Ligand-dependent reactivity of the CysB5[23] b sulfhydryl group of the major haemoglobin of chicken

Chicken haemoglobin contains eight reactive sulfhydryl groups per (tetramer) molecule, as determined by Boyer titration with p-chloromercury(II)benzoic acid. However, only four of these sulfhydryls are reactive towards 5,5@-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB). They are at the F9[93] and B5[23] positions of each of the two b subunits in the molecule. The time course of the DTNB reaction is biphasic. With oxyhaemoglobin, k the apparent second-order rate constant of the fast phase, increases app, monotonically with pH, the simple proÐle resembling the titration curve of a diprotic acid; the pH-dependence of k for the app slow phase is bowl-shaped. With carbonmonoxyhaemoglobin and aquomethaemoglobin, k for the fast phase is bowl-shaped app whilst k for the slow phase increases monotonically with pH. Quantitative analyses of the simple proÐles show that the app reactivity of the sulfhydryl group to which they may be attributed is subject to the inÑuence of two ionizable groups on the molecule, with mean pK values of 6.4^0.1 and ca. 8.4^0.3. These values are assigned to HisHC3[146]b and CysF9[93]b, a pKa respectively. Quantitative analyses of the bowl-shaped proÐles show that the reactivity of the sulfhydryl group to which they may be attributed is subject to the inÑuence of two ionizable groups on the protein, with mean pK of 6.85^0.05 and 8.3^0.2. as These values are assigned to HisG19[117]b and CysB5[23]b, respectively. It is highly signiÐcant that the CysB5[23]b sulfhydryl groups of carbonmonoxy- and aquomet-haemoglobin react ca. 100 times faster than that of oxyhaemoglobin. By contrast, the di†erence in the reactivities of the CysF9[93]b sulfhydryls of the three haemoglobin derivatives is no more than four-fold. This indicates that, in chicken haemoglobin, changes in the haem ligand give rise to structural changes in the neighbourhood of the CysB5[23]b sulfhydryl which are far more signiÐcant than those in the neighbourhood of the CysF9[93]b sulfhydryl

Child poverty in rural America: new data shows increases in 41 states

A study by the Carsey Institute, based on U.S. Census Bureau data, found that in forty-one states, a higher percentage of rural children live in poverty than did in 2000. While the poverty level in 2006 was relatively stagnant compared to 2005\u27s poverty level, the situation is clearly becoming worse for rural kids

Continuum Contributions to the SDO/AIA Passbands During Solar Flares

Data from the Multiple EUV Grating Spectrograph (MEGS-A) component of the Extreme Ultraviolet Experiment (EVE) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) were used to quantify the contribution of continuum emission to each of the EUV channels of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), also on SDO, during an X-class solar flare that occurred on 2011 February 15. Both the pre-flare subtracted EVE spectra and fits to the associated free-free continuum were convolved with the AIA response functions of the seven EUV passbands at 10 s cadence throughout the course of the flare. It was found that 10-25% of the total emission in the 94A, 131A, 193A, and 335A passbands throughout the main phase of the flare was due to free-free emission. Reliable measurements could not be made for the 171A channel, while the continuum contribution to the 304A channel was negligible due to the presence of the strong He II emission line. Up to 50% of the emission in the 211A channel was found to be due to free-free emission around the peak of the flare, while an additional 20% was due to the recombination continuum of He II. The analysis was extended to a number of M- and X-class flares and it was found that the level of free-free emission contributing to the 171A and 211A passbands increased with increasing GOES class. These results suggest that the amount of continuum emission that contributes to AIA observations during flares is more significant than that stated in previous studies which used synthetic, rather than observed, spectra. These findings highlight the importance of spectroscopic observations carried out in conjunction with those from imaging instruments so that the data are interpreted correctly.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl

Child poverty high in rural America

On August 28, 2007, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau\u27s American Community Survey show that 22 percent of rural children are living in poverty, up from 19 percent in 2000. On average, rates are highest in the nonmetropolitan South (27 percent) and have climbed the most in the nonmetropolitan Midwest (by 3.9 percentage points)

The Untapped Power of Soda Taxes: Incentivizing Consumers, Generating Revenue, and Altering Corporate Behavior

