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Background: Patellofemoral pain is one of the most common injuries in recreational runners, with significant implications for dynamic knee valgus. The knee valgus angle can be corrected surgically or with a more conservative non-operative approach. Increasing running cadence may be an effective biomechanical gait retraining intervention to reduce knee valgus and thus patellofemoral pain. The primary purpose of this study was to examine if an increase in cadence could change the knee valgus angle. Methods: Ten asymptomatic recreational runners were recorded running on a treadmill during control and experimental intervals. Each interval lasted five minutes, and participants ran at 100% and 110% of their baseline cadence. Peak angles of knee valgus were compared between both intervals using the video analysis software application Dartfish Express. A paired sample, a two-tailed t-test, was used to determine the significant difference between bilateral frontal plane knee angle measurements during both intervals. Results: The average decrease in knee valgus measured in control versus experimental intervals was 2.23° for the right leg and 2.05° for the left leg, with a significance of p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated a statistically significant decrease in angles of dynamic knee valgus, attributable to increased cadence. These changes in knee valgus angle are likely to have a positive impact on preventing and reducing pain associated with PFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large energetic laser facilities provide an amazing tool for bringing matter into high energy density states but achieving a good energy conversion requires to optically smooth the high-power laser beams. Optical smoothing reduces the laser spatial and temporal coherences, allowing to mitigate the development of unwanted laser–plasma instabilities (LPI). Two schemes have been mainly developed: polarization smoothing and smoothing by spectral dispersion. Here, we focus on the latter. Smoothing by spectral dispersion consists in broadening the spectrum usually through a sinusoidal phase modulation and dispersing it with an optical grating. It is usually considered that the modulation frequency should be equal to the inverse of the time delay of the grating, because it maximizes the number of uncorrelated speckles patterns at a given bandwidth. However, current optical smoothing designs are still not sufficient for mitigating LPI. Because the optical smoothing system possesses degrees of freedom, we propose to improve the optical smoothing efficiency by a better tuning of those parameters. Considering the Laser Mégajoule optical system framework, we show that an increase in the modulation frequency allows a better efficiency of the smoothing while keeping the same bandwidth. We assess the efficiency by looking at a better mitigation of the stimulated Brillouin scattering that, due to its dangerousness in hohlraums developed for inertial confinement fusion applications in the indirect drive scheme, serves as a witness instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sugars are one of the fundamental building blocks of life, but despite their essentiality, only a limited number of polysaccharides and glycoconjugates can be made synthetically. Plants use photosynthesis to produce a vast array of sugar-derived compounds in large quantities, while other means of production, such as chemical synthesis or microbial fermentation, are narrow in their range of sugar chemistries and comparatively low in yield. These qualities make plants an attractive platform for the synthesis of sugars and other glycosylated products. Plants have already been engineered to make products composed of or containing sugars that otherwise may be challenging to synthesize in other commonly used systems. Their growing use in glycoengineering efforts will continue to expand the production of diverse sugar-derived compounds. Plants possess an innate ability to generate vast amounts of sugar and produce a range of sugar-derived compounds that can be utilized for applications in industry, health, and agriculture. Nucleotide sugars lie at the unique intersection of primary and specialized metabolism, enabling the biosynthesis of numerous molecules ranging from small glycosides to complex polysaccharides. Plants are tolerant to perturbations to their balance of nucleotide sugars, allowing for the overproduction of endogenous nucleotide sugars to push flux towards a particular product without necessitating the re-engineering of upstream pathways. Pathways to produce even non-native nucleotide sugars may be introduced to synthesize entirely novel products. Heterologously expressed glycosyltransferases capable of unique sugar chemistries can further widen the synthetic repertoire of a plant, and transporters can increase the amount of nucleotide sugars available to glycosyltransferases. In this opinion piece, we examine recent successes and potential future uses of engineered nucleotide sugar biosynthetic, transport, and utilization pathways to improve the production of target compounds. Additionally, we highlight current efforts to engineer glycosyltransferases. Ultimately, the robust nature of plant sugar biochemistry renders plants a powerful chassis for the production of target glycoconjugates and glycans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosylation is a successful strategy to alter the pharmacological properties of small molecules, and it has emerged as a unique approach to expand the chemical space of natural products that can be explored in drug discovery. Traditionally, most glycosylation events have been carried out chemically, often requiring many protection and deprotection steps to achieve a target molecule. Enzymatic glycosylation by glycosyltransferases could provide an alternative strategy for producing new glycosides. In particular, the glycosyltransferase family has greatly expanded in plants, representing a rich enzymatic resource to mine and expand the diversity of glycosides with novel bioactive properties. This article highlights previous and prospective uses for plant glycosyltransferases in generating bioactive glycosides and altering their pharmacological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Age-related signal-in-noise detection deficits are poorly characterized in mice. • We tested CBA/CaJ mice using tone-in-noise prepulse inhibition across their lifespan. • We used a machine learning classifier and signal detection theory to compute Rd′. • CBA/CaJ mice showed age-related tone-in-noise detection deficits by robust metrics. • Findings offer a model to study the role of presbycusis in the cocktail party problem. The auditory system is constantly tasked with detecting acoustic cues in complex auditory environments. Difficulty hearing speech in noise, largely a result of energetic masking, is a major communication complaint of the elderly, which impacts a third of the global population over 65. The neural mechanisms responsible for processing sound in background noise and subsequently achieving release from energetic masking remain obscure. Furthermore, the senescence of signal-in-noise detection is poorly understood, a phenomenon which could have a myriad of clinical implications. We tested over 300 CBA/CaJ mice aged 1–27 months on tone-in-noise detection ability utilizing prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response with a machine learning startle classifier. We found that mice developed profound tone-in-noise detection deficits throughout their lifespan as evidenced by Rd′ , a detection metric derived from signal detection theory. The most severe decline in Rd′ corresponded to a 2.54-fold decrease in tone-in-noise detection across the lifespan. Our findings suggest that CBA/CaJ mice are an appropriate model to study the role of age-related hearing loss in the context of signal-in-noise masking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and kills more than 1.5 million people each year. Methods: We examine the frequency and function of NK cells in the blood and airways over the course of Mtb infection in a TB macaque model and demonstrate differences in NK marker expression between the two compartments. Flow cytometry and intracellular cytokine staining were utilized to identify NK cell subsets (expressing NKG2A, CD56, or CD16) and function (IL‐10, TNF, IL‐2, IFN‐g, IL‐17, and CD107a). Results: Blood and airway NK cell frequencies were similar during infection though there were differences in subset populations between blood and airway. Increased functional (cytokine/CD107a) parameters were observed in airway NK cells during the course of infection while none were seen in the blood. Conclusions: This study suggests that NK cells in the airway may play an important role in TB host response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A realistic assessment of the DT fuel cycle indicates that ∼327 g tritium will be required for successful plant startup. • Efficient operation of a fusion power plant will require a high level of direct internal recycling. • Improvements to fueling efficiency and burn fraction can greatly reduce startup inventory but may be technologically challenging to achieve. • Plant doubling time is defined to inform the time it takes for a new plant startup inventory to be bred. With the increasing efforts to commercialize fusion power, private and government organizations are investing heavily in the development of technology to support a viable fusion power plant. Deuterium-Tritium (DT) fueled reactors are more prevalent than other proposed designs, requiring tritium processing and handling technology for safe operations and self-sufficiency. Further, each fusion power plant will need a specific-to-design startup inventory of tritium to begin operations. This startup inventory is required prior to breeding and is the minimum tritium inventory required to fill each processing component in the fuel cycle, to offset radioactive decay losses, and to avoid a zero-fuel situation for continuous operation. We present an approach to calculate the startup tritium inventory for a 500 MW th reactor, with considerations for reserve inventory for maintenance and commissioning. A baseline startup inventory was calculated to be approximately 327 gs. This value was obtained using modest assumptions about the technology and operating parameters of a fusion power plant. The required operating reserve inventory or the inventory necessary to keep a fusion power plant operational using only direct internal recycling for 24 h for the same plant design is approximately 642 gs. The approach and findings of this paper will enable fusion energy stakeholders to better utilize the existing scarce global tritium supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calyptraeids Crepidula adunca and Crepidula norrisiarum , both direct developers, are abundant in the shallow waters of the northeastern Pacific. They have long been considered as two allopatric species that live on different hosts and differ in body size. In this study, we rigorously test this historical hypothesis by assessing molecular taxonomy, museum records, new morphological and host observations, and population genetic structure along the northeast Pacific coast. Results show that, contrary to previous understanding, the distributions of the two species largely overlap and that size does not effectively distinguish them, especially in the northern part of the range where the nominal " C. adunca " has been studied. Newly recognized northern occurrences of C. norrisiarum demonstrate that both species have similar, disrupted distributions that range from British Columbia through southern California. Neither species is reported to occur on the outer shores of southern Washington or Oregon, the exception being records of C. adunca at Cape Arago, Oregon. Despite this apparent geographic gap, neither species shows appreciable genetic differentiation between the northern and southern parts of its ranges. Despite body size having been used to distinguish these species, our observations do not support body size as a species-specific trait; rather, they support a new hypothesis that body size variation reflects regional differences in host use and host availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Vegetation–fire feedbacks are important for determining the distribution of forest and savanna. To understand how vegetation structure controls these feedbacks, we quantified flammability across gradients of tree density from grassland to forest in the Brazilian Cerrado.We experimentally burned 102 plots, for which we measured vegetation structure, fuels, microclimate, ignition success and fire behavior.Tree density had strong negative effects on ignition success, rate of spread, fire‐line intensity and flame height. Declining grass biomass was the principal cause of this decline in flammability as tree density increased, but increasing fuel moisture contributed. Although the response of flammability to tree cover often is portrayed as an abrupt, largely invariant threshold, we found the response to be gradual, with considerable variability driven largely by temporal changes in atmospheric humidity. Even when accounting for humidity, flammability at intermediate tree densities cannot be predicted reliably.Fire spread in savanna–forest mosaics is not as deterministic as often assumed, but may appear so where vegetation boundaries are already sharp. Where transitions are diffuse, fire spread is difficult to predict, but should become increasingly predictable over multiple fire cycles, as boundaries are progressively sharpened until flammability appears to respond in a threshold‐like manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human immunodeficiency virus infection is the most common risk factor for severe forms of tuberculosis (TB), regardless of CD4 T cell count. Using a well-characterized cynomolgus macaque model of human TB, we compared radiographic, immunologic and microbiologic characteristics of early (subclinical) reactivation of latent M. tuberculosis (Mtb) infection among animals subsequently infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) or who underwent anti-CD4 depletion by a depletion antibody. CD4 depleted animals had significantly fewer CD4 T cells within granulomas compared to Mtb/SIV co-infected and Mtb-only control animals. After 2 months of treatment, subclinical reactivation occurred at similar rates among CD4 depleted (5 of 7 animals) and SIV infected animals (4 of 8 animals). However, SIV-induced reactivation was associated with more dissemination of lung granulomas that were permissive to Mtb growth resulting in greater bacterial burden within granulomas compared to CD4 depleted reactivators. Granulomas from Mtb/SIV animals displayed a more robust T cell activation profile (IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF, IL-17, IL-2, IL-10, IL-4 and granzyme B) compared to Mtb/αCD4 animals and controls though these effectors did not protect against reactivation or dissemination, but instead may be related to increased viral and/or Mtb antigens. SIV replication within the granuloma was associated with reactivation, greater overall Mtb growth and reduced Mtb killing resulting in greater overall Mtb burden. These data support that SIV disrupts protective immune responses against latent Mtb infection beyond the loss of CD4 T cells, and that synergy between SIV and Mtb occurs within granulomas. Author summary: Most humans are able to control infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB). Controlled, asymptomatic infection (latent infection) can develop into symptomatic, severe TB (reactivation TB) when the immune system is impaired, and HIV is the most common risk factor. Chronic HIV infection is associated with low CD4 T cells but there are likely other factors involved. Using macaques with latent Mtb infection, we could induce reactivation from either CD4 T cell depletion or SIV infection. We found that SIV induced reactivation was more dramatic with more bacterial dissemination and bacterial growth compared to those with CD4 depletion. While SIV-infected animals had more activated immune responses in the lung granulomas (a collection of immune cells that functions to combat Mtb), they could not prevent bacterial spread of Mtb resulting in more TB pathology, higher bacterial burden and disease throughout the body. These data suggest that the HIV-induced reactivation TB is not solely from the loss of CD4 T cells. Furthermore, our data suggest that SIV and Mtb have a synergistic relationship within granulomas that impairs the ability to kill Mtb and that this relationship exacerbates TB disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Auditory brain stem responses measured over the life span of CBA/CaJ mice. • Tone burst ABR stimuli at 8, 12, 16, 24 & 32 