Search

SynopsisTrabecular bone is a spongy bone tissue that serves as a scaffolding-like support inside many skeletal elements. Previous research found allometric variation in some aspects of trabecular bone architecture (TBA) and bone microstructure, whereas others scale isometrically. However, most of these studies examined very wide size and phylogenetic ranges or focused exclusively on primates or lab mice. We examined the impact of body size on TBA across a smaller size range in the mammalian clade Xenarthra (sloths, armadillos, and anteaters). We µCT-scanned the last six presacral vertebrae of 23 xenarthran specimens (body mass 120 g–35 kg). We collected ten gross-morphology measurements and seven TBA metrics and analyzed them using phylogenetic and nonphylogenetic methods. Most metrics had similar allometries to previous work. However, because ecology and phylogeny align closely in Xenarthra, the phylogenetic methods likely removed some covariance due to ecology; clarifying the impact of ecology on TBA in xenarthrans requires further work. Regressions for Folivora had high P-values and low R-squared values, indicating that the extant sloth sample either is too limited to determine patterns or that the unique way sloths load their vertebral columns causes unusually high TBA variation. The southern three-banded armadillo sits far below the regression lines, which may be related to its ability to roll into a ball. Body size, phylogeny, and ecology impact xenarthran TBA, but parsing these effects is highly complex.

Background Less than 20% of youth who experience mental health difficulties access and receive appropriate treatment. This is exacerbated by barriers such as stigma, confidentiality concerns and lack of mental health literacy. A youth team developed the Wellness Quest: a health literacy tool to enable help-seeking youth to advocate for themselves. Objective To evaluate the content, presentation and utility of the Wellness Quest tool among youth. Participants Participants aged 14 to 26. Methods A youth research team conducted five focus groups and one online survey to evaluate the Wellness Quest tool. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data, and descriptive statistics were used to explore the survey results. Main results Overall evaluations of the Wellness Quest were positive: participants felt it would be useful during their mental health help-seeking journey. Participants expressed the need for information about services for specific populations, such as Indigenous, immigrants, refugees and 2SLGBTQ + youth. They expressed that the tool should be available in complementary online and print versions. Discussion Improving mental health literacy may improve mental health by enabling youth and those who support them to recognize and respond to signs of distress and understanding where and how to get help. The Wellness Quest tool may equip youth with the knowledge to make informed decisions and advocate for their own mental health, thereby facilitating help-seeking among youth. Patient or public contribution Youth as service users led all stages of the project, from designing and conducting the study and analysing the data to writing the manuscript.

Additional file 1.

Additional file 2.

Additional file 3.

Synopsis Teeth lie at the interface between an animal and its environment and, with some exceptions, act as a major component of resource procurement through food acquisition and processing. Therefore, the shape of a tooth is closely tied to the type of food being eaten. This tight relationship is of use to biologists describing the natural history of species and given the high instance of tooth preservation in the fossil record, is especially useful for paleontologists. However, correlating gross tooth morphology to diet is only part of the story, and much more can be learned through the study of dental biomechanics. We can explore the mechanics of how teeth work, how different shapes evolved, and the underlying forces that constrain tooth shape. This review aims to provide an overview of the research on dental biomechanics, in both mammalian and non-mammalian teeth, and to synthesize two main approaches to dental biomechanics to develop an integrative framework for classifying and evaluating dental functional morphology. This framework relates food material properties to the dynamics of food processing, in particular how teeth transfer energy to food items, and how these mechanical considerations may have shaped the evolution of tooth morphology. We also review advances in technology and new techniques that have allowed more in-depth studies of tooth form and function.

SummaryWhat is known and objective Paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir+dasabuvir (PrOD) is a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus. We report on a probable interaction between PrOD with ribavirin and warfarin. Case description Two weeks after the start of PrOD with ribavirin, the patient's international normalized ratio (INR) became subtherapeutic. Eleven weeks into therapy and following a 125% total increase in the weekly warfarin dose, therapeutic INR was achieved. Thirteen days after DAA therapy was completed and discontinued, the patient's INR became critically supratherapeutic. What is new and conclusion Patients on PrOD plus ribavirin with warfarin should have INR followed closely upon initiation and discontinuation of therapy due to a probable drug interaction.

