Investigating the Effects of Markers of Biological Stress on the Association between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Central Artery Stiffness

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One mechanism by which ACEs may increase CVD risk is through their association with central artery stiffness. Pathways linking ACEs to arterial stiffness have not yet been fully elucidated; however, increased biological stress has been postulated to play a critical role. Recently, two markers have emerged as being potentially useful measures of biological stress—telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn). Here, the potential effects of TL and mtDNAcn on the association between ACEs and central artery stiffness were examined. It was hypothesized that TL and/or mtDNAcn would be associated with both ACEs and central artery stiffness, and that these markers would influence the association between ACEs and arterial stiffness. 185 individuals (n = 102 females) aged 19-25 years (mean age 22.5 ± 1.5 years) were included in the current analyses. ACEs were assessed using the CTES 2.0. Central artery stiffness was assessed non-invasively as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). TL and mtDNAcn were assessed using qPCR techniques. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between ACEs, TL, mtDNAcn, and cfPWV after adjustment for several covariates. ACEs were independently associated with cfPWV (β = 0.147, p = 0.035). Both TL and mtDNAcn were independently associated with cfPWV (β = -0.169, p = 0.012 and β = -0.525, p = 0.017, respectively). There was no significant association between ACEs and either TL or mtDNAcn (both p > 0.05); and neither marker influenced the association between ACEs and cfPWV. Increasing ACEs were associated with a faster cfPWV. This association was not influenced by either TL or mtDNAcn, suggesting that these markers do not provide a link between ACEs and arterial stiffness. Reduced TL and mtDNAcn were also associated with a faster cfPWV. Future studies are required to better understand the association between ACEs, markers of biological stress, and arterial stiffness

Analysis of food supplement with unusual raspberry ketone content

In recent years food supplement market increased constantly, including slimming products and against obesity. The case of rasberry ketone (RK) is here reported. HPTLC and HPLC-DAD analyses on a marketed product containing raspberry juice evidenced an abnormal quantity of RK, not in accordance with the juice natural content. The reported data confirm the need of adequate controls on marketed food supplements and the necessity of a complete adherence between labelling and real constitution of the product. Practical Applications: Determining the natural origin and assuring the consumers' safety for raspberry-based food supplement

On the complexity of the boundary layer structure and aerosol vertical distribution in the coastal Mediterranean regions: A case study

The planetary boundary layer structure in the coastal areas, and particularly in complex orography regions such as the Mediterranean, is extremely intricate. In this study, we show the evolution of the planetary boundary layer based on in situ airborne measurements and ground-based remote sensing observations carried out during the MORE (Marine Ozone and Radiation Experiment) campaign in June 2010. The campaign was held in a rural coastal Mediterranean region in Southern Italy. The study focuses on the observations made on 17 June. Vertical profiles of meteorological parameters and aerosol size distribution were measured during two flights: in the morning and in the afternoon. Airborne observations were combined with ground-based LIDAR, SODAR, microwave and visible radiometer measurements, allowing a detailed description of the atmospheric vertical structure. The analysis was complemented with data from a regional atmospheric model run with horizontal resolutions of 12, 4 and 1 km, respectively; back-trajectories were calculated at these spatial resolutions. The observations show the simultaneous occurrence of dust transport, descent of mid-tropospheric air and sea breeze circulation on 17 June. Local pollution effects on the aerosol distribution, and a possible event of new particles formation were also observed. A large variability in the thermodynamical structure and aerosol distribution in the flight region, extending by approximately 30km along the coast, was found. Within this complex, environment-relevant differences in the back-trajectories calculated at different spatial resolutions are found, suggesting that the description of several dynamical processes, and in particular the sea breeze circulation, requires high-resolution meteorological analyses. The study also shows that the integration of different observational techniques is needed to describe these complex conditions; in particular, the availability of flights and their timing with respect to the occurring phenomena are crucial

Oligodendrocyte Population Dynamics and Plasticity Probed by Genetic Manipulation in Mice

