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AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate role of molecular (endothelin-1, soluble Fas-L, NT-proBNP, TNF-α, interleukin-1β,) and genetic factors (NOS3 (rs1799983), EDNRA (C + 70G, rs5335), NADPH oxidase (C242T, rs4673), p53 protein (polymorphic marker-Arg72Pro exon 4, rs1042522), NOS3 (Glu298Asp, rs1799983), Caspase 8 (CASP8, rs3834129 and rs1045485), interleukin-1β gene (Il-1β, rs1143634), TNF-α gene (rs1800629), SOD2 (rs4880), GPX1 (rs1050450) in development of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (AIC) in women without cardiovascular diseases.MethodsA total of 176 women with breast cancer and without cardiovascular diseases who received anthracyclines were enrolled in the study. After the 12 months of chemotherapy (CT), all patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 52) comprised patients with AIC, group 2 (n = 124) comprised those without it.ResultsBased on ROC-analysis, levels of endothelin-1 of ≥9.0 pg/mL (AUC of 0.699), sFas-L of ≥98.3 ng/mL (AUC of 0.990), and NT-proBNP of ≥71.5 pg/mL (AUC of 0.994;) were identified as a cut-off values predicting AIC during 12 months after CT. Whereas, NT-proBNP and sFas-L were more significant predictors than endothelin-1 (p < 0.001). The development of AIC was significantly related to Arg/Arg of p53 protein gene (OR = 2.972; p = 0.001), T/T of NOS3 gene (OR = 3.059, p = 0.018), T/T of NADPH oxidase gene (OR = 2.753, p = 0.008), and C/C of GPX1 (OR = 2.345; p = 0.007).ConclusionEvaluation of polymorphisms genes of p53 (rs1042522), NOS3 (rs1799983), GPX1 (rs1050450), and NADPH oxidase (rs4673) can be recommended before CT for the risk assessment of AIC development. The serum levels of NT-proBNP and soluble Fas-L after CT may be considered as non-invasive biomarkers for prediction of AIC development during the 12 months.

Adaptation of plant and human pathogenic bacteria to niches of existence differing from their original ones is a sophisticated mechanism for survival. Research indicates that certain plant bacterial pathogens are capable of causing disease in humans, and some human bacterial pathogens can inhabit the plant environment and cause disease in plants. The infection of humans by plant bacteria may occur at direct physical contact with diseased plants and/or via the respiratory tract in mainly immunocompromised or otherwise stressed individuals. Indirect transmitters of plant and human microbes can be wind, rain, dust, insects, and animals. Human pathogenic bacteria may contaminate the soil and irrigation water, colonize the rhizosphere, more rarely also the phyllosphere, and can survive as epiphytes. Thus, the plant environment may become a reservoir of human pathogens. A source of foodborne human pathogenic bacteria can be unprocessed or unwashed fruits and vegetables. Especially during the last decade, the processes underlying the cross-kingdom performance of pathogenic bacteria are intensively researched. However, in reality, the risk for human health at infections by plant bacteria and by human bacterial pathogens surviving in the plant environment is still underestimated. The goal of the current review is to increase the interest in these issues in agricultural and general environments. Some basic strategies for infection and symptoms of diseases caused by the microorganisms under consideration are described. The potency of certain plant bacterial pathogens to surpass barriers towards humans and the interaction of human bacterial pathogens with the plant environment are addressed and the existing information is critically discussed.

Approximately 20% of adults in Vietnam have hypertension, and management of this chronic condition remains challenging. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention in reducing blood pressure (BP) in adults with uncontrolled hypertension.