Background Prescribing for patients taking multiple medicines (i.e. polypharmacy) is challenging for general practitioners (GPs). Limited evidence suggests that the integration of pharmacists into the general practice team could improve the management of these patients. The aim of this study is to develop and test an intervention involving pharmacists, working within GP practices, to optimise prescribing in Ireland, which has a mixed public and private primary healthcare system. Methods This non-randomised pilot study will use a mixed-methods approach. Four general practices will be purposively sampled and recruited. A pharmacist will join the practice team for 6 months. They will participate in the management of repeat prescribing and undertake medication reviews (which will address high-risk prescribing and potentially inappropriate prescribing, deprescribing and cost-effective and generic prescribing) with adult patients. Pharmacists will also provide prescribing advice regarding the use of preferred drugs, undertake clinical audits, join practice team meetings and facilitate practice-based education. Throughout the 6-month intervention period, anonymised practice-level medication (e.g. medication changes) and cost data will be collected. A nested Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) study will be undertaken during months 4 and 5 of the 6-month intervention period to explore the impact of the intervention in older adults (aged ≥ 65 years). For this, a sub-set of 50 patients aged ≥ 65 years with significant polypharmacy (≥ 10 repeat medicines) will be recruited from each practice and invited to a medication review with the pharmacist. PROMs and healthcare utilisation data will be collected using patient questionnaires, and a 6-week follow-up review conducted. Acceptability of the intervention will be explored using pre- and post-intervention semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis will be undertaken and an economic evaluation conducted. Discussion This non-randomised pilot study will provide evidence regarding the feasibility and potential effectiveness of general practice-based pharmacists in Ireland and provide data on whether a randomised controlled trial of this intervention is indicated. It will also provide a deeper understanding as to how a pharmacist working as part of the general practice team will affect organisational processes and professional relationships in a mixed public and private primary healthcare system.

The meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2015 committed parties at the convention to hold the rise in global average temperature to well below 2.0 °C above pre-industrial levels. It also committed the parties to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5 °C. This leads to two key questions. First, what extent of emissions reduction will achieve either target? Second, what is the benefit of the reduced climate impacts from keeping warming at or below 1.5 °C? To provide answers, climate model simulations need to follow trajectories consistent with these global temperature limits. It is useful to operate models in an inverse mode to make model-specific estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration pathways consistent with the prescribed temperature profiles. Further inversion derives related emissions pathways for these concentrations. For this to happen, and to enable climate research centres to compare GHG concentrations and emissions estimates, common temperature trajectory scenarios are required. Here we define algebraic curves that asymptote to a stabilised limit, while also matching the magnitude and gradient of recent warming levels. The curves are deliberately parameter-sparse, needing the prescription of just two parameters plus the final temperature. Yet despite this simplicity, they can allow for temperature overshoot and for generational changes, for which more effort to decelerate warming change needs to be made by future generations. The curves capture temperature profiles from the existing Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP2.6) scenario projections by a range of different Earth system models (ESMs), which have warming amounts towards the lower levels of those that society is discussing.

Maintaining adequate nutrient intake during space flight is important not only to meet nutrient needs of astronauts but also to help counteract negative effects of space flight on the human body. Beyond these functions, food also provides psychosocial benefits throughout a mission. Dietary intake data from multiple space programs, including the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, are discussed. These data arise from medical monitoring of dietary intake and crew health, as well as from research protocols designed to assess the role of diet in counteracting bone loss and other health concerns. Ground- based studies are conducted to better understand some of the negative issues related to space flight. Examples of ground-based studies are extended-duration bed rest studies, vitamin D supplementation studies in Antarctica during 6-month winterovers, and 10- to 14-day saturation diving missions on the floor of the ocean. The use of weighed food records, diet diaries, barcodes and food-frequency questionnaires to assess nutritional intake of space crewmembers is described. Provision of food and nutrients in space flight is important for many body systems including the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, endocrine, and immune systems. Key areas of concern during long-duration space flight include loss of body mass, bone and muscle loss, radiation exposure and oxidative damage, nutrient intake during spacewalks (extravehicular activity), depletion of nutrient stores, and inadequate dietary intake. Initial experimental research studies using food and nutrition as a countermeasure to aid in mitigating these concerns are underway. Beyond their importance for the few individuals leaving the planet, these studies have significant implications for those remaining on Earth.

