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Diatoms have long been known to be photosensitive, altering the direction of their movement in response to changes in ambient light conditions detected at the tips of the cells. In order to better understand the light conditions responsible for triggering positive photophobic (out-of-light) and negative photophobic (into-light) responses of diatoms, cells from three species of diatoms, Craticula cuspidata (Kutzing) D.G. Mann, Stauroneis phoenicenteron (Nitzsch) Ehrenberg, and Pinnularia viridis (Nitzsch) Ehrenberg, were irradiated at their leading or trailing ends during cell movement. The response times for direction changes when cells were irradiated at various irradiance levels and wavelengths were measured to determine the quality of light responsible for eliciting cell direction changes in each of the three species. All three species displayed strong out-of-light responses at the highest irradiances measured. Craticula cuspidata cells displayed negative photophobic sensitivity (into-light) responses ...

Unintentional injury is the leading killer of children in the United States. Children under the age of 5 are at particularly high risk for death from injury. The evidence base for prevention programs in the area of unintentional injury is limited by a lack of rigorous research, inclusion of low-risk participants, and interventions that do not include behavioral skills training. The article presented here will discuss promising injury prevention programs for children below age 5 and will highlight program strengths and weaknesses. Interventions that prevent the leading causes of death among young children will be discussed, including car seat use, safe infant sleep, home hazard reduction, and caregiver supervision.

Background Much of the research on child injury risk has focused on trait-like factors (eg, hyperactivity, child gender) that influence injury risk rather than state-like factors (eg, environmental circumstances, child behaviour). Additional research is needed to better identify the proximal risk factors for children9s risk for unintentional injury. Objectives The present study examined the antecedents to minor unintentional injury events and whether unusual circumstances and child behaviour predicted injury risk. Methods The study used archival data that were collected via biweekly in-person interviews with 170 mothers of toddlers (15–36 months) for 6 months. A case crossover design was used to predict children9s risk for injury from proximal risk factors. Results Children were at a higher risk for injury when circumstances were unusual and when they were engaging in an unusual behaviour. When a child was engaging in an unusual behaviour, higher levels of maternal supervision predicted lower injury risk. Children were more likely to be injured in a new environment, in an environment with animals or other people, in an environment with hazards or when engaging in a new activity or in a familiar activity performed in an unfamiliar way. Conclusions The results indicate that toddlers may be at a greater risk for minor unintentional injury when environmental circumstances are outside of the norm or when a child is engaging in unusual behaviours. The findings also indicate that higher levels of caregiver supervision may be especially beneficial when children are engaging in new or unfamiliar activities.

Research indicates that mothers' supervision protects children from injuries. However, little research has examined the role of fathers' supervision in children's injuries. OBJECTIVES: This study compared the role of maternal and paternal supervision in children's injury risk and severity using maternal reports. METHODS: Mothers (n = 170) of toddlers were interviewed for 6 months about their children's unintentional injuries. RESULTS: Children were more likely to engage in high activity levels and were at higher risk for injury when being cared for by their fathers. Although higher supervision predicted lower injury risk for both mothers and fathers, fathers' close supervision (as reported by mothers) was a stronger predictor of injury risk than mothers' supervision. CONCLUSION: Children's higher levels of activities may have accounted for their higher risk of injury when in their fathers' care. These findings indicate the need to include fathers in injury prevention efforts. Language: en