The rising salinity of land and water is an important, but understudied, climate change-sensitive trend that can exert devastating impacts on food security. This mixed methods investigation combines salinity testing with qualitative research methods to explore these impacts in one of the most salinity-affected regions in the world—the Ganges River Delta. Data collection in 2015 and 2016 undertaken in Bangladesh’s southwest coastal region and Dhaka consisted of 83 in-depth household and stakeholder interviews, six community focus groups, and salinity testing of 27 soil and 45 surface and groundwater samples. Results show that household food production is a multifaceted cornerstone of rural livelihood in the southwest coastal region, and virtually every component of it—from rice plantation and homestead gardening to livestock cultivation and aquaculture—is being negatively affected by salinity. Although households have attempted multiple strategies for adapting food production, effective adaptation remains elusive. At the community level, improved irrigation and floodplain management, as well as restrictions on saltwater aquaculture to abate salinity, are viewed as promising interventions. However, the potential of such measures remains unrealized on a broad scale, as they require a level of external resources and regulation not yet provided by the NGO and government sectors. This study elucidates issues of accessibility, equity, and governance surrounding agricultural interventions for climate change-related salinity adaptation, and its findings can help inform the community of organizations that will increasingly need to grapple with salinity in order to guarantee food security in the context of environmental change.

The growth response of three phytopathogens to inhibitory activity of essential oils (EOs), derived from three monarda (Monarda didymaL.) genotypes, was evaluated. The antimicrobial effect was assayed by agar diffusion method. The pathogens expressed distinct growth response to the oils. As compared to colony growth of non-treated controls, all EOs remarkably suppressed Phytophthora plurivora; EO1 inhibited Diaporthe nobilisto 31.5% and Alternaria alternatato 35.5% of the controls; EO2 restricted the growth of the latter two species to 41.3% and 50.5% from the control, respectively. The weakest inhibitory effect was established for EO3 which stopped the development of A. alternatato 67.2% and of D. nobilisto 59.1% of their controls. GC–MS analyses of the oils identified altogether 46 chemical compounds. The largest group of constituents was the group of oxygenated monoterpenes (61.6–66.0%), followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons (16.6–17.7%), non-terpenes (12.6–15.5%) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (2.3–3.5%). Considering the most abundant compound, EO1 and EO3 were determined of thymol and EO2 of carvacrol chemotypes. P. plurivorawas equally strongly susceptible to the EOs of both chemotypes, whereas the behavior of the other two species suggested different susceptibility to the prevailing EO constituents. The total antioxidant activity was very high but differed between the oils. The obtained results add novel information on the inhibitory activity of EOs from various M. didymagenotypes and indicate specificity of the growth response of the studied microorganisms to the chemical ingredients in the applied plant products.

Abstract:This article encourages a rethinking of how rats are regarded within the laboratory research environment. The rat's remarkable intellect and cognitive capacities are well known yet conveniently ignored. An understanding of the five domains of animal welfare and the telos of the rat necessitate that the rat's circumstances, namely habitat accommodations, in the research arena be reassessed. The rat-ness of being a rat must be considered, celebrated, and elevated to significantly higher standards. We advocate for a new research paradigm if one continues to "use" the extraordinary Rattus species.

Background: The physical and social environments surrounding food, whether perceived or observed, can influence consumers’ food choices by changing food access, and affordability, or by changing settings where food-related behaviors occur.Aim: To describe older adults’ perceived food environment, identify the most important sites and factors that enable healthy eating, and explore older adults’ recommendations for communities to facilitate fruit and vegetable consumption.Methods: Participants aged 60 and older from metropolitan areas in Massachusetts, Iowa, and Illinois completed a researcher-administered survey to rate the perceived environment including accessibility, availability, and affordability of fruits and vegetables, and perceived importance of factors and establishments related to fruit and vegetable consumption. Participants also suggested changes for establishments to facilitate fruit and vegetable consumption.Results: The majority of the 142 participants perceived their food environment for fruits and vegetables as not difficult to access (85.2%) with good or excellent availability (90.1%). Education, marital status, and race were associated with some aspects of the perceived food environment. Perceived accessibility and supermarkets were rated as the most important factor and establishment, respectively, to facilitate fruit and vegetable consumption across all study sites. Participants proposed recommendations to address the availability, quality, accessibility and affordability of fruits and vegetables.Conclusion: Interventions promoting accessible, affordable, quality fruits and vegetables may improve older adult consumers’ perceptions of their food environment. Communities may also use undervalued resources such as mobile markets more strategically to provide additional support for healthy eating in older adults.

