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4,507,200 | Tear Diagnosis for Diabetic Retinopathy using an Optoelectro-Kinetically Driven Bead-Based Immunosensor Bead-based immunosensing is a promising technology in the point-of-care diagnosis due to its high flexibility. To realize rapid and selective diagnosis, an optoelectrokinetic platyeform, termed rapid electrokinetic patterning (REP), was employed herein to drive a bead-based fluorescent immunosensor for diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy by lipocalin 1 (LCN1) and vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF). The measurement was made in an aqueous droplet sandwiched between two parallel electrodes. With an electric field and a focused laser beam applying on the microchip simultaneously, the immunocomplexes in the droplet were further concentrated to enhance the fluorescent signal. The limit of detection (LOD) reached nearly 110 pg/mL. A DR phase plot was made to provide a clear way to determine whether a tested subject was under the threat of DR. At last, a preclinical evaluation was conducted. The accuracy of the proposed technique reached 94.74% in PDR and 89.47% in DM. The optoelectrokinetically driven bead-based immunosensor enables a noninvasive measure to the early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. | 201620411 |
4,507,201 | Formulation Development of Calcium Magnesium Inositol Hexaphosphate, Calcium Gluconate and Low Dosage Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) Combination Granule Using Amixon Mixer Equipment Ergocalciferol, Calcium Magnesium Inositol Hexaphosphate, Calcium Gluconate combination, prophylaxis and treatment of rickets, osteopathy, spasmophilia, disorders of bone formation and teething, disorders of calcium metabolism, Vitamin D2 and situations where the demand for calcium is increased, breastfeeding children or children with insufficient intake of fresh air; immunosuppressants, aluminum containing antacids are used to treat patients undergoing treatment with diuretics. The aim of this study is to optimize the mixing time of our Ergocalciferol, Calcium Magnesium Inositol Hexaphosphate, and Calcium Gluconate combination product using Amixon mixer equipment. The suitability of the applied equipment will be evaluated by quantitative analysis and content uniformity analysis. | 253315211 |
4,507,202 | A Low Dropout Voltage Regulator with Higher Than Supply Output Voltage and Load Based Frequency Control System A Low Dropout Voltage Regulator with a higher than supply output voltage is designed and implemented using SAED 14nm finFET technology. A feedback system is added to detect changes in the load line and adjust the drivability of the regulator via controlling the frequency of the clock signals fed to the charge pump. Simulations are run to determine the efficiency of the power saving control system against the traditional approach. The regulator provides an output voltage of 1.5*Vph (Vph=1.2 V at typical corner) and can drive a load current of 200uA up to 2mA. The design uses a charge pump to increase the input voltage from Vph to around 1.75*Vph. Over corner simulations are performed to ensure the reliability of the design across all corners and operating conditions. | 218564861 |
4,507,203 | Initial Report of the Working Group on Frontiers in Perioperative Myocardial Management An informal working group on perioperative myocardial management has been formed, which is predominantly composed of cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists. The first meeting was introduced with a reminder that perioperative ischemia is still an important component of cardiac operations when sophisticated tools are used to monitor its presence and physiological effects. Moreover, perioperative ischemia is associated with adverse outcomes in many instances. The discussion touched upon generalized problems that included leukocyte tivation, oxidant stress, warm cardioplegia, warm heart surgery, echocardiographic assessment of coronary blood flow, vascular endothelial responses to cardiac operations and cardiopulmonary bypass, myocardial stunning, substrate enhancement of cardioplegic solutions, tools for assessing perioperative ventricular performance, and detection of perioperative myocardial ischemia. It was agreed that a highly focused program on the agenda of myocardial stunning would be the topic for the next meeting of the group, with the results to be published in a future issue. | 35643211 |
4,507,204 | Aortic valve reconstruction: why, when, and how? After almost 20 years aortic root reconstruction modalities have evolved into reasonable and useful surgical measures. Short and long term results match those of aortic composite replacement. Three major restitution strategies have found widespread acceptance: Root replacement with valve reimplantation (David-Procedure), root remodeling (Yacoub-procedure), or commissural resuspension. In the wake of these modalities also isolated aortic valve repair techniques have found renewed interest in order to broaden the indication for reconstructive surgery. Some euphemistic and hence biased interpretation, however, should be considered when looking at the clinical results. Reimplantation and remodeling procedures as well as several valve repair maneuvers are technically demanding unfolding their potential only in the hands of an experienced surgeon. Definite guidelines regarding the appropriate method of restitution required to serve best in the patient's individual situation are not yet at hand although they are about to emerge. | 480711 |
4,507,205 | Body fat distribution, serum glucose, lipid and insulin response to meals in Alström syndrome. BACKGROUND Alström syndrome is an autosomal recessive condition characterized by obesity, insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridaemia. Responses to fat and carbohydrate ingestion are important in planning dietetic advice and may help to explain the mechanism of metabolic disorder in the syndrome. METHODS After a 12-h fast, five Alström subjects received a 3.1 MJ (742 kcal), 75.8% fat breakfast on day 1, and a 3.3 MJ (794 kcal), 77.5% carbohydrate breakfast on day 2. Serum glucose, triglyceride and insulin levels were measured at baseline, and 2 and 3.5 h post-meal. Abdominal computerized tomography in three subjects and magnetic resonance imaging in one demonstrated distribution of abdominal fat. RESULTS Body fat was distributed subcutaneously, as well as viscerally. There were no changes in serum glucose, insulin or triglycerides after the high fat meal. Triglycerides remained stable after the high carbohydrate meal but glucose and log insulin levels increased [8.4 +/- 4.1 to 13.4 +/- 6.9 mmol L(-1) (P < 0.05) and 2.6 +/- 0.27 to 3.15 +/- 0.42 pmol L(-1) (P < 0.05), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS Dietetic advice in Alström syndrome must include calorie restriction to reduce obesity, which is predominantly subcutaneous. This study has shown that low carbohydrate advice may prove more effective than fat restriction in control of hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinism. A single high energy meal does not exacerbate hypertriglyceridaemia. | 40102461 |
4,507,206 | New Modelling Approach for Micromechanical Modelling of the Elastoplastic Behaviour A new theoretical approach is developed to simulate the elastoplastic behaviour in cubic alloys during various strain-path changes. The polycristal is considered as a composite consisting of hard dislocation walls of high local dislocation density which are separated by soft regions of low local dislocation density. The improved elasto-plastic self-consistent method is applied to deduce the global behaviour of the aggregate. The model is tested by simulating the macroscopic behavior and the development of intergranular strains during different complex loads. | 85547211 |
4,507,207 | Patient Decision Making: The Missing Ingredient in Compliance Research Abstract Medical noncompliance has been identified as a major public health problem that imposes a considerable financial burden upon modern health care systems. There is a large research record focusing on the understanding, measurement, and resolution of noncompliance, but it is consistently found that between one third and one half of patients fail to comply with medical advice and prescriptions. Critically absent from this research record has been the patient's role in medical decision making. For patients, particularly those with chronic illnesses, compliance is not an issue: they make their own reasoned decisions about treatments based on their own beliefs, personal circumstances, and the information available to them. The traditional concept of compliance is thus outmoded in modern health care systems, where chronic illness and questioning patients predominate. | 26892111 |
4,507,208 | A 7-W 1178nm GaInNAs based disk laser for guide star applications We report a GaInNAs/GaAs-based disk laser producing 7 W output power at 1180 nm wavelength at a temperature of 15 °C. The laser generated more than 5 W of output power when it was forced to operate with a narrow spectrum at 1178 nm. The gain mirror was grown using a molecular beam epitaxy reactor and it comprised 10 GaInNAs QWs and a 25.5- pair GaAs/AlAs distributed Bragg reflector. | 120087361 |
4,507,209 | Innovative Targets For Asthma And COPD: Exploring The Existing And Screening The New!! The inadequate benefits of the existing therapies and the new insights into the pathophysiology of inflammatory airway diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma have led to the breakthrough of newer targets and innovative compounds as the treatment alternatives. The enhanced interpretation of immune cell signalling and signal transduction pathways at the molecular level involved in this process allows the selection of new therapeutic targets and designing of new molecules to combat such multifactorial diseases. Pertaining to the marked variability in type of inflammation observed in their disease phenotypes, the blockade of a particular receptor or mediator yielding strong restorative effect in one patient may not be significant to other. Therefore, their management requires the prompt and phenotype specific optimized drug therapies and development of new and improved molecular compounds targeting the immune cell signalling. This whole process including the approval of such compounds as the standard drug therapies is time taking, expensive and complicated task. It ranges from the selection of novel anti-inflammatory drug target to the final approval of biologically active restorative molecules. Grounded on this, the current review gives a comprehensive idea of the basic immunological network involved in these inflammatory airway diseases at the cellular level along with the discussion of their potential therapeutic targets. It also follows brief over viewing of the drug development process generally employed for the exploration of such innovative targets leading to the discovery of novel anti-inflammatory molecules for these inflammatory airway | 28926461 |
4,507,210 | diseases. | 28926461 |
4,507,211 | MP51-16 SPIRONOLACTONE, A NUCLEOTIDE EXCISION REPAIR INHIBITOR, POTENTIATES CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF CISPLATIN IN BLADDER CANCER CELLS INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies demonstrated ERCC2 helicase domain mutations confer nucleotide excision repair (NER) deficiency and drive cisplatin sensitivity in muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). We sought to investigate the role of spironolactone (SP), a NER inhibitor in potentiating cisplatin response in NER proficient bladder cancer cells and patient derived organoids. METHODS: KE1 (ERCC2 mutant, NER defective, cisplatin sensitive) bladder cells and parental KU1919 cells (ERCC2 wild-type, NER proficient, cisplatin resistant) were used. Cell viability was examined using CellTiter-glo. IC50 concentrations were calculated using a four parameter sigmoidal model and plots generated by GraphPad Prism 7. Drug combination indexes (CI) of cisplatin and SP were calculated using Chou-Talalay method. DNA damage response and apoptosis signaling was examined by Western blot of gamma-H2AX, P53, cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved PARP. RESULTS: KU1919 cells are more sensitive to SP (IC50 = 29.2 vs IC50 = 37.4 &mgr;M). Combinations of cisplatin and SP (5 &mgr;M:40 &mgr;M) resulted in strong synergy in KU1919 cells (CI = 0.29), whereas mild synergy of cisplatin and SP (1 &mgr;M:40 &mgr;M) was observed in KE1 cells (CI = 0.66). In a patient derived organoid model, 10 µM SP alone exhibited no cytotoxicity, and combination with 10 &mgr;MSP and 25 &mgr;Mcisplatin significantly decreased cell survival compared with 25 &mgr;M cisplatin alone (17.9% vs 32.1%, p<0.01). Following 24 hours 5 &mgr;M cisplatin treatment, we observed an increased DNA damage response genes (gamma-H2AX, P53) and activation of apoptosis (cleaved Caspase-3 and | 149812261 |
4,507,212 | cleaved PARP) in KE1 cell, but not in KU1919 cells. The combination of SP and cisplatin induced activation of apoptosis (cleaved Caspase-3 and cleaved PARP expression) in KU1919 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting NER pathway by spironolactone in bladder cancer cells enhances cisplatin-induced DNA damage signaling and subsequent cell apoptosis. These findings provide a proof of concept and rational to combine NER inhibitors with platinum based chemotherapy in systemic treatment of bladder cancer. Source of Funding: Friends of Urology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center | 149812261 |