Animal models and human studies suggest that osteocytes regulate the skeleton's response to mechanical unloading in part by an increase in sclerostin. However, few studies have reported changes in serum sclerostin in humans exposed to reduced mechanical loading.We determined changes in serum sclerostin and bone turnover markers in healthy adult men undergoing controlled bed rest.Seven healthy adult men (31 ± 3 yr old) underwent 90 d of 6° head down tilt bed rest at the University of Texas Medical Branch Institute for Translational Sciences-Clinical Research Center.Serum sclerostin, PTH, vitamin D, bone resorption and formation markers, urinary calcium and phosphorus excretion, and 24-h pooled urinary markers of bone resorption were evaluated before bed rest [baseline (BL)] and at bed rest d 28 (BR-28), d 60 (BR-60), and d 90 (BR-90). Bone mineral density was measured at BL, BR-60, and 5 d after the end of the study (BR+5). Data are reported as mean ± SD.Consistent with prior reports, bone mineral density declined significantly (1-2% per month) at weight-bearing skeletal sites. Serum sclerostin was elevated above BL at BR-28 (+29 ± 20%; P = 0.003) and BR-60 (+42 ± 31%; P0.001), with a lesser increase at BR-90 (+22 ± 21%; P = 0.07). Serum PTH levels were reduced at BR-28 (-17 ± 16%; P = 0.02) and BR-60 (-24 ± 14%; P = 0.03) and remained lower than BL at BR-90 (-21 ± 21%; P = 0.14), but did not reach statistical significance. Serum bone turnover markers were unchanged; however, urinary bone resorption markers and calcium were significantly elevated at all time points after bed rest (P0.01).In healthy men subjected to controlled bed rest for 90 d, serum sclerostin increased, with a peak at 60, whereas serum PTH declined, and urinary calcium and bone resorption markers increased.

MEG offers dynamic and spectral resolution for resting-state connectivity which is unavailable in fMRI. However, there are a wide range of available network estimation methods for MEG, and little in the way of existing guidance on which ones to employ. In this technical note, we investigate the extent to which many popular measures of stationary connectivity are suitable for use in resting-state MEG, localising magnetic sources with a scalar beamformer. We use as empirical criteria that network measures for individual subjects should be repeatable, and that group-level connectivity estimation shows good reproducibility. Using publically-available data from the Human Connectome Project, we test the reliability of 12 network estimation techniques against these criteria. We find that the impact of magnetic field spread or spatial leakage artefact is profound, creates a major confound for many connectivity measures, and can artificially inflate measures of consistency. Among those robust to this effect, we find poor test-retest reliability in phase- or coherence-based metrics such as the phase lag index or the imaginary part of coherency. The most consistent methods for stationary connectivity estimation over all of our tests are simple amplitude envelope correlation and partial correlation measures., Highlights • Comparison of the repeatability of 12 common network estimation methods. • Consistency of estimation tested at group-level, subject-level and between subjects. • Best-performing methods are correlations in band-limited power. • Methods should correct for the effects of spatial leakage between sources.

The migration and invasion inhibitor protein (MIIP, also known as IIp45) was discovered as a negative regulator of cell migration and invasion in glioma. Our previous studies have shown that the MIIP protein was reduced or undetectable in some tissue samples obtained from patients with glioblastoma. The significance of MIIP in gliomagenesis is unknown. In this study, we report that MIIP has an important role in the inhibition of gliomagenesis and attenuation of mitotic transition. Increased MIIP expression levels inhibited colony formation and cell growth of glioma cell lines in vitro, whereas decreased expression by specific small interfering RNA for MIIP resulted in increased cell growth. Expression of MIIP in a glial-specific mouse model blocked glioma development and progression, thus showing that MIIP is an inhibitor of gliomagenesis. Furthermore, we show that MIIP attenuates mitotic transition and results in increased mitotic catastrophe. The biochemical mechanism of MIIP in this process is associated with its regulation of anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C) activity. MIIP interacts directly with Cdc20, and the interaction of MIIP with Cdc20 inhibits APC/C-mediated degradation of cyclin B1. Thus, MIIP attenuates mitotic transition and increases mitotic catastrophe, thereby inhibiting glioma development and progression.

Summary Although some retardation in ripening of Doyenne du Comice pears can be obtained when unripe fruit are held in modified atmosphere packs (MA) at 20°C, softening proceeds at a faster rate than chlorophyll loss so that the appearance of the fruit fails to match its internal condition. However, a 4-day extension in shelf-life was obtained by packing the fruit in a part-ripe condition and, although the effects on rate of softening were less than those seen for unripe fruit, the yellower ground colour was more consistent with the eating qualities of the fruit. Increases in fruit-to-fruit variability, and in the risk of skin injury as the pears ripen in MA packs which were also recorded, are likely to preclude the commercial adoption of this technique for Comice pears.

