Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of Uropathogenic E. coli by Tracking Submicron Scale Motion of Single Bacterial Cells.

PubMed

Syal, Karan; Shen, Simon; Yang, Yunze; Wang, Shaopeng; Haydel, Shelley E; Tao, Nongjian

2017-08-25

To combat antibiotic resistance, a rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) technology that can identify resistant infections at disease onset is required. Current clinical AST technologies take 1-3 days, which is often too slow for accurate treatment. Here we demonstrate a rapid AST method by tracking sub-μm scale bacterial motion with an optical imaging and tracking technique. We apply the method to clinically relevant bacterial pathogens, Escherichia coli O157: H7 and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) loosely tethered to a glass surface. By analyzing dose-dependent sub-μm motion changes in a population of bacterial cells, we obtain the minimum bactericidal concentration within 2 h using human urine samples spiked with UPEC. We validate the AST method using the standard culture-based AST methods. In addition to population studies, the method allows single cell analysis, which can identify subpopulations of resistance strains within a sample.

Advanced Supersonic Technology concept AST-100 characteristics developed in a baseline-update study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baber, H. T., Jr.; Swanson, E. E.

1976-01-01

The advanced supersonic technology configuration, AST-100, is described. The combination of wing thickness reduction, nacelle recontouring for minimum drag at cruise, and the use of the horizontal tail to produce lift during climb and cruise resulted in an increase in maximum lift-to-drag ratio. Lighter engines and lower fuel weight associated with this resizing result in a six percent reduction in takeoff gross weight. The AST-100 takeoff maximum effective perceived noise at the runway centerline and sideline measurement stations was 114.4 decibels. Since 1.5-decibels tradeoff is available from the approach noise, the required engine noise supression is 4.9 decibels. The AST-100 largest maximum overpressure would occur during transonic climb acceleration when the aircraft was at relatively low altitude. Calculated standard +8 C day range of the AST-100, with a 292 passenger payload, is 7348 km (3968 n.mi). Fuel price is the largest contributor to direct operating cost. However, if the AST-100 were flown subsonically (M = 0.9), direct operating costs would increase approximately 50 percent because of time related costs.

Technologies for Turbofan Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, Dennis

2005-01-01

An overview presentation of NASA's engine noise research since 1992 is given for subsonic commercial aircraft applications. Highlights are included from the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program and the Quiet Aircraft Technology (QAT) project with emphasis on engine source noise reduction. Noise reduction goals for 10 EPNdB by 207 and 20 EPNdB by 2022 are reviewed. Fan and jet noise technologies are highlighted from the AST program including higher bypass ratio propulsion, scarf inlets, forward-swept fans, swept/leaned stators, chevron nozzles, noise prediction methods, and active noise control for fans. Source diagnostic tests for fans and jets that have been completed over the past few years are presented showing how new flow measurement methods such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) have played a key role in understanding turbulence, the noise generation process, and how to improve noise prediction methods. Tests focused on source decomposition have helped identify which engine components need further noise reduction. The role of Computational AeroAcoustics (CAA) for fan noise prediction is presented. Advanced noise reduction methods such as Hershel-Quincke tubes and trailing edge blowing for fan noise that are currently being pursued n the QAT program are also presented. Highlights are shown form engine validation and flight demonstrations that were done in the late 1990's with Pratt & Whitney on their PW4098 engine and Honeywell on their TFE-731-60 engine. Finally, future propulsion configurations currently being studied that show promise towards meeting NASA's long term goal of 20 dB noise reduction are shown including a Dual Fan Engine concept on a Blended Wing Body aircraft.

Fan Noise Reduction: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Edmane

2001-01-01

Fan noise reduction technologies developed as part of the engine noise reduction element of the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program are reviewed. Developments in low-noise fan stage design, swept and leaned outlet guide vanes, active noise control, fan flow management, and scarfed inlet are discussed. In each case, a description of the method is presented and, where available, representative results and general conclusions are discussed. The review concludes with a summary of the accomplishments of the AST-sponsored fan noise reduction research and a few thoughts on future work.

An Overview-NASA LeRC Structures Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaretsky, Erwin V.

1997-01-01

The Structures and Acoustics Division of the NASA Lewis Research Center has its genesis dating back to 1943. It has been an independent Division at Lewis since 1979. Its two primary capabilities are performance and life analysis of static and dynamic systems such as those found in aircraft and spacecraft propulsion systems and experimental verification of these analyses. Research is conducted in-house, through university grants and contracts, and through cooperative programs with industry. Our work directly supports NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST), Smart Green Engine, Fast Quiet Engine, High-Temperature Materials and Processing (HiTEMP), Hybrid Hyperspeed Propulsion, Rotorcraft, High-Speed Research (HSR), and Aviation Safety Program (AvSP). A general overview is given discussing these programs and other technologies that are being developed at NASA LeRC.

Emerging Microtechnologies and Automated Systems for Rapid Bacterial Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing

PubMed Central

Li, Yiyan; Yang, Xing; Zhao, Weian

2018-01-01

Rapid bacterial identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) are in great demand due to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. Conventional culture-based AST methods suffer from a long turnaround time. By necessity, physicians often have to treat patients empirically with antibiotics, which has led to an inappropriate use of antibiotics, an elevated mortality rate and healthcare costs, and antibiotic resistance. Recent advances in miniaturization and automation provide promising solutions for rapid bacterial ID/AST profiling, which will potentially make a significant impact in the clinical management of infectious diseases and antibiotic stewardship in the coming years. In this review, we summarize and analyze representative emerging micro- and nanotechnologies, as well as automated systems for bacterial ID/AST, including both phenotypic (e.g., microfluidic-based bacterial culture, and digital imaging of single cells) and molecular (e.g., multiplex PCR, hybridization probes, nanoparticles, synthetic biology tools, mass spectrometry, and sequencing technologies) methods. We also discuss representative point-of-care (POC) systems that integrate sample processing, fluid handling, and detection for rapid bacterial ID/AST. Finally, we highlight major remaining challenges and discuss potential future endeavors toward improving clinical outcomes with rapid bacterial ID/AST technologies. PMID:28850804

Emerging Microtechnologies and Automated Systems for Rapid Bacterial Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing.

PubMed

Li, Yiyan; Yang, Xing; Zhao, Weian

2017-12-01

Rapid bacterial identification (ID) and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) are in great demand due to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. Conventional culture-based AST methods suffer from a long turnaround time. By necessity, physicians often have to treat patients empirically with antibiotics, which has led to an inappropriate use of antibiotics, an elevated mortality rate and healthcare costs, and antibiotic resistance. Recent advances in miniaturization and automation provide promising solutions for rapid bacterial ID/AST profiling, which will potentially make a significant impact in the clinical management of infectious diseases and antibiotic stewardship in the coming years. In this review, we summarize and analyze representative emerging micro- and nanotechnologies, as well as automated systems for bacterial ID/AST, including both phenotypic (e.g., microfluidic-based bacterial culture, and digital imaging of single cells) and molecular (e.g., multiplex PCR, hybridization probes, nanoparticles, synthetic biology tools, mass spectrometry, and sequencing technologies) methods. We also discuss representative point-of-care (POC) systems that integrate sample processing, fluid handling, and detection for rapid bacterial ID/AST. Finally, we highlight major remaining challenges and discuss potential future endeavors toward improving clinical outcomes with rapid bacterial ID/AST technologies.

The AST3 controlling and operating software suite for automatic sky survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yi; Shang, Zhaohui; Ma, Bin; Hu, Keliang

2016-07-01

We have developed a specialized software package, called ast3suite, to achieve the remote control and automatic sky survey for AST3 (Antarctic Survey Telescope) from scratch. It includes several daemon servers and many basic commands. Each program does only one single task, and they work together to make AST3 a robotic telescope. A survey script calls basic commands to carry out automatic sky survey. Ast3suite was carefully tested in Mohe, China in 2013 and has been used at Dome, Antarctica in 2015 and 2016 with the real hardware for practical sky survey. Both test results and practical using showed that ast3suite had worked very well without any manual auxiliary as we expected.

A Randomized Depression Prevention Trial Comparing Interpersonal Psychotherapy—Adolescent Skills Training to Group Counseling in Schools

PubMed Central

Benas, Jessica S.; Schueler, Christie M.; Gallop, Robert; Gillham, Jane E.; Mufson, Laura

2017-01-01

Given the rise in depression disorders in adolescence, it is important to develop and study depression prevention programs for this age group. The current study examined the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a group prevention program for adolescent depression, in comparison to group programs that are typically delivered in school settings. In this indicated prevention trial, 186 adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST delivered by research staff or group counseling (GC) delivered by school counselors. Hierarchical linear modeling examined differences in rates of change in depressive symptoms and overall functioning from baseline to the 6-month follow-up assessment. Cox regression compared rates of depression diagnoses. Adolescents in IPT-AST showed significantly greater improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms and evaluator-rated overall functioning than GC adolescents from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in onset of depression diagnoses. Although both intervention conditions demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and overall functioning, results indicate that IPT-AST has modest benefits over groups run by school counselors which were matched on frequency and duration of sessions. In particular, IPT-AST outperformed GC in reduction of depressive symptoms and improvements in overall functioning. These findings point to the clinical utility of this depression prevention program, at least in the short-term. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effects of IPT-AST, relative to GC, particularly in preventing depression onset. PMID:26638219

A Randomized Depression Prevention Trial Comparing Interpersonal Psychotherapy--Adolescent Skills Training to Group Counseling in Schools.

PubMed

Young, Jami F; Benas, Jessica S; Schueler, Christie M; Gallop, Robert; Gillham, Jane E; Mufson, Laura

2016-04-01

Given the rise in depression disorders in adolescence, it is important to develop and study depression prevention programs for this age group. The current study examined the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a group prevention program for adolescent depression, in comparison to group programs that are typically delivered in school settings. In this indicated prevention trial, 186 adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST delivered by research staff or group counseling (GC) delivered by school counselors. Hierarchical linear modeling examined differences in rates of change in depressive symptoms and overall functioning from baseline to the 6-month follow-up assessment. Cox regression compared rates of depression diagnoses. Adolescents in IPT-AST showed significantly greater improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms and evaluator-rated overall functioning than GC adolescents from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in onset of depression diagnoses. Although both intervention conditions demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and overall functioning, results indicate that IPT-AST has modest benefits over groups run by school counselors which were matched on frequency and duration of sessions. In particular, IPT-AST outperformed GC in reduction of depressive symptoms and improvements in overall functioning. These findings point to the clinical utility of this depression prevention program, at least in the short-term. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effects of IPT-AST, relative to GC, particularly in preventing depression onset.

Teacher Professional Development with SOFIA from Inception to Flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemenway, Mary Kay; Lacy, J.; Sneden, C.; EXES Teacher Associates, SOFIA

2012-01-01

Since January 1998 Texas science and math teachers have met several times per year in a program centered on SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. Initial meetings focused on astronomical instrumentation as the ground-based TEXES (Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph) and its SOFIA successor, EXES, were developed and built. Sixty-nine different teachers have been involved in the seventy-nine Saturday meetings between January 1998 and October 2011. A typical meeting included an update on SOFIA, an expert talk on a science or technology topic, and a Standards-linked activity that they can carry back to use in their classrooms. Many of the participants have presented activities or reports to their colleagues. A variety of guest-presenters - faculty, staff, and graduate students as well as visitors (both in person and through videoconference) - enriched the program with their expertise. Some Saturday meetings included field trips to Waco to visit the SOFIA aircraft modification; other trips sent subsets of teachers to McDonald Observatory for TEXES' early observations, to Hawaii for observing runs on the IRTF or Gemini, and to various locations for American Astronomical Society meetings. The participants report their increased knowledge of astronomical concepts and of the culture of professional astronomy. By spreading the SOFIA EXES teacher program over such a long period, the staff has formed strong professional bonds with the participants while the participants have shared their experiences with each other. Support from USRA grant 8500-98-008; the National Science Foundation AST- 0607312, AST- 0607708, and AST-0908978; and SOFIA Education/Public Outreach through the SETI Institute 08-SC-1022 is gratefully acknowledged.

Definition of 1992 Technology Aircraft Noise Levels and the Methodology for Assessing Airplane Noise Impact of Component Noise Reduction Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumasaka, Henry A.; Martinez, Michael M.; Weir, Donald S.

1996-01-01

This report describes the methodology for assessing the impact of component noise reduction on total airplane system noise. The methodology is intended to be applied to the results of individual study elements of the NASA-Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program, which will address the development of noise reduction concepts for specific components. Program progress will be assessed in terms of noise reduction achieved, relative to baseline levels representative of 1992 technology airplane/engine design and performance. In this report, the 1992 technology reference levels are defined for assessment models based on four airplane sizes - an average business jet and three commercial transports: a small twin, a medium sized twin, and a large quad. Study results indicate that component changes defined as program final goals for nacelle treatment and engine/airframe source noise reduction would achieve from 6-7 EPNdB reduction of total airplane noise at FAR 36 Stage 3 noise certification conditions for all of the airplane noise assessment models.

Low-Noise Potential of Advanced Fan Stage Stator Vane Designs Verified in NASA Lewis Wind Tunnel Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Christopher E.

1999-01-01

With the advent of new, more stringent noise regulations in the next century, aircraft engine manufacturers are investigating new technologies to make the current generation of aircraft engines as well as the next generation of advanced engines quieter without sacrificing operating performance. A current NASA initiative called the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program has set as a goal a 6-EPNdB (effective perceived noise) reduction in aircraft engine noise relative to 1992 technology levels by the year 2000. As part of this noise program, and in cooperation with the Allison Engine Company, an advanced, low-noise, high-bypass-ratio fan stage design and several advanced technology stator vane designs were recently tested in NASA Lewis Research Center's 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (an anechoic facility). The project was called the NASA/Allison Low Noise Fan.

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... app; update on the revised ``STEM Education Data and Trends'' online tool Discussion of the Science...), Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST): Revised Baseline for the Construction of the Advanced Technology...), Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST): Increase in Pass-through Authority for Construction of the Atacama...

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test with Plasmonic Imaging and Tracking of Single Bacterial Motions on Nanometer Scale.

PubMed

Syal, Karan; Iriya, Rafael; Yang, Yunze; Yu, Hui; Wang, Shaopeng; Haydel, Shelley E; Chen, Hong-Yuan; Tao, Nongjian

2016-01-26

Antimicrobial susceptibility tests (ASTs) are important for confirming susceptibility to empirical antibiotics and detecting resistance in bacterial isolates. Currently, most ASTs performed in clinical microbiology laboratories are based on bacterial culturing, which take days to complete for slowly growing microorganisms. A faster AST will reduce morbidity and mortality rates and help healthcare providers administer narrow spectrum antibiotics at the earliest possible treatment stage. We report the development of a nonculture-based AST using a plasmonic imaging and tracking (PIT) technology. We track the motion of individual bacterial cells tethered to a surface with nanometer (nm) precision and correlate the phenotypic motion with bacterial metabolism and antibiotic action. We show that antibiotic action significantly slows down bacterial motion, which can be quantified for development of a rapid phenotypic-based AST.

Diagnostic microbiology in veterinary dermatology: present and future.

PubMed

Guardabassi, Luca; Damborg, Peter; Stamm, Ivonne; Kopp, Peter A; Broens, Els M; Toutain, Pierre-Louis

2017-02-01

The microbiology laboratory can be perceived as a service provider rather than an integral part of the healthcare team. The aim of this review is to discuss the current challenges of providing a state-of-the-art diagnostic veterinary microbiology service including the identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of key pathogens in veterinary dermatology. The Study Group for Veterinary Microbiology (ESGVM) of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) identified scientific, technological, educational and regulatory issues impacting the predictive value of AST and the quality of the service offered by microbiology laboratories. The advent of mass spectrometry has significantly reduced the time required for ID of key pathogens such as Staphylococcus pseudintermedius. However, the turnaround time for validated AST methods has remained unchanged for many years. Beyond scientific and technological constraints, AST methods are not harmonized and clinical breakpoints for some antimicrobial drugs are either missing or inadequate. Small laboratories, including in-clinic laboratories, are usually not adequately equipped to run up-to-date clinical microbiologic diagnostic tests. ESGVM recommends the use of laboratories employing mass spectrometry for ID and broth micro-dilution for AST, and offering assistance by expert microbiologists on pre- and post-analytical issues. Setting general standards for veterinary clinical microbiology, promoting antimicrobial stewardship, and the development of new, validated and rapid diagnostic methods, especially for AST, are among the missions of ESGVM. © 2017 The Authors. Veterinary Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the ESVD and ACVD.

Technologies for Aircraft Noise Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, Dennis L.

2006-01-01

Technologies for aircraft noise reduction have been developed by NASA over the past 15 years through the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program and the Quiet Aircraft Technology (QAT) project. This presentation summarizes highlights from these programs and anticipated noise reduction benefits for communities surrounding airports. Historical progress in noise reduction and technologies available for future aircraft/engine development are identified. Technologies address aircraft/engine components including fans, exhaust nozzles, landing gear, and flap systems. New "chevron" nozzles have been developed and implemented on several aircraft in production today that provide significant jet noise reduction. New engines using Ultra-High Bypass (UHB) ratios are projected to provide about 10 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise Level in decibels) engine noise reduction relative to the average fleet that was flying in 1997. Audio files are embedded in the presentation that estimate the sound levels for a 35,000 pound thrust engine for takeoff and approach power conditions. The predictions are based on actual model scale data that was obtained by NASA. Finally, conceptual pictures are shown that look toward future aircraft/propulsion systems that might be used to obtain further noise reduction.

Higher-Order-Mode Diagnostics and Suppression in Superconducting Cavities (HOMSC12)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Roger M.

2014-01-01

From the 25th of June through Wednesday lunchtime of the 27th of June 2012 the Cockcroft Institute and ASTeC hosted an ICFA supported mini workshop on Higher-Order-Mode Diagnostics and Suppression in Superconducting Cavities (HOMSC12). The local organizing committee for this international workshop was chaired by S. Buckley (ASTeC/STFC), conference administration by S. Waller (ASTeC/STFC), and the scientific program committee by R.M. Jones (Cockcroft Institute/University of Manchester).

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Review of Airport Ground Traffic Models Including an Evaluation of the ASTS Computer Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1972-12-01

The report covers an evaluation of Airport Ground Traffic models for the purpose of simulating an Autonomous Local Intersection Controller. All known models were reviewed and a detailed study was performed on the two in-house models the ASTS and ROSS...

Conceptual study of an advanced supersonic technology transport (AST-107) for transpacific range using low-bypass-ratio turbofan engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, S. J., Jr.; Foss, W. E., Jr.; Neubauer, M. J., Jr.

1980-01-01

An advanced supersonic technology configuration concept designated the AST-107, using a low bypass ratio turbofan engine, is described and analyzed. The aircraft had provisions for 273 passengers arranged five abreast. The cruise Mach number was 2.62. The mission range for the AST-107 was 8.48 Mm (4576 n.mi.) and an average lift drag ratio of 9.15 during cruise was achieved. The available lateral control was not sufficient for the required 15.4 m/s (30 kt) crosswind landing condition, and a crosswind landing gear or a significant reduction in dihedral effect would be necessary to meet this requirement. The lowest computed noise levels, including a mechanical suppressor noise reduction of 3 EPNdB at the flyover and sideline monitoring stations, were 110.3 EPNdB (sideline noise), 113.1 EPNdB (centerline noise) and 110.5 EPNdB (approach noise).

Leveraging accelerated testing of LED drivers to model the reliability of two-stage and multi-channel drivers

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

Davis, Lynn; Perkins, Curtis; Smith, Aaron

The next wave of LED lighting technology is likely to be tunable white lighting (TWL) devices which can adjust the colour of the emitted light between warm white (~ 2700 K) and cool white (~ 6500 K). This type of lighting system uses LED assemblies of two or more colours each controlled by separate driver channels that independently adjust the current levels to achieve the desired lighting colour. Drivers used in TWL devices are inherently more complex than those found in simple SSL devices, due to the number of electrical components in the driver required to achieve this level ofmore » control. The reliability of such lighting systems can only be studied using accelerated stress tests (AST) that accelerate the aging process to time frames that can be accommodated in laboratory testing. This paper describes AST methods and findings developed from AST data that provide insights into the lifetime of the main components of one-channel and multi-channel LED devices. The use of AST protocols to confirm product reliability is necessary to ensure that the technology can meet the performance and lifetime requirements of the intended application.« less

A Decade Of Teacher Professional Development With SOFIA's EXES And TEXES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemenway, Mary Kay; Lacy, J. H.; Sneden, C.; Teacher Associates, EXES

2007-12-01

Since January 1998 central Texas grade 6-12 science and math teachers have met several times per year to learn first-hand about how a scientific instrument, the Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (EXES), is being developed and built for SOFIA. In addition to learning about the technology of astronomical instrumentation, they have learned about the development of SOFIA, the scheduling and preparation for observing runs, and a wide range of astronomical topics. A typical Saturday meeting includes an update on SOFIA, EXES, and its ground-based prototype, TEXES (Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph); one or more presentations on a science or technology topic; and a Standards-linked activity that they can carry back to use in their classrooms. A variety of guest-presenters - faculty, staff, and graduate students as well as visitors (e. g., Jackie Davidson and Alan Tokunaga) - enrich the program with their expertise. Field trips are important supplements to the program; the entire group visited Waco three times to observe the SOFIA aircraft modification while selected members have accompanied scientists to McDonald Observatory, IRTF, and Gemini for observing runs. In addition, the immediacy offered by live videoconferences with TEXES observers at IRTF and Gemini brought the participants a unique appreciation of nighttime observing at a professional observatory. The participants report their increased knowledge of astronomical concepts and of the culture of professional astronomy. By spreading the SOFIA EXES teacher program over its first decade of development, the staff has formed strong professional bonds with the participants while the participants have shared their experiences with each other. Support from USRA grant 8500-98-008 and the National Science Foundation AST-0607312 and AST- 0607708 is gratefully acknowledged.

Recent Developments in U.S. Engine Noise Reduction Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James; Envia, Edmane; Huff, Dennis

2001-01-01

Aircraft engine noise research in the United States has made considerable progress over the past 10 years for both subsonic and supersonic flight applications. The Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program started in 1994 and will be completed in 2001 without major changes to program plans and funding levels. As a result, significant progress has been made toward the goal of reducing engine source noise by 6 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise level in decibels). This paper will summarize some of the significant accomplishments from the subsonic engine noise research performed over the past 10 years. The review is by no means comprehensive and only represents a sample of major accomplishments.

Active school transport and fast food intake: Are there racial and ethnic differences?

PubMed

Sanchez-Vaznaugh, E V; Bécares, L; Sallis, J F; Sánchez, B N

2016-10-01

To investigate whether active school transport was associated with fast food consumption, and to examine differences across racial/ethnic groups. Adolescent data (n=3194) from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey were analyzed with logistic regression models to examine the association between active school transport (AST) and fast food intake across racial/ethnic groups. In the overall sample, AST during 1-2days in the past week was associated with greater likelihood of fast food intake (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.03-2.43), compared with zero days of AST, controlling for demographic and other factors. The association between AST and fast food intake differed significantly by race/ethnicity (p<0.01). Among Latino adolescents, greater frequency of AST was significantly associated with greater likelihood of fast food intake (1-2days OR, 2.37, 95%CI: 1.05-5.35; 3-4days OR, 2.78, 95% CI: 1.04-7.43; 5days OR, 2.20, 95%CI: 1.23-3.93). Among White and Asian adolescents, there was a curvilinear pattern: relative to adolescents who reported zero days of AST, those who did AST 1-2days/week had greater likelihood of fast food intake, but AST of 3-4days and 5days/week was associated respectively, with higher and lower likelihood of fast food intake among both groups. AST appears to be a risk factor for fast food intake, and may expose some ethnic groups more than others to increased opportunity to purchase and consume fast food. Programs and policies to promote AST among adolescents should incorporate efforts to encourage healthy eating and discourage concentration of fast food outlets near schools. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AST Critical Propulsion and Noise Reduction Technologies for Future Commercial Subsonic Engines Area of Interest 1.0: Reliable and Affordable Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, William; Winter, Steve

2006-01-01

The General Electric Reliable and Affordable Controls effort under the NASA Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program has designed, fabricated, and tested advanced controls hardware and software to reduce emissions and improve engine safety and reliability. The original effort consisted of four elements: 1) a Hydraulic Multiplexer; 2) Active Combustor Control; 3) a Variable Displacement Vane Pump (VDVP); and 4) Intelligent Engine Control. The VDVP and Intelligent Engine Control elements were cancelled due to funding constraints and are reported here only to the state they progressed. The Hydraulic Multiplexing element developed and tested a prototype which improves reliability by combining the functionality of up to 16 solenoids and servo-valves into one component with a single electrically powered force motor. The Active Combustor Control element developed intelligent staging and control strategies for low emission combustors. This included development and tests of a Controlled Pressure Fuel Nozzle for fuel sequencing, a Fuel Multiplexer for individual fuel cup metering, and model-based control logic. Both the Hydraulic Multiplexer and Controlled Pressure Fuel Nozzle system were cleared for engine test. The Fuel Multiplexer was cleared for combustor rig test which must be followed by an engine test to achieve full maturation.

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Collaborative Research Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannon, John M.; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Undergraduate ALFALFA Team, ALFALFA Team

2016-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) has allowed faculty and students from a wide range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to learn how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a legacy radio astronomy survey. The UAT has achieved this through close collaboration with ALFALFA PIs to identify research areas accessible to undergraduates. In this talk we will summarize the main research efforts of the UAT, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, and AST-1211005.

Testimony to the House Science Space and Technology Committee.

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

Church, Michael Kenton; Tannenbaum, Benn

Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Johnson, and distinguished members of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the role of science, engineering, and research at Sandia National Laboratories, one of the nation’s premiere national labs and the nation’s largest Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) laboratory. I am Dr. Susan Seestrom, Sandia’s Associate Laboratories Director for Advanced Science & Technology (AST) and Chief Research Officer (CRO). As CRO I am responsible for research strategy, Laboratory Directed Research & Development (LDRD), partnerships strategy, and technology transfer. As director and line managermore » for AST I manage capabilities and mission delivery across a variety of the physical and mathematical sciences and engineering disciplines, such as pulsed power, radiation effects, major environmental testing, high performance computing, and modeling and simulation.« less

Astrobiology Road Mapping (AstRoMap) - A project within FP7 of the European Commission: First results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez-Gomez, Felipe; Capria, Maria Teresa; Palomba, Ernesto; Walter, Nicolas; Rettberg, Petra; Muller, Christian; Horneck, Gerda

AstRoMap (Astrobiology and Planetary Exploration Road Mapping) is a funded project formulated in the 5th Call of the European Commission FP7 framework. The main objectives of the AstRoMap are: 1. Identify the main astrobiology issues to be addressed by Europe in the next decades in relation with space exploration 2. Identify potential mission concepts that would allow addressing these issues 3. Identify the technology developments required to enable these missions 4. Provide a prioritized roadmap integrating science and technology activities as well as ground-based approach 5. Map scientific knowledge related to astrobiology in Europe To reach those objectives, AstRoMap is executed within the following steps: 1. Community consultation. In order to map the European astrobiology landscape and to provide a collaborative networking platform for this community, the AstRoMap project hosts a database of scientists (European and beyond) interested in astrobiology and planetary exploration (see: http://www.astromap.eu/database.html). It reflects the demography and the research and teaching activities of the astrobiology community, as well as their professional profiles and involvement in astrobiology projects. Considering future aspects of astrobiology in Europe, the need for more astrobiology-dedicated funding programmes at the EU level, especially for cross-disciplinary groups, was stressed. This might eventually lead to the creation of a European laboratory of Astrobiology, or even of a European Astrobiology Institute. 2. Workshops organisation. On the basis of the feedbacks from the community consultation, the potential participants and interesting topics are being identified to take part in the following workshops: 1-. Origin of organic compounds, steps to life; 2. Physico-chemical boundary conditions for habitability 3. Biosignatures as facilitating life detection 4. Origin of the Solar system 3. Astrobiology road-mapping. Based on the results and major conclusions elaborated during the workshops, an astrobiology roadmap will be constructed tailored to the European needs and competences. 4. Education and public outreach. Parallel to the workshop and consultation activities, AstRoMap will provide a comprehensive education and outreach programme and disseminate the progress of AstRoMap through its web site (http://www.astromap.eu).

Acoustics and Thrust of Separate Flow Exhaust Nozzles With Mixing Devices Investigated for High Bypass Ratio Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saiyed, Naseem H.

2000-01-01

Typical installed separate-flow exhaust nozzle system. The jet noise from modern turbofan engines is a major contributor to the overall noise from commercial aircraft. Many of these engines use separate nozzles for exhausting core and fan streams. As a part of NASA s Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) program, the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field led an experimental investigation using model-scale nozzles in Glenn s Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory. The goal of the investigation was to develop technology for reducing the jet noise by 3 EPNdB. Teams of engineers from Glenn, the NASA Langley Research Center, Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies Research Corporation, the Boeing Company, GE Aircraft Engines, Allison Engine Company, and Aero Systems Engineering contributed to the planning and implementation of the test.

Advanced supersonic propulsion system technology study, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allan, R. D.

1975-01-01

Variable cycle engines were identified, based on the mixed-flow low-bypass-ratio augmented turbofan cycle, which has shown excellent range capability in the AST airplane. The best mixed-flow augmented turbofan engine was selected based on range in the AST Baseline Airplane. Selected variable cycle engine features were added to this best conventional baseline engine, and the Dual-Cycle VCE and Double-Bypass VCE were defined. The conventional mixed-flow turbofan and the Double-Bypass VCE were on the subjects of engine preliminary design studies to determine mechanical feasibility, confirm weight and dimensional estimates, and identify the necessary technology considered not yet available. Critical engine components were studied and incorporated into the variable cycle engine design.

Recent Progress in Engine Noise Reduction Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, Dennis; Gliebe, Philip

2003-01-01

Highlights from NASA-funded research over the past ten years for aircraft engine noise reduction are presented showing overall technical plans, accomplishments, and selected applications to turbofan engines. The work was sponsored by NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program. Emphasis is given to only the engine noise reduction research and significant accomplishments that were investigated at Technology Readiness Levels ranging from 4 to 6. The Engine Noise Reduction sub-element was divided into four work areas: source noise prediction, model scale tests, engine validation, and active noise control. Highlights from each area include technologies for higher bypass ratio turbofans, scarf inlets, forward-swept fans, swept and leaned stators, chevron/tabbed nozzles, advanced noise prediction analyses, and active noise control for fans. Finally, an industry perspective is given from General Electric Aircraft Engines showing how these technologies are being applied to commercial products. This publication contains only presentation vu-graphs from an invited lecture given at the 41st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, January 6-9, 2003.

75 FR 66800 - Notice of Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-29

... reporting of new technologies to NASA using NASA eNTRe system for electronic submissions and NASA Form 1679.... Data Title: AST-Technology Utilization. OMB Number: 2700-0009. Type of Review: Regular. Affected Public... collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to...

Automotive technicians' training as a community-of-practice: implications for the design of an augmented reality teaching aid.

PubMed

Anastassova, Margarita; Burkhardt, Jean-Marie

2009-07-01

The paper presents an ergonomic analysis carried out in the early phases of an R&D project. The purpose was to investigate the functioning of today's Automotive Service Technicians (ASTs) training in order to inform the design of an Augmented Reality (AR) teaching aid. The first part of the paper presents a literature review of some major problems encountered by ASTs today. The benefits of AR as technological aid are also introduced. Then, the methodology and the results of two case studies are presented. The first study is based on interviews with trainers and trainees; the second one on observations in real training settings. The results support the assumption that today's ASTs' training could be regarded as a community-of-practice (CoP). Therefore, AR could be useful as a collaboration tool, offering a shared virtual representation of real vehicle's parts, which are normally invisible unless dismantled (e.g. the parts of a hydraulic automatic transmission). We conclude on the methods and the technologies to support the automotive CoP.

NASA's Subsonic Jet Transport Noise Reduction Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, Clemans A.; Preisser, John S.

2000-01-01

Although new jet transport airplanes in today s fleet are considerably quieter than the first jet transports introduced about 40 years ago, airport community noise continues to be an important environmental issue. NASA s Advanced Subsonic Transport (AST) Noise Reduction program was begun in 1994 as a seven-year effort to develop technology to reduce jet transport noise 10 dB relative to 1992 technology. This program provides for reductions in engine source noise, improvements in nacelle acoustic treatments, reductions in the noise generated by the airframe, and improvements in the way airplanes are operated in the airport environs. These noise reduction efforts will terminate at the end of 2001 and it appears that the objective will be met. However, because of an anticipated 3-8% growth in passenger and cargo operations well into the 21st Century and the slow introduction of new the noise reduction technology into the fleet, world aircraft noise impact will remain essentially constant until about 2020 to 2030 and thereafter begin to rise. Therefore NASA has begun planning with the Federal Aviation Administration, industry, universities and environmental interest groups in the USA for a new noise reduction initiative to provide technology for significant further reductions.

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Outcomes for Over 250 Undergraduate Participants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; ALFALFA Team

2016-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. In this talk we present outcomes for the more than 250 undergraduate students who have who have participated in the program during the 8 years of funding. 40% of these students have been women and members of underrepresented groups. To date 148 undergraduate students have attended annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 159 summer research projects and 120 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 68 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 55 have presented their results at national meetings such as the AAS. Through participation in the UAT, students are made aware of career paths they may not have previously considered. More than 90% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, and AST-1211005

An AST-ELM Method for Eliminating the Influence of Charging Phenomenon on ECT.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoxin; Hu, Hongli; Jia, Huiqin; Tang, Kaihao

2017-12-09

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is a promising imaging technology of permittivity distributions in multiphase flow. To reduce the effect of charging phenomenon on ECT measurement, an improved extreme learning machine method combined with adaptive soft-thresholding (AST-ELM) is presented and studied for image reconstruction. This method can provide a nonlinear mapping model between the capacitance values and medium distributions by using machine learning but not an electromagnetic-sensitive mechanism. Both simulation and experimental tests are carried out to validate the performance of the presented method, and reconstructed images are evaluated by relative error and correlation coefficient. The results have illustrated that the image reconstruction accuracy by the proposed AST-ELM method has greatly improved than that by the conventional methods under the condition with charging object.

An AST-ELM Method for Eliminating the Influence of Charging Phenomenon on ECT

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoxin; Hu, Hongli; Jia, Huiqin; Tang, Kaihao

2017-01-01

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is a promising imaging technology of permittivity distributions in multiphase flow. To reduce the effect of charging phenomenon on ECT measurement, an improved extreme learning machine method combined with adaptive soft-thresholding (AST-ELM) is presented and studied for image reconstruction. This method can provide a nonlinear mapping model between the capacitance values and medium distributions by using machine learning but not an electromagnetic-sensitive mechanism. Both simulation and experimental tests are carried out to validate the performance of the presented method, and reconstructed images are evaluated by relative error and correlation coefficient. The results have illustrated that the image reconstruction accuracy by the proposed AST-ELM method has greatly improved than that by the conventional methods under the condition with charging object. PMID:29232850

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Higdon, S.; Balonek, T. J.; Haynes, M. P.; Giovanelli, R.

2010-01-01

The Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team is a consortium of 16 institutions engaged in an NSF-sponsored program to promote undergraduate research within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project. In the first two years of the program, more than three dozen undergraduate students have been closely involved in ALFALFA science, observing, and data analysis. A total of 34 students have attended the annual undergraduate workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, their peers, ALFALFA experts, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 26 summer research projects and 14 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. Students and faculty have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and to national meetings to present their results. Eight Team schools have joined to work collaboratively to analyze HI properties of galaxy groups within the ALFALFA volume. (See O'Brien et al., O'Malley et al., and Odekon et al. posters, this meeting.) Students involved in this program are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918, AST-0725267, and AST-0725380.

Advanced High-Temperature Engine Materials Technology Progresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The objective of the Advanced High Temperature Engine Materials Technology Program (HITEMP) is to generate technology for advanced materials and structural analysis that will increase fuel economy, improve reliability, extend life, and reduce operating costs for 21st century civil propulsion systems. The primary focus is on fan and compressor materials (polymer-matrix composites--PMC's), compressor and turbine materials (superalloys, and metal-matrix and intermetallic-matrix composites--MMC's and IMC's) and turbine materials (ceramic-matrix composites--CMC's). These advanced materials are being developed by in-house researchers and on grants and contracts. NASA considers this program to be a focused materials and structures research effort that builds on our base research programs and supports component-development projects. HITEMP is coordinated with the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program and the Department of Defense/NASA Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) Program. Advanced materials and structures technologies from HITEMP may be used in these future applications. Recent technical accomplishments have not only improved the state-of-the-art but have wideranging applications to industry. A high-temperature thin-film strain gage was developed to measure both dynamic and static strain up to 1100 C (2000 F). The gage's unique feature is that it is minimally intrusive. This technology, which received a 1995 R&D 100 Award, has been transferred to AlliedSignal Engines, General Electric Company, and Ford Motor Company. Analytical models developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center were used to study Textron Specialty Materials' manufacturing process for titanium-matrix composite rings. Implementation of our recommendations on tooling and processing conditions resulted in the production of defect free rings. In the Lincoln Composites/AlliedSignal/Lewis cooperative program, a composite compressor case is being manufactured with a Lewis-developed matrix, VCAP. The compressor case, which will reduce weight by 30 percent and costs by 50 percent, is scheduled to be engine tested in the near future.

The NSF Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Partnering with Arecibo Observatory to Offer Undergraduate and Faculty Extragalactic Radio Astronomy Research Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribaudo, Joseph; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David W.; Denn, Grant R.; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hallenbeck, Gregory L.; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Lebron, Mayra E.; Miller, Brendan P.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Pisano, Daniel J.; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Troischt, Parker; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; ALFALFA Team

2017-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 20 institutions across the US and Puerto Rico, founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The objective of the UAT is to provide opportunities for its members to develop expertise in the technical aspects of observational radio spectroscopy, its associated data analysis, and the motivating science. Partnering with Arecibo Observatory, the UAT has worked with more than 280 undergraduates and 26 faculty to date, offering 8 workshops onsite at Arecibo (148 undergraduates), observing runs at Arecibo (69 undergraduates), remote observing runs on campus, undergraduate research projects based on Arecibo science (120 academic year and 185 summer projects), and presentation of results at national meetings such as the AAS (at AAS229: Ball et al., Collova et al., Davis et al., Miazzo et al., Ruvolo et al, Singer et al., Cannon et al., Craig et al., Koopmann et al., O'Donoghue et al.). 40% of the students and 45% of the faculty participants have been women and members of underrepresented groups. More than 90% of student alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women.In this presentation, we summarize the UAT program and the current research efforts of UAT members based on Arecibo science, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey (APPSS). This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, AST-121105, and AST-1637339.

Analysis and Presentation of Cumulative Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Data--The Influence of Different Parameters in a Routine Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.

PubMed

Kohlmann, Rebekka; Gatermann, Sören G

2016-01-01

Many clinical microbiology laboratories report on cumulative antimicrobial susceptibility testing (cAST) data on a regular basis. Criteria for generation of cAST reports, however, are often obscure and inconsistent. Whereas the CLSI has published a guideline for analysis and presentation of cAST data, national guidelines directed at clinical microbiology laboratories are not available in Europe. Thus, we sought to describe the influence of different parameters in the process of cAST data analysis in the setting of a German routine clinical microbiology laboratory during 2 consecutive years. We developed various program scripts to assess the consequences ensuing from different algorithms for calculation of cumulative antibiograms from the data collected in our clinical microbiology laboratory in 2013 and 2014. One of the most pronounced effects was caused by exclusion of screening cultures for multi-drug resistant organisms which decreased the MRSA rate in some cases to one third. Dependent on the handling of duplicate isolates, i.e. isolates of the same species recovered from successive cultures on the same patient during the time period analyzed, we recorded differences in resistance rates of up to 5 percentage points for S. aureus, E. coli and K. pneumoniae and up to 10 percentage points for P. aeruginosa. Stratification by site of care and specimen type, testing of antimicrobials selectively on resistant isolates, change of interpretation rules and analysis at genus level instead of species level resulted in further changes of calculated antimicrobial resistance rates. The choice of parameters for cAST data analysis may have a substantial influence on calculated antimicrobial resistance rates. Consequently, comparability of cAST reports from different clinical microbiology laboratories may be limited. We suggest that laboratories communicate the strategy used for cAST data analysis as long as national guidelines for standardized cAST data analysis and reporting do not exist in Europe.

75 FR 23841 - Commercial Space Transportation Grant Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Space Transportation Grant... for the Commercial Space Transportation Grant Program. SUMMARY: The FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) requests grant proposals pursuant to its newly funded Commercial Space Transportation Grant...

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: A Model for Involving Undergraduates in Major Legacy Astronomy Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Higdon, Sarah; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Kornreich, David A.; Lebron, Mayra E.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; Alfalfa Team

2015-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The collaborative nature of the UAT allows faculty and students from a wide ​range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to develop scholarly collaborations. Components of the program include an annual undergraduate workshop at Arecibo Observatory, observing runs at Arecibo, computer infrastructure, summer and academic year research projects, and dissemination at national meetings (e.g., Alfvin et al., Martens et al., Sanders et al., this meeting). Through this model, faculty and students are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. In the 7 years of the program, 23 faculty and more than 220 undergraduate students have participated at a significant level. 40% of them have been women and members of underrepresented groups. Faculty, many of whom were new to the collaboration and had expertise in other fields, contribute their diverse sets of skills to ALFALFA ​related projects via observing, data reduction, collaborative research, and research with students. 142 undergraduate students have attended the annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 131 summer research projects and 94 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 62 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 46 have presented their results at national meetings. 93% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. Half of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST075267/0903394, AST0725380, and AST-1211005.

Atmospheric Effects of Aviation: First Report of the Subsonic Assessment Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M. (Editor); Friedl, Randall R. (Editor); Wesoky, Howard L. (Editor)

1996-01-01

This document is the first report from the Office of Aeronautics Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program's Subsonic Assessment (SASS) Project. This effort, initiated in late 1993, has as its objective the assessment of the atmospheric effects of the current and predicted future aviation fleet. The two areas of impact are ozone (stratospheric and tropospheric) and radiative forcing. These are driven, respectively, by possible perturbations from aircraft emissions of NOX and soot and/or sulfur-containing particles. The report presents the major questions to which project assessments will be directed (Introduction) and the status of six programmatic elements: Emissions Scenarios, Exhaust Characterization, Near-Field Interactions, Kinetics and Laboratory Studies, Global Modeling, and Atmospheric Observations (field studies).

Initial Results of Accelerated Stress Testing on Single-Channel and Multichannel Drivers: Solid-State Lighting Technology Area

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

None

This report is the first in a series of studies on accelerated stress testing (AST) of drivers used for SSL luminaires, such as downlights, troffers, and streetlights. A representative group of two-stage commercial driver products was exposed to an AST environment consisting of 75°C and 75% relative humidity (7575). These drivers were a mix of single-channel drivers (i.e., a single output current for one LED primary) and multichannel drivers (i.e., separate output currents for multiple LED primaries). This AST environment was chosen because previous testing on downlights with integrated drivers demonstrated that 38% of the sample population failed in lessmore » than 2,500 hours of testing using this method. In addition to AST test results, the performance of an SSL downlight product incorporating an integrated, multichannel driver during extended room temperature operational life (RTOL) testing is also reported. A battery of measurements was used to evaluate these products during accelerated testing, including full electrical characterization (i.e., power consumption, PF, total harmonic distortion [THD], and inrush current) and photometric characterization of external LED loads attached to the drivers (i.e., flicker performance and lumen maintenance).« less

78 FR 37648 - Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching (STIM) Grants Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-21

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Space Transportation Infrastructure...-availability of Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants in FY 2013. SUMMARY: The Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) will not solicit or award grants under the STIM program this fiscal...

Rapid and cost-effective identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in patients with Gram-negative bacteremia directly from blood-culture fluid.

PubMed

Sakarikou, Christina; Altieri, Anna; Bossa, Maria Cristina; Minelli, Silvia; Dolfa, Camilla; Piperno, Micol; Favalli, Cartesio

2018-03-01

Rapid pathogen identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) in bacteremia cases or sepsis could improve patient prognosis. Thus, it is important to provide timely reports, which make it possible for clinicians to set up appropriate antibiotic therapy during the early stages of bloodstream infection (BSI). This study evaluates an in-house microbiological protocol for early ID as well as AST on Gram negative bacteria directly from positive monomicrobial and polymicrobial blood cultures (BCs). A total of 102 non-duplicated positive BCs from patients with Gram-negative bacteremia were tested. Both IDs and ASTs were performed from bacterial pellets extracted directly from BCs using our protocol, which was applied through the combined use of a MALDI-TOF MS and Vitek2 automated system. The results of our study showed a 100% agreement in bacterial ID and 98.25% categorical agreement in AST when compared to those obtained by routine conventional methods. We recorded only a 0.76% minor error (mE), 0.76% major error (ME) and a 0.20% very major error (VME). Moreover, the turnaround time (TAT) regarding the final AST report was significantly shortened (ΔTAT = 8-20 h, p < 0.00001). This in-house protocol is rapid, easy to perform and cost effective and could be successfully introduced into any clinical microbiology laboratory. A final same-day report of ID and AST improves patient management, by early and appropriate antimicrobial treatment and could potentially optimize antimicrobial stewardship programs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) 22-Inch Low Noise Research Fan Rig Preliminary Design of ADP-Type Fan 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jeracki, Robert J. (Technical Monitor); Topol, David A.; Ingram, Clint L.; Larkin, Michael J.; Roche, Charles H.; Thulin, Robert D.

2004-01-01

This report presents results of the work completed on the preliminary design of Fan 3 of NASA s 22-inch Fan Low Noise Research project. Fan 3 was intended to build on the experience gained from Fans 1 and 2 by demonstrating noise reduction technology that surpasses 1992 levels by 6 dB. The work was performed as part of NASA s Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) program. Work on this task was conducted in the areas of CFD code validation, acoustic prediction and validation, rotor parametric studies, and fan exit guide vane (FEGV) studies up to the time when a NASA decision was made to cancel the design, fabrication and testing phases of the work. The scope of the program changed accordingly to concentrate on two subtasks: (1) Rig data analysis and CFD code validation and (2) Fan and FEGV optimization studies. The results of the CFD code validation work showed that this tool predicts 3D flowfield features well from the blade trailing edge to about a chord downstream. The CFD tool loses accuracy as the distance from the trailing edge increases beyond a blade chord. The comparisons of noise predictions to rig test data showed that both the tone noise tool and the broadband noise tool demonstrated reasonable agreement with the data to the degree that these tools can reliably be used for design work. The section on rig airflow and inlet separation analysis describes the method used to determine total fan airflow, shows the good agreement of predicted boundary layer profiles to measured profiles, and shows separation angles of attack ranging from 29.5 to 27deg for the range of airflows tested. The results of the rotor parametric studies were significant in leading to the decision not to pursue a new rotor design for Fan 3 and resulted in recommendations to concentrate efforts on FEGV stator designs. The ensuing parametric study on FEGV designs showed the potential for 8 to 10 EPNdB noise reduction relative to the baseline.

Research Data Acquired in World-Class, 60-atm Subsonic Combustion Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Chi-Ming; Wey, Changlie

1999-01-01

NASA Lewis Research Center's new, world-class, 60-atmosphere (atm) combustor research facility, the Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR), is in operation and producing highly unique research data. Specifically, data were acquired at high pressures and temperatures representative of future subsonic engines from a fundamental flametube configuration with an advanced fuel injector. The data acquired include exhaust emissions as well as pressure and temperature distributions. Results to date represent an improved understanding of nitrous oxide (NOx) formation at high pressures and temperatures and include an NOx emissions reduction greater than 70 percent with an advanced fuel injector at operating pressures to 800 pounds per square inch absolute (psia). ASCR research is an integral part of the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Propulsion Program. This program is developing critical low-emission combustion technology that will result in the next generation of gas turbine engines producing 50 to 70 percent less NOx emissions in comparison to 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) limits. The results to date indicate that the AST low-emission combustor goals of reducing NOx emissions by 50 to 70 percent are feasible. U.S. gas turbine manufacturers have started testing the low-emissions combustors at the ASCR. This collaborative testing will enable the industry to develop low-emission combustors at the high pressure and temperature conditions of future subsonic engines. The first stage of the flametube testing has been implemented. Four GE Aircraft Engines low-emissions fuel injector concepts, three Pratt & Whitney concepts, and two Allison concepts have been tested at Lewis ASCR facility. Subsequently, the flametube was removed from the test stand, and the sector combustor was installed. The testing of low emissions sector has begun. Low-emission combustors developed as a result of ASCR research will enable U.S. engine manufacturers to compete on a worldwide basis by producing environmentally acceptable commercial engines.

Experimental clean combustor program, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahr, D. W.; Gleason, C. C.

1975-01-01

Full annular versions of advanced combustor designs, sized to fit within the CF6-50 engine, were defined, manufactured, and tested at high pressure conditions. Configurations were screened, and significant reductions in CO, HC, and NOx emissions levels were achieved with two of these advanced combustor design concepts. Emissions and performance data at a typical AST cruise condition were also obtained along with combustor noise data as a part of an addendum to the basic program. The two promising combustor design approaches evolved in these efforts were the Double Annular Combustor and the Radial/Axial Combustor. With versions of these two basic combustor designs, CO and HC emissions levels at or near the target levels were obtained. Although the low target NOx emissions level was not obtained with these two advanced combustor designs, significant reductions were relative to the NOx levels of current technology combustors. Smoke emission levels below the target value were obtained.

Spectral assessment of new ASTER SWIR surface reflectance data products for spectroscopic mapping of rocks and minerals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mars, J.C.; Rowan, L.C.

2010-01-01

ASTER reflectance spectra from Cuprite, Nevada, and Mountain Pass, California, were compared to spectra of field samples and to ASTER-resampled AVIRIS reflectance data to determine spectral accuracy and spectroscopic mapping potential of two new ASTER SWIR reflectance datasets: RefL1b and AST_07XT. RefL1b is a new reflectance dataset produced for this study using ASTER Level 1B data, crosstalk correction, radiance correction factors, and concurrently acquired level 2 MODIS water vapor data. The AST_07XT data product, available from EDC and ERSDAC, incorporates crosstalk correction and non-concurrently acquired MODIS water vapor data for atmospheric correction. Spectral accuracy was determined using difference values which were compiled from ASTER band 5/6 and 9/8 ratios of AST_07XT or RefL1b data subtracted from similar ratios calculated for field sample and AVIRIS reflectance data. In addition, Spectral Analyst, a statistical program that utilizes a Spectral Feature Fitting algorithm, was used to quantitatively assess spectral accuracy of AST_07XT and RefL1b data.Spectral Analyst matched more minerals correctly and had higher scores for the RefL1b data than for AST_07XT data. The radiance correction factors used in the RefL1b data corrected a low band 5 reflectance anomaly observed in the AST_07XT and AST_07 data but also produced anomalously high band 5 reflectance in RefL1b spectra with strong band 5 absorption for minerals, such as alunite. Thus, the band 5 anomaly seen in the RefL1b data cannot be corrected using additional gain adjustments. In addition, the use of concurrent MODIS water vapor data in the atmospheric correction of the RefL1b data produced datasets that had lower band 9 reflectance anomalies than the AST_07XT data. Although assessment of spectral data suggests that RefL1b data are more consistent and spectrally more correct than AST_07XT data, the Spectral Analyst results indicate that spectral discrimination between some minerals, such as alunite and kaolinite, are still not possible unless additional spectral calibration using site specific spectral data are performed. ?? 2010.

Audiovisual Translation and Assistive Technology: Towards a Universal Design Approach for Online Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patiniotaki, Emmanouela

2016-01-01

Audiovisual Translation (AVT) and Assistive Technology (AST) are two fields that share common grounds within accessibility-related research, yet they are rarely studied in combination. The reason most often lies in the fact that they have emerged from different disciplines, i.e. Translation Studies and Computer Science, making a possible combined…

Automated Sensor Tuning for Seismic Event Detection at a Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Site, Farnsworth Unit, Ochiltree County, Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, A.; Balch, R. S.; Knox, H. A.; Van Wijk, J. W.; Draelos, T.; Peterson, M. G.

2016-12-01

We present results (e.g. seismic detections and STA/LTA detection parameters) from a continuous downhole seismic array in the Farnsworth Field, an oil field in Northern Texas that hosts an ongoing carbon capture, utilization, and storage project. Specifically, we evaluate data from a passive vertical monitoring array consisting of 16 levels of 3-component 15Hz geophones installed in the field and continuously recording since January 2014. This detection database is directly compared to ancillary data (i.e. wellbore pressure) to determine if there is any relationship between seismic observables and CO2 injection and pressure maintenance in the field. Of particular interest is detection of relatively low-amplitude signals constituting long-period long-duration (LPLD) events that may be associated with slow shear-slip analogous to low frequency tectonic tremor. While this category of seismic event provides great insight into dynamic behavior of the pressurized subsurface, it is inherently difficult to detect. To automatically detect seismic events using effective data processing parameters, an automated sensor tuning (AST) algorithm developed by Sandia National Laboratories is being utilized. AST exploits ideas from neuro-dynamic programming (reinforcement learning) to automatically self-tune and determine optimal detection parameter settings. AST adapts in near real-time to changing conditions and automatically self-tune a signal detector to identify (detect) only signals from events of interest, leading to a reduction in the number of missed legitimate event detections and the number of false event detections. Funding for this project is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) through the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP) under Award No. DE-FC26-05NT42591. Additional support has been provided by site operator Chaparral Energy, L.L.C. and Schlumberger Carbon Services. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

SERVIR Science Applications for Capacity Building

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Limaye, Ashutosh; Searby, Nancy D.; Irwin, Daniel

2012-01-01

SERVIR is a regional visualization and monitoring system using Earth observations to support environmental management, climate adaptation, and disaster response in developing countries. SERVIR is jointly sponsored by NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). SERVIR has been instrumental in development of science applications to support the decision-making and capacity building in the developing countries with the help of SERVIR Hubs. In 2011, NASA Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) included a call for proposals to form SERVIR Applied Sciences Team (SERVIR AST) under Applied Sciences Capacity Building Program. Eleven proposals were selected, the Principal Investigators of which comprise the core of the SERVIR AST. The expertise on the Team span several societal benefit areas including agriculture, disasters, public health and air quality, water, climate and terrestrial carbon assessments. This presentation will cover the existing SERVIR science applications, capacity building components, overview of SERVIR AST projects, and anticipated impacts.

OVERFLOW-Interaction with Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buning, Pieter G.; George, Michael W. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

A Navier-Stokes flow solver, OVERFLOW, has been developed by researchers at NASA Ames Research Center to use overset (Chimera) grids to simulate the flow about complex aerodynamic shapes. Primary customers of the OVERFLOW flow solver and related software include McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, as well as the NASA Focused Programs for Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) and High Speed Research (HSR). Code development has focused on customer issues, including improving code performance, ability to run on workstation clusters and the NAS SP2, and direct interaction with industry on accuracy assessment and validation. Significant interaction with NAS has produced a capability tailored to the Ames computing environment, and code contributions have come from a wide range of sources, both within and outside Ames.

Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Separate-Flow High-Bypass Ratio Nozzle Noise Reduction Program Test Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, John K. C.; Schweiger, Paul S.; Premo, John W.; Barber, Thomas J.; Saiyed, Naseem (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

NASA s model-scale nozzle noise tests show that it is possible to achieve a 3 EPNdB jet noise reduction with inwardfacing chevrons and flipper-tabs installed on the primary nozzle and fan nozzle chevrons. These chevrons and tabs are simple devices and are easy to be incorporated into existing short duct separate-flow nonmixed nozzle exhaust systems. However, these devices are expected to cause some small amount of thrust loss relative to the axisymmetric baseline nozzle system. Thus, it is important to have these devices further tested in a calibrated nozzle performance test facility to quantify the thrust performances of these devices. The choice of chevrons or tabs for jet noise suppression would most likely be based on the results of thrust loss performance tests to be conducted by Aero System Engineering (ASE) Inc. It is anticipated that the most promising concepts identified from this program will be validated in full scale engine tests at both Pratt & Whitney and Allied-Signal, under funding from NASA s Engine Validation of Noise Reduction Concepts (EVNRC) programs. This will bring the technology readiness level to the point where the jet noise suppression concepts could be incorporated with high confidence into either new or existing turbofan engines having short-duct, separate-flow nacelles.

Whole genome analysis of porcine astroviruses detected in Japanese pigs reveals genetic diversity and possible intra-genotypic recombination.

PubMed

Ito, Mika; Kuroda, Moegi; Masuda, Tsuneyuki; Akagami, Masataka; Haga, Kei; Tsuchiaka, Shinobu; Kishimoto, Mai; Naoi, Yuki; Sano, Kaori; Omatsu, Tsutomu; Katayama, Yukie; Oba, Mami; Aoki, Hiroshi; Ichimaru, Toru; Mukono, Itsuro; Ouchi, Yoshinao; Yamasato, Hiroshi; Shirai, Junsuke; Katayama, Kazuhiko; Mizutani, Tetsuya; Nagai, Makoto

2017-06-01

Porcine astroviruses (PoAstVs) are ubiquitous enteric virus of pigs that are distributed in several countries throughout the world. Since PoAstVs are detected in apparent healthy pigs, the clinical significance of infection is unknown. However, AstVs have recently been associated with a severe neurological disorder in animals, including humans, and zoonotic potential has been suggested. To date, little is known about the epidemiology of PoAstVs among the pig population in Japan. In this report, we present an analysis of nearly complete genomes of 36 PoAstVs detected by a metagenomics approach in the feces of Japanese pigs. Based on a phylogenetic analysis and pairwise sequence comparison, 10, 5, 15, and 6 sequences were classified as PoAstV2, PoAstV3, PoAstV4, and PoAstV5, respectively. Co-infection with two or three strains was found in individual fecal samples from eight pigs. The phylogenetic trees of ORF1a, ORF1b, and ORF2 of PoAstV2 and PoAstV4 showed differences in their topologies. The PoAstV3 and PoAstV5 strains shared high sequence identities within each genotype in all ORFs; however, one PoAstV3 strain and one PoAstV5 strain showed considerable sequence divergence from the other PoAstV3 and PoAstV5 strains, respectively, in ORF2. Recombination analysis using whole genomes revealed evidence of multiple possible intra-genotype recombination events in PoAstV2 and PoAstV4, suggesting that recombination might have contributed to the genetic diversity and played an important role in the evolution of Japanese PoAstVs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transplant surgery fellow perceptions about training and the ensuing job market-are the right number of surgeons being trained?

PubMed

Reich, D J; Magee, J C; Gifford, K; Merion, R M; Roberts, J P; Klintmalm, G B G; Stock, P G

2011-02-01

The American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) sought whether the right number of abdominal organ transplant surgeons are being trained in the United States. Data regarding fellowship training and the ensuing job market were obtained by surveying program directors and fellowship graduates from 2003 to 2005. Sixty-four ASTS-approved programs were surveyed, representing 139 fellowship positions in kidney, pancreas and/or liver transplantation. One-quarter of programs did not fill their positions. Forty-five fellows graduated annually. Most were male (86%), aged 31-35 years (57%), married (75%) and parents (62%). Upon graduation, 12% did not find transplant jobs (including 8% of Americans/Canadians), 14% did not get jobs for transplanting their preferred organ(s), 11% wished they focused more on transplantation and 27% changed jobs early. Half fellows were international medical graduates; 45% found US/Canadian transplant jobs, particularly 73% with US/Canadian residency training. Fellows reported adequate exposure to training volume, candidate selection, pre/postoperative care and organ procurement, but not to donor management/selection, outpatient care and core didactics. One-sixth noted insufficient 'mentoring/preparation for a transplantation career'. Currently, there seem to be enough trainees to fill entry-level positions. One-third program directors believe that there are too many trainees, given the current and foreseeable job market. ASTS is assessing the total workforce of transplant surgeons and evolving manpower needs. ©2011 The Authors Journal compilation©2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

High Pressure Low NOx Emissions Research: Recent Progress at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chi-Ming, Lee; Tacina, Kathleen M.; Wey, Changlie

2007-01-01

In collaboration with U.S. aircraft engine companies, NASA Glenn Research Center has contributed to the advancement of low emissions combustion systems. For the High Speed Research Program (HSR), a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions (relative to the then-current state of the art) has been demonstrated in sector rig testing at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). For the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST), a 50% reduction in NOx emissions relative to the 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards has been at demonstrated in sector rigs at both GEAE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). During the Ultra Efficient Engine Technology Program (UEET), a 70% reduction in NOx emissions, relative to the 1996 ICAO standards, was achieved in sector rig testing at Glenn in the world class Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR) and at contractor facilities. Low NOx combustor development continues under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. To achieve these reductions, experimental and analytical research has been conducted to advance the understanding of emissions formation in combustion processes. Lean direct injection (LDI) concept development uses advanced laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics and analytical work to complement the emissions measurements and to provide guidance for concept improvement. This paper describes emissions results from flametube tests of a 9- injection-point LDI fuel/air mixer tested at inlet pressures up to 5500 kPa. Sample results from CFD and laser diagnostics are also discussed.

NASA Glenn High Pressure Low NOx Emissions Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tacina, Kathleen M.; Wey, Changlie

2008-01-01

In collaboration with U.S. aircraft engine companies, NASA Glenn Research Center has contributed to the advancement of low emissions combustion systems. For the High Speed Research Program (HSR), a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions (relative to the then-current state of the art) has been demonstrated in sector rig testing at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE). For the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST), a 50% reduction in NOx emissions relative to the 1996 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards has been demonstrated in sector rigs at both GEAE and Pratt & Whitney (P&W). During the Ultra Efficient Engine Technology Program (UEET), a 70% reduction in NOx emissions, relative to the 1996 ICAO standards, was achieved in sector rig testing at Glenn in the world class Advanced Subsonic Combustion Rig (ASCR) and at contractor facilities. Low NOx combustor development continues under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. To achieve these reductions, experimental and analytical research has been conducted to advance the understanding of emissions formation in combustion processes. Lean direct injection (LDI) concept development uses advanced laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics and analytical work to complement the emissions measurements and to provide guidance for concept improvement. This paper describes emissions results from flametube tests of a 9-injection-point LDI fuel/air mixer tested at inlet pressures up to 5500 kPa. Sample results from CFD and laser diagnostics are also discussed.

Reliability and concurrent validity of a motor skill competence test among 4- to 12-year old children.

PubMed

Hoeboer, Joris; Krijger-Hombergen, Michiel; Savelsbergh, Geert; De Vries, Sanne

2018-07-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest reliability, internal consistency and concurrent validity of the Athletic Skills Track (AST). During a regular PE lesson, 930 4- to 12-year old children (448 girls, 482 boys) completed two motor skill competence tests: (1) the Körperkoordination-Test für Kinder (KTK) and (2) an age-related version of the AST (age 4-6 years: AST-1, age 6-9 years: AST-2, and age 9-12 years: AST-3). The test-retest reliability of the AST was high (AST-1: ICC = 0.881 (95% CI: 0.780-0.934); AST-2: ICC = 0.802 (95% CI: 0.717-0.858); and AST-3: ICC = 0.800 (95% CI: 0.669-0.871). The internal consistency, concerning the three age-bands of the AST was above the acceptable level of Cronbach's α > 0.70 (AST-1: α = 0.764; AST-2: α = 0.700; and AST-3: α = 0.763). There was a moderate to high correlation between the time to complete the AST, and the age- and gender-related motor quotients of the KTK (AST-1: r = -0.747, p = 0.01; AST-2: r = -0.646, p = 0.01; and AST-3: r = -0.602, p = 0.01). The Athletic Skills Track is a reliable and valid assessment tool to assess motor skill competence among 4- to 12-year old children in the PE setting.

Proceedings of the Annual National Conference on ADA Technology (9th) Held in Washington, DC on 4-7 March 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-07

rsolve the attack; delay whil the weapon has to wait; RESOURCE ALLOCATION . PRIORITY OF signal readiness to CONTROL; TARGETS. AND BIAS OF THE SYSTEM...Communications Systems. focal point for Computer Resource He served as project manager for the Management (CRM), Advanced Software development of the Joint...Interface Test Technology (AST), Ada Technology, Systems (JITS) - the world’s largest Joint/Army Interoperability Testing distributed command and

True-sky demonstration of an autonomous star tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Bezooijen, Roelof W.

1994-07-01

An autonomous star tracker (AST) is basically a `star field in, attitude out' device capable of determining its attitude without requiring any a priori attitude knowledge. In addition to this attitude acquisition capability, an AST can perform attitude updates autonomously and is able to provide its attitude `continuously' while tracking a star field. The Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory is developing a reliable, low-cost, miniature AST that has a one arcsec overall accuracy, weighs less than 1.5 kg, consumes less than 7 watts of power, and is sufficiently sensitive to be used at all sky locations. The device performs attitude acquisition in a fraction of a second and outputs its attitude at a 10 Hz rate when operating in its tracking mode. Besides providing the functionality needed for future advanced attitude control and navigation systems, an AST also improves spacecraft reliability, mass, power, cost, and operating expenses. The AST comprises a-thermalized, refractive optics, a frame-transfer CCD with a sensitive area of 1024 by 1024 pixels, camera electronics implemented with application- specific integrated circuits, a compact single board computer with a radiation hard 32 bit RISC processor, and an all-sky guide star database. Star identification is performed by a memory- efficient and highly robust algorithm that finds the largest group of observed stars matching a group of guide stars. An important milestone has recently been achieved with the validation of the attitude acquisition capability through correct and rapid identification of all 704 true-sky star fields obtained at the Lick Observatory, using an uncalibrated prototype AST with a 512 by 1024 pixel frame-transfer CCD and a 50 mm f/1.2 lens that provided an effective 6.5 by 13.2 degree field of view. The overlapping fields cover 47% of the sky, including both rich and sparse areas. The paper contains a description of the AST, a summary of the functions enabled or improved by the device, an overview of the identification algorithm, results obtained with a realistic simulation program, a description of the true-sky star field identification method and a presentation of the results obtained. The AST tolerates the presence of bright objects as was demonstrated by a field that included Jupiter.

Developing an Enterprise Systems Appropriation Model in the Public Sector: A Case Study of Implementing Payroll System Replacement (PAYSERV) at the New York State Office of the State Comptroller

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamya, Moses M.

2009-01-01

This dissertation examines an enterprise system appropriation process applying structuration theory and adaptive structuration theory (AST). The key research questions are: (1) what structures emerge from the implementation of enterprise information technology (EIT); (2) how do enterprise technologies and existing organization structures influence…

Structural and Aerodynamic Optimization of UltraLightweight Technology for Research in Astronomy (ULTRA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etzel, P. B.; Martin, R.; Romeo, R.; Fesen, R.; Hale, R.; Taghavi, R.; Anthony-Twarog, B. J.; Shawl, S. J.; Twarog, B. A.

2004-12-01

The focus of ULTRA (see poster by Twarog et al.) is a three-year plan to develop and test ultralightweight technology for research applications in astronomy. The goal is to demonstrate that a viable alternative exists to traditional glass-mirror technology by designing, fabricating, and testing a research telescope prototype comprising fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials. To date, several mirror designs have been tested. The main goal in the first year has been to develop a 0.4m diameter mirror and OTA that serve as prototypes for the 1m telescope design. Mirrors of 0.4m diameter have been successfully fabricated which yield diffraction limited images. This poster will include a display of the complete OTA (including optics), optics test results, and astronomical images taken with prototype mirrors. Finite element analysis has been used to evaluate the OTA and mirror designs. Preliminary design details were incorporated in a knowledge-based system. Adaptive Modeling Language (AML), an object oriented programming language developed by Technosoft, Inc., was used to develop a parameterized geometric model of the preliminary design. The system can generate mirrors with radials/circumferentials, tube core substructures, as well as modeling the support structure. Computational fluid dynamics analyses were performed for sweep, inclination and ambient wind speed. Finite element analyses were performed for core density and arrangement, skin thickness, back-surface curvature, spider configuration and arrangement of the OTA, while the loading conditions considered thus far are thermal, inertial, and aerodynamic pressure loads. Experimental tests, including ultrasonic nondestructive evaluations, infrared imaging, modal testing, and wind tunnel tests, have been performed on the first prototype mirror, with the primary goal of validating analytical models and identifying potential manufacturing induced variations to be expected among "like" mirrors. Support of this work by NSF grants AST-0320784 and AST-0321247, NASA grant NCC5-600, Kansas University, and San Diego State University is gratefully acknowledged

Static Analysis of Programming Exercises: Fairness, Usefulness and a Method for Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nutbrown, Stephen; Higgins, Colin

2016-01-01

This article explores the suitability of static analysis techniques based on the abstract syntax tree (AST) for the automated assessment of early/mid degree level programming. Focus is on fairness, timeliness and consistency of grades and feedback. Following investigation into manual marking practises, including a survey of markers, the assessment…

Effects of Astaxanthin and Docosahexaenoic-Acid-Acylated Astaxanthin on Alzheimer's Disease in APP/PS1 Double-Transgenic Mice.

PubMed

Che, Hongxia; Li, Qian; Zhang, Tiantian; Wang, Dandan; Yang, Lu; Xu, Jie; Yanagita, Teruyoshi; Xue, Changhu; Chang, Yaoguang; Wang, Yuming

2018-05-16

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with the characteristics of senile plaques, neuroinflammation, neurofibrillary tangles, and destruction of synapse structure stability. Previous studies have verified the protective effects of astaxanthin (AST). However, whether synthesized docosahexaenoic-acid-acylated AST diesters (AST-DHA) could delay AD pathogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, APP/PSEN1 (APP/PS1) double-transgenic mice were administrated with AST and AST-DHA for 2 months. The results of radial 8-arm maze and Morris water maze tests showed that AST-DHA exerted more significant effects than AST in enhancing learning and memory levels of APP/PS1 mice. Further mechanical studies suggested that AST-DHA was superior to AST in regulating the parameters of oxidative stress, reducing tau hyperphosphorylation, suppressing neuroinflammation, and regulating inflammasome expression and activation in APP/PS1 mice. The findings suggested that AST-DHA attenuated cognitive disorders by reducing pathological features in APP/PS1 mice, suggesting that AST-DHA might be a potential therapeutic agent for AD.

Total Laboratory Automation and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Improve Turnaround Times in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory: a Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Theparee, Talent; Das, Sanchita; Thomson, Richard B

2018-01-01

Technological advances have changed the practice of clinical microbiology. We implemented Bruker matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and BD Kiestra total laboratory automation (TLA) 4 and 3 years ago, respectively. To assess the impact of these new technologies, we compared turnaround times (TATs) for positive and negative urine cultures before and after implementation. In comparison I, TATs for 61,157 urine cultures were extracted for two periods corresponding to pre-TLA and post-TLA, both using MALDI-TOF MS for organism identification. In comparison II, time to organism identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility (AST) reports were calculated for 5,402 positive culture reports representing four different periods: (i) manual plating and conventional biochemical identification (CONV), (ii) manual plating and MALDI-TOF MS identification (MALDI), (iii) MALDI-TOF MS identification and early phase implementation of TLA (TLA1), and (iv) MALDI-TOF MS identification and late phase implementation of TLA (TLA2). By the comparison I results, median pre- and post-TLA TATs to organism IDs (18.5 to 16.9 h), AST results (41.8 to 40.8 h), and preliminary results for negative cultures (17.7 to 13.6 h), including interquartile ranges for all comparisons, were significantly decreased post-TLA ( P < 0.001). By the comparison II results, MALDI significantly improved TAT to organism ID compared to CONV (21.3 to 18 h). TLA further improved overall TAT to ID (18 to 16.5 h) and AST (42.3 to 40.7 h) results compared to MALDI ( P < 0.001). In summary, TLA significantly improved TAT to organism ID, AST report, and preliminary negative results. MALDI-TOF MS significantly improved TAT for organism ID. Use of MALDI-TOF MS and TLA individually and together results in significant decreases in microbiology report TATs. Copyright © 2017 Theparee et al.

Total Laboratory Automation and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Improve Turnaround Times in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory: a Retrospective Analysis

PubMed Central

Theparee, Talent; Das, Sanchita

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Technological advances have changed the practice of clinical microbiology. We implemented Bruker matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and BD Kiestra total laboratory automation (TLA) 4 and 3 years ago, respectively. To assess the impact of these new technologies, we compared turnaround times (TATs) for positive and negative urine cultures before and after implementation. In comparison I, TATs for 61,157 urine cultures were extracted for two periods corresponding to pre-TLA and post-TLA, both using MALDI-TOF MS for organism identification. In comparison II, time to organism identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility (AST) reports were calculated for 5,402 positive culture reports representing four different periods: (i) manual plating and conventional biochemical identification (CONV), (ii) manual plating and MALDI-TOF MS identification (MALDI), (iii) MALDI-TOF MS identification and early phase implementation of TLA (TLA1), and (iv) MALDI-TOF MS identification and late phase implementation of TLA (TLA2). By the comparison I results, median pre- and post-TLA TATs to organism IDs (18.5 to 16.9 h), AST results (41.8 to 40.8 h), and preliminary results for negative cultures (17.7 to 13.6 h), including interquartile ranges for all comparisons, were significantly decreased post-TLA (P < 0.001). By the comparison II results, MALDI significantly improved TAT to organism ID compared to CONV (21.3 to 18 h). TLA further improved overall TAT to ID (18 to 16.5 h) and AST (42.3 to 40.7 h) results compared to MALDI (P < 0.001). In summary, TLA significantly improved TAT to organism ID, AST report, and preliminary negative results. MALDI-TOF MS significantly improved TAT for organism ID. Use of MALDI-TOF MS and TLA individually and together results in significant decreases in microbiology report TATs. PMID:29118171

Recent advances in the microbiological diagnosis of bloodstream infections.

PubMed

Florio, Walter; Morici, Paola; Ghelardi, Emilia; Barnini, Simona; Lupetti, Antonella

2018-05-01

Rapid identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of the causative agent(s) of bloodstream infections (BSIs) are essential for the prompt administration of an effective antimicrobial therapy, which can result in clinical and financial benefits. Immediately after blood sampling, empirical antimicrobial therapy, chosen on clinical and epidemiological data, is administered. When ID and AST results are available, the clinician decides whether to continue or streamline the antimicrobial therapy, based on the results of the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the pathogen. The aim of the present study is to review and discuss the experimental data, advantages, and drawbacks of recently developed technological advances of culture-based and molecular methods for the diagnosis of BSI (including mass spectrometry, magnetic resonance, PCR-based methods, direct inoculation methods, and peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization), the understanding of which could provide new perspectives to improve and fasten the diagnosis and treatment of septic patients. Although blood culture remains the gold standard to diagnose BSIs, newly developed methods can significantly shorten the turnaround time of reliable microbial ID and AST, thus substantially improving the diagnostic yield.

Non-amidated and amidated members of the C-type allatostatin (AST-C) family are differentially distributed in the stomatogastric nervous system of the American lobster, Homarus americanus.

PubMed

Christie, Andrew E; Miller, Alexandra; Fernandez, Rebecca; Dickinson, Evyn S; Jordan, Audrey; Kohn, Jessica; Youn, Mina C; Dickinson, Patsy S

2018-01-13

The crustacean stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) is a well-known model for investigating neuropeptidergic control of rhythmic behavior. Among the peptides known to modulate the STNS are the C-type allatostatins (AST-Cs). In the lobster, Homarus americanus, three AST-Cs are known. Two of these, pQIRYHQCYFNPISCF (AST-C I) and GNGDGRLYWRCYFNAVSCF (AST-C III), have non-amidated C-termini, while the third, SYWKQCAFNAVSCFamide (AST-C II), is C-terminally amidated. Here, antibodies were generated against one of the non-amidated peptides (AST-C I) and against the amidated isoform (AST-C II). Specificity tests show that the AST-C I antibody cross-reacts with both AST-C I and AST-C III, but not AST-C II; the AST-C II antibody does not cross-react with either non-amidated peptide. Wholemount immunohistochemistry shows that both subclasses (non-amidated and amidated) of AST-C are distributed throughout the lobster STNS. Specifically, the antibody that cross-reacts with the two non-amidated peptides labels neuropil in the CoGs and the stomatogastric ganglion (STG), axons in the superior esophageal (son) and stomatogastric (stn) nerves, and ~ 14 somata in each commissural ganglion (CoG). The AST-C II-specific antibody labels neuropil in the CoGs, STG and at the junction of the sons and stn, axons in the sons and stn, ~ 42 somata in each CoG, and two somata in the STG. Double immunolabeling shows that, except for one soma in each CoG, the non-amidated and amidated peptides are present in distinct sets of neuronal profiles. The differential distributions of the two AST-C subclasses suggest that the two peptide groups are likely to serve different modulatory roles in the lobster STNS.

The HI Content of Galaxies as a Function of Local Density and Large-Scale Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoreen, Henry; Cantwell, Kelly; Maloney, Erin; Cane, Thomas; Brough Morris, Theodore; Flory, Oscar; Raskin, Mark; Crone-Odekon, Mary; ALFALFA Team

2017-01-01

We examine the HI content of galaxies as a function of environment, based on a catalogue of 41527 galaxies that are part of the 70% complete Arecibo Legacy Fast-ALFA (ALFALFA) survey. We use nearest-neighbor methods to characterize local environment, and a modified version of the algorithm developed for the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey to classify large-scale environment as group, filament, tendril, or void. We compare the HI content in these environments using statistics that include both HI detections and the upper limits on detections from ALFALFA. The large size of the sample allows to statistically compare the HI content in different environments for early-type galaxies as well as late-type galaxies. This work is supported by NSF grants AST-1211005 and AST-1637339, the Skidmore Faculty-Student Summer Research program, and the Schupf Scholars program.

The Continuing Search for Variability Among Cool White Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaefer, J. J.; Oswalt, T. D.; Johnston, K. B.; Rudkin, M.; Heinz, T.

