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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Degeneration of gray matter and subcortical structures after ischemic stroke has been well described. However, little is known about white matter degeneration after stroke. It is unclear whether white matter degeneration occurs throughout the whole brain, or whether patterns of degeneration occur more in specific brain areas. METHODS: We prospectively collected National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with acute ischemic stroke within the first week after onset (baseline), and at 1 and 3 months. DTI was processed to produce maps of fractional anisotropy, apparent diffusion coefficients, and axial and radial diffusivity. DTI parameters in specified regions-of-interest corresponding to items on the NIHSS were calculated and changes over time were assessed using linear mixed-effect modeling. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were included in the study. Mean age (SD) was 71 (11.7) years, and median (IQR) baseline NIHSS 9 (5-13.3). Changes over time were observed in both visual cortices, contralesional primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, and superior temporal gyrus (P < .05). Changes in the ipsilesional motor cortex and inferior parietal lobule were only seen in patients with scores on the respective NIHSS-items (P .05). CONCLUSION: White matter changes after stroke may be localized rather than a global phenomenon.

Objective This study examined the feasibility of a parallel-group assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial investigating whether task-specific training preceded by aerobic exercise (AEX + TST) improves upper limb function more than task-specific training (TST) alone. Methods People with upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke were allocated to TST or AEX + TST. Both groups were prescribed 60 hr of TST over 10 weeks (3 × 1-hr sessions with a therapist per week and 3 × 1 hr of home-based self-practice per week). The AEX + TST group performed 30 minutes of aerobic exercise immediately prior to the 1 hr of TST with the therapist. Recruitment, adherence, retention, participant acceptability, and adverse events were recorded. Clinical measures were performed prerandomization at baseline, on completion of the intervention, and at 1- and 6-month follow-up. Results Fifty-nine persons after stroke were screened, 42 met the eligibility criteria, and 20 (11 male; mean [SD] age: 55.4 [16.0] years; time since stroke: 71.7 [91.2] months) were recruited over 17 months. The mean Wolf Motor Function Test Functional Ability Score at baseline was 27.4 (max = 75) and the mean Action Research Arm Test score was 11.2 (max = 57). Nine were randomized to AEX + TST and 11 to TST. There were no adverse events, but there was one drop out. Retention at 1- and 6-month follow-up was 80% and 85%, respectively. Attendance was 93% (6) for the AEX + TST group, and 89% (9) for the TST group. AEX + TST was perceived as acceptable (100%) and beneficial (87.5%). Exertional fatigue (visual analogue scale) prior to TST was worse in the AEX + TST group (3.5 [0.7] out of 10) than the TST group (1.7 [1.4] out of 10). The TST group performed 31% more repetitions per session than the AEX + TST group. Conclusion A subsequent Phase III study is feasible, but modifications to eligibility criteria, outcome measures, and intervention delivery are recommended.

Single-trial analysis is particularly useful for assessing cognitive processes that are intrinsically dynamic, such as learning. Studying these processes with fMRI is problematic, as the low signal-to-noise ratio of fMRI requires the averaging over multiple trials, obscuring trial-by-trial changes in neural activation. The superior sensitivity of multivoxel pattern analysis over univariate analyses has opened up new possibilities for single-trial analysis, but this may require different fMRI designs. Here, we measured fMRI and pupil dilation responses during discriminant aversive conditioning, to assess associative learning in a trial-by-trial manner. The impact of design choices was examined by varying trial spacing and trial order in a series of five experiments (total n = 66), while keeping stimulus duration constant (4.5 s). Our outcome measure was the change in similarity between neural response patterns related to two consecutive presentations of the same stimulus (within-stimulus) and between patterns related to pairs of different stimuli (between-stimulus) that shared a specific outcome (electric stimulation vs. no consequence). This trial-by-trial similarity analysis revealed clear single-trial learning curves in conditions with intermediate (8.1-12.6 s) and long (16.5-18.4 s) intervals, with effects being strongest in designs with long intervals and counterbalanced stimulus presentation. No learning curves were observed in designs with shorter intervals (1.6-6.1 s), indicating that rapid event-related designs-at present, the most common designs in fMRI research-are not suited for single-trial pattern analysis. These findings emphasize the importance of deciding on the type of analysis prior to data collection.