4,507,213 | [Effect of intravenous recombinant human superoxide dismutase on reducing reperfusion injury]. This study was performed to evaluate effects of recombinant human superoxide dismutase (r-hSOD) administered intravenously just prior to reperfusion on reduction of reperfusion injury by using regional left ventricular function recovery in quantitatively controlled reperfusion model. Mongrel dogs underwent 2 hours of left anterior coronary artery clamping followed by 30 minutes of partial reperfusion (25% of control flow) and 30 minutes of full reperfusion (full opening of occluder). Regional left ventricular functions: % segmental shortening (%SS), % active shortening (%AS) = systolic shortening/total shortening, were evaluated during reperfusion. Dogs were divided into 2 groups, Control group and SOD group: r-hSOD was administered 100,000 Unit/kg in bolus intravenously before reperfusion. Measured left ventricular segments were classified by temperature drop in thermography into the central (> or = 2 degrees C) and the marginal (< 2 degrees C) ischemic zones. In the central ischemic zone, the values of %SS before left anterior descending coronary artery clamping were 11% and 12% in Control and SOD groups, respectively. Just after occlusion of coronary artery, %SS dropped down to the range of -5% to -7% and kept the same level during ischemia. After partial reperfusion, there was no significant difference of %SS between Control and SOD groups, however, after full reperfusion, %SS of SOD group showed better improvement than that of Control group (p < 0.05). As for %AS in the central ischemic zones, the same tendency was present. In the marginal ischemic zone, the values of %SS went down | 25030811 |
4,507,214 | when left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) | 25030811 |
4,507,215 | Design and Development of Perfect Dual-band Metamaterial Absorber Array to Enhance the Efficiency of Solar Energy Harvesting in Infrared Radiation In this research, a proposed metamaterial absorber is designed and developed to enhance the solar cells’ efficiency. The design consists of circular shapes with rectangular gaps printed at the top surface, and copper sheet as a ground. The structure operated at terra frequency bands, to absorb all range infrared from the solar spectrum. Moreover, the designed metamaterial unit cell is used to develop a metamaterial array absorber, for increasing the rate of the energy harvesting from the solar spectrum. The effect of the rectangular gap on the absorber performance is studied and the optimum value is found at 100 nm. The results revealed two absorption rates: approximately 99.98% at resonance frequency 80.2, and 99.32% at 68.35 THz for both designs. | 254625411 |
4,507,216 | Predictors of Early Response to Single Agent Rituximab in Patients with Indolent Lymphoma. Abstract 1946 Poster Board I-969 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: Rituximab (RTX) is a chimeric antibody targeting CD20, a membranous B-cell specific protein, currently used in the treatment of B-cell malignancies and various autoimmune diseases. Despite its clear efficacy in non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma, clinical and biological responses are highly variable between patients. Therefore, predictive factors are necessary to adapt therapy to each individual as early as possible. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied a set of biomarkers in a cohort of 39 patients with indolent non-Hodgkin9s B-cell lymphoma (low grade follicular lymphoma or marginal zone lymphoma) and a low tumour burden, treated with single agent RTX as follows: 4 weekly 375 mg/m 2 infusions, associated with short-course oral steroids. All patients benefited from FDG-PET analysis before treatment and 10 weeks later, allowing their classification into 3 early response groups: complete isotopic remission, partial response and no response. Dosage of rituximabemia, BAFF and Human Anti-Chimeric Antibodies (HACA) was performed with in-house ELISAs before each infusion and 2 months later. Polymorphisms of FcγRIIIa [158] , FcγRIIa [131] and C1qA [276] genes were determined using allele-specific PCR or direct sequencing. Results were compared using Student9s t-Test or two-tailed Fischer9s exact test when appropriated. RESULTS: Referring to PET analysis, 18 patients were classified as complete isotopic remission, and 21 as partial or no response. Mean age was significantly lower in the first group (54 y+/-19 vs 66+/-13, p=0.022), as well as initial SUVmax (6.3+/-3.4 vs 10.8+/-6.8, p=0.024). Serum levels of RTX | 78779411 |
4,507,217 | were highly variable between patients at each timepoint, but were not statistically different between the different response groups. Basal levels of BAFF were not statistically different between lymphoma patients and a control population, and did not vary after RTX-induced B cell depletion. No patient developed a HACA response during the study. Homozygous FcγRIIIa158V/V genotype was significantly associated with a complete response (p=0.037). Conversely, FcγRIIa [131] and C1qA [276] polymorphisms were not associated with the response. Genetic polymorphisms seemed to modify RTX pharmacokinetics, since homozygous FcγRIIa [131] H/H, FcγRIIIa [158] V/V and C1qA [276] G/G subjects displayed lower levels of RTX than others, without reaching statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Younger age, lower initial SUVmax and FcγRIIIa [158] V/V genotype are associated with a better early response to RTX in indolent lymphoma patients, as assessed by PET analysis. FcγR polymorphisms affect RTX kinetics probably through a modification of the efficacy of antibody dependant cell cytotoxicity. Determination of these factors could help in adapting individually therapeutic protocols. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. | 78779411 |
4,507,218 | Rare retro peritoneal tumor in infants. Lipoblastoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor, occuring in less than three-year-old infants in 90% of the cases and in 40% of the cases in chidren aged less than one year. It can be present at birth. It is a benign tumor, with defined margins, that can be locally aggressive, without metastases. We report the case of retroperitoneal lipoblastomatosis, with a neonatal diagnosis made by ultrasonographic and CT features. | 53426711 |
4,507,219 | A Blood Hematocrit Test Strip This paper reports a self-propelled microfluidic hematocrit (HCT) test that uses the correlation between blood hematocrit and wicking distance of blood in a special paper matrix. The enabling feature is a novel blood volume metering method that allows sampling from the fingertip and reliably generates a highly precise blood volume of $47.7 \pm 1.9\ \mu 1$ (CV 4%) that is transferred into a porous paper matrix. A dissolvable valve ensures a relaxed time window for blood sampling, making it highly user-friendly and resilient to overfilling. The presented hematocrit test strip poses a simple, cheap, equipment-free solution for patient-centric hematocrit measurements. | 155878711 |
4,507,220 | Effects of an epilepsy‐specific Internet intervention (Emyna) on depression: Results of the ENCODE randomized controlled trial Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among people with epilepsy (PwE) but often remain unrecognized and treated inadequately. Effective psychosocial treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are rarely available to most PwE, which is one reason electronically delivered CBT (eCBT) is regarded as promising. This study examined an eCBT intervention, termed Emyna, that was tailored to suit the needs of PwE. It includes CBT‐related content on depression, stress and anxiety, seizure triggers and auras, and lifestyle habits. The trial examined the efficacy of Emyna in reducing symptoms of depression (primary outcome) and anxiety as well as improving quality of life. | 73469561 |
4,507,221 | Benefits of oral and topical administration of ROQUETTE Chlorella sp. on skin inflammation and wound healing in mice. The human body is constantly exposed to the risk of traumatic lesions. Chlorella is a green microalgae enriched with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll. In some communities, Chlorella is a traditional medicinal plant used for the management of inflammation-related diseases. ROQUETTE Chlorella sp. (RCs) was investigated by oral administration (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) and cutaneous application (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0%) to evaluate its impact in two dermatological disorder models in mice: skin inflammation and wound healing. For skin inflammation, it was administered during 14 days starting one week before the induction of chronic skin inflammation by repeated cutaneous application of 12-Otetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). For wound healing the microalgae was administered by topical application after scarification of the skin until complete wound healing. Results indicated that oral and topical administrations of the two higher doses of RCs had significant effects on macroscopic score of skin inflammation with an efficient effect on microscopic score with cutaneous application. The microalgae had also efficient effect on healing process and duration of wound healing for both administration routes and particularly at the two highest doses of RCs. These findings suggest that administration of RCs by both oral and topical routes appeared to have beneficial effects on skin lesions. | 6181861 |
4,507,222 | Proton MR spectroscopy in quantitative in vivo determination of fat content in human liver steatosis To demonstrate that the lipid volume fraction In liver steatosis can be accurately estimated with in vivo hydrogen‐1 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy, the authors developed a calibration procedure based on in vitro MR spectroscopy of lipid extracts from steatotlc liver specimens. The lipid volume fractions determined with the calibration procedure were compared with the results of histomorphometry and with calibrated computed tomographic (CT) data. The volume fraction of fat determined with MR spectroscopy was in good agreement with the CT results, whereas histomorphometry underestimated the amount of hepatic fat. The results indicate that determination of the fat volume fraction in steatotic liver can be achieved noninvasively with MR spectroscopy. | 34981361 |
4,507,223 | Continuous interscalene block using a stimulating catheter: a review of the technique. The management of postoperative pain after major shoulder surgery can be achieved successfully with a continuous interscalene block. This article reviews the essentials of the stimulating catheter technique for the continuous interscalene block that was described by Boezaart in 1999. The authors also describe their experience and results with the first two hundred catheters they placed. | 27372011 |
4,507,224 | Lares: An Architecture for Secure Active Monitoring Using Virtualization Host-based security tools such as anti-virus and intrusion detection systems are not adequately protected on today's computers. Malware is often designed to immediately disable any security tools upon installation, rendering them useless. While current research has focused on moving these vulnerable security tools into an isolated virtual machine, this approach cripples security tools by preventing them from doing active monitoring. This paper describes an architecture that takes a hybrid approach, giving security tools the ability to do active monitoring while still benefiting from the increased security of an isolated virtual machine. We discuss the architecture and a prototype implementation that can process hooks from a virtual machine running Windows XP on Xen. We conclude with a security analysis and show the performance of a single hook to be 28 musecs in the best case. | 10606411 |
4,507,225 | [Rectal administration of anesthetic agents]. OBJECTIVES To collect data in the current literature dealing with the diffusion, the reliability and the effectiveness of the rectal administration of anaesthetic drugs. To evaluate differences with parenteral administration. DATA SOURCES Pharmacokinetics and clinical studies published in recent years in indexed journals. STUDY SELECTION Based on the study methodology, drugs employed and pharmacokinetic parameters evaluated. DATA EXTRACTION Factors involved in absorption of drugs from the rectal mucosa, clinical effect and pharmacokinetic data of the following drugs: diazepam, flunitrazepam, midazolam, ketamin and methohexital, then a brief evaluation of other drugs: thiopental, etomidate, morphine and chloral hydrate. DATA SYNTHESIS The most widely used drugs are benzodiazepines: they are safe, easy to manage and highly effective; among them midazolam has the best kinetic and dynamic pattern. Ketamin is useful during painful diagnostic procedures; with the use of barbiturates there is a greater risk of respiratory depression and more caution must be employed. CONCLUSIONS Wide intervariability of rate of absorption, achievement of plasma levels and clinical effect is a relevant drawback of this technique, such to make it not preferable to the parenteral route, when both are feasible. It deserves, anyway, more consideration, and maintains its validity for the preparation of the paediatric patient to general anaesthesia. | 26961211 |