2002-12-01

The Continuing Search for Variability Among Cool White Dwarfs Justin J. Schaefer University of Wyoming Department of Physics and Astronomy P.O. Box 3905 Laramie, Wyoming 82071 USA (schaefju@uwyo.edu) Terry D. Oswalt, Kyle Johnston, Merissa Rudkin, Tamalyn Heinz Florida Institute of Technology and the SARA Observatory Department of Physics & Space Sciences 150 West University Boulevard Melbourne, Florida 32901 USA (oswalt@luyten.astro.fit.edu, kyjohnst@fit.edu, mrudkin@astro.fit.edu, theinz@fit.edu) ABSTRACT We present BVRI photometry of eleven binaries with white dwarf (WD) components. The observations were obtained at the SARA 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak during the summer of 2002. Standard system (B-V), (V-R) and (R-I) color indices of four white dwarfs were determined. This data will be used to estimate the WD cooling ages in wide WD+dM binaries, as part of our ongoing research program to determine the chromospheric activity-age relation for M dwarf stars. Time-series differential photometry was also collected for eight cool white dwarfs as part of a program to explore the variability in the low luminosity, low temperature regime of the WD cooling track. We failed to detect any variability greater than ~0.04 magnitudes in these stars. Several nights of differential photometry data were collected on the DAO WD + K dwarf short-period variable HS1136+6646. From the light variations we determined a likely orbital period of 0.825 +/-0.009 days. Strong evidence is presented for two other possible periods within this light curve, possibly indicative of rotational modulation by the WD component. We gratefully acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation, which funds the SARA Research Experiences for Undergraduates program via grant AST-0097616 to Florida Tech. One of us (TDO) also acknowledges partial support for this work from NASA (subcontract Y701296) and the NSF (AST 0206115).

Expression and purification of a functional recombinant aspartate aminotransferase (AST) from Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Zou, Lihui; Zhao, Haijian; Wang, Daguang; Wang, Meng; Zhang, Chuanbao; Xiao, Fei

2014-07-01

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST; E.C. 2.6.1.1), a vitamin B6-dependent enzyme, preferentially promotes the mutual transformation of aspartate and α-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate and glutamate. It plays a key role in amino acid metabolism and has been widely recommended as a biomarker of liver and heart damage. Our study aimed to evaluate the extensive preparation of AST and its application in quality control in clinical laboratories. We describe a scheme to express and purify the 6His-AST fusion protein. An optimized sequence coding AST was synthesized and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) strain for protein expression. Ideally, the fusion protein has a volumetric productivity achieving 900 mg/l cultures. After affinity chromatography, the enzyme activity of purified AST reached 150,000 U/L. Commutability assessment between the engineered AST and standard AST from Roche suggested that the engineered AST was the better candidate for the reference material. Moreover, the AST showed high stability during long-term storage at -20ºC. In conclusion, the highly soluble 6His-tagged AST can become a convenient tool for supplying a much better and cheaper standard or reference material for the clinical laboratory.

The SARA REU Site Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, M. A.; Oswalt, T. D.; SARA Collaboration

2000-12-01

We present an overview of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site Program hosted by the Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA) for the past 6 years. SARA is a consortium of the six universities: Florida Institute of Technology, East Tennessee State University, Florida International University, The University of Georgia, Valdosta State University, and Clemson University. We host 10-11 student interns per year out of an application pool of ~150-200. Recruiting flyers are sent to the ~3400 undergraduate institutions in the United States, and we use a web-based application form and review process. We are a distributed REU Site, but come together for group meetings at the beginning and end of the summer program and stay in contact in between using email list manager software. Interns complete a research project working one-on-one with a faculty mentor, and each intern travels to observe at the SARA Observatory at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Interns give both oral and display presentations of their results at the final group meeting. In addition, all interns write a paper for publication in the IAPPP Communications, an international amateur-professional journal, and several present at professional meetings and in refereed publications. We include in the group meetings a ``how-to'' session on giving talks and posters, an Ethics Session, and a session on Women in Astronomy. This work was supported by the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site Program through grant AST 96169939 to The Florida Institute of Technology.

Association between obstructive sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Jin, Shanshan; Jiang, Suwen; Hu, Airong

2018-01-15

The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been an issue of great concern. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of OSA on the levels of liver enzymes including alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). The secondary purpose was to estimate the effect of OSA on the histological lesions of NAFLD, such as steatosis, lobular inflammation, ballooning degeneration, fibrosis, as well as NAFLD activity score (NAS). A systematic literature review using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Ovid technologies from January 2007 to April 2017 was performed, and 9 studies (2272 participants) that met the selection criteria were evaluated. The present study demonstrated that OSA was related to ALT levels, but no significant correlation was found with AST levels. The subgroup analysis showed that the severity of OSA was associated with ALT levels, not with AST levels. The meta-regression analysis showed that age, sex, homeostasis model assessment, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, and waist circumference did not have a significant effect on the levels of ALT and AST. OSA was also found to be significantly correlated with steatosis, lobular inflammation, ballooning degeneration, and fibrosis, but was not correlated with NAS. OSA was independently related to the development and progression of NAFLD in terms of liver enzyme level and histological alterations. Future studies should investigate the possible relevant mechanisms, thereby guiding the exploration of potential therapeutic implications to prevent the progression of disease.

High-throughput and automated diagnosis of antimicrobial resistance using a cost-effective cellphone-based micro-plate reader

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Steve; Tseng, Derek; di Carlo, Dino; Garner, Omai B.; Ozcan, Aydogan

2016-12-01

Routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) can prevent deaths due to bacteria and reduce the spread of multi-drug-resistance, but cannot be regularly performed in resource-limited-settings due to technological challenges, high-costs, and lack of trained professionals. We demonstrate an automated and cost-effective cellphone-based 96-well microtiter-plate (MTP) reader, capable of performing AST without the need for trained diagnosticians. Our system includes a 3D-printed smartphone attachment that holds and illuminates the MTP using a light-emitting-diode array. An inexpensive optical fiber-array enables the capture of the transmitted light of each well through the smartphone camera. A custom-designed application sends the captured image to a server to automatically determine well-turbidity, with results returned to the smartphone in ~1 minute. We tested this mobile-reader using MTPs prepared with 17 antibiotics targeting Gram-negative bacteria on clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, containing highly-resistant antimicrobial profiles. Using 78 patient isolate test-plates, we demonstrated that our mobile-reader meets the FDA-defined AST criteria, with a well-turbidity detection accuracy of 98.21%, minimum-inhibitory-concentration accuracy of 95.12%, and a drug-susceptibility interpretation accuracy of 99.23%, with no very major errors. This mobile-reader could eliminate the need for trained diagnosticians to perform AST, reduce the cost-barrier for routine testing, and assist in spatio-temporal tracking of bacterial resistance.

Human resources needed to perform antimicrobial stewardship teams' activities in French hospitals.

PubMed

Le Coz, P; Carlet, J; Roblot, F; Pulcini, C

2016-06-01

In January 2015, the French ministry of Health set up a task force on antibiotic resistance. Members of the task force's "antimicrobial stewardship" group conducted a study to evaluate the human resources needed to implement all the required activities of the multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship teams (AST - antibiotic/infectious disease lead supervisors, microbiologists, and pharmacists) in French healthcare facilities. We conducted an online cross-sectional nationwide survey. The questionnaire was designed based on regulatory texts and experts' consensus. The survey took place between March and May 2015. We used the mailing list of the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF) to send out questionnaires. A total of 65 healthcare facilities completed the questionnaire. The human resources needed to implement all AST's activities were estimated at 3.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions/1000 acute care beds for antibiotic/infectious disease lead supervisors, at 2.5 FTE/1000 beds for pharmacists, and at 0.6 FTE/1000 beds for microbiologists. This almost amounts to a total of 2000 FTE positions for all healthcare facilities (public and private) in France and to an annual cost of 200 million euros. Dedicated and sustainable funding for AST is urgently needed to implement comprehensive and functional AST programs in all healthcare facilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

AST Test: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

MedlinePlus

... page: https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/asttest.html AST Test To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. What is an AST Test? AST (aspartate aminotransferase) is an enzyme that is ...

AST1306, a potent EGFR inhibitor, antagonizes ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2-mediated multidrug resistance.

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Wang, Yi-Jun; Zhang, Yun-Kai; Wang, De-Shen; Kathawala, Rishil J; Patel, Atish; Talele, Tanaji T; Chen, Zhe-Sheng; Fu, Li-Wu

2014-08-01

AST1306, an inhibitor of EGFR and ErbB2, is currently in phase I of clinical trials. We evaluated the effect of AST306 on the reversal of multidrug resistance (MDR) induced by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. We found that AST1306 significantly sensitized the ABC subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2)-overexpressing cells to ABCG2 substrate chemotherapeutics. AST1306 significantly increased intracellular accumulation of [(3)H]-mitoxantrone in ABCG2-overexpressing cells by blocking ABCG2 efflux function. Moreover, AST1306 stimulated the ATPase activity of ABCG2. Homology modeling predicted the binding conformation of AST1306 to be within the transmembrane region of ABCG2. In conclusion, AST1306 could notably reverse ABCG2-mediated MDR. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of targeted educational interventions on appropriateness of stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill adults.

PubMed

Hammond, Drayton A; Killingsworth, Catherine A; Painter, Jacob T; Pennick, Rose E; Chatterjee, Kshitij; Boye, Bradley; Meena, Nikhil

2017-01-01

Acid suppression therapy (AST) is routinely used in critically ill patients to prevent stress-related mucosal bleeding (SRMB). Our objective was to determine the impact of a structured educational intervention on AST used for prevention of SRMB on appropriateness of AST. A single-center, retrospective, cohort study of appropriate use of AST in critically ill patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) at an academic medical center between January to June of 2014 (no intervention) and January to June of 2015 (intervention) was conducted. The percentage of patients prescribed inappropriate AST, inappropriate AST at ICU transfer and hospital discharge, doses of inappropriate AST, and adverse effects associated with AST use were compared between periods using chi-square tests. Patients in the intervention group (n=118) were 5 years older than patients in the no intervention group (n=101). AST was inappropriately initiated more frequently in the no intervention group (23% vs. 11%, p=0.012). Continuation of inappropriate AST at ICU transfer and hospital discharge was similar between groups (60% vs. 53%, p=0.277 and 18% vs. 14%, p=0.368, respectively). Patients had appropriate AST initiated and inappropriate AST withheld more frequently when formal education was provided. This low-cost intervention strategy can be implemented easily at institutions where pharmacists interact with physicians on rounding services and should be evaluated in institutions where interactions between pharmacists and physicians occur more frequently in non-rounding situations.

Synthesis, stability and bioavailability of astaxanthin succinate diester.

PubMed

Qiao, Xing; Yang, Lu; Zhang, Ting; Zhou, Qingxin; Wang, Yuming; Xu, Jie; Xue, Changhu

2018-06-01

We synthesized astaxanthin succinate diester (ASD), a novel astaxanthin (AST) derivate, with succinic anhydride and free AST. ASD was purified and characterized using silica gel column chromatography and spectrometry, respectively. The ASD final synthesis rate was 82.63%. A stability test revealed a high AST and ASD retention rate at pH 5.0-7.0. ASD showed better stability than did AST under acidic conditions. Both sample ions showed lower retention rates under Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ states. The ASD metabolic curve showed serum and liver area under the curve from 0 h to time t (AUC 0-t ) values of 45.05 ± 4.58 and 120.38 ± 23.66 µg h -1  mL -1 , respectively. The long-term accumulation was significantly higher in the ASD group than in the AST group, which showed higher accumulation in the heart, muscle and spleen than in other tissues in vivo. The thermal stability and bioavailability of ASD were higher than that of the non-esterified free AST and common free AST, respectively. Additionally, AST accumulation in different tissues of the ASD group was multifold higher than that of free AST. These results prove that ASD may serve as a better source of AST for human nutrition than does free AST. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reduction in Physician Reimbursement and Use of Hormone Therapy in Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

Jarosek, Stephanie L.; Wilt, Timothy J.; Virnig, Beth A.

2010-01-01

Background Use of androgen suppression therapy (AST) in prostate cancer increased more than threefold from 1991 to 1999. The 2003 Medicare Modernization Act reduced reimbursements for AST by 64% between 2004 and 2005, but the effect of this large reduction on use of AST is unknown. Methods A cohort of 72 818 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992–2005 was identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. From Medicare claims data, indicated AST was defined as 3 months or more of AST in the first year in men with metastatic disease (n = 8030). Non-indicated AST was defined as AST given without other therapies such as radical prostatectomy or radiation in men with low-risk disease (n = 64 788). The unadjusted annual proportion of men receiving AST was plotted against the median Medicare AST reimbursement. A multivariable model was used to estimate the odds of AST use in men with low-risk and metastatic disease, with the predictor of interest being the calendar year of the payment change. Covariates in the model included age in 5-year categories, clinical tumor stage (T1–T4), World Health Organization grade (1–3, unknown), Charlson comorbidity (0, 1, 2, ≥3), race, education, income, and tumor registry site, all as categorical variables. The models included variations in the definition of AST use (≥1, ≥3, and ≥6 months of AST). All statistical tests were two-sided. Results AST use in the low-risk group peaked at 10.2% in 2003, then declined to 7.1% in 2004 and 6.1% in 2005. After adjusting for tumor and demographic covariates, the odds of receiving non-indicated primary AST decreased statistically significantly in 2004 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.70, 95% confidence interval = 0.61 to 0.80) and 2005 (OR = 0.61, 95% confidence interval = 0.53 to 0.71) compared with 2003. AST use in the metastatic disease group was stable at 60% during the payment change, and the adjusted odds ratio of receiving AST in this group was unchanged in 2004–2005. Conclusions In this example of hormone therapy for prostate cancer, decreased physician reimbursement was associated with a reduction in overtreatment without a reduction in needed services. PMID:21131577

Reduction in physician reimbursement and use of hormone therapy in prostate cancer.

PubMed

Elliott, Sean P; Jarosek, Stephanie L; Wilt, Timothy J; Virnig, Beth A

2010-12-15

Use of androgen suppression therapy (AST) in prostate cancer increased more than threefold from 1991 to 1999. The 2003 Medicare Modernization Act reduced reimbursements for AST by 64% between 2004 and 2005, but the effect of this large reduction on use of AST is unknown. A cohort of 72,818 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992-2005 was identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. From Medicare claims data, indicated AST was defined as 3 months or more of AST in the first year in men with metastatic disease (n = 8030). Non-indicated AST was defined as AST given without other therapies such as radical prostatectomy or radiation in men with low-risk disease (n = 64,788). The unadjusted annual proportion of men receiving AST was plotted against the median Medicare AST reimbursement. A multivariable model was used to estimate the odds of AST use in men with low-risk and metastatic disease, with the predictor of interest being the calendar year of the payment change. Covariates in the model included age in 5-year categories, clinical tumor stage (T1-T4), World Health Organization grade (1-3, unknown), Charlson comorbidity (0, 1, 2, ≥ 3), race, education, income, and tumor registry site, all as categorical variables. The models included variations in the definition of AST use (≥ 1, ≥ 3, and ≥ 6 months of AST). All statistical tests were two-sided. AST use in the low-risk group peaked at 10.2% in 2003, then declined to 7.1% in 2004 and 6.1% in 2005. After adjusting for tumor and demographic covariates, the odds of receiving non-indicated primary AST decreased statistically significantly in 2004 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.70, 95% confidence interval = 0.61 to 0.80) and 2005 (OR = 0.61, 95% confidence interval = 0.53 to 0.71) compared with 2003. AST use in the metastatic disease group was stable at 60% during the payment change, and the adjusted odds ratio of receiving AST in this group was unchanged in 2004-2005. In this example of hormone therapy for prostate cancer, decreased physician reimbursement was associated with a reduction in overtreatment without a reduction in needed services.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1. Records Search, Charleston AFB, South Carolina

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

and plastics plants. Conducted industrial waste surveys, landfill design, and planning for plant environmental protection programs; evaluated air...management study for a major plastics manufacturing company. Responsibilitites included identification and investigation of a number of operating...61 aste Caracteristics 68 Pathways 69 Total 198 divided by 3 = 63 3ross total sc,:re B. Aooly factor for waste containment from waste manaement

Implementation and evaluation of the 5As framework of obesity management in primary care: design of the 5As Team (5AsT) randomized control trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Obesity is a pressing public health concern, which frequently presents in primary care. With the explosive obesity epidemic, there is an urgent need to maximize effective management in primary care. The 5As of Obesity Management™ (5As) are a collection of knowledge tools developed by the Canadian Obesity Network. Low rates of obesity management visits in primary care suggest provider behaviour may be an important variable. The goal of the present study is to increase frequency and quality of obesity management in primary care using the 5As Team (5AsT) intervention to change provider behaviour. Methods/design The 5AsT trial is a theoretically informed, pragmatic randomized controlled trial with mixed methods evaluation. Clinic-based multidisciplinary teams (RN/NP, mental health, dietitians) will be randomized to control or the 5AsT intervention group, to participate in biweekly learning collaborative sessions supported by internal and external practice facilitation. The learning collaborative content addresses provider-identified barriers to effective obesity management in primary care. Evidence-based shared decision making tools will be co-developed and iteratively tested by practitioners. Evaluation will be informed by the RE-AIM framework. The primary outcome measure, to which participants are blinded, is number of weight management visits/full-time equivalent (FTE) position. Patient-level outcomes will also be assessed, through a longitudinal cohort study of patients from randomized practices. Patient outcomes include clinical (e.g., body mass index [BMI], blood pressure), health-related quality of life (SF-12, EQ5D), and satisfaction with care. Qualitative data collected from providers and patients will be evaluated using thematic analysis to understand the context, implementation and effectiveness of the 5AsT program. Discussion The 5AsT trial will provide a wide range of insights into current practices, knowledge gaps and barriers that limit obesity management in primary practice. The use of existing resources, collaborative design, practice facilitation, and integrated feedback loops cultivate an applicable, adaptable and sustainable approach to increasing the quantity and quality of weight management visits in primary care. Trial registration NCT01967797. PMID:24947045

Implementation and evaluation of the 5As framework of obesity management in primary care: design of the 5As Team (5AsT) randomized control trial.

PubMed

Campbell-Scherer, Denise L; Asselin, Jodie; Osunlana, Adedayo M; Fielding, Sheri; Anderson, Robin; Rueda-Clausen, Christian F; Johnson, Jeffrey A; Ogunleye, Ayodele A; Cave, Andrew; Manca, Donna; Sharma, Arya M

2014-06-19

Obesity is a pressing public health concern, which frequently presents in primary care. With the explosive obesity epidemic, there is an urgent need to maximize effective management in primary care. The 5As of Obesity Management™ (5As) are a collection of knowledge tools developed by the Canadian Obesity Network. Low rates of obesity management visits in primary care suggest provider behaviour may be an important variable. The goal of the present study is to increase frequency and quality of obesity management in primary care using the 5As Team (5AsT) intervention to change provider behaviour. The 5AsT trial is a theoretically informed, pragmatic randomized controlled trial with mixed methods evaluation. Clinic-based multidisciplinary teams (RN/NP, mental health, dietitians) will be randomized to control or the 5AsT intervention group, to participate in biweekly learning collaborative sessions supported by internal and external practice facilitation. The learning collaborative content addresses provider-identified barriers to effective obesity management in primary care. Evidence-based shared decision making tools will be co-developed and iteratively tested by practitioners. Evaluation will be informed by the RE-AIM framework. The primary outcome measure, to which participants are blinded, is number of weight management visits/full-time equivalent (FTE) position. Patient-level outcomes will also be assessed, through a longitudinal cohort study of patients from randomized practices. Patient outcomes include clinical (e.g., body mass index [BMI], blood pressure), health-related quality of life (SF-12, EQ5D), and satisfaction with care. Qualitative data collected from providers and patients will be evaluated using thematic analysis to understand the context, implementation and effectiveness of the 5AsT program. The 5AsT trial will provide a wide range of insights into current practices, knowledge gaps and barriers that limit obesity management in primary practice. The use of existing resources, collaborative design, practice facilitation, and integrated feedback loops cultivate an applicable, adaptable and sustainable approach to increasing the quantity and quality of weight management visits in primary care. NCT01967797.

Isolation and genomic characterization of gosling gout caused by a novel goose astrovirus.

PubMed

Yang, Jing; Tian, Jiajun; Tang, Yi; Diao, Youxiang

2018-06-19

A severe infectious disease characterized with gout, haemorrhage and swellings of kidneys has affected goslings around the major goose-producing regions in China since November 2016. A Novel goose-origin astrovirus (AStV), designated as AStV/SDPY/Goose/1116/17 (AStV-SDPY) strain, was isolated from diseased goslings, and experimental reproduction of gout was successful using the AStV-SDPY strain. Additionally, the AStV-SDPY was conducted for its full genome sequencing characterization using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique on Illumina HiSeq platform. A complete genome of the AStV-SDPY was 7,252 nt in length and encoded three viral proteins. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AStV-SDPY strain belongs to an independent branch of avian astroviruses, and the nucleotide homology among AStV-SDPY and other classic avian astrovirus strains was only 48.8%-68.2%. Results of above data indicated the causative agent of the gosling gout occurring in China is a novel divergent goose astrovirus. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Transits of PH3 b, c, and d through January, 2019 (Schmitt+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, J. R.; Agol, E.; Deck, K. M.; Rogers, L. A.; Gazak, J. Z.; Fischer, D. A.; Wang, J.; Holman, M. J.; Jek, K. J.; Margossian, C.; Omohundro, M. R.; Winarski, T.; Brewer, J. M.; Giguere, M. J.; Lintott, C.; Lynn, S.; Parrish, M.; Schawinski, K.; Schwamb, M. E.; Simpson, R.; Smith, A. M.

2017-05-01

Using quarters 1-16 of the Kepler data, we extracted and flattened each transit using the IDL AutoKep program (Gazak et al. 2012AdAst2012E..30G). For the high signal-to-noise transits of the outer planet, we used short cadence data where available. We then used a new, modified version of the IDL program TAP (Carter & Winn, 2009ApJ...704...51C; Gazak et al. 2012AdAst2012E..30G; Eastman et al. 2013PASP..125...83E) to fit for the orbital parameters of each planet: impact parameter (b), duration (T), the ratio of planet radius to stellar radius (Rp/R*), the midtransit times, linear limb darkening, quadratic limb darkening (Kipping, 2013MNRAS.435.2152K), and white and red noise. The ratio of semi-major axis to the radius of the star (a/R*) and the inclination (i) can be derived from these parameters. (1 data file).

Arterial Stump Thrombosis after Lung Resection Surgery: Clinical Presentation, Treatment and Progress.

PubMed

López-Padilla, Daniel; Peghini Gavilanes, Esteban; Revilla Ostolaza, Teresa Yolanda; Trujillo, María Dolores; Martínez Serna, Iván; Arenas Valls, Nuria; Girón Matute, Walther Iván; Larrosa-Barrero, Roberto; Manrique Mutiozabal, Adriana; Pérez Gallán, Marta; Zevallos, Annette; Sayas Catalán, Javier

2016-10-01

To determine the prevalence of arterial stump thrombosis (AST) after pulmonary resection surgery for lung cancer and to describe subsequent radiological follow-up and treatment. Observational, descriptive study of AST detected by computerized tomography angiography (CT) using intravenous contrast. Clinical and radiological variables were compared and a survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves was performed after dividing patients into 3 groups: patients with AST, patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), and patients without AST or PE. Nine cases of AST were detected after a total of 473 surgeries (1.9%), 6 of them in right-sided surgeries (67% of AST cases). Median time to detection after surgery was 11.3 months (interquartile range 2.7-42.2 months), and range 67.5 months (1.4-69.0 months). Statistically significant differences were found only in the number of CTs performed in AST patients compared to those without AST or PE, and in tumor recurrence in PE patients compared to the other 2 groups. No differences were found in baseline or oncological characteristics, nor in the survival analysis. In this series, AST prevalence was low and tended to occur in right-sided surgeries. Detection over time was variable, and unrelated to risk factors previous to surgery, histopathology, and tumor stage or recurrence. AST had no impact on patient survival. Copyright © 2016 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Development of a Highly Reliable Power Management and Distribution System for Civil Transport Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coleman, Anthony S.; Hansen, Irving G.

1994-01-01

NASA is pursuing a program in Advanced Subsonic Transport (AST) to develop the technology for a highly reliable Fly-By-Light/Power-By-WIre aircraft. One of the primary objectives of the program is to develop the technology base for confident application of integrated PBW components and systems to transport aircraft to improve operating reliability and efficiency. Technology will be developed so that the present hydraulic and pneumatic systems of the aircraft can be systematically eliminated and replaced by electrical systems. These motor driven actuators would move the aircraft wing surfaces as well as the rudder to provide steering controls for the pilot. Existing aircraft electrical systems are not flight critical and are prone to failure due to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) (1), ground faults and component failures. In order to successfully implement electromechanical flight control actuation, a Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) System must be designed having a reliability of 1 failure in 10(exp +9) hours, EMI hardening and a fault tolerance architecture to ensure uninterrupted power to all aircraft flight critical systems. The focus of this paper is to analyze, define, and describe technically challenging areas associated with the development of a Power By Wire Aircraft and typical requirements to be established at the box level. The authors will attempt to propose areas of investigation, citing specific military standards and requirements that need to be revised to accommodate the 'More Electric Aircraft Systems'.

Suicide inactivation of rat liver aryl sulfotransferase IV (AST IV) by the sulfuric acid ester of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (NOH-AAF)

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

Ringer, D.P.; Norton, T.R.; Self, R.R.

Rat liver NOH-AAf sulfotransferase activity is mediated by AST IV and causes the bioactivation of NOH-AAF to a highly reactive, mutagenic sulfuric acid ester form which putatively has a role in inducing liver cancer. Unexpectedly, AAF has been found to decrease liver NOH-AAF sulfotransferase activity in dietary protocols used to induce hepatocarcinogenesis. The authors have thus examined reaction-product, suicide inactivation of AST IV as a possible mechanism for the loss in sulfotransferase activity. In initial experiments, purified AST IV was found to undergo a PAPS-dependent binding with ({sup 14}C)-NOH-AAF. Alkaline hydrolysis and C18-HPLC analysis of the AST IV:AAF conjugates revealedmore » that linkage primarily involved cysteine and methionine residues of AST IV. Experiments testing the effect of pretreatment of AST IV with NOH-AAF upon subsequent assay of sulfotransferase activity, showed that there was a NOH-AAF and PAPS dependent loss in AST IV sulfotransferase activity. These results demonstrate the highly reactive, sulfuric acid ester of NOH-AAF can covalently link with AST IV causing suicide inactivation of the enzyme, and suggests that it deserves consideration as an in vivo mechanism for loss of NOH-AAF sulfotransferase activity.« less

Criterion Referenced Assessment: Delineating Curricular Related Performance Skills Necessary for the Development of a Table of Test Specifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacQuarrie, David; Applegate, Brooks; Lacefield, Warren

2008-01-01

This study focused on defining and delineating core skills and tasks needed for successful CTE student educational growth and success through a curriculum and assessment alignment process. The context for this project lies within Automotive Service Technology (AST), which must additionally meet the National Institute of Automotive Service…

Amelioration of ultraviolet-induced photokeratitis in mice treated with astaxanthin eye drops.

PubMed

Lennikov, Anton; Kitaichi, Nobuyoshi; Fukase, Risa; Murata, Miyuki; Noda, Kousuke; Ando, Ryo; Ohguchi, Takeshi; Kawakita, Tetsuya; Ohno, Shigeaki; Ishida, Susumu

2012-01-01

Ultraviolet (UV) acts as low-dose ionizing radiation. Acute UVB exposure causes photokeratitis and induces apoptosis in corneal cells. Astaxanthin (AST) is a carotenoid, present in seafood, that has potential clinical applications due to its high antioxidant activity. In the present study, we examined whether topical administration of AST has preventive and therapeutic effects on UV-photokeratitis in mice. C57BL/6 mice were administered with AST diluted in polyethylene glycol (PEG) in instillation form (15 μl) to the right eye. Left eyes were given vehicle alone as controls. Immediately after the instillation, the mice, under anesthesia, were irradiated with UVB at a dose of 400 mJ/cm². Eyeballs were collected 24 h after irradiation and stained with H&E and TUNEL. In an in vitro study, mouse corneal epithelial (TKE2) cells were cultured with AST before UV exposure to quantify the UV-derived cytotoxicity. UVB exposure induced cell death and thinning of the corneal epithelium. However, the epithelium was morphologically well preserved after irradiation in AST-treated corneas. Irradiated corneal epithelium was significantly thicker in eyes treated with AST eye drops, compared to those treated with vehicles (p<0.01), in a doses dependent manner. Significantly fewer apoptotic cells were observed in AST-treated eyes than controls after irradiation (p<0.01). AST also reduced oxidative stress in irradiated corneas. The in vitro study showed less cytotoxicity of TKE2 cells in AST-treated cultures after UVB-irradiation (p<0.01). The cytoprotective effect increased with the dose of AST. Topical AST administration may be a candidate treatment to limit the damages by UV irradiation with wide clinical applications.

5As Team obesity intervention in primary care: development and evaluation of shared decision-making weight management tools.

PubMed

Osunlana, A M; Asselin, J; Anderson, R; Ogunleye, A A; Cave, A; Sharma, A M; Campbell-Scherer, D L

2015-08-01

Despite several clinical practice guidelines, there remains a considerable gap in prevention and management of obesity in primary care. To address the need for changing provider behaviour, a randomized controlled trial with convergent mixed method evaluation, the 5As Team (5AsT) study, was conducted. As part of the 5AsT intervention, the 5AsT tool kit was developed. This paper describes the development process and evaluation of these tools. Tools were co-developed by the multidisciplinary research team and the 5AsT, which included registered nurses/nurse practitioners (n = 15), mental health workers (n = 7) and registered dieticians (n = 7), who were previously randomized to the 5AsT intervention group at a primary care network in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The 5AsT tool development occurred through a practice/implementation-oriented, need-based, iterative process during learning collaborative sessions of the 5AsT intervention. Feedback during tool development was received through field notes and final provider evaluation was carried out through anonymous questionnaires. Twelve tools were co-developed with 5AsT. All tools were evaluated as either 'most useful' or 'moderately useful' in primary care practice by the 5AsT. Four key findings during 5AsT tool development were the need for: tools that were adaptive, tools to facilitate interdisciplinary practice, tools to help patients understand realistic expectations for weight loss and shared decision-making tools for goal setting and relapse prevention. The 5AsT tools are primary care tools which extend the utility of the 5As of obesity management framework in clinical practice. © 2015 The Authors. Clinical Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity.

The Athletic Skills Track: Age- and gender-related normative values of a motor skills test for 4- to 12-year-old children.

PubMed

Hoeboer, J J A A M; Ongena, G; Krijger-Hombergen, M; Stolk, E; Savelsbergh, G J P; de Vries, S I

2018-02-07

The aim of the presented study is to provide age- and gender-related normative values and MQ values for a motor skills test, the Athletic Skills Track, among 4- to 12-year-old children. Cross-sectional. In 2016, a total of 7977 Dutch children, 4036 boys (mean age 8.6 years, SD 2.1) and 3941 girls (mean age 8.6 years, SD 2.1), performed an age-related version of the Athletic Skills Track (AST). The AST is a track consisting of 5-7 fundamental movement skill tasks that should be completed as fast as possible. The children performed the test during a regular physical education (PE) lesson under the supervision of their own PE teacher. For each version of the AST (AST-1: n=917; AST-2: n=3947; AST-3: n=3213) age- and gender-related reference centiles were derived from the gathered data using the Lambda, Mu, Sigma (LMS) method. All children completed the AST within 60s (mean 29.6s, SD 7.7). An independent samples t-test showed that boys were significantly faster in completing the track than girls, except for the 4-year-old boys. Therefore, age- and gender-related reference centiles were derived. The reference curves demonstrate an almost linear decrease in time to complete AST-1 and AST-2 with increasing age. The present study provides age- and gender-related normative values and MQ values for the AST among 4- to 12-year-old Dutch children. With these normative values PE teachers can interpret children's performance on the AST. Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diverse novel astroviruses identified in wild Himalayan marmots.

PubMed

Ao, Yuan-Yun; Yu, Jie-Mei; Li, Li-Li; Cao, Jing-Yuan; Deng, Hong-Yan; Xin, Yun-Yun; Liu, Meng-Meng; Lin, Lin; Lu, Shan; Xu, Jian-Guo; Duan, Zhao-Jun

2017-04-01

With advances in viral surveillance and next-generation sequencing, highly diverse novel astroviruses (AstVs) and different animal hosts had been discovered in recent years. However, the existence of AstVs in marmots had yet to be shown. Here, we identified two highly divergent strains of AstVs (tentatively named Qinghai Himalayanmarmot AstVs, HHMAstV1 and HHMAstV2), by viral metagenomic analysis in liver tissues isolated from wild Marmota himalayana in China. Overall, 12 of 99 (12.1 %) M. himalayana faecal samples were positive for the presence of genetically diverse AstVs, while only HHMAstV1 and HHMAstV2 were identified in 300 liver samples. The complete genomic sequences of HHMAstV1 and HHMAstV2 were 6681 and 6610 nt in length, respectively, with the typical genomic organization of AstVs. Analysis of the complete ORF 2 sequence showed that these novel AstVs are most closely related to the rabbit AstV, mamastrovirus 23 (with 31.0 and 48.0 % shared amino acid identity, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequences of ORF1a, ORF1b and ORF2 indicated that HHMAstV1 and HHMAstV2 form two distinct clusters among the mamastroviruses, and may share a common ancestor with the rabbit-specific mamastrovirus 23. These results suggest that HHMAstV1 and HHMAstV2 are two novel species of the genus Mamastrovirus in the Astroviridae. The remarkable diversity of these novel AstVs will contribute to a greater understanding of the evolution and ecology of AstVs, although additional studies will be needed to understand the clinical significance of these novel AstVs in marmots, as well as in humans.

5As Team obesity intervention in primary care: development and evaluation of shared decision‐making weight management tools

PubMed Central

Asselin, J.; Anderson, R.; Ogunleye, A. A.; Cave, A.; Sharma, A. M.; Campbell‐Scherer, D. L.

2015-01-01

Summary Despite several clinical practice guidelines, there remains a considerable gap in prevention and management of obesity in primary care. To address the need for changing provider behaviour, a randomized controlled trial with convergent mixed method evaluation, the 5As Team (5AsT) study, was conducted. As part of the 5AsT intervention, the 5AsT tool kit was developed. This paper describes the development process and evaluation of these tools. Tools were co‐developed by the multidisciplinary research team and the 5AsT, which included registered nurses/nurse practitioners (n = 15), mental health workers (n = 7) and registered dieticians (n = 7), who were previously randomized to the 5AsT intervention group at a primary care network in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The 5AsT tool development occurred through a practice/implementation‐oriented, need‐based, iterative process during learning collaborative sessions of the 5AsT intervention. Feedback during tool development was received through field notes and final provider evaluation was carried out through anonymous questionnaires. Twelve tools were co‐developed with 5AsT. All tools were evaluated as either ‘most useful’ or ‘moderately useful’ in primary care practice by the 5AsT. Four key findings during 5AsT tool development were the need for: tools that were adaptive, tools to facilitate interdisciplinary practice, tools to help patients understand realistic expectations for weight loss and shared decision‐making tools for goal setting and relapse prevention. The 5AsT tools are primary care tools which extend the utility of the 5As of obesity management framework in clinical practice. PMID:26129630

Reliability and Validity of Korean Version of Apraxia Screen of TULIA (K-AST).

PubMed

Kim, Soo Jin; Yang, You-Na; Lee, Jong Won; Lee, Jin-Youn; Jeong, Eunhwa; Kim, Bo-Ram; Lee, Jongmin

2016-10-01

To evaluate the reliability and validity of Korean version of AST (K-AST) as a bedside screening test of apraxia in patients with stroke for early and reliable detection. AST was translated into Korean, and the translated version received authorization from the author of AST. The performances of K-AST in 26 patients (21 males, 5 females; mean age 65.42±17.31 years) with stroke (23 ischemic, 3 hemorrhagic) were videotaped. To test the reliability and validity of K-AST, the recorded performances were assessed by two physiatrists and two occupational therapists twice at a 1-week interval. The patient performances at admission in Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), self-care and transfer categories of Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and motor praxis area of Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment, the second edition (LOTCA-II) were also evaluated. Scores of motor praxis area of LOTCA-II was used to assess the validity of K-AST. Inter-rater reliabilities were 0.983 (p<0.001) at the first assessment and 0.982 (p<0.001) at the second assessment. For intra-rater (test-retest) reliabilities, the values of four raters were 0.978 (p<0.001), 0.957 (p<0.001), 0.987 (p<0.001), and 0.977 (p<0.001). K-AST showed significant correlation (r=0.758, p<0.001) with motor praxis area of LOTCA-II test. K-AST also showed positive correlations with the total FIM score (r=0.694, p<0.001), the selfcare category of FIM (r=0.705, p<0.001) and the transfer category of FIM (r=653, p<0.001). K-AST is a reliable and valid test for bedside screening of apraxia.

Distribution and physiological effects of B-type allatostatins (myoinhibitory peptides, MIPs) in the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab Cancer borealis.

PubMed

Szabo, Theresa M; Chen, Ruibing; Goeritz, Marie L; Maloney, Ryan T; Tang, Lamont S; Li, Lingjun; Marder, Eve

2011-09-01

The crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) is modulated by a large number of amines and neuropeptides that are found in descending pathways from anterior ganglia or reach the STG via the hemolymph. Among these are the allatostatin (AST) B types, also known as myoinhibitory peptides (MIPs). We used mass spectrometry to determine the sequences of nine members of the AST-B family of peptides that were found in the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab Cancer borealis. We raised an antibody against Cancer borealis allatostatin-B1 (CbAST-B1; VPNDWAHFRGSWa) and used it to map the distribution of CbAST-B1-like immunoreactivity (-LI) in the stomatogastric nervous system. CbAST-B1-LI was found in neurons and neuropil in the commissural ganglia (CoGs), in somata in the esophageal ganglion (OG), in fibers in the stomatogastric nerve (stn), and in neuropilar processes in the STG. CbAST-B1-LI was blocked by preincubation with 10(-6) M CbAST-B1 and was partially blocked by lower concentrations. Electrophysiological recordings of the effects of CbAST-B1, CbAST-B2, and CbAST-B3 on the pyloric rhythm of the STG showed that all three peptides inhibited the pyloric rhythm in a state-dependent manner. Specifically, all three peptides at 10(-8) M significantly decreased the frequency of the pyloric rhythm when the initial frequency of the pyloric rhythm was below 0.6 Hz. These data suggest important neuromodulatory roles for the CbAST-B family in the stomatogastric nervous system. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Distribution and physiological effects of B-type allatostatins (myoinhibitory peptides, MIPs) in the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab, Cancer borealis

PubMed Central

Szabo, Theresa M.; Chen, Ruibing; Goeritz, Marie L.; Maloney, Ryan T.; Tang, Lamont S.; Li, Lingjun; Marder, Eve

2011-01-01

The crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) is modulated by a large number of amines and neuropeptides that are found in descending pathways from anterior ganglia or reach the STG via the hemolymph. Among these are the allatostatin (AST) – B types also known as myoinhibitory peptides (MIPs). We used mass spectrometry to determine the sequences of nine members of the AST-B family of peptides that were found in the stomatogastric nervous system of the crab, Cancer borealis. We raised an antibody against Cancer borealis Allatostatin-B1 (CbAST-B1) (VPNDWAHFRGSWa) and used it to map the distribution of CbAST-B1-like immunoreactivity (-LI) in the stomatogastric nervous system. CbAST-B1-LI was found in neurons and neuropil in the commissural ganglia (CoGs), in somata in the esophageal ganglion (OG), in fibers in the stomatogastric nerve (stn), and in neuropilar processes in the STG. CbAST-B1-LI was blocked by preincubation with 10-6 M CbAST-B1, and partially blocked by lower concentrations. Electrophysiological recordings of the effects of CbAST-B1, CbAST-B2, and CbAST-B3 on the pyloric rhythm of the STG showed that all three peptides inhibited the pyloric rhythm in a state-dependent manner. Specifically, all three peptides at 10-8 M significantly decreased the frequency of the pyloric rhythm when the initial frequency of the pyloric rhythm was below 0.6 Hz. These data suggest important neuromodulatory roles for the CbAST-B family in the stomatogastric nervous system. PMID:21491432

Structural Testing of a Stitched/Resin Film Infused Graphite-Epoxy Wing Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jegley, Dawn C.; Bush, Harold G.

2001-01-01

The results of a series of tests conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center to evaluate the behavior of an all-composite full-scale wing box are presented. The wing box is representative of a section of a 220-passenger commercial transport aircraft wing box and was designed and constructed by The Boeing Company as part of the NASA Advanced Subsonics Technology (AST) program. The semi-span wing was fabricated from a graphite-epoxy material system with cover panels and spars held together using Kevlar stitches through the thickness. No mechanical fasteners were used to hold the stiffeners to the skin of the cover panels. Tests were conducted with and without low-speed impact damage, discrete source damage and repairs. Up-bending, down-bending and brake roll loading conditions were applied. The structure with non-visible impact damage carried 97% of Design Ultimate Load prior to failure through a lower cover panel access hole.

Structural Response and Failure of a Full-Scale Stitched Graphite-Epoxy Wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jegley, Dawn C.; Lovejoy, Andrew E.; Bush, Harold G.

2001-01-01

Analytical and experimental results of the test for an all-composite full-scale wing box are presented. The wing box is representative of a section of a 220-passenger commercial transport aircraft wing box and was designed and constructed by The Boeing Company as part of the NASA Advanced Subsonics Technology (AST) program. The semi-span wing was fabricated from a graphite-epoxy material system with cover panels and spars held together using Kevlar stitches through the thickness. No mechanical fasteners were used to hold the stiffeners to the skin of the cover panels. Tests were conducted with and without low-speed impact damage, discrete source damage and repairs. Up-bending down-bending and brake roll loading conditions were applied. The structure with nonvisible impact damage carried 97% of Design Ultimate Load prior to failure through a lower cover panel access hole. Finite element and experimental results agree for the global response of the structure.

Evaluation of the Structural Response and Failure of a Full-Scale Stitched Graphite-Epoxy Wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jegley, Dawn C.; Bush, Harold G.; Lovejoy, Andrew E.

2001-01-01

Analytical and experimental results for an all-composite full-scale wing box are presented. The wing box is representative of a section of a 220-passenger commercial transport aircraft wing box and was designed and constructed by The Boeing Company as part of the NASA Advanced Subsonics Technology (AST) program. The semi-span wing was fabricated from a graphite-epoxy material system with cover panels and spars held together using Kevlar stitches through the thickness. No mechanical fasteners were used to hold the stiffeners to the skin of the cover panels. Tests were conducted with and without low-speed impact damage, discrete source damage and repairs. Upbending, down-bending and brake roll loading conditions were applied. The structure with nonvisible impact damage carried 97% of Design Ultimate Load prior to failure through a lower cover panel access hole. Finite element and experimental results agree for the global response of the structure.

Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing in a microfluidic pH sensor.

PubMed

Tang, Yanyan; Zhen, Li; Liu, Jingqing; Wu, Jianmin

2013-03-05

For appropriate selection of antibiotics in the treatment of pathogen infection, rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) is urgently needed in clinical practice. This study reports the utilization of a microfluidic pH sensor for monitoring bacterial growth rate in culture media spiked with different kinds of antibiotics. The microfluidic pH sensor was fabricated by integration of pH-sensitive chitosan hydrogel with poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic channels. For facilitating the reflectometric interference spectroscopic measurements, the chitosan hydrogel was coated on an electrochemically etched porous silicon chip, which was used as the substrate of the microfluidic channel. Real-time observation of the pH change in the microchannel can be realized by Fourier transform reflectometric interference spectroscopy (FT-RIFS), in which the effective optical thickness (EOT) was selected as the optical signal for indicating the reversible swelling process of chitosan hydrogel stimulated by pH change. With this microfluidic pH sensor, we demonstrate that confinement of bacterial cells in a nanoliter size channel allows rapid accumulation of metabolic products and eliminates the need for long-time preincubation, thus reducing the whole detection time. On the basis of this technology, the whole bacterial growth curve can be obtained in less than 2 h, and consequently rapid AST can be realized. Compared with conventional methods, the AST data acquired from the bacterial growth curve can provide more detailed information for studying the antimicrobial behavior of antibiotics during different stages. Furthermore, the new technology also provides a convenient method for rapid minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) determination of individual antibiotics or the combinations of antibiotics against human pathogens that will find application in clinical and point-of-care medicine.

Efficacy of Astaxanthin for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model.

PubMed

Yoshihisa, Yoko; Andoh, Tsugunobu; Matsunaga, Kenji; Rehman, Mati Ur; Maoka, Takashi; Shimizu, Tadamichi

2016-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with various factors, including immunological abnormalities and exposure to allergens. Astaxanthin (AST) is a xanthophyll carotenoid that has recently been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects and to regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Thus, we investigated whether AST could improve the dermatitis and pruritus in a murine model of AD using NC/Nga mice. In addition to a behavioral evaluation, the effects of AST on the AD were determined by the clinical skin severity score, serum IgE level, histological analyses of skin, and by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting analyses for the expression of inflammation-related factors. AST (100 mg/kg) or vehicle (olive oil) was orally administered once day and three times a week for 26 days. When compared with vehicle-treated group, the administration of AST significantly reduced the clinical skin severity score. In addition, the spontaneous scratching in AD model mice was reduced by AST administration. Moreover, the serum IgE level was markedly decreased by the oral administration of AST compared to that in vehicle-treated mice. The number of eosinophils, total and degranulated mast cells all significantly decreased in the skin of AST-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. The mRNA and protein levels of eotaxin, MIF, IL-4, IL-5 and L-histidine decarboxylase were significantly decreased in the skin of AST-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. These results suggest that AST improves the dermatitis and pruritus in AD via the regulation of the inflammatory effects and the expression of inflammatory cytokines.

Clinical relevance and discriminatory value of elevated liver aminotransferase levels for dengue severity.

PubMed

Lee, Linda K; Gan, Victor C; Lee, Vernon J; Tan, Adriana S; Leo, Yee Sin; Lye, David C

2012-01-01

Elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is prominent in acute dengue illness. The World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 dengue guidelines defined AST or ALT ≥ 1000 units/liter (U/L) as a criterion for severe dengue. We aimed to assess the clinical relevance and discriminatory value of AST or ALT for dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and severe dengue. We retrospectively studied and classified polymerase chain reaction positive dengue patients from 2006 to 2008 treated at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore according to WHO 1997 and 2009 criteria for dengue severity. Of 690 dengue patients, 31% had DHF and 24% severe dengue. Elevated AST and ALT occurred in 86% and 46%, respectively. Seven had AST or ALT ≥ 1000 U/L. None had acute liver failure but one patient died. Median AST and ALT values were significantly higher with increasing dengue severity by both WHO 1997 and 2009 criteria. However, they were poorly discriminatory between non-severe and severe dengue (e.g., AST area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve=0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.57-0.67) and between dengue fever (DF) and DHF (AST area under the ROC curve=0.56; 95% CI: 0.52-0.61). There was significant overlap in AST and ALT values among patients with dengue with or without warning signs and severe dengue, and between those with DF and DHF. Although aminotransferase levels increased in conjunction with dengue severity, AST or ALT values did not discriminate between DF and DHF or non-severe and severe dengue.

Astaxanthin increases progesterone production in cultured bovine luteal cells

PubMed Central

KAMADA, Hachiro; AKAGI, Satoshi; WATANABE, Shinya

2017-01-01

Although astaxanthin (AST) is known to be a strong antioxidant, its effects on reproductive function in domestic animals have not yet been elucidated in detail. Therefore, we investigated the effects of AST on luteal cells, which produce progesterone (P4), an important hormone for maintaining pregnancy. Luteal cells were prepared by collagenase dispersion of the corpus luteum (CL). The addition of racemic AST at a low concentration (<10 nM) to cultured bovine luteal cells increased P4 in the culture medium (P<0.05). This effect was attributed to an increase in the ability of luteal cells to produce P4 (P4/cell·DNA); however, the level of lipid peroxide (TBARS: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) per cell did not decrease with the addition of AST, whose values were similar to that with the addition of luteinizing hormone. When optical isomers of AST (SS and RR types) were added to the culture medium, respectively, SS-AST was more effective in increasing P4 production than RR-AST. When 1 mg/kg·body weight of SS-AST derived from green algae was fed to cows for 2 weeks, its concentration in blood plasma was 10.9 nM on average, which was sufficient to expect an in vitro effect on the production of P4 in cows. These results suggested the potential of SS-AST supplements for cows to elevate luteal function. PMID:28442639

Validity of an Athletic Skills Track among 6- to 12-year-old children.

PubMed

Hoeboer, Joris; De Vries, Sanne; Krijger-Hombergen, Michiel; Wormhoudt, René; Drent, Annelies; Krabben, Kay; Savelsbergh, Geert

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and validity of an Athletic Skills Track (AST) to assess fundamental movement skills among 6- to 12-year-old children in a physical education setting. Four hundred sixty-three Dutch children (211 girls, 252 boys) completed three tests: the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) and two Athletic Skills Tracks (AST-1, AST-2). The validity of AST-1 and AST-2 was examined by correlating the time (s) needed to complete the tracks and the KTK Motor Quotient (MQ). Overall, there was a low correlation between AST-1 and the KTK MQ (r = -0.474 (P < 0.01)) and a moderate correlation between AST-2 and the KTK MQ (r = -0.502 (P < 0.01)). When split up by age group the associations were much higher and ranged between r = -0.469 and r = -0.767), with the exception of the low correlation coefficient of the AST-2 in 7-year-olds. The results indicate that fundamental movement skills of 6- to 12-year-old children can be assessed with a quick, convenient and low-cost motor competence test in a physical education setting, i.e., an Athletic Skills Track. Future studies should further assess the reliability, discriminative ability and validity of age-specific versions of the AST.

Identifying Risk Factors Associated with Inappropriate Use of Acid Suppressive Therapy at a Community Hospital

PubMed Central

Bodukam, Vijay; Saigal, Kirit; Bahl, Jaya; Wang, Yvette; Hanlon, Alexandra; Lu, Yinghui; Davis, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose. By examining the prescribing patterns and inappropriate use of acid suppressive therapy (AST) during hospitalization and at discharge we sought to identify the risk factors associated with such practices. Methods. In this retrospective observational study, inpatient records were reviewed from January 2011 to December 2013. Treatment with AST was considered appropriate if the patient had a known specific indication or met criteria for stress ulcer prophylaxis. Results. In 2011, out of 58 patients who were on AST on admission, 32 were newly started on it and 23 (72%) were inappropriate cases. In 2012, out of 97 patients on AST, 61 were newly started on it and 51 (84%) were inappropriate cases. In 2013, 99 patients were on AST, of which 48 were newly started on it and 36 (75%) were inappropriate cases. 19% of the patients inappropriately started on AST were discharged on it in three years. Younger age, female sex, and 1 or more handoffs between services were significantly associated with increased risk of inappropriate AST. Conclusion. Our findings reflect inappropriate prescription of AST which leads to increase in costs of care and unnecessarily puts the patient at risk for potential adverse events. The results of this study emphasize the importance of examining the patient's need for AST at each level of care especially when the identified risk factors are present. PMID:27818680

Astaxanthin increases progesterone production in cultured bovine luteal cells.

PubMed

Kamada, Hachiro; Akagi, Satoshi; Watanabe, Shinya

2017-06-29

Although astaxanthin (AST) is known to be a strong antioxidant, its effects on reproductive function in domestic animals have not yet been elucidated in detail. Therefore, we investigated the effects of AST on luteal cells, which produce progesterone (P4), an important hormone for maintaining pregnancy. Luteal cells were prepared by collagenase dispersion of the corpus luteum (CL). The addition of racemic AST at a low concentration (<10 nM) to cultured bovine luteal cells increased P4 in the culture medium (P<0.05). This effect was attributed to an increase in the ability of luteal cells to produce P4 (P4/cell·DNA); however, the level of lipid peroxide (TBARS: thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) per cell did not decrease with the addition of AST, whose values were similar to that with the addition of luteinizing hormone. When optical isomers of AST (SS and RR types) were added to the culture medium, respectively, SS-AST was more effective in increasing P4 production than RR-AST. When 1 mg/kg·body weight of SS-AST derived from green algae was fed to cows for 2 weeks, its concentration in blood plasma was 10.9 nM on average, which was sufficient to expect an in vitro effect on the production of P4 in cows. These results suggested the potential of SS-AST supplements for cows to elevate luteal function.

Effects of astaxanthin on dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact dermatitis in mice.

PubMed

Kim, Hyungwoo; Ahn, Yong-Tae; Lee, Guem San; Cho, Su In; Kim, Jong-Myoung; Lee, Chu; Lim, Byung Kwan; Ju, Seong-A; An, Won Gun

2015-09-01

Astaxanthin (AST) is known to exhibit antioxidative and antitumor properties, therefore, the present study investigated its other potential medical applications. AST was observed to exhibit anti‑allergic and anti‑inflammatory effects in a dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)‑induced contact dermatitis (CD) mouse model and RBL‑2H3 cell lines. The topical application of AST effectively inhibited the enlargement of ear thickness and increase in weight, which occurred following repeated application of DNFB. Furthermore, topical application of different concentrations of AST inhibited inflammatory hyperplasia, edema, spongiosis, and the infiltration of mononuclear cells and mast cells in the ear tissue. In addition, the levels of TNF‑α and IFN‑γ produced were decreased by application of AST in vivo, and treatment of RBL‑2H3 cells with AST inhibited the release of histamine and β‑hexosaminidase in vitro. Taken together, these data suggested that AST may be used to treat patients with allergic skin diseases through a mechanism, which may be associated with that involved in anti‑inflammatory or anti-allergic activities.

Interactive balance training integrating sensor-based visual feedback of movement performance: a pilot study in older adults.

PubMed

Schwenk, Michael; Grewal, Gurtej S; Honarvar, Bahareh; Schwenk, Stefanie; Mohler, Jane; Khalsa, Dharma S; Najafi, Bijan

2014-12-13

Wearable sensor technology can accurately measure body motion and provide incentive feedback during exercising. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness and user experience of a balance training program in older adults integrating data from wearable sensors into a human-computer interface designed for interactive training. Senior living community residents (mean age 84.6) with confirmed fall risk were randomized to an intervention (IG, n = 17) or control group (CG, n = 16). The IG underwent 4 weeks (twice a week) of balance training including weight shifting and virtual obstacle crossing tasks with visual/auditory real-time joint movement feedback using wearable sensors. The CG received no intervention. Outcome measures included changes in center of mass (CoM) sway, ankle and hip joint sway measured during eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) balance test at baseline and post-intervention. Ankle-hip postural coordination was quantified by a reciprocal compensatory index (RCI). Physical performance was quantified by the Alternate-Step-Test (AST), Timed-up-and-go (TUG), and gait assessment. User experience was measured by a standardized questionnaire. After the intervention sway of CoM, hip, and ankle were reduced in the IG compared to the CG during both EO and EC condition (p = .007-.042). Improvement was obtained for AST (p = .037), TUG (p = .024), fast gait speed (p = . 010), but not normal gait speed (p = .264). Effect sizes were moderate for all outcomes. RCI did not change significantly. Users expressed a positive training experience including fun, safety, and helpfulness of sensor-feedback. Results of this proof-of-concept study suggest that older adults at risk of falling can benefit from the balance training program. Study findings may help to inform future exercise interventions integrating wearable sensors for guided game-based training in home- and community environments. Future studies should evaluate the added value of the proposed sensor-based training paradigm compared to traditional balance training programs and commercial exergames. http://www.clinicaltrials.govNCT02043834.

AST: World Coordinate Systems in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, David S.; Warren-Smith, Rodney F.

2014-04-01

The AST library provides a comprehensive range of facilities for attaching world coordinate systems to astronomical data, for retrieving and interpreting that information in a variety of formats, including FITS-WCS, and for generating graphical output based on it. Core projection algorithms are provided by WCSLIB (ascl:1108.003) and astrometry is provided by the PAL (ascl:1606.002) and SOFA (ascl:1403.026) libraries. AST bindings are available in Python (pyast), Java (JNIAST) and Perl (Starlink::AST). AST is used as the plotting and astrometry library in DS9 and GAIA, and is distributed separately and as part of the Starlink software collection.

AST: an automated sequence-sampling method for improving the taxonomic diversity of gene phylogenetic trees.

PubMed

Zhou, Chan; Mao, Fenglou; Yin, Yanbin; Huang, Jinling; Gogarten, Johann Peter; Xu, Ying

2014-01-01

A challenge in phylogenetic inference of gene trees is how to properly sample a large pool of homologous sequences to derive a good representative subset of sequences. Such a need arises in various applications, e.g. when (1) accuracy-oriented phylogenetic reconstruction methods may not be able to deal with a large pool of sequences due to their high demand in computing resources; (2) applications analyzing a collection of gene trees may prefer to use trees with fewer operational taxonomic units (OTUs), for instance for the detection of horizontal gene transfer events by identifying phylogenetic conflicts; and (3) the pool of available sequences is biased towards extensively studied species. In the past, the creation of subsamples often relied on manual selection. Here we present an Automated sequence-Sampling method for improving the Taxonomic diversity of gene phylogenetic trees, AST, to obtain representative sequences that maximize the taxonomic diversity of the sampled sequences. To demonstrate the effectiveness of AST, we have tested it to solve four problems, namely, inference of the evolutionary histories of the small ribosomal subunit protein S5 of E. coli, 16 S ribosomal RNAs and glycosyl-transferase gene family 8, and a study of ancient horizontal gene transfers from bacteria to plants. Our results show that the resolution of our computational results is almost as good as that of manual inference by domain experts, hence making the tool generally useful to phylogenetic studies by non-phylogeny specialists. The program is available at http://csbl.bmb.uga.edu/~zhouchan/AST.php.

AST: An Automated Sequence-Sampling Method for Improving the Taxonomic Diversity of Gene Phylogenetic Trees

PubMed Central

Zhou, Chan; Mao, Fenglou; Yin, Yanbin; Huang, Jinling; Gogarten, Johann Peter; Xu, Ying

2014-01-01

A challenge in phylogenetic inference of gene trees is how to properly sample a large pool of homologous sequences to derive a good representative subset of sequences. Such a need arises in various applications, e.g. when (1) accuracy-oriented phylogenetic reconstruction methods may not be able to deal with a large pool of sequences due to their high demand in computing resources; (2) applications analyzing a collection of gene trees may prefer to use trees with fewer operational taxonomic units (OTUs), for instance for the detection of horizontal gene transfer events by identifying phylogenetic conflicts; and (3) the pool of available sequences is biased towards extensively studied species. In the past, the creation of subsamples often relied on manual selection. Here we present an Automated sequence-Sampling method for improving the Taxonomic diversity of gene phylogenetic trees, AST, to obtain representative sequences that maximize the taxonomic diversity of the sampled sequences. To demonstrate the effectiveness of AST, we have tested it to solve four problems, namely, inference of the evolutionary histories of the small ribosomal subunit protein S5 of E. coli, 16 S ribosomal RNAs and glycosyl-transferase gene family 8, and a study of ancient horizontal gene transfers from bacteria to plants. Our results show that the resolution of our computational results is almost as good as that of manual inference by domain experts, hence making the tool generally useful to phylogenetic studies by non-phylogeny specialists. The program is available at http://csbl.bmb.uga.edu/~zhouchan/AST.php. PMID:24892935

Key Learnings from the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) Tier 1 Rodent Uterotrophic and Hershberger Assays

PubMed Central

Marty, M Sue; O'Connor, John C

2014-01-01

In 2009, companies began screening compounds using the US Environmental Protection Agency's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). EDSP has two tiers: Tier 1 includes 11 assays to identify compounds with potential endocrine activity. This article describes two laboratories' experiences conducting Tier 1 uterotrophic and Hershberger assays. The uterotrophic assay detects estrogen receptor agonists through increases in uterine weight. The advantages of the uterotrophic rat models (immature vs. adult ovariectomized) and exposure routes are discussed. Across 29 studies, relative differences in uterine weights in the vehicle control group and 17α-ethynylestradiol–positive control group were reasonably reproducible. The Hershberger assay detects androgen receptor (AR) agonists, antagonists, and 5α-reductase inhibitors through changes in accessory sex tissue (AST) weights. Across 23 studies, AST weights were relatively reproducible for the vehicle groups (baseline), testosterone propionate (TP) groups (androgenic response), and flutamide + TP groups (antiandrogenic response). In one laboratory, one and four compounds were positive in the androgenic and antiandrogenic portions of the assay, respectively. Each compound was also positive for AR binding. In the other laboratory, three compounds showed potential antiandrogenic activity, but each compound was negative for AR binding and did not fit the profile for 5α-reductase inhibition. These compounds induced hepatic enzymes that enhanced testosterone metabolism/clearance, resulting in lower testosterone and decreased capacity to maintain AST weights. The Hershberger androgenic and antiandrogenic performance criteria were generally attainable. Overall, the uterotrophic and Hershberger assays were easily adopted and function as described for EDSP screening, although the mode of action for positive results may not be easily determined. PMID:24515841

Large-scale magnetic topologies of mid M dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morin, J.; Donati, J.-F.; Petit, P.; Delfosse, X.; Forveille, T.; Albert, L.; Aurière, M.; Cabanac, R.; Dintrans, B.; Fares, R.; Gastine, T.; Jardine, M. M.; Lignières, F.; Paletou, F.; Ramirez Velez, J. C.; Théado, S.

2008-10-01

We present in this paper, the first results of a spectropolarimetric analysis of a small sample (~20) of active stars ranging from spectral type M0 to M8, which are either fully convective or possess a very small radiative core. This study aims at providing new constraints on dynamo processes in fully convective stars. This paper focuses on five stars of spectral type ~M4, i.e. with masses close to the full convection threshold (~=0.35Msolar), and with short rotational periods. Tomographic imaging techniques allow us to reconstruct the surface magnetic topologies from the rotationally modulated time-series of circularly polarized profiles. We find that all stars host mainly axisymmetric large-scale poloidal fields. Three stars were observed at two different epochs separated by ~1 yr; we find the magnetic topologies to be globally stable on this time-scale. We also provide an accurate estimation of the rotational period of all stars, thus allowing us to start studying how rotation impacts the large-scale magnetic field. Based on observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) and the Télescope Bernard Lyot (TBL). CFHT is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Science de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France (INSU/CNRS) and the University of Hawaii, while the TBL is operated by CNRS/INSU. E-mail: jmorin@ast.obs-mip.fr (JM); donati@ast.obs-mip.fr (J-FD); petit@ast.obs-mip.fr (PP); xavier.delfosse@obs.ujf-grenoble.fr (XD); thierry.forveille@obs.ujf-grenoble.fr (TF); albert@cfht.hawaii.edu (LA); auriere@ast.obs-mip.fr (MA); remi.cabanac@ast.obs-mip.fr (RC); dintrans@ast.obs-mip.fr (BD); rfares@ast.obs-mip.fr (RF); tgastine@ast.obs-mip.fr (TG); mmj@st-andrews.ac.uk (MMJ); ligniere@ast.obs-mip.fr (FL); fpaletou@ast.obs-mip.fr (FP); jramirez@mesiog.obspm.fr (JR); sylvie.theado@ast.obs-mip.fr (ST)

Statin-related aminotransferase elevation according to baseline aminotransferases level in real practice in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, H-S; Lee, S H; Kim, H; Lee, S-H; Cho, J H; Lee, H; Yim, H W; Kim, S-H; Choi, I-Y; Yoon, K-H; Kim, J H

2016-06-01

Higher rate of statin-related hepatotoxicity has been reported for Koreans than for Westerners. Moreover, statin-related aminotransferase elevation for those who show borderline levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) (≤×3 of UNL) at baseline has not been fully investigated. Post-statin changes AST/ALT levels during the first year for 21 233 Korean outpatients at two large academic teaching hospitals from January 2009 to December 2013 were analysed using electronic health record data. The date of the first statin prescription was set as baseline. We also performed a comparative analysis of statin-related AST/ALT elevations according to the type of statin, followed by an analysis of clinical risk factors. The progression rate to abnormal AST/ALT values [>×3 the upper normal limit (UNL)] was significantly higher (2·4-16% vs. 0·3-1·7%, P < 0·001) in subjects with borderline (>×1, but ≤×3 of UNL) compared with normal AST/ALT values at baseline. Those with normal baseline AST/ALT did not show significantly different progression rate between different statin medications (P = 0·801). However, patients taking pitavastatin (HR = 0·76, P = 0·657) were least likely to develop abnormal AST/ALT, whereas those taking fluvastatin (HR = 2·96, P = 0·029) were the most likely to develop abnormal AST/ALT compared with atorvastatin for patients who were with baseline borderline AST/ALT. However, given the small sample sizes and the observational nature of our study, these need further study. It is advisable to regularly monitor AST/ALT levels even in patients with AST/ALT increases >×1. Future studies should aim to determine the possible risk factors for each specific statin type by analysing various confounding variables. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Efficacy of Astaxanthin for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in a Murine Model

PubMed Central

Yoshihisa, Yoko; Andoh, Tsugunobu; Matsunaga, Kenji; Rehman, Mati Ur; Maoka, Takashi; Shimizu, Tadamichi

2016-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with various factors, including immunological abnormalities and exposure to allergens. Astaxanthin (AST) is a xanthophyll carotenoid that has recently been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects and to regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Thus, we investigated whether AST could improve the dermatitis and pruritus in a murine model of AD using NC/Nga mice. In addition to a behavioral evaluation, the effects of AST on the AD were determined by the clinical skin severity score, serum IgE level, histological analyses of skin, and by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting analyses for the expression of inflammation-related factors. AST (100 mg/kg) or vehicle (olive oil) was orally administered once day and three times a week for 26 days. When compared with vehicle-treated group, the administration of AST significantly reduced the clinical skin severity score. In addition, the spontaneous scratching in AD model mice was reduced by AST administration. Moreover, the serum IgE level was markedly decreased by the oral administration of AST compared to that in vehicle-treated mice. The number of eosinophils, total and degranulated mast cells all significantly decreased in the skin of AST-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. The mRNA and protein levels of eotaxin, MIF, IL-4, IL-5 and L-histidine decarboxylase were significantly decreased in the skin of AST-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. These results suggest that AST improves the dermatitis and pruritus in AD via the regulation of the inflammatory effects and the expression of inflammatory cytokines. PMID:27023003

Factors associated with reduction in use of neoadjuvant androgen suppression therapy before radical prostatectomy.

PubMed

O'Shaughnessy, Matthew J; Jarosek, Stephanie L; Virnig, Beth A; Konety, Badrinath R; Elliott, Sean P

2013-04-01

To determine whether the prescribing patterns for nonindicated androgen suppression therapy (AST), using neoadjuvant AST as the model, changed according to the prevailing clinical evidence, changes in reimbursement, or evidence of increased harm from treatment. We identified 34,976 men with prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy within 12 months of diagnosis from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data set (1992-2007), and their clinical and demographic parameters were assessed. We measured the Medicare claims for receipt of AST before radical prostatectomy and calculated the annual rates of neoadjuvant AST, which were adjusted for confounding variables using multivariate logistic regression analysis, and compared them with the prevailing published clinical data on the outcomes of neoadjuvant AST, changes in reimbursement, or published data on clinical harm from treatment. The use of neoadjuvant AST increased from 7.8% in 1992 to a peak of 17.6% in 1996 and then decreased steadily to 4.6% in 2007. This rate change was significant on multivariate regression analysis, with a single join point in 1996 (P <.001), and corresponded to published data showing improved surgical margin rates and pathologic downstaging in the early 1990s and data showing no improvement in disease recurrence or overall survival beginning in 1997. Changes in reimbursement and evidence of harm from AST were not associated with the decreased use of neoadjuvant AST. Using neoadjuvant AST as the model for the nonindicated use of AST, physicians reduced AST use in response to high-level evidence showing a lack of benefit, despite the high reimbursement. This suggests that physicians adapt to emerging evidence and use evidence-based practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence for a Phe-Gly-Leu-amide-like allatostatin in the beetle Tenebrio molitor.

PubMed

Elliott, Karen L; Chan, Kuen Kuen; Stay, Barbara

2010-03-01

The allatostatins (ASTs) with Phe-Gly-Leu-amide C-terminal sequence are multifunctional neuropeptides discovered as inhibitors of juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis by corpora allata (CA) of cockroaches. Although these ASTs inhibit JH synthesis only in cockroaches, crickets, termites and locusts, isolation of peptides or of cDNA/genomic DNA or analysis of genomes indicates their occurrence in many orders of insects with the exception of coleopterans. The gene for these ASTs has not been found in the genome of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Family Tenebrionidae). Yet, in view of widespread occurrence of these peptides in insects, crustaceans and nematodes, they would be expected to occur in beetles. This study provides evidence for the presence of FGLa-like ASTs in the tenebrionid beetle, Tenebrio molitor, and scarabid beetle, Popillia japonica. Extract of brain from both beetles inhibited JH synthesis by cockroach CA dose dependently and reversibly. 20 brain equivalents of T. molitor and P. japonica extracts inhibited JH synthesis 64+/-5 and 65+/-0.6% respectively. Antibody against cockroach allatostatin (Diploptera punctata AST-7) used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reacted with brain extract of these beetles. Antibody against D. punctata AST-5 localized FGLa-like ASTs in the brain and subesophageal ganglion of T. molitor and P. japonica. In addition, pretreatment of T. molitor brain extract with anti-D. punctata AST-5 reduced the inhibition of JH synthesis and pretreatment of anti-D. punctata AST-5 with D. punctata AST-5 diminished the immunoreactivity of the antibody. Thus we predict that FGLa-like allatostatins will be found in beetles. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Astakine LvAST binds to the β subunit of F1-ATP synthase and likely plays a role in white shrimp Litopeneaus vannamei defense against white spot syndrome virus.

PubMed

Liang, Gao-Feng; Liang, Yan; Xue, Qinggang; Lu, Jin-Feng; Cheng, Jun-Jun; Huang, Jie

2015-03-01

Cytokines play a critical role in innate and adaptive immunity. Astakines represent a group of invertebrate cytokines that are related to vertebrate prokineticin and function in promoting hematopoiesis in crustaceans. We have identified an astakine from the white shrimp Litopeneaus vannamei and named it LvAST in a previous research. In the present research, we investigated the interactions among LvAST, the envelope protein VP37 of white spot syndrome virus (i.e., WSSV), and the β subunit of F1-ATP synthase (ATPsyn-β) of the white shrimp (i.e., BP53) using binding assays and co-precipitations. We also examined the effects of LvAST on shrimp susceptibility to WSSV. We found that LvAST and VP37 competitively bound to BP53, but did not bind to each other. Shrimps that had been injected with recombinant LvAST exhibited significantly lower mortality and longer survival time in experimental infections by WSSV. In contrast, shrimps whose LvAST gene expression had been inhibited by RNA interference showed significantly higher WSSV infection intensity and shorter survival time following viral challenges. These results suggested that LvAST and WSSV both likely use ATPsyn-β as a receptor and LvAST plays a role in shrimp defense against WSSV infection. This represented the first research showing the involvement of astakines in host antiviral immunity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anal skin tags in inflammatory bowel disease: new observations and a clinical review.

PubMed

Bonheur, Jennifer L; Braunstein, Jared; Korelitz, Burton I; Panagopoulos, Georgia

2008-09-01

The association between intestinal Crohn's disease (CD) and specific perianal abnormalities called anal skin tags (AST) has been recognized but not well defined. Skin tags have been classified into 2 types: 1) raised, broad, or narrow, single or multiple, soft or firm, and painless, often referred to as "elephant ears"; or 2) edematous, hard, often cyanotic, tender or not, and typically arising from a healed anal fissure, ulcer, or hemorrhoid. The aims of this study were to i) better characterize those skin tags identified by the term "elephant ears" and differentiate them from other types of AST; ii) compare their prevalence in patients with CD and ulcerative colitis (UC); iii) observe the relationship of the skin tags to the location of the primary bowel disease; and iv) to discuss the value of these typical AST in making an early diagnosis of CD. Photographs of all AST were taken when present at lower endoscopy in 170 consecutive patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) seen in the private office of the senior investigator and Lenox Hill Hospital. Data was gathered with respect to major differences between the 2 types of AST. The location of the primary bowel disease for these patients was obtained from an extensive IBD computer database and review of details from charts. Specific features of AST were described and served to favor type 1 versus type 2. AST were found more frequently in patients with CD (75.4%) as compared to patients with UC (24.6%), confirming previous observations that they are more diagnostic of CD (P = 0.005). Subset analysis revealed a trend with a greater incidence of AST in patients with colitis (46.9%) as compared to patients with ileitis (36.7%) and ileocolitis (16.3%) (P = 0.067). We provide photographs with the most characteristic features of AST and attempt to separate elephant ears (type 1) from less typical AST (type 2) in CD. Our study confirms previous reports that AST are more commonly found in association with CD as compared with UC and more so in the presence of disease limited to the colon as compared to disease elsewhere in the bowel. Our observations support the diagnostic significance of AST heralding the diagnosis of CD when they are discovered on physical exam, especially in young people with diarrhea, abdominal pain, and/or growth retardation.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Control in the 21st Century: Laboratory Involvement Affecting Disease Impact and Economic Benefit from Large Population Studies

PubMed Central

Schora, Donna M.

2016-01-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a global health care problem. Large studies (e.g., >25,000 patients) show that active surveillance testing (AST) followed by contact precautions for positive patients is an effective approach for MRSA disease control. With this approach, the clinical laboratory will be asked to select what AST method(s) to use and to provide data monitoring outcomes of the infection prevention interventions. This minireview summarizes evidence for MRSA disease control, reviews the involvement of the laboratory, and provides examples of how to undertake a program cost analysis. Health care organizations with total MRSA clinical infections of >0.3/1,000 patient days or bloodstream infections of >0.03/1,000 patient days should implement a MRSA control plan. PMID:27307459

Thermoelectric Outer Planets Spacecraft (TOPS) electronic packaging and cabling development summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawe, R. H.; Arnett, J. C.

1974-01-01

Electronic packaging and cabling activities performed in support of the Thermoelectric Outer Planets Spacecraft (TOPS) Advanced Systems Technology (AST) project are detailed. It describes new electronic compartment, electronic assembly, and module concepts, and a new high-density, planar interconnection technique called discrete multilayer (DML). Development and qualification of high density cabling techniques, using small gage wire and microminiature connectors, are also reported.

Astaxanthin attenuates glutamate-induced apoptosis via inhibition of calcium influx and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaotong; Zhao, Yan; Li, Shanhe

2017-07-05

Astaxanthin (AST) is a carotenoid that has been shown to have neuroprotective effects. In this study, it was found that AST significantly inhibited glutamate-induced loss of cell viability and apoptosis. AST pretreatment attenuated glutamate-induced activation of caspase-3, reduction of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and increase of pro-apoptotic protein Bak. In addition, AST pretreatment suppressed the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species. AST treatment also prevented glutamate-induced increase of the level of activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which has been shown to promote apoptotic events. Furthermore, AST treatment greatly reduced the elevation of intracellular calcium level induced by glutamate and inhibited the activity of calpain, a calcium-dependent protease that plays an important role in mediating apoptosis stimulated by calcium overload in cytoplasm. Both oxidative stress and calcium overload can lead to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) is a bZIP transcription factor that can be activated by ER stress and promotes apoptosis. Here we found that AST attenuated glutamate-induced elevation of CHOP and ER chaperone glucose-regulated protein (GRP78). Overall, these results suggested that AST might protect cells against glutamate-induced apoptosis through maintaining redox balance and inhibiting glutamate-induced calcium influx and ER stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Active school transport and weekday physical activity in 9–11-year-old children from 12 countries

PubMed Central

Denstel, K D; Broyles, S T; Larouche, R; Sarmiento, O L; Barreira, T V; Chaput, J-P; Church, T S; Fogelholm, M; Hu, G; Kuriyan, R; Kurpad, A; Lambert, E V; Maher, C; Maia, J; Matsudo, V; Olds, T; Onywera, V; Standage, M; Tremblay, M S; Tudor-Locke, C; Zhao, P; Katzmarzyk, P T

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Active school transport (AST) may increase the time that children spend in physical activity (PA). This study examined relationships between AST and weekday moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), light physical activity (LPA), sedentary time (SED) and total activity during naturally organized time periods (daily, before school, during school and after school) in a sample of children from 12 countries. METHODS: The sample included 6224 children aged 9–11 years. PA and sedentary time were objectively measured using Actigraph accelerometers. AST was self-reported by participants. Multilevel generalized linear and logistic regression statistical models were used to determine associations between PA, SED and AST across and within study sites. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, highest parental educational attainment, BMI z-score and accelerometer wear time, children who engaged in AST accumulated significantly more weekday MVPA during all studied time periods and significantly less time in LPA before school compared with children who used motorized transport to school. AST was unrelated to time spent in sedentary behaviors. Across all study sites, AST was associated with 6.0 min (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.7–7.3; P<0.0001) more of weekday MVPA; however, there was some evidence that this differed across study sites (P for interaction=0.06). Significant positive associations were identified within 7 of 12 study sites, with differences ranging from 4.6 min (95% CI: 0.3–8.9; P=0.04, in Canada) to 10.2 min (95% CI: 5.9–14.4; P<0.0001, in Brazil) more of daily MVPA among children who engaged in AST compared with motorized transport. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that AST was associated with children spending more time engaged in MVPA throughout the day and less time in LPA before school. AST represents a good behavioral target to increase levels of PA in children. PMID:27152177

Loop Quantization and Symmetry: Configuration Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleischhack, Christian

2018-06-01

Given two sets S 1, S 2 and unital C *-algebras A_1, A_2 of functions thereon, we show that a map {σ : {S}_1 \\longrightarrow {S}_2} can be lifted to a continuous map \\barσ : spec A_1 \\longrightarrow spec A_2 iff σ^\\ast A_2 := σ^\\ast f | f \\in A_2 \\subseteq A_1. Moreover, \\bar σ is unique if existing, and injective iff σ^\\ast A_2 is dense. Then, we apply these results to loop quantum gravity and loop quantum cosmology. For all usual technical conventions, we decide whether the cosmological quantum configuration space is embedded into the gravitational one; indeed, both are spectra of some C *-algebras, say, A_cosm and A_grav, respectively. Typically, there is no embedding, but one can always get an embedding by the defining A_cosm := C^\\ast(σ^\\ast A_grav), where {σ} denotes the embedding between the classical configuration spaces. Finally, we explicitly determine {C^\\ast(σ^\\ast A_grav) in the homogeneous isotropic case for A_grav generated by the matrix functions of parallel transports along analytic paths. The cosmological quantum configuration space so equals the disjoint union of R and the Bohr compactification of R, appropriately glued together.

