Two-dimensional streptavidin crystals on giant lipid bilayer vesicles

Streptavidin was crystallized on giant bilayer vesicles (20-60 mum) in sucrose solution at various pH values. The streptavidin-coated vesicles exhibited unique roughened spherical and prolate ellipsoidal shapes, illustrating resistance to curvature of the two-dimensional crystals. Studies indicated that the spheroids and prolate ellipsoids correspond to different crystal morphologies. Through confocal microscopy, the various crystal morphologies on vesicle surfaces were observed under different solution conditions. Unlike two-dimensional (2D) streptavidin crystals grown in ionic buffer that assume the P1, P2, and C222 lattices at pH 4, 5.5, and 7, respectively (Wang et al. Langmuir 1999, 15, 154 1), crystals grown in sucrose with no added salt show only the lowest density C222 lattice due to strong electrostatic interactions

Remote sensing techniques for mapping range sites and estimating range yield

Image interpretation procedures for determining range yield and for extrapolating range information were investigated for an area of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. Soil and vegetative data collected in the field utilizing a grid sampling design and digital film data from color infrared film and black and white films were analyzed statistically using correlation and regression techniques. The pattern recognition techniques used were K-class, mode seeking, and thresholding. The herbage yield equation derived for the detailed test site was used to predict yield for an adjacent similar field. The herbage yield estimate for the adjacent field was 1744 lbs. of dry matter per acre and was favorably compared to the mean yield of 1830 lbs. of dry matter per acre based upon ground observations. Also an inverse relationship was observed between vegetative cover and the ratio of MSS 5 to MSS 7 of ERTS-1 imagery

THE COST STRUCTURE OF MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

Microfinance institutions are important, particularly in developing countries, because they expand the frontier of financial intermediation by providing loans to those traditionally excluded from formal financial markets. This paper presents the first systematic statistical examination of the performance of MFIs operating in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. A cost function is estimated for MFIs in the region from 1999-2004. First, the presence of subsidies is found to be associated with higher MFI costs. When output is measured as the number of loans made, we find that MFIs become more efficient over time and that MFIs involved in the provision of group loans and loans to women have lower costs. However, when output is measured as volume of loans rather than their number, this last finding is reversed. This may be due to the fact that such loans are smaller in size; thus for a given volume more loans must be made.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40195/3/wp809.pd

Nutritional evaluation of children with phenylketonuria

CONTEXT: Dietary phenylalanine (PA) restriction is the most effective form for reducing its excess in the blood and is the only efficient method for treating phenylketonuria. The diet is complex and should be adapted to combine the patients' eating habits, growth and development. It depends basically on the use of industrialized products as substitutes free of PA for proteins that are not fully supplied. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nutritional status of children with phenylketonuria (PKU) by anthropometric measurements and food intake. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Children with PKU attending the Association of Parents and Friends of Handicapped Children (Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais - APAE) and normal children attending at municipal day care centers in São Paulo. PARTICIPANTS: 42 children with PKU and 31 normal children aged 1 to 12 of both sexes were assessed in two groups, under and over 7 years of age. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Weight and height measurements. RESULTS: Children with PKU ingested calories, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper below the recommended values, whereas the protein intake was within the normal range. Food intake in the group of normal children was within normality rates. The height/weight Z-score means for children with PKU were 0.47 for those under 7 years and 1.86 for 7 year-olds and over; in normal children the means were 0.97 <7 years and 1.54 ³7 years, with no statistically significant difference. The height/age Z-score means were significantly lower in the PKU children <7 years (-1.23) than in the normal controls (0.91). CONCLUSIONS: The data presented demonstrate the importance of nutritional surveillance in patients with PKU so as to support adequacy of nutrient intake and to guarantee growth within the relevant standards.CONTEXTO: A restrição dietética da fenilalanina (FAL) é a forma mais efetiva para reduzir o seu excesso no sangue e o único método efetivo de tratar a fenilcetonúria. A dieta é complexa e deve ser adaptada para combinar hábitos alimentares, crescimento e desenvolvimento dos pacientes. Depende basicamente do uso de produtos industrializados como substitutos protéicos isentos de FAL, não totalmente suplementados. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o estado nutricional das crianças fenilcetonúricas por medidas antropométricas e o consumo alimentar. TIPO DE ESTUDO: Estudo transversal LOCAL: Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais (APAE) de São Paulo, Creche e Centro de Juventude da Prefeitura de São Paulo. PARTICIPANTES: 42 crianças fenilcetonúricas e 31 normais, na faixa etária de 1 a 12 anos, divididas em dois grupos abaixo e acima de 7 anos, de ambos os sexos. RESULTADOS: As fenilcetonúricas apresentaram porcentagem de adequação da ingestão de calorias, cálcio, ferro, zinco e cobre abaixo do recomendado. A ingestão protéica estava dentro da normalidade. O consumo alimentar no grupo de crianças normais apresentou-se dentro da faixa da normalidade. As médias de peso para estatura em escore z das fenilcetonúricas foram 0.47 < 7 anos e 1.86 ³ 7 anos; nas normais 0.97 < 7 anos e 1.54 ³ 7 anos, sem diferença estatisticamente significante. As médias de E/I apresentaram diferença estatisticamente significante entre fenilcetonúricas < 7 anos (- 1.23) e crianças normais de mesma faixa etária (0,91). CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que a vigilância nutricional em crianças fenilcetonúricas é importante para manutenção dos padrões de crescimento e o adequado consumo de nutrientes.University of São PauloFederal University of São PauloUNIFESPSciEL