4,507,226 | PWE-095 A 10 Year Review of the Death Rate and Cause of Death Within a District General Cohort of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Introduction Whilst there is a growing body of data supporting the increased risk of colo-rectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, little has been written about the overall mortality and cause of death seen in patients with this condition. Objective To assess the death rate and cause of death in our cohort of IBD patients. Methods A database of all known local IBD patients was established after retrospectively reviewing 37,000 colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy reports performed at the Luton & Dunstable University Hospital between 2001 and 2011. Histological assessment was then used to cross correlate all patients diagnosed with colitis. The hospital coding officer analysed the database and provided details on all deaths within that cohort over the time period and the cause of death as listed by the hospital record system. Results In total 2640 patients with IBD were identified and 186 (7%) of these died between 2001 and 2011. The average age of death was 80 years. The cause of death ranged considerably (see chart). Abstract PWE-095 Table Cause of Death Number Percentage (%) Pneumonia 32 17.2 Sepsis 28 15.1 Cardiac 22 11.8 Non-GI Cancer 11 5.9 Crohn’s disease 11 5.9 Ulcerative colitis 9 4.8 GI Cancer 9 4.8 Stroke 8 4.3 GI Haemorrhage 6 3.2 Conclusion The Office for National Statistics stated that in 2010 the average lifespan in England and Wales, for men and women, was 85 and | 75463061 |
4,507,227 | 89 years, respectively. The life expectancy in Luton is slightly lower than the national average by approximately 2 years (Annual Public Health Report 2012–2013). The average age of death in our IBD cohort appears substantially lower than expected, with just 41 of the 186 (22%) being related to gastrointestinal causes. Infection (sepsis and pneumonia) appeared to be the single most common cause of mortality 60/186 (37.5%), raising questions about an iatrogenic contribution. Disclosure of Interest None Declared. | 75463061 |
4,507,228 | MMPI-2 Restructured Form Over-Reporting Scales in First-Episode Psychosis MMPI-2-RF over-reporting scales for physical, cognitive, or psychological symptoms were examined in 130 consecutive referrals to a first-episode psychosis (FEP) clinic. Although acutely ill upon presentation, consistent and responsive profiles were obtained in 79% of the sample. There was no indication of under-reporting on defensive scales, and anticipated elevations were observed on clinical scales sensitive to thought disorder, ideas of persecution, and aberrant experiences. The Infrequent Somatic (Fs), Symptom Validity Scale (FBS-r), and Response Bias (RBS) scales did not indicate somatic or cognitive over-reporting, but the Infrequent Psychopathology Scale (Fp-r) showed a moderate elevation that may suggest a propensity for over-reporting or an effect of clinical symptoms on the over-reporting scale. Clinician ratings of positive symptoms of psychosis were related to the Fp-r. Although the over-reporting classifications with the RBS were relatively low, RBS scores were directly related to positive and general symptoms of psychosis. The MMPI-2-RF appears to have clinical value in an acutely ill FEP sample. The sample was not prone to over-reporting pathology, but associations between both the Fp-r and the RBS with clinical symptoms will warrant further investigation. | 8923911 |
4,507,229 | An integrated multiassay approach to the discovery of small-molecule N-type voltage-gated calcium channel antagonists. Abstract The N-type voltage-gated calcium channel (Cav2.2) has been intensively explored as a target for novel, small-molecule analgesic drugs because of its distribution in the pain pathway and its role in nociceptive processing. For example, Cav2.2 is localized at presynaptic terminals of pain fibers in the dorsal horn, and it serves as a downstream effector of μ-opioid receptors. Most importantly, antagonism of the channel by the highly specific and potent Cav2.2 blocker ω-conotoxin MVIIA (ziconotide) produces clinical efficacy in the treatment of severe, intractable pain. To identify novel small-molecule Cav2.2 inhibitors, we developed new tools and screening methods critical to enhance the efficiency and probability of success. First, we established and characterized a new cell line stably expressing the three subunits of the Cav2.2, including an α-subunit splice variant that is uniquely expressed by dorsal root ganglion neurons. Second, using this cell line, we validated and employed a fluorescence-based calcium flux assay. Third, we developed a new "medium-throughput" electrophysiology assay using QPatch-HT to provide faster turnaround on high-content electrophysiology data that are critical for studying ion channel targets. Lastly, we used a therapeutically relevant, ex vivo spinal cord calcitonin gene-related peptide-release assay to confirm activities in the other assays. Using this approach we have identified compounds exhibiting single-digit nM IC₅₀ values and with a positive correlation across assay methods. This integrated approach provides a more comprehensive evaluation of small-molecule N-type inhibitors that may lead to improved therapeutic pharmacology. | 28246761 |
4,507,230 | Inadvertent catheterization of the hepatic artery during placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. Inadvertent catheterization of the hepatic artery may occur during placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). The authors treated this complication in three patients (one man, aged 60 years; two women, aged 50 and 52 years) by embolizing the transparenchymal tract leading to the hepatic artery and performing hepatic angiography after completion of TIPS placement. No sequelae were noted at follow-up of any of these patients. | 31740361 |
4,507,231 | Non-linear is not superior to linear aerobic training periodization in coronary heart disease patients Background We aimed to compare: (1) two different periodized aerobic training protocols (linear (LP) versus non-linear (NLP)) on the cardiopulmonary exercise response in patients with coronary heart disease; (2) the proportion of responders between both training protocols. Design A randomized controlled trial. Methods A total of 39 coronary heart disease patients completed either LP (n = 20, 65 ± 10 years) or NLP (n = 19, 66 ± 5 years). All patients completed a cardiopulmonary exercise testing with gas exchange measurements. Patients underwent a 12-week supervised exercise program including an isoenergetic aerobic periodized training and a similar resistance training program, 3 times/week. Weekly energy expenditure was constantly increased in the LP group for the aerobic training, while it was deeply increased and intercepted with a recovery week each fourth week in the NLP group. Peak oxygen uptake (peak V̇O2), oxygen uptake efficiency slope, ventilatory efficiency slope (V̇E/V̇CO2 slope), V̇O2 at the first (VT1) and second (VT2) ventilatory thresholds, and oxygen pulse (O2 pulse) were measured. Responders were determined according the median value of the Δpeak V̇O2 (mL.min−1.kg−1). Results We found similar improvement for peak V̇O2 (LP: +8.1%, NLP: +5.3%, interaction: p = 0.37; time: p < 0.001) and for oxygen uptake efficiency slope, VT1, VT2 and O2 pulse in both groups (interaction: p > 0.05; time: p < 0.05) with a greater effect size in the LP group. The proportion of non-, low and high responders was similar between groups (p = | 208535311 |
4,507,232 | 0.29). Conclusion In contrast to the athletes, more variation (NLP) does not seem necessary for greater cardiopulmonary adaptations in coronary heart disease patients. | 208535311 |
4,507,233 | Handbook of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fifth Edition Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins Properties of Amino Acids Data on the Naturally Occurring Amino Acids Structures and Symbols for Synthetic Amino Acids Incorporated Into Synthetic Polypeptides Unnatural Amino Acids for Incorporation into Proteins Properties of the alpha-Keto Acid Analogs of Amino Acids alpha,ss-Unsaturated Amino Acids Amino Acid Antagonists Coefficients of Solubility Equations of Certain Amino Acids in Water Heat Capacities, Absolute Entropies, and Entropies of Formation of Amino Acids and Related Compounds Heat of Combustion, Enthalpy and Free Energy of Formation of Amino Acids and Related Compounds Solubilities of Amino Acids in Water at Various Temperatures Heats of Solution of Amino Acids in Aqueous Solution at 25 C Free Energies of Solution and Standard Free Energy of Formation of Amino Acids in Aqueous Solution at 25 C Far Ultraviolet Absorption Spectra of Amino Acids UV Absorption Characteristics of N-Acetyl Methyl Esters of the Aromatic Amino Acids, Cystine and of N-Acetylcysteine Numerical Values of the Absorbances of the Aromatic Amino Acids in Acid, Neutral and Alkaline Solutions Luminescence of the Aromatic Amino Acids Luminescence of Derivatives of the Aromatic Amino Acids Luminescence of Proteins Lacking Tryptophan Luminescence of Proteins Containing Tryptophan Hydrophobicities of Amino Acids and Proteins Chemical Specificity of Reagents for Protein Modification Reagents for the Chemical Modification of Proteins Protein pK Values Protease Inhibitors and Protease Inhibitor Cocktails Assay of Solution Protein Concentration Spectrophotometric Determination of Protein Concentration in the Short-Wavelength Ultraviolet Lipids A Comprehensive Classification System for Lipids Properties of Fatty Acids and Their Methyl | 83271561 |
4,507,234 | Esters Densities, Specific Volumes, and Temperature Coefficients of Fatty Acids from C8 to C12 Composition and Properties of Common Oils and Fats Androgens Bile Acids Corticoids Estrogens Progestogens Sterols Prostaglandins and Related Fatty-Acid Derived Materials Vitamins and Coenzymes Properties of Vitamins Biological Characteristics of Vitamins Properties for Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbate-2-Sulfate Vitamers Vitamin Names Discarded Nucleic Acids UV Spectral Characteristics and Acidic Dissociation Constants of 280 Alkyl Bases, Nucleosides, and Nucleotides Ultraviolet Absorbance of Oligonucleotides Containing 2'-O-Methylpentose Residues Spectrophotometric Constants of Ribonucleotides Purines, Pyrimidines, Nucleosides, and Nucleotides: Physical Constants and Spectral Properties Chemical Modification of Nucleic Acids Transfection Technologies Carbohydrates Introduction to Carbohydrates Natural Alditols, Inositols, Inososes, and Amino Alditols and Inosamines Natural Acids of Carbohydrate Derivation Natural Aldoses Natural Ketoses Carbohydrate Phosphate Esters The Naturally Occurring Amino Sugars Oligosaccharides (Including Disaccharides) Mucopolysaccharides (Glycosaminoglycans) Physical and Chemical Data Recommendations for Nomenclature and Tables in Biochemical Thermodynamics Standard Transformed Gibbs Energies of Formation for Biochemical Reactants Enthalpy, Entropy, and Free Energy Values for Biochemical Redox Reactions Oxidation-Reduction Potentials, Absorbance Bands and Molar Absorbance of Compounds used in Biochemical Studies Calorimetric DELTAH Values Accompanying Conformational Changes of Macromolecules in Solution Free Energies of Hydrolysis and Decarboxylation Deci-Normal Solutions of Oxidation and Reduction Reagents Guidelines for Potentiometric Measurements in Suspensions Part A. The Suspension Effect Ionization Constants of Acids and Bases Guidelines for NMR Measurements for Determination of High and Low pKa Values Measurement and Interpretation of Electrokinetic Phenomena Measurement of pH Definition, Standards, and Procedures General Comments on Buffers List of Buffers Bronsted Acidities Measurement of pH Buffer | 83271561 |
4,507,235 | Solutions Amine Buffers Useful for Biological Research Preparation of Buffers for Use in Enzyme Studies Buffer for Acrylamide Gels (Single-Gel Systems) Starch Gels Indicators for Volumetric Work and pH Determinations Acid and Base Indicators Specific Gravity of Liquids Viscosity and Density Tables A Listing of Log P Values, Water Solubility, and Molecular Weight for Some Selected Chemicals Chemicals Commonly Used in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Their Properties Common Detergents Used in Biochemical Research Some Properties of Detergents and Surfactants Used in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Some Biological Stains and Dyes Mordant Dyes Metal Chelating Agents Water Stability of Solutions for GLP and cGMP Use General Information on Spectroscopy Microplates Plastics Chemical and Physical Properties of Various Commercial Plastics Generic Source-Based Nomenclature for Polymers Definitions of Terms Relating to Reactions of Polymers and to Functional Polymeric Materials Definitions of Terms Related to Polymer Blends, Composites, and Multiphase Polymeric Materials Organic Name Reactions Useful in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Enzymes in Synthetic Organic Chemistry Therapeutic Enzymes Weights of Cells and Cell Constituents Particle Diameter Appendix A: Abbreviations and Acronyms Appendix B: Glossary of Terms Useful in Biochemistry Index | 83271561 |