Loop Quantization and Symmetry: Configuration Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleischhack, Christian

2018-04-01

Given two sets S 1, S 2 and unital C *-algebras A_1, A_2 of functions thereon, we show that a map σ : S_1 \\longrightarrow S_2 can be lifted to a continuous map \\barσ : spec A_1 \\longrightarrow spec A_2 iff σ^\\ast A_2 := σ^\\ast f | f \\in A_2 \\subseteq A_1. Moreover, \\bar σ is unique if existing, and injective iff {σ^\\ast A_2 is dense. Then, we apply these results to loop quantum gravity and loop quantum cosmology. For all usual technical conventions, we decide whether the cosmological quantum configuration space is embedded into the gravitational one; indeed, both are spectra of some C *-algebras, say, A_cosm and A_grav, respectively. Typically, there is no embedding, but one can always get an embedding by the defining A_cosm := C^\\ast(σ^\\ast A_grav), where σ denotes the embedding between the classical configuration spaces. Finally, we explicitly determine C^\\ast(σ^\\ast A_grav) in the homogeneous isotropic case for A_grav generated by the matrix functions of parallel transports along analytic paths. The cosmological quantum configuration space so equals the disjoint union of R and the Bohr compactification of R , appropriately glued together.

Adaptive Self-Tuning Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, H. A.; Draelos, T.; Young, C. J.; Lawry, B.; Chael, E. P.; Faust, A.; Peterson, M. G.

2015-12-01

The quality of automatic detections from seismic sensor networks depends on a large number of data processing parameters that interact in complex ways. The largely manual process of identifying effective parameters is painstaking and does not guarantee that the resulting controls are the optimal configuration settings. Yet, achieving superior automatic detection of seismic events is closely related to these parameters. We present an automated sensor tuning (AST) system that learns near-optimal parameter settings for each event type using neuro-dynamic programming (reinforcement learning) trained with historic data. AST learns to test the raw signal against all event-settings and automatically self-tunes to an emerging event in real-time. The overall goal is to reduce the number of missed legitimate event detections and the number of false event detections. Reducing false alarms early in the seismic pipeline processing will have a significant impact on this goal. Applicable both for existing sensor performance boosting and new sensor deployment, this system provides an important new method to automatically tune complex remote sensing systems. Systems tuned in this way will achieve better performance than is currently possible by manual tuning, and with much less time and effort devoted to the tuning process. With ground truth on detections in seismic waveforms from a network of stations, we show that AST increases the probability of detection while decreasing false alarms.

Liver Function Indicators Performed Better to Eliminate Cardioembolic Stroke than to Identify It from Stroke Subtypes.

PubMed

Tan, Ge; Yuan, Ruozhen; Hao, Zilong; Lei, Chunyan; Xiong, Yao; Xu, Mangmang; Liu, Ming

2017-01-01

Identifying the etiology of ischemic stroke is essential to acute management and secondary prevention. The value of liver function indicators in differentiating stroke subtypes remains to be evaluated. A total of 1333 acute ischemic stroke patients were included. Liver function indicators collected within 24 hours from stroke onset, including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and bilirubin (BILI), were collapsed into quartiles (Q) and also dichotomized by Q1. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent association between liver function indicators and cardioembolic stroke (SCE). Area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted, and sensitivity (Sen), specificity (Spe), positive prospective value (PPV), and negative prospective value (NPV) were determined to evaluate the predictive value of liver function indicators for SCE. AST, GGT, and BILI were associated with SCE. After adjustment, only AST was related to SCE independently. The incidence of SCE in the Q1 of AST, GGT, and BILI, particularly in the Q1 of AST, was quite low. The ability of AST, GGT, and BILI to identify SCE was poor, with low AUC, Sen, and PPV. The value of AST, GGT, and BILI in eliminating SCE from stroke subtypes was good, with high Spe and moderate NPV, and was enhanced after combining each liver function indicator. Results of present study demonstrated that AST, GGT, and BILI, particularly AST, had a potential to eliminate SCE from stroke subtypes, and the ability of eliminating SCE would be strengthened after combining each liver function indicator together. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incremental Predictive Value of Serum AST-to-ALT Ratio for Incident Metabolic Syndrome: The ARIRANG Study

PubMed Central

Ahn, Song Vogue; Baik, Soon Koo; Cho, Youn zoo; Koh, Sang Baek; Huh, Ji Hye; Chang, Yoosoo; Sung, Ki-Chul; Kim, Jang Young

2016-01-01

Aims The ratio of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is of great interest as a possible novel marker of metabolic syndrome. However, longitudinal studies emphasizing the incremental predictive value of the AST-to-ALT ratio in diagnosing individuals at higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome are very scarce. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the AST-to-ALT ratio as an incremental predictor of new onset metabolic syndrome in a population-based cohort study. Material and Methods The population-based cohort study included 2276 adults (903 men and 1373 women) aged 40–70 years, who participated from 2005–2008 (baseline) without metabolic syndrome and were followed up from 2008–2011. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the harmonized definition of metabolic syndrome. Serum concentrations of AST and ALT were determined by enzymatic methods. Results During an average follow-up period of 2.6-years, 395 individuals (17.4%) developed metabolic syndrome. In a multivariable adjusted model, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for new onset of metabolic syndrome, comparing the fourth quartile to the first quartile of the AST-to-ALT ratio, was 0.598 (0.422–0.853). The AST-to-ALT ratio also improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for predicting new cases of metabolic syndrome (0.715 vs. 0.732, P = 0.004). The net reclassification improvement of prediction models including the AST-to-ALT ratio was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.124–0.337, P<0.001), and the integrated discrimination improvement was 0.0094 (95% CI: 0.0046–0.0143, P<0.001). Conclusions The AST-to-ALT ratio independently predicted the future development of metabolic syndrome and had incremental predictive value for incident metabolic syndrome. PMID:27560931

Microbial identification and automated antibiotic susceptibility testing directly from positive blood cultures using MALDI-TOF MS and VITEK 2.

PubMed

Wattal, C; Oberoi, J K

2016-01-01

The study addresses the utility of Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-Of-Flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) using VITEK MS and the VITEK 2 antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) system for direct identification (ID) and timely AST from positive blood culture bottles using a lysis-filtration method (LFM). Between July and December 2014, a total of 140 non-duplicate mono-microbial blood cultures were processed. An aliquot of positive blood culture broth was incubated with lysis buffer before the bacteria were filtered and washed. Micro-organisms recovered from the filter were first identified using VITEK MS and its suspension was used for direct AST by VITEK 2 once the ID was known. Direct ID and AST results were compared with classical methods using solid growth. Out of the 140 bottles tested, VITEK MS resulted in 70.7 % correct identification to the genus and/ or species level. For the 103 bottles where identification was possible, there was agreement in 97 samples (94.17 %) with classical culture. Compared to the routine method, the direct AST resulted in category agreement in 860 (96.5 %) of 891 bacteria-antimicrobial agent combinations tested. The results of direct ID and AST were available 16.1 hours before those of the standard approach on average. The combined use of VITEK MS and VITEK 2 directly on samples from positive blood culture bottles using a LFM technique can result in rapid and reliable ID and AST results in blood stream infections to result in early institution of targeted treatment. The combination of LFM and AST using VITEK 2 was found to expedite AST more reliably.

Great Optically Luminous Dropout Research Using Subaru HSC (GOLDRUSH). I. UV luminosity functions at z ˜ 4-7 derived with the half-million dropouts on the 100 deg2 sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ono, Yoshiaki; Ouchi, Masami; Harikane, Yuichi; Toshikawa, Jun; Rauch, Michael; Yuma, Suraphong; Sawicki, Marcin; Shibuya, Takatoshi; Shimasaku, Kazuhiro; Oguri, Masamune; Willott, Chris; Akhlaghi, Mohammad; Akiyama, Masayuki; Coupon, Jean; Kashikawa, Nobunari; Komiyama, Yutaka; Konno, Akira; Lin, Lihwai; Matsuoka, Yoshiki; Miyazaki, Satoshi; Nagao, Tohru; Nakajima, Kimihiko; Silverman, John; Tanaka, Masayuki; Taniguchi, Yoshiaki; Wang, Shiang-Yu

2018-01-01

We study the UV luminosity functions (LFs) at z ˜ 4, 5, 6, and 7 based on the deep large-area optical images taken by the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (SSP). On the 100 deg2 sky of the HSC SSP data available to date, we take enormous samples consisting of a total of 579565 dropout candidates at z ˜ 4-7 by the standard color selection technique, 358 out of which are spectroscopically confirmed by our follow-up spectroscopy and other studies. We obtain UV LFs at z ˜ 4-7 that span a very wide UV luminosity range of ˜0.002-100 L_UV^\\ast (-26 < MUV < -14 mag) by combining LFs from our program and the ultra-deep Hubble Space Telescope legacy surveys. We derive three parameters of the best-fit Schechter function, ϕ*, M_UV^{ \\ast}, and α, of the UV LFs in the magnitude range where the active galactic nucleus (AGN) contribution is negligible, and find that α and ϕ* decrease from z ˜ 4 to 7 with no significant evolution of M_UV^{ \\ast}. Because our HSC SSP data bridge the LFs of galaxies and AGNs with great statistical accuracy, we carefully investigate the bright end of the galaxy UV LFs that are estimated by the subtraction of the AGN contribution either aided by spectroscopy or the best-fit AGN UV LFs. We find that the bright end of the galaxy UV LFs cannot be explained by the Schechter function fits at >2 σ significance, and require either double power-law functions or modified Schechter functions that consider a magnification bias due to gravitational lensing.

Key learnings from the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) Tier 1 rodent uterotrophic and Hershberger assays.

PubMed

Marty, M Sue; O'Connor, John C

2014-02-01

In 2009, companies began screening compounds using the US Environmental Protection Agency's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). EDSP has two tiers: Tier 1 includes 11 assays to identify compounds with potential endocrine activity. This article describes two laboratories' experiences conducting Tier 1 uterotrophic and Hershberger assays. The uterotrophic assay detects estrogen receptor agonists through increases in uterine weight. The advantages of the uterotrophic rat models (immature vs. adult ovariectomized) and exposure routes are discussed. Across 29 studies, relative differences in uterine weights in the vehicle control group and 17α-ethynylestradiol-positive control group were reasonably reproducible. The Hershberger assay detects androgen receptor (AR) agonists, antagonists, and 5α-reductase inhibitors through changes in accessory sex tissue (AST) weights. Across 23 studies, AST weights were relatively reproducible for the vehicle groups (baseline), testosterone propionate (TP) groups (androgenic response), and flutamide + TP groups (antiandrogenic response). In one laboratory, one and four compounds were positive in the androgenic and antiandrogenic portions of the assay, respectively. Each compound was also positive for AR binding. In the other laboratory, three compounds showed potential antiandrogenic activity, but each compound was negative for AR binding and did not fit the profile for 5α-reductase inhibition. These compounds induced hepatic enzymes that enhanced testosterone metabolism/clearance, resulting in lower testosterone and decreased capacity to maintain AST weights. The Hershberger androgenic and antiandrogenic performance criteria were generally attainable. Overall, the uterotrophic and Hershberger assays were easily adopted and function as described for EDSP screening, although the mode of action for positive results may not be easily determined. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association of the Aspartate Aminotransferase to Alanine Aminotransferase Ratio with BNP Level and Cardiovascular Mortality in the General Population: The Yamagata Study 10-Year Follow-Up

PubMed Central

Yokoyama, Miyuki; Otaki, Yoichiro; Takahashi, Hiroki; Arimoto, Takanori; Shishido, Tetsuro; Miyamoto, Takuya; Konta, Tsuneo; Shibata, Yoko; Daimon, Makoto; Kayama, Takamasa; Kubota, Isao

2016-01-01

Background. Early identification of high risk subjects for cardiovascular disease in health check-up is still unmet medical need. Cardiovascular disease is characterized by the superior increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT). However, the association of AST/ALT ratio with brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and cardiovascular mortality remains unclear in the general population. Methods and Results. This longitudinal cohort study included 3,494 Japanese subjects who participated in a community-based health check-up, with a 10-year follow-up. The AST/ALT ratio increased with increasing BNP levels. And multivariate logistic analysis showed that the AST/ALT ratio was significantly associated with a high BNP (≥100 pg/mL). There were 250 all-cause deaths including 79 cardiovascular deaths. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that a high AST/ALT ratio (>90 percentile) was an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after adjustment for confounding factors. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that cardiovascular mortality was higher in subjects with a high AST/ALT ratio than in those without. Conclusions. The AST/ALT ratio was associated with an increase in BNP and was predictive of cardiovascular mortality in a general population. Measuring the AST/ALT ratio during routine health check-ups may be a simple and cost-effective marker for cardiovascular mortality. PMID:27872510

HIF-1α signaling activation by post-ischemia treatment with astragaloside IV attenuates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

PubMed

Si, Jingwen; Wang, Ning; Wang, Huan; Xie, Juan; Yang, Jian; Yi, Hui; Shi, Zixuan; Ma, Jing; Wang, Wen; Yang, Lifang; Yu, Shiqiang; Li, Junchang

2014-01-01

In this study, we evaluated the effect of astragaloside IV (Ast IV) post-ischemia treatment on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury (IRI). We also examined whether hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and its downstream gene-inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) play roles in the cardioprotective effect of Ast IV. Cultured cardiomyocytes and perfused isolated rat hearts were exposed to Ast IV during reperfusion in the presence or absence of the HIF-1α inhibitor 2-methoxyestradiol (2-MeOE2). The post-ischemia treatment with Ast IV protected cardiomyocytes from the apoptosis and death induced by simulated IRI (SIRI). Additionally, in cardiomyocytes, 2-MeOE2 and HIF-1α siRNA treatment each not only abolished the anti-apoptotic effect of post-ischemia treatment with Ast IV but also reversed the upregulation of HIF-1α and iNOS expression. Furthermore, after treatment with Ast IV, post-ischemic cardiac functional recovery and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the coronary flow (CF) were improved, and the myocardial infarct size was decreased. Moreover, the number of apoptotic cells was reduced, and the upregulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 and downregulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Caspase3 were reversed. 2-MeOE2 reversed these effects of Ast IV on IR-injured hearts. These results suggest that post-ischemia treatment with Ast IV can attenuate IRI by upregulating HIF-1α expression, which transmits a survival signal to the myocardium.

Oral activated charcoal adsorbent (AST-120) ameliorates extent and instability of atherosclerosis accelerated by kidney disease in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Suguru; Zuo, Yiqin; Ma, Ji; Yancey, Patricia G.; Hunley, Tracy E.; Motojima, Masaru; Fogo, Agnes B.; Linton, MacRae F.; Fazio, Sergio; Ichikawa, Iekuni

2011-01-01

Background. Accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular events are not only more common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) but are more resistant to therapeutic interventions effective in the general population. The oral charcoal adsorbent, AST-120, currently used to delay start of dialysis, reduces circulating and tissue uremic toxins, which may contribute to vasculopathy, including atherosclerosis. We, therefore, investigated whether AST-120 affects CKD-induced atherosclerosis. Methods. Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, a model of atherosclerosis, underwent uninephrectomy, subtotal nephrectomy or sham operation at 8 weeks of age and were treated with AST-120 after renal ablation. Atherosclerosis and its characteristics were assessed at 25 weeks of age. Results. Uninephrectomy and subtotal nephrectomised mice had significantly increased acceleration of atherosclerosis. AST-120 treatment dramatically reduced the atherosclerotic burden in mice with kidney damage, while there was no beneficial effect in sham-operated mice. The benefit was independent of blood pressure, serum total cholesterol or creatinine clearance. AST-120 significantly decreased necrotic areas and lessened aortic deposition of the uremic toxin indoxyl sulfate without affecting lesional macrophage or collagen content. Furthermore, AST-120 lessened aortic expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β messenger RNA. Conclusions. AST-120 lessens the extent of atherosclerosis induced by kidney injury and alters lesion characteristics in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, resulting in plaques with a more stable phenotype with less necrosis and reduced inflammation. PMID:21245127

Allatostatin A Signalling in Drosophila Regulates Feeding and Sleep and Is Modulated by PDF.

PubMed

Chen, Jiangtian; Reiher, Wencke; Hermann-Luibl, Christiane; Sellami, Azza; Cognigni, Paola; Kondo, Shu; Helfrich-Förster, Charlotte; Veenstra, Jan A; Wegener, Christian

2016-09-01

Feeding and sleep are fundamental behaviours with significant interconnections and cross-modulations. The circadian system and peptidergic signals are important components of this modulation, but still little is known about the mechanisms and networks by which they interact to regulate feeding and sleep. We show that specific thermogenetic activation of peptidergic Allatostatin A (AstA)-expressing PLP neurons and enteroendocrine cells reduces feeding and promotes sleep in the fruit fly Drosophila. The effects of AstA cell activation are mediated by AstA peptides with receptors homolog to galanin receptors subserving similar and apparently conserved functions in vertebrates. We further identify the PLP neurons as a downstream target of the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), an output factor of the circadian clock. PLP neurons are contacted by PDF-expressing clock neurons, and express a functional PDF receptor demonstrated by cAMP imaging. Silencing of AstA signalling and continuous input to AstA cells by tethered PDF changes the sleep/activity ratio in opposite directions but does not affect rhythmicity. Taken together, our results suggest that pleiotropic AstA signalling by a distinct neuronal and enteroendocrine AstA cell subset adapts the fly to a digestive energy-saving state which can be modulated by PDF.

Allatostatin A Signalling in Drosophila Regulates Feeding and Sleep and Is Modulated by PDF

PubMed Central

Reiher, Wencke; Hermann-Luibl, Christiane; Sellami, Azza; Cognigni, Paola; Helfrich-Förster, Charlotte; Veenstra, Jan A.

2016-01-01

Feeding and sleep are fundamental behaviours with significant interconnections and cross-modulations. The circadian system and peptidergic signals are important components of this modulation, but still little is known about the mechanisms and networks by which they interact to regulate feeding and sleep. We show that specific thermogenetic activation of peptidergic Allatostatin A (AstA)-expressing PLP neurons and enteroendocrine cells reduces feeding and promotes sleep in the fruit fly Drosophila. The effects of AstA cell activation are mediated by AstA peptides with receptors homolog to galanin receptors subserving similar and apparently conserved functions in vertebrates. We further identify the PLP neurons as a downstream target of the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF), an output factor of the circadian clock. PLP neurons are contacted by PDF-expressing clock neurons, and express a functional PDF receptor demonstrated by cAMP imaging. Silencing of AstA signalling and continuous input to AstA cells by tethered PDF changes the sleep/activity ratio in opposite directions but does not affect rhythmicity. Taken together, our results suggest that pleiotropic AstA signalling by a distinct neuronal and enteroendocrine AstA cell subset adapts the fly to a digestive energy-saving state which can be modulated by PDF. PMID:27689358

Walking or bicycling to school and weight status among adolescents from Montería, Colombia.

PubMed

Arango, Carlos Mario; Parra, Diana C; Eyler, Amy; Sarmiento, Olga; Mantilla, Sonia C; Gomez, Luis Fernando; Lobelo, Felipe

2011-09-01

Active school transport (AST) is a recommended strategy to promote physical activity (PA) and prevent overweight (OW) in school-aged children. In many developing countries, such as Colombia, this association has not been well characterized. To determine the association between AST and weight status in a representative sample of adolescents from Montería, Colombia. Participants were 546 adolescents (278 boys) aged 11 to 18 years old from 14 randomly selected schools in Montería, Colombia in 2008. The PA module of the Global School Health Survey (GSHS-2007) was used to determine the prevalence of AST. To identify OW, participants were classified according to CDC 2000 criteria (BMI ≥ 85th percentile). Association between AST and OW was determined by binomial logistic regression. Odds ratios adjusted for age, sex, location of school, compliance with PA, and screen time recommendations showed that adolescents who reported AST had a significantly lower likelihood to be OW compared with adolescents who reported nonactive transportation (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8, P < .05). These results support the importance of AST as a useful PA domain with potential implications for overweight prevention, in rapidly developing settings. Further epidemiologic and intervention studies addressing AST are needed in the region.

The Neuropeptide Allatostatin A Regulates Metabolism and Feeding Decisions in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Hentze, Julie L.; Carlsson, Mikael A.; Kondo, Shu; Nässel, Dick R.; Rewitz, Kim F.

2015-01-01

Coordinating metabolism and feeding is important to avoid obesity and metabolic diseases, yet the underlying mechanisms, balancing nutrient intake and metabolic expenditure, are poorly understood. Several mechanisms controlling these processes are conserved in Drosophila, where homeostasis and energy mobilization are regulated by the glucagon-related adipokinetic hormone (AKH) and the Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs). Here, we provide evidence that the Drosophila neuropeptide Allatostatin A (AstA) regulates AKH and DILP signaling. The AstA receptor gene, Dar-2, is expressed in both the insulin and AKH producing cells. Silencing of Dar-2 in these cells results in changes in gene expression and physiology associated with reduced DILP and AKH signaling and animals lacking AstA accumulate high lipid levels. This suggests that AstA is regulating the balance between DILP and AKH, believed to be important for the maintenance of nutrient homeostasis in response to changing ratios of dietary sugar and protein. Furthermore, AstA and Dar-2 are regulated differentially by dietary carbohydrates and protein and AstA-neuronal activity modulates feeding choices between these types of nutrients. Our results suggest that AstA is involved in assigning value to these nutrients to coordinate metabolic and feeding decisions, responses that are important to balance food intake according to metabolic needs. PMID:26123697

Laboratory Capacity for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Surveillance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae-District of Columbia, 2007-2012.

PubMed

Garrett, Tiana A; Davies-Cole, John; Furness, Bruce

2015-08-01

In the District of Columbia (DC), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) infections accounted for more than 25% of 9321 incident sexually transmitted infections reported in 2011; untreated infections can lead to reproductive complications and a higher risk for HIV transmission. In DC, limited capacity to measure the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant N. gonorrhoeae is available; culture-based antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) is needed to monitor antimicrobial resistance. We examined the capacity of laboratories that report to the DC Department of Health to perform AST for ongoing surveillance of antibiotic-resistant N. gonorrhoeae and to identify suspected treatment failures. We created a survey about diagnostic methods for gonorrhea testing and identified 33 laboratories that reported gonorrhea results to Department of Health in 2007 to 2012. Laboratories were assessed for use of bacterial culture or nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for gonorrhea testing, prevalence of AST on gonorrhea-positive cultures, and types of antibiotics tested during AST. We estimated the prevalence of laboratory practices on the basis of self-report by staff. Nineteen (58%) laboratories completed the survey, representing 92% of the gonorrhea reporting. Seventeen (89%) of 19 laboratories conducted testing by culture; only 6 (35%) performed AST; 79% performed NAAT. Barriers to AST included longer completion times and limited number of provider requests for AST. Commercial laboratories (32%) were more likely to conduct both culture and NAAT, compared with health care facilities (11%). We report a low prevalence of laboratories performing AST because of multiple barriers. State-specific strategies addressing these barriers are needed to improve detection of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea stains circulating among the population.

The First Release of the AST3-1 Point Source Catalogue from Dome A, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Bin; Shang, Zhaohui; Hu, Yi; Hu, Keliang; Liu, Qiang; Ashley, Michael C. B.; Cui, Xiangqun; Du, Fujia; Fan, Dongwei; Feng, Longlong; Huang, Fang; Gu, Bozhong; He, Boliang; Ji, Tuo; Li, Xiaoyan; Li, Zhengyang; Liu, Huigen; Tian, Qiguo; Tao, Charling; Wang, Daxing; Wang, Lifan; Wang, Songhu; Wang, Xiaofeng; Wei, Peng; Wu, Jianghua; Xu, Lingzhe; Yang, Shihai; Yang, Ming; Yang, Yi; Yu, Ce; Yuan, Xiangyan; Zhou, Hongyan; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Xueguang; Zhang, Yi; Zhao, Cheng; Zhou, Jilin; Zhu, Zong-Hong

2018-05-01

The three Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3) aim to carry out time domain imaging survey at Dome A, Antarctica. The first of the three telescopes (AST3-1) was successfully deployed on January 2012. AST3-1 is a 500 mm aperture modified Schmidt telescope with a 680 mm diameter primary mirror. AST3-1 is equipped with a SDSS i filter and a 10k × 10k frame transfer CCD camera, reduced to 5k × 10k by electronic shuttering, resulting in a 4.3 deg2 field-of-view. To verify the capability of AST3-1 for a variety of science goals, extensive commissioning was carried out between March and May 2012. The commissioning included a survey covering 2000 deg2 as well as the entire Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Frequent repeated images were made of the center of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a selected exoplanet transit field, and fields including some Wolf-Rayet stars. Here we present the data reduction and photometric measurements of the point sources observed by AST3-1. We have achieved a survey depth of 19.3 mag in 60 s exposures with 5 mmag precision in the light curves of bright stars. The facility achieves sub-mmag photometric precision under stable survey conditions, approaching its photon noise limit. These results demonstrate that AST3-1 at Dome A is extraordinarily competitive in time-domain astronomy, including both quick searches for faint transients and the detection of tiny transit signals.

MENTOR 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-30

training sessions; internet service was either not available or was restricted. We overcame this problem by using Creo, a high-end software for...based on participants, and customize the training program. Similarly, we have also identified and catalogued a number of training aids in the form...align with AST2 interests in providing services , particularly associated with digital manufacturing and workforce training . Additionally, a number of

A New Light Curve and Analysis of the Long Period Eclipsing Binary BF Draconis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, G. W.; Craig, L. E.; Caffey, J. F.

1999-01-01

The star BF Draconis was found to be an eclipsing binary by Strohmeier, Knigge and Ott (1962) and originally thought to be an Algol-type system with a period of 5.6 days. A spectrographic study by Imbert (1985) showed that the period was actually double this value and that the system consisted of two well-separated, almost-equal F-type stars in elliptical orbit. Diethelm, Wolf and Agerer (1993) later published a preliminary light curve of this system showing minima of unequal depth and width with a displaced secondary, confirming the elliptical orbit but disagreeing with Imbert on the specific orbital parameters. As a part of our long-term program of obtaining improved light curves of double-lined spectroscopic and eclipsing binaries, we have observed BF Draconis for the past four years using the 0.4 meter telescope at the Baker Observatory of Southwest Missouri State University. Complete light curves in the Cousins BVRI passbands have been obtained with our Photometrics CCD system, and a new model and orbital parameters for the binary have been determined using the Wilson-Devinney program. This research has been supported by NSF Grants AST-9315061 and AST-9605822 and NASA Grant NGT5-40060.

Expression profiles of Astakine-like transcripts in the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, exposed to fungal spores of Beauveria bassiana

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Astakines are hematopoietic cytokines originally isolated from crustaceans. We identified three astakine-like transcripts in the tarnished plant bug, LlAst-1, LlAst-2, and LlAst-3, containing prokineticin domains. Quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated variation in expression patterns of astakines ...

Adaptive Immunity Restricts Replication of Novel Murine Astroviruses

PubMed Central

Yokoyama, Christine C.; Loh, Joy; Zhao, Guoyan; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus S.; Wang, David; Huang, Henry V.

2012-01-01

The mechanisms of astrovirus pathogenesis are largely unknown, in part due to a lack of a small-animal model of disease. Using shotgun sequencing and a custom analysis pipeline, we identified two novel astroviruses capable of infecting research mice, murine astrovirus (MuAstV) STL1 and STL2. Subsequent analysis revealed the presence of at least two additional viruses (MuAstV STL3 and STL4), suggestive of a diverse population of murine astroviruses in research mice. Complete genomic characterization and subsequent phylogenetic analysis showed that MuAstV STL1 to STL4 are members of the mamastrovirus genus and are likely members of a new mamastrovirus genogroup. Using Rag1−/− mice deficient in B and T cells, we demonstrate that adaptive immunity is required to control MuAstV infection. Furthermore, using Stat1−/− mice deficient in innate signaling, we demonstrate a role for the innate immune response in the control of MuAstV replication. Our results demonstrate that MuAstV STL permits the study of the mechanisms of astrovirus infection and host-pathogen interactions in a genetically manipulable small-animal model. Finally, we detected MuAstV in commercially available mice, suggesting that these viruses may be present in academic and commercial research mouse facilities, with possible implications for interpretation of data generated in current mouse models of disease. PMID:22951832

In vitro fermentation characteristics of two mushroom species, an herb, and their polysaccharide fractions, using chicken cecal contents as inoculum.

PubMed

Guo, F C; Williams, B A; Kwakkel, R P; Verstegen, M W A

2003-10-01

In vitro fermentabilities of two mushrooms (Lentinus edodes--LenS; Tremella fuciformis--TreS), an herb (Astragalus membranaceus--AstS), and their polysaccharide fractions (LenE, TreE, and AstE) were investigated using microflora from chicken ceca. Polysaccharides were extracted using the hot water method. The mushrooms had lower polysaccharide yields (8 to 10%) than the herb (31%). Fermentation kinetics were determined using the in vitro cumulative gas production technique. End-products, such as gas, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and ammonia, were also determined. The gas profiles of intact materials were similar for AstS and LenS. The TreS had a diphasic digestion pattern. The extracts had similar profiles to the intact materials though gas production rates were faster. Intact materials tended to produce less VFA than the extracts though LenS and AstE had the highest total VFA production overall. Intact materials contained more protein than the extracts, and therefore resulted in more branched-chain fatty acids and ammonia. Fermentation kinetics and end-point products demonstrated differences in availability of substrates between the mushrooms and herb. These medicinal mushroom and herb materials, particularly their polysaccharide extracts, show promise in altering microbial activities and composition in chicken ceca. In vivo experiments are necessary for confirmation of this hypothesis.

Large-scale magnetic topologies of early M dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donati, J.-F.; Morin, J.; Petit, P.; Delfosse, X.; Forveille, T.; Aurière, M.; Cabanac, R.; Dintrans, B.; Fares, R.; Gastine, T.; Jardine, M. M.; Lignières, F.; Paletou, F.; Ramirez Velez, J. C.; Théado, S.

2008-10-01

We present here additional results of a spectropolarimetric survey of a small sample of stars ranging from spectral type M0 to M8 aimed at investigating observationally how dynamo processes operate in stars on both sides of the full convection threshold (spectral type M4). The present paper focuses on early M stars (M0-M3), that is above the full convection threshold. Applying tomographic imaging techniques to time series of rotationally modulated circularly polarized profiles collected with the NARVAL spectropolarimeter, we determine the rotation period and reconstruct the large-scale magnetic topologies of six early M dwarfs. We find that early-M stars preferentially host large-scale fields with dominantly toroidal and non-axisymmetric poloidal configurations, along with significant differential rotation (and long-term variability); only the lowest-mass star of our subsample is found to host an almost fully poloidal, mainly axisymmetric large-scale field resembling those found in mid-M dwarfs. This abrupt change in the large-scale magnetic topologies of M dwarfs (occurring at spectral type M3) has no related signature on X-ray luminosities (measuring the total amount of magnetic flux); it thus suggests that underlying dynamo processes become more efficient at producing large-scale fields (despite producing the same flux) at spectral types later than M3. We suspect that this change relates to the rapid decrease in the radiative cores of low-mass stars and to the simultaneous sharp increase of the convective turnover times (with decreasing stellar mass) that models predict to occur at M3; it may also be (at least partly) responsible for the reduced magnetic braking reported for fully convective stars. Based on observations obtained at the Télescope Bernard Lyot (TBL), operated by the Institut National des Science de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France. E-mail: donati@ast.obs-mip.fr (J-FD); jmorin@ast.obs-mip.fr (JM); petit@ast.obs-mip.fr (PP); xavier.delfosse@obs.ujf-grenoble.fr (XD); thierry.forveille@obs.ujf-grenoble.fr (TF); auriere@ast.obs-mip.fr (MA); remi.cabanac@ast.obs-mip.fr (RC); dintrans@ast.obs-mip.fr (BD); rfares@ast.obs-mip.fr (RF); tgastine@ast.obs-mip.fr (TG); mmj@st-and.ac.uk (MMJ); lignieres@ast.obs-mip.fr (FL); fpaletou@ast.obs-mip.fr (FP); julio.ramirez@obspm.fr (JCRV); sylvie.theado@ast.obs-mip.fr (ST)

Efficacy of AST-120 in dogs with chronic idiopathic enteropathies.

PubMed

Volkmann, M; Wirtherle, N C; Beddies, G F; Kohn, B

2013-01-01

Chronic idiopathic enteropathies (CIE) in dogs are complex diseases of unknown origin. AST-120 is a spherical carbon adsorbent preparation with a high adsorption ability for low molecular substances. Evaluation of the clinical efficacy of AST-120 in dogs with CIE. Ten client-owned dogs with mild (n = 7) to moderate (n = 3) CIE. Explorative, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded pilot study. Dogs with chronic diarrhea and no or insufficient response to an elimination diet were included. The dogs received either AST-120 (n = 5) or placebo (n = 5) for a duration of 21 days. The canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index (CIBDAI) was used to assess disease severity at baseline and clinical outcome after 3 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, changes in body weight and the parameters stool consistency and frequency were compared within and between groups. The mean CIBDAI score decreased from 5.6 (SD 1.5) to 2.0 (SD 1.2) in the AST-120 group (P = .125) and from 4.8 (SD .8) to 3.6 (SD 2.3) in the placebo group (P = .688). Compared with baseline, posttreatment CIBDAI scores decreased more than 60% in 4/5 dogs treated with AST-120 and in 1/5 dogs treated with placebo (P = .206). Changes in CIBDAI scores, body weights, stool consistency, and frequency within and between groups did not achieve statistical significance after 3 weeks of treatment. No adverse effects of AST-120 were noted. This study investigated potential efficacy of AST-120 as an alternative therapy in dogs with mild-to-moderate CIE. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Prevalence and genome characteristics of canine astrovirus in southwest China.

PubMed

Li, Mingxiang; Yan, Nan; Ji, Conghui; Wang, Min; Zhang, Bin; Yue, Hua; Tang, Cheng

2018-05-30

The aim of this study was to investigate canine astrovirus (CaAstV) infection in southwest China. We collected 107 faecal samples from domestic dogs with obvious diarrhoea. Forty-two diarrhoeic samples (39.3 %) were positive for CaAstV by RT-PCR, and 41/42 samples showed co-infection with canine coronavirus (CCoV), canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) and canine distemper virus (CDV). Phylogenetic analysis based on 26 CaAstV partial ORF1a and ORF1b sequences revealed that most CaAstV strains showed unique evolutionary features. Interestingly, putative recombination events were observed among four of the five complete ORF2 sequences cloned in this study, and three of the five complete ORF2 sequences formed a single unique group, suggesting that these strains could be a novel genotype. We successfully sequenced the complete genome of one CaAstV strain (designated 2017/44/CHN), which was 6628 nt in length. The features of this genome include putative recombination events in the ORF1a, ORF1b and ORF2 genes, while the ORF2 gene had a continuous insertion of 7 aa in region II compared with the other complete ORF2 sequences available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 2017/44/CHN formed a single group based on genome sequences, suggesting that this strain might be a novel genotype. The results of this study revealed that CaAstV circulates widely in diarrhoeic dogs in southwest China and exhibits unique evolutionary events. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of recombination events in CaAstV, and it contributes to further understanding of the genetic evolution of CaAstV.

Infinitesimal Deformations of a Formal Symplectic Groupoid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karabegov, Alexander

2011-09-01

Given a formal symplectic groupoid G over a Poisson manifold ( M, π 0), we define a new object, an infinitesimal deformation of G, which can be thought of as a formal symplectic groupoid over the manifold M equipped with an infinitesimal deformation {π_0 + \\varepsilon π_1} of the Poisson bivector field π 0. To any pair of natural star products {(ast,tildeast)} having the same formal symplectic groupoid G we relate an infinitesimal deformation of G. We call it the deformation groupoid of the pair {(ast,tildeast)} . To each star product with separation of variables {ast} on a Kähler-Poisson manifold M we relate another star product with separation of variables {hatast} on M. We build an algorithm for calculating the principal symbols of the components of the logarithm of the formal Berezin transform of a star product with separation of variables {ast} . This algorithm is based upon the deformation groupoid of the pair {(ast,hatast)}.

PhAST: pharmacophore alignment search tool.

PubMed

Hähnke, Volker; Hofmann, Bettina; Grgat, Tomislav; Proschak, Ewgenij; Steinhilber, Dieter; Schneider, Gisbert

2009-04-15

We present a ligand-based virtual screening technique (PhAST) for rapid hit and lead structure searching in large compound databases. Molecules are represented as strings encoding the distribution of pharmacophoric features on the molecular graph. In contrast to other text-based methods using SMILES strings, we introduce a new form of text representation that describes the pharmacophore of molecules. This string representation opens the opportunity for revealing functional similarity between molecules by sequence alignment techniques in analogy to homology searching in protein or nucleic acid sequence databases. We favorably compared PhAST with other current ligand-based virtual screening methods in a retrospective analysis using the BEDROC metric. In a prospective application, PhAST identified two novel inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase product formation with minimal experimental effort. This outcome demonstrates the applicability of PhAST to drug discovery projects and provides an innovative concept of sequence-based compound screening with substantial scaffold hopping potential. 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Precision holography for N={2}^{\\ast } on S 4 from type IIB supergravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobev, Nikolay; Gautason, Friðrik Freyr; van Muiden, Jesse

2018-04-01

We find a new supersymmetric solution of type IIB supergravity which is holographically dual to the planar limit of the four-dimensional N={2}^{\\ast } supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on S 4. We study a probe fundamental string in this background which is dual to a supersymmetric Wilson loop in the N={2}^{\\ast } theory. Using holography we calculate the expectation value of this line operator to leading order in the 't Hooft coupling. The result is a non-trivial function of the mass parameter of the N={2}^{\\ast } theory that precisely matches the result from supersymmetric localization.

Active school travel: an evaluation of the Canadian school travel planning intervention.

PubMed

Mammen, George; Stone, Michelle R; Faulkner, Guy; Ramanathan, Subha; Buliung, Ron; O'Brien, Catherine; Kennedy, Jacky

2014-03-01

Active school travel (AST) may provide a significant source of physical activity for children although rates of AST are declining in many countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Canadian School Travel Planning (STP) intervention by examining changes in school travel mode and predictors of mode change. Schools (n=106) across Canada participated between January 2010 and March 2012. STP committees implemented school-specific strategies to increase active school transport (AST) which included educational strategies, activities and events, capital improvement projects and enforcement initiatives. Travel mode at each school was assessed by a hands-up survey and school travel plans were reviewed for content. Complete data were available for 53 schools. There was no increase in AST at follow-up after one year. There was variation in mode change between schools. Only season of data collection predicted a decrease in AST in the morning (B=-5.36, p<.05). This Canadian STP evaluation showed no change in AST after one year. There was evidence of some localized success at nearly half of the participating schools. More robust monitoring and evaluation are needed to examine STP effectiveness. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Collaborative Approaches in Developing Environmental and Safety Management Systems for Commercial Space Transportation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zee, Stacey; Murray, D.

2009-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) licenses and permits U.S. commercial space launch and reentry activities, and licenses the operation of non-federal launch and reentry sites. ASTs mission is to ensure the protection of the public, property, and the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States during commercial space transportation activities and to encourage, facilitate, and promote U.S. commercial space transportation. AST faces unique challenges of ensuring the protection of public health and safety while facilitating and promoting U.S. commercial space transportation. AST has developed an Environmental Management System (EMS) and a Safety Management System (SMS) to help meet its mission. Although the EMS and SMS were developed independently, the systems share similar elements. Both systems follow a Plan-Do-Act-Check model in identifying potential environmental aspects or public safety hazards, assessing significance in terms of severity and likelihood of occurrence, developing approaches to reduce risk, and verifying that the risk is reduced. This paper will describe the similarities between ASTs EMS and SMS elements and how AST is building a collaborative approach in environmental and safety management to reduce impacts to the environment and risks to the public.

AST/ASTS workshop on increasing organ donation in the United States: creating an "arc of change" from removing disincentives to testing incentives.

PubMed

Salomon, D R; Langnas, A N; Reed, A I; Bloom, R D; Magee, J C; Gaston, R S

2015-05-01

The American Society of Transplantation (AST) and American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) convened a workshop on June 2-3, 2014, to explore increasing both living and deceased organ donation in the United States. Recent articles in the lay press on illegal organ sales and transplant tourism highlight the impact of the current black market in kidneys that accompanies the growing global organ shortage. We believe it important not to conflate the illegal market for organs, which we reject in the strongest possible terms, with the potential in the United States for concerted action to remove all remaining financial disincentives for donors and critically consider testing the impact and acceptability of incentives to increase organ availability in the United States. However, we do not support any trials of direct payments or valuable considerations to donors or families based on a process of market-assigned values of organs. This White Paper represents a summary by the authors of the deliberations of the Incentives Workshop Group and has been approved by both AST and ASTS Boards. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

A pilot study investigating the association between sleep and cognitive function among adolescents.

PubMed

Ahmad, Shafiq; Bashir, Shahid

2017-08-01

To investigate the relationship between sleep and cognitive function among adolescent subjects in Riyadh. The sample consisted of 98 (44% female) subjects aged 10-16 years. Each participant filled in a well-structured pre-coded questionnaire regarding demographic data, including a sleep questionnaire; cognitive function was assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Automated Battery (CANTAB). The cognitive function outcome variables were response times in the attention-switching task (AST) and the percentage of correct answers in the pattern recognition memory (PRM) task. There were significant differences in measures of AST-latency (p=0.005), AST-congruent (p=0.012), and AST-incongruent (p=0.009), while no significant difference was found in the PRM task score (p=0.336) within gender groups. There was a significant correlation between sleep and AST switching cost (0.277, p=0.006) and sleep and AST latency (0.188, p=0.063) across the group. This study showed that gender differences in cognitive function were significant in the group of adolescents. Additionally, this study shows that insufficient sleep can impair attention and accuracy in adolescents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional examination of socio-demographic and school-level correlates of children's school travel mode in Ottawa, Canada.

PubMed

Larouche, Richard; Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Leduc, Geneviève; Boyer, Charles; Bélanger, Priscilla; LeBlanc, Allana G; Borghese, Michael M; Tremblay, Mark S

2014-05-23

Active school transport (AST) is an important source of children's daily physical activity (PA). However, decreasing rates of AST have been reported in multiple countries during the last decades. The purpose of the present study was to examine the socio-demographic and school-level correlates of AST. A stratified sample of children (N = 567, mean age = 10.0 years; 57.8% female) was recruited in the Ottawa area. Four sources of data were used for analyses: 1) child questionnaire including questions on school travel mode and time; 2) parent questionnaire providing information on household socio-demographic characteristics; 3) school administrator survey assessing school policies and practices pertaining to PA; and 4) school site audit performed by the study team. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify socio-demographic and school-level correlates of AST while controlling for school clustering. Individual factors associated with higher odds of AST were male gender (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.30-3.03), journey time <5 minutes vs. >15 minutes (OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.17-4.37), and 5-15 minutes vs. >15 minutes (OR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.27-4.03). Children were more likely to engage in AST if school administrators reported that crossing guards were employed (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.22-4.30), or if they expressed major or moderate concerns about crime in the school neighbourhood (OR = 3.34; 95% CI = 1.34-8.32). In schools that identified safe routes to school and where traffic calming measures were observed, children were much more likely to engage in AST compared to schools without these features (OR = 7.87; 95% CI = 2.85-21.76). Moreover, if only one of these features was present, this was not associated with an increased likelihood of AST. These findings suggest that providing crossing guards may facilitate AST. Additionally, there was a synergy between the identification of safe routes to school and the presence of traffic calming measures, suggesting that these strategies should be used in combination.

Understanding the drive to escort: a cross-sectional analysis examining parental attitudes towards children’s school travel and independent mobility

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The declining prevalence of Active School Transportation (AST) has been accompanied by a decrease in independent mobility internationally. The objective of this study was to compare family demographics and AST related perceptions of parents who let their children walk unescorted to/from school to those parents who escort (walk and drive) their children to/from school. By comparing these groups, insight was gained into how we may encourage greater AST and independent mobility in youth living in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Canada. Methods This study involved a cross-sectional design, using data from a self-reported questionnaire (n =1,016) that examined parental perceptions and attitudes regarding AST. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore the differences between households where children travelled independently to school or were escorted. Results Findings revealed that unescorted children were: significantly older, the families spoke predominantly English at home, more likely to live within one kilometer from school, and their parents agreed to a greater extent that they chose to reside in the current neighborhood in order for their child to walk to/from school. The parents of the escorted children worried significantly more about strangers and bullies approaching their child as well as the traffic volume around school. Conclusions From both a policy and research perspective, this study highlights the value of distinguishing between mode (i.e., walking or driving) and travel independence. For policy, our findings highlight the need for planning decisions about the siting of elementary schools to include considerations of the impact of catchment size on how children get to/from school. Given the importance of age, distance, and safety issues as significant correlates of independent mobility, research and practice should focus on the development and sustainability of non-infrastructure programs that alleviate parental safety concerns. PMID:23051005

Star Formation and AGN Activity in Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies at z > 1.15

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldassare, Vivienne; Kartaltepe, J.

2012-01-01

We studied active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity and star formation in a sample of 52 luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies ((U)LIRGs) with 1.17 < z < 1.602 and LIR > 1011.5 Lsolar. ULIRGs get their extreme infrared luminosities from the heating of dust by star formation and/or AGN. Studies done in the local universe have revealed that all local ULIRGs are mergers (Sanders & Mirabel 1996), and have proposed evolutionary schemes in which early merger stages are dominated by starbursts, intermediate merger stages are dominated by starburst-AGN composite objects, and late merger stages are dominated by AGN (Yuan et al. 2010). They have also shown that most ULIRGs with LIR > 1012.4-12.5 Lsolar appear AGN-like (Tran et al. 2001). We used near infrared spectroscopy in order to determine whether these trends extend to high redshift, utilizing the [NII]/H-alpha and [OIII]/H-beta line ratios to plot our objects on a BPT diagram which classifies them as star forming, AGN, or composite. We find that many of the objects in our sample show evidence of mergers or interactions, and that all objects in our sample with LIR >1012.5 Lsolar are AGN or composite objects. Vivienne Baldassare was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and the Department of Defense ASSURE program through Scientific Program Order No. 13 (AST-0754223) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

Searching for Faint Planetary Nebulae Using Digital Sky Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacoby, George; Kronberger, M.; Patchick, D.; Teutsch, P.; Saloranta, J.; Howell, M.; Crisp, R.; Riddle, D.; Acker, A.; Frew, D.; Parker, Q.; Kaplan, E.

2010-01-01

Recent H-alpha surveys such as SHS and IPHAS have improved the completeness of the Galactic planetary nebula (PN) census. We now know of 3,000 PNe in the Galaxy, but this is far short of most estimates, typically 25,000 - 50,000 for the total population. The size of the Galactic PN population is required to derive an accurate estimate of the chemical enrichment rates of nitrogen, carbon, and helium. More importantly, a high PN count (>20,000) is strong evidence that most 1-8 M(Sun) main sequence stars will go through a PN phase, while a low count (<10,000) argues that special conditions (e.g., a close binary interaction) are required to form a PN and suggests that the Sun will not produce one. We describe a technique for finding hundreds of PNe by visually scanning the existing data collections of the digital sky surveys, thereby improving the census of Galactic PNe. We will also report on the actual yield of PN found with this technique after spectroscopic verification. This has been a collaborative effort between a group of dedicated amateur astronomers (Deepskyhunters) with follow-up by professionals using WIYN, OHP, and SAAO. Evan Kaplan was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and the Department of Defense ASSURE program through Scientific Program Order No. 13 (AST-0754223) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

Hadronic molecular states from the Kbar{K}^{ast} interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lü, Pei-Liang; He, Jun

2016-12-01

In this work, the Kbar{K}^{ast} interaction is studied in a quasipotential Bethe-Salpeter equation approach combined with the one-boson-exchange model. With the help of the hidden-gauge Lagrangian, the exchanges of pseudoscalar mesons (π and η) and vector mesons (ρ, ω and φ) are considered to describe the Kbar{K}^{ast} interaction. Besides the direct vector-meson exchange which can be related to the Weinberg-Tomozawa term, pseudoscalar-meson exchanges also play important roles in the mechanism of the Kbar{K}^{ast} interaction. The poles of scattering amplitude are searched to find the molecular states produced from the Kbar{K}^{ast} interaction. In the case of quantum number IG(J^{PC}) = 0+(1^{++}), a pole is found with a reasonable cutoff, which can be related to the f1(1285) in experiment. Another bound state with 0-(1^{+-}) is also produced from the Kbar{K}^{ast} interaction, which can be related to the h1(1380). In the isovector sector, the interaction is much weaker and a bound state with 1+(1+) relevant to the b1(1235) is produced but at a larger cutoff. Our results suggest that in the hadronic molecular state picture the f1(1285) and b1(1235) are the strange partners of the X(3872) and Zc(3900), respectively.

Measurement of Creatine kinase and Aspartate aminotransferase in saliva of dogs: a pilot study.

PubMed

Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Barranco, Tomas; Rubio, Monica; Carrillo, Jose Maria; Martinez-Subiela, Silvia; Tecles, Fernando; Carrillo, Juana Dolores; Cerón, José J

2017-06-09

Muscle enzymes in saliva have been reported to be possible markers of heart and muscle damage in humans. The aim of this study was to assess if Creatine kinase (CK) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities could be measured in canine saliva, and to evaluate their possible changes in situations of muscle damage. The spectrophotometric assays for CK and AST measurement in saliva of dogs showed intra- and inter-assay imprecision lower than 1 and 16% and coefficients of correlation close to 1 in linearity under dilution tests. Healthy dogs showed activities in saliva of CK between 27 and 121 U/L and AST between 46 and 144 U/L, whereas in saliva of dogs with muscle damage CK ranged between 132 and 3862 U/L and AST between 154 and 4340 U/L. Positive moderate correlations were found between saliva and serum activities of the two enzymes (CK, r = 0.579; P = 0.001; AST, r = 0.674; P = 0.001). CK and AST activities can be measured in canine saliva with commercially available spectrophotometric assays. In addition these enzymes show higher values in saliva of dogs with muscle damage and their values are moderately correlated with those of serum.

Serum γ-Glutamyltransferase, Alanine Aminotransferase and Aspartate Aminotransferase Activity in Healthy Blood Donor of Different Ethnic Groups in Gorgan.

PubMed

Marjani, Abdoljalal; Mehrpouya, Masoumeh; Pourhashem, Zeinab

2016-07-01

Measure of liver enzymes may help to increase safety of blood donation for both blood donor and recipient. Determination of liver enzymes may prepare valuable clinical information. To assess serum γ-Glutamyltransferase (GGT), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) activities in healthy blood donors in different ethnic groups in Gorgan. This study was performed in 450 healthy male blood donors, in three ethnic groups (Fars, Sistanee and Turkman) who attended Gorgan blood transfusion center. Liver enzymes (GGT, ALT and AST) were determined. Serum AST and ALT in three ethnic groups were significant except for serum GGT levels. There was significant correlation between family histories of liver disease and systolic blood pressure and AST in Fars, and GGT in Sistanee ethnic groups. Several factors, such as age, family history of diabetes mellitus, family history of liver disease and smoking habit had no effect on some liver enzymes in different ethnic groups in this area. Variation of AST, ALT, and GGT enzyme activities in healthy subjects was associated with some subjects in our study groups. According to our study, it suggests that screening of AST and GGT enzymes in subjects with family history of liver disease is necessary in different ethnic groups.

Shiga Toxin 1 Induces on Lipopolysaccharide-Treated Astrocytes the Release of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha that Alter Brain-Like Endothelium Integrity

PubMed Central

Landoni, Verónica I.; Schierloh, Pablo; de Campos Nebel, Marcelo; Fernández, Gabriela C.; Calatayud, Cecilia; Lapponi, María J.; Isturiz, Martín A.

2012-01-01

The hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and renal dysfunction. The typical form of HUS is generally associated with infections by Gram-negative Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Endothelial dysfunction induced by Stx is central, but bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and neutrophils (PMN) contribute to the pathophysiology. Although renal failure is characteristic of this syndrome, neurological complications occur in severe cases and is usually associated with death. Impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) is associated with damage to cerebral endothelial cells (ECs) that comprise the BBB. Astrocytes (ASTs) are inflammatory cells in the brain and determine the BBB function. ASTs are in close proximity to ECs, hence the study of the effects of Stx1 and LPS on ASTs, and the influence of their response on ECs is essential. We have previously demonstrated that Stx1 and LPS induced activation of rat ASTs and the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, nitric oxide and chemokines. Here, we demonstrate that rat ASTs-derived factors alter permeability of ECs with brain properties (HUVECd); suggesting that functional properties of BBB could also be affected. Additionally, these factors activate HUVECd and render them into a proagregant state promoting PMN and platelets adhesion. Moreover, these effects were dependent on ASTs secreted-TNF-α. Stx1 and LPS-induced ASTs response could influence brain ECs integrity and BBB function once Stx and factors associated to the STEC infection reach the brain parenchyma and therefore contribute to the development of the neuropathology observed in HUS. PMID:22479186

Visual tracking speed is related to basketball-specific measures of performance in NBA players.

PubMed

Mangine, Gerald T; Hoffman, Jay R; Wells, Adam J; Gonzalez, Adam M; Rogowski, Joseph P; Townsend, Jeremy R; Jajtner, Adam R; Beyer, Kyle S; Bohner, Jonathan D; Pruna, Gabriel J; Fragala, Maren S; Stout, Jeffrey R

2014-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between visual tracking speed (VTS) and reaction time (RT) on basketball-specific measures of performance. Twelve professional basketball players were tested before the 2012-13 season. Visual tracking speed was obtained from 1 core session (20 trials) of the multiple object tracking test, whereas RT was measured by fixed- and variable-region choice reaction tests, using a light-based testing device. Performance in VTS and RT was compared with basketball-specific measures of performance (assists [AST]; turnovers [TO]; assist-to-turnover ratio [AST/TO]; steals [STL]) during the regular basketball season. All performance measures were reported per 100 minutes played. Performance differences between backcourt (guards; n = 5) and frontcourt (forward/centers; n = 7) positions were also examined. Relationships were most likely present between VTS and AST (r = 0.78; p < 0.003), STL (r = 0.77; p < 0.003), and AST/TO (r = 0.78; p < 0.003), whereas a likely relationship was also observed with TO (r = 0.49; p < 0.109). Reaction time was not related to any of the basketball-specific performance measures. Backcourt players were most likely to outperform frontcourt players in AST and very likely to do so for VTS, TO, and AST/TO. In conclusion, VTS seems to be related to a basketball player's ability to see and respond to various stimuli on the basketball court that results in more positive plays as reflected by greater number of AST and STL and lower turnovers.

Deleterious vascular effects of indoxyl sulfate and reversal by oral adsorbent AST-120.

PubMed

Six, Isabelle; Gross, Priscilla; Rémond, Mathieu C; Chillon, Jean Marc; Poirot, Sabrina; Drueke, Tilman B; Massy, Ziad A

2015-11-01

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), blood vessels are permanently exposed to uremic toxins such as indoxyl sulfate (IS). We hypothesized that IS could alter vascular tone and that reducing its serum concentration could be beneficial. We studied acute and longer-term effects of IS and AST-120, an oral charcoal adsorbent, on vascular reactivity, endothelium integrity and expression of adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in aortic rings of normal and uremic wild type (WT) mice in vitro, and the cardiovascular effects of AST-120 in both WT and apoE-/- mice with CKD in vivo. In vitro, 1.0 mM IS acutely reduced vascular relaxation (64% for IS 1.0 mM vs. 80% for control, p < 0.05). The effect was more marked after 4 days exposure (39% for IS 1.0 mM 4 days; p < 0.001, prolonged vs. acute exposure), and was associated with endothelial cell loss and upregulation of ICAM-1/VCAM-1 expression. In vitro, AST-120 restored normal vascular function and prevented IS induced endothelial cell loss and ICAM-1/VCAM-1 upregulation. In vivo, AST-120 treatment of CKD mice (1) improved vascular relaxation (72% vs. 48% maximal relaxation in treated vs. untreated mice, p < 0.001), (2) reduced aortic VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression, (3) decreased aorta systolic expansion rate (9 ± 3% CKD vs. 14 ± 3% CKD + AST-120, p < 0.02), and (4) prevented the increase in pulse wave velocity (3.56 ± 0.17 m/s CKD vs. 3.10 ± 0.08 m/s CKD + AST-120, p < 0.006). Similar changes were observed in apoE-/- mice. IS appears to be an important contributor to the vascular dysfunction associated with CKD. AST-120 treatment ameliorates this dysfunction, possibly via a decrease in serum IS concentration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal Variations in the CO Line Profile and the Retrieved Thermal/Pressure Structures in the Atmosphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khayat, Alain; Villanueva, G. L.; Mumma, M. J.; Riesen, T. E.; Tokunaga, A. T.

2013-10-01

We report retrievals of temperature vertical profiles up to 100 km over Tharsis and Syrtis regions on Mars obtained by inverting the strong rotational (3-2) line of carbon monoxide (CO) at 346 GHz. Observations of CO were made from mid Northern Spring to early Northern Summer on Mars (Ls= 36°-108°, 23 Nov, 2011 - 13 May, 2012) using the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory's (CSO) high-resolution heterodyne receiver (Barney) on top of Mauna Kea, Hawai'i. The temperature profiles were derived using our radiative transfer model that considers the latest spectroscopic constants for CO collisionally broadened by CO2. We observe notable changes of the line profile for different dates, which are directly related to seasonal variations in the thermal/pressure structure of the atmosphere. The seasonal variability of the martian CO line profile, the extracted temperature profiles, and comparisons with modeled profiles from the Mars Climate Database (Lewis et al, 1999) will be presented. We gratefully acknowledge support from the NASA Planetary Astronomy Program , NASA Astrobiology Institute, Planetary Atmospheres programs. This material is based upon work at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, which is operated by the California Institute of Technology under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation, grant number AST-0838261.

The I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium: Where Civil Rights and Arts Encounter Science and Humanities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, Elizabeth A.; Zisholtz, E. N.

2009-01-01

The I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium ("The Stanback") is an embodiment of South Carolina State University's commitment to community service, enhancing the appreciation of both the Arts and Sciences in a single facility. As the only facility of its kind on the campus of a Historically Black College and University, the Museum's programs include aesthetic appreciation, historical and didactic information, and scientific and technological presentations that encourage the development of critical thinking and creative skills for its student and adult constituencies. The Planetarium at the Stanback is a multi-faceted facility that provides a unique learning opportunity for students, faculty and staff at South Carolina State University, K-12 students in the surrounding community, and members of the community at large. With the ability to accommodate up to 82 visitors, the planetarium is a wonderful educational resource. It features a Minolta IIB Planetarium Star Projector that projects 4000 stars onto the 40-foot domed ceiling and can simulate the evening sky for any time, date, and place. The planetarium is slated to be completely upgraded with plans to feature computer automation and full-dome video capabilities. Support for this work was provided by the NSF PAARE program to South Carolina State University under award AST-0750814.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Sulamitis and Clarissa asteroids spectra (Morate+, 2018)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morate, D.; de, Leon J.; de Pra, M.; Licandro, J.; Cabrera-Lavers, A.; Campins, H.; Pinilla-Alonso, N.

2017-11-01

A total of 97 low-resolution visible spectra were obtained for the asteroids in the Sulamitis and Clarissa families (64 and 33 objects, respectively), using the Optical System for Imaging and Low Resolution Integrated Spectroscopy (OSIRIS) camera spectrograph at the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), located at the El Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. In addition, we obtained three spectra of (752) Sulamitis using the Intermediate Dispersion Spectrograph (IDS) at the 2.5m Isaac Newton Telescope, also located at the ORM in La Palma, as part of program C97 (2015), on July 22, 2015. All the spectra files included here are named ast_ASTEROIDNUMBER.txt, except for the spectra of (752) taken with the INT (named ast752INT.txt). The first column is the wavelength, expressed in microns, and the second column is the reflectance value (which is normalized at 1 at 0.55 microns). (3 data files).

Prolactin levels in manganese-exposed male welders.

PubMed

Tutkun, Engin; Abuşoğlu, Sedat; Yılmaz, Hinç; Gündüzöz, Meşide; Gıynas, Nilgün; Bal, Ceylan Demir; Ünlü, Ali

2014-12-01

Early studies on manganese (Mn) exposure have demonstrated that this transition metal affects dopamine neurotransmission. Dopamine serves as a tonic inhibitor of prolactin release in the anterior hypophysis. Our aim was to determine the relation between serum prolactin levels and manganese-exposure. Whole blood was collected from 95 non-exposed control subjects and 179 manganese-exposed male welders. Whole blood manganese was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma--Mass Spectrometer on Agilent 7700 (Agilent Technologies, USA). Serum prolactin levels (PRL), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), urea, creatinine, soduim (Na), potassium (K) were analyzed by immunological and spectrophotometric methods on Roche E170 Modular System (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). The mean ages for control and manganese-exposed group were 40.5 ± 7.8 and 39.5 ± 8.7, respectively (p = 0.258). The mean working period (years) for control and manganese-exposed group were 17.4 ± 9.8 and 18.2 ± 7.7 years, respectively (p = 0.581). Serum AST and potassium levels were significantly higher in control group than manganese-exposed group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.048, respectively) and body-mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in control group than manganese-exposed group (p = 0.033). There was a significantly positive correlation between whole blood manganese levels and serum prolactin (r = 0.860, p < 0.001). Serum ALT levels were positively correlated with serum AST, urea and sodium (r = 0.315, p < 0.001; r = 0.121, p = 0.046; r = 0.130, p = 0.031). Serum prolactin level is a diagnostic marker for determining the effect of manganese-exposure.

A System Approach to Navy Medical Education and Training. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-08-31

each of the four major pro - ducts complement one another, they form, in fact, a single major product, that of the technology for improved training...the course of determining the functional limits and con - tent areas peculiar to potentially delegable tasks, it is highly desirable to be able to...NISTOS CYTO CLINICAL X-RAY LAS AST LAB ASST LAB AS SI AS SL ABI ASITO LA LAB STMIL OPERATIONS PATIENT CARE OP -- PC -- GMo GMO M.D. M.D. M.D MD M

[Association between occupational stress and aminotransferase activity in patients with metabolic syndrome].

PubMed

Zhao, H; Song, L; Qiang, Y; Liu, H R; Qiu, F Y; Li, X Z; Song, H

2016-12-20

Objective: To investigate the association between occupational stress and activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A case-control study was performed. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, among the staff members of enterprises and public institutions aged 20~60 years who underwent physical examination in The Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and The People's Hospital of Wuzhong from October 2011 to October 2012, 622 patients with metabolic syndrome who did not have a blood relationship with each other were enrolled as case group, and 600 healthy staff members who also did not have a blood relationshipwith each otherwere enrolled as control group. Questionnaire investigation, chronic occupational stress investigation, physical examination, and laboratory tests were performed for all subjects. Results: Compared with the control group, the case group had significantly higher serum levels and abnormal rates of AST and ALT ( t =-4.338 and-5.485, χ(2)=11.168 and 34.302, all P <0.05) . There were no significantdifferences in the serum level and abnormal rate of AST between the subgroups with different occupational stresses in both groups ( F =2.192 and 2.567, χ(2)=2.694 and 5.402, all P >0.05) , but there were significant differencesbetween the subgroups in all subjects ( F =5.005, χ(2)=6.398, all P <0.05) . There were no significant differences in the serum level and abnormal rate of ALT between thesubgroups with different occupational stresses in the case group, the control group, and all subjects ( F =0.845, 0.450, and 1.416, χ(2)=2.564, 1.344, and 3.147, all P >0.05) . The partial correlation analysis showed that the total score of occupational stress was positively correlated withthe serum level of AST ( r =0.071, P <0.05) and was not correlated with the serum level of ALT ( r =-0.044, P >0.05) , and that the serum level of AST was positively correlated with that of ALT ( r =0.736, P <0.05) . After the adjustment for age, sex, nationality, smoking, drinking, marital status, and degree of education, the total score of occupational stress was positively correlated with the serum level of AST ( r =0.069, P <0.05) and was not correlated with the serum level of ALT ( r =-0.042, P >0.05) , and the serum level of AST was positively correlated with that of ALT ( r =0.730, P <0.05) . The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the serum level of AST increased with the increasing occupational stress ( b =0.131, P =0.013) . Conclusion: Occupational stress is associated with increased serum level of AST, and the serum level of AST increases with the increasing occupational stress. Increased risk of metabolic syndrome caused by occupational stress may be associated with the increased activity of AST caused by occupational stress.

Axial-spin technique of endoscopic intracorporeal knot tying: comparison with the conventional technique and objective assessment of knot security, learning curves, and performance efficiency across training levels.

PubMed

Gopaldas, Raja R; Rohatgi, Chand

2009-04-01

A major limitation of conventional laparoscopic surgery is the placement of an intracorporeal (IC) knot, which requires a significant amount of training and practice. An easier technique of IC knot tying using 90-degree grasper is compared with the conventional technique (CLT). The new axial-spin technique (AST) uses the spin of the instrument shaft to tie IC knots. Fourteen participants stratified into 3 training levels were instructed to tie 50 reef IC knots using each technique on trainers in 3 sessions. The final 5 knots tied using each technique were deemed to be representative of maximal performance efficiency (PE) and randomly subject to tensile strength measurements using a tensiometer at 50 mm/s distraction. Mean knot execution time (mKET) measured in seconds (s), normalized KE time (nET=group mean/mKET), knot holding capacity, relative knot security (RKS), and PE (PE=RKS/nET) of the knots tied were computed and analyzed using paired t and analysis of variance. Variables included knot-tying session, technique and the training level. On completion of the study, junior residents (JR) averaged 51.72 seconds more, senior residents (SR) averaged 26.22 seconds more and attendings (ATT) averaged 19.17 seconds less to tie using CLT compared with the AST (F=40.52, P=0.0001). Across all levels, the CLT technique was taking 83.26 seconds on average to execute an IC knot compared with 59.08 seconds with AST method (t=2.784, P=0.015). Learning curves revealed that JR significantly improved mean KE times with the AST technique (first session vs. final session: 473.8 s vs. 55.9 s) compared with CLT (672.5 s vs. 107.6 s) across the sessions as compared with those in advanced levels of training. The RKS of knots executed by AST was significantly stronger (AST: 13.1 vs. 5.44 N, t=4.9, P=0.0001). The PE of knots executed using the CLT increased geometrically across training levels (JR: 1.35% SR: 5.58% ATT: 11.22%) whereas those of AST showed a linear trend (17.09%; 17.11%, and 13.95%). The AST follows a linear pattern of learning across training levels compared with the steep exponential learning of the CLT. Inexperienced JRs were surprisingly 1.5 times more efficient with AST and 8 times less efficient with CLT compared with ATT using the CLT to execute the same knot. The AST is significantly easier to learn for JRs and could serve as a platform before acquiring more advanced knot-tying skills. Overall, with the AST, execution times are significantly shorter whereas the RKS and PE are significantly higher. JRs achieve a level of proficiency comparable with the senior level residents and ATT after participating in a reasonable training session consisting of at least 25 knots.

A scoping review on health economics in neurosurgery for acute spine trauma.

PubMed

Chan, Brian C F; Craven, B Catharine; Furlan, Julio C

2018-05-01

OBJECTIVE Acute spine trauma (AST) has a relatively low incidence, but it often results in substantial individual impairments and societal economic burden resulting from the associated disability. Given the key role of neurosurgeons in the decision-making regarding operative management of individuals with AST, the authors performed a systematic search with scoping synthesis of relevant literature to review current knowledge regarding the economic burden of AST. METHODS This systematic review with scoping synthesis included original articles reporting cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit, cost-minimization, cost-comparison, and economic analyses related to surgical management of AST, whereby AST is defined as trauma to the spine that may result in spinal cord injury with motor, sensory, and/or autonomic impairment. The initial literature search was carried out using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CCTR, and PubMed. All original articles captured in the literature search and published from 1946 to September 27, 2017, were included. Search terms used were the following: (cost analysis, cost effectiveness, cost benefit, economic evaluation or economic impact) AND (spine or spinal cord) AND (surgery or surgical). RESULTS The literature search captured 5770 titles, of which 11 original studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. These 11 studies included 4 cost-utility analyses, 5 cost analyses that compared the cost of intervention with a comparator, and 2 studies examining direct costs without a comparator. There are a few potentially cost-saving strategies in the neurosurgical management of individuals with AST, including 1) early surgical spinal cord decompression for acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (or traumatic thoracolumbar fractures, traumatic cervical fractures); 2) surgical treatment of the elderly with type-II odontoid fractures, which is more costly but more effective than the nonoperative approach among individuals with age at AST between 65 and 84 years; 3) surgical treatment of traumatic thoracolumbar spine fractures, which is implicated in greater direct costs but lower general-practitioner visit costs, private expenditures, and absenteeism costs than nonsurgical management; and 4) removal of pedicle screws 1-2 years after posterior instrumented fusion for individuals with thoracolumbar burst fractures, which is more cost-effective than retaining the pedicle screws. CONCLUSIONS This scoping synthesis underscores a number of potentially cost-saving opportunities for neurosurgeons when managing patients with AST. There are significant knowledge gaps regarding the potential economic impact of therapeutic choices for AST that are commonly used by neurosurgeons.

A cross-sectional examination of socio-demographic and school-level correlates of children’s school travel mode in Ottawa, Canada

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Active school transport (AST) is an important source of children’s daily physical activity (PA). However, decreasing rates of AST have been reported in multiple countries during the last decades. The purpose of the present study was to examine the socio-demographic and school-level correlates of AST. Methods A stratified sample of children (N = 567, mean age = 10.0 years; 57.8% female) was recruited in the Ottawa area. Four sources of data were used for analyses: 1) child questionnaire including questions on school travel mode and time; 2) parent questionnaire providing information on household socio-demographic characteristics; 3) school administrator survey assessing school policies and practices pertaining to PA; and 4) school site audit performed by the study team. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify socio-demographic and school-level correlates of AST while controlling for school clustering. Results Individual factors associated with higher odds of AST were male gender (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.30-3.03), journey time <5 minutes vs. >15 minutes (OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.17-4.37), and 5–15 minutes vs. >15 minutes (OR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.27-4.03). Children were more likely to engage in AST if school administrators reported that crossing guards were employed (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.22-4.30), or if they expressed major or moderate concerns about crime in the school neighbourhood (OR = 3.34; 95% CI = 1.34-8.32). In schools that identified safe routes to school and where traffic calming measures were observed, children were much more likely to engage in AST compared to schools without these features (OR = 7.87; 95% CI = 2.85-21.76). Moreover, if only one of these features was present, this was not associated with an increased likelihood of AST. Conclusion These findings suggest that providing crossing guards may facilitate AST. Additionally, there was a synergy between the identification of safe routes to school and the presence of traffic calming measures, suggesting that these strategies should be used in combination. PMID:24886211

Same-Day Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria in Positive Blood Culture Broths Using Short-Term Incubation on Solid Medium with the MicroFlex LT, Vitek-MS, and Vitek2 Systems

PubMed Central

Ha, Jihye; Han, Geum Hee; Kim, Myungsook; Lee, Kyungwon

2018-01-01

Background Early and appropriate antibiotic treatment improves the clinical outcome of patients with septicemia; therefore, reducing the turn-around time for identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results is essential. We established a method for rapid ID and AST using short-term incubation of positive blood culture broth samples on solid media, and evaluated its performance relative to that of the conventional method using two rapid ID systems and a rapid AST method. Methods A total of 254 mono-microbial samples were included. Positive blood culture samples were incubated on blood agar plates for six hours and identified by the MicroFlex LT (Bruker Daltonics) and Vitek-MS (bioMeriéux) systems, followed by AST using the Vitek2 System (bioMeriéux). Results The correct species-level ID rates were 82.3% (209/254) and 78.3% (199/254) for the MicroFlex LT and Vitek-MS platforms, respectively. For the 1,174 microorganism/antimicrobial agent combinations tested, the rapid AST method showed total concordance of 97.8% (1,148/1,174) with the conventional method, with a very major error rate of 0.5%, major error rate of 0.7%, and minor error rate of 1.0%. Conclusions Routine implementation of this short-term incubation method could provide ID results on the day of blood culture-positivity detection and one day earlier than the conventional AST method. This simple method will be very useful for rapid ID and AST of bacteria from positive blood culture bottles in routine clinical practice. PMID:29401558

Performance of Oil Infrastructure during Hurricane Harvey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernier, C.; Kameshwar, S.; Padgett, J.

2017-12-01

Three major refining centers - Corpus Christi, Houston, and Beaumont/Port Arthur - were affected during Hurricane Harvey. Damage to oil infrastructure, especially aboveground storage tanks (ASTs), caused the release of more than a million gallons of hazardous chemicals in the environment. The objective of this presentation is to identify and gain a better understanding of the different damage mechanisms that occurred during Harvey in order to avoid similar failures during future hurricane events. First, a qualitative description of the damage suffered by ASTs during Hurricane Harvey is presented. Analysis of aerial imagery and incident reports indicate that almost all spills were caused by rainfall and the associated flooding. The largest spill was caused by two large ASTs that floated due to flooding in the Houston Ship Channel releasing 500,000 gallons of gasoline. The vulnerability of ASTs subjected to flooding was already well known and documented from previous storm events. In addition to flooding, Harvey also exposed the vulnerability of ASTs with external floating roof to extreme rainfall; more than 15 floating roofs sank or tilted due to rain water accumulation on them, releasing pollutants in the atmosphere. Secondly, recent fragility models developed by the authors are presented which allow structural vulnerability assessment of floating roofs during rainfall events and ASTs during flood events. The fragility models are then coupled with Harvey rainfall and flood empirical data to identify the conditions (i.e.: internal liquid height or density, drainage system design and efficiency, etc.) that could have led to the observed failures during Hurricane Harvey. Finally, the conditions causing tank failures are studied to propose mitigation measures to prevent future AST failures during severe storm, flood, or rainfall events.

AST: A Simplified 3-item Tool for Managing Alcohol Withdrawal.

PubMed

Holzman, Samuel B; Rastegar, Darius A

2016-01-01

This study compared the Glasgow Modified Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (GMAWS) and a newly devised 3-item "Anxiety Sweats Tremor" Scale (AST) to the Revised Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Scale (CIWA-Ar)-the standard of care for symptom-triggered management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Our study took place over 2 separate 1-week observational periods, and included 332 serial evaluations from 85 unique patients. All study participants were treated per hospital protocol based on CIWA-Ar, with supplemental scoring initially by GMAWS and later by AST in tandem. Internal consistency, interitem correlation, and operational characteristics were explored. Median CIWA-Ar score across both phases was 6 (range 0-13), with a median GMAWS score of 2 (range 0-5) and an AST score of 3 (range 0-7). The internal consistency of CIWA-Ar and GMAWS were both poor, with Cronbach alpha scores of 0.46 (n = 156) and 0.41 (n = 156), respectively. The internal consistency of the AST scale was significantly better, with a Cronbach alpha of 0.68 (n = 176). AST identified individuals with CIWA-Ar ≥8 with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.77-0.89), compared with 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.74-0.88) for GMAWS. An AST score of ≥3 (out of a possible 9) predicted CIWA-Ar ≥8, with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 63%, whereas the GMAWS had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 12%, respectively, based on previously defined cut-offs. A simple 3-item scale demonstrated good internal consistency and reliably identified individuals experiencing significant alcohol withdrawal. This scale needs to be tested in other settings and among patients with a broader spectrum of withdrawal severity.

Same-Day Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria in Positive Blood Culture Broths Using Short-Term Incubation on Solid Medium with the MicroFlex LT, Vitek-MS, and Vitek2 Systems.

PubMed

Ha, Jihye; Hong, Sung Kuk; Han, Geum Hee; Kim, Myungsook; Yong, Dongeun; Lee, Kyungwon

2018-05-01

Early and appropriate antibiotic treatment improves the clinical outcome of patients with septicemia; therefore, reducing the turn-around time for identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results is essential. We established a method for rapid ID and AST using short-term incubation of positive blood culture broth samples on solid media, and evaluated its performance relative to that of the conventional method using two rapid ID systems and a rapid AST method. A total of 254 mono-microbial samples were included. Positive blood culture samples were incubated on blood agar plates for six hours and identified by the MicroFlex LT (Bruker Daltonics) and Vitek-MS (bioMeriéux) systems, followed by AST using the Vitek2 System (bioMeriéux). The correct species-level ID rates were 82.3% (209/254) and 78.3% (199/254) for the MicroFlex LT and Vitek-MS platforms, respectively. For the 1,174 microorganism/antimicrobial agent combinations tested, the rapid AST method showed total concordance of 97.8% (1,148/1,174) with the conventional method, with a very major error rate of 0.5%, major error rate of 0.7%, and minor error rate of 1.0%. Routine implementation of this short-term incubation method could provide ID results on the day of blood culture-positivity detection and one day earlier than the conventional AST method. This simple method will be very useful for rapid ID and AST of bacteria from positive blood culture bottles in routine clinical practice. © The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine

The effects of AST-120 on chronic kidney disease progression in the United States of America: a post hoc subgroup analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Schulman, Gerald; Berl, Tomas; Beck, Gerald J; Remuzzi, Giuseppe; Ritz, Eberhard; Shimizu, Miho; Shobu, Yuko; Kikuchi, Mami

2016-09-30

The orally administered spherical carbon adsorbent AST-120 is used on-label in Asian countries to slow renal disease progression in patients with progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recently, two multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trials (Evaluating Prevention of Progression in Chronic Kidney Disease [EPPIC] trials) examined AST-120's efficacy in slowing CKD progression. This study assessed the efficacy of AST-120 in the subgroup of patients from the United States of America (USA) in the EPPIC trials. In the EPPIC trials, 2035 patients with moderate to severe CKD were studied, of which 583 were from the USA. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups of equal size that were treated with AST-120 or placebo (9 g/day). The primary end point was a composite of dialysis initiation, kidney transplantation, or serum creatinine doubling. The Kaplan-Meier curve for the time to achieve the primary end point in the placebo-treated patients from the USA was similar to that projected before the study. The per protocol subgroup analysis of the population from the USA which included patients with compliance rates of ≥67 % revealed a significant difference between the treatment groups in the time to achieve the primary end point (Hazard Ratio, 0.74; 95 % Confidence Interval, 0.56-0.97). This post hoc subgroup analysis of EPPIC study data suggests that treatment with AST-120 might delay the time to primary end point in CKD patients from the USA. A further randomized controlled trial in progressive CKD patients in the USA is necessary to confirm the beneficial effect of adding AST-120 to standard therapy regimens. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00500682 ; NCT00501046 .