BACKGROUND: Behavioural problems are frequently reported in residential care for people with an intellectual disability (ID) in particular when they are additionally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are indications that impairment in cognitive shifting may be associated with problem behaviour. The objectives of this study were (1) to examine the relationship of cognitive shifting and severity of ASD symptoms with externalising problem behaviour in individuals with ID, with and without ASD, and (2) to examine whether a diagnosis based on shifting impairment is more predictive of externalising problem behaviour than an ASD diagnosis. METHOD: Participants consisted of adolescents and young adults with mild ID, with and without ASD (n = 41). Pearson intercorrelations were computed to explore the relationship between shifting impairment and severity of ASD symptoms on the one hand and ratings of externalising problem behaviour on the other hand. t-Tests were performed to analyse differences in externalising problem behaviour. RESULTS: Unlike ASD symptom severity, shifting scores were found to be associated with externalising problem behaviour, but only if shifting was measured using rating scales and not when using neuropsychological tasks. Externalising problem behaviour scores significantly differed when groups were classified according to shifting impairment (impaired vs. non-impaired) but not when they were classified according to ID and ASD diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: It is proposed to use a cognition-based approach when analysing problem behaviour, thus concentrating not so much on ID and ASD diagnosis and their corresponding symptoms, but rather placing the focus on cognitive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Executive functioning (EF) is important for adequate behavioural functioning and crucial for explaining symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in individuals with normal intelligence, but is scarcely studied in individuals with ASD and intellectual disabilities (ID). We therefore study EF in an ID population by comparing performances on three frequently studied executive functions (shifting, inhibition and updating) between individuals with ASD and individuals without ASD. When studying ID populations, one should be aware of Spearman's Law of Diminishing Returns (SLODR), as it questions the possibility of measuring separate cognitive functions in ID populations. METHODS: Six EF tasks were administered to 50 individuals with mild to borderline ID, of which half was diagnosed with ASD. In order to investigate the distinctness of the three executive functions in this ID sample, the results on the six EF tasks were subjected to principal components analysis (PCA). Subsequently, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to assess differences between the ASD and non-ASD group on shifting, inhibition and updating. RESULTS: The PCA revealed the hypothesised EF trichotomy. MANOVA analysis showed no significant group differences on EF-performance. CONCLUSIONS: Three separate executive functions were measured in this ID population, but despite much evidence that individuals with ASD display more behavioural problems and the proven relevance of EF in behavioural functioning, no significant group difference was found on shifting, inhibition or updating. After this first effort to achieve more insight into EF of individuals with ASD and ID the relation between behavioural problems and EF will require further study.

AIM General developmental outcome is known to be good in school-aged children who experienced febrile seizures. We examined cognitive and behavioural outcomes in preschool children with febrile seizures, including language and executive functioning outcomes. METHOD This work was performed in the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort study in Rotterdam from early fetal life onwards. Information about the occurrence of febrile seizures was collected by questionnaires at the ages of 1, 2, and 3 years. At the age of 3 years, behaviour and emotion were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist. Information on expressive language development was obtained by the Language Development Survey at the age of 2 years 6 months. To assess executive functioning, parents completed the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version when their children were 4 years old. Final analyses were based on 3157 children. RESULTS No associations were found between febrile seizures and the risk of behavioural problems or executive functioning. In contrast to single febrile seizures, recurrent febrile seizures were significantly associated with an increased risk of delayed vocabulary development (odds ratio 3.22, [95% confidence interval 1.30–7.94]). INTERPRETATION Febrile seizures are not associated with problem behaviour or executive functioning in preschool children, but the results suggest that children with recurrent febrile seizures might be at risk for delayed language development. Febrile seizures are common in young children, with a cumulative incidence of 2 to 5% in the first 5 years of life. The highest incidence has been reported in the first 2 years of life. The aetiology has remained unclear, although genetic and environmental mechanisms are known to be involved. 1 The behavioural and cognitive outcomes of children who had febrile seizures have been the subject of many studies. Most population-based cohort-studies did not find clear differences in developmental outcomes between children with and without febrile seizures, and suggest that febrile seizures are an essentially benign disorder with a good prognosis. 2‐5 Most of these studies assessed general intelligence, academic progress, and behavioural outcome in school-aged children. However, other aspects of cognitive function or behaviour still might be adversely affected in children with febrile seizures. Also, at a young age, differences in cognitive function or development might be apparent that disappear at a later age. Besides this, certain

The vector physics of wind-driven rain (WDR) differs from that of wind-free rain, and the interrill soil detachment equations in the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model were not originally developed to deal with this phenomenon. This article provides an evaluation of the performance of the interrill component of the WEPP model for WDR events. The interrill delivery rates were measured in the wind tunnel facility of the International Center for Eremology (ICE), Ghent University, Belgium with an experimental setup to study different raindrop impact velocity vectors. Synchronized wind and rain simulations with wind velocities of 6, 10 and 14 m s–1 were applied to a test surface placed on windward and leeward slopes of 7, 15 and 20%. Since both rainfall intensity and raindrop impact velocity varied greatly depending on differences in the horizontal wind velocity under WDRs, the resultant kinetic energy flux (KEr, in J m–2 s–1) was initially used in place of the WEPP model intensity term in order to incorporate the effect of wind on impact velocity and frequency of raindrops. However, our results showed only minor improvement in the model predictions. For all research data, the model Coefficients of Determination (r2) were 0·63 and 0·71, when using the WEPP and the KEr approaches, respectively. Alternately, integrating the angle of rain incidence into the model by vectorally partitioning normal kinetic energy flux (KErn, in J m–2 s–1) from the KEr greatly improved the model's ability to estimate the interrill sediment delivery rates (r2?=?0·91). This finding suggested that along with the fall trajectory of wind-driven raindrops with a given frequency, raindrop velocity and direction at the point of impact onto the soil surface provided sufficient physical information to improve WEPP sediment delivery rate predictions under WDR