4,507,236 | Using Practical Measures to Predict Computing Outcomes Measures typically used in computing education research at the elementary-school level that are aimed at measuring student learning outcomes are not capable of identifying instructional practices that contribute to improvements in learning. On the other hand, practical measures that help practitioners prioritize efforts aimed at improvement in instructional practices are limited in their capability to predict student learning outcomes. Thus, in this research, a combination of these practical and summative measures will be used to study complex interplays between students’ perceptions, motivations, and final learning outcomes. For analysis, latent growth curve modeling will be used on student experience exit ticket data to measure the change in students’ perceptions of the instructional intervention over lessons. Using the structural equation modeling approach, the latent growth model shall also incorporate a predictive relationship between the student experience exit ticket responses to the changes in the outcome measures from the pre and post surveys. Preliminary work on the working theory has been done that explains a theoretical relationship between practical measures and outcome measures, explaining how outcomes will be produced and how practical measures can help predict certain outcomes. | 251322311 |
4,507,237 | Rural Poverty and the Structure of Farm Household Income in Developing Countries: Evidence from Taiwan In spite of the massive development efforts of the past 2 decades, rural poverty in many regions of the world has not been significantly reduced. Recent studies have shown that the extremely low real income levels of small farm households have risen very slowly and in some cases may have even declined.' While income level is only a partial indicator of welfare, such results do suggest that past development strategies have been somewhat less than adequate. Unless appropriate development strategies can be identified and implemented in the near future, rural poverty is likely to be a problem of major proportions for decades to come. A common diagnosis of the problem is that agricultural productivity is low on small farms because of limited access to controlled water supplies, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, mechanical implements, and other inputs necessary to take full advantage of new developments in seed technology. Small farm size due to high population pressure, coupled in some cases with widespread tenancy and excessive land rents, makes it impossible for farm households to generate sufficient surplus over consumption requirements to purchase productivity-raising inputs; and public distribution systems for farm inputs and credit have only been mar- | 153717961 |
4,507,238 | Predicting Mathematics Students’ Continuance Intention toward Learning Mathematics Abstract: The success of learning mathematics depends largely on students’ satisfaction in learning the subject. This, along with other factors such as perceived usefulness in learning mathematics, will eventually increase students’ intention to continue learning mathematics. This study integrated the Expectancy Confirmation Model (ECM) and perceived enjoyment, with the main purpose of developing a fitting structural model that investigates whether the ECM model can be extended and used in the context of mathematics students' learning continuance. The study used a correlational research design conducted on 12 tertiary colleges in the northwestern zone of Nigeria. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was employed to select 366 Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) III mathematics combination students for this study out of a total population of 2761 NCE III mathematics students based on the Cochran formula. The findings indicate that the most significant factor affecting the college of education (COE) mathematics students' continuance intention is the belief of their perception of the usefulness of learning mathematics to their daily life activities. Satisfaction and perceived enjoyment in learning mathematics also positively influence students' intention to continue studying mathematics. The current research adds to the theory by replacing the ECM's confirmation of expectation construct with the construct of perceived enjoyment and introducing new associations to describe mathematics students' continued intention to learn mathematics. Keywords: Mathematics, Tertiary colleges, Colleges of education, Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM), Continuance Intention, Partial Least Square (PLS). | 245053561 |
4,507,239 | Nice Guys Finish Last: Do Honest Taxpayers Face Higher Tax Rates? This paper examines the relationship between ‘tax morale’ and tax policy. Using a unique cross‐country data set based on the World Values Survey and the World Tax Indicators, we find that income groups with high tax morale face higher average and marginal tax rates. We propose three possible mechanisms which could help to explain our results: i) an inverse elasticity argument where governments seek to minimize distortions, ii) a political economy argument where governments take voting behavior into account, and iii) an administrative costs argument where taxing high morale groups is more cost efficient. | 153822861 |
4,507,240 | Psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and supportive psychotherapy: contemporary controversies. The author explores the controversies involving psychoanalytic psychotherapy from conceptual, clinical and educational perspectives. He proposes an integrated concept of psychoanalytic modalities of treatment, and their subdivision into standard psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalytically based supportive psychotherapy. Indications and contra-indications for these therapeutic approaches are outlined in the light of clinical experience and psychoanalytic research on these issues. It is proposed that psychoanalytic institutes teach psychoanalytic psychotherapy to candidates in psychoanalytic training. The author stresses that we now possess a broad spectrum of psychoanalytically based approaches to patients that significantly expand the therapeutic effectiveness of our profession, and thus can strengthen the social impact of psychoanalysis. | 28039861 |
4,507,241 | Uniform Circular Motion of a Spaceship and Its Relation to Free Fall The sensation of weightlessness is common to an astronaut in a spaceship orbiting Earth and to a person aboard a freely falling elevator. This paper presents a detailed treatment of this commonality by showing that a spaceship orbiting Earth is in permanent free fall toward the planet, appropriate for use in the introductory classroom.The sensation of weightlessness is common to an astronaut in a spaceship orbiting Earth and to a person aboard a freely falling elevator. This paper presents a detailed treatment of this commonality by showing that a spaceship orbiting Earth is in permanent free fall toward the planet, appropriate for use in the introductory classroom. | 204197211 |
4,507,242 | Calcification of vascular smooth muscle cell cultures: inhibition by osteopontin. Calcification of vascular tissue is a common complication in aging, atherosclerosis, diabetes, renal failure, aortic stenosis, and prosthetic valve replacement. Osteopontin is a noncollagenous adhesive protein routinely found at sites of dystrophic calcification and synthesized at high levels by macrophages in calcified aortic valves and atherosclerotic plaques. In the present study, we have characterized the calcification of bovine aortic smooth muscle cell (BASMC) cultures in vitro and have studied the effects of exogenous osteopontin on mineral deposition. Induction of calcification in BASMC cultures was alkaline phosphatase-dependent and was characterized by a multilayer cell morphology. Mineral deposition occurred in the basal matrix of multilayered areas as indicated by von Kossa staining, and transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction identified the mineral as apatite. Ultrastructural analysis of the cultures showed the presence of extracellular matrix vesicles, calcifying collagen fibrils, and nodular-type calcifications similar to those found in calcified heart valves and atherosclerotic plaques. Purified osteopontin (0.05 to 5 microgram/mL) dose dependently inhibited calcification of BASMC cultures, whereas vitronectin and fibronectin had no effect. In contrast to the inhibitory mechanism of levamisole on mineral deposition, osteopontin did not inhibit alkaline phosphatase activity or reduce phosphorus levels in the culture medium. Addition of calcium to the cultures overcame the inhibitory effect of osteopontin on BASMC culture calcification and resulted in decreased levels of calcium in the culture medium and increased levels in the cell layer. Moreover, using high-resolution, colloidal-gold immunocytochemistry, osteopontin was found intimately associated with growing apatite crystals. These | 914811 |
4,507,243 | data indicate that the effect of osteopontin, although calcium-dependent, was not mediated by simple calcium chelation but most likely by direct interaction of osteopontin with crystal surfaces. These studies suggest that BASMCs can be used to model vascular calcification in vitro and that soluble osteopontin released near sites of vascular calcification may represent an adaptive mechanism aimed at preventing vascular calcification. | 914811 |
4,507,244 | Creatinine generation is reduced in patients requiring continuous venovenous hemodialysis and independently predicts mortality. BACKGROUND Existing systems for grading severity of acute kidney injury (AKI) rely on a change of serum creatinine concentration over a defined time interval. The rate of change in serum creatinine increases by degree of reduction in glomerular filtration rate, but is mitigated by low creatinine generation rate (CGR). Failure to appreciate variation in CGR may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding severity of AKI and distorted predictions regarding patient outcomes based on AKI severity. METHODS Cohort study of 103 patients who received continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) over a 2-year period in a tertiary care hospital setting. Study participants entered the cohort when they were anuric, receiving a stable and uninterrupted dose of CVVHD with serum creatinine in steady state. They were followed until hospital discharge. CGR was measured based on dialyzate effluent volume and effluent creatinine concentration (prospective cohort) and via effluent volume and serum creatinine concentration (retrospective cohort). RESULTS CGR (mean 10.5, range 1.7-22.4 mg/kg/day) was substantially lower in this patient population than what would be predicted from existing equations. Correlates of CGR in multivariable analysis included the length of hospitalization prior to measurement and presence of an oncologic diagnosis. Lower CGR was independently associated with in-hospital mortality in unadjusted analysis and after multivariable adjustment for measures of severity of illness. CONCLUSIONS Grading systems for severity of AKI fail to account for variation in CGR, limiting their ability to predict relevant outcomes. Calculation of CGR is superior to other risk metrics | 30908911 |
4,507,245 | in predicting hospital mortality in this population. | 30908911 |
4,507,246 | The Effect of T1-Slope in Spinal Parameters After Cervical Disc Arthroplasty. BACKGROUND Although patients with cervical kyphosis are not ideal candidates for cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA), there is a paucity of data on patients with a straight or slightly lordotic neck. OBJECTIVE To correlate cervical lordosis, T1-slope, and clinical outcomes of CDA. METHODS The study retrospectively analyzed 95 patients who underwent 1-level CDA and had 2-yr follow-up. They were divided into a high T1-slope (≥28°) group (HTSG, n = 45) and a low T1-slope (<28°) group (LTSG, n = 50). Cervical spinal alignment parameters, including T1-slope, cervical lordosis (C2-7 Cobb angle), and segmental mobility (range of motion [ROM]) at the indexed level, were compared. The clinical outcomes were also assessed. RESULTS The mean T1-slope was 28.1 ± 7.0°. After CDA, the pre- and postoperative segmental motility remained similar and cervical lordosis was preserved. All the clinical outcomes improved after CDA. The HTSG were similar to the LTSG in age, sex, segmental mobility, and clinical outcomes. However, the HTSG had higher cervical lordosis than the LTSG. Furthermore, the LTSG had increased cervical lordosis (ΔC2-7 Cobb angle), whereas the HTSG had decreased lordosis after CDA. Patients of the LTSG, who had more improvement in cervical lordosis, had a trend toward increasing segmental mobility at the index level (ΔROM) than the HTSG. CONCLUSION In this series, T1-slope correlated well with global cervical lordosis but did not affect the segmental mobility. After CDA, the changes in cervical lordosis correlated with changes in segmental mobility. Therefore, segmental lordosis should be cautiously | 220483661 |
4,507,247 | preserved during CDA as it could determine the mobility of the disc. | 220483661 |
4,507,248 | On the regularizing behavior of recent gradient methods in the solution of linear ill-posed problems ∗ We analyze the regularization properties of two recently proposed gradient methods applied to discrete linear inverse problems. By studying their filter factors, we show that the tendency of these methods to eliminate first the eigencomponents of the gradient corresponding to large singular values allows to reconstruct the most significant part of the solution, thus yielding a useful filtering effect. This behavior is confirmed by numerical experiments performed on some image restoration problems. Furthermore, the experiments show that, for severely ill-conditioned problems and high noise levels, the two methods can be competitive with the Conjugate Gradient (CG) method, since they are slightly slower than CG, but exhibit a better semiconvergence behavior. | 18837511 |
