Interaction energies of monosubstituted benzene dimers via nonlocal density functional theory

We present density-functional calculations for the interaction energy of monosubstituted benzene dimers. Our approach utilizes a recently developed fully nonlocal correlation energy functional, which has been applied to the pure benzene dimer and several other systems with promising results. The interaction energy as a function of monomer distance was calculated for four different substituents in a sandwich and two T-shaped configurations. In addition, we considered two methods for dealing with exchange, namely using the revPBE generalized gradient functional as well as full Hartree-Fock. Our results are compared with other methods, such as Moller-Plesset and coupled-cluster calculations, thereby establishing the usefulness of our approach. Since our density-functional based method is considerably faster than other standard methods, it provides a computational inexpensive alternative, which is of particular interest for larger systems where standard calculations are too expensive or infeasible.Comment: submitted to J. Chem. Phy

Pacific Lamprey Research and Restoration : Annual Report 1996.

The once abundant stocks of Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) above Bonneville Dam are currently depressed (Close et al. 1995). It is likely that many of the same factors that led to the decline of wild stocks of Columbia River Pacific salmon and steelhead have impacted Pacific lamprey populations. The Pacific lamprey is an important part of the food web of North Pacific ecosystems, both as predator and prey. Lamprey (a.k.a. eels) are also a valuable food and culture resource for American Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Depressed Pacific lamprey runs have impacted treaty secured fishing opportunities by forcing tribal members to gather this traditional food in lower Columbia River locations. The Pacific Lamprey Research and Restoration Project, funded by Bonneville Power Administration, is a cooperative effort between the Confederated Tribes of The Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, and Oregon State University with the goal to increase Pacific lamprey stocks above Bonneville Dam. The initial objectives of the project are to determine the past and current abundance of Pacific lamprey stocks in major mid Columbia tributaries and at various hydroelectric facilities, and to determine factors limiting Pacific lamprey abundance and distribution. Ultimately, Pacific lamprey restoration plans will be developed and implemented. Part (A)-CTUIR: (1) determine past and present abundance and distribution in NE Oregon and SE Washington tributaries; and (2) determine limiting habitat factors. Part (B)-CRITFC: (1) adult abundance monitoring at Columbia and Snake River dams; (2) juvenile abundance monitoring at Columbia and Snake River dams; and (3) juvenile passage impediments and needed improvements at Columbia and Snake River dams. Part (C)- OSU: (1) adult passage impediments and needed improvements at Columbia and Snake River dams; and (2) juvenile passage impediments and needed improvements at Columbia and Snake River dams

Fulfilling Community Health Assessment Requirements: Lessons Learned From Facilitating State-wide Community Health Forums

Background: A prerequisite for National Public Health Accreditation is completion of a Community Health Assessment (CHA) that presents an exhaustive profile of the population served by a particular public health agency. Methods: The Georgia Department of Public Health (GA DPH) contracted with the Center for Public Health Practice and Research at Georgia Southern University to facilitate five state-wide community health forums. Results: Evaluation of the forums yielded qualitative data illustrating current challenges faced by Georgians, as well as assets that could be leveraged to improve health status. Conclusion: Lessons learned from these state-wide community health forums can be applied to improve the overall process of gathering data for a comprehensive CHA throughout Georgia or other areas interested in pursuing public health agency accreditation

Behavioral Responses of Pacific Lamprey to Alarm Cues

Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), an anadromous ectoparasite, faces several challenges during adult migration to spawning grounds. Developingmethods to address these challenges is critical to the success of ongoing conservation efforts. The challenges are diverse, and include anthropogenic alterations to the ecosystem resulting in loss of habitat, impassable barriers such as dams, climate change impacts, and altered predator fields. We conducted a behavioral study to understand how adult migrating Pacific lamprey respond to potential alarm cues: White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), human saliva, decayed Pacific lamprey, and river otter (Lontra canadensis). Research has shown that some species of lamprey can be guided to a location using odors and similar cues may be useful as a management tool for Pacific lamprey. Experiments were conducted over 2 nights and measured the number of entries (count) and duration of time spent (occupancy) by adult lamprey in each arm of a two-choice maze. During the first night, no odor was added to test for selection bias between arms. During the second night odor was added to one arm of the maze. Contrary to expectations, lamprey were significantly attracted to the river otter odor in both count and occupancy. No significant differences were found in the response of lamprey to the other three odors. Results from this study indicate that Pacific lamprey do respond to some odors; however, additional tests are necessary to better identify the types of odors and concentrations that elicit a repeatable response