Summary In order to study effects of physiological maturity on responses of Discovery apples to modified atmosphere (MA) retail packaging, samples of fruit were picked at 3–4 day intervals over a 3-week period spanning the development of the climacteric rise in respiration and the normal marketing season for the variety. The apples were packed in MA (301∼.ethylene vinyl acetate) or perforated control packs and held under simulated marketing conditions at 10 or 20°C. The degree of modification of the pack atmospheres and the effects of MA packaging on fruit ripening changes were influenced by harvest date and related to the respiration rate of fruit when packed. MA packs were effective in retarding softening and skin colour changes in immediately pre-climacteric and early climacteric fruit. There was little risk of taint development, except during 14-day simulated marketing periods at 20°C. Little beneficial effect of MA packaging was found in apples harvested 4 days before the onset of the climacteric; relatively little deterioration occurred in such fruit in perforated control packs. Beneficial effects of MA packaging on ripening changes and quality attributes were reduced, and taint risk enhanced, when the technique was used for late picked fruit with much higher rates of respiration. Possible causes for the observed relationship between the different stages of physiological maturity of Discovery apples and their responses to MA packaging are discussed.

Summary The responses of Bramleys and Coxs apples to modified atmosphere (MA) retail packaging were studied in samples of fruit removed from controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage at monthly intervals through the marketing season, packed in MA or perforated control packs and held under simulated marketing conditions at 15C. The degree of modification of the pack atmospheres and the effects of MA packaging on fruit ripening changes were influenced by the duration and conditions of storage prior to packing. In addition, differential effects of MA packaging on the extent of retardation of flesh softening and skin yellowing were found as the storage period was extended. During 2 or 4 weeks at 15C, however, MA packs made from low density polyethylene (LDPE, 30 p) were effective in retarding changes in firmness and skin colour of Bramleys, previously stored for < 22 weeks (October-March) in 8% C02+ 13% O2 or for < 30 weeks (October-May) in 6% C02+3% 02. Similarly, during a 2-week marketing period at 15C, LDPE or ethylenevinylacetate (EVA, 30 II.) MA packs were effective in retarding some ripening changes in Coxs previously stored for < 31 weeks (Oc- tober-May) in < 1% C02+1.25% 02. The practical benefits of MA retail packaging for the marketing of apples are also discussed.

Recent research on relationships between diatoms and pH suggest that the genus Cyclotella exhibits a strong relationship with lake acidity, being almost totally absent below pH 5.5. This decline has been used as an indicator of lake acidification in paleolimnological studies. In this study C. stelligera V.H. and C. kuetzingiana Thwaites were abundant in Precambrian Sheild lakes with pH as low as 4.5. Cyclotella comta (Ehr.) Kuetz. was found in lakes of pH 5.5. Cyclotella michiganiana Skv. was found in lakes of pH >6.0. These results indicate that the use of C. stelligera, C. kuetzingiana, and possibly C. comta, in paleolimnological investigations of lake acidification, should be approached with caution. These taxa may exhibit a decline in abundance with decreasing lake water pH, but this is partially a morphometric effect not necessarily related to anthropogenic acidification.

Using the finite element software Abaqus, the present study utilized explicit flaw modeling techniques to compute nozzle corner crack stress intensity factors for a range of semi-elliptical and sawcut cracks in a nozzle and semi-elliptical cracks in a flat plate. Additionally, a weight function method (WFM) for a semi-elliptical crack in a flat plate was evaluated. Stress intensity factors were computed for a number of loading conditions. A transient thermal stress analysis was performed for the nozzle explicit flaw models and discussed. Results of this study indicate that stress intensity factors at the bisecting position of the elliptical crack front from the flat plate model agree well with the analogous nozzle crack bisector position results and WFM solution.Copyright © 2015 by ASME

In this paper, the concurrent numerical simulation of clotting and unsteady flow within a stenosed artery is described. The simplified blood clotting process is based on a residence time model, using a lattice Boltzmann flow solver with passive scalar advective-diffusive transport. Simulation results of a stenosed model artery are presented together with experimental blood analogue results. Aspects of an efficient unstructured implementation are briefly reviewed.

Thermospheric and mesospheric structures are studied using an all-sky imager located at El Leoncito, Argentina (31.8° S, 69.3° W, –18° mag lat). This site has relatively high geographic latitude for a location under the crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA), and thus observations can be used to study the intrusion of several equatorial processes into the midlatitude domain. In addition, it has a conjugate point close to the field of view of our companion imager at Arecibo, PR, allowing for the study of inter-hemispheric effects. Four types of phenomena were studied using 630.0 nm and 777.4 nm observations: (1) highly-structured airglow depletions associated with the Rayleigh-Taylor instability/equatorial spread-F (RTI/ESF) process, (2) brightness waves (BW) associated with the midnight temperature maximum (MTM), (3) strong airglow enhancements associated with the positive phase of ionospheric storms, and (4) simple (non-structured) bands of airglow depletions with characteristics matching a Perkins-like instability. Using 557.7 nm mesospheric observations, a fifth category of study deals with gravity waves probably generated by lower atmospheric disturbances, and mesospheric bores related to strong vertical temperature gradients. While ESF depletions and BW events are detected fairly frequently, the mid-latitude bands are not, and thus their successful imaging at El Leoncito offers the first example of the coupling from mid-latitudes to low-latitudes in the South American longitude sector. Preliminary results on these features are presented in this paper. Taken together, these five types of optical structures offer the opportunity to investigate coupling, both in altitude and latitude, of aeronomic processes at low latitudes in an under-sampled longitude sector in the Southern Hemisphere.