4,507,249 | BREXIT: CHRONICLE OF A CRISIS FORETOLD The European integration process is certainly the most advanced and remarkable example of regional integration unequalled so far in any other parts of the world even though some lighter forms of regional integration have been more or less modelled on the EU. The European regional integration seemed to be unstoppable and unbreakable despite the many political and economic crises it sailed through since the 70s and more recently in the past decade. Yet for the first time in its history, one of its largest and most politically and economically powerful Member States, the UK, took in 2016 the extraordinary decision to leave the EU. Until the adoption of the Lisbon treaty in 2009, membership to the EU was for life as the original Treaty of Rome and its subsequent amending Treaties never included a clause of withdrawal. Inspired from Article I-60 of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, Article 50 TEU recognised for the first time the right of Member State to withdraw voluntarily and unilaterally from the EU. Ironically, this new provision was designed by its drafters to deter the EU MS from actually withdrawing from the EU. Yet, it is this very provision that enabled the triggering of one of the most extraordinary and unprecedented event in EU history ie the withdrawal of the UK or Brexit. This was decided following a referendum that took place on 23 June 2016. The results were 51.9% “Leave” and 48.1% “Stay” and the turnout was 71.8% representing more than 30 | 159244351 |
4,507,250 | million people. However, while England (the largest country) and Wales voted overwhelmingly in favour of leave, Scotland and NI voted for remain Following the triggering of Article 50 TEU by the UK, a 2 year period for negotiations and preparations for Brexit started with an official leave of the UK from the EU being scheduled for 29 March 2019. After months of more difficult, complex and protracted negotiation than originally expected in the UK, the current Prime Minister Theresa May managed to bring home a “Brexit Deal” consisting of a 585-page withdrawal agreement and a 26-page statement of the future relations between the UK and the EU. The Withdrawal Agreement, a legally-binding document, include mainly provisions on the financial settlement (how much money the UK owes the EU), the protection of the status and rights of EU citizens in the UK and the UK citizens in the EU27, and a solution for preventing the return of the physical border between the two Irelands. The Statement, which is not legally binding, outlines the long-term relationship between the UK and EU in various areas such as trade, defense, and security. Yet on 15 January, the British Parliament rejected the whole deal with 432 votes against and 202 votes for on the ground that the deal would tie the UK to the EU indefinitely while having no say over EU rules, and would put the UK in an even worse position than if the UK remained a MS. This spanner in the clockwork has thrown Britain into further and | 159244351 |
4,507,251 | greater chaos. Four key questions can be asked: 1.Was Brexit unpredictable and inevitable? 2.What lessons can be drawn from the negotiating process? 3.What are the current scenarios? 4.What will be the potential consequences of Brexit? | 159244351 |
4,507,252 | Evaluation of a two-dose measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination schedule in a cohort of college athletes. Despite high vaccination levels, measles outbreaks continue to occur among vaccinated adults. In response, new guidelines call for two doses of measles vaccine. To determine seroprevalence and response to vaccination in seronegative persons, we tested serums from 256 college athletes at a Maryland State college by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, vaccinated seronegatives, then re-tested vaccinees. High school records were obtained for persons seronegative to measles. Of 256 students, 53 (21 percent) were seronegative to measles alone, 13 (5 percent) were seronegative to rubella alone, and 5 (2 percent) were seronegative to both. Among those seronegative to measles, 86 percent had previously received a dose of measles vaccine. After vaccination, 37 persons initially seronegative to measles and 9 seronegative to rubella were 97 percent and 100 percent seropositive, respectively. The high measles seroconversion rate suggests that the two-dose vaccine schedule should effectively control campus measles outbreaks and, if given as measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, will also improve immunity to rubella and mumps. | 25992951 |
4,507,253 | 137Cs accumulation in the yield of agricultural crops depending on the impact of agrochemical factors We summarized the results of long-term research of fertili zing system and chemical melioration on radio cesium transition info yield of agricultural crops. The effect of such heavy fertilizer elements as magnesium and sulfur, participating in the nitrogen, phosphoric and carbohydrate metabolism in plants, on the crop formation and quality is studied. The influence of liming, level of providing soil with phosphorus and potassium, doses of nitrogen fertilizers in top-dressing, on buildup of radionuclide in crop yields is shown. The influence of the complex nitrogen-free fertilizer «Ekoplant» and its inclusion doses on the straw flax crop is defined. It has been shown the possibility of using the angustifolins lupine on sod-podzolic sandy soils with 10 Ci/km2 radio cesium contamination. It has been shown the dependence of radionuclide accumulation on perennial grasses hay harvest that were grown on sod-podzolic sandy soils of Polissia with 10 Ci/km2 radio cesium contamination. | 245522051 |
4,507,254 | Tumor stenoses of the upper gastrointestinal tract--therapeutic alternatives to laser therapy. Alternatives to laser treatment of tumor stenoses of upper gastrointestinal tract include dilatation, implantation of bridging tubes, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Based on the experience of 170 bridging tubes implanted and laser therapy in 70 patients with tumor stenoses (presented elsewhere) "tubes and laser" are compared. Complication rate, applicability in very proximal and distal stenoses are in favour of laser therapy, costs, hospitalisation time, possibility to occlude fistulae and short recurrence time after laser therapy are facts speaking for oesophageal bridging tubes. The question "tubes or laser" has to be answered by "tubes and laser" already. | 33332901 |
4,507,255 | A new, rapid safe method for local radiation of intrathoracic sites. A technique for intraoperative, intrathoracic placement of afterloading catheters for post-thoracotomy radiation therapy is described. This technique offers speed and simplicity and requires no advance planning of radiation therapy. It uses materials that are readily available in operative theaters and radiation oncology units. No radiation exposure of operating room personnel is involved. It also avoids the mechanical problems of crimping and dislodgment associated with the traditional method of individual placement of small afterloading catheters for local radiation therapy. Isodose curves derived from radiographs showing postsurgical source positions demonstrated that it was possible to achieve a uniform therapeutic radiation dose distribution to the chest wall at the site of desired radiotherapy. | 2878501 |
4,507,256 | Design of analog CMOS integrated circuits input stage for the operation at zero temperature coefficient using PSPICE A PSPICE program is utilized to design an analog CMOS integrated circuit amplifier for operation at zero temperature coefficient, which solves the problem of drift in DC amplifiers under the effect of temperature variations. The model used includes the linear and nonlinear parameters of the devices. The device channel parameters length l, and width w, are evaluated to give the proper bias to reduce the drift characteristics. The constraints of the device parameters in improving the AC characteristics are discussed, and the useful range of temperature for optimum design performance is determined. In the authors' model, a drift of 4 mu v/c over the range of 30 degrees C to 90 degrees C is observed. The overall gain of the two stages is estimated to be >or=50 dBs with the gain-bandwidth product of 5.9 MHz at 500- mu A biasing. The noise figure for the given bias is 0.5 mu v/ square root Hz.<<ETX>> | 60916901 |
4,507,257 | Effects of physicochemical properties of polyacrylamide (PAA) and (polydimethylsiloxane) PDMS on cardiac cell behavior. In vitro cell culture is commonly applied in laboratories around the world. Cultured cells are either of primary origin or established cell lines. Such transformed cell lines are increasingly replaced by pluripotent stem cell derived organotypic cells with more physiological properties. The quality of the culture conditions and matrix environment is of considerable importance in this regard. In fact, mechanical cues of the extracellular matrix have substantial effects on the cellular physiology. This is especially true if contractile cells such as cardiomyocytes are cultured. Therefore, elastic biomaterials have been introduced as scaffolds in 2D and 3D culture models for different cell types, cardiac cells among them. In this review, key aspects of cell-matrix interaction are highlighted with focus on cardiomyocytes and chemical properties as well as strengths and potential pitfalls in using two commonly applied polymers for soft matrix engineering, polyacrylamide (PAA) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are discussed. | 231576751 |
4,507,258 | Prevalence of nematodes infestation in Clarias gariepinus from El-Burullus Lake and Lake Nasser, Egypt A total number of 400 Clarias gaiepinus were collected alive from several and various locations at El-Burullus Lake and Lake Nasser, to investigate the prevailing nematodes that infect this fish species from the two locations. Nearly all the examined fish were positive for one or more nematodes; four spp. of two families were identified from Clarias gaiepinus at ElBurullus Lake: Procamallanus laeviconchus, Paracamallanus cyathopharynx, Neocamallanus spp. (recovered from the gall bladder for the first time) and Terranova spp. larvae (recorded for the first time in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate representing new locality record), one nematode from Clarias gaiepinus at Lake Nasser: 3 stage larvae (L3) of Contraceacum spp. (has zoonotic importance). The prevalence of Procamallanus laeviconchus, Paracamallanus cyathopharynx, Neocamallanus spp. and Terranova spp. larva were 37.5%, 44%, 0.5% and 10% respectively, meanwhile the prevalence of L3 larvae of Contraceacum spp. were 100%. This study was planned to compare between the nematodes infecting Clarias gaiepinus from the two lakes evaluating clinical signs, postmortem examinations, parasitological examinations, seasonal prevalence and histopathological investigations of infected fish with different nematodes infestation. Clarias gaiepinus must be eviscerated as soon as possible after catching to prevent 3 stage larvae of Contraceacum spp. in the abdominal cavity from liberating from their sheaths and attacking the fish musculature (the edible part in the fish) as well as, prevent Terranova spp. larvae in the gills from attacking another parts of the fish and thus prevent the transmission of the nematodes of zoonotic | 202865351 |
4,507,259 | importance to the consumers. | 202865351 |
4,507,260 | A reappraisal of infarct ECG patterns based on CMR. G. Pons-Lladó1 and A. Bayés de Luna2 Cardiac Imaging Unit, Cardiology Department Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain,1 Institut Catalá de Ciencies Cardiovasculars (ICCC), Barcelona, Spain2 In this issue of the Journal, Cino Juan Manuel, MD, Guillem Pons Llado, and Antonio Bayés de Luna and their colleagues have used CMR to demonstrate the reliability of the electrocardiogram for defining the location of myocardial infarction. The following editorial was invited in view of the importance of their manuscript. | 12567751 |
4,507,261 | Oxazoline-Promoted Rh-Catalyzed C-H Amidation of Benzene Derivatives with Sulfonamides and Trifluoroacetamide. A Comparative Study. A Rh-catalyzed ortho-amidation of 2-aryloxazolines offers an efficient and direct route to a range of sulfonamides. The scope of the reaction is very broad with respect to sulfonamide substrate, but the position and electronic nature of the substituents on the aryl moiety of the oxazoline lead to a surprising modulation of reactivity. The reactivity of sulfonamides in comparison to trifluoroacetamide is compared, the latter undergoing Rh-catalyzed amidation more rapidly. | 34964301 |
4,507,262 | Clipping of bilateral MCA aneurysms and a coiled ACOM aneurysm through a modified lateral supraorbital craniotomy. We showcase the microsurgical clipping of a left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm-(B) done through a modified right lateral supraorbital craniotomy, as well as clipping of a previously coiled anterior communicating (ACOM) artery aneurysm-(C) and a bilobed right MCA aneurysm-(A). Splitting of the right sylvian fissure is initially performed following which a subfrontal approach is used to expose and dissect the contralateral sylvian fissure. The left MCA aneurysm is identified and clipped. The ACOM aneurysm is then clipped following multiple clip repositioning based on flow measurements. The right MCA aneurysm is then identified and each lobe is clipped separately. The first picture showcased in this video is a side to side right and left ICA injection in AP projection. In this picture, (A) points to the bilobed right MCA aneurysm, (B) to the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm, and (C) to the previously coiled anterior communicating (ACOM) artery aneurysm. The red dotted line shows that both MCA aneurysms lie within the same plane which makes it easier to clip both of them, through one small craniotomy. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/4cQC7nHsL5I . | 1750451 |