kHz. • Age range from 79 to 1,085 days (3 to 36 months). • Significant hearing loss (increase in threshold) occurs at approximately 16-18 months, depending on frequency and sex. The inbred mouse strain CBA/CaJ is a frequently used animal model of age-related hearing loss in humans. These mice display significant hearing loss at a relatively advanced age, similar to most humans, with progressive loss of hearing as the mouse continues to age. While important descriptions of hearing loss in this mouse strain at multiple ages have previously been published, shortcomings persist in the data for hearing over the lifespan of the mouse. Therefore, we analyzed auditory brainstem response threshold data from records maintained by our research group to yield an extensive database of thresholds over nearly the entire life span of the CBA/CaJ mouse (from 79 to 1085 days). Data was collected from in-house bred mice of CBA/CaJ stock, initially from The Jackson Laboratory. Data was collected using BiosigRZ software and TDT System III hardware. Thresholds were routinely measured in conjunction with behavioral and electrophysiological experiments; only responses from baseline or experimentally naïve animals were analyzed. The resulting data set comprised 376 female mice and 441 males. At the lowest and highest frequencies (8 & 32 kHz), initial thresholds were just under 30 dB SPL and increased slowly until they were significantly different at 16-18 months compared to 1-3 months age, with the difference increasing over subsequent ages. At the middle frequencies (12 & 16 kHz), initial thresholds were just under 20 dB SPL and increased until they became different from initial at 16-18 months. At 24 kHz, initial thresholds were just above 20 dB and became different from initial at 13-16 months of age. The rate of change of thresholds with age were similar for all frequencies until about 30 months of age, when 32 kHz threshold changes lagged behind other frequencies. Generally, CBA/CaJ mice in our colony display relatively low thresholds until approximately 16 months of age, depending on frequency. After 16-18 months, thresholds become significantly worse. After approximately 20-22 months thresholds increase linearly with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C1 polymerizations provide a means to grow polymer chains one carbon atom at a time. Such methodology enables the synthesis of persubstituted polymers that are challenging to prepare using conventional C2 polymerizations, which typically utilize alkene-based monomers and thus grow polymer chains two carbons at a time. Persubstituted polymers feature higher densities of pendant functional groups and, as such, offer the potential to exhibit enhanced physical and/or chemical properties over their monosubstituted C2 polymer analogues. This review summarizes the various metals that have been used to promote C1 polymerizations in a catalytic or stoichiometric manner. Discussions are stratified according to the monomers used, which are formally carbenes or carbynes and typically employed as their respective ylides, isocyanides, diazo compounds, or geminal di- or trihalides. Emphasis is placed on the scope of the polymerization chemistry, underlying mechanisms, and outstanding opportunities in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inhaled medications are recommended as first-line treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and can reduce exacerbations and hospitalizations. Low health literacy is associated with poor inhaler technique. Objective: This study examined whether handouts written specifically for patients with low health literacy are more effective in showing patients how to use their medications when compared to standard education materials. Methods: A prospective, experimental study was performed at a community-based hospital. Patients included in the study were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of COPD, taking at least 1 inhaled medication and identified as having low health literacy based on a Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine—Short Form. Low health literacy handouts were compared against the standard hospital educational materials for inhalers. Correct technique during each demonstration was evaluated using a standardized checklist. Results: Mean baseline scores for inhaler technique were 12.2 ± 2.2 steps correct for the control group and 13.4 ± 1.3 for the low health-literacy group of the 18 maximum points (P = nonsignificant). The mean change in inhaler technique score for the control group was 1.0 ± 1.8, while the mean change in inhaler technique score for the low health-literacy group was 2.1 ± 2.7 (P = .03). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:  Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV)-infected persons are more susceptible to tuberculosis than HIV-uninfected persons. Low peripheral CD4+ T-cell count is not the sole cause of higher susceptibility, because HIV-infected persons with a high peripheral CD4+ T-cell count and those prescribed successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain more prone to active tuberculosis than HIV-uninfected persons. We hypothesized that the increase in susceptibility is caused by the ability of HIV to manipulate Mycobacterium tuberculosis-associated granulomas.Methods:  We examined 71 excised cervical lymph nodes (LNs) from persons with HIV and M. tuberculosis coinfection, those with HIV monoinfection, and those with M. tuberculosis monoinfection with a spectrum of peripheral CD4+ T-cell counts and ART statuses. We quantified differences in M. tuberculosis levels, HIV p24 levels, cellular response, and cytokine presence within granulomas.Results:  HIV increased M. tuberculosis numbers and reduced CD4+ T-cell counts within granulomas. Peripheral CD4+ T-cell depletion correlated with granulomas that contained fewer CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, less interferon γ, more neutrophils, more interleukin 10 (IL-10), and increased M. tuberculosis numbers. M. tuberculosis numbers correlated positively with IL-10 and interferon α levels and fewer CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. ART reduced IL-10 production.Conclusions:  Peripheral CD4+ T-cell depletion correlated with increased M. tuberculosis presence, increased IL-10 production, and other phenotypic changes within granulomas, demonstrating the HIV infection progressively changes these granulomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Neutrophilic inflammation has been implicated in non-eosinophilic asthma ( NEA) in adults, but little is known about NEA in children/adolescents. We assessed clinical and inflammatory characteristics of NEA in adolescent asthma. Methods Airway inflammation, sputum endotoxin, airway hyper-reactivity, atopy and lung function were assessed in 77 adolescents with asthma and 68 without asthma (12-17 years). Asthma was identified on the basis of wheeze and asthma history. Results The proportion of NEA (sputum eosinophils <2.5%) was 54%. In this group, atopy, sputum neutrophil, eosinophil, eosinophil cationic protein ( ECP), endotoxin, neutrophil elastase and IL-8 levels were not different from those without asthma. In contrast, eosinophilic asthma ( EA) was associated with atopy and sputum ECP and IL-8. The majority of NEA had no evidence of inflammation; only 14% had neutrophilia (≥61% neutrophils), compared with 11% of EA, and 15% of those without asthma. Small differences in FEV1 ( NS) were found between EA and NEA, but symptom prevalence and severity was not different (63% of EA and 52% of NEA were classified moderate to severe). Conclusion NEA is common in adolescent asthma and has similar clinical characteristics as EA. Neutrophils do not appear to play a role in NEA in adolescents, and underlying mechanisms may not involve airway inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In single nanoparticle mass spectrometry, individual charged nanoparticles (NPs) are trapped in a quadrupole ion trap and detected optically, allowing their mass, charge, and optical properties to be monitored continuously. Previous experiments of this type probed NPs that were either fluorescent or large enough to detect by light scattering. Alternatively, small NPs can be heated to temperatures where thermally excited emission is strong enough to allow detection, and this approach should provide a new tool for measurements of sublimation and surface reaction kinetics of materials at high temperatures. As an initial test, we report a study of carbon NPs in the 20-50 nm range, heated by 10.6 μm, 532 nm, or 445 nm lasers. The kinetics for sublimation and oxidation of individual carbon NPs were studied, and a model is presented for the factors that control the NP temperature, including laser heating, and cooling by sublimation, buffer gas collisions, and radiation. The estimated NP temperatures were in the 1700-2000 K range, and the NP absorption cross sections ranged from ∼0.8 to 0.2% of the geometric cross sections for 532 nm and 10.6 μm excitation, respectively. Emission spectra of single NPs and small NP ensembles show a feature in the IR that appears to be the high energy tail of the thermal (blackbody-like) emission expected from hot particles but also a discrete feature peaking around 750 nm. Both the IR tail and 750 nm peak are observed for all particles and for both IR and visible laser excitation. No significant difference was observed between graphite and amorphous carbon NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer patients treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy experience fatigue and changes in body composition that can impact physical functioning and quality of life during and after treatment. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is associated with fatigue in cancer survivors and plays an important role in the regulation of body composition. The purpose of the present study was to determine the specific role of IL-6 in cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-5-fluorouracil (CAF)-induced changes in fatigue, food intake, and body composition using mice lacking IL-6. Female wild-type (WT) and IL-6−/− mice were injected with four cycles of CAF or normal saline (NS) administered at 21-day intervals. Daily voluntary wheel-running activity (VWRA), used as a proxy for fatigue, and food intake were monitored daily up to 21 days after the fourth dose. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to assess treatment-related changes in lean body mass (LBM), fat mass (FM), and bone mineral content (BMC). Patterns of change in fatigue and food intake did not differ between CAF-treated WT and IL-6−/− mice. However, a Genotype × Drug interaction was observed for LBM (p = 0.047) and FM (p = 0.035) but not BMC (p = .569). Whereas WT mice lost LBM and FM during CAF treatment, IL-6-deficient mice did not. Treatment-related decreases in levels of the anabolic hormone insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) may contribute to LBM and FM loss since CAF decreased IGF-1 levels in an IL-6-dependent manner. These findings implicate IL-6 and possibly IGF-1 in the regulation of body composition in breast cancer patients exposed to cytotoxic chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have a well-established animal model of PTSD composed of predator exposure administered in conjunction with social instability that produces PTSD-like behavioral and physiological abnormalities one month after stress initiation. Here, we assessed whether the PTSD-like effects would persist for at least 4 months after the initiation of the psychosocial stress regimen. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to either 2 or 3 predator-based fear conditioning sessions. During each session, rats were placed in a chamber for a 3-min period that terminated with a 30-s tone, followed by 1 h of immobilization of the rats during cat exposure (Day 1). All rats in the stress groups received a second fear conditioning session 10 days later (Day 11). Half of the stress rats received a third fear conditioning session 3 weeks later (Day 32). The two cat-exposed groups were also exposed to daily unstable housing conditions for the entire duration of the psychosocial stress regimen. The control group received stable (conventional) housing conditions and an equivalent amount of chamber exposure on Days 1, 11 and 32, without cat exposure. Behavioral testing commenced for all groups on Day 116. The stress groups demonstrated increased anxiety on the elevated plus maze, impaired object recognition memory and robust contextual and cued fear conditioned memory 3 months after the last conditioning session. Combined data from the two stress groups revealed lower post-stress corticosterone levels and greater diastolic blood pressure relative to the control group. These findings indicate that predator-based psychosocial stress produces persistent PTSD-like physiological and behavioral abnormalities that may provide insight into the neurobiological and endocrine sequelae in traumatized people with PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Correlations between the i.v. immune globulin (IVIG) dose and the change in serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration with three methods of weight-based dosing were investigated. Methods. A retrospective medical records review was conducted to identify patients in a multicenter healthcare system who received IVIG over a 10-year period and had serum IgG measurements within two days before and two days after the date of IVIG administration. For each of the 11 adults and 7 adolescents identified, the relationship between the weight-based dose of IVIG (determined using actual body weight [BW], adjusted BW, or ideal BW [IBW]) and the resulting change in serum IgG was evaluated. Correlation coefficients and corresponding p values for the three dosing methods were calculated and compared. Results. Among adult patients, the correlation of IVIG dose and postdose change in serum IgG was strongest with dosing by IBW (correlation coefficient [r], 0.83 [p < 0.05] versus r values of 0.73 and 0.70 for dosing by adjusted BW or actual BW, respectively [p = 0.05 for both]); the corresponding r values in adolescent patients were 0.99, 0.99, and 0.95, respectively (p < 0.005 for all). There were no statistically significant differences between the r values calculated for the three weight-based dosing methods in either adults or adolescents. Conclusion. In adult patients, the correlation between the dose of IVIG and the change in IgG level was strongest when doses were calculated using IBW; comparable degrees of correlation were observed with the three evaluated methods of weight-based dosing in the adolescent population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grocery stores represent a context in which a majority of people's food purchases occur. Considering the nutrition quality of the population's food intake has dramatically decreased, understanding how to improve food choice in the grocery store is paramount to healthier living. In this work, we detail the type of financial resources from which shoppers could draw (i.e., personal income and benefits from government food assistance programs to low income populations) and explain how these financial resources are allocated in the grocery store (i.e., planned, unplanned, error). Subsequently, we identify a conceptual framework for shopper marketing nutrition interventions that targets unplanned fruit and vegetable purchases (i.e., slack, or willingness to spend minus list items). Targeting slack for fresh fruit and vegetable purchases allows retailers to benefit economically (i.e., fruit and vegetables are higher margin) and allows shoppers to improve their nutrition without increasing their budgets (i.e., budget neutrality). We also provide preliminary evidence of what in-store marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables could entail by modifying grocery carts and grocery floors to provide information of what is common, normal, or appropriate fruit and vegetable purchases. In each example, fresh fruit and vegetable purchases increased and evidence suggested shopper budget neutrality. To provide context for these results, we detail measurement tools that can be used to measure shopper behaviors, purchases, and consumption patterns. Finally, we address theoretical, practical, and policy implications of shopper marketing nutrition interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the issue of sex discrimination in the sport of professional tennis as of September 2014 and the need to amend federal antidiscrimination laws in the U.S. to improve protection of female tennis players against employment discrimination. Also cited are some antidiscrimination statutes in the U.S., including the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as the social-scientific theories on occupational gender inequality.

