017-10-01

This study evaluates the impact of three Feature Selection (FS) algorithms in an Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) framework for Very-High-Resolution (VHR) Land Use-Land Cover (LULC) classification. The three selected FS algorithms, Correlation Based Selection (CFS), Mean Decrease in Accuracy (MDA) and Random Forest (RF) based Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), were tested on Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor, and Random Forest (RF) classifiers. The results demonstrate that the accuracy of SVM and KNN classifiers are the most sensitive to FS. The RF appeared to be more robust to high dimensionality, although a significant increase in accuracy was found by using the RFE method. In terms of classification accuracy, SVM performed the best using FS, followed by RF and KNN. Finally, only a small number of features is needed to achieve the highest performance using each classifier. This study emphasizes the benefits of rigorous FS for maximizing performance, as well as for minimizing model complexity and interpretation.

Facile fabrication of superhydrophobic hybrid nanotip and nanopore arrays as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuxin; Li, Juan; Wang, Tiankun; Zhang, Zhongyue; Bai, Yu; Hao, Changchun; Feng, Chenchen; Ma, Yingjun; Sun, Runguang

2018-06-01

We demonstrate the fabrication of superhydrophobic hybrid nanotip and nanopore arrays (NTNPAs) that can act as sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates. The large-area substrates were fabricated by following a facile, low-cost process consisting of the one-step voltage-variation anodization of Al foil, followed by Ag nanoparticle deposition and fluorosilane (FS) modification. Uniformly distributed, large-area (5 × 5 cm2) NTNPAs can be obtained rapidly by anodizing Al foil for 1560 s followed by Ag deposition for 400 s, which showed good SERS reproducibility as using1 μM Rhodamine 6G (R6G) as analyte. SERS performances of superhydrophobic NTNPAs with different FS modification and Ag nanoparticle deposition orders were also studied. The nanosamples with FS modification followed by Ag nanoparticle deposition (FS-Ag) showed better SERS sensitivity than the nanosamples with Ag nanoparticle deposition followed by FS modification (Ag-FS). The detection limit of a directly dried R6G droplet can reach 10-8 M on the FS-Ag nanosamples. The results can help create practical high sensitive SERS substrates, which can be used in developing advanced bio- and chemical sensors.

Feruloylserotonin inhibits hydrogen peroxide-induced melanogenesis and apoptosis in B16F10 and SK-Mel-2 melanoma cells.

PubMed

Cho, Hyejoung; Kim, Okjoon; Lee, Younghee; Kang, Li-Jung; Nguyen, Cam Ngoc; Ishihara, Atsushi; Kim, Hye-Eun

2017-09-30

Feruloylserotonin (FS) is a major bioactive component of safflower seeds, with documented strong antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and free radical scavenging activities. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can strongly induce melanogenesis and cell apoptosis. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of FS in preventing hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced melanogenesis and cell apoptosis. Melanogenesis and apoptotic cell death were induced by transient exposure to H 2 O 2 in B16F10 and SK-Mel-2 melanoma cells. FS significantly inhibited melanogenesis and cell death in both cell lines. FS inhibited H 2 O 2 -induced melanin production by down-regulating CREB/MITF/TYR signaling via inhibited intracellular cAMP accumulation. Additionally, FS induced extracellular regulated kinase activation, which led to the degradation of MITF and consequently decreased TYR expression and melanin production in H 2 O 2 -stimulated cells. Furthermore, FS inhibited H 2 O 2 -induced apoptotic cell death by maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential. Therefore, FS might have potential use for cosmetic whitening and as a therapeutic agent for hyperpigmentation disorder. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review on occurrence and behavior of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in atmosphere of East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trinh, Minh Man; Chang, Moo Been

2018-05-01

This paper reviews the data from studies mainly published after 2000 to provide the current understanding of the physicochemical properties, atmospheric occurrence, gas/particle partitioning, fate and temporal trends in atmospheric matrix of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs of East Asia. Ambient PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs concentrations in East Asia are found to be tens to hundreds times higher than that measured in Europe and North America. After strict regulations on PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs emissions are enacted, the concentrations of these compounds decrease dramatically in Eastern Asian countries. In general, most of PCDD/Fs distribute in particle phase while dl-PCBs majorly exist in gas phase. Three main factors including physicochemical properties of the compounds, properties of particle and atmospheric condition affect the gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs. The accuracy of absorption and adsorption models on predicting gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs is evaluated. Gas-phase compounds are mostly removed from the atmosphere via reactions with OH radicals while those in particle phase are majorly removed by wet/dry deposition processes. The effects of removing processes and long-range transport on gas/particle partitioning are also discussed.

Differentiation of periapical granulomas and cysts by using dental MRI: a pilot study.

PubMed

Juerchott, Alexander; Pfefferle, Thorsten; Flechtenmacher, Christa; Mente, Johannes; Bendszus, Martin; Heiland, Sabine; Hilgenfeld, Tim

2018-05-17

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate whether periapical granulomas can be differentiated from periapical cysts in vivo by using dental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Prior to apicoectomy, 11 patients with radiographically confirmed periapical lesions underwent dental MRI, including fat-saturated T2-weighted (T2wFS) images, non-contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images with and without fat saturation (T1w/T1wFS), and contrast-enhanced fat-saturated T1-weighted (T1wFS+C) images. Two independent observers performed structured image analysis of MRI datasets twice. A total of 15 diagnostic MRI criteria were evaluated, and histopathological results (6 granulomas and 5 cysts) were compared with MRI characteristics. Statistical analysis was performed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Cohen's kappa (κ), Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher's exact test. Lesion identification and consecutive structured image analysis was possible on T2wFS and T1wFS+C MRI images. A high reproducibility was shown for MRI measurements of the maximum lesion diameter (intraobserver ICC = 0.996/0.998; interobserver ICC = 0.997), for the "peripheral rim" thickness (intraobserver ICC = 0.988/0.984; interobserver ICC = 0.970), and for all non-quantitative MRI criteria (intraobserver-κ = 0.990/0.995; interobserver-κ = 0.988). In accordance with histopathological results, six MRI criteria allowed for a clear differentiation between cysts and granulomas: (1) outer margin of lesion, (2) texture of "peripheral rim" in T1wFS+C, (3) texture of "lesion center" in T2wFS, (4) surrounding tissue involvement in T2wFS, (5) surrounding tissue involvement in T1wFS+C and (6) maximum "peripheral rim" thickness (all: P < 0.05). In conclusion, this pilot study indicates that radiation-free dental MRI enables a reliable differentiation between periapical cysts and granulomas in vivo. Thus, MRI may substantially improve treatment strategies and help to avoid unnecessary surgery in apical periodontitis.

Brominated flame retardants and the formation of dioxins and furans in fires and combustion.

PubMed

Zhang, Mengmei; Buekens, Alfons; Li, Xiaodong

2016-03-05

The widespread use and increasing inventory of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have caused considerable concern, as a result of BFRs emissions to the environment and of the formation of both polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and mixed polybromochloro-dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBCDD/Fs or PXDD/Fs). Structural similarities between PBDD/Fs and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) suggest the existence of comparable formation pathways of both PBDD/Fs and PCDD/Fs, yet BFRs also act as specific precursors to form additional PBDD/Fs. Moreover, elementary bromine (Br2) seems to facilitate chlorination by bromination of organics, followed by Br/Cl-exchange based on displacement through the more reactive halogen. Overall, PBDD/Fs form through three possible pathways: precursor formation, de novo formation, and dispersion of parts containing BFRs as impurities and surviving a fire or other events. The present review summarises the formation mechanisms of both brominated (PBDD/Fs) and mixed dioxins (PXDD/Fs with X=Br or Cl) from BFRs, recaps available emissions data of PBDD/Fs and mixed PXDD/Fs from controlled waste incineration, uncontrolled combustion sources and accidental fires, and identifies and analyses the effects of several local factors of influence, affecting the formation of PBDD/Fs and mixed PXDD/Fs during BFRs combustion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transient elastography using Fibroscan is the most reliable noninvasive method for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in alcoholic liver disease.

PubMed

Fernandez, Michael; Trépo, Eric; Degré, Delphine; Gustot, Thierry; Verset, Laurine; Demetter, Pieter; Devière, Jacques; Adler, Michael; Moreno, Christophe

2015-09-01

Fibroscan (FS) is a reliable noninvasive method for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic liver disease. However, there is no clear consensus with respect to the best FS cut-off values for use in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The aims of this study were as follows: (a) to compare the performance of FS and different biochemical markers in ALD patients; (b) to assess the best FS cut-off values for the prediction of fibrosis stage in our ALD population; and (c) to assess the influence of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values on FS. This retrospective study included 135 consecutive and compensated ALD patients who underwent liver biopsy between November 2006 and March 2012 at Erasme Hospital. FS, Fibrotest, FIB-4, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), and Forns' scores were tested in all patients. The diagnostic accuracy of FS was 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.83-0.95) for the diagnosis of advanced fibrosis and 0.93 (95% confidence interval 0.90-0.97) for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. FS performed better than Fibrotest (0.81 and 0.88), APRI (0.65 and 0.75), Forns' (0.64 and 0.78), and FIB-4 (0.70 and 0.73). The optimal cut-off values of liver stiffness (LS) for predicting METAVIR fibrosis stage F≥3 and F4 disease were 10.3 and 18.0 kPa, respectively. AST showed a significant positive correlation with LS (r=0.24, P=0.001). However, exclusion of patients with AST more than 50 IU/l only lowered the LS cut-off for the diagnosis of F4 (14 vs. 18.0 kPa). FS is currently the most reliable noninvasive method for the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in ALD.

Does help-seeking alter the risk for incident psychopathology in adolescents and young adults with and without fearful spells or panic attacks? Findings from a 10-year prospective-longitudinal community study.

PubMed

Asselmann, Eva; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Lieb, Roselind; Höfler, Michael; Beesdo-Baum, Katja

2014-12-01

Although fearful spells (FS) and panic attacks (PA) increase the risk for various mental disorders, few studies have examined whether help-seeking in those with FS/PA attenuates the risk for incident psychopathology. A community sample of adolescents and young adults (N=2978, aged 14-24 at baseline) was followed up in up to 3 assessment waves over 10 years. FS, PA, psychopathology, and help-seeking were assessed using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Logistic regressions with interaction terms (adjusted for sex and age) were used to test interactions between FS/PA and help-seeking at baseline on predicting incident psychopathology at follow-up. Cases with panic disorder (PD) at baseline were excluded from all analyses. FS/PA at baseline predicted the onset of any disorder, any anxiety disorder, PD, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and depression at follow-up (Odds Ratios, OR 1.62-5.80). FS/PA and help-seeking at baseline interacted on predicting incident PD (OR=0.09) and depression (OR=0.22) at follow-up in a way that FS/PA only predicted the respective disorders in individuals not seeking help at baseline. In those with FS/PA, a higher number of panic symptoms interacted with help-seeking on predicting incident PD (OR=0.63) in a way that a higher number of panic symptoms only increased the risk for PD in those without help-seeking at baseline. Help-seeking at baseline was not restricted to panic-specific interventions, but included treatment due to other psychological problems as well. Findings suggest that early help-seeking might modify psychopathology trajectories and prevent incident disorders in high-risk individuals with FS/PA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ability of dairy cows to be inseminated according to breed and genetic merit for production traits under contrasting pasture-based feeding systems.

PubMed

Bedere, N; Disenhaus, C; Ducrocq, V; Leurent-Colette, S; Delaby, L

2017-05-01

Strong genetic selection on production traits is considered to be responsible for the declined ability of dairy cows to ensure reproduction. The present study aimed to quantify the effect of genetic characteristics (breeds and genetic merit for production traits) and feeding systems (FS) on the ability of dairy cows to be inseminated. An experiment was conducted during 9 years on Normande and Holstein cows assigned to contrasted pasture-based FS. Diets were based on maize silage in winter and grazing plus concentrate in spring in the High FS; and on grass silage in winter and grazing with no concentrate during spring in the low FS. Within breed, cows were classified into two genetic groups with similar estimated breeding values (EBV) for milk solids: cows with high EBV for milk yield were included in a Milk-Group and those with high EBV for fat and protein contents were included in a Content-Group. Holstein produced more milk throughout lactation than Normande cows (+2294 kg in the High FS and +1280 kg in the Low FS, P<0.001) and lost more body condition to nadir (-1.00 point in the High FS and -0.80 kg in the Low FS, P<0.001). They also showed a poorer ability to be inseminated because of both a delayed commencement of luteal activity (CLA) and delayed first service (more days from start of the breeding season to first service, DAI1). Cows in the Milk-Group produced more milk than cows in the Content-Group, but milk solids production was similar. Cows in the Content-Group had earlier CLA than cows in the Milk-Group (P<0.01). Genetic group neither affected ovulation detection rate nor DAI1. Within breed and FS, cows with high genetic merit for milk yield had later CLA and DAI1. Cows in the High FS produced more milk and lost less condition to nadir than cows in the Low FS. FS did not affect dairy cows' ability to be inseminated. However, cows with higher milk protein content, and presumably better energy balance, had earlier CLA (P<0.01) and DAI1 (P<0.10). In addition, higher milk yield was associated with poorer ovulation detection rate and oestrus intensity (P<0.05). The study showed that at similar EBV level for milk solids, selection for increased milk fat and protein content resulted in improved cyclicity and similar oestrous expression and submission rates compared with selection for increased milk yield.

Accumulation and elimination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in mule ducks.

PubMed

Wu, Ting-Wei; Lee, Jai-Wei; Liu, Hsueh-Yen; Lin, Wei-Hsiao; Chu, Chun-Yen; Lin, Sheng-Lun; Chang-Chien, Guo Ping; Yu, Chi

2014-11-01

In Taiwan, a food safety crisis involving a presence of high concentrations of dioxin residues in duck eggs occurred in 2004. The dioxin content in duck meat sampled from supermarkets was also reported to be substantially higher than in products from other farm animals. Despite increased awareness of the potential for contamination and exposure to dioxins, the accumulation and elimination of dioxins in ducks have not been well characterized. In the present study, mule ducks were fed capsules containing polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) for 14 days and the trial was continued for another 28 days without PCDD/Fs supplementation. Ducks were sacrificed on the 14th, 28th, and 42nd days from the beginning of administration and samples of abdominal fat, breast, and liver tissue were obtained. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs were analyzed in the samples to investigate their distribution and elimination in various duck tissues. The bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs in ducks was found to be tissue-dependent. In the abdominal fat, the bioconcentration factor was negatively correlated with the degree of chlorination. Conversely, more chlorinated PCDD/Fs (hexa- or hepta-congeners) were associated with higher bioconcentration in the liver and breast tissue. In terms of the efficiency of PCDD/Fs elimination, the liver was found to be the fastest, followed by the breast and the abdominal fat. The clearance rate positively correlated with the degree of chlorination, as determined by comparing the apparent elimination rate constant (k) of PCDD/Fs in various tissues. Overall, lower k values observed in this study imply that mule ducks have a reduced clearance of PCDD/Fs in comparison with layer and broiler chickens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) in e-waste plastic in Nigeria.

PubMed

Sindiku, O; Babayemi, J O; Tysklind, M; Osibanjo, O; Weber, R; Watson, A; Schlummer, M; Lundstedt, S

2015-10-01

Plastics from cathode ray tube (CRT) casings were sampled in Nigeria and analysed for their polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PBDD/F) content. PBDD/Fs, consisting mainly of PBDFs, were detected in BFR containing plastic with a median (mean) concentration of 18,000 ng/g (41,000 ng/g). The PBDD/Fs levels were highest in samples containing PBDEs, but the levels of PBDFs were two orders of magnitude higher than the levels reported in the technical PBDE mixtures and where frequently exceeding 1000 μg/g of PBDE content. These higher levels are likely to arise from additional transformation of PBDEs during production, use, recycling, or storage, but the processes responsible were not identified in this study. PBDD/Fs in CRT casings containing1,2-bistribromophenoxyethane (TBPE) were dominated by tetrabrominated dibenzo-p-dioxin (TBDDs) with concentrations around 10 μg/g of the TBPE content. The PBDD/Fs in CRT casings containing tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) were found at concentrations around 0.1 μg/g of TBBPA levels. Casings treated with TBPE or TBBPA often contained PBDEs (and PBDF) as impurities-probably originating from recycled e-waste plastics. It was estimated that the 237,000 t of CRT casings stockpiled in Nigeria contain between 2 and 8 t of PBDD/Fs. The total PBDD/F contamination in polymers arising from total historic PBDE production/use is estimated in the order of 1000 t. TEQ values of CRT samples frequently exceeded the Basel Convention's provisional low POPs content of 15 ng TEQ/g. Due to the significant risks to health associated with PBDD/Fs, more detailed studies on the exposure routes from PBDD/Fs in stockpiles are needed.

An Assessment of SeaWiFS and MODIS Ocean Coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, Robert H.; Gregg, Watson W.

1998-01-01

Ocean coverages of SeaWiFS and MODIS were assessed for three seasons by considering monthly mean values of surface winds speeds and cloud cover. Mean and maximum coverages combined SeaWiFS and MODIS by considering combined coverages for ten-degree increments of the MODIS orbital mean anomaly. From this analysis the mean and maximum combined coverages for SeaWiFS and MODIS were determined for one and four-day periods for spring, summer, and winter seasons. Loss of coverage due to Sun glint and cloud cover were identified for both the individual and combined cases. Our analyses indicate that MODIS will enhance ocean coverage for all three seasons examined. ne combined SeaWiFS/MODIS show an increase of coverage of 42.2% to 48.7% over SeaWiFS alone for the three seasons studied; the increase in maximum one day coverage ranges from 47.5% to 52.0%. The increase in four-day coverage for the combined case ranged from 31.0% to 35.8% for mean coverage and 33.1 % to 39.2% for maximum coverage. We computed meridional distributions of coverages by binning the data into five-degree latitude bands. Our analysis shows a strong seasonal dependence of coverage. In general the meridional analysis indicates that increase in coverages for SeaWiFS/MODIS over SeaWiFS alone are greatest near the solar declination.

Evaluating the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) to Assess the Bond between Dogs and Humans

PubMed Central

Rehn, Therese; McGowan, Ragen T. S.; Keeling, Linda J.

2013-01-01

The Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) is increasingly being used to study attachment between dogs and humans. It has been developed from the Ainsworth Strange Situation Procedure, which is used extensively to investigate attachment between children and their parents. In this experiment, 12 female beagle dogs were tested in two treatments to identify possible order effects in the test, a potential weakness in the SSP. In one treatment (FS), dogs participated together with a ‘familiar person’ and a ‘stranger’. In a control treatment (SS), the same dogs participated together with two unfamiliar people, ‘stranger A’ and ‘stranger B’. Comparisons were made between episodes within as well as between treatments. As predicted in FS, dogs explored more in the presence of the familiar person than the stranger. Importantly, they also explored more in the presence of stranger A (who appeared in the same order as the familiar person and followed the same procedure) than stranger B in SS. Furthermore, comparisons between treatments, where a familiar person was present in FS and stranger A was present in SS, showed no differences in exploration. In combination, these results indicate that the effect of a familiar person on dogs' exploratory behaviour, a key feature when assessing secure attachment styles, could not be tested reliably due to the order in which the familiar person and the stranger appear. It is proposed that in the future only counterbalanced versions of the SSP are used. Alternatively, since dogs reliably initiated more contact with the familiar person compared to the strangers, it is suggested that future studies on attachment in dogs towards humans should focus either on the behaviour of the dog in those episodes of the SSP when the person returns, or on reunion behaviour in other studies, specially designed to address dog-human interactions at this time. PMID:23437277

[Neuroprotective effect of naloxone in brain damage caused by repeated febrile seizure].

PubMed

Shan, Ying; Qin, Jiong; Chang, Xing-zhi; Yang, Zhi-xian

2004-04-01

The brain damage caused by repeated febrile seizure (FS) during developing age is harmful to the intellectual development of children. So how to decrease the related damage is a very important issue. The main purpose of the present study was to find out whether the non-specific opiate antagonist naloxone at low dose has the neuroprotective effect on seizure-induced brain damage. Warm water induced rat FS model was developed in this study. Forty-seven rats were randomly divided into two groups: normal control group (n = 10) and hyperthermic seizure groups (n = 37). The latter was further divided into FS control group (n = 13) and naloxone-treated group (n = 24). The dose of naloxone is different in two naloxone-treated groups (12/each group), in one group the dose was 1 mg/kg, in the other one 2 mg/kg. Seven febrile seizures were induced in each rat of hyperthermic seizure groups with the interval of 2 days. The rats were weighed and injected intraperitoneally with naloxone once the FS occurred in naloxone-treated group, while the rats of the other groups were injected with 0.9% sodium chloride. Latency, duration and grade of FS in different groups were observed and compared. HE-staining and the electron microscopy (EM) were used to detect the morphologic and ultrastructural changes of hippocampal neurons. In naloxone-treated group, the rats' FS duration and FS grade (5.02 +/- 0.63, 2.63 +/- 0.72) were significantly lower (t = 5.508, P < 0.01; t = 8.439, P < 0.01) than those in FS control group (7.70 +/- 2.25 min, 4.52 +/- 0.49), although no significant gap was observed on FS latency between them. In FS control group, HE-staining pattern of hippocampal CA(1) and CA(2) showed lots of disordered neurons with confused polarity and vacuoles formed. Nuclei were with various size, some rounded and some oblong. While in naloxone-treated groups, the arrangement of neurons was regular, only a small quantity of neurons had changed polarity and vacuoles formed. Most nuclei were oblong and in the same size. In hippocampal CA(1) region and dentate gyrus of rats from FS control group, EM showed that the most mitochondrion volumes obviously increased with vacuoles formed, the matrix condensed, the ridge obscured or disappeared, apoptosis body emerged. Minor to moderate dilation of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi's complex was also observed. However, in naloxone-treated groups, the number of neurons with swollen mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum was much fewer than that in FS control group. No apoptosis body was observed. The comparison between them showed much lighter brain damage in naloxone-treated groups than in FS control group. Although low-dose naloxone could not totally stop the occurrence of febrile seizure, it could lighten the brain damage resulted from repeated FS to some extent.

Seizure-induced alterations in fast-spiking basket cell GABA currents modulate frequency and coherence of gamma oscillation in network simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proddutur, Archana; Yu, Jiandong; Elgammal, Fatima S.; Santhakumar, Vijayalakshmi

2013-12-01

Gamma frequency oscillations have been proposed to contribute to memory formation and retrieval. Fast-spiking basket cells (FS-BCs) are known to underlie development of gamma oscillations. Fast, high amplitude GABA synapses and gap junctions have been suggested to contribute to gamma oscillations in FS-BC networks. Recently, we identified that, apart from GABAergic synapses, FS-BCs in the hippocampal dentate gyrus have GABAergic currents mediated by extrasynaptic receptors. Our experimental studies demonstrated two specific changes in FS-BC GABA currents following experimental seizures [Yu et al., J. Neurophysiol. 109, 1746 (2013)]: increase in the magnitude of extrasynaptic (tonic) GABA currents and a depolarizing shift in GABA reversal potential (EGABA). Here, we use homogeneous networks of a biophysically based model of FS-BCs to examine how the presence of extrasynaptic GABA conductance (gGABA-extra) and experimentally identified, seizure-induced changes in gGABA-extra and EGABA influence network activity. Networks of FS-BCs interconnected by fast GABAergic synapses developed synchronous firing in the dentate gamma frequency range (40-100 Hz). Systematic investigation revealed that the biologically realistic range of 30 to 40 connections between FS-BCs resulted in greater coherence in the gamma frequency range when networks were activated by Poisson-distributed dendritic synaptic inputs rather than by homogeneous somatic current injections, which were balanced for FS-BC firing frequency in unconnected networks. Distance-dependent conduction delay enhanced coherence in networks with 30-40 FS-BC interconnections while inclusion of gap junctional conductance had a modest effect on coherence. In networks activated by somatic current injections resulting in heterogeneous FS-BC firing, increasing gGABA-extra reduced the frequency and coherence of FS-BC firing when EGABA was shunting (-74 mV), but failed to alter average FS-BC frequency when EGABA was depolarizing (-54 mV). When FS-BCs were activated by biologically based dendritic synaptic inputs, enhancing gGABA-extra reduced the frequency and coherence of FS-BC firing when EGABA was shunting and increased average FS-BC firing when EGABA was depolarizing. Shifting EGABA from shunting to depolarizing potentials consistently increased network frequency to and above high gamma frequencies (>80 Hz). Since gamma oscillations may contribute to learning and memory processing [Fell et al., Nat. Neurosci. 4, 1259 (2001); Jutras et al., J. Neurosci. 29, 12521 (2009); Wang, Physiol. Rev. 90, 1195 (2010)], our demonstration that network oscillations are modulated by extrasynaptic inhibition in FS-BCs suggests that neuroactive compounds that act on extrasynaptic GABA receptors could impact memory formation by modulating hippocampal gamma oscillations. The simulation results indicate that the depolarized FS-BC GABA reversal, observed after experimental seizures, together with enhanced spillover extrasynaptic GABA currents are likely to promote generation of focal high frequency activity associated with epileptic networks.

Whipple Resection: Concordance Between Frozen Section And Permanent Section Diagnosis Of Surgical Margins.

PubMed

Bilal, Muhammad; Tariq, Hina; Mamoon, Nadira

2018-01-01

Margin assessment is done in Whipple procedures which are usually performed to resect tumours of head of pancreas and ampullary/periampullary region. Aims and objective of the study are to determine the concordance between frozen sections (FS) and permanent sections (PS) of surgical margins in Whipple resections. It is a retrospective study, from January 2008 to January 2015 (07 years). It includes the specimen with malignancy in final report and for which FS of pancreatic and/or CBD margin(s) were requested. Data was retrieved from Laboratory information system (LIS) database. Of the 41 bile duct margins in cases of ampullary tumours, 03 were positive on FS as well as PS, 35 were negative on FS as well as on PS. Results showed 100% sensitivity, 92.1% specificity, 50% PPV and 100% NPV. Results of 36 pancreatic margins in cases of ampullary showed 100% sensitivity, 97.1% specificity, 50% PPV and 100% NPV. In pancreatic carcinoma cases, none of CBD margins were reported as positive on FS, 02 margins reported as negative were found positive on PS, while 17 were negative on FS as well as PS. Results showed 100% specificity and 89.5% NPV. Of the 27 pancreatic margins tested in pancreatic tumours 100% sensitivity, 94.1% specificity, 88.9% PPV and 100% NPV was found. Factors such as absent prior tissue diagnosis and/or inflammatory processes make margin diagnosis difficult. However, a high concordance was observed between our FS and PS diagnosis.

Low-Temperature Catalytic Decomposition of 130 Tetra- to Octa-PCDD/Fs Congeners over CuOX and MnOX Modified V2O5/TiO2-CNTs with the Assistance of O3.

PubMed

Zhao, Rixiao; Jin, Dongdong; Yang, Hangsheng; Lu, Shengyong; Potter, Phillip M; Du, Cuicui; Peng, Yaqi; Li, Xiaodong; Yan, Jianhua

2016-10-07

In this study, a reliable and steady PCDD/F generation system was utilized to investigate the performance of catalysts, in which 130 congeners of tetra- to octapolychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) vapors were studied under simulated flue gas with/without O 3 . TiO 2 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) supported vanadium oxides (VO X /TiO 2 -CNTs) modified with MnO X and CuO X , which were reported to be beneficial to the decomposition of model molecules, were found to have a negative effect on the removal of real PCDD/Fs in the simulated flue gas without O 3 . Moreover, the addition of MnO X presented different effects depending on whether CuO X existed in catalysts or not, which was also contrary to its effects on the degradation of model molecules. In an O 3 -containing atmosphere, low chlorination level PCDD/Fs congeners were removed well over VO X -MnO X /TiO 2 -CNTs, while high chlorination level PCDD/Fs congeners were removed well over VO X -CuO X /TiO 2 -CNTs. Fortunately, all PCDD/Fs congeners decomposed well over VO X -MnO X -CuO X /TiO 2 -CNTs. Finally, the effects of tetra- to octachlorination level for the adsorption and degradation behaviors of PCDD/Fs congeners were also investigated.

The Earth's Biosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

In the last five years, scientists have been able to monitor our changing planet in ways never before possible. The Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS), aboard the OrbView-2 satellite, has given researchers an unprecedented view of the biological engine that drives life on Earth-the countless forms of plants that cover the land and fill the oceans. 'There is no question the Earth is changing. SeaWiFS has enabled us, for the first time, to monitor the biological consequences of that change-to see how the things we do, as well as natural variability, affect the Earth's ability to support life,' said Gene Carl Feldman, SeaWiFS project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. SeaWiFS data, based on continuous daily global observations, have helped scientists make a more accurate assessment of the oceans' role in the global carbon cycle. The data provide a key parameter in a number of ecological and environmental studies as well as global climate-change modeling. The images of the Earth's changing land, ocean and atmosphere from SeaWiFS have documented many previously unrecognized phenomena. The image above shows the global biosphere from June 2002 measured by SeaWiFS. Data in the oceans is chlorophyll concentration, a measure of the amount of phytoplankton (microscopic plants) living in the ocean. On land SeaWiFS measures Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, an indication of the density of plant growth. For more information and images, read: SeaWiFS Sensor Marks Five Years Documenting Earth'S Dynamic Biosphere Image courtesy SeaWiFS project and copyright Orbimage.

Resolving Nonadiabatic Dynamics of Hydrated Electrons Using Ultrafast Photoemission Anisotropy.

PubMed

Karashima, Shutaro; Yamamoto, Yo-Ichi; Suzuki, Toshinori

2016-04-01

We have studied ultrafast nonadiabatic dynamics of excess electrons trapped in the band gap of liquid water using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Anisotropic photoemission from the first excited state was discovered, which enabled unambiguous identification of nonadiabatic transition to the ground state in 60 fs in H_{2}O and 100 fs in D_{2}O. The photoelectron kinetic energy distribution exhibited a rapid spectral shift in ca. 20 fs, which is ascribed to the librational response of a hydration shell to electronic excitation. Photoemission anisotropy indicates that the electron orbital in the excited state is depolarized in less than 40 fs.

Environmental contamination and human exposure to dioxin-related compounds in e-waste recycling sites of developing countries.

PubMed

Tue, Nguyen Minh; Takahashi, Shin; Subramanian, Annamalai; Sakai, Shinichi; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2013-07-01

E-waste recycling using uncontrolled processes is a major source of dioxin-related compounds (DRCs), including not only the regulated polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) but also non-regulated brominated and mixed halogenated compounds (PBDD/Fs and PXDD/Fs). Various studies at informal e-waste recycling sites (EWRSs) in Asian developing countries found the soil contamination levels of PCDD/Fs from tens to ten thousand picogram TCDD-equivalents (TEQ) per gram and those of DL-PCBs up to hundreds of picogram TEQ per gram. The air concentration of PCDD/Fs was reported as high as 50 pg TEQ per m(3) in Guiyu, the largest Chinese EWRS. Non-regulated compounds also contributed substantially to the total DL toxicity of the DRC mixtures from e-waste, as evidenced by the high TEQ levels estimated for the currently identifiable PBDD/Fs as well as the large portion of unexplained bioassay-derived TEQ levels in soils/dusts from EWRSs. Considering the high exposure levels estimated for EWRS residents, especially children, comprehensive emission inventories of DRCs from informal e-waste recycling, the identities and toxic potencies of unidentified DRCs released, and their impacts on human health need to be investigated in future studies.

In vivo studies of ultrafast near-infrared laser tissue bonding and wound healing

PubMed Central

Sriramoju, Vidyasagar; Alfano, Robert R.

2015-01-01

Abstract. Femtosecond (fs) pulse lasers in the near-infrared (NIR) range exhibit very distinct properties upon their interaction with biomolecules compared to the corresponding continuous wave (CW) lasers. Ultrafast NIR laser tissue bonding (LTB) was used to fuse edges of two opposing animal tissue segments in vivo using fs laser photoexcitation of the native vibrations of chomophores. The fusion of the incised tissues was achieved in vivo at the molecular level as the result of the energy–matter interactions of NIR laser radiation with water and the structural proteins like collagen in the target tissues. Nonthermal vibrational excitation from the fs laser absorption by water and collagen induced the formation of cross-links between tissue proteins on either sides of the weld line resulting in tissue bonding. No extrinsic agents were used to facilitate tissue bonding in the fs LTB. These studies were pursued for the understanding and evaluation of the role of ultrafast NIR fs laser radiation in the LTB and consequent wound healing. The fs LTB can be used for difficult to suture structures such as blood vessels, nerves, gallbladder, liver, intestines, and other viscera. Ultrafast NIR LTB yields promising outcomes and benefits in terms of wound closure and wound healing under optimal conditions. PMID:26465615

In vivo studies of ultrafast near-infrared laser tissue bonding and wound healing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriramoju, Vidyasagar; Alfano, Robert R.

2015-10-01

Femtosecond (fs) pulse lasers in the near-infrared (NIR) range exhibit very distinct properties upon their interaction with biomolecules compared to the corresponding continuous wave (CW) lasers. Ultrafast NIR laser tissue bonding (LTB) was used to fuse edges of two opposing animal tissue segments in vivo using fs laser photoexcitation of the native vibrations of chomophores. The fusion of the incised tissues was achieved in vivo at the molecular level as the result of the energy-matter interactions of NIR laser radiation with water and the structural proteins like collagen in the target tissues. Nonthermal vibrational excitation from the fs laser absorption by water and collagen induced the formation of cross-links between tissue proteins on either sides of the weld line resulting in tissue bonding. No extrinsic agents were used to facilitate tissue bonding in the fs LTB. These studies were pursued for the understanding and evaluation of the role of ultrafast NIR fs laser radiation in the LTB and consequent wound healing. The fs LTB can be used for difficult to suture structures such as blood vessels, nerves, gallbladder, liver, intestines, and other viscera. Ultrafast NIR LTB yields promising outcomes and benefits in terms of wound closure and wound healing under optimal conditions.

High correlations between MRI brain volume measurements based on NeuroQuant® and FreeSurfer.

PubMed

Ross, David E; Ochs, Alfred L; Tate, David F; Tokac, Umit; Seabaugh, John; Abildskov, Tracy J; Bigler, Erin D

2018-05-30

NeuroQuant ® (NQ) and FreeSurfer (FS) are commonly used computer-automated programs for measuring MRI brain volume. Previously they were reported to have high intermethod reliabilities but often large intermethod effect size differences. We hypothesized that linear transformations could be used to reduce the large effect sizes. This study was an extension of our previously reported study. We performed NQ and FS brain volume measurements on 60 subjects (including normal controls, patients with traumatic brain injury, and patients with Alzheimer's disease). We used two statistical approaches in parallel to develop methods for transforming FS volumes into NQ volumes: traditional linear regression, and Bayesian linear regression. For both methods, we used regression analyses to develop linear transformations of the FS volumes to make them more similar to the NQ volumes. The FS-to-NQ transformations based on traditional linear regression resulted in effect sizes which were small to moderate. The transformations based on Bayesian linear regression resulted in all effect sizes being trivially small. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a method for transforming FS to NQ data so as to achieve high reliability and low effect size differences. Machine learning methods like Bayesian regression may be more useful than traditional methods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The economic value of rapid deployment aortic valve replacement via full sternotomy.

PubMed

Moore, Matt; Barnhart, Glenn R; Chitwood, W Randolph; Rizzo, John A; Gunnarsson, Candace; Palli, Swetha R; Grossi, Eugene A

2017-06-01

To compare the economic value of EDWARDS INTUITY Elite™ (EIE) valve system for rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement (RDAVR) in a full sternotomy (FS) approach (EIE-FS-RDAVR) versus FS-AVR using conventional stented bioprosthesis. A simulation model to compare each treatment's 30-day inpatient utilization and complication rates utilized: clinical end points obtained from the TRANSFORM trial patient subset (EIE-FS-RDAVR) and a best evidence review of the published literature (FS-AVR); and costs from the Premier database and published literature. EIE-FS-RDAVR costs $800 less than FS-AVR per surgery episode attributable to lowered complication rates and utilization. Combined with the lower mortality, EIE-FS-RDAVR was a superior (dominant) technology versus FS-AVR. This preliminary investigation of EIE-FS-RDAVR versus conventional FS-AVR found the EIE valve offered superior economic value over a 30-day period. Real-world analyses with additional long-term follow-up are needed to evaluate if this result can be replicated over a longer timeframe.

Effectiveness of fixed-site high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in chronic pain: a large-scale, observational study

PubMed Central

Kong, Xuan; Gozani, Shai N

2018-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of fixed-site high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (FS-TENS) in a real-world chronic pain sample. Background There is a need for nonpharmacological treatment options for chronic pain. FS-TENS improved multisite chronic pain in a previous interventional study. Large observational studies are needed to further characterize its effectiveness. Methods This retrospective observational cohort study examined changes in chronic pain measures following 60 days of FS-TENS use. The study data were obtained from FS-TENS users who uploaded their device utilization and clinical data to an online database. The primary outcome measures were changes in pain intensity and pain interference with sleep, activity, and mood on an 11-point numerical rating scale. Dose–response associations were evaluated by stratifying subjects into low (≤30 days), intermediate (31–56 days), and high (≥57 days) utilization subgroups. FS-TENS effectiveness was quantified by baseline to follow-up group differences and a responder analysis (≥30% improvement in pain intensity or ≥2-point improvement in pain interference domains). Results Utilization and clinical data were collected from 11,900 people using FS-TENS for chronic pain, with 713 device users meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Study subjects were generally older, overweight adults. Subjects reported multisite pain with a mean of 4.8 (standard deviation [SD] 2.5) pain sites. A total of 97.2% of subjects identified low back and/or lower extremity pain, and 72.9% of subjects reported upper body pain. All pain measures exhibited statistically significant group differences from baseline to 60-day follow-up. The largest changes were pain interference with activity (−0.99±2.69 points) and mood (−1.02±2.78 points). A total of 48.7% of subjects exhibited a clinically meaningful reduction in pain interference with activity or mood. This proportion increased to 57.1% for the high utilization subgroup. Conclusion FS-TENS is a practical option for treating multisite chronic pain. The greatest impact is on pain interference with activity and mood. FS-TENS utilization and effectiveness exhibit a dose–response association, suggesting that daily use maximizes pain relief. PMID:29670397

Fasciatherapy and Reflexology compared to Hypnosis and Music Therapy in Daily Stress Management.

PubMed

Payrau, Bernard; Quere, Nadine; Breton, Elisabeth; Payrau, Christine

2017-09-01

Patients suffering from stress symptoms due to every-day life who are looking for a non-pharmacological response to their relief expectation are many. Furthermore, early reckoning of the day-to-day stress which may lead to clinical diagnosis is the best way of preventing the stress-related diseases. Among the many alternative medicinal options, there is little evidence that fasciatherapy (Fs) and reflexology (Rf) are effective in this field. assess incidence of fasciatherapy Danis Bois Method (DBM) and of reflexology on patients' stress level in everyday-life, and provide a more informed choice among the numerous mind and body techniques by comparing them with hypnosis (Hp) and music therapy (Mt). Specialized Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) centres for outpatients. 308 individuals (average age = 50.53 SD 14.37, 93 males, 215 females) going to the centres for health care, but free from serious diseases and not heavily medicated respecting the inclusion criteria and providing valid forms. Four armed, non-randomized observational pragmatic trial with pretest-posttest repeated measures, on separate samples of natural groups. According to the centre participants where they used to be treated, they were exposed to a single semi-standardized session of a technique of their choice: Fs, Rf, Hp, Mt. Volunteers had a controlled non-intervention resting (Rt) session. Mean STAI-Y assessing anxiety as reflecting the stress level: MANCOVA and ANCOVA performed with Tukey's HSD. MANCOVA indicates a significant reduction of anxiety ( p < .01) in each condition, resting included. ANCOVA performance adjusting on stress level in T0 (41.73) and on the mean sumscore of the trait (44.89), Fs (-13.92), Rf (-15.92), and Hp (-15.88) were equally effective on the stress level decrease. Mt (-10.0) and Rt (-6.38) showed the same level of effectiveness. The results suggest fasciatherapy DBM, hypnosis, and reflexology could be used as non-pharmacological and safe interventions in stress management. Though showing a lesser efficiency, music therapy could be useful in different circumstances.

Experimental study of fs-laser induced sub-100-nm periodic surface structures on titanium.

PubMed

Nathala, Chandra S R; Ajami, Ali; Ionin, Andrey A; Kudryashov, Sergey I; Makarov, Sergey V; Ganz, Thomas; Assion, Andreas; Husinsky, Wolfgang

2015-03-09

In this work the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on a titanium surface upon irradiation by linearly polarized femtosecond (fs) laser pulses with a repetition rate of 1 kHz in air environment was studied experimentally. In particular, the dependence of high-spatial-frequency-LIPSS (HSFL) characteristics on various laser parameters: fluence, pulse number, wavelength (800 nm and 400 nm), pulse duration (10 fs - 550 fs), and polarization was studied in detail. In comparison with low-spatial-frequency-LIPSS (LSFL), the HSFL emerge at a much lower fluence with orientation perpendicular to the ridges of the LSFL. It was observed that these two types of LIPSS demonstrate different fluence, shot number and wavelength dependencies, which suggest their origin is different. Therefore, the HSFL formation mechanism cannot be described by the widely accepted interference model developed for describing LSFL formation.

Influence of amplitude-related perfusion parameters in the parotid glands by non-fat-saturated dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Chiu, Su-Chin; Cheng, Cheng-Chieh; Chang, Hing-Chiu; Chung, Hsiao-Wen; Chiu, Hui-Chu; Liu, Yi-Jui; Hsu, Hsian-He; Juan, Chun-Jung

2016-04-01

To verify whether quantification of parotid perfusion is affected by fat signals on non-fat-saturated (NFS) dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and whether the influence of fat is reduced with fat saturation (FS). This study consisted of three parts. First, a retrospective study analyzed DCE-MRI data previously acquired on different patients using NFS (n = 18) or FS (n = 18) scans. Second, a phantom study simulated the signal enhancements in the presence of gadolinium contrast agent at six concentrations and three fat contents. Finally, a prospective study recruited nine healthy volunteers to investigate the influence of fat suppression on perfusion quantification on the same subjects. Parotid perfusion parameters were derived from NFS and FS DCE-MRI data using both pharmacokinetic model analysis and semiquantitative parametric analysis. T tests and linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis with correction for multiple comparisons. NFS scans showed lower amplitude-related parameters, including parameter A, peak enhancement (PE), and slope than FS scans in the patients (all with P < 0.0167). The relative signal enhancement in the phantoms was proportional to the dose of contrast agent and was lower in NFS scans than in FS scans. The volunteer study showed lower parameter A (6.75 ± 2.38 a.u.), PE (42.12% ± 14.87%), and slope (1.43% ± 0.54% s(-1)) in NFS scans as compared to 17.63 ± 8.56 a.u., 104.22% ± 25.15%, and 9.68% ± 1.67% s(-1), respectively, in FS scans (all with P < 0.005). These amplitude-related parameters were negatively associated with the fat content in NFS scans only (all with P < 0.05). On NFS DCE-MRI, quantification of parotid perfusion is adversely affected by the presence of fat signals for all amplitude-related parameters. The influence could be reduced on FS scans.

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 19: Case studies for SeaWiFS calibration and validation, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Acker, James G. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Mcclain, Charles R.; Fraser, Robert S.; Mclean, James T.; Darzi, Michael; Firestone, James K.; Patt, Frederick S.; Schieber, Brian D.

1994-01-01

This document provides brief reports, or case studies, on a number of investigations and data set development activities sponsored by the Calibration and Validation Team (CVT) within the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Project. Chapter 1 is a comparison with the atmospheric correction of Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) data using two independent radiative transfer formulations. Chapter 2 is a study on lunar reflectance at the SeaWiFS wavelengths which was useful in establishing the SeaWiFS lunar gain. Chapter 3 reports the results of the first ground-based solar calibration of the SeaWiFS instrument. The experiment was repeated in the fall of 1993 after the instrument was modified to reduce stray light; the results from the second experiment will be provided in the next case studies volume. Chapter 4 is a laboratory experiment using trap detectors which may be useful tools in the calibration round-robin program. Chapter 5 is the original data format evaluation study conducted in 1992 which outlines the technical criteria used in considering three candidate formats, the hierarchical data format (HDF), the common data format (CDF), and the network CDF (netCDF). Chapter 6 summarizes the meteorological data sets accumulated during the first three years of CZCS operation which are being used for initial testing of the operational SeaWiFS algorithms and systems and would be used during a second global processing of the CZCS data set. Chapter 7 describes how near-real time surface meteorological and total ozone data required for the atmospheric correction algorithm will be retrieved and processed. Finally, Chapter 8 is a comparison of surface wind products from various operational meteorological centers and field observations. Surface winds are used in the atmospheric correction scheme to estimate glint and foam radiances.

Topical fibrin sealant versus intravenous tranexamic acid for reducing blood loss following total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gao, Fuqiang; Ma, Jinhui; Sun, Wei; Guo, Wanshou; Li, Zirong; Wang, Weiguo

2016-08-01

Efficacy and safety of topical application of a fibrin sealant (FS) compared with intravenous administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) for reducing blood loss after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is controversial. We undertook a meta-analysis to compare the effects of topical application of FS or intravenous administration of TXA on blood loss after TKA. PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify studies comparing FS with TXA for TKA patients. The mean difference (MD) of blood loss, hemoglobin value, and odds ratios (ORs) of transfusion requirements and adverse events in FS and TXA groups were pooled throughout the study. Relevant data were analyzed using RevMan v5.3. Five studies involving 359 patients were included (181 FS vs. 178 TXA). TXA use had a significantly lower prevalence of blood transfusion (OR = 3.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.67 to 5.90, P = 0.0004) and higher hemoglobin level (MD = -1.23; 95% CI, -2.19 to -0.27, P = 0.01) than FS in the early postoperative period. No significant difference was seen in total blood loss between the two groups (MD = 198.06; 95% CI, -267.45 to 663.57; P = 0.40). There were no significant differences in adverse events, superficial infections, or deep-vein thrombosis among study groups. Our meta-analysis suggests that intravenous administration of TXA for patients undergoing TKA may reduce blood-transfusion requirements and maintain higher hemoglobin levels compared with topical application of FS in the early postoperative period. There were no significant differences in total calculated blood loss and prevalence of complications between the two groups. However, owing to the variation of included studies, no firm conclusions can be drawn. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An effective and low cost carbon based clean-up method for PCDD/Fs and PCBs analysis in food.

PubMed

Kedikoglou, Kleopatra; Costopoulou, Danae; Vassiliadou, Irene; Bakeas, Evangelos; Leondiadis, Leondios

2018-09-01

Sample preparation is of critical importance in dioxin analysis of food and feed samples. It is a complex procedure that includes lipid extraction followed by the application of chromatographic separation techniques, aiming in removing undesirable interferences from the matrix. The separation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is achieved by carbon-based materials which should have high fat capacity in order to be suitable for lipid-containing matrices. Automated methods are available but due to high cost and use of high amounts of solvents, manual methods are also applied. An active carbon material (Carbosphere) with high fat capacity that has been used in the past for manual methods is no longer commercially available. The present study assesses an alternative active carbon material, FU 4652, that can be used for the separation of PCDD/Fs and non-ortho PCBs. Mono-ortho and 6 non-dioxin-like PCBs are also analyzed. The method was validated according to the analytical criteria set in EU regulations 589/2014 and 709/2014. Control samples analyzed for the evaluation of the above material were olive oil reference samples spiked with PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs at two concentration levels. The new method was tested successfully on food samples of interlaboratory trials organized in previous years. Farmed fish samples collected within national surveillance programs for the years 2016-2017 were analyzed with the method developed. The results obtained indicate that the FU 4652 carbon sorbent has high fat capacity and is capable of separating congeners with good recoveries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ability of dairy cows to ensure pregnancy according to breed and genetic merit for production traits under contrasted pasture-based systems.

PubMed

Bedere, N; Disenhaus, C; Ducrocq, V; Leurent-Colette, S; Delaby, L

2017-04-01

The present study aimed to assess and measure the effects of breed, genetic merit for production traits, and feeding systems (FS) on the ability of dairy cows to ensure pregnancy through its components (fertilization, embryonic losses, recalving). An experiment was conducted over 9 yr on Normande and Holstein cows assigned to contrasted FS. Diets were based on maize silage in winter and grazing plus concentrate in spring in the high FS group, and on grass silage in winter and grazing with no concentrate during spring in the low FS group. Within breeds, cows were classified into 2 groups with similar estimated breeding values (EBV) for milk solids: cows with high EBV for milk yield were included in a milk group and those with high EBV for fat and protein contents were included in a content group. Holstein cows produced more milk throughout lactation than Normande cows (the differential was greater in the high FS group, +2,294 kg, compared with +1,280 kg in the low FS group) and lost more body condition to nadir (the differential was greater in the high FS group, -1.00 point, compared with -0.80 point in the low FS group). Within breeds, milk solids production was similar between genetic groups. Cows in the high FS group produced more milk (+2,495 kg for Holstein and +1,481 kg for Normande cows) and had a higher body condition score at nadir (+0.40 point for Holstein and +0.60 point for Normande) than cows in the low FS group. Holstein cows had a lower recalving rate than Normande cows (-19 percentage units). We found no effect of genetic group and FS on fertility of Normande cows. However, according to FS, Holstein cows in the content group exhibited different fertility failure patterns. In the low FS group, Holstein cows in the content group had more nonfertilizations or early embryo mortality (+26 percentage units at first and second services) than Holstein cows in the milk group. In the high FS group, Holstein cows in the content group had a higher proportion of late embryo mortality than in the milk group (+10 percentage units at first and second services). We observed no effect of FS on recalving rate; however, indicators of energy balance (protein content or body condition score) were positively associated with successful conception and pregnancy. This suggested a link between genetic merit for fat and protein content and lower ability of dairy cows to ensure pregnancy because of more nonfertilizations and early or late embryo mortality. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Femtosecond laser refractive surgery: small-incision lenticule extraction vs. femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK.

PubMed

Lee, Jimmy K; Chuck, Roy S; Park, Choul Yong

2015-07-01

Small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) is a novel technique devised to correct refractive errors. SMILE circumvents excimer laser photoablation of cornea, as the stromal lenticule cut by femtosecond laser is removed manually. Smaller incisions and preservation of anterior corneal biomechanical strength have been suggested as some of the advantages of SMILE over femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK (FS-LASIK). In this review, we compared previous published results of SMILE and FS-LASIK. The advantage, efficacy and safety of SMILE are compared with FS-LASIK. SMILE achieved similar efficacy, predictability and safety as FS-LASIK. Greater preservations of corneal biomechanical strength and corneal nerves were observed in SMILE when compared with LASIK or PRK. Additionally, the incidence of postoperative dry eye syndrome was found to be less problematic in SMILE than in FS-LASIK. SMILE is a promising new surgery for refractive error correction. Prospective and retrospective studies of SMILE have shown that results of SMILE are similar to FS-LASIK. With advances in femtosecond laser technology, SMILE may gain greater acceptance in the future.

Bacterial Biotransformation of Pentachlorophenol and Micropollutants Formed during Its Production Process

PubMed Central

Lopez-Echartea, Eglantina; Macek, Tomas; Demnerova, Katerina; Uhlik, Ondrej

2016-01-01

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a toxic and persistent wood and cellulose preservative extensively used in the past decades. The production process of PCP generates polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) as micropollutants. PCDD/Fs are also known to be very persistent and dangerous for human health and ecosystem functioning. Several physico-chemical and biological technologies have been used to remove PCP and PCDD/Fs from the environment. Bacterial degradation appears to be a cost-effective way of removing these contaminants from soil while causing little impact on the environment. Several bacteria that cometabolize or use these pollutants as their sole source of carbon have been isolated and characterized. This review summarizes current knowledge on the metabolic pathways of bacterial degradation of PCP and PCDD/Fs. PCP can be successfully degraded aerobically or anaerobically by bacteria. Highly chlorinated PCDD/Fs are more likely to be reductively dechlorinated, while less chlorinated PCDD/Fs are more prone to aerobic degradation. The biochemical and genetic basis of these pollutants’ degradation is also described. There are several documented studies of effective applications of bioremediation techniques for the removal of PCP and PCDD/Fs from soil and sediments. These findings suggest that biodegradation can occur and be applied to treat these contaminants. PMID:27869691

[Atmospheric emission of PCDD/Fs from secondary aluminum metallurgy industry in the southwest area, China].

PubMed

Lu, Yi; Zhang, Xiao-Ling; Guo, Zhi-Shun; Jian, Chuan; Zhu, Ming-Ji; Deng, Li; Sun, Jing; Zhang, Qin

2014-01-01

Five secondary aluminum metallurgy enterprises in the southwest area of China were measured for emissions of PCDD/Fs. The results indicated that the emission levels of PCDD/Fs (as TEQ) were 0.015-0.16 ng x m(-3), and the average was 0.093 ng x m(-3) from secondary aluminum metallurgy enterprises. Emission factors of PCDD/Fs (as TEQ) from the five secondary aluminum metallurgy enterprises varied between 0.041 and 4.68 microg x t(-1) aluminum, and the average was 2.01 microg x t(-1) aluminum; among them, PCDD/Fs emission factors from the crucible smelting furnace was the highest. Congener distribution of PCDD/F in stack gas from the five secondary aluminum metallurgies was very different from each other. Moreover, the R(PCDF/PCDD) was the lowest in the enterprise which was installed only with bag filters; the R(PCDF/PCDD) were 3.8-12.6 (the average, 7.7) in the others which were installed with water scrubbers. The results above indicated that the mechanism of PCDD/Fs formation was related to the types of exhaust gas treatment device. The results of this study can provide technical support for the formulation of PCDD/Fs emission standards and the best available techniques in the secondary aluminum metallurgy industry.

Wound healing and degradation of the fibrin sealant Beriplast P following partial liver resection in rabbits.

PubMed

Kroez, Monika; Lang, Wiegand; Dickneite, Gerhard

2005-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the degradation kinetics of the fibrin sealant (FS) Beriplast P in an experimental liver surgery model in rabbits. A partial liver resection was performed in 21 rabbits, and the wound area covered with Beriplast P to ensure hemostasis. Wound healing of the resection sites was evaluated morphologically over 11 weeks. Degradation of the FS was evaluated by measuring the thickness of the remaining fibrin layer. Plasma samples were analyzed for antibodies against fibrinogen, albumin, thrombin, fibrin, and factor XIII. No postoperative hemorrhage was observed, indicating successful hemostasis throughout. The FS was degraded with a half-life of about 25 days postapplication and was completely replaced by granulation tissue within 9 weeks. The FS degradation and tissue development followed the general stages of wound healing: inflammation and resorption, proliferation, organization and production of collagen, maturation, and scarring. An immune reaction was elicited against the main four human proteins of the FS. The antibody titers peaked on day 14, with a gradual decrease thereafter. We conclude that the FS accomplished hemostasis, facilitated healing in accordance with natural processes, and was completely degraded over time. In humans, the reduced immunogenicity of the FS would potentially increase its degradation half-life.

Experts' views regarding Australian school-leavers' knowledge of nutrition and food systems.

PubMed

Sadegholvad, Sanaz; Yeatman, Heather; Parrish, Anne-Maree; Worsley, Anthony

2017-10-01

To explore Australian experts' views regarding strengths and gaps in school-leavers' knowledge of nutrition and food systems ( N&FS) and factors that influence that knowledge. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 highly experienced food-related experts in Australia. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using Attride-Stirling's thematic network framework. Two global themes and several organising themes were identified. The first global theme, 'structural curriculum-based problems', emerged from three organising themes of: inconsistencies in provided food education programs at schools in Australia; insufficient coverage of food-related skills and food systems topics in school curricula; and the lack of trained school teachers. The second global theme, 'insufficient levels of school-leavers knowledge of N&FS ', was generated from four organising themes, which together described Australian school-leavers' poor knowledge of N&FS more broadly and knowledge translation problem for everyday practices. Study findings identified key problems relating to current school-based N&FS education programs in Australia and reported knowledge gaps in relation to N&FS among Australian school-leavers. These findings provide important guidance for N&FS curriculum development, to clearly articulate broadly-based N&FS knowledge acquisition in curriculum policy and education documents for Australian schools. © 2017 The Authors.

Fire safety knowledge and practices among residents of an assisted living facility.

PubMed

Jaslow, David; Ufberg, Jacob; Yoon, Russell; McQueen, Clay; Zecher, Derek; Jakubowski, Greg

2005-01-01

Assisted living facilities (ALFs) pose unique fire risks to the elderly that may be linked to specific fire safety (FS) practices. To evaluate self-reported FS practices among ALF residents. All residents of a small ALF were surveyed regarding actual and hypothetical FS behaviors, self-perceived fire risk, and FS preparedness. Fifty-eight ALF residents completed the survey. Thirty-three (58%) individuals reported one or more disabilities. Seven (12%) residents ignored the fire alarm and 21 (35%) could not hear it clearly. Sixteen (28%) residents would attempt to locate the source of a fire rather than escape from the building. Only 24 (42%) residents were familiar with the building fire plan. Twenty-three (40%) people surveyed believed that they were not at risk of fire in the study facility. Residents of an ALF may be at increased fire injury risk due to their FS practices and disabilities.

Fundus oculi pigmentation studies simulating the fs-LASIK process Fundus oculi pigmentation studies simulating the fs-LASIK process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sander, M.; Minet, O.; Zabarylo, U.; Müller, M.; Tetz, M. R.

2012-06-01

The femtosecond-laser in situ keratomileusis (fs-LASIK) technique has successfully entered the refractive surgery market to correct ametropia by cutting transparent corneal tissue with ultra-short laser pulses based on photodisruption. The laser pulses in the near infrared range (NIR) generate a laser-induced breakdown (LIOB) in the cornea. By propagating through the eye, a certain amount of the pulse is deposited in the cornea and the remaining energy interacts with the strong absorbing tissue behind. Due to the absorption by the retinal pigment epithelium and the transfer of the thermal energy to surrounding tissue, the transmitted energy can induce damage to the retina. The aim of this project was to find out the threshold influences concerning the tissue and the correlation between the results of the macroscopical appraisal and the fundus oculi pigmentation by simulating the fs-LASIK procedure with two various laser systems in the continuous wave (CW) and fs-regime. Therefore ex-vivo determinations were carried out macroscopically and histopathologically on porcine tissue.

Seizure-induced alterations in fast-spiking basket cell GABA currents modulate frequency and coherence of gamma oscillation in network simulations

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

Proddutur, Archana; Yu, Jiandong; Elgammal, Fatima S.