Safety of dabigatran etexilate for the secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism in children

This open-label, single-arm, prospective cohort trial is the first phase 3 safety study to describe outcomes in children treated with dabigatran etexilate for secondary venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention. Eligible children aged 12 to &lt;18 years (age stratum 1), 2 to &lt;12 years (stratum 2), and &gt;3 months to &lt;2 years (stratum 3) had an objectively confirmed diagnosis of VTE treated with standard of care (SOC) for ‡3 months, or had completed dabigatran or SOC treatment in the DIVERSITY trial (NCT01895777) and had an unresolved clinical thrombosis risk factor requiring further anticoagulation. Children received dabigatran for up to 12 months, or less if the identified VTE clinical risk factor resolved. Primary end points included VTE recurrence, bleeding events, and mortality at 6 and 12 months. Overall, 203 children received dabigatran, with median exposure being 36.3 weeks (range, 0-57 weeks); 171 of 203 (84.2%) and 32 of 203 (15.8%) took capsules and pellets, respectively. Overall, 2 of 203 children (1.0%) experienced on-treatment VTE recurrence, and 3 of 203 (1.5%) experienced major bleeding events, with 2 (1.0%) reporting clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding events, and 37 (18.2%) minor bleeding events. There were no on-treatment deaths. On-treatment postthrombotic syndrome was reported for 2 of 162 children (1.2%) who had deep vein thrombosis or central-line thrombosis as their most recent VTE. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships of dabigatran were similar to those in adult VTE patients. In summary, dabigatran showed a favorable safety profile for secondary VTE prevention in children aged from &gt;3 months to &lt;18 years with persistent VTE risk factor(s). This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02197416. (Blood. 2020;135(7):491-504

Enhanced performance of optimised partially textured load bearing surfaces

Textured surfaces have been shown to provide enhanced tribological performance in a variety of contacts. Numerical analysis and optimisation methods are combined for application-oriented texture optimisation. However, an analytical approach is advantageous in providing more generic in-depth understanding of the nature of the relationships between texture parameters and objective functions, such as enhanced load carrying capacity and reduced friction. The paper outlines such an approach to obtain a set of global optimum design parameters for partially textured surfaces. The optimised results are expressed in dimensionless form, which enables their use for a variety of applications. The performance of optimised partially textured sliding surfaces is compared with the other conventional bearing geometries in their optimum state

On the analysis of sedimentation velocity in the study of protein complexes

Sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation has experienced a significant transformation, precipitated by the possibility of efficiently fitting Lamm equation solutions to the experimental data. The precision of this approach depends on the ability to account for the imperfections of the experiment, both regarding the sample and the instrument. In the present work, we explore in more detail the relationship between the sedimentation process, its detection, and the model used in the mathematical data analysis. We focus on configurations that produce steep and fast-moving sedimentation boundaries, such as frequently encountered when studying large multi-protein complexes. First, as a computational tool facilitating the analysis of heterogeneous samples, we introduce the strategy of partial boundary modeling. It can simplify the modeling by restricting the direct boundary analysis to species with sedimentation coefficients in a predefined range. Next, we examine factors related to the experimental detection, including the magnitude of optical aberrations generated by out-of-focus solution columns at high protein concentrations, the relationship between the experimentally recorded signature of the meniscus and the meniscus parameter in the data analysis, and the consequences of the limited radial and temporal resolution of the absorbance optical scanning system. Surprisingly, we find that large errors can be caused by the finite scanning speed of the commercial absorbance optics, exceeding the statistical errors in the measured sedimentation coefficients by more than an order of magnitude. We describe how these effects can be computationally accounted for in SEDFIT and SEDPHAT