This study aims to explain bodily pain using the Sprangers and Schwartz theoretical model (1999) on quality of life (QL) and response shift in its entirety. Response shift refers to the phenomenon that the meaning of a person's self-evaluation changes over time. In this model, response shift mediates effects of changes in health status (catalysts), stable characteristics of the person (antecedents), and coping mechanisms (mechanisms) on QL. Methods: Cancer patients (202) were assessed prior to and 3 months following surgery. Measures were for catalysts: type of operation and possibility of tumor resection; for antecedents: age, duration of pain, optimism, and rigidity; for mechanisms: post-traumatic growth, social comparisons, social support, denial, and acceptance; and for QL: bodily pain; for response shift: the pretest-minus-thentest bodily pain score, further referred to as recalibration response shift. Structural equation modeling and sequential regression analyses were used. Results:The final model reached close fit (RMSEA = 0.03; 90% CI = 0.000-0.071; χ2 (18) = 21.13; p = 0.27). Significant effects were found for catalysts on mechanisms, antecedents on mechanisms, mechanisms on response shift, and response shift on bodily pain. Four extra model effects had to be permitted. Using sequential regression analysis, recalibration response shift added 4.4% to the total amount of 29.8% explained variance of bodily pain. Conclusion: Many effects as hypothesized by the model were found. Recalibration response shift had a unique albeit small contribution to the explanation of bodily pain

Most of Rwanda's wetlands are being reclaimed under government schemes with the aim of growing rice as the main crop. In the present study, information on farmers' knowledge and perceptions of agricultural wetland management was collected in Cyabayaga and Rugeramigozi wetlands. The two wetlands were selected as representatives for typical reclaimed wetland agriculture in Rwanda. They provide contrasts in both environmental and social terms. Three tools were used to investigate farmers' knowledge and perception of agricultural wetland management: (i) household survey; (ii) focus group discussions; and (iii) transect walk. The major constraints identified by farmers in the two wetlands were water shortage and lack of availability of improved seeds and high prices of fertilisers. The primary benefits from wetlands for farmers are income generation in Cyabayaga and food security in Rugeramigozi. The most commonly reported concern about the wetlands in the Cyabayaga and Rugerameragozi was that they are a source of malaria. Rice is an important crop in both wetlands, whereas farmers in Cyabahaga wish to continue cultivating rice, Rugeramigozi farmers prefer to grow rice only after it has been tested for its adaptability. Farmers have sufficient knowledge on the causes and the potential solutions to overcome most constraints. They know that soil suitability is closely related to relief. They classify soils by a number of criteria and choose crops accordingly. Any programme designed to address wetland management in the region will have to take account of farmers' knowledge and adopt a holistic view of wetland management

Phosphorylation of 2′-O-acetyl-3′-(trifluoroacetamido)-3′-deoxy-N6-benzoyladenosine with 1,1′-[(4-morpholinyl)phosphorylidenedi-oxy]bis-1H-benzotriazole gives a fully protected intermediate. The latter, after removal of the benzotriazolyl group from the 5′-phosphotriester function, can be converted by the addition of pyrophosphoric acid, followed by the removal of all protecting groups, into ATP(3′NH2).

The pentamer L-CAAGG was prepared starting from properly protected β-L-ribonucleosides via a phosphotriester approach. The identity and chiral purity of the pentamer were established by 1H NMR and CD spectroscopy, respectively.

AIM To examine the incidence of paroxysmal epileptic and non-epileptic disorders and the associated prenatal and perinatal factors that might predict them in the first year of life in a population-based cohort. METHOD This study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study from early fetal life onwards. Information about the occurrence of paroxysmal events, defined as suddenly occurring episodes with an altered consciousness, altered behaviour, involuntary movements, altered muscle tone, and/or a changed breathing pattern, was collected by questionnaires at the ages of 2, 6, and 12 months. Information on possible prenatal and perinatal determinants was obtained by measurements and questionnaires during pregnancy and after birth. RESULTS Information about paroxysmal events in the first year of life was available in 2860 participants (1410 males, 1450 females). We found an incidence of paroxysmal disorders of 8.9% (n=255) in the first year of life. Of these participants, 17 were diagnosed with febrile seizures and two with epilepsy. Non-epileptic events included physiological events, apnoeic spells, loss of consciousness by causes other than epileptic seizures or apnoeic spells, parasomnias, and other events. Preterm birth (p