2013-12-15

Gamma frequency oscillations have been proposed to contribute to memory formation and retrieval. Fast-spiking basket cells (FS-BCs) are known to underlie development of gamma oscillations. Fast, high amplitude GABA synapses and gap junctions have been suggested to contribute to gamma oscillations in FS-BC networks. Recently, we identified that, apart from GABAergic synapses, FS-BCs in the hippocampal dentate gyrus have GABAergic currents mediated by extrasynaptic receptors. Our experimental studies demonstrated two specific changes in FS-BC GABA currents following experimental seizures [Yu et al., J. Neurophysiol. 109, 1746 (2013)]: increase in the magnitude of extrasynaptic (tonic) GABA currents and a depolarizing shiftmore » in GABA reversal potential (E{sub GABA}). Here, we use homogeneous networks of a biophysically based model of FS-BCs to examine how the presence of extrasynaptic GABA conductance (g{sub GABA-extra}) and experimentally identified, seizure-induced changes in g{sub GABA-extra} and E{sub GABA} influence network activity. Networks of FS-BCs interconnected by fast GABAergic synapses developed synchronous firing in the dentate gamma frequency range (40–100 Hz). Systematic investigation revealed that the biologically realistic range of 30 to 40 connections between FS-BCs resulted in greater coherence in the gamma frequency range when networks were activated by Poisson-distributed dendritic synaptic inputs rather than by homogeneous somatic current injections, which were balanced for FS-BC firing frequency in unconnected networks. Distance-dependent conduction delay enhanced coherence in networks with 30–40 FS-BC interconnections while inclusion of gap junctional conductance had a modest effect on coherence. In networks activated by somatic current injections resulting in heterogeneous FS-BC firing, increasing g{sub GABA-extra} reduced the frequency and coherence of FS-BC firing when E{sub GABA} was shunting (−74 mV), but failed to alter average FS-BC frequency when E{sub GABA} was depolarizing (−54 mV). When FS-BCs were activated by biologically based dendritic synaptic inputs, enhancing g{sub GABA-extra} reduced the frequency and coherence of FS-BC firing when E{sub GABA} was shunting and increased average FS-BC firing when E{sub GABA} was depolarizing. Shifting E{sub GABA} from shunting to depolarizing potentials consistently increased network frequency to and above high gamma frequencies (>80 Hz). Since gamma oscillations may contribute to learning and memory processing [Fell et al., Nat. Neurosci. 4, 1259 (2001); Jutras et al., J. Neurosci. 29, 12521 (2009); Wang, Physiol. Rev. 90, 1195 (2010)], our demonstration that network oscillations are modulated by extrasynaptic inhibition in FS-BCs suggests that neuroactive compounds that act on extrasynaptic GABA receptors could impact memory formation by modulating hippocampal gamma oscillations. The simulation results indicate that the depolarized FS-BC GABA reversal, observed after experimental seizures, together with enhanced spillover extrasynaptic GABA currents are likely to promote generation of focal high frequency activity associated with epileptic networks.« less

Low temperature destruction of PCDD/Fs over V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst with ozone.

PubMed

Yu, Ming-Feng; Lin, Xiao-Qing; Yan, Mi; Li, Xiao-Dong; Chen, Tong; Yan, Jian-Hua

2016-09-01

Catalytic destruction of PCDD/Fs (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans) over V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst was investigated at a low temperature range of 140-180 °C, in the absence and presence of ozone (200 ppm). Nano-TiO2 support was used to prepare the catalyst by step impregnation method. A stable PCDD/Fs-generating system was established to support the catalytic destruction tests. In the presence of ozone alone, destruction efficiencies of PCDD/Fs are between 32.2 and 43.1 % with temperature increasing from 140 to 180 °C. The activity of V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst alone on PCDD/Fs destruction is also studied. The increase of temperature from 140 to 180 °C enhances the activity of catalyst with destruction efficiencies increasing from 54.7 to 73.4 %. However, ozone addition greatly enhances the catalytic activity of V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst on PCDD/Fs decomposition. At 180 °C, the destruction efficiency of PCDD/Fs achieved with V2O5-CeO2/TiO2 catalyst and ozone is above 86.0 %. It indicates that the combined use of ozone and catalyst reduces the reaction temperature of PCDD/Fs oxidation and offers a new method to destroy PCDD/Fs with high destruction efficiency at a low temperature. Furthermore, the destruction efficiencies of 17 toxic PCDD/F congeners, achieved with ozone alone, catalyst alone, and catalyst/ozone are analyzed.

Effects of femtosecond laser and other surface treatments on the bond strength of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets to zirconia

PubMed Central

García-Sanz, Verónica; Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Mendoza-Yero, Omel; Doñate-Buendía, Carlos; Montero, Javier; Albaladejo, Alberto

2017-01-01

Femtosecond laser has been proposed as a method for conditioning zirconia surfaces to boost bond strength. However, metallic or ceramic bracket bonding to femtosecond laser-treated zirconia surfaces has not been tested. This study compared the effects of four conditioning techniques, including femtosecond laser irradiation, on shear bond strength (SBS) of metallic and ceramic brackets to zirconia.Three hundred zirconia plates were divided into five groups: 1) control (C); 2) sandblasting (APA); 3) silica coating and silane (SC); 4) femtosecond laser (FS); 5) sandblasting followed by femtosecond laser (APA+SC). A thermal imaging camera measured temperature changes in the zirconia during irradiation. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups (metallic vs ceramic brackets). SBS was evaluated using a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) was registered and surfaces were observed under SEM. Surface treatment and bracket type significantly affected the bracket-zirconia bond strength. SBS was significantly higher (p<0.001) for ceramic brackets in all groups (APA+FS > APA > FS > SC > control) than metallic brackets (APA+FS > FS > SC > APA > control). For metallic brackets, groups SC (5.99 ± 1.86 MPa), FS (6.72 ± 2.30 MPa) and APA+FS (7.22 ± 2.73 MPa) reported significantly higher bond strengths than other groups (p < 0.05). For ceramic brackets, the highest bond strength values were obtained in groups APA (25.01 ± 4.45 MPa), FS (23.18 ± 6.51 MPa) and APA+FS (29.22 ± 8.20 MPa).Femtosecond laser enhances bond strength of ceramic and metallic brackets to zirconia. Ceramic brackets provide significantly stronger adhesion than metallic brackets regardless of the surface treatment method. PMID:29049418

SMILE and Wavefront-Guided LASIK Out-Compete Other Refractive Surgeries in Ameliorating the Induction of High-Order Aberrations in Anterior Corneal Surface

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Purpose. To compare the change of anterior corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), wavefront-guided LASIK with iris registration (WF-LASIK), femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK), and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). Methods. In a prospective study, 82 eyes underwent LASIK, 119 eyes underwent WF-LASIK, 88 eyes underwent FS-LASIK, and 170 eyes underwent SMILE surgery. HOAs were measured with Pentacam device preoperatively and 6 months after surgery. The aberrations were described as Zernike polynomials, and analysis focused on total HOAs, spherical aberration (SA), horizontal coma, and vertical coma over 6 mm diameter central corneal zone. Results. Six months postoperatively, all procedures result in increase of anterior corneal total HOAs and SA. There were no significant differences in the induced HOAs between LASIK and FS-LASIK, while SMILE induced fewer total HOAs and SA compared with LASIK and FS-LASIK. Similarly, WF-LASIK also induced less total HOAs than LASIK and FS-LASIK, but only fewer SA than FS-LASIK (P < 0.05). No significant difference could be detected in the induced total HOAs and SA between SMILE and WF-LASIK, whereas SMILE induced more horizontal coma and vertical coma compared with WF-LASIK (P < 0.05). Conclusion. FS-LASIK and LASIK induced comparable anterior corneal HOAs. Compared to LASIK and FS-LASIK, both SMILE and WF-LASIK showed advantages in inducing less total HOAs. In addition, SMILE also possesses better ability to reduce the induction of SA in comparison with LASIK and FS-LASIK. However, SMILE induced more horizontal coma and vertical coma compared with WF-LASIK, indicating that the centration of SMILE procedure is probably less precise than WF-LASIK. PMID:27818792

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of Fucus spiralis macroalgae and influence of the extracts storage temperature-A short report.

PubMed

Paiva, Lisete; Lima, Elisabete; Neto, Ana Isabel; Baptista, José

2016-11-30

Recently, increasing attention has been paid to the marine algae as a natural source of novel angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as the phlorotannins that are the predominant polyphenols in brown algae. This study reports, for the first time, the ACE inhibition of methanol extract/fractions from Azorean brown algae Fucus spiralis (Fs) determined by HPLC-UV method, their total phenolic content (TPC) quantified as phloroglucinol equivalents (PE) and the effect of the Fs dry powder methanol extracts (Fs-DME) storage temperature on ACE inhibition. The results indicate that the ACE inhibition of Fs-DME decreased by 28.8% and 78.2% when stored during 15days at -80°C and -13°C, respectively, as compared with the activity of Fs-DME at a refrigerated temperature of 6°C and assayed immediately after extraction that showed a value of 80.1±2.1%. This Fs-DME sample was fractionated by ultrafiltration membranes into three molecular weight ranges (<1kDa, 1-3kDa and >3kDa), presenting the fraction>3kDa remarkably high ACE inhibition (88.8±2.4%), TPC value (156.6±1.4mg PE/g of dry weight fraction) and yield. Furthermore, chromatographic and spectrophotometric analyses corroborate that phenolic compounds were present in Fs methanol extract/fractions, and also revealed that phloroglucinol occurs in Fs. The results seem to suggest that Azorean Fs can be a source of powerful ACE-inhibitory phlorotannins with potential impact on public health, particularly on hypertensive patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of femtosecond laser and other surface treatments on the bond strength of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets to zirconia.

PubMed

García-Sanz, Verónica; Paredes-Gallardo, Vanessa; Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Mendoza-Yero, Omel; Doñate-Buendía, Carlos; Montero, Javier; Albaladejo, Alberto

2017-01-01

Femtosecond laser has been proposed as a method for conditioning zirconia surfaces to boost bond strength. However, metallic or ceramic bracket bonding to femtosecond laser-treated zirconia surfaces has not been tested. This study compared the effects of four conditioning techniques, including femtosecond laser irradiation, on shear bond strength (SBS) of metallic and ceramic brackets to zirconia.Three hundred zirconia plates were divided into five groups: 1) control (C); 2) sandblasting (APA); 3) silica coating and silane (SC); 4) femtosecond laser (FS); 5) sandblasting followed by femtosecond laser (APA+SC). A thermal imaging camera measured temperature changes in the zirconia during irradiation. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups (metallic vs ceramic brackets). SBS was evaluated using a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) was registered and surfaces were observed under SEM. Surface treatment and bracket type significantly affected the bracket-zirconia bond strength. SBS was significantly higher (p<0.001) for ceramic brackets in all groups (APA+FS > APA > FS > SC > control) than metallic brackets (APA+FS > FS > SC > APA > control). For metallic brackets, groups SC (5.99 ± 1.86 MPa), FS (6.72 ± 2.30 MPa) and APA+FS (7.22 ± 2.73 MPa) reported significantly higher bond strengths than other groups (p < 0.05). For ceramic brackets, the highest bond strength values were obtained in groups APA (25.01 ± 4.45 MPa), FS (23.18 ± 6.51 MPa) and APA+FS (29.22 ± 8.20 MPa).Femtosecond laser enhances bond strength of ceramic and metallic brackets to zirconia. Ceramic brackets provide significantly stronger adhesion than metallic brackets regardless of the surface treatment method.

Risk of Guillain–Barré syndrome following pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 vaccination in Germany†

PubMed Central

Prestel, Jürgen; Volkers, Peter; Mentzer, Dirk; Lehmann, Helmar C; Hartung, Hans-Peter; Keller-Stanislawski, Brigitte

2014-01-01

Purpose A prospective, epidemiologic study was conducted to assess whether the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccination in Germany almost exclusively using an AS03-adjuvanted vaccine (Pandemrix) impacts the risk of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) and its variant Fisher syndrome (FS). Methods Potential cases of GBS/FS were reported by 351 participating hospitals throughout Germany. The self-controlled case series methodology was applied to all GBS/FS cases fulfilling the Brighton Collaboration (BC) case definition (levels 1–3 of diagnostic certainty) with symptom onset between 1 November 2009 and 30 September 2010 reported until end of December 2010. Results Out of 676 GBS/FS reports, in 30 cases, GBS/FS (BC levels 1–3) occurred within 150 days following influenza A(H1N1) vaccination. The relative incidence of GBS/FS within the primary risk period (days 5–42 post-vaccination) compared with the control period (days 43–150 post-vaccination) was 4.65 (95%CI [2.17, 9.98]). Similar results were found when stratifying for infections within 3 weeks prior to onset of GBS/FS and when excluding cases with additional seasonal influenza vaccination. The overall result of temporally adjusted analyses supported the primary finding of an increased relative incidence of GBS/FS following influenza A(H1N1) vaccination. Conclusions The results indicate an increased risk of GBS/FS in temporal association with pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccination in Germany. © 2014 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:24817531

The Remote Sensing of Mineral Aerosols and Their Impact on Phytoplankton Productivity using Sea WiFS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stegmann, Petra M.

1998-01-01

The main objective of this proposal was to use SeaWiFs data to study the relationship between aerosols found in aeollan dust and photosynthesis of phytoplankton in open ocean surface waters. This project was a collaborative effort between myself and Dr. Neil Tindale at Texas A&M University and followed on our earlier funded proposal which had been designed as a proof-of-concept study to determine if ocean color sensors such as the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) could be used to detect and map large-scale mineral aerosol plumes. Despite the large spatial and temporal gaps inherent in the CZCS data coverage, our results from this initial study indicated that an ocean color sensor could indeed be used to detect aerosols. These encouraging results led us to propose in this proposal the use of SeaWiFS data to study mineral aerosol transport and its impact on phytoplankton production. This proposal orignally intended to make use of SeaWiFS images, but as the launch delay of SeaWiFS dragged on, we had to make do with other satellite data sets. Thus, the focus of this proposal became the CSCS image archive instead. I detail my results and accomplishments with this data set.

How to improve x-ray scattering techniques to quantify bone mineral density using spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Krmar, M.; Ganezer, K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a new diagnostic technique for measuring bone mineral density (BMD) for the assessment of osteoporosis, which improves upon the coherent to Compton scattering ratio (CCSR) method, which was first developed in the 1980s. To help the authors achieve these goals, they have identified and studied two new indices for CCSR, the forward scattered to backward scattered (FS-BS) and the forward scattered to transmitted (FS-T) ratios. They believe that, at small angles, these two parameters can offer a practical in vivo determination of BMD that can be used to overcome the limitations of past CCSR systems, including high radiation dosages, costs, and examination durations. Methods: In previous CCSR studies, a high-activity radioactive source with a long half-live (usually 241Am) and an expensive and bulky cryogenic HPGe detector were applied to both in vivo and in vitro measurements. To make this technique more suitable for clinical applications, the possibility of using a standard diagnostic x-ray tube generating a continuous spectrum was investigated in this paper. Scattered radiation from trabecular bone-simulating phantoms containing various mineral densities that span the normal range of in vivo BMD was collected in this study using relatively inexpensive noncryogenic CdTe or NaI detectors. Results: The initial results demonstrate that a modified version of CCSR can be successfully applied to trabecular bone assessment using a diagnostic x-ray tube with a continuous spectrum in two variations, the FS-BS and the FS-T ratio. When FS-BS is measured, intensity spectra in the forward and backward directions must be collected while FS-T requires only the integral intensity of the scattered and transmitted (T) spectra in the energy region above 40 keV. For both of these methods, forward scattering angles less than or equal to 15° and backward scattering angles greater than or equal to (165°= 180° − 15°) are needed. Conclusions: The authors determined that FS-T is more sensitive to changes in BMD than transmission or absorption alone and that the FS-BS method can yield an absolute measurement of the mean atomic number of the scattering medium, after a correction for path-dependent attenuation. Since this study determined that the FS-T ratio is independent of the incident energy over a broad energy region, it will be possible to apply FS-T to bone densitometry using inexpensive integral photon detectors. The authors believe that, by replacing the radionuclide source with an x-ray tube and the cryogenically cooled HPGe detector with a single solid state CdTe, NaI, or silicon detector or an annular array of detectors, as suggested in this study, the past difficulties of CCSR concerning high radiation exposure, costs, and durations as well as lack of convenience can be overcome and that CCSR could eventually become popular in clinical settings. PMID:22482605

Analysis of laser damage tests on coatings designed for broad bandwidth high reflection of femtosecond pulses

DOE PAGES

Bellum, John Curtis; Winstone, Trevor; Lamaignere, Laurent; ...

2016-08-25

We designed an optical coating based on TiO 2/SiO 2 layer pairs for broad bandwidth high reflection (BBHR) at 45-deg angle of incidence (AOI), P polarization of femtosecond (fs) laser pulses of 900-nm center wavelength, and produced the coatings in Sandia’s large optics coater by reactive, ion-assisted e-beam evaporation. This paper reports on laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) tests of these coatings. The broad HR bands of BBHR coatings pose challenges to LIDT tests. An ideal test would be in a vacuum environment appropriate to a high energy, fs-pulse, petawatt-class laser, with pulses identical to its fs pulses. Short of thismore » would be tests over portions of the HR band using nanosecond or sub-picosecond pulses produced by tunable lasers. Such tests could, e.g., sample 10-nm-wide wavelength intervals with center wavelengths tunable over the broad HR band. Alternatively, the coating’s HR band could be adjusted by means of wavelength shifts due to changing the AOI of the LIDT tests or due to the coating absorbing moisture under ambient conditions. In conclusion, we had LIDT tests performed on the BBHR coatings at selected AOIs to gain insight into their laser damage properties and analyze how the results of the different LIDT tests compare.« less

Analysis of laser damage tests on coatings designed for broad bandwidth high reflection of femtosecond pulses

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

Bellum, John Curtis; Winstone, Trevor; Lamaignere, Laurent

We designed an optical coating based on TiO 2/SiO 2 layer pairs for broad bandwidth high reflection (BBHR) at 45-deg angle of incidence (AOI), P polarization of femtosecond (fs) laser pulses of 900-nm center wavelength, and produced the coatings in Sandia’s large optics coater by reactive, ion-assisted e-beam evaporation. This paper reports on laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) tests of these coatings. The broad HR bands of BBHR coatings pose challenges to LIDT tests. An ideal test would be in a vacuum environment appropriate to a high energy, fs-pulse, petawatt-class laser, with pulses identical to its fs pulses. Short of thismore » would be tests over portions of the HR band using nanosecond or sub-picosecond pulses produced by tunable lasers. Such tests could, e.g., sample 10-nm-wide wavelength intervals with center wavelengths tunable over the broad HR band. Alternatively, the coating’s HR band could be adjusted by means of wavelength shifts due to changing the AOI of the LIDT tests or due to the coating absorbing moisture under ambient conditions. In conclusion, we had LIDT tests performed on the BBHR coatings at selected AOIs to gain insight into their laser damage properties and analyze how the results of the different LIDT tests compare.« less

Utilization of ferrochrome wastes such as ferrochrome ash and ferrochrome slag in concrete manufacturing.

PubMed

Acharya, Prasanna K; Patro, Sanjaya K

2016-08-01

Solid waste management is one of the subjects essentially addressing the current interest today. Due to the scarcity of land filling area, utilization of wastes in the construction sector has become an attractive proposition for disposal. Ferrochrome ash (FA) is a dust obtained as a waste material from the gas cleaning plant of Ferro alloy industries. It possesses the chemical requirements of granulated slag material used for the manufacture of Portland cement. Ferrochrome slag (FS) is another residue that is obtained as a solid waste by the smelting process during the production of stainless steel in Ferroalloy industries. FS possesses the required engineering properties of coarse aggregates. The possibility of using FA with lime for partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and FS for total replacement of natural coarse aggregates is explored in this research. The combined effect of FA with lime and FS-addition on the properties of concrete, such as workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength and sorptivity, were studied. Results of investigation revealed improvement in strength and durability properties of concrete on inclusion of FA and FS. Concrete mix containing 40% FA with 7% lime (replacing 47% OPC) and100% of FS (replacing 100% natural coarse aggregate) achieved the properties of normal concrete or even better properties at all ages. The results were confirmed by microscopic study such as X-ray diffraction and petrography examination. Environmental compatibility of concrete containing FA and FS was verified by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test. © The Author(s) 2016.

Understanding military families who have dependents with special health care and/or educational needs.

PubMed

Aronson, Keith R; Kyler, Sandee J; Moeller, Jeremy D; Perkins, Daniel F

2016-07-01

Little is known about military families who have a dependent with special health care and/or educational needs. The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is designed to link these families to military/community support services through family support provider (FS providers). The aim of this study was to understand FS providers' perspectives on the kinds of current challenges the families with whom they work face. This is the first study to ascertain the perspectives of professionals FS providers. FS providers (N = 160) completed a survey either on the phone or via the web. The survey consisted of four areas regarding EFMP: (1) background information; (2) caseload and work composition; (3) perceptions of Military Family needs; and (4) adequacy of community support services. The most commonly encountered diagnoses in military families were Autism (94%) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (93%). Between 80% and 90% of FS providers reported working with families dealing with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Speech & Language Disorders, Asthma, Developmental Delays, and Mental Health Problems. FS providers noted that relocations are particularly challenging for military families in the EFMP. Training and programming of social service professionals working with military families who have a dependent with special health care and/or educational needs should focus on commonly occurring challenges seen in this population. As much as possible, FS providers should be familiar with evidence-based programs and practices designed to address these pressing problems. The process and execution of relocations should be streamlined so as to enhance continuity of care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of performances of femtosecond laser and microkeratome for thin-flap laser in situ keratomileusis.

PubMed

Kasetsuwan, Ngamjit; Satitpitakul, Vannarut; Puangsricharern, Vilavun; Reinprayoon, Usanee; Pariyakanok, Lalida

2016-08-01

To compare the clinical outcomes of femtosecond laser (FS) and microkeratome (MK) for thin-flap in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Data from patients with moderate to high myopia (spherical equivalent, >-4 diopters [D]) who underwent thin-flap LASIK using FS (199 eyes/110 patients) and MK (157 eyes/86 patients) were analyzed in this retrospective study. Preoperative and postoperative data were recorded from day 1 and months 1 and 3, postoperatively. Visual and refractive outcomes were compared for efficacy, safety, predictability, stability, and the efficacy and safety indices. Three months postoperatively, more eyes in the FS group had an uncorrected distance visual acuity (UCVA) of 20/40 or better compared to MK group (relative risk [RR] 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1.05, P = 0.58); significantly more eyes in FS group had an UCVA of 20/20 or better (RR, 1.26, 95%CI, 1.08-1.48, P = 0.003). Intraoperative bleeding occurred in 5% and 36.7%, respectively, of FS and MK groups. There were no significant differences in the refractive predictability within spherical equivalents of 0.5 D (FS, 72%; MK, 63%) and 1.0 D (FS, 90%; MK, 86%). Both groups showed good stability 3 months, postoperatively. The efficacy index in FS group was 113.4%; that in MK group was 102.5% at 3 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). The safety indices for FS and MK groups at 3 months postoperatively were 116.4% and 108.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). Both methods of thin-flap created LASIK were effective, safe, predicable, and stable. FS group had significant improvements in efficacy and safety, confirmed by the efficacy and safety indices, compared to MK group. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:596-601, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A fragment substitution in the promoter of CsHDZIV11/CsGL3 is responsible for fruit spine density in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).

PubMed

Zhang, Haiyang; Wang, Lina; Zheng, Shuangshuang; Liu, Zezhou; Wu, Xiaoqin; Gao, Zhihui; Cao, Chenxing; Li, Qiang; Ren, Zhonghai

2016-07-01

The indel in the promoter of CsHDZIV11 co-segregates with fruit spine density and could be used for molecular breeding in cucumber. Fruit spine density is an important quality trait for marketing in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). However, the molecular basis of fruit spine density in cucumber remains unclear. In this study, we isolated a mutant, few spines 1 (fs1), from CNS2 (wild type, WT), a North China-type cucumber with a high density of fruit spines. Genetic analysis showed that fs1 was controlled by a single recessive Mendelian factor. Bulked segregant analysis combined with genome resequencing were used for mapping fs1 in the F2 population derived from a cross between the fs1 mutant and WT, and it was located on chromosome 6 through association analysis. To develop more polymorphic markers to locate fs1, another F2 population was constructed from the cross between fs1 and 'Chinese long' 9930. Then, fs1 was narrowed down to a 110.4-kb genomic region containing 25 annotated genes. A fragment substitution was identified in the promoter region of Csa6M514870 between fs1 and WT. This fragment in fs1 was also present in wild cucumber. Csa6M514870 encodes a PDF2-related protein, a homeodomain-leucine zipper IV transcription factor (CsHDZIV11/CsGL3) sharing high identity and similarity with proteins related to trichome formation or epidermal cell differentiation. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR revealed a higher expression level of CsHDZIV11 in young fruits from fs1 compared to WT. A molecular marker based on this indel co-segregated with the spine density. This work provides a solid foundation not only for understanding the molecular mechanism of fruit spine density, but also for molecular breeding in cucumber.

A multicentre prospective study of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Japan: a focus on the incidence of subtypes.

PubMed

Mitsui, Yoshiyuki; Kusunoki, Susumu; Arimura, Kimiyoshi; Kaji, Ryuji; Kanda, Takashi; Kuwabara, Satoshi; Sonoo, Masahiro; Takada, Kazuo

2015-01-01

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is classified into the two major subtypes; acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) and acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN). Previous studies have suggested that AIDP is predominant and AMAN is rare in Western countries, whereas AMAN is not always uncommon in East Asia. We aimed to clarify the incidence of the subtypes of GBS in Japan. We performed a prospective multicentre survey over 3 years (2007-2010). Clinical and electrophysiological findings were collected from 184 patients with GBS in 23 tertiary neurology institutes. Anti-ganglioside antibodies were measured by ELISA. We also surveyed the incidence of Fisher syndrome (FS). By electrodiagnostic criteria of Ho et al, patients were classified as having AIDP (40%), or AMAN (22%), or unclassified (38%). Anti-GM1 IgG antibodies were found for 47% of AMAN patients, and 18% of AIDP patients (p<0.001). There were no specific regional trends of the electrodiagnosis and anti-GM1 positivity. During the same study period, 79 patients with FS were identified; the percentage of FS cases out of all cases (FS/(GBS+FS)) was 26%. The frequency of GBS patients with the electrodiagnosis of AMAN by single nerve conduction studies is approximately 20% in Japan, and the AMAN pattern is closely associated with anti-GM1 antibodies. The incidence of FS appears to be much higher in Japan than in Western countries. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Opposed Jet Burner Extinction Limits: Simple Mixed Hydrocarbon Scramjet Fuels vs Air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellett, Gerald L.; Vaden, Sarah N.; Wilson, Lloyd G.

2007-01-01

Opposed Jet Burner tools have been used extensively by the authors to measure Flame Strength (FS) of laminar non-premixed H2 air and simple hydrocarbon (HC) air counterflow diffusion flames at 1-atm. FS represents a strain-induced extinction limit based on air jet velocity. This paper follows AIAA-2006-5223, and provides new HC air FSs for global testing of chemical kinetics, and for characterizing idealized flameholding potentials during early scramjet-like combustion. Previous FS data included six HCs, pure and N2-diluted; and three HC-diluted H2 fuels, where FS decayed very nonlinearly as HC was added to H2, due to H-atom scavenging. This study presents FSs on mixtures of (candidate surrogate) HCs, some with very high FS ethylene. Included are four binary gaseous systems at 300 K, and a hot ternary system at approx. 600 K. The binaries are methane + ethylene, ethane + ethylene, methane + ethane, and methane + propylene. The first three also form two ternary systems. The hot ternary includes both 10.8 and 21.3 mole % vaporized n-heptane and full ranges of methane + ethylene. Normalized FS data provide accurate means of (1) validating, globally, chemical kinetics for extinction of non-premixed flames, and (2) estimating (scaling by HC) the loss of incipient flameholding in scramjet combustors. The n-heptane is part of a proposed baseline simulant (10 mole % with 30% methane + 60% ethylene) that mimics the ignition of endothermically cracked JP-7 like kerosene fuel, as suggested by Colket and Spadaccini in 2001 in their shock tube Scramjet Fuels Autoignition Study. Presently, we use FS to gauge idealized flameholding, and define HC surrogates. First, FS was characterized for hot nheptane + methane + ethylene; then a hot 36 mole % methane + 64% ethylene surrogate was defined that mimics FS of the baseline simulant system. A similar hot ethane + ethylene surrogate can also be defined, but it has lower vapor pressure at 300 K, and thus exhibits reduced gaseous capacity. The new FS results refine our earlier idealized reactivity scale that shows wide ranging (50 x) diameter-normalized FSs for various HCs. These range from JP-10 and methane to H2 air, which produces an exceptionally strong flame that agrees within approx. 1% of recent 2-D numerically simulations. Finally, we continue advocating the FS approach as more direct and fundamental, for assessing idealized scramjet flameholding potentials, than measurements of unstrained laminar burning velocity or blowout in a Perfectly Stirred Reactor.

Impact of Heart Transplantation on the Functional Status of US Children With End-Stage Heart Failure.

PubMed

Peng, David M; Zhang, Yulin; Rosenthal, David N; Palmon, Michal; Chen, Sharon; Kaufman, Beth D; Maeda, Katsuhide; Hollander, Seth A; McDonald, Nancy; Smoot, Leslie B; Bernstein, Daniel; Almond, Christopher S

2017-03-07

There are limited data describing the functional status (FS) of children after heart transplant (HT). We sought to describe the FS of children surviving at least 1 year after HT, to evaluate the impact of HT on FS, and to identify factors associated with abnormal FS post-HT. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data were used to identify all US children <21 years of age surviving ≥1 year post-HT from 2005 to 2014 with a functional status score (FSS) available at 3 time points (listing, transplant, ≥1 year post-HT). Logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were used to identify factors associated with abnormal FS (FSS≤8) post-HT. A total of 1633 children met study criteria. At the 1-year assessment, 64% were "fully active/no limitations" (FSS=10), 21% had "minor limitations with strenuous activity" (FSS=9); and 15% scored ≤8. In comparison with listing FS, FS at 1 year post-HT increased in 91% and declined/remained unchanged in 9%. A stepwise regression procedure selected the following variables for association with abnormal FS at 1 year post-HT: ≥18 years of age (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.7), black race (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.0), support with ≥inotropes at HT (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.5), hospitalization status at HT (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.19), chronic steroid use at HT (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.2), and treatment for early rejection (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.5-2.7). Among US children who survive at least 1 year after HT, FS is excellent for the majority of patients. HT is associated with substantial improvement in FS for most children. Early rejection, older age, black race, chronic steroid use, hemodynamic support at HT, and being hospitalized at HT are associated with abnormal FS post-HT. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Lower serotonin level and higher rate of fibromyalgia syndrome with advancing pregnancy.

PubMed

Atasever, Melahat; Namlı Kalem, Muberra; Sönmez, Çiğdem; Seval, Mehmet Murat; Yüce, Tuncay; Sahin Aker, Seda; Koç, Acar; Genc, Hakan

2017-09-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between changes in serotonin levels during pregnancy and fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) and the relationships between FS and the physical/psychological state, biochemical and hormonal parameters, which may be related to the musculoskeletal system. This study is a prospective case-control study conducted with 277 pregnant women at the obstetric unit of Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, in the period between January and June 2015. FS was determined based on the presence or absence of the 2010 ACR diagnostic criteria and all the volunteers were asked to answer the questionnaires as Fibromyalgia Impact Criteria (FIQ), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity Scale (SS), Beck Depression Inventory and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Biochemical and hormonal markers (glucose, TSH, T4, Ca (calcium), P (phosphate), PTH (parathyroid hormone) and serotonin levels) relating to muscle and bone metabolism were measured. In the presence of fibromyalgia, the physical and psychological parameters are negatively affected (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the fibromyalgia and control groups in terms of glucose, Ca (calcium), P (phosphorus), PTH (parathyroid hormone), TSH (thyroid stimulant hormone), fT4 (free T4) levels (p = 0.060, 0.799, 0.074, 0.104, 0.797, 0.929, respectively). A reduction in serotonin levels may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia but this was not statistically significant. The Beck Depression Inventory scale statistically showed that increasing scores also increase the risk of fibromyalgia (p <0.001). Our study has shown that serotonin levels in women with FS are lower than the control group and that serotonin levels reduce as pregnancy progresses. Anxiety and depression in pregnant women with FS are higher than the control group. The presence of depression increases the likelihood of developing FS at a statistically significant level. Serotonin impairment also increases the chance of developing FS, but this correlation has not been shown to be statistically significant.

Modeling the Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Decahydronaphthalene/Propane Mixtures: Phase Equilibria, Density, and Viscosity

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

expanded with supercritical fluids (ScF) have been investigated as alternative chemical process media for more than two decades. ScF expanded liquids can...internal surfaces of porous catalysts. As examples, solvents expanded by supercritical and subcritical ScFs have been used in homogeneous catalytic...decahydronaphthalene (DHN) expanded by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) [4, 5, 7]. Although the addition of scCO2 improved the hydrogenation rate under many

Evaluation of the Occupational Risks from Jet Fuel (Toxicity Screening Battery)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

1α may serve as a marker of epidermal damage or stress due to irritation in this in vitro model. As an alternative to the 3-dimensional human skin...AFRL-RH-FS-SR-2013-0003 Final Report: Evaluation of the Occupational Risks from Jet Fuel (Toxicity Screening Battery) David R. Mattie...2. REPORT TYPE Special Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) Oct 2010 – Dec 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Evaluation of the Occupational Risks from

Novel HCN2 mutation contributes to febrile seizures by shifting the channel's kinetics in a temperature-dependent manner.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yuki; Shi, Xiuyu; Numata, Tomohiro; Mori, Yasuo; Inoue, Ryuji; Lossin, Christoph; Baram, Tallie Z; Hirose, Shinichi

2013-01-01

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel-mediated currents, known as I h, are involved in the control of rhythmic activity in neuronal circuits and in determining neuronal properties including the resting membrane potential. Recent studies have shown that HCN channels play a role in seizure susceptibility and in absence and limbic epilepsy including temporal lobe epilepsy following long febrile seizures (FS). This study focused on the potential contributions of abnormalities in the HCN2 isoform and their role in FS. A novel heterozygous missense mutation in HCN2 exon 1 leading to p.S126L was identified in two unrelated patients with FS. The mutation was inherited from the mother who had suffered from FS in a pedigree. To determine the effect of this substitution we conducted whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology. We found that mutant channels had elevated sensitivity to temperature. More specifically, they displayed faster kinetics at higher temperature. Kinetic shift by change of temperature sensitivity rather than the shift of voltage dependence led to increased availability of I h in conditions promoting FS. Responses to cyclic AMP did not differ between wildtype and mutant channels. Thus, mutant HCN2 channels cause significant cAMP-independent enhanced availability of I h during high temperatures, which may contribute to hyperthermia-induced neuronal hyperexcitability in some individuals with FS.

Delay Discounting and Frontostriatal Fiber Tracts: A Combined DTI and MTR Study on Impulsive Choices in Healthy Young Adults

PubMed Central

Peper, Jiska S.; Mandl, René C.W.; Braams, Barbara R.; de Water, Erik; Heijboer, Annemieke C.; Koolschijn, P. Cédric M.P.; Crone, Eveline A.

2013-01-01

Delay discounting, a measure of impulsive choice, has been associated with decreased control of the prefrontal cortex over striatum responses. The anatomical connectivity between both brain regions in delaying gratification remains unknown. Here, we investigate whether the quality of frontostriatal (FS) white matter tracts can predict individual differences in delay-discounting behavior. We use tract-based diffusion tensor imaging and magnetization transfer imaging to measure the microstructural properties of FS fiber tracts in 40 healthy young adults (from 18 to 25 years). We additionally explored whether internal sex hormone levels affect the integrity of FS tracts, based on the hypothesis that sex hormones modulate axonal density within prefrontal dopaminergic circuits. We calculated fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), longitudinal diffusivity, radial diffusivity (RD), and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), a putative measure of myelination, for the FS tract. Results showed that lower integrity within the FS tract (higher MD and RD and lower FA), predicts faster discounting in both sexes. MTR was unrelated to delay-discounting performance. In addition, testosterone levels in males were associated with a lower integrity (higher RD) within the FS tract. Our study provides support for the hypothesis that enhanced structural integrity of white matter fiber bundles between prefrontal and striatal brain areas is associated with better impulse control. PMID:22693341

Characteristics of optical parametric oscillator synchronously pumped by Yb:KGW laser and based on periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vengelis, Julius; Tumas, Adomas; Pipinytė, Ieva; Kuliešaitė, Miglė; Tamulienė, Viktorija; Jarutis, Vygandas; Grigonis, Rimantas; Sirutkaitis, Valdas

2018-03-01

We present experimental data and numerical simulation results obtained during investigation of synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator (SPOPO) pumped by femtosecond Yb:KGW laser (central wavelength at 1033 nm). The nonlinear medium for parametric generation was periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate crystal (PPKTP). Maximum parametric light conversion efficiency from pump power to signal power was more than 37.5% at λs=1530 nm wavelength, whereas the achieved signal wave continuous tuning range was from 1470 nm to 1970 nm with signal pulse durations ranging from 91 fs to roughly 280 fs. We demonstrated wavelength tuning by changing cavity length and PPKTP crystal grating period and also discussed net cavity group delay dispersion (GDD) influence on SPOPO output radiation characteristics. The achieved high pump to signal conversion efficiency and easy wavelength tuning make this device a very promising alternative to Ti:sapphire based SPOPOs as a source of continuously tunable femtosecond laser radiation in the near and mid-IR range.

Two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy of supercooled water.

PubMed

Perakis, Fivos; Hamm, Peter

2011-05-12

We present two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) spectra of the OD stretch vibration of isotope diluted water (HOD/H(2)O) from ambient conditions (293 K) down to the metastable supercooled regime (260 K). We observe that spectral diffusion slows down from 700 fs to 2.6 ps as we lower the temperature. A comparison between measurements performed at the magic angle with those at parallel polarization shows that the 2D IR line shape is affected by the frequency-dependent anisotropy decay in the case of parallel polarization, altering the extracted correlation decay. A fit within the framework of an Arrhenius law reveals an activation energy of E(a) = 6.2 ± 0.2 kcal/mol and a pre-exponential factor of 1/A = 0.02 ± 0.01 fs. Alternatively, a power law fit results in an exponent γ = 2.2 and a singularity temperature T(s) = 221 K. We tentatively conclude that the power law provides the better physical picture to describe the dynamics of liquid water around the freezing point.

All-fiber high-power monolithic femtosecond laser at 1.59 µm with 63-fs pulse width

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hekmat, M. J.; Omoomi, M.; Gholami, A.; Yazdabadi, A. Bagheri; Abdollahi, M.; Hamidnejad, E.; Ebrahimi, A.; Normohamadi, H.

2018-01-01

In this research, by adopting an alternative novel approach to ultra-short giant pulse generation which basically originated from difficulties with traditional employed methods, an optimized Er/Yb co-doped double-clad fiber amplifier is applied to boost output average power of single-mode output pulses to a high level of 2-W at 1.59-µm central wavelength. Output pulses of approximately 63-fs pulse width at 52-MHz repetition rate are obtained in an all-fiber monolithic laser configuration. The idea of employing parabolic pulse amplification for stretching output pulses together with high-power pulse amplification using Er/Yb co-doped active fibers for compressing and boosting output average power plays crucial role in obtaining desired results. The proposed configuration enjoys massive advantages over previously reported literature which make it well-suited for high-power precision applications such as medical surgery. Detailed dynamics of pulse stretching and compressing in active fibers with different GVD parameters are numerically and experimentally investigated.

The Search for Nonflammable Solvent Alternatives for Cleaning Aerospace Oxygen Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Mark A.; Lowrey, Nikki

2012-01-01

To obtain a high degree of cleanliness without risk of corrosion or hazardous reactivity, hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-225 is used for cleaning and cleanliness verification of oxygen system components used on NASA fs bipropellant launch vehicles, associated test stands and support equipment. HCFC-225 is a Class II Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS ]II) that was introduced to replace chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-113, a Class I ODS solvent that is now banned. To meet environmental regulations to eliminate the use of ozone depleting substances, a replacement solvent is required for HCFC ]225 that is effective at removing oils, greases, and particulate from large oxygen system components, is compatible with materials used in the construction of these systems, and is nonflammable and non ]reactive in enriched oxygen environments. A solvent replacement is also required for aviator fs breathing oxygen systems and other related equipment currently cleaned and verified with HCFC ]225 and stockpiled CFC -113. Requirements and challenges in the search for nonflammable replacement solvents are discussed.

The Use of High Pressure Freezing and Freeze Substitution to Study Host-Pathogen Interactions in Fungal Diseases of Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mims, C. W.; Celio, Gail J.; Richardson, Elizabeth A.

2003-12-01

This article reports on the use of high pressure freezing followed by freeze substitution (HPF/FS) to study ultrastructural details of host pathogen interactions in fungal diseases of plants. The specific host pathogen systems discussed here include a powdery mildew infection of poinsettia and rust infections of daylily and Indian strawberry. The three pathogens considered here all attack the leaves of their hosts and produce specialized hyphal branches known as haustoria that invade individual host cells without killing them. We found that HPF/FS provided excellent preservation of both haustoria and host cells for all three host pathogen systems. Preservation of fungal and host cell membranes was particularly good and greatly facilitated the detailed study of host pathogen interfaces. In some instances, HPF/FS provided information that was not available in samples prepared for study using conventional chemical fixation. On the other hand, we did encounter various problems associated with the use of HPF/FS. Examples included freeze damage of samples, inconsistency of fixation in different samples, separation of plant cell cytoplasm from cell walls, breakage of cell walls and membranes, and splitting of thin sections. However, we believe that the outstanding preservation of ultrastructural details afforded by HPF/FS significantly outweighs these problems and we highly recommend the use of this fixation protocol for future studies of fungal host-plant interactions.

Dioxins and furans legacy of lindane manufacture in Sabiñánigo (Spain). The Bailín landfill site case study.

PubMed

Gómez-Lavín, Sonia; San Román, María Fresnedo; Ortiz, Inmaculada; Fernández, Jesús; de Miguel, Pedro; Urtiaga, Ane

2018-05-15

Lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) manufacture in Spain generated nearly 200,000tonnes of HCH wastes; near 160,000tonnes were originated by the Inquinosa factory located in Sabiñánigo (northern Spain) and were deposited in unlined landfill sites. This study reports for the first time the content of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) in non-recycled HCH wastes that had been disposed in the Bailín landfill site in Sabiñánigo. Samples from solid HCH powder residues (white HCH and δ-paste wastes) and the dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), as well as landfill leachates, soil and sediments have been characterized. White HCH wastes exhibited a toxicity of 1488ngWHO-TEQ 2005 ·kg -1 (Σ 17 PCDD/Fs), while δ-paste wastes presented a noticeable higher toxicity (12,094ngWHO-TEQ 2005 ·kg -1 ). Nevertheless, the maximum toxicity value was found for DNAPLs (37,353ngWHO-TEQ 2005 ·L -1 ). Dioxins were predominant in the DNAPL waste whereas furans predominated in the landfill leachates, soil and sediments. However, in solid HCH wastes, PCDD and PCDFs contributed in a similar proportion. The PCDD/Fs congener profiles in landfill leachates, soil and sediments do not resemble the PCDD/Fs profiles found for the HCH wastes. These preliminary results will be of paramount importance in order to estimate the total quantities of PCDD/Fs disposed to the landfill site and to assess the potential mobility of PCDD/Fs, especially to groundwater and landfill leachates. Besides, this information is of great value to design periodical monitoring plans to evaluate the presence of PCDD/Fs in the impacted groundwater and leachates and finally, to evaluate the risk of PCDD/Fs for the environment and human health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of zinc sulfate supplement on febrile seizure recurrence prevention in children with normal serum zinc level: A randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Fallah, Razieh; Sabbaghzadegan, Saeideh; Karbasi, Sedighah Akhavan; Binesh, Fariba

2015-01-01

Serum zinc level might be related to pathogenesis of febrile seizure (FS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of oral zinc supplementation on FS recurrence prevention in non-zinc-deficient children. In a randomized clinical study, one hundred 18 to 60 mo old children with normal zinc level with first simple FS were referred to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran from May 2012 to June 2013, were randomly assigned to two groups to receive 2 mg/kg/d zinc sulfate for six consecutive months or placebo as control group and were followed up for 1 y for FS recurrence. 41 girls and 59 boys with mean age of 2.47 ± 1.01 y were evaluated. Race, mean weight, height and body fat were similar in both groups. FS recurrence occurred in 19 children (38%) in the control group [95% confidence interval (CI): 19.45%-53.95%] and in 11 children (22%) in the zinc sulfate (95% CI: 57.47%-89.13%) groups, respectively; and the zinc group had lower FS recurrence (P = 0.03). The mean serum zinc level before intervention was lower in children with FS recurrence (72.43 ± 14.58 μg/dL versus 96.33 ± 12.69 μg/dL, P = 0.04). Gastrointestinal side effects (vomiting in five children, heartburn in two children and abdominal pain in one child) were seen in 16% of the zinc group and vomiting occurred in two children (4%) in control group and frequency of adverse events was similar in the two groups (P = 0.1). Zinc supplementation should be considered as effective and safe in prevention of FS recurrence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of process changes on PCDD/Fs produced in an iron ore sintering plant

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

Guerriero, E.; Bianchini, M.; Gigliucci, P.F.

2009-01-15

This study investigated the influence of different charge typologies and additives on the PCDD/Fs amount produced and on the congener profiles in an iron ore sintering plant. Many tests were carried out combining different typologies of charge (iron materials) and solid fuel ('coke breeze' or 'anthracite') with or without the use of urea. The PCDD/Fs produced ranged from 1.2 to 22.7 {mu} g I-TEQ/ton of agglomerate, whereas the PCDD/Fs released to the ambient air ranged from 0.10 to 1.92 ng I-TEQ/Nm{sup 3} because of cleaning in an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and a Wetfine scrubber (WS). A more homogeneous charge withmore » a higher amount of fine particles charge appeared to produce a lower PCDD/Fs concentration due to a better combustion but this hypothesis needs further investigations on charges having different dimension particles. Only a synergitic action of urea and anthracite was able to reduce the high PCDD/Fs content due to the bad combustion of the more inhomogeneous charge with a lower amount of fine particles. The congener profile was a typical combustion process fingerprint because the PCDFs predominated, the highly chlorinated congeners (HeptaCDD and OctaCDD) prevailed in PCDDs, whereas in PCDFs the profile was more varied; 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HeptaCDF was the main contributor to the total concentration while 2,3,4,7,8-PentaCDF was the main contributor to the I-TEQ concentration. Whereas all the parameters under scrutiny influenced strongly the amount of PCDD/Fs produced, they affected only slightly the fingerprint of PCDD/Fs. In all cases studied, the reduction obtained using urea, anthracite, or the more homogeneous charge with a higher amount of fine particles was slightly greater on the higher chlorinated congeners in respect to the lower ones.« less

Heel-toe running: A new look at the influence of foot strike pattern on impact force.

PubMed

Mercer, John A; Horsch, Sarah

2015-06-01

It is important to understand the factors that influence the impact force observed during running, since the impact force is likely to be related to overuse injuries. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact force during running when participants were instructed to use different foot strike patterns: obvious heel strike (Obvious-HS), subtle heel strike (Subtle-HS), midfoot strike (Mid-FS), and fore foot strike (Fore-FS) patterns. Participants ( n  = 10, 25 ± 5.7 years, 70.2 ± 12.1 kg, 174.6 ± 7.2 cm) completed four foot strike patterns while running over ground: Obvious-HS, Subtle-HS, Mid-FS, and Fore-FS. Speed was controlled between conditions (random order). Vertical ground reaction forces were recorded (1000 Hz) along with the impact force, peak force, and stance time for analysis. A repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare each variable across foot strike instructions, with post hoc comparisons contrasting Obvious-HS to each of the other conditions. Impact force was influenced by foot strike instructions, with Obvious-HS being greater than Subtle-HS and Fore-FS ( p  < 0.05) but not different from Mid-FS ( p  > 0.05). The peak force was not influenced by foot strike instructions ( p  > 0.05); stance time was longer during Obvious-HS than during Mid-FS or Fore-FS ( p  < 0.05), but not different from Subtle-HS ( p  > 0.05). The unique observation of this study was that impact force was different when participants were instructed to run with either an Obvious-HS or a Subtle-HS at contact. Both these foot strike patterns would have been considered rear foot strike patterns, suggesting that something other than which specific part of the foot strikes the ground initially influenced impact force.

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soil, vegetation, workshop-floor dust, and electronic shredder residue from an electronic waste recycling facility and in soils from a chemical industrial complex in eastern China

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

Jing Ma; Rudolf Addink; Sehun Yun

2009-10-01

In this study, 11 2,3,7,8-substituted PBDD/Fs and 10 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners were determined in electronic shredder waste, workshop-floor dust, soil, and leaves (of plants on the grounds of the facility) from a large-scale electronic wastes (e-waste) recycling facility and in surface soil from a chemical-industrial complex (comprising a coke-oven plant, a coal-fired power plant, and a chlor-alkali plant) as well as agricultural areas in eastern China. Total PBDD/F concentrations in environmental samples were in the range of 113-818 pg/g dry wt (dw) for leaves, 392-18,500 pg/g dw for electronic shredder residues, 716-80,0000 pg/g dw for soil samples, andmore » 89,600-14,3000 pg/g dw for workshop-floor dust from the e-waste recycling facility and in a range from nondetect (ND) to 427 pg/g dw in soil from the chemical-industrial complex. The highest mean concentrations of total PBDD/Fs were found in soil samples and workshop-floor dust from the e-waste recycling facility. The dioxin-like toxic equivalent (measured as TEQ) concentrations of PBDD/Fs were greater than the TEQs of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) reported in our previous study for the same set of samples. The concentrations of PBDFs were several orders of magnitude higher than the concentrations of PBDDs in samples from the e-waste facility or from soil from the chemical-industrial complex. A significant correlation was found between the concentrations of {Sigma}PBDD/Fs and {Sigma}PBDEs (r = 0.769, p < 0.01) and between SPBDD/Fs and the previously reported SPCDD/F concentrations (r = 0.805, p < 0.01). The estimated daily human intakes of TEQs contributed by PBDD/Fs via soil/dust ingestion and dermal exposures in e-waste recycling facilities were higher than the intakes of TEQs contributed by PCDD/Fs, calculated in our previous study. 45 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Tobacco expenditure, smoking-induced deprivation and financial stress: results from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four-Country Survey.

PubMed

Siahpush, Mohammad; Borland, Ron; Yong, Hua-Hie; Cummings, K Michael; Fong, Geoffrey T

2012-07-01

While higher tobacco prices lead to a reduction in smoking prevalence, there is a concern that paying more for cigarettes can lead to excess financial burden. Our primary aim was to examine the association of daily cigarette expenditure with smoking-induced deprivation (SID) and financial stress (FS). We used data from wave 7 (2008-2009) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four-Country Survey which is a survey of smokers in Canada, the USA, the UK and Australia (n = 5887). Logistic regressions were used to assess the association of daily cigarette expenditure with SID and FS. In multivariate analyses, a one standard deviation increase in daily cigarette expenditure was associated with an increase of 24% (P = 0.004) in the probability of experiencing SID. While we found no association between daily cigarette expenditure and FS, we found that SID is a strong predictor of FS (odds ratio 6.25; P < 0.001). This suggests that cigarette expenditure indirectly affects FS through SID. Results showed no evidence of an interaction between cigarette expenditure and income or education in their effect on SID or FS. Our results imply that spending more on tobacco may result in SID but surprisingly has no direct effect on FS. While most smokers may be adjusting their incomes and consumption to minimise FS, some fail to do so occasionally as indexed by the SID measure. Future studies need to prospectively examine the effect of increased tobacco expenditure on financial burden of smokers. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Functional status and mortality prediction in community-acquired pneumonia.

PubMed

Jeon, Kyeongman; Yoo, Hongseok; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Park, Hye Yun; Koh, Won-Jung; Suh, Gee Young; Guallar, Eliseo

2017-10-01

Poor functional status (FS) has been suggested as a poor prognostic factor in both pneumonia and severe pneumonia in elderly patients. However, it is still unclear whether FS is associated with outcomes and improves survival prediction in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the general population. Data on hospitalized patients with CAP and FS, assessed by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale were prospectively collected between January 2008 and December 2012. The independent association of FS with 30-day mortality in CAP patients was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Improvement in mortality prediction when FS was added to the CRB-65 (confusion, respiratory rate, blood pressure and age 65) score was evaluated for discrimination, reclassification and calibration. The 30-day mortality of study participants (n = 1526) was 10%. Mortality significantly increased with higher ECOG score (P for trend <0.001). In multivariable analysis, ECOG ≥3 was strongly associated with 30-day mortality (adjusted OR: 5.70; 95% CI: 3.82-8.50). Adding ECOG ≥3 significantly improved the discriminatory power of CRB-65. Reclassification indices also confirmed the improvement in discrimination ability when FS was combined with the CRB-65, with a categorized net reclassification index (NRI) of 0.561 (0.437-0.686), a continuous NRI of 0.858 (0.696-1.019) and a relative integrated discrimination improvement in the discrimination slope of 139.8 % (110.8-154.6). FS predicted 30-day mortality and improved discrimination and reclassification in consecutive CAP patients. Assessment of premorbid FS should be considered in mortality prediction in patients with CAP. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Overview of the PCDD/Fs degradation potential and formation risk in the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Vallejo, Marta; Fresnedo San Román, M; Ortiz, Inmaculada; Irabien, Angel

2015-01-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are a family of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that have received considerable public and scientific attention due to the toxicity of some of their congeners, more specifically those with chlorine substitution in the 2,3,7,8 positions. The environmental management and control of PCDD/Fs is addressed at a global level through the Stockholm Convention that establishes that POPs should be destroyed or irreversibly transformed in order to reduce or eliminate their release to the environment. Several technologies, including advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as photolysis, photocatalysis and Fenton oxidation, have been considered as effective methods for destroying PCDD/Fs in polluted waters. Nevertheless, during the remediation of wastewaters it is critical that the treatment technologies applied do not lead to the formation of by-products that are themselves POPs, especially if PCDD/Fs precursors or chlorine are present in the reaction medium. Despite the high effectiveness of AOPs in the oxidation of major contaminants, scarce references deal with the monitoring of PCDD/Fs in the course of the oxidation process, revealing that a detailed assessment of non-combustion technologies with respect to PCDD/Fs formation is still lacking. This study reports a review of the state of the art related to the potential remediation and/or formation of PCDD/Fs as a result of the application of AOPs for the treatment of polluted waters, warning on the correct selection of the operating conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photopatterned free-standing polyacrylamide gels for microfluidic protein electrophoresis.

PubMed

Duncombe, Todd A; Herr, Amy E

2013-06-07

Designed for compatibility with slab-gel polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) reagents and instruments, we detail development of free-standing polyacrylamide gel (fsPAG) microstructures supporting electrophoretic performance rivalling that of microfluidic platforms. For the protein electrophoresis study described here, fsPAGE lanes are comprised of a sample reservoir and contiguous separation gel. No enclosed microfluidic channels are employed. The fsPAG devices (120 μm tall) are directly photopatterned atop of and covalently attached to planar polymer or glass surfaces. Leveraging the fast <1 h design-prototype-test cycle - significantly faster than mold based fabrication techniques - we optimize the fsPAG architecture to minimize injection dispersion for rapid (<1 min) and short (1 mm) protein separations. The facile fabrication and prototyping of the fsPAGE provides researchers a powerful tool for developing custom analytical assays. We highlight the utility of assay customization by fabricating a polyacrylamide gel with a spatial pore-size distribution and demonstrate the resulting enhancement in separation performance over a uniform gel. Further, we up-scale from a unit separation to an array of 96 concurrent fsPAGE assays in 10 min run time driven by one electrode pair. The fsPAG array layout matches that of a 96-well plate to facilitate integration of the planar free standing gel array with multi-channel pipettes while remaining compatible with conventional slab-gel PAGE reagents, such as staining for label-free protein detection. Notably, the entire fsPAGE workflow from fabrication, to operation, and readout uses readily available materials and instruments - making this technique highly accessible.

An investigation on 800 nm femtosecond laser ablation of K9 glass in air and vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shi-zhen; Yao, Cai-zhen; Dou, Hong-qiang; Liao, Wei; Li, Xiao-yang; Ding, Ren-jie; Zhang, Li-juan; Liu, Hao; Yuan, Xiao-dong; Zu, Xiao-tao

2017-06-01

Ablation rates of K9 glass were studied as a function of femtosecond laser fluences. The central wavelength was 800 nm, and pulse durations of 35 fs and 500 fs in air and vacuum were employed. Ablation thresholds of 0.42 J/cm2 and 2.1 J/cm2 were obtained at 35 fs and 500 fs, respectively, which were independent with the ambient conditions and depend on the incident pulse numbers due to incubation effects. The ablation rate of 35 fs pulse laser increased with the increasing of laser fluence in vacuum, while in air condition, it slowly increased to a plateau at high fluence. The ablation rate of 500 fs pulse laser showed an increase at low fluence and a slow drop of ablation rate was observed at high fluence in air and vacuum, which may due to the strong defocusing effects associated with the non-equilibrium ionization of air, and/or the shielding effects of conduction band electrons (CBEs) produced by multi-photon ionization and impact ionization in K9 glass surface. The typical ablation morphologies, e.g. smooth zone and laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were also presented and illustrated.

Assessment of Central Visual Function in Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Kohta; Ikeda, Yasuhiro; Murakami, Yusuke; Tachibana, Takashi; Funatsu, Jun; Koyanagi, Yoshito; Nakatake, Shunji; Yoshida, Noriko; Nakao, Shintaro; Hisatomi, Toshio; Yoshida, Shigeo; Yoshitomi, Takeshi; Ishibashi, Tatsuro; Sonoda, Koh-Hei

2018-05-23

In order to clarify the disease progression in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and its related factors, reliable data on the changes in central visual function in RP are needed. In this longitudinal study, we examined 118 patients who were diagnosed with typical RP. Visual acuity (VA), visual field using a Humphrey Field Analyzer with the central 10-2 SITA-Standard program, and optical coherence tomography measurements were obtained. The slopes, which were derived from serial values of mean deviation (MD), macular sensitivity (MS), or foveal sensitivity (FS) obtained for each eye by a linear mixed model, were used for analysis. MS and FS were calculated as the average retinal sensitivity of 12 and 4 central points respectively. There were statistically significant interactions of times with levels of the central subfield thickness (CST) on the slopes of MS and FS. Compared to the eyes without macular complications, the eyes with macular complications had steeper MD, MS and FS slopes, and this interaction was no significant, but marginal trend for the MS or FS slope (P = 0.10, 0.05, respectively). The central retinal sensitivity (i.e., MS and FS) slopes calculated were effective indices of the progression of central visual function in RP.

Altered consolidation of extinction-like inhibitory learning in genotype-specific dysfunctional coping fostered by chronic stress in mice.

PubMed

Campus, P; Maiolati, M; Orsini, C; Cabib, S

2016-12-15

Genetic and stress-related factors interact to foster mental disorders, possibly through dysfunctional learning. In a previous study we reported that a temporary experience of reduced food availability increases forced swim (FS)-induced helplessness tested 14days after a first experience in mice of the standard inbred C57BL/6(B6) strain but reduces it in mice of the genetically unrelated DBA/2J (D2) strain. Because persistence of FS-induced helplessness influences adaptive coping with stress challenge and involve learning processes the present study tested whether the behavioral effects of restricted feeding involved altered consolidation of FS-related learning. First, we demonstrated that restricted feeding does not influence behavior expressed on the first FS experience, supporting a specific effect on persistence rather then development of helplessness. Second, we found that FS-induced c-fos expression in the infralimbic cortex (IL) was selectively enhanced in food-restricted (FR) B6 mice and reduced in FR D2 mice, supporting opposite alterations of consolidation processes involving this brain area. Third, we demonstrated that immediate post-FS inactivation of IL prevents 24h retention of acquired helplessness by continuously free-fed mice of both strains, indicating the requirement of a functioning IL for consolidation of FS-related learning in either mouse strain. Finally, in line with the known role of IL in consolidation of extinction memories, we found that restricted feeding selectively facilitated 24h retention of an acquired extinction in B6 mice whereas impairing it in D2 mice. These findings support the conclusion that an experience of reduced food availability strain-specifically affects persistence of newly acquired passive coping strategies by altering consolidation of extinction-like inhibitory learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A randomized trial of female-specific cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol dependent women.

