Diagnostic Ultrasound Induced Inertial Cavitation To Non-Invasively Restore Coronary And Microvascular Flow In Acute Myocardial Infarction

Ultrasound induced cavitation has been explored as a method of dissolving intravascular and microvascular thrombi in acute myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study was to determine the type of cavitation required for success, and whether longer pulse duration therapeutic impulses (sustaining the duration of cavitation) could restore both microvascular and epicardial flow with this technique. Accordingly, in 36 hyperlipidemic atherosclerotic pigs, thrombotic occlusions were induced in the mid-left anterior descending artery. Pigs were then randomized to either a) 1/2 dose tissue plasminogen activator (0.5 mg/kg) alone; or same dose plasminogen activator and an intravenous microbubble infusion with either b) guided high mechanical index short pulse (2.0 MI; 5 usec) therapeutic ultrasound impulses; or c) guided 1.0 mechanical index long pulse (20 usec) impulses. Passive cavitation detectors indicated the high mechanical index impulses (both long and short pulse duration) induced inertial cavitation within the microvasculature. Epicardial recanalization rates following randomized treatments were highest in pigs treated with the long pulse duration therapeutic impulses (83% versus 59% for short pulse, and 49% for tissue plasminogen activator alone; p \u3c 0.05). Even without epicardial recanalization, however, early microvascular recovery occurred with both short and long pulse therapeutic impulses (p \u3c 0.005 compared to tissue plasminogen activator alone), and wall thickening improved within the risk area only in pigs treated with ultrasound and microbubbles. We conclude that although short pulse duration guided therapeutic impulses from a diagnostic transducer transiently improve microvascular flow, long pulse duration therapeutic impulses produce sustained epicardial and microvascular re-flow in acute myocardial infarction

Improved source localization with LIGO India

A global network of advanced gravitational wave interferometric detectors is under construction. These detectors will offer an order of magnitude improvement in sensitivity over the initial detectors and will usher in the era of gravitational wave astronomy. In this paper, we evaluate the benefits of relocating one of the advanced LIGO detectors to India.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in proceedings of ICGC2011 conference. Localization figures update

Science and Film-making

The essay reviews the literature, mostly historical, on the relationship between science and film-making, with a focus on the science documentary. It then discusses the circumstances of the emergence of the wildlife making-of documentary genre. The thesis examined here is that since the early days of cinema, film-making has evolved from being subordinate to science, to being an equal partner in the production of knowledge, controlled by non-scientists

Association of Hepcidin promoter c.-528A>G variant in iron overload inthalassemia major.

Hepcidin is a 25-amino acid peptide, derived from cleavage of an 84 amino acid pro-peptide produced predominantly by hepatocytes. This molecule, encoded by the hepcidin antimicrobial peptide (HAMP) gene shows structural and functional properties consistent with a role in innate immunity. Moreover, as demonstrated in mice and humans, hepcidin is a major regulator of iron metabolism, and acts by binding to ferroportin and controlling its concentration and trafficking. In this study we investigated the influence that mutations in HAMP and/or hemocromatosis (HFE) genes might exert on iron metabolism in a group of poly-transfused thalassemic patients in preparation for bone marrow transplantation. Our results showed that the presence of the c.-582 A>G polymorphism (rs10421768) placed in HAMP promoter (HAMP-P) might play a role in iron metabolism, perhaps varying the transcriptional activation that occurs through E-boxes located within the promoter

Diagnostic Ultrasound High Mechanical Index Impulses Restore Microvascular Flow In Peripheral Arterial Thromboembolism

We sought to explore mechanistically how intermittent high-mechanical-index (MI) diagnostic ultrasound impulses restore microvascular flow. Thrombotic microvascular obstruction was created in the rat hindlimb muscle of 36 rats. A diagnostic transducer confirmed occlusion with low-MI imaging during an intravenous microbubble infusion. This same transducer was used to intermittently apply ultrasound with an MI that produced stable or inertial cavitation (IC) for 10 min through a tissue-mimicking phantom. A nitric oxide inhibitor, L-Nω-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME), was pre-administered to six rats. Plateau microvascular contrast intensity quantified skeletal microvascular blood volume, and postmortem staining was used to detect perivascular hemorrhage. Intermittent IC impulses produced the greatest recovery of microvascular blood volume (p \u3c 0.0001, analysis of variance). Nitric oxide inhibition did not affect the skeletal microvascular blood volume improvement, but did result in more perivascular hemorrhage. IC inducing pulses from a diagnostic transducer can reverse microvascular obstruction after acute arterial thromboembolism. Nitric oxide may prevent unwanted bio-effects of these IC pulses