BACKGROUND Aerobic exercise can improve upper limb motor function in both healthy and stroke populations. Research in animals after stroke has shown that aerobic exercise combined with forelimb motor training improved forelimb motor function more than aerobic exercise or motor training alone. There is a lack of knowledge about this combined intervention in humans after stroke. PURPOSE These 2 case reports describe the exploratory implementation of a combined aerobic exercise and task-specific training intervention to improve upper limb motor function in one person in subacute stroke recovery and one person in chronic stroke recovery. METHODS Case descriptions Subacute participant: 45-year-old female, 3 months after ischemic stroke resulting in left-sided hemiparesis affecting her non-dominant upper limb, with a baseline Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) score of 10/57 and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) score of 39/75. Chronic participant: 69-year-old female, 14 years after ischemic stroke resulting in right-sided hemiparesis affecting her non-dominant upper limb, with a baseline ARAT score of 13/57 and WMFT score of 34/75. Intervention Participants performed 30 min of lower limb cycling immediately prior to 30 min of upper limb task-specific training. Sessions were undertaken 3 times a week for 8 weeks in a university rehabilitation laboratory. Results The combined intervention was feasible and perceived as acceptable and beneficial. Participants improved their upper limb motor function on the ARAT (subacute participant = 4 points; chronic participant = 2 points) and WMFT (subacute participant = 5 points; chronic participant = 3 points). Participants improved their aerobic fitness (subacute participant = +4.66 ml O2 /kg/min; chronic participant = +7.34 ml O2 /kg/min) and 6-minute walking distance (subacute participant = +50 m; chronic participant = +37 m). Discussion Combining aerobic exercise with task-specific training may be a worthwhile therapeutic approach to improve upper limb motor function suitable for persons in the subacute or chronic phase after stroke.

The elemental composition of primary producers reflects the availability of light, carbon and nutrients in their environment. According to the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis, this has implications for the production of secondary metabolites. To test this hypothesis, we investigated a family of toxins, known as microcystins, produced by harmful cyanobacteria. The strain Microcystis aeruginosa HUB 5-2-4, which produces several microcystin variants of different N:C stoichiometry, was cultured in chemostats supplied with various combinations of nitrate and CO(2). Excess supply of both nitrogen and carbon yielded high cellular N:C ratios accompanied by high cellular contents of total microcystin and the nitrogen-rich variant microcystin-RR. Comparable patterns were found in Microcystis-dominated lakes, where the relative microcystin-RR content increased with the seston N:C ratio. In total, our results are largely consistent with the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis, and warn that a combination of rising CO(2) and nitrogen enrichment will affect the microcystin composition of harmful cyanobacteria.

Dense surface blooms of toxic cyanobacteria in eutrophic lakes may lead to mass mortalities of fish and birds, and provide a serious health threat for cattle, pets, and humans. It has been argued that global warming may increase the incidence of harmful algal blooms. Here, we report on a lake experiment where intermittent artificial mixing failed to control blooms of the harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis during the summer of 2003, one of the hottest summers ever recorded in Europe. To understand this failure, we develop a coupled biological-physical model investigating how competition for light between buoyant cyanobacteria, diatoms and green algae in eutrophic lakes is affected by the meteorological conditions of this extreme summer heatwave. The model consists of a phytoplankton competition model coupled to a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model, driven by meteorological data. The model predicts that high temperatures favour cyanobacteria directly, through increased growth rates. Moreover, high temperatures also increase the stability of the water column, thereby reducing vertical turbulent mixing, which shifts the competitive balance in favour of buoyant cyanobacteria. Through these direct and indirect temperature effects, in combination with reduced wind speed and reduced cloudiness, summer heatwaves boost the development of harmful cyanobacterial blooms. These findings warn that climate change is likely to yield an increased threat of harmful cyanobacteria in eutrophic freshwater ecosystems.

The association of muscle mass and muscle strength with lower-extremity performance, as measured by timed repeated chair stands, was investigated using preliminary data from 3,075 Black and White participants (70-79 years old) in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Leg muscle mass (LM) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR 4500). The maximal isokinetic torque of the leg extensors (LS) was measured at 60 degrees/s using a Kin-Com isokinetic dynamometer. Men were stronger, had greater LM, and better performance than women. As expected, low LS was associated with poorer performance after adjusting for race, study site, and body fat. Low LM was associated with poorer performance in men and women, with a potential threshold effect in women only. When LS and LM were modeled simultaneously, only LS remained independently associated with performance. In conclusion, muscle strength, but not muscle mass, is independently associated with lower-extremity performance.

This paper describes the results of a survey on farmers' perceptions of the effect of woody natural vegetation on wind erosion. Sixty farmers were interviewed in three villages in northern Burkina Faso. The farmers mentioned that the presence of woody vegetation between the crops could benefit yield, but feared competition between the natural vegetation and the crop. Vegetation in a field was considered to increase deposition and decrease erosion on that field. The most important vegetative characteristics that affect wind erosion were, according to the farmers, vegetation's shape, porosity, flexibility and arrangement of the vegetation in the field. At present, most farmers do not apply this knowledge to the management of the natural woody vegetation on their fields

This study investigated, among medical specialists (N = 2,400), the association between perceived inequity in relationships at work (patients, colleagues, organization) and burnout, and the moderating role of communal orientation. Intrapersonal inequity, involving an internal standard of reference, and interpersonal inequity, taking colleagues as the standard of reference, were assessed. The adjusted response rate was 63%. Intrapersonal inequity affected all burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion in all relationships at work, depersonalization in the relationship with patients, and reduced personal accomplishment in relationships with colleagues and the organization. Intrapersonal inequity explained more variance in burnout than did interpersonal inequity. Communal orientation did not moderate these associations. Hence, medical specialists are more vulnerable to burnout if they perceive their relationships at work to be inequitable, regardless of their tendency to help others. Organizations might, therefore, prevent burnout by creating a working environment that is supportive and appreciative.