Dexmedetomidine or Propofol for Sedation in Mechanically Ventilated Adults with Sepsis

BACKGROUND: Guidelines currently recommend targeting light sedation with dexmedetomidine or propofol for adults receiving mechanical ventilation. Differences exist between these sedatives in arousability, immunity, and inflammation. Whether they affect outcomes differentially in mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis undergoing light sedation is unknown. METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis to receive dexmedetomidine (0.2 to 1.5 μg per kilogram of body weight per hour) or propofol (5 to 50 μg per kilogram per minute), with doses adjusted by bedside nurses to achieve target sedation goals set by clinicians according to the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS, on which scores range from -5 [unresponsive] to +4 [combative]). The primary end point was days alive without delirium or coma during the 14-day intervention period. Secondary end points were ventilator-free days at 28 days, death at 90 days, and age-adjusted total score on the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status questionnaire (TICS-T; scores range from 0 to 100, with a mean of 50±10 and lower scores indicating worse cognition) at 6 months. RESULTS: Of 432 patients who underwent randomization, 422 were assigned to receive a trial drug and were included in the analyses - 214 patients received dexmedetomidine at a median dose of 0.27 μg per kilogram per hour, and 208 received propofol at a median dose of 10.21 μg per kilogram per minute. The median duration of receipt of the trial drugs was 3.0 days (interquartile range, 2.0 to 6.0), and the median RASS score was -2.0 (interquartile range, -3.0 to -1.0). We found no difference between dexmedetomidine and propofol in the number of days alive without delirium or coma (adjusted median, 10.7 vs. 10.8 days; odds ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 1.26), ventilator-free days (adjusted median, 23.7 vs. 24.0 days; odds ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.51), death at 90 days (38% vs. 39%; hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.52), or TICS-T score at 6 months (adjusted median score, 40.9 vs. 41.4; odds ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.33). Safety end points were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis who were being treated with recommended light-sedation approaches, outcomes in patients who received dexmedetomidine did not differ from outcomes in those who received propofol. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01739933.

Changes in energy expenditure associated with ingestion of high protein, high fat versus high protein, low fat meals among underweight, normal weight, and overweight females

Background: Metabolic rate is known to rise above basal levels after eating, especially following protein consumption. Yet, this postprandial rise in metabolism appears to vary among individuals. This study examined changes in energy expenditure in response to ingestion of a high protein, high fat (HPHF) meal versus an isocaloric high protein, low fat (HPLF) meal in underweight, normal weight, or overweight females (n = 21) aged 19–28 years. Methods: Energy expenditure, measured using indirect calorimetry, was assessed before and every 30 minutes for 3.5 hours following consumption of the meals on two separate occasions. Height and weight were measured using standard techniques. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: Significant positive correlations were found between body mass index (BMI) and baseline metabolic rate (MR) (r = 0.539; p = 0.017), between body weight and baseline MR (r = 0.567; p = 0.011), between BMI and average total change in MR (r = 0.591; p = 0.008), and between body weight and average total change in MR (r = 0.464; p = 0.045). Metabolic rate (kcal/min) was significantly higher in the overweight group than the normal weight group, which was significantly higher than the underweight group across all times and treatments. However, when metabolic rate was expressed per kg fat free mass (ffm), no significant difference was found in postprandial energy expenditure between the overweight and normal groups. Changes in MR (kcal/min and kcal/min/kg ffm) from the baseline rate did not significantly differ in the underweight (n = 3) or in the overweight subjects (n = 5) following consumption of either meal at any time. Changes in MR (kcal/min and kcal/min/kg ffm) from baseline were significantly higher in normal weight subjects (n = 11) across all times following consumption of the HPHF meal versus the HPLF meal. Conclusion: There is no diet-induced thermogenic advantage between the HPHF and HPLF meals in overweight and underweight subjects. In contrast, in normal weight subjects, ingestion of a HPHF meal significantly increases MR (69.3 kcal/3.5 hr) versus consumption of a HPLF meal and provides a short-term metabolic advantage