Methacrylate compositions modified by oligosilsesquioxanes with methacryl and cyclotriphosphazene substituents

Triethoxysilylphosphazenes have been synthesized via hydrosilylation of cyclotriphosphazenes with various contents of 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy groups by triethoxysilane at an equimolar phosphazene - silane ratio. Hydrolytic copolycondensation of the latter compounds with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy - silane resulted in oligosiloxanes involving functional methacrylic and phosphazene fragment

Association between Regulator of G Protein Signaling 9–2 and Body Weight

Regulator of G protein signaling 9–2 (RGS9–2) is a protein that is highly enriched in the striatum, a brain region that mediates motivation, movement and reward responses. We identified a naturally occurring 5 nucleotide deletion polymorphism in the human RGS9 gene and found that the mean body mass index (BMI) of individuals with the deletion was significantly higher than those without. A splicing reporter minigene assay demonstrated that the deletion had the potential to significantly decrease the levels of correctly spliced RGS9 gene product. We measured the weights of rats after virally transduced overexpression of RGS9–2 or the structurally related RGS proteins, RGS7, or RGS11, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and observed a reduction in body weight after overexpression of RGS9–2 but not RGS7 or 11. Conversely, we found that the RGS9 knockout mice were heavier than their wild-type littermates and had significantly higher percentages of abdominal fat. The constituent adipocytes were found to have a mean cross-sectional area that was more than double that of corresponding cells from wild-type mice. However, food intake and locomotion were not significantly different between the two strains. These studies with humans, rats and mice implicate RGS9–2 as a factor in regulating body weight.National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) (R41MH78570 award)National Center for Research Resources (U.S.) (Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (RI-INBRE) Award P20RR016457-10

Methacrylate compositions modified by oligosilsesquioxanes with methacryl and cyclotriphosphazene substituents

Triethoxysilylphosphazenes have been synthesized via hydrosilylation of cyclotriphosphazenes with various contents of 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy groups by triethoxysilane at an equimolar phosphazene - silane ratio. Hydrolytic copolycondensation of the latter compounds with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy - silane resulted in oligosiloxanes involving functional methacrylic and phosphazene fragment

In-Group Favoritism and Perceived Similarity: A Look at Russians' Perceptions in the Post-Soviet Era

Using social identity theory, belief congruence theory, and optimal distinctiveness theory as frameworks, the authors examined whether perceived threat would moderate the relationship between perceived out-group similarity and group evaluations. Russian undergraduates evaluated Russians, Ukrainians, Moldavians, and Georgians on a number of dimensions. It was expected that when an out-group was seen as a severe threat, perceived similarity would result in in-group bias. However, when an out-group was viewed as nonthreatening, perceived similarity was expected to be negatively related to in-group bias. As hypothesized, although perceived similarity and in-group bias were negatively related for those who felt unthreatened by Georgians, a nonsignificant positive relationship existed for those feeling threatened.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68883/2/10.1177_01461672972310002.pd

The mother-to-child HIV transmission epidemic in Europe: evolving in the East and established in the West

OBJECTIVES: To carry out an epidemiological analysis of the emerging epidemic in an Eastern European country and to compare the approach to prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) with that in Western Europe. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study established in 1985 in Western Europe and extended to Ukraine in 2000. METHODS: Data on 5967 HIV-infected pregnant women and their infants (1251 from Ukraine and 4716 from Western/Central Europe) was analysed. Factors associated with transmission were identified with logistic regression. RESULTS: HIV-infection among pregnant women enrolled in Western European centres has shifted from being largely injecting drug use (IDU)-related to heterosexually-acquired; in Ukraine IDU also gradually declined with women increasingly identified without specific risk factors. In Ukraine in 2000-2004 most (80%) women received single dose nevirapine (sdNVP) and/or short-course zidovudine prophylaxis [MTCT rate 4.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8-8.0 for sdNVP with short-course zidovudine]; 2% (n = 27) received antenatal HAART and 33% (n = 418) delivered by elective caesarean section (CS); in Western European centres 72% of women received HAART (MTCT rate 1.0%; 95% CI, 0.4-1.9) and 66% delivered by elective CS during the same period. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate distinct differences in the epidemics in pregnant women across Europe. The evolution of the MTCT epidemic in Ukraine does not appear to be following the same pattern as that in Western Europe in the 1980s and 1990s. Although uptake of preventive MTCT prophylaxis has been rapid in both Western Europe and Ukraine, substantial challenges remain in the more resource-constrained setting in Eastern Europe

Levels and patterns of HIV RNA viral load in untreated pregnant women

Objective: To assess pregnancy levels and patterns of HIV RNA in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, while appropriately adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal immune status and race. Methods: Data on >= 1 antenatal HIV RNA measurements were available for 333 untreated HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the European Collaborative Study. CD4 counts and HIV RNA measurements were routinely collected from 1992 and 1998, respectively. Linear mixed effects models based on 246 women for whom complete data were available examined changes in HIV RNA levels over pregnancy, with a nested random effects term accounting for measurement variability within women and period of sample collection. Results: The change in HIV RNA over pregnancy varied significantly by race (p = 0.005): from the second trimester until delivery, HIV RNA decreased significantly by an estimated 0.019 log(10) copies/ml/week in white women (95% Cl -0.03, -0.007); in black women the estimated 0.016 log(10) copies/ml/week increase (95% Cl -0.005, 0.037) was not statistically significant. At delivery, HIV RNA levels in black women were 0.45 log(10) copies/ml higher (95% Cl 0.08, 0.83) than in white women. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HIV RNA dynamics over pregnancy differ by race, although other interpretations cannot be excluded, due to potential for unmeasured confounding. (C) 2008 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Levels and patterns of HIV RNA viral load in untreated pregnant women.