Globally, soda taxes are gaining momentum as powerful interventions to discourage sugar consumption and thereby reduce the growing burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Evidence from early adopters including Mexico and Berkeley, California, confirms that soda taxes can disincentivize consumption through price increases and raise revenue to support government programs. The United Kingdom’s new graduated levy on sweetened beverages is yielding yet another powerful impact: soda manufacturers are reformulating their beverages to significantly reduce the sugar content. Product reformulation – whether incentivized or mandatory – helps reduce overconsumption of sugars at the societal level, moving away from the long-standing notion of individual responsibility in favor of collective strategies to promote health. But as a matter of health equity, soda product reformulation should occur globally, especially in low- and middleincome countries (LMICs), which are increasingly targeted as emerging markets for soda and junk food and are disproportionately impacted by NCDs. As global momentum for sugar reduction increases, governments and public health advocates should harness the power of soda taxes to tackle the economic, social, and informational drivers of soda consumption, driving improvements in food environments and the public’s health

PMI Activity TZ-1,2: IRS and LLIN: Integration of Methods and Insecticide Mode of Actions for Control of African Malaria Vector Mosquitoes

Long lasting Insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) are the preferred techniques for malaria vector control in Africa, where their application has a proven contribution to the recent significant reductions in the burden of the disease. Even though both methods are commonly used together in the same households, evidence of improved malaria control due to the use of combinations as opposed to use of either method alone has been minimal and inconclusive.To measure the mode of action of three classes of insecticides used for IRS at the WHO recommended dose: the organochlorine DDT 70 wettable powder (AVIMA, South Africa) at 2g/m2; the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin capsule suspension ICON CS, (Syngenta, Switzerland), at 0.03g/m2; and the organophosphate pirimiphos-methyl (PM) emulsified concentrate, also known as actellic (Syngenta, Switzerland), at 2g/m2 used alone or in combination with three leading LLIN brands: PermaNet 2.0® nets (Vastergaard, Switzerland), Olyset® nets (manufactured by A-Z, Tanzania), and Icon Life® nets (Bestnet Europe ltd, Denmark). All LLINS were used intact and were not subjected to repeated washing to reflect their optimum performance. The control was untreated polyester net. Data were collected from experimental huts developed during the project to measure both behavioral and toxic modes of actions of insecticides in Southern Tanzania. The primary malaria vector is Anopheles arabiensis with >90% susceptibility to insecticides of all classes at diagnostic doses in WHO susceptibility assays. Two rounds of data collection were performed: 1) 4 months during the dry season 2) six months during the wet season. Data generated from the experimental hut studies were analysed with Poisson-lognormal generalized linear mixed effects models (GLMM). Data was also simulated using deterministic mathematical model to measure potential impacts of each IRS, LLIN and combination thereof on malaria at a community level. Bite prevention (feeding inhibition): During both rounds, all the IRS treatments, LLINs and the controls (which consisted of intact untreated mosquito nets), provided greater than 99% protection from potentially infectious bites by the malaria vector, An. arabiensis, for the entire duration of the study. Most of the mosquitoes were caught inside the exit traps as opposed to inside the experimental huts, regardless of whether the huts were had LLINs, IRS or non-insecticidal nets. More than 95% of An. arabiensis, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus and Mansonia africana / uniformis mosquitoes were caught inside the exit traps while exiting the huts. Toxicity: All IRS treatments, all the LLINs and the majority of LLIN/IRS combinations significantly increased proportions of dead An. arabiensis mosquitoes, relative to the control huts. The most toxic IRS relative to the controls was PM (RR = 2.21 (1.82 – 2.68), P < 0.001), followed by ICON CS (RR = 1.55 (1.27 – 1.89), P < 0.001) and then DDT (RR = 1.44 (1.18 – 1.77), P < 0.001). The most toxic LLIN relative to the controls was PermaNet 2.0® nets (RR = 1.65 (1.58 – 1.74), P < 0.001), followed by Icon Life® nets (RR = 1.55 (1.42 – 1.69), P < 0.001) and then Olyset® nets (RR = 1.33 (1.12 – 1.47), P < 0.001). Combinations of IRS and LLINs relative to LLINs alone: In most cases, there was no significant increase in An. arabiensis mortality in huts combining LLINs plus IRS, relative to huts having LLINs only, except in