Documenting Pressures Used for Manual Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Spine Somatic Dysfunction

Background: Palpatory assessment of free or restricted motion patterns is part of the diagnosis of spinal somatic dysfunction (SD). Diagnostically, local soft tissues are compressed (pre-loaded) over the structure of interest followed by one or more test impulses to assess the quality of the “end-feel” motion in several planes. These barrier sensations are often described qualitatively but have not been objectively quantified. Noninvasive, tactile pressure sensors built into a digital palpation monitoring system (IsoTOUCH®; Neuromuscular Engineering; Nashville TN, USA) were used to document loading and impulse pressures for palpatory segmental diagnosis and to first engage and then quickly move through a restrictive SD barrier using an osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) technique

FcγRI-Deficient Mice Show Multiple Alterations to Inflammatory and Immune Responses

AbstractThe inactivation of the mouse high-affinity IgG Fc receptor FcγRI resulted in a wide range of defects in antibody Fc-dependent functions. These studies showed the primary importance of FcγRI in endocytosis of monomeric IgG, kinetics, and extent of phagocytosis of immune complexes, in macrophage-based ADCC, and in immune complex-dependent antigen presentation to primed T cells. In the absence of FcγRI, antibody responses were elevated, implying the removal of a control point by the deletion of FcγRI. In addition, FcR-γ chain-deficient mice were found to express partially functional FcγRI. Thus, FcγRI is an early participant in Fc-dependent cell activation and in the development of immune responses

Spectra of Harmonium in a magnetic field using an initial value representation of the semiclassical propagator

For two Coulombically interacting electrons in a quantum dot with harmonic confinement and a constant magnetic field, we show that time-dependent semiclassical calculations using the Herman-Kluk initial value representation of the propagator lead to eigenvalues of the same accuracy as WKB calculations with Langer correction. The latter are restricted to integrable systems, however, whereas the time-dependent initial value approach allows for applications to high-dimensional, possibly chaotic dynamics and is extendable to arbitrary shapes of the potential.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figur

Synthesis of the elements in stars: forty years of progress

Forty years ago Burbidge, Burbidge, Fowler, and Hoyle combined what we would now call fragmentary evidence from nuclear physics, stellar evolution and the abundances of elements and isotopes in the solar system as well as a few stars into a synthesis of remarkable ingenuity. Their review provided a foundation for forty years of research in all of the aspects of low energy nuclear experiments and theory, stellar modeling over a wide range of mass and composition, and abundance studies of many hundreds of stars, many of which have shown distinct evidence of the processes suggested by B2FH. In this review we summarize progress in each of these fields with emphasis on the most recent developments

Detection of Crab Giant Pulses Using the Mileura Widefield Array Low Frequency Demonstrator Field Prototype System

We report on the detection of giant pulses from the Crab Nebula pulsar at a frequency of 200 MHz using the field deployment system designed for the Mileura Widefield Array's Low Frequency Demonstrator (MWA-LFD). Our observations are among the first high-quality detections at such low frequencies. The measured pulse shapes are deconvolved for interstellar pulse broadening, yielding a pulse-broadening time of 670$\pm$100 $\mu$s, and the implied strength of scattering (scattering measure) is the lowest that is estimated towards the Crab nebula from observations made so far. The sensitivity of the system is largely dictated by the sky background, and our simple equipment is capable of detecting pulses that are brighter than $\sim$9 kJy in amplitude. The brightest giant pulse detected in our data has a peak amplitude of $\sim$50 kJy, and the implied brightness temperature is $10^{31.6}$ K. We discuss the giant pulse detection prospects with the full MWA-LFD system. With a sensitivity over two orders of magnitude larger than the prototype equipment, the full system will be capable of detecting such bright giant pulses out to a wide range of Galactic distances; from $\sim$8 to $\sim$30 kpc depending on the frequency. The MWA-LFD will thus be a highly promising instrument for the studies of giant pulses and other fast radio transients at low frequencies.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Bostonia: The Boston University Alumni Magazine. Volume 32