An instrument designed for non-destructive mass analysis of single trapped nanoparticles is described. The heart of the instrument is a 3D quadrupole (Paul) trap constructed to give optical access to the trap center along ten directions, allowing passage of lasers for particle heating and detection, particle injection, collection of scattered or fluorescent photons for particle detection and mass analysis, and collection of particles on TEM grids for analysis, as needed. Nanoparticles are injected using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source, and conditions are described for spraying and trapping polymer particles, bare metal particles, and ligand stabilized particles with masses ranging from 200 kDa to >3 GDa. Conditions appropriate to ESI and injection of different types of particles are described. The instrument is equipped with two ion guides separating the ESI source and nanoparticle trap. The first ion guide is mostly to allow desolvation and differential pumping before the particles enter the trap section of the instrument. The second is a linear quadrupole guide, which can be operated in mass selective or mass band-pass modes to limit transmission to species with mass-to-charge ratios in the range of interest. With a little experience, the design allows injection of single particles into the trap upon demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Functional studies of cellular immunity in patients with leukemia often require separation of leukemic cells from other peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This can pose a challenge when the number of leukemic cells is very high, such as in untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We found that when leukemia cell frequency was very high, anti-CD19 coated immunomagnetic beads did not thoroughly deplete B cells when used according to manufacturer's instructions. In this study, we depleted leukemic B cells using a modified protocol comprising serial rounds of depletion using immunomagnetic beads at reduced bead to cell ratios. This resulted in more effective B cell depletion with the use of fewer immunomagnetic beads, and without affecting viability or yield of non-B cells. CD19− PBMC subsets were retained, and serial depletion rounds did not activate T cells and monocytes. The positively isolated CLL cells were of high purity and were available for downstream analysis. This is a convenient and cost-effective method to enable in vitro analysis of immunocompetent cells from patients with leukemia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and objective Increased sputum neutrophilia has been observed in asthma, but also during normal ageing in asthmatics and non-asthmatics. It remains unclear what constitutes 'normal' neutrophil levels in different age groups. Methods We assessed the relationship between age and airway neutrophils of 194 asthmatics and 243 non-asthmatics (age range: 6-80 years). Regression analyses were used to assess this relationship adjusted for confounders including asthma status, atopy, gender, smoking and current use of inhaled corticosteroids ( ICS). Age-corrected reference values for different age groups were determined using the 95th percentile of non-asthmatic participants. Results Age was positively associated with sputum neutrophils in both asthmatic and non-asthmatic adults (0.46% neutrophil increase/year (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18, 0.73) and 0.44%/year (0.25, 0.64, respectively), but no association was found in the <20-year age category. Individuals with high sputum neutrophil counts (>95th percentile of non-asthmatic counts for any given age group) were significantly more likely to be asthmatic (odds ratio = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.3, 5.0), with the greatest effect observed in the older age group. Other factors that independently associated with increased sputum neutrophil levels included atopy in non-asthmatic adults, male gender and current use of ICS in asthmatic adults. Age-specific reference values for neutrophil percentage were under 20 years-76%, 20-40 years-62%, 40-60 years-63% and over 60 years-67%. Conclusions Airway neutrophilia is related to age in adults, with a neutrophilic asthma phenotype present in older adults. The use of appropriate age-specific reference values is recommended for future studies aimed at elucidating the role of neutrophils in asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-infected individuals are significantly more susceptible to tuberculosis (TB) than uninfected individuals. Although it is established that HIV reduces Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific T cell responses, the causes of this dysfunction are not known. We used the cynomolgus macaque model of TB to demonstrate that ex vivo SIV reduces the frequency of M. tuberculosis-specific TNF and IFN-γ-producing T cells within 24 h after infection. In vivo, T cell IFN-γ responses in granulomas from animals with SIV/M. tuberculosis coinfection were lower than SIV-negative animals with active TB. The SIV effects on the inhibition of T cell responses were primarily on APCs and not the T cells directly. Specifically, reductions in the frequency of TNF-producing M. tuberculosis-specific CD4 T cells were caused, at least in part, by SIV-induced production of monocyte derived IL-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We describe the design, modeling, fabrication, and testing of a MEMS inertial switch that can detect accelerations in the x, y, and z axes using a single mass/spring assembly (first reported in Ref. [1]). A spiral spring suspension is used which is compliant in all directions. The inertial switch approach offers zero power draw until an acceleration event occurs. Arrays of individual triaxial sensors are created on a single chip, with each switch designed to close at a different acceleration threshold between 50g and 250g. A resistor ladder connects each switch together in series such that the number of pinouts from the chip is substantially reduced. The response of the switch array to half-sine acceleration pulses of 5–8ms duration is reported, with multiple switches in the array closing and opening in sequence for higher magnitude acceleration pulses. The switch closure time under these conditions is consistently less than 200μs, and bounce is minimal for applied accelerations lower than 200g. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Much of the literature on gender inequality in sport is devoted to media bias and conceptualizations of masculinity and femininity. In comparison, there is a paucity of empirical research on the sex pay gap. Our case study uses publically accessible data for professional tennis players ranked in the top 100 at the end of the 2009 season to determine to what extent a pay gap exists between men and women. We find that median earnings – both in 2009 and over a player’s career – are substantially higher for men than women in the sample. Net of various productivity measures, the average female player earned less than her male counterpart for every singles tournament won in 2009. We also find that while prize money for men and women is equal in prestigious tournaments such as Grand Slam events, women’s prize money is considerably lower in many of the less publicized tournaments. We submit that the sex pay gap among professional tennis players can be explained in part by productivity in 2009, as well as differential payouts for middle- and low-tier tournaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on special combustion concepts for a gas turbine pilot burner. It is said that different concepts have been proposed, tested, and incorporated to meet high efficiency in combination with ultralow emission from combustion driven devices. The preheated fuel/air mixture is in strong excess in LPP combustion.