During embryonic development, oliogdendrocyte precursor cells (OLPs) originate in the ventral region of the neural tube, and from this area proliferate and migrate throughout the entire CNS. Work from several labs has shown dorsal regions of the neural tube can also be an additional source of OLPs. Ventrally and dorsallyderived OLPs are thought to be specified differently, since morphogenic signals that are known to specify ventral OLPs are absent in the dorsal regions of the CNS. However, the question remains whether oligodendrocyte (OLs) with different developmental origins are functionally equivalent or not. If there are different specialized subtypes of OLPs and OLs, this might need to be taken into consideration when designing therapies for demyelinating diseases based on transplantation of pure OLPs from various sources. To address the question, I specifically ablated particular OL lineage cells with different developmental origins using a Cre/loxP system and Diphtheria toxin A chain (DTA). A transgenic mouse line was generated that carried DTA under the transcriptional control of Sox10, which is expressed in all OLPs regardless of their developmental origin. Upstream of the DTA open reading frame were sequences encoding the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) allowing expression of the toxin only after the floxed EGFP was excised. In order to selectively eliminate OLPs from ventral or dorsal origin, the Sox10-DTA mouse line was crossed with a line that expresses Cre recombinase selectively in dorsal or ventral regions of the developing telencephalon. I found that when either dorsal or ventral-derived OLPs were ablated with DTA, neighbouring OLP populations moved in to replace the missing cells. When ventrally-derived OLPs were ablated there was a slight delay in the accumulation of OLPs and in the onset of myelination. Even when all telencephalic-derived OLPs, both ventral and dorsal, were ablated, populations from more posterior brain regions made up for the loss. This work strongly suggests that OLPs, in the developing telencephalon, from dorsal and ventral origins are functionally equivalent

Routes to Novel Azo compounds

Routes to novel heterocyclic azo compounds and components of use as potential inkjet dyes were investigated. A new route to fluorenones from biphenyl acid chlorides using FVP (Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis) has been discovered. Fluorenone and 4-methylfluoren-9-one were prepared by FVP of 2-phenylbenzoyl chloride and 2-methylbiphenyl-2-carbonyl chloride respectively. Xanthen-9-one and thioxanthen-9-one were also prepared by FVP from the corresponding acid chlorides. 9-Phenanthrol could also be prepared via the FVP of biphenylacetyl choride and the application of this method to a heterocylic thiophene system afforded naphtho[1,2-b]thiophen-4-ol. Naphtho[2,1-b]thiophen-4-ol and naphtho[1,2-b]furan- 4-ol could be obtained in low yields by the FVP of (2-thiophen-3-ylphenyl)acetic acid methyl ester and (2-furan-2-ylphenyl) acetic acid methyl ester over a tungsten trioxide catalyst. Coupling of these systems with the diazonium salt of Acid Yellow 9 afforded the corresponding azo compounds. New heterocyclic dyes were also prepared from the condensation of heterocyclic hydrazines with 4,9-disulfophenanthrenequinone. Pyridine, pyridazine, phthalazine, isoquinoline and 2-quinoline disulfophenanthrene quinone metallised 2:1 nickel complexed magenta dyes were prepared. Industrial tests by standard methods revealed the pyridazine dye has a particularly impressive balance of light and ozone fastness over similar magenta dyes. The reaction of an arylnitro compound with 2-aminopyridine appeared to be an attractive and high yielding route to 2-(phenylazo)pyridine. However, application of this reaction to substituted and naphthalene systems failed. This afforded byproducts due to nucleophilic substitution of groups such as methoxy and the relatively uncommon nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen with none of the required azo products obtained. Therefore it appeared that the reaction of a nitro and amine was not a robust and versatile route to heterocyclic azo compounds. An alternate route to heterocyclic azo compounds involved the use of the Mills reaction by the condensation o-anisidine, p-chloroaniline, 2-aminophenol, 3- aminophenol, naphthylamine, 8-amnioquinoline and 2-acetylamino-5-aminobenzenesulfonic acid with 2-nitrosopyridine afforded the heterocyclic azo products in moderate to high yields. The Mills reaction does appear to be the favored route to heterocyclic azo compounds. Several factors were identified which affect the process of bisazo coupling of chromotropic acid and products obtained. Reaction at the ipso position of monoPACAs (2-phenylazochromotropic acid) leading to increased yields of the ipso substitution monoPACA by-product as opposed to the expected bisazo coupling position was a major problem. Studies indicated reactivity at the ipso position was greatly reduced by the presence of electron withdrawing groups around the phenyl ring of the monoPACA. Further study indicated reaction at the bisazo coupling position increased with the strength of the diazonium salt used in bisazo coupling. Therefore the electronic nature of the monoPACA starting material and the diazonium salt used in bisazo coupling greatly affected the products obtained. Reaction pH studies also revealed attack at the bisazo coupling position increases with pH and at lower pH (5.0 – 8.0) attack at the ipso position dominated. Reactivity of the monoPACA starting material also increased with pH. The influence of steric effects upon bisazo coupling revealed, in the cases where ortho sulfonic acid groups were present in the monoPACA, a reduction in attack at the ipso position. Hence the reaction appeared to be directed towards the required bisazo coupling position

