Search

Introduction Few studies to date have explored patient and caregiver views on the clinical use of amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). Methods A 7-item questionnaire assessing patient and caregiver views (510 total respondents) toward amyloid PET imaging was advertised broadly through alz.org/trialmatch. Results We received 510 unique responses from 48 US states, 2 Canadian provinces, the Dominican Republic, and Greece. Both patients and caregivers indicated that they would want to receive amyloid imaging if offered the opportunity. Over 88% of respondents had a positive response (∼10% with neutral and 2% with negative responses) to whether amyloid PET should be offered routinely and be reimbursed. Such information was felt to be useful for long-term legal, financial, and health care planning. Respondents identifying with early age cognitive decline (younger than 65 y) were more likely to explore options for disability insurance (P=0.03). Responders from the Midwest were more likely to utilize information from amyloid imaging for legal planning (P=0.02), disability insurance (P=0.02), and life insurance (P=0.04) than other US regions. Discussion Patients and caregivers supported the use of amyloid PET imaging in clinical practice and felt that the information would provide significant benefits particularly in terms of future planning.

Flowers recruit floral visitors for pollination services by emitting fragrances. These scent signals can be intercepted by antagonists such as florivores to locate host plants. Hence, as a consequence of interactions with both mutualists and antagonists, floral bouquets likely consist of both attractive and defensive components. While the attractive functions of floral bouquets have been studied, their defensive function has not, and field-based evidence for the deterrence of floral-scent constituents is lacking. In field and glasshouse experiments with five lines of transgenic Petunia x hybrida plants specifically silenced in their ability to release particular components of their floral volatile bouquet, we demonstrate that the emission of single floral-scent compounds can dramatically decrease damage from generalist florivores. While some compounds are used in host location, others prevent florivory. We conclude that the complex blends that comprise floral scents are likely sculpted by the selective pressures of both pollinators and herbivores.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is an increasingly prevalent neurodegenerative condition and a looming socioeconomic threat. A biomarker for the disease could make the process of diagnosis easier and more accurate, and accelerate drug discovery. The current work describes a method for scoring brain images that is inspired by fundamental principles from information retrieval (IR), a branch of computer science that includes the development of Internet search engines. For this research, a dataset of 254 baseline 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans was obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). For a given contrast, a subset of scans (nine of every 10) was used to compute a residual vector that typified the difference, at each voxel, between the two groups being contrasted. Scans that were not used for computing the residual vector (the remaining one of 10 scans) were then compared to the residual vector using a cosine similarity metric. This process was repeated sequentially, each time generating cosine similarity scores on 10% of the FDG-PET scans for each contrast. Statistical analysis revealed that the scores were significant predictors of functional decline as measured by the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). When logistic regression models that incorporated these scores were evaluated with leave-one-out cross-validation, cognitively normal controls were discerned from AD with sensitivity and specificity of 94.4% and 84.8%, respectively. Patients who converted from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD were discerned from MCI nonconverters with sensitivity and specificity of 89.7% and 62.9%, respectively, when FAQ scores were brought into the model. Residual vectors are easy to compute and provide a simple method for scoring the similarity between an FDG-PET scan and sets of examples from a given diagnostic group. The method is readily generalizable to any imaging modality. Further interdisciplinary work between IR and clinical neuroscience is warranted.

BACKGROUND: Tomatoes contain high levels of several carotenoids including lycopene and β-carotene. Beyond their functions as colorants and nutrients, carotenoids are precursors for important volatile flavor compounds. In order to assess the importance of apocarotenoid volatiles in flavor perception and acceptability, we conducted sensory evaluations of near-isogenic carotenoid biosynthetic mutants and their parent, Ailsa Craig. RESULTS: The carotenoid contents of these tomatoes were extremely low in the r mutant, increased in lycopene in old gold, and higher in tetra-cis-lycopene and ζ-carotene in tangerine. The volatiles derived from these carotenoids (β-ionone, geranylacetone and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one) were proportionally altered relative to their precursors. Fruits were also analyzed for soluble solids, sugars, acids and flavor volatiles. Consumer panels rated the r mutant lowest for all sensory attributes, while Ailsa Craig was generally rated highest. Old gold and tangerine were rated intermediate in two of the three harvests. CONCLUSIONS: Several chemicals were negatively correlated with at least one of the hedonic scores while several others were positively correlated with tomato flavor acceptability. The results permitted identification of positive and negative interactions of volatiles with tomato flavor. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry

OBJECTIVES Persons with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have demonstrated subtle impairments in IADLs including financial abilities, although the underlying brain changes related to these IADL impairments is poorly understood. The purpose of this investigation was to better understand how brain atrophy in MCI as measured by MRI volumetrics could impact IADLs such as financial abilities.

Little is currently known about the higher order functional skills of patients with Parkinson disease and cognitive impairment. Medical decision-making capacity (MDC) was assessed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with cognitive impairment and dementia. Participants were 16 patients with PD and cognitive impairment without dementia (PD-CIND), 16 patients with PD dementia (PDD), and 22 healthy older adults. All participants were administered the Capacity to Consent to Treatment Instrument (CCTI), a standardized capacity instrument assessing MDC under five different consent standards. Parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses were utilized to examine capacity performance on the consent standards. In addition, capacity outcomes (capable, marginally capable, or incapable outcomes) on the standards were identified for the two patient groups. Relative to controls, PD-CIND patients demonstrated significant impairment on the understanding treatment consent standard, clinically the most stringent CCTI standard. Relative to controls and PD-CIND patients, patients with PDD patients were impaired on the three clinical standards of understanding, reasoning, and appreciation. The findings suggest that impairment in decisional capacity is already present in cognitively impaired PD patients without dementia, and increases as these patients develop dementia. Clinicians and researchers should carefully assess decisional capacity in all PD patients with cognitive impairment.

Minimize, Substitute, Moderate, and Simplify are four primary Inherently Safer Processing (ISP) strategies. The Moderate strategy is primarily Attenuation, a strategy that emphasizes the use of materials under less hazardous conditions. Limitation of Effects is also an ISP term bantered about as being included within the purview of this Moderate strategy, although it is at times presented as a separate, unique ISP strategy. Regardless of the taxonomy, the application of such a strategy can significantly lower overall process safety risk. This study discusses the author's understanding of the meaning of the term Limitation of Effects and presents examples of the application of this strategy to the siting of plants, processes, and buildings. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2008

*Summary Petunia flower petals emit large amounts of isoeugenol, which has been shown to be synthesized by isoeugenol synthase (PhIGS1) from an ester of coniferyl alcohol, hypothesized to be coniferyl acetate. This paper describes the identification and characterization of a novel petunia gene encoding an enzyme belonging to the BAHD acyltransferase family whose expression correlates with isoeugenol biosynthesis. RNAi suppression of this gene results in inhibition of isoeugenol biosynthesis. Biochemical characterization of the protein encoded by this gene showed that it has acetyltransferase activity and is most efficient with coniferyl alcohol among the alcohol substrates tested. Overall, these data support the conclusion that coniferyl acetate is the substrate of isoeugenol synthase.

Magazine articles, such as those in Process Safety Progress (PSP), are a source of new ideas as well as old ideas restated and emphasized. While busy schedules increasingly interfere with getting the most out of these types of information sources, studying such published papers should not be given a low priority. Presented below are ideas and thoughts (some garbage, some gems) on a variety of subjects from just one such issue (September 2001 of PSP). They include: comments on the probabilistic nature of electrostatic ignition, the domino effect in explosion scenarios, MY Tree analysis of accidents, an argument from the viewpoint of the industrial ecosystem in support of a fault data bank, the prescriptiveness of performance-based standards, the applicability of HAZOP to analogous systems different in scale and purpose, keys to a good HAZOP and a good FMEA, an argument in support of a universal effort to improve process safety by throwing cash at the hazards, initiator/enabler concepts, the use of a bar chart to effectively present the relative effectiveness of strategies used to control overall plant risk, the flammability diagram: a living, pulsating thing, and comments on the relationship between minimum ignition energy and turbulence.

