Gas-cushioned droplet impacts with a thin layer of porous media

The authors are grateful to Dr. Manish Tiwari for introducing them to experiments involving droplet impacts with textured substrates. PDH is grateful for the use of the Maxwell High-Performance Computing Cluster of the University of Aberdeen IT Service. RP is grateful for the use of the High-Performance Computing Cluster supported by the Research and Specialist Computing Support service at the University of East Anglia.Peer reviewedPostprin

The transcriptional repressor protein NsrR senses nitric oxide directly via a [2Fe-2S] cluster

The regulatory protein NsrR, a member of the Rrf2 family of transcription repressors, is specifically dedicated to sensing nitric oxide (NO) in a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. It has been proposed that NO directly modulates NsrR activity by interacting with a predicted [Fe-S] cluster in the NsrR protein, but no experimental evidence has been published to support this hypothesis. Here we report the purification of NsrR from the obligate aerobe Streptomyces coelicolor. We demonstrate using UV-visible, near UV CD and EPR spectroscopy that the protein contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster when purified from E. coli. Upon exposure of NsrR to NO, the cluster is nitrosylated, which results in the loss of DNA binding activity as detected by bandshift assays. Removal of the [2Fe-2S] cluster to generate apo-NsrR also resulted in loss of DNA binding activity. This is the first demonstration that NsrR contains an NO-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster that is required for DNA binding activity

Inter-rater reliability of three standardized functional tests in patients with low back pain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Of all patients with low back pain, 85% are diagnosed as "non-specific lumbar pain". Lumbar instability has been described as one specific diagnosis which several authors have described as delayed muscular responses, impaired postural control as well as impaired muscular coordination among these patients. This has mostly been measured and evaluated in a laboratory setting. There are few standardized and evaluated functional tests, examining functional muscular coordination which are also applicable in the non-laboratory setting. In ordinary clinical work, tests of functional muscular coordination should be easy to apply. The aim of this present study was to therefore standardize and examine the inter-rater reliability of three functional tests of muscular functional coordination of the lumbar spine in patients with low back pain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nineteen consecutive individuals, ten men and nine women were included. (Mean age 42 years, SD ± 12 yrs). Two independent examiners assessed three tests: "single limb stance", "sitting on a Bobath ball with one leg lifted" and "unilateral pelvic lift" on the same occasion. The standardization procedure took altered positions of the spine or pelvis and compensatory movements of the free extremities into account. The inter-rater reliability was analyzed by Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) and by percentage agreement.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The inter-rater reliability for the right and the left leg respectively was: for the single limb stance very good (κ: 0.88–1.0), for sitting on a Bobath ball good (κ: 0.79) and very good (κ: 0.88) and for the unilateral pelvic lift: good (κ: 0.61) and moderate (κ: 0.47).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study showed good to very good inter-rater reliability for two standardized tests, that is, the single-limb stance and sitting on a Bobath-ball with one leg lifted. Inter-rater reliability for the unilateral pelvic lift test was moderate to good. Validation of the tests in their ability to evaluate lumbar stability is required.</p

Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers are Differentially Related to Structural and Functional Changes in Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type

The two cardinal pathologies of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) develop according to distinct anatomical trajectories. Cerebral tau-related pathology first accumulates in the mesial temporal region, while amyloid-related pathology first appears in neocortex. The eventual distributions of these pathologies reflect their anatomical origins. An implication is that the cardinal pathologies might exert preferential effects on the structurofunctional brain changes observed in AD. We investigated this hypothesis in 39 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Interrelationships were analyzed between cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of the cardinal pathologies, volumetric brain changes using magnetic resonance imaging, and brain metabolism using [18F]-FDG-PET. Amyloid-related pathology was preferentially associated with structurofunctional changes in the precuneus and lateral temporal regions. Tau-related pathology was not associated with changes in these regions. These findings support the hypothesis that tau- and amyloid-pathology exert differential effects on structurofunctional changes in the AD brain. These findings have implications for future therapeutic trials and hint at a more complex relationship between the cardinal pathologies and disruption of brain networks

A public health approach to understanding and preventing violent radicalization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Very recent acts of terrorism in the UK were perpetrated by 'homegrown', well educated young people, rather than by foreign Islamist groups; consequently, a process of violent radicalization was proposed to explain how ordinary people were recruited and persuaded to sacrifice their lives.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Counterterrorism approaches grounded in the criminal justice system have not prevented violent radicalization. Indeed there is some evidence that these approaches may have encouraged membership of radical groups by not recognizing Muslim communities as allies, citizens, victims of terrorism, and victims of discrimination, but only as suspect communities who were then further alienated. Informed by public health research and practice, a new approach is proposed to target populations vulnerable to recruitment, rather than rely only on research of well known terrorist groups and individual perpetrators of terrorist acts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This paper proposes public health research and practice to guard against violent radicalization.</p

Movement control tests of the low back; evaluation of the difference between patients with low back pain and healthy controls

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To determine whether there is a difference between patients with low back pain and healthy controls in a test battery score for movement control of the lumbar spine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a case control study, carried out in five outpatient physiotherapy practices in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Twelve physiotherapists tested the ability of 210 subjects (108 patients with non-specific low back pain and 102 control subjects without back pain) to control their movements in the lumbar spine using a set of six tests. We observed the number of positive tests out of six (mean, standard deviation and 95% confidence interval of the mean). The significance of the differences between the groups was calculated with Mann-Whitney U test and <it>p </it>was set on <0.05. The effect size (d) between the groups was calculated and d>0.8 was considered a large difference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On average, patients with low back pain had 2.21(95%CI 1.94–2.48) positive tests and the healthy controls 0.75 (95%CI 0.55–0.95). The effect size was d = 1.18 (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference between acute and chronic (p < 0.01), as well as between subacute and chronic patient groups (p < 0.03), but not between acute and subacute patient groups (p > 0.7).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first study demonstrating a significant difference between patients with low back pain and subjects without back pain regarding their ability to actively control the movements of the low back. The effect size between patients with low back pain and healthy controls in movement control is large.</p

