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Background: There is little consensus on the conservative management of lateral patellar dislocations (LPD). Mechanical diagnosis and therapy (MDT) is an established classification system in the spinal and extremity population. This case report describes the use of MDT in the management and classification of a patient with LPD. Case Description: The patient was a 20-year-old female with a 3-month history of left knee pain precipitated by a lateral patellar dislocation. The patient described pain and a feeling of instability with standing and walking and limitations in work and recreational activities which involve lifting, squatting, and running. Based on the patient’s response to repeated end range knee movements, the patient was found to have a directional preference (DP) for knee extension and instruction in performance of knee extension DP exercises was provided. Outcomes: The patient’s knee examination and subsequent intervention included her responses to repeated end range knee movements. Her knee pain was abolished, and strength, function, and motion were fully restored in five visits. A minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was achieved on the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). At discharge, the patient was able to independently manage symptoms and perform all work and recreational activities at a pre-injury level and these improvements were maintained at a 9-month follow-up. Discussion: There are various management strategies for lateral patellar dislocation. This case demonstrated the use of classifying, subgrouping, and treating a patient with lateral patellar dislocation using the principle of DP. Conclusion: The patient’s outcomes suggest that MDT may be used in the nonoperative management of people with LPD who present with a DP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is part of a CSAS process in support of the development of a post-deposit monitoring program for drug and pesticide use at Canadian marine finfish farms. This report focusses on the usage (number of farms treated and amount of active ingredient used) of drugs and pesticides at Canadian marine finfish farms during 2016-2018. Total Canadian marine finfish aquaculture production showed a slight decrease during these years: 148 900 t in 2016; 140 500 t in 2017; and 138 400 t in 2018. By province, 61-63% of the annual production was in British Columbia (BC), 17-20% in New Brunswick (NB), 11-17% in Newfoundland & Labrador (NL), and 4-8% in Nova Scotia (NS); production was >95% Atlantic salmon. The Government of Canada has required marine finfish farms to report their usage of drugs and pesticides on an annual basis since 2016. Data on drug and pesticide use in 2016-2018 were obtained from the National Aquaculture Public Reporting Data (NAPRD) and the Aquaculture Integrated Information System (AQUIIS). The reported drugs (applied in-feed) and pesticides (applied in bath treatments) included antibiotic drugs (oxytetracycline, florfenicol, erythromycin, ormetoprim, and trimethoprim), pest control drugs (emamectin benzoate, ivermectin, and selamectin for sea louse control; and praziquantel for parasitic worm control), and pesticides (azamethiphos and hydrogen peroxide; both for sea louse control). Individual farms used from zero to six drugs and pesticides in 2016, and zero to five in 2017 and 2018. Of the 136-152 active marine finfish farms in each year during 2016-2018, 108-128 (74-84%) used at least one drug or pesticide in each year. By province, 52-58% of treated farms were in BC, 26-30% in NB, 13-18% in NL, and 0-3% in NS. The percentage of active farms that used at least one drug or pesticide was: 83-86% in BC; 69-86% in NB; 74-95% in NL; and 0-38% in NS. Of the five antibiotic drugs reported, florfenicol was used at the most farms (47-50 farms per yr), followed by oxytetracycline (17-24 farms per yr); the other three were used by =5 farms per yr. BC had the largest number of farms treated with florfenicol and the highest quantity used in each year (34-35 farms per yr). The largest number of farms treated with oxytetracycline was in NB in 2016 (10 farms) and in BC in 2017 (7 farms) and 2018 (10 farms); the highest quantity used was in NL in 2016 and 2017, and in BC in 2018. Of the pest control drugs, emamectin benzoate was used at the most farms in all three years (56-70 farms per yr). BC had the largest number of farms treated with emamectin benzoate in all three years (32-38 farms per yr), while NL used the largest quantity in all three years. Ivermectin was used at 14-20 farms per yr and was only used in NB and NL, with NB having the larger number of farms treated and the larger quantity used in each year. Selamectin was used on a trial basis only (one NB farm in 2017 and one NB farm in 2018). Praziquantel was used only in NL, and only in 2016 and 2017. One other sea louse control drug, lufeneron, was used in freshwater hatcheries in BC, NB, and NL. The pesticide azamethiphos was used at 20-42 farms per yr; it was used only in NB and NL. In 2016, NB had the larger number of farms treated with azamethiphos (29 farms) and the larger quantity used; in 2017 and 2018, NB and NL had equal numbers of farms treated (20 farms each in 2016, 10 farms each in 2017), while NL used the larger quantity in both years. Hydrogen peroxide was used at 25-37 farms per yr; it was used in BC, NB, and NL. In 2016, NB had the largest number farms treated with hydrogen peroxide (14 farms) and also used the largest quantity; in 2017 and 2018, BC had the largest number of treated farms (17 in 2017; 22 in 2018) and also used the largest quantity in both years. There were differences in usage between salmon year-classes for some of the chemicals: florfenicol and ivermectin were used primarily on smolts, while emamectin benzoate and azamethiphos were used more on pre-market fish. In BC, treatments with drugs and pesticides occurred throughout the year, while in NB and NL, treatments did not occur in winter and early spring; in NS, the only treatments were in August 2016 and in June-August 2018 (all NS treatments were antibiotics). The three years of data were insufficient to discern clear interannual trends in drug and pesticide use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among voice restoration options following laryngectomy, tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) appears to be the most common. Currently, there is no consensus that exists with regard to the timing of performing TEP and the decision to perform a primary or secondary TEP has mostly been based on physician preference and expert opinion rather than data. Objective of Review: The objective of this study was to compare primary and secondary tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) for voice rehabilitation in laryngectomy patients in terms of success and complication rates. Type of Review: A systematic review of studies in the English literature was conducted for studies that directly compared primary and secondary TEP. Search Strategy: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE (January 1948‐15 July 2016), EMBASE (January 1974‐15 July 2016) and Web of Science (January 1970‐15 July 2016) was performed. Evaluation Method: Two authors (KL/BAC) independently reviewed titles and abstracts, read full‐text papers, extracted data and assessed quality. Disagreements were resolved via consensus. A third author (DV) resolved disagreements between reviewers when consensus was not possible. Results: Eleven retrospective clinical cohort studies were included. No randomised controlled trials were identified. Newcastle‐Ottawa score for assessment of quality ranged from 5 to 7. Success rate was defined differently across most studies. Two studies found higher success with primary TEP compared to secondary TEP; nine studies found no difference. Voice outcomes were inconsistently measured; no difference between groups was found in 4 studies. Complication rates were divided into TEP site related, infectious and stenosis. No difference between primary and secondary TEP was found in all but one study which showed a higher rate of pharyngocutaneous fistula in the primary TEP group in salvage laryngectomy patients. Conclusions: There is no robust evidence to suggest that primary TEP is associated with poorer outcomes compared to secondary