In some lakes, large amounts of the potentially toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis overwinter in the sediment. This overwintering population might inoculate the water column in spring and promote the development of dense surface blooms of Microcystis during summer. In the Dutch Lake Volkerak, we found photochemically active Microcystis colonies in the sediment throughout the year. The most vital colonies originated from shallow sediments within the euphotic zone. We investigated whether recruitment of Microcystis colonies from the sediment to the water column was an active process, through production of gas vesicles or respiration of carbohydrate ballast. We calculated net buoyancy, as an indication of relative density, using the amounts and densities of the major cell constituents (carbohydrates, proteins, and gas vesicles). Carbohydrate content of benthic Microcystis cells was very low throughout the year. Buoyancy changes of benthic Microcystis were mostly a result of changes in gas vesicle volume. Before the summer bloom, net buoyancy and the amount of buoyant colonies in the sediment did not change. Therefore, recruitment of Microcystis from the sediment does not seem to be an active process regulated by internal buoyancy changes. Instead, our observations indicate that attachment of sediment particles to colonies plays an important part in the buoyancy state of benthic colonies. Therefore, we suggest that recruitment of Microcystis is more likely a passive process resulting from resuspension by wind-induced mixing or bioturbation. Consequently, shallow areas of the lake probably play a more important role in recruitment of benthic Microcystis than deep areas.

Background After esophagectomy for cancer, the first choice for reconstruction of the gastrointestinal continuity is by gastric tube. When this is not feasible, a reconstruction by colon interposition can be performed. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life in patients at least 6 months after esophageal cancer resection and colon interposition without signs of recurrent disease. The results were compared with previously published data of patients after esophageal cancer resection and gastric tube reconstruction. Patients and Methods Between January 1993 and January 2002, 36 patients underwent esophageal cancer resection and gastrointestinal reconstruction by colon interposition. A one-time Quality of Life assessment was carried out in 14 patients who were still disease free after a median follow-up of 21 months (mean 35, range 7–97). The patients were visited at home and asked to fill in questionnaires which consisted of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey to assess general quality of life, an adapted Rotterdam Symptom Checklist to assess disease-specific quality of life, a visual analogue scale, and an additional questionnaire concerning other specific effects of the operation. Results All 14 patients returned the completed set of questionnaires. Compared to the previously published results of patients after gastric tube reconstruction patients with a colon interposition scored significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower in five of the eight subscales of the SF-36 questionnaire (i.e. general health, physical role, vitality, social functioning, and mental health). The most frequent symptoms measured by the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist were early satiety after a meal, dysphagia, diarrhea, loss of sexual interest, and fatigue. Six patients could not independently run their housekeeping and four patients still needed artificial enteral nutrition. Conclusion Based on the SF-36 questionnaire, patients after colon interposition by necessity have a poor general quality of life. Even long after the operation they have a broad spectrum of persisting symptoms. Prior to surgery, patients should be informed about the disabling long-term functional outcome of a colon interposition. J. Surg. Oncol. 2004;88:32–38. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

To evaluate the efficacy of an ivermectin controlled-release capsule (CRC), which delivers 1.6 mg ivermectin per day intraruminally for 100 days to sheep weighing 40-80 kg (IVOMEC Maximizer CR Capsule for adult sheep, Merial), against small lungworms two studies with 48 naturally infected adult female Merino Landrace sheep were conducted. The sheep were allocated by restricted randomization based on bodyweight to untreated controls or received an ivermectin CRC. Eight sheep per group were necropsied 35, 70 or 105 days post-treatment. Lungworms were recovered by dissection or peptic digestion of the lungs. Baermann/Wetzel technique was used for faecal lungworm larval counts at weekly intervals. The efficacy of treatment was 100% against Dictyocaulus filaria and Protostrongylus rufescens (P0.05) at each necropsy day. The efficacy against Protostrongylus brevispiculum, Cystocaulus ocreatus and Neostrongylus linearis increased from 35 to 105 days after administration of the CRC and was found to be 100% (P0.01), 96.6% (P0.01) or 99% (P0.01), respectively, at 105 days post-treatment. The reductions of Muellerius capillaris counts varied and were 96.2% (P0.05) at 70 days post-treatment and 44.6% (P0.1) at 105 days post-treatment. Faecal lungworm larvae disappeared nearly completely from at least 3 weeks after the ivermectin CRC administration for all protostrongylid species including M. capillaris so that pasture infectivity will be subsequently significantly reduced.