The AFLOW Fleet for Materials Discovery

The traditional paradigm for materials discovery has been recently expanded to incorporate substantial data driven research. With the intent to accelerate the development and the deployment of new technologies, the AFLOW Fleet for computational materials design automates high-throughput first principles calculations, and provides tools for data verification and dissemination for a broad community of users. AFLOW incorporates different computational modules to robustly determine thermodynamic stability, electronic band structures, vibrational dispersions, thermo-mechanical properties and more. The AFLOW data repository is publicly accessible online at aflow.org, with more than 1.7 million materials entries and a panoply of queryable computed properties. Tools to programmatically search and process the data, as well as to perform online machine learning predictions, are also available.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

Increased S-nitrosylation and proteasomal degradation of caspase-3 during infection contribute to the persistence of adherent invasive escherichia coli (AIEC) in immune cells

Adherent invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) have been implicated as a causative agent of Crohn's disease (CD) due to their isolation from the intestines of CD sufferers and their ability to persist in macrophages inducing granulomas. The rapid intracellular multiplication of AIEC sets it apart from other enteric pathogens such as Salmonella Typhimurium which after limited replication induce programmed cell death (PCD). Understanding the response of infected cells to the increased AIEC bacterial load and associated metabolic stress may offer insights into AIEC pathogenesis and its association with CD. Here we show that AIEC persistence within macrophages and dendritic cells is facilitated by increased proteasomal degradation of caspase-3. In addition S-nitrosylation of pro- and active forms of caspase-3, which can inhibit the enzymes activity, is increased in AIEC infected macrophages. This S-nitrosylated caspase-3 was seen to accumulate upon inhibition of the proteasome indicating an additional role for S-nitrosylation in inducing caspase-3 degradation in a manner independent of ubiquitination. In addition to the autophagic genetic defects that are linked to CD, this delay in apoptosis mediated in AIEC infected cells through increased degradation of caspase-3, may be an essential factor in its prolonged persistence in CD patients

Influenza A Virus Induces an Immediate Cytotoxic Activity in All Major Subsets of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

A replication defective influenza A vaccine virus (delNS1 virus) was developed. Its attenuation is due to potent stimulation of the innate immune system by the virus. Since the innate immune system can also target cancer cells, we reasoned that delNS1 virus induced immune-stimulation should also lead to the induction of innate cytotoxic effects towards cancer cells.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), isolated CD56+, CD3+, CD14+ and CD19+ subsets and different combinations of the above subsets were stimulated by delNS1, wild type (wt) virus or heat inactivated virus and co-cultured with tumor cell lines in the presence or absence of antibodies against the interferon system. Stimulation of PBMCs by the delNS1 virus effectively induced cytotoxicity against different cancer cell lines. Surprisingly, virus induced cytotoxicity was exerted by all major subtypes of PBMCs including CD56+, CD3+, CD14+ and CD19+ cells. Virus induced cytotoxicity in CD3+, CD14+ and CD19+ cells was dependent on virus replication, whereas virus induced cytotoxicity in CD56+ cells was only dependent on the binding of the virus. Virus induced cytotoxicity of isolated cell cultures of CD14+, CD19+ or CD56+ cells could be partially blocked by antibodies against type I and type II (IFN) interferon. In contrast, virus induced cytotoxicity in the complete PBMC preparation could not be inhibited by blocking type I or type II IFN, indicating a redundant system of activation in whole blood.Our data suggest that apart from their well known specialized functions all main subsets of peripheral blood cells also initially exert a cytotoxic effect upon virus stimulation. This closely links the innate immune system to the adaptive immune response and renders delNS1 virus a potential therapeutic tool for viro-immunotherapy of cancer

Learning curves and long-term outcome of simulation-based thoracentesis training for medical students

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Simulation-based medical education has been widely used in medical skills training; however, the effectiveness and long-term outcome of simulation-based training in thoracentesis requires further investigation. The purpose of this study was to assess the learning curve of simulation-based thoracentesis training, study skills retention and transfer of knowledge to a clinical setting following simulation-based education intervention in thoracentesis procedures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-two medical students were enrolled in this study. Each participant performed five supervised trials on the simulator. Participant's performance was assessed by performance score (PS), procedure time (PT), and participant's confidence (PC). Learning curves for each variable were generated. Long-term outcome of the training was measured by the retesting and clinical performance evaluation 6 months and 1 year, respectively, after initial training on the simulator.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significant improvements in PS, PT, and PC were noted among the first 3 to 4 test trials (p < 0.05). A plateau for PS, PT, and PC in the learning curves occurred in trial 4. Retesting 6 months after training yielded similar scores to trial 5 (p > 0.05). Clinical competency in thoracentesis was improved in participants who received simulation training relative to that of first year medical residents without such experience (p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study demonstrates that simulation-based thoracentesis training can significantly improve an individual's performance. The saturation of learning from the simulator can be achieved after four practice sessions. Simulation-based training can assist in long-term retention of skills and can be partially transferred to clinical practice.</p