TEP. A well‐designed randomised controlled trial is required to appropriately answer this question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of denosumab, compared with zoledronic acid ( ZA), in delaying skeletal-related events (SREs) and enhancing overall survival in patients with advanced solid tumours and bone metastases. A systematic literature search of several electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CKNI and Web of Science with Conference Proceedings, was performed. Only randomised controlled trials assessing denosumab in comparison with ZA, in patients with advanced solid tumours and metastatic-stage disease, were included. The primary outcome was the time to first SRE. The risk of developing subsequent on-study SREs and overall survival were also evaluated. Three randomised controlled trials with a total of 5,544 patients with advanced solid tumours and bone metastases were included in the meta-analysis. There were 2,776 patients treated with denosumab and 2,768 treated with ZA. The pooled analysis showed that denosumab was superior to ZA in delaying time to first on-study SRE (odds ratio [ OR]: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.75-0.89, p < 0.0001) and multiple SREs (risk ratio: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.74-0.88, p < 0.0001). However, no significant difference was found in overall survival improvement between denosumab and ZA ( OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.91-1.15, p = 0.71). This meta-analysis indicates that denosumab is superior to ZA in delaying SREs for patients with bone metastases. No significant difference was observed between denosumab and ZA, regarding overall survival. We support denosumab as a potential novel treatment option for the management of bone metastases in advanced solid tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of a fourth constituent into CrAlN coating to optimize its properties attracts great attention. Here, the effect of Si on the structure and properties of CrAlN coating is investigated. The solid solution of Si into CrAlN coatings promotes the w-AlN growth, and thus results in a structural transition from Cr 0.48 Al 0.52 N with single phase cubic structure to Cr 0.42 Al 0.49 Si 0.09 N and Cr 0.37 Al 0.54 Si 0.09 N with mixed cubic-wurtzite structure. An increase in hardness from ∼25.6 GPa for Cr 0.48 Al 0.52 N–∼34.4 GPa for Cr 0.42 Al 0.49 Si 0.09 N and ∼32.7 GPa for Cr 0.37 Al 0.54 Si 0.09 N is obtained due to the solution hardening and grain refinement. Annealing of Cr 0.48 Al 0.52 N leads to c-Cr formation via h-Cr 2 N under N 2 releases as well as w-AlN precipitation. Alloying with Si retards the w-AlN precipitation and N-loss, where the final precipitation phases after annealing of the Si-containing coatings are w-AlN, c-Cr 3 Si and c-Cr, respectively. Furthermore, the oxidation resistance of CrAlN coating is also improved by Si-addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was produced by the addition of copper powder to improve the mechanical properties and penetration performance of conventional PTFE. Static compression and split Hopkinson pressure bar test analyses verified the improved mechanical properties of the modified PTFE. A shaped-charge structure was designed by applying modified PTFE to liner material. The formation of modified PTFE jet and the process of jet penetrating shell charge were modeled by numerical simulation. As compared to Teflon, the results obtained demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the modified PTFE have been significantly improved to achieve a greater consistency of jet formation, stronger penetration, broadened pore size, and increased damage performance in the absence of a charge shell explosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Skeletal abnormalities, including spinal deformities, in Noonan syndrome have been described, but no detailed and systematic study of such spinal deformities has been presented in the literature.Methods: The cases of sixty patients with Noonan syndrome were reviewed retrospectively, and the general appearance, growth disturbance, and mental status of the patients were documented. Spinal deformities were evaluated radiographically, and the frequency, pattern, and severity of the curves were documented.Results: Spinal deformity was present in eighteen (30%) of the sixty patients. Two patients had congenital spinal deformity. Of the remaining sixteen patients with scoliosis, nine had a single thoracic curve, four had a single thoracolumbar curve, and three had a double major curve. Thoracic lordosis was also present in three of these sixteen patients. No patient had only increased kyphosis or lordosis. The mean age when the spinal deformities were detected was nine years; seven deformities were detected before the age of seven years. Overall, surgery was recommended to eleven of the eighteen patients; it was recommended for the treatment of scoliosis (mean, 68.5 degrees; range, 45 degrees to 125 degrees ) in eight patients and for the treatment of an associated thoracic lordosis (8 degrees, 15 degrees, and 18 degrees ) in three. Seven of the eleven patients underwent spinal arthrodesis. The operation was deferred in one patient because malignant hyperthermia developed during the induction of anesthesia.Conclusions: Scoliosis with an associated thoracic lordosis occurs more frequently in Noonan syndrome than has been reported previously. Since the deformities tend to develop early and are relatively severe, a clinical and, if necessary, radiographic assessment of the spine with careful follow-up should be performed for early detection and treatment of spinal deformity. Although malignant hyperthermia is rare, all patients with Noonan syndrome should be considered to be at risk for the development of this complication before operative treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IC10 superalloy has been applied in manufacturing aircraft engine components, and the repair of damaged components is required because of high costs involved in replacement. In this work, the cracking behaviour and cracking sensitivity were investigated during laser metal deposition on IC10 superalloy. The results indicate that cracks with diverse morphology mainly appear at the interface between deposition layer and the substrate; in rapid heating period of laser metal deposition, the liquid phase rich of low-melting point γ′- γ eutectic compositions will occur at the grain boundaries of IC10 superalloy. In the following rapid solidification process, the residual liquid phase will form the liquid film, which can be broken easily under tensile stress, and finally form cracks at deposit/substrate interface. Moreover, when the heat input increases, the number of cracks will increase while the average length of cracks does not change so significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low calcium absorption is associated with low bone mass and fracture. In this study, we use gold standard methods of fractional calcium absorption (FCA) to determine whether polymorphisms of intestinal receptors, vitamin D receptor ( VDR ) and estrogen receptor α ( ESR1 ), influence the response to energy restriction. Fractional calcium absorption was measured using dual stable isotopes ( 42 Ca and 43 Ca) in women given adequate calcium and vitamin D and examined at baseline and after 6 weeks of energy restriction or no intervention. After genotyping, the relationship between VDR and ESR1 genotypes/haplotypes and FCA response was assessed using several genetic models. One-hundred and sixty-eight women (53 ± 11 years of age) were included in this analysis. The ESR1 polymorphisms, Pvu II and Xba I and VDR polymorphisms ( Taq I, Apa I) did not significantly influence FCA. The BB genotype of the VDR polymorphism, BsmI , was associated with a greater decrease in FCA than the Bb / bb genotype. Multiple linear regression showed that the Bsm I polymorphism or the VDR haplotype, BAt , in addition to changes in weight and vitamin D intake explained ~ 16% of the variation in changes in FCA. In conclusion, the reduction in calcium absorption due to energy restriction is greatest for those with the BB genotype. Previous candidate gene studies show that VDR polymorphisms are associated with higher risk for osteoporosis, and the current study supports the notion