Microencapsulation of Allogeneic Parathyroid Tissue Succeeds

Background: To examine in an experimental animal study whether alginate microencapsulation of allogeneic parathyroid tissue succeeds by protecting the graft against the host's activated immune system or by delaying immunization of the host. Methods: Lewis and Dark Agouti rats (n = 200 of each) were used. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) of the hosts was followed by allogeneic transplantation of microencapsulated parathyroid tissue (PT) to the following 3 groups of 5 animals each without immunosuppression: group I, early onset immunoreaction, group II, late onset immunoreaction, and group III, immunization. In group I, an allogeneic skin graft from the same donor was transplanted 3 weeks after microencapsulated PT transplantation and the rejection time determined to assess the host's immunoreaction. In group II, allogeneic skin graft transplantation was carried out under the identical conditions 8 weeks after microencapsulated PT transplantation. And in group III, allogeneic skin graft transplantation was performed as an immunostimulant 3 weeks before transplantation of microencapsulated PT. Each of the 3 study groups I to III was compared with a corresponding control group I to III receiving native PT allotransplants. Once a week, the titers of cytotoxic antibodies were analyzed and graft function was monitored based on total serum calcium levels [Ca ++ ]. In group IV, 2 allogeneic skin grafts within 2 weeks were given after PTX (study animals), or without prior PTX (controls). Results: Four out of 5 animals in group I, and 3 out of 5 animals in group II lost graft function within 11 weeks after transplantation of microencapsulated PT. In the respective control groups, graft function was lost within 6 weeks. Surprisingly, none of the immunostimulated animals in group III experienced any transplant success, all allogeneic skin grafts being rejected within 11.6 days. There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in skin graft rejection between study and control groups III. Low cytotoxic antibodies were detected in both study animals and controls of all 4 groups one week after PT allotransplantation (p > 0.05 study and control groups), whereas cytotoxic antibodies were elevated to peak levels in all animals immediately after skin graft transplantation. Conclusion: Earlier successes in microencapsulation technology are not due to the protection offered to the graft by alginate microencapsulation, but rather by the delayed immunization of the host. Key words: cytotoxic antibodies, graft rejection, microencapsulation, parathyroid allotransplantation T. Bohrer et al.: Microencapsulation of Allogeneic Parathyroid Tissue Succeeds Transplantationsmedizin 2006, 18. Jahrg., S. 37 Conflict of Interest There were not any financial and personal relationships with other people or organisations that did inappropriately influence (bias) our work

Microfabricated gas chromatograph for Sub-ppb determinations of TCE in vapor intrusion investigations

AbstractA microfabricated gas chromatograph (μGC) is described and its application to the analysis of sub-parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE) in mixtures, relevant to the problem of TCE vapor intrusion (VI) into homes and offices, is demonstrated. The system employs a MEMS focuser, dual MEMS separation columns, and MEMS interconnects along with a microsensor array. These are interfaced to a (non-MEMS) front-end pre-trap and high-volume sampler module to reduce analysis time. The response patterns generated from the sensor array for each vapor are combined with the chromatographic retention time to identify and differentiate the components of VOC mixtures. All functions are controlled by a LabView routine written in house. A chemometric method based on multivariate curve resolution has also been developed for analyzing partially resolved mixture components. First results are presented of the capture, separation, recognition, and quantification of TCE in a mixture. TCE is measured at 0.185 ppb, with a projected detection limit of 0.030 ppb (20-L sample)

Organic vapor discrimination with chemiresistor arrays of temperature modulated tin-oxide nanowires and thiolate-monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles

This paper explores the discrimination of organic vapors with arrays of chemiresistors (CRs) employing interface layers of tin-oxide nanowires (NWs) and thiolate-monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles (MPNs). The former devices use contact-printed mats of NWs on micro-hotplate membranes to bridge a pair of metal electrodes. Oxidation at the NW surface causes changes in charge transport, the temperature dependence of which differs among different vapors, permitting vapor discrimination. The latter devices use solvent cast films of MPNs on interdigital electrodes operated at room temperature. Sorption into the organic monolayers causes changes in film tunneling resistance that differ among different vapors and MPN structures, permitting vapor discrimination. Here, we compare the performance and assess the 'complementarity' of these two types of sensors. Calibrated responses from an NW CR operated at two different temperatures and from a set of four different MPN CRs were generated for three test vapors: n-hexane, toluene, and nitromethane. This pooled data set was then analyzed using principal components regression classification models with varying degrees of random error superimposed on the responses via Monte Carlo simulation in order to estimate the rates of recognition/discrimination for arrays comprising different combinations of sensors. Results indicate that the diversity of most of the dual MPN-CR arrays exceeds that of the dual NW-CR array. Additionally, in assessing all possible arrays of 4–6 CR sensors, the recognition rates of the hybrid arrays(i.e. MPN + NW) were no better than that of the 4-sensor array containing only MPN CRs.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90786/1/0957-4484_22_12_125501.pd

Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory – Clinician Rated Version (EPSI-CRV)

The files in this record contain supplemental information about the EPSI-CRV including: a copy of the EPSI-CRV, suggested training plan, training videos with an example of completed ratings, and a list of items that were removed during the final development process.The Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory – Clinician Rated Version (EPSI-CRV) is a semi-structured interview that was designed to assess dimensional constructs of eating-disorder psychopathology and generate current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- Fifth Edition (DSM-5) eating-disorder diagnoses. The EPSI-CRV is based on the self-report version of the EPSI (Forbush et al., 2013). There are 13 modules (or sections) within the EPSI-CRV. Eight modules measure content that is assessed in the self-report version of the EPSI, including: Body Dissatisfaction, Binge Eating, Cognitive Restraint, Excessive Exercise, Restricting, Purging, Muscle Building, and Negative Attitudes Towards Obesity. Five additional modules are included to derive DSM-5 diagnoses. The five DSM-5 modules include: Subjective Binge Episodes, Binge Eating Disorder, Low Weight, Overvaluation of Weight and Shape, and Fear of Weight Gain. The average administration time is approximately 38 minutes. The EPSI-CRV is designed to be used by clinicians and researchers working with adults with eating disorders across a range of settings. The interview may be useful for making admissions decisions, treatment planning, and discharge planning, as well as for research studies

Validation of the factor structure of the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory in an international sample of sexual minority men

Sexual minority individuals are at greater risk for the development of eating-disorder (ED) psychopathology. Despite the importance of understanding ED symptoms in sexual minority men, most ED measures were developed and validated in heterosexual, young adult, white women. The psychometric properties of ED measures in diverse populations remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to test: 1) whether the eight-factor structure of the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory (EPSI) replicated in sexual minority men and 2) group-level mean differences between gay and bisexual men on the eight EPSI scales. International participants (N = 722 sexual minority men from 20 countries) were recruited via the Grindr smartphone application. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was completed using a weighted least square mean and variance adjusted estimator. Group differences in eating pathology between gay and bisexual men were tested using independent samples t-tests. The CFA model fit was good on all fit indices (CFI/TLI > 0.90, RMSEA < 0.06). Gay and bisexual men only differed on the EPSI Binge Eating scale. The results of this investigation suggest that the EPSI may be a useful tool for understanding eating pathology in this population. Using psychometrically sound assessment tools for sexual minority men is a vital piece of treatment planning and clinical decision making. The current study fills an important gap in the clinical and research literature by testing the validity and psychometric properties of a commonly used ED measure in sexual minority men

Thermal hadron production in high energy collisions

It is shown that hadron abundances in high energy e+e-, pp and p{\bar p} collisions, calculated by assuming that particles originate in hadron gas fireballs at thermal and partial chemical equilibrium, are in very good agreement with the data. The freeze-out temperature of the hadron gas fireballs turns out to be nearly constant over a large center of mass energy range and not dependent on the initial colliding system. The only deviation from chemical equilibrium resides in the incomplete strangeness phase space saturation. Preliminary results of an analysis of hadron abundances in S+S and S+Ag heavy ion collisions are presented.Comment: 10 pages, 1 .eps figure, talk given at the Strangeness and Quark Matter 97 conferenc

A unified model for holistic power usage in cloud datacenter servers

Cloud datacenters are compute facilities formed by hundreds and thousands of heterogeneous servers requiring significant power requirements to operate effectively. Servers are composed by multiple interacting sub-systems including applications, microelectronic processors, and cooling which reflect their respective power profiles via different parameters. What is presently unknown is how to accurately model the holistic power usage of the entire server when including all these sub-systems together. This becomes increasingly challenging when considering diverse utilization patterns, server hardware characteristics, air and liquid cooling techniques, and importantly quantifying the non-electrical energy cost imposed by cooling operation. Such a challenge arises due to the need for multi-disciplinary expertise required to study server operation holistically. This work provides a unified model for capturing holistic power usage within Cloud datacenter servers. Constructed through controlled laboratory experiments, the model captures the relationship of server power usage between software, hardware, and cooling agnostic of architecture and cooling type (air and liquid). An exciting prospect is the ability to quantify the amount of non-electrical power consumed through cooling, allowing for more realistic and accurate server power profiles. This work represents the first empirically supported analysis and modeling of holistic power usage for Cloud datacenter servers, and bridges a significant gap between computer science and mechanical engineering research. Model validation through experiments demonstrates an average standard error of 3% for server power usage within both air and liquid cooled environments

