An examination of the metastable region of the system lithium nitrate-ammonium nitrate

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University, 1949. This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

Glutamine Supplementation in Sick Children: Is It Beneficial?

The purpose of this review is to provide a critical appraisal of the literature on Glutamine (Gln) supplementation in various conditions or illnesses that affect children, from neonates to adolescents. First, a general overview of the proposed mechanisms for the beneficial effects of Gln is provided, and subsequently clinical studies are discussed. Despite safety, studies are conflicting, partly due to different effects of enteral and parenteral Gln supplementation. Further insufficient evidence is available on the benefits of Gln supplementation in pediatric patients. This includes premature infants, infants with gastrointestinal disease, children with Crohn's disease, short bowel syndrome, malnutrition/diarrhea, cancer, severe burns/trauma, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and type 1 diabetes. Moreover, methodological issues have been noted in some studies. Further mechanistic data is needed along with large randomized controlled trials in select populations of sick children, who may eventually benefit from supplemental Gln

Magnetic field microscopy of rock samples using a giant magnetoresistance–based scanning magnetometer

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95412/1/ggge1634.pd

The vesicular Sainte-Sophie dykes: a chemically distinct, near-surface facies of the Grenville Dyke Swarm?

Undeformed and unmetamorphosed diabase dykes up to 5 m wide occur in an area of 100 km2 about 50 km northwest of Montreal near the village of Sainte-Sophie. The dykes are subvertical and oriented east–west. The most common phenocryst phase is plagioclase (1–2 mm, exceptionally 10 mm), followed by olivine, and in one dyke, pyroxene. Most dykes have vesicles 0.1–10 mm in diameter and fine-grained margins. Alteration is extensive: plagioclase is partly sericitized, olivine is serpentinized, and zeolites and carbonate are developed in the vesicles and matrix. Ar–Ar dating was challenging, but the weighted mean of two plateau ages indicates intrusion and cooling at 591.6 ± 2.5 Ma. The overall characteristics of these dykes suggest that they may be a facies of the much larger Grenville dyke swarm to the west. However, there are distinct chemical differences that suggest they were fed from a different, generally more enriched mantle source. This zone may be related to the one that produced the alkaline Monteregian intrusions some 470 million years later in the same region. If the Sainte-Sophie dykes are part of the Grenville dyke event, then the use of chemical fingerprints to identify components of this swarm must be used with caution. Another difference between the SainteSophie and main Grenville dykes is the presence of vesicles and zeolites in the former, which suggests the dykes were emplaced close to the surface; hence, this crustal block has seen little erosion during the last 600 million years. Des dykes de diabase non déformés et non métamorphisés atteignant jusqu’a` 5 m de largeur sont présents dans une région de quelque 100 km2 située a` environ 50 km au nord-ouest de Montréal, près du village de Sainte-Sophie. Ces dykes sont subverticaux et d’orientation est–ouest. La phase phénocristique la plus abondante est le plagioclase (1–2 mm, exceptionnellement 10 mm), suivi de l’olivine et, dans un dyke, du pyroxène. La plupart des dykes présentent des vésicules de 0,1–10 mm de diamètre et des bordures a` grains fins. Ils présentent en outre une altération intense, le plagioclase étant partiellement séricitisé, l’olivine, serpentinisée, et des zéolites et des carbonates étant présents dans les vésicules et la matrice. La datation Ar–Ar s’est avérée difficile, mais la moyenne pondérée de deux âges plateau indiquent une intrusion et un refroidissement a` 591,6 ± 2,5 Ma. Les caractéristiques générales de ces dykes portent a` croire qu’ils pourraient constituer un faciès du beaucoup plus grand essaim de dykes de Grenville plus a` l’ouest. Des différences claires sur le plan chimique indiqueraient toutefois qu’ils proviennent d’une source mantellique distincte généralement plus enrichie, qui pourrait être reliée a` la zone qui a produit les intrusions alcalines montérégiennes, il y a quelque 470 millions d’années dans la même région. Si les dykes de Sainte-Sophie découlent effectivement du même épisode que les dykes de Grenville, l’utilisation de signatures chimiques pour identifier des éléments de cet essaim nécessiterait donc une certaine prudence. Une autre différence entre les dykes de Sainte-Sophie et les dykes de l’essaim de Grenville est la présence de vésicules et de zéolites dans les premiers, qui donne a` penser que ces dykes se sont mis en place près de la surface et, donc, que ce bloc crustal a subi peu d’érosion au cours des dernières 600 millions d’années

