Deep K_s-near-infrared Surface Photometry of 80 Dwarf Irregular Galaxies in the Local Volume

We present deep near-infrared (K_s) images and surface photometry for 80 dwarf irregular galaxies (dIs) within ~5 Mpc of the Milky Way. The galaxy images were obtained at five different facilities between 2004 and 2006. The image reductions and surface photometry have been performed using methods specifically designed for isolating faint galaxies from the high and varying near-infrared sky level. Fifty-four of the 80 dIs have surface brightness profiles which could be fit to a hyperbolic-secant (sech) function, while the remaining profiles could be fit to the sum of a sech and a Gaussian function. From these fits, we have measured central surface brightnesses, scale lengths, and integrated magnitudes. This survey is part of a larger study of the connection between large-scale structure and the global properties of dIs, the hypothesized building-blocks of more massive galaxies

Duration of the Electromyographic Silent Period Following the Jaw-Jerk Reflex in Human Subjects

During voluntary jaw clenching, a sharp tap to the menton of the mandible resulted in a transitory silent period (pause) in the electromyographic activity of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles. Factors that could influence the duration of the silent period were studied, including direction and magnitude of the stimulus applied by the operator, the amount of muscular effort exerted by the subjects, and varying occlusal vertical dimensions. Decreased isometric muscle force resulted in statistically significant increases in silent period durations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67989/2/10.1177_00220345770560061501.pd

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Insecticide Treated Materials for Household Level Dengue Vector Control

An estimated 40% of the world's population lives at risk of contracting dengue, and it inflicts a significant health, economic and social burden on the populations of endemic areas. In the absence of a vaccine, vector control is the only available strategy to prevent transmission. Some control methods against Aedes aegypti (the main dengue vector) have been successful in reducing vector infestation levels, but rarely sustained the reductions for a prolonged period. We report here on the first effectiveness trial of insecticide treated curtains and jar covers against A. aegypti implemented under ‘real-life’ conditions. The coverage of tools was high at distribution, but declined quickly over the 18 months of follow up. The vector infestation levels showed a sustained 55% decrease in the intervention clusters, while no discernable pattern was observed at the municipal level. At least 50% curtain coverage was needed to reduce A. aegypti infestation levels by 50%. We concluded that deployment of insecticide treated window curtains in households can result in significant reductions in dengue vector levels, which are related to dengue transmission risk. The magnitude of the effect depends on the curtain coverage attained, which itself can decline rapidly over time

Allopurinol in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Chronic Lung Disease.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and ventricular hypertrophy. Xanthine oxidase is a well-recognised source of reactive oxygen species, which lead to OS. The aim of this proof of concept study was to assess whether allopurinol (xanthine oxidase inhibitor) would reduce right ventricular mass (RVM) in patients with PH-associated chronic lung disease (PH-CLD). METHODS: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial in patients with PH-CLD (93% COPD, 7% IPF) who were randomly assigned to receive allopurinol or placebo for 12 months. The primary outcome was the mean change in RVM, as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). Secondary outcomes included quality of life (QOL), spirometry and six-minute walk test (6MWT). RESULTS: Seventy-one patients were recruited: mean age 71 years, mean pulmonary arterial pressure 30 mm Hg, FEV1 60% and resting SpO2 96%. After 12 months, there was no significant difference in the change in RVM from baseline (allopurinol 1.85g vs placebo 0.97g with mean difference 0.88g, CI -4.77 to 3.01, p =0.7). There were also no significant changes in other cardiac parameters measured on MRI, in QOL, spirometry and 6MWT. Subgroup analysis showed that allopurinol significantly reduced RVM compared to placebo with -6.16g vs 0.75g and mean difference 6.92g (CI 1.14 to 12.69, p = 0.02) in COPD patients with more severe airflow limitation. CONCLUSION: Allopurinol had no overall impact on patients with PH-CLD but had potential benefit in COPD patients with more severe airflow limitation

Linking teachers' memory-relevant language and the development of children's memory skills.

This longitudinal study was designed to (i) examine changes in children’s deliberate memory across the first grade; (ii) characterize the memory-relevant aspects of their classrooms; and (iii) explore linkages between the children’s performance and the language their teachers use in instruction. In order to explore contextual factors that may facilitate the development of skills for remembering, 107 first graders were assessed three times with a broad set of tasks, while extensive observations were made in the 14 classrooms from which these children were sampled. When the participating teachers were classified as high or low in terms of their “mnemonic orientation,” in part on the basis of their use of metacognitive information and requests for deliberate remembering during instruction in language arts and mathematics, differences were observed in the use of mnemonic techniques by the children in their classes. By the end of the year, the children drawn from these two groups of classrooms differed in their spontaneous use of simple behavioral strategies for remembering and in their response to training in more complex verbally-based mnemonic techniques

Deep Ks -near-infrared surface photometry of 80 dwarf irregular galaxies in the local volume