PubMed

Epstein, Elizabeth E; McCrady, Barbara S; Hallgren, Kevin A; Cook, Sharon; Jensen, Noelle K; Hildebrandt, Thomas

2018-02-01

This study compared Female-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (FS-CBT) to evidence-based, gender-neutral CBT (GN-CBT; Epstein & McCrady, 2009) for women with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Women (N = 99) with AUD, mean age 48, were randomly assigned to 12 outpatient manual-guided sessions of FS-CBT (n = 44) or GN-CBT (n = 55). Women were assessed at baseline and 3, 9 and 15 months after baseline for drinking and for specific issues common among women with AUD. A FS-CBT protocol was developed that was discriminable on treatment integrity ratings from GN-CBT. No treatment condition differences were found in treatment engagement, changes in drinking, alcohol-related coping, abstinence self-efficacy, motivation to change, or constructs directly targeted in FS-CBT (sociotropy, autonomy, depression, anxiety). Women in both conditions were highly engaged and satisfied with treatment, and reported significant reductions in drinking and changes in desired directions for all other variables except social support for abstinence. In the year following treatment, women in the FS-CBT but not in the CBT condition reported an increase in percentage of abstainers in their social networks (0.69% per month, SE = 0.21, p = .002). The value and appeal of female-specific programming in AUD treatment has been established in the wider literature (Epstein & Menges, 2013), and the current study provides support for the use of the Female-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (FS-CBT) manual as an option that may yield outcomes similar to standard gender-neutral CBT for women with AUD. Future research should examine whether FS-CBT enhances treatment utilization for women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Clinical outcomes of small incision lenticule extraction versus femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK for myopia: a Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Yan, Huan; Gong, Li-Yan; Huang, Wei; Peng, Yan-Li

2017-01-01

AIM To evaluate the possible differences in visual quality between small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) for myopia. METHODS A Meta-analysis was performed. Patients were from previously reported comparative studies treated with SMILE versus FS-LASIK. The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science and Chinese databases (i.e. WANFANG and CNKI) were searched in Nov. of 2016 using RevMan 5.1 version software. The differences in visual acuity, aberration and biomechanical effects within six months postoperatively were showed. Twenty-seven studies including 4223 eyes were included. RESULTS No significant differences were observed between SMILE and FS-LASIK in terms of the proportion of eyes that lost one or more lines of corrected distance visual acuity after surgery (P=0.14), the proportion of eyes achieving an uncorrected distance visual acuity of 20/20 or better (P=0.43), the final refractive spherical equivalent (P=0.89), the refractive spherical equivalent within ±1.00 diopter of the target values (P=0.80), vertical coma (P=0.45) and horizontal coma (P=0.06). Compared with the FS-LASIK group, total higher-order aberration (P<0.001) and spherical aberration (P<0.001) were higher and the decrease in corneal hysteresis (P=0.0005) and corneal resistance factor (P=0.02) were lower in the SMILE group. CONCLUSION SMILE and FS-LASIK are comparable in efficacy, safety and predictability for correcting myopia. However, the aberration in the SMILE group is superior to that in the FS-LASIK group, and the loss of biomechanical effects may occur less frequently after SMILE than after FS-LASIK. PMID:28944205

Nerve growth factor (NGF) immunoreactive neurons in the juvenile rat hippocampus: response to acute and long-term high-light open-field (HL-OF) or forced swim (FS) stress stimulation.

PubMed

Badowska-Szalewska, E; Spodnik, E; Ludkiewicz, B; Klejbor, I; Moryś, J

2011-12-29

This study aimed at examining and comparing the influence of two different stress stimuli on the density (number of cells/mm²) of nerve growth factor (NGF) containing neurons in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cell layers and the dentate gyrus (DG) granule cell layer in juvenile rats (P28; P-postnatal day). The high-light open-field (HL-OF) test and forced swim (FS) test were employed to investigate the effects of a single, 15-min acute exposure and repeated (15 min daily for 21 days) long-term exposure to stress. In order to detect NGF-ir neurons, immunohistochemical (-ir) techniques were used. In comparison with nonstressed animals, acute and long-term HL-OF or FS stimulation resulted in a marked increase (P<0.001) in the density of NGF-ir containing cells in all the hippocampal structures. The frequency of stress application (acute vs. long-term), however, did not have a substantial impact on the studied parameter, with the exception of the CA3 sector, where a decreased density (P<0.001) of NGF-ir neurons was observed after long-term exposure to FS. It may be concluded that a rise in the density of NGF-ir neurons in the juvenile rat hippocampus after exposure to HL-OF or FS stressors could have affected the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) stress axis. Prolonged HL-OF or FS stress was probably aggravating enough not to trigger the habituation process. The type of stressor applied (HL-OF vs. FS) was not essentially a factor determining the density of NGF-ir cells in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-cultural differences in knee functional status outcomes in a polyglot society represented true disparities not biased by differential item functioning.

PubMed

Deutscher, Daniel; Hart, Dennis L; Crane, Paul K; Dickstein, Ruth

2010-12-01

Comparative effectiveness research across cultures requires unbiased measures that accurately detect clinical differences between patient groups. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence and impact of differential item functioning (DIF) in knee functional status (FS) items administered using computerized adaptive testing (CAT) as a possible cause for observed differences in outcomes between 2 cultural patient groups in a polyglot society. This study was a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data. We evaluated data from 9,134 patients with knee impairments from outpatient physical therapy clinics in Israel. Items were analyzed for DIF related to sex, age, symptom acuity, surgical history, exercise history, and language used to complete the functional survey (Hebrew versus Russian). Several items exhibited DIF, but unadjusted FS estimates and FS estimates that accounted for DIF were essentially equal (intraclass correlation coefficient [2,1]>.999). No individual patient had a difference between unadjusted and adjusted FS estimates as large as the median standard error of the unadjusted estimates. Differences between groups defined by any of the covariates considered were essentially unchanged when using adjusted instead of unadjusted FS estimates. The greatest group-level impact was <0.3% of 1 standard deviation of the unadjusted FS estimates. Complete data where patients answered all items in the scale would have been preferred for DIF analysis, but only CAT data were available. Differences in FS outcomes between groups of patients with knee impairments who answered the knee CAT in Hebrew or Russian in Israel most likely reflected true differences that may reflect societal disparities in this health outcome.

Airborne polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs), and dechlorane plus (DP) in concentrated vehicle parking areas.

PubMed

Li, Huiru; Liu, Hehuan; Mo, Ligui; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo; Peng, Ping'an

2016-06-01

This study investigated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs), and dechlorane plus (DP) in air around three concentrated vehicle parking areas (underground, indoor, and outdoor) in a metropolitan of South China. The parking areas showed higher concentrations of PBDEs, PBDD/Fs, and DP than their adjacent urban area or distinct congener/isomer profiles, which indicate their local emission sources. The highest PBDE and DP concentrations were found in the outdoor parking lot, which might be related to the heating effect of direct sunlight exposure. Multi-linear regression analysis results suggest that deca-BDEs without noticeable transformation contributed most to airborne PBDEs in all studied areas, followed by penta-BDEs. The statistically lower anti-DP fractions in the urban area than that of commercial product signified its degradation/transformation during transportation. Neither PBDEs nor vehicle exhaust contributed much to airborne PBDD/Fs in the parking areas. There were 68.1-100 % of PBDEs, PBDD/Fs, and DP associated with particles. Logarithms of gas-particle distribution coefficients (K ps) of PBDEs were significantly linear-correlated with those of their sub-cooled vapor pressures (p Ls) and octanol-air partition coefficients (K OAs) in all studied areas. The daily inhalation doses of PBDEs, DP, and PBDD/Fs were individually estimated as 89.7-10,741, 2.05-39.4, and 0.12-4.17 pg kg(-1) day(-1) for employees in the parking areas via Monte Carlo simulation.

Levels of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PBDEs in breast milk of women living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator: assessment of the temporal trend.

PubMed

Schuhmacher, Marta; Kiviranta, Hannu; Ruokojärvi, Päivi; Nadal, Martí; Domingo, José L

2013-11-01

The concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in breast milk from women living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) in Catalonia, Spain. The results were compared with the levels obtained in previous surveys carried out in the same area in 1998 (baseline study), 2002 and 2007. The current total concentrations of 2,3,7,8-chlorinated PCDD/Fs in breast milk ranged from 18 to 126 pg g(-1)fat (1.1-12. 3 pg WHO2005-TEQPCDD/F), while the total levels of PCBs ranged from 27 to 405 pg g(-1)fat(0.7-5.3 pg WHO2005-TEQPCB). In turn, PBDE concentrations (sum of 15 congeners) ranged 0.3-5.1 g g(-1)fat, with a mean value of 1.3 ng g(-1)fat. A general decrease in the concentrations for PCDD/Fs, both planar and total PCBs, and PBDEs in breast milk was observed. The levels of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and PBDEs in milk of women living in urban zones were higher than those corresponding to industrial zones (41%, 26%, and 8%, respectively). For PCDD/Fs and PCBs, the current decreases are in accordance with the reduction in the dietary intake of these pollutants that we have also observed in recent studies carried out in the same area of study. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of fluoride substituted apatite cements as the building blocks for tooth enamel restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jie; Wang, Jiecheng; Liu, Xiaochen; Ma, Jian; Liu, Changsheng; Fang, Jing; Wei, Shicheng

2011-06-01

Fluoride substituted apatite cement (fs-AC) was synthesized by using the cement powders of tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) and sodium fluoride (NaF), and the cement powders were mixed with diluted phosphoric acid (H 3PO 4) as cement liquid to form fs-AC paste. The fs-AC paste could be directly filled into the carious cavities to repair damaged dental enamel. The results indicated that the fs-AC paste was changed into fluorapatite crystals with the atom molar ratio for calcium to phosphorus of 1.66 and the F ion amount of 3 wt% after self-hardening for 2 days. The solubility of fs-AC in Tris-HCl solution (pH 6) was slightly lower than hydroxyapatite cement (HAC) that was similar to the apatite in enamel, indicating the fs-AC was much insensitive to the weakly acidic solution than the apatite in enamel. The fs-AC was tightly combined with the enamel surface because of the chemical reaction between the fs-AC and the apatite in enamel after the caries cavities was filled with fs-AC. The extracts of fs-AC caused no cytotoxicity on L929 cells, which satisfied the relevant criterion on dental biomaterials, revealing good cytocompatibility. The fs-AC had potential prospect for the reconstitution of carious lesion of dental enamel.

DIOXIN FORMATION: THE BURN BARREL STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The paper reports results from tests designed to examine some of the factors influencing the emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDDs/Fs) from burn barrels. Results from PCDDs/Fs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are reported, al...

Influence of amplitude-related perfusion parameters in the parotid glands by non-fat-saturated dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

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

Chiu, Su-Chin; Cheng, Cheng-Chieh; Chang, Hing-Chiu

Purpose: To verify whether quantification of parotid perfusion is affected by fat signals on non-fat-saturated (NFS) dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and whether the influence of fat is reduced with fat saturation (FS). Methods: This study consisted of three parts. First, a retrospective study analyzed DCE-MRI data previously acquired on different patients using NFS (n = 18) or FS (n = 18) scans. Second, a phantom study simulated the signal enhancements in the presence of gadolinium contrast agent at six concentrations and three fat contents. Finally, a prospective study recruited nine healthy volunteers to investigate the influence of fatmore » suppression on perfusion quantification on the same subjects. Parotid perfusion parameters were derived from NFS and FS DCE-MRI data using both pharmacokinetic model analysis and semiquantitative parametric analysis. T tests and linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis with correction for multiple comparisons. Results: NFS scans showed lower amplitude-related parameters, including parameter A, peak enhancement (PE), and slope than FS scans in the patients (all with P < 0.0167). The relative signal enhancement in the phantoms was proportional to the dose of contrast agent and was lower in NFS scans than in FS scans. The volunteer study showed lower parameter A (6.75 ± 2.38 a.u.), PE (42.12% ± 14.87%), and slope (1.43% ± 0.54% s{sup −1}) in NFS scans as compared to 17.63 ± 8.56 a.u., 104.22% ± 25.15%, and 9.68% ± 1.67% s{sup −1}, respectively, in FS scans (all with P < 0.005). These amplitude-related parameters were negatively associated with the fat content in NFS scans only (all with P < 0.05). Conclusions: On NFS DCE-MRI, quantification of parotid perfusion is adversely affected by the presence of fat signals for all amplitude-related parameters. The influence could be reduced on FS scans.« less

Response surface methodology for predicting quality characteristics of beef patties added with flaxseed and tomato paste.

PubMed

Valenzuela Melendres, M; Camou, J P; Torrentera Olivera, N G; Alvarez Almora, E; González Mendoza, D; Avendaño Reyes, L; González Ríos, H

2014-05-01

Response surface methodology was used to study the effect of flaxseed flour (FS) and tomato paste (TP) addition, from 0 to 10% and 0 to 20% respectively, on beef patty quality characteristics. The assessed quality characteristics were color (L, a, and b), pH and texture profile analysis (TPA). Also, sensory analysis was performed for the assessment of color, juiciness, firmness, and general acceptance. FS addition reduced L and a values and decreased weight loss of cooked products (P<0.05). An opposite effect was observed when TP was added (P<0.05). All TPA parameters decreased when percentages of FS and TP were increased in the formulation of beef patties. Furthermore, FS and TP addition adversely affected the sensory characteristics of the cooked product (P<0.05); nevertheless, all sensory characteristics evaluated had an acceptable score (>5.6). Thus FS and TP are ingredients that can be used in beef patty preparation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of retina damage thresholds simulating the femtosecond-laser in situ keratomileusis (fs-LASIK) process with two laser systems in the CW- and fs-regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sander, M.; Minet, O.; Zabarylo, U.; Müller, M.; Tetz, M. R.

2012-04-01

The femtosecond-laser in situ keratomileusis procedure affords the opportunity to correct ametropia by cutting transparent corneal tissue with ultra-short laser pulses. Thereby the tissue cut is generated by a laser-induced optical breakdown in the cornea with ultra-short laser pulses in the near-infrared range. Compared to standard procedures such as photorefractive keratectomy and laser in-situ keratomileusis with the excimer laser, where the risk potential for the eye is low due to the complete absorption of ultraviolet irradiation from corneal tissue, only a certain amount of the pulse energy is deposited in the cornea during the fs-LASIK process. The remaining energy propagates through the eye and interacts with the retina and the strong absorbing tissue layers behind. The objective of the presented study was to determine and compare the retina damage thresholds during the fs-LASIK process simulated with two various laser systems in the CW- and fs-regime.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of TNF-Α gene in febrile seizures.

PubMed

Zare-Shahabadi, Ameneh; Ashrafi, Mahmoud Reza; Shahrokhi, Amin; Soltani, Samaneh; Zoghi, Samaneh; Soleimani, Farin; Vameghi, Roshanak; Badv, Reza Shervin; Rezaei, Nima

2015-09-15

Febrile seizures (FS) is the most common seizure disorder during childhood. This study was performed in 78 patients with FS and 137 control subjects to assess polymorphisms of the TNF-α gene at positions -308 and -238, using the polymerase chain reaction and the sequence specific primers method. The highest positive allelic association that made the patients susceptible to FS was seen for TNF-α -238/G (p<0.0001). The GG genotype at TNF-α -238 was significantly higher in the patients with FS, compared to the controls (p=0.0001). Also, GA genotype at the same position was significantly lower in patients than in controls (P=0.0001). The GG haplotype had a significant positive association at TNF-α (308, 238) while GA haplotype showed a negative association (P<0.001). Our data support the idea that TNF-α single-nucleotide polymorphisms play a role in the pathogenesis of FS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of femoral strength and fracture risk index derived from DXA-based finite element analysis for stratifying hip fracture risk: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Yang, Shuman; Luo, Yunhua; Yang, Lang; Dall'Ara, Enrico; Eastell, Richard; Goertzen, Andrew L; McCloskey, Eugene V; Leslie, William D; Lix, Lisa M

2018-05-01

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-based finite element analysis (FEA) has been studied for assessment of hip fracture risk. Femoral strength (FS) is the maximum force that the femur can sustain before its weakest region reaches the yielding limit. Fracture risk index (FRI), which also considers subject-specific impact force, is defined as the ratio of von Mises stress induced by a sideways fall to the bone yield stress over the proximal femur. We compared risk stratification for prior hip fracture using FS and FRI derived from DXA-based FEA. The study cohort included women aged ≥65years undergoing baseline hip DXA, with femoral neck T-scores <-1 and no osteoporosis treatment; 324 cases had prior hip fracture and 655 controls had no prior fracture. Using anonymized DXA hip scans, we measured FS and FRI. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs), c-statistics and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association of hip fracture with FS and FRI. Increased hip fracture risk was associated with lower FS (OR per SD 1.36, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.62) and higher FRI (OR per SD 1.99, 95% CI: 1.63, 2.43) after adjusting for Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) hip fracture probability computed with bone mineral density (BMD). The c-statistic for the model containing FS (0.69; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.72) was lower than the c-statistic for the model with FRI (0.77; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.80) or femoral neck BMD (0.74; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.77; all P<0.05). FS and FRI were independently associated with hip fracture, but there were differences in performance characteristics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individual Diet Modeling Shows How to Balance the Diet of French Adults with or without Excessive Free Sugar Intakes.

PubMed

Lluch, Anne; Maillot, Matthieu; Gazan, Rozenn; Vieux, Florent; Delaere, Fabien; Vaudaine, Sarah; Darmon, Nicole

2017-02-20

Dietary changes needed to achieve nutritional adequacy for 33 nutrients were determined for 1719 adults from a representative French national dietary survey. For each individual, an iso-energy nutritionally adequate diet was generated using diet modeling, staying as close as possible to the observed diet. The French food composition table was completed with free sugar (FS) content. Results were analyzed separately for individuals with FS intakes in their observed diets ≤10% or >10% of their energy intake (named below FS-ACCEPTABLE and FS-EXCESS, respectively). The FS-EXCESS group represented 41% of the total population (average energy intake of 14.2% from FS). Compared with FS-ACCEPTABLE individuals, FS-EXCESS individuals had diets of lower nutritional quality and consumed more energy (2192 vs. 2123 kcal/day), particularly during snacking occasions (258 vs. 131 kcal/day) (all p -values < 0.01). In order to meet nutritional targets, for both FS-ACCEPTABLE and FS-EXCESS individuals, the main dietary changes in optimized diets were significant increases in fresh fruits, starchy foods, water, hot beverages and plain yogurts; and significant decreases in mixed dishes/sandwiches, meat/eggs/fish and cheese. For FS-EXCESS individuals only, the optimization process significantly increased vegetables and significantly decreased sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet products and fruit juices. The diets of French adults with excessive intakes of FS are of lower nutritional quality, but can be optimized via specific dietary changes.

Individual Diet Modeling Shows How to Balance the Diet of French Adults with or without Excessive Free Sugar Intakes

PubMed Central

Lluch, Anne; Maillot, Matthieu; Gazan, Rozenn; Vieux, Florent; Delaere, Fabien; Vaudaine, Sarah; Darmon, Nicole

2017-01-01

Dietary changes needed to achieve nutritional adequacy for 33 nutrients were determined for 1719 adults from a representative French national dietary survey. For each individual, an iso-energy nutritionally adequate diet was generated using diet modeling, staying as close as possible to the observed diet. The French food composition table was completed with free sugar (FS) content. Results were analyzed separately for individuals with FS intakes in their observed diets ≤10% or >10% of their energy intake (named below FS-ACCEPTABLE and FS-EXCESS, respectively). The FS-EXCESS group represented 41% of the total population (average energy intake of 14.2% from FS). Compared with FS-ACCEPTABLE individuals, FS-EXCESS individuals had diets of lower nutritional quality and consumed more energy (2192 vs. 2123 kcal/day), particularly during snacking occasions (258 vs. 131 kcal/day) (all p-values < 0.01). In order to meet nutritional targets, for both FS-ACCEPTABLE and FS-EXCESS individuals, the main dietary changes in optimized diets were significant increases in fresh fruits, starchy foods, water, hot beverages and plain yogurts; and significant decreases in mixed dishes/sandwiches, meat/eggs/fish and cheese. For FS-EXCESS individuals only, the optimization process significantly increased vegetables and significantly decreased sugar-sweetened beverages, sweet products and fruit juices. The diets of French adults with excessive intakes of FS are of lower nutritional quality, but can be optimized via specific dietary changes. PMID:28230722

Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Mid-Bay Bridge Connector Phases 2 and 3, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-03

Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a... PERSON a. REPORT unclassified b. ABSTRACT unclassified c. THIS PAGE unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18...Value FONPA Finding of No Practicable Alternative FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FS Florida Statutes FWC Florida Fish and Wildlife

Demonstration of coherent addition of multiple gratings for high-energy chirped-pulse-amplified lasers.

PubMed

Kessler, Terrance J; Bunkenburg, Joachim; Huang, Hu; Kozlov, Alexei; Meyerhofer, David D

2004-03-15

Petawatt solid-state lasers require meter-sized gratings to reach multiple-kilojoule energy levels without laser-induced damage. As an alternative to large single gratings, we demonstrate that smaller, coherently added (tiled) gratings can be used for subpicosecond-pulse compression. A Fourier-transform-limited, 650-fs chirped-pulse-amplified laser pulse is maintained by replacing a single compression grating with a tiled-grating assembly. Grating tiling provides a means to scale the energy and irradiance of short-pulse lasers.

Fibrin Sealant Improves Hemostasis in Peripheral Vascular Surgery: A Randomized Prospective Trial

PubMed Central

Schenk, Worthington G.; Burks, Sandra G.; Gagne, Paul J.; Kagan, Steven A.; Lawson, Jeffrey H.; Spotnitz, William D.

2003-01-01

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an investigational fibrin sealant (FS) in a randomized prospective, partially blinded, controlled, multicenter trial. Summary Background Data Upper extremity vascular access surgery using polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) graft placement for dialysis was chosen as a reproducible, clinically relevant model for evaluating the usefulness of FS. The FS consisted of pooled human fibrinogen (60 mg/mL) and thrombin (500 NIH U/mL). Time to hemostasis was measured, and adverse events were monitored. Methods Consenting adult patients (n = 48) undergoing placement of a standard PTFE graft were randomized in a 2:1:1 ratio to the treatment group using FS (ZLB Bioplasma AG, Bern, Switzerland), oxidized regenerated cellulose (Surgicel, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ), or pressure. Patients received heparin (3,000 IU IVP) before placement of vascular clamps. If the treatment was FS, clamps were left in place for 120 seconds after the application of study material to permit polymerization. If treatment was Surgicel, clamps were left in place until the agent had been applied according to manufacturer’s instructions. If the treatment was pressure, clamps were released as soon as the investigator was ready to apply compression. Immediately after release of the last clamp, the arterial and venous suture lines were evaluated for bleeding. The time to hemostasis at both the venous and arterial sites was recorded. Results Significant (P ≤ .005) reduction in time to hemostasis was achieved in the FS group. Thirteen (54.2%) patients randomized to FS experienced immediate hemostasis at both suture lines following clamp removal compared to no patients using Surgicel or pressure. Only one patient (7.1%) in the Surgicel group and no patients in the pressure group experienced hemostasis at 120 seconds from clamp removal, compared to 13 (54.2%) patients for FS. Adverse events were comparable in all groups. There were no seroconversions. Conclusions FS achieved more rapid hemostasis than traditional techniques in this peripheral vascular procedure. FS use appeared to be safe for this procedure. PMID:12796584

Radioprotective Role in Lung of the Flaxseed Lignan Complex Enriched in the Phenolic Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside (SDG)

PubMed Central

Christofidou-Solomidou, Melpo; Tyagi, Sonia; Pietrofesa, Ralph; Dukes, Floyd; Arguiri, Evguenia; Turowski, Jason; Grieshaber, Philip A.; Solomides, Charalambos C.; Cengel, Keith A.

2012-01-01

While dietary wholegrain Flaxseed (FS) has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and antioxidant properties in murine models of acute and chronic lung injury, the main bioactive ingredient that contributes to these protective effects remains unknown. This study evaluated the lignan complex of FS (FLC) enriched in secoisolariciresinol diglucoside with respect to lung radioprotective and tumor radiosensitizing efficacy using a mouse model of thoracic radiation-induced pneumonopathy. C57/Bl6 mice were fed 0% FS, 10% FS, 10% FLC or 20% FLC for 3 weeks, then irradiated with a single fraction (13.5 Gy) of X-ray radiation treatment (XRT). Mouse survival was monitored for 4 months after irradiation and inflammatory lung parameters were evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Gene and protein levels of protective antioxidant and phase II enzymes were evaluated in lung tissue using qPCR and protein levels were verified by immunoblotting. Prolonged administration of the FLC diet was well tolerated and was not associated with any toxicity. Importantly, comparable to the whole grain 10% FS diet, irradiated mice fed 10% and 20% FLC diets displayed improved survival. Improved hemodynamic measurements were also recorded in irradiated mice fed 10% FS or 10% FLC diet compared to irradiated 0% FS fed mice. Flaxseed lignan complex diet also attenuated polymorphonuclear infiltration and overall lung inflammation to levels comparable to those in nonirradiated mice. Flaxseed lignan complex, similarly to FS, up-regulated gene expression as well as protein levels of protective antioxidant enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Dietary FLC induced radiosensitizing effects in our murine model of metastatic lung cancer. Importantly, protection of normal tissue does not thwart tumor cell death by radiation treatment. The dietary lignan complex of FS, mainly consisting of the phenolic secoisolariciresinol, is protective against radiation pneumonopathy in vivo while not hindering the tumoricidal effects of radiotherapy. PMID:23106213

Susceptibility to eating disorders among collegiate female student-athletes.

PubMed

McLester, Cherilyn N; Hardin, Robin; Hoppe, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Research has suggested that the prevalence of young women with eating disorders (EDs) is increasing, but determining the exact prevalence of EDs within the female student-athlete (FS-A) population is difficult. Looking at certain traits may help us to identify their level of susceptibility to developing an ED. To determine the susceptibility of FS-As to EDs in relation to self-concept, including self-esteem and body image. Cross-sectional study. Athletic training and health centers at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, and III institutions via e-mail questionnaire correspondence. A total of 439 FS-As from 17 participating institutions completed the questionnaires. The sample was primarily white (83.1%) and underclass (61.8%). The questionnaire consisted of 4 parts: 3 subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Body Cathexis Scale, and demographic items. A total of 6.8% of FS-As were susceptible to anorexia and 1.8% were susceptible to bulimia. The majority of FS-As (61%) reported normal self-esteem levels, whereas 29.4% had high self-esteem. Overall, 64.5% were satisfied and 23% were very satisfied with their body image. These results are generally positive in that they suggest FS-As have high levels of self-concept and are at low risk to develop EDs. However, these findings do not mean that all concerns should be dismissed. Although more than 90% of the respondents were not susceptible to an ED, there are still FS-As who may be. Athletic departments should evaluate their FS-As' levels of self-concept so that their susceptibility to EDs can be addressed. The emotional aspect of health care should be included in providing holistic care for student-athletes. Athletic trainers often are the primary health care providers for FS-As, so they should be made aware of this concern.

Radioprotective role in lung of the flaxseed lignan complex enriched in the phenolic secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG).

PubMed

Christofidou-Solomidou, Melpo; Tyagi, Sonia; Pietrofesa, Ralph; Dukes, Floyd; Arguiri, Evguenia; Turowski, Jason; Grieshaber, Philip A; Solomides, Charalambos C; Cengel, Keith A

2012-12-01

While dietary wholegrain Flaxseed (FS) has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic and antioxidant properties in murine models of acute and chronic lung injury, the main bioactive ingredient that contributes to these protective effects remains unknown. This study evaluated the lignan complex of FS (FLC) enriched in secoisolariciresinol diglucoside with respect to lung radioprotective and tumor radiosensitizing efficacy using a mouse model of thoracic radiation-induced pneumonopathy. C57/Bl6 mice were fed 0% FS, 10% FS, 10% FLC or 20% FLC for 3 weeks, then irradiated with a single fraction (13.5 Gy) of X-ray radiation treatment (XRT). Mouse survival was monitored for 4 months after irradiation and inflammatory lung parameters were evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Gene and protein levels of protective antioxidant and phase II enzymes were evaluated in lung tissue using qPCR and protein levels were verified by immunoblotting. Prolonged administration of the FLC diet was well tolerated and was not associated with any toxicity. Importantly, comparable to the whole grain 10% FS diet, irradiated mice fed 10% and 20% FLC diets displayed improved survival. Improved hemodynamic measurements were also recorded in irradiated mice fed 10% FS or 10% FLC diet compared to irradiated 0% FS fed mice. Flaxseed lignan complex diet also attenuated polymorphonuclear infiltration and overall lung inflammation to levels comparable to those in nonirradiated mice. Flaxseed lignan complex, similarly to FS, up-regulated gene expression as well as protein levels of protective antioxidant enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Dietary FLC induced radiosensitizing effects in our murine model of metastatic lung cancer. Importantly, protection of normal tissue does not thwart tumor cell death by radiation treatment. The dietary lignan complex of FS, mainly consisting of the phenolic secoisolariciresinol, is protective against radiation pneumonopathy in vivo while not hindering the tumoricidal effects of radiotherapy.

Reduction of atmospheric polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.

PubMed

Li, Yingming; Wang, Thanh; Wang, Pu; Ding, Lei; Li, Xiaomin; Wang, Yawei; Zhang, Qinghua; Li, An; Jiang, Guibin

2011-04-15

A total of 120 air samples were collected at three urban and one rural location in Beijing, China in the summers of 2007-2010, and before, during, and after the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (BOG), in order to assess the effectiveness of long-term and short-term emission-control measures in reducing polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the atmosphere. During the BOG (August, 2008), the PCDD/Fs concentrations decreased to an average value of 1150 fg m(-3) (63 fg I-TEQ m(-3)), which was reduced by approximately 70% from the average in 2007 and by 29% from that in July 2008, before the Olympic event began. Although 2009-2010 levels of PCDD/Fs were significantly higher than 2008, the overall temporal trend was decreasing for summer months during the sampling campaign period. The apparent half-lives of atmospheric PCDD/Fs were estimated to be 3.2-5.8 years by statistically regressing the logarithm PCDD/Fs concentrations versus the number of years passed since 2006. The air concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP) during the BOG ranged between 135 and 183 μg m(-3), showing a 52% reduction from 2007 and 26% decrease from those prior to the Olympic event. No significant relationships were found between meteorological parameters (temperature, humidity, and wind speed) and PCDD/Fs or TSP during the BOG, whereas the PCDD/Fs concentrations were significantly dependent on the air quality (p < 0.05, positive against TSP and negative against visibility). This work is one of few temporal trend studies of atmospheric PCDD/Fs in mainland China, and provides unique insight into the effects of large-scale control measures in improving air quality and reducing one of the most ubiquitous and toxic organic pollutants in the environment.

Calibration and diagnostic accuracy of simple flotation, McMaster and FLOTAC for parasite egg counts in sheep.

PubMed

Rinaldi, L; Coles, G C; Maurelli, M P; Musella, V; Cringoli, G

2011-05-11

The present study was aimed at carrying out a calibration and a comparison of diagnostic accuracy of three faecal egg counts (FEC) techniques, simple flotation, McMaster and FLOTAC, in order to find the best flotation solution (FS) for Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Moniezia expansa and gastrointestinal (GI) strongyle eggs, and to evaluate the influence of faecal preservation methods combined with FS on egg counts. Simple flotation failed to give satisfactory results with any samples. Overall, FLOTAC resulted in similar or higher eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and lower coefficient of variation (CV) than McMaster. The "gold standard" for D. dendriticum was obtained with FLOTAC when using FS7 (EPG=219, CV=3.9%) and FS8 (EPG=226, CV=5.2%) on fresh faeces. The "gold standard" for M. expansa was obtained with FLOTAC, using FS3 (EPG=122, CV=4.1%) on fresh faeces. The "gold standard" for GI strongyles was obtained with FLOTAC when using FS5 (EPG=320, CV=4%) and FS2 (EPG=298, CV=5%). As regard to faecal preservation methods, formalin 5% and 10% or freezing showed performance similar to fresh faeces for eggs of D. dendriticum and M. expansa. However, these methods of preservation were not as successful with GI strongyle eggs. Vacuum packing with storage at +4°C permitted storage of GI strongyle eggs for up to 21 days prior to counting. Where accurate egg counts are required in ovine samples the optimum method of counting is the use of FLOTAC. In addition, we suggest the use of two solutions that are easy and cheap to purchase and prepare, saturated sodium chloride (FS2) for nematoda and cestoda eggs and saturated zinc sulphate (FS7) for trematoda eggs and nematoda larvae. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Practice of Sealants and Preventive Resin Restorations Among Malaysian Dentists.

PubMed

Chin, Zhe W; Chong, Wai S; Mani, Shani A

2016-01-01

To assess the knowledge, attitude and utilisation regarding fissure sealants (FS) and preventive resin restorations (PRR) among Malaysian dentists. A questionnaire consisting of 35 questions was distributed by mail or an online survey to 425 registered dentists selected according to place of work by stratified random sampling. One hundred fifty-three dentists responded to the survey. A positive attitude towards FS and PRR was noted among most Malaysian dentists. About half of the respondents used FS/PRR occasionally (48.4%), while few (13.7%) applied them routinely. The majority of the dentists agreed that minimally invasive dentistry is important and FS are effective in caries prevention, using them on high caries-risk individuals. Most of the dentists used pumice or paste to clean teeth before placing FS/PRR. A significant number of dentists used a bonding agent prior to placing FS. Although only 57.5% dentists were aware of guidelines for FS use, most dentists agreed that guidelines are important. Although there was a positive attitude towards FS/PRR, few dentists applied them routinely. Some of the steps undertaken for placement of FS and PRR were outdated. Updating local guidelines for dentists to ensure uniform practice of FS and PRR is justified.

Squash preparation: A reliable diagnostic tool in the intraoperative diagnosis of central nervous system tumors

PubMed Central

Mitra, Sumit; Kumar, Mohan; Sharma, Vivek; Mukhopadhyay, Debasis

2010-01-01

Background: Intraoperative cytology is an important diagnostic modality improving on the accuracy of the frozen sections. It has shown to play an important role especially in the intraoperative diagnosis of central nervous system tumors. Aim: To study the diagnostic accuracy of squash preparation and frozen section (FS) in the intraoperative diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Materials and Methods: This prospective study of 114 patients with CNS tumors was conducted over a period of 18 months (September 2004 to February 2006). The cytological preparations were stained by the quick Papanicolaou method. The squash interpretation and FS diagnosis were later compared with the paraffin section diagnosis. Results: Of the 114 patients, cytological diagnosis was offered in 96 cases. Eighteen nonneoplastic or noncontributory cases were excluded. Using hematoxylin and eosin-stained histopathology sections as the gold standard, the diagnostic accuracy of cytology was 88.5% (85/96) and the accuracy on FS diagnosis was 90.6% (87/96). Among these cases, gliomas formed the largest category of tumors (55.2%). The cytological accuracy in this group was 84.9% (45/53) and the comparative FS figure was 86.8% (46/53). In cases where the smear and the FS diagnosis did not match, the latter opinion was offered. Conclusions: Squash preparation is a reliable, rapid and easy method and can be used as a complement to FS in the intraoperative diagnosis of CNS tumors. PMID:21187881

Clinical Core Competency Training for NASA Flight Surgeons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polk, J. D.; Schmid, Josef; Hurst, Victor, IV; Doerr, Harold K.; Doerr, Harold K.

2007-01-01

Introduction: The cohort of NASA flight surgeons (FS) is a very accomplished group with varied clinical backgrounds; however, the NASA Flight Surgeon Office has identified that the extremely demanding schedule of this cohort prevents many of these physicians from practicing clinical medicine on a regular basis. In an effort to improve clinical competency, the NASA FS Office has dedicated one day a week for the FS to receive clinical training. Each week, an FS is assigned to one of five clinical settings, one being medical patient simulation. The Medical Operations Support Team (MOST) was tasked to develop curricula using medical patient simulation that would meet the clinical and operational needs of the NASA FS Office. Methods: The MOST met with the Lead FS and Training Lead FS to identify those core competencies most important to the FS cohort. The MOST presented core competency standards from the American Colleges of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine as a basis for developing the training. Results: The MOST identified those clinical areas that could be best demonstrated and taught using medical patient simulation, in particular, using high fidelity human patient simulators. Curricula are currently being developed and additional classes will be implemented to instruct the FS cohort. The curricula will incorporate several environments for instruction, including lab-based and simulated microgravity-based environments. Discussion: The response from the NASA FS cohort to the initial introductory class has been positive. As a result of this effort, the MOST has identified three types of training to meet the clinical needs of the FS Office; clinical core competency training, individual clinical refresher training, and just-in-time training (specific for post-ISS Expedition landings). The MOST is continuing to work with the FS Office to augment the clinical training for the FS cohort, including the integration of Web-based learning.

Apparent prevention of neural tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation.

PubMed Central

Smithells, R W; Sheppard, S; Schorah, C J; Seller, M J; Nevin, N C; Harris, R; Read, A P; Fielding, D W

1981-01-01

An earlier preliminary paper is expanded. Women who had given birth to one or more infants with a neural tube defect were recruited into a trial of per conceptional vitamin supplementation. Two hundred mothers attending five centres were fully supplemented (FS), 50 were partially supplemented (PS), and 300 were unsupplemented (US). Neural tube defect recurrences in the study pregnancies were 1 (0.5%), in FS, none in PS, and 13 (4%) in US mothers. The difference in outcome between FS and US mothers is significant. The most likely explanation is that supplementation has prevented some neural tube defects, but further studies are needed. PMID:7332338

Effects of psychosocial stimulation on improving home environment and child-rearing practices: results from a community-based trial among severely malnourished children in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Nahar, Baitun; Hossain, Md Iqbal; Hamadani, Jena D; Ahmed, Tahmeed; Grantham-McGregor, Sally; Persson, Lars-Ake

2012-08-07

Parenting programmes are effective in enhancing parenting practices and child development. This study evaluated the effects of a intervention with psychosocial stimulation (PS) on the quality of the home environment and mothers' child-rearing practices in a community-based trial with severely malnourished Bangladeshi children. Severely underweight children (n = 507), 6-24 months of age, were randomly assigned to five groups: PS; food supplementation (FS); PS + FS; clinic-control (CC); and, hospital-control (CH). PS included fortnightly follow-up visits for six months at community clinics where a play leader demonstrated play activities and gave education on child development and child rearing practices. FS comprised cereal-based supplements (150-300 kcal/day) for three months. All groups received medical care, micronutrient supplements and growth monitoring. Mothers were given the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory and a questionnaire on parenting at baseline and after six months to assess the outcome. 322 children completed the study. After six months of intervention the PS + FS and PS groups benefitted in the total HOME score (depending on the comparison group, effect sizes varied from 0.66 to 0.33 SD) The PS + FS and PS groups also benefitted in two HOME subscales: maternal involvement (effect sizes: 0.8 to 0.55 SD) and play materials, (effect sizes: 0.46 to 0.6 SD), and child-rearing practices scores (effect size: 1.5 to 1.1 SD). The PS + FS group benefitted 4.0 points in total HOME score compared with CH, 4.8 points compared with CC and 4.5 points compared with FS (p < 0.001 for all). The PS group benefitted 2.4 points compared with CH (p = 0.035), 3.3 points compared with CC (p = 0.004), and 2.9 points compared with FS (p = 0.006). Child-rearing practice scores of the PS + FS group improved 7.7, 6.4 and 6.6 points and the PS group improved 8.5, 7.2 and 7.4 points more than CH, CC and FS, respectively (p < 0.001 for all). Child-rearing practices of mothers of severely malnourished children and the quality of their home environment can be improved through community-based psychosocial stimulation with or without food supplementation. This may be of importance to promote child development.

Vanishing Parotid Tumors on MR Imaging

PubMed Central

Matsusue, Eiji; Fujihara, Yoshio; Matsuda, Eiken; Tokuyasu, Yusuke; Nakamoto, Shu; Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Ogawa, Toshihide

2018-01-01

Background Of all parotid gland tumors, only oncocytoma has been reported to appear isointense to the parotid gland, namely vanishing, on fat-saturated T2 and T1 postcontrast gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate vanishing of parotid tumors on conventional MRI with and/or without postcontrast gadolinium-enhancement and on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Methods In 8 of 51 patients, ten parotid gland tumors had homogeneously enhanced lesions and were retrospectively analysed. Comparisons of signal intensity between those parotid tumors and parotid glands and evaluations of vanishing were performed on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), fat-suppressed T2WI (FS-T2WI), postcontrast gadolinium-enhanced T1WI (CE-T1WI) and fat-suppressed CE-T1WI (FS-CE-T1WI), DWI as well as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Results Ten parotid gland tumors consisted of five Warthin tumors, two pleomorphic adenomas, two parotid carcinomas (small cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma) and one oncocytoma. All tumors showed hypointensity on T1WI and hyperintensity on DWI. Nine of ten tumors showed vanishing on the other MR sequences. All Warthin tumors showed vanishing on FS-T2WI, FS-CE-T1WI and the ADC map. One oncocytoma showed vanishing on FS-T2WI and the ADC map and hyperintensity on FS-CE-T1WI. All pleomorphic adenomas showed vanishing on T2WI and CE-T1WI. One adenoid cystic carcinoma showed vanishing only on CE-T1WI. Conclusion Vanishing of parotid tumors can be observed not only on FS-T2WI and FS-CE-T1WI but also on T2WI, CE-T1WI and ADC mapping. PMID:29599620

Correlation of fetal oxygen saturation to fetal heart rate patterns. Evaluation of fetal pulse oximetry with two different oxisensors.

PubMed

Luttkus, A K; Friedmann, W; Homm-Luttkus, C; Dudenhausen, J W

1998-03-01

The purpose of this study was the correlation of fetal oxygen saturation values to various fetal heart rate patterns, as well as to oxygen saturation values obtained by fetal blood analysis. These objectives need to be evaluated from the perspective that two generations of fetal oxisensors have been used. Two different oxisensor systems (FS10: 660+890 nm and FS14: 735+890 nm) and a blinded pulse oximeter (type N400, Nellcor Puritan Bennett) were utilized to monitor 112 fetuses. All data, including oxygen saturation, fetal heart rate patterns, signal and contact quality were stored on a personal computer and evaluated after delivery. The following median fetal oxygen saturation values were obtained: during reassuring fetal heart rate sequences 54% with the oxisensor FS10 and 48% with the newer FS14 oxisensor, during intervals of variable decelerations 43% with the FS10 oxisensor and 40% with the FS14 oxisensor. These differences between values obtained during normal and abnormal fetal heart rate patterns are significant. Due to non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns 81 fetal blood analyses were performed. The values of pulse oximetry were 9% higher (6% for the FS14) than those of spectrophotometry. Correlation of both methods was r=0.66 (0.74 for the FS14). In combination with fetal heart rate monitoring, fetal pulse oximetry promises a better differentiation between low and high risk heart rate patterns. Oxygen saturation values from intermittent fetal blood sampling reassure the clinician concerning the accuracy of this new method of intrapartum fetal surveillance and underline the increased quality of the new generation of oxisensor using light of a wavelength of 735 and 890 nm.

Spontaneous bacteriocin resistance in Listeria monocytogenes as a susceptibility screen for identifying different mechanisms of resistance and modes of action by bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria.

PubMed

Macwana, Sunita; Muriana, Peter M

2012-01-01

A practical system was devised for grouping bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) based on mode of action as determined by changes in inhibitory activity to spontaneously-acquired bacteriocin resistance (Bac(R)). Wild type Listeria monocytogenes 39-2 was sensitive to five bacteriocins produced by 3 genera of LAB: pediocin PA-1 and pediocin Bac3 (Pediococcus), lacticin FS97 and lacticin FS56 (Lactococcus), and curvaticin FS47 (Lactobacillus). A spontaneous Bac(R) derivative of L. monocytogenes 39-2 obtained by selective recovery against lacticin FS56 provided complete resistance to the bacteriocin made by Lactococcus lactis FS56. The lacticin FS56-resistant strain of L. monocyotgenes 39-2 was also cross-resistant to curvaticin FS47 and pediocin PA-1, but not to lacticin FS97 or pediocin Bac3. The same pattern of cross-resistance was also observed with Bac(R) isolates obtained with L. monocytogenes Scott A-2. A spontaneous mutation that renders a strain cross-resistant to different bacteriocins indicates that they share a common mechanism of resistance due to similar modes of action of the bacteriocins. Spontaneous resistance was acquired to other bacteriocins (in aggregate) by following the same procedure against which the Bac(R) strain was still sensitive. In subsequent challenge assays, mixtures of bacteriocins of different modes of action provided greater inhibition than mixtures of bacteriocins of the same mode of action (as determined by our screening method). This study identifies a methodical approach to classify bacteriocins into functional groups based on mechanism of resistance (i.e., mode of action) that could be used for identifying the best mixture of bacteriocins for use as biopreservatives. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hepatoprotective effects of ethanol extracts from Folium Syringae against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in vitro and in vivo.

PubMed

Shi, Chen-Xi; Lin, Yue-Xia; Liu, Fang-Ping; Chang, Yi-Cong; Li, Rui; Li, Chang-Wen; Li, Ying; He, Jing-Shan; Ma, Xin; Li, Zhi

2017-10-01

The leaves of Folium Syringae (FS) have been long used as a traditional Chinese folk medicine for their anti-inflammatory effect, utilized as an antibacterial and antiviral treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential hepatoprotective effects of FS on acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury in primary hepatocytes and mice. Hepatocytes obtained by the inverse perfusion method were divided randomly into five groups. Prior to acetaminophen exposure, 3 different doses of FS ethanol extracts were given to hepatocytes and mice, respectively. Thereafter, transaminases, glutathione S-transferase A1 (GSTA1) and some hepatic indices were determined. FS ethanol extracts (200 μg/mL) pretreatment prevented all of the alterations, returning their levels to nearly those levels observed in the control group in vitro. Treatment with FS ethanol extracts (200 mg/kg) significantly reduced the toxicity induced by acetaminophen in vivo, which manifested as a decrease in transaminases, and the hepatoprotective effects of FS were similar to Silymarin (positive group). GSTA1 represented the same change trend as transaminases and hepatic indices, and at a dose of 100 μg/mL FS ethanol extracts in vitro and 100 mg/kg in vivo, GSTA1 content changed significantly (p < 0.01), but transaminases were insignificant (p > 0.05). The results of our investigation suggested that FS ethanol extracts possess significant protective effects against hepatotoxicity induced by acetaminophen both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, GSTA1 could be used as an indicator assessing the extents of hepatic injury, which is more sensitive than transaminases. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.

[Scanning electron microscopic investigations of cutting edge quality in lamellar keratotomy using the Wavelight femtosecond laser (FS-200) : What influence do spot distance and an additional tunnel have?

PubMed

Hammer, T; Höche, T; Heichel, J

2018-01-01

Femtosecond lasers (fs-lasers) are established cutting instruments for the creation of LASIK flaps. Previous studies often showed even rougher surfaces after application of fs-laser systems compared to lamellar keratotomy with mechanical microkeratomes. When cutting the cornea with fs-lasers, an intrastromal gas development occurs, which has a potentially negative influence on the cutting quality if the gas cannot be dissipated; therefore, manufacturers have chosen the way of gas assimilation in so-called pockets. The investigated system creates a tunnel which opens under the conjunctiva. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a tunnel as well as the influence of different spot distances on the quality of cut surfaces and edges. In this experimental study on freshly enucleated porcine eyes (n = 15), the following cuts were carried out with the FS-200 (Wavelight, Erlangen, Germany): 1. standard setting (spot and line separation 8 µm), 2. with tunnel for gas drainage, 3. without gas-conducting tunnel, 4. with increased spot spacing (spot and line separation 9 μm instead of 8 μm) and 5. with reduced spot spacing (spot and line separation 7 μm instead of 8 μm). Subsequently, scanning electron microscopy (FEI Quanta 650, Hillsboro, OR) of the cut edges and surfaces as well as the gas drain tunnel were performed. The evaluation was based on an established score. The current fs-laser system (200 Hz) is able to create smooth cutting surfaces and sharp edges. The changed density of laser pulses compared to the standard settings with a reduced or increased distance between the pulses, did not achieve any further improvement in the surface quality. The gas-conducting tunnel could be detected by scanning electron microscope. In the case of cutting without a tunnel, roughened surfaces and irregularities on the cutting edges were found. When the FS-200 fs-laser is used, LASIK cuts with very smooth cut surfaces and sharp cutting edges are achieved. This is only valid as long as an additional tunnel with the fs-laser is placed under the conjunctiva. It can be assumed that the resulting gas is effectively drained through this tunnel. The installation of the tunnel represents a new possibility to replace previous techniques of gas assimilation in deeper lying cutting areas.

The immediate effect of muscle release intervention on muscle activity and shoulder kinematics in patients with frozen shoulder: a cross-sectional, exploratory study.

PubMed

Shih, Yi-Fen; Liao, Pei-Wen; Lee, Chun-Shou

2017-11-28

Contractile tissue plays an important role in mobility deficits in frozen shoulder (FS). However, no study has assessed the effect of the muscle release technique on the muscle activation and kinematics in individuals with FS. The purposes of this study were to assess the differences in shoulder muscle activity and kinematics between the FS and asymptomatic groups; and to determine the immediate effects of muscle release intervention in the FS group. Twenty patients with FS and 20 asymptomatic controls were recruited. The outcome measures included muscle activity of the upper and lower trapezius (UT and LT), infraspinatus (ISp), pectoralis major (PM), and teres major (TM), shoulder kinematics (humeral elevation, scapular posterior tilt (PT) and upward rotation (UR), shoulder mobility, and pain. Participants in the FS group received one-session of heat and manual muscle release. Measurements were obtained at baseline, and immediately after intervention. Multivariate analysis of variance was used for data analysis. The level of significance was set at α=0.05. Compared to the controls, the FS group revealed significantly decreased LT (difference =55.89%, P=0.001) and ISp muscle activity (difference =26.32%, P =0.043) during the scaption task, and increased PM activity (difference =6.31%, P =0.014) during the thumb to waist task. The FS group showed decreased humeral elevation, scapular PT, and UR (difference = 35.36°, 10.18°, 6.73° respectively, P <0.05). Muscle release intervention immediately decreased pain (VAS drop 1.7, P <0.001); improved muscle activity during scaption (UT: 12.68% increase, LT: 35.46% increase, P <0.05) and hand to neck (UT: 12.14% increase, LT: 34.04% increase, P <0.05) task; and increased peak humeral elevation and scapular PT during scaption (95.18°±15.83° to 98.24°±15.57°, P=0.034; 11.06°±3.94° to 14.36°±4.65°, P=0.002), and increased scapular PT during the hand to neck (9.47°±3.86° to 12.80°±8.33°, P=0.025) task. No statistical significance was found for other group comparisons or intervention effect. Patients with FS presented with altered shoulder muscle activity and kinematics, and one-session of heat and manual muscle release showed beneficial effects on shoulder muscle performance, kinematics, mobility, and pain. Retrospectively registered on Jan 18, 2016 (ACTRN 12616000031460 ).

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 20: The SeaWiFS bio-optical archive and storage system (SeaBASS), part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Mcclain, Charles R.; Firestone, James K.; Westphal, Todd L.; Yeh, Eueng-Nan; Ge, Yuntao; Firestone, Elaine R.

1994-01-01

This document provides an overview of the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Bio-Optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS), which will serve as a repository for numerous data sets of interest to the SeaWiFS Science Team and other approved investigators in the oceanographic community. The data collected will be those data sets suitable for the development and evaluation of bio-optical algorithms which include results from SeaWiFS Intercalibration Round-Robin Experiments (SIRREXs), prelaunch characterization of the SeaWiFS instrument by its manufacturer -- Hughes/Santa Barbara Research Center (SBRC), Marine Optical Characterization Experiment (MOCE) cruises, Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) deployments and refurbishments, and field studies of other scientists outside of NASA. The primary goal of the data system is to provide a simple mechanism for querying the available archive and requesting specific items, while assuring that the data is made available only to authorized users. The design, construction, and maintenance of SeaBASS is the responsibility of the SeaWiFS Calibration and Validation Team (CVT). This report is concerned with documenting the execution of this task by the CVT and consists of a series of chapters detailing the various data sets involved. The topics presented are as follows: 1) overview of the SeaBASS file architecture, 2) the bio-optical data system, 3) the historical pigment database, 4) the SIRREX database, and 5) the SBRC database.

Approach to developing numeric water quality criteria for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Human activities on land increase nutrient loads to coastal waters, which can increase phytoplankton production and biomass and potentially cause harmful ecological effects. States can adopt numeric water quality criteria into their water quality standards to protect the designated uses of their coastal waters from eutrophication impacts. The first objective of this study was to provide an approach for developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters based on archived SeaWiFS ocean color satellite data. The second objective was to develop an approach for transferring water quality criteria assessments to newer ocean color satellites such as MODIS and MERIS. Spatial and temporal measures of SeaWiFS, MODIS, and MERIS chlorophyll-a (ChlRS-a, mg m-3) were resolved across Florida’s coastal waters between 1998 and 2009. Annual geometric means of SeaWiFS ChlRS-a were evaluated to determine a quantitative reference baseline from the 90th percentile of the annual geometric means. A method for transferring to multiple ocean color sensors was implemented with SeaWiFS as the reference instrument. The ChlRS-a annual geometric means for each coastal segment from MODIS and MERIS were regressed against SeaWiFS to provide a similar response among all three satellites. Standardization factors for each coastal segment were calculated based on differences between 90th percentiles from SeaWiFS to MODIS and SeaWiFS to MERIS. This transfer approach allowed for futu

Increased household financial strain, the Great Recession and child health-findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study.

PubMed

McKenna, Caoimhe; Law, Catherine; Pearce, Anna

2017-03-09

There is a growing body of evidence associating financial strain (FS) with poor health but most of this research has been cross-sectional and adult-focused. During the 'Great Recession' many UK households experienced increased FS. The primary aim of this study was to determine the impact of increased FS on child health. We analysed the Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal study of children born in the UK between 2000 and 2002. Surveys at 7 years (T1, 2008) and 11 years (T2, 2012) spanned the 'Great Recession'. Three measures of increased FS were defined; 'became income poor' (self-reported household income dropped below the 'poverty line' between T1 and T2); 'developed difficulty managing' (parental report of being 'financially comfortable' at T1 and finding it 'difficult to manage' at T2); 'felt worse off' (parental report of feeling financially 'worse off' at T2 compared with T1). Poisson regression was used to estimate risk ratios (RR), adjusted risk ratios (aRR) and 95% CIs for six child health outcomes: measured overweight/obesity, problematic behaviour as scored by parents and teachers, and parental reports of fair/poor general health, long-standing illness and bedwetting at T2 (N=13 112). In subanalyses we limited our sample to those who were above the poverty line at T2. Compared with those who were not financially strained at both time points, children in households which experienced increased FS were at an increased risk of all unhealthy outcomes examined. In most cases, these increased risks persisted after adjustment for confounding and when limiting the sample to those above the poverty line. FS is associated with a range of new or continued poor child health outcomes. During times of widespread economic hardship, such as the 'Great Recession', measures should be taken to buffer children and their families from the impact of FS, and these should not be limited to those who are income poor. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Increased household financial strain, the Great Recession and child health—findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Law, Catherine; Pearce, Anna

2017-01-01

Background There is a growing body of evidence associating financial strain (FS) with poor health but most of this research has been cross-sectional and adult-focused. During the ‘Great Recession’ many UK households experienced increased FS. The primary aim of this study was to determine the impact of increased FS on child health. Methods We analysed the Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal study of children born in the UK between 2000 and 2002. Surveys at 7 years (T1, 2008) and 11 years (T2, 2012) spanned the ‘Great Recession’. Three measures of increased FS were defined; ‘became income poor’ (self-reported household income dropped below the ‘poverty line’ between T1 and T2); ‘developed difficulty managing’ (parental report of being ‘financially comfortable’ at T1 and finding it ‘difficult to manage’ at T2); ‘felt worse off’ (parental report of feeling financially ‘worse off’ at T2 compared with T1). Poisson regression was used to estimate risk ratios (RR), adjusted risk ratios (aRR) and 95% CIs for six child health outcomes: measured overweight/obesity, problematic behaviour as scored by parents and teachers, and parental reports of fair/poor general health, long-standing illness and bedwetting at T2 (N=13 112). In subanalyses we limited our sample to those who were above the poverty line at T2. Results Compared with those who were not financially strained at both time points, children in households which experienced increased FS were at an increased risk of all unhealthy outcomes examined. In most cases, these increased risks persisted after adjustment for confounding and when limiting the sample to those above the poverty line. Conclusions FS is associated with a range of new or continued poor child health outcomes. During times of widespread economic hardship, such as the ‘Great Recession’, measures should be taken to buffer children and their families from the impact of FS, and these should not be limited to those who are income poor. PMID:28280000

76 FR 77477 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-13

... Receipt to collect information. Need and Use of the Information: Using forms FS-2400-1/BLM-5450-24, FS-2400-4 and FS-2400-8, FS and BLM will collect the name, address and tax identification number from...

Commercial mode-locked vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubeigt, Walter; Bialkowski, Bartlomiej; Lin, Jipeng; Head, C. Robin; Hempler, Nils; Maker, Gareth T.; Malcolm, Graeme P. A.

2017-02-01

In recent years, M Squared Lasers have successfully commercialized a range of mode-locked vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers (VECSELs) operating between 920-1050nm and producing picosecond-range pulses with average powers above 1W at pulse repetition frequencies (PRF) of 200MHz. These laser products offer a low-cost, easy-to-use and maintenance-free tool for the growing market of nonlinear microscopy. However, in order to present a credible alternative to ultrafast Ti-sapphire lasers, pulse durations below 200fs are required. In the last year, efforts have been directed to reduce the pulse duration of the Dragonfly laser system to below 200fs with a target average power above 1W at a PRF of 200MHz. This paper will describe and discuss the latest efforts undertaken to approach these targets in a laser system operating at 990nm. The relatively low PRF operation of Dragonfly lasers represents a challenging requirement for mode-locked VECSELs due to the very short upper state carrier lifetime, on the order of a few nanoseconds, which can lead to double pulsing behavior in longer cavities as the time between consecutive pulses is increased. Most notably, the design of the Dragonfly VECSEL cavity was considerably modified and the laser system extended with a nonlinear pulse stretcher and an additional compression stage. The improved Dragonfly laser system achieved pulse duration as short as 130fs with an average power of 0.85W.

Investigation of mechanical properties of modern dental composites after artificial aging for one year.

PubMed

Hahnel, Sebastian; Henrich, Anne; Bürgers, Ralf; Handel, Gerhard; Rosentritt, Martin

2010-01-01

This in vitro study investigated the aging behavior of dental composites with regard to surface roughness (SR), Vickers hardness (VH) and flexural strength (FS), and the study elucidated the impact of artificial aging parameters. One hundred and sixty-five rectangular specimens were prepared from five composites (Filtek Supreme XT, Filtek Silorane, CeramX, Quixfil, experimental ormocer) and subjected to various artificial aging protocols (storage in distilled water/ethanol/artificial saliva for 7, 90 and 365 days; thermal cycling, 2 x 3000 cycles 5/55 degrees C). SR, VH and FS were determined at baseline and after each aging treatment. Means and standard deviations were calculated; statistical analysis was performed using three-way ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test (alpha=.05). The results showed a significant influence in the composite and aging duration on mechanical parameters; the aging medium did not have a significant influence on VH and FS, but there was a significant influence on SR. The highest overall VH was found for theexperimental ormocer; Filtek Silorane yielded the lowest values. For FS, the significantly highest values were found for Filtek Silorane, and the lowest values were found for the experimental ormocer. Prolonged aging periods (90 or 365 days) or thermal cycling led to significant decreases in both VH and FS and significant increases in SR. The findings of the current study indicate that composites differ significantly for SR and its mechanical properties with regard to FS and VH, as well as in aging behavior. Generally, artificial aging leads to a significant decrease in mechanical properties, which underlines the relevance of continuous improvement of dental composites.

