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The global increase in chronic kidney disease (CKD) parallels the obesity epidemic. Obesity conveys a gradual but independent risk of progression of CKD that seems irrespective of the underlying nephropathy. Obesity has been associated with a secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis coined obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG). Pathways through which obesity might cause renal disease are not well understood, and early clinical biomarkers for incipient ORG or renal relevant obesity are currently lacking. Recent human and experimental studies have associated ectopic lipid accumulation in the kidney (fatty kidney) with obesity-related renal disease. There is enough growing insight that ectopic lipid—the accumulation of lipid in non-adipose tissue—is associated with structural and functional changes of mesangial cells, podocytes, and proximal tubular cells to propose the development of ORG as a maladaptive response to hyperfiltration and albuminuria. Recent advances in metabolic imaging might validate ectopic lipid as a biomarker and research aid, to help translate novel therapeutics from experimental models to patients.

One of the main objectives in telerobotics is the development of a telemanipulation system that allows a high task performance to be achieved by simultaneously providing a high degree of telepresence. Specific mechatronic design guidelines and appropriate control algorithms as well as augmented visual, auditory, and haptic feedback systems are typical approaches adopted in this context. This work aims at formulating new design guidelines by incorporating human factors in the development process and analyzing the effects of varied human movement control on task performance and on the feeling of telepresence. While it is well known that humans are able to coordinate and integrate multiple degrees of freedom (DOF), the focus of this work is on how humans utilize rotational degrees of freedom provided by a human-system interface and if and how varied human movement control affects task performance and the feeling of telepresence. For this analysis, a telemanipulation experiment with varying degrees of freedom has been conducted. The results indicate that providing the full range of movement, even though this range is not necessary to accomplish a task, has a beneficial effect on the feeling of telepresence and task performance in terms of measured interaction forces. Further, increasing visual depth cues provided to the human operator also had a positive effect.

Biological systems are unique matter with very complex morphology and highly heterogeneous chemical composition dominated by light elements. Discriminating qualitatively at the sub-micrometer level the lateral distribution of constituent elements, and correlating it to the sub-cellular biological structure, continues to be a challenge. The low-energy X-ray fluorescence microspectroscopy, recently implemented in TwinMic scanning transmission mode, has opened up new opportunities for mapping the distribution of the light elements, complemented by morphology information provided by simultaneous acquisition of absorption and phase contrast images. The important new information that can be obtained in bio-related research domains is demonstrated by two pilot experiments with specimens of interest for marine biology and food science. They demonstrate the potential to yield important insights into the structural and compositional enrichment, distribution and correlation of essential trace elements in the lorica of Tintinnopsis radix, and the lateral distribution of trace nutrients in the seeds of wheat Triticum aestivum.

Telepresence systems should be designed to assist the human operator as much as possible to fulfill his task. In order to support the user concerning the visual modality, a system was designed that presents virtual reality images combined together with camera images captured at the remote teleoperator environment.

In this work we investigated the interaction of ns laser pulses (TEA CO2 and Nd:YAG) with a titanium nitride (TiN) thin film. The TiN thin film of 1μm thickness was deposited by PVD method on silicon substrate. Modification of TiN film was induced by laser pulses with power densities of about 108 and 109 W/cm2. Part of the laser energy absorbed on the target surface was converted into thermal energy and effects such as melting, vaporization and exfoliation were observed. Nd:YAG laser produced craters with sharp periphery, while TEA CO2 laser created damages with broad boundary zone. Hydrodynamic effects were especially pronounced during irradiation with TEA CO2 laser.

Novel pyrazolopyridopyridazine derivatives have been prepared as potent and selective PDE5 inhibitors. Compound 6 has been identified as a more potent and selective PDE5 inhibitor than sildenafil (1). It is as efficacious as sildenafil in in vitro and in vivo PDE5 inhibition models, and it is orally bioavailable in rats and dogs. The superior isozyme selectivity of 6 is expected to exert less adverse effects in humans when used for erectile dysfunction treatment.