Large Mississippi River (MR) diversions (peak water flow >1416 m3/s and sediment loads >165 kg/s) have been proposed as part of a suite of coastal restoration projects and are expected to rehabilitate and rebuild wetlands to alleviate the significant historic wetland loss in coastal Louisiana. These coastal wetlands are undergoing increasing eustatic sea-level rise, land subsidence, climate change, and anthropogenic disturbances. However, the effect of MR diversions on wetland soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in receiving basins remains unknown. The rate of SOC sequestration or carbon burial in wetlands is one of the variables used to assess the role of wetland soils in carbon cycling and also to construct wetland carbon budgets. In this study, we examined the effects of MR water and sediment diversions on landscape-scale SOC sequestration rates that were estimated from vertical accretion for the next 50 yr (2010–2060) under two environmental (moderate and less optimistic) scenarios. Our analyses were based on model simulations taken from the Wetland Morphology model developed for Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan. The master plan modeled a “future-without-action” scenario as well as eight individual MR diversion projects in two of the hydrologic basins (Barataria and Breton Sound). We examined the effects that discharge rates (peak flow) and locations of these individual diversion projects had on SOC sequestration rates. Modeling results indicate that large river diversions are capable of improving basin-wide SOC sequestration capacity (162–222 g C·m−2·yr−1) by up to 14% (30 g C·m−2·yr−1) in Louisiana deltaic wetlands compared to the future-without-action scenario, especially under the less optimistic scenario. When large river diversions are placed in the upper receiving basin, SOC sequestration rates are 3.7–10.5% higher (6–24 g C·m−2·yr−1) than when these structures are placed in the lower receiving basin. Modeling results also indicate that both diversion discharge and location have large effects on SOC sequestration in low-salinity (freshwater and intermediate marshes) as compared to high-salinity marshes (brackish and saline marshes).

Radar reflectivity information is often displayed in two dimensions, making it difficult to extract the structural characteristics of convective storms. The maximum radar reflectivity and the vertical profile of liquid water distribution in a vertical column of a convective cell is used to determine a structural and intensity classification of the cell. The application of this Storm-Structure-Severity classification is demonstrated by investigating a tornado event on 15 November 1998 in Harrismith, South Africa, by using volume-scanned reflectivity data from the S-band MRL-5 radar. The regions of convective development, decay and mesocyclone evolution are identified with this classification. The method is able to extract the three-dimensional structural information of convective storms embedded in volume-scanned reflectivity data and present it in a simple display format.

BACKGROUND. Rhenium-186 ( 188 Re) has ideal properties for adjuvant radioimmunotherapy (RIT). However, the lack of suitable methods for high dose 188 Re labeling of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) has hampered the use of 188 Re in clinical RIT. After development ofa chemically identical multistep procedure for the production of 188 Re-MAG 3 -MAb and 99m Tc/ 99 Tc-MAGj-MAb conjugates for use as a matched pair, the authors now report on further progress to make this labeling method broadly applicable for high dose 188 Re labeling. METHODS. The number of metal-MAG 3 groups that can be coupled to a MAb without alteration of the biodistribution was investigated by radioimm moscintigraphy (RIS) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). For labeling with 500 mCi [ 186 Re]ReO 4 - , an efficient chemoprotection was introduced to suppress the damaging effects of radiation during conjugation and conjugate purification. Furthermore, the authors developed strategies thay make the procedure easy and safe to perform at any medical center. RESULTS. MAbs showed a minor variation in biodistribution in HNS(lC patients when the number of metal-chelate groups per MAb varied between. II and 4.3. High dose 186 Re-MAb conjugates (150-250 mCi) with a Re-MAG 3 :M tb ratio of 3.4 were obtained with a radiochemical purity of >95% and minima aggregate formation (

Developing models to predict on-site soil erosion and off-site sediment transport at the agricultural watershed scale represent an on-going challenge in research today. This study attempts to simulate the daily discharge and sediment loss using a distributed model that combines surface and sub-surface runoffs in a small hilly watershed ( 0.9. With the simple input data needs, PLER model is a useful tool for daily runoff and soil erosion modeling in small hilly watersheds in humid tropical areas. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The reaction of 6-acetoxy-5-fluoro-5,6-dihydrouracil with ROH (R = Me, Et, Pr, Pri, Bu, But) under acidic conditions has been investigated using 18F as a tracer. The quantitative replacement of the OAC-group proceeded predominantly with cisoid(gauche) stereochemistry, but upon prolonged heating the amount of the trans compound increased. This isomerization did not originate from epimerization at C5. The trans compounds—apart from being more stable towards substitution and elimination than the corresponding cis compounds—gave invariably substitution products with inversion of configuration, while the cis compounds mainly retained their configuration. Within the concept of the unifying ion-pair mechanism it is proposed that the trans compound reacts via an intimate protonated intermediate and the cis compound via a solvent-separated protonated intermediate. As a result, it was not the gauche attraction between the fluorine atom and the incoming nucleophile, but the poor π-donor ability of the C–F bond that was the determining factor in the cisoid stereochemistry of 5-fluoro-5,6-dihydrouracil adducts.