Influence of moderate training on gait and work capacity of fibromyalgia patients: a preliminary field study.

PubMed

Tiidus, Peter M; Pierrynowski, Michael; Dawson, Kimberley A

2002-12-01

This field study examined the influence of moderate intensity training on gait patterns and work capacity of individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome (FS). FS is a chronic condition of unknown etiology, characterized by muscle tenderness, pain and stiffness and often accompanied by depression and fatigue which seems to occur primarily in middle aged females. There is no known cure for FS but treatment often includes a prescription of mild exercise. Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of mild exercise on work capacity and gait patterns in FS patients. Participants were 14 females (age 47.0 ± 7.6 y) who participated in a 10 wk community based aerobic, strength and stretching program designed for FS individuals. Subjects were evaluated pre- and post-program and at a 2 month follow up. Work capacity was estimated by a sub-maximal PWC 170 cycle ergometer test and a Borg perceived exertion scale. Gait was assessed using OptoTrack three dimensional kinematics with 16 channel analogue data acquisition system. Trunk flexibility was also assessed. No significant change in estimated work capacity or flexibility was seen between pre- post- and follow up times. Nevertheless, a significant increase in self selected walking speed (p < 0.05) and a trend toward a more normal gait pattern that was sustained in the follow up testing was noted. We had previously also reported a significant improvement in muscle pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms in this population consequent to the training program. It was concluded that mild exercise training that does not influence work capacity or trunk flexibility can nevertheless positively influence gait mechanics and fibromyalgia symptoms in female FS patients.

Influence of Moderate Training on Gait and Work Capacity of Fibromyalgia Patients: A Preliminary Field Study

PubMed Central

Tiidus, Peter M.; Pierrynowski, Michael; Dawson, Kimberley A.

2002-01-01

This field study examined the influence of moderate intensity training on gait patterns and work capacity of individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome (FS). FS is a chronic condition of unknown etiology, characterized by muscle tenderness, pain and stiffness and often accompanied by depression and fatigue which seems to occur primarily in middle aged females. There is no known cure for FS but treatment often includes a prescription of mild exercise. Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of mild exercise on work capacity and gait patterns in FS patients. Participants were 14 females (age 47.0 ± 7.6 y) who participated in a 10 wk community based aerobic, strength and stretching program designed for FS individuals. Subjects were evaluated pre- and post-program and at a 2 month follow up. Work capacity was estimated by a sub-maximal PWC 170 cycle ergometer test and a Borg perceived exertion scale. Gait was assessed using OptoTrack three dimensional kinematics with 16 channel analogue data acquisition system. Trunk flexibility was also assessed. No significant change in estimated work capacity or flexibility was seen between pre- post- and follow up times. Nevertheless, a significant increase in self selected walking speed (p < 0.05) and a trend toward a more normal gait pattern that was sustained in the follow up testing was noted. We had previously also reported a significant improvement in muscle pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms in this population consequent to the training program. It was concluded that mild exercise training that does not influence work capacity or trunk flexibility can nevertheless positively influence gait mechanics and fibromyalgia symptoms in female FS patients. PMID:24748843

Male-to-female gender dysphoria: Gender-specific differences in resting-state networks.

PubMed

Clemens, Benjamin; Junger, Jessica; Pauly, Katharina; Neulen, Josef; Neuschaefer-Rube, Christiane; Frölich, Dirk; Mingoia, Gianluca; Derntl, Birgit; Habel, Ute

2017-05-01

Recent research found gender-related differences in resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies examining the differences in rs-FC between men, women, and individuals who report a discrepancy between their anatomical sex and their gender identity, i.e. gender dysphoria (GD). To address this important issue, we present the first fMRI study systematically investigating the differences in typical resting-state networks (RSNs) and hormonal treatment effects in 26 male-to-female GD individuals (MtFs) compared with 19 men and 20 women. Differences between male and female control groups were found only in the auditory RSN, whereas differences between both control groups and MtFs were found in the auditory and fronto-parietal RSNs, including both primary sensory areas (e.g. calcarine gyrus) and higher order cognitive areas such as the middle and posterior cingulate and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Overall, differences in MtFs compared with men and women were more pronounced before cross-sex hormonal treatment. Interestingly, rs-FC between MtFs and women did not differ significantly after treatment. When comparing hormonally untreated and treated MtFs, we found differences in connectivity of the calcarine gyrus and thalamus in the context of the auditory network, as well as the inferior frontal gyrus in context of the fronto-parietal network. Our results provide first evidence that MtFs exhibit patterns of rs-FC which are different from both their assigned and their aspired gender, indicating an intermediate position between the two sexes. We suggest that the present study constitutes a starting point for future research designed to clarify whether the brains of individuals with GD are more similar to their assigned or their aspired gender.

Nonadiabatic nuclear dynamics of the ammonia cation studied by surface hopping classical trajectory calculations

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

Belyaev, Andrey K., E-mail: belyaev@herzen.spb.ru; Domcke, Wolfgang, E-mail: wolfgang.domcke@ch.tum.de; Lasser, Caroline, E-mail: classer@ma.tum.de

The Landau–Zener (LZ) type classical-trajectory surface-hopping algorithm is applied to the nonadiabatic nuclear dynamics of the ammonia cation after photoionization of the ground-state neutral molecule to the excited states of the cation. The algorithm employs a recently proposed formula for nonadiabatic LZ transition probabilities derived from the adiabatic potential energy surfaces. The evolution of the populations of the ground state and the two lowest excited adiabatic states is calculated up to 200 fs. The results agree well with quantum simulations available for the first 100 fs based on the same potential energy surfaces. Three different time scales are detected formore » the nuclear dynamics: Ultrafast Jahn–Teller dynamics between the excited states on a 5 fs time scale; fast transitions between the excited state and the ground state within a time scale of 20 fs; and relatively slow partial conversion of a first-excited-state population to the ground state within a time scale of 100 fs. Beyond 100 fs, the adiabatic electronic populations are nearly constant due to a dynamic equilibrium between the three states. The ultrafast nonradiative decay of the excited-state populations provides a qualitative explanation of the experimental evidence that the ammonia cation is nonfluorescent.« less

Mechanical properties of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins.

PubMed

Hamanaka, Ippei; Takahashi, Yutaka; Shimizu, Hiroshi

2011-03-01

To investigate the mechanical properties of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins. Four injection-molded thermoplastic resins (two polyamides, one polyethylene terephthalate, one polycarbonate) and, as a control, a conventional heat-polymerized polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), were used in this study. The flexural strength at the proportional limit (FS-PL), the elastic modulus, and the Charpy impact strength of the denture base resins were measured according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 1567 and ISO 1567:1999/Amd 1:2003. The descending order of the FS-PL was: conventional PMMA > polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate > two polyamides. The descending order of the elastic moduli was: conventional PMMA > polycarbonate > polyethylene terephthalate > two polyamides. The descending order of the Charpy impact strength was: polyamide (Nylon PACM12) > polycarbonate > polyamide (Nylon 12), polyethylene terephthalate > conventional PMMA. All of the injection-molded thermoplastic resins had significantly lower FS-PL, lower elastic moduli, and higher or similar impact strength compared to the conventional PMMA. The polyamide denture base resins had low FS-PL and low elastic moduli; one of them possessed very high impact strength, and the other had low impact strength. The polyethylene terephthalate denture base resin showed a moderately high FS-PL, moderate elastic modulus, and low impact strength. The polycarbonate denture base resin had a moderately high FS-PL, moderately high elastic modulus, and moderate impact strength.

Femtosecond laser induced concentric semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon based on the quasi-plasmonic annular nanostructure.

PubMed

Han, Weina; Liu, Furong; Yuan, Yanping; Li, Xiaowei; Wang, Qingsong; Wang, Shaojun; Jiang, Lan

2018-05-04

In this study, we report polarization-dependent concentric circular periodic surface structures on Si induced by a single shot femtosecond (fs) laser pulse based on pre-processed quasi-plasmonic annular-shaped nanostructure. An abnormal annular-shaped energy deposition of the fundamental fs laser pulse can be found by using dual-wavelength superposition of the fundamental frequency (ω) and the second-harmonic frequency (2ω) of an fs Ti:sapphire laser, which is confirmed by real beam shape detection. Based on the annular-shaped energy distribution of dual-wavelength fs laser, a concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can be imprinted on the Au thin film. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excitations on the planar metallic nanostructures enable the manipulation of light on subwavelength scales. Thus, the pre-processed concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can act as a precursor for the subsequent SPPs excitation and propagation by the fs laser irradiation. Using this technique, polarization-dependent semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon can be found by the irradiation of fs laser pulse with only one shot. This research provides an additional freedom for the laser induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) modulation based on the modulation of SPPs excitation and propagation, which plays an important role in the formation of LIPSS.

Femtosecond laser induced concentric semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon based on the quasi-plasmonic annular nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Weina; Liu, Furong; Yuan, Yanping; Li, Xiaowei; Wang, Qingsong; Wang, Shaojun; Jiang, Lan

2018-07-01

In this study, we report polarization-dependent concentric circular periodic surface structures on Si induced by a single shot femtosecond (fs) laser pulse based on pre-processed quasi-plasmonic annular-shaped nanostructure. An abnormal annular-shaped energy deposition of the fundamental fs laser pulse can be found by using dual-wavelength superposition of the fundamental frequency (ω) and the second-harmonic frequency (2ω) of an fs Ti:sapphire laser, which is confirmed by real beam shape detection. Based on the annular-shaped energy distribution of dual-wavelength fs laser, a concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can be imprinted on the Au thin film. Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) excitations on the planar metallic nanostructures enable the manipulation of light on subwavelength scales. Thus, the pre-processed concentric quasi-plasmonic corral nanostructure can act as a precursor for the subsequent SPPs excitation and propagation by the fs laser irradiation. Using this technique, polarization-dependent semi-circular periodic surface structures on silicon can be found by the irradiation of fs laser pulse with only one shot. This research provides an additional freedom for the laser induced periodic surface structure (LIPSS) modulation based on the modulation of SPPs excitation and propagation, which plays an important role in the formation of LIPSS.

Limitation of intraoperative frozen section during thyroid surgery.

PubMed

Estebe, Sandrine; Montenat, Cecile; Tremoureux, Adrien; Rousseau, Chloé; Bouilloud, François; Jegoux, Franck

2017-03-01

Retrospective analysis on 312 patients, operated for thyroid nodules between 2014 and 2015, was conducted to evaluate the impact of frozen section analysis on the strategy of thyroid nodule surgery. One hundred and ninety-three patients were included. They all underwent preoperative US, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), per operative frozen section (FS) and post operative definitive pathological analysis. Se, Sp, VPP and VPN of FNAC and FS were calculated and compared (McNemar's test). Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent factor of good results. Se of FS and FNAC were, respectively, 86.1 and 81% with significant superiority of FS (p = .0352). Sp of FS and FNAC were, respectively, 100 and 72% with significant superiority of FS (p = .0156). A strategy based only on FNAC would have led to a 3.6% rate of unnecessary total thyroidectomy vs. 0% using FS. Overall rate of second procedure after lobectomy would have been significantly greater 28.9% without (28.9%) than with (10.3%) FS (p = .018). Overall rate of undone one-stage central neck dissection concurrent to total thyroidectomy for MNG would not have been significantly different without (9.4%) and with (2.1%) FS (.058). FNAC alone is unable to determine the extent of thyroid nodule surgery whatever the Bethesda subtype may be. FS significantly decreases the risk of two-stage procedure. For one-stage total thyroidectomy for MNG, the gain with FS is scarce.

Effectiveness of educational nursing home visits on quality of life, functional status and care dependency in older adults with mobility impairments: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Buss, Arne; Wolf-Ostermann, Karin; Dassen, Theo; Lahmann, Nils; Strupeit, Steve

2016-04-01

Facilitating and maintaining functional status (FS) and quality of life (QoL) and avoiding care dependency (CD) are and will increasingly become major tasks of nursing. Educational nursing home visits may have positive effects on FS and QoL in older adults. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of educational home visits on FS, QoL and CD in older adults with mobility impairments. We performed a randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted in the living environments of 123 participants with functional impairments living in Hamburg, Germany. The intervention group received an additional nursing education intervention on mobility and QoL; the control group received care as usual. Data were collected from August 2011 to December 2012 at baseline, 6 months and 12 months of follow-up. The main outcomes were FS (Barthel Index), QoL (WHOQOL-BREF) and CD (Care Dependency Scale). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and generalized linear models. In total, 113 participants (57 in the intervention and 56 in the control group) were included in the study. The intervention had no statistical significant effect on FS, QoL and CD. The intervention did not show the benefits that we assumed. Further studies on the effects of educational nursing interventions should be performed using different concepts and rigorous research methods. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analyzing the impact of sensor characteristics on retrieval methods of solar-induced fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Wenjuan; Zhao, Feng; Yang, Lizi

2017-02-01

In this study, we evaluated the influence of retrieval algorithms and sensor characteristics, such as spectral resolution (SR) and signal to noise ratio (SNR), on the retrieval accuracy of fluorescence signal (Fs). Here Fs was retrieved by four commonly used retrieval methods, namely the original Fraunhofer Line Discriminator method (FLD), the 3 bands FLD (3FLD), the improved FLD (iFLD) and the spectral fitting method (SFM). Fs was retrieved in the oxygen A band centered at around 761nm (O2-A). We analyzed the impact of sensor characteristics on four retrieval methods based on simulated data which were generated by the model SCOPE (Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes), and obtained consistent conclusions when compared with experimental data. Results presented in this study indicate that both retrieval algorithms and sensor characteristics affect the retrieval accuracy of Fs. When applied to the actual measurement, we should choose the instrument with higher performance and adopt appropriate retrieval method according to measuring instruments and conditions.

78 FR 1832 - Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Id; Crooked River Valley Rehabilitation Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-09

... the thirty-fourth through thirty-sixth lines, `` http://www.fs.fed.usinepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=40648 '' should read `` http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=40648 ''. [FR Doc. C1-2012...

Intergenerational impact of paternal lifetime exposures to both folic acid deficiency and supplementation on reproductive outcomes and imprinted gene methylation.

PubMed

Ly, Lundi; Chan, Donovan; Aarabi, Mahmoud; Landry, Mylène; Behan, Nathalie A; MacFarlane, Amanda J; Trasler, Jacquetta

2017-07-01

Do paternal exposures to folic acid deficient (FD), and/or folic acid supplemented (FS) diets, throughout germ cell development adversely affect male germ cells and consequently offspring health outcomes? Male mice exposed over their lifetimes to both FD and FS diets showed decreased sperm counts and altered imprinted gene methylation with evidence of transmission of adverse effects to the offspring, including increased postnatal-preweaning mortality and variability in imprinted gene methylation. There is increasing evidence that disruptions in male germ cell epigenetic reprogramming are associated with offspring abnormalities and intergenerational disease. The fetal period is the critical time of DNA methylation pattern acquisition for developing male germ cells and an adequate supply of methyl donors is required. In addition, DNA methylation patterns continue to be remodeled during postnatal spermatogenesis. Previous studies have shown that lifetime (prenatal and postnatal) folic acid deficiency can alter the sperm epigenome and increase the incidence of fetal morphological abnormalities. Female BALB/c mice (F0) were placed on one of four amino-acid defined diets for 4 weeks before pregnancy and throughout pregnancy and lactation: folic acid control (Ctrl; 2 mg/kg), 7-fold folic acid deficient (7FD; 0.3 mg/kg), 10-fold high FS (10FS, 20 mg/kg) or 20-fold high FS (20FS, 40 mg/kg) diets. F1 males were weaned to their respective prenatal diets to allow for diet exposure during all windows of germline epigenetic reprogramming: the erasure, re-establishment and maintenance phases. F0 females were mated with chow-fed males to produce F1 litters whose germ cells were exposed to the diets throughout embryonic development. F1 males were subsequently mated with chow-fed female mice. Two F2 litters, unexposed to the experimental diets, were generated from each F1 male; one litter was collected at embryonic day (E)18.5 and one delivered and followed postnatally. DNA methylation at a global level and at the differentially methylated regions of imprinted genes (H19, Imprinted Maternally Expressed Transcript (Non-Protein Coding)-H19, Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptide N-Snrpn, KCNQ1 Opposite Strand/Antisense Transcript 1 (Non-Protein Coding)-Kcnq1ot1, Paternally Expressed Gene 1-Peg1 and Paternally Expressed Gene 3-Peg3) was assessed by luminometric methylation analysis and bisulfite pyrosequencing, respectively, in F1 sperm, F2 E18.5 placenta and F2 E18.5 brain cortex. F1 males exhibited lower sperm counts following lifetime exposure to both folic acid deficiency and the highest dose of folic acid supplementation (20FS), (both P < 0.05). Post-implantation losses were increased amongst F2 E18.5 day litters from 20FS exposed F1 males (P < 0.05). F2 litters derived from both 7FD and 20FS exposed F1 males had significantly higher postnatal-preweaning pup death (both P < 0.05). Sperm from 10FS exposed males had increased variance in methylation across imprinted gene H19, P < 0.05; increased variance at a few sites within H19 was also found for the 7FD and 20FS groups (P < 0.05). While the 20FS diet resulted in inter-individual alterations in methylation across the imprinted genes Snrpn and Peg3 in F2 E18.5 placenta, ≥50% of individual sites tested in Peg1 and/or Peg3 were affected in the 7FD and 10FS groups. Inter-individual alterations in Peg1 methylation were found in F2 E18.5 day 10FS group brain cortex (P < 0.05). Not applicable. The cause of the increase in postnatal-preweaning mortality was not investigated post-mortem. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of folic acid deficiency and supplementation on developing male germ cells. Genome-wide DNA and histone methylome studies as well as gene expression studies are required to better understand the links between folic acid exposures, an altered germ cell epigenome and offspring outcomes. The findings of this study provide further support for paternally transmitted environmental effects. The results indicate that both folic acid deficiency and high dose supplementation can be detrimental to germ cell development and reproductive fitness, in part by altering DNA methylation in sperm. This study was supported by a grant to J.M.T. from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR #89944). The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Relationship between Joint Position Sense, Force Sense, and Muscle Strength and the Impact of Gymnastic Training on Proprioception

PubMed Central

Kochanowicz, Andrzej

2018-01-01

The aims of this study were (1) to assess the relationship between joint position (JPS) and force sense (FS) and muscle strength (MS) and (2) to evaluate the impact of long-term gymnastic training on particular proprioception aspects and their correlations. 17 elite adult gymnasts and 24 untrained, matched controls performed an active reproduction (AR) and passive reproduction (PR) task and a force reproduction (FR) task at the elbow joint. Intergroup differences and the relationship between JPS, FS, and MS were evaluated. While there was no difference in AR or PR between groups, absolute error in the control group was higher during the PR task (7.15 ± 2.72°) than during the AR task (3.1 ± 1.93°). Mean relative error in the control group was 61% higher in the elbow extensors than in the elbow flexors during 50% FR, while the gymnast group had similar results in both reciprocal muscles. There was no linear correlation between JPS and FS in either group; however, FR was negatively correlated with antagonist MS. In conclusion, this study found no evidence for a relationship between the accuracy of FS and JPS at the elbow joint. Long-term gymnastic training improves the JPS and FS of the elbow extensors. PMID:29670901

Likely effect of adding flexible sigmoidoscopy to the English NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme: impact on colorectal cancer cases and deaths

PubMed Central

Geurts, S M E; Massat, N J; Duffy, S W

2015-01-01

Background: From 2013, once-only flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) at age 55 is being phased into the England National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (NHSBCSP), augmenting biennial guaiac faecal occult blood testing (gFOBT) at ages 60–74. Here, we project the impact of this change on colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and deaths prevented in England by mid-2030. Methods: We simulated the life-course of English residents reaching age 55 from 2013 onwards. Model inputs included population numbers, invitation rates and CRC incidence and mortality rates. The impact of gFOBT and FS alone on CRC incidence and mortality were derived from published trials, assuming an uptake of 50% for FS and 57% for gFOBT. For FS plus gFOBT, we assumed the gFOBT effect to be 75% of the gFOBT alone impact. Results: By mid-2030, 8.5 million individuals will have been invited for once-only FS screening. Adding FS to gFOBT screening is estimated to prevent an extra 9627 (−10%) cases and 2207 (−12%) deaths by mid-2030. If FS uptake is 38% or 71%, respectively, an extra 7379 (−8%) or 13 689 (−15%) cases and 1691 (−9%) or 3154 (−17%) deaths will be prevented by mid-2030. Conclusions: Adding once-only FS at age 55 to the NHSBCSP will prevent ∼10 000 CRC cases and ∼2000 CRC deaths by mid-2030 if FS uptake is 50%. In 2030, one cancer was estimated to be prevented per 150 FS screening episodes, and one death prevented per 900 FS screening episodes. The actual reductions will depend on the FS invitation schedule and uptake rates. PMID:26110973

77 FR 65169 - Extension of Certain Timber Sale Contracts; Finding of Substantial Overriding Public Interest

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-25

... (SOPI) in extending for up to 1 year certain National Forest System FS-2400-6/6T and FS-2400-13/13T... determined that there is a SOPI for extending up to 1 year certain National Forest System FS-2400-6/6T and FS-2400-13/13T contracts. This will allow any purchaser with a qualifying National Forest System FS-2400-6...

Biological-Physical Coupling in the Gulf of Maine: Satellite and Model Studies of Phytoplankton Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Andrew C.; Chai, F.; Townsend, D. W.; Xue, H.

2002-01-01

The goals of this project were to acquire, process, QC, archive and analyze SeaWiFS chlorophyll fields over the Gulf of Maine and Scotia Shelf region. The focus of the analysis effort was to calculate and quantify seasonality and interannual. variability of SeaWiFS-measured phytoplankton biomass in the study area and compare these to physical forcing and hydrography. An additional focus within this effort was on regional differences within the heterogeneous biophysical regions of the Gulf of Maine / Scotia Shelf. Overall goals were approached through the combined use of SeaWiFS and AVHRR data and the development of a coupled biology-physical numerical model.

United States Air Force 611th Air Support Group Civil Engineering Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Remedial investigation and feasibility study Point Lay Radar Installation, Alaska. Final report

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

Karmi, S.

1996-03-04

The United States Air Force (Air Force) has prepared this Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) report to present the results of RI/FS activities at four sites located at the Point Lay radar installation. The remedial investigation (RI) field activities were conducted at the Point Lay radar installation during the summer of 1993. The four sites at Point Lay were investigated because they were suspected of being contaminated with hazardous substances. RI activities were conducted using methods and procedures specified in the RI/FS Work Plan, Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP), and Health and Safety Plan.

Quasi-Particle Relaxation and Quantum Femtosecond Magnetism in Non-Equilibrium Phases of Insulating Manganites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perakis, Ilias; Kapetanakis, Myron; Lingos, Panagiotis; Barmparis, George; Patz, A.; Li, T.; Wang, Jigang

We study the role of spin quantum fluctuations driven by photoelectrons during 100fs photo-excitation of colossal magneto-resistive manganites in anti-ferromagnetic (AFM) charge-ordered insulating states with Jahn-Teller distortions. Our mean-field calculation of composite fermion excitations demonstrates that spin fluctuations reduce the energy gap by quasi-instantaneously deforming the AFM background, thus opening a conductive electronic pathway via FM correlation. We obtain two quasi-particle bands with distinct spin-charge dynamics and dependence on lattice distortions. To connect with fs-resolved spectroscopy experiments, we note the emergence of fs magnetization in the low-temperature magneto-optical signal, with threshold dependence on laser intensity characteristic of a photo-induced phase transition. Simultaneously, the differential reflectivity shows bi-exponential relaxation, with fs component, small at low intensity, exceeding ps component above threshold for fs AFM-to-FM switching. This suggests the emergence of a non-equilibrium metallic FM phase prior to establishment of a new lattice structure, linked with quantum magnetism via spin/charge/lattice couplings for weak magnetic fields.

Comparing depression screening tools in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

PubMed

Hanna, Joshua; Santo, Jonathan B; Blair, Mervin; Smolewska, Kathy; Warriner, Erin; Morrow, Sarah A

2017-02-01

Depression is more common among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) than the general population. Depression in MS is associated with reduced quality of life, transition to unemployment, and cognitive impairment. Two proposed screening measures for depression in MS populations are the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS). Our objective was to compared the associations of the BDI-FS and the HADS-D scores with history of depressive symptoms, fatigue, and functional outcomes to determine the differential clinical utility of these screening measures among persons with MS. We reviewed charts of 133 persons with MS for demographic information; scores on the HADS, BDI-FS, a fatigue measure, and a processing speed measure; and employment status. Structural equation modeling results indicated the HADS-D predicted employment status, disability status, and processing speed more effectively than did the BDI-FS, whereas both measures predicted fatigue. This study suggests the HADS-D is more effective than the BDI-FS in predicting functional outcomes known to be associated with depression among persons with MS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of familial sinistrality on planum temporale surface and brain tissue asymmetries.

PubMed

Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie; Simon, Gregory; Crivello, Fabrice; Jobard, Gael; Zago, Laure; Perchey, Guy; Hervé, Pierre-Yves; Joliot, Marc; Petit, Laurent; Mellet, Emmanuel; Mazoyer, Bernard

2010-06-01

The impact of having left-handers (LHs) among one's close relatives, called familial sinistrality (FS), on neuroanatomical markers of left-hemisphere language specialization was studied in 274 normal adults, including 199 men and 75 women, among whom 77 men and 27 women were positive for FS. Measurements of the surface of a phonological cortical area, the "planum temporale" (PT), and gray and white matter hemispheric volumes and asymmetries were made using brain magnetic resonance images. The size of the left PT of subjects with left-handed close relatives (FS+) was reduced by 10%, decreasing with the number of left-handed relatives, and lowest when the subject's mother was left-handed. Such findings had no counterparts in the right hemisphere, and the subject's handedness and sex were found to have no significant effect or interaction with FS on the left PT size. The FS+ subjects also exhibited increased gray matter volume, reduced hemispheric gray matter leftward asymmetry, and, in LHs, reduced strength of hand preference. These results add to the increasing body of evidence suggesting multiple and somewhat independent mechanisms for the inheritance of hand and language lateralization.

Field pilot study on emissions, formations and distributions of PCDD/Fs from cement kiln co-processing fly ash from municipal solid waste incinerations.

PubMed

Liu, Guorui; Zhan, Jiayu; Zheng, Minghui; Li, Li; Li, Chunping; Jiang, Xiaoxu; Wang, Mei; Zhao, Yuyang; Jin, Rong

2015-12-15

A pilot study was performed to evaluate formation, distribution and emission of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from cement kilns that co-process fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). Stack gas and particulate samples from multiple stages in the process were collected and analyzed for PCDD/Fs. Stack emissions of PCDD/Fs were below the European Union limit for cement kilns (0.1 ng TEQ m(-3)). PCDD/F concentrations in particulates from the cyclone preheater outlet, suspension preheater boiler, humidifier tower, and back-end bag filter were much higher than in other samples, which suggests that these areas are the major sites of PCDD/F formation. Comparison of PCDD/F homolog and congener profiles from different stages suggested that tetra- and penta-chlorinated furans were mainly formed during cement kiln co-processing of MSWI fly ash. Three lower chlorinated furan congeners, including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, were identified as dominant contributors to the toxic equivalents (TEQ) of the PCDD/Fs. The concentration of PCDD/Fs in particulates was correlated with chloride content, which is consistent with its positive effect on PCDD/F formation. This could be mitigated by pretreating the feedstock to remove chloride and metals. Mass balance indicated that cement kilns eliminated about 94% of the PCDD/F TEQ input from the feedstock. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of divalent metal ions on regulation of adenylyl cyclase isoforms by forskolin analogs.

PubMed

Erdorf, Miriam; Mou, Tung-Chung; Seifert, Roland

2011-12-01

Mammalian membranous adenylyl cyclases (mACs) play an important role in transmembrane signalling events in almost every cell and represent an interesting drug target. Forskolin (FS) is an invaluable research tool, activating AC isoforms 1-8. However, there is a paucity of AC isoform-selective FS analogs. Therefore, we examined the effects of FS and six FS derivatives on recombinant ACs 1, 2 and 5, representing members of different mAC families. Correlations of the pharmacological properties of the different AC isoforms revealed pronounced differences between ACs 1, 2 and 5. Additionally, potencies and efficacies of FS derivatives changed for any given AC isoform, depending on the metal ion, Mg(2+) or Mn(2+). The most striking effects of Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) on the diterpene profile were observed for AC2 where the large inhibitory effect of BODIPY-FS in the presence of Mg(2+) was considerably reduced in the presence of Mn(2+). Sequence alignment and docking experiments confirmed an exceptional position of AC2 compared to ACs 1 and 5 with respect to the structural environment of the catalytic core and cation-dependent diterpene effects. In conclusion, mAC isoforms 1, 2 and 5 exhibit a distinct pharmacological diterpene profile, depending on the divalent cation present. mAC crystal structures and modelling/docking studies provided an explanation for the pharmacological differences between the AC isoforms. Our study constitutes an important step towards the development of isoform-specific diterpenes exhibiting stimulatory or inhibitory effects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global and Regional Evaluation of Over-Land Spectral Aerosol Optical Depth Retrievals from SeaWiFS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sayer, A. M.; Hsu, N. C.; Bettenhausen, C.; Jeong, M. J.; Holben, B. N.; Zhang, J.

2012-01-01

This study evaluates a new spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) dataset derived from Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (Sea WiFS) measurements over land. First, the data are validated against Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) direct-sun AOD measurements, and found to compare well on a global basis. If only data with the highest quality flag are used, the correlation is 0.86 and 72% of matchups fall within an expected absolute uncertainty of 0.05 + 20% (for the wavelength of 550 nm). The quality is similar at other wavelengths and stable over the 13-year (1997-2010) mission length. Performance tends to be better over vegetated, low-lying terrain with typical AOD of 0.3 or less, such as found over much of North America and Eurasia. Performance tends to be poorer for low-AOD conditions near backscattering geometries, where Sea WiFS overestimates AOD, or optically-thick cases of absorbing aerosol, where SeaWiFS tends to underestimate AOD. Second, the SeaWiFS data are compared with midvisible AOD derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR). All instruments show similar spatial and seasonal distributions of AOD, although there are regional and seasonal offsets between them. At locations where AERONET data are available, these offsets are largely consistent with the known validation characteristics of each dataset. With the results of this study in mind, the SeaWiFS over-land AOD record should be suitable for quantitative scientific use.

Computational Modeling of Distinct Neocortical Oscillations Driven by Cell-Type Selective Optogenetic Drive: Separable Resonant Circuits Controlled by Low-Threshold Spiking and Fast-Spiking Interneurons

PubMed Central

Vierling-Claassen, Dorea; Cardin, Jessica A.; Moore, Christopher I.; Jones, Stephanie R.

2010-01-01

Selective optogenetic drive of fast-spiking (FS) interneurons (INs) leads to enhanced local field potential (LFP) power across the traditional “gamma” frequency band (20–80 Hz; Cardin et al., 2009). In contrast, drive to regular-spiking (RS) pyramidal cells enhances power at lower frequencies, with a peak at 8 Hz. The first result is consistent with previous computational studies emphasizing the role of FS and the time constant of GABAA synaptic inhibition in gamma rhythmicity. However, the same theoretical models do not typically predict low-frequency LFP enhancement with RS drive. To develop hypotheses as to how the same network can support these contrasting behaviors, we constructed a biophysically principled network model of primary somatosensory neocortex containing FS, RS, and low-threshold spiking (LTS) INs. Cells were modeled with detailed cell anatomy and physiology, multiple dendritic compartments, and included active somatic and dendritic ionic currents. Consistent with prior studies, the model demonstrated gamma resonance during FS drive, dependent on the time constant of GABAA inhibition induced by synchronous FS activity. Lower-frequency enhancement during RS drive was replicated only on inclusion of an inhibitory LTS population, whose activation was critically dependent on RS synchrony and evoked longer-lasting inhibition. Our results predict that differential recruitment of FS and LTS inhibitory populations is essential to the observed cortical dynamics and may provide a means for amplifying the natural expression of distinct oscillations in normal cortical processing. PMID:21152338

Fasciatherapy and Reflexology compared to Hypnosis and Music Therapy in Daily Stress Management

PubMed Central

Payrau, Bernard; Quere, Nadine; Breton, Elisabeth; Payrau, Christine

2017-01-01

Background Patients suffering from stress symptoms due to every-day life who are looking for a non-pharmacological response to their relief expectation are many. Furthermore, early reckoning of the day-to-day stress which may lead to clinical diagnosis is the best way of preventing the stress-related diseases. Among the many alternative medicinal options, there is little evidence that fasciatherapy (Fs) and reflexology (Rf) are effective in this field. Purpose assess incidence of fasciatherapy Danis Bois Method (DBM) and of reflexology on patients’ stress level in everyday-life, and provide a more informed choice among the numerous mind and body techniques by comparing them with hypnosis (Hp) and music therapy (Mt). Settings Specialized Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) centres for outpatients. Participants 308 individuals (average age = 50.53 SD 14.37, 93 males, 215 females) going to the centres for health care, but free from serious diseases and not heavily medicated respecting the inclusion criteria and providing valid forms. Research Design Four armed, non-randomized observational pragmatic trial with pretest–posttest repeated measures, on separate samples of natural groups. Intervention According to the centre participants where they used to be treated, they were exposed to a single semi-standardized session of a technique of their choice: Fs, Rf, Hp, Mt. Volunteers had a controlled non-intervention resting (Rt) session. Main Outcome Measures Mean STAI-Y assessing anxiety as reflecting the stress level: MANCOVA and ANCOVA performed with Tukey’s HSD. Results MANCOVA indicates a significant reduction of anxiety (p < .01) in each condition, resting included. ANCOVA performance adjusting on stress level in T0 (41.73) and on the mean sumscore of the trait (44.89), Fs (−13.92), Rf (−15.92), and Hp (−15.88) were equally effective on the stress level decrease. Mt (−10.0) and Rt (−6.38) showed the same level of effectiveness. Conclusions The results suggest fasciatherapy DBM, hypnosis, and reflexology could be used as non-pharmacological and safe interventions in stress management. Though showing a lesser efficiency, music therapy could be useful in different circumstances. PMID:28912904

FlavonoidSearch: A system for comprehensive flavonoid annotation by mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Akimoto, Nayumi; Ara, Takeshi; Nakajima, Daisuke; Suda, Kunihiro; Ikeda, Chiaki; Takahashi, Shingo; Muneto, Reiko; Yamada, Manabu; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Shibata, Daisuke; Sakurai, Nozomu

2017-04-28

Currently, in mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, limited reference mass spectra are available for flavonoid identification. In the present study, a database of probable mass fragments for 6,867 known flavonoids (FsDatabase) was manually constructed based on new structure- and fragmentation-related rules using new heuristics to overcome flavonoid complexity. We developed the FlavonoidSearch system for flavonoid annotation, which consists of the FsDatabase and a computational tool (FsTool) to automatically search the FsDatabase using the mass spectra of metabolite peaks as queries. This system showed the highest identification accuracy for the flavonoid aglycone when compared to existing tools and revealed accurate discrimination between the flavonoid aglycone and other compounds. Sixteen new flavonoids were found from parsley, and the diversity of the flavonoid aglycone among different fruits and vegetables was investigated.

Privacy Preserving Association Rule Mining Revisited: Privacy Enhancement and Resources Efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohaisen, Abedelaziz; Jho, Nam-Su; Hong, Dowon; Nyang, Daehun

Privacy preserving association rule mining algorithms have been designed for discovering the relations between variables in data while maintaining the data privacy. In this article we revise one of the recently introduced schemes for association rule mining using fake transactions (FS). In particular, our analysis shows that the FS scheme has exhaustive storage and high computation requirements for guaranteeing a reasonable level of privacy. We introduce a realistic definition of privacy that benefits from the average case privacy and motivates the study of a weakness in the structure of FS by fake transactions filtering. In order to overcome this problem, we improve the FS scheme by presenting a hybrid scheme that considers both privacy and resources as two concurrent guidelines. Analytical and empirical results show the efficiency and applicability of our proposed scheme.

The 2 Degrees of Freedom facility in Firenze for the study of weak forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marconi, L.; Stanga, R.; Lorenzini, M.; Grimani, C.; Bassan, M.; Pucacco, G.; Di Fiore, L.; De Rosa, R.; Garufi, F.; Milano, L.

2010-05-01

The LISA test-mass (TM) is sensitive to weak forces along all 6 Degrees of Freedom (DoFs). Extensi ve ground test ing is required in order to evaluate the influence of cross-talks of read-outs and actuators operating on different DoFs. To best represent the flight conditions, we developed in Firenze a facility with 2 soft DoFs. Using this facility we measure the forces and stiffnesses acting simultaneously along the 2 soft DoFs, and, more specifically, we will be able to de b ug residual couplings between the TM and the capacitive position sensor that reads the TM position, and to measure actuation cross talks with closed feedback loop. The facility is now ready, and here we report on the co mmi ssioning test s, and on the first measurements.

The Core Flight System (cFS) Community: Providing Low Cost Solutions for Small Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McComas, David; Wilmot, Jonathan; Cudmore, Alan

2016-01-01

In February 2015 the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) completed the open source release of the entire Core Flight Software (cFS) suite. After the open source release a multi-NASA center Configuration Control Board (CCB) was established that has managed multiple cFS product releases. The cFS was developed and is being maintained in compliance with the NASA Class B software development process requirements and the open source release includes all Class B artifacts. The cFS is currently running on three operational science spacecraft and is being used on multiple spacecraft and instrument development efforts. While the cFS itself is a viable flight software (FSW) solution, we have discovered that the cFS community is a continuous source of innovation and growth that provides products and tools that serve the entire FSW lifecycle and future mission needs. This paper summarizes the current state of the cFS community, the key FSW technologies being pursued, the development/verification tools and opportunities for the small satellite community to become engaged. The cFS is a proven high quality and cost-effective solution for small satellites with constrained budgets.

Lung morphometry using hyperpolarized 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI with compressed sensing in healthy subjects and patients with COPD.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiting; Xie, Junshuai; Xiao, Sa; Zhao, Xiuchao; Zhang, Ming; Shi, Lei; Wang, Ke; Wu, Guangyao; Sun, Xianping; Ye, Chaohui; Zhou, Xin

2018-05-04

To demonstrate the feasibility of compressed sensing (CS) to accelerate the acquisition of hyperpolarized (HP) 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI for quantitative assessments of lung microstructural morphometry. Six healthy subjects and six chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subjects underwent HP 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI (b = 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 s/cm 2 ). First, a fully sampled (FS) acquisition of HP 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI was conducted in one healthy subject. The acquired FS dataset was retrospectively undersampled in the phase encoding direction, and an optimal twofold undersampled pattern was then obtained by minimizing mean absolute error (MAE) between retrospective CS (rCS) and FS MR images. Next, the FS and CS acquisitions during separate breath holds were performed on five healthy subjects (including the above one). Additionally, the FS and CS synchronous acquisitions during a single breath hold were performed on the sixth healthy subject and one COPD subject. However, only CS acquisitions were conducted in the rest of the five COPD subjects. Finally, all the acquired FS, rCS and CS MR images were used to obtain morphometric parameters, including acinar duct radius (R), acinar lumen radius (r), alveolar sleeve depth (h), mean linear intercept (L m ), and surface-to-volume ratio (SVR). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Bland-Altman plot were employed to assess the fidelity of the CS reconstruction. Moreover, the t-test was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the multi-b diffusion MRI with CS in clinical applications. The retrospective results demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between rCS and FS measurements using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (P > 0.05). Good agreement between measurements obtained with the CS and FS acquisitions during separate breath holds was demonstrated in Bland-Altman plots of slice differences. Specifically, the mean biases of the R, r, h, L m , and SVR between the CS and FS acquisitions were 1.0%, 2.6%, -0.03%, 1.5%, and -5.5%, respectively. Good agreement between measurements with the CS and FS acquisitions was also observed during the single breath-hold experiments. Furthermore, there were significant differences between the morphometric parameters for the healthy and COPD subjects (P < 0.05). Our study has shown that HP 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI with CS could be beneficial in lung microstructural assessments by acquiring less data while maintaining the consistent results with the FS acquisitions. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Dietary flaxseed administered post thoracic radiation treatment improves survival and mitigates radiation-induced pneumonopathy in mice

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Flaxseed (FS) is a dietary supplement known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Radiation exposure of lung tissues occurs either when given therapeutically to treat intrathoracic malignancies or incidentally, such as in the case of exposure from inhaled radioisotopes released after the detonation of a radiological dispersion devise (RDD). Such exposure is associated with pulmonary inflammation, oxidative tissue damage and irreversible lung fibrosis. We previously reported that dietary FS prevents pneumonopathy in a rodent model of thoracic X-ray radiation therapy (XRT). However, flaxseed's therapeutic usefulness in mitigating radiation effects post-exposure has never been evaluated. Methods We evaluated the effects of a 10%FS or isocaloric control diet given to mice (C57/BL6) in 2 separate experiments (n = 15-25 mice/group) on 0, 2, 4, 6 weeks post a single dose 13.5 Gy thoracic XRT and compared it to an established radiation-protective diet given preventively, starting at 3 weeks prior to XRT. Lungs were evaluated four months post-XRT for blood oxygenation levels, inflammation and fibrosis. Results Irradiated mice fed a 0%FS diet had a 4-month survival rate of 40% as compared to 70-88% survival in irradiated FS-fed mouse groups. Additionally, all irradiated FS-fed mice had decreased fibrosis compared to those fed 0%FS. Lung OH-Proline content ranged from 96.5 ± 7.1 to 110.2 ± 7.7 μg/ml (Mean ± SEM) in all irradiated FS-fed mouse groups, as compared to 138 ± 10.8 μg/ml for mice on 0%FS. Concomitantly, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) protein and weight loss associated with radiation cachexia was significantly decreased in all FS-fed groups. Inflammatory cell influx to lungs also decreased significantly except when FS diet was delayed by 4 and 6 weeks post XRT. All FS-fed mice (irradiated or not), maintained a higher blood oxygenation level as compared to mice on 0%FS. Similarly, multiplex cytokine analysis in the BAL fluid revealed a significant decrease of specific inflammatory cytokines in FS-fed mice. Conclusions Dietary FS given post-XRT mitigates radiation effects by decreasing pulmonary fibrosis, inflammation, cytokine secretion and lung damage while enhancing mouse survival. Dietary supplementation of FS may be a useful adjuvant treatment mitigating adverse effects of radiation in individuals exposed to inhaled radioisotopes or incidental radiation. PMID:21702963

The influence of laser pulse duration and energy on ICP-MS signal intensity, elemental fractionation, and particle size distribution in NIR fs-LA-ICP-MS

PubMed Central

Diwakar, Prasoon K.; Harilal, Sivanandan S.; LaHaye, Nicole L.; Hassanein, Ahmed; Kulkarni, Pramod

2015-01-01

Laser parameters, typically wavelength, pulse width, irradiance, repetition rate, and pulse energy, are critical parameters which influence the laser ablation process and thereby influence the LA-ICP-MS signal. In recent times, femtosecond laser ablation has gained popularity owing to the reduction in fractionation related issues and improved analytical performance which can provide matrix-independent sampling. The advantage offered by fs-LA is due to shorter pulse duration of the laser as compared to the phonon relaxation time and heat diffusion time. Hence the thermal effects are minimized in fs-LA. Recently, fs-LA-ICP-MS demonstrated improved analytical performance as compared to ns-LA-ICP-MS, but detailed mechanisms and processes are still not clearly understood. Improvement of fs-LA-ICP-MS over ns-LA-ICP-MS elucidates the importance of laser pulse duration and related effects on the ablation process. In this study, we have investigated the influence of laser pulse width (40 fs to 0.3 ns) and energy on LA-ICP-MS signal intensity and repeatability using a brass sample. Experiments were performed in single spot ablation mode as well as rastering ablation mode to monitor the Cu/Zn ratio. The recorded ICP-MS signal was correlated with total particle counts generated during laser ablation as well as particle size distribution. Our results show the importance of pulse width effects in the fs regime that becomes more pronounced when moving from femtosecond to picosecond and nanosecond regimes. PMID:26664120

Local food supplementation and psychosocial stimulation improve linear growth and cognitive development among Indonesian infants aged 6 to 9 months.

PubMed

Helmizar, Helmizar; Jalal, Fasli; Lipoeto, Nur Indrawati; Achadi, Endang L

2017-01-01

To evaluate the effect of culturally-relevant food supplementation and psychosocial stimulation on infant growth and development. A community-based randomized controlled trial was conducted in 40 clusters from 5 selected villages in Tanah Datar District of West Sumatera, Indonesia. We assessed 355 infants aged 6 to 9 months at the beginning of the study. The infants were divided into 4 groups: 1) Food Supplementation (FS); 2) Psychosocial Stimulation (PS); 3) Food Supplementation and Psychosocial Stimulation (FS+PS); and 4) Control Group (CG). The formula food supplement was comprised of a variety of local food sources (local MP-ASI) and adjusted for the local habits. The quality of psychosocial stimulation was assessed with the Infant HOME inventory method. Progress at 6 months was assessed by anthropometry and the Bayley scores of cognition, language and motor function. There were improvements in linear growth, cognitive and motor development of children in the FS (p<0.05) and the FS+PS (p<0.01) groups compared to the CG. After six months of intervention, mean length increased to 6.86±2.08 cm and 6.66±2.41 cm for FS and FS+PS respectively (p<0.05). With the combination of food supplementation and psychosocial stimulation (FS+PS), cognitive development increased to 21.4±12.2 points (effect size 0.56) (p<0.01) and motor development increased to 20.7±18.4 points (effect size 0.50) (p<0.001). Combined intervention with local food supplementation and psychosocial stimulation improved infant growth, cognitive and motor development.

UPLC-MS/MS based diagnostics for epithelial ovarian cancer using fully sialylated C4-binding protein.

PubMed

Tanabe, Kazuhiro; Matsuo, Koji; Miyazawa, Masaki; Hayashi, Masaru; Ikeda, Masae; Shida, Masako; Hirasawa, Takeshi; Sho, Ryuichiro; Mikami, Mikio

2018-05-01

Serum levels of fully sialylated C4-binding protein (FS-C4BP) are remarkably elevated in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and can be used as a marker to distinguish ovarian clear cell carcinoma from endometrioma. This study aimed to develop a stable, robust and reliable liquid chromatography-hybrid mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) based diagnostic method that would generalize FS-C4BP as a clinical EOC biomarker. Glycopeptides derived from 20 μL of trypsin-digested serum glycoprotein were analyzed via UPLC equipped with an electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This UPLC-MS/MS-based diagnostic method was optimized for FS-C4BP and validated using sera from 119 patients with EOC and 127 women without cancer. A1958 (C4BP peptide with two fully sialylated biantennary glycans) was selected as a marker of FS-C4BP because its level in serum was highest among FS-C4BP family members. Preparation and UPLC-MS/MS were optimized for A1958, and performance and robustness were significantly improved relative to our previous method. An area under the curve analysis of the FS-C4BP index receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that the ratio between A1958 and A1813 (C4BP peptide with two partially sialylated biantennary glycans) reached 85%. A combination of the FS-C4BP index and carbohydrate antigen-125 levels further enhanced the sensitivity and specificity. © 2017 The Authors. Biomedical Chromatography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Satellite Ocean Aerosol Retrieval (SOAR) Algorithm Extension to S-NPP VIIRS as Part of the "Deep Blue" Aerosol Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayer, A. M.; Hsu, N. C.; Lee, J.; Bettenhausen, C.; Kim, W. V.; Smirnov, A.

2018-01-01

The Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite, launched in late 2011, carries the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and several other instruments. VIIRS has similar characteristics to prior satellite sensors used for aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieval, allowing the continuation of space-based aerosol data records. The Deep Blue algorithm has previously been applied to retrieve AOD from Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) measurements over land. The SeaWiFS Deep Blue data set also included a SeaWiFS Ocean Aerosol Retrieval (SOAR) algorithm to cover water surfaces. As part of NASA's VIIRS data processing, Deep Blue is being applied to VIIRS data over land, and SOAR has been adapted from SeaWiFS to VIIRS for use over water surfaces. This study describes SOAR as applied in version 1 of NASA's S-NPP VIIRS Deep Blue data product suite. Several advances have been made since the SeaWiFS application, as well as changes to make use of the broader spectral range of VIIRS. A preliminary validation against Maritime Aerosol Network (MAN) measurements suggests a typical uncertainty on retrieved 550 nm AOD of order ±(0.03+10%), comparable to existing SeaWiFS/MODIS aerosol data products. Retrieved Ångström exponent and fine-mode AOD fraction are also well correlated with MAN data, with small biases and uncertainty similar to or better than SeaWiFS/MODIS products.

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

Uhm, Z. Lucas; Zhang Bing; Hascoeet, Romain

We perform a detailed study on the dynamics of a relativistic blast wave with the presence of a long-lived reverse shock (RS). Although a short-lived RS has been widely considered, the RS is believed to be long-lived as a consequence of a stratification expected on the ejecta Lorentz factors. The existence of a long-lived RS causes the forward shock (FS) dynamics to deviate from a self-similar Blandford-McKee solution. Employing the ''mechanical model'' that correctly incorporates the energy conservation, we present an accurate solution for both the FS and RS dynamics. We conduct a sophisticated calculation of the afterglow emission. Adoptingmore » a Lagrangian description of the blast wave, we keep track of an adiabatic evolution of numerous shells between the FS and RS. An evolution of the electron spectrum is also followed individually for every shell. We then find the FS and RS light curves by integrating over the entire FS and RS shocked regions, respectively. Exploring a total of 20 different ejecta stratifications, we explain in detail how a stratified ejecta affects its blast wave dynamics and afterglow light curves. We show that, while the FS light curves are not sensitive to the ejecta stratifications, the RS light curves exhibit much richer features, including steep declines, plateaus, bumps, re-brightenings, and a variety of temporal decay indices. These distinctive RS features may be observable if the RS has higher values of the microphysics parameters than the FS. We discuss possible applications of our results in understanding the gamma-ray burst afterglow data.« less

Grazing Effects on Water Use Efficiency on a Mongolian Desert Steppe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, C.; Chen, J.; Li, L.; John, R.; Ouyang, Z.

2015-12-01

Ecosystem-level water use efficiency (WUE), defined as the ratio of gross primary production (GPP) to evapotranspiration (ET), was assessed by continuous and simultaneous direct eddy-covariance (EC) measurements of carbon and water fluxes on adjacent pastures of grazed (DS) and ungrazed steppes (FS) in the Mongolia Plateau for a two-year period from 2010 to 2012. We found that the WUE was well positively linear correlated (r2=0.90) with the GEP both in the DS and FS. Due to our desert steppe was very sensitive to the precipitation, WUE was co-varied with the precipitation. WUE increased with the GEP increase under good water conditions, when the GEP reached its maximal value (DS: 3 g C m-2, FS: 2 g C m-2), the WUE was suppressed and kept a stable value during the peak growing season. Both GEP and WUE was near zero when the soil moisture was lower. We also found that the WUE was negatively correlated with ET. The WUE was higher in GS than that in FS. The mean seasonal WUE was 0.93 in GS and 0.54 g C kg-1 H2O in FS, with a peak monthly WUE of 1.32 in GS and 0.73 g C kg-1 H2O in FS, respectively. The difference between GS and FS mainly caused by that the ET was changed with the GEP during the entire growing season. This suggests the importance of both plant population dynamics and water statues should be considered in WUE studies.

Left ventricular midwall mechanics at 24 weeks' gestation in high-risk normotensive pregnant women: relationship to placenta-related complications of pregnancy.

PubMed

Novelli, G P; Vasapollo, B; Gagliardi, G; Tiralongo, G M; Pisani, I; Manfellotto, D; Giannini, L; Valensise, H

2012-04-01

Most studies during pregnancy have assessed maternal left ventricular (LV) function by load-dependent indices, assessing only chamber function. The aim of this study was to assess afterload-adjusted LV myocardial and chamber systolic function at 24 weeks' gestation and 6 months postpartum in high-risk normotensive pregnant women. A group of 118 high-risk women with bilateral notching of the uterine arteries underwent an echocardiographic examination to evaluate midwall mechanics (midwall shortening (mFS%) and stress-corrected midwall shortening (SCmFS%)) of the LV at 24 weeks' gestation and 6 months postpartum. Patients were followed until delivery and pregnancies were classified retrospectively as uneventful (uncomplicated outcome) or complicated. A control group of 54 low-risk women with uneventful pregnancies without bilateral notching was also enrolled. The pregnancy was uneventful in 74 (62.7%) women, whereas 44 (37.3%) developed complications. At 24 weeks' gestation, mFS% and SCmFS% were greater in the uncomplicated-outcome compared with the complicated-outcome group (25.9 ± 4.8 vs 18.8 ± 5.0%, P < 0.001 and 107.9 ± 18.4 vs 77.9 ± 20.7%, P < 0.001, respectively). At 6 months postpartum, SCmFS% remained greater in the uncomplicated-outcome compared with the complicated-outcome group (100.4 ± 21.6 vs 87.8 ± 19.1, P < 0.05). In the uncomplicated-outcome group, SCmFS% was higher during pregnancy than it was postpartum, whereas in the complicated-outcome group, it was lower during pregnancy than it was postpartum (P < 0.05). Maternal cardiac midwall mechanics appear to be enhanced (SCmFS% increased compared with controls) during pregnancy compared with postpartum in high-risk patients with uncomplicated pregnancy, whereas midwall mechanics are depressed both during pregnancy and postpartum in patients with pregnancy complications. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How right is left? Handedness modulates neural responses during morphosyntactic processing.

PubMed

Grey, Sarah; Tanner, Darren; van Hell, Janet G

2017-08-15

Most neurocognitive models of language processing generally assume population-wide homogeneity in the neural mechanisms used during language comprehension, yet individual differences are known to influence these neural mechanisms. In this study, we focus on handedness as an individual difference hypothesized to affect language comprehension. Left-handers and right-handers with a left-handed blood relative, or familial sinistrals, are hypothesized to process language differently than right-handers with no left-handed relatives (Hancock and Bever, 2013; Ullman, 2004). Yet, left-handers are often excluded from neurocognitive language research, and familial sinistrality in right-handers is often not taken into account. In the current study we used event-related potentials to test morphosyntactic processing in three groups that differed in their handedness profiles: left-handers (LH), right-handers with a left-handed blood relative (RH FS+), and right-handers with no reported left-handed blood relative (RH FS-; both right-handed groups were previously tested by Tanner and Van Hell, 2014). Results indicated that the RH FS- group showed only P600 responses during morphosyntactic processing whereas the LH and RH FS+ groups showed biphasic N400-P600 patterns. N400s in LH and RH FS+ groups are consistent with theories that associate left-handedness (self or familial) with increased reliance on lexical/semantic mechanisms during language processing. Inspection of individual-level results illustrated that variability in RH FS- individuals' morphosyntactic processing was remarkably low: most individuals were P600-dominant. In contrast, LH and RH FS+ individuals showed marked variability in brain responses, which was similar for both groups: half of individuals were N400-dominant and half were P600-dominant. Our findings have implications for neurocognitive models of language that have been largely formulated around data from only right-handers without accounting for familial sinistrality or including left-handers, and moreover highlight that there is systematic - and often ignored - variability in language processing outcomes in neurologically healthy populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Low-Level Prenatal Exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs on Empathizing, Systemizing and Autistic Traits: Results from the Duisburg Birth Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Nowack, Nikola; Wittsiepe, Jürgen; Kasper-Sonnenberg, Monika; Wilhelm, Michael; Schölmerich, Axel

2015-01-01

Background Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are assumed to act as endocrine disruptor chemicals. Prenatal exposure to these pollutants might influence fetal steroid hormone levels, which are thought to be related to sex-typical development and autistic traits. Objectives We examined associations of prenatal levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs with autism traits and sex-typical behaviour in childhood. Methods We measured levels of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in maternal blood samples during pregnancy using gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. Sex-typical behaviour was assessed at 9 years of age (n = 96) and autistic traits at 10 years of age using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS; n = 100). Multiple regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between prenatal exposure and outcome variables. Results Blood concentrations (WHO2005-TEq) of ƩPCDD/Fs ranged from 2.93–46.45 pg/g lipid base (median = 12.91 pg/g lipid base) and concentrations of ƩPCBs were in the range of 1.24–25.47 pg/g lipid base (median = 6.85 pg/g lipid base) which is within the range of German background exposure. We found significant negative associations between PCDD/F levels in maternal blood and SRS scores in the whole group (β = -6.66, p < .05), in girls (β = -10.98, p < .05) and, in one SRS subscale, in boys (β = -6.86, p < .05). For PCB levels, associations with one SRS subscale were significant for the whole study group as were associations with two subscales in girls. We did not find significant associations between PCDD/F or PCB levels and sex-typical behaviour for either sex. Conclusions In an earlier part of this study, prenatal exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs was found to be associated with lower testosterone levels, therefore, our findings are consistent with the idea that autism spectrum conditions are related to fetal androgen levels. Several possible mechanisms, through which PCDD/Fs and PCBs might influence autistic behaviour, are discussed. PMID:26066795

Comparison of minimally invasive spine surgery using intraoperative computed tomography integrated navigation, fluoroscopy, and conventional open surgery for lumbar spondylolisthesis: a prospective registry-based cohort study.

