Crew Health and Performance Improvements with Reduced Carbon Dioxide Levels and the Resource Impact to Accomplish Those Reductions

Carbon dioxide (CO2) removal is one of the primary functions of the International Space Station (ISS) atmosphere revitalization systems. Primary CO2 removal is via the ISS s two Carbon Dioxide Removal Assemblies (CDRAs) and the Russian carbon dioxide removal assembly (Vozdukh); both of these systems are regenerable, meaning that their CO2 removal capacity theoretically remains constant as long as the system is operating. Contingency CO2 removal capability is provided by lithium hydroxide (LiOH) canisters, which are consumable, meaning that their CO2 removal capability disappears once the resource is used. With the advent of 6 crew ISS operations, experience showing that CDRA failures are not uncommon, and anecdotal association of crew symptoms with CO2 values just above 4 mmHg, the question arises: How much lower do we keep CO2 levels to minimize the risk to crew health and performance, and what will the operational cost to the CDRAs be to do it? The primary crew health concerns center on the interaction of increased intracranial pressure from fluid shifts and the increased intracranial blood flow induced by CO2. Typical acute symptoms include headache, minor visual disturbances, and subtle behavioral changes. The historical database of CO2 exposures since the beginning of ISS operations has been compared to the incidence of crew symptoms reported in private medical conferences. We have used this database in an attempt to establish an association between the CO2 levels and the risk of crew symptoms. This comparison will answer the question of the level needed to protect the crew from acute effects. As for the second part of the question, operation of the ISS s regenerable CO2 removal capability reduces the limited life of constituent parts. It also consumes limited electrical power and thermal control resources. Operation of consumable CO2 removal capability (LiOH) uses finite consumable materials, which must be replenished in the long term. Therefore, increased CO2 removal means increased resource use, with increased logistical capability to maintain necessary resources on board ISS. We must strike a balance between sufficiently low CO2 levels to maintain crew health and CO2 levels which are operationally feasible for the ISS progra

Non-adaptive Measurement-based Quantum Computation and Multi-party Bell Inequalities

Quantum correlations exhibit behaviour that cannot be resolved with a local hidden variable picture of the world. In quantum information, they are also used as resources for information processing tasks, such as Measurement-based Quantum Computation (MQC). In MQC, universal quantum computation can be achieved via adaptive measurements on a suitable entangled resource state. In this paper, we look at a version of MQC in which we remove the adaptivity of measurements and aim to understand what computational abilities still remain in the resource. We show that there are explicit connections between this model of computation and the question of non-classicality in quantum correlations. We demonstrate this by focussing on deterministic computation of Boolean functions, in which natural generalisations of the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) paradox emerge; we then explore probabilistic computation, via which multipartite Bell Inequalities can be defined. We use this correspondence to define families of multi-party Bell inequalities, which we show to have a number of interesting contrasting properties.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, final version accepted for publicatio

Sexual function and pelvic floor activity in women:the role of traumatic events and PTSD symptoms

Background Traumatic sexual experiences can negatively affect sexual functioning and increase pelvic floor activity in women, especially when post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is developed. However, little is known about the effect of other types of interpersonal and non-interpersonal, traumatic experiences on sexual function and pelvic floor overactivity. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the effects of lifetime traumatic experiences and subsequent PTSD symptoms on sexual function and pelvic floor activity and to investigate whether the effects differ for interpersonal and non-interpersonal trauma. Methods Women (N=82) with obesity and a history of infertility, participating in a follow-up study of an RCT investigating a lifestyle intervention programme, completed questionnaires on lifetime exposure to traumatic events (LEC-5), PTSD symptoms (PC-PTSD-5), sexual function (MFSQ) and pelvic floor activity (AOPFS-SV). Results A large majority of women (85%) reported exposure to at least one traumatic event during their lifetime. Sexual function and pelvic floor activity did not differ between women who experienced non-interpersonal or interpersonal (including sexual) trauma and those who did not experience traumatic events during their lifetime. Women who had developed PTSD symptoms, however, did have higher pelvic floor activity, but sexual function was not affected. Women with a positive screen for PTSD had the highest pelvic floor activity score, and individual PTSD symptoms nightmares and hypervigilance were associated with significantly higher pelvic floor activity scores. Conclusion Trauma exposure is associated with pelvic floor overactivity in women with a positive screen for PTSD, such that pelvic floor overactivity is more severe with greater PTSD severity. These findings suggest that the development of PTSD after interpersonal trauma is pivotal in this association. Sexual function was unrelated to trauma exposure and pelvic floor function, perhaps related to the fact that the interpersonal trauma events reported in this study were mainly non-sexual

