Vascular Morphometry of the Retina in Antarctic Fishes is Dependent upon the Level of Hemoglobin in Circulation

Antarctic notothenioids express the circulating oxygen-binding protein hemoglobin (Hb) over a broad range of blood concentrations. White-blooded icefishes (Suborder: Notothenioidei, Family: Channichthyidae) are the only known adult vertebrates to lack Hb completely. In addition to its role in oxygen transport, Hb is the primary reactant in degradation of nitric oxide (NO). Thus, NO should be degraded at a slower rate in Hb-lacking icefishes than in Hb-expressing notothenioids, leading to higher steady-state levels of NO in the former group. Increased levels of NO should stimulate upregulation of angiogenesis, the growth and proliferation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature. Based upon these relationships, our laboratory proposes that an inverse correlation exists between vascular density and Hb concentration. Morphometric parameters of retinal vascular anatomy of Antarctic fishes with varying hematocrit (Hct) were quantified and the relationship between vascular density and Hct was assessed. Retinal tissue is particularly amenable to quantification because the entire vascular array is essentially a two-dimensional sheet, eliminating the need for three-dimensional reconstructions. Digital images of retinal vessels filled with a silicone rubber compound ( ~ i c r o f i lw~e~re) analyzed using a macro for MATLAB 7.1 developed for this study. Icefishes display mean blood vessel length densities (Chaenocephalus aceratus, 5.5150.32 mm/mm2; Champsocephalus gunnari, 5.15f0.50 mm/mm2) that are greater than those observed in red-blooded species (Gymnodraco acuticeps, 5.20H.46 mm/mm2; Parachaenichthyes charcoti, 4.40H.30 mm/mm2). Hemoglobinless (-Hb) fishes have average vessel diameters that are -1.5 times larger than vessel diameters of +Hb species (-Hb, 0.19350.006 mm; +Hb, 0.125H.005 mm). The combination of greater length densities and larger diameter vessels results in fractional image areas (i.e., vessel surface areas) that are greater in -Hb icefishes (C. aceratus, 49.1+2.23%; C. gunnari, 43.853.6%) than those seen in +Hb fishes (G. acuticeps, 33.0&4.1%; P. charcoti, 23.851.0%). Vascular density index (VDI), a stereological indicator of vessel number and length, is greatest in -Hb C. aceratus (3.51H.20) and lowest in +Hb Notothenia coriiceps (1.58k0.14). Among four species of +Hb fishes with a \u3e2.3-fold range of Hct, retinal VDI is inversely correlated with Hct (R2=0.934) and intervessel distance in retinal tissue is positively correlated with Hct (R2=0.898). Within this group of closely related fishes, vascular capacity to supply blood to the retina increases as Hct decreases. The direct relationship between VDI and Hct is consistent with the hypothesis of NO-mediated angiogenesis

Enhancement of executive control through short-term cognitive training : far-transfer effects on general fluid intelligence

We predicted that short-term training of executive control would improve both cognitive control itself (Hypothesis 1) and general fluid intelligence (Hypothesis 2). We randomly assigned 120 high school students to the experimental and control groups. The former underwent a 14-day training of four executive functions: interference resolution, response inhibition, task switching, and goal monitoring. The latter did not train anything. The training significantly improved cognitive control and IQ. The control group also improved their IQ scores but gained less than the experimental one. However, the amount of IQ scores enhancement did not correlate with the majority of indices of the training effectiveness, thus justifying the supposition that such enhancement resulted from the general effect of participation in the training rather than from the improvement of executive functions underlying Gf

Mistrzowie dydaktyki

Autorka artykułu jest pracownikiem Centrum Współpracy Międzynarodowej.Artykuł zamieszczony jest w : Życie Uczelni : biuletyn informacyjny Politechniki Łódzkiej nr 153, październik 2020Lista „Mistrzów dydaktyki” naszej uczelni wydłuża się sukcesywnie o kolejnych nauczycieli akademickich

Carbon-Based Nanomaterials as Novel Nanosensors [Editorial]

In recent years, nanosensor technology has experienced a rapid development because of the extensive scientific efforts in understanding of nanoscale phenomena and achieving innovative nanofabrication techniques. Carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs), such as fullerenes, graphene, nanodiamonds, carbon nanotubes, and carbon nanodots, have recently gained considerable attention among scientific communities due to their unique chemical and physical properties. Thanks to intensive research efforts, the CBNs have found their place in a wide range of applications. These CBNs stand out as novel nanosensors due to their supreme performance in detecting heavy metal ions, gas molecules, food additives, antibodies, and toxic pesticides, as well as reporters for bioimaging. This special issue, to be published in 2017, addresses recent progress in the synthesis, characterization, structure-property relationships and applications of CBNs as novel nanosensors. We are confident that the accrual of these contributions will facilitate the applications of CBNs as innovative nanosensors in meeting the urgent needs for environmental monitoring, food safety control, healthcare, homeland security, and so forth. We have selected five papers, representing four different frontiers of this topic: graphene, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and carbon nanodots

Lead Selenide Nanostructures Self-Assembled across Multiple Length Scales and Dimensions

A self-assembly approach to lead selenide (PbSe) structures that have organized across multiple length scales and multiple dimensions has been achieved. These structures consist of angstrom-scale 0D PbSe crystals, synthesized via a hot solution process, which have stacked into 1D nanorods via aligned dipoles. These 1D nanorods have arranged into nanoscale 2D sheets via directional short-ranged attraction. The nanoscale 2D sheets then further aligned into larger 2D microscale planes. In this study, the authors have characterized the PbSe structures via normal and cryo-TEM and EDX showing that this multiscale multidimensional self-assembled alignment is not due to drying effects. These PbSe structures hold promise for applications in advanced materials—particularly electronic technologies, where alignment can aid in device performance