The present study was undertaken to test the inhibitory activity of several plant extracts against bacteria causing economically important diseases on fruit and nut trees. Essential oils derived from oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum), common sage (Salvia officinalis), savory (Satureja pilosa), monarda (Monarda didyma) and an extract from clove (Syzygium aromaticum) flower buds were tested in vitro for their antibacterial activity towards two different strains each of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (At), strains AT4 and C58, Erwinia amylovora (Ea), strains 659 and 691, Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss), strains LMG 1247T and 110, Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina (Xac), strains CFBP 1159T and 301, and X. arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj), strains CFBP 2528T and 510. The plant products expressed selective activity in suppressing bacterial growth. Overall, most efficient appeared the essential oils from monarda (for strains At AT4, Ea 659, Pss LMG 1247T Xac CFBP 1159T and Xaj CFBP 2528T) and oregano (against all strains used). In 100% concentrated form these oils exerted on average 48-63% and 40-55% inhibition, respectively. The inhibitory effects of sage and savory oils varied significantly causing either no or from 20 to 60% inhibition. Clove extract was medium efficient against all pathogens providing 18-30% inhibition. Generally, most of the extracts (except clove extract and in some cases sage and savory oils) showed activity exceeding up to 30-40% compared to the inhibitory effect of the maximum concentration (500 ppm) of the antibiotic streptomycin. Monarda, oregano oils and clove extract were almost equally active in undiluted form and at dilution to 50% whereas sage oil and in part savory oil showed lower activity at 50% dilution. The differences in the response of tested pathogens (that were of different origin) suggested that their sensitivity to applied plant products may be related to the genotype. In support to this assumption are our earlier studies where the genetic diversity of the strains used was proven by analysis of housekeeping genes. The results reported here are preliminary and further work is being undertaken to perspective the observed inhibitory effects by in vivo tests in a larger scale.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the associations between underestimation of weight and sociodemographic, health, and dietary factors among adults living in a rural community in Puerto Rico. For data collection, a researcher-designed questionnaire was distributed to each household in the area. A multivariable logistic regression was conducted for data analysis. Results revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 34.4% and 38.7%, respectively. A total of 53.4% of the participants underestimated their weight, most of whom were either overweight or obese. Weight underestimation was associated with being male, age ≥35 years, living below the poverty level estimate, perceiving diet quality as excellent/very good, and consuming fast food ≥1 times/week. In conclusion, overweight/obesity rates were high in this sample, and underestimation of weight was common among people with higher body mass index levels. Future public health interventions targeting obesity in this population should consider self-perception of body weight.

Persons with disability are living longer and are at risk of experiencing greater disability as a result of additional age-related declines. These individuals, “aging with disability”, could benefit greatly from technology supports – if such supports are designed and developed with their capabilities and limitations in mind. To ensure technology interventions meet user requirements, it is important to identify and implement human factors considerations. This panel brings together leaders at the intersection of aging and disability research, who are members of TechSAge (Rehabilitation and Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities) – a multi-site, multi-disciplinary research collaboration aiming to understand the complex interaction between age-related changes and disability when designing and developing technology interventions. Specifically, the panel will address four overarching themes, integral to the success of TechSAge: (1) understanding user needs; (2) innovative environmental supports; (3) translational technology interventions; and (4) closing the gap between research and practice. This discussion will highlight the substantial research in the fields of aging and disability, yet emphasize the importance of bridging the gap between these two fields. Human factors, in particular, has potential to contribute much to this area of study, with the potential to improve the lives of older adults with disability wishing to remain longer in their homes of choice.