that the Bsm I polymorphism in intestinal VDR may be contributing to alterations in bone health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of inadequate penetration of low-density jet penetrating shell charge, the low-density PTFE are modified by adding a certain fraction of copper powder in the matrix. This treatment helps to increase the material density and jet energy, as well as to improve the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the material. AUTODYN-2D finite element software is used to simulate the process in which the low-density jet forms and penetrates shell charge. The simulation and experiment results show that in comparison to PTFE, the mechanical properties of PTFE/Cu have been significantly improved, and the jet has strong penetration capability. Under the same structural conditions, the penetration diameter of PTFE/Cu jet is about enhanced by 70 % for the panel and 30 % for the back plate compared to that of PTFE jet. As an experimental result, the penetration depth of the main armour by PTFE/Cu jet is enhanced by 5.38 % compared with that of PTFE jet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodopsin is the visual pigment responsible for initiating scotopic (dim-light) vision in vetebrates. Once activated by light, release of all-trans-retinal from rhodopsin involves hydrolysis of the Schiff base linkage, followed by dissociation of retinal from the protein moiety. This kinetic process has been well studied in model systems such as bovine rhodopsin, but not in rhodopsins from cold-blooded animals, where physiological temperatures can vary considerably. Here, we characterize the rate of retinal release from light-activated rhodopsin in an ectotherm, zebrafish (Danio rerio), demonstrating in a fluorescence assay that this process occurs more than twice as fast as bovine rhodopsin at similar temperatures in 0.1% dodecyl maltoside. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we found that differences in retinal release rates can be attributed to a series of variable residues lining the retinal channel in three key structural motifs: an opening in metarhodopsin II between transmembrane helix 5 (TM5) and TM6, in TM3 near E122, and in the "retinal plug" formed by extracellular loop 2 (EL2). The majority of these sites are more proximal to the β-ionone ring of retinal than the Schiff base, indicating their influence on retinal release is more likely due to steric effects during retinal dissociation, rather than alterations to Schiff base stability. An Arrhenius plot of zebrafish rhodopsin was consistent with this model, inferring that the activation energy for Schiff base hydrolysis is similar to that of bovine rhodopsin. Functional variation at key sites identified in this study is consistent with the idea that retinal release might be an adaptive property of rhodopsin in vertebrates. Our study is one of the few investigating a nonmammalian rhodopsin, which will help establish a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms contributing to vision in cold-blooded vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with its competitors such as the bounding volume hierarchy, a drawback of the kd-tree structure is that a large number of triangles are repeatedly duplicated during its construction, which often leads to inefficient, large and tall binary trees with high triangle redundancy. In this paper, we propose a space-efficient kd-tree representation where, unlike commonly used methods, an inner node is allowed to optionally store a reference to a triangle, so highly redundant triangles in a kd-tree can be culled from the leaf nodes and moved to the inner nodes. To avoid the construction of ineffective kd-trees entailing computational inefficiencies due to early, possibly unnecessary, ray-triangle intersection calculations that now have to be performed in the inner nodes during the kd-tree traversal, we present heuristic measures for determining when and how to choose triangles for inner nodes during kd-tree construction. Based on these metrics, we describe how the new form of kd-tree is constructed and stored compactly using a carefully designed data layout. Our experiments with several example scenes showed that our kd-tree representation technique significantly reduced the memory requirements for storing the kd-tree structure, while effectively suppressing the unavoidable frame-rate degradation observed during ray tracing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the large-scale fractured-vuggy reservoir with bottom water, based on elasticity theory and flow in porous media theory, a physical model of different volume of the bottom water is established. According to the theoretical analysis, a relationship equation of cumulative production and cumulative pressure drop is deduced, and the feature and influencing factor of cumulative production and cumulative pressure drop curve are analyzed. Then, using physical modeling experimental method, the validity of the theoretical analysis is verified. The results show that cumulative production and cumulative pressure drop curve has a feature of straight-line at first, late upturned, and finally straight-line again. The straight-line segment reflects the size of the main vug, and the upturned segment is synthetically affected by the size of the main vug, the size of the bottom water, and the fracture flow capacity. Fracture permeability and the volume of the bottom water are important factors affecting the curve. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: In optimal motion planning and control, the complex time-varying nature of redundant robots, environments, and task requirements causes complex domains and conflicting constraints. Since predicting or recovering infeasibility is not always possible, infeasibilities occur frequently and are not completely avoidable. We introduce a constrained nonlinear programming framework of controlled (as opposed to recovered) infeasibility for physically valid solutions while preserving the original problem and variable space. The constraint prioritization hierarchy includes a comprehensive classification of physical consistency, design requirements, and tasks. Priority weight functions having features of normalization and prioritization are incorporated into a sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm to ensure generality and strict satisfaction of high-priority constraints, while lower-priority constraint violations are minimized. These are embedded in SQP through its merit function and composite cost function, in which general nonlinear functions including unilateral, time-dependent, and nonholonomic, can be incorporated in a unified approach. Also, the avoidance of the discontinuity problem with unilateral constraints is due to the time-dependent constraints strategy, which actively adapts to varying states. Numerical examples using multibody dynamic models of a redundant manipulator demonstrate these advantages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although evidence in the literature indicates that the lateral resistance of piles in liquefiable soils is significantly reduced, the shape and amplitude of the reduced curve during pore pressure buildup are needed for reliable design of pile foundations. To investigate this issue, a single steel pile embedded in homogeneous saturated Nevada sand was subjected to sequential dynamic shaking and lateral (inertial-equivalent) loading. A key goal in the test program was to develop a data set capable of rendering insight into the characteristics of resistance under developing liquefied soil conditions. As such, results presented focus primarily on the static curves backcalculated from bending moment distributions at the achieved excess pore pressures. Analysis of the experimental data shows that mobilization of the partially liquefied soil was achieved during lateral loading. A rich set of test data was produced from this testing series, which will be useful for model validation and subsequent design efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives:This study was aimed to assess the beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome of functional yogurt NY-YP901 (Namyang Dairy Product Co. Ltd and Nutra R&BT Inc., Seoul, Korea) supplemented with mixture of Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium infantis and