Active Disk Building in a local HI-Massive LIRG: The Synergy between Gas, Dust, and Star Formation

HIZOA J0836-43 is the most HI-massive (M_HI = 7.5x10^10 Msun) galaxy detected in the HIPASS volume and lies optically hidden behind the Milky Way. Markedly different from other extreme HI disks in the local universe, it is a luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG) with an actively star forming disk (>50 kpc), central to its ~ 130 kpc gas disk, with a total star formation rate (SFR) of ~20.5 Msun yr^{-1}. Spitzer spectroscopy reveals an unusual combination of powerful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission coupled to a relatively weak warm dust continuum, suggesting photodissociation region (PDR)-dominated emission. Compared to a typical LIRG with similar total infrared luminosity (L_TIR=10^11 Lsun), the PAHs in HIZOA J0836-43 are more than twice as strong, whereas the warm dust continuum (lambda > 20micron) is best fit by a star forming galaxy with L_TIR=10^10 Lsun. Mopra CO observations suggest an extended molecular gas component (H_2 + He > 3.7x10^9 Msun) and a lower limit of ~ 64% for the gas mass fraction; this is above average compared to local disk systems, but similar to that of z~1.5 BzK galaxies (~57%). However, the star formation efficiency (SFE = L_IR/L'_CO) for HIZOA J0836-43 of 140 Lsun (K km s^{-1} pc^2)^{-1} is similar to that of local spirals and other disk galaxies at high redshift, in strong contrast to the increased SFE seen in merging and strongly interacting systems. HIZOA J0836-43 is actively forming stars and building a massive stellar disk. Its evolutionary phase of star formation (M_stellar, SFR, gas fraction) compared to more distant systems suggests that it would be considered typical at redshift z~1. This galaxy provides a rare opportunity in the nearby universe for studying (at z~0.036) how disks were building and galaxies evolving at z~1, when similarly large gas fractions were likely more common.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 16 pages, 8 figure

Characterizing the diurnal patterns of errors in the prediction of evapotranspiration by several land‐surface models: An NACP analysis

Land‐surface models use different formulations of stomatal conductance and plant hydraulics, and it is unclear which type of model best matches the observed surface‐atmosphere water flux. We use the North American Carbon Program data set of latent heat flux (LE) measurements from 25 sites and predictions from 9 models to evaluate models' ability to resolve subdaily dynamics of transpiration. Despite overall good forecast at the seasonal scale, the models have difficulty resolving the dynamics of intradaily hysteresis. The majority of models tend to underestimate LE in the prenoon hours and overestimate in the evening. We hypothesize that this is a result of unresolved afternoon stomatal closure due to hydrodynamic stresses. Although no model or stomata parameterization was consistently best or worst in terms of ability to predict LE, errors in model‐simulated LE were consistently largest and most variable when soil moisture was moderate and vapor pressure deficit was moderate to limiting. Nearly all models demonstrate a tendency to underestimate the degree of maximum hysteresis which, across all sites studied, is most pronounced during moisture‐limited conditions. These diurnal error patterns are consistent with models' diminished ability to accurately simulate the natural hysteresis of transpiration. We propose that the lack of representation of plant hydrodynamics is, in part, responsible for these error patterns. Key Points Land‐surface models produce subdaily patterns of latent heat flux error Error patterns are characterized by the stomatal conductance formulation used Current models lack a mechanism to simulate hysteretic transpirationPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108341/1/jgrg20246.pd

Interactions Between Zooplankton and Karenia brevis in the Gulf of Mexico.

Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate K. brevis are common in the Gulf of Mexico, yet no in situ studies of the interactions between zooplankton and K. brevis in the Gulf of Mexico have been conducted. Zooplankton numerical abundance, biomass and taxonomic composition of nonbloom and K. brevis bloom stations within the ECOHAB study area were compared. At nonbloom stations, the most important determinant species were Parvolcalanus crassirostris, Oithona colcarva and Paracalanus quasimodo at the 5-m isobath and P. quasimodo, O. colcarva and Oikopleura dioka at the 25-m isobath. There was considerable overlap between the 5 and 25-m isobaths, with 9 species contributing to the top 90% of numerical abundance at both isobaths. Within K. brevis blooms Acartia tonsa, Centropages velificatus, Temora turbinata, Evadne tergestina, O. colcarva, O. dioika, and P. crassirostris were consistently dominant. Variations between non-bloom and bloom assemblages were evident, including variations in numerical abundance and biomass and the reduction in numerical abundance of 3 key species. Calculated grazing pressure proved insufficient to terminate K. brevis blooms, despite occasional grazing hot spots