976 research outputs found
Development of the Electronic Field Trip to Strengthen and Enrich Existing K-12 Curriculum
Curriculum and Instructio
Nutrition, Genetic Variation and Male Fertility
Infertility affects nearly 50 million couples worldwide, with 40−50% of cases having a male factor component. It is well established that nutritional status impacts reproductive development, health and function, although the exact mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Genetic variation that affects nutrient metabolism may impact fertility through nutrigenetic mechanisms. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of several dietary components (vitamins A, B12, C, D, E, folate, betaine, choline, calcium, iron, caffeine, fiber, sugar, dietary fat, and gluten) in male reproductive health. Evidence of gene-nutrient interactions and their potential effect on fertility is also examined. Understanding the relationship between genetic variation, nutrition and male fertility is key to developing personalized, DNA-based dietary recommendations to enhance the fertility of men who have difficulty conceiving
Immersion and togetherness: How live visualization of audience engagement can enhance music events
This paper evaluates the influence of an additional visual aesthetic layer on the experience of concert goers during a live event. The additional visual layer incorporates musical features as well as bio-sensing data collected during the concert, which is coordinated by our audience engagement monitoring technology. This technology was used during a real Jazz concert. The collected measurements were used in an experiment with 32 participants, where two different forms of visualization were compared: one factoring in music amplitude, audience engagement collected by the sensors and the dynamic atmosphere of the event, the other one purely relying on the beat of the music. The findings indicate that the visual layer could add value to the experience if used during a live concert, providing a higher level of immersion and feeling of togetherness among the audience
ACTIVATE: the effect of aclidinium/formoterol on hyperinflation, exercise capacity, and physical activity in patients with COPD
The Phase IV, 8-week, randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled ACTIVATE study (NCT02424344) evaluated the
effect of aclidinium/formoterol (AB/FF) 400/12 mug twice daily
on lung hyperinflation, exercise capacity, and physical activity
in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. Patients received
AB/FF (n=134) or placebo (n=133) (1:1) via the
Genuair/Pressair(R) dry powder inhaler for 8 weeks. From Weeks 5
to 8, all patients participated in behavioral intervention (BI;
daily messages providing step goals). The primary end point was
trough functional residual capacity (FRC) at Week 4. Exercise
endurance time and physical activity were assessed at Week 4
(pharmacotherapy only) and at Week 8 (8 weeks of pharmacotherapy
plus 4 weeks of BI). Other end points included post-dose FRC,
residual volume, and inspiratory capacity (IC) at rest and
during exercise. After 4 weeks, trough FRC improved with AB/FF
versus placebo but did not reach significance (125 mL;
P=0.0690). However, post-dose FRC, residual volume, and IC at
rest improved significantly with AB/FF at Week 4 versus placebo
(all P<0.0001). AB/FF significantly improved exercise
endurance time and IC at isotime versus placebo at Week 4
(P<0.01 and P<0.0001, respectively) and Week 8 (P<0.05
and P<0.0001, respectively). AB/FF achieved higher step
counts (P<0.01) with fewer inactive patients (P<0.0001) at
Week 4 versus placebo. Following BI, AB/FF maintained
improvements in physical activity at Week 8 and nonsignificant
improvements were observed with placebo. AB/FF 400/12 mug
demonstrated improvements in lung hyperinflation, exercise
capacity, and physical activity versus placebo that were
maintained following the addition of BI. A 4-week period of BI
might be too short to augment the improvements of physical
activity observed with AB/FF
Evolution and role of mergers in the BCG-cluster alignment. A view from cosmological hydrosimulations
Contradictory results have been reported on the time evolution of the alignment between clusters and their brightest cluster galaxy (BCG).We study this topic by analysing cosmological hydrosimulations of 24 massive clusters with M200|z=0 ≥ 1015M⊙, plus 5 less massive with 1 × 1014 ≤ M200|z=0≤ 7 × 1014M⊙, which have already proven to produce realistic BCG masses.We compute the BCG alignment with both the distribution of cluster galaxies and the dark matter (DM) halo. At redshift z = 0, the major axes of the simulated BCGs and their host cluster galaxy distributions are aligned on average within 20?. The BCG alignment with the DM halo is even tighter. The alignment persists up to z ≤ 2 with no evident evolution. This result continues, although with a weaker signal, when considering the projected alignment. The cluster alignment with the surrounding distribution of matter (3R200) is already in place at z ~ 4 with a typical angle of 35?, before the BCG-cluster alignment develops. The BCG turns out to be also aligned with the same matter distribution, albeit always to a lesser extent. These results taken together might imply that the BCG-cluster alignment occurs in an outside-in fashion. Depending on their frequency and geometry, mergers can promote, destroy or weaken the alignments. Clusters that do not experience recent majormergers are typically more relaxed and aligned with their BCG. In turn, accretions closer to the cluster elongation axis tend to improve the alignment as opposed to accretions closer to the cluster minor axis.Fil: Ragone Figueroa, Cinthia Judith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Granato, Gian Luigi. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Borgani, S.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: De Propris, R.. University of Turku; FinlandiaFil: Garcia Lambas, Diego Rodolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Murante, G.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: Rasia, E.. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; ItaliaFil: West, M.. Lowell Observatory; Estados Unido
NMA CO (J=1-0) Observations of the Halpha/Radio Lobe Galaxy NGC 3079: Gas Dynamics in a Weak Bar Potential and Central Massive Core
within 24 lines with 80 characters) We present ^12CO (1-0) observations in
the central 4.5 kpc (1 arcmin) of the Halpha/Radio lobe galaxy NGC 3079 with
the Nobeyama Millimeter Array. The molecular gas shows four components: a main
disk, spiral arms, a nuclear disk, and a nuclear core. The main disk extends
beyond our spatial coverage. The spiral arms are superimposed on the main disk.
