A diverse diapsid tooth assemblage from the Early Triassic (Driefontein locality, South Africa) records the recovery of diapsids following the end-Permian mass extinction

Mass extinctions change the trajectory of evolution and restructure ecosystems. The largest mass extinction, the end-Permian, is a particularly interesting case due to the hypothesized delay in the recovery of global ecosystems, where total trophic level recovery is not thought to have occurred until 5–9 million years after the extinction event. Diapsids, especially archosauromorphs, play an important role in this recovery, filling niches left vacant by therapsids and anapsids. However, the nature of lineage and ecological diversification of diapsids is obscured by the limited number of continuous, well-dated stratigraphic sections at the Permian-Triassic boundary and continuing through the first half of the Triassic. The Karoo Basin of South Africa is one such record, and particularly the late Early Triassic (Olenekian) Driefontein locality fills this gap in the diapsid fossil record. We collected a total of 102 teeth of which 81 are identified as diapsids and the remaining 21 as identified as temnospondyls. From the sample, seven distinct tooth morphotypes of diapsids are recognized, six of which are new to the locality. We used a combination of linear measurements, 3D geomorphometrics, and nMDS ordination to compare these morphotypes and made inferences about their possible diets. Although the morphotypes are readily differentiated in nMDS, the overall morphological disparity is low, and we infer five morphotypes are faunivorous with the other two potentially omnivorous or piscivorous based on their morphological similarities with dentitions from extant diapsids, demonstrating an unsampled taxonomic and ecological diversity of diapsids in the Early Triassic based on teeth. Although ecological specialization at Driefontein may be low, it records a diversity of diapsid taxa, specifically of archosauromorph lineages

Effect of Vitamins C and E on Endothelial Function in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Background/Objectives. Endothelial dysfunction due to hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage is an important predictor of future cardiovascular risk in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and is present in adolescent T1DM. We hypothesized that combined treatment with the antioxidant vitamins C and E might improve endothelial function (EF) and other biochemical risk factors in adolescents with T1DM. Subjects/Methods. Open-label antioxidant supplementation was given for six weeks with endpoint measurements collected at baseline and study completion. Endpoints measured included EF and plasma measurements of biochemical endothelial risk. Results. Two males and 7 females were studied. Mean age was 12.9 ± 0.9 yrs; mean T1DM duration was 5.5 ± 2.5 yrs; mean BMI was 22.1 ± 3.8 kg/m2; and mean hemoglobin A1c was 9.3 ± 1.1%. No differences were found for EF, high sensitivity CRP, total antioxidant capacity, adiponectin, or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) between before and after combined vitamin C and E therapy. Conclusions. Our negative study results do not support previous findings of decreased oxidative damage, improved endothelial function, and increased vascular repair capacity with antioxidant therapy. Longer term studies may be needed to determine the effects, if any, of combined antioxidant therapy on EPCs, EF, and markers of micro- and macrovascular complications in T1DM

Glycemic Variability Predicts Inflammation in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Background: Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease as well as elevations in biomarkers of systemic inflammation, plasma protein oxidation and vascular endothelial injury. It is unclear whether hyperglycemia itself, or variations in blood glucose are predictors of these abnormalities. Methods: This study was designed to determine the relationship of inflammatory (C-reactive protein, CRP), oxidative (total anti-oxidative capacity, TAOC) and endothelial injury (soluble intracellular adhesion molecule 1, sICAM1) markers to glycemic control measures from 3 days of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and to hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and HbA1c×duration area under the curve (A1cDur). Results: Seventeen adolescents (8 F/9M; age, 13.1±1.6 years (mean±SD); duration, 4.8±3.8 years, BMI, 20.3±3.1 kg/m2; A1c, 8.3±1.2%) were studied. Log CRP but was not related to age, duration, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, or A1cDUR. TAOC increased as logA1cDUR increased (n=13, r=0.61, p=0.028). CRP and sICAM were not related to CGM average glucose but log CRP increased as 3 day glucose standard deviation increased (r=0.66, p=0.006). TAOC increased as glucose standard deviation increased (r=0.63, p=0.028). Conclusions: Increased glucose variability is associated with increased inflammation in adolescents withT1D. Increased TAOC with increasing variability may be an effort to compensate for the ongoing oxidative stress

Hyperglycemia Increases Muscle Blood Flow and Alters Endothelial Function in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Alterations of blood flow and endothelial function precede development of complications in type 1 diabetes. The effects of hyperglycemia on vascular function in early type 1 diabetes are poorly understood. To investigate the effect of hyperglycemia on forearm vascular resistance (FVR) and endothelial function in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, FVR was measured before and after 5 minutes of upper arm arterial occlusion using venous occlusion plethysmography in (1) fasted state, (2) euglycemic state (~90 mg/dL; using 40 mU/m2/min insulin infusion), and (3) hyperglycemic state (~200 mg/dL) in 11 adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Endothelial function was assessed by the change in FVR following occlusion. Seven subjects returned for a repeat study with hyperglycemia replaced by euglycemia. Preocclusion FVR decreased from euglycemia to hyperglycemia (P = 0.003). Postocclusion fall in FVR during hyperglycemia was less than during euglycemia (P = 0.002). These findings were not reproduced when hyperglycemia was replaced with a second euglycemia. These results demonstrate that acute hyperglycemia causes vasodilation and alters endothelial function in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. In addition they have implications for future studies of endothelial function in type 1 diabetes and provide insight into the etiology of macrovascular and microvascular complications of type 1 diabetes