The impact of a major ice storm in eastern Ontario on 28 pine plantations (red pine, Pinus resinosa Ait.; Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L.; white pine, Pinus strobus L.; and jack pine, Pinus banksiana Lamb.) was examined for 4 years after the event. Degree of crown loss and tree mortality were quantified in relation to tree and stand characteristics (e.g., tree species, diameter at breast height (DBH), stand density, stand edge versus interior). We also tested whether salvaging damaged material reduced subsequent tree mortality. Jack and Scots pine were 2.5 times more likely to be damaged by the ice storm than were red pine and white pine. Overstocked stands, and stands with lower mean DBH, were most susceptible to storm damage. Trees were five times more likely to be damaged in the interior versus the edge of a stand, in contrast with previous findings in hardwood stands. In unsalvaged stands, ca. 75% tree mortality was observed in severely damaged trees (>50% crown loss) compared with ca. 45% tree mortality in salvaged stands. Properly timed thinnings to increase diameter growth and the removal of dead and dying wood from heavily damaged stands are recommended to reduce the long-term effects of ice storms.

Received 17 January 2003; revised 27 March 2003; accepted 8 April 2003 Background: Our aim was to explore the use of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the management of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck from an occult primary (HNCOP). Patients and methods: From 1991 to 2000, 25 patients with T0N2M0 or T0N3M0 HNCOP were entered into five sequential phase II clinical trials. Chemoradiotherapy consisted of a split course of radiotherapy with concurrent 5-fluorouracil and hydroxyurea either alone or with cisplatin, or paclitaxel. Two of the five protocols incorporated induction chemotherapy. Results: Nodal stage was N2a in five patients (20%), N2b in 13 (52%), N2c in one (4%) and N3 in six (24%). Twenty-two patients (88%) underwent neck dissection; 14 of 22 patients underwent neck dissection before initiating protocol therapy. Total radiation doses of 55–75 Gy (median 60 Gy) were delivered; radiation fields included the potential sites of mucosal primaries and the neck bilaterally. Selected patients received a radiation boost to the involved neck. With a median follow-up of 3.9 years, three patients have progressed (one local, two distant) and seven patients have died. Deaths were due to disease progression (three) or unrelated causes (four). No metachronous primaries developed. The 5-year progression-free and overall survival was 87% and 75%, respectively. Conclusion: Combined-modality treatment with intensive chemoradiotherapy results in excellent disease control and long-term survival for patients with N2–N3 HNCOP and compares favorably with traditional

Diets of three warbler species were analyzed during a spruce budworm outbreak in the boreal forest of northern Ontario. Beetles constituted a large portion of the food items consumed by Cape May (Dendroica tigrina), Bay-breasted (Dendroica castanea), and Tennessee (Vermivora peregrina) warblers early in the breeding season (7–11 June), and caterpillars were the most frequently used food category shortly later (18–24 June). Differences in diet served to differentiate the warbler species in the earlier period when Bay-breasted Warblers consumed more beetles, Tennessee Warblers consumed more caterpillars, and Cape May Warblers consumed more flies than the other species. Only Bay-breasted Warblers' continuing preference for beetles differentiated the warblers' diets in the later period. Food-niche overlaps increased for two of the three warbler species pairs between the two periods in June, but there was no change in the overlap between Bay-breasted and Cape May warbler diets.

Structured Abstract Objectives To determine minimal dose levels required for local inhibition of orthodontic relapse by recombinant OPG protein (OPG-Fc), while also determining effects of injected OPG-Fc on alveolar bone and long bone. Setting and Sample Population The Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Michigan. Eighteen male Sprague Dawley rats. Materials & Methods Maxillary molars were moved with nickel–titanium springs and then allowed to relapse in Sprague Dawley rats. Upon appliance removal, animals were injected with a single dose of 1.0 mg/kg OPG-Fc, 0.1 mg/kg OPG-Fc, or phosphate-buffered saline (vehicle) just distal to the molar teeth. Tooth movement measurements were made from stone casts, which were scanned and digitally measured. Alveolar tissues were examined by histology. Micro-computed tomography was used to quantify changes in alveolar and femur bone. Results Local injection of OPG-Fc inhibited molar but not incisor relapse, when compared to vehicle-injected animals. No significant differences in alveolar or femur bone were seen between the three treatment groups after 24 days of relapse. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that a single local injection of OPG-Fc effectively inhibits orthodontic relapse, with minimal systemic bone metabolic effects. Our results also show that a single injection of OPG-Fc will influence tooth movement only in teeth close to the injection site. These findings indicate that OPG-Fc has potential as a safe and effective pharmacological means to locally control osteoclasts, for uses such as maintaining anchorage during orthodontic tooth movement and preventing orthodontic relapse in humans.