FuelUp&Go!is a technology-driven food literacy program consisting of six in-person skill building sessions as well as fitness trackers, text messages, and a companion website. A community-based participatory research approach was used with adolescents who were recruited to participate in a Kid Council. Qualitative data were collected about the use of surveys, program activities, recipes, technology and text messages, and music and incentives. Changes suggested by Kid Councilmembers informed the design and development of a pilot program. Participants were recruited for the pilot program and completed pre- and postintervention surveys. The results indicated food-related knowledge remained low but increased from baseline to follow-up. Attitudes toward vegetables and physical activity increased slightly. Self-reported participation in physical activity and consumption of sugar-added beverages moved in positive directions. These findings suggest that community-based participatory research approach is an effective approach to engage adolescents in the development of a technology-driven food literacy program.

Over the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has risen dramatically. Despite recent declines in prevalence among preschool-aged children, child obesity is still a significant public health concern. Healthy People 2020 objectives include increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among children over 2 years of age and increasing the number of schools that offer access to fresh fruits and vegetables. To reach these objectives, farm-to-school programs are being implemented across the United States. The purpose of this evaluation was to: (a) identify factors that facilitate adoption of the Farm-to-Preschool and Families program in Springfield, MA, specifically; and (b) provide recommendations and guidelines for successful implementation of Farm-to-Preschool and Families programs generally. Using a combination of classroom observations of preschoolers, teacher and food service interviews, and administrator surveys, the findings suggest that having a strong programmatic infrastructure, administrative support, and external support from families is important to sustain a Farm-to-Preschool and Families program.

Individuals ageing with pre-existing sensory and mobility impairments are more likely than ever before to survive into older adulthood. Successful ageing may be complicated for these individuals because of compounding challenges related to their impairment and challenges related to ageing. To promote successful ageing, it is necessary to know where human factors interventions could help older adults with sensory or mobility impairments. The goal of this study was to identify the range of challenges in everyday activities that might be experienced by older adults ageing with pre-existing impairments in vision, hearing, or mobility. As a starting point for research in this area, we present data from interviews with subject matter experts, who represented a range of personal and professional experiences with older adults with these specific pre-existing impairments. The interview data revealed what challenges older adults with sensory and mobility impairments face as they age. Emphasis was placed on challenges in technology use, access to community and health resources, and housing. The results have implications for future research as well as for technology design, instruction, and use. Through alleviating everyday challenges, the human factors community can ultimately improve ageing for this understudied sector of adults with pre-existing sensory and mobility impairments.

In this study, the effects of compounds providing Fe in chelated (NaFeEDTA and Fe(III)AC) and non-chelated (FeSO4·7H2O) forms as components of culture media, on in vitroshoot multiplication and rooting of Magnolia soulangeana‘Alexandrina’, Magnolia grandifloraand Prunus cerasifera‘Nigra’ were comparatively evaluated. Each of the tested chemicals was used as a single Fe source in the basal salt medium. In the stages of shoot multiplication and rooting plant response was scored by biometrical indices (number of shoots, leaves and roots, shoot and root length, percent of rooted plants and root hairs). The occurrence of physiological disorders was estimated by visual observations. In presence of FeSO4, symptoms of chlorosis, hyperhy-dricity, early senescence and specific morphology of roots, suggesting Fe deficiency, were observed. These deteriorations were entirely prevented at the application of Fe chelates of which, in this experimental systems, Fe(III)AC was tested for the first time. The addition of Fe(III)AC positively affected the plant quality to extent comparable to that of NaFeEDTA. The obtained data suggest that both applied Fe chelates are more appropriate than non-chelated Fe form and can be alternatively used in the optimization of nutrient media for micropropagation of Magnoliaand Prunus cerasiferagenotypes.