Founded in 1900, Bostonia magazine is Boston University's main alumni publication, which covers alumni and student life, as well as university activities, events, and programs

AhrC and Eep are biofilm infection-associated virulence factors in enterococcus faecalis

Enterococcus faecalis is part of the human intestinal microbiome and is a prominent cause of health care-associated infections. The pathogenesis of many E. faecalis infections, including endocarditis and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), is related to the ability of clinical isolates to form biofilms. To identify chromosomal genetic determinants responsible for E. faecalis biofilm-mediated infection, we used a rabbit model of endocarditis to test strains with transposon insertions or in-frame deletions in biofilm-associated loci: ahrC, argR, atlA, opuBC, pyrC, recN, and sepF. Only the ahrC mutant was significantly attenuated in endocarditis. We demonstrate that the transcriptional regulator AhrC and the protease Eep, which we showed previously to be an endocarditis virulence factor, are also required for full virulence in murine CAUTI. Therefore, AhrC and Eep can be classified as enterococcal biofilm-associated virulence factors. Loss of ahrC caused defects in early attachment and accumulation of biofilm biomass. Characterization of ahrC transcription revealed that the temporal expression of this locus observed in wild-type cells promotes initiation of early biofilm formation and the establishment of endocarditis. This is the first report of AhrC serving as a virulence factor in any bacterial species

'Don't think in your head, think aloud': ICT and exploratory talk in the primary school mathematics classroom

This paper arises out of research into classroom activities conducted with Year 5 and Year 6 primary school students (9-10 year-olds). The study applied the ‘Thinking Together’ approach developed by Mercer and colleagues at the Open University in mathematics lessons involving the use of ICT. The study describes the use of mathematics software to promote collaborative thinking and exploratory talk in the mathematics classroom. Teachers were given training in the Thinking Together approach. They then conducted a series of lessons with students and explicitly taught them how to work and talk collaboratively to solve mathematical problems at the computer. These lessons were video-recorded and the transcripts analysed for evidence of ‘exploratory talk’. This paper reports on the role of the teacher, the students and the computer in developing exploratory talk

One hundred mosaic embryos transferred prospectively in a single clinic: exploring when and why they result in healthy pregnancies

Objective To investigate the parameters of mosaicism and the biological mechanisms leading to healthy pregnancies from mosaic embryo transfers. Design Prospective study. Setting IVF center and associated research laboratory. Patient(s) Fifty-nine patients. Intervention(s) Embryos underwent blastocyst-stage preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy by next-generation sequencing. Trophectoderm biopsies containing 20%–80% abnormal cells were deemed mosaic, and corresponding blastocysts were transferred. Mosaic embryos donated to research were examined for karyotype concordance in multiple biopsies and assessed for cell proliferation and death by immunofluorescence and computational quantitation. Main Outcome Measure(s) Chemical start of pregnancy, implantation, fetal heartbeat, and birth. Result(s) Globally, mosaic embryos showed inferior clinical outcomes compared with euploid embryos. Aneuploid cell percentage in trophectoderm biopsies did not correlate with outcomes, but type of mosaicism did, as embryos with single mosaic segmental aneuploidies fared better than all other types. Mosaic blastocysts generated from oocytes retrieved at young maternal ages (?34 years) showed better outcomes than those retrieved at older maternal ages. Mosaic embryos displayed low rates of karyotype concordance between multiple biopsies and showed significant elevation of cell proliferation and death compared with euploid embryos. Conclusion(s) After euploid embryos, mosaic embryos can be considered for transfer, prioritizing those of the single segmental mosaic type. If a patient has mosaic embryos available that were generated at different ages, preference should be given to those made at younger ages. Intrablastocyst karyotype discordance and differential cell proliferation and death might be reasons that embryos classified as mosaic can result in healthy pregnancies and babies