The selective catalytic hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene presents an attractive and interesting process both from scientific and industrial viewpoints. The process mechanism consists of two consecutive reaction steps in which a high selectivity towards the intermediate product is desired. There have been many papers published so far, that report an increase in the selectivity of adsorption-desorption-based gas-phase processes performed on solid catalysts, due to a periodic (pulsing) operation of the reactor system. Pulsing the gas feed is believed to create more preferential adsorption conditions for the required reactant (transient conditions). This paper presents the results of a theoretical and experimental study concerning the influence of forced periodic oscillations of the gas-phase component on the performance of a three-phase reactor. The theoretical results are based on a heterogeneous mathematical reactor model considering both the transient mass balance over the reactor length as well as accumulation inside the catalyst pellets. Numerical dynamic reactor simulations with a simplified model neglecting accumulation of components within the catalyst pellet showed little improvement in conversion and selectivity when compared to results of the steady-state model. These results were supported by dynamic experiments in a bench scale reactor. It is shown that due to mass transfer limitations, the original square wave shape of the oscillation in the gas-phase concentration was almost completely faded into a smooth and rather flat oscillation at the catalyst surface. Simulations with a model in which accumulation of the relevant components inside the particles was considered showed no further improvement in performance at transient conditions, but demonstrated the impact of accumulation capacity of the pellets on the shape of oscillation present at the catalyst surface. The study is a result of direct cooperation between Politecnico di Torino, where the modelling and calculations were performed, and DSM Research. Its aim was to offer an attractive alternative to the conventional approach.

The synthesis of fluoro(cyclo)alkylamines 1 -amino-6-fluorohexane ( 1 ), 1-amino-7-fluoroheptane ( 2 ), cis/trans -4-fluorocyclohexylamine ( 3a,b ) and cis -4-fluoromethylcyclohexylamine ( 4 ) has been investigated for use as synthons for histamine receptor ligands for use in PET.

A concise synthetic approach to the dopamine autoreceptor agonist roxindole 1 has been devised. The key step in the novel route is the addition of succinic anhydride to 5-methoxyindolylmagnesium bromide, which circumvents the cumbersome construction of the indole moiety - via the Japp Klingemann- Fischer indole methodology - in the original route. This novel route will enable a quick, multi-gram synthesis of roxindole from cheap starting materials.

3-Aryl-4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1 H )-ones are potent and selective glycine-site NMDA receptor antagonists of pharmaceutical interest. A novel microwave-enhanced synthesis of such quinolinones under solvent-free conditions has been developed. The quinolinones are easily obtained in a one-pot procedure as a result of the formal amidation of a malonic ester derivative with an aniline and subsequent cyclisation of the intermediate malondianilides.

In this study, the content of active internal indolebutyric acid (IBA) and of IBA-derived indoleacetic acid (IAA) was related to adventitious root formation on the stem base of microcuttings of apple. Maximum root formation was obtained after an incubation of 3 days on medium supplemented with 32 μM IBA or 5 days on medium containing 3.2 or 10 μM of the hormone. Two to three weeks after the start of the auxin treatment, the maximum root number was attained. The absorbed IBA- 3 H accumulated predominantly in the bottom 1 mm of the stem, i.e. the location where the roots emerge

β-L-Riboguanosine 5′-phosphate (5′pLG) was prepared by transglycosidation of properly protected L-ribose and guanine derivatives followed by phosphorylation and removal of all protecting groups. Experiments indicated that 5′pDG was selected from a mixture of L and D isomers in template directed oligomerization of RNA.

Objectives: To compare predictive performance of obstetric physicians (OP) vs. pediatric physicians (PP), judging standardized high quality US images of omphalocele in terms of the likelihood of primary surgical closure. To establish the key information guiding that judgment. Methods: Cases with an omphalocele, isolated or with minor anomalies, with ≥1 complete investigation between 12–23 weeks of gestation (n = 21) were drawn from our US database. Additional prenatal characteristics and postnatal outcome data were collected. We devised a standardized presentation of each case on a form, providing: images, image related data (defect O; 2 ratios: cele circumference/abdominal circumference and defect O/abdominal O), and prenatal data. Respondents were required to state the likelihood of primary closure in terms of quantitative probability (6 range categories: 0–20%, 20–40%, 40–60% and 80–100%) An ‘unable to predict’ category was included. Respondents were: 10 OP vs. 9 PP. All respondents were blinded towards the patient and unaware of postnatal outcome. Results: The 19 physicians provided 399 answers for 21 cases (complete). In retrospect primary closure was observed in 13/21, and predicted correctly (majority of respondents predicted 60% or more answer) in 5/13 cases. In the remaining 8/21 cases of non closure, in 1/8 the majority predicted failure (20% or less answer). From a predictive point of view, in 92% of the >60% responses, this prediction was correct. However, in only 60% of the