4,507,263 | Factors Associated with Spontaneous Abortion among Reproductive Aged Women Introduction: One of the adverse outcomes of pregnancy is spontaneous abortion (SA), which poses a significant obstacle for maternal health promotion. The present study is aimed to examine the factors associated with SA among reproductive aged women. Method: A hospital-based case- control study was conducted at tertiary hospital Lalitpur, Nepal. The consecutive sampling technique was used to select the cases (84) and purposive sampling technique was used for controls (168) in a 1:2 ratio. Ethical approval was obtained. Data were collected through face to face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics analysis (Chi-square and Fisher exact test) were used for analyzing the data. P-value was set at 0.05. Results: We found that the type of family, preconceptionally intake of folic acid and antenatal checkup were significantly associated with spontaneous abortion. Similarly, monthly income was inversely associated with the SA (p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of our study it can be concluded that socio-demographic variables (staying in the joint or nuclear family, intake of folic acid, monthly income and antenatal checkup) and reproductive history also play significant role for spontaneous abortion. Key words: Factors associated; reproductive aged women; spontaneous abortion. | 239085051 |
4,507,264 | Quinoa Starch Characteristics and Their Correlations with the Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) of Cooked Quinoa. Starch characteristics significantly influence the functionality and end-use quality of cereals and pseudo-cereals. This study examined the composition and properties of starch from 11 pure varieties and 2 commercial samples of quinoa in relationship to the texture of cooked quinoa. Nearly all starch properties and characteristics differed among these samples. Results showed that total starch content of seeds ranged from 53.2 to 75.1 g/100 g apparent amylose content ranged from 2.7% to 16.9%; total amylose ranged from 4.7% to 17.3%; and the degree of amylose-lipid complex ranged from 3.4% to 43.3%. Amylose leaching ranged from 31 mg/100 g starch in "Japanese Strain" to 862 mg/100 g starch in "49ALC." "Japanese Strain" starch also exhibited the highest water solubility (4.5%) and the lowest swelling power (17). α-Amylase activity in "1ESP," "Col.#6197," "Japanese Strain," "QQ63," "Yellow Commercial," and "Red Commercial" (0.03 to 0.09 CU) were significantly lower than the levels of the other quinoa samples (0.20 to 1.16 CU). Additionally, gel texture, thermal properties, and pasting properties of quinoa starches were investigated. Lastly, correlation analysis showed that the quinoa samples with higher amylose content tended to yield harder, stickier, more cohesive, more gummy, and more chewy texture after cooking. A higher degree of amylose-lipid complex and amylose leaching were associated with softer and less chewy cooked quinoa TPA texture. Higher starch enthalpy correlated with firmer, more adhesive, more cohesive, and chewier texture. In sum, starch plays a significant role in the texture of | 3941701 |
4,507,265 | cooked quinoa. PRACTICAL APPLICATION The research determined starch characteristics among a diverse set of pure quinoa varieties and commercial samples, and identified the relationships between starch properties and cooked quinoa texture. The results can help breeders and food manufacturers to understand better the relationships among quinoa starch characteristics, cooked quinoa texture, and the best use of different cultivars. | 3941701 |
4,507,266 | Regulation of Gene Expression by Quorum Sensing in Bacteria Quorum sensing is a microbial cell‑to‑cell communication process. Microbial cells produce and release extracellular signalling molecules called autoinduc‑ ers. Gram‑negative and Gram‑positive bacteria use homoserine lactones and oligo‑peptides a s autoinducer to communicate re spectively. The regulation of gene expressi on occurs in res ponse to the cha nges of autoind ucer which depends on cell‑population density. Microbial cells use quorum sensing to regulate many diverse physiological activities such as virulence pigmenta‑ tion bioluminescence sporulation motility secondary metabolites and anti‑ biotics production biofilm formation etc. | 86636451 |
4,507,267 | Academic identity and crossing boundaries: the role of the Programme Director in postgraduate taught programmes ABSTRACT Taught postgraduate programmes (PGT) exist in a competitive global market and those leading such programmes have to chart a way through complex and often conflicting demands. Twenty-two Programme Directors (PDs) from one research-intensive university in the UK were interviewed individually about their experiences of leading PGT programmes. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke’s method and we consider results in relation to circus acts, chosen to conceptualise the complexity and diversity of activities undertaken by the PDs, specifically: clairvoyant, conjurer, blind-folded tight-rope walker, trapeze-artist, contortionist and seasoned performer. PDs described the diversity of the role and high levels of autonomy needed to successfully perform it, but also perceived the role to be under-valued and not well understood or supported. Academic identity was considered to be fluid and permeable, largely related to PGT programmes often being situated on the boundary between academic and professional organisations, leading to many boundary-spanning behaviours. Teaching and student contact were the most rewarding aspect of the role, albeit with a strong sense that these senior teaching roles were less valued than research posts. In the absence of obvious support structures, a clear sense of trust and academic citizenship was reported in the provision of mutual support of others in the same position. There is a need to mobilise this nascent community to establish a strong coherent voice for this academic role to inform planning both for the support of postgraduate students and for those | 216500101 |
4,507,268 | delivering the teaching. | 216500101 |
4,507,269 | Generation of New Cell Models to Screen Improved Vectors for Functional Hemoglobin Expression Gene addition of a functional copy of β-globin and reactivation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) are promising therapeutical approaches for β-globinopathies such as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia (β-thal). Results from the ongoing clinical trials for β-globinopathies, based on lentiviral delivery of the β-globin gene, indicate that a successful outcome is genotype-dependent. So far, the vectors used in the trials failed to produce curative Hb levels in most of the patients whose genotype leads to null adult hemoglobin (HbA) synthesis, like the β0/β0. Therefore, to achieve HbA synthesis at therapeutic levels in the most severe of genotypes, and with minimal vector copy number (VCN) per cell, more powerful and versatile vectors are required. Our lab has engineered a new lentiviral vector, ALS10, that carries the β-globin gene, including the non-coding regions. In erythroblasts from patients with SCD and β-thal ALS10 induces HbA synthesis of 26.8% and 68.6%, respectively, with an average VCN=1. In the present study we aim to streghten the efficacy of our gene addition approach. To do so, a shRNAmiR targeting the transcription factor BCL11A, a known repressor of γ□-globin, was incorporated into ALS10. The shRNAmiR sequences targeting BCL11A (Guda et. al. Molecular Therapy 2015) were flanked by an optimized backbone termed "miR-E" (Fellmann et. al. Cell Reports 2013) for the purpose of knocking down BCL11A and increasing HbF levels. With this approach we expect to overcome some of the limitations of the vectors presently on clinical trials by simultaneous 1) | 202802251 |
4,507,270 | production of transgenic HbA, 2) reactivation of endogenous HbF and 3) decreased production of endogenous mutant protein. The development of gene addition and RNAi based therapies mainly relies on the isolation of cells from volunteer donors. Which is dependent on the establishment of ethical protocols and on the availability of donors. Moreover, the cells isolated by this procedure have a limited number of cycles before undergoing full differentiation into red blood cells and consequent death. The HUDEP-2 cell line (Kurita et. al. Plos One 2013) under the appropriate conditions, can be propagated indefinitely and, upon induction, differentiated into enucleated RBCs. Although it offers an efficient alternative system to overcome some of the limitations of using donor samples, HUDEP-2 are derived from healthy cells and produce almost exclusively HbA, which is a limitation in approaches based on the addition of a wt β-globin gene. To overcome this limitation we used a CRISPR/Cas9 system to mutagenize the β-globin gene of the HUDEP-2 cell line. We have established 2 clones targeted in both alleles named M#9 and M#13. Clone M#9 is homozygous for the deletion of the triplet that encodes Glu6 and was predicted to translate into a shorter variant of the β-globin protein, made of 146 instead of 147aa. Clone M#13 presents the same deletion on 1 allele and a single nucleotide deletion on the second allele, which, by frameshift, causes a downstream premature stop codon that was predicted to encode a 19aa long protein. Chromatographic separation of the hemolysates of clones M#9 and M#13 confirmed the presence | 202802251 |
4,507,271 | of a new hemoglobin variant that is eluted at a different time, distinguishable from both HbA and sickle hemoglobin (HbS). As expected, neither M#9 nor M#13 produce any HbA. From these properties, we predict that these 2 mutant HUDEP clones can be used as a a new cell model for the β-globinopathies, by providing a tool to measure the levels of HbA or F generated after lentiviral treatment. We transduced M#9 and M#13 with a combined lentiviral vector with the miR-E-BCL11A sequence cloned in the 59 region of β-globin intron 2. Our preliminary results show that, upon integration of the dual lentiviral vector, both clones M#9 and M#13 reach levels of 41% HbF and 36% HbA with a simultaneous decrease in the endogenous mutant form to 17% of the total Hb produced. Western blot analyses confirmed a reduction of BCL11A protein levels and concurrent increase of γ-globin levels. Our results show that M#9 and M#13 are a suitable platform to test both HbF and HbA induction therapies and confirm their versatility as a screening system for the various emerging therapeutic approaches for β-globinophaties. In addition, we show for the first time, that both HbA and F can be elevated using a single lentiviral construct, which could maximize the rate of Hb correction in patients with β-globinopathies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. | 202802251 |
4,507,272 | Protein-truncation mutations in the RP2 gene in a North American cohort of families with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. We thank Drs. Sten Andreasson, David Birch, Nancy Carson, Bernie Chodirker, Mark Evans, Gerald Fishman, John Heckenlively, Dennis Hoffman, Maria Musarella, and Beth Spriggs and Mr. Eric L. Krivchenia for some of the patient samples that were included in the mutation screening. We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Wolfgang Berger for providing the RP2 primer sequences. We thank Dr. Monika Buraczynska for organization of the patient registry; Dr. Radha Ayyagari for discussions; Dr. Beverly Yashar for counseling; Ms. Cara Coats for assistance in patient collection; Mr. Jason Cook, Ms. Patricia Forsythe, and Ms. Eve Bingham for technical assistance; and Ms. D. Giebel for secretarial assistance. This research was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants EY05627, EY06094, and EY07961 and by grants from the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the Chatlos Foundation, the Kirby Foundation, the Mackall Trust, and Research to Prevent Blindness. We also acknowledge NIH grants EY07003 (core) and M01-RR00042 (General Clinical Research Center) and a shared equipment grant from the Office of Vice President for Research (University of Michigan). A.S. is recipient of a Lew R. Wasserman Merit Award, and P.A.S., a Senior Scientific Investigator Award, both from Research to Prevent Blindness. | 23095401 |
4,507,273 | Synthesis and characterization of thermally responsive Pluronic F127-chitosan nanocapsules for controlled release and intracellular delivery of small molecules. In this study, we synthesized empty core-shell structured nanocapsules of Pluronic F127 and chitosan and characterized the thermal responsiveness of the nanocapsules in size and wall-permeability. Moreover, we determined the feasibility of using the nanocapsules to encapsulate small molecules for temperature-controlled release and intracellular delivery. The nanocapsules are ∼37 nm at 37 °C and expand to ∼240 nm when cooled to 4 °C in aqueous solutions, exhibiting >200 times change in volume. Moreover, the permeability of the nanocapsule wall is high at 4 °C (when the nanocapsules are swollen), allowing free diffusion of small molecules (ethidium bromide, MW = 394.3 Da) across the wall, while at 37 °C (when the nanocapsules are swollen), the wall-permeability is so low that the small molecules can be effectively withheld in the nanocapsule for hours. As a result of their thermal responsiveness in size and wall-permeability, the nanocapsules are capable of encapsulating the small molecules for temperature-controlled release and intracellular delivery into the cytosol of both cancerous (MCF-7) and noncancerous (C3H10T1/2) mammalian cells. The cancerous cells were found to take up the nanocapsules much faster than the noncancerous cells during 45 min incubation at 37 °C. Moreover, toxicity of the nanocapsules as a delivery vehicle was found to be negligible. The Pluronic F127-chitosan nanocapsules should be very useful for encapsulating small therapeutic agents to treat diseases particularly when it is combined with cryotherapy where the process of cooling and heating between 37 | 207636151 |
