2,348 research outputs found
Perivascular mast cells promote neointimal elastin deposition and suppress chronic vein graft restenosis in hyperlipidaemic mice.
Aims: Mast cells are versatile innate immune cells and are reported to promote vascular inflammation and neointimal lesion formation, thereby contributing to the development of vascular stenosis and atherosclerosis. However, it is not clear whether mast cells also regulate vascular matrix remodelling in established neointima. This study addressed the hypothesis that perivascular mast cells regulate neointimal matrix remodelling using a mouse vein graft model. Methods: The impact of mast cells on neointimal remodelling was investigated using mast cell-deficient animals in both normolipidaemic (KitW-sh/W-sh) and hyperlipidaemic (apoE-/-KitW-sh/W-sh) conditions. The effect of perivascular mast cells on vascular matrix remodelling, including collagen and elastin deposition, was investigated using a local mast cell reconstitution method that selectively repopulated mast cells around the carotid artery (where the vein graft was inserted) in KitW-sh/W-sh mice. Results: In normolipidaemic vein grafts (KitW-sh/W-sh vs. the wild type control C57BL/6J), collagen synthesis was not affected by mast cell deficiency at 4 weeks. In contrast, neointimal elastin was reduced by 6.5-fold in mast cell-deficient KitW-sh/W-sh mice, which was prevented by perivascular mast cell reconstitution. Mast cell deficiency induced a similar reduction in neointimal elastin in hyperlipidaemic mice (apoE-/-KitW-sh/W-sh vs. apoE-/-), with a significant increase in cell proliferation and neointimal area at 4 week. Conclusion: Mast cells appear to promote elastin deposition in vein grafts and this may lead to further suppression of cell proliferation and neointimal thickening under hyperlipidaemic conditions
Preferences of children in grades two through eight in social studies subject areas
Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit
Longitudinal changes in dietary patterns during adult life
Despite the growing interest in dietary patterns, there have been few longitudinal investigations. The objective of the present study was to extend an earlier method of dietary pattern assessment to longitudinal binary data and to assess changes in patterns over time and in relation to socio-demographic covariates. A prospective national cohort of 1265 participants completed a 5 d food diary at three time-points during their adult life (at age 36 years in 1982, 43 years in 1989 and 53 years in 1999). Factor analysis identified three dietary patterns for women (fruit, vegetables and dairy; ethnic foods and alcohol; meat, potatoes and sweet foods) and two patterns in men (ethnic foods and alcohol; mixed). Trends in dietary pattern scores were calculated using random effects models. Marked changes were found in scores for all patterns between 1989 and 1999, with only the meat, potatoes and sweet foods pattern in women recording a decline. In a multiple variable model that included the three time-points, socio-demographic variables and BMI time-dependent covariates, both non-manual social class and higher education level were also strongly associated with the consumption of more items from the ethnic foods and alcohol pattern and the mixed pattern for men (P<0[middle dot]0001) and the fruit, vegetables and dairy pattern and the ethnic foods and alcohol pattern for women (P<0[middle dot]01). In conclusion, longitudinal changes in dietary patterns and across socio-economic groups can assist with targeting public health initiatives by identifying stages during adult life when interventions to improve diet would be most beneficial to health.<br /
Blessing or Burden? The Impact of PTSD Service Dogs on Military Families
While PTSD service dogs are specifically trained to interact with their veterans, emerging evidence suggests that service dogs may also have an impact on other members of veteran households. To our knowledge, only one study quantifies these effects focused on veteran spouses (McCall et al., 2020). Our study aimed to quantitatively measure the impact of PTSD service dogs on military family wellbeing. Data was collected from survey responses of 88 veteran spouses who rated their experiences on standardized outcome measures. Each spouse answered the surveys at two time points: (1) baseline, and (2) three months post-baseline (follow-up). Spouses in the control group (n=40) were on the waitlist for a service dog for both baseline and follow-up, while the service dog group (n=48) received a service dog after baseline. Multiple regression analysis yielded statistically significant differences between the waitlist and service dog groups which suggested that service dogs may increase caregiver burden and decrease caregiver satisfaction, but potentially encourage increased participation in activities for veteran spouses. Small effect sizes suggested service dogs may also foster increased companionship and positive affect in veteran spouses. Analyses indicated no notable impact on veteran children. These findings suggest that the impact of PTSD service dogs may extend to veteran spouses, potentially encouraging interest and investment in this complementary intervention option. Two statistically significant negative effects emphasize the need to inform the military family of practical strategies to minimize possible detrimental effects, which would likely lead to an improved family experience with the service dog
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Small greenhouses for amateur gardeners
This publication has been prepared
in reply to frequent requests
by home gardeners for information
on construction of small glass and
plastic greenhouses. The subject is
developed briefly with the hope
that those interested may see the
possible variations in construction
and materials. Prefabricated greenhouses
are readily available and actually
may be cheaper in the long
run than homemade ones.
Permanent structures for growing
plants are built with durable
materials such as metal, glass, concrete,
and a minimum of wood.
Temporary types may be built with
wood and plastic.
Many combinations of materials
are possible to give varying length
of life. A durable frame can be covered
with short-lived plastic or the
same frame can be glazed with one
of the more durable plastics or
glass. A wooden frame can be
glazed with glass, making it quite
long lived if it is taken care of
properly.Published April 1959. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo
Metallopanstimulin as a marker for head and neck cancer
BACKGROUND: Metallopanstimulin (MPS-1) is a ribosomal protein that is found in elevated amounts in the sera of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We used a test, denoted MPS-H, which detects MPS-1 and MPS-1-like proteins, to determine the relationship between MPS-H serum levels and clinical status of patients with, or at risk for, HNSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 125 patients were prospectively enrolled from a university head and neck oncology clinic. Participants included only newly diagnosed HNSCC patients. Two control groups, including 25 non-smokers and 64 smokers, were studied for comparison. A total of 821 serum samples collected over a twenty-four month period were analyzed by the MPS-H radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: HNSCC, non-smokers, and smokers had average MPS-H values of 41.5 ng/mL, 10.2 ng/mL, and 12.8 ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MPS-1 and MPS-1-like proteins are elevated in patients with HNSCC, and that MPS-H appears to be a promising marker of presence of disease and response to treatment in HNSCC patients
Boundary conditions at a fluid - solid interface
We study the boundary conditions at a fluid-solid interface using molecular
dynamics simulations covering a broad range of fluid-solid interactions and
fluid densities, and both simple and chain-molecule fluids. The slip length is
shown to be independent of the type of flow, but rather is related to the fluid
organization near the solid, as governed by the fluid-solid molecular
interactions.Comment: REVtex, to appear in Physical Review Letter
Very high rotational frequencies and band termination in 73Br
Rotational bands in 73Br have been investigated up to spins of 65/2 using the
EUROBALL III spectrometer. One of the negative-parity bands displays the
highest rotational frequency 1.85 MeV reported to date in nuclei with mass
number greater than 25. At high frequencies, the experimental dynamic moment of
inertia for all bands decrease to very low values, indicating a loss of
collectivity. The bands are described in the configuration-dependent cranked
Nilsson-Strutinsky model. The calculations indicate that one of the
negative-parity bands is observed up to its terminating single-particle state
at spin 63/2. This result establishes the first band termination case in the A
= 70 mass region.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. C as a Rapid
Communicatio
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