Chlorophyll (Chl) and total soluble protein decreased and proteolytic activity increased over a 12-day period during dark-induced senescence in detached leaves of Tara, a yellowing cultivar (Y) of Dendranthema grandiflora. In Boaldi, a non-yellowing cultivar (NY), Chl and soluble protein remained near initial levels and little change in proteolytic activity was observed. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of soluble proteins showed no major differences in banding patterns between the two cultivars at day 0; however, all of the resolved proteins were diminished in Tara by day 12. On the other hand, in NY Boaldi, the intensity of the protein bands did not change over the 12-day period. Attached and detached leaves exhibited similar senescence patterns for each cultivar. Ethylene (100 μl l -1 ) accelerated the rate of Chl loss in detached leaves of Tara, but had no effect on Boaldi. These observations suggest that Boaldi is a stay-green genotype, possibly a functional type. The results are discussed in relation to the role of ethylene in chrysanthemum leaf senescence.

Two cDNAs, PhGRP1 and PhGRP2, with high sequence identity to genes encoding glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins, have been cloned from Pelargonium × hortorum. PhGRP is represented in the P. × hortorum genome by a single copy. DNA sequence analysis of two independently isolated cDNAs. PhGRP1 and PhGRP2, indicates that PhGRP2 represents a partially spliced version of PhGRP1. The additional intronlike sequence in PhGRP2 contains a termination codon, which would result in translation of a truncated protein. Expression of PhGRP1 was high in petals, pistils, roots and stems, and lower in leaves. PhGRP2 transcripts were less abundant than those of PhGRP1 in all tissues, but were proportionately higher in flower tissues than in roots and stems, and were not detectable in leaves. PhGRP transcripts were highest in stigma and style tissues, but were unaffected by exogenous ethylene treatment or pollination. PhGRP transcript levels fluctuated in a circadian rhythm with maximal accumulation late in the day.

The catching up of saints from the earth by divine power to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in “the air.” Keywords: rapture of the saints; catching up of saints, by divine power; Paul's statement, that believers will be “caught up”; pre-tribulation rapture, of christ's return; post-tribulation rapture, martyred by the antichrist

Despite its significance for inception of grain transport by wind, the initial dislodgement of grains from a static surface by aerodynamic forces of drag and lift in the absence of grain collision has received little attention. This paper describes a series of wind-tunnel experiments in which the erosion of narrow strips of loose grains from the roughened surface of a flat plate exposed to a range of wind speeds was examined. The progressive downwind development of the boundary layer over the plate provided a range of airflow conditions which permitted systematic evaluation of grain entrainment rates arising from purely aerodynamic forces. Use of closely graded size fractions in flat, single grain layers resting on identical, fixed grain support eliminated the effects of surface irregularities and impacts from saltation. Results show that erosion of strips of loose grains develops with time according to an inverse exponential function in which the entrainment rate time constant relates to Shields dimensionless shear stress function. An empirical expression defining aerodynamic entrainment rate in terms of rate of strip erosion is derived and comparisons are made between present and published data. The need for additional data to resolve several questions raised by the present investigation is stressed. In addition, a simple, objective technique for accurate determination of the aerodynamic entrainment threshold of any loose, granular sediment is proposed.

In the literature it has been suggested that on permeable, granular beds, both the threshold and rate of aerodynamic entrainment may be affected significantly by seepage flows into and out of the bed induced by fluctuating pressures in the overlying turbulent boundary layer. Using a range of grain sizes and flow conditions, the series of laboratory experiments reported here compares directly the aerodynamic entrainment of loose grains overlying fixed permeable sediment beds with that occuring over fixed impervious beds. For a given granular material, no significant differences in entrainment dynamics on the two types of bed were observed and in the range of flow conditions examined both the threshold shear velocity (U*T) and the aerodynamic entrainment coefficient (k) were found to be independent of bed permeability.