4,507,274 | °C and hypothermic temperatures is naturally done. | 207636151 |
4,507,275 | Novel Distance Measure for Hesitant Fuzzy Sets and Its Application to K-Means Clustering Distance measures have recently been studied in-depth within the context of hesitant fuzzy sets. The authors analyze existing research on the distance measures of hesitant fuzzy sets and identify several limitations. This paper proposes a new distance measure for hesitant fuzzy sets to overcome these shortcomings. First, a new hesitance degree with better accuracy and applicability is defined. Then, a new method for measuring the distance between hesitant fuzzy sets is proposed by considering the hesitance degree. On this basis, an improved hesitant fuzzy K-means clustering algorithm is introduced to classify hesitant fuzzy sets. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the specific implementation process of the clustering method, and a comparative study on the example is conducted. | 253368401 |
4,507,276 | Measurements of cross-polarization discrimination degradation of Ka-band satellite communication signals in thunderstorm events Rapid changes in cross-polarization discrimination (XPD) of Ka-band satellite radio wave signals caused by thunder-storm events are presented. The directions of rapid changes are discussed using the co-polar and cross-polar signals received for the past 17 years from 1990 to 2006. Increase and decrease of the XPD and cross-polar phases are examined, assuming those caused by alignment and canting angles of ice crystals at the discharging point of lightning. The XPD values and cross-polar phases are directly traced during the rapid changes at the discharging point using those values measured at 0.1 sec intervals. | 1030201 |
4,507,277 | Chernobyl: The Explosions That Shook the World CHERNOBYL, UKRAINE-In the 10 years since the world's worst nuclear accident tumed this obscure town's name into a household word, armies of scientists have been trying to figure out exactly what happened inside reactor number 4 of the Chemobyl nuclear power plant on 26 April 1986-and what is likely to happen to the health of the surrounding population as a result. Researchers are confident they know what triggered the accident, and preliminary results from some of the medical studies are trickling in: Aside from a sharp increase in the incidence of childhood thyroid cancer, much ofthe medical news so far is reassuring (see page 357). But for a small band of200 scientists based in a former kindergarten here, an urgent question remains unanswered: What happened to the 190 tons of uranium oxide fuel that originally resided in the destroyed reactor? Estimates of the amounts released into the atmosphere and the tally so far ofthe fuel in the rubble beneath the reactor leave between 10 and 50 tons unaccounted for. Three different scenarios have emerged to explain this discrepancy: Some or all of the missing fuel may have been ejected in the initial explosion, or it may have been spewed out in the subsequent fire, or it may be as yet undiscovered beneath the reactor. Each of these alternatives is based on different views of what occurred in the early stages of the accidenta period of this much-studied event that remains a topic of considerable scientific debate. Figuring out how | 83709151 |
4,507,278 | the accident progressed and where the missing fuel ended up is largely the job of the 200 researchers in this ghost town who belong to the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences' (UNAS's) Intersectorial Scientific and Technical Center (ISTC). Because most ofthe reactor's monitoring equipment was lost in the two explosions that destroyed reac- | 83709151 |
4,507,279 | Association between YAP expression in neoplastic and non‐neoplastic breast tissue with arsenic urinary levels The Hippo pathway regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis and it has been noted that loss of critical components of this pathway can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Yes‐associated protein (YAP) is an important component of this Hippo pathway because YAP is the nuclear effector of the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway and it is crucial for the response to oxidative stress induced by cellular process and by different xenobiotics, including arsenic. It has been proposed that YAP dysregulation can contribute to a malignant cellular phenotype acting as both a tumor suppressor and an oncogene. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the expression of YAP in neoplastic and non‐neoplastic breast tissue of women chronically exposed to arsenic through drinking water. YAP expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 120 breast biopsies from women with breast cancer and from women with other non‐neoplastic breast pathologies. Arsenic concentration was quantified in urine. The results disclosed a significant lower percentage of cytoplasm YAP expression in cases and that YAP high‐intensity staining in the cytoplasm but not in the nucleus decreases the risk for breast cancer. In conclusion, our overall data suggest that YAP may act as a tumor suppressor protein because their reduced expression in cases, which can induce an environment favorable for inhibition of apoptosis and promoting cellular proliferation by increasing genetic instability of cells, which might contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. | 12780401 |
4,507,280 | Temperature effects on polarons mobility in nonfullerene organic heterojunction In this work, we studied electronic transport in organic solar cells (OSC) with the aid of the open-source program Excimontec, which uses the kMC algorithm and Marcu's theoretical model to model the transfer rate of charge. The aim of the study was to simulate the effect of temperature variation on the rate of mobility of charge carriers in heterojunctions composed of non-fullerene acceptor units BYG-1/SMD and BYG- 2/SMD together with a small molecule donor (SMD) appropriate. | 234539601 |
4,507,281 | Synthetic Image Sequences developed to test thePerformance of Motion Estimation Algorithms In most cases, it is very diicult to estimate the accuracy and reliability of diierent motion (optical ow) estimation algorithms. Most authors use well known image sequences to test their techniques and compare them with the work of others. Barron et al. 1] have reported experiments with 9 diierent algorithms where four such sequences are used. Most algorithms perform well for simple image sequences. In this work test sequences is designed for diier-ent situations: translation, rotation, occlusion, and multiple motion, with and without noise. We have used these sequences to test the algorithms presented in 1]. Our ndings give a more diverse view of the capabilities of the different approaches. | 7839201 |
4,507,282 | Knowledge on neoplastic diseases among young rural inhabitants. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to analyze the level of knowledge on tumours and their prevention among rural inhabitants. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research involved 500 residents of villages in Podkarpackie Province in south-east Poland. The age of the researched ranges from 18-30 years; mean age - 26.96±0.84 (range [18, 30], median 25.95%CI [18, 9, 29, 01]). The researched group was represented in 47.59% by women in 52.41% by men. In order to obtain the research material, a standardized questionnaire was applied which included questions focused mainly on assessment of the level of knowledge on tumours (causes, symptoms, ways of treatment, prevention), as well as questions with both spontaneous and prompted answers. RESULTS 34.72% of respondents confirmed the occurrence of tumours in their family; the most frequently occurring was a lung tumour (9.4%). While assessing the degree of relationship it was proved that among parents' of the respondents, neoplastic disease had occurred in 3.22% of cases, and in 22.36% of cases it affected grandparents. In self-assessment, a low level of knowledge was indicated by 35.35% of respondents: average by 30.45%, hard to determine by 32%, while 2.18% stated that their level of knowledge was high. The most frequently enumerated risk factors were: smoking (36.61%), improper diet (15.03%), and improper lifestyle (9.83%). UV radiation was a risk factor for 16.18%; however, a solarium only for 1.93% of respondents. For 37.94%, a medical examination was a diagnostic method in neoplastic disease. CONCLUSIONS According to self-assessment, every third respondent | 25119851 |
4,507,283 | stated having a low or average level of knowledge. The most frequently used source of knowledge was the Internet, and much more rarely a doctor or a nurse. Very few of the respondents could enumerate the tests applied in the early detection of neoplastic diseases. | 25119851 |
4,507,284 | Mathematical Contributions to the Scientific Understanding of War During the past 50 years mathematics has provided a unique tool for the rational acquisition of new objective knowledge about war as a social phenomenon. Four discoveries are examined: the hyporeliability effect in deterrence systems aimed at war prevention; the N-crisis problem of war escalation (originally conjectured by Q. Wright); a ledge of time at the onset of war; and a phenomenon called war dilation, which explains the decreasing propensity of wars to terminate once they have begun. Though in different ways, each of these discoveries exemplifies significant new aspects of war which would not have been discovered without the medium of mathematics. | 219370451 |
4,507,285 | [Surgical treatment of third cranial nerve palsy]. PURPOSE To study surgical treatment results of third cranial nerve palsy. METHOD We have retrospectively studied 11 patients with a third cranial nerve palsy (10 unilateral and 1 bilateral) who were subjected to surgery. The etiology was traumatic in 4 cases, congenital in 2, vascular in 4, and tumoral in 1. Torticollis was present in 7 patients and 5 had diplopia. A good aesthetic result was defined by a final deviation of less than 10 prismatic diopters, a medium result by a deviation between 10-20 diopters and a bad result if the deviation was > or = 20 diopters. A good functional result was considered if there was no diplopia when the eyes were in their primary position. RESULTS In all instances large recessions and/or resections of horizontal recti muscles were performed. Vertical deviation was treated in 4 cases. Multiple surgery was needed in 3 cases, 2 patients being operated on twice and 1 case was operated on four times. Botulinum toxin was used in 4 cases, before or after surgery. The aesthetic result was good in 7 cases, medium in 2, and bad in the other 2. Postoperative diplopia was present in 4 cases. Mean postoperative follow-up was 27.9 months. CONCLUSIONS Large recti muscle recessions and resections are our first surgical technique to treat problems of third cranial nerve palsy. Sometimes several surgeries are required to treat vertical deviation and previous hypocorrection. Botulinum toxin is a complementary treatment. Functional results are worse than aesthetic ones. | 35096601 |
4,507,286 | Principal Component Analysis for Identification of Superior Castor Bean Hybrids The identification of superior genotypes in plant breeding programs is not a quick and simple task and requires breeders to become aware of more suitable and efficient tools for evaluating crop performance. Univariate analyses are often too narrow for the scope of plant breeding because it lacks consideration of relations between variables. Therefore, the objective of this study was to select castor bean hybrids based on principal component analysis (PCA). Trials were conducted in 2017 with 31 hybrids in a randomized block design with 4 replications. The following variables were used to evaluate crop performance: plant height (PH), insertion height of the primary raceme (HPR), number of stem nodes (NN), number of racemes (NR), number of seeds (NS), stem diameter (SD), number of fruits (NF), 100-seed weight (S100) and seed oil content (SOC). The first three principal components (PCs) explained approximately 75.01 % of all the variability in the dataset. PC 1, 2 and 3 were particularly related to productivity (NS, NR, S100 and NF), plant size (SD, HPR and PH) and oil production (SOC), respectively. Hybrids 14 and 23 were the most suitable for grain production in commercial scale due to short-height, which favors mechanical harvesting. Commercial hybrid 26 showed high SOC, medium grain yield and medium-height. | 196683901 |
4,507,287 | Comparison of voltage security constrained optimal power flow techniques This paper compares two different optimal power flow (OPF) formulations that consider voltage security in power systems. The techniques are both based on multi-objective optimization methodologies, so that operating costs and losses can be minimized while maximizing the "distance" to voltage collapse. The techniques are described in detail and compared to study their similarities, as well as advantages and disadvantages. The comparisons are based on the results obtained by applying these two methods to a modified version of the 118-bus IEEE test system. | 16684451 |