extra-ingredients containing Bifidobacterium breve (CBG-C2), Enterococcus faecalis FK-23, fibersol-2 and so on.Subjects/Methods:This study was designed as an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study. Treatment and control groups consumed a functional yogurt NY-YP901 (150 ml) and a placebo yogurt twice a day, respectively, for 8 weeks. Body weight and body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipid profiles, fasting glucose with HbA1C and waist circumference were measured before and after treatment. Inclusion criteria were healthy individuals between the ages 20-65 years old who submitted an informed consent.Results:During the period August 2009 to December 2009, 101 healthy participants (31 males and 70 females) finished the study. Treatment group were 53 individuals, and the control group were 48 individuals. In the treatment group consuming NY-YP901, statistically significant beneficial changes were observed in body weight (treatment group vs control group=−0.24±1.50 vs +0.64±1.39 kg, P<0.05), BMI (−0.10±0.58 vs +0.24±0.50 kg/m2, P<0.05 ) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (−7.71±14.14 vs −0.43±15.32 mg/dl, P<0.05) after 8 weeks. The change in other parameters was not different between the treatment and the control groups.Conclusions:The functional yogurt NY-YP901 reduced LDL-cholesterol, body weight and BMI in the subjects at a 300-ml consumption daily for 8 weeks. From these findings, regular intake of functional yogurt NY-YP901 may be consequently related to improve metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Blind sterile 2 (bs2) is a spontaneous autosomal recessive mouse mutation exhibiting cataracts and male sterility. Detailed clinical and histological evaluation revealed that bs2 mice have cataracts resulting from severely disrupted lens fiber cells. Analysis of bs2 testes revealed the absence of mature sperm and the presence of large multinucleate cells within the lumens of seminiferous tubules. Linkage analysis mapped the bs2 locus to mouse chromosome 2, approximately 45cM distal from the centromere. Fine mapping established a 3.1Mb bs2 critical region containing 19 candidate genes. Sequence analysis of alkylglycerone-phosphate synthase (Agps), a gene within the bs2 critical region, revealed a G to A substitution at the +5 position of intron 14. This mutation results in two abundantly expressed aberrantly spliced Agps transcripts: Agps ∆exon14 lacking exon 14 or Agps exon∆13–14 lacking both exons 13 and 14 as well as full-length Agps transcript. Agps is a peroxisomal enzyme which catalyzes the formation of the ether bond during the synthesis of ether lipids. Both aberrantly spliced Agps ∆exon14 and Agps exon∆13–14 transcripts led to a frame shift, premature stop and putative proteins lacking the enzymatic FAD domain. We present evidence that bs2 mice have significantly decreased levels of ether lipids. Human mutations in Agps result in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata type 3 (RCDP3), a disease for which bs2 is the only genetic model. Thus, bs2 is a hypomorphic mutation in Agps, and represents a useful model for investigation of the tissue specificity of ether lipid requirements which will be particularly valuable for elucidating the mechanism of disease phenotypes resulting from ether lipid depletion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Chinese formula Tang-Min-Ling (TML), an improved product of the decoction of Dachaihu which has a history of more than 2000 years, has main constituents of Coptis chinensis Franch, Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Rheum officinale Baill and Bupleurum chinense DC. A multi-central randomized controlled investigation performed previously by us has showed that TML has positive effects on regulating glycometabolism in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Using Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats as an animal model with rosiglitazone as a positive control, we were able to detect TML's effect on the serum glucose, serum lipid, serum leptin and adiponcetin after oral administration for 12 weeks. We were also able to detect the insulin resistance level by a glucose clamp test and study the mechanisms of TML in improving insulin resistance by detecting skeletal muscle AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). Results showed that TML significantly reduced the glucose area under a curve of the oral glucose tolerance test, and had a positive effect in regulating serum lipid metabolism. TML treatment also significantly reduced the serum leptin level, but it had no effect on the serum adiponectin level. The AMPK enzymatic activity and GLUT4 expression in Skeletal Muscle were also upregulated in the TML group. The results suggest that the Chinese medicine TML, which contains Coptis chinensis Franch as one of its components, improves glycometabolism and its possible mechanisms may involve in improvement of insulin resistance of OLETF rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Target recognizing ternary mixed monolayer is constructed by simple sequential adsorption of thiol caped single stranded DNA (HS-ssDNA), 6-mercapto-1-hexanol (MCH) and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) diluents (abbreviated as HS-ssDNA/MPA/MCH) and applied for detection of DNA hybridization sequence by electrochemical method. The method is more reliable and reproducible on both conventional wire electrode and 100nm scale gold-coated silicon chips. Detection limit of 10pM is observed constantly on all types of electrodes. This ternary layer approach provides 60–80% discrimination effect between the hybridized and un-hybridized surfaces compared to the binary mixed monolayers HS-ssDNA/MCH and HS-ssDNA/MPA that showed 20–30% only. Characterization by impedance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) techniques reveals ‘head-to-head’ anisotropic hydrogen bonding between MPA and MCH diluents that controls the HS-ssDNA orientation and enhancing the electrostatic blockade for K3[Fe(CN)6]. This is the first report characterizing the ternary layer for DNA molecular affinity sensing. Results provided unprecedented insight onto the label free electrochemical sensing and understanding of the complex sensing mechanism to develop sensors that is more reliable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Proteinase-activated receptors 1 and 2 mediate contraction of the human gallbladder. In the present study, we investigated effects mediated by proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) in the human oesophagus by measuring contraction of muscularis mucosae strips isolated from the human oesophagus. Both PAR1 agonists (thrombin, SFLLRN-NH2 and TFLLR-NH2) and PAR2 agonists (trypsin, 2-furoyl-LIGRLO-NH2 and SLIGKV-NH2) caused concentration-dependent contraction. In contrast, PAR1 and PAR2 control peptides did not cause contraction. The existence of PAR1 and PAR2 in the human oesophageal muscularis mucosae was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. On the other hand, PAR4 agonists, GYPGKF-NH2, GYPGQV-NH2 and AYPGKF-NH2, did not cause contraction or relaxation in resting or carbachol-contracted muscularis mucosae strips, suggesting that PAR4 is not involved in human oesophageal motility. The contractile responses to SFLLRN-NH2 and trypsin in the human oesophagus were insensitive to atropine and tetrodotoxin, indicating that the contractile response was not neurally mediated. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PAR1 and PAR2 but not PAR4 mediate contraction in human oesophageal muscularis mucosae. PAR1 and PAR2 may influence human oesophageal motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucotriene D4 (LTD4) causes contraction of the guinea-pig and cat oesophagus. Effects of cysteinyl leucotrienes in the human oesophagus were unknown. To investigate and compare the cysteinyl leucotriene effects in the human oesophagus with those in the guinea-pig oesophagus, we measured contraction of muscularis mucosae strips isolated from the human and guinea-pig oesophagus caused by cysteinyl leucotrienes, LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4, as well as the dihydroxy leucotriene, LTB4. Effects of leucotrienes in human were similar to those in guinea-pig oesophagus. LTC4 and LTD4 caused moderate, whereas LTE4 caused mild, concentration-dependent contraction. LTE4 was a partial agonist. In contrast, LTB4 did not cause any contraction. The relative potencies for cysteinyl leucotrienes to cause contraction were LTD4 = LTC4 > LTE4. The LTD4-induced contraction was moderately inhibited by two selective CysLT1 receptor antagonists, montelukast and zafirlukast, in both human and guinea-pig oesophagus. In addition, the LTD4-induced contraction was not and only slightly inhibited by BAY u9773, the CysLT1 and CysLT2 receptor antagonist, in the human and guinea-pig oesophageal muscularis mucosae respectively. These indicate the existence of the CysLT1 mediating oesophageal contraction in both human and guinea-pig oesophagus. The LTD4-induced contraction was not affected by tetrodotoxin, atropine or capsaicin, suggesting a direct effect. These results demonstrate that cysteinyl leucotrienes but not the dihydroxy leucotriene cause contraction in the human and guinea-pig oesophagus. CysLT1 mediates contraction in both human and guinea-pig oesophagus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The signed distance field for a polygonal model is a useful representation that facilitates efficient computation in many visualization and geometric processing tasks. Often it is more effective to build a local distance field only within a narrow band around the surface that holds local geometric information for the model. In this paper, we present a novel technique to construct a volumetric local signed distance field of a polygonal model. To compute the local field efficiently, exactly those cells that cross the polygonal surface are found first through a new voxelization method, building a list of intersecting triangles for each boundary cell. After their neighboring cells are classified, the triangle lists are exploited to compute the local signed distance field with minimized voxel-to-triangle distance computations. While several efficient methods for computing the distance field, particularly those harnessing the graphics processing unit's (GPU's) processing power, have recently been proposed, we focus on a CPU-based technique, intended to deal flexibly with large polygonal models and high-resolution grids that are often too bulky for GPU computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a serendipitous finding that the conjugate gradient method is able to obtain the solution to the linear system derived by the discontinuous Galerkin method for the discrete-ordinate approximation of the mono-energetic time-independent neutron transport equation to a specified accuracy in a number of iterations which is bounded independently of the order of the system. A theoretical explanation for this phenomenon is given. The results of an experiment to test the theory are presented. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extremely poor prognosis of patients with metastatic osteosarcoma indicates the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Ectodysplasin-A2 (EDA-A2) is a recently isolated member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily that binds to X-linked ectodermal dysplasia receptor (XEDAR). In this report, we have analyzed the biological activity of EDA-A2 against osteosarcoma-derived cell lines. We report that XEDAR is expressed in cell lines derived from osteosarcoma and adenoviral-mediated expression of EDA-A2 in these cells results in the induction of apoptosis via caspase activation and cell-cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Treatment with EDA-A2 also upregulates the expression of alkaline phosphatase, a marker of osteogenic differentiation, in a caspase-dependent fashion. Collectively, our results suggest that EDA-A2 may be a promising agent for the gene therapy of osteosarcoma.Cancer Gene Therapy (2007) 14, 927–933; doi:10.1038/sj.cgt.7701078; published online 10 August 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spatial multigrid algorithm for isotropic neutron transport is presented in x-y geometry. The linear system is obtained using discrete ordinates in angle and corner balance finite differencing in space. Spatial smoothing is accomplished by a four-color block-Jacobi relaxation, where the diagonal blocks correspond to 4-cell blocks on the spatial grid. A bilinear interpolation operator and its transpose are used for the grid transfer operators. Good convergence factors were observed for homogeneous material properties. Heterogeneous material properties prove more difficult, especially the case of a vacuum region surrounded by a thick, diffusive region. In this case, a small amount of absorption, or "effective absorption" in a time-dependent problem, restores good convergence. Numerical results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen and the most frequently diagnosed cause of infectious hospital-acquired diarrhoea. Toxigenic strains usually produce toxin A and toxin B, which are the primary virulence factors of C. difficile. Some recently described strains produce an additional toxin, an adenosine-diphosphate ribosyltransferase known as binary toxin, the role of which in pathogenicity is unknown. There has been concern about the emergence of a hypervirulent fluoroquinolone-resistant strain of C. difficile in North America and Europe. The use of fluoroquinolone antimicrobials appears to be acting as a selective pressure in the emergence of this strain. In this review, we describe the current state of knowledge about C. difficile as a cause of diarrhoeal illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented concerning a case of phakomatosis pigmentovascularis.

Certain chromosome rearrangements display a significant delay in chromosome replication timing (DRT) that is associated with a subsequent delay in mitotic chromosome condensation (DMC). DRT/DMC chromosomes are common in tumor cells in vitro and in vivo and occur frequently in cells exposed to ionizing radiation. A hallmark for these chromosomes is the delayed phosphorylation of serine 10 of histone H3 during mitosis. The chromosome passenger complex, consisting of multiple proteins including Aurora B kinase and INCENP is thought to be responsible for H3 phosphorylation, chromosome condensation and the subsequent segregation of chromosomes. In this report, we show that chromosomes with DRT/DMC contain phosphorylated Chk1, consistent with activation of the S–M phase checkpoint. Furthermore, we show that INCENP is recruited to the DRT/DMC chromosomes during all phases of mitosis. In contrast, Aurora B kinase is absent on DRT/DMC chromosomes when these chromosomes lack serine 10 phosphorylation of H3. We also show that mitotic arrest deficient 2 (Mad2), a member of the spindle assembly checkpoint, is present on DRT/DMC chromosomes at a time when the normally condensed chromosomes show no Mad2 staining, indicating that DRT/DMC activates the spindle assembly checkpoint. Finally, cells with DRT/DMC chromosomes have centrosome amplification, abnormal spindle assembly, endoreduplication and significant chromosome instability.Oncogene (2007) 26, 1852–1861. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1209995; published online 25 September 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of a small-scale packed column working under non-wetting condition was investigated to provide insight and design data for the subsequent development of a liquid metal irrigated packed bed gas scrubber. An 8 cm internal diameter Perspex column was used, packed with 9.5 mm polyethylene spheres and 10.0 mm glass spheres coated with paraffin wax. A counter-current air-water system was used. The packings well all essentially hydrophobic promoting a non-wetting water flow condition, simulating liquid metal flow on solid packings. Results on flow visualization, flooding capacity and liquid holdup trends, as well as the particulate removal performance of the non-wetting packed bed scrubber are presented in this paper. The maximum water droplet size on the non-wettable spherical packing surface could be estimated from the static equilibrium of a pendent droplet, governed by surface tension and gravitational force. The flooding capacity and liquid holdup trends of the water-irrigated packed column operating under non-wetting condition were found to be similar to those reported for liquid metal systems despite the pronounced differences in liquid density and surface tension. This