We have studied the effects of spatial learning and predator stress-induced amnesia on the expression of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and calcineurin in the hippocampus, basolateral amygdala (BLA), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Adult male rats were given a single training session in the radial-arm water maze (RAWM) composed of 12 trials followed by a 30-min delay period, during which rats were either returned to their home cages or given inescapable exposure to a cat. Immediately following the 30-min delay period, the rats were given a single test trial in the RAWM to assess their memory for the hidden platform location. Under control (no stress) conditions, rats exhibited intact spatial memory and an increase in phosphorylated CaMKII (p-CaMKII), total CaMKII, and BDNF in dorsal CA1. Under stress conditions, rats exhibited impaired spatial memory and a suppression of all measured markers of molecular plasticity in dorsal CA1. The molecular profiles observed in the BLA, mPFC, and ventral CA1 were markedly different from those observed in dorsal CA1. Stress exposure increased p-CaMKII in the BLA, decreased p-CaMKII in the mPFC, and had no effect on any of the markers of molecular plasticity in ventral CA1. These findings provide novel observations regarding rapidly induced changes in the expression of molecular plasticity in response to spatial learning, predator exposure, and stress-induced amnesia in brainregions involved in different aspects of memory processing. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective. Measuring the fraction of nitric oxide in exhaled breath (FENO) is increasingly utilized to assess airway inflammation in asthma. The primary aim of this study was to compare exhaled nitric oxide measurements obtained using two devices from different manufacturers, that is, the recently marketed portable and electrochemical-based Medisoft HypAir FENO and the well-established chemiluminescence-based Aerocrine NIOX analyzer, in an unselected population. Methods. FENO measurements were conducted in 106 subjects (86 healthy; 20 asthmatic; 56.6%% atopic). Atopy and health status were assessed by skin prick tests and questionnaire, respectively. Results. The two instruments showed strong correlation over a wide range of FENO measurements (8--261.3 ppb with the HypAir, 5.6--156.8 ppb with the NIOX; r == 0.98; p < .0001). This correlation was observed in the population as a whole, as well as in healthy non-atopics, healthy atopics, and atopic asthmatics when considered separately. The measurements on the HypAir FENO were consistently 1.6 times (95%% CI 1.11--2.05) higher than those obtained with the NIOX. Conclusions. FENO measurements obtained with the HypAir FENO correlated well with the NIOX, but were approximately 1.6 times higher. Therefore, a conversion factor is required if results are to be compared with the NIOX instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the early immunologic events accompanying reactivated tuberculosis (TB) in HIV-infected individuals may yield insight into causes of reactivation and improve treatment modalities. We used the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis) model of HIV-Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfection to investigate the dynamics of multifunctional T cell responses and granuloma T cell phenotypes in reactivated TB. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were followed from latent M. tuberculosis infection to reactivation after coinfection with a pathogenic SIV. Coinfected animals experienced increased Th1 cytokine responses to M. tuberculosis Ags above the latent-response baseline 3-5 wk post-SIV infection that corresponded with peak plasma viremia. Th2 cytokine expression was not Ag specific, but strong, transient IL-4 expression was noted 4-7 wk post-SIV infection. Animals reactivating <17 wk post-SIV infection had significantly more multifunctional CD4+ T cells 3-5 wk post-SIV infection and more Th2-polarized and fewer Th0-, Th1-polarized CD8+ T cells during weeks 1-10 post-SIV infection than animals reactivating >26 wk post-SIV infection. Granuloma T cells included Th0-, Th1-, and Th2-polarized phenotypes but were particularly rich in cytolytic (CD107+) T cells. When combined with the changes in peripheral blood T cells, these factors indicate that events during acute HIV infection are likely to include distortions in proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory T cell responses within the granuloma that have significant effects on reactivation of latent TB. Moreover, it appears that mycobacteria-specific multifunctional T cells are better correlates of Ag load (i.e., disease status) than of protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous silicon (PS) films ∼65−95 μm thick composed of pores with diameters less than 3 nm were fabricated using a galvanic etching approach that does not require an external power supply. A highly reactive, nanoenergetic composite was then created by impregnating the nanoscale pores with the strong oxidizer, sodium perchlorate (NaClO4). The combustion propagation velocity of the energetic composite was measured using microfabricated diagnostic devices in conjunction with high-speed optical imaging up to 930000 frames per second. Combustion velocities averaging 3050 m/s were observed for PS films with specific surface areas of ∼840 m2/g and porosities of 65−67%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the possibility of finding a representation for all Pythagorean triples using triples (1) and (3). It aims to support the validity of using the formula (12a)-(12b) to find Pythagorean Triples. It also discusses the expressions and solutions of calculating Pythagorean Triples.

Cybernetic devices--extensions, replacements, and upgrades that interface directly with the human nervous system--are becoming increasingly advanced and commonplace. Impending developments in neuroscience technology, including brain--computer interfaces and robotic prosthetics that surpass levels of ordinary human functionality, will raise novel legal and ethical questions. This Note argues that these enhancement technologies will create problems for people covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). Congress recently amended the ADA to bar courts from taking mitigating factors into account when determining whether a claimant is ADA-protected. The ADA and its amendments embody disability by legislating the existence of disability as within the body of the disabled, rather than as a social construct determined by societal norms. This Note suggests changes to the ADA that would help prepare the ADA for the increasingly broad spectrum of ability that will accompany humanity through the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-infected individuals with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection are at significantly greater risk of reactivation tuberculosis (TB) than HIV-negative individuals with latent TB, even while CD4 T cell numbers are well preserved. Factors underlying high rates of reactivation are poorly understood and investigative tools are limited. We used cynomolgus macaques with latent TB co-infected with SIVmac251 to develop the first animal model of reactivated TB in HIV-infected humans to better explore these factors. All latent animals developed reactivated TB following SIV infection, with a variable time to reactivation (up to 11 months post-SIV). Reactivation was independent of virus load but correlated with depletion of peripheral T cells during acute SIV infection. Animals experiencing reactivation early after SIV infection (<17 weeks) had fewer CD4 T cells in the periphery and airways than animals reactivating in later phases of SIV infection. Co-infected animals had fewer T cells in involved lungs than SIV-negative animals with active TB despite similar T cell numbers in draining lymph nodes. Granulomas from these animals demonstrated histopathologic characteristics consistent with a chronically active disease process. These results suggest initial T cell depletion may strongly influence outcomes of HIV-Mtb co-infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While environmental and situational cues influence food intake, it is not always clear how they do so. We examine whether participants consume more when an eating occasion is associated with meal cues than with snack cues. We expect their perception of the type of eating occasion to mediate the amount of food they eat. In addition, we expect the effect of those cues on food intake to be strongest among those who are hungry. Methods: One-hundred and twenty-two undergraduates (75 men, 47 women; mean BMI = 22.8, SD = 3.38) were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions in which they were offered foods such as quesadillas and chicken wings in an environment that was associated with either meal cues (ceramic plates, glasses, silverware, and cloth napkins at a table), or snack cues (paper plates and napkins, plastic cups, and no utensils). After participants finished eating, they were asked to complete a questionnaire that assessed their hunger, satiety, perception of the foods, and included demographic and anthropometric questions. In addition, participants' total food intake was recorded. Results: Participants who were in the presence of meal-related cues ate 27.9% more calories than those surrounded with snack cues (416 versus 532 calories). The amount participants ate was partially mediated by whether they perceived the eating occasion to be a meal or a snack. In addition, the effect of the environmental cues on intake was most pronounced among participants who were hungry. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that environmental and situational cues associated with an eating occasion could influence overall food intake. People were more likely to eat foods when they were associated with meal cues. Importantly, the present study reveals that the effect of these cues is uniquely intertwined with cognition and motivation. First, people were more likely to eat ambiguous foods when they perceived them as a meal rather than a snack. Second, the effect of the environmental cues on intake was only observed among those who were hungry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers regularly and predictably behave in ways that contradict standard assumptions of economic analysis such that they make decisions that prevent them from reaching rationally intended goals. These contradictions play a significant role with respect to consumers’ food decisions and the effect these decisions have on their health. Food decisions that are rationally derived include those that trade short-term gains of sensory pleasure (hedonic) for longer term gains of health and wellness (utilitarian). However, extra-rational food decisions are much more common. They can occur because of the contexts in which they are made—such as being distracted or pressed for time. In these contexts, heuristics (or rules of thumb) are used. Because food decisions are made with little cognitive involvement, food policies designed to appeal to highly cognitive thought (e.g., fat taxes, detailed information labels) are likely to have little impact. Furthermore, food marketing environments influence not only what foods consumers buy but also how much. As a general principle, when individuals do not behave in their own interest, markets will feed perverse and sub-optimal behaviors. Given the limited ability of individuals to retain and use accurate health information coupled with varying levels of self control, profit motivations of marketers can become predatory—though not necessarily malicious. Alternative policy options that do not restrict choice are outlined, which enable consumers to make better decisions. These options allow for profit motivations of marketers to align with the long-term well being of the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are fatal neurodegenerative diseases with no cure to this day, and are often associated with the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain and other tissues in affected individuals. The emergence of new variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, an acquired TSE with a relatively long asymptomatic incubation period and unknown prevalence or incidence, which could potentially be iatrogenically transmitted, has prompted the need for sensitive and rapid methods of detection of the pathology indicator, the protease-resistant prion protein (PrPSc), in tissues and on surgical instruments. To discriminate between common tissue proteins and amyloid-rich aggregates such as those formed by abnormal prion, we developed a quantitative thioflavin T/SYPRO Ruby dual staining procedure, used in combination with episcopic differential interference contrast/epifluorescence (EDIC/EF) microscopy for rapid scanning of samples. The detection limit of this direct observation technique applied to brain homogenates was greatly enhanced by the addition of Tween 20, as demonstrated in double-blind studies using various proportions of ME7-infected brain mixed with normal brain homogenate. The characteristic thioflavin T signal correlated with the relative amount of prion amyloid and proved at least 2-log more sensitive than the classic Western blot using the same prepared samples. This new sensitive microscopy procedure, which can be easily applied in instrument decontamination surveys, is likely to be more sensitive that Western blot in practice since it does not rely on the elution of resilient PrPSc bound to the instrument surfaces. Our study also demonstrates how interactions between prion and lipid-rich tissue homogenates may reduce the sensitivity of such detection assays. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cancer patients undergoing treatment with systemic cancer chemotherapy drugs often experience debilitating fatigue similar to sickness behavior, a normal response to infection or tissue damage caused by the production of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. The p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) plays a central role in the production of these cytokines and consequently the development of sickness behavior. Targeted inhibitors of p38 MAPK can reduce systemic inflammatory cytokine production and the development of sickness behavior. Several systemic cancer chemotherapy drugs have been shown to stimulate inflammatory cytokine production, yet whether this response is related to a common ability to activate p38 MAPK is not known and is the focus of this study. This understanding may present the possibility of using p38 MAPK inhibitors to reduce chemotherapy-induced inflammatory cytokine production and consequently treatment-related fatigue. One caveat of this approach is a potential reduction in chemotherapeutic efficacy as some believe that p38 MAPK activity is required for chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity of tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate proof of principal that p38 MAPK inhibition can block chemotherapy- induced inflammatory cytokine production without inhibiting drug-induced cytotoxicity using murine peritoneal macrophages and Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC1) cells as model cell systems. Using these cells we assessed the requirement of etoposide, doxorubicin, 5-flourouracil, and docetaxel for p38 MAPK in inflammatory cytokine production and cytotoxicity. Study findings demonstrate that clinically relevant doses of etoposide, doxorubicin, and 5-FU activated p38 MAPK in both macrophages and LLC1 cells. In contrast, docetaxel failed to activate p38 MAPK in either cell type. Activation of p38 MAPK mediated the drug's effects on inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages but not LLC1 cytotoxicity and this was confirmed with inhibitor studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Extensive research has shown that the antidepressant tianeptine blocks the adverse effects of chronic stress on hippocampal functioning. The current series of experiments extended this area of investigation by examining the influence of tianeptine on acute stress-induced impairments of spatial (hippocampus-dependent) memory. Tianeptine (10 mg/kg, ip) administered to adult male rats before, but not after, water maze training blocked the amnestic effects of predator stress (occurring between training and retrieval) on memory. The protective effects of tianeptine on memory occurred in rats which had extensive pre-stress training, as well as in rats which had only a single day of training. Tianeptine blocked stress effects on memory without altering the stress-induced increase in corticosterone levels. Propranolol, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist (5 and 10 mg/kg, ip), in contrast, did not block stress-induced amnesia. These findings indicate that treatment with tianeptine, unlike propanolol, provides an effective means with which to block the adverse effects of stress on cognitive functions of the hippocampus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Taste expectations can influence taste evaluations. It is not known, however, whether the environmental cues that influence taste expectations — such as suggestible names and brand labels — can have a referred impact on the intake volume of companion foods. Adult diners who ordered a prix-fixe restaurant meal were given a complimentary glass of wine that had been relabeled to induce either favorable (“new from California”) or unfavorable (“new from North Dakota”) taste expectations. An analysis of plate waste indicated that those who believed they had been drinking California wine ate 12% more of their meal than those who instead believed they drank North Dakota wine. In combination with a sensory-based lab study, these results show that environmental cues — such as label-induced sensory expectations — can have a far-reaching impact on the food intake of companion foods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

At an all-you-can eat buffet in a sports bar, it was tested whether people would eat less if they knew how much they had already eaten. 50 graduate students (34 women; M age=24.1 yr.) were seated at 21 tables randomly assigned to be bussed (leftover wings removed) or unbussed (wings left on table). The 31 students at the bussed tables ate more than those at the unbussed tables (7 wings vs 5.5 wings), with the effect being stronger for men than women. In distracting eating environments, environmental cues may provide an effective means of reducing consumption. Implications for controlling alcohol intake were also noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the use of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry methods to rapidly determine and confirm the biogenic amines in tuna loin using ethylchloroformate derivative. The method may also be used to monitor tyramine, which involves homogenization of fish tissue, extraction of biogenic amines into trichloroacetic acid solution, and derivatization of supernatant with ethylchloroformate.