Psychosocial concerns and needs of cancer survivors treated at a comprehensive cancer center and a community safety net hospital

The number of cancer survivors in the United States is expected to grow to 18 million by 2020 because of improved cancer treatment outcomes and the aging of the population.[1] Many cancer survivors are at increased risk for cancer recurrence and other adverse long-term physical and psychosocial conditions.[2-5] Disparities in survival are associated with inadequate or no health insurance coverage because individuals are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at later stages,[6] and higher incidence for some cancers among African Americans.[7] Few studies have examined psychosocial health disparities during cancer survivorship,[8-13] and little is known about how psychosocial factors subsequent to diagnosis affect survival and long-term outcomes. [4,14] While clinical care relevant to survivorship outcomes is advancing, [15, 16] optimal practices for preparing survivors for treatment and transitioning off treatment have yet to be defined. [11, 15, 17] Furthermore, guidance is needed for serving minority and underserved survivor populations where health disparities exist.[7] More data are needed about incidence of adverse outcomes and their determinants, overall and in disparity populations to inform development of best practices for preventive interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify similarities and differences among two groups of survivors in (1) sources of information at time of cancer diagnosis, (2) sources of support used during and after treatment, (3) stressors and challenges during and after treatment, and (4) coping strategies[18] used during and following cancer treatment. These factors might be associated with health services use,[19] and with survivorship disparities.[20] One group was treated at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC), an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, and the other at Meharry Medical College (MMC), its partner medical setting that serves patients who are mostly publicly-insured and uninsured. Secondary analysis of data from focus group participants was undertaken to address the four study topics and to guide future development of interventions tailored to preferences and needs of diverse survivors

NAS-50 and NAS-40 : new scales for the assessment of self-control

In this paper, we present a new questionnaire for the assessment of self-control as an individual trait. We describe the process of construction of this assessment tool. We also report the results of relevant validation studies. The questionnaire has two independent versions, one based on self-reports (NAS-50) and another one based on other-reports (NAS-40). The first version consists of five subscales (10 items each), called Initiative and Persistence (IP), Proactive Control (PC), Switching and Flexibility (SF), Inhibition and Adjournment (IA), and Goal Maintenance (GM). Seven samples of participants (N = 934 altogether) took part in the validation study. The second version has not been split into subscales. Both versions obtained satisfactory indices of internal consistency, assessed with Cronbach’s alpha (for NAS- 50 total score a = .861, for the subscales a between .726 and .867; for NAS-40 a = .844). The NAS-50 and NAS-40 scores were highly correlated with other measures of self-control, including Tangney, Baumeister, and Boone’s (2004) self-control scale. They also proved to be entirely independent of general intelligence. In conclusion, both versions can be regarded reliable and valid enough, and therefore suitable for the assessment of trait self-control for research purposes

Compliant glass–polymer hybrid single ion-conducting electrolytes for lithium batteries

This study describes hybrid single ion-conducting electrolytes based on inorganic sulfide glasses and perfluoropolyether polymers for lithium batteries. Herein, it is shown that hybrid electrolytes provide a compelling alternative to the traditional glass, ceramic, or polymer battery electrolytes. These electrolytes present high transference numbers, unprecedented ionic conductivities at room temperature, and excellent electrochemical stability, and they limit the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. The results in this work represent a significant step toward addressing the challenges of enabling the next generation cathodes, such as lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide and sulfur

Effect of mobile phase additives on solute retention at low aqueous pH in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography

© 2016 Elsevier B.V. Trifluoracetic acid (TFA) added to the aqueous acetonitrile mobile phase induces some unexpected changes in the ionic component of retention in hydrophilic interaction separations when using Type B silica and amide-bonded silica columns. TFA use results in anion exchange properties which contrast with the cation exchange typically found with ammonium salt buffers. The significant cation exchange properties of silica hydride columns are also moderated by TFA. Similar behaviour was shown in a metal- free amide column operated on a system washed with a metal complexing agent, suggesting that adsorbed metal cations were not responsible for this anion exchange behaviour. Both suppression of silanol ionisation at low pH and ion pairing of bases with TFA could contribute to this effect. It is also possible that the column surface acquires some positive charges at the low pH of TFA. A surprising reversal of the properties of the columns back to predominately cation exchange behaviour was shown using methanesulfonic acid (MSA), which appears to be a stronger acid than TFA in high concentrations of acetonitrile. MSA maintains sufficient ionic strength in the mobile phase even at low concentrations, giving good peak shape, which could be useful for mass spectrometry detection. Besides giving different selectivity to TFA, MSA also gives different selectivity to that of ammonium salt buffers, suggesting it may be useful in manipulating the selectivity of a separation. Similar changes to the selectivity with TFA could be achieved by adding neutral methylsulfonate salts to the TFA mobile phase. While it is possible that methylsulfonate ions are retained on the stationary phase surface, experiments using ion pair reagents of opposite charge yielded the same results as MSA salts. It therefore seems more likely that the higher ionic strength of these solutions negates the influence of charges that may be formed in TFA solutions. Ion pairing effects with MSA are expected to be limited

Регулятор пылеугольной горелки энергетических котлов

The papers considers problems concerning introduction of neutron regulator into engineering practice. The regulator makes it possible to regulate CO, N0^ and O2 values with the purpose to optimize ejections into environment. The paper contains scheme of automation control of cyclone dust and coal burner with the help of a neutron regulator.Рассматриваются вопросы внедрения в инженерную практику нейтронного регулятора величин СО, NOx и О2 с целью оптимизации выбросов в окружающую среду. Приводится схема автоматического управления циклонной пылеугольной горелкой с помощью нейтронного регулятора