suggests that the hydrodynamics of a packed column in non-wetting operation are largely influenced by the liquid–solid contact angle which overrides the dissimilarities in liquid physical properties. Good particulate removal performance was demonstrated by the non-wetting packed bed scrubber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Most conventional therapies for condylomata acuminata (CA) are traumatic and have high recurrence rates. Objectives To investigate the efficacy and safety of topical application of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of CA. Methods Sixty-five patients with CA were allocated into the treatment (ALA-PDT) group and treated with 20% ALA solution under occlusive dressing for 3 h followed by irradiation with the helium–neon laser at a dose of 100 J cm−2 and a power of 100 mW. Another 21 CA patients were allocated into the control group and treated with the CO2 laser. The treatment was to be repeated 1 week later if the lesion was not completely removed after the first treatment. Results After one treatment, the complete removal rate was 95% in the ALA-PDT group and 100% in the control group. After two treatments with ALA-PDT, the complete removal rate in the treatment group was 100%. The recurrence rate for ALA-PDT group was 6·3% which was significantly lower than that in control group (19·1%, P < 0·05). Moreover, the proportion of patients with adverse effects in the ALA-PDT group (13·9%) was also significantly lower than that in control group (100%, P < 0·05). The side-effects in patients treated with ALA-PDT mainly included mild burning and/or stinging restricted to the illuminated area. Conclusions The present study shows that topical application of ALA-PDT is a simpler, more effective and safer therapy with a lower recurrence for treatment of CA compared with conventional CO2 laser therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report the chromosomal localization, mutant gene identification, ophthalmic appearance, histology, and functional analysis of two new hereditary mouse models of retinal degeneration not having the Pde6b rd1(“r”, “rd”, or “rodless”) mutation. One strain harbors an autosomal recessive mutation that maps to mouse chromosome 5. Sequence analysis showed that the retinal degeneration is caused by a missense point mutation in exon 13 of the β-subunit of the rod cGMP phosphodiesterase (β-PDE) gene (Pde6b). The gene symbol for this strain was set as Pde6b rd10, abbreviated rd10 hereafter. Mice homozygous for the rd10 mutation showed histological changes at postnatal day 16 (P16) of age and sclerotic retinal vessels at four weeks of age, consistent with retinal degeneration. Retinal sections were highly positive for TUNEL and activated caspase-3 immunoreactivity, specifically in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). ERGs were never normal, but rod and cone ERG a- and b-waves were easily measured at P18 and steadily declined over 90% by two months of age. Protein extracts from rd10 retinas were positive for β-PDE immunoreactivity starting at about the same time as wild-type (P10), though signal averaged less than 40% of wild-type. Interestingly, rearing rd10 mice in total darkness delayed degeneration for at least a week, after which morphological and functional loss progressed irregularly. With the second strain, a complementation test with rd1 mice revealed that the retinal degeneration phenotype observed represents a possible new allele of Pde6b. Sequencing demonstrated a missense point mutation in exon 16 of the β-subunit of rod phosphodiesterase gene, different from the point mutations in rd1 and rd10. The gene symbol for this strain was set as Pde6b nmf137 , abbreviated nmf137 hereafter. Mice homozygous for this mutation showed retinal degeneration with a mottled retina and white retinal vessels at three weeks of age. The exon 13 missense mutation (rd10) is the first known occurrence of a second mutant allele spontaneously arising in the Pde6b gene in mice and may provide a model for studying the pathogenesis of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) in humans. It may also provide a better model for experimental pharmaceutical-based therapy for RP because of its later onset and milder retinal degeneration than rd1 and nmf137. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using experimental and finite element analysis methods, the effects of electrode forging force are investigated on fatigue behavior and residual stress of spot welded joints of aluminum alloy 5182. Results show that applying forging force significantly reduces the residual stresses in the heat affected zone and the fatigue cracks no longer initiate from there; instead, all cracks begin from the nugget edge. In addition, the mitigation of residual stress by forging force decreases the driving force for crack propagation and leads to longer fatigue life. It can be concluded that applying forging force appropriately has a positive effect on the fatigue strength of resistance spot welded joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of two types of electrode pitting morphologies, ring type and hole type, were investigated in resistance spot welding of aluminium alloy 5182 using both finite element analysis and physical modelling methods. Results showed that when using ring pitting electrode, the contact radius at faying surface is increased while the current distribution is not affected notably, and the nugget diameter is increased. When using hole pitting electrode, the contact radius at faying surface is increased further and the current density is decreased in the contact region. In addition, no current flows through the central part of faying surface under such conditions, consequently, central part does not melt and only donut shape nugget is formed. Hole type pitting poses more significant detrimental influence on joint quality than ring type pitting. These effects should be attributed to the distinct influences on contact status and therefore current distribution from electrodes of different pitting morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of boron carbide (B4C) nanoparticles was investigated in a conventional high temperature furnace reactor. The reaction was carried out by heating a mixture of amorphous carbon and amorphous boron at 1550 °C to efficiently obtain a quantity of B4C. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed the average size of B4C particles was 200 nm, ranging from 50 nm to 350 nm. X-ray diffraction transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction studies indicated that the prepared nanoparticles were crystalline B4C with a high density twin structure. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area diffraction were also used to further characterize the structure of the prepared B4C particles, while energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy were used to determine the stoichiometry of the product. A solid state diffusion reaction mechanism is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the design and performance of a simple radio-frequency generator, suitable for driving capacitive loads such as ion traps in the few to thousand picofarad range. The oscillation frequency can be phase locked to an external reference oscillator, providing excellent frequency stabilization. Amplitude control circuits allow the oscillations to be rapidly started and stopped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction : Lid surgery under local anaesthetic is commonplace in ophthalmic practise. The most distressing part of the surgery for the patient is often the injection of local anaesthetic into the sensitive lid skin. Various methods like pre-injection warming of the anaesthetic agent, buffering pH levels, varying agents used, and using thinner gauge needles have been tried to reduce pain levels. Cooling of tissue is known to have anaesthetic properties and has been proposed as a substitute to injection of local anaesthetic in certain surgical procedures. In this study we use the anaesthetic property of cooling, as a pre local anaesthetic injection procedure (“Cryo-preparation”). The anaesthetic injection induced discomfort with and without “cryo-preparation” was then assessed. Methods : Thirty-nine patients aged 13–85 years (mean = 50, s.d. = 19) were randomly allocated and assessed. Twenty-two