1. Vesicular secretion from single human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was monitored by changes in membrane capacitance (Cm). Secretion was evoked by dialysis with strongly buffered intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i), flash photolysis of Ca2+-loaded DM-nitrophen or caged InsP3, or by thrombin. [Ca2+]i was monitored spectrofluorimetrically with furaptra. The results show that a large, slowly rising component of vesicular secretion requires prolonged exposure to high [Ca2+]i. 2. Cm increased during intracellular perfusion with [Ca2+] buffered in the range 1.0-20 microM. Changes in Cm comprised an initial slowly rising small component of 0.1-0.5 pF followed by a faster rising larger component of up to approximately 7 pF, seen when [Ca2+]i > 2 microM and which was maximal at 10-20 microM Ca2+. 3. Thrombin evoked rapid initial elevations of [Ca2+]i to a peak of 7.1 +/- 1.5 microM (mean +/- s.e. m., n = 5) that declined within approximately 20-30 s with thrombin present either to resting levels or to a maintained elevated level of 2.0 +/- 0.7 microM (mean +/- s.e.m., range 1.0-3.6 microM, n = 3). Transient [Ca2+]i rises were associated with small, slowly rising increases in Cm of 0.1-0.2 pF, that recovered to pre-application levels over 2-3 min. Maintained elevations of [Ca2+]i caused larger, faster-rising sustained increases in Cm to 1.14 +/- 0.12 pF (mean +/- s.e.m., n = 3). Separate specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that 1.0 U ml-1 thrombin produced secretion of von Willebrand factor in HUVEC cultures. 4. Short-lived [Ca2+]i elevations with a peak of 3-25 microM and a duration of approximately 20 s generated by flash photolysis of caged InsP3 or DM-nitrophen produced either no net change in Cm, or small slow increases of approximately 0.1-0.6 pF at up to 5 fF s-1 that recovered to pre-flash levels over 2-3 min. 5. Maintained elevations of [Ca2+]i in the range 1-28 microM produced by flash photolysis of DM-nitrophen caused large increases in Cm, up to approximately 4 pF, corresponding to approximately 25-30 % of the initial cell Cm. The maximum rate of change of Cm was up to 50 fF s-1 at steady [Ca2+] up to 20 microM; Cm recovered towards pre-flash levels only when [Ca2+] had declined.

An approach to the optimum design of structures, in which uncertainties with a fuzzy nature in the magnitude of the loads are considered, is proposed in this study. The optimization process under fuzzy loads is transformed into a fuzzy optimization problem based on the notion of Werners' maximizing set by defining membership functions of the objective function and constraints. In this paper, Werner's maximizing set is defined using the results obtained by first conducting an optimization through anti-optimization modeling of the uncertain loads. An example of a ten-bar truss is used to illustrate the present optimization process. The results are compared with those yielded by other optimization methods.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is common among people with severe mental retardation who may also have multiple complex medical problems coupled with communication difficulties. This combination of factors sometimes makes it difficult to obtain accurate and detailed medical histories. In this exploratory descriptive study of 25 patients with SIB, 28% had previously undiagnosed medical conditions that could be expected to cause pain or discomfort. Six of the 7 patients experienced decreased SIB with treatment of their medical conditions. In patients with SIB, impaired communication skills, and complex medical histories, medical conditions that may be associated with pain or discomfort must be a consideration in determining the etiology of the SIB.