PubMed

Wu, Meng-Huang; Dubey, Navneet Kumar; Li, Yen-Yao; Lee, Ching-Yu; Cheng, Chin-Chang; Shi, Chung-Sheng; Huang, Tsung-Jen

2017-08-01

To date, the surgical approaches for the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis by transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) using minimally invasive spine surgery assisted with intraoperative computed tomography image-integrated navigation (MISS-iCT), fluoroscopy (MISS-FS), and conventional open surgery (OS) are debatable. This study compared TLIF using MISS-iCT, MISS-FS, and OS for treatment of one-level lumbar spondylolisthesis. This is a prospective, registry-based cohort study that compared surgical approaches for patients who underwent surgical treatment for one-level lumbar spondylolisthesis. One hundred twenty-four patients from January 2010 to March 2012 in a medical center were recruited. The outcome measures were clinical assessments, including Short-Form 12, visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index, Core Outcome Measurement Index, and patient satisfaction, and blood loss, hospital stay, operation time, postoperative pedicle screw accuracy, and superior-level facet violation. All surgeries were performed by two senior surgeons together. Ninety-nine patients (40M, 59F) who had at least 2 years' follow-up were divided into three groups according to the operation methods: MISS-iCT (N=24), MISS-FS (N=23), and OS (N=52) groups. Charts and surgical records along with postoperative CT images were assessed. MISS-iCT and MISS-FS demonstrated a significantly lowered blood loss and hospital stay compared with OS group (p<.01). Operation time was significantly lower in the MISS-iCT and OS groups compared with the MISS-FS group (p=.002). Postoperatively, VAS scores at 1 year and 2 years were significantly improved in the MISS-iCT and MISS-FS groups compared with the OS groups. No significant difference in the number of pedicle screw breach (>2 mm) was found. However, a lower superior-level facet violation rate was observed in the MISS-iCT and OS groups (p=.049). MISS-iCT TLIF demonstrated reduced operation time, blood loss, superior-level facet violation, hospital stay, and improved functional outcomes compared with the MISS-FS and OS approaches. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RAD50 germline mutations are associated with poor survival in BRCA1/2-negative breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Fan, Cong; Zhang, Juan; Ouyang, Tao; Li, Jinfeng; Wang, Tianfeng; Fan, Zhaoqing; Fan, Tie; Lin, Benyao; Xie, Yuntao

2018-05-04

RAD50 is a highly conserved DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair gene. However, the associations between RAD50 germline mutations and the survival and risk of breast cancer have not been fully elucidated. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical impact of RAD50 germline mutations in a large cohort of unselected breast cancer patients. In this study, RAD50 germline mutations were determined using next-generation sequencing in 7657 consecutive unselected breast cancer patients without BRCA1/2 mutations. We also screened for RAD50 recurrent mutations (L719fs, K994fs, and H1269fs) in 5000 healthy controls using Sanger sequencing. We found that 26 out of 7657 (0.34%) patients had RAD50 pathogenic mutations, and 16 patients carried one of the three recurrent mutations (L719fs, n=6 cases; K994fs, n=5 cases; and H1269fs, n=5 cases); the recurrent mutation rate was 0.21%. The frequency of the three recurrent mutations in the 5000 healthy controls was 0.18% (9/5000). These mutations did not confer an increased risk of breast cancer in the studied patients [odds ratios (OR), 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.51-2.63; P = 0.72]. Nevertheless, multivariate analysis revealed that RAD50 pathogenic mutations were an independent unfavourable predictor of recurrence-free survival (RFS) [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 2.66; 95% CI, 1.18-5.98; P=0.018] and disease-specific survival (DSS) (adjusted HR 4.36; 95% CI, 1.58-12.03; P=0.004) in the entire study cohort. Our study suggested that RAD50 germline mutations are not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, but patients with RAD50 germline mutations have unfavourable survival compared with patients without these mutations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 UICC.

Echocardiographic Linear Fractional Shortening for Quantification of Right Ventricular Systolic Function - a Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Validation Study

PubMed Central

Srinivasan, Aparna; Kim, Jiwon; Khalique, Omar; Geevarghese, Alexi; Rusli, Melissa; Shah, Tara; Di Franco, Antonino; Alakbarli, Javid; Goldburg, Samantha; Rozenstrauch, Meenakshi; Devereux, Richard B.; Weinsaft, Jonathan W.

2017-01-01

Background Echocardiography (Echo)-based linear fractional shortening (FS) is widely used to assess left ventricular dysfunction (LVdys), but has not been systematically tested for right ventricular dysfunction (RVdys). Methods The population comprised LVdys patients with and without RVdys (EF<50%) on cardiac MRI (CMR): Echo included standard RV indices (fractional area change [FAC], TAPSE, S’ and FS in parasternal long axis (RV outflow tract [RVOT]) and apical 4-chamber views (width [RVWD], length [RVLG]). Results 168 patients underwent echo and CMR (3±3 days); FAC (46±9 vs. 28±11), TAPSE (1.9±0.4 vs. 1.5±0.3) and S’ (11.4±2.3 vs. 10.0±2.6, all p≤ 0.001) were lower among RVdys patients, as were FS indices (RVOT 32±8 vs 17±10 | RVWD 40±11 vs 22±12 | RVLG 16±5 vs 9±4%; all p<0.001). FS indices yielded similar magnitude of correlation with CMR RVEF (r=0.73–0.56) as did FAC (r=0.70), which was slightly higher than TAPSE (r=0.47) and S’ (r=0.31; all p<0.001). FS indices decreased stepwise vs. CMR RVEF tertiles, as did FAC (all p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, FS in RVOT (regression coefficient 0.51 [CI 0.37–0.65]), RVWD (0.30 [0.19–0.41]), and RVLG (0.45 [0.20–0.71]; all p≤ 0.001) were independently associated with CMR RVEF. FS indices yielded good overall diagnostic performance (AUC: RVOT 0.89 [CI 0.82–0.97] | RVWD 0.87 [0.78–0.96] | RVLG 0.80 [0.70–0.90]; all p<0.001) for CMR-defined RVdy (RVEF<50%). Conclusions RV linear FS provides RV functional indices that parallel CMR RVEF. Parasternal long-axis RVOT width, 4-chamber RV width and length are independently associated with RVEF, supporting use of multiple FS indices for RV functional assessment. PMID:28247463

Early Changes in Ocular Surface and Tear Inflammatory Mediators after Small-Incision Lenticule Extraction and Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Laser In Situ Keratomileusis

PubMed Central

Gao, Shaohui; Li, Saiqun; Liu, Liangping; Wang, Yong; Ding, Hui; Li, Lili; Zhong, Xingwu

2014-01-01

Purpose To characterize the early ocular-surface changes or tear inflammatory-mediators levels following small-incision lenticule extraction (ReLEx smile) and femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). Methods Forty-seven myopic subjects were recruited for this prospective study. Fifteen underwent ReLEx smile and thirty-two underwent FS-LASIK. Corneal fluorescein (FL) staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer I test (SIT), ocular surface disease index (OSDI) and central corneal sensitivity were evaluated in all participants. Tears were collected and analyzed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nerve growth factor (NGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) levels using multiplex magnetic beads. All measurements were preformed preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively. Results FL scores in ReLEx smile group were lower than those of FS-LASIK group 1 week postoperatively (P = 0.010). Compared to the FS-LASIK group, longer TBUT were observed in ReLEx smile group 1 month (P = 0.029) and 3 months (P = 0.045) postoperatively. No significant differences were found in tear secretion for the two groups (P>0.05). OSDI scores were higher in FS-LASIK group 1 month after surgery (P = 0.020). Higher central corneal sensitivity was observed in ReLEx smile group 1 week, 1 month and 3 months (P<0.05) postoperatively. Compared to FS-LASIK group, lower and faster recovery of IL-6 and NGF levels in tears was observed in ReLEx smile group postoperatively (P<0.05). Tears TNF-α and ICAM-1 concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups at any follow-up time (P>0.05). Moreover, IL-6 and NGF levels correlated with ocular surface changes after ReLEx smile or FS-LASIK. Conclusions In the early postoperative period, ReLEx smile results in milder ocular surface changes than FS-LASIK. Furthermore, the tear inflammatory mediators IL-6 and NGF may play a crucial role in the ocular surface healing process following ReLEx smile and FS-LASIK. PMID:25211490

Early changes in ocular surface and tear inflammatory mediators after small-incision lenticule extraction and femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis.

PubMed

Gao, Shaohui; Li, Saiqun; Liu, Liangping; Wang, Yong; Ding, Hui; Li, Lili; Zhong, Xingwu

2014-01-01

To characterize the early ocular-surface changes or tear inflammatory-mediators levels following small-incision lenticule extraction (ReLEx smile) and femtosecond laser-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). Forty-seven myopic subjects were recruited for this prospective study. Fifteen underwent ReLEx smile and thirty-two underwent FS-LASIK. Corneal fluorescein (FL) staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer I test (SIT), ocular surface disease index (OSDI) and central corneal sensitivity were evaluated in all participants. Tears were collected and analyzed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nerve growth factor (NGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) levels using multiplex magnetic beads. All measurements were preformed preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively. FL scores in ReLEx smile group were lower than those of FS-LASIK group 1 week postoperatively (P = 0.010). Compared to the FS-LASIK group, longer TBUT were observed in ReLEx smile group 1 month (P = 0.029) and 3 months (P = 0.045) postoperatively. No significant differences were found in tear secretion for the two groups (P>0.05). OSDI scores were higher in FS-LASIK group 1 month after surgery (P = 0.020). Higher central corneal sensitivity was observed in ReLEx smile group 1 week, 1 month and 3 months (P<0.05) postoperatively. Compared to FS-LASIK group, lower and faster recovery of IL-6 and NGF levels in tears was observed in ReLEx smile group postoperatively (P<0.05). Tears TNF-α and ICAM-1 concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups at any follow-up time (P>0.05). Moreover, IL-6 and NGF levels correlated with ocular surface changes after ReLEx smile or FS-LASIK. In the early postoperative period, ReLEx smile results in milder ocular surface changes than FS-LASIK. Furthermore, the tear inflammatory mediators IL-6 and NGF may play a crucial role in the ocular surface healing process following ReLEx smile and FS-LASIK.

Epistatic mutations in PUMA BH3 drive an alternate binding mode to potently and selectively inhibit anti-apoptotic Bfl-1

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

Jenson, Justin M.; Ryan, Jeremy A.; Grant, Robert A.

Overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins contributes to cancer progression and confers resistance to chemotherapy. Small molecules that target Bcl-2 are used in the clinic to treat leukemia, but tight and selective inhibitors are not available for Bcl-2 paralog Bfl-1. Guided by computational analysis, we designed variants of the native BH3 motif PUMA that are > 150-fold selective for Bfl-1 binding. The designed peptides potently trigger disruption of the mitochondrial outer membrane in cells dependent on Bfl-1, but not in cells dependent on other anti-apoptotic homologs. High-resolution crystal structures show that designed peptide FS2 binds Bfl-1 in a shifted geometry,more » relative to PUMA and other binding partners, due to a set of epistatic mutations. FS2 modified with an electrophile reacts with a cysteine near the peptide-binding groove to augment specificity. Designed Bfl-1 binders provide reagents for cellular profiling and leads for developing enhanced and cell-permeable peptide or small-molecule inhibitors.« less

Tribological performance of titanium samples oxidized by fs-laser radiation, thermal heating, or electrochemical anodization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirner, S. V.; Slachciak, N.; Elert, A. M.; Griepentrog, M.; Fischer, D.; Hertwig, A.; Sahre, M.; Dörfel, I.; Sturm, H.; Pentzien, S.; Koter, R.; Spaltmann, D.; Krüger, J.; Bonse, J.

2018-04-01

Commercial grade-1 titanium samples (Ti, 99.6%) were treated using three alternative methods, (i) femtosecond laser processing, (ii) thermal heat treatment, and (iii) electrochemical anodization, respectively, resulting in the formation of differently conditioned superficial titanium oxide layers. The laser processing (i) was carried out by a Ti:sapphire laser (pulse duration 30 fs, central wavelength 790 nm, pulse repetition rate 1 kHz) in a regime of generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). The experimental conditions (laser fluence, spatial spot overlap) were optimized in a sample-scanning setup for the processing of several square-millimeters large surface areas covered homogeneously by these nanostructures. The differently oxidized titanium surfaces were characterized by optical microscopy, micro Raman spectroscopy, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, and instrumented indentation testing. The tribological performance was characterized in the regime of mixed friction by reciprocating sliding tests against a sphere of hardened steel in fully formulated engine oil as lubricant. The specific tribological performance of the differently treated surfaces is discussed with respect to possible physical and chemical mechanisms.

Epistatic mutations in PUMA BH3 drive an alternate binding mode to potently and selectively inhibit anti-apoptotic Bfl-1

PubMed Central

Jenson, Justin M; Ryan, Jeremy A; Grant, Robert A; Letai, Anthony; Keating, Amy E

2017-01-01

Overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins contributes to cancer progression and confers resistance to chemotherapy. Small molecules that target Bcl-2 are used in the clinic to treat leukemia, but tight and selective inhibitors are not available for Bcl-2 paralog Bfl-1. Guided by computational analysis, we designed variants of the native BH3 motif PUMA that are > 150-fold selective for Bfl-1 binding. The designed peptides potently trigger disruption of the mitochondrial outer membrane in cells dependent on Bfl-1, but not in cells dependent on other anti-apoptotic homologs. High-resolution crystal structures show that designed peptide FS2 binds Bfl-1 in a shifted geometry, relative to PUMA and other binding partners, due to a set of epistatic mutations. FS2 modified with an electrophile reacts with a cysteine near the peptide-binding groove to augment specificity. Designed Bfl-1 binders provide reagents for cellular profiling and leads for developing enhanced and cell-permeable peptide or small-molecule inhibitors. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25541.001 PMID:28594323

Analysis of chirality by femtosecond laser ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Horsch, Philipp; Urbasch, Gunter; Weitzel, Karl-Michael

2012-09-01

Recent progress in the field of chirality analysis employing laser ionization mass spectrometry is reviewed. Emphasis is given to femtosecond (fs) laser ionization work from the author's group. We begin by reviewing fundamental aspects of determining circular dichroism (CD) in fs-laser ionization mass spectrometry (fs-LIMS) discussing an example from the literature (resonant fs-LIMS of 3-methylcyclopentanone). Second, we present new data indicating CD in non-resonant fs-LIMS of propylene oxide. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

The impact of frozen sections on final surgical margins in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and lips: a retrospective analysis over an 11 years period

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Taking intraoperative frozen sections (FS) is a widely used procedure in oncologic surgery. However so far no evidence of an association of FS analysis and premalignant changes in the surgical margin exists. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of FS on different categories of the final margins of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity and lips. Methods FS, pT-stage, grading, and tumor localization of 178 patients with SCC of the oral cavity and lips were compared by uni- and multivariate analysis in patients with positive, dysplastic and negative surgical margin status. Results Performed on 111 patients (62.4%), intraoperative FS did not have any statistically significant influence on final margin status, independent of whether it was positive (p = 0.40), dysplastic (p = 0.70), or negative (p = 0.70). Positive surgical margins in permanent sections were significantly associated with pT4-tumors (OR 5.61, p = 0.001). The chance for negative margins in permanent sections was significantly higher in tumors located in the tongue (OR 4.70, p = 0.01). Conclusions Our data suggests that intraoperative FS in SCC can be useful in selected cases. However it is not advisable as a routine approach. PMID:22208692

The influence of femtosecond laser pulse wavelength on embryonic stem cell differentiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mthunzi, Patience

2012-10-01

Stem cells are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and various other cellular components which are responsible for a diversity of functions. Mostly the building blocks of these intracellular entities play an active role in absorbing ultra-violet (UV) and visible light sources. Light-matter interactions in biomaterials are a complex situation and subsequent damage may not always amount only from wavelength dependent effects but may also be driven by a wealth of other optical parameters which may lead to a variety photochemical reactions. Previously, literature has reported efficient photo-transfection and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells via near infrared (NIR) femtosecond (fs) laser pulses with minimum compromise to their viability. Therefore, in this study the influence of using different fs laser wavelengths on optical stem cell transfection and differentiation is investigated. A potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal was employed in frequency doubling a 1064 nm fs laser beam. The newly generated 532 nm fs pulsed beam was then utilized for the first time in transient photo-transfection of ES-E14TG2a mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells. Compared to using 1064 nm fs pulses which non-invasively introduce plasmid DNA and other macromolecules into mES cells, our results showed a significant decline in the photo-transfection efficiency following transfecting with a pulsed fs visible green beam.

Improvement of the tissue-adhesive and sealing effect of fibrin sealant using polyglycolic acid felt.

PubMed

Shinya, Noriko; Oka, Shirou; Miyabashira, Sumika; Kaetsu, Hiroshi; Uchida, Takanori; Sueyoshi, Masuo; Takase, Kozo; Akuzawa, Masao; Miyamoto, Atsushi; Shigaki, Takamichi

2009-01-01

Although fibrin sealant (FS) has an advantage of high biocompatibility, its adhesive force and sealing effect have been generally considered to be inadequate. In the present study, a high adhesive force and sealing effect were obtained by first rubbing fibrinogen solution into the target tissue, attaching polyglycolic acid (PGA) felt to the treated area, and finally spraying it with FS. This method was compared with three conventional FS application methods and a method using fibrin glue-coated collagen fleece. The adhesive force resulting from the present method was 12 times higher than that for the sequential application method, 4.5 times higher than the spray method, 2.5 times higher than the rubbing and spray method, and 2.2 times higher than the use of fibrin glue-coated collagen fleece. The high adhesive force of FS with PGA felt seemed to be due the high fibrin content of the fibrin gel (FG). Light and electron microscopic observations suggested that the formation of FG in closer contact with the muscle fibers was a factor contributing to this superior adhesive force. Comparison of the sealing effect of the present method with other methods using various biomaterials in combination with FS showed that the sealing effect of FS with PGA felt was 1.4 times higher that of polyglactin 910, 1.8 times that of polytetrafluoroethylene, and 6.7 times that of oxidized regenerated cellulose.

Compatibility between dental adhesive systems and dual-polymerizing composite resins.

PubMed

Michaud, Pierre-Luc; MacKenzie, Alexandra

2016-10-01

Information is lacking about incompatibilities between certain types of adhesive systems and dual-polymerizing composite resins, and universal adhesives have yet to be tested with these resins. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the bonding outcome of dual-polymerizing foundation composite resins by using different categories of adhesive solutions and to determine whether incompatibilities were present. One hundred and eighty caries-free, extracted third molar teeth were allocated to 9 groups (n=20), in which 3 different bonding agents (Single Bond Plus [SB]), Scotchbond Multi-purpose [MP], and Scotchbond Universal [SU]) were used to bond 3 different composite resins (CompCore AF [CC], Core Paste XP [CP], and Filtek Supreme Ultra [FS]). After restorations had been fabricated using an Ultradent device, the specimens were stored in water at 37°C for 24 hours. The specimens were tested under shear force at a rate of 0.5 mm/min. The data were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis tests and post hoc pairwise comparisons (α=.05). All 3 composite resins produced comparable shear bond strengths when used with MP (P=.076). However, when either SB or SU was used, the light-polymerized composite resin (FS) and 1 dual-polymerized foundation composite resin (CC) bonded significantly better than the other dual-polymerized foundation composite resin (CP) (P<.005). Both FS and CC performed best with SU but had acceptable results with all of the bonding agents. CP only performed acceptably with MP (P=.023) and had poor results with both other agents. Dual-polymerizing composite resins can obtain equally good bond strengths as light-polymerizing alternatives. However, not all dual-polymerizing composite resins perform well with all bonding systems; some incompatibilities exist between different products. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Diagnostic validity of the intraoperative analysis in frozen section of the sentinel lymph node in the surgical management of breast cancer].

PubMed

Bañuelos-Andrío, Luis; Rodríguez-Caravaca, Gil; Argüelles-Pintos, Miguel; Mitjavilla-Casanovas, Mercedes

2014-01-01

The method for intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) evaluation has still not been established in breast cancer staging. This study has evaluated the diagnostic validity and impact of intraoperative analysis using the frozen section (FS) of SLN. We performed a descriptive study of the diagnostic validity of the FS of the SLN in patients with breast cancer and selective sentinel node biopsy (SSNB) from October-2006 to October-2012. The diagnostic validity indexes were evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and global value. Gold standard was considered as the final histopathological results of the biopsies. A total of 370 patients were studied. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of metastasis by FS in the SLN were 67% and 100%, respectively. Global diagnostic validity was 95%. There was a correlation between detection of metastasis and tumor size (p<0.05). Twelve of the 15 patients with SLN micro-metastases underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Metastatic lymph nodes were not found in any of them. Intraoperative FS examination of the SLN is a useful and reliable predictor of axillary lymph node staging in patients with initial stages of breast cancer. FS reduces the need for second interventions, at least for most patients who have breast cancer with identifiable positive SLN and unequivocal evidence of positive lymph node disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

Polychlorinated dioxins, furans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) and indicator PCBs (ind-PCBs) in egg and egg products in Turkey.

PubMed

Olanca, Burcu; Cakirogullari, Gul Celik; Ucar, Yunus; Kirisik, Dursun; Kilic, Devrim

2014-01-01

The aim of the study is to determine concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) and indicator PCBs (ind-PCBs) in eggs from cage hens without soil contact, pasteurized egg samples and imported egg yolk powder samples in Turkey. Concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs, and ind-PCBs in eggs and pasteurized egg samples are in the range of 0.247-1.527 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)g(-1) fat, 0.282-1.762 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)g(-1) fat and 202-1,235 pg g(-1) fat, respectively. For egg yolk powder samples, concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs, and ind-PCBs are in the range of 0.122-0.494 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)g(-1) fat, 0.214-0.640 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)g(-1) fat and 217-1,498 pg g(-1) fat, respectively. All results for PCDD/Fs, PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs, and ind-PCBs are below the values of 2.5 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)g(-1) fat, 5.0 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)g(-1) fat and 40 ng g(-1) fat imposed in Turkish Regulation for eggs and egg products, respectively. In all samples 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD and PCB126 are the most prominent congeners. Mean estimated daily exposure to PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs for Turkish population from egg is 0.011 pg WHO-TEQ(2005)d(-1)kg body weight (bw)(-1). Although the exposure levels are below the TDI of 2 pg WHO-TEQ(1998)kg bw(-1), the results were based only on consumption of egg. In order to estimate total dietary intake for Turkish population, various food items should be investigated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of the de novo synthesis of PCDD/Fs on model fly ash by sludge drying gases.

PubMed

Chen, Tong; Zhan, Ming-Xiu; Lin, Xiao-Qing; Li, Xiao-Dong; Lu, Sheng-Yong; Yan, Jian-Hua; Buekens, Alfons; Cen, Ke-Fa

2014-11-01

Sludge drying gases (SDG), evolving from drying and mild thermal decomposition (<300°C) of raw sewage sludge contain NH3 and SO2 as well as other N- and S-compounds. All of these are potential PCDD/Fs suppressants. It is indeed observed that these SDG suppress 2,3,7,8-substitued PCDD/Fs formation on Model Fly Ash (MFA) with an efficiency up to 97.6% in wt. units and 96% in I-TEQ, respectively. This suppression is strong for (the bulk of) PCDD/Fs, adsorbed on the model fly ash; conversely, sludge drying gases enhance PCDD/Fs desorption from MFA. Moreover, TCDD/Fs are suppressed least, possibly following stepwise dechlorination of higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs. Characteristics, such as the type, origins and amount of sludge, its moisture-, nitrogen- and sulfur content and the nature of the thermal treatment applied are all expected to influence upon the suppression capabilities. In this study three types of dry sludge are tested and applied as suppressant in four different amounts or modes. The quality of the sludge drying gases is continuously monitored: the Gasmet results reveal that NH3 and SO2 are the most important components of SDG. The MFA reaction residue is scrutinized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) analysis. A large number of particles attaching to the surface of model fly ash are observed by SEM. Moreover, EDS analysis reveals that part of the chlorine in MFA is carried away with the SDG and replaced by sulfur, so that eliminating chlorine may be part of the inhibition mechanism. However, further research is still needed to establish the optimum operating modes and to confirm the role of both inorganic and organic nitrogen and sulfur compounds in the suppression of PCDD/Fs formation on model fly ash. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence and impact of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans in the air and soil around a municipal solid waste incinerator.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhiguang; Ren, Yue; Chu, Jiazhi; Li, Nan; Zhen, Sen; Zhao, Hu; Fan, Shuang; Zhang, Hui; Xu, Pengjun; Qi, Li; Liang, Shuting; Zhao, Bin

2016-06-01

To assess the influence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) on the environment in the vicinity of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs), we determined the levels of PCDD/Fs in air and soil samples collected around a MSWI, which is the largest in China. The International Toxicity Equivalency Quantity (I-TEQ) concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air samples were from 0.0300 to 1.03pgI-TEQ/m(3) (0.445-13.6pg/m(3)), with an average of 0.237pgI-TEQ/m(3), while in soil samples they ranged from 0.520 to 3.40pgI-TEQ/g (2.41-88.7pg/g) with an average of 1.49pgI-TEQ/g. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air and soil samples were comparable to other areas, and PeCDFs were the dominant contributors, which was different from stack gas homologue patterns. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that PCDD/Fs emission from the MSWI did not directly affect the profiles of PCDD/Fs in air and soils, so that vehicles and unidentified emission sources should be considered. The daily inhalation levels of PCDD/Fs for children (0.0110 to 0.392pgI-TEQ/(kg·day) and adults (0.00600 to 0.221pgI-TEQ/(kg·day) near the MSWI were lower than the tolerable daily intake of 1.00 to 4.00pg WHO-TEQ/(kg·day), but in winter the values were higher than in summer. These results can be used as basic data for assessing the risk of PCDD/Fs exposure in residents living around this MSWI, and more monitoring programs and studies should be carried out around MSWIs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

USAARL NUH-60FS Acoustic Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

Performance Division (APPD) previously acoustically characterized the Black Hawk flight simulator (NUH-60FS). Since that characterization, the NUH-60FS...greater than one for higher-level speakers. Black Hawk flight simulator, noise level, third octave band level UNCLAS UNCLAS UNCLAS SAR 52 Loraine St. Onge...Research Laboratory NUH-60FS Black Hawk Flight Simulator

SeaWiFS Technical Report Series. Volume 39; SeaWiFS Calibration Topics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Barnes, Robert A.; Yeh, Eueng-nan; Eplee, Robert E.

1996-01-01

For Earth-observing satellite instruments, it was standard to consider each instrument band to have a spectral response that is infinitely narrow, i.e., to have a response from a single wavelength. The Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) bands, however, have nominal spectral bandwidths of 20 and 40nm. These bandwidths affect the SeaWiFS measurements on orbit. The effects are also linked to the manner in which the instrument was calibrated and to the spectral shape of the radiance that SeaWiFS views. Currently, SeaWiFS is calibrated such that the digital counts from each instrument band are linked to the Earth-exiting radiance at an individual center wavelength. Before launch, SeaWiFS will be recalibrated so that the digital counts from each band will be linked to the Earth-exiting radiance integrated over the spectral response of that band. In this technical memorandum, the effects of the instrument calibration and the source spectral shape on SeaWiFS measurements, including the in-band and out-of-band responses, and the center wavelengths are discussed.

Follistatin does not influence the course of Escherichia coli K1 sepsis in a mouse model.

PubMed

Dieelberg, Catharina; Ribes, Sandra; Michel, Uwe; Redlich, Sandra; Brück, Wolfgang; Nau, Roland; Schütze, Sandra

2012-12-01

Follistatin (FS) is the binding protein of activin A and inhibits its actions. The activin/FS system participates in the fine tuning of the immune response, and concentrations of activin A and FS are elevated in serum of patients with sepsis. Intraperitoneal injection of FS markedly reduced mortality after lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in a mouse model. Here, we investigated whether FS also influences the disease course in a mouse model of sepsis induced by intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli K1, a gram-negative bacterium frequently causing septic bacterial infections. Intraperitoneal injection of 10 μg/mL FS 30 min before infection did not influence survival, weight, motor performance, or bacterial titers of the infected mice. Thus, we could not confirm the protective effect of FS observed during lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in our mouse model of E. coli sepsis. Although it is a promising therapeutic tool in chronic or acute inflammatory conditions not caused by virulent pathogens, FS does not seem to increase the resistance to bacterial infections.

Joint Transmit and Receive Filter Optimization for Sub-Nyquist Delay-Doppler Estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenz, Andreas; Stein, Manuel S.; Swindlehurst, A. Lee

2018-05-01

In this article, a framework is presented for the joint optimization of the analog transmit and receive filter with respect to a parameter estimation problem. At the receiver, conventional signal processing systems restrict the two-sided bandwidth of the analog pre-filter $B$ to the rate of the analog-to-digital converter $f_s$ to comply with the well-known Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem. In contrast, here we consider a transceiver that by design violates the common paradigm $B\\leq f_s$. To this end, at the receiver, we allow for a higher pre-filter bandwidth $B>f_s$ and study the achievable parameter estimation accuracy under a fixed sampling rate when the transmit and receive filter are jointly optimized with respect to the Bayesian Cram\\'{e}r-Rao lower bound. For the case of delay-Doppler estimation, we propose to approximate the required Fisher information matrix and solve the transceiver design problem by an alternating optimization algorithm. The presented approach allows us to explore the Pareto-optimal region spanned by transmit and receive filters which are favorable under a weighted mean squared error criterion. We also discuss the computational complexity of the obtained transceiver design by visualizing the resulting ambiguity function. Finally, we verify the performance of the optimized designs by Monte-Carlo simulations of a likelihood-based estimator.

Chelating capture and magnetic removal of non-magnetic heavy metal substances from soil

PubMed Central

Fan, Liren; Song, Jiqing; Bai, Wenbo; Wang, Shengping; Zeng, Ming; Li, Xiaoming; Zhou, Yang; Li, Haifeng; Lu, Haiwei

2016-01-01

A soil remediation method based on magnetic beneficiation is reported. A new magnetic solid chelator powder, FS@IDA (core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles coated with iminodiacetic acid chelators), was used as a reactive magnetic carrier to selectively capture non-magnetic heavy metals in soil by chelation and removal by magnetic separation. FS@IDA was prepared via inorganic-organic and organic synthesis reactions that generated chelating groups on the surface of magnetic, multi-core, core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 (FS) nanoparticles. These reactions used a silane coupling agent and sodium chloroacetate. The results show that FS@IDA could chelate the heavy metal component of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu and Ni carbonates, lead sulfate and lead chloride in water-insoluble salt systems. The resulting FS@IDA-Cd and FS@IDA-Pb chelates could be magnetically separated, resulting in removal rates of approximately 84.9% and 72.2% for Cd and Pb, respectively. FS@IDA could not remove the residual heavy metals and those bound to organic matter in the soil. FS@IDA did not significantly alter the chemical composition of the soil, and it allowed for fast chelating capture, simple magnetic separation and facilitated heavy metal elution. FS@IDA could also be easily prepared and reprocessed. PMID:26878770

New directions in the CernVM file system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blomer, Jakob; Buncic, Predrag; Ganis, Gerardo; Hardi, Nikola; Meusel, Rene; Popescu, Radu

2017-10-01

The CernVM File System today is commonly used to host and distribute application software stacks. In addition to this core task, recent developments expand the scope of the file system into two new areas. Firstly, CernVM-FS emerges as a good match for container engines to distribute the container image contents. Compared to native container image distribution (e.g. through the “Docker registry”), CernVM-FS massively reduces the network traffic for image distribution. This has been shown, for instance, by a prototype integration of CernVM-FS into Mesos developed by Mesosphere, Inc. We present a path for a smooth integration of CernVM-FS and Docker. Secondly, CernVM-FS recently raised new interest as an option for the distribution of experiment conditions data. Here, the focus is on improved versioning capabilities of CernVM-FS that allows to link the conditions data of a run period to the state of a CernVM-FS repository. Lastly, CernVM-FS has been extended to provide a name space for physics data for the LIGO and CMS collaborations. Searching through a data namespace is often done by a central, experiment specific database service. A name space on CernVM-FS can particularly benefit from an existing, scalable infrastructure and from the POSIX file system interface.

Chelating capture and magnetic removal of non-magnetic heavy metal substances from soil.

PubMed

Fan, Liren; Song, Jiqing; Bai, Wenbo; Wang, Shengping; Zeng, Ming; Li, Xiaoming; Zhou, Yang; Li, Haifeng; Lu, Haiwei

2016-02-16

A soil remediation method based on magnetic beneficiation is reported. A new magnetic solid chelator powder, FS@IDA (core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles coated with iminodiacetic acid chelators), was used as a reactive magnetic carrier to selectively capture non-magnetic heavy metals in soil by chelation and removal by magnetic separation. FS@IDA was prepared via inorganic-organic and organic synthesis reactions that generated chelating groups on the surface of magnetic, multi-core, core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 (FS) nanoparticles. These reactions used a silane coupling agent and sodium chloroacetate. The results show that FS@IDA could chelate the heavy metal component of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu and Ni carbonates, lead sulfate and lead chloride in water-insoluble salt systems. The resulting FS@IDA-Cd and FS@IDA-Pb chelates could be magnetically separated, resulting in removal rates of approximately 84.9% and 72.2% for Cd and Pb, respectively. FS@IDA could not remove the residual heavy metals and those bound to organic matter in the soil. FS@IDA did not significantly alter the chemical composition of the soil, and it allowed for fast chelating capture, simple magnetic separation and facilitated heavy metal elution. FS@IDA could also be easily prepared and reprocessed.

Chelating capture and magnetic removal of non-magnetic heavy metal substances from soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Liren; Song, Jiqing; Bai, Wenbo; Wang, Shengping; Zeng, Ming; Li, Xiaoming; Zhou, Yang; Li, Haifeng; Lu, Haiwei

2016-02-01

A soil remediation method based on magnetic beneficiation is reported. A new magnetic solid chelator powder, FS@IDA (core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles coated with iminodiacetic acid chelators), was used as a reactive magnetic carrier to selectively capture non-magnetic heavy metals in soil by chelation and removal by magnetic separation. FS@IDA was prepared via inorganic-organic and organic synthesis reactions that generated chelating groups on the surface of magnetic, multi-core, core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 (FS) nanoparticles. These reactions used a silane coupling agent and sodium chloroacetate. The results show that FS@IDA could chelate the heavy metal component of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu and Ni carbonates, lead sulfate and lead chloride in water-insoluble salt systems. The resulting FS@IDA-Cd and FS@IDA-Pb chelates could be magnetically separated, resulting in removal rates of approximately 84.9% and 72.2% for Cd and Pb, respectively. FS@IDA could not remove the residual heavy metals and those bound to organic matter in the soil. FS@IDA did not significantly alter the chemical composition of the soil, and it allowed for fast chelating capture, simple magnetic separation and facilitated heavy metal elution. FS@IDA could also be easily prepared and reprocessed.

SeaWiFS Postlaunch Technical Report Series. Volume 4; The 1997 Prelaunch Radiometric Calibration of SeaWiFS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Johnson, B. Carol; Early, Edward E.; Eplee, Robert E., Jr.; Barnes, Robert A.; Caffrey, Robert T.

1999-01-01

The Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) was originally calibrated by the instrument's manufacturer, Santa Barbara Research Center (SBRC), in November 1993. In preparation for an August 1997 launch, the SeaWiFS Project and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) undertook a second calibration of SeaWiFS in January and April 1997 at the facility of the spacecraft integrator, Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC). This calibration occurred in two phases, the first after the final thermal vacuum test, and the second after the final vibration test of the spacecraft. For the calibration, SeaWiFS observed an integrating sphere from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) at four radiance levels. The spectral radiance of the sphere at these radiance levels was also measured by the SeaWiFS Transfer Radiometer (SXR). In addition, during the calibration, SeaWiFS and the SXR observed the sphere at 16 radiance levels to determine the linearity of the SeaWiFS response. As part of the calibration analysis, the GSFC sphere was also characterized using a GSFC spectroradiometer. The 1997 calibration agrees with the initial 1993 calibration to within +/- 4%. The new calibration coefficients, computed before and after the vibration test, agree to within 0.5%. The response of the SeaWiFS channels in each band is linear to better than 1%. In order to compare to previous and current methods, the SeaWiFS radiometric responses are presented in two ways: using the nominal center wave-lengths for the eight bands; and using band-averaged spectral radiances. The band-averaged values are used in the flight calibration table. An uncertainty analysis for the calibration coefficients is also presented.

Dry Eye after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) versus Femtosecond Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) for Myopia: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Shen, Zeren; Zhu, Yanan; Song, Xiaohui; Yan, Jie; Yao, Ke

2016-01-01

To compare dry eye after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK (FS-LASIK) for correcting myopia. CENTRAL, Embase and PubMed were searched in November 2016. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohorts that compared dry eye after SMILE with FS-LASIK were selected. Five cohorts and one RCT were identified for comparing dry eye after SMILE (291 eyes) and FS-LASIK (277 eyes). The pooled results revealed that the SMILE and FS-LASIK groups did not differ significantly in terms of Schirmer's I test (SIT) and tear film osmolarity (TFO) at any postoperative visits. By contrast, tear break up time (TBUT; p = 0.04 for one month, p < 0.001 for three months, and p = 0.02 for six months) and ocular surface disease index (OSDI; p < 0.001 for one month and three months, and p = 0.006 for six months) were significantly worse in the FS-LASIK group than in the SMILE group at follow-up. At six months postoperatively, TBUT and TFO values in both the SMILE and FS-LASIK groups and OSDI scores in the SMILE group returned to preoperative levels, but SIT values in both groups (p = 0.02 for the SMILE group and p < 0.001 for the FS-LASIK group) and OSDI in the FS-LASIK group (p < 0.001) were still statistically impaired. Dry eye after both SMILE and FS-LASIK usually occurs transiently. SMILE does not show obvious superiority over FS-LASIK by exhibiting similar and acceptable objective parameters, and SMILE may have milder subjective symptoms.

Dry Eye after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) versus Femtosecond Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) for Myopia: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Shen, Zeren; Zhu, Yanan; Song, Xiaohui; Yan, Jie; Yao, Ke

2016-01-01

Purpose To compare dry eye after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK (FS-LASIK) for correcting myopia. Methods CENTRAL, Embase and PubMed were searched in November 2016. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohorts that compared dry eye after SMILE with FS-LASIK were selected. Results Five cohorts and one RCT were identified for comparing dry eye after SMILE (291 eyes) and FS-LASIK (277 eyes). The pooled results revealed that the SMILE and FS-LASIK groups did not differ significantly in terms of Schirmer’s I test (SIT) and tear film osmolarity (TFO) at any postoperative visits. By contrast, tear break up time (TBUT; p = 0.04 for one month, p < 0.001 for three months, and p = 0.02 for six months) and ocular surface disease index (OSDI; p < 0.001 for one month and three months, and p = 0.006 for six months) were significantly worse in the FS-LASIK group than in the SMILE group at follow-up. At six months postoperatively, TBUT and TFO values in both the SMILE and FS-LASIK groups and OSDI scores in the SMILE group returned to preoperative levels, but SIT values in both groups (p = 0.02 for the SMILE group and p < 0.001 for the FS-LASIK group) and OSDI in the FS-LASIK group (p < 0.001) were still statistically impaired. Conclusion Dry eye after both SMILE and FS-LASIK usually occurs transiently. SMILE does not show obvious superiority over FS-LASIK by exhibiting similar and acceptable objective parameters, and SMILE may have milder subjective symptoms. PMID:27992482

Surgeons' preferences and practice patterns regarding intraoperative frozen section during partial nephrectomy.

PubMed

Sidana, Abhinav; Donovan, James F; Gaitonde, Krishnanath

2014-08-01

Intraoperative frozen section (FS) evaluation for tumor margin during partial nephrectomy (PN) is a matter of controversy in urologic oncology. We evaluated the preferences and practice patterns of urologists regarding intraoperative FS during PN. A 17-item questionnaire was designed to collect information on surgeons' preferences and practice patterns regarding FS during PN. The survey was sent to the members of the Society of Urologic Oncology and Endourological Society. A total of 197 responses were received. Overall, 69% and 58% of respondents chose to obtain FS (always or sometimes) during open PN (OPN) and laparoscopic PN (LPN), respectively. There was a strong correlation between the surgeons' preferences during OPN and LPN. Younger surgeons are less likely to obtain FS during OPN. For surgeons who did not routinely obtain FS, "confidence about complete resection" was the most common reason (79%), followed by "no change in management with positive margins" (35%). Most surgeons (75%) believed the margins to be negative, if surgical margin was free of tumor microscopically by a single cell layer. Older surgeons considered negative margins to be free of tumor microscopically by ≥5 mm. Overall, 54% and 42% of respondents would repeat FS for positive microscopic margins during OPN and LPN, respectively. Of the respondents, 95% would not recommend additional treatment for positive margins on final pathology. Despite recent literature pointing to low clinical utility of FS, most surgeons still obtain FS during PN. Older surgeons tend to obtain FS more often. Fellowship training and practice type do not appear to influence preferences and practice patterns in regard to FS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alternative Optical Architectures for Multichannel Adaptive Optical Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

0j +,de 2; j__ -L12 izi j=#1 Pj F2VSIm YS F2 vdI ) N X exp[,2 x (,j + fF,)t]w.-- akx 2 f Fxxp(-j2Xskr W, (16)fsL 2Iu(-LJ:aherir F2VsIJX( 2 fk))r(6 ka...1:512) -off-we); Puss (offset) -1; Rl-Puls8. *31n(2*pi* ([1: 2048 )4phaisrr ./10.24); sukx1la±(221) ,plM (Rl) tit~le ( ’sen chanrnel niqual’) U~sin loop

Food insecurity is associated with poor sleep outcomes among US adults.

PubMed

Ding, Meng; Keiley, Margaret K; Garza, Kimberly B; Duffy, Patricia A; Zizza, Claire A

2015-03-01

Although food insecure (FI) adults are at risk of chronic conditions, little research attention is given to their health behaviors, such as sleep. We examined the associations between adult food security status and sleep duration, sleep latency, and sleep complaints reported to a health care professional. Our population-based sample included 5637 men and 5264 women (≥22 y) who participated in the NHANES 2005-2010. Food security status was assessed with USDA's 10-item adult Food Security Survey Module. Self-reported information about sleep duration, sleep latency, and sleep complaints to a health care professional were used as sleep outcomes. Multiple linear, stratified by sex, and logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between food security status and the 3 sleep outcomes. Very low food secure (FS) women reported significantly shorter sleep duration than fully FS women (difference: -30 ± 5.2 min; P < 0.01); however, no relation to sleep duration was observed among men. Among men, participants who were marginally FS (4 ± 1.1 min), low FS (4 ± 1.7 min), and very low FS (5 ± 1.8 min) reported significantly longer sleep latency than fully FS men (P < 0.05), but no association with sleep latency was observed among women. The divergent patterns in sleep duration and latency were likely because of our reference groups reporting undesirable sleep outcomes; fully FS men reported inadequate sleep and fully FS women reported long sleep latency. Among both men and women, marginally FS (OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.16), low FS (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.16, 2.30), and very low FS (OR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.36, 2.92) participants were more likely to report sleep complaints than their fully FS counterparts (P < 0.05). Poor sleep quantity and quality may predispose FI adults to adverse health outcomes. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Effects of pulse durations and environments on femtosecond laser ablation of stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shizhen; Ding, Renjie; Yao, Caizhen; Liu, Hao; Wan, Yi; Wang, Jingxuan; Ye, Yayun; Yuan, Xiaodong

2018-04-01

The influence of pulse durations (35fs and 260 fs) and environments (air and vacuum) on the laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDTs) and ablation rates of 304 stainless steel were studied. Two distinct ablation regimes were obtained from the ablation rate curves. At low fluence regime, the ablation rates were similar in spite of the differences of pulse durations and experiment environments. At high fluence regime, the ablation rates of 35 fs pulse duration in vacuum were obviously higher than others. The ablation craters showed smooth edges, moth-eye such as structures, and laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs). At a fixed fluence, the periods of LIPSSs decreased monotonously in their mean spatial period between 700 nm (5 pulses) and 540 nm (200 pulses) with the increase of pulse numbers in air with 35 fs pulse duration. The formation mechanisms of moth-eye like structures and LIPSSs were also discussed.

Effect of filtered wood smoke treatment on chemical and microbial changes in mahi mahi fillets.

PubMed

Kristinsson, Hordur G; Danyali, Nineveh; Ua-Angkoon, Siriporn

2007-01-01

A study was performed to investigate the effect of filtered wood smoke processing on quality and safety of mahi mahi compared to no treatment. Skinless mahi mahi fillet portions were either treated with filtered smoke (FS) or left untreated for 24 h, followed by either (a) aerobic storage at 4 degrees C for 8 d or (b) freezing for 30 d (-25 degrees C) followed by thawing and aerobic storage at 4 degrees C for 8 d. Results show that treating mahi mahi fillets with FS increased (P < 0.05) a* values (redness) of the muscle and stabilized it during frozen storage. The redness did, however, decay (P < 0.05) rapidly on cold storage for both defrosted and fresh filtered-smoke-treated products, and reached initial (presmoking) redness levels in 2 d. The FS process overall significantly (P < 0.05) improved microbial stability of the product. Stability toward lipid oxidation was also significantly (P < 0.05) increased for the FS products compared to untreated products, particularly after defrosting. Sensory studies supported the microbial and lipid oxidation findings, showing that products treated with FS were better accepted and had increased (P < 0.05) shelf life over the untreated products. The shelf life was, however, compromised when microbial levels increased; that is, the process did not mask microbial spoilage; the spoilage did become evident in the sensory trials.

Influence of organic and inorganic flocculants on the formation of PCDD/Fs during sewage sludge incineration.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaoqing; Li, Xiaodong; Lu, Shengyong; Wang, Fei; Chen, Tong; Yan, Jianhua

2015-10-01

Flocculants are widely used to improve the properties of sludge dewatering in industrial wastewater treatment. However, there have been no studies conducted on the influence of flocculants on the formation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during sewage sludge incineration. This paper selected three typical kinds of flocculants, including polyacrylamide (PAM), poly-ferric chloride (PFC), and polyaluminum chloride (PAC) flocculant, to study their influences on the formation of PCDD/Fs during sewage sludge incineration. The results indicated that PAM flocculant, which is an organic flocculant, inhibited the formation of PCDD/Fs in sewage sludge incineration, while inorganic flocculant, such as PFC and PAC flocculant, promoted the formation. The most probable explanation is that the amino content in the PAM flocculant acted as an inhibitor in the formation of PCDD/Fs, while the chlorine content, especially the metal catalyst in the PFC and PAC flocculants, increased the formation rate. The addition of flocculants nearly did not change the distribution of PCDD/F homologues. The PCDFs contributed the most toxic equivalent (TEQ) value, especially 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-PeCDF. Therefore, the use of inorganic flocculants in industrial wastewater treatment should be further assessed and possibly needs to be strictly regulated if the sludge is incinerated. From this aspect, a priority to the use of organic flocculants should be given.

Matched case-control phase 2 study to evaluate the use of a frozen sock to prevent docetaxel-induced onycholysis and cutaneous toxicity of the foot.

PubMed

Scotté, Florian; Banu, Eugeniu; Medioni, Jacques; Levy, Eric; Ebenezer, Christelle; Marsan, Sandrine; Banu, Adela; Tourani, Jean Marc; Andrieu, Jean-Marie; Oudard, Stéphane

2008-04-01

Onycholysis occurs in approximately 30% of patients treated with docetaxel. The efficacy and safety of an Elasto-Gel frozen sock (FS) was investigated for the prevention of docetaxel-induced nail and skin toxicity of the feet. Patients receiving docetaxel at a dose of 70 to 100 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks were eligible for this matched case-control study. Each patient wore an FS for 90 minutes on the right foot. The unprotected left foot acted as control. Nail and skin toxicities were assessed using National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (version 3) and compared using a 2-sample Wilcoxon matched-pairs rank test adjusted for tied values. Fifty consecutive patients were included between April 2005 and January 2007. Nail toxicity was significantly lower in the FS-protected foot compared with the control foot (grade 0: 100% versus 79%; and grade 1 and 2: 0% versus 21%, respectively) (P= .002). Skin toxicity was grade 0: 98% versus 94%; and grade 1 and 2: 2% versus 6% in the FS-protected and the control feet, respectively. The median times until toxicity occurrence were not found to differ significantly between the groups. One patient experienced discomfort because of cold intolerance. Cold therapy using FS significantly reduced the incidence of docetaxel-induced foot nail toxicity, as previously demonstrated using frozen gloves for the hands.

Dioxin compounds in the deep-sea rose shrimp Aristeus antennatus (Risso, 1816) throughout the Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotllant, Guiomar; Abad, Esteban; Sardà, Francisco; Ábalos, Manuela; Company, Joan B.; Rivera, Josep

2006-12-01

Polychlorodibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs) are among the more toxic anthropogenic contaminants. They are fat-soluble and accumulate in animal tissues. Exposure to PCDD/Fs can cause several endocrine, reproductive and developmental problems in animals, including human beings. Several studies have demonstrated that fish and invertebrates living in association with sediments are exposed to and accumulate contaminants, but to date there have been no studies of PCDD/Fs contamination in deep-sea regions. Specimens of Aristeus antennatus (Risso, 1816) were collected from depths of 600-2500 m at different points in the Mediterranean Sea, from the western basin off the coast of Barcelona to the central basin off the Peloponnesian Peninsula, with otter trawl gear. Amounts of PCDD/Fs were measured in different animal tissues by high resolution gas chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS). This is the first study to report the presence of PCDD/Fs in deep-sea organisms dwelling at depths below 600 m. A. antennatus presented levels of PCDD/Fs of the same order of magnitude, or slightly higher, as those found in shallow-water species ( Melicertus kerathurus) with respect to land-generated contamination. This highlights the widespread distribution of these pollutants and the potential threat posed to the biodiversity of fragile and vulnerable ecosystems such as the deep-sea. PCDD/F levels detected in the edible parts (muscle) of the commercial shrimp A. antennatus were clearly below the toxic limit value established by European legislation. Levels followed the trend muscle

PCDD/Fs' suppression by sulfur-amine/ammonium compounds.

PubMed

Fu, Jian-Ying; Li, Xiao-Dong; Chen, Tong; Lin, Xiao-Qing; Buekens, Alfons; Lu, Sheng-Yong; Yan, Jian-Hua; Cen, Ke-Fa

2015-03-01

Three distinct -S and -NH2 or NH4(+) containing compounds, including ammonium thiosulfate, aminosulfonic acid and thiourea, were studied as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) inhibitors. All these three -S and -N containing compounds tested show strong suppression of PCDD/Fs formation, especially for thiourea which has not been studied before. With a (S+N)/Cl molar ratio of only 0.47, thiourea could inhibit 97.3% of PCDD/Fs and even 99.8% of I-TEQ. At an unusually high de novo test temperature (650 °C), the PCDD/Fs' formation was still very low but also the inhibition capacity of thiourea was weak, with an efficiency of 59% for PCDD/Fs when with a (S+N)/Cl molar ratio of 1.40. The results also revealed that the inhibition capability of the combined -S/-NH2 or -S/NH4(+) suppressant was strongly influenced by both the nature of the functional group of nitrogen and the value of the molar ratio (S+N)/Cl. The amine functional group -NH2 tends to be more efficient than ammonium NH4(+) and within a certain range a higher (S+N)/Cl value leads to a higher inhibition efficiency. Moreover, the emission of gases was continuously monitored: the Gasmet results revealed that SO2, HCN and NH3 were the most important decomposition products of thiourea. Thiourea is non-toxic, environment-friendly and can be sprayed into the post-combustion zone in form of powder or aqueous solution. The cost of thiourea at least can be partially compensated by its high inhibition efficiency. Therefore, the application of thiourea in a full-scale incinerator system is promising and encouraging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Substance P and neutral endopeptidase in development of acute respiratory distress syndrome following fire smoke inhalation.

PubMed

Wong, Simon S; Sun, Nina N; Lantz, R Clark; Witten, Mark L

2004-10-01

To characterize the tachykininergic effects in fire smoke (FS)-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), we designed a series of studies in rats. Initially, 20 min of FS inhalation induced a significant increase of substance P (SP) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) at 1 h and persisted for 24 h after insult. Conversely, FS disrupted 51.4, 55.6, 46.3, and 43.0% enzymatic activity of neutral endopeptidase (NEP, a primary hydrolyzing enzyme for SP) 1, 6, 12, and 24 h after insult, respectively. Immunolabeling density of NEP in the airway epithelium largely disappeared 1 h after insult due to acute cell damage and shedding. These changes were also accompanied by extensive influx of albumin and granulocytes/lymphocytes in BALF. Furthermore, levels of BALF SP and tissue NEP activity dose dependently increased and decreased, respectively, following 0, low (10 min), and high (20 min) levels of FS inhalation. However, neither the time-course nor the dose-response study observed a significant change in the highest affinity neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) for SP. Finally, treatment (10 mg/kg im) with SR-140333B, an NK-1R antagonist, significantly prevented 20-min FS-induced hypoxemia and pulmonary edema 24 h after insult. Further examination indicated that SR-140333B (1.0 or 10.0 mg/kg im) fully abolished early (1 h) plasma extravasation following FS. Collectively, these findings suggest that a combination of sustained SP and NEP inactivity induces an exaggerated neurogenic inflammation mediated by NK-1R, which may lead to an uncontrolled influx of protein-rich edema fluid and cells into the alveoli as a consequence of increased vascular permeability.

EVALUATION OF RECOVERABLE FUNCTIONAL LIPID COMPONENTS OF SEVERAL BROWN SEAWEEDS (PHAEOPHYTA) FROM JAPAN WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO FUCOXANTHIN AND FUCOSTEROL CONTENTS(1).

PubMed

Terasaki, Masaru; Hirose, Atsushi; Narayan, Bhaskar; Baba, Yuta; Kawagoe, Chikara; Yasui, Hajime; Saga, Naotsune; Hosokawa, Masashi; Miyashita, Kazuo

2009-08-01

Fucoxanthin (Fx) and fucosterol (Fs) are characteristic lipid components of brown seaweeds that afford several health benefits to humans. This article describes the quantitative evaluation of lipids of 15 species of brown seaweeds with specific reference to Fx, Fs, and functional long-chain omega-6/omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In addition, fatty-acid composition of selected species was also accomplished in the study. Major omega-3 PUFAs in the brown seaweeds analyzed were α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), octadecatetraenoic acid (18:4n-3), arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3). Both Fx (mg · g(-1) dry weight [dwt]) and Fs (mg · g(-1) dwt) were determined to be relatively abundant in Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh (Fx, 3.7 ± 1.6; Fs, 13.4 ± 4.4) and Cystoseira hakodatensis (Yendo) Fensholt (Fx, 2.4 ± 0.9; Fs, 8.9 ± 2.0), as compared with other brown seaweed species. Studies related to seasonal variation in Fx, Fs, and total lipids of six brown algae [S. horneri, C. hakodatensis, Sargassum fusiforme (Harv.) Setch., Sargassum thunbergii (Mertens ex Roth) Kuntze, Analipus japonicus (Harv.) M. J. Wynne, and Melanosiphon intestinalis (D. A. Saunders) M. J. Wynne] indicated that these functional lipid components reached maximum during the period between January and March. The functional lipid components present in these seaweeds have the potential for application as nutraceuticals and novel functional ingredients after their recovery. © 2009 Phycological Society of America.

Fast spiking interneuron control of seizure propagation in a cortical slice model of focal epilepsy

PubMed Central

Cammarota, Mario; Losi, Gabriele; Chiavegato, Angela; Zonta, Micaela; Carmignoto, Giorgio

2013-01-01

In different animal models of focal epilepsy, seizure-like ictal discharge propagation is transiently opposed by feedforward inhibition. The specific cellular source of this signal and the mechanism by which inhibition ultimately becomes ineffective are, however, undefined. We used a brain slice model to study how focal ictal discharges that were repetitively evoked from the same site, and at precise times, propagate across the cortex. We used Ca2+ imaging and simultaneous single/dual cell recordings from pyramidal neurons (PyNs) and different classes of interneurons in rodents, including G42 and GIN transgenic mice expressing the green fluorescence protein in parvalbumin (Pv)-fast spiking (FS) and somatostatin (Som) interneurons, respectively. We found that these two classes of interneurons fired intensively shortly after ictal discharge generation at the focus. The inhibitory barrages that were recorded in PyNs occurred in coincidence with Pv-FS, but not with Som interneuron burst discharges. Furthermore, the strength of inhibitory barrages increased or decreased in parallel with increased or decreased firing in Pv-FS interneurons but not in Som interneurons. A firing impairment of Pv-FS interneurons caused by a membrane depolarization was found to precede ictal discharge onset in neighbouring pyramidal neurons. This event may account for the collapse of local inhibition that allows spatially defined clusters of PyNs to be recruited into propagating ictal discharges. Our study demonstrates that Pv-FS interneurons are a major source of the inhibitory barrages that oppose ictal discharge propagation and raises the possibility that targeting Pv-FS interneurons represents a new therapeutic strategy to prevent the generalization of human focal seizures. PMID:23207591

Observation of femtosecond X-ray interactions with matter using an X-ray–X-ray pump–probe scheme

PubMed Central

Inoue, Ichiro; Inubushi, Yuichi; Sato, Takahiro; Tono, Kensuke; Katayama, Tetsuo; Kameshima, Takashi; Ogawa, Kanade; Togashi, Tadashi; Owada, Shigeki; Amemiya, Yoshiyuki; Tanaka, Takashi; Hara, Toru

2016-01-01

Resolution in the X-ray structure determination of noncrystalline samples has been limited to several tens of nanometers, because deep X-ray irradiation required for enhanced resolution causes radiation damage to samples. However, theoretical studies predict that the femtosecond (fs) durations of X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) pulses make it possible to record scattering signals before the initiation of X-ray damage processes; thus, an ultraintense X-ray beam can be used beyond the conventional limit of radiation dose. Here, we verify this scenario by directly observing femtosecond X-ray damage processes in diamond irradiated with extraordinarily intense (∼1019 W/cm2) XFEL pulses. An X-ray pump–probe diffraction scheme was developed in this study; tightly focused double–5-fs XFEL pulses with time separations ranging from sub-fs to 80 fs were used to excite (i.e., pump) the diamond and characterize (i.e., probe) the temporal changes of the crystalline structures through Bragg reflection. It was found that the pump and probe diffraction intensities remain almost constant for shorter time separations of the double pulse, whereas the probe diffraction intensities decreased after 20 fs following pump pulse irradiation due to the X-ray–induced atomic displacement. This result indicates that sub-10-fs XFEL pulses enable conductions of damageless structural determinations and supports the validity of the theoretical predictions of ultraintense X-ray–matter interactions. The X-ray pump–probe scheme demonstrated here would be effective for understanding ultraintense X-ray–matter interactions, which will greatly stimulate advanced XFEL applications, such as atomic structure determination of a single molecule and generation of exotic matters with high energy densities. PMID:26811449

Sealing effectiveness of fissure sealant bonded with universal adhesive systems on saliva-contaminated and noncontaminated enamel

PubMed Central

Shafiei, Fereshteh; Zarean, Mehran; Razmjoei, Faranak

2018-01-01

Background The effectiveness of sealants is dependent upon their adhesion to enamel surface. The aim of the study was to evaluate the sealing ability of a pit and fissure sealant used with a universal adhesive (etch-and-rinse vs. self-etch modes) when the site is contaminated with saliva. Adhesive properties were evaluated as microleakage and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) characteristics. Material and Methods A total of 72 mandibular third molars were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=12). Occlusal pits and fissures were sealed with an unfilled resin fissure sealant (FS) material with or without saliva contamination. The groups included: 1) phosphoric acid etching + FS (control), 2) phosphoric acid etching + Scotchbond Universal (etch-and-rinse) + FS, 3) phosphoric acid etching + saliva + Scotchbond Universal (etch-and-rinse) + FS, 4) Scotchbond Universal (self-etching) + FS,5) Scotchbond Universal (self-etching) + saliva + FS, and 6) Scotchbond Universal (self-etching) + saliva + Scotchbond Universal + FS. After thermocycling, the teeth were placed in 0.5% fuchsin, sectioned, and evaluated by digital microscopy. Two samples from each group were also observed by SEM. The data were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests for a significance of p<0.05. Results There were significant differences among groups. Groups 1,2 and 4 showed the least microleakage, with no significant differences among groups. Saliva contamination led to increased microleakage and gap formation in SEM images in groups 3, 5 and 6. Conclusions The fissure sealing ability of the universal adhesive in etch-and-rinse or self-etch modes was similar to that of conventional acid etching. Saliva contamination had a negative effect on sealant adhesion to pretreated enamel. Key words:Pit and fissure sealant, Universal adhesive, Saliva. PMID:29670708

Hip Strength Improves Novice Surface Combat Swimming Flutterkick Performance.