The nuclear disk with about 600 pc radius has an intense concentration of
molecular gas. Its appearance on PV diagrams is indicative of oval motions of
the gas, rather than circular. The nuclear core is more compact than our
resolution. Though it is unresolved, the nuclear core shows a very high
velocity about 200 km/s even at the radius of about 100 pc on the PV diagram.
We propose a model that NGC 3079 contains a weak bar. This model explains the
observed features: the main disk and spiral arms result from gaseous x1-orbits
and associated crowding respectively. The nuclear disk arises from gaseous
x2-orbits. From the appearance of the spiral arms on the PV diagram, the
pattern speed of the bar is estimated to be 55+-10 km/s/kpc. The high velocity
of the nuclear core cannot be explained by our model for a bar. Thus we
attribute it to a central massive core with a dynamical mass of 10^9 Msun
within the central 100 pc. This mass is three orders of magnitude more massive
than that of a central black hole in this galaxy.Comment: 43 pages, 17 figures; ApJ, 573, 105, 200
Aneuploidy in stem cells
Stem cells hold enormous promise for regenerative medicine as well as for engineering of model systems to study diseases and develop new drugs. The discovery of protocols that allow for generating induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) from somatic cells has brought this promise steps closer to reality. However, as somatic cells might have accumulated various chromosomal abnormalities, including aneuploidies throughout their lives, the resulting IPSCs might no longer carry the perfect blueprint for the tissue to be generated, or worse, become at risk of adopting a malignant fate. In this review, we discuss the contribution of aneuploidy to healthy tissues and how aneuploidy can lead to disease. Furthermore, we review the differences between how somatic cells and stem cells respond to aneuploidy
A Novel Generation of Tailored Antimicrobial Drugs Based on Recombinant Multidomain Proteins
Antibiotic resistance has exponentially increased during the last years. It is necessary to develop new antimicrobial drugs to prevent and treat infectious diseases caused by multidrug- or extensively-drug resistant (MDR/XDR)-bacteria. Host Defense Peptides (HDPs) have a versatile role, acting as antimicrobial peptides and regulators of several innate immunity functions. The results shown by previous studies using synthetic HDPs are only the tip of the iceberg, since the synergistic potential of HDPs and their production as recombinant proteins are fields practically unexplored. The present study aims to move a step forward through the development of a new generation of tailored antimicrobials, using a rational design of recombinant multidomain proteins based on HDPs. This strategy is based on a two-phase process, starting with the construction of the first generation molecules using single HDPs and further selecting those HDPs with higher bactericidal efficiencies to be combined in the second generation of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. As a proof of concept, we have designed three new antimicrobials, named D5L37βD3, D5L37D5L37 and D5LAL37βD3. After an in-depth exploration, we found D5L37D5L37 to be the most promising one, since it was equally effective against four relevant pathogens in healthcare-associated infections, such as methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) and MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa, being MRSA, MRSE and P. aeruginosa MDR strains. The low MIC values and versatile activity against planktonic and biofilm forms reinforce the use of this platform to isolate and produce unlimited HDP combinations as new antimicrobial drugs by effective means.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
DBS Under FCC and International Regulation
This Article examines the legal and technological development of DBS in both the domestic and international fora. Part II examines the development of DBS and information policy concerning DBS in the United States. The Article then in part III discusses the international positions of the developed nations, the developing countries, and the Soviet bloc on the DBS issues and reveals the results thus far in the policy debate among these nations and the United States. Part IV concludes the Article with a brief outline of the possibilities for international cooperation to solve the DBS controversy
Factors affecting the relationship between psychological status and quality of life in COPD patients
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study aims to (i) evaluate the association between anxiety and depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL); and (ii) identify the effect modifiers of this relationship in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 337 clinically stable COPD patients answered the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) (assessing HRQoL) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Socio-demographic information, lung function, and other clinical data were collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Most patients (93%) were male; they had a mean (SD) age of 68 (9) years and mild to very severe COPD (post-bronchodilator FEV<sub>1 </sub>52 (16)% predicted). Multivariate analyses showed that anxiety, depression, or both conditions were associated with poor HRQoL (for all SGRQ domains). The association between anxiety and total HRQoL score was 6.7 points higher (indicating a worse HRQoL) in current workers than in retired individuals. Estimates for patients with "both anxiety and depression" were 5.8 points lower in stage I-II than in stage III-IV COPD, and 10.2 points higher in patients with other comorbidities than in those with only COPD.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study shows a significant association between anxiety, depression, or both conditions and impaired HRQoL. Clinically relevant factors affecting the magnitude of this association include work status, COPD severity, and the presence of comorbidities.</p
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