Antibody–antigen (Ab–Ag) recognition is the primary event at the basis of many biosensing platforms. In label-free biosensors, these events occurring at solid–liquid interfaces are complex and often difficult to control technologically across the smallest length scales down to the molecular scale. Here a molecular-scale technique, such as single-molecule force spectroscopy, is performed across areas of a real electrode functionalized for the immunodetection of an inflammatory cytokine, viz. interleukin-4 (IL4). The statistical analysis of force–distance curves allows us to quantify the probability, the characteristic length scales, the adhesion energy, and the time scales of specific recognition. These results enable us to rationalize the response of an electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistor (EGOFET) operated as an IL4 immunosensor. Two different strategies for the immobilization of IL4 antibodies on the Au gate electrode have been compared: antibodies are bound to (i) a smooth film of His-tagged protein G (PG)/Au; (ii) a 6-aminohexanethiol (HSC6NH2) self-assembled monolayer on Au through glutaraldehyde. The most sensitive EGOFET (concentration minimum detection level down to 5 nM of IL4) is obtained with the first functionalization strategy. This result is correlated to the highest probability (30%) of specific binding events detected by force spectroscopy on Ab/PG/Au electrodes, compared to 10% probability on electrodes with the second functionalization. Specifically, this demonstrates that Ab/PG/Au yields the largest areal density of oriented antibodies available for recognition. More in general, this work shows that specific recognition events in multiscale biosensors can be assessed, quantified, and optimized by means of a nanoscale technique.

Many gerotechnology devices are intended to help older adults improve health self-management and maintain independence. By including older adults throughout the design process, health technologies can be designed to meet their unique needs and preferences. This study investigated older adults’ perceptions of prototypes for a Wireless Event detection and Adherence Monitoring System (WEAMS). The WEAMS is a neckwear technology that would have the capability to assist with managing medication, tracking activity levels, and detecting falls. Twelve older adults (Mage = 77.7; SD= 7.13; 9 female, 3 male) completed in-home interviews on wearable health technologies and evaluated three non-functioning WEAMS prototypes on various aspects of ease of use, comfort, and desirability. Participants preferred prototypes with discrete design features and that were easy to put on and take off. Open-ended participant comments revealed a strong preference for the system to blend in with the user’s attire and not draw unwanted attention. Moreover, this study found perceived need to be an important factor in older adults’ acceptance of the WEAMS. Findings from this study will guide the design of the WEAMS neckwear and future wearable health technologies.

A new gradient reversed-phase HPLC method with pre-column derivatization was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of reduced glutathione, carnosine and taurine in new pharmaceutical eye drops. Chromatographic separation was achieved with a fused core analytical column Supelco Ascentis Express C18 (100 mm × 4.6 mm, 2.7 μm). A 30 mM triethylamine in acetonitrile with 30 mM triethylamine aqueous solution (pH 2.5, adjusted with glacial acetic acid) was used in a gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min−1. The column temperature was maintained at 30 °C, the injection volume of the derivatized sample was 5 μL and the detection wavelength was 375 nm. The tested validation parameters included system suitability, accuracy, precision, linearity, LOD, LOQ and sample solution stability. The standard calibration curves showed good linearity with correlation coefficients r> 0.997 for all compounds. The mean percentage recoveries obtained for reduced glutathione, carnosine and taurine were 99.61, 99.38 and 99.43%, respectively. Precision was <2% for retention times and peak areas. The applicability of this method was demonstrated by the analysis of a multicomponent eye drop formulation containing reduced glutathione, carnosine and taurine.

Native populations of endemic, rare and threatened Limonium species (L. meyeri, L. bulgaricum, L. latifolium, L. vulgare, L. asterotrichum and L. gmelinii) in Bulgaria were monitored and found seriously declined. To preserve these wild genotypes, an approach involving in vitro propagation of explants isolated from immature inflorescence stems was applied at the Institute of Ornamental Plants, Sofia. The rooted plantlets produced were acclimated and grown outdoors under an optimized cultivation regime, which resulted in the establishment of an ex situ plantation. Plant performance ex situ (determined by leaf rosette diameter, plant height and the number of flower stems) was substantially improved and the variation in the biometric indices was found remarkably lower than in natural environment. The developmental stages of ex situ plants appeared with a delay in relation to their onset in the native environment, but occurred synchronously within each species. Analysis of germination of seeds harvested from ex situ and in situ grown plants showed species-specific behaviour, but in general, seed vitality remained relatively low in laboratory conditions, in the soil and in vitro. In order to assess the potential for protecting the native Limoniumspecies from uncontrolled harvesting, the possibility for the production of cut flowers in ex situ conditions was studied. High yield of cut flowers from ex situ plants in comparison with the potential yield from the wild plants and extended vase life in comparison with commercially produced Limonium sinuatum were obtained. The results demonstrated that the applied micropropagation and agrotechnique for protected cultivation are reliable tools for ex situ conservation of the endangered Limoniumgenotypes in the Bulgarian flora. In addition to its advantage as a rescue measure, the developed system was shown to be suitable for obtaining cut flowers of competitive market quality.