patients underwent local lid anaesthetic infiltration with “cryo-preparation,” and 17 without. Pain monitoring was performed subjectively and objectively by scoring systems. Results were analysed using unpaired two tailed t-test on Microsoft Excel. Results : Significant reduction in injection pain with cryo-preparation (24.6% reduction in score) was achieved (statistically significant p = 0.039). Surgical anaesthesia was complete in all cases. Conclusion : The study shows that “cryopreparation” by local ice application immediately prior to local anaesthetic injection reduces the sensitivity to the injection by a significant 24.6%. Thus while all the advantages of good analgesia are obtained from the injection, the distressing discomfort is reduced. This study serves as a pilot, in demonstrating a novel method of pain control for lid surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent advances and automation in DNA sequencing technology has created a vast amount of DNA sequence data. This increasing growth of sequence data demands better and efficient analysis methods. Identifying genes in this newly accumulated data is an important issue in bioinformatics, and it requires the prediction of the complete gene structure. Accurate identification of splice sites in DNA sequences plays one of the central roles of gene structural prediction in eukaryotes. Effective detection of splice sites requires the knowledge of characteristics, dependencies, and relationship of nucleotides in the splice site surrounding region. A higher-order Markov model is generally regarded as a useful technique for modeling higher-order dependencies. However, their implementation requires estimating a large number of parameters, which is computationally expensive. Results: The proposed method for splice site detection consists of two stages: a first order Markov model (MM1) is used in the first stage and a support vector machine (SVM) with polynomial kernel is used in the second stage. The MM1 serves as a pre-processing step for the SVM and takes DNA sequences as its input. It models the compositional features and dependencies of nucleotides in terms of probabilistic parameters around splice site regions. The probabilistic parameters are then fed into the SVM, which combines them nonlinearly to predict splice sites. When the proposed MM1-SVM model is compared with other existing standard splice site detection methods, it shows a superior performance in all the cases. Conclusion: We proposed an effective pre-processing scheme for the SVM and applied it for the identification of splice sites. This is a simple yet effective splice site detection method, which shows a better classification accuracy and computational speed than some other more complex methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Primary chronic canaliculitis is an uncommon disease, which is often misdiagnosed and insufficiently treated. We present two cases of canaliculitis caused by two different organisms, Actinomycetes spp. and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum. To the best of our knowledge, canaliculitis due to Arcanobacterium haemolyticum has not been reported before. Patients and Methods: The two cases described in this series show typical clinical features of canaliculitis with an inflamed upper canaliculus, not responsive to topical antibiotics. Appropriate treatment was delayed as they were initially treated for conjunctivitis. Both patients were treated with a canaliculotomy, with curettage and subsequent treatment with topical and systemic penicillin. The contents were sent for microbiological examination. Results: There was complete resolution following treatment. Actinomyces spp. was grown from one patient as expected. However, in the second patient, Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was isolated. Although this organism was not expected, the patient did respond to similar, conventional treatment. Discussion: Actinomyces spp. is a cast-forming Gram-positive anaerobe. They are difficult to isolate and identify and can cause infections of hollow spaces with formation of canaliculiths. Arcanobacterium (Corynebacterium) haemolyticum closely resembles Actinomyces (Corynebacterium) pyogenes. Ocular infections reported with this organism include orbital cellulitis and subperiosteal abscesses. The difficulty encountered in the isolation and identification of these organisms is discussed and the need for thorough curettage in the treatment of persistent or recurrent canaliculitis is emphasised. Conclusion: Chronic canaliculitis should be considered in any patient who presents with chronic or recurrent conjunctivitis. Definitive cure will not be affected until all concretions are removed, either at surgery or by mechanical expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of electrode pitting on the formation of the weld nugget in resistance spot welding of an aluminium alloy was investigated using the finite element method. Pitted electrodes were simulated by assuming a pre-drilled hole of varying diameter at the centre of the electrode tip surface. The results showed that a small pitting hole would not have a detrimental influence on the nugget size. The actual contact area at the electrode/sheet interface did not change significantly when the diameter of the pitting hole was increased. However, a large pitted area at the electrode tip surface resulted in a greatly increased contact area and hence reduced current density at the sheet/sheet interface, which in turn led to the formation of an undersized weld nugget. The numerical calculation of the nugget shape and dimensions agreed well with experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the properties of materials in biomedical applications and to allow a better interaction of the medical device with the biological system surrounding it, frequently polymeric coatings are applied. However, the adhesion of the coating to the substrate usually poses a problem as the materials involved have either rather inert surfaces or strongly varying surface chemistries. We describe a new approach which allows to attach a wide variety of polymer films to organic substrates either of polymeric or biological origin. The technique is based on photochemical processes occurring in benzophenone group containing polymers, which lead to simultaneous crosslinking of the polymer in the coating and surface-attachment of the forming polymer network. The synthesis and characterization of monolayers and surface-attached polymer networks through this route are described and possible applications of this approach in the biomedical area are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents a letter about hemorrhagic retinopathy and its association with a long haul commercial jet flight.

The article presents information on autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in a five-generation pedigree in People's Republic of China. The reported prevalence of RP in China is 25 per 100000, which is similar to the rate of 19-27 per 100000 observed in Western countries. Genes causing RP have been identified by a combination of linkage mapping, cloning, and candidate testing. At present, close to 100 rhodopsin mutations have been identified in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa patients.