none101OBJECTIVE: To assess pregnancy levels and patterns of HIV RNA in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, while appropriately adjusting for potential confounders, including maternal immune status and race. METHODS: Data on > or = 1 antenatal HIV RNA measurements were available for 333 untreated HIV-infected pregnant women enrolled in the European Collaborative Study. CD4 counts and HIV RNA measurements were routinely collected from 1992 and 1998, respectively. Linear mixed effects models based on 246 women for whom complete data were available examined changes in HIV RNA levels over pregnancy, with a nested random effects term accounting for measurement variability within women and period of sample collection. RESULTS: The change in HIV RNA over pregnancy varied significantly by race (p=0.005): from the second trimester until delivery, HIV RNA decreased significantly by an estimated 0.019 log(10) copies/ml/week in white women (95% CI -0.03, -0.007); in black women the estimated 0.016 log(10) copies/ml/week increase (95% CI -0.005, 0.037) was not statistically significant. At delivery, HIV RNA levels in black women were 0.45 log(10) copies/ml higher (95% CI 0.08, 0.83) than in white women. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that HIV RNA dynamics over pregnancy differ by race, although other interpretations cannot be excluded, due to potential for unmeasured confounding.mixedGIAQUINTO C; RAMPON O; D'ELIA R; DE ROSSI A; GROSCH-WÖRNER I; MOK J; DE JOSÉ MI; LARRÚ MARTÍNEZ B; PEÑA JM; GONZALEZ GARCIA J; ARRIBAS LOPEZ JR; GARCIA-RODRIGUEZ MC; ASENSI-BOTET F; OTERO MC; PÉREZ-TAMARIT D; SCHERPBIER HJ; KREYENBROEK M; GODFRIED MH; NELLEN FJ; BOER K; EHRNST A; BOHLIN AB; LINDGREN S; ANZÉN B; LIDMAN K; LEVY J; BARLOW P; MANIGART Y; HAINAUT M; GOETGHEBUER T; FERRAZIN A; VISCOLI C; DEMARIA A; BENTIVOGLIO G; S. FERRERO; GOTTA C; MÛR A; PAYÀ A; LÓPEZ-VILCHEZ MA; CARRERAS R; VALERIUS NH; ROSENFELDT V; JIMENEZ J; COLL O; SUY A; PEREZ JM; FORTUNY C; BOGUÑA J; CASELLAS CARO M; CANET Y; RAVIZZA M; GUERRA B; LANARI M; BIANCHI S; BOVICELLI L; PRATI E; DUSE M; SCARAVELLI G; STEGAGNO M; DE SANTIS M; SAVASI V; FIORE S; CRIVELLI M; FERRAZZI E; VIGANÒ A; GIACOMET V; CERINI C; RAIMONDI C; ZUCCOTTI G; RAVAGNI PROBIZER F; MACCABRUNI A; BUCCERI A; RANCILIO L; ALBERICO S; RABUSIN M; BERNARDON M; TAYLOR GP; LYALL EG; PENN Z; BUFFOLANO W; TISEO R; MARTINELLI P; SANSONE M; MARUOTTI G; AGANGI A; TIBALDI C; MARINI S; MASUELLI G; BENEDETTO C; NIEMIEÇ T; MARCZYNSKA M; DOBOSZ S; POPIELSKA J; OLDAKOWSKA A; MALYUTA R; SEMENENKO I; PILIPENKO T; POSOKHOVA S; KALEEVA T; STELMAH A; KISELEVA GGiaquinto, C; Rampon, O; D'Elia, R; DE ROSSI, A; GROSCH WÖRNER, I; Mok, J; DE JOSÉ, Mi; LARRÚ MARTÍNEZ, B; Peña, Jm; GONZALEZ GARCIA, J; ARRIBAS LOPEZ, Jr; GARCIA RODRIGUEZ, Mc; ASENSI BOTET, F; Otero, Mc; PÉREZ TAMARIT, D; Scherpbier, Hj; Kreyenbroek, M; Godfried, Mh; Nellen, Fj; Boer, K; Ehrnst, A; Bohlin, Ab; Lindgren, S; Anzén, B; Lidman, K; Levy, J; Barlow, P; Manigart, Y; Hainaut, M; Goetghebuer, T; Ferrazin, A; Viscoli, Claudio; DE MARIA, Andrea; Bentivoglio, Giorgio; Ferrero, Simone; Gotta, C; Mûr, A; Payà, A; LÓPEZ VILCHEZ, Ma; Carreras, R; Valerius, Nh; Rosenfeldt, V; Jimenez, J; Coll, O; Suy, A; Perez, Jm; Fortuny, C; Boguña, J; CASELLAS CARO, M; Canet, Y; Ravizza, M; Guerra, B; Lanari, M; Bianchi, S; Bovicelli, L; Prati, E; Duse, M; Scaravelli, G; Stegagno, M; DE SANTIS, M; Savasi, V; Fiore, S; Crivelli, M; Ferrazzi, E; Viganò, A; Giacomet, V; Cerini, C; Raimondi, C; Zuccotti, G; RAVAGNI PROBIZER, F; Maccabruni, A; Bucceri, A; Rancilio, L; Alberico, S; Rabusin, M; Bernardon, M; Taylor, Gp; Lyall, Eg; Penn, Z; Buffolano, W; Tiseo, R; Martinelli, P; Sansone, M; Maruotti, G; Agangi, A; Tibaldi, C; Marini, S; Masuelli, G; Benedetto, C; Niemieç, T; Marczynska, M; Dobosz, S; Popielska, J; Oldakowska, A; Malyuta, R; Semenenko, I; Pilipenko, T; Posokhova, S; Kaleeva, T; Stelmah, A; Kiseleva, G