Evaluation of bridge decks using non-destructive evaluation (NDE) at near highway speeds for effective asset management-implementation for routine inspection (Phase III)

This project focused on implementing the 3DOBS technology (developed under Phase I and Phase II) for successful detection, quantification, and visualization of concrete bridge deck distress features at near-highway speeds for routine MDOT inspections. The integration and further re-defining of the 3DOBS methods into MDOT practices was accomplished by assessing 11 bridge decks with an average size of 10,350 square feet. Distress features were categorized according to the Bridge Element Inspection Manual and compared to traditional (visual) element level inspection results. The Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC worked with the research team to inspect, interpret, report results, and advise on current condition state reporting requirements. The project team also trained MDOT bridge inspectors in the use of the remote sensing equipment, data collection, data processing, and reporting through multiple different training sessions. A cost comparison between 3DOBS and traditional inspection methods was conducted, with 3DOBS costing an average of $92 per bridge, as compared to$39 for traditional methods. For producing standard element level condition state tables, 3DOBS cost more than a traditional inspector, but is still estimated to be less than $100 for an average bridge in this study

Supersymmetric Biorthogonal Quantum Systems

We discuss supersymmetric biorthogonal systems, with emphasis given to the periodic solutions that occur at spectral singularities of PT symmetric models. For these periodic solutions, the dual functions are associated polynomials that obey inhomogeneous equations. We construct in detail some explicit examples for the supersymmetric pairs of potentials V_{+/-}(z) = -U(z)^2 +/- z(d/(dz))U(z) where U(z) = \sum_{k>0}u_{k}z^{k}. In particular, we consider the cases generated by U(z) = z and z/(1-z). We also briefly consider the effects of magnetic vector potentials on the partition functions of these systems.Comment: Changes are made to conform to the published version. In particular, some errors are corrected on pp 12-1

Microsporidiosis: Reviewing clinical presentation and treatment strategies

Microsporidiosis is an opportunistic infection caused by obligate intracellular pathogens within the taxon Microsporidia. Infection is zoonotic and has been associated with patients experiencing immunodeficiency, though incidence is increasing among other populations. Most commonly, the disease is gastrointestinal, typically by Enterocytozoon bieneusi and less commonly by Encephalitozoon intestinalis. Symptoms present with diarrhea and vomiting, and severe cases can lead to wasting and mortality. While the incorporation of anti-retroviral therapy for HIV patients has significantly decreased mortality in a subset of the vulnerable populations, treatment for microsporidiosis is still not standardized or well explored. Resistance to first-line treatment albendazole is increasing, and another antiparasitic fumagillin is not approved as a systemic treatment in the US. Given that microsporidiosis is an emerging disease that affects the global population, there is an increasing need to educate clinicians about clinical presentation and to review treatment strategies and opportunities

Delayed Enrichment of Mesenchymal Cells Promotes Cardiac Lineage and Calcium Transient Development

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) can be induced to differentiate into myogenic cells. Despite their potential, previous studies have not been successful in producing a high percentage of cardiac-like cells with a muscle phenotype. We hypothesized that cardiac lineage development in BM-MSC is related to cell passage, culture milieu, and enrichment for specific cell subtypes before and during differentiation. Our study demonstrated that Lin− BM-MSC at an intermediate passage (IP; P8–P12) expressed cardiac troponin T (cTnT) after 21 days in culture. Cardiac TnT expression was similar whether IP cells were differentiated in media containing 5-azacytidine+2% FBS (AZA; 14%) or 2% FBS alone (LS; 12%) and both were significantly higher than AZA+5% FBS. This expression was potentiated by first enriching for CD117/Sca-1 cells followed by differentiation (AZA, 39% and LS, 28%). A second sequential enrichment for the dihydropyridine receptor subunit α2δ1 (DHPR-α2) resulted in cardiac TnT expressed in 54% of cultured cells compared to 28% of cells after CD117/Sca-1+ enrichment. Cells enriched for CD117/Sca-1 and subjected to differentiation displayed spontaneous intracellular Ca2+ transients with an increase in transient frequency and a 60% decrease in the transient duration amplitude between days 14 and 29. In conclusion, IP CD117/ Sca-1+ murine BM-MSCs display robust cardiac muscle lineage development that can be induced independent of AZA but is diminished under higher serum concentrations. Furthermore, temporal changes in calcium kinetics commensurate with increased cTnT expression suggest progressive maturation of a cardiac muscle lineage. Enrichment with CD117/Sca-1 to establish lineage commitment followed by DHPR- α2 in lineage developing cells may enhance the therapeutic potential of these cells for transplantation

Compliance em Partidos Políticos: Direito Penal e Prevenção à Corrupção no Ambiente Partidário / Compliance in Political Parties: Criminal Law and Corruption Prevention in the Party Environment

Há décadas a economia brasileira vem sendo negativamente afetada devido ao impacto gerado pelos escândalos políticos ligados à corrupção. Máfia dos Fiscais, Operação Navalha, Anões do Orçamento, Mensalão e Operação Lava Jato, são, como ficaram conhecidos, alguns dos maiores casos envolvendo práticas corruptivas no Brasil. Ainda que os mencionados casos tenham gerado enorme repercussão e comoção social, tais tipos delitivos, dada a sua ausência de violência e perversidade, muitas vezes, acabam por serem abafados, passando despercebidos pelas autoridades policiais, vindo a compor, assim, os chamados crimes de cifra negra, isto é, aqueles que não ingressam nas estatísticas criminais. Devido a essa relativa impunidade dos malfeitores, bem como na dificuldade em se estabelecer, e fiscalizar, diretrizes para a atuação íntegra e transparente dos partidos políticos, é que se faz necessário a intervenção do direito penal nos órgãos partidários para, através do compliance, instituir normas definidoras e meios de fiscalização da atividade política, dirimindo, assim, os escândalos ligados à atividade político corruptiva no país, que lesam, de modo abstrato e difuso, incomensuravelmente, toda a coletividade. Para tanto, o presente artigo pretende, por meio de pesquisas bibliográficas e análise documental, realizar um levantamento dos tipos penais, e de um caso concreto correspondente, mais recorrentes nas práticas corruptivas, sugerindo, por fim, um modelo de compliance adequado e de um critério de avaliação desse programa. 