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common hair loss disorder, which is thought to be a tissue-specific autoimmune disease. Previous research has identified a few AA susceptibility genes, most of which are implicated in autoimmunity. To identify new genetic variants and further elucidate the genetic basis of AA, we performed a genome-wide association study using the strategy of pooled DNA genotyping (729 cases, 656 controls). The strongest association was for variants in the HLA region, which confirms the validity of the pooling strategy. The selected top 61 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed in an independent replication sample (454 cases, 1364 controls). Only one SNP outside of the HLA region (rs304650) showed significant association. This SNP was then analyzed in a second independent replication sample (537 cases, 657 controls). The finding was not replicated on a significant level, but showed the same tendency. A combined analysis of the two replication samples was then performed, and the SNP rs304650 showed significant association with P=3.43 x 10(-4) (OR=1.24 (1.10-1.39)). This SNP maps to an intronic region of the SPATA5 (spermatogenesis-associated protein 5) gene on chromosome 4. The results therefore suggest the SPATA5 locus is a new susceptibility locus for AA. European Journal of Human Genetics (2012) 20, 326-332; doi:10.1038/ejhg.2011.185; published online 26 October 2011

Background: The purpose of this work was to find a rapid method for glycerol detection during microbial fermentations. The method requirements were, first, to avoid sample pretreatment, and second, to measure glycerol precisely especially out of fermentation broth. Results: This was achieved by combining two reaction principles — the Malaprade reaction and the Hantzsch reaction. In the Malaprade reaction, glycerol is converted into formaldehyde. This forms a dye in the Hantzsch reaction after which adsorption is than detected. The subsequent assay was investigated with two different fermentation media, a chemically undefined and a chemically defined media, used for Pichia pastoris fermentation. In both media, as well as in real fermentation samples, glycerol content could be reproducibly detected with the method. Moreover, measurements were more precise than using a standard glycerol detection kit. Conclusions: With this rapid assay, glycerol could be detected easily in microbial fermentation broth. It is reliable over a wide concentration range including advantages such as an easy assay set-up, a short assay time and no sample pretreatment.

I began working as a fiscal and policy analyst for California's Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) in the summer of 1999, only a couple months after graduating from the University of California, San Diego, with a doctoral degree in political science. Until my fourth year of graduate school, I had not contemplated working outside of academia and I certainly never had contemplated working within the governmental realm as a budget analyst or any other kind of practitioner. Indeed, up until that point, I was convinced I had been tailor-made for academic life. I was inquisitive, though bookish and painstakingly methodical-content with taking as much time as needed to excavate answers using well-endowed libraries, powerful computers, state-of-the-art software, and advanced statistical techniques. Despite my predisposition, I ended graduate school exhausted and eager for some kind of respite. Thus, I packed up my academic knowledge of legislatures and, feeling a bit like a journalist working undercover, became a budget analyst for the California Legislature. I provide this elongated introduction only because I think it reveals how initially ill-prepared I was for the realities of state budget-making and provides some context for understanding the types of challenges I confronted as a new budget analyst. These challenges included: (1) learning the language of public finance, (2) understanding my clients and building relationships with them, (3) adapting to the budgetary process, and, most formidable, (4) living with the outcomes of this process.

Purpose Depression affects a significant number of pregnant and postpartum mothers, especially low-income women. The presence of depressive symptoms during and immediately after pregnancy has been found to negatively affect both mothers and their children. Effective and accessible psychosocial treatment alternatives to antidepressant medications are needed to accommodate patient preferences and avoid potential risks to infant development. However, low-income depressed mothers face many barriers to accessing care. Computer-based treatment delivered in obstetric clinics may bypass some of these barriers and allow depressed pregnant and postpartum mothers greater access to effective treatment. Methods Presented is the clinical case of a low-income 22-year-old pregnant woman experiencing depressive symptoms. The patient successfully completed a 10-session computerized behavioral activation treatment program that was delivered in her obstetric clinic. Results Clinical outcomes revealed a decrease in depressive symptoms and an increase in quality of life. These gains were present at the end of treatment and were maintained at the three-month follow-up. Additionally, the patient responded positively to the treatment program and reported a high level of satisfaction. Conclusion These results suggest that computerized treatments delivered in familiar medical settings could accommodate patient preferences, remove some barriers to care, and allow for a streamlined referral process from physicians to mental health care providers, thus improving the accessibility of treatment for low-income mothers suffering from depression.