A synthesis of white pine weevil (Pissodes strobi Peck) mortality caused by predation (insects, birds, and mammalian predators), crowding of pupae, and abiotic factors, acting under different stand conditions given by the type of reforestation, depth of the duff, distance from woody debris, and presence of competing vegetation is presented, based on a four-year study conducted in northeastern Ontario. The type of reforestation (planted vs. aerial seeding) did not influence mortality to immature weevils in the leaders from either bird predation, insect predators and parasitoids or crowding of pupae, but 16% more weevils died during winter in a planted than in a seeded stand suggesting that there was an effect of site condition or small mammal predation on overwintering adults in the duff. Over all conditions, overwintering mortality averaged 76-92% with small mammal predation representing about 5-13%. Site conditions which augmented small mammal populations and predation, such as proximity to woody debris and presence of competing vegetation, had no effect on overwintering mortality of the weevils. The most important factor influencing overwintering mortality was likely the depth of duff where an inverse relationship was observed between mortality and depth. Forest managers should address conditions of duff depth and small mammal predation to increase the already significant overwintering mortality of adult weevils in young jack pine stands. Key words: Pissodes strobi, silvicultural treatments, planted and seeded stands, competing vegetation, duff layers, small mammal predation, overwintering mortality

The Senegalese grasshopper, Oedaleus senegalensis (Krauss) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), is a major grasshopper pest of subsistence crops in the West African Sahel. In northern Mali, O. senegalensis spends the dry season in the egg stage in the soil and eclosion is triggered by the first rains which usually occur in May and June. Satellite imagery potentially enables rainfall, and hense O. senegalensis eclosion, to be monitored over much wider areas than those possible for ground-based observers. In 1990 and 1991, rain-gauge networks were set up at Mourdiah, northern Mali, and for each storm event, rainfall and Meteosat infra-red data were collected. The coldest convection clouds (< -70°C) produced rain 93.1% (n = 15) of the time, whereas warmer cloud (>- 10°C) produced rain only once (n = 61). The relationship between minimum cloud temperature and log transformed rainfall data was negative and highly significant (P < 0.0005). The maximum rain-gauge separation for reliable point measurements of rainfall was 8 km. Simulated rainfall experiments showed that O. senegalensis eclosion is influenced both by soil type and by the quantity of water added to the soil. A grasshopper survey after the first rain in 1994 showed that 8 mm of rain was sufficient to cause eclosion 9 days later. The implications of these results for improved O. senegalensis control are discussed.

The molecular complex formed by the immunosuppressant FK506 and the immunophilin protein FKBP12 potently inhibits the Ca2+/calmodulin-activated protein phosphatase calcineurin. This mechanism appears to be common to all types of cell, implying that fundamental physiological modes of calcineurin regulation are exploited by immunosuppressants. The present paper describes a novel adenylyl cyclase regulated by calcineurin that contains an FKBP12-like domain and may thus constitute a physiologically relevant calcineurin docking site mimicked by immunosuppressant-immunophilin complexes. The enzyme messenger RNA is particularly enriched in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus, where it is localized to neuronal perikarya, indicative of an important role in neuronal function.

The new Basolan AS process for wool dyeing is described. The process restricts the deterioration of wool properties that occurs as a result of dyeing. This is achieved through a reduction in the extent to which wool is permanently set during dyeing. Two options are available to the dyer involving the addition of antisetting chemicals to the wool dyebath. Processing and product benefits can be obtained for wool dyed as loose fibre, top, yarn (package or hank) and woven fabric.

The results obtained during a wake-vortex test conducted in the NASA Ames Research Center 80- by 120-ft Wind Tunnel are described. The wind-tunnel test is part of an FA A and NASA program to study the characteristics of lift-generate d vortices in order to safely increase airport capacity for subsonic transports. Data was first obtained to confirm that measurements in the 80- by 120-ft Wind Tunnel are in agreement with those taken in the 40- by 80-ft Wind Tunnel during the test program of the 1970s. Measurements are then presented on the maximum rolling moment induced on following models of various sizes when they encounter the vortex wakes shed by several configurations of a subsonic transport. Finally, measurements are presented of the lift and rolling moment induced on various following models, and of the down wash, as a function of span wise distance in the wake. The wing spans of the followers vary from 0.085 to 1.022 times the span of the wakegenerating model.

The design and performance of a battery-powered flow injection-based photometric monitor are described. The system is controlled by an in-house microcomputer system that enables the monitor (including a solid state detector) to operate from a 12-V battery supply. Two monitors have been developed: one for nitrate, the second for orthophosphate. The nitrate monitor has a linear range of 0 to 12 mg L −1 and a limit of detection of 0.05 mg L −1 . The orthophosphate monitor has a linear range of 0 to 2000 μg L −1 and a limit of detection of 70 μg L −1 . Six river water samples were analysed by the monitors and the results obtained were in good agreement with standard spectrophotometric methods. The nitrate monitor was operated continuously for three weeks and produced good results for 82% of this period. The accuracy and precision of the nitrate system were examined over a 3-d period and both found to be better than 2%.