4,507,288 | Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde: Genotoxic Risk Evaluation By Comet Assay And Micronucleus Test Using Human Peripheral Lymphocytes Formaldehyde (FA) is a world high-production compound with numerous applications ranging from production of resins to medicines. Due to its sensitizing properties, irritating effects and potential cancer hazard FA is of great environmental health concern. Numerous studies in humans and experimental animals demonstrated that inhaled FA produced toxicity, genotoxicity, and cancer at distal sites. IARC, based on sufficient data, reclassified FA as a human carcinogen. The highest level of human exposure to this aldehyde occurs in occupational settings, namely, in pathology and anatomy laboratories, where FA is commonly used as a fixative and tissue preservative. Several studies consistently showed that the levels of airborne FA in anatomy laboratories exceeded recommended exposure criteria. In order to assess the genotoxic effects of chronic occupational exposure to FA, a group of pathology/anatomy workers was assessed using a micronucleus (MN) test and comet assay. The level of exposure to FA was also determined and the time-weighted average (TWA) of exposure was calculated for each subject. The TWA mean value for FA exposed workers was 0.43 ± 0.06 ppm, exceeding national and international recommended limit levels of 0.3 ppm. Both MN frequency and comet assay parameters were significantly higher in exposed subjects. Data obtained confirm a correlation between genetic damage and occupational exposure to FA. These data, along with recent implications of human carcinogenicity, point out the need for close monitoring of occupational exposure to FA. Implementation of security and hygiene measures as well | 19042801 |
4,507,289 | as good practices campaigns may be crucial to decrease risk. | 19042801 |
4,507,290 | Prosthetic conformers: a step towards improved rehabilitation of enucleated children Abstract Enucleation in children is distressing for families, particularly because of concerns of cosmesis. In the last 2 years the authors have used painted conformers instead of clear conformers to make the postoperative healing and rehabilitation period easier on the families. A set of six prosthetic conformers (small, medium and large; blue and brown) was available in the operating room. An appropriately sized and colour‐matched conformer was placed in the socket at the end of surgery and kept for an average of 4−6 weeks. This decreased the psychological impact of enucleation, yet achieved the goals of an ideal conformer allowing optimal wound healing without pressure to fit a permanent individualized prosthesis earlier than 6 weeks after surgery. The acceptance of families to prosthetic conformers in this paediatric population has been very positive, improving rehabilitation of the family and the enucleated child. | 22196001 |
4,507,291 | Sensitivity and Specificity of Serum Retinol in Determining Vitamin A Deficiency Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) afflicts 190 million children worldwide, increasing the risk of morbidity, mortality and blindness. Serum retinol concentration (SR), a common indicator of VA, is not always associated with liver VA reserves due to homeostatic control and during infection. Sensitivity and specificity are used to evaluate the utility of clinical tests to determine presence of disease. Our objective was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of SR as an indicator of VAD in two rural populations of children from Zambia and Thailand. | 83662751 |
4,507,292 | Spanish adaptation of social withdrawal motivation and frequency scales. OBJECTIVE To adapt into Spanish three scales measuring frequency (SWFS) and motivation for social withdrawal (CSPS and SWMS) and to develop a scale capable of assessing the five motivations for social withdrawal. METHOD Participants were 1,112 Spanish adolescents, aged 12-17 years. The sample was randomly split into two groups in which exploratory and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses were performed separately. A sample of adolescents in residential care (n = 128) was also used to perform discriminant validity analyses. RESULTS SWFS was reduced to eight items that account for 40% of explained variance (PVE), and its reliability is high. SWMS worked adequately in the original version, according to CFA. Some items from the CSPS were removed from the final Spanish version. The newly developed scale (SWMS-5D) is composed of 20 items including five subscales: Peer Isolation, Unsociability, Shyness, Low Mood and Avoidance. Analyses reveal adequate convergent and discriminant validities. CONCLUSIONS The resulting SWFS-8 and SWMS-5D could be considered useful instruments to assess frequency and motivation for social withdrawal in Spanish samples. | 37218201 |
4,507,293 | A Chaotic IP Watermarking in Physical Layout Level Based on FPGA A new chaotic map based IP (Intellectual Property) watermarking scheme at physical design level is presented. An encrypted watermark is embedded into the physical layout of a circuit by configuring LUT (Lookup Table) as specific functions when it is placed and routed onto the FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The main contribution is the use of multiple chaotic maps in the processes of watermark design and embedding, which efficiently improves the security of watermark. A hashed chaotic sequence is used to scramble the watermark. Secondly, two pseudo-random sequences are generated by using chaotic maps. One is used to determine unused LUT locations, and the other divides the watermark into groups. The watermark identifies original owner and is difficult to detect. This scheme was tested on a Xilinx Virtex XCV600-6bg432 FPGA. The experimental results show that our method has low impact on functionality, short path delay and high robustness in comparison with other methods. | 10322151 |
4,507,294 | Analysis of Gene Expression Data 5.1 Introduction 5.1.1 Motivation 5.1.2 Universal Dna Tag Arrays Custom-designed DNA arrays offer the possibility of simultaneously monitoring thousands of hybridization reactions. These arrays show great potential for many medical and scientific applications, such as polymorphism analysis and genotyping. Relatively high costs are associated with the need to specifically design and synthesize problem-specific arrays. Recently, an alternative approach was suggested that utilize fixed, universal arrays. This approach presents an interesting design problem the arrays should contain as many probes as possible, while minimizing experimental errors caused by cross-hybridization. This lecture presents the work of Ben-Dor et al. [1] on the design problem. They use a simple thermodynamical model to cast this design problem in a formal mathematical framework. Employing new combinatorial ideas, they derive an efficient construction for the design problem and prove that the construction is near-optimal. | 9262151 |
4,507,295 | The Araucaria Project: High-precision orbital parallax and masses of the eclipsing binary TZ~Fornacis Context: Independent distance estimates are particularly useful to check the precision of other distance indicators, while accurate and precise masses are necessary to constrain evolution models. Aim: The goal is to measure the masses and distance of the detached eclipsing-binary TZ~For with a precision level lower than 1\,\% using a fully geometrical and empirical method. Method: We obtained the first interferometric observations of TZ~For with the VLTI/PIONIER combiner, which we combined with new and precise radial velocity measurements to derive its three-dimensional orbit, masses, and distance. Results: The system is well resolved by PIONIER at each observing epoch, which allowed a combined fit with eleven astrometric positions. Our derived values are in a good agreement with previous work, but with an improved precision. We measured the mass of both components to be $M_1 = 2.057 \pm 0.001\,M_\odot$ and $M_2 = 1.958 \pm 0.001\,M_\odot$. The comparison with stellar evolution models gives an age of the system of $1.20 \pm 0.10$\,Gyr. We also derived the distance to the system with a precision level of 1.1\,\%: $d = 185.9 \pm 1.9$\,pc. Such precise and accurate geometrical distances to eclipsing binaries provide a unique opportunity to test the absolute calibration of the surface brightness-colour relation for late-type stars, and will also provide the best opportunity to check on the future Gaia measurements for possible systematic errors. | 55528801 |
4,507,296 | π Bond Strengths in the Second and Third Periods All possible 1r bonds formed between the elements C, N, 0, Si, P, and S are considered. The 1r bond strengths are estimated by the cis-trans rotation barriers (where possible) and by hydrogenation energies. The ability of these elements to form strong 1r bonds is in the order 0 > N "" C » S > P > Si. In addition, computed bond lengths and vibrational stretching frequencies are reported for both the singly and doubly bound compounds. The structure of the lowest triplet state of each double-bonded compound is given, along with the singlet-triplet splitting. The field of p,.-p.,. bonding involving elements from the third period of the periodic table, and below, became an active research area only in the 1970s, with efforts intensifying sharply in the 1980s. Perhaps one reason for the late development of the field was the so-called "Double Bond Rule", which states that elements with a valence principal quantum number of three or greater will not participate in 1r bonding. In fact, in the mid 1960s the paucity of compounds containing heavy atom multiple bonds led to the classification of such molecules as "nonexistent compounds". 1 In 1948, Pitzer2 noted the relative lack of examples of 71"-bonded heavy elements. He explained this by the qualitative argument that since heavier elements have longer bond lengths, their p,.-p .. overlap integrals should be smaller than those for corresponding second period elements. Since bond strengths are usually believed to be proportional to overlap integrals (see, | 97647851 |
4,507,297 | for example, extended Hucke! theory), the reluctance of heavy elements to 71" bond was explained in a simple, intuitive manner. However, in 1950 Mulliken3 tested this idea by actually computing the values of the overlap integrals, by using a minimal Slater orbital basis and assumed geometries. He found that in fact the overlap integrals did not decrease significantly when heavy atoms replaced their second row congeners. To illustrate his result, we have computed similar overlap integrals by using Hartree-Fock quality atomic orbitals and bond distances typical of -N=Nand -P=Pcompounds. The 71" overlap is actually larger in the phosphorus case, 0.65 vs. 0.62! This discovery led Mulliken to conclude "the differences between second and third period atoms with respect to readiness of formation of multiple bonds ... are shown to be attributable to increased strengths of u bonds in the third period." A number of workers have objected to this on the grounds that, for example, Si-Si u bonds are weaker than C-C u bonds. What Mulliken meant, of course, was that the difference between u and 71" bond strengths is larger in the third and higher periods than in the second. A preliminary feel for the relative strengths4-9 of u vs. 71" bonding for the second and third period elements may be obtained from Tables I and II. Table I shows that u bond strengths decrease toward the right of the periodic table. Because this tailing off is larger in the second period, the third period elements actually possess greater u bond strengths in groups 16 | 97647851 |
4,507,298 | and 17. Table II shows that when 71" bonds are also formed, as in the homonuclear diatomics, the second period elements always have markedly stronger bonds. In fact, C 2 contains two 71" bonds, in preference to a u and 71" bond! In a recent landmark paper Kutzelnigg 10 surveyed chemical bonding between main group elements. He explains the weakness (I) Dasent, W. E. Nonexistent Compounds; Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, 1965; Chapter 4. (2) Pitzer, K. S. J. Am. Chern. Soc. 1948, 70, 214G-2145. (3) Mulliken, R. S. J. Am. Chern. Soc. 1950, 72, 4493-4503. (4) Benson, S. W. Thermochemical Kinetics; John Wiley and Sons: New York, 1976. (5) Foner, S. H.; Hudson, R. L. J. Chern. Phys. 1978, 68, 3162-3168. (6) Benson, S. W. Chern. Rev. 1978, 78, 23-35. (7) Huber, K. P.; Herzberg, G. Constants of Diatomic Molecules; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1979. (8) Walsh, R. Ace. Chern. Res. 1981, 14, 246-252. (9) McAllister, T.; Lossing, F. P. J. Phys. Chern. 1969, 73, 2996-2998. (10) Kutzelnigg, W. Angew. Chern., Int. Ed. Engl. 1984, 23, 272-295. 0002-7863/87/1509-5217$01.50/0 Table I. Homopolar | 97647851 |
4,507,299 | The "Green" vs. Trade Debate in the Americas The relationship between trade and the environment has been the subject of lively debate in the Americas and elsewhere. This article analyzes the principal issues involved in the current discussion. Rather than attempting to draw definitive conclusions, the major points ofdebate are highlighted. The chief conclusion is that trade and environmental protection can and should be mutually supportive as part of a strategy of sustainable development. | 154998601 |
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