Measuring Perceived Effects of Drinking an Extract of Basidiomycetes Agaricus Blazei Murill: A Survey of Japanese Consumers with Cancer

BACKGROUND. To survey cancer patients who consume an extract of the Basidiomycetes Agaricus blazei Murill mushroom (Sen-Sei-Ro) to measure their self-assessment of its effects and to develop an instrument for use in future randomized trials. METHODS. We designed, translated and mailed a survey to 2,346 Japanese consumers of Sen-Sei-Ro self-designated as cancer patients. The survey assessed consumer demographics, cancer history, Sen-Sei-Ro consumption, and its perceived effects. We performed exploratory psychometric analyses to identify distinct, multi-item scales that could summarize perceptions of effects. RESULTS. We received completed questionnaires from 782 (33%) of the sampled Sen-Sei-Ro consumers with a cancer history. Respondents represented a broad range of cancer patients familiar with Sen-Sei-Ro. Nearly all had begun consumption after their cancer diagnosis. These consumers expressed consistently positive views, though not extremely so, with more benefit reported for more abstract benefits such as emotional and physical well-being than relief of specific symptoms. We identified two conceptually and empirically distinct and internally consistent summary scales measuring Sen-Sei-Ro consumers' perceptions of its effects, Relief of Symptoms and Functional Well-being (Cronbach's alpha: Relief of Symptoms, α = .74; Functional Well-Being, α = .91). CONCLUSION. Respondents to our survey of Sen-Sei-Ro consumers with cancer reported favorable perceived effects from its use. Our instrument, when further validated, may be a useful outcome in trials assessing this and other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) substances in cancer patients.Kyowa-S.S.I., Tokyo, Japa

Remote measurement of turbidity and chlorophyll through aerial photography

Studies were conducted utilizing six different film and filter combinations to quantitatively detect chlorophyll and turbidity in six farm ponds. The low range of turbidity from 0-35 JTU correlated well with the density readings from the green band of normal color film and the high range above 35 JTU was found to correlate with density readings in the red band of color infrared film. The effect of many of the significant variables can be reduced by using standardized procedures in taking the photography. Attempts to detect chlorophyll were masked by the turbidity. The ponds which were highly turbid also had high chlorophyll concentrations; whereas, the ponds with low turbidity also had low chlorophyll concentrations. This prevented a direct correlation for this parameter. Several suggested approaches are cited for possible future investigations

Feminist Geopolitics: Material States

No abstract available

Continued monitoring of LMXBs with the Faulkes Telescopes

The Faulkes Telescope Project is an educational and research arm of the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGTN). It has two 2-metre robotic telescopes, located at Haleakala on Maui (FT North) and Siding Spring in Australia (FT South). It is planned for these telescopes to be complemented by a research network of eighteen 1-metre telescopes, along with an educational network of twenty-eight 0.4-metre telescopes, providing 24 hour coverage of both northern and southern hemispheres. We have been conducting a monitoring project of 13 low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) using FT North since early 2006. The introduction of FT South has allowed us to extend this to monitor a total of 30 LMXBs (see target list, Section 4). New instrumentation will allow us to expand this project to include both infrared wavelengths (z and y band) and spectroscopy. Brighter targets (~ 16 - 18 mag.) are imaged weekly in V, R and i’ bands (SNR ~ 50), while fainter ones (> 18 mag.) are observed only in i’ band (SNR ~ 20). We alter this cadence in response to our own analysis or Astronomers Telegrams (ATels)

Sensitive protein detection using an optical fibre long period grating sensor anchored with silica core gold shell nanoparticles

Copyright ©2014 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. This paper was published in the Proceedings of SPIE and is made available with permission of SPIE. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic electronic or print reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.An optical fibre long period grating (LPG), modified with a coating of silica gold (SiO2:Au) core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) deposited using the layer-by-layer (LbL) method, was employed for the development of a bio-sensor. The SiO2:Au NPs were electrostatically assembled onto the LPG with the aid of a poly(hydrochloride ammonium) (PAH) polycation layer. The LPG sensor operates at the phase matching turning point to provide the highest sensitivity. The SiO2:Au NPs were modified with biotin, which was used as a ligand for streptavidin (SV) detection. The sensing mechanism is based on the measurement of the refractive index change induced by the binding of the SV to the biotin. The lowest detected concentration of SV was 19 nM using an LPG modified with a 3 layer (PAH/SiO2:Au) thin film

Kentucky Annual Economic Report 2021

This report is one of the important ways that the Center for Business and Economic Research fulfills its mission to examine various aspects of Kentucky’s economy as directed by the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS 164.738). The analysis and data presented here cover a variety of topics that range from a discussion of Kentucky’s current economic climate to a broad presentation of factors affecting the economy. The report covers numerous dimensions of Kentucky’s economy and COVID-19’s effects are evident across many of these dimensions. The pandemic brought the longest running economic expansion to an abrupt end. By April, Kentucky’s employment declined by 325,100 jobs compared to January. These job losses had wide ranging implications such as widening the racial employment gap; reducing families’ ability to pay for housing; increasing reliance on social programs; and reducing child-care options for working parents. As of October, the state had recovered 67 percent of jobs lost during the first months of the recession, but the recovery remains far from complete. Kentucky’s employment was still down 107,600 jobs, or 5.5 percent, from January

Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Glucose Incorporation in Flatworms

Paper by James S. McDaniel, Austin J. MacInnis, and Clark P. Rea

Book Reviews

Reviews of the following books: Massachusetts: A Bicentennial History by Richard D. Clark; Discovering Maine\u27s Archaeological Heritage edited by David Sanger; History of Hebron Academy by Harold E. Hal

Movement Patterns of Large Brown Trout in the Mainstream Au Sable River, Michigan

We used radiotelemetry to monitor spring and summer movements of 11 brown trout Salmo trutta (442–584 mm) for up to 904 d in a Michigan stream. Individual brown trout used a few specific locations near cover (referred to as home sites) as resting locations during the day, moved across various distances at night, and generally returned to the same home site the next morning. Home sites were predominantly artificial cover (88%) rather than natural sites, as natural cover was very limited in the study area. Some fish used multiple home sites, and the average separation between multiple home sites for individual fish was over 500 m. Fish tracked for more than 1 year used the same home sites each summer and generally exhibited similar behavior each year. Fish belonged to two general categories of daily movement behavior: mobile or stationary. Mobile fish tended to move frequently and were found within their home sites only 43% of the time at night. Stationary fish did not move far from home sites, even at night. There was a negative correlation between the average gradient and the maximum distance fish moved from their home sites during nocturnal periods. Stationary fish resided in areas of steeper gradient (usually about 0.20%) and moved less often nocturnally than did mobile fish. Three fish were tracked extensively over 36 d to quantify diel activity patterns. The hourly activity of fish increased dramatically at dusk, continued at a lower level overnight, and then increased again at dawn before declining to near zero during the day. This behavior pattern was similar among all individuals tracked and also between the months of June, July, and August for an individual fish. Nocturnal movements involved significantly greater distances than diurnal movements for these fish. The relationship between movement and gradient may indicate energetic tradeoffs between the cost of moving against a current and the energy gained during active foraging. Also, the dominant use of artificial home sites has implications for the value of habitat improvements meant to increase abundance of large brown trout.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141462/1/tafs0034.pd