Introduction. The objective was to improve the selectivity of photodynamic therapy (PDT) by targeting photosensitizers to tumours by the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Two sensitizers were selected for this approach. Meta-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin (mTHPC) was selected because it is one of the most effective photosensitizers in free form. Aluminium (III) phthalocyanine tetrasulphonate [AlPc(SO3H)4] was selected because of its ideal photochemical properties. However, owing to its hydrophilicity, this latter sensitizer is not able to enter the tumour cell and, therefore, in free form is ineffective in PDT. We hypothesized that AlPc(SO3H)4 might become suitable for PDT when coupled to tumour-selective mAbs. Methods. These were developed to couple the sensitizers to mAbs, including mAb 425 directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor. These conjugates were evaluated for efficacy in PDT in vitro and for tumour-targeting capacity in vivo. Results. In vitro PDT showed that the AlPc(SO3H)4–mAb 425 conjugate was ≈7500 times more toxic to A431 cells than the free sensitizer (IC50 values 0.12 nm versus 900 nm), and was also more toxic than the mTHPC–mAb 425 conjugate and free mTHPC (IC50 values 7.3 nm versus 2.0 nm). Biodistribution analysis of the conjugates in tumour-bearing nude mice showed selective accumulation in the tumour. Conclusion. These data show that AlPc(SO3H)4, in particular, has high potential for use in PDT when coupled to tumour-selective mAbs.

The synthesis of three analogues of 2′-5′-linked oligoriboadenylates is reported. Two trimers, having at the 2′-end a 3′-amino- (or 3′-tetradecanamido)-3′-deoxy-riboadenosine, were assembled via a phosphotriester approach. In the same way, we also prepared a tetramer carrying at the 2′-end β-L-riboadenosine instead of β-D-riboadenosine. The non-terminal building unit 3′,5′-O-(tetraisopropyldisiloxane-1,3-diyl)-N6-benzoyladenosine and the appropriately protected modified riboadenosines were coupled using the phosphorylating agent 2-chlorophenyl-O,O-bis(1-benzotriazolyl) phosphate. The removal of all protecting groups from the intermediate trimers and tetramer was effected by ammonolysis, followed by treatment with fluoride ions.

Pluripotent hemopoietic stem cells (PHSC) were isolated from adult mouse bone marrow by a combination of equilibrium density centrifugation and light-activated cell sorting for WGA-positive and H-2k antigen-positive cells. The sorted cells gave rise to 2 spleen colonies per 100 injected cells at 8 days and 6.6 colonies per 100 cells at 12 days after transplantation into lethally irradiated syngeneic recipients. The average enrichment factor for day 12 CFU-S (colony forming unit-spleen) equalled 135 (range, 90-230; n = 15). Enrichment for the cell type that provides radioprotection was equal to 180 +/- 70, indicating that PHSC and CFU-S are identical. Evidence is provided that the spleen seeding efficiency (the f-factor) of these cells was 0.10 and, therefore, that the average purity of the sorted PHSC was 65% (range in 15 experiments, 35-110%). The sorted cells were all in the G0 or G1 phase of the cycle. They appeared to be undifferentiated blasts by morphological criteria, the majority of the cells being similar in structure to the PHSC previously identified in less purified concentrates. Electron microscopy revealed that the sorted cells consisted primarily of two cell types, possibly representing G0 and G1 cells. The FACS was used to deposit single selected cells into individual microwells of Terasaki trays. Thirty percent of the sorted cells could be induced to form progeny in vitro. This procedure facilitates direct examination of the first events of hemopoietic regulation.

Geometrical probability can be used as a basis for the quantification of XPS-signals stemming from random samples such as, for instance, supported heterogeneous catalysts. From a study of three ideal cases, namely extended layers of constant thickness, equally sized spheres and hemispheres on a randomly oriented support, it has been established that the effects of angular and layer thickness averaging are interconnected in such a way that a general model can be derived. It has been found that signal ratios as measured by XPS for convex particles are determined by the surface/volume ratios of the supported phases, nearly independent of particle shape.

The synthesis of a teichoic acid fragment (i.e. compound 8e), containing three 3-O–(β-glucopyranosyl)-sn-glycerol residues connected via two phosphodiester linkages, is described. The assemblage of the teichoic acid fragment was effected using a modified phosphotriester approach based on the use of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole-activated phosphorylating agents (i.e. phosphorylating agents 5c and 6c). Three suitably protected building blocks were prepared: i.e., 2b, 3c and 4b. Special attention was paid to the preparation of the middle unit 3c which contains a stable phosphodiester anilidate to avoid intramolecular reaction of the free hydroxyl function on phosphorus. Compound 2b was condensed with derivative 3c to give fragment 7a. The aniline group could be removed from dimer 7a to give 7b, which was then condensed with monomer 4b to give the fully protected teichoic acid fragment 8a. Stepwise removal of the protecting group of 8a afforded the teichoic acid fragment 8e.