Chicken astrovirus as an aetiological agent of runting-stunting syndrome in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Kang, Kyung-Il; Linnemann, Erich; Icard, Alan H; Durairaj, Vijay; Mundt, Egbert; Sellers, Holly S

2018-04-01

Despite descriptions of runting-stunting syndrome (RSS) in broiler chickens dating back over 40 years, the aetiology has not yet been described. A novel chicken astrovirus (CkAstV) was isolated in an LMH liver cell line from the intestines of chickens affected with RSS. Clinical RSS is characterized by retarded growth and cystic crypt lesions in the small intestine. In 1-day-old broiler chickens infected with the CkAstV isolate, virus was only detected in the intestinal epithelial cells during the first few days after infection. Notably, the preferred host cells are the crypt epithelial cells following initial replication in the villous epithelial cells, thus implying viral preference for immature intestinal cells. Nevertheless, the CkAstV isolate did not induce remarkable pathological changes, despite the presence of the virus in situ. Serial chicken-to-chicken passages of the virus induced increased virulence, as displayed by decreased weight gain and the presence of cystic lesions in the small intestine reproducing clinical RSS in chickens. The analysis of the full-length genome sequences from the isolated CkAstV and the CkAstV from the bird-to-bird passages showed >99 % similarity. The data obtained in this study suggest that the CkAstV isolate is capable of inducing RSS following serial bird-to-bird passages in broilers and is as an aetiological agent of the disease.

Molecular Imaging of Phosphorylation Events for Drug Development

PubMed Central

Chan, C. T.; Paulmurugan, R.; Reeves, R. E.; Solow-Cordero, D.; Gambhir, S. S.

2014-01-01

Purpose Protein phosphorylation mediated by protein kinases controls numerous cellular processes. A genetically encoded, generalizable split firefly luciferase (FL)-assisted complementation system was developed for noninvasive monitoring phosphorylation events and efficacies of kinase inhibitors in cell culture and in small living subjects by optical bioluminescence imaging. Procedures An Akt sensor (AST) was constructed to monitor Akt phosphorylation and the effect of different PI-3K and Akt inhibitors. Specificity of AST was determined using a non-phosphorylable mutant sensor containing an alanine substitution (ASA). Results The PI-3K inhibitor LY294002 and Akt kinase inhibitor perifosine led to temporal- and dose-dependent increases in complemented FL activities in 293T human kidney cancer cells stably expressing AST (293T/AST) but not in 293T/ASA cells. Inhibition of endogenous Akt phosphorylation and kinase activities by perifosine also correlated with increase in complemented FL activities in 293T/AST cells but not in 293T/ASA cells. Treatment of nude mice bearing 293T/AST xenografts with perifosine led to a 2-fold increase in complemented FL activities compared to that of 293T/ASA xenografts. Our system was used to screen a small chemical library for novel modulators of Akt kinase activity. Conclusion This generalizable approach for noninvasive monitoring of phosphorylation events will accelerate the discovery and validation of novel kinase inhibitors and modulators of phosphorylation events. PMID:19048345

A novel approach to tracking antigen-experienced CD4 T cells into functional compartments via tandem deep and shallow TCR clonotyping.

PubMed

Estorninho, Megan; Gibson, Vivienne B; Kronenberg-Versteeg, Deborah; Liu, Yuk-Fun; Ni, Chester; Cerosaletti, Karen; Peakman, Mark

2013-12-01

Extensive diversity in the human repertoire of TCRs for Ag is both a cornerstone of effective adaptive immunity that enables host protection against a multiplicity of pathogens and a weakness that gives rise to potential pathological self-reactivity. The complexity arising from diversity makes detection and tracking of single Ag-specific CD4 T cells (ASTs) involved in these immune responses challenging. We report a tandem, multistep process to quantify rare TCRβ-chain variable sequences of ASTs in large polyclonal populations. The approach combines deep high-throughput sequencing (HTS) within functional CD4 T cell compartments, such as naive/memory cells, with shallow, multiple identifier-based HTS of ASTs identified by activation marker upregulation after short-term Ag stimulation in vitro. We find that clonotypes recognizing HLA class II-restricted epitopes of both pathogen-derived Ags and self-Ags are oligoclonal and typically private. Clonotype tracking within an individual reveals private AST clonotypes resident in the memory population, as would be expected, representing clonal expansions (identical nucleotide sequence; "ultraprivate"). Other AST clonotypes share CDR3β amino acid sequences through convergent recombination and are found in memory populations of multiple individuals. Tandem HTS-based clonotyping will facilitate studying AST dynamics, epitope spreading, and repertoire changes that arise postvaccination and following Ag-specific immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune disease.

[Effects of astragalus and its active ingredients on ischemia reperfusion injury in isolated guinea-pig heart].

PubMed

Zhang, Haining; Min, Dongyu; Fu, Mingyu; Tian, Jing; Wang, Qingwen; An, Xinjiang

2014-09-01

To explore the effects of astragalus (AST) , total flavone of astragalus (TFA), total saponins of astragalus (TSA) and astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on ischemia/reperfusion (40 min/60 min) injury in isolated guinea-pig heart. Isolated guinea-pig hearts underwent ischemia, then followed by K-H perfusion (I/R group), AST (60 mg/L),AST (60 mg/L), TFA (60 mg/L), TSA (60 mg/L) and APS (60 mg/L) perfusion (n = 6 each).Isolated hearts without ischemia serve as control group (n = 6). Activity of lactate dehydrogenas (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) in effluent were measured.Infarct size, myocardial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondiadehyde (MDA) contents were also determined. Compared to control hearts, heart rate, coronary flow and myocardial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were significantly reduced, while LDH and CK in effluent as well as myocardial MDA were significantly increased in the I/R hearts during reperfusion (all P < 0.05), these changes could be partly reversed by AST and TFA perfusion.Infarct size was also significantly reduced in AST (11.9 ± 2.03) % and TFA (13.31 ± 1.17) % treated hearts compared to that in I/R group (18.9 ± 2.27) % (all P < 0.01). The findings indicate that AST and TFA could attenuate I/R injury in isolated guinea-pig heart possibly through enhancing the activity of SOD and reducing lipid peroxidation.

Prevalence of elevated liver enzymes in children with cystic fibrosis diagnosed by newborn screen.

PubMed

Woodruff, Samantha A; Sontag, Marci K; Accurso, Frank J; Sokol, Ronald J; Narkewicz, Michael R

2017-01-01

Prevalence and risks for elevated liver enzymes have not been studied systematically in children with CF identified by newborn screen. 298 CF children identified by newborn screen since 1982. AST, ALT and GGT tested at annual visits. Percent of children with 1 or ≥2 values of elevated AST, ALT and GGT determined. Relationship of liver enzymes to clinical factors or subsequent liver disease was analyzed RESULTS: At least one abnormal value for AST (63%), ALT (93%) and ALT ≥1.5× ULN (52%) occurred by 21years of age. Liver enzyme elevations were not correlated with CFTR mutation, meconium ileus or ethnicity. AST and GGT ≥1.5× ULN were associated with later advanced liver disease HR (CI) 6.53 (2.02-21.1) and 4.03 (1.15-13.45), respectively. Elevated liver enzymes are common during childhood in CF patients identified by newborn screen. Elevated AST and GGT may be markers for risk of advanced liver disease. Copyright © 2016 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The UltraLightweight Technology for Research in Astronomy (ULTRA) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twarog, B. A.; Anthony-Twarog, B. J.; Shawl, S. J.; Hale, R.; Taghavi, R.; Fesen, R.; Etzel, P. B.; Martin, R.; Romeo, R.

2004-12-01

The collaborative focus of four academic departments (Univ. of Kansas Aerospace Engineering, Univ. of Kansas Physics & Astronomy, San Diego State University Astronomy and Dartmouth College Astronomy) and a private industry partner (Composite Mirror Applications, Inc.-CMA, Inc.) is a three-year plan to develop and test UltraLightweight Technology for Research in Astronomy (ULTRA). The ULTRA technology, using graphite fiber composites to fabricate mirrors and telescope structures, offers a versatile and cost-effective tool for optical astronomy, including the economical fabrication and operation of telescopes ranging from small (1m or smaller) aperture for education and research to extremely large (30m+) segmented telescopes (ELTs). The specific goal of this NSF-funded three-year Major Research Instrumentation project is to design, build, and test a 1m-class optical tube assembly (OTA) and mirrors constructed entirely from composites. In the first year of the project, the team has built and is field-testing two 0.4m prototypes to validate the optical surfaces and figures of the mirrors and to test and refine the structural dynamics of the OTA. Preparation for design and construction of the 1m telescope is underway. When completed in late 2005, the ULTRA telescope will be operated remotely from Mt. Laguna Observatory east of San Diego, where it will undergo a period of intensive optical and imaging tests. A 0.4m prototype OTA with mirrors (12 kg total weight) will be on display at the meeting. Support of this work by NSF through grants AST-0320784 and AST-0321247, NASA grant NCC5-600, the University of Kansas, and San Diego State University is gratefully acknowledged.

Time-Shifted Boundary Conditions Used for Navier-Stokes Aeroelastic Solver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Rakesh

1999-01-01

Under the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Program, an aeroelastic analysis code (TURBO-AE) based on Navier-Stokes equations is currently under development at NASA Lewis Research Center s Machine Dynamics Branch. For a blade row, aeroelastic instability can occur in any of the possible interblade phase angles (IBPA s). Analyzing small IBPA s is very computationally expensive because a large number of blade passages must be simulated. To reduce the computational cost of these analyses, we used time shifted, or phase-lagged, boundary conditions in the TURBO-AE code. These conditions can be used to reduce the computational domain to a single blade passage by requiring the boundary conditions across the passage to be lagged depending on the IBPA being analyzed. The time-shifted boundary conditions currently implemented are based on the direct-store method. This method requires large amounts of data to be stored over a period of the oscillation cycle. On CRAY computers this is not a major problem because solid-state devices can be used for fast input and output to read and write the data onto a disk instead of storing it in core memory.

High Cycle Fatigue Crack Initiation Study of Case Blade Alloy Rene 125

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kantzos, P.; Gayda, J.; Miner, R. V.; Telesman, J.; Dickerson, P.

2000-01-01

This study was conducted in order to investigate and document the high cycle fatigue crack initiation characteristics of blade alloy Rene 125 as cast by three commercially available processes. This alloy is typically used in turbine blade applications. It is currently being considered as a candidate alloy for high T3 compressor airfoil applications. This effort is part of NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) program which aims to develop improved capabilities for the next generation subsonic gas turbine engine for commercial carriers. Wrought alloys, which are customarily used for airfoils in the compressor, cannot meet the property goals at the higher compressor exit temperatures that would be required for advanced ultra-high bypass engines. As a result cast alloys are currently being considered for such applications. Traditional blade materials such as Rene 125 have the high temperature capabilities required for such applications. However, the implementation of cast alloys in compressor airfoil applications where airfoils are typically much thinner does raise some issues of concern such as thin wall castability, casting cleaningness, and susceptibility to high-cycle fatigue (HCF) loading.

Software Testing for Evolutionary Iterative Rapid Prototyping

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

kept later hours than I did. Amidst the hustle and bustle, their prayers and help around the house were a great ast.. Finally, if anything shows the...possible meanings. A basic dictionary definition describes prototyping as "an original type , form, or instance that serves as a modfe] on which later...on program size. Asset instruments 49 the subject procedure and produces a graph of the structure for the type of data flow testing conducted. It

The CNO Bi-cycle in the Open Cluster NGC 752

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawkins, Keith; Schuler, S.; King, J.; The, L.

2011-01-01

The CNO bi-cycle is the primary energy source for main sequence stars more massive than the sun. To test our understanding of stellar evolution models using the CNO bi-cycle, we have undertaken light-element (CNO) abundance analysis of three main sequence dwarf stars and three red giant stars in the open cluster NGC 752 utilizing high resolution (R 50,000) spectroscopy from the Keck Observatory. Preliminary results indicate, as expected, there is a depletion of carbon in the giants relative to the dwarfs. Additional analysis is needed to determine if the amount of depletion is in line with model predictions, as seen in the Hyades open cluster. Oxygen abundances are derived from the high-excitation O I triplet, and there is a 0.19 dex offset in the [O/H] abundances between the giants and dwarfs which may be explained by non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE), although further analysis is needed to verify this. The standard procedure for spectroscopically determining stellar parameters used here allows for a measurement of the cluster metallicity, [Fe/H] = 0.04 ± 0.02. In addition to the Fe abundances we have determined Na, Mg, and Al abundances to determine the status of other nucleosynthesis processes. The Na, Mg and Al abundances of the giants are enhanced relative to the dwarfs, which is consistent with similar findings in giants of other open clusters. Support for K. Hawkins was provided by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and the Department of Defense ASSURE program through Scientific Program Order No. 13 (AST-0754223) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

The development of autistic social traits across childhood and adolescence in males and females.

PubMed

Mandy, William; Pellicano, Liz; St Pourcain, Beate; Skuse, David; Heron, Jon

2018-04-19

Autism is a dimensional condition, representing the extreme end of a continuum of social competence that extends throughout the general population. Currently, little is known about how autistic social traits (ASTs), measured across the full spectrum of severity, develop during childhood and adolescence, including whether there are developmental differences between boys and girls. Therefore, we sought to chart the trajectories of ASTs in the general population across childhood and adolescence, with a focus on gender differences. Participants were 9,744 males (n = 4,784) and females (n = 4,960) from ALSPAC, a UK birth cohort study. ASTs were assessed when participants were aged 7, 10, 13 and 16 years, using the parent-report Social Communication Disorders Checklist. Data were modelled using latent growth curve analysis. Developmental trajectories of males and females were nonlinear, showing a decline from 7 to 10 years, followed by an increase between 10 and 16 years. At 7 years, males had higher levels of ASTs than females (mean raw score difference = 0.88, 95% CI [.72, 1.04]), and were more likely (odds ratio [OR]  = 1.99; 95% CI, 1.82, 2.16) to score in the clinical range on the SCDC. By 16 years this gender difference had disappeared: males and females had, on average, similar levels of ASTs (mean difference = 0.00, 95% CI [-0.19, 0.19]) and were equally likely to score in the SCDC's clinical range (OR = 0.91, 95% CI, 0.73, 1.10). This was the result of an increase in females' ASTs between 10 and 16 years. There are gender-specific trajectories of autistic social impairment, with females more likely than males to experience an escalation of ASTs during early- and midadolescence. It remains to be discovered whether the observed female adolescent increase in ASTs represents the genuine late onset of social difficulties or earlier, subtle, pre-existing difficulties becoming more obvious. © 2018 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Adaptive Sensor Tuning for Seismic Event Detection in Environment with Electromagnetic Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, Abra E.

The goal of this research is to detect possible microseismic events at a carbon sequestration site. Data recorded on a continuous downhole microseismic array in the Farnsworth Field, an oil field in Northern Texas that hosts an ongoing carbon capture, utilization, and storage project, were evaluated using machine learning and reinforcement learning techniques to determine their effectiveness at seismic event detection on a dataset with electromagnetic noise. The data were recorded from a passive vertical monitoring array consisting of 16 levels of 3-component 15 Hz geophones installed in the field and continuously recording since January 2014. Electromagnetic and other noise recorded on the array has significantly impacted the utility of the data and it was necessary to characterize and filter the noise in order to attempt event detection. Traditional detection methods using short-term average/long-term average (STA/LTA) algorithms were evaluated and determined to be ineffective because of changing noise levels. To improve the performance of event detection and automatically and dynamically detect seismic events using effective data processing parameters, an adaptive sensor tuning (AST) algorithm developed by Sandia National Laboratories was utilized. AST exploits neuro-dynamic programming (reinforcement learning) trained with historic event data to automatically self-tune and determine optimal detection parameter settings. The key metric that guides the AST algorithm is consistency of each sensor with its nearest neighbors: parameters are automatically adjusted on a per station basis to be more or less sensitive to produce consistent agreement of detections in its neighborhood. The effects that changes in neighborhood configuration have on signal detection were explored, as it was determined that neighborhood-based detections significantly reduce the number of both missed and false detections in ground-truthed data. The performance of the AST algorithm was quantitatively evaluated during a variety of noise conditions and seismic detections were identified using AST and compared to ancillary injection data. During a period of CO2 injection in a nearby well to the monitoring array, 82% of seismic events were accurately detected, 13% of events were missed, and 5% of detections were determined to be false. Additionally, seismic risk was evaluated from the stress field and faulting regime at FWU to determine the likelihood of pressure perturbations to trigger slip on previously mapped faults. Faults oriented NW-SE were identified as requiring the smallest pore pressure changes to trigger slip and faults oriented N-S will also potentially be reactivated although this is less likely.

Pediatric FAST and elevated liver transaminases: An effective screening tool in blunt abdominal trauma.

PubMed

Sola, Juan E; Cheung, Michael C; Yang, Relin; Koslow, Starr; Lanuti, Emma; Seaver, Chris; Neville, Holly L; Schulman, Carl I

2009-11-01

The current standard for the evaluation of children with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) consists of physical examination, screening lab values, and computed tomography (CT) scan. We sought to determine if the focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) combined with elevated liver transaminases (AST/ALT) could be used as a screening tool for intra-abdominal injury (IAI) in pediatric patients with BAT. Registry data at a level 1 trauma center was retrospectively reviewed from 1991-2007. Data collected on BAT patients under the age of 16 y included demographics, injury mechanism, ISS, GCS, imaging studies, serum ALT and AST levels, and disposition. AST and ALT were considered positive if either one was >100 IU/L. Overall, 3171 cases were identified. A total of 1008 (31.8%) patients received CT scan, 1148 (36.2%) had FAST, and 497 (15.7%) patients received both. Of the 497 patients, 400 (87.1%) also had AST and ALT measured. FAST was 50% sensitive, 91% specific, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 68%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 83%, and accuracy of 80%. Combining FAST with elevated AST or ALT resulted in a statistically significant increase in all measures (sensitivity 88%, specificity 98%, PPV 94%, NPV 96%, accuracy 96%). FAST combined with AST or ALT > 100 IU/L is an effective screening tool for IAI in children following BAT. Pediatric patients with a negative FAST and liver transaminases < 100 IU/L should be observed rather than subjected to the radiation risk of CT.

Relation between Liver Transaminases and Dyslipidaemia among 2-10 y.o. Northern Mexican Children.

PubMed

Bibiloni, Maria Del Mar; Salas, Rogelio; Nuñez, Georgina M; Villarreal, Jesús Z; Sureda, Antoni; Tur, Josep A

2016-01-01

The increase in overweight and obese children may be linked to increased rates of liver damage and dyslipidaemia. This study aimed to explore the associations of liver biomarkers with overweight/obesity and dyslipidaemia in Mexican children. The study was a population-based cross-sectional nutritional survey carried out in the State of Nuevo León, Mexico. The study included a 414 subjects aged between 2 and 10 years old (47.8% girls) who took part in the State Survey of Nutrition and Health-Nuevo León 2011/2012. Associations between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT/AST ratio, and major components of serum lipid profile were assessed. Children with high ALT (defined as ≥P75) showed higher prevalence of dyslipidaemia than their counterparts, with high prevalence of high TChol (P = 0.053), non-HDL-chol, TG, and low HDL-chol. Children with an AST/ALT ≥T3 ratio were 0.43-times (95% CI: 0.25-0.74) and 0.27-times (95% CI: 0.17-0.44) low likely to be overweight/obese and to have dyslipidaemia than those with an AST/ALT

Aeroacoustic Prediction Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gliebe, P; Mani, R.; Shin, H.; Mitchell, B.; Ashford, G.; Salamah, S.; Connell, S.; Huff, Dennis (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

This report describes work performed on Contract NAS3-27720AoI 13 as part of the NASA Advanced Subsonic Transport (AST) Noise Reduction Technology effort. Computer codes were developed to provide quantitative prediction, design, and analysis capability for several aircraft engine noise sources. The objective was to provide improved, physics-based tools for exploration of noise-reduction concepts and understanding of experimental results. Methods and codes focused on fan broadband and 'buzz saw' noise and on low-emissions combustor noise and compliment work done by other contractors under the NASA AST program to develop methods and codes for fan harmonic tone noise and jet noise. The methods and codes developed and reported herein employ a wide range of approaches, from the strictly empirical to the completely computational, with some being semiempirical analytical, and/or analytical/computational. Emphasis was on capturing the essential physics while still considering method or code utility as a practical design and analysis tool for everyday engineering use. Codes and prediction models were developed for: (1) an improved empirical correlation model for fan rotor exit flow mean and turbulence properties, for use in predicting broadband noise generated by rotor exit flow turbulence interaction with downstream stator vanes: (2) fan broadband noise models for rotor and stator/turbulence interaction sources including 3D effects, noncompact-source effects. directivity modeling, and extensions to the rotor supersonic tip-speed regime; (3) fan multiple-pure-tone in-duct sound pressure prediction methodology based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis; and (4) low-emissions combustor prediction methodology and computer code based on CFD and actuator disk theory. In addition. the relative importance of dipole and quadrupole source mechanisms was studied using direct CFD source computation for a simple cascadeigust interaction problem, and an empirical combustor-noise correlation model was developed from engine acoustic test results. This work provided several insights on potential approaches to reducing aircraft engine noise. Code development is described in this report, and those insights are discussed.

Anisometropia of ocular refractive and biometric measures among 66- to 79-year-old female twins.

PubMed

Pärssinen, Olavi; Kauppinen, Markku; Kaprio, Jaakko; Rantanen, Taina

2016-12-01

To examine the prevalence of anisometropia of spherical refraction (AnisoSR), astigmatism (AnisoAST) and spherical equivalent (AnisoSE) and their associations with spherical refraction (SR), refractive astigmatism (AST), spherical equivalent (SE) and interocular differences of ocular biometric parameters among elderly female twins. Refraction of 117 monozygotic (MZ) and 116 dizygotic (DZ) female twin subjects aged 66-79 years was assessed with an auto-refractor (Topcon AT) and controlled by subjective refraction. Corneal refraction, anterior chamber depth and axial length were measured with a Zeiss IOL Master. Participants with eyes operated for cataract or glaucoma were excluded, but the grade of nuclear opacity was not recorded. The associations between the absolute values of AnisoSR, AnisoAST and AnisoSE with SR, AST, SE, corneal refractive power (CR), corneal astigmatism (CAST), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and axial length (AL) and with their interocular differences were calculated. When calculating the interdependencies of the differences, the real and absolute differences between the right and left eye were used. Means ± standard deviations for AnisoSR, AnisoAST and AnisoSE were 0.67 ± 0.92 D, 0.42 ± 0.41 D and 0.65 ± 0.71 D, respectively. AnisoSR, AnisoAST and AnisoSE >1.0 D were present in 14.7%, 4.2% and 17.7% of cases, respectively. Anisometropia of spherical refraction (AnisoSR), AnisoAST and AnisoSE were higher the more negative the values of SR or SE. Hyperopic ametropia did not increase these anisometropia values. The correlations of AnisoSR and AnisoSE with the absolute values of interocular differences in CR and AL were non-significant. Using the real values of the interocular differences, the respective correlations were significant. The correlation between the real interocular differences in CR and AL was negative (r = -0.258, p < 0.001). Thus, the combined effect of the real interocular differences in CR and AL was a decrease in AnisoSR and AnisoSE (emmetropization). Higher AnisoSR and AnisoSE were associated with more myopic refraction and longer AL. Higher AnisoAST was associated with more negative SR and higher AST and CAST. The negative correlation between real interocular differences in CR and AL indicated their influence of emmetropization in AnisoSR and AnisoSE. © 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A cost-effective smartphone-based antimicrobial susceptibility test reader for drug resistance testing (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Steve W.; Tseng, Derek; Di Carlo, Dino; Garner, Omai B.; Ozcan, Aydogan

2017-03-01

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is commonly used for determining microbial drug resistance, but routine testing, which can significantly reduce the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms, is not regularly performed in resource-limited and field-settings due to technological challenges and lack of trained diagnosticians. We developed a portable cost-effective smartphone-based colorimetric 96-well microtiter plate (MTP) reader capable of automated AST without the need for a trained diagnostician. This system is composed of a smartphone used in conjunction with a 3D-printed opto-mechanical attachment, which holds a set of inexpensive light-emitting-diodes and fiber-optic cables coupled to the 96-well MTP for enabling the capture of the transmitted light through each well by the smartphone camera. Images of the MTP plate are captured at multiple exposures and uploaded to a local or remote server (e.g., a laptop) for automated processing/analysis of the results using a custom-designed smartphone application. Each set of images are combined to generate a high dynamic-range image and analyzed for well turbidity (indicative of bacterial growth), followed by interpretative analysis per plate to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and drug susceptibility for the specific bacterium. Results are returned to the originating device within 1 minute and shown to the user in tabular form. We demonstrated the capability of this platform using MTPs prepared with 17 antibiotic drugs targeting Gram-negative bacteria and tested 82 patient isolate MTPs of Klebsiella pneumoniae, achieving well turbidity accuracy of 98.19%, MIC accuracy of 95.15%, and drug susceptibility interpretation accuracy of 99.06%, meeting the FDA defined criteria for AST.

A Computer Aided Statistical Covariance Program for Missile System Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-04-01

the example (rl) on the IBM 360/65 at Oklahoma State University. REFERENCES Euler 40 (r=l) (1) James R. R^wland and Willard M. Holmes,"Stochastic...B21P 1PIt RK 1, PYAK ItP YBK1 PYIKI, 144 2W01 DQ1 ,PYLI MtRLI MtGBI AStQBIAS , RBIAS PB, QBt RBtUEvVEWEt 145 3THETAt PHI tPS I t X tY ,Z SD. XTCGt YTC3

Accurate Masses, Radii, and Temperatures for the Eclipsing Binary V2154 Cyg, and Tests of Stellar Evolution Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bright, Jane; Torres, Guillermo

2018-01-01

We report new spectroscopic observations of the F-type triple system V2154 Cyg, in which two of the stars form an eclipsing binary with a period of 2.6306303 ± 0.0000038 days. We combine the results from our spectroscopic analysis with published light curves in the uvby Strömgren passbands to derive the first reported absolute dimensions of the stars in the eclipsing binary. The masses and radii are measured with high accuracy to better than 1.5% precision. For the primary and secondary respectively, we find that the masses are 1.269 ± 0.017 M⊙ and 0.7542 ± 0.0059 M⊙, the radii are 1.477 ± 0.012 R⊙ and 0.7232 ± 0.0091R⊙, and the temperatures are 6770 ± 150 K and 5020 ± 150 K. Current models of stellar evolution agree with the measured properties of the primary, but the secondary is larger than predicted. This may be due to activity in the secondary, as has been shown for other systems with a star of similar mass with this same discrepancy.The SAO REU program is funded by the National Science Foundation REU and Department of Defense ASSURE programs under NSF Grant AST-1659473, and by the Smithsonian Institution. GT acknowledges partial support for this work from NSF grant AST-1509375.

Design of a Teacher-Student Research Program Using the Spitzer Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, S. M.; Daou, D.; Thaller, M.

2004-12-01

Under the sponsorship of the NASA Spitzer Science Center, we have designed a program for teacher and student research using observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The participating teachers attended a fall, 2004 workshop to become familiar with the Spitzer Science Center Archives, observation planning process, and telescope and instrument capabilities in order to plan observations. They also received fundamental training in infrared astronomy and infrared observational techniques, before they began planning their observing program. This program has as its goals the fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the OSS/NASA objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving science instruction by providing a unique opportunity to a group of teachers and students to observe with the Spitzer Space Telescope and work with infrared archival data. This program allows a team of 12 teachers and their students to utilize up to 3 hours of Director's discretionary observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope for educational observations. With the goal of leveraging on a well-established teacher professional development, the program serves teachers in the NSF-sponsored Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRRBSE), an ongoing Public Affairs and Educational Outreach Department program at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) in Tucson. The program touches the formal education community through a national audience of well-trained and supported middle and high school teachers. There are currently 68 teachers (and their students) participating in TLRBSE with an additional 57 teachers in the still-supported precursor RBSE program. The Spitzer educational research program also reaches an additional national audience of students through an informal education program based at the University of Arizona's Astronomy Camp, directed by Dr. Don McCarthy, who has been active in both the RBSE and TLRBSE programs. The TLRBSE Project is funded by the National Science Foundation under ESI 0101982, funded through the AURA/NSF Cooperative Agreement AST-9613615. NOAO is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. JPL manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. JPL is a division of Caltech.

Development of Fuel Hose for Use in the Arctic.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

Teonsil* Strength. psi (min) 1500 1500 AST" D-412 eStress (100% elongation), psi record record AST4 D-412 .Ultimate Elongation, t (min) I(i 150 ASTM D-412...0.5 hr 94 hras + 0.5 hr AST14 D-47173.40F + 3.60F for: - - .Tensile Strength Retained, % (min) 60 40 ASTM D-471 eStress (1001 elongation) Retained...or fracture at -600 F, it was stiff. Moreover, it was very difficult to process and a cure temperature in excess of 302OF is necessary. Present hose

Decay {B to K^ast(to Kπ)ℓ+ ℓ-} in Covariant Quark Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubnička, S.; Dubničková, A. Z.; Habyl, N.; Ivanov, M. A.; Liptaj, A.; Nurbakova, G. S.

2016-03-01

Our article is devoted to the study of the rare {B to K^ast ℓ^+ℓ^-} decay where {ℓ=e,μ,τ}. We compute the relevant form factors in the framework of the covariant quark model with infrared confinement in the full kinematical momentum transfer region. The calculated form factors are used to evaluate branching fractions and polarization observables in the cascade decay {B to K^ast(to Kπ)ℓ^+ℓ^-}. We compare the obtained results with available experimental data and the results from other theoretical approaches.

Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST/GOT) and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT/GPT) Detection Techniques

PubMed Central

Huang, Xing-Jiu; Choi, Yang-Kyu; Im, Hyung-Soon; Yarimaga, Oktay; Yoon, Euisik; Kim, Hak-Sung

2006-01-01

The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST/GOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT/GPT) in serum can help people diagnose body tissues especially the heart and the liver are injured or not. This article provides a comprehensive review of research activities that concentrate on AST/GOT and ALT/GPT detection techniques due to their clinical importance. The detection techniques include colorimetric, spectrophotometric, chemiluminescence, chromatography, fluorescence and UV absorbance, radiochemical, and electrochemical techniques. We devote the most attention on experimental principle. In some methods a few representative devices and important conclusions are presented.

Recent Advances in Catalyst Accelerated Stress Tests for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

DOE PAGES

Stariha, Sarah; Macauley, Natalia; Sneed, Brian T.; ...

2018-03-15

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) set the 2020 durability target for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell transportation applications at 5000 hours. Since it is impractical to test every fuel cell for this length of time, there is ever increasing interest in developing accelerated stress tests (ASTs) that can accurately simulate the material component degradation in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) observed under automotive operating conditions, but over a much shorter time frame. In this study, a square-wave catalyst AST was examined that shows a 5X time acceleration factor over the triangle-wave catalyst AST and a 25X time acceleration factormore » over the modified wet drive-cycle catalyst durability protocol, significantly decreasing the testing time. These acceleration factors were correlated to the platinum (Pt) particle size increase and associated decrease in electrochemical surface area (ECSA). This square-wave AST has been adopted by the DOE as a standard protocol to evaluate catalyst durability. We also compare three catalyst-durability protocols using state-of-the-art platinum-cobalt catalysts supported on high surface area carbon (SOA Pt-Co/HSAC) in the cathode catalyst layer. The results for each of the three tests showed both catalyst particle size increase and transition metal leaching. Moreover the acceleration factors for the alloy catalysts were smaller due to Co leaching being the predominant mechanism of voltage decay in ~5 nm PtCo/C catalysts. Finally, an extremely harsh carbon corrosion AST was run using the same SOA Pt-Co/HSAC catalyst. This showed minimal change in particle size and a low percentage Co loss from the cathode catalyst particles, despite a significant loss in catalyst layer thickness and cell performance. The carbon corrosion rates during these various ASTs were directly measured by monitoring the CO 2 emission from the cathode, further confirming the ability of the square-wave AST to evaluate the electro-catalyst independently of the support.« less

GIS measured environmental correlates of active school transport: A systematic review of 14 studies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Emerging frameworks to examine active school transportation (AST) commonly emphasize the built environment (BE) as having an influence on travel mode decisions. Objective measures of BE attributes have been recommended for advancing knowledge about the influence of the BE on school travel mode choice. An updated systematic review on the relationships between GIS-measured BE attributes and AST is required to inform future research in this area. The objectives of this review are: i) to examine and summarize the relationships between objectively measured BE features and AST in children and adolescents and ii) to critically discuss GIS methodologies used in this context. Methods Six electronic databases, and websites were systematically searched, and reference lists were searched and screened to identify studies examining AST in students aged five to 18 and reporting GIS as an environmental measurement tool. Fourteen cross-sectional studies were identified. The analyses were classified in terms of density, diversity, and design and further differentiated by the measures used or environmental condition examined. Results Only distance was consistently found to be negatively associated with AST. Consistent findings of positive or negative associations were not found for land use mix, residential density, and intersection density. Potential modifiers of any relationship between these attributes and AST included age, school travel mode, route direction (e.g., to/from school), and trip-end (home or school). Methodological limitations included inconsistencies in geocoding, selection of study sites, buffer methods and the shape of zones (Modifiable Areal Unit Problem [MAUP]), the quality of road and pedestrian infrastructure data, and school route estimation. Conclusions The inconsistent use of spatial concepts limits the ability to draw conclusions about the relationship between objectively measured environmental attributes and AST. Future research should explore standardizing buffer size, assess the quality of street network datasets and, if necessary, customize existing datasets, and explore further attributes linked to safety. PMID:21545750

Recent Advances in Catalyst Accelerated Stress Tests for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

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

Stariha, Sarah; Macauley, Natalia; Sneed, Brian T.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) set the 2020 durability target for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell transportation applications at 5000 hours. Since it is impractical to test every fuel cell for this length of time, there is ever increasing interest in developing accelerated stress tests (ASTs) that can accurately simulate the material component degradation in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) observed under automotive operating conditions, but over a much shorter time frame. In this study, a square-wave catalyst AST was examined that shows a 5X time acceleration factor over the triangle-wave catalyst AST and a 25X time acceleration factormore » over the modified wet drive-cycle catalyst durability protocol, significantly decreasing the testing time. These acceleration factors were correlated to the platinum (Pt) particle size increase and associated decrease in electrochemical surface area (ECSA). This square-wave AST has been adopted by the DOE as a standard protocol to evaluate catalyst durability. We also compare three catalyst-durability protocols using state-of-the-art platinum-cobalt catalysts supported on high surface area carbon (SOA Pt-Co/HSAC) in the cathode catalyst layer. The results for each of the three tests showed both catalyst particle size increase and transition metal leaching. Moreover the acceleration factors for the alloy catalysts were smaller due to Co leaching being the predominant mechanism of voltage decay in ~5 nm PtCo/C catalysts. Finally, an extremely harsh carbon corrosion AST was run using the same SOA Pt-Co/HSAC catalyst. This showed minimal change in particle size and a low percentage Co loss from the cathode catalyst particles, despite a significant loss in catalyst layer thickness and cell performance. The carbon corrosion rates during these various ASTs were directly measured by monitoring the CO 2 emission from the cathode, further confirming the ability of the square-wave AST to evaluate the electro-catalyst independently of the support.« less

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

Stariha, Sarah; Macauley, Natalia; Sneed, Brian T.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) set the 2020 durability target for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell transportation applications at 5000 hours. Since it is impractical to test every fuel cell for this length of time, there is ever increasing interest in developing accelerated stress tests (ASTs) that can accurately simulate the material component degradation in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) observed under automotive operating conditions, but over a much shorter time frame. In this study, a square-wave catalyst AST was examined that shows a 5X time acceleration factor over the triangle-wave catalyst AST and a 25X time acceleration factormore » over the modified wet drive-cycle catalyst durability protocol, significantly decreasing the testing time. These acceleration factors were correlated to the platinum (Pt) particle size increase and associated decrease in electrochemical surface area (ECSA). This square-wave AST has been adopted by the DOE as a standard protocol to evaluate catalyst durability. We also compare three catalyst-durability protocols using state-of-the-art platinum-cobalt catalysts supported on high surface area carbon (SOA Pt-Co/HSAC) in the cathode catalyst layer. The results for each of the three tests showed both catalyst particle size increase and transition metal leaching. Moreover the acceleration factors for the alloy catalysts were smaller due to Co leaching being the predominant mechanism of voltage decay in ~5 nm PtCo/C catalysts. Finally, an extremely harsh carbon corrosion AST was run using the same SOA Pt-Co/HSAC catalyst. This showed minimal change in particle size and a low percentage Co loss from the cathode catalyst particles, despite a significant loss in catalyst layer thickness and cell performance. The carbon corrosion rates during these various ASTs were directly measured by monitoring the CO 2 emission from the cathode, further confirming the ability of the square-wave AST to evaluate the electro-catalyst independently of the support.« less

Anti-inflammatory effect of astaxanthin in phthalic anhydride-induced atopic dermatitis animal model.

PubMed

Park, Ju Ho; Yeo, In Jun; Han, Ji Hye; Suh, Jeong Won; Lee, Hee Pom; Hong, Jin Tae

2018-04-01

In this study, we investigated anti-dermatitic effects of astaxanthin (AST) in phthalic anhydride (PA)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) animal model as well as in vitro model. AD-like lesion was induced by the topical application of 5% PA to the dorsal skin or ear of Hos:HR-1 mouse. After AD induction, 100 μL of 1 mg/mL and 2 mg/mL of AST (10 μg or 20 μg/cm 2 ) was spread on the dorsum of ear or back skin three times a week for four weeks. We evaluated dermatitis severity, histopathological changes and changes in protein expression by Western blotting for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity. We also measured tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration in the blood of AD mice by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). AST treatment attenuated the development of PA-induced AD. Histological analysis showed that AST inhibited hyperkeratosis, mast cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells. AST treatment inhibited expression of iNOS and COX-2, and NF-κB activity as well as release of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IgE. In addition, AST (5, 10 and 20 μM) potently inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 μg/mL)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, expression of iNOS and COX-2 and NF-κB DNA binding activities in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Our data demonstrated that AST could be a promising agent for AD by inhibition of NF-κB signalling. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of an Almond-enriched, Hypocaloric Diet on Liver Function Tests in Overweight/Obese Women.

PubMed

Abazarfard, Zohreh; Eslamian, Ghazaleh; Salehi, Mousa; Keshavarzi, Sareh

2016-03-01

Gradual weight reduction has been shown to be associated with improvements in liver enzymes. However, some evidence demonstrated that liver enzymes may transiently increase immediately after a diet-induced weight loss. This study was designed to assess the effects of a hypocaloric, almond-enriched diet (AED) compared with a hypocaloric nut-free diet (NFD) on liver function tests in the context of a three-month weight reduction program in overweight/obese women. This randomized controlled clinical trial was registered at Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with ID number of IRCT2013062313751N1. Overweight and obese Iranian women [n = 108; age = 42.7 y, body mass index = 29.6 kg/m(2)] were randomly assigned to consume an AED or NFD. The carefully planned hypocaloric diets were identical for both groups except for the AED group who consumed 50 grams of almonds daily for three months. Anthropometric measurements and laboratory measurements including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were assessed before and immediately after the intervention. Of 108 participants, 50 women in AED group and 50 women in NFD group completed the protocol of the study (response rate: 92.6 %). The AED led to a median weight loss of 3.79 kg (interquartile range: 4.4 kg). Significant decreases within AED and NFD were observed in ALT (-16.6 ± 16.3 and -11.7 ± 16.8, P < 0.001, respectively). Similar significant decreases were observed in AST (-13.6 ± 15.7 and -7.7 ± 16.1; P < 0.001, respectively). The decrease in GGT was also significant in both groups (-11.4 ± 21.6 and -6.2 ± 19.8; P < 0.001 respectively). ALT, AST and GGT decreased significantly in the AED group compared to the NFD group (P < 0.001). AED improved liver enzymes in obese women. However, mild, transient increases in ALT and AST values can be observed immediately after an NFD in women.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of an Almond-enriched, Hypocaloric Diet on Liver Function Tests in Overweight/Obese Women

PubMed Central

Abazarfard, Zohreh; Eslamian, Ghazaleh; Salehi, Mousa; Keshavarzi, Sareh

2016-01-01

Background: Gradual weight reduction has been shown to be associated with improvements in liver enzymes. However, some evidence demonstrated that liver enzymes may transiently increase immediately after a diet-induced weight loss. Objectives: This study was designed to assess the effects of a hypocaloric, almond-enriched diet (AED) compared with a hypocaloric nut-free diet (NFD) on liver function tests in the context of a three-month weight reduction program in overweight/obese women. Patients and Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was registered at Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with ID number of IRCT2013062313751N1. Overweight and obese Iranian women [n = 108; age = 42.7 y, body mass index = 29.6 kg/m2] were randomly assigned to consume an AED or NFD. The carefully planned hypocaloric diets were identical for both groups except for the AED group who consumed 50 grams of almonds daily for three months. Anthropometric measurements and laboratory measurements including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were assessed before and immediately after the intervention. Results: Of 108 participants, 50 women in AED group and 50 women in NFD group completed the protocol of the study (response rate: 92.6 %). The AED led to a median weight loss of 3.79 kg (interquartile range: 4.4 kg). Significant decreases within AED and NFD were observed in ALT (-16.6 ± 16.3 and -11.7 ± 16.8, P < 0.001, respectively). Similar significant decreases were observed in AST (-13.6 ± 15.7 and -7.7 ± 16.1; P < 0.001, respectively). The decrease in GGT was also significant in both groups (-11.4 ± 21.6 and -6.2 ± 19.8; P < 0.001 respectively). ALT, AST and GGT decreased significantly in the AED group compared to the NFD group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: AED improved liver enzymes in obese women. However, mild, transient increases in ALT and AST values can be observed immediately after an NFD in women. PMID:27231581

Near-infrared SN Ia Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avelino, Arturo; Kirshner, Robert; Mandel, Kaisey; Challis, Peter; Friedman, Andrew; RAISIN Team

2018-01-01

Observations of SN Ia in the near infrared (NIR) are a promising way to construct an accurate cosmic expansion history to constrain the properties of dark energy. SN Ia are more nearly standard candles in NIR than in optical bands, while dust absorption is less of a problem at NIR wavelengths. This allows us to investigate the dark energy properties in a way that is less sensitive to systematic errors due to the variations in the intrinsic brightness of SN Ia or the properties of dust in their host galaxies. In this talk, I present preliminary results from our RAISIN 1 (HST GO-13046) and RAISIN 2 (HST GO-14216) programs with the Hubble Space Telescope, where we have constructed a Hubble diagram combining optical + NIR photometric data using a sample of low and high redshift SN Ia. I will discuss our current results, challenges, and the advantage of using optical + NIR data to derive accurate cosmic distances and improve knowledge of the dark energy equation of state. This research is supported by NSF grants AST-156854 and AST-1211196.

Fundamental Stellar Properties of M-Dwarfs from the CHARA Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, D. H.; Gies, D. R.; McAlister, H. A.; ten Brummelaar, T. A.; Henry, T. J.; Sturmann, J.; Sturmann, L.; Turner, N. H.; Ridgway, S. T.; Aufdenberg, J. P.; Mérand, A. M.

2005-12-01

We report the angular diameters of six M dwarfs ranging in spectral type from M1.0 V to M3.0 V measured with Georgia State University's CHARA Array, a long-baseline optical interferometer located at Mount Wilson Observatory. Observations were made with the longest baselines in the near infrared K'-band and yielded angular diameters less than one milliarcsecond. Using an iterative process combining parallaxes from the NStars program and photometrically-derived bolometric luminosities and masses, we calculated effective temperatures, surface gravities, and stellar radii. Our results are consistent with other empirical measurements of M-dwarf radii, but found that current models underestimate the true stellar radii by up to 15-20%. We suggest that theoretical models for low mass stars may be lacking an opacity source that alters the computed stellar radii. Science operations at the Array are supported by the National Science Foundation through NSF Grant AST--0307562 and by Georgia State University through the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Vice President for Research. Financial support for DHB was provided by the National Science Foundation through grant AST--0205297.

Improved Hepatoprotective Effect of Liposome-Encapsulated Astaxanthin in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Hepatotoxicity

PubMed Central

Chiu, Chun-Hung; Chang, Chun-Chao; Lin, Shiang-Ting; Chyau, Charng-Cherng; Peng, Robert Y.

2016-01-01

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute hepatotoxicity is significantly associated with oxidative stress. Astaxanthin (AST), a xanthophyll carotenoid, is well known for its potent antioxidant capacity. However, its drawbacks of poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability have limited its utility. Liposome encapsulation is considered as an effective alternative use for the improvement of bioavailability of the hydrophobic compound. We hypothesized that AST encapsulated within liposomes (LA) apparently shows improved stability and transportability compared to that of free AST. To investigate whether LA administration can efficiently prevent the LPS-induced acute hepatotoxicity, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = six per group) were orally administered liposome-encapsulated AST at 2, 5 or 10 mg/kg-day (LA-2, LA-5, and LA-10) for seven days and then were LPS-challenged (i.p., 5 mg/kg). The LA-10 administered group, but not the other groups, exhibited a significant amelioration of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), IL-6, and hepatic nuclear NF-κB and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), suggesting that LA at a 10 mg/kg-day dosage renders hepatoprotective effects. Moreover, the protective effects were even superior to that of positive control N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 200 mg/kg-day). Histopathologically, NAC, free AST, LA-2 and LA-5 partially, but LA-10 completely, alleviated the acute inflammatory status. These results indicate that hydrophobic AST after being properly encapsulated by liposomes improves bioavailability and can also function as potential drug delivery system in treating hepatotoxicity. PMID:27428953

Relation between Liver Transaminases and Dyslipidaemia among 2-10 y.o. Northern Mexican Children

PubMed Central

Bibiloni, Maria del Mar; Salas, Rogelio; Nuñez, Georgina M.; Villarreal, Jesús Z.; Sureda, Antoni

2016-01-01

Background and Aims The increase in overweight and obese children may be linked to increased rates of liver damage and dyslipidaemia. This study aimed to explore the associations of liver biomarkers with overweight/obesity and dyslipidaemia in Mexican children. Methods The study was a population-based cross-sectional nutritional survey carried out in the State of Nuevo León, Mexico. The study included a 414 subjects aged between 2 and 10 years old (47.8% girls) who took part in the State Survey of Nutrition and Health–Nuevo León 2011/2012. Associations between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT/AST ratio, and major components of serum lipid profile were assessed. Results Children with high ALT (defined as ≥P75) showed higher prevalence of dyslipidaemia than their counterparts, with high prevalence of high TChol (P = 0.053), non-HDL-chol, TG, and low HDL-chol. Children with an AST/ALT ≥T3 ratio were 0.43-times (95% CI: 0.25–0.74) and 0.27-times (95% CI: 0.17–0.44) low likely to be overweight/obese and to have dyslipidaemia than those with an AST/ALT

Biological interaction of newly synthesized astaxanthin-s-allyl cysteine biconjugate with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammalian α-glucosidase: In vitro kinetics and in silico docking analysis.

PubMed

Penislusshiyan, Sakayanathan; Chitra, Loganathan; Ancy, Iruthayaraj; Premkumar, Periyasamy; Kumaradhas, Poomani; Viswanathamurthi, Periasamy; Palvannan, Thayumanavan

2018-06-06

In humans, alpha-glucosidase activity is present in sucrase-isomaltase (SI) and maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM). α-glucosidase is involved in the hydrolyses of disaccharide into monosaccharides and results in hyperglycemia. Subsequently chronic hyperglycemia induces oxidative stress and ultimately leads to the secondary complications of diabetes. Hence, identifying compounds with dual beneficial activity such as efficient antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition property has attracted the attention in recent years. Keeping these views, in the present study astaxanthin (AST; a natural antioxidant present in marine microalgae) was biconjugated with allyl sulfur amino acid such as s-allyl cysteine (SAC). The synthesized AST-SAC (with molecular weight of 883.28) was characterized using UV-visible spectrophotometer, ESI-MS, and NMR analysis. AST-SAC showed potent antioxidant property in vitro. AST-SAC inhibited Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidase (IC 50  = 3.98 μM; Ki = 1 μM) and mammalian α-glucosidase [rat intestinal maltase (IC 50  = 6.4 μM; Ki = 1.3 μM) and sucrase (IC 50  = 1.6 μM; Ki = 0.18 μM)] enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Kinetic analysis revealed that AST-SAC inhibited all the α-glucosidases in a competitive mode. In silico analysis determined the interaction of AST-SAC with the amino acids present in the active site of S. cerevisiae and human (MGAM and SI) α-glucosidases. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hindering factors and suggestions related to organ donation decisions: perspective of the Taiwan Ali-Shan Tsou aboriginal tribe.

PubMed

Chen, A N; Chen, K F; Chang, P C; Shih, F Jong; Chen, C R; Shih, F-Jin; Huang, C-Y

2014-05-01

Ali-San Tsou (AST) is one of leading aboriginal tribes in Taiwan with traditional godly beliefs related to life and death. Lacking related knowledge, health professionals (HPs) often failed to help them reach good dying or organ donation (OD). This study aimed to explore hindering factors and suggestions related to OD for good dying from Taiwan AST's own perspective. An explorative qualitative design was employed using a purposive sample of the AST tribes from Taiwan. Data were collected with AST residents by face-to-face interviews and analyzed by content analysis. Thirty AST residents (16 females and 14 males) with ages ranging from 28 to 78 (mean, 54.5) years completed interviews. Of them, 85% reported various diseases. In this study 73% were Catholics and Christians, 17% held traditional godly believes, and 10% had no religious affiliation. Eight hindering factors were reported: (1) limited information about organs and OD; (2) no qualified organs for donation; (3) worry about lack of forgiveness by ancestors; (4) tribe elders who might not accept concept of OD; (5) intact bodies were required at home during spirit-companion rituals; (6) earth burial with intact bodies was preferred; (7) bodies due to accidental and bad death were impermissible for OD; and (8) worry about possession by the donor's spirit. Seven suggestions were also reported for HPs to enhance AST's OD decisions: (1) starting with friendship and a caring relationship; (2) providing spiritual support from reverent religions; (3) stressing good deeds and honoring tribe folks by OD; (4) avoiding accidental/bad death; (5) providing relevant modern medical knowledge of human organs and OD; (6) introducing OD as part of a good-dying care plan; and (7) demonstrating a respectful discussion mindset about OD. Eight hindering factors and 7 types of suggestions for enhancing AST aboriginal people's OD decisions were first explored in this project. In the future, HPs are encouraged to invite AST to share the concepts of OT and try to clarify the related concerns with respect for their cultural contexts. With mutual respect, the efforts of sharing and integrating OD into good-dying care would be more possible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and maintainability considerations regarding the effects of suborbital flights on composite constructed vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-13

The Aerospace Corporation was tasked by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to provide technical support to the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST), in developing guidance for AST and indu...

L'astronomie dans le monde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manfroid, J.

2008-09-01

Fragmentation et astéroïdes binaires; Astéroïde géocroiseur triple; Rosetta sort de son hibernation; Messenger; Transit lunaire vu par Deep Impact; Titan; Phobos; Phoenix; Einstein avait raison; Le ballet des taches rouges; Le poids des lentilles;

Vibrations of Bladed Disk Assemblies

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-29

34, Contract Report to Gas Trubines, General Motors Corp., Indianapolis (31 pages). 3 Afolabi, D., 1982, "Some Vibration Characteristics of an Aeroengine ...10. SOUACIOFPUNOiNG NO. Bolling Air Force Base PROGRAM 0mo.0aC-r TASK "o mW Washington, D.C. 20332-6448 1 LFAANT NO. No. N. O Vibrations of Bladed Disk...identfy by loC* n u r) 011LO . 0.ou* sum G. Blade vibrations , singularity theory, singular perturbation analysis, mode localization iS. AST.OACT

Happiness in motion: emotions, well-being, and active school travel.

PubMed

Ramanathan, Subha; O'Brien, Catherine; Faulkner, Guy; Stone, Michelle

2014-08-01

A pan-Canadian School Travel Planning intervention promoted active school travel (AST). A novel component was exploring emotion, well-being, and travel mode framed by the concept of "sustainable happiness." Relationships between travel mode and emotions, parent perceptions of their child's travel mode on well-being, and factors related to parent perceptions were examined. Questionnaires were administered to families (N = 5423) from 76 elementary schools. Explanatory variables were demographics (age and sex), school travel measures (mode, distance, accompaniment by an adult, safety, and barriers), and emotions (parent and child). Outcomes examined parent perceived benefits of travel mode on dimensions of well-being (physical, emotional, community, and environmental). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and hierarchical regression were used. Parents and children who used AST reported more positive emotions versus passive travelers. Parents of active travelers reported stronger connections to dimensions of well-being. AST had the strongest association with parents' perceptions of their child's well-being, and positive emotions (parent and child) were also significantly related to well-being on the trip to school. As an additional potential benefit of AST, interventions should raise awareness of the positive emotional experiences for children and their parents. Future research should experimentally examine if AST causes these emotional benefits. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Adolescents who engage in active school transport are also more active in other contexts: A space-time investigation.

PubMed

Stewart, Tom; Duncan, Scott; Schipperijn, Jasper

2017-01-01

Although active school travel (AST) is important for increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), it is unclear how AST is related to context-specific physical activity and non-school travel. This study investigated how school travel is related to physical activity and travel behaviours across time- and space-classified domains. A total of 196 adolescents wore a Global Positioning System receiver and an accelerometer for 7 days. All data were classified into one of four domains: home, school, transport, or leisure. Generalized linear mixed models were used to compare domain-specific PA and non-school trips between active and passive school travellers. Active travellers accumulated 13 and 14 more min of MVPA on weekdays and weekend days, respectively. They also spent 15min less time in vehicular travel during non-school trips, and accrued an additional 9min of MVPA while walking on weekend days. However, those with no AST still achieved most of their MVPA in the transport domain. AST is related to out-of-school physical activity and transportation, but transport is also important for those who do not use AST. As such, future studies should consider overall mobility and destinations other than school when assessing travel and physical activity behaviours. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of codon usage bias on FGLamide-allatostatin mRNA secondary structure.

PubMed

Martínez-Pérez, Francisco; Bendena, William G; Chang, Belinda S W; Tobe, Stephen S

2011-03-01

The FGLamide allatostatins (ASTs) are invertebrate neuropeptides which inhibit juvenile hormone biosynthesis in Dictyoptera and related orders. They also show myomodulatory activity. FGLamide AST nucleotide frequencies and codon bias were investigated with respect to possible effects on mRNA secondary structure. 367 putative FGLamide ASTs and their potential endoproteolytic cleavage sites were identified from 40 species of crustaceans, chelicerates and insects. Among these, 55% comprised only 11 amino acids. An FGLamide AST consensus was identified to be (X)(1→16)Y(S/A/N/G)FGLGKR, with a strong bias for the codons UUU encoding for Phe and AAA for Lys, which can form strong Watson-Crick pairing in all peptides analyzed. The physical distance between these codons favor a loop structure from Ser/Ala-Phe to Lys-Arg. Other loop and hairpin loops were also inferred from the codon frequencies in the N-terminal motif, and the first amino acids from the C-terminal motif, or the dibasic potential endoproteolytic cleavage site. Our results indicate that nucleotide frequencies and codon usage bias in FGLamide ASTs tend to favor mRNA folds in the codon sequence in the C-terminal active peptide core and at the dibasic potential endoproteolytic cleavage site. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new experimental method for the determination of the effective orifice area based on the acoustical source term

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadem, L.; Knapp, Y.; Pibarot, P.; Bertrand, E.; Garcia, D.; Durand, L. G.; Rieu, R.

2005-12-01

The effective orifice area (EOA) is the most commonly used parameter to assess the severity of aortic valve stenosis as well as the performance of valve substitutes. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) may be used for in vitro estimation of valve EOA. In the present study, we propose a new and simple method based on Howe’s developments of Lighthill’s aero-acoustic theory. This method is based on an acoustical source term (AST) to estimate the EOA from the transvalvular flow velocity measurements obtained by PIV. The EOAs measured by the AST method downstream of three sharp-edged orifices were in excellent agreement with the EOAs predicted from the potential flow theory used as the reference method in this study. Moreover, the AST method was more accurate than other conventional PIV methods based on streamlines, inflexion point or vorticity to predict the theoretical EOAs. The superiority of the AST method is likely due to the nonlinear form of the AST. There was also an excellent agreement between the EOAs measured by the AST method downstream of the three sharp-edged orifices as well as downstream of a bioprosthetic valve with those obtained by the conventional clinical method based on Doppler-echocardiographic measurements of transvalvular velocity. The results of this study suggest that this new simple PIV method provides an accurate estimation of the aortic valve flow EOA. This new method may thus be used as a reference method to estimate the EOA in experimental investigation of the performance of valve substitutes and to validate Doppler-echocardiographic measurements under various physiologic and pathologic flow conditions.

Impact of selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility test results on the appropriateness of antibiotics chosen by French general practitioners in urinary tract infections: a randomised controlled case-vignette study.

PubMed

Bourdellon, Loic; Thilly, Nathalie; Fougnot, Sébastien; Pulcini, Céline; Henard, Sandrine

2017-08-01

Selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) results is a potential intervention for laboratory-based antibiotic stewardship. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of AST reporting on the appropriateness of antibiotics selected by French general practitioners for urinary tract infections (UTIs). A randomised controlled case-vignette study in a region of northeast France surveyed general practitioners between July and October 2015 on treatment of four clinical cases of community-acquired Escherichia coli UTIs (two cases of complicated cystitis, one of acute pyelonephritis and one male UTI). In Group A, selective reporting of AST results was used for the first two cases and complete reporting for the other two cases; these were reversed in Group B. The overall participation rate was 131/198 (66.2%). Provision of selective AST results significantly increased the rate of adherence to national guidelines for first-line antibiotic treatment in Cases 1, 3 and 4 by 22.4% (55.2% vs. 32.8%, P = 0.01), 67.5% (75.0% vs. 7.5%, P <0.001) and 36.3% (45.3% vs. 9.0%, P <0.001), respectively. The improvement in compliance was not significant for Case 2. Prescriptions of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins decreased by 25.0% to 45.0%, depending on the clinical vignette. Most (106/131, 81.0%) participants favoured the routine use of selective reporting of AST results. In conclusion, selective reporting of AST results seems to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in primary care, and may be considered a key element of antimicrobial stewardship programmes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Development of A-type allatostatin immunoreactivity in antennal lobe neurons of the sphinx moth Manduca sexta.

PubMed

Utz, Sandra; Schachtner, Joachim

2005-04-01

The antennal lobe (AL) of the sphinx moth Manduca sexta is a well-established model system for studying mechanisms of neuronal development. To understand whether neuropeptides are suited to playing a role during AL development, we have studied the cellular localization and temporal expression pattern of neuropeptides of the A-type allatostatin family. Based on morphology and developmental appearance, we distinguished four types of AST-A-immunoreactive cell types. The majority of the cells were local interneurons of the AL (type Ia) which acquired AST-A immunostaining in a complex pattern consisting of three rising (RI-RIII) and two declining phases (DI, DII). Type Ib neurons consisted of two local neurons with large cell bodies not appearing before 7/8 days after pupal ecdysis (P7/P8). Types II and III neurons accounted for single centrifugal neurons, with type II neurons present in the larva and disappearing in the early pupa. The type III neuron did not appear before P7/P8. RI and RII coincided with the rises of the ecdysteroid hemolymph titer. Artificially shifting the pupal 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) peak to an earlier developmental time point resulted in the precocious appearance of AST-A immunostaining in types Ia, Ib, and III neurons. This result supports the hypothesis that the pupal rise in 20E plays a role in AST-A expression during AL development. Because of their early appearance in newly forming glomeruli, AST-A-immunoreactive fibers could be involved in glomerulus formation. Diffuse AST-A labeling during early AL development is discussed as a possible signal providing information for ingrowing olfactory receptor neurons.

Synthesis, Biophysical, and Pharmacological Evaluation of the Melanocortin Agonist AST3-88: Modifications of Peptide Backbone at Trp 7 Position Lead to a Potent, Selective, and Stable Ligand of the Melanocortin 4 Receptor (MC4R)

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The melanocortin-3 (MC3R) and melanocortin-4 (MC4R) receptors are expressed in the brain and are implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis. The endogenous agonist ligands for these receptors (α-, β-, γ-MSH and ACTH) are linear peptides with limited receptor subtype selectivity and metabolic stability, thus minimizing their use as probes to characterize the overlapping pharmacological and physiological functions of the melanocortin receptor subtypes. In the present study, an engineered template, in which the peptide backbone was modified by a heterocyclic reverse turn mimetic at the Trp7 residue, was synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis and characterized by a β-galactosidase cAMP based reporter gene assay. The functional assay identified a ∼5 nM mouse MC4R agonist (AST3-88) with more than 50-fold selectivity over the mMC3R. Biophysical studies (2D 1H NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics) of AST3-88 identified a type VIII β-turn secondary structure spanning the pharmacophore domain stabilized by the intramolecular interactions between the side chains of the His and Trp residues. Enzymatic studies of AST3-88 revealed enhanced stability of AST3-88 over the α-MSH endogenous peptide in rat serum. Upon central administration of AST3-88 into rats, a decreased food intake response was observed. This is the first study to probe the in vivo physiological activity of this engineered peptide-heterocycle template. These findings advance the present knowledge of pharmacophore design for potent, selective, and metabolically stable melanocortin ligands. PMID:25141170

Bioavailability of astaxanthin stereoisomers from wild (Oncorhynchus spp.) and aquacultured (Salmo salar) salmon in healthy men: a randomised, double-blind study.

PubMed

Rüfer, Corinna E; Moeseneder, Jutta; Briviba, Karlis; Rechkemmer, Gerhard; Bub, Achim

2008-05-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the bioavailability and the configurational isomer distribution of the carotenoid astaxanthin (AST) in human plasma after ingestion of wild (Oncorhynchus spp.) and aquacultured (Salmo salar) salmon. In a randomised and double-blind trial, twenty-eight healthy men consumed 250 g wild or aquacultured salmon daily for 4 weeks which provided 5 mug AST/g salmon flesh. The plasma AST concentrations as well as the isomer distribution were measured by HPLC using a reversed and a chiral stationary phase. After 6 d of intervention with salmon, plasma AST concentrations reached a plateau of 39 nmol/l after consumption of wild salmon and of 52 nmol/l after administration of aquacultured salmon. At days 3, 6, 10 and 14 -- but not at day 28 -- the AST concentrations in human plasma were significantly greater after ingestion of aquacultured salmon. After administration of wild salmon, the (3S,3'S) isomer predominated in plasma (80 %), whereas after intake of aquacultured salmon the meso form (3R,3'S) prevailed (48 %). Therefore, the AST isomer pattern in human plasma resembles that of the ingested salmon. However, after consumption of both wild and aquacultured salmon for 28 d the relative proportion of the (3S,3'S) isomer was slightly higher and the (3R,3'R) form lower in human plasma compared with the isomer distribution in salmon flesh. A selective process of isomer absorption could be responsible for the observed differences in the relative proportions of the (3S,3'S) and (3R,3'R) isomers in human plasma compared with salmon flesh.

Rapid disc diffusion antibiotic susceptibility testing for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterococcus spp.

PubMed Central

Hombach, Michael; Jetter, Marion; Blöchliger, Nicolas; Kolesnik-Goldmann, Natalia; Keller, Peter M; Böttger, Erik C

2018-01-01

Abstract Background We investigated the feasibility of rapid disc diffusion antibiotic susceptibility testing (rAST) with reading of inhibition zones after 6 and/or 8 h of incubation for Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. In addition, we evaluated discrimination of resistant populations from the WT populations at early timepoints and the requirement for clinical breakpoint adaptations for proper interpretation of rAST data. Methods In total, 815 clinical strains [E. faecalis (n = 135), E. faecium (n = 227), P. aeruginosa (n = 295) and A. baumannii (n = 158)] were included in this study. Disc diffusion plates were streaked, incubated and imaged using the WASPLabTM automation system. WT populations and non-WT populations were defined using epidemiological cut-offs. Results and conclusions rAST at 6 and 8 h was possible for A. baumannii and enterococci with readability of inhibition zones >90%. Overall categorical agreement of rAST at 6 h with AST at 18 h was 97.2%, 97.4% and 95.3% for E. faecalis, E. faecium and A. baumannii, respectively. With few exceptions, major categorization error rates were <1% for A. baumannii, and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium were clearly separated from the WT at 6 h. For P. aeruginosa the average readability of inhibition zones was 68.9% at 8 h and we found an overall categorical agreement of 94.8%. Adaptations of clinical breakpoints and/or introduction of technical buffer zones, preferably based on aggregated population data from various epidemiological settings, are required for proper interpretation of rAST. PMID:29186434

Assessment of Growth and Development in Children With Hepatitis B Positivity.

PubMed

Sari, Tugba; Eren, Erdal; Koruk, Suda Tekin

2014-12-01

Chronic infections and liver diseases may influence the growth and development of children by leading to malnutrition. In this study, demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements and laboratory findings for children with hepatitis B positivity were analyzed. A total of 43 cases were admitted to our clinic between January 2012 and February 2013 and detected to have HBsAg positivity. Malnutrition was detected in 11 cases (25.6%) and obesity in three cases (6.9%). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly higher in malnourished patients compared to those without malnutrition. The weight to height was significantly higher in patients with positive HBeAg compared to children with negative HBeAg. We found that the weight standard deviation scores (SDS) ratios dropped as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and AST levels increased and height SDS ratios decreased. In addition, body mass index (BMI) decreased as AST and alpha feto protein (AFP) values increased. While a significant relationship was not detected between insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and ALT, a significantly negative correlation was detected between IGFBP-3 and IGF-1 and AST. We found a malnutrition rate of 25.6% in children with HBsAg positivity. We also found that weight and height SDS rates decreased as ALT and AST levels increased. In addition, we detected that BMI decreased as AST and AFP values increased. We consider that hepatic inflammation is the factor that affects growth. Monitoring of growth and development during follow-up of children who are detected to have HBsAg positivity would be beneficial to determine the mechanism and causes of growth retardation.

The genetic architecture of liver enzyme levels: GGT, ALT and AST.

PubMed

van Beek, Jenny H D A; de Moor, Marleen H M; de Geus, Eco J C; Lubke, Gitta H; Vink, Jacqueline M; Willemsen, Gonneke; Boomsma, Dorret I

2013-07-01

High levels of liver enzymes GGT, ALT and AST are predictive of disease and all-cause mortality and can reflect liver injury, fatty liver and/or oxidative stress. Variation in GGT, ALT and AST levels is heritable. Moderation of the heritability of these liver enzymes by age and sex has not often been explored, and it is not clear to what extent non-additive genetic and shared environmental factors may play a role. To examine the genetic architecture of GGT, ALT and AST, plasma levels were assessed in a large sample of twins, their siblings, parents and spouses (N = 8,371; age range 18-90). For GGT and ALT, but not for AST, genetic structural equation modeling showed evidence for quantitative sex differences in the genetic architecture. There was no evidence for qualitative sex differences, i.e. the same genes were expressed in males and females. Both additive and non-additive genetic factors were important for GGT in females (total heritability h(2) 60 %) and AST in both sexes (total h(2) 43 %). The heritability of GGT in males and ALT for both sexes was due to additive effects only (GGT males 30 %; ALT males 40 %, females 22 %). Evidence emerged for shared environmental factors influencing GGT in the male offspring generation (variance explained 28 %). Thus, the same genes influence liver enzyme levels across sex and age, but their relative contribution to the variation in GGT and ALT differs in males and females and for GGT across age. Given adequate sample sizes these results suggest that genome-wide association studies may result in the detection of new susceptibility loci for liver enzyme levels when pooling results over sex and age.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug-resistance testing: challenges, recent developments and perspectives.

PubMed

Schön, T; Miotto, P; Köser, C U; Viveiros, M; Böttger, E; Cambau, E

2017-03-01

Drug-resistance testing, or antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), is mandatory for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in cases of failure on standard therapy. We reviewed the different methods and techniques of phenotypic and genotypic approaches. Although multiresistant and extensively drug-resistant (MDR/XDR) tuberculosis is present worldwide, AST for M. tuberculosis (AST-MTB) is still mainly performed according to the resources available rather than the drug-resistance rates. Phenotypic methods, i.e. culture-based AST, are commonly used in high-income countries to confirm susceptibility of new cases of tuberculosis. They are also used to detect resistance in tuberculosis cases with risk factors, in combination with genotypic tests. In low-income countries, genotypic methods screening hot-spot mutations known to confer resistance were found to be easier to perform because they avoid the culture and biosafety constraint. Given that genotypic tests can rapidly detect the prominent mechanisms of resistance, such as the rpoB mutation for rifampicin resistance, we are facing new challenges with the observation of false-resistance (mutations not conferring resistance) and false-susceptibility (mutations different from the common mechanism) results. Phenotypic and genotypic approaches are therefore complementary for obtaining a high sensitivity and specificity for detecting drug resistances and susceptibilities to accurately predict MDR/XDR cure and to gather relevant data for resistance surveillance. Although AST-MTB was established in the 1960s, there is no consensus reference method for MIC determination against which the numerous AST-MTB techniques can be compared. This information is necessary for assessing in vitro activity and setting breakpoints for future anti-tuberculosis agents. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A High-Resolution Study of the IGM at 5 < z < 6.4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, G. D.; Sargent, W. L. W.; Rauch, M.; Simcoe, R. A.

2005-12-01

The complete Lyman-alpha absorption seen in the spectra of z > 6 quasars suggest that the reionization of the IGM may have completed as late as z = 6.2. However, this late reionization scenario remains controversial due in part to studies of galaxy luminosity functions, which favor a highly-ionized IGM out to z > 6.5. In order to improve our understanding of the IGM at these redshifts, we have acquired Keck/HIRES spectra of nine quasars at 4.8 < z < 6.4. These are the first high-resolution spectra ever taken at z > 4.6, and are providing the first detailed look at the very high-redshift IGM. We will present the first results from this data set, highlighting the evolution of the Lyman-alpha forest and the quasar proximity regions. The high-resolution data also reveal an overabundance of O I systems at z > 6 towards SDSS J1148+5251. These O I absorbers may represent the last pockets of neutral gas to be reionized at z ˜ 6. Alternatively, they may be caused by enriched galaxy halos physically similar to those observed at lower redshift. For these systems we are able to measure accurate column densities of O I, C II, and Si II. The relative abundances are consistent with the yields of ordinary Type II supernovae, with at most ˜ 30% of the silicon contributed by very massive stars. GDB and WLWS have been supported by the NSF through grants AST 99-00733 and AST 02-06067. MR has been supported by the NSF under grant AST 00-98492. RAS has been supported by the MIT Pappalardo Fellowship program.

Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes with pazopanib in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcomas in a compassionate use setting: results of the SPIRE study.

PubMed

Gelderblom, Hans; Judson, Ian R; Benson, Charlotte; Merimsky, Ofer; Grignani, Giovanni; Katz, Daniela; Freivogel, Klaus W; Stein, Dara; Jobanputra, Minesh; Mungul, Arron; Manson, Stephanie C; Sanfilippo, Roberta

2017-12-01

A named patient program (NPP) was designed to provide patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma (aSTS) access to pazopanib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The SPIRE study was a retrospective chart review of participating patients. Eligibility criteria for the NPP and SPIRE mirrored those of the pivotal phase-III study, PALETTE, which compared pazopanib with placebo in patients ≥18 years with aSTS and whose disease had progressed during or following prior chemotherapy or were otherwise unsuitable for chemotherapy. Outcomes of interest included treatment patterns, treatment duration, relative dose intensity, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), clinical benefit rate, adverse events (AEs) and reasons for treatment discontinuation. A total of 211 patients were enrolled (median age 56 years; 60% female). Most patients received pazopanib in second- and third-line therapy (28.0% and 28.4%, respectively), followed by fourth line (19.0%) and ≥ fifth line (18.5%). The median duration of pazopanib treatment was 3.1 months (95% CI: 2.8-3.8), with a mean daily dose of 715 mg equating to 92% of recommended dose. Median OS was 11.1 months and clinical benefit rate was 46%. There was evidence of some clinical benefit across most histological subtypes. At study end, 40% of patients were alive and of these, 18% remained on pazopanib. Thirteen percent (13%) of patients discontinued pazopanib due to AEs. The SPIRE study demonstrated activity of pazopanib in heavily pretreated aSTS patients in a compassionate use setting. No new safety concerns were noted. Reassuringly, the relative dose intensity of pazopanib was 92%.

Emerging Resistance, New Antimicrobial Agents  …  but No Tests! The Challenge of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in the Current US Regulatory Landscape.

PubMed

Humphries, R M; Hindler, J A

2016-07-01

Accurate and timely performance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) by the clinical laboratory is paramount to combating antimicrobial resistance. The ability of laboratories in the United States to effectively perform ASTs is challenged by several factors. Some, such as new resistance mechanisms and the associated evolution of testing recommendations and breakpoints, are inevitable. Others are entirely man-made. These include unnecessarily strict US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limitations on how commercial AST systems can be used for diagnostic testing, the absence of up-to-date performance data on these systems, and the lack of commercially available FDA-cleared tests for newer antimicrobial agents or for older agents with updated breakpoints. This viewpoint will highlight contemporary AST challenges faced by the clinical laboratory, and propose some solutions. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationships between cerebral autoregulation and markers of kidney and liver injury in neonatal encephalopathy and therapeutic hypothermia.

PubMed

Lee, J K; Perin, J; Parkinson, C; O'Connor, M; Gilmore, M M; Reyes, M; Armstrong, J; Jennings, J M; Northington, F J; Chavez-Valdez, R

2017-08-01

We studied whether cerebral blood pressure autoregulation and kidney and liver injuries are associated in neonatal encephalopathy (NE). We monitored autoregulation of 75 newborns who received hypothermia for NE in the neonatal intensive care unit to identify the mean arterial blood pressure with optimized autoregulation (MAP OPT ). Autoregulation parameters and creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were analyzed using adjusted regression models. Greater time with blood pressure within MAP OPT during hypothermia was associated with lower creatinine in girls. Blood pressure below MAP OPT related to higher ALT and AST during normothermia in all neonates and boys. The opposite occurred in rewarming when more time with blood pressure above MAP OPT related to higher AST. Blood pressures that optimize cerebral autoregulation may support the kidneys. Blood pressures below MAP OPT and liver injury during normothermia are associated. The relationship between MAP OPT and AST during rewarming requires further study.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Aguado Syntax Test (AST) into Brazilian Portuguese.

PubMed

Baggio, Gustavo Inheta; Hage, Simone Rocha de Vasconcellos

2017-12-07

To perform the translation and cultural adaptation of the Aguado Syntax Test (AST) into Brazilian Portuguese considering the linguistic and cultural reality of the language. The AST assesses the early morphosyntactic development in children aged 3 to 7 in terms of understanding and expression of various types of structures such as sentences, pronouns, verbal voices, comparisons, prepositions and verbal desinence as to number, mode and tense. The process of translation and cultural adaptation followed four steps: 1) preparation of two translations; 2) synthesis of consensual translations; 3) backtranslation; and 4) verification of equivalence between the initial translations and backtranslations that resulted in the final translated version. The whole process of translation and cultural adaptation revealed the presence of equivalence and reconciliation of the translated items and an almost complete semantic equivalence between the two translations and the absence of consistent translation difficulties. The AST was translated and culturally adapted into Brazilian Portuguese, constituting the first step towards validation and standardization of the test.

Neutrino Photoproduction on the Electron of a Hydrogen-Like Atom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skobelev, V. V.

2017-10-01

The process of interaction of a photon with the bound electron of a hydrogen-like atom with creation of a neutrino pair γ +{(Ze)}^{\\ast \\ast}\\to \\overline{νν}+{(Ze)}^{\\ast } is considered here for the first time. This process can take place with and without a change in the energy of the pair relative to the energy of the "initial" photon due to atomic transitions. It is shown that in the case when the system of atoms is located in an equilibrium radiation field with temperature T << m e this process can be neglected in comparison with spontaneous emission of the hydrogen-like atom {(Ze)}^{\\ast}\\to (Ze)+ν\\overline{ν} , despite the smaller power of the expansion parameter ( Zα) < < 1, α = e 2/ ℏc ≈ 1/137 in the expressions for the cross sections and probabilities. Calculations have been performed for the first time using the density matrix, introduced in the previous paper, of the electron in the field of the nucleus in the leading approximation in (Zα).

The Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Eric L.; Macintosh, Bruce; Graham, James R.; Barman, Travis S.; Doyon, Rene; Fabrycky, Daniel; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Kalas, Paul; Konopacky, Quinn M.; Marchis, Franck; Marley, Mark S.; Marois, Christian; Patience, Jenny; Perrin, Marshall D.; Oppenheimer, Rebecca; Song, Inseok; GPIES Team

2017-01-01

The Gemini Planet Imager Exoplanet Survey (GPIES) is one of the largest most sensitive direct imaging searches for exoplanets conducted to date, and having observed more than 300 stars the survey is halfway complete. We present highlights from the first half of the survey, including the discovery and characterization of the young exoplanet 51 Eri b and the brown dwarf HR 2562 B, new imaging of multiple disks, and resolving the young stellar binary V343 Nor for the first time. GPI has also provided new spectra and orbits of previous known planets and brown dwarfs and polarization measurements of a wide range of disks. Finally, we discuss the constraints placed by the first half of the GPIES campaign on the population of giant planets at orbital separations beyond that of Jupiter. Supported by NSF grants AST-0909188 and AST-1313718, AST-1411868, AST 141378, NNX11AF74G, and DGE-1232825, and by NASA grants NNX15AD95G/NEXSS and NNX11AD21G.