Bortezomib (BTZ), a registered proteasome inhibitor (PI) for multiple myeloma, has also been proposed as a potential antirheumatic agent. Its reported side effects, however, make it unappealing for long-term administration, and resistance may also develop. To overcome this, second-generation PIs became available. Here, we investigated whether a novel class of peptide epoxyketone-based PIs, including carfilzomib, N-((S)-3-methoxy-1-(((S)-3-methoxy-1-(((S)-1-((R)-2-methyloxiran-2-yl)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl)amino)-1-oxopropan-2-yl)amino)-1-oxopropan-2-yl)-2-methylthiazole-5-carboxamide (ONX0912), and (S)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-((S)-1-((S)-2-methyloxiran-2-yl)-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl)-2-((S)-2-(2-morpholinoacetamido)propanamido)propanamide (ONX0914), might escape two established BTZ-resistance mechanisms: 1) mutations in the proteasome β5 subunit (PSMB5) targeted by these PIs, and 2) drug efflux mediated by ATP-binding cassette transporters. THP1 myeloid sublines with acquired resistance to BTZ (54- to 235-fold) caused by mutations in the PSMB5 gene displayed marked cross-resistance but less pronounced cross-resistance to carfilzomib (9- to 32-fold), ONX0912 (39- to 62-fold), and ONX0914 (27- to 97-fold). As for ATP-binding cassette transporter-mediated efflux, lymphoid CEM/VLB cells with P-glycoprotein (Pgp)/multidrug resistance 1 overexpression exhibited substantial resistance to carfilzomib (114-fold), ONX0912 (23-fold), and ONX0914 (162-fold), whereas less resistance to BTZ (4.5-fold) was observed. Consistently, β5 subunit-associated chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity was significantly less inhibited in these CEM/VLB cells. Ex vivo analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from therapy-naive patients with rheumatoid arthritis revealed that, although basal Pgp levels were low, P-glycoprotein expression compromised the inhibitory effect of carfilzomib and ONX0914. However, the use of P121 (reversin 121), a Pgp transport inhibitor, restored parental cell inhibitory levels in both CEM/VLB cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results indicate that the pharmacologic activity of these PIs may be hindered by drug resistance mechanisms involving PSMB5 mutations and PI extrusion via Pgp.

Persons aging with mobility disability (PAwMD) experience transportation barriers, which can hinder their ability to fully participate in society. Despite a vast infrastructure of federal laws and programs designed to ensure access to transportation, PAwMD remain a transportation-disadvantaged population.

This study designed and piloted an interactive measure to assess learning preferences of Latinos in the United States with diabetes and limited literacy. The measure utilized interactive learning activities to represent four learning styles: visual(seeing), kinesthetic(doing), affective(feeling/sensing), and cognitive(thinking), targeting four diabetes self-management behaviors: choosing healthy foods; understanding portion sizes; distinguishing foods to eat often/sometimes/rarely; and limiting fat. Quantitative data were collected using the Spanish Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). Individual, structured cognitive interview questions asked participants to identify learning activities that most reflected their own experience with diabetes. Participant observations provided additional qualitative data. Ten Spanish-speaking adults with type 2 diabetes and limited literacy participated in two randomly selected target behaviors and identified easiest and most difficult to understand learning activities. S-TOFHLA scores ranged from 0 to 21 points (mean 7.0) and identified eight participants with inadequate and two with marginal health literacy. Easiest to understand tasks were kinesthetic, most difficult to understand tasks were cognitive. This is one of the first known studies of its kind and offers insight for measuring learning styles of Latinos with diabetes and low health literacy.