Stressing Success: Examining Hmong Student Success in Career and Technical Education

This study examines factors affecting the academic performance of Hmong students at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI. Factors specifically analyzed for their impact upon student success are socioeconomic status, family support, the use of academic support programs, and the influence of agents of socialization. Through the use of archival institutional data, Hmong students were compared to white students at CVTC in terms of their relative grade point averages, course completion rates, and retention rates. Data revealed significant disparities in grade point average performance between Hmong and white students. The data also showed that eligibility for financial aid was significantly higher among Hmong students, and that this difference was commensurate with educational performance gaps between the two groups. Additionally, online surveys were used to assess family support while attending CVTC, the role of academic support programs, and influential agents of socialization. Gender differences in grade point average performance and socialization also were analyzed. Implications of the study’s findings are discussed and recommendations for improving the performance of Hmong students are provided

A Tabu-search-based Algorithm for Distribution Network Restoration to Improve Reliability and Resiliency

Fault restoration techniques have always been crucial for distribution system operators (DSOs). In the last decade, it started to gain more and more importance due to the introduction of output-based regulations where DSO performances are evaluated according to frequency and duration of energy supply interruptions. The paper presents a tabu-search-based algorithm able to assist distribution network operational engineers in identifying solutions to restore the energy supply after permanent faults. According to the network property, two objective functions are considered to optimize either reliability or resiliency. The mathematical formulation includes the traditional feeders, number of switching operation limit, and radiality constraints. Thanks to the DSO of Milan, Unareti, the proposed algorithm has been tested on a real distribution network to investigate its effectiveness

Responsabilidade civil do Estado por omissão nos casos de danos decorrentes de “bala perdida”: uma análise da jurisprudência do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo o estudo da responsabilidade civil do Estado em razão de condutas omissivas, especificamente no que se refere à obrigação de indenizar as vítimas de bala perdida, em situações nas quais ausente o aparato policial. Para a compreensão da matéria, serão abordados o conceito de responsabilidade civil, sua evolução histórica, o tratamento dado pelo ordenamento jurídico brasileiro, os fundamentos das responsabilidades objetiva e subjetiva do Estado, bem como as hipóteses de exclusão ou atenuação destas. Em seguida, será abordada a questão da responsabilidade civil estatal em virtude de condutas omissivas, com a posterior delimitação do conceito de omissão juridicamente relevante, a análise dos posicionamentos doutrinários da atualidade e as divergências entre estes, bem como o rechaço à admissibilidade da responsabilidade objetiva em tais casos. Pretende-se, assim, a fim de delimitar o objeto de estudo, realizar uma pesquisa jurisprudencial, a partir da coleta de dados do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Para fins didáticos, as decisões foram agrupadas em 2 (duas) grandes hipóteses principais: (1) bala perdida proveniente de confronto entre marginais, ou de ação por estes realizada, sem a presença da polícia; e (2) bala perdida de origem incerta, sem comprovação confronto entre policiais e marginais