PubMed

Beethe, Anne Z; Nagle, Elizabeth F; Lovalekar, Mita; Nagai, Takashi; Nindl, Bradley C; Connaboy, Christopher

2018-05-29

The current study was designed to examine strength, range of motion (ROM), anthropometric, and physiological contributions to novice surface combat swimming (sCS) performance, and establish differences from freestyle swimming (FS) performance to further understand the transition of FS to sCS performance. Thirteen competitive swimmers (7 males, 6 females; 27.7±2.3 years; 176.2±2.6 cm; 75.4±3.9 kg) completed eight testing sessions consisting of the following: physiological land-based measurements for maximal anaerobic and aerobic capacity and upper and lower extremity strength and ROM, a sCS anaerobic capacity swim test measuring peak and mean force and fatigue index, two aerobic capacity tests measuring maximal aerobic capacity for both FS and sCS, and four 500m performance swims for time, one FS and three sCS. Separate multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze predictors of both sCS and FS performance models. Freestyle swimming performance was predicted by the final FS VO 2max with a R 2 of 42.03% (F(1,10) = 7.25; p = 0.0226) whereas sCS performance was predicted by isometric hip extension peak strength with an R 2 of 41.46% (F(1,11) = 7.79; p = 0.0176). Results demonstrate different physiological characteristics predict performance, suggesting an altered strategy is utilized for novice sCS than FS. It is suggested this may be due to the added constraints as mandated by mission requirements including boots, weighted gear, and clandestine requirements with hips lowered beneath the surface. Further research should examine the kinematics of the sCS flutterkick to improve performance by developing training strategies specific for the task.

Sealing effectiveness of fissure sealant bonded with universal adhesive systems on saliva-contaminated and noncontaminated enamel.

PubMed

Memarpour, Mahtab; Shafiei, Fereshteh; Zarean, Mehran; Razmjoei, Faranak

2018-01-01

The effectiveness of sealants is dependent upon their adhesion to enamel surface. The aim of the study was to evaluate the sealing ability of a pit and fissure sealant used with a universal adhesive (etch-and-rinse vs. self-etch modes) when the site is contaminated with saliva. Adhesive properties were evaluated as microleakage and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) characteristics. A total of 72 mandibular third molars were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=12). Occlusal pits and fissures were sealed with an unfilled resin fissure sealant (FS) material with or without saliva contamination. The groups included: 1) phosphoric acid etching + FS (control), 2) phosphoric acid etching + Scotchbond Universal (etch-and-rinse) + FS, 3) phosphoric acid etching + saliva + Scotchbond Universal (etch-and-rinse) + FS, 4) Scotchbond Universal (self-etching) + FS,5) Scotchbond Universal (self-etching) + saliva + FS, and 6) Scotchbond Universal (self-etching) + saliva + Scotchbond Universal + FS. After thermocycling, the teeth were placed in 0.5% fuchsin, sectioned, and evaluated by digital microscopy. Two samples from each group were also observed by SEM. The data were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests for a significance of p <0.05. There were significant differences among groups. Groups 1,2 and 4 showed the least microleakage, with no significant differences among groups. Saliva contamination led to increased microleakage and gap formation in SEM images in groups 3, 5 and 6. The fissure sealing ability of the universal adhesive in etch-and-rinse or self-etch modes was similar to that of conventional acid etching. Saliva contamination had a negative effect on sealant adhesion to pretreated enamel. Key words: Pit and fissure sealant, Universal adhesive, Saliva.

The frontotemporal syndrome of ALS is associated with poor survival.

PubMed

Govaarts, Rosanne; Beeldman, Emma; Kampelmacher, Mike J; van Tol, Marie-Jose; van den Berg, Leonard H; van der Kooi, Anneke J; Wijkstra, Peter J; Zijnen-Suyker, Marianne; Cobben, Nicolle A M; Schmand, Ben A; de Haan, Rob J; de Visser, Marianne; Raaphorst, Joost

2016-12-01

Thirty percent of ALS patients have a frontotemporal syndrome (FS), defined as behavioral changes or cognitive impairment. Despite previous studies, there are no firm conclusions on the effect of the FS on survival and the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in ALS. We examined the effect of the FS on survival and the start and duration of NIV in ALS. Behavioral changes were defined as >22 points on the ALS-Frontotemporal-Dementia-Questionnaire or ≥3 points on ≥2 items of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Cognitive impairment was defined as below the fifth percentile on ≥2 tests of executive function, memory or language. Classic ALS was defined as ALS without the frontotemporal syndrome. We performed survival analyses from symptom onset and time from NIV initiation, respectively, to death. The impact of the explanatory variables on survival and NIV initiation were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. We included 110 ALS patients (76 men) with a mean age of 62 years. Median survival time was 4.3 years (95 % CI 3.53-5.13). Forty-seven patients (43 %) had an FS. Factors associated with shorter survival were FS, bulbar onset, older age at onset, short time to diagnosis and a C9orf72 repeat expansion. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the FS was 2.29 (95 % CI 1.44-3.65, p < 0.001) in a multivariate model. Patients with an FS had a shorter survival after NIV initiation (adjusted HR 2.70, 95 % CI 1.04-4.67, p = 0.04). In conclusion, there is an association between the frontotemporal syndrome and poor survival in ALS, which remains present after initiation of NIV.

Overexpression of a Protein Phosphatase 2C from Beech Seeds in Arabidopsis Shows Phenotypes Related to Abscisic Acid Responses and Gibberellin Biosynthesis1

PubMed Central

Reyes, David; Rodríguez, Dolores; González-García, Mary Paz; Lorenzo, Oscar; Nicolás, Gregorio; García-Martínez, José Luis; Nicolás, Carlos

2006-01-01

A functional abscisic acid (ABA)-induced protein phosphatase type 2C (PP2C) was previously isolated from beech (Fagus sylvatica) seeds (FsPP2C2). Because transgenic work is not possible in beech, in this study we overexpressed this gene in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to provide genetic evidence on FsPP2C2 function in seed dormancy and other plant responses. In contrast with other PP2Cs described so far, constitutive expression of FsPP2C2 in Arabidopsis, under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, produced enhanced sensitivity to ABA and abiotic stress in seeds and vegetative tissues, dwarf phenotype, and delayed flowering, and all these effects were reversed by gibberellic acid application. The levels of active gibberellins (GAs) were reduced in 35S:FsPP2C2 plants, although transcript levels of AtGA20ox1 and AtGA3ox1 increased, probably as a result of negative feedback regulation, whereas the expression of GASA1 was induced by GAs. Additionally, FsPP2C2-overexpressing plants showed a strong induction of the Responsive to ABA 18 (RAB18) gene. Interestingly, FsPP2C2 contains two nuclear targeting sequences, and transient expression assays revealed that ABA directed this protein to the nucleus. Whereas other plant PP2Cs have been shown to act as negative regulators, our results support the hypothesis that FsPP2C2 is a positive regulator of ABA. Moreover, our results indicate the existence of potential cross-talk between ABA signaling and GA biosynthesis. PMID:16815952

A Review of the Status of Brain Structure Research in Transsexualism.

PubMed

Guillamon, Antonio; Junque, Carme; Gómez-Gil, Esther

2016-10-01

The present review focuses on the brain structure of male-to-female (MtF) and female-to-male (FtM) homosexual transsexuals before and after cross-sex hormone treatment as shown by in vivo neuroimaging techniques. Cortical thickness and diffusion tensor imaging studies suggest that the brain of MtFs presents complex mixtures of masculine, feminine, and demasculinized regions, while FtMs show feminine, masculine, and defeminized regions. Consequently, the specific brain phenotypes proposed for MtFs and FtMs differ from those of both heterosexual males and females. These phenotypes have theoretical implications for brain intersexuality, asymmetry, and body perception in transsexuals as well as for Blanchard's hypothesis on sexual orientation in homosexual MtFs. Falling within the aegis of the neurohormonal theory of sex differences, we hypothesize that cortical differences between homosexual MtFs and FtMs and male and female controls are due to differently timed cortical thinning in different regions for each group. Cross-sex hormone studies have reported marked effects of the treatment on MtF and FtM brains. Their results are used to discuss the early postmortem histological studies of the MtF brain.

Levels of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dibenzofurans, and Biphenyls in Southern Mississippi Catfish and Estimation of Potential.

EPA Science Inventory

Fish consumption has been classified as one of the primary pathways of exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we evaluated tissue levels of the 17 laterally-substituted PCDD/Fs, 12 dioxin-like PCBs, and 97 non-...

Airborne PCDD/Fs in two e-waste recycling regions after stricter environmental regulations.

PubMed

Zhang, Manwen; Feng, Guixian; Yin, Wenhua; Xie, Bing; Ren, Mingzhong; Xu, Zhencheng; Zhang, Sukun; Cai, Zongwei

2017-12-01

Since the 2010s, the authorities of Guangdong province and local governments have enhanced law enforcement and environmental regulations to abolish open burning, acid washing, and other uncontrolled e-waste recycling activities. In this study, ambient air and indoor dust near different kinds of e-waste recycling processes were collected in Guiyu and Qingyuan to investigate the pollution status of particles and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) after stricter environmental regulations. PM 2.5 and PCDD/Fs both showed significantly reduced levels in the two regions compared with the documented data. The congener distribution and principal component analysis results also confirmed the significant differences between the current PCDD/Fs pollution characterizations and the historical ones. The estimated total intake doses via air inhalation and dust ingestion of children in the recycling region of Guiyu ranged from 10 to 32pgTEQ/(kg•day), which far exceeded the tolerable daily intake (TDI) limit (1-4pgTEQ/(kg•day). Although the measurements showed a significant reduction of the release of PCDD/Fs, the pollution status was still considered severe in Guiyu town after stricter regulations were implemented. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of feed supplement containing earthworm meal (Lumbricus rubellus) on production performance of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Istiqomah, L.; Sakti, A. A.; Suryani, A. E.; Karimy, M. F.; Anggraeni, A. S.; Herdian, H.

2017-12-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feed supplement (FS) contained earthworm meal (EWM) on production performance of laying quails. Twenty weeks-old of 360 Coturnix coturnix japonica quails were used in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three dietary treatments A = CD (control without FS), B = CD + 0.250 % of FS, and C = CD + 0.375 % of FS during 6 weeks of experimental period. Each treatment in 4 equal replicates in which 30 quails were randomly allocated into 12 units of cages. Variable measured were feed intake, feed conversion ratio, feed efficiency, mortality rate, hen day production, egg weight, and egg uniformity. Data were statistically analyzed by One Way ANOVA and the differences among mean treatments are analysed using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results showed that administration of 0.375% FS based on earthworm meal, fermented rice bran, and skim milk impaired the feed conversion ratio and increased the feed efficiency. The experimental treatments did not effect on feed intake, mortality, hen day production, egg weight, and egg uniformity of quail. It is concluded that administration of feed supplement improved the growth performance of quail.

Dioxins contamination in the feed additive (feed grade cupric sulfate) tied to chlorine industry

PubMed Central

Wang, Pu; Zhang, Qinghua; Lan, Yonghui; Xu, Shiai; Gao, Renfu; Li, Gang; Zhang, Haidong; Shang, Hongtao; Ren, Daiwei; Zhu, Chaofei; Li, Yingming; Li, Xiaomin; Jiang, Guibin

2014-01-01

The sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) found in animal feed additive (feed grade cupric sulfate, CuSO4) were investigated and traced back to the formation of chlorinated organic compounds in the chlor-alkali industry. PCDD/Fs could be transported through the supply chain: hydrochloric acid (HCl) by-produced during formation of chlorinated organic compounds in chlor-alkali industry → spent acid etching solution (acid-SES) generated in printed circuit board production → industrial cupric salt → CuSO4 in animal feed, and finally enter the food chain. The concentration ranges in HCl and acid-SES were similar, of which the level in acid-SES was also consistent with that in various cupric salt products including CuSO4 based on Cu element content. PCDD/Fs also showed very similar congener profiles in all the sample types. This indicates a probable direct transport pathway of PCDD/Fs into the food chain, which may eventually be exposed to humans through consumption. To date this is the first study in China that systematically reports on the PCDD/Fs transport from industrial pollution sources to industrial processes and finally enters the human food chain. PMID:25102073

The influence of ns- and fs-LA plume local conditions on the performance of a combined LIBS/LA-ICP-MS sensor

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

LaHaye, Nicole L.; Phillips, Mark C.; Duffin, Andrew M.

2016-01-01

Both laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) are well-established analytical techniques with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. The combination of the two analytical methods is a very promising way to overcome the challenges faced by each method individually. We made a comprehensive comparison of local plasma conditions between nanosecond (ns) and femtosecond (fs) laser ablation (LA) sources in a combined LIBS and LA-ICP-MS system. The optical emission spectra and ICP-MS signal were recorded simultaneously for both ns- and fs-LA and figures of merit of the system were analyzed. Characterization of the plasma was conductedmore » by evaluating temperature and density of the plume under various irradiation conditions using optical emission spectroscopy, and correlations to ns- and fs-LIBS and LA-ICP-MS signal were made. The present study is very useful for providing conditions for a multimodal system as well as giving insight into how laser ablation plume parameters are related to LA-ICP-MS and LIBS results for both ns- and fs-LA.« less

Functional Semi-Blind Source Separation Identifies Primary Motor Area Without Active Motor Execution.

PubMed

Porcaro, Camillo; Cottone, Carlo; Cancelli, Andrea; Salustri, Carlo; Tecchio, Franca

2018-04-01

High time resolution techniques are crucial for investigating the brain in action. Here, we propose a method to identify a section of the upper-limb motor area representation (FS_M1) by means of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals recorded during a completely passive condition (FS_M1bySS). We delivered a galvanic stimulation to the median nerve and we applied to EEG the semi-Blind Source Separation (s-BSS) algorithm named Functional Source Separation (FSS). In order to prove that FS_M1bySS is part of FS_M1, we also collected EEG in a motor condition, i.e. during a voluntary movement task (isometric handgrip) and in a rest condition, i.e. at rest with eyes open and closed. In motor condition, we show that the cortico-muscular coherence (CMC) of FS_M1bySS does not differ from FS_ M1 CMC (0.04 for both sources). Moreover, we show that the FS_M1bySS's ongoing whole band activity during Motor and both rest conditions displays high mutual information and time correlation with FS_M1 (above 0.900 and 0.800, respectively) whereas much smaller ones with the primary somatosensory cortex [Formula: see text] (about 0.300 and 0.500, [Formula: see text]). FS_M1bySS as a marker of the upper-limb FS_M1 representation obtainable without the execution of an active motor task is a great achievement of the FSS algorithm, relevant in most experimental, neurological and psychiatric protocols.

Human exposure to PCDDs and their precursors from heron and tern eggs in the Yangtze River Delta indicate PCP origin.

PubMed

Zhou, Yihui; Yin, Ge; Asplund, Lillemor; Stewart, Kathryn; Rantakokko, Panu; Bignert, Anders; Ruokojärvi, Päivi; Kiviranta, Hannu; Qiu, Yanling; Ma, Zhijun; Bergman, Åke

2017-06-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are highly toxic to humans and wildlife. In the present study, PCDD/Fs were analyzed in the eggs of whiskered terns (Chlidonias hybrida), and genetically identified eggs from black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) sampled from two lakes in the Yangtze River Delta area, China. The median toxic equivalent (TEQ) of PCDD/Fs were 280 (range: 95-1500) and 400 (range: 220-1100) pg TEQ g -1 lw (WHO, 1998 for birds) in the eggs of black-crowned night heron and whiskered tern, respectively. Compared to known sources, concentrations of PCDDs relative to the sum of PCDD/Fs in bird eggs, demonstrated high abundance of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptaCDD and 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexaCDD indicating pentachlorophenol (PCP), and/or sodium pentachlorophenolate (Na-PCP) as significant sources of the PCDD/Fs. The presence of polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (PCDEs), hydroxylated and methoxylated polychlorinated diphenyl ethers (OH- and MeO-PCDEs, known impurities in PCP products), corroborates this hypothesis. Further, significant correlations were found between the predominant congener CDE-206, 3'-OH-CDE-207, 2'-MeO-CDE-206 and OCDD, indicating a common origin. Eggs from the two lakes are sometimes used for human consumption. The WHO health-based tolerable intake of PCDD/Fs is exceeded if eggs from the two lakes are consumed regularly on a weekly basis, particularly for children. The TEQs extensively exceed maximum levels for PCDD/Fs in hen eggs and egg products according to EU legislation (2.5 pg TEQ g -1 lw). The results suggest immediate action should be taken to manage the contamination, and further studies evaluating the impacts of egg consumption from wild birds in China. Likewise, studies on dioxins and other POPs in common eggs need to be initiated around China. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Big Software for SmallSats: Adapting CFS to CubeSat Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cudmore, Alan P.; Crum, Gary; Sheikh, Salman; Marshall, James

2015-01-01

Expanding capabilities and mission objectives for SmallSats and CubeSats is driving the need for reliable, reusable, and robust flight software. While missions are becoming more complicated and the scientific goals more ambitious, the level of acceptable risk has decreased. Design challenges are further compounded by budget and schedule constraints that have not kept pace. NASA's Core Flight Software System (cFS) is an open source solution which enables teams to build flagship satellite level flight software within a CubeSat schedule and budget. NASA originally developed cFS to reduce mission and schedule risk for flagship satellite missions by increasing code reuse and reliability. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which launched in 2009, was the first of a growing list of Class B rated missions to use cFS. Large parts of cFS are now open source, which has spurred adoption outside of NASA. This paper reports on the experiences of two teams using cFS for current CubeSat missions. The performance overheads of cFS are quantified, and the reusability of code between missions is discussed. The analysis shows that cFS is well suited to use on CubeSats and demonstrates the portability and modularity of cFS code.

Extraction of chitin from red crab shell waste by cofermentation with Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. tolerans KCTC-3074 and Serratia marcescens FS-3.

PubMed

Jung, W J; Jo, G H; Kuk, J H; Kim, K Y; Park, R D

2006-06-01

For one-step extraction of chitin from red crab shell waste, cofermentation with Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. tolerans KCTC-3074, a lactic-acid-producing bacterium, and Serratia marcescens FS-3, a protease-producing bacterium, was conducted. Fermentation with single strain (L. 3074 or FS-3) was also conducted. At day 7, the pH in L. 3074, FS-3, and L. 3074+FS-3 (1:1) treatment decreased from 6.90 to 3.30, 5.88, and 3.48, respectively. Ash content in the residue after fermentation treatment of crab shells in L. 3074 and L. 3074+FS-3 (1:1) treatment drastically decreased from 41.2% to 3.19 and 1.15%, respectively. In L. 3074+FS-3 (1:1) cofermentation, the level of demineralization was the highest value of 97.2%, but the level of deproteinization in the cofermentation was 52.6% at day 7. Protein content in the treatment of FS-3 alone reduced from 22.4 to 3.62%. These results indicate that cofermentation of the shells using the two strains is efficient and applicable for the one-step extraction of crude chitin from red crab shell waste.

Coherent or hopping like energy transfer in the chlorosome ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nalbach, Peter

2014-08-01

Chlorosomes, as part of the light-harvesting system of green bacteria, are the largest and most efficient antennae systems in nature. We have studied energy transfer dynamics in the chlorosome in a simplified toy model employing a master equation. Dephasing and relaxation due to environmental fluctuations are included by Lindblad dephasing and Redfield thermalization rates. We find at room temperature three separate time scales, i.e. 25 fs, 250 fs and 2.5 ps and determine the according energy pathways through the hierarchical structure in the chlorosome. Quantum coherence lives up to 150 fs at which time the energy is spread over roughly 12 pigments in our model.

PBDD/Fs in surface sediments from the East River, China.

PubMed

Ren, M; Peng, P A; Chen, D Y; Chen, P; Zhou, L

2009-09-01

The contamination status of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) was preliminarily investigated in surface sediments from the East River. The concentrations of eight 2,3,7,8-substituted tetra- to hexa- PBDD/Fs were found to be in the range of 0.32-110 (mean 13) pg g(-1) and the corresponding TEQ concentrations were 0.087-18 (mean 2) pg I-TEQ g(-1). All sediments were characterized by the dominant PBDFs. 2,3,4,7,8-PeBDF was the most important TEQ contributor, accounting for 47%-77% of the total I-TEQ of PBDD/Fs. PCDD/Fs contributed dominantly to the total TEQs of PCDD/Fs, PBDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in most samples except of the sediment from the Shima River. The higher PBDD/F concentrations in the Shima River may be attributed to the use of BFRs in the electrical and electronics industries, which posed a potential risk of dioxins on ecological system.

Optical Fiber Protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

F&S Inc. developed and commercialized fiber optic and microelectromechanical systems- (MEMS) based instrumentation for harsh environments encountered in the aerospace industry. The NASA SBIR programs have provided F&S the funds and the technology to develop ruggedized coatings and coating techniques that are applied during the optical fiber draw process. The F&S optical fiber fabrication facility and developed coating methods enable F&S to manufacture specialty optical fiber with custom designed refractive index profiles and protective or active coatings. F&S has demonstrated sputtered coatings using metals and ceramics and combinations of each, and has also developed techniques to apply thin coatings of specialized polyimides formulated at NASA Langley Research Center. With these capabilities, F&S has produced cost-effective, reliable instrumentation and sensors capable of withstanding temperatures up to 800? C and continues building commercial sales with corporate partners and private funding. More recently, F&S has adapted the same sensing platforms to provide the rapid detection and identification of chemical and biological agents

Enhanced thermal conductivity of form-stable phase change composite with single-walled carbon nanotubes for thermal energy storage.

PubMed

Qian, Tingting; Li, Jinhong; Feng, Wuwei; Nian, Hong'en

2017-03-16

A striking contrast in the thermal conductivities of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/diatomite form-stable phase change composite (fs-PCC) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNs) as nano-additive has been reported in our present study. Compared to the pure PEG, the thermal conductivity of the prepared fs-PCC has increased from 0.24 W/mK to 0.87 W/Mk with a small SWCNs loading of 2 wt%. SWCNs are decorated on the inner surface of diatomite pores whilst retaining its porous structure. Compared to PEG/diatomite fs-PCC, the melting and solidification time of the PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC are respectively decreased by 54.7% and 51.1%, and its thermal conductivity is 2.8 times higher. The composite can contain PEG as high as 60 wt% and maintain its original shape perfectly without any PEG leakage after subjected to 200 melt-freeze cycles. DSC results indicates that the melting point of the PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC shifts to a lower temperature while the solidification point shifts to a higher temperature due to the presence of SWCNs. Importantly, the use of SWCNs is found to have clear beneficial effects for enhancing the thermal conductivity and thermal storage/release rates, without affecting thermal properties, chemical compatibility and thermal stability. The prepared PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC exhibits excellent chemical and thermal durability and has potential application in solar thermal energy storage and solar heating.

Corrosion behaviour of high copper dental amalgams.

PubMed

Yap, A U J; Ng, B L; Blackwood, D J

2004-06-01

This study evaluated the corrosion behaviour of two high copper dental amalgam alloys [Dispersalloy (Dentsply-Caulk) and Tytin (Kerr)] in different electrolytes. Amalgam specimens were prepared, coupled to a copper wire, cemented into glass tubes and polished to a 600-grit finish. A corrosion cell was prepared using a carbon counter-electrode, a standard calomel electrode as the reference and amalgam as the working electrode. The alloys were tested in the following mediums at 37 degrees C: (i) artificial saliva based on Fusayama's solution (FS), (ii) artificial saliva with citric acid adjusted to pH 4.0 (FC) and (iii) 1% sodium chloride solution (SC). Corrosion potentials (E(corr)) and corrosion rates (I(corr)) were determined using potentiostatic and impedance spectroscopy methods. Data was subjected to anova/Scheffe's post hoc test at 0.05 significance level. For both alloys, the corrosion potential in FS was significantly greater than in SC. Corrosion potential of Tytin in FS and SC was also significantly greater than in FC. The corrosion rate of Dispersalloy in FC was significantly greater than in FS and SC. For Tytin, corrosion rate in SC was significantly greater than in FS and FC. Although no significant difference in corrosion potential/rate was observed between the alloys when tested in FS, significant differences were observed when electrochemical testing was carried out in FC and SC. The corrosion behaviour of high copper amalgam alloys are both material and environment dependent. Certain food substances may increase the corrosion of high copper amalgams.

Effects of curcumin analogues for inhibiting human prostate cancer cells and the growth of human PC-3 prostate xenografts in immunodeficient mice.

PubMed

Zhou, Dai-Ying; Ding, Ning; Van Doren, Jeremiah; Wei, Xing-Chuan; Du, Zhi-Yun; Conney, Allan H; Zhang, Kun; Zheng, Xi

2014-01-01

Four curcumin analogues ((2E,6E)-2,6-bis(thiophen-3-methylene) cyclohexanone (AS), (2E,5E)-2,5-bis(thiophen-3-methylene) cyclopentanone (BS), (3E,5E)-3,5-bis(thiophen-3-methylene)-tetrahydropyran-4-one (ES) and (3E,5E)-3,5-bis(thiophen-3-methylene)-tetrahydrothiopyran-4-one (FS) as shown in Fig. 1) with different linker groups were investigated for their effects in human prostate cancer CWR-22Rv1 and PC-3 cells. Compounds FS and ES had stronger inhibitory effects than curcumin, AS and BS on the growth of cultured CWR-22Rv1 and PC-3 cells, as well as on the androgen receptor (AR) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. The strong activities of ES and FS may be correlated with a heteroatom linker. In animal studies, severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were injected subcutaneously (s.c.) with PC-3 cells in Matrigel. After 4 to 6 weeks, mice with PC-3 tumors (about 0.6 cm wide and 0.6 cm long) received daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of vehicle, ES and FS (10 µg/g body weight) for 31 d. FS had a potent effect in inhibiting the growth and progression of PC-3 tumors. Our results indicate that FS may be useful for inhibiting human prostate tumors growth.

Sodium Hypochlorite Versus Formocresol and Ferric Sulfate Pulpotomies in Primary Molars: 18-month Follow-up.

PubMed

Farsi, Deema J; El-Khodary, Heba M; Farsi, Najat M; El Ashiry, Eman A; Yagmoor, Mohammed A; Alzain, Soha M

2015-01-01

This study's purpose was to compare the clinical and radiographic success rates of 5.25 percent Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) pulpotomies to Formocresol (FC) and Ferric Sulfate (FS) in decayed primary molars. Eighty-one primary molars, randomly divided into three groups, were treated with one of three different pulpotomy materials; NaOCl, FC and FS. The outcomes of the different groups were assessed clinically and radiographically every six months over 18 months. Chi-square test was used to detect differences in outcome measures in all groups. At six months, clinical and radiographic success rates were 100 percent for each group (27/27). At 12 months, clinical success was 100 percent (24/24), 96 percent (24/25), and 95.7 percent (22/23) for NaOCl, FC, and FS respectively. The radiographic success was 95.8 percent (23/24) for NaOCl group, and 100 percent for FC (25/25), and FS (23/23). At 18 months, the clinical success was 83.3 percent (20/24), 96 percent (24/25), and 87 percent (20/23) for NaOCL, FC, and FS respectively. The 18 month radiographic success was 91.7 percent (22/24), 100 percent (25/25), and 95.7 percent (22/23) for NaOCl, FC, and FS respectively. No significant differences were found in clinical or radiographic outcomes between the three groups at six, 12 and 18 months. The three pulpotomy medicaments yielded similar outcomes.

Performance of fluorescence retrieval methods and fluorescence spectrum reconstruction under various sensor spectral configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Rong; Zhao, Feng

2015-10-01

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence is closely related to photosynthesis and can serve as an indicator of plant status. Several methods have been proposed to retrieve fluorescence signal (Fs) either at specific spectral bands or within the whole fluorescence emission region. In this study, we investigated the precision of the fluorescence signal obtained through these methods under various sensor spectral characteristics. Simulated datasets generated by the SCOPE (Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes) model with known `true' Fs as well as an experimental dataset are exploited to investigate four commonly used Fs retrieval methods, namely the original Fraunhofer Line Discriminator method (FLD), the 3 bands FLD (3FLD), the improved FLD (iFLD), and the Spectral Fitting Methods (SFMs). Fluorescence Spectrum Reconstruction (FSR) method is also investigated using simulated datasets. The sensor characteristics of spectral resolution (SR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are taken into account. According to the results, finer SR and SNR both lead to better accuracy. Lowest precision is obtained for the FLD method with strong overestimation. Some improvements are made by the 3FLD method, but it still tends to overestimate. Generally, the iFLD method and the SFMs provide better accuracy. As to FSR, the shape and magnitude of reconstructed Fs are generally consistent with the `true' Fs distributions when fine SR is exploited. With coarser SR, however, though R2 of the retrieved Fs may be high, large bias is likely to be obtained as well.

Synaptic plasticity and sensory-motor improvement following fibrin sealant dorsal root reimplantation and mononuclear cell therapy

PubMed Central

Benitez, Suzana U.; Barbizan, Roberta; Spejo, Aline B.; Ferreira, Rui S.; Barraviera, Benedito; Góes, Alfredo M.; de Oliveira, Alexandre L. R.

2014-01-01

Root lesions may affect both dorsal and ventral roots. However, due to the possibility of generating further inflammation and neuropathic pain, surgical procedures do not prioritize the repair of the afferent component. The loss of such sensorial input directly disturbs the spinal circuits thus affecting the functionality of the injuried limb. The present study evaluated the motor and sensory improvement following dorsal root reimplantation with fibrin sealant (FS) plus bone marrow mononuclear cells (MC) after dorsal rhizotomy. MC were used to enhance the repair process. We also analyzed changes in the glial response and synaptic circuits within the spinal cord. Female Lewis rats (6–8 weeks old) were divided in three groups: rhizotomy (RZ group), rhizotomy repaired with FS (RZ+FS group) and rhizotomy repaired with FS and MC (RZ+FS+MC group). The behavioral tests electronic von-Frey and Walking track test were carried out. For immunohistochemistry we used markers to detect different synapse profiles as well as glial reaction. The behavioral results showed a significant decrease in sensory and motor function after lesion. The reimplantation decreased glial reaction and improved synaptic plasticity of afferent inputs. Cell therapy further enhanced the rewiring process. In addition, both reimplanted groups presented twice as much motor control compared to the non-treated group. In conclusion, the reimplantation with FS and MC is efficient and may be considered an approach to improve sensory-motor recovery following dorsal rhizotomy. PMID:25249946

Factors Influencing Intraocular Pressure Changes after Laser In Situ Keratomileusis with Flaps Created by Femtosecond Laser or Mechanical Microkeratome.

PubMed

Lin, Meng-Yin; Chang, David C K; Shen, Yun-Dun; Lin, Yen-Kuang; Lin, Chang-Ping; Wang, I-Jong

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe factors that influence the measured intraocular pressure (IOP) change and to develop a predictive model after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with a femtosecond (FS) laser or a microkeratome (MK). We retrospectively reviewed preoperative, intraoperative, and 12-month postoperative medical records in 2485 eyes of 1309 patients who underwent LASIK with an FS laser or an MK for myopia and myopic astigmatism. Data were extracted, such as preoperative age, sex, IOP, manifest spherical equivalent (MSE), central corneal keratometry (CCK), central corneal thickness (CCT), and intended flap thickness and postoperative IOP (postIOP) at 1, 6 and 12 months. Linear mixed model (LMM) and multivariate linear regression (MLR) method were used for data analysis. In both models, the preoperative CCT and ablation depth had significant effects on predicting IOP changes in the FS and MK groups. The intended flap thickness was a significant predictor only in the FS laser group (P < .0001 in both models). In the FS group, LMM and MLR could respectively explain 47.00% and 18.91% of the variation of postoperative IOP underestimation (R2 = 0.47 and R(2) = 0.1891). In the MK group, LMM and MLR could explain 37.79% and 19.13% of the variation of IOP underestimation (R(2) = 0.3779 and 0.1913 respectively). The best-fit model for prediction of IOP changes was the LMM in LASIK with an FS laser.

Factors Influencing Intraocular Pressure Changes after Laser In Situ Keratomileusis with Flaps Created by Femtosecond Laser or Mechanical Microkeratome

PubMed Central

Lin, Meng-Yin; Chang, David C. K.; Shen, Yun-Dun; Lin, Yen-Kuang; Lin, Chang-Ping; Wang, I-Jong

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe factors that influence the measured intraocular pressure (IOP) change and to develop a predictive model after myopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with a femtosecond (FS) laser or a microkeratome (MK). We retrospectively reviewed preoperative, intraoperative, and 12-month postoperative medical records in 2485 eyes of 1309 patients who underwent LASIK with an FS laser or an MK for myopia and myopic astigmatism. Data were extracted, such as preoperative age, sex, IOP, manifest spherical equivalent (MSE), central corneal keratometry (CCK), central corneal thickness (CCT), and intended flap thickness and postoperative IOP (postIOP) at 1, 6 and 12 months. Linear mixed model (LMM) and multivariate linear regression (MLR) method were used for data analysis. In both models, the preoperative CCT and ablation depth had significant effects on predicting IOP changes in the FS and MK groups. The intended flap thickness was a significant predictor only in the FS laser group (P < .0001 in both models). In the FS group, LMM and MLR could respectively explain 47.00% and 18.91% of the variation of postoperative IOP underestimation (R2 = 0.47 and R2 = 0.1891). In the MK group, LMM and MLR could explain 37.79% and 19.13% of the variation of IOP underestimation (R2 = 0.3779 and 0.1913 respectively). The best-fit model for prediction of IOP changes was the LMM in LASIK with an FS laser. PMID:26824754

Enhanced thermal conductivity of form-stable phase change composite with single-walled carbon nanotubes for thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Tingting; Li, Jinhong; Feng, Wuwei; Nian, Hong'En

2017-03-01

A striking contrast in the thermal conductivities of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/diatomite form-stable phase change composite (fs-PCC) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNs) as nano-additive has been reported in our present study. Compared to the pure PEG, the thermal conductivity of the prepared fs-PCC has increased from 0.24 W/mK to 0.87 W/Mk with a small SWCNs loading of 2 wt%. SWCNs are decorated on the inner surface of diatomite pores whilst retaining its porous structure. Compared to PEG/diatomite fs-PCC, the melting and solidification time of the PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC are respectively decreased by 54.7% and 51.1%, and its thermal conductivity is 2.8 times higher. The composite can contain PEG as high as 60 wt% and maintain its original shape perfectly without any PEG leakage after subjected to 200 melt-freeze cycles. DSC results indicates that the melting point of the PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC shifts to a lower temperature while the solidification point shifts to a higher temperature due to the presence of SWCNs. Importantly, the use of SWCNs is found to have clear beneficial effects for enhancing the thermal conductivity and thermal storage/release rates, without affecting thermal properties, chemical compatibility and thermal stability. The prepared PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC exhibits excellent chemical and thermal durability and has potential application in solar thermal energy storage and solar heating.

Enhanced thermal conductivity of form-stable phase change composite with single-walled carbon nanotubes for thermal energy storage

PubMed Central

Qian, Tingting; Li, Jinhong; Feng, Wuwei; Nian, Hong’en

2017-01-01

A striking contrast in the thermal conductivities of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/diatomite form-stable phase change composite (fs-PCC) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNs) as nano-additive has been reported in our present study. Compared to the pure PEG, the thermal conductivity of the prepared fs-PCC has increased from 0.24 W/mK to 0.87 W/Mk with a small SWCNs loading of 2 wt%. SWCNs are decorated on the inner surface of diatomite pores whilst retaining its porous structure. Compared to PEG/diatomite fs-PCC, the melting and solidification time of the PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC are respectively decreased by 54.7% and 51.1%, and its thermal conductivity is 2.8 times higher. The composite can contain PEG as high as 60 wt% and maintain its original shape perfectly without any PEG leakage after subjected to 200 melt-freeze cycles. DSC results indicates that the melting point of the PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC shifts to a lower temperature while the solidification point shifts to a higher temperature due to the presence of SWCNs. Importantly, the use of SWCNs is found to have clear beneficial effects for enhancing the thermal conductivity and thermal storage/release rates, without affecting thermal properties, chemical compatibility and thermal stability. The prepared PEG/diatomite/SWCNs fs-PCC exhibits excellent chemical and thermal durability and has potential application in solar thermal energy storage and solar heating. PMID:28300191

Unintentional production of persistent chlorinated and brominated organic pollutants during iron ore sintering processes.

PubMed

Li, Sumei; Liu, Guorui; Zheng, Minghui; Liu, Wenbin; Li, Jinhui; Wang, Mei; Li, Changliang; Chen, Yuan

2017-06-05

Iron ore sintering (SNT) processes are major sources of unintentionally produced chlorinated persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). However, few studies of emissions of brominated POPs, such as polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), during SNT have been performed. Stack gas and fly ash samples from six typical SNT plants in China were collected and analyzed to determine the concentrations and profiles of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PCNs, PBDD/Fs, and PBDEs, as well as any correlations among these compounds. The PCDD/F, PCB, PCN, PBDD/F, and PBDE emission factors were 2.47, 0.61, 552, 0.32, and 107μgt -1 , respectively (109, 4.07, 10.4, 4.41 and 0.02ng toxic equivalents t -1 , respectively). PCBs were the most abundant compounds by mass, while PCNs were the next most abundant, contributing 51% and 42% to the total POP concentration, respectively. However, PCDD/Fs were the dominant contributors to the chlorinated and brominated POP toxic equivalent concentrations, contributing 89% to the total toxic equivalent concentration. The PCDD/F and other chlorinated and brominated POP concentrations were positively correlated, indicating that chlorinated and brominated POP emissions could be synergistically decreased using the best available technologies/best environmental practices already developed for PCDD/Fs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing Flight Software Reuse with OpenSatKit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McComas, David C.

2018-01-01

In January 2015 the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) released the Core Flight System (cFS) as open source under the NASA Open Source Agreement (NOSA) license. The cFS is based on flight software (FSW) developed for 12 spacecraft spanning nearly two decades of effort and it can provide about a third of the FSW functionality for a low-earth orbiting scientific spacecraft. The cFS is a FSW framework that is portable, configurable, and extendable using a product line deployment model. However, the components are maintained separately so the user must configure, integrate, and deploy them as a cohesive functional system. This can be very challenging especially for organizations such as universities building cubesats that have minimal experience developing FSW. Supporting universities was one of the primary motivators for releasing the cFS under NOSA. This paper describes the OpenSatKit that was developed to address the cFS deployment challenges and to serve as a cFS training platform for new users. It provides a fully functional out-of-the box software system that includes NASA's cFS, Ball Aerospace's command and control system COSMOS, and a NASA dynamic simulator called 42. The kit is freely available since all of the components have been released as open source. The kit runs on a Linux platform, includes 8 cFS applications, several kit-specific applications, and built in demos illustrating how to use key application features. It also includes the software necessary to port the cFS to a Raspberry Pi and instructions for configuring COSMOS to communicate with the target. All of the demos and test scripts can be rerun unchanged with the cFS running on the Raspberry Pi. The cFS uses a 3-tiered layered architecture including a platform abstraction layer, a Core Flight Executive (cFE) middle layer, and an application layer. Similar to smart phones, the cFS application layer is the key architectural feature for users to extend the FSW functionality to meet their mission-specific requirements. The platform abstraction layer and the cFE layers go a step further than smart phones by providing a platform-agnostic Application Programmer Interface (API) that allows applications to run unchanged on different platforms. OpenSatKit can serve two significant architectural roles that will further help the adoption of the cFS and help create a community of users that can share assets. First, the kit is being enhanced to automate the integration of applications with the goal of creating a virtual cFS "App Store".. Second, a platform certification test suite can be developed that would allow users to verify the port of the cFS to a new platform. This paper will describe the current state of these efforts and future plans.

SeaWiFS Third Anniversary Global Biosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

September 18,2000 is the third anniversary of the start of regular SeaWiFS operations of this remarkable planet called Earth. This SeaWiFS image is of the Global Biosphere depicting the ocean's long-term average phytoplankton chlorophyll concentration acquired between September 1997 and August 2000 combined with the SeaWiFS-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) over land during July 2000.

Behavioral Phenotype of ASD Preschoolers with Gastrointestinal Symptoms or Food Selectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prosperi, Margherita; Santocchi, Elisa; Balboni, Giulia; Narzisi, Antonio; Bozza, Margherita; Fulceri, Francesca; Apicella, Fabio; Igliozzi, Roberta; Cosenza, Angela; Tancredi, Raffaella; Calderoni, Sara; Muratori, Filippo

2017-01-01

This study investigated the prevalence and type of gastrointestinal (GI) and food selectivity (FS) symptoms in 163 preschoolers with ASD, and their possible links with core ASD features and emotional/behavioural problems. 40.5% of children with ASD had at least one severe GI symptom or FS. Preschoolers with and without GI symptoms and with and…

Microporous nanofibrous fibrin-based scaffolds for craniofacial bone tissue engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osathanon, Thanaphum

The fibrotic response of the body to synthetic polymers limits their success in tissue engineering and other applications. Though porous polymers have demonstrated improved healing, difficulty in controlling their pore sizes and pore interconnections has clouded the understanding of this phenomenon. In this study, a novel method to fabricate natural polymer/calcium phosphate composite scaffolds and immobilized alkaline phosphatase fibrin scaffolds with tightly controllable pore size, pore interconnection has been investigated. Microporous, nanofibrous fibrin scaffolds (FS) were fabricated using sphere-templating method. Calcium phosphate/fibrin composite scaffolds were created by solution deposition of calcium phosphate on fibrin surfaces or by direct incorporation of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHA). The SEM results showed that fibrin scaffolds exhibited a highly porous and interconnected structure. Osteoblast-like cells, obtained from murine calvaria, attached, spread and showed a polygonal morphology on the surface of the biomaterial. Multiple cell layers and fibrillar matrix deposition were observed. Moreover, cells seeded on mineralized fibrin scaffolds (MFS) exhibited significantly higher alkaline phosphatase activity as well as osteoblast marker gene expression compared to FS and nHA incorporated fibrin scaffolds (nHA/FS). These fibrin-based scaffolds were degraded both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, these scaffolds promoted bone formation in a mouse calvarial defect model and the bone formation was enhanced by addition of rhBMP-2. The second approach was to immobilize alkaline phosphatase (ALP) on fibrin scaffolds. ALP enzyme was covalently immobilized on the microporous nanofibrous fibrin scaffolds using 1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). The SEM results demonstrated mineral deposition on immobilized ALP fibrin scaffolds (ALP/FS) when incubated in medium supplemented with beta-glycerophosphate, suggesting that the immobilized ALP enzyme was active. Mineral deposition was also observed in cells seeded on immobilized ALP/FS. Furthermore, cells seeded on immobilized ALP/FS exhibited higher osteoblast marker gene expression compared to those on control FS. Upon implantation in mouse calvarial defect, the immobilized ALP/FS treated group had slightly higher bone volume in the defect compared to empty defect control and FS alone. In conclusion, the enhanced biological responses both in vitro and in vivo demonstrated the potential application of these novel microporous nanofibrous fibrin-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

Individual versus group female-specific cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder.

PubMed

Epstein, Elizabeth E; McCrady, Barbara S; Hallgren, Kevin A; Gaba, Ayorkor; Cook, Sharon; Jensen, Noelle; Hildebrandt, Thomas; Holzhauer, Cathryn Glanton; Litt, Mark D

2018-05-01

To test group-based Female-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (G-FS-CBT) for women with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) against an individual Female-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-FS-CBT). This aims of this paper are to describe G-FS-CBT development, content, feasibility, acceptability, group process, engagement in treatment, and within- and post-treatment outcomes. Women with AUD (n=155) were randomly assigned to 12 manual-guided sessions of G-FS-CBT or I-FS-CBT; 138 women attended at least one treatment session. Women in G-FS-CBT attended fewer sessions (M=7.6) than women in I-FS-CBT (M=9.7; p<.001). Women in both conditions reported high satisfaction with the treatments. Independent coders rated high fidelity of delivery of both G-FS-CBT and I-FS-CBT. Therapeutic alliance with the therapist was high in both conditions, with I-FS-CBT being slightly but significantly higher than G-FS-CBT. In the first six weeks of treatment, women in both treatment conditions significantly reduced their percent drinking days (PDD) and percent heavy days drinking (PHD) by equivalent amounts, maintained through the rest of treatment and the 12month follow up with no treatment condition effects. Women reported significant improvement in all but one of the secondary outcomes during treatment; gains made during treatment in depression, anxiety, autonomy, and interpersonal problems were maintained during the follow-up period, while gains made during treatment in use of coping skills, self-efficacy for abstinence, self-care, and sociotropy deteriorated over follow up but remained improved compared to baseline. Findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a group format for female-specific CBT for AUD, a new 12-session, single gender, community friendly, group therapy with programming specifically for women. Similar, positive outcomes for individual and group treatment formats were found for drinking, mood, coping skills, self-confidence, interpersonal functioning, and self-care. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Comparison of the anterior corneal asphericity after small incision lenticule extraction and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis].

PubMed

Su, X L; Wang, Y; Wu, W J; Wu, Z Q; Wu, Y N; Yu, C J

2016-09-11

To evaluate and compare the anterior corneal asphericity after small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE)and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis(FS-LASIK). In this case-control study, 45 subjects who underwent SMILE operation comprised the study group, and 33 subjects with FS-LASIK operation comprised the control group. The asphericity coefficient Q-value of the right eyes in both groups was measured at diameters of 6, 7, 8 and 9 mm, respectively, before surgery and at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 6 months following surgery. The correlation between the variation of Q-value and the central cutting depth was analyzed. The Q-value of anterior corneal surface was 0.85 ± 0.31, 0.80±0.28, 0.69±0.25 and 0.51±0.23 after SMILE, and 1.13±0.56, 1.01±0.47, 0.80±0.39 and 0.51±0.31 after FS-LASIK at 1 week. In both groups, the Q-value was significantly different before and after surgery(P< 0.05); there were interaction effects between the operation method and time; the difference between the two groups at 6-mm and 7-mm diameters was statistically significant(P<0.05). The variation of the Q-value before and after operation(ΔQ)showed significant difference(P6mm=0.004, P7mm=0.014)between the two groups at 6-mm and 7-mm diameters. The cap diameter of the SMILE group was smaller than that of the FS-LASIK group, but the cutting depth was larger. There was no correlation between ΔQ and the cap/disc diameter. It showed a linear relationship(P<0.05)between ΔQ and the central cutting depth at all examined diameters in the two groups, and the relation degree in the FS-LASIK group was superior to the SMILE group. Both SMILE and FS-LASIK operations can change the negative Q-value of the anterior corneal surface to the positive. The impact of SMILE on the asphericity is smaller than that of FS-LASIK. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52: 681-685).

Dynamics of plasma expansion and shockwave formation in femtosecond laser-ablated aluminum plumes in argon gas at atmospheric pressures

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

Miloshevsky, Alexander; Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Miloshevsky, Gennady, E-mail: gennady@purdue.edu

2014-04-15

Plasma expansion with shockwave formation during laser ablation of materials in a background gasses is a complex process. The spatial and temporal evolution of pressure, temperature, density, and velocity fields is needed for its complete understanding. We have studied the expansion of femtosecond (fs) laser-ablated aluminum (Al) plumes in Argon (Ar) gas at 0.5 and 1 atmosphere (atm). The expansion of the plume is investigated experimentally using shadowgraphy and fast-gated imaging. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling is also carried out. The position of the shock front measured by shadowgraphy and fast-gated imaging is then compared to that obtained frommore » the CFD modeling. The results from the three methods are found to be in good agreement, especially during the initial stage of plasma expansion. The computed time- and space-resolved fields of gas-dynamic parameters have provided valuable insights into the dynamics of plasma expansion and shockwave formation in fs-pulse ablated Al plumes in Ar gas at 0.5 and 1 atm. These results are compared to our previous data on nanosecond (ns) laser ablation of Al [S. S. Harilal et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 083504 (2012)]. It is observed that both fs and ns plumes acquire a nearly spherical shape at the end of expansion in Ar gas at 1 atm. However, due to significantly lower pulse energy of the fs laser (5 mJ) compared to pulse energy of the ns laser (100 mJ) used in our studies, the values of pressure, temperature, mass density, and velocity are found to be smaller in the fs laser plume, and their time evolution occurs much faster on the same time scale. The oscillatory shock waves clearly visible in the ns plume are not observed in the internal region of the fs plume. These experimental and computational results provide a quantitative understanding of plasma expansion and shockwave formation in fs-pulse and ns-pulse laser ablated Al plumes in an ambient gas at atmospheric pressures.« less

Effect of different thermo-light polymerization on flexural strength of two glass ionomer cements and a glass carbomer cement.

PubMed

Gorseta, Kristina; Borzabadi-Farahani, Ali; Moshaverinia, Alireza; Glavina, Domagoj; Lynch, Edward

2017-07-01

Whether polymerization lights can be used for heating glass ionomer cements (GICs) or glass carbomer (GCP) to improve their mechanical properties is not well established. The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess the effect of thermo-light polymerization on the flexural strength (FS) of 2 GICs (Fuji IX GP Fast, Ketac Molar) and a GCP. Specimens (n=10) were prepared in stainless steel molds (2×2×25 mm), compressed, exposed to 3 polymerization lights (500, 1000, 1200 mW/cm 2 ) for 2 cycles of 40 seconds on each side, and stored in petroleum jelly (37°C, 24 hours). Significant FS differences were detected among groups after different thermo-light polymerization regimens (F=50.926, df=11, P<.001). GCP showed the highest mean FS (∼5 times, P<.001) after thermo-light polymerization with power outputs of 1000 (127.1 ±25.8 MPa) and 1200 mW/cm 2 (117.4 ±18.5 MPa), with no significance difference between them (P=.98), compared with 500 mW/cm 2 (24.1 ±1.7 MPa). For Ketac Molar, compared with autopolymerization setting (15.5 ±3.1 MPa), a significant increase in mean FS (∼2.5 times) was only observed in specimens treated with 1200 mW/cm 2 polymerization light (P=.03). For Fuji IX GP Fast, only the light with 1000 mW/cm 2 output significantly increased the FS (98.9 ±23.4 MPa, P<.001) compared with the autopolymerization setting (34.9 ±6.4 MPa). Thermo-light polymerization accelerated the development of FS in the tested GICs, potentially protecting against saliva contamination during the first 3 to 4 minutes after mixing GIC. Thermo-light polymerization of the glass carbomer with power outputs of 1000 and 1200 mW/cm 2 also substantially increased FS. The clinical advantages of the findings should be validated by in vivo studies. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Repeated exposure to immobilization or two different footshock intensities reveals differential adaptation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

PubMed

Rabasa, Cristina; Muñoz-Abellán, Cristina; Daviu, Núria; Nadal, Roser; Armario, Antonio

2011-05-03

Factors involved in adaptation to repeated stress are not well-characterized. For instance, acute footshock (FS) of high intensity appears to be less severe than immobilization (IMO) in light of the speed of post-stress recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and other physiological variables. However, repeated exposure to IMO consistently resulted in reduction of the HPA response to the same stressor (adaptation), whereas failure to adapt has been usually reported after FS. Thus, in the present work we directly compared the activation of HPA axis and other physiological changes in response to both acute and repeated exposure to IMO and two intensities of FS (medium and high) in adult male rats. Control rats were exposed to the FS boxes but they did not receive shocks. Daily repeated exposure to IMO resulted in significant adaptation of the overall ACTH and corticosterone responses to the stressor. Such a reduction was also observed with repeated exposure to FS boxes and FS-medium, whereas repeated exposure to FS-high only resulted in a small reduction of the corticosterone response during the post-stress period. This suggests that some properties of FS-high make adaptation to it difficult. Interestingly, overall changes in food intake and body weight gain throughout the week of exposure to the stressors reveal a greater impact of IMO than FS-high, indicating that factors other than the intensity of a stressor, at least when evaluated in function of the above physiological variables, can influence HPA adaptation. Since FS exposure is likely to cause more pain than IMO, activation of nociceptive signals above a certain level may negatively affect HPA adaptation to repeated stressors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of long-range atmospheric transportation (LRAT) on mono-to octa-chlorinated PCDD/Fs levels and distributions in soil around Qinghai Lake, China.

PubMed

Han, Ying; Liu, Wenbin; Hansen, Hans Chr Bruun; Chen, Xuebin; Liao, Xiao; Li, Haifeng; Wang, Mengjing; Yan, Nan

2016-08-01

Long-range atmospheric transportation (LRAT) of persistent organic pollutants followed by their deposition in cold, arid regions is of wide concern. This problem occurs at Qinghai Lake in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, a sparsely populated area with extreme weather conditions and little current or historical anthropogenic pollution. The concentrations and distribution patterns of the mono-to octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) congeners in surface soil samples collected from around Qinghai Lake were quantified. Concentration differences between low-(mono-to tri-) chlorinated PCDD/Fs and high-(tetra-to octa-) chlorinated PCDD/Fs were measured. High PCDD/F levels were detected, with total concentrations of 15,108 ± 6323 pg/g for the 27 PCDD/F congeners and 15,104 ± 6324 pg/g for the low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs. The concentrations of 17 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs were only 3.1 ± 4.4 pg/g and the corresponding international toxicity equivalency (I-TEQ) was 0.11 ± 0.22 pg I-TEQ/g. Given their higher vapor pressures and lower boiling points, low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs, were predominantly gaseous, whereas high-chlorinated PCDD/Fs were predominantly solid, indicating that there is a higher potential for long-range transport of low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs. Overall, because of their high LRAT potential, low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs may pose a greater risk to local ecosystems in cold, remote areas than high-chlorinated PCDD/Fs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the magnetic expansion factor play a role in solar wind acceleration?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, S.; Arge, C. N.; Pihlstrom, Y.

2017-12-01

For the past 25+ years, the magnetic expansion factor (fs) has been a parameter used in the calculation of terminal solar wind speed (vsw) in the Wang-Sheeley-Arge (WSA) coronal and solar wind model. The magnetic expansion factor measures the rate of flux tube expansion in cross section between the photosphere out to 2.5 solar radii (i.e., source surface), and is inversely related to vsw (Wang & Sheeley, 1990). Since the discovery of this inverse relationship, the physical role that fs plays in solar wind acceleration has been debated. In this study, we investigate whether fs plays a causal role in determining terminal solar wind speed or merely serves as proxy. To do so, we study pseudostreamers, which occur when coronal holes of the same polarity are near enough to one another to limit field line expansion. Pseudostreamers are of particular interest because despite having low fs, spacecraft observations show that solar wind emerging from these regions have slow to intermediate speeds of 350-550 km/s (Wang et al., 2012). In this work, we develop a methodology to identify pseudostreamers that are magnetically connected to satellites using WSA output produced with ADAPT input maps. We utilize this methodology to obtain the spacecraft-observed solar wind speed from the exact parcel of solar wind that left the pseudostreamer. We then compare the pseudostreamer's magnetic expansion factor with the observed solar wind speed from multiple spacecraft (i.e., ACE, STEREO-A & B, Ulysses) magnetically connected to the region. We will use this methodology to identify several cases ( 20) where spacecraft are magnetically connected to pseudostreamers, and perform a statistical analysis to determine the correlation of fs within pseudostreamers and the terminal speed of the solar wind emerging from them. This work will help determine if fs plays a physical role in the speed of solar wind originating from regions that typically produce slow wind. This work compliments previous case studies of solar wind originating from pseudostreamers (Riley et al., 2015, Riley & Luhmann 2012) and will contribute to identifying the physical properties of solar wind from these regions. Future work will explore the role of fs in modulating the fast solar wind and will involve a similar analysis for cases where spacecraft are deep within coronal holes.

Concentrations, profiles, and estimated human exposures for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans from electronic waste recycling facilities and a chemical industrial complex in Eastern China.

PubMed

Ma, Jing; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Cheng, Jinping; Horii, Yuichi; Wu, Qian; Wang, Wenhua

2008-11-15

Environmental pollution arising from electronic waste (e-waste) disposal and recycling has received considerable attention in recent years. Treatment, at low temperatures, of e-wastes that contain polyvinylchloride and related polymers can release polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Although several studies have reported trace metals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) released from e-waste recycling operations, environmental contamination and human exposure to PCDD/Fs from e-waste recycling operations are less well understood. In this study, electronic shredder waste and dust from e-waste facilities, and leaves and surface soil collected in the vicinity of a large scale e-waste recycling facility in Taizhou, Eastern China, were analyzed for total PCDD/ Fs including 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners. We also determined PCDD/Fs in surface agricultural soils from several provinces in China for comparison with soils from e-waste facilities. Concentrations of total PCDD/Fs were high in all of the matrices analyzed and ranged from 30.9 to 11400 pg/g for shredder waste, 3460 to 9820 pg/g dry weight for leaves, 2560 to 148000 pg/g dry weight for workshop-floor dust, and 854 to 10200 pg/g dry weight for soils. We also analyzed surface soils from a chemical industrial complex (a coke-oven plant, a coal-fired power plant, and a chlor-alkali plant) in Shanghai. Concentrations of total PCDD/Fs in surface soil (44.5-531 pg/g dry wt) from the chemical industrial complex were lower than the concentrations found in soils from e-waste recycling plants, but higher than the concentrations found in agricultural soils. Agricultural soils from six cities in China contained low levels (3.44-33.8 pg/g dry wt) of total PCDD/Fs. Profiles of dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs in soils from e-waste facilities in Taizhou differed from the profiles found in agricultural soils. The estimated daily intakes of TEQs of PCDD/ Fs via soil/dust ingestion and dermal exposure (2.3 and 0.363 pg TEQ/kg bw/day for children and adults, respectively) were 2 orders of magnitude higher in people at e-waste recycling facilities than in people at the chemical industrial site (0.021 and 0.0053 pg TEQ/kg bw/day for children and adults, respectively), implying greater health risk for humans from dioxin exposures at e-waste recycling facilities. The calculated TEQ exposures for e-waste workers from dust and soil ingestion alone were 2-3 orders of magnitude greater than the exposures from soils in reference locations.

A Pilot Study Comparing the Effect of Flaxseed, Aromatase Inhibitor, and the Combination on Breast Tumor Biomarkers

PubMed Central

McCann, Susan E.; Edge, Stephen B.; Hicks, David G.; Thompson, Lilian U.; Morrison, Carl D.; Fetterly, Gerald; Andrews, Christopher; Clark, Kim; Wilton, John; Kulkarni, Swati

2014-01-01

Use of complementary approaches is common among breast cancer survivors. Potential interactions between aromatase inhibitors (AI) and high phytoestrogen foods, such as flaxseed (FS) are not often described. We conducted a pilot 2×2 factorial, randomized intervention study between tumor biopsy and resection, in 24 postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, to assess the effects of flaxseed and anastrozole, and possible interactions between them, on serum steroid hormone and tumor-related characteristics associated with long-term survival (Roswell Park Cancer Institute, 2007–2010). The effect of each treatment vs placebo on outcomes was determined by linear regression adjusting for pre-treatment measure, stage, and grade. Although not statistically significant, mean ERβ expression was approximately 40% lower from pre- to post-intervention in the FS+AI group only. We observed a statistically significant negative association (β±SE −0.3±0.1; p=0.03) for androstenedione in the FS+AI group vs placebo and for DHEA with AI treatment (β±SE −1.6±0.6; p=0.009). Enterolactone excretion was much lower in the FS+AI group compared to the FS group. Our results do not support strong effects of flaxseed on AI activity for selected breast tumor characteristics or serum steroid hormone levels, but suggest AI therapy might reduce the production of circulating mammalian lignans from flaxseed. PMID:24669750

A mechanistic and kinetic study on the formation of PBDD/Fs from PBDEs.

