Methyl 9H-xanthene-9-carboxyl­ate

The title compound, C15H12O3, was obtained unintentionally as the by-product of an attempted recrystallization from methanol of propantheline bromide, an anti­muscarinic drug. The xanthone unit is folded, with a dihedral angle of 24.81 (9)° between the benzene rings. The ester substituent adopts a trans staggered conformation, with a C—C—O—C torsion angle of 178.4 (1)°. The mol­ecules pack in distinct layers, facilitated by C—H⋯π and weak π–π ring inter­actions. A weak C—H⋯O inter­action also occurs; however, no classical hydrogen bonding is observed

1-Methyl-1-propyl­pyrrolidinium chloride

The aymmetric unit of the title compound, C8H18N+·Cl−, consists of one crystallographically independent 1-methyl-1-propyl­pyrrolidinium cation and one chloride anion, both of which lie in general positions. Minor hydrogen-bonded C—H⋯Cl inter­actions occur. However, no classical hydrogen bonding is observed

Detection of Mutated K- ras DNA in Urine, Plasma, and Serum of Patients with Colorectal Carcinoma or Adenomatous Polyps

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72277/1/annals.1448.027.pd

Focus determination for the James Webb Space Telescope Science Instruments: A Survey of Methods

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a segmented deployable telescope that will require on-orbit alignment using the Near Infrared Camera as a wavefront sensor. The telescope will be aligned by adjusting seven degrees of freedom on each of 18 primary mirror segments and five degrees of freedom on the secondary mirror to optimize the performance of the telescope and camera at a wavelength of 2 microns. With the completion of these adjustments, the telescope focus is set and the optical performance of each of the other science instruments should then be optimal without making further telescope focus adjustments for each individual instrument. This alignment approach requires confocality of the instruments after integration and alignment to the composite metering structure, which will be verified during instrument level testing at Goddard Space Flight Center with a telescope optical simulator. In this paper, we present the results from a study of several analytical approaches to determine the focus for each instrument. The goal of the study is to compare the accuracies obtained for each method, and to select the most feasible for use during optical testing

Comparing the Relative Strengths of EEG and Low-Cost Physiological Devices in Modeling Attention Allocation in Semiautonomous Vehicles

As semiautonomous driving systems are becoming prevalent in late model vehicles, it is important to understand how such systems affect driver attention. This study investigated whether measures from low-cost devices monitoring peripheral physiological state were comparable to standard EEG in predicting lapses in attention to system failures. Twenty-five participants were equipped with a low-fidelity eye-tracker and heart rate monitor and with a high-fidelity NuAmps 32-channel quick-gel EEG system and asked to detect the presence of potential system failure while engaged in a fully autonomous lane changing driving task. To encourage participant attention to the road and to assess engagement in the lane changing task, participants were required to: (a) answer questions about that task; and (b) keep a running count of the type and number of billboards presented throughout the driving task. Linear mixed effects analyses were conducted to model the latency of responses reaction time (RT) to automation signals using the physiological metrics and time period. Alpha-band activity at the midline parietal region in conjunction with heart rate variability (HRV) was important in modeling RT over time. Results suggest that current low-fidelity technologies are not sensitive enough by themselves to reliably model RT to critical signals. However, that HRV interacted with EEG to significantly model RT points to the importance of further developing heart rate metrics for use in environments where it is not practical to use EEG