CYP1B1 has been evaluated as a candidate gene for various cancers because of its function in activating environmental procarcinogens and catalysing the conversion of oestrogens to genotoxic catechol oestrogens. To test the hypothesis that genetic polymorphisms in the CYP1B1 gene may associate with the risk for prostate cancer (CaP), we compared the allele, genotype, and haplotype frequencies of 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CYP1B1 among 159 hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) probands, 245 sporadic CaP cases, and 222 unaffected men. When each of the SNPs was analysed separately, marginally significant differences were observed for allele frequencies between sporadic cases and controls for three consecutive SNPs (-1001C/T, -263G/A, and -13C/T, P=0.04-0.07). Similarly, marginally significant differences between sporadic cases and controls in the frequency of variant allele carriers were observed for five consecutive SNPs (-1001C/T, -263G/A, -13C/T, +142C/G, and +355G/T, P=0.02-0.08). Interestingly, when the combination of these five SNPs was analysed using a haplotype approach, a larger difference was found (P=0.009). One frequent haplotype (C-G-C-C-G of -1001C/T, -263G/A, -13C/T, +142C/G, and +355G/T) was associated with an increased risk for CaP, while the other frequent haplotype (T-A-T-G-T) was associated with a decreased risk for CaP. These findings suggest that genetic polymorphisms in CYP1B1 may modify the risk for CaP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has demonstrated individual differences in children's beliefs about the stability of traits, but this focus on individuals may have masked important developmental differences. In a series of four studies, younger children (5-6 years old, Ns = 53, 32, 16, and 16, respectively) were more optimistic in their beliefs about traits than were older children (7-10 years old, Ns = 60, 32, 16, and 16, respectively) and adults (Ns = 130, 100, 48, and 48, respectively). Younger children were more likely to believe that negative traits would change in an extreme positive direction over time (Study 1) and that they could control the expression of a trait (Study 3). This was true not only for psychological traits, but also for biological traits such as missing a finger and having poor eyesight. Young children also optimistically believed that extreme positive traits would be retained over development (Study 2). Study 4 extended these findings to groups, and showed that young children believed that a majority of people can have above average future outcomes. All age groups made clear distinctions between the malleability of biological and psychological traits, believing negative biological traits to be less malleable than negative psychological traits and less subject to a person's control. Hybrid traits (such as intelligence and body weight) fell midway between these two with respect to malleability. The sources of young children's optimism and implications of this optimism for age differences in the incidence of depression are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlled growth and precise placement of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are two vital capabilities for the practical implementation of CNT device designs. This article presents an overview of our research activities aimed at using CVD template growth to both structure and precisely align CNTs into functional system building blocks. Fabrication results on highly-ordered CNT arrays and Y-junction CNTs are described along with an outline of their novel physical properties that could lead to unique device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jackson Laboratory, having the world's largest collection of mouse mutant stocks and genetically diverse inbred strains, is an ideal place to look for genetically determined eye variations and disorders. Through ophthalmoscopy, electroretinography and histology, we have discovered disorders affecting all aspects of the eye including the lid, cornea, iris, lens and retina, resulting in corneal disorders, cataracts, glaucoma and retinal degenerations. Mouse models of retinal degeneration have been investigated for many years in the hope of understanding the causes of photoreceptor cell death. Sixteen naturally occurring mouse mutants that manifest degeneration of photoreceptors in the retina with preservation of all other retinal cell types have been found: retinal degeneration (formerly rd, identical with rodless retina, r, now Pde6b(rd1)); Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd); nervous (nr); retinal degeneration slow (rds, now Prph(Rd2)); retinal degeneration 3 (rd3); motor neuron degeneration (mnd); retinal degeneration 4 (Rd4); retinal degeneration 5 (rd5, now tub); vitiligo (vit, now Mitf(mi-vit)); retinal degeneration 6 (rd6); retinal degeneration 7 (rd7, now Nr2e3(rd7)); neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (nclf); retinal degeneration 8 (rd8); retinal degeneration 9 (Rd9); retinal degeneration 10 (rd10, now Pde6b(rd10)); and cone photoreceptor function loss (cpfl1). In this report, we first review the genotypes and phenotypes of these mutants and second, list the mouse strains that carry each mutation. We will also provide detailed information about the cpfl1 mutation. The phenotypic characteristics of cpfl1 mice are similar to those observed in patients with complete achromatopsia (ACHM2, OMIM 216900) and the cpfl1 mutation is the first naturally-arising mutation in mice to cause cone-specific photoreceptor function loss. cpfl1 mice may provide a model for congenital achromatopsia in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To report the overall success rate of a laparoscopic orchidopexy (LO) series over 5 years including over 100 procedures. Patients and methods The records were reviewed of children who underwent laparoscopic procedures for an impalpable testis at our institutions. The laparoscopic procedures included the standard LO and one-stage and staged Fowler-Stephens (F-S) LOs. The success of orchidopexy was defined as a testis in the scrotum with no atrophy after surgery. Results From 1994, 80 children (101 impalpable testes) were treated using LO. Of these patients, 20 (25%) had impalpable testes on the right, 39 (50%) were on the left and 21 (25%) were bilateral. The testicular location was identified during laparoscopy as: intra-abdominal in 46, iliac in 14, in the internal ring in 22, 'peeping' in 12, behind the bladder in three and intracanulicular in four. Standard LO was used in 72 testes, a one-stage F-S in 20 and a two-stage F-S in nine (first stage two, second stage seven). The median (range) age of the patients was 18 months (0.5-12 years); the mean (range) follow-up was 5 (1-36) months. After orchidopexy the testis was scrotal in 90 (low 78, mid four and high eight), at the pubis in one and not stated in seven (no follow-up available). Four patients (4%) had testicular atrophy from failed F-S orchidopexies, two of whom had undergone previous testicular surgery and one caused by additional dissection around the vas. The overall success rate, including only those with follow-up, was 96% (90 of 94). Of the 20 one-stage F-S orchidopexies, 17 testes were successfully placed in the scrotum with no atrophy. The overall success rate for all F-S procedures was 85% (23 of 27). However, excluding patients who had previous testicular surgery or who required extensive dissection near the vas, 96% (23 of 24) of the testes were successfully placed into the scrotum with no atrophy. Conclusion The high overall success rate in placing the testis into the scrotum... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study on the heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics in a triangular duct cooled by an array of tangential jets, simulating the leading-edge cooling circuit of a turbine blade. Experimental apparatus; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Magnetic frustration is a route for novel ground states, including spin liquids and spin ices. Such frustration can be introduced through either lattice geometry or incompatible exchange interactions. Here, we find that epitaxial strain is an effective tool for tuning antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in a square-lattice system. By studying the magnon excitations in La2NiO4 films using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, we show that the magnon displays substantial dispersion along the antiferromagnetic zone boundary, at energies that depend on the lattice of the film's substrate. Using first principles simulations and an effective spin model, we demonstrate that the antiferromagnetic next-nearest neighbour coupling is a consequence of the two-orbital nature of La2NiO4. Altogether, we illustrate that compressive epitaxial strain enhances this coupling and, as a result, increases the level of incompatibility between exchange interactions within a model square-lattice system. Frustration in magnetic systems may lead to exotic quantum phases such as spin liquid and spin ice state. Here the authors demonstrate that compressive epitaxial strain in La2NiO4 films deposited on different substrates can tune antiferromagnetic exchange interactions and increase the degree of frustration through the increased level of incompatibility between exchange interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]