PubMed

Altarawneh, Mohammednoor; Dlugogorski, Bogdan Z

2013-05-21

This study presents a detailed mechanistic and kinetic investigation that explains the experimentally observed high yields of formation of polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) from the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), commonly deployed in brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Theoretical calculations involved the accurate meta hybrid functional of M05-2X. The previously suggested pathways of debromination and generation of bromophenols/bromophenoxys/bromobenzenes were found to be unimportant corridors for the formation of PBDD/Fs. A loss of an ortho Br or H atom from PBDEs, followed by a ring-closure reaction, is the most accessible pathway for the production of PBDFs via modest reaction barriers. The initially formed peroxy-type adduct (RO₂) is found to evolve in a complex, nevertheless very exoergic, mechanism to produce PBDDs. Results indicate that, degree and pattern of bromination, in the vicinity of the ether oxygen bridge, has a minor influence on governing mechanisms and that even fully brominated isomers of BFRs are capable of forming PBDD/Fs. We thoroughly discuss bimolecular reactions of PBDEs with Br and H, as well as the Br-displacement reaction by triplet oxygen. The rate of the Br-displacement reaction significantly exceeds that of the unimolecular inititiation reactions due to loss of ortho Br or H. Results presented herein address conclusively the intriguing question of how PBDEs form PBDD/Fs, a matter that has been in the center of much debate among environmental chemists.

Comparison of a fractional microplasma radio frequency technology and carbon dioxide fractional laser for the treatment of atrophic acne scars: a randomized split-face clinical study.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhen; Fei, Ye; Chen, Xiangdong; Lu, Wenli; Chen, Jinan

2013-04-01

No studies have compared fractional microplasma radio frequency (RF) technology with the carbon dioxide fractional laser system (CO2 FS) in the treatment of atrophic acne scars in the same patient. To compare the efficacy and safety of fractional microplasma RF with CO2 FS in the treatment of atrophic acne scars. Thirty-three Asian patients received three sessions of a randomized split-face treatment of fractional microplasma RF or CO2 FS. Both modalities had a roughly equivalent effect. Échelle d'Évaluation Clinique Des Cicatrices d'Acné scores were significantly lower after fractional microplasma RF (from 51.1 ± 14.2 to 22.3 ± 8.6, 56.4% improvement) and CO2 FS (from 48.8 ± 15.1 to 19.9 ± 7.9, 59.2% improvement) treatments. There was no statistically significant difference between the two therapies. Twelve subjects (36.4%) experienced postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) after 30 of 99 treatment sessions (30.3%) on the CO2 FS side and no PIH was observed on the fractional microplasma RF sides. Both modalities have good effects on treating atrophic scars. PIH was not seen with the fractional microplasma RF, which might make it a better choice for patients with darker skin. © 2013 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Destruction kinetic of PCDDs/Fs in MSWI fly ash using microwave peroxide oxidation.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Min; Fang, Wen-Bin; Tsai, Kuo-Sheng; Kao, Jimmy C M; Lin, Kae-Long; Chen, Ching-Ho

2015-01-01

Microwave peroxide oxidation is a less greenhouse gas emission and energy-efficient technology to destroy toxic organic compounds in hazardous waste. The research novelty is to adopt the innovative microwave peroxide oxidation in H2SO4/HNO3 solution to efficiently destroy the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs)/Fs in municipal solid waste incineration fly ash. The major objective of this paper is to study dynamic destruction of PCDDs/Fs using the microwave peroxide oxidation. Almost all PCDDs/Fs in the raw fly ash can be destructed in 120 min at a temperature of 423 K using the microwave peroxide oxidation treatment. It was found that the microwave peroxide oxidation provides the potential to destruct the PCDDs/Fs content in municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash to a low level as a function of treatment time. A useful kinetic correlation between destruction efficiency and treatment conditions is proposed on the basis of the experimental data obtained in this study. The significance of this work in terms of practical engineering applications is that the necessary minimum treatment time can be solved using a proposed graphic illustration method, by which the minimum treatment time is obtained if the desired destruction efficiency and treatment temperature are known. Because of inorganic salt dissolution, the temperature would be a critical factor facilitating the parts of fly ash dissolution. Material loss problem caused by the microwave peroxide oxidation and the effects of treatment time and temperature are also discussed in this paper.

Comparison of the influence of two models of mild stress on hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophin factor (BDNF) immunoreactivity in old age rats.

PubMed

Badowska-Szalewska, Ewa; Ludkiewicz, Beata; Krawczyk, Rafał; Melka, Natalia; Moryś, Janusz

2017-01-01

The way hippocampal neurons function during stress in old age (critical times of life) is dependent on brain derived neurotrophin factor (BDNF). This study examined the influence of acute and chronic forced swim (FS) or high-light open field (HL‑OF) stimulation on the density of BDNF immunoreactive (ir) neurons in the hippocampal pyramidal layers of CA1, CA2, CA3 regions and the granular layer of dentate gyrus (DG) in old (postnatal day 720; P720) Wistar Han rats. Our data showed that in comparison with non-stressed rats, acute FS caused a significant increase in the density of BDNF-ir neurons in CA2 and CA3, while acute HL-OF led to an increase in this factor in all hippocampal subfields with the exception of DG. However, the density of BDNF-ir cells remained unchanged after exposure to chronic FS or HL‑OF in the hippocampal regions in relation to the control rats. These results indicate that acute FS or HL-OF proved to be a stressor that induces an increase in the density of BDNF-ir pyramidal neurons, which was probably connected with up-regulation of HPA axis activity and short‑time memory processing of the stressful situation. Moreover, as far as the influence on BDNF-ir cells in hippocampus is concerned, chronic FS or HL-OF was not an aggravating factor for rats in the ontogenetic periods studied.

Transient increase of interleukin-1β after prolonged febrile seizures promotes adult epileptogenesis through long-lasting upregulating endocannabinoid signaling

PubMed Central

Feng, Bo; Tang, Yangshun; Chen, Bin; Xu, Cenglin; Wang, Yi; Dai, Yunjian; Wu, Dengchang; Zhu, Junmin; Wang, Shuang; Zhou, Yudong; Shi, Liyun; Hu, Weiwei; Zhang, Xia; Chen, Zhong

2016-01-01

It remains unclear how infantile febrile seizures (FS) enhance adult seizure susceptibility. Here we showed that the transient increase of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) after prolonged FS promoted adult seizure susceptibility, which was blocked by interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) within a critical time window. Postnatal administered IL-1β alone mimicked the effect of FS on adult seizure susceptibility. IL-1R1 knockout mice were not susceptible to adult seizure after prolonged FS or IL-1β treatment. Prolonged FS or early-life IL-1β treatment increased the expression of cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) for over 50 days, which was blocked by IL-1Ra or was absent in IL-1R1 knockout mice. CB1R antagonist, knockdown and endocannabinoid synthesis inhibitor abolished FS or IL-1β-enhanced seizure susceptibility. Thus, this work identifies a pathogenic role of postnatal IL-1β/IL-1R1 pathway and subsequent prolonged prominent increase of endocannabinoid signaling in adult seizure susceptibility following prolonged FS, and highlights IL-1R1 as a potential therapeutic target for preventing the development of epilepsy after infantile FS. PMID:26902320

Observation of sub-100-fs optical response from spin-coated films of squarylium dye J aggregates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furuki, Makoto; Tian, Minquan; Sato, Yasuhiro; Pu, Lyong Sun; Kawashima, Hitoshi; Tatsuura, Satoshi; Wada, Osamu

2001-04-01

For spin-coated films of squarylium dye J aggregates, ultrafast nonlinear optical responses were investigated by pump-probe measurements. By using a broadband mode-locked titanium:sapphire laser, we succeeded in observing the optical response with a time resolution of better than 60 fs. Time-resolved transmission data are shown for different excitation wavelengths, resonant to the excitonic absorption band and off-resonant. Relaxation times of the absorption saturation were evaluated to be 140 fs (fast component) and 950 fs (slow component) in the case of resonant excitation and 98 fs in the case of off-resonant excitation.

Case-oriented selection of investigation methods in direct access: A comparison between physiotherapy trainees at professional colleges and in bachelor's study courses.

PubMed

Konrad, Ralf; Geraedts, Max

2018-01-01

Objective: Direct access to physiotherapy services is currently discussed in Germany. Its introduction would mean that initial diagnoses must be made in physiotherapy practices as well. However, it was not yet investigated whether the current training in physiotherapy is sufficient for this, and whether there are differences between the training systems. This study aims to answer the question of whether trainees at the end of Bachelor's studies (BS) are more reliably able to assess the case-related suitability of examination methods than professional college students (FS). Methodology: Questionnaires were developed to assess the suitability of examination methods for diagnostic inquiries. All professional colleges and bachelor's study courses listed with the German Physiotherapy Association were asked to present the questionnaires to their final classes. Results: In 216 addressed professional colleges and 24 bachelor's study courses, the return rate was 9.26% for professional colleges and 33.33% for study courses. One hundred thirty-eight questionnaires from students in 8 study courses and 368 questionnaires from students at 20 professional colleges were evaluated. The mean of correct decisions in total (of max. 54) was 19.01 (BS) or 15.73 (FS); in structure-related and function-related examination methods (of max. 42), it was 17.22 (BS) and 14.8 (FS); in activity-related methods (of max. 12), it was 1.97 (BS) and 0.89 (FS). Out of a max. of 49 examination methods, 23.45 (BS) and 26.72 (FS) were stated as unknown. Conclusion: The university students made correct decisions on the suitability of examination methods significantly more frequently than the professional college students. However, the determined group difference is low. Overall, the results do not appear sufficient for direct access. Training would have to be adapted for this purpose.

Assessment of emissions and removal of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) at start-up periods in a hazardous waste incinerator.

PubMed

Karademir, Aykan; Korucu, M Kemal

2013-07-01

A study was conducted to observe the changes in polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) levels and congener profiles in the flue gas of a hazardous waste incinerator during two start-up periods. Flue gas samplings were performed simultaneously through Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs) (including boiler outlet, electrostatic precipitator (ESP) outlet, wet scrubbers (WS) outlet, and activated carbon (AC) filter outlet) in different combustion temperatures during a planned cold (long) start-up and an unplanned warm (short) start-up. The results showed that PCDD/F concentrations could be elevated during the start-up periods up to levels 3-4 times higher than those observed in the normal operation. Especially lower combustion temperatures in the short start-ups may cause high PCDD/F concentrations in the raw flue gas. Assessment of combustion temperatures and Furans/Dioxins values indicated that surface-catalyzed de novo synthesis was the dominant pathway in the formation of PCDD/Fs in the combustion units. PCDD/F removal efficiencies of Air Pollution Control Devices suggested that formation by de novo synthesis existed in ESP also when in operation, leading to increase of gaseous phase PCDD/Fs in ESP Particle-bound PCDD/Fs were removed mainly by ESP and WS, while gaseous phase PCDD/Fs were removed by WS, and more efficiently by AC filter. This paper evaluates PCDD/F emissions and removal performances of APCDs (ESP, wet scrubbers, and activated carbon) during two start-up periods in an incinerator. The main implications are the following: (1) start-up periods increase PCDD/F emissions up to 2-3 times in the incinerator; (2) low combustion temperatures in start-ups cause high PCDD/F emissions in raw gas; (3) formation of PCDD/Fs by de novo synthesis occurs in ESP; (4) AC is efficient in removing gaseous PCDD/Fs, but may increase particle-bound ones; and (5) scrubbers remove both gaseous and particle-bound PCDD/Fs efficiently.

Sub-500 fs electronically nonadiabatic chemical dynamics of energetic molecules from the S1 excited state: Ab initio multiple spawning study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Jayanta; Gajapathy, Harshad; Konar, Arindam; Narasimhaiah, Gowrav M.; Bhattacharya, Atanu

2017-11-01

Energetic materials store a large amount of chemical energy. Different ignition processes, including laser ignition and shock or compression wave, initiate the energy release process by first promoting energetic molecules to the electronically excited states. This is why a full understanding of initial steps of the chemical dynamics of energetic molecules from the excited electronic states is highly desirable. In general, conical intersection (CI), which is the crossing point of multidimensional electronic potential energy surfaces, is well established as a controlling factor in the initial steps of chemical dynamics of energetic molecules following their electronic excitations. In this article, we have presented different aspects of the ultrafast unimolecular relaxation dynamics of energetic molecules through CIs. For this task, we have employed ab initio multiple spawning (AIMS) simulation using the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) electronic wavefunction and frozen Gaussian-based nuclear wavefunction. The AIMS simulation results collectively reveal that the ultrafast relaxation step of the best energetic molecules (which are known to exhibit very good detonation properties) is completed in less than 500 fs. Many, however, exhibit sub-50 fs dynamics. For example, nitro-containing molecules (including C-NO2, N-NO2, and O-NO2 active moieties) relax back to the ground state in approximately 40 fs through similar (S1/S0)CI conical intersections. The N3-based energetic molecule undergoes the N2 elimination process in 40 fs through the (S1/S0)CI conical intersection. Nitramine-Fe complexes exhibit sub-50 fs Fe-O and N-O bond dissociation through the respective (S1/S0)CI conical intersection. On the other hand, tetrazine-N-oxides, which are known to exhibit better detonation properties than tetrazines, undergo internal conversion in a 400-fs time scale, while the relaxation time of tetrazine is very long (about 100 ns). Many other characteristics of sub-500 fs nonadiabatic decay of energetic molecules are discussed. In the end, many unresolved issues associated with the ultrafast nonadiabatic chemical dynamics of energetic molecules are presented.

Direct writing of continuous and discontinuous sub-wavelength periodic surface structures on single-crystalline silicon using femtosecond laser

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

Kuladeep, Rajamudili; Sahoo, Chakradhar; Narayana Rao, Desai, E-mail: dnrsp@uohyd.ernet.in, E-mail: dnr-laserlab@yahoo.com

Laser-induced ripples or uniform arrays of continuous near sub-wavelength or discontinuous deep sub-wavelength structures are formed on single-crystalline silicon (Si) by femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing technique. Laser irradiation was performed on Si wafers at normal incidence in air and by immersing them in dimethyl sulfoxide using linearly polarized Ti:sapphire fs laser pulses of ∼110 fs pulse duration and ∼800 nm wavelength. Morphology studies of laser written surfaces reveal that sub-wavelength features are oriented perpendicular to laser polarization, while their morphology and spatial periodicity depend on the surrounding dielectric medium. The formation mechanism of the sub-wavelength features is explained by interferencemore » of incident laser with surface plasmon polaritons. This work proves the feasibility of fs laser direct writing technique for the fabrication of sub-wavelength features, which could help in fabrication of advanced electro-optic devices.« less

Exploring the Relationship between Structural and Air-Water Interfacial Properties of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Gluten Hydrolysates in a Food System Relevant pH Range.

PubMed

Wouters, Arno G B; Fierens, Ellen; Rombouts, Ine; Brijs, Kristof; Joye, Iris J; Delcour, Jan A

2017-02-15

The relationship between structural and foaming properties of two tryptic and two peptic wheat gluten hydrolysates was studied at different pH conditions. The impact of pH on foam stability (FS) of the samples heavily depended on the peptidase used and the degree of hydrolysis reached. Surface dilatational moduli were in most, but not all, instances related to FS, implying that, although the formation of a viscoelastic protein hydrolysate film is certainly important, this is not the only phenomenon that determines FS. In contrast to what might be expected, surface charge was not a major factor contributing to FS, except when close to the point-of-zero-charge. Surface hydrophobicity and intrinsic fluorescence measurements suggested that changes in protein conformation take place when the pH is varied, which can in turn influence foaming. Finally, hydrolyzed gluten proteins formed relatively large particles, suggesting that protein hydrolysate aggregation probably influences its foaming properties.

Does videomediastinoscopy with frozen sections improve mediastinal staging during video-assisted thoracic surgery pulmonary resections?

PubMed

Gonfiotti, Alessandro; Bongiolatti, Stefano; Viggiano, Domenico; Borgianni, Sara; Borrelli, Roberto; Tancredi, Giorgia; Jaus, Massimo O; Politi, Leonardo; Comin, Camilla E; Voltolini, Luca

2016-12-01

To assess if video-mediastinoscopy (VM) with frozen sections (FS) combined with a video-assisted thoracic surgery major pulmonary resection (VMPRS) is able to improve VATS mediastinal intraoperative staging. From June 2012 to March 2015 a total of 146 patients underwent VMPRS lymphadenectomy. NCCN guidelines were followed for pre-operative staging, including VM with FS in 27 patients (19%). Procedural time, dissected nodal stations, complications related to VM and VATS lymphadenectomy and definitive histology, were evaluated. Operative time for VATS resection with VM (group 1) and VATS pulmonary resection alone (group 2) was 198±64 vs. 167±43 min (P=0.003). Mean/median numbers of dissected nodal stations were 4.93±1.1/5 (range, 4-8) in group 1 and 3.25±0.5/5 (range, 3-8) in group 2 (P<0.001). Group 1 vs. group 2 right-sided lymphadenectomy (n=86) was performed at station 2R/4R in 18 (90%) and 46 (69.7%); at station 3a/3p in 14 (51.8%) and 22 (31%); at station 7 in 18 (90%) and 44 (66.7%); at station 8/9 in 11 (55%) and 24 (36.4%) respectively. On the left side (n=60) group 1 vs. group 2 lymphadenectomy resulted at station 4 in 6 (85.7%) and 38 (71.7%); at station 5/6 in 6 (85.7%) and 26 (49%); at station 7 in 6 (85.7%) and 33 (62.3%), and at station 8/9 in 1 (14.3%) and 18 (34%). There were no early deaths and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred in 1 (0.8%) in group 2. Pathological upstaging (pN1; pN2) was found in 5 patients (17%) in group 1, and 13 (11%) in group 2 (P=0.23). About FS (n=29), formal paraffin histology resulted in 0% of both, false negative and false positive results. Based on our experience, the combination "VM with FS followed by VMPRS in sequence", seems to be effective and offers an alternative approach to improve intraoperative mediastinal staging.

Increasing Flight Software Reuse with OpenSatKit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McComas, David

2018-01-01

In January 2015 the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) released the Core Flight System (cFS) as open source under the NASA Open Source Agreement (NOSA) license. The cFS is based on flight software (FSW) developed for 12 spacecraft spanning nearly two decades of effort and it can provide about a third of the FSW functionality for a low-earth orbiting scientific spacecraft. The cFS is a FSW framework that is portable, configurable, and extendable using a product line deployment model. However, the components are maintained separately so the user must configure, integrate, and deploy them as a cohesive functional system. This can be very challenging especially for organizations such as universities building cubesats that have minimal experience developing FSW. Supporting universities was one of the primary motivators for releasing the cFS under NOSA. This paper describes the OpenSatKit that was developed to address the cFS deployment challenges and to serve as a cFS training platform for new users. It provides a fully functional out-of-the box software system that includes NASA's cFS, Ball Aerospaceâ€"TM"s command and control system COSMOS, and a NASA dynamic simulator called 42. The kit is freely available since all of the components have been released as open source. The kit runs on a Linux platform, includes 8 cFS applications, several kit-specific applications, and built in demos illustrating how to use key application features. It also includes the software necessary to port the cFS to a Raspberry Pi and instructions for configuring COSMOS to communicate with the target. All of the demos and test scripts can be rerun unchanged with the cFS running on the Raspberry Pi. The cFS uses a 3-tiered layered architecture including a platform abstraction layer, a Core Flight Executive (cFE) middle layer, and an application layer. Similar to smart phones, the cFS application layer is the key architectural feature for userâ€"TM"s to extend the FSW functionality to meet their mission-specific requirements. The platform abstraction layer and the cFE layers go a step further than smart phones by providing a platform-agnostic Application Programmer Interface (API) that allows applications to run unchanged on different platforms. OpenSatKit can serve two significant architectural roles that will further help the adoption of the cFS and help create a community of users that can share assets. First, the kit is being enhanced to automate the integration of applications with the goal of creating a virtual cFS 'App Store'. Second, a platform certification test suite can be developed that would allow users to verify the port of the cFS to a new platform. This paper will describe the current state of these efforts and future plans.

Fs-laser ablation of teeth is temperature limited and provides information about the ablated components.

PubMed

de Menezes, Rebeca Ferraz; Harvey, Catherine Malinda; de Martínez Gerbi, Marleny Elizabeth Márquez; Smith, Zachary J; Smith, Dan; Ivaldi, Juan C; Phillips, Alton; Chan, James W; Wachsmann-Hogiu, Sebastian

2017-10-01

The goal of this work is to investigate the thermal effects of femtosecond laser (fs-laser) ablation for the removal of carious dental tissue. Additional studies identify different tooth tissues through femtosecond laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (fsLIBS) for the development of a feedback loop that could be utilized during ablation in a clinical setting. Scanning Election Microscope (SEM) images reveal that minimal morphological damages are incurred at repetition rates below the carbonization threshold of each tooth tissue. Thermal studies measure the temperature distribution and temperature decay during laser ablation and after laser cessation, and demonstrate that repetition rates at or below 10kHz with a laser fluence of 40 J/cm 2 would inflict minimal thermal damage on the surrounding nerve tissues and provide acceptable clinical removal rates. Spectral analysis of the different tooth tissues is also conducted and differences between the visible wavelength fsLIBS spectra are evident, though more robust classification studies are needed for clinical translation. These results have initiated a set of precautionary recommendations that would enable the clinician to utilize femtosecond laser ablation for the removal of carious lesions while ensuring that the solidity and utility of the tooth remain intact. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Japanese version of the modified ACR preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and the fibromyalgia symptom scale: reliability and validity.

PubMed

Usui, Chie; Hatta, Kotaro; Aratani, Satoko; Yagishita, Naoko; Nishioka, Kenya; Kanazawa, Teruhisa; Itoh, Kenji; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Nakajima, Toshihiro; Nishioka, Kusuki

2013-09-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the modified American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia (mACR 2010-J) and the Fibromyalgia Symptom Scale (mFS-J). According to the ACR 1990 classification criteria, patients with chronic pain were divided into the fibromyalgia group and nonfibromyalgia group (rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis). Patients in both groups were assessed using mACR 2010-J and mFS-J. 294 of 462 (64 %) patients in the fibromyalgia group met mACR 2010-J, whereas 4 % (9/231) of the nonfibromyalgia group did, with sensitivity of 64 %, specificity of 96 %, positive predictive value of 97 %, negative predictive value of 56 %, and positive likelihood ratio of 16.3. Mean total scores on mFS-J significantly differentiated the fibromyalgia from the nonfibromyalgia group. According to the value of the Youden index, the best cutoff score for the mFS-J was 9/10. Our findings indicate that mACR 2010-J as a positive test and mFS-J as a quantification scale might be suitable for assessing fibromyalgia among Japanese chronic pain populations.

Full suspension mountain bike improves off-road cycling performance.

PubMed

Nishii, T; Umemura, Y; Kitagawa, K

2004-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of suspension systems on the cycling performance of cyclists during off-road bicycling. Eight elite male cyclists (67.8+/-5.8 ml/min/kg of (.-)VO(2max)) performed 30-minute riding tests on bicycles with 2 different suspension setups: front suspension (FS) and front and rear suspension (FRS). Heart rate, blood lactate concentration, pedaling power, cadence, cycling velocity, and completed distance during the trial were measured creatin kinase (CK), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) were measured before and after the trials. The average cadence during the trial was significantly higher (p<0.05) with the FRS (73.6+/-6.1 rpm) than the FS (70.2+/-6.2 rpm). Subjects rode significantly faster (p<0.05) on FRS (24.1+/-2.6 km/h) than FS bikes (22.9+/-2.4 km/h), although no significant difference was observed in pedaling power (240.7+/-26.6 W vs 242.2+/-28.8 W, FS vs FRS, respectively). Serum creatin kinase increased significantly (p<0.05) at 24 h after the trial when cyclists exercised with the FS bike. We conclude that the FRS improved cycling performance over rough terrain. FRS might therefore be more suitable for cross-country mountain bike races.

Psychological Stress Induces Temporary Masticatory Muscle Mechanical Sensitivity in Rats

PubMed Central

Huang, Fei; Zhang, Min; Chen, Yong-Jin; Li, Qiang; Wu, An-Zhen

2011-01-01

To explore the relationship between psychological stress and masticatory muscle pain, we created a communication stress animal model to determine whether psychological stress could induce increased mechanical sensitivity in masticatory muscles and to study the changes of mechanical nociceptive thresholds after stress removal. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a control group (CON), a foot-shocked group (FS, including 3 subgroups recorded as FS-1, FS-2, and FS-3), a psychological stress group (PS), and a drug treatment group (DT). PS and DT rats were confined in a communication box for one hour a day to observe the psychological responses of neighboring FS rats.Measurements of the mechanical nociceptive thresholds of the bilateral temporal and masseter muscles showed a stimulus-response relationship between psychological stress and muscle mechanical sensitivity. The DT rats, who received a diazepam injection, showed almost the same mechanical sensitivity of the masticatory muscles to that of the control in response to psychological stress. Fourteen days after the psychological stressor was removed, the mechanical nociceptive thresholds returned to normal. These findings suggest that psychological stress is directly related to masticatory muscle pain. Removal of the stressor could be a useful method for relieving mechanical sensitivity increase induced by psychological stress. PMID:21331360

Particle size distributions and gas-particle partitioning of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in ambient air during haze days and normal days.

PubMed

Zhang, Xian; Zheng, Minghui; Liang, Yong; Liu, Guorui; Zhu, Qingqing; Gao, Lirong; Liu, Wenbin; Xiao, Ke; Sun, Xu

2016-12-15

Little information is available on the distributions of airborne polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) during haze days. In this study, PCDD/F concentrations, particle size distributions, and gas-particle partitioning in a Beijing suburban area during haze days and normal days were investigated. High PCDD/F concentrations, 3979-74,702fgm -3 (173-3885fgI-TEQm -3 ), were found during haze days and ~98% of the PCDD/Fs were associated with particles. Most PCDD/F congeners (>90%) were associated with particles. PCDD/F concentrations increased as particle sizes decreased and 95% of the particle-bound PCDD/Fs were associated with inhalable fine particles with aerodynamic diameters<2.5μm. PCDD/Fs were mainly absorbed in the particles and the Harner-Bidleman model predicted the particulate fractions of the PCDD/F congeners in the air samples well. The investigated PCDD/F concentrations and particle-bound distributions were different during normal days than during haze days. Temporal airborne PCDD/F trends in a suburban area during haze conditions could support better understanding of the exposure risk posed by toxic PCDD/Fs associated with fine particles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Associations between dioxins/furans and dioxin-like PCBs in estuarine sediment and blue crab

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liebens, J.; Mohrherr, C.J.; Karouna-Renier, N. K.; Snyder, R.A.; Rao, K.R.

2011-01-01

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationships between the quantity, toxicity, and compositional profile of dioxin/furan compounds (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in estuarine sediment and in the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). Sediment and blue crab samples were collected in three small urban estuaries that are in relatively close proximity to each other. Results show that differences between PCDD/F and DL-PCB mass concentrations and total toxic equivalents (TEQ) toxicity in sediments of the three estuaries are reflected in those of the blue crab. TEQs are higher in the hepatopancreas of the crabs than in the sediment, but the concentration factor is inversely proportional to the TEQ in the sediments. Congener profiles in the crabs are systematically different from those in the sediments, and the difference is more pronounced for PCDD/Fs than for DL-PCBs, possibly due to differences in metabolization rates. Compared with sediment profiles, more lesser-chlorinated PCDD/Fs that have higher TEFs accumulate in crab hepatopancreas. This selective bioaccumulation of PCDD/Fs results in a TEQ augmentation in crab hepatopancreas compared with sediments. The bioaccumulation in the blue crab is also selective for PCDD/Fs over DL-PCBs. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Effects of the addition of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash on the behavior of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans in the iron ore sintering process.

PubMed

Min, Yi; Liu, Chengjun; Shi, Peiyang; Qin, Chongda; Feng, Yutao; Liu, Baichen

2018-04-11

Raw materials were co-sintered with municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash through iron ore sintering to promote the safe treatment and utilization of MSWI fly ash. To assess the feasibility of this co-sintering method, in this study, the effects of the addition of MSWI fly ash on the formation and emission of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) were estimated via iron ore sintering pot experiments. During co-sintering, most of the PCDD/Fs in the added MSWI fly ash were decomposed and transformed into PCDD/Fs associated with iron sintering, and the concentrations of lower- and mid-chlorinated congeners increased. As there was a sufficient chlorine source and the sintering bed permeability was decreased by the addition of MSWI fly ash, the PCDD/F concentration in the exhaust gas increased. The mass emission of PCDD/Fs decreased; however, the emission of toxic PCDD/Fs increased beyond the total emissions from the independent MSW incineration and iron ore sintering processes due to the transformation of PCDD/F congeners. The co-sintering may be an important solution after technological improvements in the flue gas cleaning system and PCDD/F formation inhibition procedures. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PCDD/Fs in air and soil around an e-waste dismantling area with open burning of insulated wires in south China.

PubMed

Ren, M; Tang, Y H; Peng, P A; Cai, Y

2015-05-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in ambient air and farmland soil sampled in 2006 around an e-waste dismantling area with open burning of insulated wires in Longtang in south China were investigated. The total toxic equivalent concentrations of PCDD/Fs were 3.2-31.7 pg/m(3) in air and 5.8 12.4 ng/kg in farmland soil at an e-waste site and 0.063-0.091 pg/m(3) in air at a background site. PCDD/Fs in the air at the e-waste site were characterized with dominant 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF and OCDF and higher concentrations of furans than dioxins, suggesting open burning of insulated wires was likely to be the main source of PCDD/Fs. Compared with the results in this study, the level of PCDD/F tended to lessen with the average TEQ concentration decreasing by 41 % and the pattern changed to be dominated by OCDD in the air of Longtang in 2010 when insulated wires were openly burned in only a small scale. Our results indicate that the lower chlorinated congeners with higher vapor pressures have enhanced atmospheric transport tendencies.

More than Just Two Sexes: The Neural Correlates of Voice Gender Perception in Gender Dysphoria

PubMed Central

Junger, Jessica; Habel, Ute; Bröhr, Sabine; Neulen, Josef; Neuschaefer-Rube, Christiane; Birkholz, Peter; Kohler, Christian; Schneider, Frank; Derntl, Birgit; Pauly, Katharina

2014-01-01

Gender dysphoria (also known as “transsexualism”) is characterized as a discrepancy between anatomical sex and gender identity. Research points towards neurobiological influences. Due to the sexually dimorphic characteristics of the human voice, voice gender perception provides a biologically relevant function, e.g. in the context of mating selection. There is evidence for a better recognition of voices of the opposite sex and a differentiation of the sexes in its underlying functional cerebral correlates, namely the prefrontal and middle temporal areas. This fMRI study investigated the neural correlates of voice gender perception in 32 male-to-female gender dysphoric individuals (MtFs) compared to 20 non-gender dysphoric men and 19 non-gender dysphoric women. Participants indicated the sex of 240 voice stimuli modified in semitone steps in the direction to the other gender. Compared to men and women, MtFs showed differences in a neural network including the medial prefrontal gyrus, the insula, and the precuneus when responding to male vs. female voices. With increased voice morphing men recruited more prefrontal areas compared to women and MtFs, while MtFs revealed a pattern more similar to women. On a behavioral and neuronal level, our results support the feeling of MtFs reporting they cannot identify with their assigned sex. PMID:25375171

Ultrafast gigantic photo-response in charge-ordered organic salt (EDO-TTF)2PF6 on 10-fs time scales

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

Itatani, J.; Rini, M.; Cavalleri, A.

2008-08-01

The initial dynamics of photo-induced phase transition in charge-ordered organic salt (EDO-TTF){sub 2}PF{sub 6} was investigated using 10-fs near-infrared laser pulses. We observed sub-20-fs gigantic photo-responses (|{Delta}R/R|>100%) due to intra-molecular vibration and a clear signature of a structural bottleneck ({approx}50 fs) for the first time.

Development and Evaluation of an Online, Inquiry-Based Food Safety Education Program for Secondary Teachers and Their Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beffa-Negrini, Patricia A.; Cohen, Nancy L.; Laus, Mary Jane; McLandsborough, Lynne A.

2007-01-01

Secondary science teachers who integrate food safety (FS) into curricula can provide FS knowledge and skills to youth while reinforcing science skills and concepts. National science education standards and the Biological Science Curriculum Study 5E Inquiry-based Learning Model were used to design an online training, Food Safety FIRST. The training…

[Concentrations, distribution characteristics and electron beam radiolysis degradation of PCDD/Fs in waste water from a paper mill].

PubMed

Qing, Xian; Huang, Jin-Qiong; Yu, Xiao-Wei; Zhang, Su-Kun; Yang, Yan-Yan; Ren, Ming-Zhong; Wen, Yu-Long

2014-07-01

Concentrations and distribution characteristics of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in waste water from a paper mill. And concentrations of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs in waste water before and after electron beam irradiation with different doses were compared. The feasibility, mechanism and rates of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs degradation were discussed. The PCDD/Fs concentrations and corresponding I-TEQ (toxic equivalent quantity) values were 239 pg x L(-1) and 41.0 pg x L(-1), respectively, in the waste water. The concentrations of total 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs decreased after electron beam radiolysis at a dose of 30 kGy and 60 kGy with degradation rates of 5.27% and 23.6%, respectively.

SeaWiFS Technical Report Series. Volume 8: Proceedings of the First SeaWiFS Science Team Meeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Esaias, Wayne E.; Rexrode, Lisa A.; Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor)

1993-01-01

The first meeting of the SeaWiFS Science Team was held in preparation for a launch of the SeaStar satellite carrying the SeaWiFS ocean color scanner in the October 1993 time frame. The primary goals of the meeting were: (1) to brief Science Team members, agency representatives, and international collaborators on the status of the mission by representatives from the SeaWiFS Project, the prime contractor Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC), and the Goddard Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC); (2) to provide for briefings on the science investigations undertaken by Science Team members and to solicit comments and recommendations from meeting attendees for improvements; and (3) to improve coordination of research and validation activities both inter- and intra-nationally with respect to collection, validation, and application of ocean color data from the SeaWiFS mission. Presentations and recommendations are summarized.

The development and in vitro evaluation of herbal pellets coated with Eudragit FS 30.

PubMed

Kaledaite, Rasa; Bernatoniene, Jurga; Dvořáčková, Kateřina; Gajdziok, Jan; Muselík, Jan; Pečiūra, Rimantas; Masteikova, Ruta

2014-05-20

Abstract The objective of this study was to prepare pellets of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.) dry extracts by extrusion-spheronization technique to improve technological properties and investigate dissolution profiles of pellets covered different levels of pH-sensitive polymer Eudragit® FS. Optimal sample of pellets were prepared using microcrystalline cellulose and lactose as excipients and demonstrated excellent technological quality properties such as Hausner ratio (1.07 ± 0.11) and compressibility index (6.73 ± 0.94%) value, spericity (0.87 ± 0.001) and friability (0.22 ± 0.08 N). Pellets were coated by 10-35% (w/w) of Eudragit® FS. Dissolution studies showed that less than 20% of coating could not prevent dissolution of phenols in pH 1.2, 20% Eudragit® FS coating is enough to prevent herbal extract against dissolution in the stomach. There were observed no statistical significant differences between 20% and 25% or higher amount of coating polymer to a dissolution of phenols in low pH.

Coating glass-ionomer cements with a nanofilled resin.

PubMed

Bonifácio, Clarissa Calil; Werner, Arie; Kleverlaan, Cornelis Johanes

2012-12-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a nanofilled resin coat on the flexural strength (FS) and the early wear (after 50,000 and 200,000 cycles) of the glass-ionomer cements Fuji IX GP Extra (FIXE) and Ketac Molar Aplicap (KM). Specimens were prepared and half of them were coated with G-Coat plus. The uncoated specimens were used as controls. Flexural strength (n = 10) was evaluated after 24 h using a 3-point bending test on a universal testing machine (ISO 9917-2). Wear (n = 20) was evaluated after 50,000 and 200,000 cycles using the ACTA wear machine. One-way, two-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc tests were used to analyze differences in FS and wear. For FIXE the coat significantly increased the FS and the wear along the two time spans. KM did not show a significant difference in FS with the coat. Improvements in wear were observed only after 50,000 cycles. Based on these laboratory results, it is concluded that G-coat Plus is indicated in association with GP IX Extra with the aim to improve the mechanical properties of the former. However, this study is limited to a short-term observation.

Comparing the Ocean Color Measurements Between MOS and SeaWiFS: A Vicarious Intercalibration Approach for MOS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Menghua; Franz, Bryan A.

1998-01-01

One of the primary goals of the NASA Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) project is to develop methods for meaningful comparison and possible merging of data products from multiple ocean color missions. The Modular Optoelectronic Scanner (MOS) is a German instrument that was launched in the spring of 1996 on the Indian IRS-P3 satellite. With the successful launch of NASA's Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) in the summer of 1997, there are now two ocean color missions in concurrent operation and there is interest within the scientific community to compare data from these two sensors. In this paper, we describe our efforts to retrieve ocean optical properties from both SeaWiFS and MOS using consistent methods. We first briefly review the atmospheric correction, which removes more than 90% of the observed radiances in the visible, and then describe how the atmospheric correction algorithm used for the SeaWiFS data can be modified for application to other ocean color sensors. Next, since the retrieved water-leaving radiances in the visible between MOS and SeaWiFS are significantly different, we developed a vicarious intercalibration method to recalibrate the MOS spectral bands based on the optical properties of the ocean and atmosphere derived from the coincident SeaWiFS measurements. We present and discuss the MOS retrieved ocean optical properties before and after the vicarious calibration, and demonstrate the efficacy of this approach. We show that it is possible and efficient to vicariously intercalibrate sensors between one and another.

Does ascorbic acid supplementation affect iron bioavailability in rats fed micronized dispersible ferric pyrophosphate fortified fruit juice?

PubMed

Haro-Vicente, Juan Francisco; Pérez-Conesa, Darío; Rincón, Francisco; Ros, Gaspar; Martínez-Graciá, Carmen; Vidal, Maria Luisa

2008-12-01

Food iron (Fe) fortification is an adequate approach for preventing Fe-deficiency anemia. Poorly water-soluble Fe compounds have good sensory attributes but low bioavailability. The reduction of the particle size of Fe fortificants and the addition of ascorbic acid might increase the bioavailability of low-soluble compounds. The present work aims to compare the Fe absorption and bioavailability of micronized dispersible ferric pyrophosphate (MDFP) (poorly soluble) to ferrous sufate (FS) (highly soluble) added to a fruit juice in presence or absence of ascorbic acid (AA) by using the hemoglobin repletion assay in rats. After a hemoglobin depletion period, four fruit juices comprised of (1) FS, (2) MDFP, (3) FS + AA, (4) MDFP + AA were produced and administered to a different group of rats (n = 18) over 21 days. During the repletion period, Fe balance, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE), relative bioavailability (RBV) and Fe tissue content were determined in the short, medium and long term. Fe absorption and bioavailability showed no significant differences between fortifying the fruit juice with FS or MDFP. The addition of AA to the juice enhanced Fe absorption during the long-term balance study within the same Fe source. HRE and Fe utilization increased after AA addition in both FS and MDFP groups in every period. Fe absorption and bioavailability from MDFP were comparable to FS added to a fruit juice in rats. Further, the addition of AA enhanced Fe absorption in the long term, as well as Fe bioavailability throughout the repletion period regardless of the Fe source employed.

Influence of water storage on fatigue strength of self-etch adhesives.

PubMed

Takamizawa, Toshiki; Barkmeier, Wayne W; Tsujimoto, Akimasa; Scheidel, Donal D; Watanabe, Hidehiko; Erickson, Robert L; Latta, Mark A; Miyazaki, Masashi

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine enamel and dentin bond durability after long-term water storage using self-etch adhesives. Two single step self-etch adhesives (SU, Scotchbond Universal and GB, G-ӕnial Bond) and a two-step self-etch adhesive (OX, OptiBond XTR) were used. The shear bond strength (SBS) and shear fatigue strength (FS) of the enamel and dentin were obtained with and without phosphoric acid pre-etching prior to application of the adhesives. The specimens were stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 24 h, 6 months, and one year. A staircase method was used to determine the FS using a frequency of 10 Hz for 50,000 cycles or until failure occurred. The SBS and FS of enamel bonds were significantly higher with pre-etching, when compared to no pre-etching for the same water storage period. The FS of dentin bonds with pre-etching tended to decrease relative to no pre-etching at the same storage period. For the one year storage period, SU and GB with pre-etching showed significantly lower FS values than the groups without pre-etching. The influence of water storage on FS of the self-etch adhesives was dependent on the adhesive material, storage period and phosphoric acid pre-etching of the bonding site. Phosphoric acid pre-etching of enamel improves the effectiveness of self-etch adhesive systems. Inadvertent contact of phosphoric acid on dentin appears to reduce the ability of self-etch adhesives to effectively bond resin composite materials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of central corneal thickness with optical low-coherence reflectometry and ultrasound pachymetry in normal and post-femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis eyes.

PubMed

Huang, Jinhai; Liao, Na; Savini, Giacomo; Li, Yuanguang; Bao, Fangjun; Yu, Ye; Yu, Ayong; Wang, Qinmei

2015-02-01

To determine the repeatability and reproducibility of measurements of central corneal thickness (CCT) using optical low-coherence reflectometry (Lenstar LS900; Haag Streit) in normal eyes and post-femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (post-FS-LASIK) eyes and evaluate their agreement with ultrasound (US) pachymetry. CCT was measured using Lenstar and US pachymetry sequentially in normal and post-FS-LASIK eyes by 2 experienced observers. Intraoperator repeatability and interoperator reproducibility were assessed by within-subject standard deviation, test-retest repeatability, coefficient of variation (CoV), and intraclass correlation coefficient. Paired t-tests and Bland-Altman plots were used for analyzing agreement between the 2 devices. In this study, 55 healthy subjects and 50 post-FS-LASIK patients were recruited. Test-retest repeatability of Lenstar was within 10 μm, CoV was less than 1.0%, and intraclass correlation coefficient was more than 0.9 in both normal and post-FS-LASIK groups. Mean difference between these methods was 1.4 ± 4.2 μm and -1.7 ± 5.4 μm, respectively. Moreover, measurements of CCT showed narrow 95% limits of agreement (range, normal group: -6.8 and 9.6 μm; post-FS-LASIK group: -12.4 and 8.9 μm), which implied good agreement. Measurements of CCT using Lenstar showed excellent intraoperator repeatability and interoperator reproducibility both in normal eyes and post-FS-LASIK eyes. Measurements of CCT using Lenstar and US pachymetry showed good agreement and both can be used interchangeably.

A Microplate Growth Inhibition Assay for Screening Bacteriocins against Listeria monocytogenes to Differentiate Their Mode-of-Action.

PubMed

Vijayakumar, Paul Priyesh; Muriana, Peter M

2015-06-11

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have historically been used in food fermentations to preserve foods and are generally-recognized-as-safe (GRAS) by the FDA for use as food ingredients. In addition to lactic acid; some strains also produce bacteriocins that have been proposed for use as food preservatives. In this study we examined the inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes 39-2 by neutralized and non-neutralized bacteriocin preparations (Bac+ preps) produced by Lactobacillus curvatus FS47; Lb. curvatus Beef3; Pediococcus acidilactici Bac3; Lactococcus lactis FLS1; Enterococcus faecium FS56-1; and Enterococcus thailandicus FS92. Activity differences between non-neutralized and neutralized Bac+ preps in agar spot assays could not readily be attributed to acid because a bacteriocin-negative control strain was not inhibitory to Listeria in these assays. When neutralized and non-neutralized Bac+ preps were used in microplate growth inhibition assays against L. monocytogenes 39-2 we observed some differences attributed to acid inhibition. A microplate growth inhibition assay was used to compare inhibitory reactions of wild-type and bacteriocin-resistant variants of L. monocytogenes to differentiate bacteriocins with different modes-of-action (MOA) whereby curvaticins FS47 and Beef3, and pediocin Bac3 were categorized to be in MOA1; enterocins FS92 and FS56-1 in MOA2; and lacticin FLS1 in MOA3. The microplate bacteriocin MOA assay establishes a platform to evaluate the best combination of bacteriocin preparations for use in food applications as biopreservatives against L. monocytogenes.

In vitro fermented nuts exhibit chemopreventive effects in HT29 colon cancer cells.

PubMed

Lux, Stefanie; Scharlau, Daniel; Schlörmann, Wiebke; Birringer, Marc; Glei, Michael

2012-10-01

It is proven that nuts contain essential macro- and micronutrients, e.g. fatty acids, vitamins and dietary fibre (DF). Fermentation of DF by the gut microflora results in the formation of SCFA which are recognised for their chemopreventive potential, especially by influencing cell growth. However, little is known about cellular response to complex fermentation samples of nuts. Therefore, we prepared and analysed (pH, SCFA, bile acids, tocopherol, antioxidant capacity) fermentation supernatant (fs) fractions of nuts (almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts) after in vitro fermentation and determined their effects on growth of HT29 cells as well as their genotoxic/anti-genotoxic potential. The fermented nut samples contained 2- to 3-fold higher amounts of SCFA than the faeces control, but considerable reduced levels of bile acids. While most of the investigated native nuts comprised relatively high amounts of tocopherol (α-tocopherol in almonds and hazelnuts and γ- and δ-tocopherol in pistachios and walnuts), rather low concentrations were found in the fs. All nut extracts and nut fs showed a strong antioxidant potential. Furthermore, all fs, except the fs pistachio, reduced growth of HT29 cells significantly. DNA damage induced by H₂O₂ was significantly reduced by the fs of walnuts after 15 min co-incubation of HT29 cells. In conclusion, this is the first study which presents the chemopreventive effects (reduction of tumour-promoting desoxycholic acid, rise in chemopreventive SCFA, protection against oxidative stress) of different nuts after in vitro digestion and fermentation, and shows the potential importance of nuts in the prevention of colon cancer.

Atmospheric PCDD/F concentration and source apportionment in typical rural, Agent Orange hotspots, and industrial areas in Vietnam.

PubMed

Ngo, Tuan Hung; Hien, To Thi; Thuan, Ngo Thi; Minh, Nguyen Hung; Chi, Kai Hsien

2017-09-01

Vietnam has a double burden of dioxin from both industrial sources and historical sources. To evaluate the concentration of PCDD/Fs in ambient air in different areas of Vietnam and their possible sources, atmospheric samples were collected from three areas namely Son La (rural area) and Da Nang (harbor - Agent Orange hotspot area), and Ho Chi Minh City (metropolitan - industrial city). Vapor and solid phases of PCDD/Fs were collected and analyzed following the TO-9A sampling method. Principal Component Analysis and Positive Matrix Factorization model were applied to characterize the possible source. The average concentrations of PCDD/Fs were found to be 21.3 ± 13 fg I-TEQ/m 3 in Son La (n = 32), 65.2 ± 34 fg I-TEQ/m 3 in Da Nang (n = 16) and 139 ± 84 fg I-TEQ/m 3 in Ho Chi Minh City (n = 8). The findings of this study targeted open burning (42%) and biomass burning (51%) as the major emission sources of PCDD/Fs in ambient air of Son La, Vietnam. Major possible sources of PCDD/Fs in Da Nang could be transportation activities (64%), however, the other factor (36%) was suspected to be contaminated with 2,3,7,8-TeCDD from Agent Orange. Most of PCDD/Fs emitted in Ho Chi Minh City related to industrial activities (93%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The human body burden of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in residents' human breast milk from Beijing in 2007].

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Liu, Yin-ping; Li, Jing-guang; Zhao, Yun-feng; Wu, Yong-ning

2013-06-01

To investigate contamination levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in human breast milk from Beijing residents, and evaluate the human body burden of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs of general population. A total of 110 human milk samples were collected from 11 regions in Beijing in 2007. After 11 pooled samples were made, concentrations of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in breast milk pooled samples were measured by a high resolution gas chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry (HRCG-HRMS) with isotope dilution. For congeners of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in human breast milk from Beijing, the highest content of congeners was octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-118, and PCB-105 with the median of 20.6 pg/g fat, 4.07 ng/g fat and 1.63 ng/g fat, respectively. The concentration median of total dioxins in 11 pooled human milk samples from Beijing was 7.4 pg TEQ/g fat. The highest was 13.5 pg TEQ/g fat from Tongzhou, and the lowest was 4.3 pg TEQ/g fat from Pinggu. The contamination level of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in human milk from Beijing is relatively low. However, with the rapid industrialization in China, the human body burden of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs will be likely to rise. Thus, further studies should be conducted to continuously monitor the trend of contamination level.

Confocal Comparison of Corneal Reinnervation after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) and Femtosecond Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (FS-LASIK)

PubMed Central

Qin, Bing; Zhou, Zimei; Ni, Katherine; Le, Qihua; Xiang, Jun; Wei, Anji; Ma, Weiping; Zhou, Xingtao

2013-01-01

Purpose To evaluate corneal reinnervation, and the corresponding corneal sensitivity and keratocyte density after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). Methods In this prospective, non-randomized observational study, 18 patients (32 eyes) received SMILE surgery, and 22 patients (42 eyes) received FS-LASIK surgery to correct myopia. The corneal subbasal nerve density and microscopic morphological changes in corneal architecture were evaluated by confocal microscopy prior to surgery and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. A correlation analysis was performed between subbasal corneal nerve density and the corresponding keratocyte density and corneal sensitivity. Results The decrease in subbasal nerve density was less severe in SMILE-treated eyes than in FS-LASIK-treated eyes at 1 week (P = 0.0147), 1 month (P = 0.0243), and 3 months (P = 0.0498), but no difference was detected at the 6-month visit (P = 0.5277). The subbasal nerve density correlated positively with central corneal sensitivity in both groups (r = 0.416, P<0.0001, and r = 0.2567, P = 0.0038 for SMILE group and FS-LASIK group, respectively). The SMILE-treated eyes have a lower risk of developing peripheral empty space with epithelial cells filling in (P = 0.0005). Conclusions The decrease in subbasal nerve fiber density was less severe in the SMILE group than the FS-LASIK group in the first 3 months following the surgeries. The subbasal nerve density was correlated with central corneal sensitivity. PMID:24349069

Confocal comparison of corneal reinnervation after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK).

PubMed

Li, Meiyan; Niu, Lingling; Qin, Bing; Zhou, Zimei; Ni, Katherine; Le, Qihua; Xiang, Jun; Wei, Anji; Ma, Weiping; Zhou, Xingtao

2013-01-01

To evaluate corneal reinnervation, and the corresponding corneal sensitivity and keratocyte density after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). In this prospective, non-randomized observational study, 18 patients (32 eyes) received SMILE surgery, and 22 patients (42 eyes) received FS-LASIK surgery to correct myopia. The corneal subbasal nerve density and microscopic morphological changes in corneal architecture were evaluated by confocal microscopy prior to surgery and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. A correlation analysis was performed between subbasal corneal nerve density and the corresponding keratocyte density and corneal sensitivity. The decrease in subbasal nerve density was less severe in SMILE-treated eyes than in FS-LASIK-treated eyes at 1 week (P = 0.0147), 1 month (P = 0.0243), and 3 months (P = 0.0498), but no difference was detected at the 6-month visit (P = 0.5277). The subbasal nerve density correlated positively with central corneal sensitivity in both groups (r = 0.416, P<0.0001, and r = 0.2567, P = 0.0038 for SMILE group and FS-LASIK group, respectively). The SMILE-treated eyes have a lower risk of developing peripheral empty space with epithelial cells filling in (P = 0.0005). The decrease in subbasal nerve fiber density was less severe in the SMILE group than the FS-LASIK group in the first 3 months following the surgeries. The subbasal nerve density was correlated with central corneal sensitivity.

Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connectivity to layer V fast-spiking interneurons in the freeze lesion model of cortical microgyria

PubMed Central

Jin, Xiaoming; Jiang, Kewen

2014-01-01

A variety of major developmental cortical malformations are closely associated with clinically intractable epilepsy. Pathophysiological aspects of one such disorder, human polymicrogyria, can be modeled by making neocortical freeze lesions (FL) in neonatal rodents, resulting in the formation of microgyri. Previous studies showed enhanced excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission and connectivity in cortical layer V pyramidal neurons in the paramicrogyral cortex. In young adult transgenic mice that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) specifically in parvalbumin positive fast-spiking (FS) interneurons, we used laser scanning photostimulation (LSPS) of caged glutamate to map excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connectivity onto FS interneurons in layer V of paramicrogyral cortex in control and FL groups. The proportion of uncaging sites from which excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) could be evoked (hotspot ratio) increased slightly but significantly in FS cells of the FL vs. control cortex, while the mean amplitude of LSPS-evoked EPSCs at hotspots did not change. In contrast, the hotspot ratio of inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) was significantly decreased in FS neurons of the FL cortex. These alterations in synaptic inputs onto FS interneurons may result in an enhanced inhibitory output. We conclude that alterations in synaptic connectivity to cortical layer V FS interneurons do not contribute to hyperexcitability of the FL model. Instead, the enhanced inhibitory output from these neurons may partially offset an earlier demonstrated increase in synaptic excitation of pyramidal cells and thereby maintain a relative balance between excitation and inhibition in the affected cortical circuitry. PMID:24990567

Low back ache treatment with botulinum neurotoxin type A. Local experience in Kuwait.

PubMed

Nagarajan, Venkatesan; Al-Shubaili, Asmahan; Ayad, Yasser M; Alexander, John; Al-Ramezi, Khadijah

2007-01-01

To investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of paraspinal administration of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A) in patients with chronic low back ache (LBA). Eight patients with chronic LBA were injected with BoNT-A at three sites on either side of lumbar paraspinal muscles. The patients rated their pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 to 10, and our physiotherapist assessed the paraspinal muscle spasm using a functional scale (FS) from 0 to 5. The improvement in both VAS and FS 30, 60 and 90 days after BoNT-A from baseline was analyzed separately using paired t test. The correlation between the muscle spasm (FS) and pain relief (VAS) was analyzed using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test. The level of statistical significance was p < 0.05. Five (63%) patients showed a remarkable recovery in VAS and FS, whereas 2 (25%) patients showed improvement only in FS. Statistically significant improvement was achieved in VAS and FS independently 30 days (p < 0.02 and p < 0.02, respectively), 60 days (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively) and 90 days (p < 0.02 and p < 0.001, respectively) after treatment. Pain relief started early and it was independent of relief of muscle spasm 30 days after treatment (r = 0.685; p > 0.05). With this limited study, we have demonstrated that the paraspinal injection of BoNT-A is effective in relieving chronic LBA without producing side effects. The injection is an easy procedure, well tolerated and did not require anesthesia or imaging technique.

A Microplate Growth Inhibition Assay for Screening Bacteriocins against Listeria monocytogenes to Differentiate Their Mode-of-Action

PubMed Central

Vijayakumar, Paul Priyesh; Muriana, Peter M.

2015-01-01

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have historically been used in food fermentations to preserve foods and are generally-recognized-as-safe (GRAS) by the FDA for use as food ingredients. In addition to lactic acid; some strains also produce bacteriocins that have been proposed for use as food preservatives. In this study we examined the inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes 39-2 by neutralized and non-neutralized bacteriocin preparations (Bac+ preps) produced by Lactobacillus curvatus FS47; Lb. curvatus Beef3; Pediococcus acidilactici Bac3; Lactococcus lactis FLS1; Enterococcus faecium FS56-1; and Enterococcus thailandicus FS92. Activity differences between non-neutralized and neutralized Bac+ preps in agar spot assays could not readily be attributed to acid because a bacteriocin-negative control strain was not inhibitory to Listeria in these assays. When neutralized and non-neutralized Bac+ preps were used in microplate growth inhibition assays against L. monocytogenes 39-2 we observed some differences attributed to acid inhibition. A microplate growth inhibition assay was used to compare inhibitory reactions of wild-type and bacteriocin-resistant variants of L. monocytogenes to differentiate bacteriocins with different modes-of-action (MOA) whereby curvaticins FS47 and Beef3, and pediocin Bac3 were categorized to be in MOA1; enterocins FS92 and FS56-1 in MOA2; and lacticin FLS1 in MOA3. The microplate bacteriocin MOA assay establishes a platform to evaluate the best combination of bacteriocin preparations for use in food applications as biopreservatives against L. monocytogenes. PMID:26111195

Magnitude of faecal contamination of rural community well waters in Nigeria and its relationship to well and water properties.

PubMed

Ogan, M T

1989-12-01

The possible relationship between high numbers of fecal coliforms (FCs), fecal streptococci (FS), standard plate count (SPCs) and well characteristics viz: well depth, water column, temperature, pH and non-filterable residue in 25 rural community wells in the Port Harcourt region, Nigeria, was studied. Zonal differences in residue level, well depth and fecal indicator bacteria were observed; these parameters were lowest in an area of high population density (slum) reclaimed from and adjacent to mangrove forests. Although some wells were covered and/or walled to protect them from surface runoff contamination, FCs and FS were recovered from all, except three, in numbers (log10 per 100 mL) ranging respectively from 0.40-3.79 and 0.70-3.44. The FC:FS ratio was less than 1.0 in 8 and greater than 1.0 in 14 samples. Well depth correlated with FCs (p = 0.01; r = 0.5684), FS (p = 0.001; r = 0.6423), pH (p = 0.0001; r = 0.5981); FCs and FS correlated significantly (p = 0.01; r = 0.4948). SPCs did not correlate significantly with FCs, FS and the well and water characteristics. Simultaneous analysis of samples by the Membrane-filtration (MF) and Most Probable Number (MPN) methods recovered mean FC counts in the decreasing sequence: Standard-MPN----Anaerobic----Aerobic MF----Direct-MPN. The underground water table is most probably contaminated via large numbers of soakaway pits and similar conveniences. Downward movement of contaminant from the shallow conveniences into deeper water tables may explain the well depth: indicator bacteria correlation.

Intraoperative frozen section assessment of pelvic lymph nodes during radical prostatectomy is of limited value.

PubMed

Song, Jie; Li, Mei; Zagaja, Gregory P; Taxy, Jerome B; Shalhav, Arieh L; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat A

2010-11-01

To evaluate the accuracy of frozen section (FS) assessment of pelvic lymph nodes (PLNs) during radical prostatectomy (RP) in a large contemporary cohort; and to analyse the contribution of FS to surgical decision making in this setting. During a 4-year period at a single institution, RPs with PLN dissection (PLND) were reviewed. The number and size of the PLNs, and the size of metastases were measured. FS was performed on 349 bilateral PLNDs. Overall, 28 (8%) cases were positive for metastasis, 11 of which were detected by FS (39%). The 17 false negatives, all of which contained metastases smaller than 5 mm, were due to failure to identify and freeze the positive PLNs (11), failure to section at the level of the metastatic tumour (four), or interpretative error (two). The sensitivity was not affected by the number of sampled nodes. The size of metastasis was the determining factor for the accuracy of FS, with metastases of ≥ 5 mm having a sensitivity of 100%, and metastases of < 5 mm having a sensitivity of 10%. Among the 11 true positives, RP was aborted in eight cases and continued in three. During the same period, 261 PLNDs were performed without FS, and 18 (6.9%) had metastases. FS is highly accurate in detecting large, grossly evident metastases, but performs poorly on micrometastases. It is recommended that a two-step approach applied to routine FS starting with a careful gross examination followed by FS for only grossly suspicious PLNs. © 2010 THE AUTHORS. JOURNAL COMPILATION © 2010 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Food safety security: a new concept for enhancing food safety measures.