Linking toxicant physiological mode of action with induced gene expression changes in Caenorhabditis elegans

Background Physiologically based modelling using DEBtox (dynamic energy budget in toxicology) and transcriptional profiling were used in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify how physiological modes of action, as indicated by effects on system level resource allocation were associated with changes in gene expression following exposure to three toxic chemicals: cadmium, fluoranthene (FA) and atrazine (AZ). Results For Cd, the physiological mode of action as indicated by DEBtox model fitting was an effect on energy assimilation from food, suggesting that the transcriptional response to exposure should be dominated by changes in the expression of transcripts associated with energy metabolism and the mitochondria. While evidence for effect on genes associated with energy production were seen, an ontological analysis also indicated an effect of Cd exposure on DNA integrity and transcriptional activity. DEBtox modelling showed an effect of FA on costs for growth and reproduction (i.e. for production of new and differentiated biomass). The microarray analysis supported this effect, showing an effect of FA on protein integrity and turnover that would be expected to have consequences for rates of somatic growth. For AZ, the physiological mode of action predicted by DEBtox was increased cost for maintenance. The transcriptional analysis demonstrated that this increase resulted from effects on DNA integrity as indicated by changes in the expression of genes chromosomal repair. Conclusions Our results have established that outputs from process based models and transcriptomics analyses can help to link mechanisms of action of toxic chemicals with resulting demographic effects. Such complimentary analyses can assist in the categorisation of chemicals for risk assessment purposes

Nutritional care is a human right: Translating principles to clinical practice

We have previously advocated that nutritional care be raised to the level of a human right, in close relationship to two well-recognized fundamental rights: the right to food and the right to health. This article aims to analyze the implication of nutritional care as a human right for healthcare practitioners. We will focus on the impact of the Human Rights Basic Approach (HRBA) on healthcare professionals (HCPs), namely how they can translate HRBA into routine clinical practice. Ethics and human rights are guiding values for clinical nutrition practitioners. Together they ensure a patient-centered approach, in which the needs and rights of the patients are of the most significant importance. Human rights are based on the powerful idea of equal dignity for all people while expressing a set of core values, including fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy (FREDA). Through the analysis of FREDA principles, we have provided the elements to understand human rights and how an HRBA can support clinicians in the decision-making process. Clinical practice guidelines in clinical nutrition should incorporate disease-specific ethical issues and the HRBA. The HRBA should contribute to building conditions for HCPs to provide optimal and timely nutritional care. Nutritional care must be exercised by HCPs with due respect for several fundamental ethical values: attentiveness, responsibility competence, responsiveness, and solidarity

Nutritional care is a human right: Translating principles to clinical practice

We have previously advocated that nutritional care be raised to the level of a human right in a close relationship to two well recognized fundamental rights: the right to food and the right to health. This paper aims to analyze the implication of nutritional care as a human right for healthcare practitioners. We will focus on the impact of the Human Rights Basic Approach (HRBA) on health care professionals (HCPs), namely how they can translate HRBA into routine clinical practice. Ethics and human rights are guiding values for clinical nutrition practitioners. Together they ensure a patient-centered approach, where the needs and rights of the patients are of the most significant importance. Human rights are based on the powerful idea of equal dignity for all people while expressing a set of core values, including fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy (FREDA). Through the analysis of FREDA principles, we have provided the elements to understand human rights and how a HRBA can support clinicians in the decision-making process. Clinical practice guidelines in clinical nutrition should incorporate disease-specific ethical issues and the HRBA. The HRBA should contribute to build conditions for HCPs to provide optimal and timely nutritional care. Nutritional care must be exercised by HCPs with due respect for several fundamental ethical values: attentiveness, responsibility competence, responsiveness, and solidarity