The relationship between glucocorticoids (GCs) and memory is complex, in that memory impairments can occur in response to manipulations that either increase or decrease GC levels. We investigated this issue by assessing the relationship between serum corticosterone (the primary rodent GC) and memory in rats trained in the radial arm water maze, a hippocampus-dependent spatial memory task. Each day, rats learned a new location of the hidden escape platform and then 30 min later their memory of the location of the platform was tested. Under control conditions, well-trained rats had excellent spatial memory and moderately elevated corticosterone levels (~26 μg/dl versus a baseline of ~2 μg/dl). Their memory was impaired when corticosterone levels were either reduced by metyrapone (a corticosterone synthesis inhibitor) or increased by acute stress (predator exposure), forming an overall U-shaped relationship between corticosterone levels and memory. We then addressed whether there was a causal relationship between elevated corticosterone levels and impaired memory. If elevated corticosterone levels were a sufficient condition to impair memory, then exogenously administered corticosterone, alone, should have impaired performance. However, we found that spatial memory was not impaired in corticosterone-injected rats that were not exposed to the cat. This work demonstrates that an intermediate level of corticosterone correlated with optimal memory, and either a decrease or an increase in corticosterone levels, in conjunction with strong emotionality, impaired spatial memory. These findings indicate that fear-provoking conditions, which are known to engage the amygdala, interact with stress levels of corticosterone to influence hippocampal functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A liquid chromatography (LC) method is described for the easy determination of the biogenic diamines putrescine (PUT) and cadaverine (CAD) in canned tuna, frozen tuna loin, fresh mahimahi fillet, frozen raw shrimp, cooked lump crabmeat, and fresh and cold-smoked salmon. The method is also a useful screen for histamine (HTA). The method involves homogenization of fish tissue, extraction of biogenic amines into borate-trichloroacetic acid solution, centrifugation, and derivatization of supernatant with 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succinimidyl ester. The derivatized diamine species allow for the intramolecular excimer fluorescence of the pyrene moiety at a higher emission wavelength than is possible for the endogenous tissue monoamines, thus providing visual specificity of detection. All seafood species were fortified with 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0μg/g (ppm) of PUT and CAD. Determination was based on standard graphs for PUT and CAD using peak areas with standard solutions equivalent to 0.375, 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0ppm in tissue. A set of five matrix controls (unfortified seafood tissue) were also analyzed; endogenous PUT was found in all samples except the canned tuna, and CAD found only in the shrimp, crab, and cold-smoked salmon. The background amines were thus subtracted prior to determining spike recovery. The intra-assay average recoveries ranged from 71 to 94% across species and spike levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A dimensionless approach to the study of life-history evolution has been applied to a wide variety of variables in the search for life-history invariants. This approach usually employs ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions of log-transformed data. In several well-studied combinations of variables the range of values of one parameter is bounded or limited by the value of the other. In this situation, the null hypothesis normally applied to regression analysis is not appropriate. We generate the null expectations and confidence intervals (CI) for OLS and reduced major axis (RMA) regressions using random variables that are bounded in this way. Comparisons of these CI show that, for log-transformed data, the patterns generated by random data and those predicted by life history invariant theory often could not be distinguished because both predict a slope of 1. We recommend that tests based on the putative invariant ratios and not the correlations between the two variables be used in the exploration of life-history invariants using bounded data. Because empirical data are often not normally distributed randomization test may be more appropriate than standard statistical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This speculative review serves two purposes. First, it as an extension of the ideas we developed in a previous review (Diamond et al., Hippocampus, 2004;14:281-291), and second, it is a rebuttal to Abraham's (Hippocampus, 2004;14:675-676) critique of that review. We had speculated on the functional significance of the finding that post-training LTP induction produces retrograde amnesia. We noted the similarities between the findings that strong tetanizing stimulation can produce LTP and retrograde amnesia, and that a strong emotional experience can produce a long-lasting memory and retrograde amnesia, as well. The commonalities between LTP induction and emotional learning provided the basis of our hypothesis that an emotional experience generates endogenous LTD/depotentiation, which reverses synaptic plasticity formed during previous learning experiences, and endogenous LTP, which underlies the storage of new information. Abraham raised several concerns with our review, including the criticism that our speculation 'falters because there is no evidence that stress causes LTD or depotentiation,' and that research on stress and hippocampus has 'failed to report any LTP-like changes.' Abraham's points are well-taken because stress, in isolation, does not appear to generate long-lasting changes in baseline measures of hippocampal excitability. Here, within the context of a reply to Abraham's critique, we have provided a review of the literature on the influence of stress, novelty, fear conditioning, and the retrieval of emotional memories on cognitive and physiological measures of hippocampal functioning. An emphasis of this review is our hypothesis that endogenous forms of depotentiation, LTD and LTP are generated only when arousing experiences occur in conjunction with memory-related activation of the hippocampus and amygdala. We conclude with speculation that interactions among the different forms of endogenous plasticity underlie a form of competition by synapses and memories for access to retrieval resources. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The extraction and cleanup of commonly used tetracyclines (oxytetracycline, tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and doxycycline) from sample matrix, and their subsequent determination via liquid chromatography can be problematic. Many manuscripts report on various challenges encountered when developing a method for tetracycline antibiotics determination. These complexities often result in less than perfect recoveries or chromatograms and are based on the underlying chemistry associated with tetracyclines. This review compiles, compares, and discusses the results and observations found in published methods, while focusing on chemical principles in order to increase the practicing chemist''s understanding of TCs to aid him/her in developing useful analyses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Describes a liquid chromatography (LC) method for the determination of oxytetracycline (OTC) in farmed Atlantic salmon muscle tissue. Homogenization of salmon tissue; Extraction of OTC into Mcllvaine-EDTA buffer; Acid precipitation of proteins; Interassay average recovery; Determination based on a standard graph; Lowest standard used as the limit of quantitation.