Sirex noctilio F. is an exotic woodwasp now found in eastern North America where it shares natural enemies with native woodwasps of Pinus spp. To study the extent to which native hymenopteran parasitoids and parasitic nematodes could affect woodwasp populations, 60 Pinus trees with symptoms of S. noctilio attack were felled in 2007 and 2008 in Ontario, Canada. Each tree bole was cut into 1-m sections that were placed in individual rearing tubes; emergence was monitored from May to November of the year of felling. Female S. noctilio were dissected to assess parasitism by the nematode Deladenus siricidicola Bedding. Two species of Siricidae emerged from these trees; S. noctilio, which accounted for most of the specimens collected, and S. nigricornis F. Of the three species of parasitoid that emerged, Ibalia leucospoides (Hochenwarth) was the most abundant, accounting for an overall hypothetical Siricidae parasitism rate of almost 20%. This parasitoid emerged over a similar time period as S. noctilio-between early July and early September. Except in trees15 m in height, parasitism by I. leucospoides generally appeared uniform throughout the bole. Parasitism rates did not vary between the 2 yr, but did between sites in 1 yr. Parasitic nematodes were found in the haemocoel of about one third of S. noctilio females dissected but were never found sterilizing the eggs; none were found in S. noctilio emerging from P. resinosa. These findings suggest that I. leucospoides is currently the primary invertebrate natural enemy of S. noctilio in Ontario.

A new description for computed tomography, parallel and equal to Radon transformation but based on sinusoidal functions rather than line integrals, is introduced. This representation contributes an effective algorithm to reduce metal artefacts in reconstruction. Using this method, the information included in the scan data corresponding to the metal implants can be separated from the original projection, an amending method rather than interpolation is therefore provided to reach higher accuracy for reconstruction. The method is with low complexity in computation, and can be combined online with filtered backprojection (FBP), which is the most widely used algorithm in practice, to improve the quality of the reconstructed image. Also, the method has the potential to deal with the artefacts caused by beam hardening and partial volume, and to be developed into a straight reconstruction algorithm based on the sinusoidal representation. Examples are presented for clearer description and demonstration.

To examine 3-year quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes among United States adults with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), syndromal adult antisocial behavior without conduct disorder (CD) before age 15 [adulthood antisocial behavioral syndrome (AABS), not a DSM-IV diagnosis], or no antisocial behavioral syndrome at baseline.Face-to-face interviews (n = 34 653). Psychiatric disorders were assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule - DSM-IV Version. Health-related QOL was assessed using the Short-Form 12-Item Health Survey, version 2 (SF-12v2). Other outcomes included past-year Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4) scores, employment, receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), welfare, and food stamps, and participation in social relationships.Antisocial personality disorder and AABS predicted poorer employment, financial dependency, social relationship, and physical health outcomes. Relationships of antisociality to SSI and food stamp receipt and physical health scales were modified by baseline age. Both antisocial syndromes predicted higher PSS-4, AABS predicted lower SF-12v2 Vitality, and ASPD predicted lower SF-12v2 Social Functioning scores in women.Similar prediction of QOL by ASPD and AABS suggests limited utility of requiring CD before age 15 to diagnose ASPD. Findings underscore the need to improve prevention and treatment of antisocial syndromes.

We report on the sol–gel deposition and characterization of high-quality, epitaxial films of PbZr.52Ti.48O3 (PZT) on (001)Si substrates, with a thickness range of 400 A to 1 μm. The epitaxial growth of PZT on (001)Si is achieved using a thin template layer of SrTiO3, grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The sol–gel PZT films have a typical surface roughness of 5 A and exhibit well defined reflective high-energy electron diffraction patterns characteristic of smooth, epitaxial films. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and double-crystal x-ray diffraction, we find that the PZT films are oriented with the c axis normal to the (001)Si plane and with the a axis lying along 〈110〉Si direction. Finally, we measure the electromechanical coupling coefficients and the surface acoustic wave velocities for our films as a function of thickness and compare our experimental data to previously published theoretical values for this system.

A new scale, comprising 100 criteria based on medical history, physical examination and routine laboratory data, independent of a drinking history, can help physicians in the detection, diagnosis and early treatment of alcoholism. The scale also permits objective classification of alcoholism into mild, moderate and severe categories and overcomes the patient's denial—a major obstacle to early diagnosis. Results suggest that the instrument is accurate: 94% of patients were classified correctly by the scale. Further validation studies in clinical practice are necessary.

Nitrate concentrations and nitrate loads throughout the River Frome catchment (Dorset) are compared for the periods 1970-71 and 1984-86. Nitrate concentrations and loads have increased at every site, the increase in mean nitrate concentrations varying from 31% to 123%. These increases in nitrate concentrations are related to changes in land use and fertiliser applications and also to an increase in sewage effluent entering the river.