Neurotropic Astrovirus in Cattle with Nonsuppurative Encephalitis in Europe

PubMed Central

Bouzalas, Ilias G.; Wüthrich, Daniel; Walland, Julia; Drögemüller, Cord; Zurbriggen, Andreas; Vandevelde, Marc; Oevermann, Anna; Bruggmann, Rémy

2014-01-01

Encephalitis is a frequently diagnosed condition in cattle with neurological diseases. Many affected animals present with a nonsuppurative inflammatory reaction pattern in the brain. While this pattern supports a viral etiology, the causative pathogen remains unknown in a large proportion of cases. Using viral metagenomics, we identified an astrovirus (bovine astrovirus [BoAstV]-CH13) in the brain of a cow with nonsuppurative encephalitis. Additionally, BoAstV RNA was detected with reverse transcription-PCR and in situ hybridization in about one fourth (5/22 animals) of cattle with nonsuppurative encephalitis of unknown etiology. Viral RNA was found primarily in neurons and at the site of pathology. These findings support the notion that BoAstV infection is a common cause of encephalitis in cattle. Phylogenetically, BoAstV-CH13 was closely related to rare astrovirus isolates from encephalitis cases in animals and a human patient. Future research needs to be directed toward the pathogenic mechanisms, epidemiology, and potential cross-species transmission of these neurotropic astroviruses. PMID:24989603

A novel astrovirus associated with encephalitis and ganglionitis in domestic sheep.

PubMed

Pfaff, F; Schlottau, K; Scholes, S; Courtenay, A; Hoffmann, B; Höper, D; Beer, M

2017-06-01

In June 2013, a 4-year-old Welsh Mountain ewe and in March 2014 a 10-day-old lamb of the same breed and the same flock presented progressive neurological signs including depressed sensorium, tremor, and unusual behaviour. Neuropathological examination of the brain and spinal cord detected non-suppurative polioencephalomyelitis and dorsal root ganglionitis, characteristic of a neurotropic viral agent in both sheep. Metagenomic analysis of different tissue samples from both animals identified a novel Ovine Astrovirus (OvAstV). The presence of viral genome in the central nervous system was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Although the cases presented nine months apart, the identified OvAstV shared nearly identical sequences, differing in only three nucleotide positions across the complete genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relation of OvAstV to neurotropic bovine astroviruses and an enteric OvAstV. In conclusion, these are the first reported cases of astrovirus infection in domestic sheep that were associated with encephalitis and ganglionitis. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System for Turbofan Engines. Volume 2; BFaNS User's Manual and Developer's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morin, Bruce L.

2010-01-01

Pratt & Whitney has developed a Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System (BFaNS) for turbofan engines. This system computes the noise generated by turbulence impinging on the leading edges of the fan and fan exit guide vane, and noise generated by boundary-layer turbulence passing over the fan trailing edge. BFaNS has been validated on three fan rigs that were tested during the NASA Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST). The predicted noise spectra agreed well with measured data. The predicted effects of fan speed, vane count, and vane sweep also agreed well with measurements. The noise prediction system consists of two computer programs: Setup_BFaNS and BFaNS. Setup_BFaNS converts user-specified geometry and flow-field information into a BFaNS input file. From this input file, BFaNS computes the inlet and aft broadband sound power spectra generated by the fan and FEGV. The output file from BFaNS contains the inlet, aft and total sound power spectra from each noise source. This report is the second volume of a three-volume set documenting the Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System: Volume 1: Setup_BFaNS User s Manual and Developer s Guide; Volume 2: BFaNS User s Manual and Developer s Guide; and Volume 3: Validation and Test Cases. The present volume begins with an overview of the Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System, followed by step-by-step instructions for installing and running BFaNS. It concludes with technical documentation of the BFaNS computer program.

Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System for Turbofan Engines. Volume 1; Setup_BFaNS User's Manual and Developer's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morin, Bruce L.

2010-01-01

Pratt & Whitney has developed a Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System (BFaNS) for turbofan engines. This system computes the noise generated by turbulence impinging on the leading edges of the fan and fan exit guide vane, and noise generated by boundary-layer turbulence passing over the fan trailing edge. BFaNS has been validated on three fan rigs that were tested during the NASA Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST). The predicted noise spectra agreed well with measured data. The predicted effects of fan speed, vane count, and vane sweep also agreed well with measurements. The noise prediction system consists of two computer programs: Setup_BFaNS and BFaNS. Setup_BFaNS converts user-specified geometry and flow-field information into a BFaNS input file. From this input file, BFaNS computes the inlet and aft broadband sound power spectra generated by the fan and FEGV. The output file from BFaNS contains the inlet, aft and total sound power spectra from each noise source. This report is the first volume of a three-volume set documenting the Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System: Volume 1: Setup_BFaNS User s Manual and Developer s Guide; Volume 2: BFaNS User's Manual and Developer s Guide; and Volume 3: Validation and Test Cases. The present volume begins with an overview of the Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System, followed by step-by-step instructions for installing and running Setup_BFaNS. It concludes with technical documentation of the Setup_BFaNS computer program.

Sake Protein Supplementation Affects Exercise Performance and Biochemical Profiles in Power-Exercise-Trained Mice

PubMed Central

Chen, Yi-Ming; Lin, Che-Li; Wei, Li; Hsu, Yi-Ju; Chen, Kuan-Neng; Huang, Chi-Chang; Kao, Chin-Hsung

2016-01-01

Exercise and fitness training programs have attracted the public’s attention in recent years. Sports nutrition supplementation is an important issue in the global sports market. Purpose: In this study, we designed a power exercise training (PET) program with a mouse model based on a strength and conditional training protocol for humans. We tested the effect of supplementation with functional branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-rich sake protein (SP) to determine whether the supplement had a synergistic effect during PET and enhanced athletic performance and resistance to fatigue. Methods: Male ICR mice were divided into three groups (n = 8 per group) for four-week treatment: sedentary controls with vehicle (SC), and PET and PET groups with SP supplementation (3.8 g/kg, PET + SP). Exercise performance was evaluated by forelimb grip strength and exhaustive swimming time as well as changes in body composition and anti-fatigue activity levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase (CK) after a 15-min swimming exercise. The biochemical parameters were measured at the end of the experiment. Results: four-week PET significantly increased grip strength and exhaustive swimming time and decreased epididymal fat pad (EFP) weight and area. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, and uric acid (UA) were significantly increased. PET + SP supplementation significantly decreased serum lactate, ammonia and CK levels after the 15-min swimming exercise. The resting serum levels of AST, ALT, CREA and UA were all significantly decreased with PET + SP. Conclusion: The PET program could increase the exercise performance and modulate the body composition of mice. PET with SP conferred better anti-fatigue activity, improved biochemical profiles, and may be an effective ergogenic aid in strength training. PMID:26907336

Sake Protein Supplementation Affects Exercise Performance and Biochemical Profiles in Power-Exercise-Trained Mice.

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Ming; Lin, Che-Li; Wei, Li; Hsu, Yi-Ju; Chen, Kuan-Neng; Huang, Chi-Chang; Kao, Chin-Hsung

2016-02-20

Exercise and fitness training programs have attracted the public's attention in recent years. Sports nutrition supplementation is an important issue in the global sports market. In this study, we designed a power exercise training (PET) program with a mouse model based on a strength and conditional training protocol for humans. We tested the effect of supplementation with functional branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-rich sake protein (SP) to determine whether the supplement had a synergistic effect during PET and enhanced athletic performance and resistance to fatigue. Male ICR mice were divided into three groups (n = 8 per group) for four-week treatment: sedentary controls with vehicle (SC), and PET and PET groups with SP supplementation (3.8 g/kg, PET + SP). Exercise performance was evaluated by forelimb grip strength and exhaustive swimming time as well as changes in body composition and anti-fatigue activity levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase (CK) after a 15-min swimming exercise. The biochemical parameters were measured at the end of the experiment. four-week PET significantly increased grip strength and exhaustive swimming time and decreased epididymal fat pad (EFP) weight and area. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, and uric acid (UA) were significantly increased. PET + SP supplementation significantly decreased serum lactate, ammonia and CK levels after the 15-min swimming exercise. The resting serum levels of AST, ALT, CREA and UA were all significantly decreased with PET + SP. The PET program could increase the exercise performance and modulate the body composition of mice. PET with SP conferred better anti-fatigue activity, improved biochemical profiles, and may be an effective ergogenic aid in strength training.

Investigation of the polyvinyl alcohol stabilization mechanism and adsorption properties on the surface of ternary mixed nanooxide AST 50 (Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiśniewska, Małgorzata; Ostolska, Iwona; Szewczuk-Karpisz, Katarzyna; Chibowski, Stanisław; Terpiłowski, Konrad; Gun'ko, Vladimir Moiseevich; Zarko, Vladimir Iljich

2015-01-01

A new adsorbent consisting of fumed, mixed alumina, silica, and titania in various proportions (AST 50) was investigated. The studied material was prepared by chemical vapor deposition method. The diameter of AST 50 primary particles was equal to about 51 nm which denotes that it can be classified as a nanomaterial. In the presented paper, the adsorption properties of polyvinyl alcohol on the ternary oxide were investigated. The polymer macromolecules were characterized by two different molecular weights and degree of hydrolysis. The polymer adsorption reaches the maximum at pH 3 and decreases with the solution pH rise. The reduction of the adsorbed PVA macromolecules is related to the electrostatic repulsion forces occurring in the studied system. The AST 50 point of zero charge (pHpzc) obtained from the potentiometric titration is equal to 4.7. Due to the nonionic character of the analyzed macromolecular compound, the polymer attendance has an insignificant effect on the AST 50 surface charge density. In the case of the adsorbent particles zeta potential, the obtained dependencies are different in the absence and presence of PVA. The shift of the slipping plane and displacement of the counter-ions from Stern layer by the adsorbed polymer chains have the greatest effect on the ζ potential value. The stability measurements indicate that the AST 50 suspensions in the presence of the background electrolyte at pH 3 and 6 are unstable. In turn, in an alkaline medium the mixed oxide suspensions exhibit the highest durability, which is a result of a large number of the negative charges on the AST 50 surface. The addition of PVA 100 significantly improves the suspension stability at pH 3 and 6; at higher pH value, the polymer presence does not influence the system durability. It is related to the steric and electrosteric stabilization of the colloidal particles by the adsorbed polyvinyl alcohol macromolecules.

Astaxanthin and Docosahexaenoic Acid Reverse the Toxicity of the Maxi-K (BK) Channel Antagonist Mycotoxin Penitrem A

PubMed Central

Goda, Amira A.; Naguib, Khayria M.; Mohamed, Magdy M.; Amra, Hassan A.; Nada, Somaia A.; Abdel-Ghaffar, Abdel-Rahman B.; Gissendanner, Chris R.; El Sayed, Khalid A.

2016-01-01

Penitrem A (PA) is a food mycotoxin produced by several terrestrial and few marine Penicillium species. PA is a potent tremorgen through selective antagonism of the calcium-dependent potassium BK (Maxi-K) channels. Discovery of natural products that can prevent the toxic effects of PA is important for food safety. Astaxanthin (AST) is a marine natural xanthophyll carotenoid with documented antioxidant activity. Unlike other common antioxidants, AST can cross blood brain barriers (BBBs), inducing neuroprotective effects. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is polyunsaturated ω-3 fatty acid naturally occurring in fish and algae. DHA is essential for normal neurological and cellular development. This study evaluated the protective activity of AST and DHA against PA-induced toxicity, in vitro on Schwann cells CRL-2765 and in vivo in the worm Caenorhbitidis elegans and Sprague Dawley rat models. PA inhibited the viability of Schwann cells, with an IC50 of 22.6 μM. Dose-dependent treatments with 10–100 μM DHA significantly reversed the PA toxicity at its IC50 dose, and improved the survival of Schwann cells to 70.5%–98.8%. Similarly, dose-dependent treatments with 10–20 μM AST reversed the PA toxicity at its IC50 dose and raised these cells’ survival to 61.7%–70.5%. BK channel inhibition in the nematode C. elegans is associated with abnormal reversal locomotion. DHA and AST counteracted the in vivo PA BK channel antagonistic activity in the C. elegans model. Rats fed a PA-contaminated diet showed high levels of glutamate (GLU), aspartate (ASP), and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), with observed necrosis or absence of Purkinjie neurons, typical of PA-induced neurotoxicity. Dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and norepinephrine (NE) levels were abnormal, Nitric Oxide (NO) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly increased, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) level in serum and brain homogenates was significantly decreased in PA-treated rats. DHA and AST treatments effectively counteracted the toxic effects of PA and normalized most biochemical parameters in rats. DHA and AST can be useful food additives to prevent and reverse PA food-induced toxicity. PMID:27834847

Defining the optimal cut-off values for liver enzymes in diagnosing blunt liver injury.

PubMed

Koyama, Tomohide; Hamada, Hirohisa; Nishida, Masamichi; Naess, Paal A; Gaarder, Christine; Sakamoto, Tetsuya

2016-01-25

Patients with blunt trauma to the liver have elevated levels of liver enzymes within a short time post injury, potentially useful in screening patients for computed tomography (CT). This study was performed to define the optimal cut-off values for serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in patients with blunt liver injury diagnosed with contrast enhanced multi detector-row CT (CE-MDCT). All patients admitted from May 2006 to July 2013 to Teikyo University Hospital Trauma and Critical Care Center, and who underwent abdominal CE-MDCT within 3 h after blunt trauma, were retrospectively enrolled. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the optimal cut-off values for AST and ALT were defined, and sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Of a total of 676 blunt trauma patients 64 patients were diagnosed with liver injury (Group LI+) and 612 patients without liver injury (Group LI-). Group LI+ and LI- were comparable for age, Revised Trauma Score, and Probability of survival. The groups differed in Injury Severity Score [median 21 (interquartile range 9-33) vs. 17 (9-26) (p < 0.01)]. Group LI+ had higher AST than LI- [276 (48-503) vs. 44 (16-73); p < 0.001] and higher ALT [240 (92-388) vs. 32 (16-49); p < 0.001]. Using ROC curve analysis, the optimal cut-off values for AST and ALT were set at 109 U/l and 97 U/l, respectively. Based on these values, AST ≥ 109 U/l had a sensitivity of 81%, a specificity of 82%, a positive predictive value of 32%, and a negative predictive value of 98%. The corresponding values for ALT ≥ 97 U/l were 78, 88, 41 and 98%, respectively, and for the combination of AST ≥ 109 U/l and/or ALT ≥ 97 U/l were 84, 81, 32, 98%, respectively. We have identified AST ≥ 109 U/l and ALT ≥ 97 U/l as optimal cut-off values in predicting the presence of liver injury, potentially useful as a screening tool for CT scan in patients otherwise eligible for observation only or as a transfer criterion to a facility with CT scan capability.

Prevalence of abnormal serum liver enzymes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study from China.

PubMed

Chen, Shuang; Guo, Xiaofan; Chen, Yintao; Dong, Siyuan; Sun, Yingxian

2016-11-01

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients and identify contributing risk factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of China, and 1,198 type 2 diabetic patients with complete data were recruited. Elevated ALT and AST levels were defined as >40 U/L. Prevalence of abnormal liver enzymes was analyzed and multivariable analysis was used to identify independent risk factors. 10.3% and 6.1% diabetic patients had elevated ALT and elevated AST, respectively. The prevalence of elevated liver enzymes was gender-related; it was 13.8% in men and 7.5% in women for elevated ALT, and 7.4% in men and 3.1% in women for elevated AST. High triglyceride was positively associated with both elevated ALT (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.08-3.01, p = 0.024) and elevated AST (OR 2.24, 95%CI 1.08-4.65, p = 0.031), while taking anti-diabetes medicine was inversely related to both elevated ALT (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29-0.80, p = 0.005) and elevated AST (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.17-0.82, p = 0.014). The risk of elevated ALT in diabetic patients increased with the presence of obesity (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.07-6.01, p = 0.034), and was lower in women (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.19-0.72, p = 0.003). Hypertension (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.41-13.30, p = 0.011), current drinking status (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.21-6.96, p = 0.017) and national minority (OR 3.26, 95%CI 1.31-8.12, p = 0.011) were risk factors for elevated AST. A relatively high prevalence of abnormal serum liver enzymes in diabetic patients was demonstrated in China, especially in males. More attention should be paid to preventing liver injuries in diabetic patients.

Enzyme activities in plasma, liver, and kidney of black ducks and mallards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franson, J. Christian

1982-01-01

Activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured in plasma, liver, and kidney, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was measured in liver and kidney of black ducks (Anas rubripes). Activities of ALT, AST, GGT, and ornithine carbamyl transferase (OCT) were assayed in plasma, liver, and kidney of game-farm mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Appreciable OCT and AST activity occurred in both liver and kidney. Activities of ALT, CPK, ALP and GGT were higher in kidney, while LDH was higher in liver, GGT was detected in plasma from one of four mallards.

Research on scheduling of robotic transient survey for Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiang; Wei, Peng; Shang, Zhao-Hui; Ma, Bin; Hu, Yi

2018-01-01

Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3) are designed to be fully robotic telescopes at Dome A, Antarctica, which aim for highly efficient time-domain sky surveys as well as rapid response to special transient events (e.g., gamma-ray bursts, near-Earth asteroids, supernovae, etc.). Unlike traditional observations, a well-designed real-time survey scheduler is needed in order to implement an automatic survey in a very efficient, reliable and flexible way for the unattended telescopes. We present a study of the survey strategy for AST3 and implementation of its survey scheduler, which is also useful for other survey projects.

Efficacy of Antibiotic Suppressive Therapy in Patients with a Prosthetic Joint Infection.

PubMed

Wouthuyzen-Bakker, Marjan; Nijman, Jasperina M; Kampinga, Greetje A; van Assen, Sander; Jutte, Paul C

2017-01-01

Introduction: For chronic prosthetic joint infections (PJI), complete removal of the infected prosthesis is necessary in order to cure the infection. Unfortunately, a subgroup of patients is not able to undergo a revision surgery due to high surgical risk. Alternatively, these patients can be treated with antibiotic suppressive therapy (AST) to suppress the infection. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of AST. Methods: We retrospectively collected data (period 2009-2015) from patients with a PJI (of hip, knee or shoulder) who were treated with AST at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. AST was defined as antibiotic treatment for PJI that was started after the usual 3 months of antibiotic treatment. The time of follow-up was defined from the time point AST was started. Treatment was considered as failed, when the patient still experienced joint pain, when surgical intervention (debridement, removal, arthrodesis or amputation) was needed to control the infection and/or when death occurred due to the infection. Results: We included 21 patients with a median age of 67 years (range 21 - 88) and with a median follow-up of 21 months (range 3 - 81). Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) (n=6), S. aureus (n=6) and polymicrobial flora (n=4) were the most frequently found causative pathogens. Most patients with CNS and S. aureus were treated with minocycline (67%) and clindamycin (83%) as AST, respectively. Overall, treatment was successful in 67% of patients. Failure was due to persistent joint pain (n=1), surgical intervention because of an uncontrolled infection (n=3), and death due the infection (n=3). We observed a treatment success of 90% in patients with a 'standard' prosthesis (n=11), compared to only 50% in patients with a tumor-prosthesis (n=10). Also, treatment was successful in 83% of patients with a CNS as causative microorganism for the infection, compared to 50% in patients with a S. aureus . Patients who failed on AST had a higher ESR in comparison to patients with a successful treatment (mean 73 ± 25SD versus 32 ± 19SD mm/hour (p = 0.007), respectively. 43% of patients experienced side effects and led to a switch of antibiotic treatment or a dose adjustment in almost all of these patients. Conclusions: Removal of the implant remains first choice in patients with chronic PJI. However, AST is a reasonable alternative treatment option in a subgroup of patients with a PJI who are no candidate for revision surgery, in particular in patients with a 'standard' prosthesis and/or CNS as the causative micro-organism.

The Effect of Stabilization Treatments on Disk Alloy CH98

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gayda, John; Gabb, Timothy P.; Ellis, David L.

2003-01-01

Gas turbine engines for future subsonic transports will probably have higher pressure ratios which will require nickelbase superalloy disks with 1300 to 1400 F temperature capability. Several advanced disk alloys are being developed to fill this need. One of these, CH98, is a promising candidate for gas turbine engines and is being studied in NASA s Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) program. For large disks, residual stresses generated during quenching from solution heat treatments are often reduced by a stabilization heat treatment, in which the disk is heated to 1500 or 1600 F for several hours followed by a static air cool. The reduction in residual stress levels lessens distortion during machining of disks. However, previous work on CH98 has indicated that stabilization treatments can also decrease creep capability. In this study, a systematic variation of stabilization temperature and time was investigated to determine its effect on 1300 F tensile and, more importantly, creep behavior. Dwell crack growth rates were also measured for selected stabilization conditions. As these advanced disk alloys may be given a supersolvus solution or a subsolvus solution heat treatment for a given application, it was decided that both options would be studied.

Three-Dimensional Measurements of Fuel Distribution in High-Pressure, High- Temperature, Next-Generation Aviation Gas Turbine Combustors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hicks, Yolanda R.; Locke, Randy J.; Anderson, Robert C.; Zaller, Michelle M.

1998-01-01

In our world-class, optically accessible combustion facility at the NASA Lewis Research Center, we have developed the unique capability of making three-dimensional fuel distribution measurements of aviation gas turbine fuel injectors at actual operating conditions. These measurements are made in situ at the actual operating temperatures and pressures using the JP-grade fuels of candidate next-generation advanced aircraft engines for the High Speed Research (HSR) and Advanced Subsonics Technology (AST) programs. The inlet temperature and pressure ranges used thus far are 300 to 1100 F and 80 to 250 psia. With these data, we can obtain the injector spray angles, the fuel mass distributions of liquid and vapor, the degree of fuel vaporization, and the degree to which fuel has been consumed. The data have been used to diagnose the performance of injectors designed both in-house and by major U.S. engine manufacturers and to design new fuel injectors with overall engine performance goals of increased efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Mie scattering is used to visualize the liquid fuel, and laser-induced fluorescence is used to visualize both liquid and fuel vapor.

Fan Noise Source Diagnostic Test: Tone Modal Structure Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidelberg, Laurence J.

2002-01-01

This investigation is part of a test series that was extremely comprehensive and included aerodynamic and acoustic testing of a fan stage using two different fan rotors and three different stator designs. The test series is known as the Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) and was conducted by NASA Glenn as part of the Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) Noise Reduction Program. Tone mode measurements of one of the rotors with three different stators were made. The stator designs involve changes in vane count and sweep at constant solidity. The results of both inlet and exhaust tone mode measurements are presented in terms of mode power for both circumferential and radial mode orders. The results show benefits of vane sweep to be large, up to 13 dB in total tone power. At many conditions, the increase in power due to cutting on the rotor/stator interaction is more than offset by vane sweep. The rotor locked mode is shown as an important contributor to tone power when the blade tip speed is near and above Mach one. This is most evident in the inlet when the direct rotor field starts to cut on.

Astragaloside IV controls collagen reduction in photoaging skin by improving transforming growth factor-β/Smad signaling suppression and inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-1.

PubMed

Chen, Bin; Li, Ran; Yan, Ning; Chen, Gang; Qian, Wen; Jiang, Hui-Li; Ji, Chao; Bi, Zhi-Gang

2015-05-01

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light reduces levels of type I collagen in the dermis and results in human skin damage and premature skin aging (photoaging). This leads to a wrinkled appearance through the inhibition of transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β)/Smad signaling. UV irradiation increases type I collagen degradation through upregulating matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. Astragaloside IV (AST) is one of the major active components extracted from Astragalus membranaceus. However, its multiple anti‑photoaging effects remain to be elucidated. In the present study, the effects of AST against collagen reduction in UV‑induced skin aging in human skin fibroblasts were investigated. The expression of type I procollagen (COL1), MMP‑1, TGF‑βRⅡ and Smad7 were determined using reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and ELISA, respectively. UV irradiation inhibits type I collagen production by suppressing the TGF‑β/Smad signaling pathway and increasing COL1 degradation by inducing MMP‑1 expression. Transforming growth factor‑β type II protein and COL1 mRNA decreased but MMP‑1 and Smad7 levels increased in the photoaging model group, which was reversed by topical application of AST. AST prevents collagen reduction from UV irradiation in photoaging skin by improving TGF‑β/Smad signaling suppression and inhibiting MMP‑1, thus AST may be a potential agent against skin photoaging.

Relationship of creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and proteinuria to cardiomyopathy in the owl monkey (Aotus vociferans)

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

Gozalo, Alfonso S.; Chavera, Alfonso; Montoya, Enrique J.

2008-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine serum reference values for crea- tine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydroge- nase (LDH) in captive-born and wild-caught owl monkeys to assess their usefulness for diagnosing myocardial disease. Urine samples were also collected and semi-quantitative tests performed. There was no statistically significant difference between CK, AST, and LDH when comparing both groups. However, when comparing monkeys with proteinuria to those without proteinuria, a statistically significant difference in CK value was observed (P = 0.021). In addition, the CK/AST ratio revealed that 29% of the animals included in this study hadmore » values suggesting cardiac infarction. Grossly, cardiac concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle and small, pitted kidneys were the most common findings. Microscopically, myocardial fibrosis, contraction band necrosis, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of coronary arteries, medium-sized renal arteries, and afferent glomerular arteriolae were the most significant lesions, along with increased mesangial matrix and hypercellularity of glomeruli, Bowman’s capsule, and peritubular space fibroplasia. These findings suggest that CK, AST, and LDH along with urinalysis provide a reliable method for diagnosing cardiomyopathies in the owl monkey. In addition, CK/AST ratio, proteinuria, and the observed histological and ultrastructural changes suggest that Aotus vociferans suffer from arterial hypertension and chronic myocardial infarction.« less

Risk of Liver Toxicity with Nivolumab Immunotherapy in Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Zarrabi, Kevin; Wu, Shenhong

2018-01-01

Nivolumab is approved for the treatment of many cancers. This meta-analysis was conducted to determine the risk of hepatotoxicity with nivolumab therapy. An analysis from all phase I-III clinical trials up to December 2016 examining nivolumab was conducted. Data on elevations in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were extracted from the safety profiles of each trial. Incidence and relative risk (RR) were calculated using random- or fixed-effects models with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The incidences of all-grade and high-grade elevations in AST were 5.4% (95% CI 3.2-9.1) and 1.6% (95% CI 0.9-3.0), respectively. The incidences of all-grade and high-grade elevations in ALT were 4.9% (95% CI 2.9-8.2) and 1.7% (95% CI 0.9-3.1), respectively. Elevations of both laboratory markers were significantly increased when compared to control (p < 0.001). Nivolumab significantly increased the RR of AST/ALT elevations; RRs were 1.58 (95% CI 1.1-2.2) for all-grade AST elevation, and 1.62 (95% CI 1.2-2.3) for all-grade ALT elevation. Subgroup analysis of all-grade AST or ALT elevation revealed a signi-ficant variation among tumor types (p < 0.001) and with combination with ipilimumab (p < 0.001). Nivolumab is associated with significantly increased risk of liver toxicity. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Characterization and mapping of cDNA encoding aspartate aminotransferase in rice, Oryza sativa L.

PubMed

Song, J; Yamamoto, K; Shomura, A; Yano, M; Minobe, Y; Sasaki, T

1996-10-31

Fifteen cDNA clones, putatively identified as encoding aspartate aminotransferase (AST, EC 2.6.1.1.), were isolated and partially sequenced. Together with six previously isolated clones putatively identified to encode ASTs (Sasaki, et al. 1994, Plant Journal 6, 615-624), their sequences were characterized and classified into 4 cDNA species. Two of the isolated clones, C60213 and C2079, were full-length cDNAs, and their complete nucleotide sequences were determined. C60213 was 1612 bp long and its deduced amino acid sequence showed 88% homology with that of Panicum miliaceum L. mitochondrial AST. The C60213-encoded protein had an N-terminal amino acid sequence that was characteristic of a mitochondrial transit peptide. On the other hand, C2079 was 1546 bp long and had 91% amino acid sequence homology with P. miliaceum L. cytosolic AST but lacked in the transit peptide sequence. The homologies of nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acid sequences of C2079 and C60213 were 54% and 52%, respectively. C2079 and C60213 were mapped on chromosomes 1 and 6, respectively, by restriction fragment length polymorphism linkage analysis. Northern blot analysis using C2079 as a probe revealed much higher transcript levels in callus and root than in green and etiolated shoots, suggesting tissue-specific variations of AST gene expression.

Correcting a Fundamental Flaw in the Paradigm for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing.

PubMed

Ersoy, Selvi C; Heithoff, Douglas M; Barnes, Lucien; Tripp, Geneva K; House, John K; Marth, Jamey D; Smith, Jeffrey W; Mahan, Michael J

2017-06-01

The emergence and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an increasing cause of death worldwide, resulting in a global 'call to action' to avoid receding into an era lacking effective antibiotics. Despite the urgency, the healthcare industry still relies on a single in vitro bioassay to determine antibiotic efficacy. This assay fails to incorporate environmental factors normally present during host-pathogen interactions in vivo that significantly impact antibiotic efficacy. Here we report that standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) failed to detect antibiotics that are in fact effective in vivo; and frequently identified antibiotics that were instead ineffective as further confirmed in mouse models of infection and sepsis. Notably, AST performed in media mimicking host environments succeeded in identifying specific antibiotics that were effective in bacterial clearance and host survival, even though these same antibiotics failed in results using standard test media. Similarly, our revised media further identified antibiotics that were ineffective in vivo despite passing the AST standard for clinical use. Supplementation of AST medium with sodium bicarbonate, an abundant in vivo molecule that stimulates global changes in bacterial structure and gene expression, was found to be an important factor improving the predictive value of AST in the assignment of appropriate therapy. These findings have the potential to improve the means by which antibiotics are developed, tested, and prescribed. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enzyme activity and AGE formation in a model of AST glycoxidation by D-fructose in vitro.

PubMed

Bousova, Iva; Vukasović, Danka; Juretić, Dubravka; Palicka, Vladimir; Drsata, Jaroslav

2005-03-01

Non-enzymatic glycation as the chain reaction between reducing sugars and free amino groups of proteins has been shown to correlate with physiological ageing and severity of diabetes. The process involves oxidative steps (glycoxidation). In this paper, the effect of D-fructose as a reactive sugar on aspartate aminotransferase (AST) as a model protein was monitored by measurements of the enzyme activity and formation of fluorescent advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Change in the AST activity was considered as a measure of the overall protein damage caused by glycation, and total AGEs and pentosidine represent, at least partly, the formation of glycoxidation products. Catalytic activity of AST in an incubation mixture containing D-fructose (50 mmol L(-1)), decreased compared to control values to 42% (p < 0.05) and to 11% (p < 0.05) on the 5th and on 21st day of incubation, respectively. In the presence of fructose, total fluorescent AGEs concentration was significantly higher since 5th day of incubation (110%, p < 0.05) and the fluorescent pentosidine concentration from 15th day of incubation (117%, p < 0.05) compared to control values, respectively. Catalytic activity of AST clearly and quantitatively demonstrated functional changes in the enzyme molecule caused by structural modifications initiated by fructose, while the evaluation of AGE formation and especially that of pentosidine by fluorescence measurement was less reliable.

Hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury is associated with acute kidney injury following donation after brain death liver transplantation.

PubMed

Leithead, Joanna A; Armstrong, Matthew J; Corbett, Christopher; Andrew, Mark; Kothari, Chirag; Gunson, Bridget K; Muiesan, Paolo; Ferguson, James W

2013-11-01

Donation after cardiac death liver transplant recipients have an increased frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI). This suggests that hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AKI after liver transplantation. The aim of this single-center study was to determine if hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury, estimated by peak peri-operative serum amino-transferase (AST), is associated with AKI following donation after brain death (DBD) liver transplantation. A total of 296 patients received 298 DBD liver transplants from January 2007 to June 2011. The incidence of AKI was 35.9%. AKI was a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (P = 0.037) and mortality (P = 0.002). On univariate analysis, peak AST correlated with peak creatinine (P < 0.001) and peak change in creatinine from baseline (P < 0.001). Peak AST was higher in AKI patients (P < 0.001). The incidence of AKI in patients with a peak AST of <1500, 1500-2999 and ≥ 3000 U/l was 26.1%, 39.8% and 71.2%, respectively (P < 0.001). On multiple logistic regression analysis, peak AST was independently associated with the development of AKI (P < 0.001). In conclusion, hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury demonstrates a strong relationship with peri-operative AKI in DBD liver transplant recipients. © 2013 Steunstichting ESOT. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing of clinical isolates by digital time-lapse microscopy.

PubMed

Fredborg, M; Rosenvinge, F S; Spillum, E; Kroghsbo, S; Wang, M; Sondergaard, T E

2015-12-01

Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is essential for early and appropriate therapy. Methods with short detection time enabling same-day treatment optimisation are highly favourable. In this study, we evaluated the potential of a digital time-lapse microscope system, the oCelloScope system, to perform rapid AST. The oCelloScope system demonstrated a very high accuracy (96% overall agreement) when determining the resistance profiles of four reference strains, nine clinical isolates, including multi-drug-resistant isolates, and three positive blood cultures. AST of clinical isolates (168 antimicrobial agent-organism combinations) demonstrated 3.6% minor, no major and 1.2% very major errors of the oCelloScope system compared to conventional susceptibility testing, as well as a rapid and correct phenotypic detection of strains with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) profiles. The net average time-to-result was 108 min, with 95% of the results being available within 180 min. In conclusion, this study strongly indicates that the oCelloScope system holds considerable potential as an accurate and sensitive AST method with short time-to-result, enabling same-day targeted antimicrobial therapy, facilitating antibiotic stewardship and better patient management. A full-scale validation of the oCelloScope system including more isolates is necessary to assess the impact of using it for AST.

Cadmium affects the mitochondrial viability and the acid soluble thiols concentration in liver, kidney, heart and gills of Ancistrus brevifilis (Eigenmann, 1920)

PubMed Central

Velasquez-Vottelerd, P.; Anton, Y.; Salazar-Lugo, R.

2015-01-01

The freshwater fish Ancistrus brevifilis, which is found in Venezuelan rivers, is considered a potential sentinel fish in ecotoxicological studies. The cadmium (Cd) effect on the mitochondrial viability (MV) and acid soluble thiols levels (AST) in A. brevifilis tissues (liver, kidney, heart, and gill) was evaluated. Forty-two fish with similar sizes and weights were randomly selected, of which 7 fish (with their respective replicate) were exposed for 7 and 30 days to a Cd sublethal concentration (0.1 mg.l-1). We determined the MV through a Janus Green B colorimetric assay and we obtained the concentration of AST by Ellman’s method. Mitochondrial viability decreased in fish exposed to Cd for 30 days with the liver being the most affected tissue. We also detected a significant decrease in AST levels was in fishes exposed to Cd for 7 days in liver and kidney tissues; these results suggests that AST levels are elevated in some tissues may act as cytoprotective and adaptive alternative mechanism related to the ROS detoxification, maintenance redox status and mitochondrial viability. Organ-specifics variations were observed in both assays. We conclude that the Cd exposure effect on AST levels and MV, vary across fish tissues and is related to the exposure duration, the molecule dynamics in different tissues, the organism and environmental conditions. PMID:26623384

Aspartate aminotransferase is potently inhibited by copper complexes: Exploring copper complex-binding proteome.

PubMed

Jia, Yuqi; Lu, Liping; Yuan, Caixia; Feng, Sisi; Zhu, Miaoli

2017-05-01

Recent researches indicated that a copper complex-binding proteome that potently interacted with copper complexes and then influenced cellular metabolism might exist in organism. In order to explore the copper complex-binding proteome, a copper chelating ion-immobilized affinity chromatography (Cu-IMAC) column and mass spectrometry were used to separate and identify putative Cu-binding proteins in primary rat hepatocytes. A total of 97 putative Cu-binding proteins were isolated and identified. Five higher abundance proteins, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), catalase (CAT), calreticulin (CRT) and albumin (Alb) were further purified using a SP-, and (or) Q-Sepharose Fast Flow column. The interaction between the purified proteins and selected 11 copper complexes and CuCl 2 was investigated. The enzymes inhibition tests demonstrated that AST was potently inhibited by copper complexes while MDH and CAT were weakly inhibited. Schiff-based copper complexes 6 and 7 potently inhibited AST with the IC 50 value of 3.6 and 7.2μM, respectively and exhibited better selectivity over MDH and CAT. Fluorescence titration results showed the two complexes tightly bound to AST with binding constant of 3.89×10 6 and 3.73×10 6 M -1 , respectively and a stoichiometry ratio of 1:1. Copper complex 6 was able to enter into HepG2 cells and further inhibit intracellular AST activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

POCA Update: An NSF PAARE Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Donald K.; Brittain, S. D.; Cash, J. L.; Hartmann, D. H.; Howell, S. B.; King, J. R.; Leising, M. D.; Mayo, E. A.; Mighell, K. J.; Smith, D. M., Jr.

2011-01-01

We report on the status of "A Partnership in Observational and Computational Astronomy (POCA)” under the NSF's "Partnerships in Astronomy and Astrophysics Research and Education (PAARE)" program. This partnership includes South Carolina State University (a Historically Black College/University), Clemson University (a Ph.D. granting institution) and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory. We have reached the midpoint of this 5-year award and discuss the successes, challenges and obstacles encountered to date. Included is a summary of our summer REU program, the POCA graduate fellowship program, faculty research capacity building, outreach activities, increased use of NSF facilities and shared resources. Additional POCA research presentations by the authors are described elsewhere in these proceedings. Support for this work was provided by the NSF PAARE program to South Carolina State University under award AST-0750814 as well as resources and support provided by Clemson University and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

21 CFR 862.1100 - Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system. 862.1100 Section 862.1100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry...

Rapid Solidification Processing of Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-01

with unwetted particles. When the particles are wetted, one expects the propagating slip bands to initiate cracking along themselves and across the...Ast, Cornell University, Unpublished Data, 1988. 31. J.F. Williford and J.P. Pilger , U.S. Patent 3,776,297 (1973). 32. G. Nussbaum and D.G. Ast, J

78 FR 51808 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) Customer Service Survey AGENCY: Federal Aviation... on customer service standards which have been developed and distributed to industry customers. DATES... determine the quality of services provided by AST to its industry and government customers, and to address...

76 FR 30232 - Office of Commercial Space Transportation Safety Approval Performance Criteria

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-24

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space... levels associated with suborbital space flight. The reduced gravity levels are: --0.00 g 0.05 g for 17... Division (AST-200), FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST), 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Room...

21 CFR 862.1100 - Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system. 862.1100 Section 862.1100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry...

21 CFR 862.1100 - Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system. 862.1100 Section 862.1100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry...

21 CFR 862.1100 - Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system. 862.1100 Section 862.1100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry...

21 CFR 862.1100 - Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Aspartate amino transferase (AST/SGOT) test system. 862.1100 Section 862.1100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry...

Worldviews of Introductory Astronomy Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, Chrystin; Wallace, C. S.; Brissenden, G.; Prather, E. E.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS)

2014-01-01

As a part of a larger project to study introductory astronomy students’ worldviews and beliefs about the role of science in society, we examined students’ responses to a subset of questions designed to probe students’ worldviews and how they change after taking a general education, introductory astronomy course (Astro 101). Specifically, we looked at about 400 students’ choices for the top ten scientific discoveries in the past 150 years. We collected students’ rankings twice: Once at the start of their Astro 101 class and once at the end. We created a rubric that we used to categorize the responses and we established the inter-rater reliability of the rubric. Our results show that students preferentially answered with topics related to technology and health and medicine. The data also show that there was an increase, pre- to post-instruction, in the number of responses in the technology and health and medicine categories. We also saw a decrease in the number of responses in the science category. These results imply that an aspect of the course specifically implemented to broaden student’s views on science in relation to society was successful. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST-0847170, for the California-Arizona Minority Partnership for Astronomy Research and Education (CAMPARE) program. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Searching for Flickering Giants in the Ursa Minor Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montiel, Edward J.; Mighell, K. J.

2010-01-01

We present a preliminary analysis of three epochs of archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) observations of a single field in the Ursa Minor (UMi) dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy. These observations were obtained in 2000, 2002, and 2004 (GO-7341, GO-8776, GO-2004; PI: Olszewski). We expand upon the work of Mighell and Roederer 2004 who reported the existence of low-amplitude variability in red giant stars in the UMi dSph. We report the 16 brightest point sources (F606W <= 21.5 mag) that we are able to match between all 3 epochs. The 112 observations were analyzed with HSTphot. We tested for variability with a chi-squared statistic that had a softened photometric error where 0.01 mag was added in quadrature to the reported HSTphot photometric error. We find that all 13 stars and 3 probable galaxies exhibit the same phenomenon as described in Mighell and Roederer with peak to peak amplitudes ranging from 54 to 125 mmags on 10 minute timescales. If these objects were not varying, the deviates should be normally distributed. However, we find that the deviates have a standard deviation of 1.4. This leads to three possible conclusions: (1) the observed phenomenon is real, (2) an additional systematic error of 7 mmag needs to be added to account for additional photometric errors (possibly due to dithering), or (3) there was a small instrumental instability with the WFPC2 instrument from 2000 to 2004. E.J.M. was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and the Department of Defense ASSURE program through Scientific Program Order No. 13 (AST-0754223) of the Cooperative Agreement No.AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

Light Pollution Around Tucson, AZ And Its Effect On The Spatial Distribution Of Lesser Long-nosed Bats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fersch, Alisa; Walker, C.

2012-01-01

Light pollution is a well-known problem for astronomers. It is also gaining attention as an ecological issue. The federally endangered Lesser Long-Nosed Bat (Leptonycteris cursoae) resides for part of the year near Tucson, Arizona. It is possible that this species tends to avoid light. Excess artificial light would therefore interfere with the bats’ flight patterns and foraging habits. In order to test this hypothesis, we quantified night sky brightness with data from the citizen-science campaign GLOBE at Night. Using direct measurements taken with a Sky Quality Meter (SQM), we created a contour map of the artificial night sky brightness around Tucson. When this map is compared to the approximate flight paths of the lesser long-nosed bat, we can see that the bats do appear to be avoiding the brightest area of Tucson. We also used logistic regression to analyze what combination of ecological variables (ecoregion, vegetation cover, landform and light) best describes the observed spatial distribution of lesser long-nosed bats. Of the models that were tested, light alone was not a good predictor of the bat presence or absence. However, light in addition to vegetation and ecoregion was the best model. This information can be useful for making decisions about lighting codes in areas of the city that the bats tend to traverse. The contour map of light pollution in Tucson will be useful for both future astronomy and ecology studies and can also be used for public outreach about light pollution. Fersch was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program and the Department of Defense ASSURE program through Scientific Program Order No. 13 (AST-0754223) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Groups Project: Development of a Galaxy Environment Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crone, Mary; Turner, J.; ALFALFA Team

2010-01-01

The Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team Groups Project is a collaborative undertaking of faculty and undergraduates at 8 institutions, aimed at investigating properties of galaxy groups surveyed by the ALFALFA blind HI survey. We present a galaxy environment index designed to reflect local density in the regions surrounding galaxy groups. These regions typically include hundreds of galaxies with optical and HI properties that can be compared with environment. For example, an 8x10 degree region surrounding the group MKW 11 includes 535 galaxies at the group redshift of 0.02, 139 of which are detected in HI. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918, AST-0725267, and AST-0725380.

Adaptive Self Tuning

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

Peterson, Matthew; Draelos, Timothy; Knox, Hunter

2017-05-02

The AST software includes numeric methods to 1) adjust STA/LTA signal detector trigger level (TL) values and 2) filter detections for a network of sensors. AST adapts TL values to the current state of the environment by leveraging cooperation within a neighborhood of sensors. The key metric that guides the dynamic tuning is consistency of each sensor with its nearest neighbors: TL values are automatically adjusted on a per station basis to be more or less sensitive to produce consistent agreement of detections in its neighborhood. The AST algorithm adapts in near real-time to changing conditions in an attempt tomore » automatically self-tune a signal detector to identify (detect) only signals from events of interest.« less

Metabolic Syndrome and Serum Liver Enzymes Level at Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Music, Miralem; Dervisevic, Amela; Pepic, Esad; Lepara, Orhan; Fajkic, Almir; Ascic-Buturovic, Belma; Tuna, Enes

2015-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate liver function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with and without metabolic syndrome (MS) by determining serum levels of gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). We also investigated correlation between levels of liver enzymes and some components of MS in both groups of patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 96 patients (age 47–83 years) with T2DM. All patients were divided according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in two groups: 50 patients with T2 DM and MS (T2DM-MS) and 46 patients with T2DM without MS (T2DM-Non MS). The analysis included blood pressure monitoring and laboratory tests: fasting blood glucose (FBG), total lipoprotein cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), fibrinogen and liver enzymes: GGT, ALT and AST. T2DM-MS group included patients which had FBG ≥ 6,1 mmol/L, TG ≥ 1,7 mmol/L and blood pressure ≥ 130/85 mm Hg. Results: T2DM-MS patients had significant higher values of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and medium arterial pressure compared to T2DM-Non MS patients. Serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C and FBG were significantly higher in the T2DM-MS group compared to the T2DM-Non MS group. Serum fibrinogen level and GGT level were significantly higher in patients with T2DM-MS compared to the serum fibrinogen level and GGT level in T2DM-Non MS patients. Mean serum AST and ALT level were higher, but not significantly, in patients with T2DM and MS compared to the patients with T2DM without MS. Significant negative correlations were observed between TC and AST (r= -0,28, p<0,05), as well as between TC and ALT level (r= -0,29, p<0,05) in T2DM-MS group of patients. Conclusion: These results suggest that patients with T2DM and MS have markedly elevated liver enzymes. T2DM and MS probably play a role in increasing the risk of liver injury. PMID:26543313

Systems integration studies for supersonic cruise aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mascitti, V. R.

1975-01-01

Technical progress in each of the disciplinary research areas affecting the design of supersonic cruise aircraft is discussed. The NASA AST/SCAR Program supported the integration of these technical advances into supersonic cruise aircraft configuration concepts. While the baseline concepts reflect differing design philosophy, all reflect a level of economic performance considerably above the current foreign aircraft as well as the former U.S. SST. Range-payload characteristics of the study configurating show significant improvement, while meeting environmental goals such as takeoff and landing noise and upper atmospheric pollution.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase 1: Records Search, Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-01

AFB LOCATION OFI 0 LS U FC MIDDLE S RA EWATER MARKER MONITORING SITESI SL *LEGEND S SURFACE WATER QUALITY IMONITORING SITEI. iJ I WASTEWATER PLANTr j...burning is scored in a small above ground tank located near the FPTA. The extinguishing agent used during this time period was AFFF (aqueous film...receptors, "aste caracte,stics, and pst .ways. Receptors 54 Waste Char’acteristics 54 Pathways 74 Total 183 div~ied by 3 E ’I 3,’osi : --e E. P

Expert System for Test Program Set Fault Candidate Selection

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

Mark Herbst Mr. Paul Janusz Mr. Wayne Lee Ms. Patricia Lyon Ms. Sharyn McDowell Mr. Richard Payne Ms. Elizabeth Parliman Mr. Albert Stanbury Ms. Allison...SMCAR-ESP-L AMSMC-QA(R) AMSMC-QAK-B(R), R. Fer Rock Island, IL 61299-6000 28 Commander U.S. Army Materiel Command ATTN: AMCQA-E, Mr. Chris Neubert AMCPD...ATTN: AMSEL-PA-MT-S, Mr. Paul Kogut Mr. Andy Mills AMSEL-PA AMSEL-PA-DL AMSEL-RD-SE-CRM-CM AMSEL-RD-SE-AST Ft. Monmouth, NJ 07703-5023 35 Director U.S

75 FR 69152 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of a New Information...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... 40863. The FAA/AST will collect lessons learned from members of the commercial space [[Page 69153... collection. Background: The FAA/AST collects lessons learned from members of the commercial space industry in... amateur rocket community, experimental permit holders, licensed launch and reentry operators, and licensed...

School Travel Planning: Mobilizing School and Community Resources to Encourage Active School Transportation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buliung, Ron; Faulkner, Guy; Beesley, Theresa; Kennedy, Jacky

2011-01-01

Background: Active school transport (AST), school travel using an active mode like walking, may be important to children's overall physical activity. A "school travel plan" (STP) documents a school's transport characteristics and provides an action plan to address school and neighborhood barriers to AST. Methods: We conducted a pilot STP…

Changes in creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase in saliva samples after an intense exercise: a pilot study.

PubMed

Barranco, Tomas; Tvarijonaviciute, Asta; Tecles, Fernando; Carrillo, Jose M; Sánchez-Resalt, Cristina; Jimenez-Reyes, Pedro; Rubio, Monica; García-Balletbó, Monserrat; Cerón, Jose J; Cugat, Ramon

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the enzymes creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in saliva before and after an intense exercise consisting of a futsal match. CK, LDH and AST were analyzed in saliva and serum samples of eleven, injury-free, amateur young men before and 30 minutes, 12 hours and 36 hours after a futsal match. A significant increase in CK, LDH and AST was observed after the game in serum samples. In saliva, although a high interindividual variability was found with some individuals no showing increases, significant increases in CK and LDH were observed after the game. No significant changes were observed in saliva AST after the game. Our study showed for first time that CK and LDH can increase in saliva after an intensive exercise consisting on a futsal match. Results suggest that measurements of CK and LDH in saliva could be potentially used to evaluate possible muscle stress or damage in cases of intensive exercise.

Biochemical changes in the kidney and liver of rats following administration of ethanolic extract of Psidium guajava leaves.

PubMed

Adeyemi, O S; Akanji, M A

2011-09-01

Furtherance to a previous report on the anti-trypanosomal properties of Psidium guajava aqueous leaf extract in rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei, we have evaluated the effects of the daily intraperitoneal administration of P. guajava leaf extract to rats on the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and acid phosphatase (ACP) in the kidney, liver and serum. The results obtained revealed that the administration of the extract produced significant increase in the serum activities of AST, ALT, ALP and ACP when compared with the control (p < 0.05). Also AST, ALT and ALP and ACP activities in the tissues of animals administered the extract revealed inconsistent changes (p < 0.05) relative to control. The increase in the serum activity of ALP may be an indicator that there was a likely compromise to the integrity of the plasma membrane as a result of the ethanolic extract administration. This could have caused leakages of the other enzymes investigated, which may explain the corresponding increases in the serum activities of AST, ALT and ACP observed.

Analysis of Acoustic Emission Parameters from Corrosion of AST Bottom Plate in Field Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jomdecha, C.; Jirarungsatian, C.; Suwansin, W.

Field testing of aboveground storage tank (AST) to monitor corrosion of the bottom plate is presented in this chapter. AE testing data of the ten AST with different sizes, materials, and products were employed to monitor the bottom plate condition. AE sensors of 30 and 150 kHz were used to monitor the corrosion activity of up to 24 channels including guard sensors. Acoustic emission (AE) parameters were analyzed to explore the AE parameter patterns of occurring corrosion compared to the laboratory results. Amplitude, count, duration, and energy were main parameters of analysis. Pattern recognition technique with statistical was implemented to eliminate the electrical and environmental noises. The results showed the specific AE patterns of corrosion activities related to the empirical results. In addition, plane algorithm was utilized to locate the significant AE events from corrosion. Both results of parameter patterns and AE event locations can be used to interpret and locate the corrosion activities. Finally, basic statistical grading technique was used to evaluate the bottom plate condition of the AST.

Identification of an Astrovirus Commonly Infecting Laboratory Mice in the US and Japan

PubMed Central

Ng, Terry Fei Fan; Kondov, Nikola O.; Hayashimoto, Nobuhito; Uchida, Ritsuki; Cha, Yunhee; Beyer, Ashley I.; Wong, Walt; Pesavento, Patricia A.; Suemizu, Hiroshi; Muench, Marcus O.; Delwart, Eric

2013-01-01

Mice (Mus musculus) are the most commonly used laboratory animals. Viral metagenomics on tissues of immunodeficient mice revealed sequences of a novel mammalian astrovirus. Using PCR, we screened mice from 4 breeders, 4 pharmaceutical companies, 14 research institutes and 30 universities in the US and Japan. Mice from one US breeder tested positive while none from Japanese breeders were positive for MuAstV. Mice in over half of the universities (19/30), institutes (7/14) and pharmaceutical animal facilities (2/4) investigated revealed the presence of MuAstV. Nine mice strains tested positive including both immunodeficient strains (NSG, NOD-SCID, NSG-3GS, C57BL6-Timp-3 −/−, and uPA-NOG) and immunocompetent strains (B6J, ICR, Bash2, BALB/c). Our data indicates that MuAstV has a wide geographical, institutional and host strain distribution. Comparison of the MuAstV RdRp sequences showed numerous mutations indicating ongoing viral divergence in different facilities. This study demonstrates the need for metagenomic screening of laboratory animals to identify adventitious infections that may affect experimental outcomes. PMID:23825590

What is the acceptable hemolysis index for the measurements of plasma potassium, LDH and AST?

PubMed

Rousseau, Nathalie; Pige, Raphaëlle; Cohen, Richard; Pecquet, Matthieu

2016-06-01

Hemolysis is a cause of variability in test results for plasma potassium, LDH and AST and is a non-negligible part of measurement uncertainty. However, allowable levels of hemolysis provided by reagent suppliers take neither analytical variability (trueness and precision) nor the measurand into account. Using a calibration range of hemolysis, we measured the plasma concentrations of potassium, LDH and AST, and hemolysis indices with a Cobas C501 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics(®), Meylan, France). Based on the allowable total error (according to Ricós et al.) and the expanded measurement uncertainty equation we calculated the maximum allowable bias for two concentrations of each measurand. Finally, we determined the allowable hemolysis indices for all three measurands. We observed a linear relationship between the observed increases of concentration and hemolysis indices. The LDH measurement was the most sensitive to hemolysis, followed by AST and potassium measurements. The determination of the allowable hemolysis index depends on the targeted measurand, its concentration and the chosen level of requirement of allowable total error.

Frequency and Pathological Phenotype of Bovine Astrovirus CH13/NeuroS1 Infection in Neurologically-Diseased Cattle: Towards Assessment of Causality.

PubMed

Selimovic-Hamza, Senija; Boujon, Céline L; Hilbe, Monika; Oevermann, Anna; Seuberlich, Torsten

2017-01-18

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has opened up the possibility of detecting new viruses in unresolved diseases. Recently, astrovirus brain infections have been identified in neurologically diseased humans and animals by NGS, among them bovine astrovirus (BoAstV) CH13/NeuroS1, which has been found in brain tissues of cattle with non-suppurative encephalitis. Only a few studies are available on neurotropic astroviruses and a causal relationship between BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 infections and neurological disease has been postulated, but remains unproven. Aiming at making a step forward towards assessing the causality, we collected brain samples of 97 cases of cattle diagnosed with unresolved non-suppurative encephalitis, and analyzed them by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, to determine the frequency and neuropathological distribution of the BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 and its topographical correlation to the pathology. We detected BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 RNA or proteins in neurons throughout all parts of the central nervous system (CNS) in 34% of all cases, but none were detected in cattle of the control group. In general, brain lesions had a high correlation with the presence of the virus. These findings show that a substantial proportion of cattle with non-suppurative encephalitis are infected with BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 and further substantiate the causal relationship between neurological disease and astrovirus infections.

Frequency and Pathological Phenotype of Bovine Astrovirus CH13/NeuroS1 Infection in Neurologically-Diseased Cattle: Towards Assessment of Causality

PubMed Central

Selimovic-Hamza, Senija; Boujon, Céline L.; Hilbe, Monika; Oevermann, Anna; Seuberlich, Torsten

2017-01-01

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has opened up the possibility of detecting new viruses in unresolved diseases. Recently, astrovirus brain infections have been identified in neurologically diseased humans and animals by NGS, among them bovine astrovirus (BoAstV) CH13/NeuroS1, which has been found in brain tissues of cattle with non-suppurative encephalitis. Only a few studies are available on neurotropic astroviruses and a causal relationship between BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 infections and neurological disease has been postulated, but remains unproven. Aiming at making a step forward towards assessing the causality, we collected brain samples of 97 cases of cattle diagnosed with unresolved non-suppurative encephalitis, and analyzed them by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, to determine the frequency and neuropathological distribution of the BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 and its topographical correlation to the pathology. We detected BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 RNA or proteins in neurons throughout all parts of the central nervous system (CNS) in 34% of all cases, but none were detected in cattle of the control group. In general, brain lesions had a high correlation with the presence of the virus. These findings show that a substantial proportion of cattle with non-suppurative encephalitis are infected with BoAstV CH13/NeuroS1 and further substantiate the causal relationship between neurological disease and astrovirus infections. PMID:28106800

Field Red Horizontal Branch Star Chemical Compositions from High Resolution Infrared Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sneden, Chris; Afsar, Melike; Bozkurt, Zeynep; Bocek-Topcu, Gamze; Mace, Gregory N.; Kim, Hwihyun; Kaplan, Kyle; Kidder, Benjamin; McLane, Jacob

2017-06-01

We have observed three field red horizontal branch stars with the Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph (IGRINS). The high resolution (R~45000) high signal-to-noise (S/N > 200) spectra obtained with IGRINS cover the complete H-band (1.50-1.80 micron) and K-band (1.90-2.45 micron). We analyzed hundreds of lines of the ubiquitous OH, CN, and CO molecular bands, and found more than 80 lines of atomic species that were useful for abundance work. A combination of good laboratory transition probabilities (when available) and ones derived from reverse solar analyses were employed. Our transition data were checked through studies of the Arcturus Atlas spectrum. We derived abundances from synthetic spectra instead of from equivalent widths. With IGRINS data we were able to extract metallicities and abundance ratios for more than 20 elements, including several not detectable or poorly represented in optical wavelength regions. Our abundances from IGRINS spectra are in excellent accord with those derived from optical spectrum studies. These results are directly applicable to calibrations of results from lower-resolution and/or S/N infrared spectral surveys. IGRINS observations will give high reolution spectroscopic access to heavily obscured normal red giants and other cool stars with unusual element mixes.This work used the Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph (IGRINS) that was developed under a collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) with the financial support of the US National Science Foundation (NSF; grant AST-1229522), of the University of Texas at Austin, and of the Korean GMT Project of KASI. Our project also has been supported by NSF grants AST~1211585 and AST~1616040, by the University of Texas Rex G. Baker, Jr. Centennial Research Endowment, and by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK, project No. 112T929).

A new rapid method for direct antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacteria from positive blood cultures.

PubMed

Barnini, Simona; Brucculeri, Veronica; Morici, Paola; Ghelardi, Emilia; Florio, Walter; Lupetti, Antonella

2016-08-12

Rapid identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of the causative agent(s) of bloodstream infections can lead to prompt appropriate antimicrobial therapy. To shorten species identification, in this study bacteria were recovered from monomicrobial blood cultures by serum separator tubes and spotted onto the target plate for direct MALDI-TOF MS identification. Proper antibiotics were selected for direct AST based on species identification. In order to obtain rapid AST results, bacteria were recovered from positive blood cultures by two different protocols: by serum separator tubes (further referred to as PR1), or after a short-term subculture in liquid medium (further referred to as PR2). The results were compared with those obtained by the method currently used in our laboratory consisting in identification by MALDI-TOF and AST by Vitek 2 or Sensititre on isolated colonies. The direct MALDI-TOF method concordantly identified with the current method 97.5 % of the Gram-negative bacteria and 96.1 % of the Gram-positive cocci contained in monomicrobial blood cultures. The direct AST by PR1 and PR2 for all isolate/antimicrobial agent combinations was concordant/correct with the current method for 87.8 and 90.5 % of Gram-negative bacteria and for 93.1 and 93.8 % of Gram-positive cocci, respectively. In particular, 100 % categorical agreement was found with levofloxacin for Enterobacteriaceae by both PR1 and PR2, and 99.0 and 100 % categorical agreement was observed with linezolid for Gram-positive cocci by PR1 and PR2, respectively. There was no significant difference in accuracy between PR1 and PR2 for Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive cocci. This newly described method seems promising for providing accurate AST results. Most importantly, these results would be available in a few hours from blood culture positivity, which would help clinicians to promptly confirm or streamline an effective antibiotic therapy in patients with bloodstream infections.

Circulating AST, H-FABP, and NGAL are early and accurate biomarkers of graft injury and dysfunction in a preclinical model of kidney transplantation.

PubMed

Jochmans, Ina; Lerut, Evelyne; van Pelt, Jos; Monbaliu, Diethard; Pirenne, Jacques

2011-11-01

To investigate circulating biomarkers of initial graft injury in a porcine kidney autotransplant model. Injury endured by kidney grafts early posttransplant determines their outcome. However, creatinine (clearance) is a poor surrogate of tissue injury and urinary biomarkers are limited by graft anuria or persistent native kidney diuresis. No validated circulating biomarkers quantifying initial graft injury exist. Minimally injured porcine kidney grafts (n = 6) were cold stored (18 hours) and autotransplanted. Moderately (n = 6) and severely injured grafts (n = 7) were exposed to 30 or 60 minutes warm ischemia before storage and autotransplantation. Four biomarkers [aspartate transaminase (AST), heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG)] were measured posttransplant and compared with creatinine (clearance) and histology. Diuresis was delayed in moderately [2.5 days (2-3)] and severely [4 days (4-5)] versus minimally injured grafts (P < 0.001). Creatinine peaked later than AST, H-FABP, and NGAL [4 days (3-5) vs 3 hours (3-6), 6 hours (6-24), 2 days (1-3), respectively] and only differentiated minimally from severely injured grafts. Peak AST and H-FABP distinguished all injury grades. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin discriminated initial graft injury 2 days posttransplant. Peak AST, H-FABP, and NGAL correlated with peak creatinine [Pearson coefficients: 0.70 (P = 0.001), 0.85 (P < 0.0001), 0.80 (P < 0.0001)]. N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase was not different. Decreased clearance accounted for a small percentage of H-FABP and NGAL increase. Histology was not different among transplanted groups. Plasma AST, H-FABP, and NGAL reflect the severity of initial kidney graft injury and predict graft dysfunction earlier and more accurately than creatinine (clearance) and histology. They represent promising tools to improve patient care after kidney transplantation.

Low Cost Manufacturing Approach of High Temperature PMC Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kannmacher, Kevin

1997-01-01

The overall objective is to develop a satisfactory sheet molding compound (SMC) of a high temperature polyimide, such as PMR-11-50, VCAP-75, or NB2-76, and to develop compression molding processing parameters for a random, chopped fiber, high temperature, sheet molding compound that will be more affordable than the traditional hand lay-up fabrication methods. Compression molding will reduce manufacturing costs of composites by: (1) minimizing the conventional machining required after fabrication due to the use of full 360 deg matched tooling, (2) reducing fabrication time by minimizing the intensive hand lay-up operations associated with individual ply fabrication techniques, such as ply orientation and ply count and (3) possibly reducing component mold time by advanced B-staging prior to molding. This program is an integral part of Allison's T406/AE engine family's growth plan, which will utilize technologies developed under NASA's Sub-sonic Transport (AST) programs, UHPTET initiatives, and internally through Allison's IR&D projects. Allison is aggressively pursuing this next generation of engines, with both commercial and military applications, by reducing the overall weight of the engine through the incorporation of advanced, lightweight, high temperature materials, such as polymer matrix composites. This infusion of new materials into the engine is also a major factor in reducing engine cost because it permits the use of physically smaller structural components to achieve the same thrust levels as the generation that it replaced. A lighter, more efficient propulsion system translates to a substantial cost and weight savings to an airframe's structure.

Characterisation and tissue distribution of the PISCF allatostatin receptor in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.

PubMed

Audsley, Neil; Vandersmissen, Hans Peter; Weaver, Robert; Dani, Paulina; Matthews, June; Down, Rachel; Vuerinckx, Kristel; Kim, Young-Joon; Vanden Broeck, Jozef

2013-01-01

The insect PISCF/allatostatins (ASTs) are pleiotropic peptides that are involved in the regulation of juvenile hormone biosynthesis, are myoinhibitory on the gut and the heart, and suppress feeding in various insects, but their roles in beetles are poorly understood. To provide further insight into the significance of PISCF/ASTs in beetles, the PISCF/AST receptor from Tribolium castaneum has been characterised and its tissue distribution determined. The biological activity of the T. castaneum PISCF/AST (Trica-AS) was also investigated. The Trica-AS receptor shows high sequence homology to other insect PISCF/AST receptors, which are related to the mammalian somatostatin/opioid receptors, a family of G protein-coupled receptors. The Trica-AS receptor was activated in a dose-dependent manner by both Trica-AS and T. castaneum allatostatin double C (Trica-ASTCC) as well as Manduca sexta-allatostatin (Manse-AS). Other allatoregulatory peptides (a FLG/AST, a MIP/AST and an allatotropin) and somatostatin(14) were inactive on this receptor. Receptor transcript levels in tissues, determined by qRT-PCR, were highest in the head and the gut, with variable amounts in the fat body and reproductive organs. There were measurable differences in receptor levels of the head, fat body and reproductive organs between males and females. There was also a widespread distribution of Trica-AS in various tissues of T. castaneum. The Trica-AS peptide precursor was most abundant in the head and there was a significant difference between levels in the heads and reproductive organs of males and females. Whole mount immunocytochemistry localised Trica-AS in the median and lateral neurosecretory cells of the brain, in the corpus cardiacum and throughout the ventral nerve cord. The peptide was also present in midgut neurosecretory cells, but no immunostaining was detected in the reproductive organs or Malpighian tubules. The widespread distribution of both Trica-AS and its receptor suggest this peptide may have multiple roles in beetles. However, Trica-AS had no effect on the spontaneous contractions of the gut or ovaries of T. castaneum but this peptide did stimulate the release of proteases from the anterior midgut of another beetle, Tenebrio molitor. The activation of the Trica-AS receptor by Trica-ASTCC implies a physiological role for this peptide in beetles, which remains to be identified. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute stress-induced tissue injury in mice: differences between emotional and social stress

PubMed Central

Sánchez, Olga; Arnau, Anna; Pareja, Miguel; Poch, Enric; Ramírez, Ignasi; Soley, Maria

2002-01-01

Emotional stress affects cellular integrity in many tissues including the heart. Much less is known about the effects of social stress. We studied the effect of emotional (immobilization with or without cold exposure) or social (intermale confrontation) stress in mice. Tissue injury was measured by means of the release of enzyme activities to blood plasma: lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT). Tape-immobilization increased all these activities in the plasma. AST-ALT ratio was also increased in these animals. Electrophoretic analysis of CK isoenzymes showed the appearance of CK-MB. These results indicate that the heart was injured in immobilized mice. Analysis of LDH isoenzymes and measurement of α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH) activity suggests that other tissues, in addition to the heart, contribute to the increase in plasma LDH activity. Restraint in small cylinders increased plasma LDH, CK, AST, and ALT activities, but to lower levels than in tape immobilization. Because the decrease in liver glycogen and the increase in plasma epidermal growth factor (EGF) were also smaller in restraint than in the tape-immobilization model of emotional stress, we conclude that the former is a less intense stressor than the latter. Cold exposure during the restraint period altered the early responses to stress (it enhanced liver glycogen decrease, but abolished the increase in plasma EGF concentration). Cold exposure during restraint enhanced heart injury, as revealed by the greater increase in CK and AST activities. Intermale confrontation progressively decreased liver glycogen content. Plasma EGF concentration increased (to near 100 nM from a resting value of 0.1 nM) until 60 minutes, and decreased thereafter. Confrontation also affected cellular integrity in some tissues, as indicated by the rise in plasma LDH activity. However, in this type of stress, the heart appeared to be specifically protected because there was no increase in plasma CK activity, and both AST and ALT increased, but the AST-ALT ratio remained constant. Habituation to restraint (1 h/d, 4 days) made mice resistant to restraint-induced tissue injury as indicated by the lack of an increase in plasma LDH, CK, AST, or ALT activities. Similar general protection against homotypic stress-induced injury was observed in mice habituated to intermale confrontation. PMID:11892986

Airframe Noise Studies: Review and Future Direction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rackl, Robert G.; Miller, Gregory; Guo, Yueping; Yamamoto, Kingo

2005-01-01

This report contains the following information: 1) a review of airframe noise research performed under NASA's Advanced Subsonic Transport (AST) program up to the year 2000, 2) a comparison of the year 1992 airframe noise predictions with those using a year 2000 baseline, 3) an assessment of various airframe noise reduction concepts as applied to the year 2000 baseline predictions, and 4) prioritized recommendations for future airframe noise reduction work. NASA's Aircraft Noise Prediction Program was the software used for all noise predictions and assessments. For future work, the recommendations for the immediate future focus on the development of design tools sensitive to airframe noise treatment effects and on improving the basic understanding of noise generation by the landing gear as well as on its reduction.

Implementing New Career Structures for Teachers: A Study of the Advanced Skills Teacher in Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingvarson, Lawrence; And Others

The absence of a professional career structure for teachers is not a new problem. In 1989, Australian unions, employers, and governments negotiated the Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) classification. Three levels of AST status involving salary increases were proposed to offer teachers a professional career path in teaching comparable in status to…

Prevention of School Bullying: The Important Role of Autonomy-Supportive Teaching and Internalization of Pro-Social Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roth, Guy; Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv; Bibi, Uri

2011-01-01

Background: This study examined students' perceptions of autonomy-supportive teaching (AST) and its relations to internalization of pro-social values and bullying in class. Aims: We hypothesized that: (1) teachers' AST, which involves provision of rationale and taking the student's perspective, would relate positively to students' identified…

Mother-Child Conflict and Its Moderating Effects on Depression Outcomes in a Preventive Intervention for Adolescent Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jami F.; Gallop, Robert; Mufson, Laura

2009-01-01

This article reports on mother-child conflict as an outcome and moderator of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a preventive intervention for depression. Forty-one adolescents (average age = 13.37, SD = 1.19) with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST or school counseling (SC). Adolescents…

Motion-base simulator results of advanced supersonic transport handling qualities with active controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feather, J. B.; Joshi, D. S.

1981-01-01

Handling qualities of the unaugmented advanced supersonic transport (AST) are deficient in the low-speed, landing approach regime. Consequently, improvement in handling with active control augmentation systems has been achieved using implicit model-following techniques. Extensive fixed-based simulator evaluations were used to validate these systems prior to tests with full motion and visual capabilities on a six-axis motion-base simulator (MBS). These tests compared the handling qualities of the unaugmented AST with several augmented configurations to ascertain the effectiveness of these systems. Cooper-Harper ratings, tracking errors, and control activity data from the MBS tests have been analyzed statistically. The results show the fully augmented AST handling qualities have been improved to an acceptable level.

Parallaxes and Distance Estimates for Eleven Cataclysmic Binary Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorstensen, John R.; Lepine, S.; Shara, M.; Peters, C. S.

2007-12-01

We will present new distance estimates for eleven cataclysmic binary stars, based on trigonometric parallaxes measured with the 2.4m Hiltner telescope at MDM Observatory. The MDM parallaxes have typical uncertainties of 1 mas. A Bayesian formalism is used to find the most likely distance given the parallax, proper motion, and prior information. Results will be reported for the eclipsing dwarf nova HT Cas, for which our parallax favors a relatively short distance; KT Per, which proves to have a K-dwarf physical companion; the 65-minute double-degenerate system V396 Hya (CE 315); and the low accretion rate-polar MQ Dra (SDSS 1553). We gratefully acknowledge funding from the NSF through grants AST-9987334, AST-0307413, and AST-0708810.

[Astaxanthin in male reproduction: Advances in studies].

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Kang, Xiao-Fang; Shang, Xue-Jun

2016-10-01

Astaxanthin (AST) is a carotenoid with a strong antioxidant activity and has many biological functions, such as anti-inflammation, immune regulation, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-aging, and anti-apoptosis. Recent studies show that AST can effectively regulate the dynamic balance between oxidation and antioxidants in the male reproductive system, protect sperm mitochondrial function, ameliorate testicular heat stress and reproductive poison damage, promote the occurrence of sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, regulate reproductive endocrine hormone balance, and act favorably on primary infertility or metabolic syndrome-related infertility. It also helps the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism and prostate health care. This review updates the studies of AST in male reproductive health and provides some new ideas for the prevention and treatment of male reproductive problems.

The stretching of Hercules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deason, A. J.; Belokurov, V.; Evans, N. W.; Watkins, L. L.; Fellhauer, M.

2012-09-01

We present VLT/FORS2 spectroscopy of candidate blue horizontal branch (BHB) stars in the vicinity of the Hercules ultrafaint dwarf galaxy. We identify eight convincing Hercules BHB members, and a further five stars with similar systemic velocities to that of Hercules, but ˜0.5 kpc from the centre of the galaxy along its major axis. It is likely that these stars once belonged to Hercules, but have been tidally stripped and are now unbound. We emphasize the usefulness of looking for any gradient in the systemic velocity of this stretched system, which would further support our interpretation of the origin of its elongated and distended morphology. E-mail: ajd75@ast.cam.ac.uk (AJD); vasily@ast.cam.ac.uk (VB); nwe@ast.cam.ac.uk (NWE)

Raman spectroscopy of glasses in the As-Te system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tverjanovich, A.; Rodionov, K.; Bychkov, E.

2012-06-01

For the first time, the Raman spectra of AsxTe1-x glasses, 0.2≤x≤0.6, have been measured over the entire glass-forming range. The spectra exhibit three broad spectral features attributed to vibrations of structural units having Te-Te, As-Te and As-As bonds. The observed chemical disorder in the glasses is discussed on the basis of partial bond fractions derived from the integrated intensity of the Raman modes. The underlying structural model suggests a dissociation of AsTe- or As2Te3-related units in the glass melt. The spectra of glasses quenched from different temperatures, as well as those of the annealed vitreous alloys, are consistent with predictions of the model.

Preventive maintenance. 'Problem recognition style' can be used to segment the market and promote healthier lifestyles.

PubMed

Jayanti, R K

1997-01-01

Problem recognition styles--desired state types (DSTs) and actual state types (ASTs)--have an effect on preventive health care decision making. Segmenting the market along these lines can help marketers position products and services to educate and attract people who will not see a doctor unless there is something wrong with them. Both groups expect the same benefits from preventive health care actions, but ASTs fail to act on those expectations. Therefore, marketing strategy touting the benefits of preventive health care might be futile. Educational promotional campaigns aimed at both DSTs and ASTs also are wasteful because DSTs already possess much health knowledge, lead wellness-oriented lifestyles, and practice preventive health behaviors.

Effects of a Pilates exercise program on muscle strength, postural control and body composition: results from a pilot study in a group of post-menopausal women.

PubMed

Bergamin, M; Gobbo, S; Bullo, V; Zanotto, T; Vendramin, B; Duregon, F; Cugusi, L; Camozzi, V; Zaccaria, M; Neunhaeuserer, D; Ermolao, A

2015-12-01

Participation in exercise programs is heartily recommended for older adults since the level of physical fitness directly influences functional independence. The aim of this present study was to investigate the effects of supervised Pilates exercise training on the physical function, hypothesizing that a period of Pilates exercise training (PET) can increase overall muscle strength, body composition, and balance, during single and dual-task conditions, in a group of post-menopausal women. Twenty-five subjects, aged 59 to 66 years old, were recruited. Eligible participants were assessed prior and after 3 months of PET performed twice per week. Muscular strength was evaluated with handgrip strength (HGS) test, 30-s chair sit-to-stand test (30CST), and abdominal strength (AST) test. Postural control and dual-task performance were measured through a stabilometric platform while dynamic balance with 8 ft up and go test. Finally, body composition was assessed by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Statistically significant improvements were detected on HGS (+8.22%), 30CST (+23.41%), 8 ft up and go test (-5.95%), AST (+30.81%), medio-lateral oscillations in open eyes and dual-task condition (-22.03% and -10.37%). Pilates was effective in increasing upper body, lower body, and abdominal muscle strength. No changes on body composition were detected. Results on this investigation indicated also that 12-week of mat Pilates is not sufficient to determine a clinical meaningful improvement on static balance in single and dual-task conditions.

M4AST - A Tool for Asteroid Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birlan, Mirel; Popescu, Marcel; Irimiea, Lucian; Binzel, Richard

2016-10-01

M4AST (Modelling for asteroids) is an online tool devoted to the analysis and interpretation of reflection spectra of asteroids in the visible and near-infrared spectral intervals. It consists into a spectral database of individual objects and a set of routines for analysis which address scientific aspects such as: taxonomy, curve matching with laboratory spectra, space weathering models, and mineralogical diagnosis. Spectral data were obtained using groundbased facilities; part of these data are precompiled from the literature[1].The database is composed by permanent and temporary files. Each permanent file contains a header and two or three columns (wavelength, spectral reflectance, and the error on spectral reflectance). Temporary files can be uploaded anonymously, and are purged for the property of submitted data. The computing routines are organized in order to accomplish several scientific objectives: visualize spectra, compute the asteroid taxonomic class, compare an asteroid spectrum with similar spectra of meteorites, and computing mineralogical parameters. One facility of using the Virtual Observatory protocols was also developed.A new version of the service was released in June 2016. This new release of M4AST contains a database and facilities to model more than 6,000 spectra of asteroids. A new web-interface was designed. This development allows new functionalities into a user-friendly environment. A bridge system of access and exploiting the database SMASS-MIT (http://smass.mit.edu) allows the treatment and analysis of these data in the framework of M4AST environment.Reference:[1] M. Popescu, M. Birlan, and D.A. Nedelcu, "Modeling of asteroids: M4AST," Astronomy & Astrophysics 544, EDP Sciences, pp. A130, 2012.

Email notification combined with off site signing substantially reduces resident approval to faculty verification time.