High-functioning autistic children often behave as if they fail to integrate information or seek out coherence. In this article we present a social-pragmatic account of this impairment, in which we propose that social and linguistic deficits tend to isolate autistic children from the experiences that promote the integration of information by other children. This hypothesis is based on the view that, in typical human development, language plays a central role in creating coherence, including the ability to infer the intentions of others. The proposal is supported by a case study of an autistic adolescent who, when provided with adult scaffolding as he repeatedly retells a story, shows the same kinds of changes shown by unimpaired, although younger, children. An implication is that the difficulty that autistic children have in pulling information together arises, in part, from problems with the narrative mode of discourse. We infer that, provided with the right kinds of language-use experiences, high-functioning autistic children may develop the ability to find coherence in the events they experience.

PURPOSECognitive interviewing techniques were used to adapt existing measures for use with a population of low-literate Spanish-speaking people with diabetes.METHODSFive individuals of Caribbean origin with diabetes participated in cognitive interviews for 4 instruments (measuring diabetes knowledge, quality of life, self-management, and depression) adapted for oral administration to low-literate individuals. Audiotaped interviews and handwritten notes were subjected to content analysis to identify problems across the 4 instruments as well as specific to a given instrument.RESULTSThe following key problems were identified: general instructions were not helpful, items that were not specific enough generated a variety of interpretations, some wording was confusing, abstract concepts were difficult to understand, some terminology was unfamiliar, and interpretation of certain words was incorrect.CONCLUSIONSThe data illustrate the usefulness of cognitive interviewing as a first step in the process of adapting measurement instruments.

AbstractBahía Blanca is an estuarine environment with a very particular behavior, which includes a large tidal plain with an area close to 1150 km2, a relatively small input of inland water, and with several marginal areas that seasonally function as hypersaline. Mud is predominant in the sediments, where a significant population of the crab Chasmagnathus granulatalives during the whole year. There are several cities along the estuary as well as important harbors and a large industrial nucleus which discharge their effluents within this environment. Cu and Zn concentrations were determined in samples of water (for both dissolved and suspended particulate matter) and surface sediments (total and <63 _m fractions). Organic matter was analyzed in the sediments, while temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen were measured in the estuarine water.The metal concentrations determined in this study were: 16.01 ± 1.85 μg Cu g-1and 52.96 ± 5.67 μg Zn g-1in surface sediments; 111.05 ± 42.78 μg Cu g-1and 105.66 ±19.16 μg Zn g-1in the <63 μg surface sediment fractions. While the concentrations in suspended particulate matter were 35.61 ± 9.77 μg Cu g-1and 205.03 ± 70.68 μg Zn g-1, and 4.65 ± 2.27 μg Cu L-1and 15.82 ±6.14 μg Zn L-1in dissolved fraction. Furthermore, dissolved Cu was similar than the quality criteria concentration, while Zn was lower than the norms for marine and estuarine waters (4.8 μg L-1for Cu and 90.0 μg L-1for Zn, USEPA, 1999).Simultaneously, the effects of Cu and Zn were studied on recently hatched larvae of C. granulata,through 96 hours semi-static acute assays. Viability was the applied criterion within the assays. LC50-96h for Cu was 219.2 μg L-1(188.9-248.9 μg L-1), whilst that for Zn was 172.1 μg L-1(141.3-203.6 μg L-1), which demonstrates that Zn is more toxic towards larvae. Finally, both LC50-96h values determined for Cu and Zn were higher than the corresponding metal concentrations measured in the Bahía Blanca environment.