Определение фазовой стабильности люминесцентных материалов на основе твердых растворов оксиортосиликатов (Lu1−xLnx)[(SiO4)0.5O0.5], где Ln = La–Yb

Objectives. This study aimed to predict the limits of substitution and stability of luminescent materials based on low-temperature modifications of solid solutions (spatial group P21/c) with lutetium oxyorthosilicates (Lu1−xLnx)[(SiO4)0.5O0.5], where Ln represents the rare-earth elements (REEs) of the La–Yb series.Methods. The V.S. Urusov’s crystal energy theory of isomorphous substitutions and a crystallochemical approach in the regular solid solution approximation were used to calculate the energies of the mixing (interaction parameters) of the solid solutions.Results. Using the V.S. Urusov’s theory, we calculated the energies of mixing (interaction parameters) in the systems under study. The dependences of the decomposition temperatures of solid solutions on the REE number and composition (x) were obtained and used to create a diagram of the thermodynamic stability of the solid solutions, allowing us to predict the substitution limits depending on the temperature or determine the decomposition temperature using the given substitution limits.Conclusions. The results of the study can be useful when choosing the ratio of components in matrices (host materials) and the amount of the activator (dopant) in the new luminescent, laser, and other materials based on low-temperature modifications of solid solutions of “mixed” REE oxyorthosilicates (Lu1−xLnx)[(SiO4)0.5O0.5].Цели. Целью работы явилось прогнозирование пределов замещения и стабильности люминесцентных материалов на основе низкотемпературных модификаций твердых растворов (пространственная группа Р21/с) на основе оксиортосиликата лютеция (Lu1−xLnx)[(SiO4)0.5O0.5], где Ln – редкоземельный элемент серии La–Yb.Методы. Для расчета энергий смешения (параметров взаимодействия) для твердых растворов была использована теория изоморфной смесимости В.С. Урусова и кристаллохимический подход в приближении регулярного твердого раствора.Результаты. Получены зависимости температур распада твердых растворов от порядкового номера редкоземельных элементов и состава, которые использованы для построения диаграмм термодинамической устойчивости твердых растворов, что позволило прогнозировать пределы замещения в зависимости от температуры или определять температуру распада на основе заданных пределов замещения.Выводы. Результаты исследования могут быть полезны при выборе соотношения компонентов в матрице («хозяине») и количества активатора (допанта) в новых люминесцентных, лазерных и других материалах на основе низкотемпературных модификаций твердых растворов «смешанных» оксиортосиликатов редкоземельных элементов (Lu1−xLnx)[(SiO4)0.5O0.5]

Contingent coping? Renegotiating ‘fast’ disciplinary social policy at street level: Implementing the UK Troubled Families Programme.

This article reports on a study of local implementation in the UK Troubled Families Programme (TFP). Exploring the experiences of 12 families, the policies of local bureaucrats, and a critical reading of the literature, we argue that the local case represented an attempt to partially renegotiate disciplinary elements of the national programme and to recognise that the families were affected by structural poverty and inequality. Locating the TFP in the literature on disciplinary social policy, multi-scale ‘Fast Policy’ and the potential for local subversion through the agency of frontline workers, we suggest that the local attempts to renegotiate programme priorities were partially successful. These attempts were characteristic of ‘contingent coping’ in terms of both institutional processes and outcomes for the families involved. The evidence reported is significant and timely in the context of the expanded and relaunched TFP and this shapes our commentary on the recently published Improving Lives strategy.N/

Digital switchover in Europe

This article discusses the political, economic, technological and human aspects of the digital switchover in Europe and explores various policies for managing the process. The article first examines the advantages and drawbacks of digital switchover, and identifies a number of challenges and policy dilemmas of making switchover an achievable objective. It goes on to look at digital television adoption across Europe and assesses the effectiveness of free-to-air digital television to accelerate take-up. Finally, the article examines EU initiatives as well as national plans in digital switchover and proposes various measures for encouraging the take-up of digital services and therefore bringing forward the likely idea of analogue switch-off

Frameshift mutations at the C-terminus of HIST1H1E result in a specific DNA hypomethylation signature

BACKGROUND: We previously associated HIST1H1E mutations causing Rahman syndrome with a specific genome-wide methylation pattern. RESULTS: Methylome analysis from peripheral blood samples of six affected subjects led us to identify a specific hypomethylated profile. This "episignature" was enriched for genes involved in neuronal system development and function. A computational classifier yielded full sensitivity and specificity in detecting subjects with Rahman syndrome. Applying this model to a cohort of undiagnosed probands allowed us to reach diagnosis in one subject. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate an epigenetic signature in subjects with Rahman syndrome that can be used to reach molecular diagnosis