PubMed

Deitte, Lori A; Moser, Patricia P; Geller, Brian S; Sistrom, Chris L

2011-06-01

Attending radiologist signature time (AST) is a variable and modifiable component of overall report turnaround time. Delays in finalized reports have potential to undermine radiologists' value as consultants and adversely affect patient care. This study was performed to evaluate the impact of notebook computer distribution and daily automated e-mail notification on reducing AST. Two simultaneous interventions were initiated in the authors' radiology department in February 2010. These included the distribution of a notebook computer with preloaded software for each attending radiologist to sign radiology reports and daily automated e-mail notifications for unsigned reports. The digital dictation system archive and the radiology information system were queried for all radiology reports produced from January 2009 through August 2010. The time between resident approval and attending radiologist signature before and after the intervention was analyzed. Potential unintended "side effects" of the intervention were also studied. Resident-authored reports were signed, on average, 2.53 hours sooner after the intervention. This represented a highly significant (P = .003) decrease in AST with all else held equal. Postintervention reports were authored by residents at the same rate (about 70%). An unintended "side effect" was that attending radiologists were less likely to make changes to resident-authored reports after the intervention. E-mail notification combined with offsite signing can reduce AST substantially. Notebook computers with preloaded software streamline the process of accessing, editing, and signing reports. The observed decrease in AST reflects a positive change in the timeliness of report signature. Copyright © 2011 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Baseline Serum Clinical Chemistry Values in African Green Monkeys Before and After Sulfur Mustard

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

aspartate transaminase (189 %), blood urea nitrogen (75 %), creatine kinase (721 %), and lactate dehydrogenase (114 %) one day after HD exposure...ALT, 93 %), aspartate transaminase (AST, 189 %), blood urea nitrogen (BUN, 75 %), creatine kinase (CK, 721 %), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, 114...alkaline phosphate (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), calcium (Ca2+), creatine kinase (CK

"It's 1000 Degrees in Here When I Teach": Providing Preservice Teachers with an Extended Opportunity to Approximate Ambitious Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroupe, David; Gotwals, Amelia Wenk

2018-01-01

Teacher educators have a challenging task of designing opportunities for preservice teachers (PSTs) to learn ambitious science teaching (AST). However, with limited time in methods courses and the complexities of AST, opportunities for PSTs to "try out" ambitious instruction are difficult to construct and analyze. To address this…

An Empirical Examination of the Ecological and Cognitive Active Commuting Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pang, Bo; Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn Robyn; Kubacki, Krzysztof

2017-01-01

Purpose: Evidence indicates that active school travel (AST) including walking can effectively lower levels of obesity among school-age children. Yet Queensland has been identified as one of the most inactive states in Australia where only 5 per cent of Years 1 and 5 children engaged in AST on a daily basis. The purpose of this paper is to explain…

Radio Identification of Millimeter-Bright Galaxies Detected in the AzTEC/ASTE Blank Field Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatsukade, Bunyo; Kohno, Kotaro; White, Glenn; Matsuura, Shuji; Hanami, Hitoshi; Shirahata, Mai; Nakanishi, Kouichiro; Hughes, David; Tamura, Yoichi; Iono, Daisuke; Wilson, Grant; Yun, Min

2008-10-01

We propose a deep 1.4-GHz imaging of millimeter-bright sources in the AzTEC/ASTE 1.1-mm blank field survey of AKARI Deep Field-South. The AzTEC/ASTE uncovered 37 sources, which are possibly at z > 2. We have obtained multi-wavelength data in this field, but the large beam size of AzTEC/ASTE (30 arcsec) prevents us from identifying counterparts. The aim of this proposal is to identify radio counterparts with higher-angular resolution. This enables us (i) To identifying optical/IR counterparts. It enables optical spectroscopy to determine precise redshifts, allowing us to derive SFRs, luminosity functions, clustering properties, mass of dark matter halos, etc. (ii) To constrain luminosity evolutions of SMGs by comparing of 1.4-GHz number counts (and luminosity functions) with luminosity evolution models. (iii) To estimate photometric redshifts from 1.4-GHz and 1.1-mm data using the radio-FIR flux correlation. In case of non-detection, we can put deep lower limits (3 sigma limit of z > 3). These information lead to the study of evolutionary history of SMGs, their relationship with other galaxy populations, contribution to the cosmic star formation history and the infrared background.

Identification of Low-Level Vancomycin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus in the Era of Informatics.

PubMed

Ford, Bradley A

2016-04-01

Vancomycin-intermediateStaphylococcus aureus(VISA) and heteroresistant VISA (hVISA) are pathogens for which accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) would rule out standard treatment with vancomycin. Unfortunately, AST for vancomycin is relatively slow and standard methods are unable to reliably detect VISA and hVISA. An article in this issue (C. A. Mather, B. J. Werth, S. Sivagnanam, D. J. SenGupta, and S. M. Butler-Wu, J Clin Microbiol 54:883-890, 2016, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02428-15) describes a rapid whole-cell matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight proxy susceptibility method that highlights current innovations and challenges with rapid AST, VISA/hVISA identification, and clinical bioinformatics. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

DynAstVO : a Europlanet database of NEA orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desmars, J.; Thuillot, W.; Hestroffer, D.; David, P.; Le Sidaner, P.

2017-09-01

DynAstVO is a new orbital database developed within the Europlanet 2020 RI and the Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access (VESPA) frameworks. The database is dedicated to Near-Earth asteroids and provide parameters related to orbits: osculating elements, observational information, ephemeris through SPICE kernel, and in particular, orbit uncertainty and associated covariance matrix. DynAstVO is daily updated on a automatic process of orbit determination on the basis of the Minor Planet Electronic Circulars that reports new observations or the discover of a new asteroid. This database conforms to EPN-TAP environment and is accessible through VO protocols and on the VESPA portal web access (http://vespa.obspm.fr/). A comparison with other classical databases such as Astorb, MPCORB, NEODyS and JPL is also presented.

Current and emerging techniques for antibiotic susceptibility tests.

PubMed

Syal, Karan; Mo, Manni; Yu, Hui; Iriya, Rafael; Jing, Wenwen; Guodong, Sui; Wang, Shaopeng; Grys, Thomas E; Haydel, Shelley E; Tao, Nongjian

2017-01-01

Infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are a worldwide burden. Serious bacterial infection-related complications, such as sepsis, affect over a million people every year with mortality rates ranging from 30% to 50%. Crucial clinical microbiology laboratory responsibilities associated with patient management and treatment include isolating and identifying the causative bacterium and performing antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs), which are labor-intensive, complex, imprecise, and slow (taking days, depending on the growth rate of the pathogen). Considering the life-threatening condition of a septic patient and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals, rapid and automated diagnostic tools are needed. This review summarizes the existing commercial AST methods and discusses some of the promising emerging AST tools that will empower humans to win the evolutionary war between microbial genes and human wits.

Current and emerging techniques for antibiotic susceptibility tests

PubMed Central

Syal, Karan; Mo, Manni; Yu, Hui; Iriya, Rafael; Jing, Wenwen; Guodong, Sui; Wang, Shaopeng; Grys, Thomas E.; Haydel, Shelley E.; Tao, Nongjian

2017-01-01

Infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are a worldwide burden. Serious bacterial infection-related complications, such as sepsis, affect over a million people every year with mortality rates ranging from 30% to 50%. Crucial clinical microbiology laboratory responsibilities associated with patient management and treatment include isolating and identifying the causative bacterium and performing antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs), which are labor-intensive, complex, imprecise, and slow (taking days, depending on the growth rate of the pathogen). Considering the life-threatening condition of a septic patient and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals, rapid and automated diagnostic tools are needed. This review summarizes the existing commercial AST methods and discusses some of the promising emerging AST tools that will empower humans to win the evolutionary war between microbial genes and human wits. PMID:28638468

Time Evolution of the Wigner Operator as a Quasi-density Operator in Amplitude Dessipative Channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhisong; Ren, Guihua; Yu, Ziyang; Wei, Chenhuinan; Fan, Hongyi

2018-06-01

For developing quantum mechanics theory in phase space, we explore how the Wigner operator {Δ } (α ,α ^{\\ast } )≡ {1}/{π } :e^{-2(α ^{\\ast } -α ^{\\dag })(α -α )}:, when viewed as a quasi-density operator correponding to the Wigner quasiprobability distribution, evolves in a damping channel. with the damping constant κ. We derive that it evolves into 1/T + 1:\\exp 2/T + 1[-(α^{\\ast} e^{-κ t}-a^{\\dag} )(α e^{-κ t}-a)]: where T ≡ 1 - e - 2 κ t . This in turn helps to directly obtain the final state ρ( t) out of the dessipative channel from the initial classical function corresponding to initial ρ(0). Throught the work, the method of integration within ordered product (IWOP) of operators is employed.

Aerodynamic design and analysis of the AST-204, AST-205, and AST-206 blended wing-fuse large supersonic transport configuration concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, G. L.; Walkley, K. B.

1980-01-01

The aerodynamic design and analysis of three blended wing-fuselage supersonic cruise configurations providing four, five, and six abreast seating was conducted using a previously designed supersonic cruise configuration as the baseline. The five abreast configuration was optimized for wave drag at a Mach number of 2.7. The four and six abreast configurations were also optimized at Mach 2.7, but with the added constraint that the majority of their structure be common with the five abreast configuration. Analysis of the three configurations indicated an improvement of 6.0, 7.5, and 7.7 percent in cruise lift-to-drag ratio over the baseline configuration for the four, five, and six abreast configurations, respectively.

Digital antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the MilliDrop technology.

PubMed

Jiang, L; Boitard, L; Broyer, P; Chareire, A-C; Bourne-Branchu, P; Mahé, P; Tournoud, M; Franceschi, C; Zambardi, G; Baudry, J; Bibette, J

2016-03-01

We present the MilliDrop Analyzer (MDA), a droplet-based millifluidic system for digital antimicrobial susceptibility testing (D-AST), which enables us to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) precisely and accurately. The MilliDrop technology was validated by using resazurin for fluorescence readout, for comparison with standard methodology, and for conducting reproducibility studies. In this first assessment, the susceptibility of a reference Gram-negative strain Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 to gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and nalidixic acid were tested by the MDA, VITEK®2, and broth microdilution as a reference standard. We measured the susceptibility of clinically relevant Gram-positive strains of Staphylococcus aureus to vancomycin, including vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA), heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA), and vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus (VSSA) strains. The MDA provided results which were much more accurate than those of VITEK®2 and standard broth microdilution. The enhanced accuracy enabled us to reliably discriminate between VSSA and hVISA strains.

Waist circumference, body mass index, serum uric acid, blood sugar, and triglyceride levels are important risk factors for abnormal liver function tests in the Taiwanese population.

PubMed

Hsieh, Meng-Hsuan; Lin, Wen-Yi; Chien, Hsu-Han; Chien, Li-Ho; Huang, Chao-Kuan; Yang, Jeng-Fu; Chang, Ning-Chia; Huang, Chung-Feng; Wang, Chao-Ling; Chuang, Wan-Long; Yu, Ming-Lung; Dai, Chia-Yen; Ho, Chi-Kung

2012-09-01

Several studies have found that metabolic syndrome and uric acid level are related to abnormal liver function test results. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of risk factors [including blood pressure, blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) measurements] with abnormal liver function in the Taiwanese population.In total, 11,411 Taiwanese adults were enrolled in this study. Blood pressure was assessed according to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure criteria, fasting blood sugar level according to the Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, R.O.C., criteria, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels according to the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, BMI according to the Asia-Pacific criteria, and waist circumference according to the Revised Diagnostic Criteria of Metabolic Syndrome in Taiwan. The prevalence of a past history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus was 17.7% and 6.5%, respectively, and the rates of abnormal measurements of blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar, triglyceride, total cholesterol, uric acid (male/female), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were 76.2%, 67.6%, 40.0%, 28.6%, 30.6%, 57.3%, 37.9%/21.9%, 14.6% and 21.3%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that waist circumference, BMI, serum uric acid, blood sugar, and triglyceride levels were related to abnormal AST and ALT (p<0.05), but the odds ratio for waist circumference was larger than that for BMI. In conclusion, waist circumference, BMI, serum uric acid, blood sugar, and triglyceride levels are important risk factors for abnormal AST and ALT readings in Taiwanese adults. Waist circumference might be a better indicator of risk of abnormal liver function than BMI. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Compton Scattering Cross Sections in Strong Magnetic Fields: Advances for Neutron Star Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ickes, Jesse; Gonthier, Peter L.; Eiles, Matthew; Baring, Matthew G.; Wadiasingh, Zorawar

2014-08-01

Various telescopes including RXTE, INTEGRAL, Suzaku and Fermi have detected steady non-thermal X-ray emission in the 10 ~ 200 keV band from strongly magnetic neutron stars known as magnetars. Magnetic inverse Compton scattering is believed to be a leading candidate for the production of this intense X-ray radiation. Generated by electrons possessing ultra-relativistic energies, this leads to attractive simplifications of the magnetic Compton cross section. We have recently addressed such a case by developing compact analytic expressions using correct spin-dependent widths acquired through the implementation of Sokolov & Ternov (ST) basis states, focusing specifically on ground state-to-ground state scattering. Such scattering in magnetar magnetospheres can cool electrons down to mildly-relativistic energies. Moreover, soft gamma-ray flaring in magnetars may well involve strong Comptonization in expanding clouds of mildly-relativistic pairs. These situations necessitate the development of more general magnetic scattering cross sections, where the incoming photons acquire substantial incident angles relative to the field in the rest frame of the electron, and the intermediate state can be excited to arbitrary Landau levels. Here, we highlight results from such a generalization using ST formalism. The cross sections treat the plethora of harmonic resonances associated with various cyclotron transitions between Landau states. Polarization dependence of the cross section for the four scattering modes is illustrated and compared with the non-relativistic Thompson cross section with classical widths. Results will find application to various neutron star problems, including computation of Eddington luminosities and polarization mode-switching rates in transient magnetar fireballs.We express our gratitude for the generous support of Michigan Space Grant Consortium, the National Science Foundation (grants AST-0607651, AST-1009725, AST-1009731 and PHY/DMR-1004811), and the NASA Astrophysics Theory Program through grants NNX06AI32G, NNX09AQ71G and NNX10AC59A.

Liver enzymes and risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease: results of the Firenze Bagno a Ripoli (FIBAR) study.

PubMed

Monami, Matteo; Bardini, Gianluca; Lamanna, Caterina; Pala, Laura; Cresci, Barbara; Francesconi, Paolo; Buiatti, Eva; Rotella, Carlo M; Mannucci, Edoardo

2008-03-01

The aim of the study was to assess gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT), alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the prediction of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in subjects free from hepatic diseases other than nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The present analysis was performed on the cohort of subjects enrolled in the Firenze Bagno a Ripoli (FIBAR) study, a screening program for diabetes performed between 1 March 2001 and 31 December 2003 in the city of Florence on 3124 subjects who underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Incident cases of diabetes in nondiabetic subjects (n = 2662) were obtained through databases of drug prescriptions, hospital admissions, and lists of subjects eligible for reimbursement. Incident CVD in subjects free of diabetes and CVD at enrollment (n = 2617) was identified through hospital admissions and through the register of causes of death. Mean follow-up was 39.6 +/- 12.0 months and 39.8 +/- 11.4 months for diabetes and CVD, respectively. Yearly incidence of diabetes and CVD was 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively. After adjustment for age and sex, gamma-GT >40 U/L was associated with increased incidence of diabetes and CVD (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 2.54 [1.26-5.11], P < .05 and 2.21 [0.98-5.43], P < .10, respectively). Risk of diabetes, but not of CVD, was increased in patients with gamma-GT in the 25- to 40-U/L range. After adjustment for confounders, AST >40 U/L predicted CVD (hazard ratio, 6.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.5-28.1]), but not diabetes. Elevated gamma-GT or AST is an independent predictor of CVD. An increase of gamma-GT levels above the reference range, or also in the upper reference range, is an independent predictor of incident diabetes.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: AzTEC/ASTE source catalogue (Aretxaga+, 2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aretxaga, I.; Wilson, G. W.; Aguilar, E.; Alberts, S.; Scott, K. S.; Scoville, N.; Yun, M. S.; Austermann, J.; Downes, T. P.; Ezawa, H.; Hatsukade, B.; Hughes, D. H.; Kawabe, R.; Kohno, K.; Oshima, T.; Perera, T. A.; Tamura, Y.; Zeballos, M.

2013-02-01

We imaged a 2800 arcmin2 field centred at right ascension RA(J2000.0)=10:00:30.00 and declination DE(J2000.0)=2:14.00 with AzTEC mounted on the 10-m ASTE, located at 4800m in the Atacama Desert of Chile. The survey was carried out from 2008 October 20 to November 30. (1 data file).

Liver biochemistry and associations with alcohol intake, hepatitis B virus infection and Inuit ethnicity: a population-based comparative epidemiological survey in Greenland and Denmark.

PubMed

Rex, Karsten Fleischer; Krarup, Henrik Bygum; Laurberg, Peter; Andersen, Stig

2016-01-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common in Arctic populations and high alcohol intake has been associated with an increased risk of a number of diseases. Yet, a description of the influence of alcohol intake in persons with HBV infection on liver biochemistry is lacking. We aimed to describe the association between reported alcohol intake and liver biochemistry taking into account also HBV infection, ethnicity, Inuit diet, body mass index (BMI), gender and age in an Arctic population. Population-based investigation of Inuit (n=441) and non-Inuit (94) in Greenland and Inuit living in Denmark (n=136). Participants filled in a questionnaire on alcohol intake and other life style factors. Blood samples were tested for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin, albumin, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B surface antibody and hepatitis B core antibody. We also performed physical examinations. Participation rate was 95% in Greenland and 52% in Denmark. An alcohol intake above the recommended level was reported by 12.9% of non-Inuit in Greenland, 9.1% of Inuit in East Greenland, 6.1% of Inuit migrants and 3.4% of Inuit in the capital of Greenland (p=0.035). Alcohol intake was associated with AST (p<0.001) and GGT (p=0.001), and HBV infection was associated with ALP (p=0.001) but not with AST, GGT, bilirubin or albumin in the adjusted analysis. Inuit had higher AST (p<0.001), GGT (p<0.001) and ALP (p=0.001) values than non-Inuit after adjustment for alcohol, diet, BMI and HBV exposure. Ethnic origin modified the association between alcohol and AST, while HBV infection did not modify the associations between alcohol and liver biochemistry. Non-Inuit in Greenland reported a higher alcohol intake than Inuit. Ethnic origin was more markedly associated with liver biochemistry than was alcohol intake, and Greenlandic ethnicity modified the effect of alcohol intake on AST. HBV infection was slightly associated with ALP but not with other liver biochemistry parameters.

Liver biochemistry and associations with alcohol intake, hepatitis B virus infection and Inuit ethnicity: a population-based comparative epidemiological survey in Greenland and Denmark

PubMed Central

Rex, Karsten Fleischer; Krarup, Henrik Bygum; Laurberg, Peter; Andersen, Stig

2016-01-01

Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common in Arctic populations and high alcohol intake has been associated with an increased risk of a number of diseases. Yet, a description of the influence of alcohol intake in persons with HBV infection on liver biochemistry is lacking. Objective We aimed to describe the association between reported alcohol intake and liver biochemistry taking into account also HBV infection, ethnicity, Inuit diet, body mass index (BMI), gender and age in an Arctic population. Design and methods Population-based investigation of Inuit (n=441) and non-Inuit (94) in Greenland and Inuit living in Denmark (n=136). Participants filled in a questionnaire on alcohol intake and other life style factors. Blood samples were tested for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin, albumin, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B surface antibody and hepatitis B core antibody. We also performed physical examinations. Results Participation rate was 95% in Greenland and 52% in Denmark. An alcohol intake above the recommended level was reported by 12.9% of non-Inuit in Greenland, 9.1% of Inuit in East Greenland, 6.1% of Inuit migrants and 3.4% of Inuit in the capital of Greenland (p=0.035). Alcohol intake was associated with AST (p<0.001) and GGT (p=0.001), and HBV infection was associated with ALP (p=0.001) but not with AST, GGT, bilirubin or albumin in the adjusted analysis. Inuit had higher AST (p<0.001), GGT (p<0.001) and ALP (p=0.001) values than non-Inuit after adjustment for alcohol, diet, BMI and HBV exposure. Ethnic origin modified the association between alcohol and AST, while HBV infection did not modify the associations between alcohol and liver biochemistry. Conclusions Non-Inuit in Greenland reported a higher alcohol intake than Inuit. Ethnic origin was more markedly associated with liver biochemistry than was alcohol intake, and Greenlandic ethnicity modified the effect of alcohol intake on AST. HBV infection was slightly associated with ALP but not with other liver biochemistry parameters. PMID:26928535

Assessment of biochemical liver function tests in relation to age among steady state sickle cell anemia patients.

PubMed

Akuyam, S A; Abubakar, A; Lawal, N; Yusuf, R; Aminu, S M; Hassan, A; Musa, A; Bello, A K; Yahaya, I A; Okafor, P A

2017-11-01

Multiorgan failure including liver dysfunction is a common finding in sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients, the cause of which is multifactorial with advancing age said to be a major determinant. There is a paucity of data on liver function among SCA patients in relation to age in northern Nigerian hospitals, including Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria. This study was to assess the biochemical liver function tests (LFTs) as they relate to age among SCA patients in steady state, with a view to improving the overall monitoring of these patients. This study was carried out in ABUTH, Zaria, Northern Nigeria. LFTs were carried out in 100 SCA and 100 apparently healthy participants (controls). The SCA group was made up of fifty adults and fifty children diagnosed of SCA, whereas the control group was made up of fifty adults and fifty children who were apparently healthy and had hemoglobin AA. Paired two-tailed Student's t-test for matched samples and Pearson's linear correlation statistical methods were employed for the data analysis using Microsoft Office Excel 2007. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The serum concentrations of total bilirubin (TB), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and AST/ALT ratio were significantly higher in SCA patients compared to the controls (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.05, P = 0.05 and P = 0.001, respectively). Serum total protein (TP) and ALB were significantly lower (P = 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) in SCA patients compared with the controls. The levels of TB, ALT, AST, ALP, and AST/ALT were significantly lower in SCA adults compared to SCA children, whereas TP and ALB were higher in SCA adults compared to the SCA children. There were significant negative correlations between age and each of TB, ALT, AST, ALP, and AST/ALT, and significant positive correlations between age and each of TP and ALB in SCA patients. There are mild LFTs derangements in SCA patients even in steady state with the extent of the abnormalities decreasing with advancing age of the patients.

Numerical Simulations of Dynamical Mass Transfer in Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motl, P. M.; Frank, J.; Tohline, J. E.

1999-05-01

We will present results from our ongoing research project to simulate dynamically unstable mass transfer in near contact binaries with mass ratios different from one. We employ a fully three-dimensional self-consistent field technique to generate synchronously rotating polytropic binaries. With our self-consistent field code we can create equilibrium binaries where one component is, by radius, within about 99 of filling its Roche lobe for example. These initial configurations are evolved using a three-dimensional, Eulerian hydrodynamics code. We make no assumptions about the symmetry of the subsequent flow and the entire binary system is evolved self-consistently under the influence of its own gravitational potential. For a given mass ratio and polytropic index for the binary components, mass transfer via Roche lobe overflow can be predicted to be stable or unstable through simple theoretical arguments. The validity of the approximations made in the stability calculations are tested against our numerical simulations. We acknowledge support from the U.S. National Science Foundation through grants AST-9720771, AST-9528424, and DGE-9355007. This research has been supported, in part, by grants of high-performance computing time on NPACI facilities at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the Texas Advanced Computing Center and through the PET program of the NAVOCEANO DoD Major Shared Resource Center in Stennis, MS.

Validation of Vitek 2 Nonfermenting Gram-Negative Cards and Vitek 2 Version 4.02 Software for Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Nonfermenting Gram-Negative Rods from Patients with Cystic Fibrosis▿

PubMed Central

Otto-Karg, Ines; Jandl, Stefanie; Müller, Tobias; Stirzel, Beate; Frosch, Matthias; Hebestreit, Helge; Abele-Horn, Marianne

2009-01-01

Accurate identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of nonfermenters from cystic fibrosis patients are essential for appropriate antimicrobial treatment. This study examined the ability of the newly designed Vitek 2 nonfermenting gram-negative card (NGNC) (new gram-negative identification card; bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Ètoile, France) to identify nonfermenting gram-negative rods from cystic fibrosis patients in comparison to reference methods and the accuracy of the new Vitek 2 version 4.02 software for AST compared to the broth microdilution method. Two hundred twenty-four strains for identification and 138 strains for AST were investigated. The Vitek 2 NGNC identified 211 (94.1%) of the nonfermenters correctly. Among morphologically atypical microorganisms, five strains were misidentified and eight strains were determined with low discrimination, requiring additional tests which raised the correct identification rate to 97.8%. Regarding AST, the overall essential agreement of Vitek 2 was 97.6%, and the overall categorical agreement was 92.9%. Minor errors were found in 5.1% of strains, and major and very major errors were found in 1.6% and 0.3% of strains, respectively. In conclusion, the Vitek NGNC appears to be a reliable method for identification of morphologically typical nonfermenters and is an improvement over the API NE system and the Vitek 2 GNC database version 4.01. However, classification in morphologically atypical nonfermenters must be interpreted with care to avoid misidentification. Moreover, the new Vitek 2 version 4.02 software showed good results for AST and is suitable for routine clinical use. More work is needed for the reliable testing of strains whose MICs are close to the breakpoints. PMID:19710272

Multicenter Evaluation of the Accelerate PhenoTest BC Kit for Rapid Identification and Phenotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Using Morphokinetic Cellular Analysis

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT We describe results from a multicenter study evaluating the Accelerate Pheno system, a first of its kind diagnostic system that rapidly identifies common bloodstream pathogens from positive blood cultures within 90 min and determines bacterial phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results within ∼7 h. A combination of fresh clinical and seeded blood cultures were tested, and results from the Accelerate Pheno system were compared to Vitek 2 results for identification (ID) and broth microdilution or disk diffusion for AST. The Accelerate Pheno system accurately identified 14 common bacterial pathogens and two Candida spp. with sensitivities ranging from 94.6 to 100%. Of fresh positive blood cultures, 89% received a monomicrobial call with a positive predictive value of 97.3%. Six common Gram-positive cocci were evaluated for ID. Five were tested against eight antibiotics, two resistance phenotypes (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus spp. [MRSA/MRS]), and inducible clindamycin resistance (MLSb). From the 4,142 AST results, the overall essential agreement (EA) and categorical agreement (CA) were 97.6% and 97.9%, respectively. Overall very major error (VME), major error (ME), and minor error (mE) rates were 1.0%, 0.7%, and 1.3%, respectively. Eight species of Gram-negative rods were evaluated against 15 antibiotics. From the 6,331 AST results, overall EA and CA were 95.4% and 94.3%, respectively. Overall VME, ME, and mE rates were 0.5%, 0.9%, and 4.8%, respectively. The Accelerate Pheno system has the unique ability to identify and provide phenotypic MIC and categorical AST results in a few hours directly from positive blood culture bottles and support accurate antimicrobial adjustment. PMID:29305546

Mode shifting in school travel mode: examining the prevalence and correlates of active school transport in Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Studies examining the correlates of school transport commonly fail to make the distinction between morning and afternoon school trips. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of mode shift from passive in the morning to active in the afternoon among elementary and secondary school students in Ontario, Canada. Methods Data were derived from the 2009 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). 3,633 students in grades 7 through 12 completed self-administered questionnaires. Socio-demographic, behavioural, psychological, and environmental predictors of active school transport (AST) were assessed using logistic regression. Results Overall, 47% and 38% of elementary school students reported AST to and from school, respectively. The corresponding figures were 23% and 32% for secondary school students. The prevalence of AST varied temporarily and spatially. There was a higher prevalence of walking/biking found for elementary school students than for secondary school students, and there was an approximate 10% increase in AST in the afternoon. Different correlates of active school transport were also found across elementary and secondary school students. For all ages, students living in urban areas, with a shorter travel time between home and school, and having some input to the decision making process, were more likely to walk to and from school. Conclusions Future research examining AST should continue to make the analytic distinction between the morning and afternoon trip, and control for the moderating effect of age and geography in predicting mode choice. In terms of practice, these variations highlight the need for school-specific travel plans rather than 'one size fits all' interventions in promoting active school transport. PMID:21812976

Mode shifting in school travel mode: examining the prevalence and correlates of active school transport in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Wong, Bonny Yee-Man; Faulkner, Guy; Buliung, Ron; Irving, Hyacinth

2011-08-03

Studies examining the correlates of school transport commonly fail to make the distinction between morning and afternoon school trips. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of mode shift from passive in the morning to active in the afternoon among elementary and secondary school students in Ontario, Canada. Data were derived from the 2009 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). 3,633 students in grades 7 through 12 completed self-administered questionnaires. Socio-demographic, behavioural, psychological, and environmental predictors of active school transport (AST) were assessed using logistic regression. Overall, 47% and 38% of elementary school students reported AST to and from school, respectively. The corresponding figures were 23% and 32% for secondary school students. The prevalence of AST varied temporarily and spatially. There was a higher prevalence of walking/biking found for elementary school students than for secondary school students, and there was an approximate 10% increase in AST in the afternoon. Different correlates of active school transport were also found across elementary and secondary school students. For all ages, students living in urban areas, with a shorter travel time between home and school, and having some input to the decision making process, were more likely to walk to and from school. Future research examining AST should continue to make the analytic distinction between the morning and afternoon trip, and control for the moderating effect of age and geography in predicting mode choice. In terms of practice, these variations highlight the need for school-specific travel plans rather than 'one size fits all' interventions in promoting active school transport.

Evaluation of metabolic enzymes in response to Excel Mera 71, a glyphosate-based herbicide, and recovery pattern in freshwater teleostean fishes.

PubMed

Samanta, Palas; Pal, Sandipan; Mukherjee, Aloke Kumar; Ghosh, Apurba Ratan

2014-01-01

Metabolic enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated in Indian teleostean fishes, namely, Anabas testudineus (Bloch) and Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch), for an exposure to 30 days of Excel Mera 71 (17.2 mg/L), a glyphosate formulation, and subsequent depuration under Liv.52, a plant extract at a dose of 187.5 mg/d/250 L for the same period in the same tissues under laboratory condition. ALT activity was significantly increased (P<0.05) in all the tissues and raised up to 229.19% in liver of A. testudineus (229.19%) and 128.61% in liver of H. fossilis. AST also increased significantly (P<0.05) and was maximum in liver of H. fossilis (526.19%) and minimum in gill of A. testudineus (124.38%). ALP activity was also raised highly in intestine of H. fossilis (490.61%) but was less in kidney of H. fossilis (149.48%). The results indicated that Excel Mera 71 caused alterations in the metabolic enzymatic activities in fish tissues and AST showed the highest alteration in both the fishes, while lowest in ALP and ALT in A. testudineus and H. fossilis, respectively. During depuration under Liv.52, all the enzyme activities came down towards the control condition which indicated the compensatory response by the fish against this herbicidal stress and it was in the following order: AST>ALT>ALP, in A. testudineus, while H. fossilis showed the following trend: ALT>AST>ALP. Therefore, these parameters could be used as indicators of herbicidal pollution in aquatic organisms and were recommended for environmental monitoring for investigating the mechanism involved in the recovery pattern.

Astaxanthin inhibits tumor invasion by decreasing extracellular matrix production and induces apoptosis in experimental rat colon carcinogenesis by modulating the expressions of ERK-2, NFkB and COX-2.

PubMed

Nagendraprabhu, Ponnuraj; Sudhandiran, Ganapasam

2011-04-01

Colon cancer is the third most malignant neoplasm in the world and it remains an important cause of mortality in Asian and Western countries. Astaxanthin (AST), a major component of carotenoids possesses attractive remedial features. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible mechanism of action of astaxanthin against 1, 2 dimethyl hydrazine (DMH)-induced rat colon carcinogenesis. Wistar male rats were randomized into five groups, group 1 were control rats, group 2 were rats that received AST (15 mg/kg body wt p.o. everyday), rats in group 3 were induced with DMH (40 mg/kg body wt, s.c.), DMH-induced rats in groups 4 and 5 were either pre or post initiated with AST, respectively as in group 2. DMH-induced rats exhibited elevated expressions of Nuclear factor kappa B-p65 (NF-κB-p65), Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Matrixmetallo proteinases (MMP) 2/9, Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and Extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 (ERK-2) as confirmed by immunofluorescence. Further, Westernblot analysis of MMPs-2/9, ERK-2 and Protein kinase B (Akt) revealed increased expressions of these proteins in DMH-induced groups of rats. AST-treatment decreased the expressions of all these vital proteins, involved in colon carcinogenesis. The ability of AST to induce apoptosis in the colon of DMH-induced rats was confirmed by Annexin-V/PI staining in a confocal microscopy, DNA fragmentation analysis and expression of caspase-3 by Western blotting. In conclusion, astaxanthin exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis in DMH-induced rat colon carcinogenesis by modulating the expressions of NFkB, COX-2, MMPs-2/9, Akt and ERK-2.

Coffee consumption is associated with lower serum aminotransferases in the general Korean population and in those at high risk for hepatic disease.

PubMed

Oh, Myueng Guen; Han, Mi Ah; Kim, Man Woo; Park, Chan Guk; Kim, Young Dae; Lee, Jun

2016-12-01

The favourable effects of coffee on liver enzymes have been reported worldwide. This study investigated the association between coffee consumption and serum aminotransferase concentration in Korean adults. Data were obtained from the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentration were defined as >30 IU/L for men and >19 IU/L for women. The risk of elevated ALT and AST according to general characteristics and frequency of coffee consumption were tested by chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of elevated ALT was 27.4%, 27.8%, and 26.9% in subjects who drank <1, 1, and >=2 times/day, respectively. The proportions of individuals with elevated AST were 32.5%, 33.1%, and 26.7% in subjects who drank <1, 1, and >=2 times/day, respectively. The aORs for elevated ALT and AST were significantly lower in subjects who drank >=2 times of coffee/day than in those who drank <1 time/day (ALT: aOR=0.86, 95% CI=0.79-0.94; AST: aOR=0.83, 95% CI=0.76-0.91). In subgroup analysis, consumption of >=2 times/day was associated with lower ORs for elevated ALT in the high-risk group overall and in the viral hepatitis and obesity subgroups, respectively. In sensitivity analysis, reduced frequency of coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk for elevated liver enzymes, although an association between coffee consumption and elevated ALT was not observed in women or current smokers. Higher coffee consumption was associated with lower risk of elevated aminotransferase concentration in Korean adults.

Predation and control efficacies of Misgurnus mizolepis (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae) toward Culex pipiens molestus (Diptera: Culicidae) and fish toxicity of temephos in laboratory and septic tank conditions.

PubMed

Chae, Seong Chun; Kwon, Young Hyun; Min, Kyung Il; Kim, Hyung Soo; Kim, Nam-Jin; Kim, Jun-Ran; Son, Bong Gi; Ahn, Young-Joon

2014-07-01

Culex pipiens molestus Forskal (Diptera: Culicidae) is the dominant mosquito species in septic tanks in South Korea. An assessment was made of the biological control potential of mud loaches, Misgurnus mizolepis Günther (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae), toward Cx. p. molestus larvae in laboratory and septic tanks. Results were compared with those of temephos 20% emulsifiable concentrate. In laboratory tests, all mud loaches survived on sedimentation chamber- and effluent chamber-collected water of aerobic septic tanks (ASTs), whereas all mud loaches died within 3-12 h after introduction into sedimentation chamber- and effluent chamber-collected water of anaerobic septic tanks, Gill hyperplasia and hemorrhages at the bases of pectoral fins were detected in all dead mud loaches. These appeared to have been caused by bacterial disease, rather than the physical and chemical characteristics of the septic tank water. A mud loach consumed an average range of 1,072-1,058 larvae of Cx. p. molestus in the AST water at 24 h. At the manufacturer's recommended rate (10 ml/ton) in the AST water, the temephos formulation did not cause fish mortality. In the AST experiment, predation of mosquito larvae by mud loaches at a release rate of one fish per 900 mosquito larvae resulted in complete mosquito control from the third day after treatment throughout the 18-wk survey period, compared with temephos 20% emulsifiable concentrate-treated AST water (reduction rate, 40% at 28 days after treatment). Reasonable mosquito control in aerobic septic tanks can be achieved by mosquito breeding season stocking of a rate of one mud loach per 900 mosquito larvae.

Survival Following Radiation and Androgen Suppression Therapy for Prostate Cancer in Healthy Older Men: Implications for Screening Recommendations

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

Nguyen, Paul L., E-mail: pnguyen@LROC.harvard.ed; Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Chen, Ming-Hui

2010-02-01

Purpose: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended against screening men over 75 for prostate cancer. We examined whether older healthy men could benefit from aggressive prostate cancer treatment. Methods and Materials: 206 men with intermediate to high risk localized prostate cancer randomized to 70 Gy of radiation (RT) or RT plus 6 months of androgen suppression therapy (RT+AST) constituted the study cohort. Within subgroups stratified by Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27 comorbidity score and age, Cox multivariable analysis was used to determine whether treatment with RT+AST as compared with RT was associated with a decreased risk of death. Results: Amongmore » healthy men (i.e., with mild or no comorbidity), 78 were older than the median age of 72.4 years, and in this subgroup, RT+AST was associated with a significantly lower risk of death on multivariable analysis (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.36 (95% CI=0.13-0.98), p = 0.046, with significantly lower 8-year mortality estimates of 16.5% vs. 41.4% (p = 0.011). Conversely, among men with moderate or severe comorbidity, 24 were older than the median age of 73, and in this subgroup, treatment with RT+AST was associated with a higher risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio = 5.2 (1.3-20.2), p = 0.018). Conclusion: In older men with mild or no comorbidity, treatment with RT+AST was associated with improved survival compared with treatment with RT alone, suggesting that healthy older men may derive the same benefits from prostate cancer treatment as younger men. We therefore suggest that prostate cancer screening recommendations should not be based on strict age cutoffs alone but should also take into account comorbidity.« less

Development of a new protocol for rapid bacterial identification and susceptibility testing directly from urine samples.

PubMed

Zboromyrska, Y; Rubio, E; Alejo, I; Vergara, A; Mons, A; Campo, I; Bosch, J; Marco, F; Vila, J

2016-06-01

The current gold standard method for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI) is urine culture that requires 18-48 h for the identification of the causative microorganisms and an additional 24 h until the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are available. The aim of this study was to shorten the time of urine sample processing by a combination of flow cytometry for screening and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for bacterial identification followed by AST directly from urine. The study was divided into two parts. During the first part, 675 urine samples were processed by a flow cytometry device and a cut-off value of bacterial count was determined to select samples for direct identification by MALDI-TOF-MS at ≥5 × 10(6) bacteria/mL. During the second part, 163 of 1029 processed samples reached the cut-off value. The sample preparation protocol for direct identification included two centrifugation and two washing steps. Direct AST was performed by the disc diffusion method if a reliable direct identification was obtained. Direct MALDI-TOF-MS identification was performed in 140 urine samples; 125 of the samples were positive by urine culture, 12 were contaminated and 3 were negative. Reliable direct identification was obtained in 108 (86.4%) of the 125 positive samples. AST was performed in 102 identified samples, and the results were fully concordant with the routine method among 83 monomicrobial infections. In conclusion, the turnaround time of the protocol described to diagnose UTI was about 1 h for microbial identification and 18-24 h for AST. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical and Laboratory Associations with Persistent Hyperferritinemia in 373 Black Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study Participants.

PubMed

Barton, James C; Barton, J Clayborn; Adams, Paul C

2017-01-01

373 black participants had elevated screening and post-screening serum ferritin (SF) (> 300 μg/L men; > 200 μg/L women). We retrospectively studied SF and post-screening age; sex; body mass index; transferrin saturation (TS); ALT; AST; GGT; elevated C-reactive protein; ß-thalassemia; neutrophils; lymphocytes; monocytes; platelets; metacarpophalangeal joint hypertrophy; hepatomegaly; splenomegaly; diabetes; HFE H63D positivity; iron/alcohol intakes; and blood/erythrocyte transfusion units. Liver disease was defined as elevated ALT or AST. We computed correlations of SF and TS with: age; body mass index; ALT; AST; GGT; C-reactive protein; blood cell counts; and iron/alcohol. We compared participants with SF > 1,000 and ≤ 1,000 μg/L and performed regressions on SF. There were 237 men (63.5%). Mean age was 55 ± 13 (SD) y. 143 participants had liver disease (62 hepatitis B or C). There were significant correlations of SF: TS, ALT, AST, GGT, and monocytes (positive); and SF and TS with platelets (negative). 22 participants with SF > 1,000 μg/L had significantly higher median TS, ALT, and AST, and prevalences of anemia and transfusion > 10 units; and lower median platelets. Regression on SF revealed significant associations: TS; male sex; age; GGT; transfusion units (positive); and splenomegaly (negative) (p < 0.0001, 0.0016, 0.0281, 0.0025, 0.0001, and 0.0096, respectively). Five men with SF > 1,000 μg/L and elevated TS had presumed primary iron overload (hemochromatosis). Four participants had transfusion iron overload. Persistent hyperferritinemia in 373 black adults was associated with male sex, age, TS, GGT, and transfusion. 2.4% had primary iron overload (hemochromatosis) or transfusion iron overload.

Neuroprotective effects of phytosterols and flavonoids from Cirsium setidens and Aster scaber in human brain neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells.

PubMed

Chung, Mi Ja; Lee, Sanghyun; Park, Yong Il; Lee, Jisun; Kwon, Ki Han

2016-03-01

We investigated the neuroprotective effects and action mechanism of three major compounds [daucosterol (Dau), pectolinarin (Pec), and astragalin (Ast)] isolated from edible plants against H2O2-induced cell death of human brain neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. Apoptotic cell death was monitored by annexin V-FITC/PI double staining and by TUNEL assay. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), expression of antioxidant enzymes and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were determined by 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay, RT-PCR, and western blotting, respectively. The ethyl acetate fractions from Cirsium setidens (CSEA) and Aster scaber (ASEA) showed neuroprotective effects in SK-N-SH cells. The phytochemicals were isolated from CSEA and ASEA and identified by spectral analyses, as β-sitosterol, Dau, Pec, Ast, or isoquercitrin. Pretreatment with Dau, Pec, or Ast showed protective effects against H2O2-induced cell death and inhibited ROS generation by oxidative stress. HO-1 mRNA and protein levels were increased by the presence of H2O2 and were further elevated by pretreatment with Dau and Ast. Dau pretreatment resulted in further increases of H2O2-induced enhancement in levels of CAT and SOD2. Pretreatment with Dau, Pec, and Ast inhibited phosphorylation of MAPK, such as extracellular protein regulated protein kinase, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase by H2O2. Dau exerts its neuroprotective effects by down regulation of MAPK pathways and upregulation of the HO-1, CAT and SOD2 antioxidant genes and is associated with reduced oxidative stress in SK-N-SH cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between elevated coffee consumption and daily chocolate intake with normal liver enzymes in HIV-HCV infected individuals: results from the ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH cohort study.

PubMed

Carrieri, M Patrizia; Lions, Caroline; Sogni, Philippe; Winnock, Maria; Roux, Perrine; Mora, Marion; Bonnard, Philippe; Salmon, Dominique; Dabis, François; Spire, Bruno

2014-01-01

We used longitudinal data from the ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH cohort study of HIV-HCV co-infected individuals to investigate whether polyphenol rich food intake through coffee and/or daily chocolate consumption could play a role in reducing liver enzymes levels. Longitudinal data collection included self-administered questionnaires and medical data (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) liver enzymes). Two analyses were performed to assess the association between coffee (≥3 cups a day) and daily chocolate intake and abnormal values of AST and ALT (AST or ALT >2.5 × upper normal limit (UNL)) (N=990) over time, after adjustment for known correlates. Logistic regression models based on generalized estimating equations were used to take into account the correlations between repeated measures and estimate adjusted odds ratio. After adjustment, patients reporting elevated coffee consumption and daily chocolate intake were less likely to present abnormal ALT (OR=0.65; p=0.04 and OR=0.57; p=0.04, for coffee and chocolate respectively), while only patients reporting elevated coffee consumption were less likely to have abnormal AST values (p=0.05). Nevertheless, the combined indicator of coffee and chocolate intake was most significantly associated with approximately 40% reduced risk of abnormal liver enzymes (p=0.003 for AST; p=0.002 for ALT). Elevated coffee consumption and daily chocolate intake appear to be associated with reduced levels of liver enzymes in HIV-HCV co-infected patients. Further experimental and observational research is needed to better understand the role that polyphenol intake or supplementation can play on liver disease and liver injury. Copyright © 2013 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

External quality assurance programs as a tool for verifying standardization of measurement procedures: Pilot collaboration in Europe.

PubMed

Perich, C; Ricós, C; Alvarez, V; Biosca, C; Boned, B; Cava, F; Doménech, M V; Fernández-Calle, P; Fernández-Fernández, P; García-Lario, J V; Minchinela, J; Simón, M; Jansen, R

2014-05-15

Current external quality assurance schemes have been classified into six categories, according to their ability to verify the degree of standardization of the participating measurement procedures. SKML (Netherlands) is a Category 1 EQA scheme (commutable EQA materials with values assigned by reference methods), whereas SEQC (Spain) is a Category 5 scheme (replicate analyses of non-commutable materials with no values assigned by reference methods). The results obtained by a group of Spanish laboratories participating in a pilot study organized by SKML are examined, with the aim of pointing out the improvements over our current scheme that a Category 1 program could provide. Imprecision and bias are calculated for each analyte and laboratory, and compared with quality specifications derived from biological variation. Of the 26 analytes studied, 9 had results comparable with those from reference methods, and 10 analytes did not have comparable results. The remaining 7 analytes measured did not have available reference method values, and in these cases, comparison with the peer group showed comparable results. The reasons for disagreement in the second group can be summarized as: use of non-standard methods (IFCC without exogenous pyridoxal phosphate for AST and ALT, Jaffé kinetic at low-normal creatinine concentrations and with eGFR); non-commutability of the reference material used to assign values to the routine calibrator (calcium, magnesium and sodium); use of reference materials without established commutability instead of reference methods for AST and GGT, and lack of a systematic effort by manufacturers to harmonize results. Results obtained in this work demonstrate the important role of external quality assurance programs using commutable materials with values assigned by reference methods to correctly monitor the standardization of laboratory tests with consequent minimization of risk to patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid bacterial antibiotic susceptibility test based on simple surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic biomarkers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chia-Ying; Han, Yin-Yi; Shih, Po-Han; Lian, Wei-Nan; Wang, Huai-Hsien; Lin, Chi-Hung; Hsueh, Po-Ren; Wang, Juen-Kai; Wang, Yuh-Lin

2016-03-01

Rapid bacterial antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measurement are important to help reduce the widespread misuse of antibiotics and alleviate the growing drug-resistance problem. We discovered that, when a susceptible strain of Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli is exposed to an antibiotic, the intensity of specific biomarkers in its surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra drops evidently in two hours. The discovery has been exploited for rapid AST and MIC determination of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and wild-type E. coli as well as clinical isolates. The results obtained by this SERS-AST method were consistent with that by the standard incubation-based method, indicating its high potential to supplement or replace existing time-consuming methods and help mitigate the challenge of drug resistance in clinical microbiology.

Acceleration of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Positive Blood Cultures by Inoculation of Vitek 2 Cards with Briefly Incubated Solid Medium Cultures

PubMed Central

Idelevich, Evgeny A.; Schüle, Isabel; Grünastel, Barbara; Wüllenweber, Jörg; Peters, Georg

2014-01-01

Briefly incubated agar cultures from positive blood cultures were used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) by Vitek 2. The cultivation time until inoculation was 3.8 h for Gram-positive cocci and 2.4 h for Gram-negative rods. The error rates were low, providing early and reliable AST without additional time or cost expenditure. PMID:25165084

Wide-field Imaging Survey of Dust Continuum Emissions at lambda = 1.1 mm toward the Chamaeleon and Lupus Regions with AzTEC on ASTE

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

Momose, Munetake; Hiramatsu, Masaaki; Tsukagoshi, Takashi

2009-08-05

We carried out an imaging survey of dust continuum emissions toward the Chamaeleon and Lupus regions. Observations were made with the 144-element bolometer array camera AzTEC mounted on the 10-meter sub-millimeter telescope ASTE during 2007-2008. The preliminary results of disk search and the cloud structure of Lupus III are presented.

Correlating the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests with the University Entrance English Examinations Held in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Tzung-yu

2013-01-01

This study was carried out to seek the correlations of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT), a norm-referenced reading test used in the United States, with the AST and the GSAT English tests, the two most important college entrance English tests held annually in Taiwan. The AST group comprised 53 students, and the GSAT group included 171…

Full genome analysis of bovine astrovirus from fecal samples of cattle in Japan: identification of possible interspecies transmission of bovine astrovirus.

PubMed

Nagai, Makoto; Omatsu, Tsutomu; Aoki, Hiroshi; Otomaru, Konosuke; Uto, Takehiko; Koizumi, Motoya; Minami-Fukuda, Fujiko; Takai, Hikaru; Murakami, Toshiaki; Masuda, Tsuneyuki; Yamasato, Hiroshi; Shiokawa, Mai; Tsuchiaka, Shinobu; Naoi, Yuki; Sano, Kaori; Okazaki, Sachiko; Katayama, Yukie; Oba, Mami; Furuya, Tetsuya; Shirai, Junsuke; Mizutani, Tetsuya

2015-10-01

A viral metagenomics approach was used to investigate fecal samples of Japanese calves with and without diarrhea. Of the different viral pathogens detected, read counts gave nearly complete astrovirus-related RNA sequences in 15 of the 146 fecal samples collected in three distinct areas (Hokkaido, Ishikawa, and Kagoshima Prefectures) between 2009 and 2015. Due to the lack of genetic information about bovine astroviruses (BoAstVs) in Japan, these sequences were analyzed in this study. Nine of the 15 Japanese BoAstVs were closely related to Chinese BoAstVs and clustered into a lineage (tentatively named lineage 1) in all phylogenetic trees. Three of 15 strains were phylogenetically separate from lineage 1, showing low sequence identities, and clustered instead with an American strain isolated from cattle with respiratory disease (tentatively named lineage 2). Interestingly, two of 15 strains clustered with lineage 1 in the open reading frame (ORF)1a and ORF1b regions, while they clustered with lineage 2 in the ORF2 region. Remarkably, one of 15 strains exhibited low amino acid sequence similarity to other BoAstVs and was clustered separately with porcine astrovirus type 5 in all trees, and ovine astrovirus in the ORF2 region, suggesting past interspecies transmission.

Influence of Prescribed Herbal and Western Medicine on Patients with Abnormal Liver Function Tests: A Retrospective Quasi-Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Ah-Ram; Yim, Je-Min; Kim, Won-Il

2012-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and the efficacy of Korean herbal, western and combination medicine use in patients with abnormal liver function tests. Methods: We investigated nerve disease patients with abnormal liver function tests who were treated with Korean herbal, western and combination medicine at Dong-Eui University Oriental Hospital from January 2011 to August 2011. We compared aspartic aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (T-bil) levels before and after taking medicine and excluded patients who had liver-related disease when admitted. Results: AST and ALT were decreased significantly in patients who had taken herbal, western medicine. AST, ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken combination medicine. Compare to herbal medicine, AST, ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken western medicine, and ALT and ALP were decreased significantly in patients who had taken combination medicine. There were no significant differences between western and combination medicine. Conclusions: This study suggests that prescribed Korean herbal medicine, at least, does not injure liver function for patients’, moreover, it was shown to be effective in patients with abnormal liver function tests. PMID:25780634

Porcine alanine transaminase after liver allo-and xenotransplantation

PubMed Central

Ekser, Burcin; Gridelli, Bruno; Cooper, David K.C.

2013-01-01

Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) are measured following liver transplantation as indicators of hepatocellular injury. During a series of orthotopic liver allo-and xenotransplants, we observed that there was an increase in AST in all cases. The anticipated concomitant rise in ALT did not occur when a wild-type (WT) pig was the source of the liver graft, but did occur when a baboon or a genetically engineered (α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout [GTKO]) pig was the source of the graft. We hypothesized that the cience of Galα1,3 Gal in GTKO pig livers may render pig hepatocytes similar to human and baboon hepatocytes in their response to hepatocellular injury. Reviewing the literature, after WT pig liver allotransplantation or xenotransplantation, in the majority of reports, although changes in AST were reported, no mention was made of changes in ALT, suggesting that there was no change in ALT. However, Ramirez et al. reported two cases of liver xenotransplants from hCD55 pigs, following which there were increases in both AST and ALT, suggesting that it is not simply the cience of expression of Galα1,3 Gal that is the cause. We acknowledge that our observation is based on a small number of experiments, but we believe it is worth recording. PMID:22360753

In vitro imaging of cells using peptide-conjugated quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, Mitsuru; Biju, Vasudevan

2010-02-01

Efficient intracellular delivery of quantum dots (QDs) in living cells and elucidating the mechanism of the delivery are essential for advancing the applications of QDs to in vivo imaging and in vivo photodynamic therapy. Here, we demonstrate that clathrin-mediated endocytosis is the most dominant pathway for the delivery of peptide-conjugated QDs. We selected an insect neuropeptide, allatostatin (AST1), conjugated with CdSe-ZnS QDs, and investigated the delivery of the conjugate in living cells. We evaluated the contributions of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, receptormediated endocytosis, and charge-based cell penetration to the delivery of QD605-AST1 conjugates by flow cytometry and fluorescence video microscopy. The delivery was suppressed by ~57% in inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase with wortmannin, which blocks the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles, and by ~45% in incubating the cells at 4°C. Also, we identified clathrin-mediated endocytosis by two-color experiment to find colocalization of QD560-labeled clathrin heavy-chain antibody and QD605-AST1. We further observed reduction of the galanin receptor-mediated delivery of QD605-AST1 by ~8% in blocking the cells with a galanin antagonist, and reduction of charge-based cell penetration delivery by ~30% in removing the positive charge in the peptide from arginine and suppressing the cell-surface negative charge from glycosaminoglycan.

[Prediction of histological liver damage in asymptomatic alcoholic patients by means of clinical and laboratory data].

PubMed

Iturriaga, H; Hirsch, S; Bunout, D; Díaz, M; Kelly, M; Silva, G; de la Maza, M P; Petermann, M; Ugarte, G

1993-04-01

Looking for a noninvasive method to predict liver histologic alterations in alcoholic patients without clinical signs of liver failure, we studied 187 chronic alcoholics recently abstinent, divided in 2 series. In the model series (n = 94) several clinical variables and results of common laboratory tests were confronted to the findings of liver biopsies. These were classified in 3 groups: 1. Normal liver; 2. Moderate alterations; 3. Marked alterations, including alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Multivariate methods used were logistic regression analysis and a classification and regression tree (CART). Both methods entered gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), weight and age as significant and independent variables. Univariate analysis with GGT and AST at different cutoffs were also performed. To predict the presence of any kind of damage (Groups 2 and 3), CART and AST > 30 IU showed the higher sensitivity, specificity and correct prediction, both in the model and validation series. For prediction of marked liver damage, a score based on logistic regression and GGT > 110 IU had the higher efficiencies. It is concluded that GGT and AST are good markers of alcoholic liver damage and that, using sample cutoffs, histologic diagnosis can be correctly predicted in 80% of recently abstinent asymptomatic alcoholics.

School travel planning: mobilizing school and community resources to encourage active school transportation.

PubMed

Buliung, Ron; Faulkner, Guy; Beesley, Theresa; Kennedy, Jacky

2011-11-01

Active school transport (AST), school travel using an active mode like walking, may be important to children's overall physical activity. A "school travel plan" (STP) documents a school's transport characteristics and provides an action plan to address school and neighborhood barriers to AST. We conducted a pilot STP intervention at 12 schools in 4 Canadian provinces. Facilitators and school personnel created and implemented AST action plans. Parent's self-reports (N = 1489) were the basis for evaluating the intervention. A content analysis identified type, frequency, and perceived success of initiatives. School travel plans emphasized education and promotion, and AST activities and events. Capital improvement projects were more common at schools in older suburban neighborhoods, whereas enforcement was more common at schools in newer suburban neighborhoods. Rates of active transportation increased from 43.8% to 45.9%. At follow-up, 13.3% of households reported less driving. Parents/caregivers cited weather, convenience, and trip chaining as primary reasons for continued driving. The STP process may facilitate changes to patterns of school travel. An STP can expand a school's capacity to address transportation issues through mobilization of diverse community resources. Future STP initiatives may benefit from addressing convenience, safety through enforcement, and by examining how schools can be supported in implementing infrastructure improvements. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Coastal Atmosphere and Sea Time Series (CoASTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Zibordi, Giuseppe; Berthon, Jean-Francoise; Doyle, John P.; Grossi, Stefania; vanderLinde, Dirk; Targa, Cristina; Alberotanza, Luigi; McClain, Charles R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Coastal Atmosphere and Sea Time Series (CoASTS) Project aimed at supporting ocean color research and applications, from 1995 up to the time of publication of this document, has ensured the collection of a comprehensive atmospheric and marine data set from an oceanographic tower located in the northern Adriatic Sea. The instruments and the measurement methodologies used to gather quantities relevant for bio-optical modeling and for the calibration and validation of ocean color sensors, are described. Particular emphasis is placed on four items: (1) the evaluation of perturbation effects in radiometric data (i.e., tower-shading, instrument self-shading, and bottom effects); (2) the intercomparison of seawater absorption coefficients from in situ measurements and from laboratory spectrometric analysis on discrete samples; (3) the intercomparison of two filter techniques for in vivo measurement of particulate absorption coefficients; and (4) the analysis of repeatability and reproducibility of the most relevant laboratory measurements carried out on seawater samples (i.e., particulate and yellow substance absorption coefficients, and pigment and total suspended matter concentrations). Sample data are also presented and discussed to illustrate the typical features characterizing the CoASTS measurement site in view of supporting the suitability of the CoASTS data set for bio-optical modeling and ocean color calibration and validation.

AstRoMap European Astrobiology Roadmap

PubMed Central

Horneck, Gerda; Westall, Frances; Grenfell, John Lee; Martin, William F.; Gomez, Felipe; Leuko, Stefan; Lee, Natuschka; Onofri, Silvano; Tsiganis, Kleomenis; Saladino, Raffaele; Pilat-Lohinger, Elke; Palomba, Ernesto; Harrison, Jesse; Rull, Fernando; Muller, Christian; Strazzulla, Giovanni; Brucato, John R.; Rettberg, Petra; Capria, Maria Teresa

2016-01-01

Abstract The European AstRoMap project (supported by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme) surveyed the state of the art of astrobiology in Europe and beyond and produced the first European roadmap for astrobiology research. In the context of this roadmap, astrobiology is understood as the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the context of cosmic evolution; this includes habitability in the Solar System and beyond. The AstRoMap Roadmap identifies five research topics, specifies several key scientific objectives for each topic, and suggests ways to achieve all the objectives. The five AstRoMap Research Topics are • Research Topic 1: Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems• Research Topic 2: Origins of Organic Compounds in Space• Research Topic 3: Rock-Water-Carbon Interactions, Organic Synthesis on Earth, and Steps to Life• Research Topic 4: Life and Habitability• Research Topic 5: Biosignatures as Facilitating Life Detection It is strongly recommended that steps be taken towards the definition and implementation of a European Astrobiology Platform (or Institute) to streamline and optimize the scientific return by using a coordinated infrastructure and funding system. Key Words: Astrobiology roadmap—Europe—Origin and evolution of life—Habitability—Life detection—Life in extreme environments. Astrobiology 16, 201–243. PMID:27003862

IVS Working Group 2 for Product Specification and Observing Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuh, H.; Charlot, P.; Hase, H.; Himwich, E.; Kingham, K.; Klatt, C.; Ma, C.; Malkin, Z.; Niell, A.; Nothnagel, A.; Schluter, W.; Takashima, K.; Vandenberg, N.

2002-03-01

After the scientific rationale is given in the introduction the Terms of Reference and the proceeding of IVS Working Group 2 are presented. Then the present status and future goals of all international activities within IVS are described. In particular the current products of IVS are described in terms of accuracy, reliability, frequency of observing sessions, temporal resolution of the parameters estimated by VLBI data analysis, time delay from observing to product, i.e. time which has passed after the end of the last session included in the VLBI solution till availability of the final products and frequency of solution (in the case of "global solutions";, when all existing or a high number of VLBI sessions are used to determine so-called global parameters). All IVS products and their potential users are covered in the report. This includes the Earth orientation parameters (EOP), the reference frames (TRF and CRF), geodynamical and geophysical parameters and physical parameters. Measures which should be taken within IVS to meet the goals defined in the first steps are presented. As most of the measures are related to the observing programs, these are the main focus for improving the current status of IVS products. The report shows that due to various requirements of the different users of IVS products the following aspects must be accomplished: - significant improvement of the accuracy of VLBI products, - shorter time delay from observation to availability of results, - almost continuous temporal coverage by VLBI sessions. A first scenario of the IVS observing program for 2002 and 2003 considers an increase of observing time by about 30%-40% and includes sessions carried out by S2 and K4 technology. The midterm observing program for the next 4-5 years seems to be rather ambitious. However, it appears feasible if all efforts are concentrated and the necessary resources are made available. From: Bidzina Kapanadze (Ilia State Iniversity) Address: bidzina_kapanadze@iliauni.edu.ge Database: ast

Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System for Turbofan Engines. Volume 3; Validation and Test Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morin, Bruce L.

2010-01-01

Pratt & Whitney has developed a Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System (BFaNS) for turbofan engines. This system computes the noise generated by turbulence impinging on the leading edges of the fan and fan exit guide vane, and noise generated by boundary-layer turbulence passing over the fan trailing edge. BFaNS has been validated on three fan rigs that were tested during the NASA Advanced Subsonic Technology Program (AST). The predicted noise spectra agreed well with measured data. The predicted effects of fan speed, vane count, and vane sweep also agreed well with measurements. The noise prediction system consists of two computer programs: Setup_BFaNS and BFaNS. Setup_BFaNS converts user-specified geometry and flow-field information into a BFaNS input file. From this input file, BFaNS computes the inlet and aft broadband sound power spectra generated by the fan and FEGV. The output file from BFaNS contains the inlet, aft and total sound power spectra from each noise source. This report is the third volume of a three-volume set documenting the Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System: Volume 1: Setup_BFaNS User s Manual and Developer s Guide; Volume 2: BFaNS User s Manual and Developer s Guide; and Volume 3: Validation and Test Cases. The present volume begins with an overview of the Broadband Fan Noise Prediction System, followed by validation studies that were done on three fan rigs. It concludes with recommended improvements and additional studies for BFaNS.

The Sunnel: Engaging Visitors in Solar Research via a Tunnel Through the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMuth, Nora H.; Walker, C. E.

2006-12-01

The publicly accessible hallway space inside the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope building on Kitt Peak has great untapped potential to house a display that would be relevant and understandable to KPNO visitors without the need for mediation or further explanation. An effective display would unite background content on solar physics and astronomy, and information on current solar research techniques and results in an accessible way that would excite and engage visitors. Considering these requirements, we created a concept currently dubbed the Sunnel (for “Sun-tunnel”). The Sunnel consists of two 95by 13-foot murals of the layers of the Sun stretching down the visitor hallway in the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope. Temperatures of the layers are represented by the colors of the peak in the corresponding black-body curves, and solar features such as sunspots and pressure waves are represented by abstract designs flowing along the walls. A photon path will be laid on the floor using tiles, and several posters highlighting current solar research and background science content relevant to solar research will be displayed on one wall. An audio tour featuring interviews with solar researchers guides visitors along the Sunnel, engaging them and supporting deeper appreciation of the solar research. Installation of the murals is scheduled for early 2007, just in time to celebrate the International Heliophysical Year. DeMuth's research was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation through Scientific Program Order No. 3 (AST-0243875) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF.

The Massive Black Hole in the Dwarf Galaxy NGC 4486B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, A.; Green, R. F.; Gebhardt, K.; Bower, G. A.; Kormendy, J.; Lauer, T.; Richstone, D. O.; STIS IDT Galaxy Nuclei Team; Nuker Team

2003-12-01

We report results from the application of a three-integral galactic dynamical model to NGC 4486B. This dwarf E1 companion to M87 has long been known to be an outlier in the Fundamental Plane. Kormendy and Magorrian et al. found a substantial central black hole mass, making it an outlier in the MBH to Lbulge relationship as well. From the modeling we are able to determine the extent to which NGC 4486B follows the MBH - sigma relation more closely than the other bulge galaxy relationships. The other unique feature NGC 4486B exhibits is a double nucleus structure, the second of only two observed. We combine the high resolution of STIS spectra with ground based data to form a more complete description of the line-of-sight velocity distributions (LOSVDs) in the nuclear region of NGC 4486B. Through the increased resolution of the dynamics and the three-integral model, we place an improved constraint on the mass-to-light ratio and black hole mass. Bender's research was supported by the NOAO/KPNO Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program which is funded by the National Science Foundation through Scientific Program Order No. 3 (AST-0243875) of the Cooperative Agreement No. AST-0132798 between the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and the NSF. RG and GB were supported by NASA for the STIS Instrument Definition Team. This work is a collaboration with the STIS Instrument Definition Team galaxy nuclei group, which also includes John Hutchings, Charles Joseph, Mary Elizabeth Kaiser, Charles Nelson, Donna Weistrop, and Bruce Woodgate. This work is a collaboration with the Nuker Team, which also includes Ralf Bender, Alan Dressler, Sandra Faber, Alex Filippenko, Carl Grillmair, Luis Ho, John Magorrian, Jason Pinkney, Christos Siopis, and Scott Tremaine.

Associations of White Blood Cell Count,Alanine Aminotransferase,and Aspartate Aminotransferase in the First Trimester withGestational Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

Zhao, Li-li; Li, Wei; Ping, Fan; Ma, Liang-kun; Nie, Min

2016-06-10

Objective To explore the associations of white blood cell (WBC) count,alanine aminotransferase (ALT),and aspartate aminotransferase(AST) in the first trimester of pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods Totally 725 GDM women and 935 women who remained euglycemic throughout pregnancy were enrolled in this study. Pre-pregnancy weight/height were recorded. WBC,ALT,and AST levels were detected between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy.At 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy,the glucose and insulin levels were measured. The WBC,ALT,and AST levels were compared between two groups,and the associations of WBC,ALT,and AST levels with the blood glucose and insulin levels were retrospectively analyzed. Meanwhile,the potential associations of those factors with the occurrence of GDM were analzyed. Results WBC count [9.41(8.15,10.84)?10(9)/L vs. 9.04 (7.64,10.37)?10(9)/L,P=1.0?10(-5)] and ALT levels [18.00(12.00,30.00)U/L vs. 16.00 (11.00,26.00)U/L,P=0.004] in the first trimester of pregnancy were significantly increased in GDM subjects than in normal glucose tolerance(NGT)subjects;however,the AST level showed no significant difference between these two groups [41.00 (26.00,43.00)U/L vs. 41.00 (23.00,43.00)U/L,P=0.588]. Logistic regression analysis illustrated that elevated WBC count was an independent risk factor for GDM after adjustment for age,pre-pregnancy body mass index,blood pressure,and family history of diabetes(OR=1.119,P=0.001). The ROC curve revealed that threshold of WBC count was 7.965?10(9)/L(AUC=0.566,P=1?10(-5)),which had a sensitivity of 79.4% and a specificity of 31.3%. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was positively correlated with WBC count(B=0.051,P=0.022,R(2)=0.083);1-hour blood glucose after oral 50 grams of sugar (B=0.044,P=0.001,R(2)=0.044) and fasting plasma true insulin(B=0.214,P=0.032,R(2)=0.066) were positively correlated with WBC count;1-hour true insulin after 100 grams oral glucose to lerance test(OGTT) was positively correlated with AST (B=0.616,P=1.85?10(-5),R(2)=0.052);2-hour true insulin after 100 grams OGTT was positively correlated with ALT (B=0.148,P=0.027)and AST(B=0.936,P=3.71?10(-8),R(2)=0.077);and 3-hour true insulin after 100 grams oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT) was positively correlated with ALT (B=0.189,P=0.002) and AST (B=0.688,P=7.25?10(-6),R(2)=0.067).Conclusions The WBC count in the first trimester of pregnancy can increase the risk of GDM. Thus,WBC count may be a useful predictors of GDM.

Efficacy and tolerability of diphenyl-dimethyl-dicarboxylate plus garlic oil in patients with chronic hepatitis.

PubMed

Lee, Min Ho; Kim, Young Mi; Kim, Sang Geon

2012-11-01

To investigate the hepatoprotective effect, safety and tolerability of oral preparation comprising dimethyl-4,4'-dimethoxy-5,6,5',6'-dimethylene dioxybiphenyl-2,2'-dicarboxylate (DDB) plus garlic oil (GO) in chronic hepatitis patients. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted for 6 weeks with 1-week follow-up, a total of 88 patients with histologically confirmed chronic hepatitis and persistently elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of 4 treatment groups: placebo (Group A) and 3 escalating dose groups (2, 3, or 6 study drug capsules a day) (Groups B - D). Each study drug capsule contains 25 mg DDB plus 50 mg GO. Efficacy was assessed by monitoring changes in the circulating activities of ALT and AST as surrogate markers for liver injury. Safety and tolerability were assessed based on the evaluation of clinically adverse events and laboratory test results. Of 88 patients, 83 took at least one dose of study drug and 79 completed the study without any protocol violation. The majority of patients (81/83, 98%) had been infected with HBV. The proportions of patients whose ALT levels returned to normal ranges at Week 6, a primary outcome, were significantly different among 4 groups: 16% (3/19), 41% (9/22), 52% (11/21), and 88% (15/17) in Groups A, B, C, and D, respectively (p < 0.001). The proportions were significantly higher in Groups C (p = 0.022) and D (p < 0.001) but not in Group B compared to Group A. Interestingly, the proportion of Group D was higher than that of Group C (p = 0.034), suggesting a dose-response effect of DDB plus GO on the decrease of ALT levels. The mean ALT levels started to decrease from Week 1 in patients treated with DDB plus GO, whereas no decrease was seen in placebo group. The mean AST levels had a decreasing trend in all doses of DDB plus GO groups. Notably, patients treated with 6 capsules of DDB plus GO daily exhibited the statistically significant decrease in AST levels from Week 3. However, there was no difference in the proportions of patients with the AST decrease to normal ranges after 6-week therapy among 4 groups. The effects of DDB plus GO on decreases in ALT and AST levels lasted until 1 week after completion of treatment. Additionally, the ratios of ALT to AST gradually decreased in patients treated with DDB plus GO over time, suggesting higher degrees of reduction in ALT than in AST in those groups. No clinically meaningful adverse events and laboratory abnormalities were observed during the study period. The 6-week treatment of DDB plus GO lowered serum aminotransferase activities in patients with chronic hepatitis induced by HBV and/or HCV and was well tolerated. For the treatment of viral hepatitis patients, the optimal dose of this preparation was 3 to 6 capsules per day.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects in Spain | Concentrating Solar Power |

Science.gov Websites

) Andasol-2(AS-2) Andasol-3(AS-3) Arcosol 50(Valle 1) Arenales Aste 1A Aste 1B Astexol II Borges Termosolar Casablanca Enerstar(Villena) Extresol-1(EX-1) Extresol-2(EX-2) Extresol-3(EX-3) Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant ) Solaben 1 Solaben 2 Solaben 3 Solaben 6 Solacor 1 Solacor 2 Solnova 1 Solnova 3 Solnova 4 Termesol 50

Liver overload in Brazilian triathletes after half-ironman competition is related muscle fatigue.

PubMed

Bürger-Mendonça, Marcos; Bielavsky, Monica; Barbosa, Fernanda C R

2008-01-01

Triathlon competition is dependent on the athletes' ability to perform each discipline at optimal time, without excessive fatigue influencing the next one. Determine the effects of a long distance triathlon on biochemistry parameters related to liver function. Blood samples from six athletes were collected before (T = 0) and immediately after the triathlon competition (T = 1). AST, ALT and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values were assessed. Significant changes after triathlon competition were found for AST and ALP and no significant changes were found for ALT over time. A series of metabolically alterations, mainly related to energy production and also to muscle and skeletal adaptations occurs during and after strenuous exercise. The altered status of those metabolical changes cannot directly reflect the intensity of any possible muscular or hepatic damage or overload and elevated AST/ALT ratio is better associated to skeletal muscle lesion during competition.

Variation in metabolic enzymatic activity in white muscle and liver of blue tilapia, Oreochromis aureus, in response to long-term thermal acclimatization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Younis, Elsayed M.

2015-05-01

The effects of rearing temperature on white muscle and hepatic phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were examined in fingerlings of blue tilapia, Oreochromis aureus. The experiment was conducted for 14 weeks at temperatures of 18, 22, 26, 30, and 34°C. The activity of the glycolytic enzymes PFK, PK, and LDH in white muscle increased significantly with increase in water temperature. A reverse trend was observed for these enzymes in the liver, except for LDH, which behaved in the same manner as in white muscle. Cytosolic AST and ALT activity increased in both white muscle and liver in response to warm thermal acclimatization, while a reduction in mitochondrial AST and ALT activity was noticed at high temperatures in comparison with those at a lower temperature.

Generating a Magellanic star cluster catalog with ASteCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perren, G. I.; Piatti, A. E.; Vázquez, R. A.

2016-08-01

An increasing number of software tools have been employed in the recent years for the automated or semi-automated processing of astronomical data. The main advantages of using these tools over a standard by-eye analysis include: speed (particularly for large databases), homogeneity, reproducibility, and precision. At the same time, they enable a statistically correct study of the uncertainties associated with the analysis, in contrast with manually set errors, or the still widespread practice of simply not assigning errors. We present a catalog comprising 210 star clusters located in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, observed with Washington photometry. Their fundamental parameters were estimated through an homogeneous, automatized and completely unassisted process, via the Automated Stellar Cluster Analysis package ( ASteCA). Our results are compared with two types of studies on these clusters: one where the photometry is the same, and another where the photometric system is different than that employed by ASteCA.

Image Mission Attitude Support Experiences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ottenstein, N.; Challa, M.; Home, A.; Harman, R.; Burley, R.

2001-01-01

The spin-stabilized Imager for Magnetopause to Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) first Medium-class Explorer Mission (MIDEX). IMAGE was launched into a highly elliptical polar orbit on March 25, 2000 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, aboard a Boeing Delta II 7326 launch vehicle. This paper presents some of the observations of the flight dynamics analyses during the launch and in-orbit checkout period through May 18, 2000. Three new algorithms - one algebraic and two differential correction - for computing the parameters of the coning motion of a spacecraft are described and evaluated using in-flight data from the autonomous star tracker (AST) on IMAGE. Other attitude aspects highlighted include support for active damping consequent upon the failure of the passive nutation damper, performance evaluation of the AST, evaluation of the Sun sensor and magnetometer using AST data, and magnetometer calibration.

Advanced Nacelle Acoustic Lining Concepts Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bielak, G.; Gallman, J.; Kunze, R.; Murray, P.; Premo, J.; Kosanchick, M.; Hersh, A.; Celano, J.; Walker, B.; Yu, J.;

[Effect of Guilingji Capsule on the fertility, liver functions, and serum LDH of male SD rats exposed by 900 mhz cell phone].

PubMed

Ma, Hui-Rong; Li, Yuan-Yuan; Luo, Ya-Ping; Ma, Xue-Lian; Gong, Zhi-Qiang

2014-04-01

To observe the effect of Guilingji Capsule (GC) on the fertility, liver functions, and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of adult male SD rats exposed by 900 MHz cell phone. Totally 18 adult male SD rats and 36 adult female rats in child-bearing period were selected and randomly divided into three groups according to weight equilibrium principle, i.e., the normal group, the radiated group, and the GC group, 6 males and 12 females in each group. Male rats in the normal group and all female rats were not radiated. Male rats in the radiated group and the GC group received radiation for 4 h per day, lasting for 18 successive days. Rats in the GC group received GC suspension at the daily dose of 0. 15 g/kg by gastrogavage at the same time. Equal volume of normal saline was administrated to other male rats. Then male rats were mated with corresponding female rats from the 14th radiation night to the 18th radiation night in the ratio of 1:2. Male rats were killed following on the next morning of ending the radiation. Female rats were normally fed and then killed before delivery. The pregnant outcomes of female rats in responding groups (the rates of pregnancy and the number of death fetus, birth weight, body length, and tail length) were observed and compared. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), AST/ALT, and LDH levels of the male rats were detected by colorimetry. Histological and morphological changes of liver were observed by HE staining. Compared with the normal group, the pregnancy rates of female rats decreased and the number of death fetus increased, the serum LDH level obviously increased in the radiated group (P < 0.05). Serum levels of ALT, AST, and AST/ALT were no significantly changed in the radiated group. The hepatocyte nuclear atrophy and cytoplasm vacuolar degeneration appeared. Compared with the radiated group, the pregnancy rates increased, the number of death fetus dropped, and the serum level of LDH decreased in the GC group (P < 0.05). There was no obvious change in serum levels of ALT, AST, or AST/ALT. The hepatocyte nuclear atrophy and cytoplasm vacuolar degeneration were significantly attenuated. The histomorphological structures recovered to normal basically in the GC group. The pregnancy rates could be decreased, the number of death fetus increased, histomorphological structures abnormal, and serum LDH level increased by exposure toy GSM 900 MHz cell phone. GC could prevent and treat the aforesaid lesion. But there was no statistical difference in serum ALT or AST levels.

[Effect of extracts from Dendrobii ifficinalis flos on hyperthyroidism Yin deficiency mice].

PubMed

Lei, Shan-shan; Lv, Gui-yuan; Jin, Ze-wu; Li, Bo; Yang, Zheng-biao; Chen, Su-hong

2015-05-01

Some unhealthy life habits, such as long-term smoking, heavy drinking, sexual overstrain and frequent stay-up could induce the Yin deficiency symptoms of zygomatic red and dysphoria. Stems of Dendrobii officinalis flos (DOF) showed the efficacy of nourishing Yin. In this study, the hyperthyroidism Yin deficiency model was set up to study the yin nourishing effect and action mechanism of DOF, in order to provide the pharmacological basis for developing DOF resources and decreasing resource wastes. ICR mice were divided into five groups: the normal control group, the model control group, the positive control group and DOF extract groups (6.4 g · kg(-1)). Except for the normal group, the other groups were administrated with thyroxine for 30 d to set up the hyperthyroidism yin deficiency model. At the same time, the other groups were administrated with the corresponding drugs for 30 d. After administration for 4 weeks, the signs (facial temperature, pain domain, heart rate and autonomic activity) in mice were measured, and the facial and ear micro-circulation blood flow were detected by laser Doppler technology. After the last administration, all mice were fasted for 12 hours, blood were collected from their orbits, and serum were separated to detect AST, ALT, TG and TP by the automatic biochemistry analyzer and test T3, T4 and TSH levels by ELISA. (1) Compared with the normal control group, the model control group showed significant increases in facial and ear micro-circulation blood flow, facial temperature and heart rate (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), serum AST, ALT (P < 0.01), T3 level (P < 0.05), TSH level (P < 0.05) and notable deceases in pain domain (P < 0.01), TG level (P < 0.01). (2) Compared with the model control group, extracts from DOF (6 g · kg(-1)) could notably reduce facial and ear micro-circulation blood flow, facial temperature and heart rate (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and AST (P < 0.05) and enhance pain domain (P < 0.01) and TG (P < 0.01). Extracts from DOF (4 g · kg(-1)) could remarkably reduce AST and ALT levels (P < 0.01, 0.05). Extracts from DOF (6 g · kg(-1) 4 g · kg(-1)) could significantly reduce T3 and increase serum TSH level (P < 0.05). DOF could improve Yin deficiency symptoms of zygomatic red and dysphoria in mice as well as liver function injury caused by overactive thyroid axis. According to its action mechanism, DOF may show yin nourishing and hepatic protective effects by impacting thyroxin substance metabolism, improving micro-circulation and reducing heart rate.