Isolation Precautions for Visitors

Transmission of organisms within the hospital setting has become a topic of major concern not only for patients and healthcare facilities but also for government agencies and the general public. This increased awareness has occurred in part due to the spread of organisms that have limited treatment options, such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), as well as the heightened recognition that many hospital-associated infections (HAIs) are preventable. A large body of literature shows that horizontal transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms involves the hands, and potentially the attire, of healthcare workers (HCWs). This evidence provides the rationale for the use of standard and contact isolation precautions among HCWs. However, the health risks to visitors and the role of visitors in the horizontal transmission of pathogens within acute care hospitals is not as clearly defined. Consequently, uncertainty remains regarding which precautions visitors should take when interacting with patients placed on isolation precautions. Frequent arguments against the use of isolation precautions among visitors include lack of visitor movement between patient rooms, the difficulty of educating visitors, and the difficulty of enforcing compliance with isolation practices

Implementation of Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for assessment of transportation infrastructure - Phase II

Technological advances in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies continue to enable these tools to become easier to use, more economical, and applicable for transportation-related operations, maintenance, and asset management while also increasing safety and decreasing cost. This Phase 2 project continued to test and evaluate five main UAV platforms with a combination of optical, thermal, and lidar sensors to determine how to implement them into MDOT workflows. Field demonstrations were completed at bridges, a construction site, road corridors, and along highways with data being processed and analyzed using customized algorithms and tools. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted, comparing manual and UAV-based inspection methods. The project team also gave a series of technical demonstrations and conference presentations, enabling outreach to interested audiences who gained understanding of the potential implementation of this technology and the advanced research that MDOT is moving to implementation. The outreach efforts and research activities performed under this contract demonstrated how implementing UAV technologies into MDOT workflows can provide many benefits to MDOT and the motoring public; such as advantages in improved cost-effectiveness, operational management, and timely maintenance of Michigan’s transportation infrastructure

Rational mutagenesis to support structure-based drug design: MAPKAP kinase 2 as a case study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Structure-based drug design (SBDD) can provide valuable guidance to drug discovery programs. Robust construct design and expression, protein purification and characterization, protein crystallization, and high-resolution diffraction are all needed for rapid, iterative inhibitor design. We describe here robust methods to support SBDD on an oral anti-cytokine drug target, human MAPKAP kinase 2 (MK2). Our goal was to obtain useful diffraction data with a large number of chemically diverse lead compounds. Although MK2 structures and structural methods have been reported previously, reproducibility was low and improved methods were needed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our construct design strategy had four tactics: <it>N</it>- and <it>C</it>-terminal variations; entropy-reducing surface mutations; activation loop deletions; and pseudoactivation mutations. Generic, high-throughput methods for cloning and expression were coupled with automated liquid dispensing for the rapid testing of crystallization conditions with minimal sample requirements. Initial results led to development of a novel, customized robotic crystallization screen that yielded MK2/inhibitor complex crystals under many conditions in seven crystal forms. In all, 44 MK2 constructs were generated, ~500 crystals were tested for diffraction, and ~30 structures were determined, delivering high-impact structural data to support our MK2 drug design effort.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Key lessons included setting reasonable criteria for construct performance and prioritization, a willingness to design and use customized crystallization screens, and, crucially, initiation of high-throughput construct exploration very early in the drug discovery process.</p

Risk assessment and clinical management of children and adolescents with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolaemia. a position paper of the associations of preventive pediatrics of Serbia, mighty medic and international lipid expert panel

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is among the most common genetic metabolic lipid disorders characterised by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from birth and a significantly higher risk of developing premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The majority of the current pediatric guidelines for clinical management of children and adolescents with FH does not consider the impact of genetic variations as well as characteristics of vascular phenotype as assessed by recently developed non-invasive imaging techniques. We propose a combined integrated approach of cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment and clinical management of children with FH incorporating current risk assessment profile (LDL-C levels, traditional CV risk factors and familial history) with genetic and non-invasive vascular phenotyping. Based on the existing data on vascular phenotype status, this panel recommends that all children with FH and cIMT ≥0.5 mm should receive lipid lowering therapy irrespective of the presence of CV risk factors, family history and/or LDL-C levels Those children with FH and cIMT ≥0.4 mm should be carefully monitored to initiate lipid lowering management in the most suitable time. Likewise, all genetically confirmed children with FH and LDL-C levels ≥4.1 mmol/L (160 mg/dL), should be treated with lifestyle changes and LLT irrespective of the cIMT, presence of additional RF or family history of CHD

The Maya wall paintings from Chajul, Guatemala

The recent renovation of a house in Chajul in western Guatemala has revealed an unparalleled set of wall paintings, most probably from the Colonial period (AD 1524-1821). The iconography of the murals combines pre-Columbian elements with imported European components in a domestic rather than a religious setting, making them a unique example of Colonial-period art. Here, the authors present the results of iconographic, chemical and radiocarbon analyses of the Chajul house paintings. Dating to the seventeenth to eighteenth centuries AD, the paintings may be connected to a revival of the local religious organisations (cofradías) in the context of waning Spanish colonial control