Взаимосвязь понятий «стиль» и «имидж» как эстетическая проблема

<div><p>The intestinal microbiota influences the development and function of myeloid lineages such as neutrophils, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unresolved. Using gnotobiotic zebrafish, we identified the immune effector Serum amyloid A (Saa) as one of the most highly induced transcripts in digestive tissues following microbiota colonization. Saa is a conserved secreted protein produced in the intestine and liver with described effects on neutrophils <i>in vitro</i>, however its <i>in vivo</i> functions remain poorly defined. We engineered <i>saa</i> mutant zebrafish to test requirements for Saa on innate immunity <i>in vivo</i>. Zebrafish mutant for <i>saa</i> displayed impaired neutrophil responses to wounding but augmented clearance of pathogenic bacteria. At baseline, <i>saa</i> mutants exhibited moderate neutrophilia and altered neutrophil tissue distribution. Molecular and functional analyses of isolated neutrophils revealed that Saa suppresses expression of pro-inflammatory markers and bactericidal activity. Saa’s effects on neutrophils depended on microbiota colonization, suggesting this protein mediates the microbiota’s effects on host innate immunity. To test tissue-specific roles of Saa on neutrophil function, we over-expressed <i>saa</i> in the intestine or liver and found that sufficient to partially complement neutrophil phenotypes observed in <i>saa</i> mutants. These results indicate Saa produced by the intestine in response to microbiota serves as a systemic signal to neutrophils to restrict aberrant activation, decreasing inflammatory tone and bacterial killing potential while simultaneously enhancing their ability to migrate to wounds.</p></div

Comparing quality of dying and death perceived by family members and nurses for patients dying in US and Dutch ICUs

BACKGROUND: The Quality of Dying and Death (QODD) questionnaire is used as a selfreported measure to allow families and clinicians to assess patients' quality of dying and death. We evaluated end-of-life (EOL) experiences as measured by the QODD completed by families and nurses in the United States and the Netherlands to explore similarities and differences in these experiences and identify opportunities for improving EOL care. METHODS: Questionnaire data were gathered from family members of patients dying in the ICU and nurses caring for these patients. In The Netherlands, data were gathered in three teaching hospitals, and data was gathered from 12 sites participating in a randomized trial in the United States. The QODD consists of 25 items and has been validated in the United States. RESULTS: Data from 446 patients were analyzed (346 in the United States and 100 in the Netherlands). Dutch patients were older than those in the United States (72 + 10.2 years vs 65 + 16.0 years; P <.0025). The family-assessed overall QODD score was the same in both countries: the Netherlands = median, 9; interquartile range (IQR), 8-10 and the United States = median, 8; IQR, 5-10. US family members rated the quality of two items higher than did the Netherlands families: "time spent with loved ones" and "time spent alone." Nurseassessed QODD ratings varied: the single-item QODD summary score was significantly higher in the Netherlands (the Netherlands: median, 9; IQR, 8-10 vs the United States: median, 7; IQR, 5-8; P <.0025), whereas the QODD total score was higher in the United States (the Netherlands: median, 6.9; IQR, 5.5-7.6 vs the United States: median, 7.1; IQR, 5.88.4; P = .014), although it did not meet our criteria for statistical significance. Of the 22 nurse-assessed items, 10 were significantly different between the Netherlands and the United States, with eight having higher scores in the United States and 2 having higher scores in the Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: The QODD was rated similarly by family members in the United States and the Netherlands but varied when assessed by nurses. These differences may be due to organizational or cultural differences between the two countries or to expectations of respondents

Effects of orchiectomy, alone or in combination with testosterone, and cyproterone acetate on exocrine pancreatic carcinogenesis in rats and hamsters

The results of a previous 4-mo study in azaserine-treated rats and BOP-treated hamsters indicated that orchiectomy inhibited pancreatic growth and development of putative preneoplastic lesions in the exocrine pancreas of rats but not hamsters. This 12-mo study was carried out to investigate the effects of orchiectomy, alone and in combination with testosterone, and of treatment with cyproterone acetate on pancreatic carcinogenesis in azaserine-treated rats and BOP-treated hamsters. Treatment started 4 mo after injection of the carcinogen. In orchiectomized rats, pancreatic wt was lower than in controls, whereas pancreatic wt of orchiectomized rats treated with testosterone was similar to that of controls. Both orchiectomy and cyproterone acetate caused a decrease in body wt gain and had an inhibitory effect on pancreatic carcinogenesis. Testosterone treatment did not influence the inhibitory effects of orchiectomy on body wt gain and on pancreatic carcinogenesis. In hamsters, neither orchiectomy, alone or in combination with testosterone, nor cyproterone acetate (CA) affected pancreatic growth or pancreatic carcinogenesis. This study indicates that testosterone plays a minor role in the development of pancreatic tumors induced in rats by azaserine but not in that of pancreatic tumors induced in hamsters by BOP