Modeling Spectral Variations of Dusty Circumstellar Envelopes During Microlensing Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunker, Christina; Ignace, R.; Bjorkman, J. E.

2007-12-01

Microlensing surveys have proven to be tremendously fruitful in providing valuable data products for many fields of astrophysics, from eclipse lightcurves for substellar candidates to limb darkening in stellar atmospheres. We report on a program of modeling observables from microlensing of circumstellar envelopes, particularly those of red giant stars that are the most likely to show finite source effects. Recent modeling results for the time dependent spectral energy distributions from microlensing of dusty winds are presented. In effect, wavelength-dependent continuum variations that occur as the lens-star separation changes can provide information about the emissivity distribution of dust in the wind. This project was funded by a partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF AST-0552798), Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), and the Department of Defense (DoD) ASSURE (Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences) programs.

Association Between Response to Acid-Suppression Therapy and Efficacy of Antireflux Surgery in Patients With Extraesophageal Reflux.

PubMed

Krill, Joseph T; Naik, Rishi D; Higginbotham, Tina; Slaughter, James C; Holzman, Michael D; Francis, David O; Garrett, C Gaelyn; Vaezi, Michael F

2017-05-01

The effectiveness of antireflux surgery (ARS) varies among patients with extraesophageal manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). By studying a cohort of patients with primary extraesophageal symptoms and abnormal physiologic markers for GERD, we aimed to identify factors associated with positive outcomes from surgery, and compare outcomes to those with typical esophageal manifestations of GERD. We performed a retrospective cohort study to compare adult patients with extraesophageal and typical reflux symptoms who underwent de novo ARS from 2004 through 2012 at a tertiary care center. All 115 patients (79 with typical GERD and 36 with extraesophageal manifestations of GERD) had evidence of abnormal distal esophageal acid exposure based on pH testing or endoscopy. The principle outcome was time to primary symptom recurrence after surgery, based on patient reports of partial or total recurrence of symptoms at follow-up visits. Patients were followed up for a median duration of 66 months (interquartile range, 52-77 mo). The median time to recurrence of symptoms in the overall cohort was 68 months (11.5 months in the extraesophageal cohort vs >132 months in the typical cohort). Symptom recurrence after ARS was associated with having primarily extraesophageal symptoms (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.31-4.17) and poor preoperative symptom response to acid-suppression therapy (AST) (hazard ratio, 3.85; 95% confidence interval, 2.05-7.22). Patients with primary extraesophageal symptoms who had a full or partial preoperative AST response experienced lower rates of symptom recurrence compared to patients with poor AST response (P < .01). The rate of symptom recurrence was lowest among patients with primary typical reflux symptoms who had a partial or full symptom response to AST (P < .01). The severity of acid reflux on pH testing, symptom indices, severity of esophagitis, and hiatal hernia size were not associated with symptom response. In a retrospective study, we found the effectiveness of ARS to be less predictable in patients with extraesophageal symptoms of GERD than in patients with typical GERD. Response to AST before surgery was associated with ARS effectiveness in patients with extraesophageal reflux symptoms. Caution should be exercised when advocating ARS for patients with extraesophageal symptoms that do not respond to AST. Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The B and Be Star Population of NGC 3766

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McSwain, M. V.

2006-12-01

I present results from a spectroscopic monitoring program of B and Be stars in the open cluster NGC 3766. From a 4-year time baseline of photometric and spectroscopic data, I have identified 9 Be stars in the cluster that have undergone disk outbursts or whose disks have disappeared. Using Kurucz ATLAS9 model spectra to measure temperatures, gravities, rotational velocities, and abundances among the cluster members, I present preliminary results of the stellar and cluster properties that may affect the long term variability of Be stars. M.V.M. is supported by an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship under award AST-0401460.

Probing Protoplanetary Disk Upper Atmospheres for Heating and Dust Settling Using Synthetic CO Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Josiah; Brittain, S. D.

2010-01-01

CO emission is a useful probe of the warm gas distribution in the planet forming regions of disks around Herbig Ae/Be stars. We model UV fluoresced and thermally excited CO in the circumstellar disks of several HAeBes. We find indications of dust settling in the upper atmospheres of HD 141569 and HD 7048 and a correlation between PAH luminosity and gas heating in these two systems. This project was funded by a partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF AST-0552798), Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), and the Department of Defense (DoD) ASSURE (Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences) programs.

Functional consistency across two behavioural modalities: fire-setting and self-harm in female special hospital patients.

PubMed

Miller, Sarah; Fritzon, Katarina

2007-01-01

Fire-setting and self-harm behaviours among women in high security special hospitals may be understood using Shye's Action System Theory (AST) in which four functional modes are recognized: 'adaptive', 'expressive', 'integrative', and 'conservative'. To test for relationships between different forms of fire-setting and self-harm behaviours and AST modes among women in special hospital, and for consistency within modes across the two behaviours. Clinical case files evidencing both fire-setting and self-harm behaviours (n = 50) were analysed for content, focusing on incident characteristics. A total of 29 fire-setting and 22 self-harm variables were analysed using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). Chi-square and Spearman's rho (rho) analyses were used to determine functional consistency across behavioural modes. Most women showed one predominant AST mode in fire-setting (n = 39) and self-harm (n = 35). Significant positive correlations were found between integrative and adaptive modes of functioning. The lack of correlation between conservative and expressive modes reflects the differing behaviours used in each activity. Despite this, significant cross-tabulations revealed that each woman had parallel fire-setting and self-harm styles. Findings suggest that, for some women, setting fires and self harm fulfil a similar underlying function. Support is given to AST as a way of furthering understanding of damaging behaviours, whether self- or other-inflicted. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with fatty liver and abnormal liver enzymes: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Sookoian, Silvia; Pirola, Carlos J

2013-11-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with the cluster of clinical conditions that comprise the metabolic syndrome, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our primary purpose was to estimate the effect of OSA on serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Our secondary purpose was to investigate the potential influence of OSA on histological severity of NAFLD to explore whether chronic intermittent hypoxia is associated with inflammation and fibrosis. Our literature search identified 11 studies, from which we extracted information about numbers of control subjects and OSA patients, and ALT, AST, and NAFLD. From a total of 668 OSA patients and 404 controls, we found that the standardized difference in mean values of ALT and AST levels in patients with OSA was significantly different from that in the controls. Meta-regression showed that the association was independent of body mass index and type 2 diabetes. Fatty liver was associated with OSA in five studies with 400 subjects. OSA was significantly associated with liver fibrosis in 208 subjects, but not with lobular inflammation. Routine assessment of liver enzymes and liver damage should be implemented in OSA patients because they have an increase of 13.3% of ALT and 4.4% of AST levels, and a 2.6-fold higher risk of liver fibrosis when they have NAFLD, which is 2.6 times more frequent in OSA patients.

Detection of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in faecal samples from patients in the community with diarrhoea.

PubMed

Jenkins, Claire; Tembo, Mathias; Chart, Henrik; Cheasty, Tom; Willshaw, Geraldine A; Phillips, Alan D; Tompkins, David; Smith, Henry

2006-11-01

The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of a multiplex PCR assay targeting the aat, aaiA and astA genes for the detection of typical and atypical enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) in bacterial cultures from faecal samples from patients with community-acquired diarrhoea. The isolates harbouring these genes were also tested using the HEp-2 cell-adhesion assay to clarify their EAEC status. aat, aai or astA was found in E. coli faecal isolates from 39 (7.8 %) of 500 patients, and 20 of these strains adhered to HEp-2 cells in a pattern characteristic of EAEC. Eight isolates carrying the aai or astA gene but not the aat gene were shown to be HEp-2 cell test positive, although 12 strains with this genotype were HEp-2 cell test negative. Using the HEp-2 adhesion assay as the gold standard, the addition of primers detecting aaiA and astA to the aat PCR increased the number of EAEC isolates detected, but identified strains of E. coli that were not EAEC. The variety of genotypes exhibiting aggregative adherence highlights the problems associated with developing a molecular diagnostic test for EAEC. This PCR assay detects a variety of strains exhibiting characteristics of the EAEC group, making it a useful tool for identifying both typical and atypical EAEC.

Porcine alanine transaminase after liver allo-and xenotransplantation.

PubMed

Ekser, Burcin; Gridelli, Bruno; Cooper, David K C

2012-01-01

Aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) are measured following liver transplantation as indicators of hepatocellular injury. During a series of orthotopic liver allo-and xenotransplants, we observed that there was an increase in AST in all cases. The anticipated concomitant rise in ALT did not occur when a wild-type (WT) pig was the source of the liver graft, but did occur when a baboon or a genetically engineered (α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout [GTKO]) pig was the source of the graft. We hypothesized that the cience of Galα1,3Gal in GTKO pig livers may render pig hepatocytes similar to human and baboon hepatocytes in their response to hepatocellular injury. Reviewing the literature, after WT pig liver allotransplantation or xenotransplantation, in the majority of reports, although changes in AST were reported, no mention was made of changes in ALT, suggesting that there was no change in ALT. However, Ramirez et al. reported two cases of liver xenotransplants from hCD55 pigs, following which there were increases in both AST and ALT, suggesting that it is not simply the cience of expression of Galα1,3Gal that is the cause. We acknowledge that our observation is based on a small number of experiments, but we believe it is worth recording. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Hepatic enzyme decline after pediatric blunt trauma: a tool for timing child abuse?

PubMed

Baxter, Amy L; Lindberg, Daniel M; Burke, Bonnie L; Shults, Justine; Holmes, James F

2008-09-01

Previous research in adult patients with blunt hepatic injuries has suggested a pattern of serum hepatic transaminase concentration decline. Evaluating this decline after pediatric blunt hepatic trauma could establish parameters for estimating the time of inflicted injuries. Deviation from a consistent transaminase resolution pattern could indicate a developing complication. Retrospective review of pediatric patients with injuries including blunt liver trauma admitted to one of four urban level 1 trauma centers from 1990 to 2000. Cases were excluded for shock, death within 48 h, complications, or inability to determine injury time. Transaminase concentration decline was modeled by individual patients, by injury grade, and as a ratio with regard to injury time. One hundred and seventy-six patients met inclusion criteria. The rate of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) clearance changed significantly over time. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) fell more slowly. Of the 118 patients who had multiple measurements of AST, for 112 (95%) the first concentration obtained was the highest. When ALT was greater than AST, the injury was older than 12h (97% specificity (95% CI, 95-99%), sensitivity 42% (95% CI, 33-50%)). Patients with enzymes that rose after 14 h post-injury were more likely to develop complications (RR=24, 95% CI 10-58). Hepatic transaminases rise rapidly after uncomplicated blunt liver injury, then fall predictably. Persistently stable or increasing concentrations may indicate complications. ALT>AST indicates subacute injury.

Membrane Accelerated Stress Test Development for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Durability Validated Using Field and Drive Cycle Testing

DOE PAGES

Mukundan, Rangachary; Baker, Andrew M.; Kusoglu, Ahmet; ...

2018-03-01

A combined chemical/mechanical accelerated stress test (AST) was developed for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells based on relative humidity cycling (RHC) between dry and saturated gases at open circuit voltage (OCV). Membrane degradation and failure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering. Changes to membrane thickness, hydrophilic domain spacing, and crystallinity were observed to be most similar between field-operated cells and OCV RHC ASTs, where local thinning and divot-type defects are the primary failure modes. While RHC in air also reproduces these failure modes, it is not aggressive enough to differentiate between different membranemore » types in >1,333 hours (55 days) of testing. Conversely, steady-state OCV tests result in significant ionomer morphology changes and global thinning, which do not replicate field degradation and failure modes. It is inferred that during the OCV RHC AST, the decay of the membrane's mechanical properties is accelerated such that materials can be evaluated in hundreds, instead of thousands, of hours, while replicating the degradation and failure modes of field operation; associated AST protocols are recommended as OCV RHC at 90°C for 500 hours with wet/dry cycle durations of 30s/45s and 2m/2m for automotive and bus operation, respectively.« less

DPP-4 inhibitors improve liver dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Kanazawa, Ippei; Tanaka, Ken-ichiro; Sugimoto, Toshitsugu

2014-09-17

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors might have pleiotropic effects because receptors for incretin exist in various tissues, including liver. We examined whether DPP-4 inhibitors affect liver function in patients with type 2 diabetes. A retrospective review of 459 patients with type 2 diabetes who were prescribed DPP-4 inhibitors was performed. After exclusion of patients with hepatitis B or C, steroid use, and other diseases that might affect liver function and diabetes status, 224 patients were included in the analysis. Forty-four patients (19.6%) with liver injury defined by aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) over the normal level of 40 U/L. In the patients with liver injury, AST and ALT were significantly decreased after 6 months from the first date of DPP-4 prescription, with mean changes of -6.2 U/L [95% confidence interval (CI) -10.9 to -1.4, p=0.012] and of -11.9 U/L (95%CI -19.5 to -4.2, p=0.003), respectively. Percent changes in AST were significantly and negatively correlated with baseline AST and ALT (r=-0.27, p<0.001 and r=-0.23, p=0.002, respectively), and percent changes in ALT were also negatively correlated with them (r=-0.23, p=0.001 and r=-0.27, p<0.001, respectively). DPP-4 inhibitors improved liver dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Three months of weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid is less hepatotoxic than nine months of daily isoniazid for LTBI.

PubMed

Bliven-Sizemore, E E; Sterling, T R; Shang, N; Benator, D; Schwartzman, K; Reves, R; Drobeniuc, J; Bock, N; Villarino, M E

2015-09-01

Nine months of daily isoniazid (9H) and 3 months of once-weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid (3HP) are recommended treatments for latent tuberculous infection (LTBI). The risk profile for 3HP and the contribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to hepatotoxicity are unclear. To evaluate the hepatotoxicity risk associated with 3HP compared to 9H, and factors associated with hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity was defined as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) with symptoms (nausea, vomiting, jaundice, or fatigue), or AST >5 x ULN. We analyzed risk factors among adults who took at least 1 dose of their assigned treatment. A nested case-control study assessed the role of HCV. Of 6862 participants, 77 (1.1%) developed hepatotoxicity; 52 (0.8%) were symptomatic; 1.8% (61/3317) were on 9H and 0.4% (15/3545) were on 3HP (P < 0.0001). Risk factors for hepatotoxicity were age, female sex, white race, non-Hispanic ethnicity, decreased body mass index, elevated baseline AST, and 9H. In the case-control study, HCV infection was associated with hepatotoxicity when controlling for other factors. The risk of hepatotoxicity during LTBI treatment with 3HP was lower than the risk with 9H. HCV and elevated baseline AST were risk factors for hepatotoxicity. For persons with these risk factors, 3HP may be preferred.

Membrane Accelerated Stress Test Development for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Durability Validated Using Field and Drive Cycle Testing

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

Mukundan, Rangachary; Baker, Andrew M.; Kusoglu, Ahmet

A combined chemical/mechanical accelerated stress test (AST) was developed for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells based on relative humidity cycling (RHC) between dry and saturated gases at open circuit voltage (OCV). Membrane degradation and failure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering. Changes to membrane thickness, hydrophilic domain spacing, and crystallinity were observed to be most similar between field-operated cells and OCV RHC ASTs, where local thinning and divot-type defects are the primary failure modes. While RHC in air also reproduces these failure modes, it is not aggressive enough to differentiate between different membranemore » types in >1,333 hours (55 days) of testing. Conversely, steady-state OCV tests result in significant ionomer morphology changes and global thinning, which do not replicate field degradation and failure modes. It is inferred that during the OCV RHC AST, the decay of the membrane's mechanical properties is accelerated such that materials can be evaluated in hundreds, instead of thousands, of hours, while replicating the degradation and failure modes of field operation; associated AST protocols are recommended as OCV RHC at 90°C for 500 hours with wet/dry cycle durations of 30s/45s and 2m/2m for automotive and bus operation, respectively.« less

Targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase RET in combination with aromatase inhibitors in ER positive breast cancer xenografts.

PubMed

Andreucci, Elena; Francica, Paola; Fearns, Antony; Martin, Lesley-Ann; Chiarugi, Paola; Isacke, Clare M; Morandi, Andrea

2016-12-06

The majority of breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive (ER+). Blockade of estrogen biosynthesis by aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is the first-line endocrine therapy for post-menopausal women with ER+ breast cancers. However, AI resistance remains a major challenge. We have demonstrated previously that increased GDNF/RET signaling in ER+ breast cancers promotes AI resistance. Here we investigated the efficacy of different small molecule RET kinase inhibitors, sunitinib, cabozantinib, NVP-BBT594 and NVP-AST487, and the potential of combining a RET inhibitor with the AI letrozole in ER+ breast cancers. The most effective inhibitor identified, NVP-AST487, suppressed GDNF-stimulated RET downstream signaling and 3D tumor spheroid growth. Ovariectomized mice were inoculated with ER+ aromatase-overexpressing MCF7-AROM1 cells and treated with letrozole, NVP-AST487 or the two drugs in combination. Surprisingly, the three treatment regimens showed similar efficacy in impairing MCF7-AROM1 tumor growth in vivo. However in vitro, NVP-AST487 was superior to letrozole in inhibiting the GDNF-induced motility and tumor spheroid growth of MCF7-AROM1 cells and required in combination with letrozole to inhibit GDNF-induced motility in BT474-AROM3 aromatase expressing cells. These data indicate that inhibiting RET is as effective as the current therapeutic regimen of AI therapy but that a combination treatment may delay cancer cell dissemination and metastasis.

Frequency and reactivity of antigen-specific T cells were concurrently measured through the combination of artificial antigen-presenting cell, MACS and ELISPOT.

PubMed

Shen, Chuanlai; Xu, Tao; Wu, You; Li, Xiaoe; Xia, Lingzhi; Wang, Wei; Shahzad, Khawar Ali; Zhang, Lei; Wan, Xin; Qiu, Jie

2017-11-27

Conventional peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) multimer staining, intracellular cytokine staining, and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay cannot concurrently determine the frequency and reactivity of antigen-specific T cells (AST) in a single assay. In this report, pMHC multimer, magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS), and ELISPOT techniques have been integrated into a micro well by coupling pMHC multimers onto cell-sized magnetic beads to characterize AST cell populations in a 96-well microplate which pre-coated with cytokine-capture antibodies. This method, termed AAPC-microplate, allows the enumeration and local cytokine production of AST cells in a single assay without using flow cytometry or fluorescence intensity scanning, thus will be widely applicable. Here, ovalbumin 257-264 -specific CD8 + T cells from OT-1 T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice were measured. The methodological accuracy, specificity, reproducibility, and sensitivity in enumerating AST cells compared well with conventional pMHC multimer staining. Furthermore, the AAPC-microplate was applied to detect the frequency and reactivity of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen 18-27 - and surface antigen 183-191 -specific CD8 + T cells for the patients, and was compared with conventional method. This method without the need of high-end instruments may facilitate the routine analysis of patient-specific cellular immune response pattern to a given antigen in translational studies.

Arylsulfotransferase from Clostridium innocuum-A new enzyme catalyst for sulfation of phenol-containing compounds.

PubMed

Mozhaev, Vadim V; Khmelnitsky, Yuri L; Sanchez-Riera, Fernando; Maurina-Brunker, Julie; Rosson, Reinhardt A; Grund, Alan D

2002-06-05

Arylsulfotransferase (AST, EC 2.8.2.22), an enzyme capable of sulfating a wide range of phenol-containing compounds was purified from a Clostridium innocuum isolate (strain 554). The enzyme has a molecular weight of 320 kDa and is composed of four subunits. Unlike many mammalian and plant arylsulfotransferases, AST from Clostridium utilizes arylsulfates, including p-nitrophenyl sulfate, as sulfate donors, and is not reactive with 3-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). The enzyme possesses broad substrate specificity and is active with a variety of phenols, quinones and flavonoids, but does not utilize primary and secondary alcohols and sugars as substrates. Arylsulfotransferase tolerates the presence of 10 vol% of polar cosolvents (dimethyl formamide, acetonitrile, methanol), but loses significant activity at higher solvent concentrations of 30-40 vol%. The enzyme retains high arylsulfotransferase activity in biphasic systems composed of water and nonpolar solvents, such as cyclohexane, toluene and chloroform, while in biphasic systems with more polar solvents (ethyl acetate, 2-pentanone, methyl tert-butyl ether, and butyl acetate) the enzyme activity is completely lost. High yields of AST-catalyzed sulfation were achieved in reactions with several phenols and tyrosine-containing peptides. Overall, AST studied in this work is a promising biocatalyst in organic synthesis to afford efficient sulfation of phenolic compounds under mild reaction conditions. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 78: 567-575, 2002.

The Ξ* and Ωη Interaction Within a Chiral Unitary Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Si-Qi; Xie, Ju-Jun; Chen, Xu-Rong; Jia, Duo-Jie

2016-01-01

In this work we study the interaction of the coupled channels Ωη and {\\Xi}\\ast\\bar{K} within the chiral unitary approach. The systems under consideration have total isospins 0, strangeness S = -3, and spin 3/2. We study the s wave interaction which implies that the possible resonances generated in the system can have spin-parity JP = 3/2-. The unitary amplitudes in coupled channels develop poles that can be associated with some known baryonic resonances. We find there is a dynamically generated 3/2- Ω state with mass around 1800 MeV, which is in agreement with the predictions of the five-quark model. Supported by the National Basic Research Program (973 Program Grant No. 2014CB845406), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 11475227, 11265014, and the Open Project Program of State Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China No. Y5KF151CJ1

Detection of CO and HCN in the coma of Jupiter-family comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wierzchos, Kacper; Womack, Maria

2017-10-01

Comets are divided into taxonomical groups determined largely by their orbits. Short-period Jupiter Family comets (JFCs) are thought to have formed in a trans-Neptunian disk ˜30 - 100 AU (Kuiper Belt) and then migrated inward (Edgeworth 1949, Kuiper 1951, Duncan et al. 1988). This different classification may be correlated with chemical abundance variations, and super-volatile species like CO can serve as an indicator of the thermal processes to which the precometary ices that led to comets where exposed (DiSainti et al. 2007). The close approach to Earth of comet 41P on the perihelion passage of 2017 was an excellent opportunity to probe the usually well-hidden inner coma of this Jupiter-family comet. We searched for CO (J=2-1) and HCN (J=3-2) emission with the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) 10-m Sub-millimeter Telescope (SMT) on 2017 April 1-2, when the comet was 1.1 AU from the Sun and 0.14 AU from Earth. We report the detection of both CO and HCN emission 13 days before perihelion and present column densities and production rates. We also discuss implications for Jupiter-family comets. The SMT is operated by the ARO, the Steward Observatory, and the University of Arizona, with support through the NSF University Radio Observatories program (AST-1140030). M.W. acknowledges support from NSF grant AST-1615917.

Liver function assessment in malaria, typhoid and malaria-typhoid co-infection in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.

PubMed

Enemchukwu, B N; Ibe, C C; Udedi, S C; Iroha, A; Ubaoji, K I; Ogundapo, S S

2014-06-01

Malaria and typhoid fever are among the most endemic diseases in the tropics and are associated with poverty and underdevelopment with significant morbidity and mortality. Both diseases can lead to liver damage if not properly treated. The liver function assessment was therefore conducted on (90) volunteer patients; comprising (30) patients with malaria only, (30) with typhoid only and (30) with malaria-typhoid co-infection randomly selected from Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria and (20) healthy individuals were used as control. Blood samples collected from these subjects were screened for malaria parasite and Staphylococcus typhi using standard methods. Mean serum levels of ALP (112.55±84.23), AST (31.33±12.80), ALT (23.10±11.84), TB (19.43±5.02), CB (5.91±3.03) and ALP (116.69±48.68), AST (28.33±11.72), ALT (22.8±5.94), TB (19.31±5.84),CB (5.60±2.50) were obtained for those subjects with malaria and typhoid respectively and subjects with malaria-typhoid co-infection recorded the following; ALP (134.33±56.62), AST (33.97±8.43), ALT (24.40±4.37),TB (21.27±2.96),CB (6.58±3.10) while the control subjects had mean serum levels ofALP (71.05±18.18), AST (16.65±7.45), ALT (13.85±6.09), TB (10.05±4.85) and CB (3.00±1.67). These mean values were subjected to a statistical test using students t-test which revealed a significant increase (p<0.05).The results suggest that malaria, typhoid and malaria-typhoid co-infection can elevate ALP, AST, ALT, TB and CB serum levels and can lead to liver damage if not properly treated.

Francisella tularensis Susceptibility to Antibiotics: A Comprehensive Review of the Data Obtained In vitro and in Animal Models

PubMed Central

Caspar, Yvan; Maurin, Max

2017-01-01

The antibiotic classes that are recommended for tularaemia treatment are the aminoglycosides, the fluoroquinolones and the tetracyclines. However, cure rates vary between 60 and 100% depending on the antibiotic used, the time to appropriate antibiotic therapy setup and its duration, and the presence of complications, such as lymph node suppuration. Thus, antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of F. tularensis strains remains of primary importance for detection of the emergence of antibiotic resistances to first-line drugs, and to test new therapeutic alternatives. However, the AST methods reported in the literature were poorly standardized between studies and AST data have not been previously evaluated in a comprehensive and comparative way. The aim of the present review was to summarize experimental data on antibiotic susceptibilities of F. tularensis obtained in acellular media, cell models and animal models since the introduction of fluoroquinolones in the treatment of tularaemia in 1989. We compiled MIC data of 33 antibiotics (including aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, β-lactams, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, and linezolid) against 900 F. tularensis strains (504 human strains), including 107 subsp. tularensis (type A), 789 subsp. holarctica (type B) and four subsp. mediasiatica strains, using various AST methods. Specific culture media were identified or confirmed as unsuitable for AST of F. tularensis. Overall, MICs were the lowest for ciprofloxacin (≤ 0.002–0.125 mg/L) and levofloxacin, and ranged from ≤ 0.016 to 2 mg/L for gentamicin, and 0.064 to 4 mg/L for doxycycline. No resistant strain to any of these antibiotics was reported. Fluoroquinolones also exhibited a bactericidal activity against intracellular F. tularensis and lower relapse rates in animal models when compared with the bacteriostatic compound doxycycline. As expected, lower MIC values were found for macrolides against type A and biovar I type B strains, compared to biovar II type B strains. The macrolides were more effective against F. tularensis grown in phagocytic cells than in acellular media. PMID:28443249

Calcium Dynamics in Basal Dendrites of Layer 5A and 5B Pyramidal Neurons Is Tuned to the Cell-Type Specific Physiological Action Potential Discharge

PubMed Central

Krieger, Patrik; de Kock, Christiaan P. J.; Frick, Andreas

2017-01-01

Layer 5 (L5) is a major neocortical output layer containing L5A slender-tufted (L5A-st) and L5B thick-tufted (L5B-tt) pyramidal neurons. These neuron types differ in their in vivo firing patterns, connectivity and dendritic morphology amongst other features, reflecting their specific functional role within the neocortical circuits. Here, we asked whether the active properties of the basal dendrites that receive the great majority of synaptic inputs within L5 differ between these two pyramidal neuron classes. To quantify their active properties, we measured the efficacy with which action potential (AP) firing patterns backpropagate along the basal dendrites by measuring the accompanying calcium transients using two-photon laser scanning microscopy in rat somatosensory cortex slices. For these measurements we used both “artificial” three-AP patterns and more complex physiological AP patterns that were previously recorded in anesthetized rats in L5A-st and L5B-tt neurons in response to whisker stimulation. We show that AP patterns with relatively few APs (3APs) evoke a calcium response in L5B-tt, but not L5A-st, that is dependent on the temporal pattern of the three APs. With more complex in vivo recorded AP patterns, the average calcium response was similar in the proximal dendrites but with a decay along dendrites (measured up to 100 μm) of L5B-tt but not L5A-st neurons. Interestingly however, the whisker evoked AP patterns—although very different for the two cell types—evoke similar calcium responses. In conclusion, although the effectiveness with which different AP patterns evoke calcium transients vary between L5A-st and L5B-tt cell, the calcium influx appears to be tuned such that whisker-evoked calcium transients are within the same dynamic range for both cell types. PMID:28744201

Triterpene and Flavonoid Biosynthesis and Metabolic Profiling of Hairy Roots, Adventitious Roots, and Seedling Roots of Astragalus membranaceus.

PubMed

Park, Yun Ji; Thwe, Aye Aye; Li, Xiaohua; Kim, Yeon Jeong; Kim, Jae Kwang; Arasu, Mariadhas Valan; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah; Park, Sang Un

2015-10-14

Astragalus membranaceus is an important traditional Chinese herb with various medical applications. Astragalosides (ASTs), calycosin, and calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside (CG) are the primary metabolic components in A. membranaceus roots. The dried roots of A. membranaceus have various medicinal properties. The present study aimed to investigate the expression levels of genes related to the biosynthetic pathways of ASTs, calycosin, and CG to investigate the differences between seedling roots (SRs), adventitious roots (ARs), and hairy roots (HRs) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). qRT-PCR study revealed that the transcription level of genes involved in the AST biosynthetic pathway was lowest in ARs and showed similar patterns in HRs and SRs. Moreover, most genes involved in the synthesis of calycosin and CG exhibited the highest expression levels in SRs. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the expression level of the genes correlated with the content of ASTs, calycosin, and CG in the three different types of roots. ASTs were the most abundant in SRs. CG accumulation was greater than calycosin accumulation in ARs and HRs, whereas the opposite was true in SRs. Additionally, 40 metabolites were identified using gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) documented the differences among SRs, ARs, and HRs. PCA comparatively differentiated among the three samples. The results of PCA showed that HRs were distinct from ARs and SRs on the basis of the dominant amounts of sugars and clusters derived from closely similar biochemical pathways. Also, ARs had a higher concentration of phenylalanine, a precursor for the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, as well as CG. TCA cycle intermediates levels including succinic acid and citric acid indicated a higher amount in SRs than in the others.

[Influence of cobalt-chromium alloy ceramics crown on aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase of gingival crevicular fluid].

PubMed

Miao, Yu; Liu, Ling-Jun; Zhang, Xiao-Min; Li, Li

2010-12-01

The purpose of this article was to evaluate the influence of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloy as the material of inner crown on periodontal tissue through detecting the weight of diseased teeth and the concentration of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) after Co-Cr alloy ceramics repairing. In this study, thirty cases of clinical diseased teeth were chosen from thirty patients based on patients' consent. Each tooth conformed to the inclusion criteria. All of the thirty teeth were repaired with Co-Cr alloy ceramics according to the indications. Then GCF of each diseased tooth was collected and weighed at the time of the day before prosthesis, the first and third month after repairing respectively in order to detect the concentration of AST and ALP. Furthermore, comparative analysis for different periods was performed after the data statistics. To the weight of GCF and the concentration of AST after the respective comparison of three indexes which was of different periods, numerous of each index increased in accordance with the rule of preoperation, postoperative first month, and postoperative third month (P < 0.05). To the concentration of ALP at three time points, the compared results showed that the preoperative numerous was less than that of third month after operation and there was significant difference between them (P < 0.05). To the weight of GCF and the concentration of AST and ALP, after the respective comparison of three indexes which was the diseased teeth and the contralateral teeth with the same name in the periods of pre-operation, all the differences had no statistical significance (P > 0.05), but all the differences had statistical significance in the periods of postoperative third month (P < 0.05). During the next three months after operation, GCF weight, concentration of AST and ALP of diseased teeth was gradually increased after their Co-Cr alloy ceramics crown repairing. This increase is somewhat harmful to periodontal health.

3-DIMENSIONAL EXTERNAL BEAM RADIOTHERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER INCREASES THE RISK OF HIP FRACTURE

PubMed Central

Elliott, Sean P.; Jarosek, Stephanie L.; Alanee, Shaheen R.; Konety, Badrinath R.; Dusenbery, Kathryn E.; Virnig, Beth A.

2011-01-01

Background Hip fracture is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is known to increase the risk of hip fractures in women but the effect in men is unknown. Methods 45,662 men aged ≥66 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992–2004 were identified from the SEER-Medicare database. Using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models, the primary outcome of hip fracture risk was compared among men who received radical prostatectomy (RP), EBRT, EBRT+androgen suppression therapy (AST) or AST alone, controlling for age, osteoporosis, race and other comorbidities. A secondary outcome was distal forearm fractures as an indicator of fragility fracture risk outside the radiation field. Results After controlling for covariates, EBRT increased the risk of hip fractures by 76% (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.38–2.40) without increasing the risk of distal forearm fractures (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.56–1.14). Combination therapy with EBRT+AST increased the risk of hip fracture 145% relative to RP (HR 2.45, 95% CI 1.88–3.19) and by 40% relative to EBRT (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.17–1.68). EBRT+AST increased the risk of distal forearm fracture by 43% relative to RP (HR 1.43, 95% CI 0.97–2.10). The number needed to treat to result in 1 hip fracture through 10 years was 51 (95% CI 31–103). Conclusion In men with prostate cancer, pelvic 3-D conformal EBRT is associated with a 76% increased risk of hip fracture. This risk is slightly increased further by the addition of short-course AST to EBRT. This risk associated with EBRT is site-specific as there is no increase in the risk of fall-related fractures outside the radiation field. PMID:21412999

A large‐scale, multicentre, double‐blind trial of ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with chronic hepatitis C

PubMed Central

Omata, Masao; Yoshida, Haruhiko; Toyota, Joji; Tomita, Eiichi; Nishiguchi, Shuhei; Hayashi, Norio; Iino, Shiro; Makino, Isao; Okita, Kiwamu; Toda, Gotaro; Tanikawa, Kyuichi; Kumada, Hiromitsu

2007-01-01

Background Combined pegylated interferon and ribavirin has improved chronic hepatitis C (CH‐C) therapy; however, sustained virological response is achieved in only about half of the patients with a 1b genotype infection. We assessed oral ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on serum biomarkers as a possible treatment for interferon non‐responders. Methods CH‐C patients with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were assigned randomly to 150 (n = 199), 600 (n = 200) or 900 mg/day (n = 197) UDCA intake for 24 weeks. Changes in ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were assessed. This study is registered at ClinicalTrial.gov, identifier NCT00200343. Results ALT, AST and GGT decreased at week 4 and then remained constant during drug administration. The median changes (150, 600 and 900 mg/day, respectively) were: ALT, −15.3, −29.2 and −36.2%; AST, −13.6, −25.0 and −29.8%; GGT, −22.4, −41.0 and −50.0%. These biomarkers decreased significantly less in the 150 mg/day than in the other two groups. Although changes in ALT and AST did not differ between the 600 and 900 mg/day groups, GGT was significantly lower in the 900 mg/day group. In subgroup analysis, ALT decreased significantly in the 900 mg/day group when the baseline GGT exceeded 80 IU/l. Serum HCV‐RNA did not change in any group. Adverse effects were reported by 19.1% of the patients, with no differences between groups. Conclusions A 600 mg/day UDCA dose was optimal to decrease ALT and AST levels in CH‐C patients. The 900 mg/day dose decreased GGT levels further, and may be preferable in patients with prevailing biliary injuries. PMID:17573387

Development of a multiplex serological assay reveals a worldwide distribution of murine astrovirus infections in laboratory mice.

PubMed

Schmidt, Katja; Butt, Julia; Mauter, Petra; Vogel, Klaus; Erles-Kemna, Andrea; Pawlita, Michael; Nicklas, Werner

2017-01-01

Laboratory mice play a tremendous role in biomedical research in studies on immunology, infection, cancer and therapy. In the course of standardization of mice used in animal experiments, health monitoring constitutes an important instrument towards microbiological standardization. Infections with murine astroviruses (MuAstV) were only recently discovered and are, therefore, still relatively unknown in laboratory animal science. In rodent health monitoring viral infections within a population are commonly assessed in terms of specific antibodies by serological testing, as active infection and excretion of virus is often temporary and can easily be missed. So far only ongoing infections with astroviruses can be detected by PCR. The objective of this work was the development of a sensitive and specific MuAstV multiplex serological assay with a high-throughput capability to be used in routine testing of laboratory mice. Four different MuAstV proteins were recombinantly expressed and used as antigens. The best reacting antigen, the capsid spike protein VP27, was selected and tested with a panel of 400 sera of mice from units with a known MuAstV status. Assay sensitivity and specificity resulted in 98.5% and 100%, respectively, compared to RT-PCR results. Eventually this assay was used to test 5529 serum samples in total, during routine diagnostics at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg between 2015 and 2017. High sero-prevalence rates of up to 98% were detected in units with open cages indicating that the virus is highly infectious and circulates within these populations virtually infecting all animals regardless of the mouse strain. In addition, data collected from 312 mice purchased from commercial breeders and from 661 mice from 58 research institutes in 15 countries worldwide allowed the conclusion that MuAstV is widespread in contemporary laboratory mouse populations.

[Dynamic change study of dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloroethylene patients with liver damage].

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Zhang, Yan-fang; Zhang, Zhi-min; Li, Pei-mao; Jiang, Xiao-dong; Zhou, Gui-feng; Liu, Jian-jun

2011-10-01

Observing the dynamic change characteristics of serum liver function indexes in occupational dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloroethylene patients with liver damage, we can underlie for guiding therapy, prognosis and mechanism of dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloroethylene patients with liver damage. We collected serum of 10 cases of occupational dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloro-ethylene patients with liver damage from different time points since they were hospitalized, using automatic biochemistry analyzer to detect total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), albumin/globulin ratio etc 11 liver function biochemical indicators. We used Excel to establish database, professional drawing software gnuplot to draw dynamic variation diagram of each index. The variation range of 11 liver function indexes of 10 cases was TP 43.2-74.2 g/L, ALB 24.6-44.6 g/L, A/G 0.77-2.10, TBIL 3.7-268.2 umol/L, DBIL 1.0-166.0 umol/L, IBIL 2.4 -167.5 umol/L, ALT 11-5985 U/L, AST 14-5586 U/L, GGT 15-1500 U/L, ALP 35-309 U/L, S/L 0.07-1.94, respectively. TBIL, DBIL, ALT, AST, GGT, ALP concentration significantly increased, especially ALT, AST, GGT, ALT topped 5985 U/L, AST topped 5586 U/L, GGT topped 1500 U/L. But TP, ALB and S/L significantly decreased, TP lowest to 43.2 g/L, S/L lowest to 0.07. A/G basically remained unchanged, but IBIL didn't change regularly. The early liver damage in dermatitis medicamentosa-like of trichloroethylene patients was serious, and repeatedly attacked, so we should lead to enough attention to the clinical work and prevention. This also provided the basis for studying the mechanism of trichloroethylene poisoning.

Colonization, resistance to bile, and virulence properties of Escherichia coli strains: Unusual characteristics associated with biliary tract diseases.

PubMed

Razaghi, Maryam; Tajeddin, Elahe; Ganji, Leila; Alebouyeh, Masoud; Alizadeh, Amir Houshang Mohammad; Sadeghi, Amir; Zali, Mohammad Reza

2017-10-01

Escherichia coli is the species that is most frequently isolated from bile of patients with biliary tract diseases. This study was aimed to investigate any association between resistance and virulence properties of these isolates with occurrence of the diseases. A total of 102 bile samples were obtained from patients subjected to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for different biliary diseases. Clinical data were collected and culture of the bile samples was done on selective media. Resistance of characterized Escherichia coli isolates to deoxycholate sodium (0-7%) and nineteen antibiotics was determined and PCR using 16 pairs of primers targeting stx1, stx2, exhA, eae, bfp, agg, pcvd432, lt, st, ipaH, pic, pet, ast, set, sen, and cdtB genes was done. Our results showed a statistically significant association between E. coli colonization and existence of common bile duct and gallbladder stones (p value 0.028). Out of the 22 E. coli strains (22/102) multidrug resistance phenotype was present in 95.45%. None of the strains belonged to common E. coli pathotypes. However, bfp + EhxA-hly, bfp + astA, bfp + EhxA-hly + pic, and EhxA-hly + pic + astA, bfp, and astA genotypes were detected in these strains. bfp (7/22, 31.8%) and astA (5/22, 22.7%) were among most frequent virulence factors in these strains. Results of this study showed significant association between colonization of E. coli and choledocholithiasis. Unusual existence of virulence gene combinations in these strains and their resistance to DOC and multiple classes of antibiotics could be considered as possible causes of their persistence in this harsh microenvironment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salivary lactate dehydrogenase and aminotransferases in diabetic patients

PubMed Central

Malicka, Barbara; Skoskiewicz-Malinowska, Katarzyna; Kaczmarek, Urszula

2016-01-01

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases resulting from impaired insulin secretion and/or action. DM is characterized by hyperglycemia that can lead to the dysfunction or damage of organs, including the salivary glands. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in diabetic patients. The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of Wroclaw Medical University (Poland). The study comprised 90 adults of both sexes, aged 21 to 57 years. The patients were divided into 3 groups: type 1 diabetics (D1), type 2 diabetics (D2), and a healthy control group (C). Each group consisted of 30 age- and sex-matched subjects. Total protein (P, by Lowry method), LDH, AST, ALT (with Alpha Diagnostics kits), and salivary flow rate were measured in unstimulated mixed saliva. The level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured with DCA 2000 Reagent Kit. The obtained data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test and the Spearman rank at a significance level of P < 0.05 with the use of STATISTICA 9.0 software. In comparison with C, D1 presented a significantly higher activity of LDH (P < 0.001), AST (P < 0.001), and ALT (P < 0.01), whereas D2 indicated higher levels of LDH (P < 0.001) and ALT (P < 0.05) compared with C. Comparing D1 to D2, approximately 3-fold higher activity of AST (P < 0.01) and approximately 4.5-fold higher activity of ALT (P < 0.01) was observed. Higher levels of salivary LDH, AST, and ALT in D1 compared with D2 and C confirm that salivary glands of D1 might be attributed to autoimmunological damage associated with the pathomechanism of DM. PMID:27893660

Salivary lactate dehydrogenase and aminotransferases in diabetic patients.

PubMed

Malicka, Barbara; Skoskiewicz-Malinowska, Katarzyna; Kaczmarek, Urszula

2016-11-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases resulting from impaired insulin secretion and/or action. DM is characterized by hyperglycemia that can lead to the dysfunction or damage of organs, including the salivary glands.The aim of this study was to compare the levels of salivary lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in diabetic patients.The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of Wroclaw Medical University (Poland). The study comprised 90 adults of both sexes, aged 21 to 57 years. The patients were divided into 3 groups: type 1 diabetics (D1), type 2 diabetics (D2), and a healthy control group (C). Each group consisted of 30 age- and sex-matched subjects. Total protein (P, by Lowry method), LDH, AST, ALT (with Alpha Diagnostics kits), and salivary flow rate were measured in unstimulated mixed saliva. The level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured with DCA 2000 Reagent Kit. The obtained data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman rank at a significance level of P < 0.05 with the use of STATISTICA 9.0 software.In comparison with C, D1 presented a significantly higher activity of LDH (P < 0.001), AST (P < 0.001), and ALT (P < 0.01), whereas D2 indicated higher levels of LDH (P < 0.001) and ALT (P < 0.05) compared with C. Comparing D1 to D2, approximately 3-fold higher activity of AST (P < 0.01) and approximately 4.5-fold higher activity of ALT (P < 0.01) was observed.Higher levels of salivary LDH, AST, and ALT in D1 compared with D2 and C confirm that salivary glands of D1 might be attributed to autoimmunological damage associated with the pathomechanism of DM.

DRACO Flowpath Performance and Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komar, D. R.; McDonald, Jon

1999-01-01

The Advanced Space Transportation (AST) project office has challenged NASA to design, manufacture, ground-test and flight-test an axisymmetric, hydrocarbon-fueled, flight-weight, ejector-ramjet engine system testbed no later than 2005. To accomplish this, a multi-center NASA team has been assembled. The goal of this team, led by NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), is to develop propulsion technologies that demonstrate rocket and airbreathing combined-cycle operation (DRACO). Current technical activities include flowpath conceptual design, engine systems conceptual design, and feasibility studies investigating the integration and operation of the DRACO engine with a Lockheed D-21B drone. This paper focuses on the activities of the Flowpath Systems Product Development Team (PDT), led by NASA-Glenn Research Center (GRC) and supported by NASA-MSFC and TechLand Research, Inc. The objective of the Flowpath PDT at the start of the DRACO program was to establish a conceptual design of the flowpath aerodynamic lines, determine the preliminary performance, define the internal environments, and support the DRACO testbed concept feasibility studies. To accomplish these tasks, the PDT convened to establish a baseline flowpath concept. With the conceptual lines defined, cycle analysis tasks were planned and the flowpath performance and internal environments were defined. Additionally, sensitivity studies investigating the effects of inlet reference area, combustion performance, and combustor/nozzle materials selection were performed to support the Flowpath PDT design process. Results of these tasks are the emphasis of this paper and are intended to verify the feasibility of the DRACO flowpath and engine system as well as identify the primary technical challenges inherent in the flight-weight design of an advanced propulsion technology demonstration engine. Preliminary cycle performance decks were developed to support the testbed concept feasibility studies but are not discussed further in this paper.

Operation of AST3 telescope and site testing at Dome A, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Zhaohui; Hu, Yi; Ma, Bin; Hu, Keliang; Ashley, Michael C. B.; Wang, Lifan; Yuan, Xiangyan

2016-07-01

We have successfully operated the AST3 telescope remotely as well as robotically for time-domain sky survey in 2015 and 2016. We have set up a real-time system to support the operation of the unattended telescope, monitoring the status of all instruments as well as the weather conditions. The weather tower also provides valuable information of the site at the highest plateau in Antarctica, demonstrating the extremely stable atmosphere above the ground and implying excellent seeing at Dome A.

Ada Compiler Validation Summary Report. Certificate Number: 921004W1. 11281, Verdix Corporation VADS System V/386/486 VAda-110-3232, Version 6.1, AST Premium 486 under UNIX System V, Release 4.0.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-11-18

Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-128 AVr Control Number: AVF-VSR-542-1092 Date VSR Complete: 18 November 1992 92-06-23- vRx Ada COMPILER...System: AST Premium 486 under UNIX System V, Release 4.0 Customer Agreement Number: 92-06-23- VRX See section 3.1 for any additional information about

Implementing an innovated preservation technology: The American Society of Transplant Surgeons' (ASTS) Standards Committee White Paper on Ex Situ Liver Machine Perfusion.

PubMed

Quintini, Cristiano; Martins, Paulo N; Shah, Shimul; Killackey, Mary; Reed, Alan; Guarrera, James; Axelrod, David A

2018-05-23

The pervasive shortage of deceased donor liver allografts contributes to significant waitlist mortality despite efforts to increase organ donation. Ex vivo liver perfusion appears to enhance preservation of donor organs, extending viability and potentially evaluating function in organs previously considered too high risk for transplant. These devices pose novel challenges for organ allocation, safety, training, and finances. This white paper describes the American Society of Transplant Surgeons' belief that organ preservation technology is a vital advance, but its use should not change fundamental aspects of organ allocation. Additional data elements need to be collected, made available for organ assessment by transplant professionals to allow determination of organ suitability in the case of reallocation and incorporated into risk adjustment methodology. Finally, further work is needed to determine the optimal strategy for management and oversight of perfused organs prior to transplantation. © 2018 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Free jet feasibility study of a thermal acoustic shield concept for AST/VCE application: Single stream nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majjigi, R. K.; Brausch, J. F.; Janardan, B. A.; Balsa, T. F.; Knott, P. R.; Pickup, N.

1984-01-01

A technology base for the thermal acoustic shield concept as a noise suppression device for single stream exhaust nozzles was developed. Acoustic data for 314 test points for 9 scale model nozzle configurations were obtained. Five of these configurations employed an unsuppressed annular plug core jet and the remaining four nozzles employed a 32 chute suppressor core nozzle. Influence of simulated flight and selected geometric and aerodynamic flow variables on the acoustic behavior of the thermal acoustic shield was determined. Laser velocimeter and aerodynamic measurements were employed to yield valuable diagnostic information regarding the flow field characteristics of these nozzles. An existing theoretical aeroacoustic prediction method was modified to predict the acoustic characteristics of partial thermal acoustic shields.

Formation of Linear Gradient of Antibiotics on Microfluidic Chips for High-throughput Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seunggyu; Lee, Seokhun; Jeon, Jessie S.

2017-11-01

To determine the most effective antimicrobial treatments of infectious pathogen, high-throughput antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) is critically required. However, the conventional AST requires at least 16 hours to reach the minimum observable population. Therefore, we developed a microfluidic system that allows maintenance of linear antibiotic concentration and measurement of local bacterial density. Based on the Stokes-Einstein equation, the flow rate in the microchannel was optimized so that linearization was achieved within 10 minutes, taking into account the diffusion coefficient of each antibiotic in the agar gel. As a result, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each antibiotic against P. aeruginosa could be immediately determined 6 hours after treatment of the linear antibiotic concentration. In conclusion, our system proved the efficacy of a high-throughput AST platform through MIC comparison with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) range of antibiotics. This work was supported by the Climate Change Research Hub (Grant No. N11170060) of the KAIST and by the Brain Korea 21 Plus project.

Gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase levels and the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Tan, Peng Chiong; Aziz, Ainul Zahaniah; Ismail, Ikram Shah; Omar, Siti Zawiah

2012-10-01

To evaluate gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine transaminases (ALT) and aspartate transaminases (AST) levels and prevalent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Random plasma glucose, GGT, ALT and AST and the 50-g glucose challenge test were done on antenatal women followed by diagnostic 3-point 75-g oral glucose tolerance test within two weeks. GDM was diagnosed by ADA (2011) criteria. The GDM rate was 12.2% (319/2610). Mean GGT level was higher in GDM women, 18 ± 12 vs. 16 ± 11 IU/L; P=0.03. The risk for GDM was higher for women in the highest GGT quartile band compared to the lowest: RR 1.35 95%CI 1.0-1.8; P=0.04. However, after adjustment for confounders, GGT was no longer associated with GDM. There was no correlation between ALT and AST levels and GDM. Liver transaminases do not predict GDM in contrast to type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2012 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing with Deep Learning Video Microscopy.

PubMed

Yu, Hui; Jing, Wenwen; Iriya, Rafael; Yang, Yunze; Syal, Karan; Mo, Manni; Grys, Thomas E; Haydel, Shelley E; Wang, Shaopeng; Tao, Nongjian

2018-05-15

Timely determination of antimicrobial susceptibility for a bacterial infection enables precision prescription, shortens treatment time, and helps minimize the spread of antibiotic resistant infections. Current antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods often take several days and thus impede these clinical and health benefits. Here, we present an AST method by imaging freely moving bacterial cells in urine in real time and analyzing the videos with a deep learning algorithm. The deep learning algorithm determines if an antibiotic inhibits a bacterial cell by learning multiple phenotypic features of the cell without the need for defining and quantifying each feature. We apply the method to urinary tract infection, a common infection that affects millions of people, to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of pathogens from both bacteria spiked urine and clinical infected urine samples for different antibiotics within 30 min and validate the results with the gold standard broth macrodilution method. The deep learning video microscopy-based AST holds great potential to contribute to the solution of increasing drug-resistant infections.

A Search for Satellites of Kuiper Belt Object 55636 from the 2009 October 9 Occultation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen-Clem, Rebecca; Elliot, J. L.; Person, M. J.; Zuluaga, C. A.; Bosh, A. S.; Adams, E. R.; Brothers, T. C.; Gulbis, A. A. S.; Levine, S. E.; Lockhart, M.; Zangari, A. M.; Babcock, B. A.; DuPre, K.; Pasachoff, J. M.; Souza, S. P.; Rosing, W.; Secrest, N.; Bright, L.; Dunham, E. W.; Kakkala, M.; Tilleman, T.; Rapoport, S.; Zambrano-Marin, L.; Wolf, J.; Morzinski, K.

2011-01-01

A world-wide observing campaign of 21 telescopes at 18 sites was organized by Elliot et al. (2010 Nature 465, 897) to observe the 2009 Oct. 9 stellar occultation of 2UCAC 41650964 (UCAC2 magnitude 13.1) by the Kuiper Belt object 55636 (visual magnitude 19.6). Integration times varied between 0.05 seconds at the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope and 5 seconds at Mauna Kea mid-level. Data from the two sites that successfully observed the occultation (Haleakala and the Mauna Kea mid-level) were analyzed by Elliot et al. (2010) to determine the diameter and albedo of 55636. In this study, we use the entire data set to search for signatures of occultations by nearby satellites. One satellite previously discovered with occultation data is Neptune's moon Larissa, which was detected during Neptune's close approach to a star in 1982 (Reitsema et al. 1982). No satellites are found in this study, and upper limits will be reported on satellite radii within the volume probed (2 x 10-8 of the Hill Sphere). This work was supported, in part, by NASA Grants NNX10AB27G (MIT), NNX08AO50G (Williams College), and NNH08AI17I (USNO-FS) and NSF Grant AST-0406493 (MIT). Student participation was supported in part by NSF's REU program and NASA's Massachusetts Space Grant.

The Effect of Tungsten and Niobium on the Stress Relaxation Rates of Disk Alloy CH98

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gayda, John

2003-01-01

Gas turbine engines for future subsonic transports will probably have higher pressure ratios which will require nickel-base superalloy disks with 1300 to 1400 F temperature capability. Several advanced disk alloys are being developed to fill this need. One of these, CH98, is a promising candidate for gas turbine engines and is being studied in NASA s Advanced Subsonic Technology (AST) program. For large disks, residual stresses generated during quenching from solution heat treatment are often reduced by a stabilization heat treatment, in which the disk is heated to 1500 to 1600 F for several hours followed by a static air cool. The reduction in residual stress levels lessens distortion during machining of disks. However, previous work on CH98 has indicated that stabilization treatments decrease creep capability. Additions of the refractory elements tungsten and niobium improve tensile and creep properties after stabilization, while maintaining good crack growth resistance at elevated temperatures. As the additions of refractory elements increase creep capability, they might also effect stress relaxation rates and therefore the reduction in residual stress levels obtained for a given stabilization treatment. To answer this question, the stress relaxation rates of CH98 with and without tungsten and niobium additions are compared in this paper for temperatures and times generally employed in stabilization treatments on modern disk alloys.

VSHC -- VAXstation VWS hardcopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huckle, H. E.; Clayton, C. A.

VSHC works when a detached process is run at boot time which runs a .EXE file that creates a permanent mailbox and redefines UISPRINT_DESTINATION to that mailbox. The program then goes into an infinite loop which includes a read to that mailbox. When a hardcopy is initiated, sixel graphics commands are sent to UISPRINT_DESTINATION and thus go to the mailbox. The program then reads those graphics commands from the mailbox and interprets them into equivalent Canon commands, using a `State Machine' technique to determine how far it's got, i.e. is it a start of a plot, end of plot, middle of plot, next plot etc. It spools the file of Canon graphics commands thus created (in VSHC_SCRATCH:), to a queue pointed at by the logical name VSHC_QUEUE. UISPRINT_DESTINATION can be mysteriously reset to its default value of CSA0: and so every few minutes an AST timeout occurs to reset UISPRINT_DESTINATION.

Correlation of Body Mass Index and Serum Parameters With Ultrasonographic Grade of Fatty Change in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

PubMed Central

Abangah, Ghobad; Yousefi, Atefeh; Asadollahi, Rouhangiz; Veisani, Yousef; Rahimifar, Paria; Alizadeh, Sajjad

2014-01-01

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease in the western population and expanding disease in the world. Pathological changes in fatty liver are like alcohol liver damage, which can lead to end-stage liver disease. The prevalence of NAFLD in obese or overweight people is higher than general population, and it seems that people with high Body Mass Index (BMI) or abnormality in some laboratory tests are more susceptible for severe fatty liver and high grade of NAFLD in ultrasonography (U.S). Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of BMI and laboratory tests with NAFLD in ultrasonography. Materials and Methods: During a multi-step process, we selected two-hundred and thirteen cases from four hundred and eighteen patients with NAFLD. Laboratory tests performed included: ALT, AST, FBS, Triglyceride and cholesterol levels, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody, ceruloplasmin, serum iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation, ferritin, AMA, ANA, ANTI LKM1, serum protein electrophoresis, TSH, anti TTG (IgA). BMI and ultrasonography for 213 patients were performed, and then data was analyzed. These parameters and grades of ultrasonography were compared with the values obtained using one way ANOVA. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to estimate the probability of ultrasonography grade. The Statistical Package for the Social Science program (SPSS, version 16.0) was used for data analysis. Results: Two-hundred and thirteen cases including 140 male and 73 female, were studied. In general, 72.3% of patients were overweight and obese. Post-hoc tests showed that only BMI (P < 0.001) and TG (P < 0.011) among variables had statistically significant associations with ultrasonography grade (USG), and ordinal logistic regression model showed that BMI and AST were the best predictors. Discussion: Our results suggest that in patients with NAFLD, BMI and TG are most effective factors in severity of fatty liver disease and ultrasonography grade (USG). On the other hand, BMI as a predictor can be helpful. But, AST has not been a reliable finding, because it changes in many conditions. PMID:24719704

Correlation of Body Mass Index and Serum Parameters With Ultrasonographic Grade of Fatty Change in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

PubMed

Abangah, Ghobad; Yousefi, Atefeh; Asadollahi, Rouhangiz; Veisani, Yousef; Rahimifar, Paria; Alizadeh, Sajjad

2014-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease in the western population and expanding disease in the world. Pathological changes in fatty liver are like alcohol liver damage, which can lead to end-stage liver disease. The prevalence of NAFLD in obese or overweight people is higher than general population, and it seems that people with high Body Mass Index (BMI) or abnormality in some laboratory tests are more susceptible for severe fatty liver and high grade of NAFLD in ultrasonography (U.S). This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of BMI and laboratory tests with NAFLD in ultrasonography. During a multi-step process, we selected two-hundred and thirteen cases from four hundred and eighteen patients with NAFLD. Laboratory tests performed included: ALT, AST, FBS, Triglyceride and cholesterol levels, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody, ceruloplasmin, serum iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation, ferritin, AMA, ANA, ANTI LKM1, serum protein electrophoresis, TSH, anti TTG (IgA). BMI and ultrasonography for 213 patients were performed, and then data was analyzed. These parameters and grades of ultrasonography were compared with the values obtained using one way ANOVA. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to estimate the probability of ultrasonography grade. The Statistical Package for the Social Science program (SPSS, version 16.0) was used for data analysis. Two-hundred and thirteen cases including 140 male and 73 female, were studied. In general, 72.3% of patients were overweight and obese. Post-hoc tests showed that only BMI (P < 0.001) and TG (P < 0.011) among variables had statistically significant associations with ultrasonography grade (USG), and ordinal logistic regression model showed that BMI and AST were the best predictors. Our results suggest that in patients with NAFLD, BMI and TG are most effective factors in severity of fatty liver disease and ultrasonography grade (USG). On the other hand, BMI as a predictor can be helpful. But, AST has not been a reliable finding, because it changes in many conditions.

The Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery: defining a model for antimicrobial stewardship-results from an international cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Sartelli, Massimo; Labricciosa, Francesco M; Barbadoro, Pamela; Pagani, Leonardo; Ansaloni, Luca; Brink, Adrian J; Carlet, Jean; Khanna, Ashish; Chichom-Mefire, Alain; Coccolini, Federico; Di Saverio, Salomone; May, Addison K; Viale, Pierluigi; Watkins, Richard R; Scudeller, Luigia; Abbo, Lilian M; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M; Adesunkanmi, Abdulrashid K; Al-Dahir, Sara; Al-Hasan, Majdi N; Alis, Halil; Alves, Carlos; Araujo da Silva, André R; Augustin, Goran; Bala, Miklosh; Barie, Philip S; Beltrán, Marcelo A; Bhangu, Aneel; Bouchra, Belefquih; Brecher, Stephen M; Caínzos, Miguel A; Camacho-Ortiz, Adrian; Catani, Marco; Chandy, Sujith J; Jusoh, Asri Che; Cherry-Bukowiec, Jill R; Chiara, Osvaldo; Colak, Elif; Cornely, Oliver A; Cui, Yunfeng; Demetrashvili, Zaza; De Simone, Belinda; De Waele, Jan J; Dhingra, Sameer; Di Marzo, Francesco; Dogjani, Agron; Dorj, Gereltuya; Dortet, Laurent; Duane, Therese M; Elmangory, Mutasim M; Enani, Mushira A; Ferrada, Paula; Esteban Foianini, J; Gachabayov, Mahir; Gandhi, Chinmay; Ghnnam, Wagih Mommtaz; Giamarellou, Helen; Gkiokas, Georgios; Gomi, Harumi; Goranovic, Tatjana; Griffiths, Ewen A; Guerra Gronerth, Rosio I; Haidamus Monteiro, Julio C; Hardcastle, Timothy C; Hecker, Andreas; Hodonou, Adrien M; Ioannidis, Orestis; Isik, Arda; Iskandar, Katia A; Kafil, Hossein S; Kanj, Souha S; Kaplan, Lewis J; Kapoor, Garima; Karamarkovic, Aleksandar R; Kenig, Jakub; Kerschaever, Ivan; Khamis, Faryal; Khokha, Vladimir; Kiguba, Ronald; Kim, Hong B; Ko, Wen-Chien; Koike, Kaoru; Kozlovska, Iryna; Kumar, Anand; Lagunes, Leonel; Latifi, Rifat; Lee, Jae G; Lee, Young R; Leppäniemi, Ari; Li, Yousheng; Liang, Stephen Y; Lowman, Warren; Machain, Gustavo M; Maegele, Marc; Major, Piotr; Malama, Sydney; Manzano-Nunez, Ramiro; Marinis, Athanasios; Martinez Casas, Isidro; Marwah, Sanjay; Maseda, Emilio; McFarlane, Michael E; Memish, Ziad; Mertz, Dominik; Mesina, Cristian; Mishra, Shyam K; Moore, Ernest E; Munyika, Akutu; Mylonakis, Eleftherios; Napolitano, Lena; Negoi, Ionut; Nestorovic, Milica D; Nicolau, David P; Omari, Abdelkarim H; Ordonez, Carlos A; Paiva, José-Artur; Pant, Narayan D; Parreira, Jose G; Pędziwiatr, Michal; Pereira, Bruno M; Ponce-de-Leon, Alfredo; Poulakou, Garyphallia; Preller, Jacobus; Pulcini, Céline; Pupelis, Guntars; Quiodettis, Martha; Rawson, Timothy M; Reis, Tarcisio; Rems, Miran; Rizoli, Sandro; Roberts, Jason; Pereira, Nuno Rocha; Rodríguez-Baño, Jesús; Sakakushev, Boris; Sanders, James; Santos, Natalia; Sato, Norio; Sawyer, Robert G; Scarpelini, Sandro; Scoccia, Loredana; Shafiq, Nusrat; Shelat, Vishalkumar; Sifri, Costi D; Siribumrungwong, Boonying; Søreide, Kjetil; Soto, Rodolfo; de Souza, Hamilton P; Talving, Peep; Trung, Ngo Tat; Tessier, Jeffrey M; Tumbarello, Mario; Ulrych, Jan; Uranues, Selman; Van Goor, Harry; Vereczkei, Andras; Wagenlehner, Florian; Xiao, Yonghong; Yuan, Kuo-Ching; Wechsler-Fördös, Agnes; Zahar, Jean-Ralph; Zakrison, Tanya L; Zuckerbraun, Brian; Zuidema, Wietse P; Catena, Fausto

2017-01-01

Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world. A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections) project and on 658 international experts in the fields of ASPs, infection control, and infections in surgery. The response rate was 19.4%. One hundred fifty-six (98.7%) participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary AST. The median number of physicians working inside the team was five [interquartile range 4-6]. An infectious disease specialist, a microbiologist and an infection control specialist were, respectively, present in 80.1, 76.3, and 67.9% of the ASTs. A surgeon was a component in 59.0% of cases and was significantly more likely to be present in university hospitals (89.5%, p  < 0.05) compared to community teaching (83.3%) and community hospitals (66.7%). Protocols for pre-operative prophylaxis and for antimicrobial treatment of surgical infections were respectively implemented in 96.2 and 82.3% of the hospitals. The majority of the surgical departments implemented both persuasive and restrictive interventions (72.8%). The most common types of interventions in surgical departments were dissemination of educational materials (62.5%), expert approval (61.0%), audit and feedback (55.1%), educational outreach (53.7%), and compulsory order forms (51.5%). The survey showed a heterogeneous organization of ASPs worldwide, demonstrating the necessity of a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach in the battle against antimicrobial resistance in surgical infections, and the importance of educational efforts towards this goal.

M Dwarf Mysteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Todd J.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Irwin, Jonathan; Dieterich, Sergio; Finch, Charlie T.; Riedel, Adric R.; Subasavage, John P.; Winters, Jennifer; RECONS Team

2017-01-01

During RECONS' 17-year (so far) astrometry/photometry program at the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9m, we have observed thousands of the ubiquitous red dwarfs in the solar neighborhood. During this reconnaissance, a few mysterious characters have emerged ...The Case of the Mercurial Stars: One M dwarf has been fading steadily for more than a decade, at last measure 6% fainter than when it was first observed. Another has grown brighter by 7% over 15 years. Are these brightness changes part of extremely long stellar cycles, or something else entirely?The Case of Identical Stellar Twins that Aren't: Two M dwarfs seem at first to be identical siblings traveling together through the Galaxy. They have virtually identical spectra at optical wavelengths and identical colors throughout the VRIJHK bands. Long-term astrometry indicates that they are, indeed, at the same distance via parallax measurements, and their proper motions match precisely. Yet, one of the twins is FOUR times brighter than the other. Followup work has revealed that the brighter component is a very close spectroscopic double, but no other stars are seen. So, the mystery may be half solved, but why do the close stars remain twice as bright as their widely-separated twin?The Case of the Great Kaboom!: After more than 1000 nights of observing on the reliable 0.9m telescope, with generally routine frames reading out upon the screen, one stellar system comprised of five red dwarfs flared in stunning fashion. Of the two distinct sources, the fainter one (an unresolved double) surpassed the brightness of the brighter one (an unresolved triple), increasing by more than three full magnitudes in the V filter. Which component actually flared? Is this magnificent outburst an unusual event, or in fact typical for this system and other M dwarfs?At the AAS meeting, we hope to probe the cognoscenti who study the Sun's smaller cousins to solve these intriguing M Dwarf Mysteries.This effort has been supported by the NSF through grants AST-0908402, AST-1109445, and AST-1412026, and via observations made possible by the SMARTS Consortium.

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

Bordoloi, Ankur D.; Martinez, Adam A.; Prestridge, Katherine

Experimental measurements of the displacements of shock accelerated microparticles from shortly after shock interaction to the particle relaxation time show time-dependent drag coefficients (more » $$C_{D}$$) that are much higher than those predicted by quasi-steady and unsteady drag models. Nylon particles with mean diameter of $$4~\\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\\text{m}$$, accelerated by one-dimensional normal shocks (Mach number$$M_{s}=1.2$$, 1.3 and 1.4), have measured$$C_{D}$$values that follow a power-law behaviour. The drag is a function of the time-dependent Knudsen number,$$Kn^{\\ast }=M_{s}/Re_{p}$$, where the particle Reynolds number ($$Re_{p}$$) is calculated using the time-dependent slip velocity. Also, some portion of the drag can be attributed to quasi-steady forces, but the total drag cannot be predicted by current unsteady force models that are based on the Basset–Boussinesq–Oseen equation and pressure drag. The largest contribution to the total drag is the unsteady component ($$C_{D,us}$$) until the particle attains$$Kn^{\\ast }\\approx 0.5{-}1.0$$, then the unsteady contribution decays. The quasi-steady component ($$C_{D,qs}$$) increases almost linearly with$$Kn^{\\ast }$$, intersects the$$C_{D,us}$$at$$Kn^{\\ast }\\approx 2$$and becomes the primary contributor to the drag towards the end of the relaxation zone as$$Re_{p}\\rightarrow 0$$. Finally, there are currently no analytical models that are able to predict the nonlinear behaviour of the shock accelerated particles during the relaxation phase of the flow.« less

Prevention of school bullying: the important role of autonomy-supportive teaching and internalization of pro-social values.

PubMed

Roth, Guy; Kanat-Maymon, Yaniv; Bibi, Uri

2011-12-01

This study examined students' perceptions of autonomy-supportive teaching (AST) and its relations to internalization of pro-social values and bullying in class. We hypothesized that: (1) teachers' AST, which involves provision of rationale and taking the student's perspective, would relate positively to students' identified internalization of considerateness towards classmates, and would relate negatively to external regulation (considerateness to obtain rewards or avoid punishments); (2) students' identified regulation would relate negatively to self-reported bullying in class, whereas external regulation would relate positively to bullying; and (3) the relation between teachers' AST and student bullying would be mediated by students' identification with the value of considerateness towards others. The sample consisted of 725 junior high school students (50% females) in Grades 7 and 8 from 27 classes in four schools serving students from lower-middle to middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds.   The participants completed questionnaires assessing the variables of interest. Correlational analysis supported the hypotheses. Moreover, mediational analyses using hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) demonstrated that identified regulation mediates the negative relation between AST and self-reported bullying in class. The mediational hypothesis was supported at the between-class level and at the within-class level.   The findings suggest that school policy aimed at bullying reduction should go beyond external control that involves external rewards and sanctions and should help teachers acquire autonomy-supportive practices focusing on students' meaningful internalization. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Enhancement of helium exhaust by resonant magnetic perturbation fields at LHD and TEXTOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, O.; Ida, K.; Kobayashi, M.; Bader, A.; Brezinsek, S.; Evans, T. E.; Funaba, H.; Goto, M.; Mitarai, O.; Morisaki, T.; Motojima, G.; Nakamura, Y.; Narushima, Y.; Nicolai, D.; Samm, U.; Tanaka, H.; Yamada, H.; Yoshinuma, M.; Xu, Y.; TEXTOR, the; LHD Experiment Groups

2016-10-01

The ability to exhaust helium as the fusion born plasma impurity is a critical requirement for burning plasmas. We demonstrate in this paper that resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) fields can be used to actively manipulate helium exhaust characteristics. We present results from puff/pump studies at TEXTOR as example for a tokamak with a pumped limiter and from the Large Helical Device (LHD) with the closed helical divertor as example for a heliotron/stellarator device. For LHD, the effective helium confinement time τ p,\\text{He}\\ast is a factor of 7-8 higher in the low and high density regimes explored when compared to TEXTOR discharges. This is attributed to ion root impurity transport which is one particular impurity transport regime assessed experimentally at LHD and which facilitates helium penetration to the plasma core. However, when an edge magnetic island is induced by externally applied RMP fields, τ p,\\text{He}\\ast is decreased by up to 30% and hence τ p,\\text{He}\\ast values closer to those of TEXTOR can be established. The combination of TEXTOR and LHD results suggest that a magnetic island induced by the RMP field in the plasma source region is an important ingredient for improving helium exhaust. The reduction in τ p,\\text{He}\\ast seen is caused by a combination of improved helium exhaust due to an enhanced coupling to the pumping systems, increased outward transport and a reduced fueling efficiency for the helium injected and recycling from the wall elements.

Autoimmune hepatitis triggered by acute hepatitis A.

PubMed

Tanaka, Hiroto; Tujioka, Hiroto; Ueda, Hiroki; Hamagami, Hiroko; Kida, Youhei; Ichinose, Masakazu

2005-10-14

The patient was a 57-year-old woman presenting with jaundice as the chief complaint. She began vomiting on July 10, 2003. Jaundice was noted and admitted to our hospital for thorough testing. Tests on admission indicated severe hepatitis, based on: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), 1 076 IU/L; alanine aminotransferase (ALT), 1 400 IU/L; total bilirubin (TB), 20.9 mg/dL; and prothrombin time rate (PT%), 46.9%. Acute hepatitis A (HA) was diagnosed based on negative hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C virus RNA and positive immunoglobulin (Ig) M HA antibody, but elevation of anti-nuclear antigen (X320) and IgG (3 112 mg/dL) led to suspicion of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Plasma exchange was performed for 3 d from July 17, and steroid pulse therapy was performed for 3 d starting on July 18, followed by oral steroid therapy. Liver biopsy was performed on August 5, and the results confirmed acute hepatitis and mild chronic inflammation. Levels of AST and ALT normalized, so dose of oral steroid was markedly reduced. Steroid therapy was terminated after 4 mo, as the patient had glaucoma. Starting 3 mo after cessation of steroid therapy, levels of AST and ALT began to increase again. Another liver biopsy was performed and AIH was diagnosed based on serum data and biopsy specimen. Oral steroid therapy was reinitiated. Levels of AST and ALT again normalized. The present case was thus considered to represent AIH triggered by acute HA.

Effects of Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF) on Sleep and Body Temperature Following Controllable Footshock Stress in Mice

PubMed Central

Yang, L; Wellman, LL; Tang, X; Sanford, LD

2011-01-01

Rapid eye movement sleep (REM) is increased after controllable stress (modeled by escapable footshock, ES) and decreased after uncontrollable stress (modeled by inescapable footshock, IS). Decreases in REM after IS are exacerbated by corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and attenuated by a CRF antagonist. In this study, we trained mice with ES following injections of CRF, astressin (AST), or saline (SAL) to determine whether CRF would alter REM after ES. Male BALB/cJ mice (n=7) were implanted for recording sleep, activity and body temperature via telemetry and with a guide cannula aimed into a lateral ventricle. After recovery from surgery, sleep following exposure to a novel chamber was recorded as a handling control (HC). The mice received one day of training with ES without injection followed by weekly training sessions in which they received counterbalanced intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinjections of either SAL or CRF (days 7 & 14) or SAL or AST (days 21 & 28) prior to ES. On each experimental day, sleep was recorded for 20 hours. Compared to HC, the mice showed significantly increased REM when receiving either SAL or AST prior to ES whereas CRF prior to ES significantly reduced REM. Stress-induced hyperthermia had longer duration after ES compared to HC, and was not significantly altered by CRF or AST compared to SAL. The current results demonstrate that activity in the central CRF system is an important regulator of stress-induced alterations in REM. PMID:21651923

Delayed Treatment of Ebola Virus Infection with Plant-Derived Monoclonal Antibodies Provides Protection in Rhesus Macaques

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-15

fever in humans and nonhuman primates (NHP) (1, 2). Outbreaks in humans occur intermittently, causing localized high morbidity and mortality. Due to...day 7) 1 h p.i. PBS control Unresponsiveness (day 6–7), widespread petechial rash (day 6–7), AST ↑↑↑, ALT ↑↑↑, BUN ↑↑, TBIL ↑↑, GGT...control Depression (day 6), unresponsiveness (day 6), significant petechial rash (day 6), thrombocytopenia, GLU ↓, AST ↑↑↑, ALT ↑↑↑ 5C (NS, day 16) 48 h

Biomarkers to Assess Possible Biological Effects on Reproductive Potential, Immune Function, and Energetic Fitness of Bottlenose Dolphins Exposed to Sounds Consistent with Naval Sonars

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

creatinine, calcium, ALK.phos, AST(SGOT), ALT(SGPT), total bilirubin, total protein and albumin); iron, LDH; phosphate; and uric acid . For liver function...assays AST, ALT, total bilirubin, and uric acid are most relevant, whereas for kidney function, BUN and creatinine are of particular interest. For...formic acid (for analysis in the positive ion mode) and in methanol:water 4:1 with 10 mM ammonium acetate (for the negative ion mode). FT-ICR mass

Indication of acid suppression therapy and predictors for the prophylactic use of protonpump inhibitors vs. histamine-2 receptor antagonists in a Malaysian tertiary hospital

PubMed Central

Oh, Ai L.; Tan, Andrew G.; Phan, Hui S.; Lee, Basil C.; Jumaat, Nafisah; Chew, Soo P.; Wong, Siok H.; Ting, Shee H.; Subramaniam, Theebaa

2015-01-01

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) are common acid suppressants used in gastrointestinal disorders. The trend of usage in Malaysia has changed from predominantly H2RA to PPI from 2007 to 2008, 3.46 versus 2.87 and 2.99 versus 3.24 DDD (Defined Daily Dose)/1000 population/day respectively. This raises concerns as PPI overutilization amounts to higher cost expenditure and are associated with various untoward consequences such as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Objectives: To evaluate the indication of acid suppression therapy (AST) and to look for predictors associated with the prophylactic use of PPI as compared to H2RA. Methods: Data collection was conducted via a standardized surveillance form over a 2-month period in the general medical wards of Sarawak General Hospital. All patients who received at least one dose of PPI or H2RA in any dosage form were included in the study. Appropriateness of prophylaxis was determined using current available guidelines. Selected risk factors were analysed using simple logistic regression to look for predictors associated with the choice of PPI in prophylactic AST. Results: Out of 212 cases in the present cohort, about three quarters (75.5%, n=160) of acid suppressants were given as prophylaxis. Over half of these did not have appropriate indications for prophylactic AST (58.1%, n=93). Among all cases given prophylactic AST, 75.0% (n=120) of them were given PPI. Renal insufficiency was identified as the only predictor associated with the use of prophylactic PPI in preference to H2RA (OR=2.86, 95%CI 1.21:6.72, p=0.011). Conclusion: Inappropriate prophylactic AST is a major concern and may even be underestimated due to the lack of appropriate guidelines. More data is required to guide the selection between PPI and H2RA, specifically the more cost-effective use of H2RA in patients with lower gastrointestinal risk or in whom PPI has no clear advantage. PMID:26445624

The 5As team intervention: bridging the knowledge gap in obesity management among primary care practitioners.