MALIGNANT SOMATOSTATINOMA PRESENTING WITH DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS

High circulating levels of somatostatin (SRIF) were detected in a patient with a metastatic tumour after development of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Fasting insulin and C-peptide levels were markedly suppressed, but plasma glucagon was not suppressed below normal. Progressive cachexia ensued; at autopsy a poorly differentiated non-small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma metastatic to liver was found. Small gallstones were noted. Electron microscopy of tumour tissue showed neurosecretory granules and tonofilament bundles. Immunohis-tochemical staining of tumour cells was diffusely positive for carcinoembryonic antigen, bombesin-like immunoreactivity, and calcitonin with focal immuno-reactivity for SRIF, serotonin, neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, and epithelial membrane antigen. Column chromatography of plasma and tumour extract revealed five or more peaks of material with SRIF-like immunoreactivity (SRIF-LI): predominantly SRIF-28 and intermediates in tumour extract, and SRIF-14 and an intermediate between SRIF-28 and SRIF-14 in plasma. DKA in this case of somatostatinoma syndrome may reflect differential effects of tumour production of larger molecular weight SRIF forms on insulin and glucagon secretion.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75579/1/j.1365-2265.1987.tb00817.x.pd

Proteomic risk markers for coronary heart disease and stroke: validation and mediation of randomized trial hormone therapy effects on these diseases

Background: We previously reported mass spectrometry-based proteomic discovery research to identify novel plasma proteins related to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, and to identify proteins with concentrations affected by the use of postmenopausal hormone therapy. Here we report CHD and stroke risk validation studies for highly ranked proteins, and consider the extent to which protein concentration changes relate to disease risk or provide an explanation for hormone therapy effects on these outcomes. Methods: Five proteins potentially associated with CHD (beta-2 microglobulin (B2M), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein 1 (ORM1), thrombospondin-1(THBS1), complement factor D pre-protein (CFD), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1)) and five potentially associated with stroke (B2M, IGFBP2, IGFBP4, IGFBP6, and hemopexin (HPX)) had high discovery phase significance level ranking and an available ELISA assay, and were included in case-control validation studies within the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) hormone therapy trials. Protein concentrations, at baseline and 1 year following randomization, were assessed for 358 CHD cases and 362 stroke cases, along with corresponding disease-free controls. Disease association, and mediation of estrogen-alone and estrogen plus progestin effects on CHD and stroke risk, were assessed using logistic regression. Results: B2M, THBS1, and CFD were confirmed (P <0.05) as novel CHD risk markers, and B2M, IGFBP2, and IGFBP4 were confirmed as novel stroke disease risk markers, while the assay for HPX proved to be unreliable. The change from baseline to 1 year in B2M was associated (P <0.05) with subsequent stroke risk, and trended similarly with subsequent CHD risk. Change from baseline to 1 year in IGFBP1 was also associated with CHD risk, and this change provided evidence of hormone therapy effect mediation. Conclusions: Plasma B2M is confirmed to be an informative risk marker for both CHD and stroke. The B2M increase experienced by women during the first year of hormone therapy trial participation conveys cardiovascular disease risk. The increase in IGFBP1 similarly conveys CHD risk, and the magnitude of the IGFBP1 increase following hormone therapy may be a mediator of hormone therapy effects. Plasma THBS1 and CFD are confirmed as CHD risk markers, and plasma IGFBP4 and IGFBP2 are confirmed as stroke risk markers. Clinical trials registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT0000061

Relativistic three-particle scattering equations

We derive a set of relativistic three-particle scattering equations in the three-particle c.m. frame employing a relativistic three-particle propagator suggested long ago by Ahmadzadeh and Tjon in the c.m. frame of a two-particle subsystem. We make the coordinate transformation of this propagator from the c.m. frame of the two-particle subsystem to the three-particle c.m. frame. We also point out that some numerical applications of the Ahmadzadeh and Tjon propagator to the three-nucleon problem use unnecessary nonrelativistic approximations which do not simplify the computational task, but violate constraints of relativistic unitarity and/or covariance.Comment: 5pages, text and one ps figure (in revtex) include

Corneal Refractive Surgery in Patients with History of Optic Neuritis

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of recurrence of optic neuritis after corneal refractive surgery in patients with a history of optic neuritis and to examine the safety and efficacy of the procedure in this population. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of patients with a history of optic neuritis who underwent laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) at a single tertiary center from June 1996 to December 2014. Fifteen eyes of 14 patients were included in this study. Visual acuity before and after the surgery was recorded. Patients were followed-up for over five years postoperatively for the recurrence of optic neuritis. Results The average LogMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) preoperatively was 0.12 ± 0.19 (–0.10 to 0.60) and postoperatively was 0.06 ± 0.10 (–0.10 to 0.30). No eyes lost lines of BCVA. The average LogMAR uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) after surgery was 0.12 ± 0.13 (0.00 to 0.48). Twenty-eight percent of patients reached a UDVA of 20/20 or better after refractive surgery. Optic neuritis recurred in 3/15 (20%) eyes and 3/14 patients (21%). Conclusion While corneal refractive procedures appear safe in patients with a history of optic neuritis, our data suggest that their efficacy may be reduced