Assay strategies for the discovery and validation of therapeutics targeting <i>Brugia pahangi</i> Hsp90

The chemotherapy of lymphatic filariasis relies upon drugs such as diethylcarbamazine and ivermectin that largely target the microfilarial stages of the parasite, necessitating continued treatment over the long reproductive life span of the adult worm. The identification of compounds that target adult worms has been a long-term goal of WHO. Here we describe a fluorescence polarization assay for the identification of compounds that target Hsp90 in adult filarial worms. The assay was originally developed to identify inhibitors of Hsp90 in tumor cells, and relies upon the ability of small molecules to inhibit the binding of fluorescently labelled geldanamycin to Hsp90. We demonstrate that the assay works well with soluble extracts of Brugia, while extracts of the free-living nematode C. elegans fail to bind the probe, in agreement with data from other experiments. The assay was validated using known inhibitors of Hsp90 that compete with geldanamycin for binding to Hsp90, including members of the synthetic purine-scaffold series of compounds. The efficacy of some of these compounds against adult worms was confirmed in vitro. Moreover, the assay is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between binding of purine-scaffold compounds to human and Brugia Hsp90. The assay is suitable for high-throughput screening and provides the first example of a format with the potential to identify novel inhibitors of Hsp90 in filarial worms and in other parasitic species where Hsp90 may be a target

Release of Lungworm Larvae from Snails in the Environment: Potential for Alternative Transmission Pathways

Background: Gastropod-borne parasites may cause debilitating clinical conditions in animals and humans following the consumption of infected intermediate or paratenic hosts. However, the ingestion of fresh vegetables contaminated by snail mucus and/or water has also been proposed as a source of the infection for some zoonotic metastrongyloids (e.g., Angiostrongylus cantonensis). In the meantime, the feline lungworms Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior are increasingly spreading among cat populations, along with their gastropod intermediate hosts. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of alternative transmission pathways for A. abstrusus and T. brevior L3 via the mucus of infected Helix aspersa snails and the water where gastropods died. In addition, the histological examination of snail specimens provided information on the larval localization and inflammatory reactions in the intermediate host. Methodology/Principal Findings: Twenty-four specimens of H. aspersa received ~500 L1 of A. abstrusus and T. brevior, and were assigned to six study groups. Snails were subjected to different mechanical and chemical stimuli throughout 20 days in order to elicit the production of mucus. At the end of the study, gastropods were submerged in tap water and the sediment was observed for lungworm larvae for three consecutive days. Finally, snails were artificially digested and recovered larvae were counted and morphologically and molecularly identified. The anatomical localization of A. abstrusus and T. brevior larvae within snail tissues was investigated by histology. L3 were detected in the snail mucus (i.e., 37 A. abstrusus and 19 T. brevior) and in the sediment of submerged specimens (172 A. abstrusus and 39 T. brevior). Following the artificial digestion of H. aspersa snails, a mean number of 127.8 A. abstrusus and 60.3 T. brevior larvae were recovered. The number of snail sections positive for A. abstrusus was higher than those for T. brevior. Conclusions: Results of this study indicate that A. abstrusus and T. brevior infective L3 are shed in the mucus of H. aspersa or in water where infected gastropods had died submerged. Both elimination pathways may represent alternative route(s) of environmental contamination and source of the infection for these nematodes under field conditions and may significantly affect the epidemiology of feline lungworms. Considering that snails may act as intermediate hosts for other metastrongyloid species, the environmental contamination by mucus-released larvae is discussed in a broader context

Use of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist for the detection of psychosocial problems in preventive child healthcare

BACKGROUND: Early detection and treatment of psychosocial problems by preventive child healthcare may lead to considerable health benefits, and a short questionnaire could support this aim. The aim of this study was to assess whether the Dutch version of the US Pediatric Symptom checklist (PSC) is valid and suitable for the early detection of psychosocial problems among children. METHODS: We included 687 children (response 84.3%) aged 7–12 undergoing routine health assessments in nine Preventive Child Health Services across the Netherlands. Child health professionals interviewed and examined children and parents. Before the interview, parents completed an authorised Dutch translation of the PSC and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The CBCL and data on the child's current treatment status were used as criteria for the validity of the PSC. RESULTS: The consistency of the Dutch PSC was good (Cronbach alpha 0.89). The area under the ROC curve using the CBCL as a criterion was 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.92 to 0.96). At the US cut-off (28 and above), the prevalence rate of an increased score and sensitivity were lower than in the USA. At a lower cut-off (22 and above), sensitivity and specificity were similar to that of the US version (71.7% and 93.0% respectively). Information on the PSC also helped in the identification of children with elevated CBCL Total Problems Scores, above solely clinical judgment. CONCLUSION: The PSC is also useful for the early detection of psychosocial problems in preventive child healthcare outside the USA, especially with an adjusted cut-off