PubMed

Iyengar, Venkatesh; Elmadfa, Ibrahim

2012-06-01

The food safety security (FSS) concept is perceived as an early warning system for minimizing food safety (FS) breaches, and it functions in conjunction with existing FS measures. Essentially, the function of FS and FSS measures can be visualized in two parts: (i) the FS preventive measures as actions taken at the stem level, and (ii) the FSS interventions as actions taken at the root level, to enhance the impact of the implemented safety steps. In practice, along with FS, FSS also draws its support from (i) legislative directives and regulatory measures for enforcing verifiable, timely, and effective compliance; (ii) measurement systems in place for sustained quality assurance; and (iii) shared responsibility to ensure cohesion among all the stakeholders namely, policy makers, regulators, food producers, processors and distributors, and consumers. However, the functional framework of FSS differs from that of FS by way of: (i) retooling the vulnerable segments of the preventive features of existing FS measures; (ii) fine-tuning response systems to efficiently preempt the FS breaches; (iii) building a long-term nutrient and toxicant surveillance network based on validated measurement systems functioning in real time; (iv) focusing on crisp, clear, and correct communication that resonates among all the stakeholders; and (v) developing inter-disciplinary human resources to meet ever-increasing FS challenges. Important determinants of FSS include: (i) strengthening international dialogue for refining regulatory reforms and addressing emerging risks; (ii) developing innovative and strategic action points for intervention {in addition to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedures]; and (iii) introducing additional science-based tools such as metrology-based measurement systems.

[Molecular pathogenesis of Waardenburg syndrome type II resulting from SOX10 gene mutation].

PubMed

Zhang, Hua; Chen, Hongsheng; Feng, Yong; Qian, Minfei; Li, Jiping; Liu, Jun; Zhang, Chun

2016-08-01

To explore the molecular mechanism of Waardenburg syndrome type II (WS2) resulting from SOX10 gene mutation E248fs through in vitro experiment. 293T cells were transiently transfected with wild type (WT) SOX10 and mutant type (MT) E248fs plasmids. The regulatory effect of WT/MT SOX10 on the transcriptional activity of MITF gene and influence of E248fs on WT SOX10 function were determined with a luciferase activity assay. The DNA binding capacity of the WT/MT SOX10 with the promoter of the MITF gene was determined with a biotinylated double-stranded oligonucleotide probe containing the SOX10 binding sequence cattgtc to precipitate MITF and E248fs, respectively. The stability of SOX10 and E248fs were also analyzed. As a loss-of-function mutation, the E248fs mutant failed to transactivate the MITF promoter as compared with the WT SOX10 (P<0.01), which also showed a dominant-negative effect on WT SOX10. The WT SOX10 and E248fs mutant were also able to bind specifically to the cattgtc motif in the MITF promoter, whereas E248fs had degraded faster than WT SOX10. Despite the fact that the E248fs has a dominant-negative effect on SOX10, its reduced stability may down-regulate the transcription of MITF and decrease the synthesis of melanin, which may result in haploinsufficiency of SOX10 protein and cause the milder WS2 phenotype.

Ten-year results of the Freedom Solo stentless heart valve: excellent haemodynamics but progressive valve dysfunction in the long term.

PubMed

Sponga, Sandro; Barbera, Mila Della; Pavoni, Daisy; Lechiancole, Andrea; Mazzaro, Enzo; Valente, Marialuisa; Nucifora, Gaetano; Thiene, Gaetano; Livi, Ugolino

2017-05-01

Freedom Solo (FS) is a pericardial stentless heart valve showing excellent haemodynamic performance at mid-term. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term performance of such bioprostheses. Between December 2004 and November 2009, 109 patients (31 men; mean age 76 ± 6 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with FS. Preoperatively, the mean NYHA class was 2.5 ± 0.7, the mean EuroSCORE II, 2.8 ± 2.5. Mean prosthesis size was 22.7 ± 1.9 mm; concomitant procedures were performed in 65 patients. Structural valve deterioration (SVD) was diagnosed according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definition. Two patients (1.8%) died within 30 days. Follow-up (72 ± 36 months) was 100% completed. The 1-, 5- and 10-year actuarial survival rates were 89, 73 and 42%, respectively, with 8 valve-related deaths; the actuarial freedom from SVD was 99, 93 and 76%. During 61 ± 39 months of follow-up, echocardiographic findings worsened progressively: At discharge, 3-5 and 7-9 years, the mean gradient was 8 ± 4, 12 ± 11 and 19 ± 19 mmHg ( P  < 0.01); the indexed effective orifice area was 1.0 ± 0.2, 0.9 ± 0.2 and 0.8 ± 0.3 cm 2 /m 2 ( P  < 0.01). Of the 13 patients who developed SVD, it was due to aortic stenosis in 11. SVD was a predictor of cardiovascular mortality at univariate analysis (HR 2.87, 1.12-7.29); 2 explanted prostheses showed massive calcium deposits with mean calcium and phosphorus contents of 234 ± 16 and 116 ± 7 mg/g dry weight, respectively. The FS bioprosthesis shows excellent mid-term clinical and haemodynamic results and offers an alternative to other valves, particularly in the case of a small aortic annulus. Worsening of FS performance was observed at late follow-up because of progressive SVD with stenosis, questioning whether it should be used in patients with a long life expectancy. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Handbook to Support the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) statements of Work. Volume 1. Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Studies (RI/FS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

FEASIBILITY STUDIES (RI/FS) ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION DIV STAFF MAY 1991 (REPRINT) - Distribution is unlimited; approved for public release ENVIRONMENTAL ...RESTORATION DIVISION (ESR) ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES OFFICE AIR FORCE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE (AFCEE) BROOKS AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS S(4 93-05296...Human Systems Division’s Human Systems Program Office, IRP Divisicn (HSD/YAQ) was transferred to the newly formed Air Force Center for Environmental

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Magellan/M2FS spectroscopy of Abell 267 (Tucker+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, E.; Walker, M. G.; Mateo, M.; Olszewski, E. W.; Bailey, J. I.; Crane, J. D.; Shectman, S. A.

2018-02-01

We select targets for Michigan/Magellan Fiber System (M2FS) observations by identifying galaxies detected in SDSS images (Data Release 12; Alam et al.2015, Cat. V/147) that are projected along the line of sight to Abell 267 and are likely to be quiescent cluster members. We observed 223 individual galaxy spectra on 2013 November 30 on the Clay Magellan Telescope using M2FS. We used the low-resolution grating on M2FS and chose a coverage range of 4600-6400Å with a resolution of R~2000. The detector used with M2FS consists of two 4096*4112 pixel CCDs. (1 data file).

FS laser processing of bio-polymer thin films for studying cell-to-substrate specific response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daskalova, A.; Nathala, Chandra S. R.; Kavatzikidou, P.; Ranella, A.; Szoszkiewicz, R.; Husinsky, W.; Fotakis, C.

2016-09-01

The use of ultra-short pulses for nanoengineering of biomaterials opens up possibilities for biological, medical and tissue engineering applications. Structuring the surface of a biomaterial into arrays with micro- and nanoscale features and architectures, defines new roadmaps to innovative engineering of materials. Thin films of novel collagen/elastin composite and gelatin were irradiated by Ti:sapphire fs laser in air at central wavelength 800 nm, with pulse durations in the range of 30 fs. The size and shape as well as morphological forms occurring in the resulted areas of interaction were analyzed as a function of irradiation fluence and number of pulses by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The fs interaction regime allows generation of well defined micro porous surface arrays. In this study we examined a novel composite consisting of collagen and elastin in order to create a biodegradable matrix to serve as a biomimetic surface for cell attachment. Confocal microscopy images of modified zones reveal formation of surface fringe patterns with orientation direction alongside the area of interaction. Outside the crater rim a wave-like topography pattern is observed. Structured, on a nanometer scale, surface array is employed for cell-culture experiments for testing cell's responses to substrate morphology. Mice fibroblasts migration was monitored after 3 days cultivation period using FESEM. We found that fibroblasts cells tend to migrate and adhere along the laser modified zones. The performed study proved that the immobilized collagen based biofilms suite as a template for successful fibroblasts cell guidance and orientation. Fs laser induced morphological modification of biomimetic materials exhibit direct control over fibroblasts behaviour due to induced change in their wettability state.

Levels, profiles and gas-particle distribution of atmospheric PCDD/Fs in vehicle parking lots of a South China metropolitan area.

PubMed

Li, Huiru; Zhou, Lin; Ren, Man; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo; Peng, Ping'an

2014-01-01

Vehicle exhaust is one important PCDD/F source in urban areas. In this study, occurrence and inhalation of atmospheric PCDD/Fs in three enclosed/semi-enclosed large-scale vehicle parks were investigated. The park for heavy-duty diesel-trucks exhibited the highest atmospheric 2,3,7,8-PCDD/F concentrations (17.7 ± 4.3 pg m(-3), 0.818 ± 0.264 pg I-TEQm(-3)), followed sequentially by those for liquefied petroleum gas-buses and for unleaded gasoline-cars. High-chlorinated congeners/homologues dominated 2,3,7,8-PCDD/F profiles. Principal component analysis indicated their similarities with tailpipe studies. More than 70% of PCDD/Fs were particle-bound and their congener/homologue patterns differed from those of gaseous PCDD/Fs. In all studied parks logarithms of the gas/particle partitioning coefficients (Kps) of PCDD/F homologues were linearly correlated with those of their sub-cooled vapor pressures (pLs). Daily PCDD/F doses inhaled by park-workers were estimated to be between 0.099-0.227 pg I-TEQ kg(-1)d(-1). Their probabilistic incremental lifetime cancer risks were 1.08 × 10(-5)-2.07 × 10(-5), which were in the acceptable range (1.0 × 10(-4)-1.0 × 10(-6)). However, all data from the diesel-truck park significantly exceeded the upper limit for PCDD/Fs in ambient air of Japan (0.6 pg TEQm(-3)). Hence, air pollution and adequate ventilation should be considered during the design and construction of such enclosed/semi-enclosed parks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermally managed fs Z-scan methods investigation of the size-dependent nonlinearity of Graphene Oxide in different solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkins, Paul; Basaldua, Isaac; Kuis, Robinson; Johnson, Anthony; Swaminathan, Sivaram; Zhang, Daije; Trivedi, Sudhir; University of Maryland, Baltimore Maryland Team; Brimrose Corporation of America Collaboration

Acoustic and thermal diffusion effects are often ignored in Z-scan measurements resulting in misinterpretation of the nonlinear index of refraction and nonlinear absorption. Thermally managed Z-scan using a modified chopper was compared to utilizing a pulsepicker with the common calibration material CS2 and then extended to Graphene Oxide (GO) in different solvents. The chopper reveals properties of the material in time and is an inexpensive alternative to changing the repetition rate with a pulsepicker. The pulsepicker allows for much faster rise-times and therefore measurements can be taken before thermal effects have overwhelmed the nonlinear electronic response. GO in DI water using pulsepicked fs laser excitation yielded a value of (-1.79 +/-.6)x10-15 cm2/W for nanometer particles and (-1.09 +/-.6)x10-15 cm2/W for micrometer sized particles. Open aperture Z-scan of GO in THF using the modified chopper shows a flip from reverse saturable absorption to saturable absorption in time, previously shown to be intensity dependent, potentially resulting from thermal effects. Both measurements indicate smaller particles have larger negative nonlinearities originating from thermal effects or from defects in lattice structure at the edges.

Development of an applicator for multiphoton PDT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graschew, Georgi; Bastian, Matthias; Rakowsky, Stefan; Roelofs, Theo A.; Balanos, Evangelos; Schlag, Peter M.; Steinmeyer, Gunter; Elsaesser, Thomas

2004-09-01

Multiphoton excitation of photosensitizers for laser induced fluorescence diagnosis (LIFD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors has the advantage of greater tissue penetration due to the longer wavelength of irradiation. However, multiphoton LIFD and PDT are presently not clinically applicable as there are no applicators available for the delivery of the pulsed laser radiation to the operating room. As an approach, in this contribution the beam delivery through photonic crystal fibers has been investigated. Pulses of a Ti:sapphire laser of 100 fs pulse duration and an average power of 150 mW have been transported through such a fiber of 25 m length and the resulting pulses show the absence of nonlinear contributions but still a broadening of the pulse to 2 ps due to the dispersion of the fiber. It is planned to compensate this broadening by a grating in front of the fiber. Alternatively, the transport of laser radiation of 150 fs and 100 mW through a mirror-joint-arm used for conventional CO2 lasers has been tested showing no broadening of the laser pulses. Two-photon photodynamic activity of mTHPC-CMPEG4 shall serve as a test of the laser light transport system.

Genomic Insight into Mechanisms of Reversion of Antibiotic Resistance in Multidrug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Induced by a Nanomolecular Iodine-Containing Complex FS-1.

PubMed

Ilin, Aleksandr I; Kulmanov, Murat E; Korotetskiy, Ilya S; Islamov, Rinat A; Akhmetova, Gulshara K; Lankina, Marina V; Reva, Oleg N

2017-01-01

Drug induced reversion of antibiotic resistance is a promising way to combat multidrug resistant infections. However, lacking knowledge of mechanisms of drug resistance reversion impedes employing this approach in medicinal therapies. Induction of antibiotic resistance reversion by a new anti-tuberculosis drug FS-1 has been reported. FS-1 was used in this work in combination with standard anti-tuberculosis antibiotics in an experiment on laboratory guinea pigs infected with an extensively drug resistant (XDR) strain Mycobacterium tuberculosis SCAID 187.0. During the experimental trial, genetic changes in the population were analyzed by sequencing of M. tuberculosis isolates followed by variant calling. In total 11 isolates obtained from different groups of infected animals at different stages of disease development and treatment were sequenced. It was found that despite the selective pressure of antibiotics, FS-1 caused a counter-selection of drug resistant variants that speeded up the recovery of the infected animals from XDR tuberculosis. Drug resistance mutations reported in the genome of the initial strain remained intact in more sensitive isolates obtained in this experiment. Variant calling in the sequenced genomes revealed that the drug resistance reversion could be associated with a general increase in genetic heterogeneity of the population of M. tuberculosis . Accumulation of mutations in PpsA and PpsE subunits of phenolpthiocerol polyketide synthase was observed in the isolates treated with FS-1 that may indicate an increase of persisting variants in the population. It was hypothesized that FS-1 caused an active counter-selection of drug resistant variants from the population by aggravating the cumulated fitness cost of the drug resistance mutations. Action of FS-1 on drug resistant bacteria exemplified the theoretically predicted induced synergy mechanism of drug resistance reversion. An experimental model to study the drug resistance reversion phenomenon is hereby introduced.

Intra- and inter-observer reliability of quantitative analysis of the infra-patellar fat pad and comparison between fat- and non-fat-suppressed imaging--Data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

PubMed

Steidle-Kloc, E; Wirth, W; Ruhdorfer, A; Dannhauer, T; Eckstein, F

2016-03-01

The infra-patellar fat pad (IPFP), as intra-articular adipose tissue represents a potential source of pro-inflammatory cytokines and its size has been suggested to be associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. This study examines inter- and intra-observer reliability of fat-suppressed (fs) and non-fat-suppressed (nfs) MR imaging for determination of IPFP morphological measurements as novel biomarkers. The IPFP of nine right knees of healthy Osteoarthritis Initiative participants was segmented by five readers, using fs and nfs baseline sagittal MRIs. The intra-observer reliability was determined from baseline and 1-year follow-up images. All segmentations were quality controlled (QC) by an expert reader. Reliability was expressed as root mean square coefficient of variation (RMS CV%). After QC, the inter-observer reliability for fs (nfs) imaging was 2.0% (1.1%) for IPFP volume, 2.1%/2.5% (1.6%/1.8%) for anterior/posterior surface areas, 1.8% (1.8%) for depth, and 2.1% (2.4%) for maximum sagittal area. The intra-observer reliability was 3.1% (5.0%) for volume, 2.3%/2.8% (2.5%/2.9%) for anterior/posterior surfaces, 1.9% (3.5%) for depth, and 3.3% (4.5%) for maximum sagittal area. IPFP volume from nfs images was systematically greater (+7.3%) than from fs images, but highly correlated (r=0.98). The results suggest that quantitative measurements of IPFP morphology can be performed with satisfactory reliability when expert QC is implemented. The IPFP is more clearly depicted in nfs images, and there is a small systematic off-set versus analysis from fs images. However, the high linear relationship between fs and nfs imaging suggests that fs images can be used to analyze IPFP morphology, when nfs images are not available. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

SU-E-I-62: Reduction of Susceptibility Artifacts by Increasing the Bandwidth (BW) and Echo Train Length (ETL)

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

Mavroidis, P; Boci, N; Kostopoulos, S

2015-06-15

Purpose: The aim of this present study is to increase bandwidth (BW) and echo train length (ETL) in Proton Density Turbo Spin Echo (PD TSE) sequences with and without fat saturation (FS) as well as in Turbo Inversion Recovery Magnitude sequences (TIRM) in order to assess whether these sequences are capable of reducing susceptibility artifacts. Methods: We compared 1) TIRM coronal (COR) with the same sequence with increased both BW and ETL 2) Conventional PD TSE sagittal (SAG) with FS with an increased BW 3) Conventional PD TSE SAG without FS with an increased BW 4) Conventional PD TSE SAGmore » without FS with increased both BW and ETL. A quantitative analysis was performed to measure the extent of the susceptibility artifacts. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis was performed by two radiologists in order to evaluate the susceptibility artifacts, image distortion and fat suppression. The depiction of cartilage, menisci, muscles, tendons and bone marrow were also qualitatively analyzed. Results: The quantitative analysis found that the modified TIRM sequence is significantly superior to the conventional one regarding the extent of the susceptibility artifacts. In the qualitative analysis, the modified TIRM sequence was superior to the corresponding conventional one in eight characteristics out of ten that were analyzed. The modified PD TSE with FS was superior to the corresponding conventional one regarding the susceptibility artifacts, image distortion and depiction of bone marrow and cartilage while achieving effective fat saturation. The modified PD TSE sequence without FS with a high (H) BW was found to be superior corresponding to the conventional one in the case of cartilage. Conclusion: Consequently, TIRM sequence with an increased BW and ETL is proposed for producing images of high quality and modified PD TSE with H BW for smaller metals, especially when FS is used.« less

Metabolic cost and mechanics of walking in women with fibromyalgia syndrome.

PubMed

MacPhee, Renée S; McFall, Kristen; Perry, Stephen D; Tiidus, Peter M

2013-10-18

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) is characterized by the presence of widespread pain, fatigue, muscle weakness and reduced work capacity. Previous research has demonstrated that women with fibromyalgia have altered walking (gait) patterns, which may be a consequence of muscular pain. This altered gait is characterized by greater reliance on hip flexors rather than ankle plantar flexors and resembles gait patterns seen in normal individuals walking at higher speeds, suggesting that gait of individuals with fibromyalgia may be less efficient.This study compared rates of energy expenditure of 6 females with FS relative to 6 normal, age and weight matched controls, at various walking speeds on a motorized treadmill. Metabolic measurements including V02 (ml/kg/min), respirations, heart rate and calculated energy expenditures as well as the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion scale ratings were determined at baseline and for 10 min while walking at each of 2, 4 and 5 km/hour on 1% grade. Kinematic recordings of limb and body movements while treadmill walking and separate measurements of ground reaction forces while walking over ground were also determined. In addition, all subjects completed the RAND 36-Item Health Survey (1.0). Gait analysis results were similar to previous reports of altered gait patterns in FS females. Despite noticeable differences in gait patterns, no significant differences (p > 0.05) existed between the FS and control subjects on any metabolic measures at any walking speed. Total number of steps taken was also similar between groups. Ratings on the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, the RAND and self-reported levels of pain indicated significantly greater (p < 0.05) perceived effort and pain in FS subjects relative to control subjects during walking and daily activities. The altered gait patterns and greater perceptions of effort and pain did not significantly increase the metabolic costs of walking in women with FS and hence, increased sensations of fatigue in FS women may not be related to alteration in metabolic cost of ambulation.

Metabolic cost and mechanics of walking in women with fibromyalgia syndrome

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) is characterized by the presence of widespread pain, fatigue, muscle weakness and reduced work capacity. Previous research has demonstrated that women with fibromyalgia have altered walking (gait) patterns, which may be a consequence of muscular pain. This altered gait is characterized by greater reliance on hip flexors rather than ankle plantar flexors and resembles gait patterns seen in normal individuals walking at higher speeds, suggesting that gait of individuals with fibromyalgia may be less efficient. This study compared rates of energy expenditure of 6 females with FS relative to 6 normal, age and weight matched controls, at various walking speeds on a motorized treadmill. Metabolic measurements including V02 (ml/kg/min), respirations, heart rate and calculated energy expenditures as well as the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion scale ratings were determined at baseline and for 10 min while walking at each of 2, 4 and 5 km/hour on 1% grade. Kinematic recordings of limb and body movements while treadmill walking and separate measurements of ground reaction forces while walking over ground were also determined. In addition, all subjects completed the RAND 36-Item Health Survey (1.0). Findings Gait analysis results were similar to previous reports of altered gait patterns in FS females. Despite noticeable differences in gait patterns, no significant differences (p > 0.05) existed between the FS and control subjects on any metabolic measures at any walking speed. Total number of steps taken was also similar between groups. Ratings on the Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion, the RAND and self-reported levels of pain indicated significantly greater (p < 0.05) perceived effort and pain in FS subjects relative to control subjects during walking and daily activities. Conclusions The altered gait patterns and greater perceptions of effort and pain did not significantly increase the metabolic costs of walking in women with FS and hence, increased sensations of fatigue in FS women may not be related to alteration in metabolic cost of ambulation. PMID:24139565

Gas/particle partitioning and particle size distribution of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in urban ambient air.

PubMed

Barbas, B; de la Torre, A; Sanz, P; Navarro, I; Artíñano, B; Martínez, M A

2018-05-15

Urban ambient air samples, including gas-phase (PUF), total suspended particulates (TSP), PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 1 airborne particle fractions were collected to evaluate gas-particle partitioning and size particle distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Clausius-Clapeyron equation, regressions of logKp vs logP L and logK OA, and human respiratory risk assessment were used to evaluate local or long-distance transport sources, gas-particle partitioning sorption mechanisms, and implications for health. Total ambient air levels (gas phase+particulate phase) of TPCBs and TPCDD/Fs, were 437 and 0.07pgm -3 (median), respectively. Levels of PCDD/F in the gas phase (0.004-0.14pgm -3 , range) were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those found in the particulate phase (0.02-0.34pgm -3 ). The concentrations of PCDD/Fs were higher in winter. In contrast, PCBs were mainly associated to the gas phase, and displayed maximum levels in warm seasons, probably due to an increase in evaporation rates, supported by significant and strong positive dependence on temperature observed for several congeners. No significant differences in PCDD/Fs and PCBs concentrations were detected between the different particle size fractions considered (TSP, PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 1 ), reflecting that these chemicals are mainly bounded to PM 1 . The toxic content of samples was also evaluated. Total toxicity (PUF+TSP) attributable to dl-PCBs (13.4fg-TEQ 05 m -3 , median) was higher than those reported for PCDD/Fs (6.26fg-TEQ 05 m -3 ). The inhalation risk assessment concluded that the inhalation of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs pose a low cancer risk in the studied area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of Field System-FS9 and a PC to Antenna Control Unit interface in Radio Astronomy in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal, E. V. S.; Ishitsuka, J. I. I.; Koyama, K. Y.

2006-08-01

We are in the process to transform a 32m antenna in Peru, used for telecommunications, into a Radio Telescope to perform Radio Astronomy in Peru. The 32m antenna of Peru constructed by NEC was used for telecommunications with communications satellites at 6 GHz for transmission, and 4 GHz for reception. In collaboration of National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) Japan, and National Observatory of Japan we developed an Antenna Control System for the 32m antenna in Peru. It is based on the Field System FS9, software released by NASA for VLBI station, and an interface to link PC within FS9 software (PC-FS9) and Antenna Control Unit (ACU) of the 32 meters antenna. The PC-FS9 controls the antenna, commands are translated by interface into control signals compatibles with the ACU using: an I/O digital card with two 20bits ports to read azimuth and elevation angles, one 16bits port for reading status of ACU, one 24bits port to send pulses to start or stop operations of antenna, two channels are analogic outputs to drive the azimuth and elevation motors of the antenna, a LCD display to show the status of interface and error messages, and one serial port for communications with PC-FS9,. The first experiment of the control system was made with 11m parabolic antenna of Kashima Space Research Center (NICT), where we tested the right working of the routines implemented for de FS9 software, and simulations was made with looped data between output and input of the interface, both test were done successfully. With this scientific instrument we will be able to contribute with researching of astrophysics. We expect to into a near future to work at 6.7GHz to study Methanol masers, and higher frequencies with some improvements of the surface of the dish.

Intra- and inter-observer reliability of quantitative analysis of the infra-patellar fat pad and comparison between fat- and non-fat-suppressed imaging—Data from the osteoarthritis initiative

PubMed Central

Steidle-Kloc, E.; Wirth, W.; Ruhdorfer, A.; Dannhauer, T.; Eckstein, F.

2015-01-01

The infra-patellar fat pad (IPFP), as intra-articular adipose tissue represents a potential source of pro-inflammatory cytokines and its size has been suggested to be associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. This study examines inter- and intra-observer reliability of fat-suppressed (fs) and non-fat-suppressed (nfs) MR imaging for determination of IPFP morphological measurements as novel biomarkers. The IPFP of nine right knees of healthy Osteoarthritis Initiative participants was segmented by five readers, using fs and nfs baseline sagittal MRIs. The intra-observer reliability was determined from baseline and 1-year follow-up images. All segmentations were quality controlled (QC) by an expert reader. Reliability was expressed as root mean square coefficient of variation (RMS CV%). After QC, the inter-observer reliability for fs (nfs) imaging was 2.0% (1.1%) for IPFP volume, 2.1%/2.5% (1.6%/1.8%) for anterior/posterior surface areas, 1.8% (1.8%) for depth, and 2.1% (2.4%) for maximum sagittal area. The intra-observer reliability was 3.1% (5.0%) for volume, 2.3%/2.8% (2.5%/2.9%) for anterior/posterior surfaces, 1.9% (3.5%) for depth, and 3.3% (4.5%) for maximum sagittal area. IPFP volume from nfs images was systematically greater (+7.3%) than from fs images, but highly correlated (r = 0.98). The results suggest that quantitative measurements of IPFP morphology can be performed with satisfactory reliability when expert QC is implemented. The IPFP is more clearly depicted in nfs images, and there is a small systematic off-set versus analysis from fs images. However, the high linear relationship between fs and nfs imaging suggests that fs images can be used to analyze IPFP morphology, when nfs images are not available. PMID:26569532

Greek Wildfires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Hot, dry weather has contributed to a string of fires that burned in Greece during the first two weeks of July 2000. Smoke from one of these fires is streaming across Greece and out into the Aegean Sea in this image taken July 13, 2000, by the Sea-viewing Wide Field of view Sensor (SeaWiFS). For more about SeaWiFS, visit the SeaWiFS home page. Provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 5: Ocean optics protocols for SeaWiFS validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, James L.; Austin, Roswell W.; Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor)

1992-01-01

Protocols are presented for measuring optical properties, and other environmental variables, to validate the radiometric performance of the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), and to develop and validate bio-optical algorithms for use with SeaWiFS data. The protocols are intended to establish foundations for a measurement strategy to verify the challenging SeaWiFS accuracy goals of 5 percent in water-leaving radiances and 35 percent in chlorophyll alpha concentration. The protocols first specify the variables which must be measured, and briefly review rationale. Subsequent chapters cover detailed protocols for instrument performance specifications, characterizing and calibration instruments, methods of making measurements in the field, and methods of data analysis. These protocols were developed at a workshop sponsored by the SeaWiFS Project Office (SPO) and held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California (9-12 April, 1991). This report is the proceedings of that workshop, as interpreted and expanded by the authors and reviewed by workshop participants and other members of the bio-optical research community. The protocols are a first prescription to approach unprecedented measurement accuracies implied by the SeaWiFS goals, and research and development are needed to improve the state-of-the-art in specific areas. The protocols should be periodically revised to reflect technical advances during the SeaWiFS Project cycle.

Food security status among grade 5 students in Nova Scotia, Canada and its association with health outcomes.

PubMed

Kirk, Sara F L; Kuhle, Stefan; McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D; Williams, Patty L; Rossiter, Melissa; Ohinmaa, Arto; Veugelers, Paul J

2015-11-01

Food security (FS) exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their needs. The present research sought to determine whether students from households experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity (FI) had poorer diet quality, higher body weights and poorer psychosocial outcomes than students from households classed as having high FS or marginal FI status. Population-based survey conducted in schools. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore associations between FS status (high FS; marginal, moderate, severe FI), dietary behaviours and intake, and health-related outcomes (body weight, quality of life, mood, peer relationships, externalizing problems). Nova Scotia, Canada. Grade 5 students (n 5853), aged 10-11 years, with complete information on FS status and student outcomes. In this sample, rates of household FS were 73·5% (high FS), 8·3% (marginal FI) 10·2% (moderate FI) and 7·1% (severe FI status). Students living in households experiencing moderate or severe FI had poorer diet quality, higher BMI and poorer psychosocial outcomes than students classed as having high FS or marginal FI. These findings provide important evidence for policy makers on the prevalence of FI among families in Nova Scotia with grade 5 children and its relationship with childhood nutrition, psychosocial and quality of life factors, and weight status.

SeaWiFS technical report series. Volume 9: The simulated SeaWiFS data set, version 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregg, Watson W.; Chen, Frank C.; Mezaache, Ahmed L.; Chen, Judy D.; Whiting, Jeffrey A.; Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Indest, A. W. (Editor)

1993-01-01

Data system development activities for the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) must begin well before the scheduled 1994 launch. To assist in these activities, it is essential to develop a simulated SeaWiFS data set as soon as possible. Realism is of paramount importance in this data set, including SeaWiFS spectral bands, orbital and scanning characteristics, and known data structures. Development of the simulated data set can assist in identification of problem areas that can be addressed and solved before the actual data are received. This paper describes the creation of the first version of the simulated SeaWiFS data set. The data set includes the spectral band, orbital, and scanning characteristics of the SeaWiFS sensor and SeaStar spacecraft. The information is output in the data structure as it is stored onboard. Thus, it is a level-0 data set which can be taken from start to finish through a prototype data system. The data set is complete and correct at the time of printing, although the values in the telemetry fields are left blank. The structure of the telemetry fields, however, is incorporated. Also, no account for clouds has been included. However, this version facilitates early prototyping activities by the SeaWiFS data system, providing a realistic data set to assess performance.

Comparative Genome Analyses of Serratia marcescens FS14 Reveals Its High Antagonistic Potential

PubMed Central

Li, Pengpeng; Kwok, Amy H. Y.; Jiang, Jingwei; Ran, Tingting; Xu, Dongqing; Wang, Weiwu; Leung, Frederick C.

2015-01-01

S. marcescens FS14 was isolated from an Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz plant that was infected by Fusarium oxysporum and showed symptoms of root rot. With the completion of the genome sequence of FS14, the first comprehensive comparative-genomic analysis of the Serratia genus was performed. Pan-genome and COG analyses showed that the majority of the conserved core genes are involved in basic cellular functions, while genomic factors such as prophages contribute considerably to genome diversity. Additionally, a Type I restriction-modification system, a Type III secretion system and tellurium resistance genes are found in only some Serratia species. Comparative analysis further identified that S. marcescens FS14 possesses multiple mechanisms for antagonism against other microorganisms, including the production of prodigiosin, bacteriocins, and multi-antibiotic resistant determinants as well as chitinases. The presence of two evolutionarily distinct Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) in FS14 may provide further competitive advantages for FS14 against other microbes. To our knowledge, this is the first report of comparative analysis on T6SSs in the genus, which identifies four types of T6SSs in Serratia spp.. Competition bioassays of FS14 against the vital plant pathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum and fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were performed to support our genomic analyses, in which FS14 demonstrated high antagonistic activities against both bacterial and fungal phytopathogens. PMID:25856195

Sociodemographic and clinical features of gender identity disorder: an Italian multicentric evaluation.

PubMed

Fisher, Alessandra D; Bandini, Elisa; Casale, Helen; Ferruccio, Naika; Meriggiola, Maria C; Gualerzi, Anna; Manieri, Chiara; Jannini, Emmanuele; Mannucci, Edoardo; Monami, Matteo; Stomaci, Niceta; Delle Rose, Augusto; Susini, Tommaso; Ricca, Valdo; Maggi, Mario

2013-02-01

Male to female (MtFs) and female to male (FtMs) subjects with gender identity disorder (GID) seem to differ with regard to some sociodemographic and clinical features. Currently, no descriptive studies focusing on MtFs and FtMs attending an Italian clinic are available. To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of a GID population seeking assistance for gender transition and to assess possible differences in those features between MtFs and FtMs. A consecutive series of 198 patients was evaluated for gender dysphoria from July 2008 to May 2011 in four dedicated centers. A total of 140 subjects (mean age 32.6 ± 9.0 years old) meeting the criteria for GID, with their informed consent and without genital reassignment surgery having already been performed, were considered (92 MtFs and 48 FtMs). Diagnosis was based on formal psychiatric classification criteria. Medical history and sociodemographic characteristics were investigated. Subjects were asked to complete the Body Uneasiness Test (a self-rating scale exploring different areas of body-related psychopathology), Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (a self-rating scale to measure psychological state), and the Bem Sex Role Inventory (a self-rating scale to evaluate gender role). The presence of psychiatric comorbidities was evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interviews for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) (SCID I and SCID II). Several significant differences were found between MtFs and FtMs regarding lifestyle and sociodemographic factors and in psychometric test scores. No differences were found in terms of psychiatric comorbidity. This is the first large study reporting the sociodemographic characteristics of a GID sample referring to Italian clinics, and it provides different profiles for MtFs and FtMs. In particular, FtMs display significantly better social functioning. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Elimination of motion and pulsation artifacts using BLADE sequences in knee MR imaging.

PubMed

Lavdas, Eleftherios; Mavroidis, Panayiotis; Hatzigeorgiou, Vasiliki; Roka, Violeta; Arikidis, Nikos; Oikonomou, Georgia; Andrianopoulos, Konstantinos; Notaras, Ioannis

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of proton density (PD)-BLADE sequences in reducing or even eliminating motion and pulsatile flow artifacts in knee magnetic resonance imaging examinations. Eighty consecutive patients, who had been routinely scanned for knee examination, participated in the study. The following pairs of sequences with and without BLADE were compared: (a) PD turbo spin echo (TSE) sagittal (SAG) fat saturation (FS) in 35 patients, (b) PD TSE coronal (COR) FS in 19 patients, (c) T2 TSE axial in 13 patients and (d) PD TSE SAG in 13 patients. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and relative contrast (ReCon) measures of normal anatomic structures. The qualitative analysis was performed by experienced radiologists. Also, the presence of image motion and pulsation artifacts was evaluated. Based on the results of the SNR, CRN and ReCon for the different sequences and anatomical structures, the BLADE sequences were significantly superior in 19 cases, whereas the corresponding conventional sequences were significantly superior in only 6 cases. BLADE sequences eliminated motion artifacts in all the cases. However, motion artifacts were shown in (a) six PD TSE SAG FS, (b) three PD TSE COR FS, (c) three PD TSE SAG and (d) two T2 TSE axial conventional sequences. In our results, it was found that, in PD FS sequences (sagittal and coronal), the differences between the BLADE and conventional sequences regarding the elimination of motion and pulsatile flow artifacts were statistically significant. In all the comparisons, the PD FS BLADE sequences (coronal and sagittal) were significantly superior to the corresponding conventional sequences regarding the classification of their image quality. In conclusion, this technique appears to be capable to potentially eliminate motion and pulsatile flow artifacts in MR images. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Soil Aggregates and Associated Organic Matter under Conventional Tillage, No-Tillage, and Forest Succession after Three Decades

PubMed Central

Devine, Scott; Markewitz, Daniel; Hendrix, Paul; Coleman, David

2014-01-01

Impacts of land use on soil organic C (SOC) are of interest relative to SOC sequestration and soil sustainability. The role of aggregate stability in SOC storage under contrasting land uses has been of particular interest relative to conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) agriculture. This study compares soil structure and SOC fractions at the 30-yr-old Horseshoe Bend Agroecosystem Experiment (HSB). This research is unique in comparing NT and CT with adjacent land concurrently undergoing forest succession (FS) and in sampling to depths (15–28 cm) previously not studied at HSB. A soil moving experiment (SME) was also undertaken to monitor 1-yr changes in SOC and aggregation. After 30 years, enhanced aggregate stability under NT compared to CT was limited to a depth of 5 cm, while enhanced aggregate stability under FS compared to CT occurred to a depth of 28 cm and FS exceeded NT from 5–28 cm. Increases in SOC concentrations generally followed the increases in stability, except that no differences in SOC concentration were observed from 15–28 cm despite greater aggregate stability. Land use differences in SOC were explained equally by differences in particulate organic carbon (POC) and in silt-clay associated fine C. Enhanced structural stability of the SME soil was observed under FS and was linked to an increase of 1 Mg SOC ha−1 in 0–5 cm, of which 90% could be attributed to a POC increase. The crushing of macroaggregates in the SME soil also induced a 10% reduction in SOC over 1 yr that occurred under all three land uses from 5–15 cm. The majority of this loss was in the fine C fraction. NT and FS ecosystems had greater aggregation and carbon storage at the soil surface but only FS increased aggregation below the surface, although in the absence of increased carbon storage. PMID:24465460

Exposure assessment of PCDD/Fs for the population living in the vicinity of municipal waste incinerator: Additional exposure via local vegetable consumption.

PubMed

Ben, Yujie; Li, Tong; Wan, Yi; Dong, Zhaomin; Hu, Jianying

2017-05-01

While the exposure assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) for people living in the vicinity of municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWI) has been investigated, indirect exposure to MSWI-emitted PCDD/Fs via consumption of local foods has not been well assessed. In this study, the PCDD/F concentration in the local vegetables grown near a MSWI located in Shenzhen, South China, was determined to be 0.92 ± 0.59 pg/g wet weight (ww), significantly higher than that (0.25 ± 0.35 pg/g ww) in commercial vegetables (p < 0.05). The PCDD/F concentrations in Banyan leaf (Ficus microcarpa) samples collected from 5 sampling sites at 1 km intervals from the MSWI were found to be significantly decreased with increasing distance, suggesting that the local plants would be impacted by emissions from the MSWI. The exposure assessment of PCDD/Fs for the population living in the vicinity of MSWI was carried out by simultaneously analyzing PCDD/Fs in other food groups that were commonly consumed by the residents. If only the local vegetables were consumed and other foods were acquired commercially, the total dietary intake for a general adult was 0.94 ± 0.41 pg TEQ/kg bw/day, of which consumption of local vegetables accounted for 52.3%. If all foods consumed including vegetables were from a commercial source, the total dietary intake was 0.56 ± 0.30 pg TEQ/kg bw/day, of which consumption of commercial vegetables accounted for 20.1%. The present study for the first time reported the additional human exposure to PCDD/Fs via consumption of local vegetables impacted by emissions from MSWI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fully-covered metal stents with endoscopic suturing vs. partially-covered metal stents for benign upper gastrointestinal diseases: a comparative study

PubMed Central

Ngamruengphong, Saowanee; Sharaiha, Reem; Sethi, Amrita; Siddiqui, Ali; DiMaio, Christopher J.; Gonzalez, Susana; Rogart, Jason; Jagroop, Sophia; Widmer, Jessica; Im, Jennifer; Hasan, Raza Abbas; Laique, Sobia; Gonda, Tamas; Poneros, John; Desai, Amit; Wong, Katherine; Villgran, Vipin; Brewer Gutierrez, Olaya; Bukhari, Majidah; Chen, Yen-I; Hernaez, Ruben; Hanada, Yuri; Sanaei, Omid; Agarwal, Amol; Kalloo, Anthony N.; Kumbhari, Vivek; Singh, Vikesh; Khashab, Mouen A.

2018-01-01

Background and study aims  Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) have been increasingly used in benign conditions (e. g. strictures, fistulas, leaks, and perforations). Fully covered SEMS (FSEMS) were introduced to avoid undesirable consequences of partially covered SEMS (PSEMS), but come with higher risk of stent migration. Endoscopic suturing (ES) for stent fixation has been shown to reduce migration of FSEMS. Our aim was to compare the outcomes of FSEMS with ES (FS/ES) versus PSEMS in patients with benign upper gastrointestinal conditions. Patients and methods  We retrospectively identified all patients who underwent stent placement for benign gastrointestinal conditions at seven US tertiary-care centers. Patients were divided into two groups: FSEMS with ES (FS/ES group) and PSEMS (PSEMS group). Clinical outcomes between the two groups were compared. Results  A total of 74 (FS/ES 46, PSEMS 28) patients were included. On multivariable analysis, there was no significant difference in rate of stent migration between FS/ES (43 %) and PSEMS (15 %) (adjusted odds ratio 0.56; 95 % CI 0.15 – 2.00). Clinical success was similar [68 % vs. 64 %; P  = 0.81]. Rate of adverse events (AEs) was higher in PSEMS group [13 (46 %) vs. 10 (21 %); P  = 0.03). Difficult stent removal was higher in the PSEMS group (n = 5;17 %) vs. 0 % in the FS/ES group; P  = 0.005. Conclusions  The proportion of stent migration of FS/ES and PSEMS are similar. Rates of other stent-related AEs were higher in the PSEMS group. PSEMS was associated with tissue ingrowth or overgrowth leading to difficult stent removal, and secondary stricture formation. Thus, FSEMS with ES for stent fixation may be the preferred modality over PSEMS for the treatment of benign upper gastrointestinal conditions. PMID:29404384

Polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation: effects of seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum and flaxseed on milk production and fatty acid profile of lactating ewes during summer.

PubMed

Caroprese, Mariangela; Ciliberti, Maria Giovanna; Marino, Rosaria; Santillo, Antonella; Sevi, Agostino; Albenzio, Marzia

2016-08-01

The research reported in this Research Communication was undertaken to evaluate the effects of different sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supplemented in the diet on milk production and milk fatty acid profile of lactating ewes exposed to long term heat stress. The experiment was conducted during summer, involved 32 ewes divided into 4 groups of 8 each, and lasted 6 weeks. The ewes in all groups were fed twice daily and received 1·8 kg/d of oat hay and 1 kg/d of concentrate. Flaxseed group (FS) was supplemented with 250 g/d of whole flaxseed, Ascophyllum nodosum group (AG) was supplemented with 25 g/d of seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum, and the combination group (FS + AG) received both flaxseed and Ascophyllum nodosum supplementation. The control group (CON) was fed with 1 kg/d of pelleted concentrate without PUFA supplementation. Milk samples were collected twice daily per week, and analysed for fat, total protein, casein, and lactose content. At the beginning and then at 2, 4 and 6 week of the experiment each milk sample was analysed for milk fatty acids. Temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated daily. Supplementation of flaxseed and of the combination of flaxseed and Ascophyllum nodosum increased milk yield. The total content of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in milk decreased for ewes fed FS, followed by FS + AG. On the contrary, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) increased for ewes fed FS and FS + AG. The total n-3 FA was found higher in FS and FS + AG than in AG and CON groups mainly because of the increase in C 18 : 3 n-3 in FS and FS + AG milk. Milk from FS + AG resulted in the highest n-3/n-6 ratio and decreases in atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. The combination of seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum and flaxseed can be suggested as an adequate supplementation to sustain milk production and milk fatty acid profile of sheep during summer season.

Negative Regulation of Abscisic Acid Signaling by the Fagus sylvatica FsPP2C1 Plays A Role in Seed Dormancy Regulation and Promotion of Seed Germination1

PubMed Central

González-García, Mary Paz; Rodríguez, Dolores; Nicolás, Carlos; Rodríguez, Pedro Luis; Nicolás, Gregorio; Lorenzo, Oscar

2003-01-01

FsPP2C1 was previously isolated from beech (Fagus sylvatica) seeds as a functional protein phosphatase type-2C (PP2C) with all the conserved features of these enzymes and high homology to ABI1, ABI2, and PP2CA, PP2Cs identified as negative regulators of ABA signaling. The expression of FsPP2C1 was induced upon abscisic acid (ABA) treatment and was also up-regulated during early weeks of stratification. Furthermore, this gene was specifically expressed in ABA-treated seeds and was hardly detectable in vegetative tissues. In this report, to provide genetic evidence on FsPP2C1 function in seed dormancy and germination, we used an overexpression approach in Arabidopsis because transgenic work is not feasible in beech. Constitutive expression of FsPP2C1 under the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter confers ABA insensitivity in Arabidopsis seeds and, consequently, a reduced degree of seed dormancy. Additionally, transgenic 35S:FsPP2C1 plants are able to germinate under unfavorable conditions, as inhibitory concentrations of mannitol, NaCl, or paclobutrazol. In vegetative tissues, Arabidopsis FsPP2C1 transgenic plants show ABA-resistant early root growth and diminished induction of the ABA-response genes RAB18 and KIN2, but no effect on stomatal closure regulation. Seed and vegetative phenotypes of Arabidopsis 35S:FsPP2C1 plants suggest that FsPP2C1 negatively regulates ABA signaling. The ABA inducibility of FsPP2C1 expression, together with the transcript accumulation mainly in seeds, suggest that it could play an important role modulating ABA signaling in beechnuts through a negative feedback loop. Finally, we suggest that negative regulation of ABA signaling by FsPP2C1 is a factor contributing to promote the transition from seed dormancy to germination during early weeks of stratification. PMID:12970481

Cutaneous porphyrins exhibit anti-stokes fluorescence that is detectable in sebum (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Giselle; Zeng, Haishan; Zhao, Jianhua; Wu, Zhenguo; Al Jasser, Mohammed; Lui, Harvey; Mclean, David I.

2016-02-01

Porphyrins produced by Propionibacterium acnes represent the principal fluorophore associated with acne, and appear as orange-red luminescence under the Wood's lamp. Assessment of acne based on Wood's lamp (UV) or visible light illumination is limited by photon penetration depth and has limited sensitivity for earlier stage lesions. Inducing fluorescence with near infrared (NIR) excitation may provide an alternative way to assess porphyrin-related skin disorders. We discovered that under 785 nm CW laser excitation PpIX powder exhibits fluorescence emission in the shorter wavelength range of 600-715 nm with an intensity that is linearly dependent on the excitation power. We attribute this shorter wavelength emission to anti-Stokes fluorescence. Similar anti-Stokes fluorescence was also detected focally in all skin-derived samples containing porphyrins. Regular (Stokes) fluorescence was present under UV and visible light excitation on ex vivo nasal skin and sebum from uninflamed acne, but not on nose surface smears or sebum from inflamed acne. Co-registered CW laser-excited anti-Stokes fluorescence and fs laser-excited multi-photon fluorescence images of PpIX powder showed similar features. In the skin samples because of the anti-Stokes effect, the NIR-induced fluorescence was presumably specific for porphyrins since there appeared to be no anti-Stokes emission signals from other typical skin fluorophores such as lipids, keratins and collagen. Anti-Stokes fluorescence under NIR CW excitation is more sensitive and specific for porphyrin detection than UV- or visible light-excited regular fluorescence and fs laser-excited multi-photon fluorescence. This approach also has higher image contrast compared to NIR fs laser-based multi-photon fluorescence imaging. The anti-Stokes fluorescence of porphyrins within sebum could potentially be applied to detecting and targeting acne lesions for treatment via fluorescence image guidance.

SeaWiFS: North Pacific Storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

An extratropical storm can be seen swirling over the North Pacific just south of Alaska. This SeaWiFS image was collected yesterday at 23:20 GMT. Credit: Provided by the SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE

Implementation and process analysis of pilot scale multi-phase anaerobic fermentation and digestion of faecal sludge in Ghana

PubMed Central

Shih, Justin; Fanyin-Martin, Ato; Taher, Edris; Chandran, Kartik

2017-01-01

Background.  In Ghana, faecal sludge (FS) from on-site sanitation facilities is often discharged untreated into the environment, leading to significant insults to environmental and human health. Anaerobic digestion offers an attractive pathway for FS treatment with the concomitant production of energy in the form of methane. Another innovative option includes separating digestion into acidogenesis (production of volatile fatty acids (VFA)) and methanogenesis (production of methane), which could ultimately facilitate the production of an array of biofuels and biochemicals from the VFA. This work describes the development, implementation and modeling based analysis of a novel multiphase anaerobic fermentation-digestion process aimed at FS treatment in Kumasi, Ghana.  Methods.  A pilot-scale anaerobic fermentation process was implemented at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s Oti Sanitary Landfill Site at Adanse Dompoase.  The process consisted of six 10 m reactors in series, which were inoculated with bovine rumen and fed with fecal sludge obtained from public toilets.  The performance of the fermentation process was characterized in terms of both aqueous and gaseous variables representing the conversion of influent organic carbon to VFA as well as CH 4.  Using the operating data, the first-ever process model for FS fermentation and digestion was developed and calibrated, based on the activated sludge model framework. Results and Conclusions.  This work represents one of the first systematic efforts at integrated FS characterization and process modeling to enable anaerobic fermentation and digestion of FS. It is shown that owing to pre-fermentation of FS in public septage holding tanks, one could employ significantly smaller digesters (lower capital costs) or increased loading capabilities for FS conversion to biogas or VFA. Further, using the first-ever calibrated process model for FS fermentation and digestion presented herein, we expect improved and more mechanistically informed development and application of different process designs and configurations for global FS management practice. PMID:29528044

Future Standardization of Space Telecommunications Radio System with Core Flight System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briones, Janette C.; Hickey, Joseph P.; Roche, Rigoberto; Handler, Louis M.; Hall, Charles S.

2016-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is integrating the NASA Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Standard with the Core Flight System (cFS), an avionics software operating environment. The STRS standard provides a common, consistent framework to develop, qualify, operate and maintain complex, reconfigurable and reprogrammable radio systems. The cFS is a flexible, open architecture that features a plugand- play software executive called the Core Flight Executive (cFE), a reusable library of software components for flight and space missions and an integrated tool suite. Together, STRS and cFS create a development environment that allows for STRS compliant applications to reference the STRS application programmer interfaces (APIs) that use the cFS infrastructure. These APIs are used to standardize the communication protocols on NASAs space SDRs. The cFS-STRS Operating Environment (OE) is a portable cFS library, which adds the ability to run STRS applications on existing cFS platforms. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the cFS-STRS OE prototype, preliminary experimental results performed using the Advanced Space Radio Platform (ASRP), the GRC S- band Ground Station and the SCaN (Space Communication and Navigation) Testbed currently flying onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, this paper presents a demonstration of the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Spacecraft Onboard Interface Services (SOIS) using electronic data sheets (EDS) inside cFE. This configuration allows for the data sheets to specify binary formats for data exchange between STRS applications. The integration of STRS with cFS leverages mission-proven platform functions and mitigates barriers to integration with future missions. This reduces flight software development time and the costs of software-defined radio (SDR) platforms. Furthermore, the combined benefits of STRS standardization with the flexibility of cFS provide an effective, reliable and modular framework to minimize software development efforts for spaceflight missions.

Implementation and process analysis of pilot scale multi-phase anaerobic fermentation and digestion of faecal sludge in Ghana.

PubMed

Shih, Justin; Fanyin-Martin, Ato; Taher, Edris; Chandran, Kartik

2017-11-06

Background.  In Ghana, faecal sludge (FS) from on-site sanitation facilities is often discharged untreated into the environment, leading to significant insults to environmental and human health. Anaerobic digestion offers an attractive pathway for FS treatment with the concomitant production of energy in the form of methane. Another innovative option includes separating digestion into acidogenesis (production of volatile fatty acids (VFA)) and methanogenesis (production of methane), which could ultimately facilitate the production of an array of biofuels and biochemicals from the VFA. This work describes the development, implementation and modeling based analysis of a novel multiphase anaerobic fermentation-digestion process aimed at FS treatment in Kumasi, Ghana.  Methods.  A pilot-scale anaerobic fermentation process was implemented at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly's Oti Sanitary Landfill Site at Adanse Dompoase.  The process consisted of six 10 m reactors in series, which were inoculated with bovine rumen and fed with fecal sludge obtained from public toilets.  The performance of the fermentation process was characterized in terms of both aqueous and gaseous variables representing the conversion of influent organic carbon to VFA as well as CH 4 .  Using the operating data, the first-ever process model for FS fermentation and digestion was developed and calibrated, based on the activated sludge model framework. Results and Conclusions.  This work represents one of the first systematic efforts at integrated FS characterization and process modeling to enable anaerobic fermentation and digestion of FS. It is shown that owing to pre-fermentation of FS in public septage holding tanks, one could employ significantly smaller digesters (lower capital costs) or increased loading capabilities for FS conversion to biogas or VFA. Further, using the first-ever calibrated process model for FS fermentation and digestion presented herein, we expect improved and more mechanistically informed development and application of different process designs and configurations for global FS management practice.

Optical and Acoustical Techniques for Non-viral Gene Delivery to Mammalian Cells and In-situ Study of Cytoskeletal Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Zili

Since the first optical microscope invented by Anton van Leeuwenhoek in 1674, the great development of laser technique and its applications in biophotonics have helped us reveal the mechanisms underlying numerous biological activities gradually. The introduction of fs lasers to the studies of biology has emerged as a fast developing area calling for the efforts and skills both from optics and electric engineering and biology and medicine. Due to the fast update of laser source techniques, there has been an increasing number of commercialized fs lasers available for this growing market of biophotonics. To better utilize the potential offered by fs lasers, we studied the technique of optical gene delivery and tried to narrow the gap between laboratorial research and industrial/clinical applications, in that the strict experimental conditions of specific optical laboratorial studies are generally not appropriate for the practical biological applications. To carry out our experiments, we built a two-stage amplifier fs laser system to generate the desired pulse train. The laser pulse train was coupled into an invert fluorescence microscope for the imaging and manipulation of each cell. To overcome limitations brought by the tight focus of laser beam due to high NA objective, we introduced gold nanorods (GNRs), a metallic nanomaterial, with tunable optical property. With these additional membrane for membrane permeabilization, which could significantly improve the manipulation speed than that based on the tightly focused laser. We used GFP plasmid to demonstrate the applications of this technique in gene delivery, and successfully transfected and GFP-expressed cells were observed one day after the optical transfection. Additionally, as an important trend of biophotonics, the integration of optics with microfluidic chips has become the new frontier of both biology and engineering. Here we firstly demonstrated a technique of gene delivery by an on-chip device generating surface acoustic waves, which not only achieved a high efficiency of cells permeabilization in a quick speed, but also allowed us to observe the permeabilization process in real time by microscope. This device is also compatible with biophotonics studies based on fs laser, which can be further developed as a powerful tool for optical gene delivery with the capability of precisely controlling the fluid on-chip by SAW. SAW devices could also achieve exogenous gene delivery through the cell membrane without the need of adding chemical agents. Our results showed that the membrane of mammalian adherent cells could be effectively perforated transiently by applying a SAW. The transfection of pEGFP plasmids into endothelial cells was carried out successfully via this SAW-induced cell perforation. The expression of GFP was observed after 24-hour incubation subsequent to the SAW treatment. In regard to the application of fs lasers in cellular and subcellular level studies, we applied the optical nanoscissoring technique based on fs lasers in biomechanical studies to study the mechanical properties of single SF in-situ. Integrated into a confocal microscope, the fs laser showed great power in manipulating targeted in-situ subcellular structures under real-time imaging without damaging nearby regions. Here, how oxidative challenges would alter the mechanical properties of SFs in myoblasts was firstly investigated using the optical nanoscissoring technique to comprehend the whole picture of muscle tissue injury and repair from the basics. The prestress of stress fibers after the oxidative challenges was found through our modified viscoelastic retraction model and experiment result.

SeaWiFS Technical Report Series. Volume 22: Prelaunch Acceptance Report for the SeaWiFS Radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Acker, James G. (Editor); Barnes, Robert A.; Barnes, William L.; Esaias, Wayne E.; Mcclain, Charles R.

1994-01-01

The final acceptance, or rejection, of the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) will be determined by the instrument's on-orbit operation. There is, however, an extensive set of laboratory measurements describing the operating characteristics of the radiometer. Many of the requirements in the Ocean Color Data Mission (OCDM) specifications can be checked only by laboratory measurements. Here, the calibration review panel examines the laboratory characterization and calibration of SeaWiFS in the light of the OCDM performance specification. Overall, the performance of the SeaWiFS instrument meets or exceeds the requirements of the OCDM contract in all but a few unimportant details. The detailed results of this examination are presented here by following the outline of the specifications, as found in the Contract. The results are presented in the form of requirements and compliance pairs. These results give conclusions on many, but not all, of the performance specifications. The acceptance by this panel of the performance of SeaWiFS must only be considered as an intermediate conclusion. The ultimate acceptance (or rejection) of the SeaWiFS data set will rely on the measurements made by the instrument on orbit.

The Flexibility Scale: Development and Preliminary Validation of a Cognitive Flexibility Measure in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strang, John F.; Anthony, Laura G.; Yerys, Benjamin E.; Hardy, Kristina K.; Wallace, Gregory L.; Armour, Anna C.; Dudley, Katerina; Kenworthy, Lauren

2017-01-01

Flexibility is a key component of executive function, and is related to everyday functioning and adult outcomes. However, existing informant reports do not densely sample cognitive aspects of flexibility; the Flexibility Scale (FS) was developed to address this gap. This study investigates the validity of the FS in 221 youth with ASD and 57…

Food Stamp Participation is Associated with Fewer Meals Away From Home, yet Higher Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference in a Nationally Representative Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jilcott, Stephanie B.; Liu, Haiyong; DuBose, Katrina D.; Chen, Susan; Kranz, Sibylle

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine associations between Food Stamp (FS) participation, meals away from home (MAFH), body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Nationally representative. Participants: Data from low-income, FS-eligible individuals (N = 945) ages 20-65 years, responding to the 2005-2006 National…

Aberration compensation between anterior and posterior corneal surfaces after Small incision lenticule extraction and Femtosecond laser-assisted laser in-situ keratomileusis.

PubMed

Li, Xiaojing; Wang, Yan; Dou, Rui

2015-09-01

To investigate the aberration compensation between anterior and posterior corneal surfaces after SMILE and FS-LASIK. Fifty-five subjects (55 eyes) undergoing SMILE and 51 subjects (51 eyes) undergoing FS-LASIK were enrolled in this study. Wavefront aberrations of anterior and posterior corneal surfaces and the whole cornea at 6 mm in diameter were measured using a Scheimpflug Camera preoperatively and one, three and 6 months postoperatively. The compensation factor (CF), where CF = 1 - (aberration of the whole cornea/aberration of anterior corneal surface), was calculated. Spherical aberration of the posterior surface and the whole cornea remained stable after SMILE. However, spherical aberration of posterior surface increased significantly at 6 months in the FS-LASIK group. The total higher-order aberration (tHOA) of the anterior surface and the whole cornea was lower at 6 months than at one and 3 months (p = 0.001 and 0.001, respectively) in the FS-LASIK group. Meanwhile, in the SMILE group, no significant difference in tHOA was found between various postoperative time points. There were significant decreases in the CF of tHOA compared with preoperative values in both groups. The CF of spherical aberration reduced significantly in both groups at 3 and 6 mm in diameter one, three and 6 months postoperatively. Significant decreases in the CF of vertical coma were found at three and 6 months postoperatively in the FS-LASIK group compared with preoperative values at 6 mm in diameter (p = 0.021 and 0.008, respectively). The change in CF (ΔCF) of spherical aberration was smaller in the SMILE group than in the FS-LASIK group at one and 3 months postoperatively (p = 0.003 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The ΔCF of spherical aberration was significantly lower in moderately myopic subjects than in subjects with high myopia at 1 month in the SMILE group (p = 0.041) and at one, three and 6 months in the FS-LASIK group (p = 0.014, 0.020, and 0.004, respectively). The posterior corneal surface plays an important role in compensating for spherical aberration of the anterior corneal surface. The compensation mechanisms of spherical aberration and higher-order aberration between anterior and posterior corneal surfaces were disrupted by the SMILE and the FS-LASIK procedures. The change in the CF of spherical aberration was smaller in the SMILE group compared with the FS-LASIK group, especially in subjects with high myopia. © 2015 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2015 The College of Optometrists.