A previous report from these laboratories identified the N-3-benzylimidazoquinazolinone nucleus as a more selective PDE5 inhibitor template compared to the pyrazolopyrimidine of sildenafil. This paper describes in detail the structure−activity relationships of a set of sulfonamide analogues, several of which are both more potent and more selective PDE5 inhibitors in vitro than sildenafil. The synthesis, in vitro enzyme activity and selectivity, and in vitro functional and preclinical pharmacokinetic assessment of molecules in this series are described.

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors with improved PDE isozyme selectivity relative to sildenafil may result in agents for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction (MED) with a lower incidence of PDE-associated adverse effects. This paper describes the discovery of 14, a PDE5 inhibitor with improved potency and selectivity in vitro compared to sildenafil. This compound shows activity in a functional assay of erectile function comparable to that of sildenafil.

After giving on orientation to the Quality Assurance Framework, the author explains how it was used to evaluate the Gateway Home Management Program. Following a description of the Occupational Therapy program at the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital, the use of the quality assurance framework to obtain the study results is outlined. Then the limitations and results of the study are discussed. Although it was found that the objectives of the program were met, that is 1) to assess the home management skills of the patients participating in it, and 2) to upgrade any deficit areas, a need for more input in the social skills area was identified. From the study, the necessity to expand the program and then to re-evaluate it became apparent.

The crystallization behaviour of diabase glass at elevated temperatures was studied in samples prepared by melting the diabase rock. DTA and X-ray analyses revealed the crystallization of diopside (CaO · MgO · 2SiO2) at 865 ‡C and anorthite (CaO · Al2O3 · 2SiO2) at 1060 ‡C. Further, the kinetics of crystallization of diopside were studied. The phenomenological Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation was used and the exponentn=3/2 determined from the dependency of the volume fraction of the crystal phase (diopside) on time. The activation energy of crystallization of diabase glass 248 kJ mol-1 was estimated on the basis of DTA measurements carried out at different heating rates and found to be in good agreement with literature data for similar glass.

Cardiovascular disease is the main determinant of premature mortality in patients with type 1 diabetes. However, time trends regarding different types of cardiovascular disease in childhood-onset type 1 diabetes with a long timespan from the diagnosis of diabetes are not well established. This study aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence of cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 1 diabetes in a population-based cohort in Finland, the country with the world's highest incidence of type 1 diabetes.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in the November 2014 issue including "Death on the Water," "Thriving on the Job," and "Aging Out."

Bulk element concentrations of whole grain and element spatial distributions at the tissue level were investigated in wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain grown in Zn-enriched soil. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry were used for bulk analysis, whereas micro-proton-induced X-ray emission was used to resolve the two-dimensional localization of the elements. Soil Zn application did not significantly affect the grain yield, but did significantly increase the grain Ca, Fe and Zn concentrations, and decrease the grain Na, P and Mo concentrations; bulk Mg, S, K, Mn, Cu, Cd and Pb concentrations remained unchanged. These changes observed in bulk element concentrations are the reflection of tissue-specific variations within the grain, revealing that Zn application to soil can lead to considerable alterations in the element distributions within the grain, which might ultimately influence the quality of the milling fractions. Spatially resolved investigations into the partitioning of the element concentrations identified the tissues with the highest element concentrations, which is of utmost importance for accurate prediction of element losses during the grain milling and polishing processes.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The purpose of this work was to analyze the factor structure, estimate reliability of the Movement Imagery Questionnaire of Hall and Pongrac, and examine differences between men and women on factor scores. The results for 63 men and 47 women supported the bifactorial structure and reliability of this self-report and its adequacy in comparisons of visual and kinesthetic imagery scores.

The article reviews the performance at the Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland workshop in Weikersheim, Germany of the theatrical production "Hänsel und Gretel" composed by Engelbert Humperdinck, directed by Corinna Tetzel, and starring Ena Pongrac, Serena Sáenz Molinero, and Maria Gerter.

The article previews the theatrical production "Kick A## Plays for Women," by Jane Shepard, co-directed by Mieke Iveson, and starring Deirdre Brown and Mary Beth Pongrac, to perform at The Avalon Studio theatre in Ottawa, Ontario on February 13 and 15, 2015.