PubMed

Ogunleye, Ayodele; Osunlana, Adedayo; Asselin, Jodie; Cave, Andrew; Sharma, Arya Mitra; Campbell-Scherer, Denise Lynn

2015-12-22

Despite opportunities for didactic education on obesity management, we still observe low rates of weight management visits in our primary care setting. This paper describes the co-creation by front-line interdisciplinary health care providers and researchers of the 5As Team intervention to improve obesity prevention and management in primary care. We describe the theoretical foundations, design, and core elements of the 5AsT intervention, and the process of eliciting practitioners' self-identified knowledge gaps to inform the curricula for the 5AsT intervention. Themes and topics were identified through facilitated group discussion and a curriculum relevant to this group of practitioners was developed and delivered in a series of 12 workshops. The research question and approach were co-created with the clinical leadership of the PCN; the PCN committed internal resources and a practice facilitator to the effort. Practice facilitation and learning collaboratives were used in the intervention For the content, front-line providers identified 43 topics, related to 13 themes around obesity assessment and management for which they felt the need for further education and training. These needs included: cultural identity and body image, emotional and mental health, motivation, setting goals, managing expectations, weight-bias, caregiver fatigue, clinic dynamics and team-based care, greater understanding of physiology and the use of a systematic framework for obesity assessment (the "4Ms" of obesity). The content of the 12 intervention sessions were designed based on these themes. There was a strong innovation values fit with the 5AsT intervention, and providers were more comfortable with obesity management following the intervention. The 5AsT intervention, including videos, resources and tools, has been compiled for use by clinical teams and is available online at http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/5As_Team . Primary care interdisciplinary practitioners perceive important knowledge gaps across a wide range of topics relevant to obesity assessment and management. This description of the intervention provides important information for trial replication. The 5AsT intervention may be a useful aid for primary care teams interested to improve their knowledge of obesity prevention and management. Clinical Trials.gov (NCT01967797).

Three-dimensional external beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer increases the risk of hip fracture.

PubMed

Elliott, Sean P; Jarosek, Stephanie L; Alanee, Shaheen R; Konety, Badrinath R; Dusenbery, Kathryn E; Virnig, Beth A

2011-10-01

Hip fracture is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is known to increase the risk of hip fractures in women, but the effect in men is unknown. From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, 45,662 men who were aged ≥66 years and diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992-2004 were identified. By using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models, the primary outcome of hip fracture risk was compared among men who received radical prostatectomy (RP), EBRT, EBRT plus androgen suppression therapy (AST), or AST alone. Age, osteoporosis, race, and other comorbidities were statistically controlled. A secondary outcome was distal forearm fracture as an indicator of the risk of fall-related fracture outside the radiation field. After covariates were statistically controlled, the findings showed that EBRT increased the risk of hip fractures by 76% (hazards ratio [HR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38-2.40) without increasing the risk of distal forearm fractures (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.56-1.14). Combination therapy with EBRT plus AST increased the risk of hip fracture 145% relative to RP alone (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.88-3.19) and by 40% relative to EBRT alone (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.17-1.68). EBRT plus AST increased the risk of distal forearm fracture by 43% relative to RP alone (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 0.97-2.10). The number needed to treat to result in 1 hip fracture during a 10-year period was 51 patients (95% CI, 31-103). In men with prostate cancer, pelvic 3-D conformal EBRT was associated with a 76% increased risk of hip fracture. This risk was slightly increased further by the addition of short-course AST to EBRT. This risk associated with EBRT must be site-specific as there was no increase in the risk of fall-related fractures in bones that were outside the radiation field. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

Improvement in psoriasis with rosiglitazone in a diabetic and a nondiabetic patient.

PubMed

Pershadsingh, Harrihar A; Benson, Steven C; Ellis, Charles N

2005-01-01

The authors conducted a prospective, open-label, pilot trial of the effects of the antidiabetic thiazolidinedione (TZD) rosiglitazone in two patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Case 1: A lean, euglycemic 43-year-old nondiabetic man with a 2-year history of plaque psoriasis presented with lesions involving 10% of his body surface (Figures 1A, 1B, 1C). He had no other chronic or acute medical problems. He had previously been managed sporadically with topical triamcinolone acetonide, an intermediate-strength glucocorticoid, and was off antipsoriatic medication for 5 months. He was started on rosiglitazone p.o., 8 mg q.d. After 10 weeks on rosiglitazone, the lesions developed increased erythema, spreading, and shedding of scale (Figures 2A, 2B, 2C). After an additional 26 weeks, the lesions had largely disappeared (Figures 3A, 3B, 3C). The patient remained euglycemic throughout the study. His liver function enzymes (alanine transferase [ALT] and aspartate transferase [AST]) remained normal throughout the study: ALT, 23 IU/L; AST, 47 IU/L before treatment; ALT, 25 IU/L; AST, 33 IU/L after treatment. There were no adverse events. Case 2: An overweight 68-year-old woman (body mass index, 29 kg/m2; with a 12-year history of type 2 diabetes and 5-year history of psoriasis presented with generalized plaque psoriasis over 20% of her body, including two large, thick, silvery plaques with the texture of leather over the lower part of the back (Figure 4A). She was given rosiglitazone p.o., 4 mg b.i.d. for 24 weeks, which resulted in significant improvement in psoriasis (Figure 4B). After an additional 26 weeks on rosiglitazone, the plaques had cleared on her back (Figure 4C) and over her entire body, including scalp, ears, and posterior forearms (not shown). Her glycemic control improved (hemoglobin A1c decreased from 7.7% to 7.2%) and liver function remained normal throughout the study (ALT, 24 IU/L; AST, 14 IU/L before treatment; and ALT, 26 IU/L; AST, 15 IU/L after treatment). There were no adverse events.

Comparison of BD Phoenix to Vitek 2, MicroScan MICroSTREP, and Etest for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Streptococcus pneumoniae▿

PubMed Central

Mittman, Scott A.; Huard, Richard C.; Della-Latta, Phyllis; Whittier, Susan

2009-01-01

The performance of the BD Phoenix Automated Microbiology System (BD Diagnostic Systems) was compared to those of the Vitek 2 (bioMérieux), the MicroScan MICroSTREP plus (Siemens), and Etest (bioMérieux) for antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST) of 311 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The overall essential agreement (EA) between each test system and the reference microdilution broth reference method for S. pneumoniae AST results was >95%. For Phoenix, the EAs of individual antimicrobial agents ranged from 90.4% (clindamycin) to 100% (vancomycin and gatifloxacin). The categorical agreements (CA) of Phoenix, Vitek 2, MicroScan, and Etest for penicillin were 95.5%, 94.2%, 98.7%, and 97.7%, respectively. The overall CA for Phoenix was 99.3% (1 very major error [VME] and 29 minor errors [mEs]), that for Vitek 2 was 98.8% (7 VMEs and 28 mEs), and those for MicroScan and Etest were 99.5% each (19 and 13 mEs, respectively). The average times to results for Phoenix, Vitek 2, and the manual methods were 12.1 h, 9.8 h, and 24 h, respectively. From these data, the Phoenix AST results demonstrated a high degree of agreement with all systems evaluated, although fewer VMEs were observed with the Phoenix than with the Vitek 2. Overall, both automated systems provided reliable AST results for the S. pneumoniae-antibiotic combinations in half the time required for the manual methods, rendering them more suitable for the demands of expedited reporting in the clinical setting. PMID:19741088

Plasmid-Encoded Tetracycline Efflux Pump Protein Alters Bacterial Stress Responses and Ecological Fitness of Acinetobacter oleivorans

PubMed Central

Hong, Hyerim; Jung, Jaejoon; Park, Woojun

2014-01-01

Acquisition of the extracellular tetracycline (TC) resistance plasmid pAST2 affected host gene expression and phenotype in the oil-degrading soil bacterium, Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1. Whole-transcriptome profiling of DR1 cells harboring pAST2 revealed that all the plasmid genes were highly expressed under TC conditions, and the expression levels of many host chromosomal genes were modulated by the presence of pAST2. The host energy burden imposed by replication of pAST2 led to (i) lowered ATP concentrations, (ii) downregulated expression of many genes involved in cellular growth, and (iii) reduced growth rate. Interestingly, some phenotypes were restored by deleting the plasmid-encoded efflux pump gene tetH, suggesting that the membrane integrity changes resulting from the incorporation of efflux pump proteins also resulted in altered host response under the tested conditions. Alteration of membrane integrity by tetH deletion was shown by measuring permeability of fluorescent probe and membrane hydrophobicity. The presence of the plasmid conferred peroxide and superoxide resistance to cells, but only peroxide resistance was diminished by tetH gene deletion, suggesting that the plasmid-encoded membrane-bound efflux pump protein provided peroxide resistance. The downregulation of fimbriae-related genes presumably led to reduced swimming motility, but this phenotype was recovered by tetH gene deletion. Our data suggest that not only the plasmid replication burden, but also its encoded efflux pump protein altered host chromosomal gene expression and phenotype, which also alters the ecological fitness of the host in the environment. PMID:25229538

Relaxation drag history of shock accelerated microparticles

DOE PAGES

Bordoloi, Ankur D.; Martinez, Adam A.; Prestridge, Katherine

2017-06-21

Experimental measurements of the displacements of shock accelerated microparticles from shortly after shock interaction to the particle relaxation time show time-dependent drag coefficients (more » $$C_{D}$$) that are much higher than those predicted by quasi-steady and unsteady drag models. Nylon particles with mean diameter of $$4~\\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\\text{m}$$, accelerated by one-dimensional normal shocks (Mach number$$M_{s}=1.2$$, 1.3 and 1.4), have measured$$C_{D}$$values that follow a power-law behaviour. The drag is a function of the time-dependent Knudsen number,$$Kn^{\\ast }=M_{s}/Re_{p}$$, where the particle Reynolds number ($$Re_{p}$$) is calculated using the time-dependent slip velocity. Also, some portion of the drag can be attributed to quasi-steady forces, but the total drag cannot be predicted by current unsteady force models that are based on the Basset–Boussinesq–Oseen equation and pressure drag. The largest contribution to the total drag is the unsteady component ($$C_{D,us}$$) until the particle attains$$Kn^{\\ast }\\approx 0.5{-}1.0$$, then the unsteady contribution decays. The quasi-steady component ($$C_{D,qs}$$) increases almost linearly with$$Kn^{\\ast }$$, intersects the$$C_{D,us}$$at$$Kn^{\\ast }\\approx 2$$and becomes the primary contributor to the drag towards the end of the relaxation zone as$$Re_{p}\\rightarrow 0$$. Finally, there are currently no analytical models that are able to predict the nonlinear behaviour of the shock accelerated particles during the relaxation phase of the flow.« less

Inverse associations of total and decaffeinated coffee with liver enzyme levels in NHANES 1999–2010

PubMed Central

Xiao, Qian; Sinha, Rashmi; Graubard, Barry I.; Freedman, Neal D.

2014-01-01

Background Coffee may have hepatoprotective effects and higher coffee consumption has been associated inversely with levels of liver enzymatic markers. However, it is unclear whether decaffeinated coffee is also associated with liver enzymes. Methods The study population included 27,793 participants, age 20 or older, in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2010). Coffee intake was evaluated by 24-hour dietary recall. Serum levels of aminotransferase (ALT), aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transaminase (GGT) were measured. We examined the relationship between coffee intake and enzymatic levels using weighted multiple variable logistic (abnormally elevated levels of enzymes) and linear regression (continuous enzymatic levels). Results Total coffee consumption was inversely associated with abnormal levels of all four liver enzymes and continuous levels of AST, ALP and GGT. Compared to those reporting no coffee consumption, participants reporting ≥3 cups per day had an odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 0.75 (0.63, 0.89)), 0.82 (0.68, 0.98), 0.73 (0.55, 0.95) and 0.69 (0.57, 0.83) for abnormal levels of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT, respectively. Similar inverse associations were found with decaffeinated coffee intake and abnormal levels of ALT (OR≥2 vs 0 cup/d: 0.62 (0.41, 0.94)), AST (0.74 (0.49, 1.11)), and GGT (0.70, 0.49–1.00). Conclusion Higher intakes of coffee, regardless of its caffeine content, were associated with lower levels of liver enzymes. PMID:25124935

Relaxation drag history of shock accelerated microparticles

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

Bordoloi, Ankur D.; Martinez, Adam A.; Prestridge, Katherine

Experimental measurements of the displacements of shock accelerated microparticles from shortly after shock interaction to the particle relaxation time show time-dependent drag coefficients (more » $$C_{D}$$) that are much higher than those predicted by quasi-steady and unsteady drag models. Nylon particles with mean diameter of $$4~\\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}\\text{m}$$, accelerated by one-dimensional normal shocks (Mach number$$M_{s}=1.2$$, 1.3 and 1.4), have measured$$C_{D}$$values that follow a power-law behaviour. The drag is a function of the time-dependent Knudsen number,$$Kn^{\\ast }=M_{s}/Re_{p}$$, where the particle Reynolds number ($$Re_{p}$$) is calculated using the time-dependent slip velocity. Also, some portion of the drag can be attributed to quasi-steady forces, but the total drag cannot be predicted by current unsteady force models that are based on the Basset–Boussinesq–Oseen equation and pressure drag. The largest contribution to the total drag is the unsteady component ($$C_{D,us}$$) until the particle attains$$Kn^{\\ast }\\approx 0.5{-}1.0$$, then the unsteady contribution decays. The quasi-steady component ($$C_{D,qs}$$) increases almost linearly with$$Kn^{\\ast }$$, intersects the$$C_{D,us}$$at$$Kn^{\\ast }\\approx 2$$and becomes the primary contributor to the drag towards the end of the relaxation zone as$$Re_{p}\\rightarrow 0$$. Finally, there are currently no analytical models that are able to predict the nonlinear behaviour of the shock accelerated particles during the relaxation phase of the flow.« less

Gate induced monolayer behavior in twisted bilayer black phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevik, Cem; Wallbank, John R.; Gülseren, Oğuz; Peeters, François M.; Çakır, Deniz

2017-09-01

Optical and electronic properties of black phosphorus strongly depend on the number of layers and type of stacking. Using first-principles calculations within the framework of density functional theory, we investigate the electronic properties of bilayer black phosphorus with an interlayer twist angle of 90°. These calculations are complemented with a simple k\\centerdot p model which is able to capture most of the low energy features and is valid for arbitrary twist angles. The electronic spectrum of 90° twisted bilayer black phosphorus is found to be x-y isotropic in contrast to the monolayer. However x-y anisotropy, and a partial return to monolayer-like behavior, particularly in the valence band, can be induced by an external out-of-plane electric field. Moreover, the preferred hole effective mass can be rotated by 90° simply by changing the direction of the applied electric field. In particular, a + 0.4 (-0.4) V {{{\\mathringA}}-1} out-of-plane electric field results in a  ˜60% increase in the hole effective mass along the \\mathbf{y} (\\mathbf{x} ) axis and enhances the m\\mathbf{y}\\ast/m\\mathbf{x}\\ast (m\\mathbf{x}\\ast/m\\mathbf{y}\\ast ) ratio as much as by a factor of 40. Our DFT and k\\centerdot p simulations clearly indicate that the twist angle in combination with an appropriate gate voltage is a novel way to tune the electronic and optical properties of bilayer phosphorus and it gives us a new degree of freedom to engineer the properties of black phosphorus based devices.

Detection of a Novel Bovine Astrovirus in a Cow with Encephalitis.

PubMed

Schlottau, K; Schulze, C; Bilk, S; Hanke, D; Höper, D; Beer, M; Hoffmann, B

2016-06-01

Encephalitis can be caused by several infectious agents, including bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. In many cases, the causative agent cannot be identified, because the pathogens are unknown or detection methods are not routinely available. In our case, a 15-month-old cow developed central nervous disorders and died within 6 days after the onset of clinical signs. The histopathology revealed an acute encephalitis, predominantly in the brain stem, and a ganglionitis of the trigeminal ganglion with massive neuronal necroses in both the brain and the ganglion. However, a relevant panel of bacterial and viral infections of cattle could be routinely excluded. Therefore, a brain sample from the cow was analysed using a metagenomics approach with next-generation sequencing. A novel bovine astrovirus (BoAstV-BH89/14) could be identified using the analysis pipeline RIEMS, and the finding could be confirmed with a specific BoAstV RT-qPCR. The genome of the bovine astrovirus (BoAstV), belonging to the family Astroviridae in the genus Mamastrovirus, has a length of 6478 bp. Sequence identities between 71% to a sheep astrovirus and 69% to two recently described bovine astroviruses from the USA and Switzerland were ascertained. The latter were also connected to encephalitis cases in cattle. Like these, the new virus described here was detected in different brain sections using the specific BoAstV RT-qPCR and fluorescent in situ hybridization. In conclusion, while astroviruses so far were mainly found in relation to gastroenteritis in animals and humans, recently detected astrovirus infections were also related to encephalitis. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Protective Effect of Astaxanthin on Vocal Fold Injury and Inflammation Due to Vocal Loading: A Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Kaneko, Mami; Kishimoto, Yo; Suzuki, Ryo; Kawai, Yoshitaka; Tateya, Ichiro; Hirano, Shigeru

2017-05-01

Professional voice users, such as singers and teachers, are at greater risk of developing vocal fold injury from excessive use of voice; thus, protection of the vocal fold is essential. One of the most important factors that aggravates injury is the production of reactive oxygen species at the wound site. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effect of astaxanthin, a strong antioxidant, on the protection of the vocal fold from injury and inflammation due to vocal loading. This study is an institutional review board-approved human clinical trial. Ten male subjects underwent a 60-minute vocal loading session and received vocal assessments prior to, immediately after, and 30 minutes postvocal loading (AST(-) status). All subjects were then prescribed 24 mg/day of astaxanthin for 28 days, after which they received the same vocal task and assessments (AST(+) status). Phonatory parameters were compared between both groups. Aerodynamic assessment, acoustic analysis, and GRBAS scale (grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain) were significantly worse in the AST(-) status immediately after vocal loading, but improved by 30 minutes after loading. In contrast, none of the phonatory parameters in the AST(+) status were statistically worse, even when measured immediately after vocal loading. No allergic responses or adverse effects were observed after administration of astaxanthin. The current results suggest that astaxanthin can protect the vocal fold from injury and inflammation caused by vocal loading possibly through the regulation of oxidative stress. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Durable electrocatalytic-activity of Pt-Au/C cathode in PEMFCs.

PubMed

Selvaganesh, S Vinod; Selvarani, G; Sridhar, P; Pitchumani, S; Shukla, A K

2011-07-21

Longevity remains as one of the central issues in the successful commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and primarily hinges on the durability of the cathode. Incorporation of gold (Au) to platinum (Pt) is known to ameliorate both the electrocatalytic activity and stability of cathode in relation to pristine Pt-cathodes that are currently being used in PEMFCs. In this study, an accelerated stress test (AST) is conducted to simulate prolonged fuel-cell operating conditions by potential cycling the carbon-supported Pt-Au (Pt-Au/C) cathode. The loss in performance of PEMFC with Pt-Au/C cathode is found to be ∼10% after 7000 accelerated potential-cycles as against ∼60% for Pt/C cathode under similar conditions. These data are in conformity with the electrochemical surface-area values. PEMFC with Pt-Au/C cathode can withstand >10,000 potential cycles with very little effect on its performance. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies on the catalyst before and after AST suggest that incorporating Au with Pt helps mitigate aggregation of Pt particles during prolonged fuel-cell operations while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reflects that the metallic nature of Pt is retained in the Pt-Au catalyst during AST in comparison to Pt/C that shows a major portion of Pt to be present as oxidic platinum. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy conducted on the membrane electrode assembly before and after AST suggests that incorporating Au with Pt helps mitigating deformations in the catalyst layer. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

Serum S100B level increases after running but not cycling exercise.

PubMed

Stocchero, Cintia Mussi Alvim; Oses, Jean Pierre; Cunha, Giovani Santos; Martins, Jocelito Bijoldo; Brum, Liz Marina; Zimmer, Eduardo Rigon; Souza, Diogo Onofre; Portela, Luis Valmor; Reischak-Oliveira, Alvaro

2014-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of running versus cycling exercises upon serum S100B levels and typical markers of skeletal muscle damage such as creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and myoglobin (Mb). Although recent work demonstrates that S100B is highly expressed and exerts functional properties in skeletal muscle, there is no previous study that tries to establish a relationship between muscle damage and serum S100B levels after exercise. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 13 male triathletes. They completed 2 submaximal exercise protocols at anaerobic threshold intensity. Running was performed on a treadmill with no inclination (RUN) and cycling (CYC) using a cycle-simulator. Three blood samples were taken before (PRE), immediately after (POST) and 1 h after exercise for CK, AST, Mb and S100B assessments. We found a significant increase in serum S100B levels and muscle damage markers in RUN POST compared with RUN PRE. Comparing groups, POST S100B, CK, AST and Mb serum levels were higher in RUN than CYC. Only in RUN, the area under the curve (AUC) of serum S100B is positively correlated with AUC of CK and Mb. Therefore, immediately after an intense exercise such as running, but not cycling, serum levels of S100B protein increase in parallel with levels of CK, AST and Mb. Additionally, the positive correlation between S100B and CK and Mb points to S100B as an acute biomarker of muscle damage after running exercise.

Effect of increasing maximal aerobic exercise on serum muscles enzymes in professional field hockey players.

PubMed

Hazar, Muhsin; Otag, Aynur; Otag, Ilhan; Sezen, Mehmet; Sever, Ozan

2014-11-04

Exercise results in oxidative enzyme increase and micro-injuries in skeletal muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maximal aerobic exercise on serum muscle enzymes in professional field hockey players. This study aims to determine the effect of increasing maximal aerobic exercise on creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum levels. 31 young professional field hockey players (13 female and 18 male players) volunteered for this study. All participants underwent the shuttle run test. Blood samples were taken from each participant before the shuttle run test. Post test blood samples were taken immediately after exercise and one hour after respectively. Pre and post test CK, CK-MB, AST and ALT values were measured by means of auto analyzer using original kits. The acute post test measure of the CK level increased in male (p=0.002) and female (p=0.00) sportsmen. CK-MB values obtained one hour after the exercise was lower than those before the exercise in males (p=0.02). In females (p=0.017) and males (p=0.05) AST activity significantly increased immediately after exercise and decreased to resting activity 1 h recovery. ALT significantly increased immediately after exercise in female (p=0.03) and male (p=0.00) athletes and after 1 h recovery ALT activities decreased below resting values. The timing and severity of exercise used in our study increased CK values, decreased CK-MB values and AST, ALT values increased in female and male field hockey players.

Differences in levels of albumin, ALT, AST, γ-GT and creatinine in frail, moderately healthy and healthy elderly individuals.

PubMed

Edvardsson, Maria; Sund-Levander, Märtha; Milberg, Anna; Wressle, Ewa; Marcusson, Jan; Grodzinsky, Ewa

2018-02-23

Reference intervals are widely used as decision tools, providing the physician with information about whether the analyte values indicate ongoing disease process. Reference intervals are generally based on individuals without diagnosed diseases or use of medication, which often excludes elderly. The aim of the study was to assess levels of albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) in frail, moderately healthy and healthy elderly indivuduals. Blood samples were collected from individuals >80 years old, nursing home residents, in the Elderly in Linköping Screening Assessment and Nordic Reference Interval Project, a total of 569 individuals. They were divided into three cohorts: frail, moderately healthy and healthy, depending on cognitive and physical function. Albumin, ALT, AST, creatinine and γ-GT were analyzed using routine methods. Linear regression predicted factors for 34% of the variance in albumin were activities of daily living (ADL), gender, stroke and cancer. ADLs, gender and weight explained 15% of changes in ALT. For AST levels, ADLs, cancer and analgesics explained 5% of changes. Kidney disease, gender, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease explained 25% of the variation in creatinine levels and MMSE explained three per cent of γ-GT variation. Because a group of people are at the same age, they should not be assessed the same way. To interpret results of laboratory tests in elderly is a complex task, where reference intervals are one part, but far from the only one, to take into consideration.

An assessment of the potential of protopine to inhibit microsomal drug metabolising enzymes and prevent chemical-induced hepatotoxicity in rodents.

PubMed

Janbaz, K H; Saeed, S A; Gilani, A H

1998-09-01

The potential of protopine to inhibit microsomal drug metabolising enzymes (MDM E) and prevent paracetamol- and CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity was studied in rats. Paracetamol at the dose of 640 mg kg-1 produced hepatic damage in rats as manifested by the rise in serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) to 972+/-186 and 624+/-131 IU (mean+/-sem; n=10), respectively, compared to respective control values of 101+/-29 and 64+/-18 IU. Pretreatment of rats with protopine (11 mg kg-1, orally twice daily for 2 days) lowered significantly the respective serum AST and ALT levels (P<0.05) to 289+/-52 and 178+/-43 IU. The hepatotoxic dose of CCl4 (1.5 ml kg-1; orally) raised serum AST and ALT levels to 543+/-89 and 387+/-69 IU (mean+/-sem; n=10), respectively, compared to respective control values of 98+/-28 and 56+/-17 IU. The same dose of protopine (11 mg kg-1) was able to prevent significantly (P<0.05), the CCl4-induced rise in serum enzymes and the estimated values of AST and ALT were 168+/-36 and 93+/-28 IU, respectively. Protopine caused prolongation (P<0.05) in pentobarbital (55 mg kg-1)-induced sleep as well as potentiated strychnine-induced toxicity in rats, suggestive of an inhibitory effect on MDME. These results indicate that protopine exhibits anti-hepatotoxic action which may be mediated through inhibition of MDME. Copyright 1998 The Italian Pharmacological Society

Plasmid-encoded tetracycline efflux pump protein alters bacterial stress responses and ecological fitness of Acinetobacter oleivorans.

PubMed

Hong, Hyerim; Jung, Jaejoon; Park, Woojun

2014-01-01

Acquisition of the extracellular tetracycline (TC) resistance plasmid pAST2 affected host gene expression and phenotype in the oil-degrading soil bacterium, Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1. Whole-transcriptome profiling of DR1 cells harboring pAST2 revealed that all the plasmid genes were highly expressed under TC conditions, and the expression levels of many host chromosomal genes were modulated by the presence of pAST2. The host energy burden imposed by replication of pAST2 led to (i) lowered ATP concentrations, (ii) downregulated expression of many genes involved in cellular growth, and (iii) reduced growth rate. Interestingly, some phenotypes were restored by deleting the plasmid-encoded efflux pump gene tetH, suggesting that the membrane integrity changes resulting from the incorporation of efflux pump proteins also resulted in altered host response under the tested conditions. Alteration of membrane integrity by tetH deletion was shown by measuring permeability of fluorescent probe and membrane hydrophobicity. The presence of the plasmid conferred peroxide and superoxide resistance to cells, but only peroxide resistance was diminished by tetH gene deletion, suggesting that the plasmid-encoded membrane-bound efflux pump protein provided peroxide resistance. The downregulation of fimbriae-related genes presumably led to reduced swimming motility, but this phenotype was recovered by tetH gene deletion. Our data suggest that not only the plasmid replication burden, but also its encoded efflux pump protein altered host chromosomal gene expression and phenotype, which also alters the ecological fitness of the host in the environment.

Efficacy and safety of Chlorella supplementation in adults with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

PubMed Central

Azocar, Jose; Diaz, Arley

2013-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Chlorella in 18 patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1. METHODS: Eighteen adults with chronic infection by HCV genotype 1 received daily oral supplementation of Chlorella for 12 wk. Changes in the RNA levels of HCV, as well as those of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were evaluated following this treatment period. Paired t tests were conducted to compare the means of the different variables at the beginning and end of the study. Side effects and quality of life aspects were also compared between weeks 0 and 12 of the study period. RESULTS: A majority 84.61% of the patients had a significant decrease in their ALT levels from week 0 to week 12. Evaluation of side effects showed that Chlorella was well tolerated. Quality of life assessment showed that 76.9 of the participants reported an improvement in their energy levels and 46.1% reported an improvement in their perception of general health. Although 69.23% also showed a decrease in their AST levels, this was not statistically significant. Most patients that exhibited an improvement in their ALT and AST levels also showed a tendency toward a decreased HCV viral load. The HCV RNA levels showed a decrease in 69.23% of the patients, which along with changes in AST/ALT ratios from week 0 to week 12, these results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Chlorella supplementation was well tolerated in patients with chronic HCV and associated with a significant decrease in ALT liver enzyme levels. PMID:23467073

Identification of high versus lower risk clinical subgroups in a group of adult patients with supratentorial anaplastic astrocytomas.

PubMed

Decaestecker, C; Salmon, I; Camby, I; Dewitte, O; Pasteels, J L; Brotchi, J; Van Ham, P; Kiss, R

1995-05-01

The present work investigates whether computer-assisted techniques can contribute any significant information to the characterization of astrocytic tumor aggressiveness. Two complementary computer-assisted methods were used. The first method made use of the digital image analysis of Feulgen-stained nuclei, making it possible to compute 15 morphonuclear and 8 nuclear DNA content-related (ploidy level) parameters. The second method enabled the most discriminatory parameters to be determined. This second method is the Decision Tree technique, which forms part of the Supervised Learning Algorithms. These two techniques were applied to a series of 250 supratentorial astrocytic tumors of the adult. This series included 39 low-grade (astrocytomas, AST) and 211 high-grade (47 anaplastic astrocytomas, ANA, and 164 glioblastomas, GBM) astrocytic tumors. The results show that some AST, ANA and GBM did not fit within simple logical rules. These "complex" cases were labeled NC-AST, NC-ANA and NC-GBM because they were "non-classical" (NC) with respect to their cytological features. An analysis of survival data revealed that the patients with NC-GBM had the same survival period as patients with GBM. In sharp contrast, patients with ANA survived significantly longer than patients with NC-ANA. In fact, the patients with ANA had the same survival period as patients who died from AST, while the patients with NC-ANA had a survival period similar to those with GBM. All these data show that the computer-assisted techniques used in this study can actually provide the pathologist with significant information on the characterization of astrocytic tumor aggressiveness.

Effect of modified fasting therapy on body weight, fat and muscle mass, and blood chemistry in patients with obesity.

PubMed

Kim, Koh-Woon; Song, Mi-Yeon; Chung, Seok-Hee; Chung, Won-Seok

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and safety of modified fasting therapy using fermented medicinal herbs and exercise on body weight, fat and muscle mass, and blood chemistry in obese subjects. Twenty-six patients participated in a 14-day fast, during which they ingested a supplement made from fermented medicinal herbs and carbohydrates (intake: 400-600 kcal/d). The schedule included 7 prefasting relief days and 14 days of stepwise reintroduction of food. The patients also took part in an exercise program that incorporated Qigong, weight training, and walking exercises. The efficacy of treatments was observed by assessing body fat mass and muscle mass, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cholesterol, and triglycerides in each study period. Specific symptoms or side effects were reported. Body weight and body fat mass both decreased significantly by (5.16 ± 0.95) and (3.89 ± 0.79) kg (both P < 0.05), while muscle mass decreased by an average of (0.26 ± 0.22) kg, without statistical significance. ALT levels were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while AST levels decreased without statistical significance (P = 0.052). The levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides were also significantly decreased (both P < 0.05). There were few adverse events except for mild dizziness, which did not affect everyday living. These results suggest that modified fasting therapy using fermented medicinal herbs and exercise could be effective and safe on obese patients.

HEMATOLOGY AND PLASMA CHEMISTRY OF THE PLOUGHSHARE TORTOISE (ASTROCHELYS YNIPHORA) IN A CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM.

PubMed

López, Javier; Waters, Michael; Routh, Andrew; Rakotonanahary, Tsanta F; Woolaver, Lance; Thomasson, Ann; Holmes, Emma; Steinmetz, Hanspeter W

2017-03-01

Blood samples from 172 captive and 40 wild, healthy, juvenile and adult, ploughshare tortoises ( Astrochelys yniphora ) were analyzed to determine hematological and biochemical reference intervals. Hematological analytes included packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell count (WBC), and WBC differential estimates. Biochemical analysis included total protein measured by photometry (TP) and by refractometry (TPr), albumin (ALB), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), bile acids (BA), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), urea (UREA), and uric acid (UA). The jugular vein was identified as the preferred venipuncture site as subcarapacial vein venipuncture resulted in regular hemodilution. In due consideration of small sample sizes in some of the groups studied, adult tortoises had significantly higher plasma GLDH activity and TPr, TP, ALB, BA, and UREA concentrations and significantly lower AST activity and P concentration than juveniles. Captivity had a significant influence in some reference intervals, with captive adults presenting significantly higher WBC, and estimated counts of all white cell types as well as UREA and TPr than wild counterparts. Captive juveniles also showed significantly higher estimated monocyte and lower estimated eosinophil and basophil counts. Although these differences most likely reflect local environmental or dietary differences, without representing pathology or a deviation from the normal, they question the applicability of reference values from captive animals to wild animals and vice versa. Significant sex differences were only observed for PCV and UA. The reported reference intervals may serve as benchmarks for clinical assessment and conservation of this critically endangered species.

Identification of Emerging Human Mastitis Pathogens by MALDI-TOF and Assessment of Their Antibiotic Resistance Patterns

PubMed Central

Marín, María; Arroyo, Rebeca; Espinosa-Martos, Irene; Fernández, Leónides; Rodríguez, Juan M.

2017-01-01

Lactational mastitis constitutes one of the main causes of undesired weaning, depriving the mother–infant pair from the benefits of breastfeeding; therefore, this condition should be considered a relevant public health issue. The role of specific microorganisms remains unclear since human milk cultures and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) are not routinely performed, despite the fact that this would be key to ensure an early and effective diagnosis and treatment. The objective of this study was to describe the culturable microbial diversity in 647 milk samples from breastfeeding women with clinical symptoms of mastitis by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) VITEK MS technology and to analyze the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of a collection of isolates from these samples by the VITEK 2 AST system. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common species isolated from mastitis samples (87.6%), while Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 22.1%. Streptococci constituted the second (68.6%) most prevalent bacterial group, with Streptococcus mitis/oralis, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus parasanguinis detected with frequencies of 40.8, 36.8, and 14.4%, respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility profiles of 642 staphylococcal isolates indicated a remarkable resistance to benzylpenicillin (88.3%) and erythromycin (67.3%) with differences between species. A high percentage of Staphylococcus isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic (Staphylococcus hominis, 100%; S. epidermidis, 98.2%; S. aureus, 92.9%; Staphylococcus lugdunensis, 90.5%) and the percentage of multidrug-resistance (MDR) isolates was noticeable (S. hominis, 81%; S. epidermidis, 64.4%; S. aureus, 11.5%; S. lugdunensis, 10.5%). In relation to streptococcal isolates (n = 524), AST revealed high or moderate percentages of resistance to erythromycin (68.7%), benzylpenicillin (63.7%), ampicillin (51.5%), and tetracycline (30.8%). Antibiotic resistance to at least one antibiotic was detected in 97.6% of S. parasanguinis, 92.6% of S. salivarius, 83.3% of S. mitis/oralis, and 72.4% of Streptococcus vestibularis isolates. A significant number of MDR streptococcal isolates was also found (S. parasanguinis, 51.2%; S. salivarius, 39.3%; S. mitis/oralis, 34.6%; and S. vestibularis, 19%). The results highlight the important role of coagulase-negative staphylococci and streptococci as human mastitis-causing agents. Moreover, the high rates of antimicrobial resistance among these microorganisms must be contemplated as an issue of clinical relevance in relation to treatment options. PMID:28747897

Variable Stars Observed in the Galactic Disk by AST3-1 from Dome A, Antarctica

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

Wang, Lingzhi; Ma, Bin; Hu, Yi

AST3-1 is the second-generation wide-field optical photometric telescope dedicated to time-domain astronomy at Dome A, Antarctica. Here, we present the results of an i -band images survey from AST3-1 toward one Galactic disk field. Based on time-series photometry of 92,583 stars, 560 variable stars were detected with i magnitude ≤16.5 mag during eight days of observations; 339 of these are previously unknown variables. We tentatively classify the 560 variables as 285 eclipsing binaries (EW, EB, and EA), 27 pulsating variable stars ( δ Scuti, γ Doradus, δ Cephei variable, and RR Lyrae stars), and 248 other types of variables (unclassifiedmore » periodic, multiperiodic, and aperiodic variable stars). Of the eclipsing binaries, 34 show O’Connell effects. One of the aperiodic variables shows a plateau light curve and another variable shows a secondary maximum after peak brightness. We also detected a complex binary system with an RS CVn-like light-curve morphology; this object is being followed-up spectroscopically using the Gemini South telescope.« less

Physicochemical Behavior of Some Amino Acids/Glycylglycine in Aqueous D-Galactose Solutions at Different Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Anwar; Patel, Rajan; Shahjahan; Ansari, Nizamul Haque

2010-03-01

The apparent molar volumes {(overline{V_2})} for glycine (Gly), l-alanine (Ala), phenylalanine (Phe), and glycylglycine (Gly-Gly) in 0.10 m aqueous d-galactose solutions have been determined from density measurements at (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15) K. The data for {(overline{V_2})} were utilized to estimate the partial molar volume at infinite dilution {(overline{V_2^0})} , and experimental slope {(S_v^ast)} . The transfer volume, {(overline{V2^0}_(tr))} , and hydration number, ( n H) were also evaluated. The viscosity data were used to evaluate A- and B-coefficients of the Jones-Dole equation, the free energy of activation of viscous flow per mole of the solvent {left(Δ μ1^{0ast} right)} and the solute {left(Δ μ 2^{0ast} right)} . The molar refractivity ( R D) was calculated from refractive index data. The results were discussed in terms of hydrophilic-ionic, hydrophilic-hydrophobic, and hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions, and structure-making/-breaking ability of the solute (AAs/peptide) in aqueous d-galactose solutions.

Analysis of Consequences of Birth Asphyxia in Infants: A Regional Study in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.

PubMed

Samad, Noreen; Farooq, Samia; Hafeez, Kinza; Maryam, Mukharma; Rafi, Muhammad Aftab

2016-12-01

To evaluate the biochemical consequences and platelet counts of birth asphyxia in neonates. Cohort study. Department of Child Health, Nishter Medical College and Hospital, Multan, from September to November 2015. The data of 50 (50%) asphyxiated neonates and 50 (50%) non-asphyxiated neonates, with age range less than 1 month, was collected from Children Ward of Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Pakistan. Data on platelet count in blood, kidney function tests (creatinine, urea), liver function tests (bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) and cardiac enzyme test (lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) were analysed by paired sample t-test by SPSS software. Sociodemographic data of those neonate's mothers was also collected. In asphyxiated neonates LDH, ALT, AST, creatinine, bilirubin, urea levels were higher than healthy infants, while the platelet count was smaller in asphyxiated neonates than healthy infants. There was a higher rate of alteration in platelet count, levels of LDH, AST, ALT, urea creatinine and bilirubin in asphyxiated infants. These alterations may be correlated with damage of vital organ of asphyxiated neonates.

Antianaerobic Antimicrobials: Spectrum and Susceptibility Testing

PubMed Central

Wexler, Hannah M.; Goldstein, Ellie J. C.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Susceptibility testing of anaerobic bacteria recovered from selected cases can influence the choice of antimicrobial therapy. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has standardized many laboratory procedures, including anaerobic susceptibility testing (AST), and has published documents for AST. The standardization of testing methods by the CLSI allows comparisons of resistance trends among various laboratories. Susceptibility testing should be performed on organisms recovered from sterile body sites, those that are isolated in pure culture, or those that are clinically important and have variable or unique susceptibility patterns. Organisms that should be considered for individual isolate testing include highly virulent pathogens for which susceptibility cannot be predicted, such as Bacteroides, Prevotella, Fusobacterium, and Clostridium spp.; Bilophila wadsworthia; and Sutterella wadsworthensis. This review describes the current methods for AST in research and reference laboratories. These methods include the use of agar dilution, broth microdilution, Etest, and the spiral gradient endpoint system. The antimicrobials potentially effective against anaerobic bacteria include beta-lactams, combinations of beta-lactams and beta-lactamase inhibitors, metronidazole, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, macrolides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones. The spectrum of efficacy, antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and resistance patterns against these agents are described. PMID:23824372

A Rapid Growth-Independent Antibiotic Resistance Detection Test by SYBR Green/Propidium Iodide Viability Assay.

PubMed

Feng, Jie; Yee, Rebecca; Zhang, Shuo; Tian, Lili; Shi, Wanliang; Zhang, Wen-Hong; Zhang, Ying

2018-01-01

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have caused huge concerns and demand innovative approaches for their prompt detection. Current antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) rely on the growth of the organisms which takes 1-2 days for fast-growing organisms and several weeks for slow growing organisms. Here, we show for the first time the utility of the SYBR Green I/propidium iodide (PI) viability assay for rapidly identifying antibiotic resistance in less than 30 min for major, antibiotic-resistant, fast-growing bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Acinetobacter baumannii for bactericidal and bacteriostatic agents and in 16 h for extremely rapid detection of drug resistance for isoniazid and pyrazinamide in slow-growing Mycobacterium tuberculosis . The SYBR Green I/PI assay generated rapid and robust results in concordance with traditional AST methods. This novel growth-independent methodology changes the concept of the current growth-based AST and may revolutionize current drug susceptibility testing for all cells of prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin and, subject to further clinical validation, may play a major role in saving lives and improving patient outcomes.

Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Staphylococcus vitulinus by the BD phoenix automated microbiology system.

PubMed

Cirković, Ivana; Hauschild, Tomasz; Jezek, Petr; Dimitrijević, Vladimir; Vuković, Dragana; Stepanović, Srdjan

2008-08-01

This study evaluated the performance of the BD Phoenix system for the identification (ID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of Staphylococcus vitulinus. Of the 10 S. vitulinus isolates included in the study, 2 were obtained from the Czech Collection of Microorganisms, 5 from the environment, 2 from human clinical samples, and 1 from an animal source. The results of conventional biochemical and molecular tests were used for the reference method for ID, while antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed in accordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations and PCR for the mecA gene were the reference for AST. Three isolates were incorrectly identified by the BD Phoenix system; one of these was incorrectly identified to the genus level, and two to the species level. The results of AST by the BD Phoenix system were in agreement with those by the reference method used. While the results of susceptibility testing compared favorably, the 70% accuracy of the Phoenix system for identification of this unusual staphylococcal species was not fully satisfactory.

Multi-hazard Assessment and Scenario Toolbox (MhAST): A Framework for Analyzing Compounding Effects of Multiple Hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadegh, M.; Moftakhari, H.; AghaKouchak, A.

2017-12-01

Many natural hazards are driven by multiple forcing variables, and concurrence/consecutive extreme events significantly increases risk of infrastructure/system failure. It is a common practice to use univariate analysis based upon a perceived ruling driver to estimate design quantiles and/or return periods of extreme events. A multivariate analysis, however, permits modeling simultaneous occurrence of multiple forcing variables. In this presentation, we introduce the Multi-hazard Assessment and Scenario Toolbox (MhAST) that comprehensively analyzes marginal and joint probability distributions of natural hazards. MhAST also offers a wide range of scenarios of return period and design levels and their likelihoods. Contribution of this study is four-fold: 1. comprehensive analysis of marginal and joint probability of multiple drivers through 17 continuous distributions and 26 copulas, 2. multiple scenario analysis of concurrent extremes based upon the most likely joint occurrence, one ruling variable, and weighted random sampling of joint occurrences with similar exceedance probabilities, 3. weighted average scenario analysis based on a expected event, and 4. uncertainty analysis of the most likely joint occurrence scenario using a Bayesian framework.

The ALFALFA Extragalactic Catalog and Data Processing Pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, Brian R.; Haynes, Martha P.; Giovanelli, Riccardo; ALFALFA Team

2018-06-01

The Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA 21cm HI Survey has reached completion. The observations and data are used by team members and the astronomical community in a variety of scientific initiatives with gas-rich galaxies, cluster environments, and studies of low redshift cosmology. The survey covers nearly 7000 square degrees of high galactic latitude sky visible from Arecibo, Puerto Rico and ~4400 hours of observations from 2005 to 2011. We present the extragalactic HI source catalog of over ~31,000 detections, their measured properties, and associated derived parameters. The observations were carefully reduced using a custom made data reduction pipeline and interface. Team members interacted with this pipeline through observation planning, calibration, imaging, source extraction, and cataloging. We describe this processing workflow as it pertains to the complexities of the single-dish multi-feed data reduction as well as known caveats of the source catalog and spectra for use in future astronomical studies and analysis. The ALFALFA team at Cornell has been supported by NSF grants AST-0607007, AST-1107390 and AST-1714828 and by grants from the Brinson Foundation.

Recurrent Circuitry for Balancing Sleep Need and Sleep.

PubMed

Donlea, Jeffrey M; Pimentel, Diogo; Talbot, Clifford B; Kempf, Anissa; Omoto, Jaison J; Hartenstein, Volker; Miesenböck, Gero

2018-01-17

Sleep-promoting neurons in the dorsal fan-shaped body (dFB) of Drosophila are integral to sleep homeostasis, but how these cells impose sleep on the organism is unknown. We report that dFB neurons communicate via inhibitory transmitters, including allatostatin-A (AstA), with interneurons connecting the superior arch with the ellipsoid body of the central complex. These "helicon cells" express the galanin receptor homolog AstA-R1, respond to visual input, gate locomotion, and are inhibited by AstA, suggesting that dFB neurons promote rest by suppressing visually guided movement. Sleep changes caused by enhanced or diminished allatostatinergic transmission from dFB neurons and by inhibition or optogenetic stimulation of helicon cells support this notion. Helicon cells provide excitation to R2 neurons of the ellipsoid body, whose activity-dependent plasticity signals rising sleep pressure to the dFB. By virtue of this autoregulatory loop, dFB-mediated inhibition interrupts processes that incur a sleep debt, allowing restorative sleep to rebalance the books. VIDEO ABSTRACT. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Giant Exoplanets through Multiwavelength Transit Observations: KELT-9b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, Cristilyn N.; Cole, Jackson L.; Garver, Bethany R.; Jarka, Kyla L.; Kar, Aman; McGough, Aylin M.; PeQueen, David J.; Rivera, Daniel I.; Kasper, David; Jang-Condell, Hannah; Kobulnicky, Henry A.; Dale, Daniel A.

2018-01-01

Multiwavelength observations of host stellar light scattered through an exoplanet's atmosphere during a transit characterizes exoplanetary parameters. Using the Wyoming Infrared Observatory 2.3-meter telescope, we observed primary transits of KELT-9b in the ugriz Sloan filters. We present an analysis of the phase-folded transit observations of KELT-9b using a Bayesian statistical approach. By plotting the transit depth as a function of wavelength, our preliminary results are indicative of scattering in the atmosphere surrounding KELT-9b. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under REU grant AST 1560461 and PAARE grant AST 1559559.

Gemfibrozil hepatotoxicity: a case report.

PubMed

Domínguez Tordera, Patricia; Comellas Alabern, José Francisco; Ronda Rivero, Félix

2011-10-01

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for management of thoracic trauma and bone fractures. One month after admission she started to receive gemfibrozil for hypertriglyceridemia. In the second month of admission, the patient complained of nausea and malaise. Laboratory value showed an acute hepatitis with raised AST, ALT. The abdominal ultrasound scan was normal, and viral serologic tests were negative. Gemfibrozil was discontinued and in a few days AST and ALT levels returned to normal. Gemfibrozil-induced hepatitis is a rare event but should be considered in the differential diagnoses of hepatitis in which no other obvious alternative cause is found.

Astéroides et satellites de Saturne: quelques résultats récents et contribution éventuelle des données Hipparcos.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viateau, B.; Rapaport, M.

48 astéroides et 2 satellites de Saturne étaient au programme de la mission Hipparcos, et diverses propositions ont été faites pour l'utilisation de ces données. Les auteurs présentent quelques résultats récents concernant ces objets, et susceptibles de 1) donner un supplément d'intére^t aux données astrométriques fournies par Hipparcos, 2) permettre de préciser les objectifs contenus dans diverses propositions.

Hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging in patients with liver disease: correlation of liver enhancement with biochemical liver function tests.

PubMed

Kukuk, Guido M; Schaefer, Stephanie G; Fimmers, Rolf; Hadizadeh, Dariusch R; Ezziddin, Samer; Spengler, Ulrich; Schild, Hans H; Willinek, Winfried A

2014-10-01

To evaluate hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using Gd-EOB-DTPA in relation to various liver function tests in patients with liver disorders. Fifty-one patients with liver disease underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI. Based on region-of-interest (ROI) analysis, liver signal intensity was calculated using the spleen as reference tissue. Liver-spleen contrast ratio (LSCR) and relative liver enhancement (RLE) were calculated. Serum levels of total bilirubin, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum albumin level (AL), prothrombin time (PT), creatinine (CR) as well as international normalised ratio (INR) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score were tested for correlation with LSCR and RLE. Pre-contrast LSCR values correlated with total bilirubin (r = -0.39; p = 0.005), GGT (r = -0.37; p = 0.009), AST (r = -0.38; p = 0.013), ALT (r = -0.29; p = 0.046), PT (r = 0.52; p < 0.001), GLDH (r = -0.55; p = 0.044), INR (r = -0.42; p = 0.003), and MELD Score (r = -0.53; p < 0.001). After administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA bilirubin (r = -0.45; p = 0.001), GGT (r = -0.40; p = 0.004), PT (r = 0.54; p < 0.001), AST (r = -0.46; p = 0.002), ALT (r = -0.31; p = 0.030), INR (r = -0.45; p = 0.001) and MELD Score (r = -0.56; p < 0.001) significantly correlated with LSCR. RLE correlated with bilirubin (r = -0.40; p = 0.004), AST (r = -0.38; p = 0.013), PT (r = 0.42; p = 0.003), GGT (r = -0.33; p = 0.020), INR (r = -0.36; p = 0.011) and MELD Score (r = -0.43; p = 0.003). Liver-spleen contrast ratio and relative liver enhancement using Gd-EOB-DTPA correlate with a number of routinely used biochemical liver function tests, suggesting that hepatobiliary MRI may serve as a valuable biomarker for liver function. The strongest correlation with liver enhancement was found for the MELD Score. • Relative enhancement (RLE) of Gd-EOB-DTPA is related to biochemical liver function tests. • Correlation of RLE with bilirubin, ALT, AST, GGT, INR and MELD Score is reverse. • The correlation of relative liver enhancement with prothrombin time is positive. • AST, ALT, GLDH, prothrombin time, INR and MELD Score correlate with pre-contrast liver-spleen contrast ratio. • Such biomarkers may help to evaluate liver function.

Asteroid observations with NCSFCT AZT-8 telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhukhov, O. M.; Maigurova, N. V.

2017-02-01

The asteroid observations of the small Solar System bodies were carried out with the AZT-8 telescope (D = 0.7 m, f/4) of the National Center of Space Facilities Control and Testing (NCSFCT) during 2010-2013. The telescope is located near Yevpatoria, the observatory code according IAU is B17. The observational program included perturbed main belt asteroids and NEO's for the GAIA FUN-SSO Company. The MPC database contains more than 4500 asteroids positions and magnitudes obtained during this period at AZT-8 telescope. The article presents analysis of the positional accuracy of B17 observations obtained from the comparison with the JPL HORIZONS ephemeris, and data from AstD-yS-2 and NEODyS-2 web services.

Direct Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria From Positive Blood Culture Bottles by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and the Vitek 2 System

PubMed Central

Jo, Sung Jin; Park, Kang Gyun; Han, Kyungja; Park, Dong Jin

2016-01-01

Background We evaluated the reliability and accuracy of the combined use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) bacterial identification and Vitek 2 antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for bacteria from positive blood culture bottles. Methods Direct identification and AST were performed in parallel to the standard methods in monomicrobial positive blood culture bottles. In total, 254 isolates grown on aerobic and/or anaerobic bottles were identified with MALDI-TOF Vitek MS (bioMérieux, France), and 1,978 microorganism/antimicrobial agent combinations were assessed. For isolates from anaerobic bottles, an aliquot of the culture broth was centrifuged, washed, and filtered through a nylon mesh. For isolates from aerobic/pediatric bottles, a lysis step using 9.26% ammonium chloride solution and 2% saponin solution was included. Results The overall correct identification rate was 81.8% (208/254) and that for gram-positive/gram-negative isolates was 73.9%/92.6%, respectively, and it was 81.8%, 87.6%, and 57.9% for isolates from aerobic, anaerobic, and pediatric bottles, respectively. Identification was not possible in 45 cases, and most of these isolates were streptococci (N=14) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (N=11). Misidentification occurred only in one case. Compared with standard methods, direct AST showed 97.9% (1,936/1,978) agreement with very major error of 0.25%, major error of 0.05%, and minor error of 1.8%. Conclusions This simple and cost-effective sample preparation method gives reliable results for the direct identification and AST of bacteria. For the identification of streptococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci, the method should be further improved. PMID:26709258

Fructose 1-6 bisphosphate versus University of Wisconsin solution for rat liver preservation: does FBP prevent early mitochondrial injury?

PubMed

de Fraga, R S; Heinen, P E T; Kruel, C R P; Molin, S D; Mota, S M; Cerski, C T S; Gasperin, G; Souto, A A; de Oliveira, J R; Alvares-da-Silva, M R

2011-06-01

Fructose 1,6-biphosphate (FBP) has been shown to exert therapeutic effects in models of ischemia-reperfusion in organs other than the liver. This study compared FBP and University of Wisconsin (UW) solution during cold storage and reperfusion, among mitochondria of adult male Wistar rat livers. Adult male Wistar rats were assigned to two groups according to the preservation solution used; UW or FBP Aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transferase (ALT); and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured in samples of the storage solution obtained at 2, 4 and 6 hours of preservation. After 6 hours of cold storage, we reperfused the liver, taking blood samples to measure AST, ALT, LDH, and throbarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Hepatic fragments were processed for histologic analysis; for determinations of TBARS, catalase, and nitric oxide as well as for mitochondrial evaluation by infrared spectroscopy. During cold preservation, levels of AST and LDH in the storage solution were lower among the FBP group, but after reperfusion, serum levels of AST, ALT, and LDH were higher in this group, as was catalase activity. TBARS and nitric oxide were comparable between the groups. In the UW group there was a higher amide I/amide II ratio than in the FBP group, suggesting an abnormal protein structure of the mitochondrial membrane. No signs of preservation injury were observed in any liver biopsy, but sinusoidal congestion was present in livers preserved with FBP. FBP showed a protective effect for preservation during cold storage seeming to protect the mitochondrial membrane although it did not prevent reperfusion injury. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lifestyle interventions for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a network meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zou, Tian-Tian; Zhang, Chao; Zhou, Yi-Fan; Han, Yi-Jing; Xiong, Jiao-Jiao; Wu, Xi-Xi; Chen, Yong-Ping; Zheng, Ming-Hua

2018-04-20

Lifestyle interventions remain the first-line therapy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aims to evaluate the individual impact of exercise and/or dietary interventions on the level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and BMI. Randomized-controlled trials from patients diagnosed with NAFLD were included in the meta-analysis if they reported the associations between changes in ALT, AST, HOMA-IR, or BMI and types of lifestyle interventions. Nineteen eligible articles were included. Compared with observation, aerobic exercise training (AEx) plus diet [weighted mean difference (WMD)=-25.85; 95% confidence interval (CI): -43.90 to -7.80], AEx (WMD=-8.81; 95% CI: -20.22-2.60) and diet (WMD=-11.85; 95% CI: -47.65-24.95) showed significant efficacy in the improvement of ALT levels. Also AST, AEx plus diet showed a significant tendency to reduce AST levels. In addition, progressive resistance training (WMD=-1.70; 95% CI: -5.61-2.21) led to the most obvious reduction in HOMA-IR compared with observation, but appeared to show no significant effect in BMI (WMD=0.27; 95% CI: -0.48 to -0.07), whereas AEx plus diet (WMD=-0.96; 95% CI: -1.54 to -0.38 and WMD=-1.96; 95% CI: -2.79 to -1.12) showed great efficacy both in the improvement of HOMA-IR and BMI. AEx plus diet is the most effective intervention in the management of patients with NAFLD. Dietary intervention may be more effective in the improvements of aminotransferases, whereas exercise shows superiority in improving insulin sensitivity and reduction of BMI.

Association between continuous positive airway pressure and serum aminotransferases in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Chen, Li-Da; Zhang, Liang-Ji; Lin, Xue-Jun; Qi, Jia-Chao; Li, Hao; Wu, Zhi; Xu, Qiao-Zhen; Huang, Ya-Ping; Lin, Li

2018-02-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been suggested to be a potential contributing factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Studies on the association between continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and NAFLD in OSA patients are limited and controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between OSA and NAFLD and the effect of CPAP therapy on serum aminotransferase levels in OSA patients. A total of 160 consecutive patients who underwent standard polysomnography were enrolled. Blood samples were obtained in the morning after sleep for biological profile measurements. Non-invasive ultrasound techniques were used to assess liver steatosis and fibrosis. Within the OSA group, serum aminotransferases were detected before and after CPAP treatment. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase, and liver steatosis score increased significantly with an increase in OSA severity. Stepwise multiple regression with liver steatosis score, ALT, AST as dependent variable, respectively, apnea-hypopnea index (β = 0.447, p = 0.020; β = 0.266, p = 0.001; β = 0.351, p = 0.020, respectively) significantly predicted the liver steatosis score, ALT, AST after adjustment for confounders. After 3 months of CPAP treatment, there was a significant decrease in both ALT (54.20 ± 24.34 vs. 46.52 ± 24.95, p = 0.000) and AST (31.82 ± 8.91 vs. 29.00 ± 8.34, p = 0.039). OSA severity was independently associated with liver steatosis and elevation of serum aminotransferases. 3 months of CPAP therapy were associated with a statistically significant improvement on liver injury in OSA patients.

Comparison of efficacy of folic acid and silymarin in the management of antiepileptic drug induced liver injury: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Asgarshirazi, Masoumeh; Shariat, Mamak; Sheikh, Mahdi

2017-06-01

Liver injury associated with antiepileptic drugs accounts for a large proportion of drug-induced liver injuries (DILI) in children. Although withdrawal of the causative agent is the only proved treatment for DILI, in some clinical situations it is not possible. Recent studies have reported promising results of using hepatoprotective drugs with antioxidant actions for the management of DILI. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of folic acid versus silymarin treatment in relation to decreasing liver enzymes in patients with DILI due to antiepileptic therapy. This randomized, open-label, clinical trial evaluated 55 children with epilepsy who were on antiepileptic treatment and experienced DILI. The children were randomized to receive either silymarin (5 mg/kg per day) or folic acid (1 mg per day) for one month and were followed up for three months. Liver enzymes significantly decreased in both groups. The decrease trend in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were stronger in the folic acid group compared to silymarin group (P=0.04 and P=0.007, respectively). At the end of the study patients in the folic acid group had significantly lower ALT (P=0.04), AST (P=0.02), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (P<0.001) levels and also higher percentage of normal ALT (30.7% vs 3.4%, P=0.009) and AST (42.3% vs 0%, P<0.001), and GGT (23.1% vs 0%, P=0.008) values compared to the patients in the silymarin group. No rebound elevations in ALT, AST and GGT levels or adverse reactions were noted in neither of the study groups. Although both treatments were safe and effective in decreasing liver enzymes, folic acid seems to be superior to silymarin in the management of DILI.

Analysis of 83 consecutive liver transplants performed at a tertiary care reference hospital in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo.

PubMed

Lombardi, Ana Carolina; Mente, Enio David; Sankarankutty, Ajith Kumar; Souza, Fernanda Fernandes; Teixeira, Andreza Corrêa; Cagnolati, Daniel; Souza, Maria Eliza Jordani de; Silva, Orlando de Castro e

2011-12-01

To analyze pre-, intra- and immediate postoperative parameters of patients submitted to liver transplantation. Eighty-three consecutive orthotopic liver transplants performed from January 2009 to July 2011 were analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: A, survivors (MELD between 9 and 60) and B, non-survivors (MELD between 14 and 40), with 30.6% of group A patients being CHILD C, 51℅ CHILD B and 18,4℅ CHILD A. In group B, 32.1℅ of the patients were CHILD C, 42,9℅ CHILD B, and 25℅ CHILD A. All orthotopic liver transplantations were performed using the piggyback technique without a portacaval shunt. Systemic arterial pressure and serum ALT and AST levels were determined preoperatively and 5, 60 and 1440 minutes after arterial graft revascularization. Serum ALT and AST profiles were evaluated for seven days after surgery. Systemic arterial blood pressure levels, time of hot and hypothermic ischemia and time of graft implant were statistically similar for the two groups (p>0.05). Serum levels (U/L) of ALT and AST at the 5, 60 and 1440 minute time points after arterial revascularization of the graft were also similar for the two groups studied, as also were the serum ALT and AST profiles. No statistically significant difference in any of the parameters studied was detected between the two groups. Under the conditions of the present study and on the basis of the parameters evaluated, no direct relation was detected between the intraoperative period and the type of patient outcome in the two groups studied.

Refeeding with a high-protein diet after a 48 h fast causes acute hepatocellular injury in mice.

PubMed

Oarada, Motoko; Tsuzuki, Tsuyoshi; Nikawa, Takeshi; Kohno, Shohei; Hirasaka, Katsuya; Gonoi, Tohru

2012-05-01

Elucidating the effects of refeeding a high-protein diet after fasting on disease development is of interest in relation to excessive protein ingestion and irregular eating habits in developed countries. The objective of the present study was to address the hepatic effects of refeeding a high-protein diet after fasting. Mice were fasted for 48 h and then refed with a test diet containing 3, 15, 35, 40, 45 or 50 % casein. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities and liver immediate-early gene expression levels were sequentially measured for the first 24 h after initiation of refeeding. Refeeding with a 50 % casein diet after 48 h of fasting led to a rapid (within 2-3 h) and abnormal elevation in serum ALT (P = 0·006) and AST (P = 0·001) activities and a marked increase in liver Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins (FBJ) osteosarcoma oncogene (P = 0·007) and nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 1 (P = 0·002) mRNA levels. In contrast, refeeding of the 3, 15 or 35 % casein diets produced no substantial increases in serum ALT and AST activities in mice. Refeeding of 40, 45 or 50 % casein increased serum ALT and AST activities in proportion to this dietary casein content. In mice refed the 3, 15 or 35, but not 50 %, casein diets, liver heat shock protein 72 transcript levels greatly increased. We conclude from these data that the consumption of a high-protein diet after fasting causes acute hepatocellular injury in healthy animals, and propose that careful attention should be paid to the use of such diets.

Selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility test results in European countries: an ESCMID cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Pulcini, Céline; Tebano, Gianpiero; Mutters, Nico T; Tacconelli, Evelina; Cambau, Emmanuelle; Kahlmeter, Gunnar; Jarlier, Vincent

2017-02-01

Selective reporting of antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) results is one possible laboratory-based antibiotic stewardship intervention. The primary aim of this study was to identify where and how selective reporting of AST results is implemented in Europe both in inpatient and in outpatient settings. An ESCMID cross-sectional, self-administered, internet-based survey was conducted among all EUCIC (European Committee on Infection Control) or EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) national representatives in Europe and Israel. Of 38 countries, 36 chose to participate in the survey. Selective reporting of AST results was implemented in 11/36 countries (31%), was partially implemented in 4/36 (11%) and was limited to local initiatives or was not adopted in 21/36 (58%). It was endorsed as standard of care by health authorities in only three countries. The organisation of selective reporting was everywhere discretionally managed by each laboratory, with a pronounced intra- and inter-country variability. The most frequent application was in uncomplicated community-acquired infections, particularly urinary tract and skin and soft-tissue infections. The list of reported antibiotics ranged from a few first-line options, to longer reports where only last-resort antibiotics were hidden. Several barriers to implementation were reported, mainly lack of guidelines, poor system support, insufficient resources, and lack of professionals' capability. In conclusion, selective reporting of AST results is poorly implemented in Europe and is applied with a huge heterogeneity of practices. Development of an international framework, based on existing initiatives and identified barriers, could favour its dissemination as one important element of antibiotic stewardship programmes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Prediction of the neuropeptidomes of members of the Astacidea (Crustacea, Decapoda) using publicly accessible transcriptome shotgun assembly (TSA) sequence data.

PubMed

Christie, Andrew E; Chi, Megan

2015-12-01

The decapod infraorder Astacidea is comprised of clawed lobsters and freshwater crayfish. Due to their economic importance and their use as models for investigating neurochemical signaling, much work has focused on elucidating their neurochemistry, particularly their peptidergic systems. Interestingly, no astacidean has been the subject of large-scale peptidomic analysis via in silico transcriptome mining, this despite growing transcriptomic resources for members of this taxon. Here, the publicly accessible astacidean transcriptome shotgun assembly data were mined for putative peptide-encoding transcripts; these sequences were used to predict the structures of mature neuropeptides. One hundred seventy-six distinct peptides were predicted for Procambarus clarkii, including isoforms of adipokinetic hormone-corazonin-like peptide (ACP), allatostatin A (AST-A), allatostatin B, allatostatin C (AST-C) bursicon α, bursicon β, CCHamide, crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH)/ion transport peptide (ITP), diuretic hormone 31 (DH31), eclosion hormone (EH), FMRFamide-like peptide, GSEFLamide, intocin, leucokinin, neuroparsin, neuropeptide F, pigment dispersing hormone, pyrokinin, RYamide, short neuropeptide F (sNPF), SIFamide, sulfakinin and tachykinin-related peptide (TRP). Forty-six distinct peptides, including isoforms of AST-A, AST-C, bursicon α, CCHamide, CHH/ITP, DH31, EH, intocin, myosuppressin, neuroparsin, red pigment concentrating hormone, sNPF and TRP, were predicted for Pontastacus leptodactylus, with a bursicon β and a neuroparsin predicted for Cherax quadricarinatus. The identification of ACP is the first from a decapod, while the predictions of CCHamide, EH, GSEFLamide, intocin, neuroparsin and RYamide are firsts for the Astacidea. Collectively, these data greatly expand the catalog of known astacidean neuropeptides and provide a foundation for functional studies of peptidergic signaling in members of this decapod infraorder. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MALDI Imaging Analysis of Neuropeptides in Africanized Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Brain: Effect of Aggressiveness.

PubMed

Pratavieira, Marcel; Menegasso, Anally Ribeiro da Silva; Esteves, Franciele Grego; Sato, Kenny Umino; Malaspina, Osmar; Palma, Mario Sérgio

2018-05-18

The aggressiveness in honeybees seems to be regulated by multiple genes, under the influence of different factors, such as polyethism of workers, environmental factors, and response to alarm pheromones, creating a series of behavioral responses. It is suspected that neuropeptides seem to be involved with the regulation of the aggressive behavior. The role of allatostatin and tachykinin-related neuropeptides in honeybee brain during the aggressive behavior is unknown; thus, worker honeybees were stimulated to attack and to sting leather targets hanged in front of the colonies. The aggressive individuals were collected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen; the heads were removed, and sliced at sagittal plan. The brain slices were submitted to MALDI-Spectral-Imaging analysis, and the results of the present study reported the processing of the precursors proteins into mature forms of the neuropeptides AmAST A (59-76) (AYTYVSEYKRLPVYNFGL-NH2), AmAST A (69-76) (LPVYNFGL-NH2), AmTRP (88 - 96) (APMGFQGMR-NH2), and AmTRP (254 - 262) (ARMGFHGMR-NH2), which apparently acted in different neuropils of honeybee brain, during the aggressive behavior, possibly playing the neuromodulation of different aspects of this complex behavior. These results were biologically validated performing aggressiveness-related behavioral assays, using young honeybee workers that received 1 ng of AmAST A (69-76) or AmTRP (88 - 96) via hemocele. The young workers that were not expected to be aggressive individuals, presented a complete series of the aggressive behaviors, in presence of the neuropeptides, corroborating the hypothesis that correlates the presence of mature AmASTs A and AmTRPs in honeybee brain with the aggressiveness of this insect.

The Longterm Centimeter-band Total Flux and Linear Polarization Properties of the Pearson-Readhead Survey Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aller, M. F.; Aller, H. D.; Hughes, P. A.

2001-12-01

Using centimeter-band total flux and linear polarization observations of the Pearson-Readhead sample sources systematically obtained with the UMRAO 26-m radio telescope during the past 16 years, we identify the range of variability properties and their temporal changes as functions of both optical and radio morphological classification. We find that our earlier statistical analysis, based on a time window of 6.4 years, did not delineate the full amplitude range of the total flux variability; further, several galaxies exhibit longterm, systematic changes or rather infrequent outbursts requiring long term observations for detection. Using radio classification as a delineator, we confirm, and find additional evidence, that significant changes in flux density can occur in steep spectrum and lobe-dominated objects as well as in compact, flat-spectrum objects. We find that statistically the time-averaged total flux density spectra steepen when longer time windows are included, which we attribute to a selection effect in the source sample. We have identified preferred orientations of the electric vector of the polarized emission (EVPA) in an unbiased manner in several sources, including several QSOs which have exhibited large variations in total flux while maintaining stable EVPAs, and compared these with orientations of the flow direction indicated by VLB morphology. We have looked for systematic, monotonic changes in EVPA which might be expected in the emission from a precessing jet, but none were identified. A Scargle periodogram analysis found no strong evidence for periodicity in any of the sample sources. We thank the NSF for grants AST-8815678, AST-9120224, AST-9421979, and AST-9900723 which provided partial support for this research. The operation of the 26-meter telescope is supported by the University of Michigan Department of Astronomy.

Standardized Mixed-Meal Tolerance and Arginine Stimulation Tests Provide Reproducible and Complementary Measures of β-Cell Function: Results From the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium Investigative Series

PubMed Central

Shankar, Sudha S.; Vella, Adrian; Raymond, Ralph H.; Staten, Myrlene A.; Calle, Roberto A.; Bergman, Richard N.; Cao, Charlie; Chen, Danny; Cobelli, Claudio; Dalla Man, Chiara; Deeg, Mark; Dong, Jennifer Q.; Lee, Douglas S.; Polidori, David; Robertson, R. Paul; Ruetten, Hartmut; Stefanovski, Darko; Vassileva, Maria T.; Weir, Gordon C.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE Standardized, reproducible, and feasible quantification of β-cell function (BCF) is necessary for the evaluation of interventions to improve insulin secretion and important for comparison across studies. We therefore characterized the responses to, and reproducibility of, standardized methods of in vivo BCF across different glucose tolerance states. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Participants classified as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 23), prediabetes (PDM; n = 17), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM; n = 22) underwent two standardized mixed-meal tolerance tests (MMTT) and two standardized arginine stimulation tests (AST) in a test-retest paradigm and one frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT). RESULTS From the MMTT, insulin secretion in T2DM was >86% lower compared with NGT or PDM (P < 0.001). Insulin sensitivity (Si) decreased from NGT to PDM (∼50%) to T2DM (93% lower [P < 0.001]). In the AST, insulin secretory response to arginine at basal glucose and during hyperglycemia was lower in T2DM compared with NGT and PDM (>58%; all P < 0.001). FSIGT showed decreases in both insulin secretion and Si across populations (P < 0.001), although Si did not differ significantly between PDM and T2DM populations. Reproducibility was generally good for the MMTT, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranging from ∼0.3 to ∼0.8 depending on population and variable. Reproducibility for the AST was very good, with ICC values >0.8 across all variables and populations. CONCLUSIONS Standardized MMTT and AST provide reproducible and complementary measures of BCF with characteristics favorable for longitudinal interventional trials use. PMID:27407117

Standardized Mixed-Meal Tolerance and Arginine Stimulation Tests Provide Reproducible and Complementary Measures of β-Cell Function: Results From the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium Investigative Series.

PubMed

Shankar, Sudha S; Vella, Adrian; Raymond, Ralph H; Staten, Myrlene A; Calle, Roberto A; Bergman, Richard N; Cao, Charlie; Chen, Danny; Cobelli, Claudio; Dalla Man, Chiara; Deeg, Mark; Dong, Jennifer Q; Lee, Douglas S; Polidori, David; Robertson, R Paul; Ruetten, Hartmut; Stefanovski, Darko; Vassileva, Maria T; Weir, Gordon C; Fryburg, David A

2016-09-01

Standardized, reproducible, and feasible quantification of β-cell function (BCF) is necessary for the evaluation of interventions to improve insulin secretion and important for comparison across studies. We therefore characterized the responses to, and reproducibility of, standardized methods of in vivo BCF across different glucose tolerance states. Participants classified as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 23), prediabetes (PDM; n = 17), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM; n = 22) underwent two standardized mixed-meal tolerance tests (MMTT) and two standardized arginine stimulation tests (AST) in a test-retest paradigm and one frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT). From the MMTT, insulin secretion in T2DM was >86% lower compared with NGT or PDM (P < 0.001). Insulin sensitivity (Si) decreased from NGT to PDM (∼50%) to T2DM (93% lower [P < 0.001]). In the AST, insulin secretory response to arginine at basal glucose and during hyperglycemia was lower in T2DM compared with NGT and PDM (>58%; all P < 0.001). FSIGT showed decreases in both insulin secretion and Si across populations (P < 0.001), although Si did not differ significantly between PDM and T2DM populations. Reproducibility was generally good for the MMTT, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranging from ∼0.3 to ∼0.8 depending on population and variable. Reproducibility for the AST was very good, with ICC values >0.8 across all variables and populations. Standardized MMTT and AST provide reproducible and complementary measures of BCF with characteristics favorable for longitudinal interventional trials use. © 2016 by the American Diabetes Association.

Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF) Modulates Fear-Induced Alterations in Sleep in Mice

PubMed Central

Yang, Linghui; Tang, Xiangdong; Wellman, Laurie L.; Liu, Xianling; Sanford, Larry D.

2009-01-01

Contextual fear significantly reduces rapid eye movement sleep (REM) during post-exposure sleep in mice and rats. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role in CNS responses to stressors. We examined the influence of CRF and astressin (AST), a non-specific CRF antagonist, on sleep after contextual fear in BALB/c mice. Male mice were implanted with transmitters for recording sleep via telemetry and with a guide cannula aimed into the lateral ventricle. Recordings for vehicle and handling control were obtained after ICV microinjection of saline (SAL) followed by exposure to a novel chamber. Afterwards, the mice were subjected to shock training (20 trials, 0.5 mA, 0.5 s duration) for 2 sessions. After training, separate groups of mice received ICV microinjections of SAL (0.2 microl, n=9), CRF (0.4 microg, n=8), or AST (1.0 microg, n=8) prior to exposure to the shock context alone. Sleep was then recorded for 20 hours (8-hour light and 12-hour dark period). Compared to handling control, contextual fear significantly decreased REM during the 8-h light period in mice receiving SAL and in mice receiving CRF, but not in the mice receiving AST. Mice receiving CRF exhibited reductions in REM during the 12-h dark period after contextual fear, whereas mice receiving SAL or AST did not. CRF also reduced non-REM (NREM) delta (slow wave) amplitude in the EEG. Only mice receiving SAL prior to contextual fear exhibited significant reductions in NREM and total sleep. These findings demonstrate a role for the central CRF system in regulating alterations in sleep induced by contextual fear. PMID:19376095

Effectiveness and Sensitivity of the Arctic Observing Network in a Coupled Ocean-Sea Ice State Estimation Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, A. T.; Heimbach, P.; Garg, V.; Ocana, V.

2016-12-01

Over the last few decades, various agencies have invested heavily in the development and deployment of Arctic ocean and sea ice observing platforms, especially moorings, profilers, gliders, and satellite-based instruments. These observational assets are heterogeneous in terms of variables sampled and spatio-temporal coverage, which calls for a dynamical synthesis framework of the diverse data streams. Here we introduce an adjoint-based Arctic Subpolar gyre sTate estimate (ASTE), a medium resolution model-data synthesis that leverages all the possible observational assets. Through an established formal state and parameter estimation framework, the ASTE framework produces a 2002-present ocean-sea ice state that can be used to address Arctic System science questions. It is dynamically and kinematically consistent with known equations of motion and consistent with observations. Four key aspects of ASTE will be discussed: (1) How well is ASTE constrained by the existing observations; (2) which data most effectively constrain the system, and what impact on the solution does spatial and temporal coverage have; (3) how much information does one set of observation (e.g. Fram Strait heat transport) carry about a remote, but dynamically linked component (e.g. heat content in the Beaufort Gyre); and (4) how can the framework be used to assess the value of hypothetical observations in constraining poorly observed parts of the Arctic Ocean and the implied mechanisms responsible for the changes occurring in the Arctic. We will discuss the suggested geographic distribution of new observations to maximize the impact on improving our understanding of the general circulation, water mass distribution and hydrographic changes in the Arctic.

Environmental relevant concentrations of a chlorpyrifos commercial formulation affect two neotropical fish species, Cheirodon interruptus and Cnesterodon decemmaculatus.

PubMed

Bonifacio, Alejo Fabian; Ballesteros, María Laura; Bonansea, Rocío Inés; Filippi, Iohanna; Amé, María Valeria; Hued, Andrea Cecilia

2017-12-01

The increase of cultivated areas together with the intensive use of pesticides have greatly contributed to impair the quality of aquatic systems along different areas of South America. The main goal of the present study was to assess the effects of a commercial formulation of chlorpyrifos at environmentally relevant concentrations on two native fish species, Cheirodon interruptus and Cnesterodon decemmaculatus. Adult individuals were exposed during 48 h to the following concentrations: 0.084 nl/l (Ci-Cf 1) and 0.84 nl/l (Ci-CF 2) in C. interruptus (Ci) of Clorfox (CF), and 0.84 nl/l (Cd-CF 1) and 8.4 nl/l (Cd-CF 2) in C. decemmaculatus (Cd). Fish behavior was evaluated through locomotor activity and space usage variables. The activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in brain and muscle, catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in brain, liver, muscle and gills, and aspartate amino-transferase (AST), alanine amino-transferase (ALT), AST/ALT ratio and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in liver, were measured. Both locomotor activity and space usage varied between the two species studied and between CF treatments. The enzyme activities showed significant variations in CAT for C. interruptus and in CAT, GST, AChE, AST, and AST/ALT for C. decemmaculatus under the exposure conditions. Given that both species responded to CF and the concentrations we tested are environmentally relevant, the presence of this pesticide in freshwater systems could impose a risk for populations of both native fish studied at field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.