We present deep near-infrared (K_s) images and surface photometry for 80 dwarf irregular galaxies (dIs) within ~5 Mpc of the Milky Way. The galaxy images were obtained at five different facilities between 2004 and 2006. The image reductions and surface photometry have been performed using methods specifically designed for isolating faint galaxies from the high and varying near-infrared sky level. Fifty-four of the 80 dIs have surface brightness profiles which could be fit to a hyperbolic-secant (sech) function, while the remaining profiles could be fit to the sum of a sech and a Gaussian function. From these fits, we have measured central surface brightnesses, scale lengths, and integrated magnitudes. This survey is part of a larger study of the connection between large-scale structure and the global properties of dIs, the hypothesized building-blocks of more massive galaxies

Qualification of academic facilities for small-scale automated manufacture of autologous cell-based products

Academic centres, hospitals and small companies, as typical development settings for UK regenerative medicine assets, are significant contributors to the development of autologous cell-based therapies. Often lacking the appropriate funding, quality assurance heritage or specialist regulatory expertise, qualifying aseptic cell processing facilities for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance is a significant challenge. The qualification of a new Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility (CTMF) with automated processing capability, the first of its kind in a UK academic setting, provides a unique demonstrator for the qualification of small-scale, automated facilities for GMP compliant manufacture of autologous cell-based products in these settings. This paper shares our experiences in qualifying the CTMF, focussing on our approach to streamlining the qualification effort, the challenges, project delays and inefficiencies we encountered and the subsequent lessons learned

Pulmonary arterial stiffening in COPD and its implications for right ventricular remodelling.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary pulse wave velocity (PWV) allows the non-invasive measurement of pulmonary arterial stiffening, but has not previously been assessed in COPD. The aim of the current study was to assess PWV in COPD and its association with right ventricular (RV) remodelling. METHODS: Fifty-eight participants with COPD underwent pulmonary function tests, 6-min walk test and cardiac MRI, while 21 healthy controls (HCs) underwent cardiac MRI. Thirty-two COPD patients underwent a follow-up MRI to assess for longitudinal changes in RV metrics. Cardiac MRI was used to quantify RV mass, volumes and PWV. Differences in continuous variables between the COPD and HC groups was tested using an independent t-test, and associations between PWV and right ventricular parameters was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Those with COPD had reduced pulsatility (COPD (mean±SD):24.88±8.84% vs. HC:30.55±11.28%, p=0.021), pulmonary acceleration time (COPD:104.0±22.9ms vs. HC: 128.1±32.2ms, p<0.001), higher PWV (COPD:2.62±1.29ms-1 vs. HC:1.78±0.72ms-1, p=0.001), lower RV end diastolic volume (COPD:53.6±11.1ml vs. HC:59.9±13.0ml, p=0.037) and RV stroke volume (COPD:31.9±6.9ml/m2 vs. HC:37.1±6.2ml/m2, p=0.003) with no difference in mass (p=0.53). PWV was not associated with right ventricular parameters. CONCLUSIONS: While pulmonary vascular remodelling is present in COPD, cardiac remodelling favours reduced filling rather than increased afterload. Treatment of obstructive lung disease may have greater effect on cardiac function than treatment of pulmonary vascular disease in most COPD patients KEY POINTS: • Pulmonary pulse wave velocity (PWV) is elevated in COPD. • Pulmonary PWV is not associated with right ventricular remodelling. • Right ventricular remodelling is more in keeping with that of reduced filling

Disconnection of pulmonary and systemic arterial stiffness in COPD.

BACKGROUND: Both pulmonary arterial stiffening and systemic arterial stiffening have been described in COPD. The aim of the current study was to assess pulse wave velocity (PWV) within these two arterial beds to determine whether they are separate or linked processes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 58 participants with COPD and 21 healthy volunteers (HVs) underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and were tested with a panel of relevant biomarkers. Cardiac MRI was used to quantify ventricular mass, volumes, and pulmonary (pulse wave velocity [pPWV] and systemic pulse wave velocity [sPWV]). RESULTS: Those with COPD had higher pPWV (COPD: 2.62 vs HV: 1.78 ms-1, p=0.006), higher right ventricular mass/volume ratio (RVMVR; COPD: 0.29 vs HV: 0.25 g/mL, p=0.012), higher left ventricular mass/volume ratio (LVMVR; COPD: 0.78 vs HV: 0.70 g/mL, p=0.009), and a trend toward a higher sPWV (COPD: 8.7 vs HV: 7.4 ms-1, p=0.06). Multiple biomarkers were elevated: interleukin-6 (COPD: 1.38 vs HV: 0.58 pg/mL, p=0.02), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (COPD: 6.42 vs HV: 2.49 mg/L, p=0.002), surfactant protein D (COPD: 16.9 vs HV: 9.13 ng/mL, p=0.001), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (COPD: 603 vs HV: 198 pg/mL, p=0.001), and high-sensitivity troponin I (COPD: 2.27 vs HV: 0.92 pg/mL, p<0.001). There was a significant relationship between sPWV and LVMVR (p=0.01) but not pPWV (p=0.97) nor between pPWV and RVMVR (p=0.27). CONCLUSION: Pulmonary arterial stiffening and systemic arterial stiffening appear to be disconnected and should therefore be considered independent processes in COPD. Further work is warranted to determine whether both these cause an increased morbidity and mortality and whether both can be targeted by similar pharmacological therapy or whether different strategies are required for each