Space Applications of Mass Spectrometry

Mass spectrometers have been involved in essentially all aspects of space exploration. This chapter outlines some of these many uses. Mass spectrometers have not only helped to expand our knowledge and understanding of the world and solar system around us, they have helped to put man safely in space and expand our frontier. Mass spectrometry continues to prove to be a very reliable, robust, and flexible analytical instrument, ensuring that its use will continue to help aid our investigation of the universe and this small planet that we call home

The Anatomic Course of the First Jejunal Branch of the Superior Mesenteric Vein in Relation to the Superior Mesenteric Artery

Introduction. The purpose of this study is to determine the anatomic course of the first jejunal branch of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) in relation to the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Methods. Three hundred consecutive contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed by a surgical oncologist with confirmation of findings by a radiologist. Results. The overall incidence of a first jejunal branch coursing anterior to the SMA was 41%. There was no correlation between patient gender and position of the jejunal branch. In addition, there was no correlation between size of the first jejunal branch and its location in relation to the SMA. The IMV drained into the SMV in 27% of the patients. The IMV drained into the SMV-portal vein confluence in 17% of patients and inserted into the splenic vein in 54%. An anterior coursing first jejunal branch statistically correlated with an IMV that drained into the SMV-portal vein confluence (P = 0.009). Conclusion. The first jejunal branch of the SMV has a highly variable course in relation to the SMA and has a higher incidence of an anterior location in this population than previously reported

TESSX: A Mission for Space Exploration with Tethers

Tethers offer significant potential for substantially increasing payload mass fraction, increasing spacecraft lifetime, enhancing long-term space travel, and enabling the understanding and development of gravity-dependent technologies required for Moon and Mars exploration. The development of the Tether Electrodynamic Spin-up and Survivability Experiment (TESSX) will support applications relevant to NASA's new exploration initiative, including: artificial gravity generation, formation flying, electrodynamic propulsion, momentum exchange, and multi-amp current collection and emission. Under the broad term TESSX, we are currently evaluating several different tether system configurations and operational modes. The initial results of this work are presented, including hardware development, orbital dynamics simulations, and electrodynamics design and analysis

Determination of Galaxy Spin Vectors in the Pisces-Perseus Supercluster with the Arecibo Telescope

We use HI observations made with the upgraded Arecibo 305M Telescope in August 1998 to obtain accurate spin vector determinations for 54 nearly edge-on galaxies in the Minnesota Automated Plate Scanner Pisces-Perseus Survey (MAPS-PP). We introduce a simple observational technique of determining the sense of rotation for galaxies, even when their HI disks are not fully resolved. We examined the spin vector distribution of these 54 galaxies for evidence of preferential galaxy alignments. We use the Kuiper statistic, a variant of the Kolmogorov--Smirnov statistic, to determine the significance of any anisotropies in the distribution of galaxy spin vectors. The possibility of ``spin vector domains'' is also investigated. We find no significant evidence of preferential galaxy alignments in this sample. However, we show tha t the small sample size places weak limits on the level of galaxy alignments.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, Accepted for Publication in Astronomical Journa

Impact of preoperative therapy on patterns of recurrence in pancreatic cancer

AbstractBackgroundA theoretical advantage of preoperative therapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma is that it facilitates the early treatment of micrometastases and reduces postoperative systemic recurrence.MethodsMedical records of 309 consecutive patients undergoing resection of adenocarcinoma in the head of the pancreas were reviewed. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Associations between preoperative therapy and patterns of recurrence were determined using chi-squared analysis.ResultsPreoperative therapy was administered to 108 patients and upfront surgery was performed in 201 patients. Preoperative therapy was associated with a significantly longer median disease-free survival of 14 months compared with 12 months in patients submitted to upfront surgery (P = 0.035). The rate of local disease as a component of first site of recurrence was significantly lower with preoperative therapy (11.3%) than with upfront surgery (22.9%) (P = 0.016). Preoperative therapy was associated with a lower rate of hepatic metastasis (21.7%) than upfront surgery (34.3%) (P = 0.026). Preoperative therapy did not affect rates of peritoneal or pulmonary metastasis.ConclusionsPreoperative therapy for pancreatic cancer was associated with longer disease-free survival and lower rates of local and hepatic recurrences. These data support the use of preoperative therapy to reduce systemic and local failures after resection

Patient‐friendly pathology reports for patients with breast atypias

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146318/1/tbj13061_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146318/2/tbj13061.pd