Critical Periods in the Neurodevelopment of Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can create significant behavioral and communication challenges. The prevalence of ASD among children at 8 years of age is over 2%, and the prevalence is similar across ethnic groups and countries. Studies have shown that the majority of ASD children make an autoantibody to the high-affinity folate receptor in response to a dietary component. This Folate Receptor Antibody (FRA) blocks transport of folate across the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB), resulting in a Cerebral Folate Deficiency (CFD). Parents of autistic children also have FRA at substantially higher rates than the general public, which may play a critical role during neurodevelopmental critical periods in the fetus. In clinical trials, ASD children with the FRA had improvement in their communication when placed on a daily supplement of folate in its reduced form, which can enter the brain via a low-affinity transport. We reason that supplementing folate earlier in development, including in utero development, may be most effective in reducing the severity of ASD symptoms by facilitating typical passage through critical neurodevelopmental periods

Determining the focal length of a lens

There are many methods used to determine the focal length of a lens. This experimental method is based solely on the simplicity of the procedure

Effect of Ultrasonic Vibration on Convective Heat Transfer Between Water and Wood Cylinders

A study has been conducted to examine the effect of ultrasonic vibration on convective heat transfer of wooden cylinders. Forty fully saturated and air-dried cylindrical wood specimens were partially submerged in a heated water bath of 59.8 C (with and without ultrasound). The temperature versus time relationship at the center of the cylinders was monitored. Results indicate that ultrasound significantly influenced the heat transfer to wooden cylinders

MUS 208 Music Theory I

Harmonic analysis of tonal music, with an emphasis on diatonic harmony. Topics may include counterpoint, Roman numeral analysis, lead sheet symbols, and voice leading

Wnt5a induces ROR1 to recruit cortactin to promote breast-cancer migration and metastasis.

ROR1 is a conserved oncoembryonic surface protein expressed in breast cancer. Here we report that ROR1 associates with cortactin in primary breast-cancer cells or in MCF7 transfected to express ROR1. Wnt5a also induced ROR1-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin (Y421), which recruited ARHGEF1 to activate RhoA and promote breast-cancer-cell migration; such effects could be inhibited by cirmtuzumab, a humanized mAb specific for ROR1. Furthermore, treatment of mice bearing breast-cancer xenograft with cirmtuzumab inhibited cortactin phosphorylation in vivo and impaired metastatic development. We established that the proline at 841 of ROR1 was required for it to recruit cortactin and ARHGEF1, activate RhoA, and enhance breast-cancer-cell migration in vitro or development of metastases in vivo. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that the interaction of ROR1 with cortactin plays an important role in breast-cancer-cell migration and metastasis

The Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Graft for Portacaval Interposition: An Experimental Observation

In an attempt to determine the efficacy of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft as a portacaval interposition shunt, 26 mongrel dogs were randomly selected to receive a side-to-side shunt with a 6 mm, 8 mm, or 10 mm PTFE graft after portal hypertension had been created by hepatic vein ligation. The dogs were clinically observed, and if they showed signs of graft occlusion, they were reexplored surgically. The 6 mm graft had a 0% patency rate; the 8 mm graft had a 28.6% patency rate; and the 10 mm graft had an 87.5% patency rate. Histological examinations revealed adequate incorporation of the graft, formation of an endothelial layer, and absence of a thick intimal layer. In this experimental model, the PTFE graft served as a satisfactory portacaval interposition shunt when the 10 mm graft was used

The accessibility of public housing in Hong Kong : an analysis of government policy and action

published_or_final_versionPolitics and Public AdministrationMasterMaster of Public Administratio

A rapid, flexible method for incorporating controlled antibiotic release into porous polymethylmethacrylate space maintainers for craniofacial reconstruction

Severe injuries in the craniofacial complex, resulting from trauma or pathology, present several challenges to functional and aesthetic reconstruction. The anatomy and position of the craniofacial region make it vulnerable to injury and subsequent local infection due to external bacteria as well as those from neighbouring structures like the sinuses, nasal passages, and mouth. Porous polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) “space maintainers” have proven useful in staged craniofacial reconstruction by promoting healing of overlying soft tissue prior to reconstruction of craniofacial bones. We describe herein a method by which the porosity of a prefabricated porous PMMA space maintainer, generated by porogen leaching, can be loaded with a thermogelling copolymer-based drug delivery system. Porogen leaching, space maintainer prewetting, and thermogel loading all significantly affected the loading of a model antibiotic, colistin. Weeks-long release of antibiotic at clinically relevant levels was achieved with several formulations. In vitro assays confirmed that the released colistin maintained its antibiotic activity against several bacterial targets. Our results suggest that this method is a valuable tool in the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of severe complex, infected craniofacial injuries

Particle Hamiltonian and Perturbative Gauge Theories

We discuss the Hamiltonian formulation of the Schwinger proper-time method of calculating Green functions in gauge theories. Instead of calculating Feynman diagrams, we solve the corresponding Dyson-Schwinger equations. We express the solutions in terms of vertex operators, which consist of the zero modes of the vertex operators appearing in string theories. We show how color decomposition arises in this formalism at tree level. At the one-loop level, we arrive at expressions similar to those obtained in the background gauge. In both cases, no special gauge-fixing procedure is needed.Comment: 13 pages LaTeX, Univ. of Tennessee preprint UTHEP-94-070