When added to human blood serum, the iron-binding protein lactoferrin (LF) purified from breast milk interacts with ceruloplasmin (CP), a copper-containing oxidase. Selective binding of LF to CP is evidenced by the results of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunodiffusion, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography. The molar stoichiometry of CP:LF in the complex is 1:2. Near-uv circular dichroism spectra of the complex showed that neither of the two proteins undergoes major structural perturbations when interacting with its counterpart. Kd for the CP/LF complex was estimated from Scatchard plot as 1.8 × 10−6 M. The CP/LF complex is found in various fluids of the human body. Upon injection into rat of human LF, the latter is soon revealed within the CP/LF complex of the blood plasma, from where the human protein is substantially cleared within 5 h.

The fluorohydrin 8has been found to be the main product of the reaction of 7,11-epoxyisogermacrone 3with BF3Et2O. When TMS-OTfis employed, 3undergoes an unusual rearrangement leading to the product 10with a new bicyclic carbon skeleton. The mechanism of the reaction is discussed.

L-fucose-3H was injected intravenously into mice which were killed at several time intervals after injection and semi-thin sections of their ovaries were processed for radioautography and analysed quantitatively. At the same time the specific activity of serum glycoproteins was determined. Glycoprotein biosynthesis was demonstrated in the oocytes, granulosa and stromal cells. The silver grain density of the follicular fluid in large follicles reached a peak at 4 h, remained high at 8 h after injection and decreased steadily at the subsequent intervals. It was demonstrated that the labeling pattern of the follicular fluid depends on the secretory activity of the granulosa cells and also on the specific activity of serum glycoproteins. The collapsed zonae pellucidae which represent the highest degree of follicular atresia are able to take up glycoprotein macromolecules. Based on this finding and also on the labeling pattern of the large follicles it was shown that there is very little synthesis of specific glycoproteins for the zona pellucida in large follicles. A more specific labeling of the zona pellucida occurred in the medium follicles. Following the growth of these follicles having a previously labeled zona pellucida, it was demonstrated that this extracellular structure is secreted by the oocyte.

There are growing numbers of adults aging with long-term mobility disabilities. Very little is known about the challenges this population experiences with everyday activities, and such challenges are likely to be greater and more complex than those of older adults who experience mobility declines later in life.

People with disabilities acquired in early to mid-life are living longer, contributing to growing numbers of older adults who are aging with disability, an understudied population likely to be underserved.

Five newly discovered endemic foci for paragonimiasis in Colombia are described for the first time. The disease was diagnosed in 24 people from the Embera Indian communities located at the Colombian Pacific Coast and investigated in 1993–1998. We also describe the clinical, epidemiological and treatment response aspects. In these foci an Aroapyrgussp. snail different from A. colombiensiswas found to be the first intermediate host, and the crab Hypolobocera emberarumnsp. the second intermediate host.

Both rate zonal centrifugation and gel electrophoresis have revealed that the mature double-stranded DNA of bacteriophage T5 has single-stranded breaks (nicks) at specific sites. Neither of those procedures has previously revealed site-specific nicks in the double-stranded DNA of other bacteriophages, including T7. In the present study, denaturing gel electrophoresis, followed by specific DNA detection, reveals that a small fraction of mature T7 DNA molecules, like most T5 DNA molecules, has site-specific nicks. The procedure of specific detection is to probe with an oligonucleotide specific for one of the ends of T7 DNA. If position 0.0 is the left genetic end and position 100.0 is the right genetic end of T7 DNA, the nicks on the 5' left-oriented strand are at 11.3, 12.4, 65.7, 79.2, and 86.0; the nicks on the 5' right-oriented strand are at 23.3 and 26.5 (±0.5). The positions of the three rightmost nicks are indistinguishable from those of double-stranded breaks that produce previously demonstrated shorter than mature length DNAs packaged in vivo. We propose that the T7 nicks are produced by premature activity of the T7 terminase during DNA packaging. Copyright 1995, 1999 Academic Press