Predictors of Orthopaedic Surgery in NCAA Athletes

Objectives: Orthopaedic injury and surgery is relatively common in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes and can have devastating career consequences. However, there is a paucity of data regarding predictors of orthopaedic surgery in collegiate athletes. The purpose of this study was to analyze player-related predictors of orthopaedic surgery, including that of the shoulder, hip, and knee, in NCAA athletes. Methods: All NCAA Division I collegiate athletes at a single institution who began participation from the 2003-2004 through 2008-2009 seasons were retrospectively identified. Player-related factors, including gender, sport, and any pre-college upper or lower extremity orthopaedic surgery, were elicited through pre-participation evaluations (PPEs). Athletes who underwent an orthopaedic surgery in college were identified through the Sports Injury Monitoring System and medical records. All patient-related independent variables were included in a multiple Cox regression model. Exposure time was calculated from the date of PPE to the date of surgery (event) or to the end of the collegiate athletic career (censored). Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Significance was set at P \u3c 0.05. Results: In total, 1,142 athletes in 12 sports (baseball/softball, basketball, football, golf, gymnastics, rowing, swimming & diving, soccer, tennis, track & field/cross country, volleyball, water polo) were identified. There were 262 documented orthopaedic surgeries, including those involving the shoulder (n = 34), hip (n = 25), and knee (n = 72), in 182 athletes. Using the multiple Cox regression model, pre-college lower extremity surgery was an independent predictor of orthopaedic (P = 0.004, HR = 1.88) and knee (P \u3c 0.001, HR = 3.91) surgery, and type of sport was an independent predictor of orthopaedic (P \u3c 0.001), shoulder (P = 0.002), and knee surgery (P \u3c 0.001) (Table 1). Participation in gymnastics, basketball, and volleyball were the strongest predictors of orthopaedic surgery. Similarly, participation in volleyball, gymnastics, and baseball/softball were the strongest predictors of shoulder surgery, and participation in basketball, football, and volleyball were the strongest predictors of knee surgery. Lastly, athletes with a history of a pre-college orthopaedic surgery were more susceptible to another surgery in the same extremity during college (P = 0.046, HR = 2.18). Gender was not a significant predictor of any surgery. No independent predictors of hip surgery were identified. Conclusion: NCAA athletes who underwent a pre-college lower extremity surgery were more likely to undergo orthopaedic and knee surgery during their collegiate careers. Those in overhead sports (e.g., volleyball, baseball/softball) were more likely to undergo shoulder surgery, and those in cutting and jumping sports (e.g., basketball, football) were more likely to undergo knee surgery. Furthermore, athletes with a history of a pre-college orthopaedic surgery were more likely to undergo another surgery in the same extremity during college, suggesting inadequate rehabilitation or less than full return of function after surgery. The time lost from athletic participation due to an orthopaedic surgery and its potential career impact underscores the need for injury prevention and improved surgical outcomes in the amateur athlete

A rapid and sensitive screening method for the detection of anti-2-acetylaminofluorene immunoglobulins

A method is described in which anti-2-acetylaminofluorene immunoglobulins may be detected using a simple and sensitive screening procedure. The method is based on immunoglobulin binding of an 125I derivatized 2-aminofluorene radiotracer. Tracer binding is not isotype specific, and thus the method is useful for the detection of either IgG or IgA. Competitive binding experiments with the radiotracer were used to determine the specificity of immunoglobulin response by measurement of cross-reactivity with related ligands. This method allows quantitation of the immune response to the carcinogen in serum and other biological fluids (i.e., intestinal secretions).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27330/1/0000354.pd

Oral prehabilitation for patients with head and neck cancer:getting it right - the Restorative Dentistry-UK consensus on a multidisciplinary approach to oral and dental assessment and planning prior to cancer treatment

Historically, oral and dental issues for head and neck cancer patients were often not considered until after cancer treatment was complete. As a result, outcomes for oral rehabilitation were sometimes suboptimal. Inconsistencies in service delivery models and qualification, training and experience of staff delivering dental care often compounded this problem, making research and audit almost impossible. Collaborative working by consultants in restorative dentistry from all over the UK as part of a Restorative Dentistry-UK (RD UK) subgroup, renamed more recently as the RD-UK Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Excellence Network (CEN), has re-emphasised the importance of specialist restorative dentistry intervention at the outset of the head and neck cancer pathway to optimise outcomes of patient care. The CEN has driven several initiatives, reflecting Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) principles aimed at reducing unwarranted variation. This improved consistency in approach and optimised collaborative working of the team now presents a better environment for multicentre audit and research. Ultimately, this should result in a continued improvement in patient and carer experience