cases where the specific IRS treatment was PM. Addition of PM significantly increased proportional mortality of An. arabiensis when combined with Olyset® nets (RR = 1.38 (1.14 – 1.65), P = 0.001), PermaNet 2.0® nets (RR = 1.42 (1.18 – 1.71), P <0.001) and Icon Life® (RR = 1.24 (1.03 – 1.49), P = 0.023). Combinations of LLINs and DDT or lambda cyhalothrin resulted in marginal increases in An. arabiensis mortality relative to huts with LLINs alone although none of these combinations resulted in a statistically significant increase. Combinations of IRS and LLINs relative to IRS alone: There was a trend of significant increases in An. arabiensis mortality in huts having IRS plus LLINs, relative to huts having just the IRS alone, except for the combinations of 1) Olyset® with ICON CS, 2) DDT with Olyset® or 3) DDT with Icon Life® nets. In the huts that had been sprayed with PM, there was a significant increase in An. arabiensis mortality whenever Icon Life® nets (RR = 1.39 (1.18 – 1.63), P < 0.001), Olyset® nets (RR = 1.32 (1.13 – 1.55), P = 0.001) or PermaNet 2.0® nets (RR = 1.26 (1.08 – 1.48), P = 0.004) were added, relative to the huts where PM IRS was used alone. Similarly, in the huts that had been sprayed with ICON CS, there was a significant increase in An. arabiensis mortality in combination with Icon Life® nets (RR = 1.43 (1.19 – 1.73), P < 0.001) or PermaNet 2.0® nets (RR = 1.70 (1.35 – 2.13), P < 0.001), but not Olyset® nets (RR = 1.16 (0.92 – 1.45), P = 0.210), relative to the IRS alone. In huts sprayed with DDT, none of the LLINs significantly improved proportional mortality of the An. Arabiensis mosquitoes, except PermaNet 2.0® nets (RR = 1.18 (1.06 – 1.32), P = 0.003). Residual efficacy bioassays of IRS: All IRS formulations were highly effective during the first month after spraying and rapidly decayed losing most activity within 1-3 months. In month 1, all An. arabiensis exposed to palm ceilings sprayed with either PM or ICON CS died, and 85% were killed by DDT (despite full susceptibility most likely because it flaked away). On mud walls sprayed with the same chemicals, 100%, 90.0% and 97.5% mortality was observed, respectively, during the first month. Activity of the IRS declined significantly so that by the third month, PM on palm and mud killed 42.5% and 55.0% of exposed An. arabiensis, respectively. ICON CS killed only 46.3% on palm and 52.5% on mud walls. By month 6, PM had nearly entirely decayed, killing only 7.5% of An. arabiensis exposed to sprayed palm ceilings and 27.5% of those exposed to sprayed mud walls; ICON CS killed 30.0% on ceilings and 27.5% on walls. DDT had a longer residual action, killing 42.5% of An. arabiensis exposed to sprayed ceilings, and 36.3% of those exposed to sprayed walls after 6 months. Residual efficacy bioassays of LLINs: While all the LLINs generally performed better (i.e. killed more mosquitoes) on wire frame assays than on the cone assays, their activity rapidly deteriorated by the second month of use relative to new nets. Only PermaNet® nets retained mosquitocidal efficacy of >80% by the sixth month of net use (killing 92.7% on wire ball tests and 84% on cone assays). All the LLINs however retained very high knock-down rates (> 90% in wire ball tests and >80% in cone tests) on the exposed mosquitoes, except Olyset® nets whose knock-down activity reduced to 72.7% on wire ball tests and 62% on cone tests by the sixth month. Both the field studies and the model simulations showed that any synergies or redundancies resulting from LLIN/IRS combinations are primarily a function of modes of action of active ingredients used in the two interventions. None of the IRS or LLINs tested was deterrent so they do not protect by keeping mosquitoes from houses in this setting. Very few mosquitoes were able to obtain a blood meal due to the use of intact LLINs and untreated control nets. Therefore, where households are correctly using and maintaining LLINs there is no added value in the additional application of IRS unless the IRS chemical is highly toxic and non-irritant, as is PM. This compound consistently increased mosquito mortality in combination with any LLIN even though mosquitoes did not rest indoors as they were unable to obtain a blood meal. The average duration of effect of insecticides in this setting was 3 months, far lower than that stated by the manufacturers, so IRS should be carefully timed. Where IRS is the pre-existing intervention, providing households with additional LLINs confers additional protection. Therefore, IRS households should always be supplemented with nets, preferably LLINs, which not only protect house occupants against mosquito bites, but also kill additional mosquitoes. Finally, where resources are limited, priority should be given to providing everybody with LLINs and ensuring that these nets are consistently and appropriately used, rather than trying to implement both LLINs and IRS in the same community at the same time.\ud \u

Sarah Ricketts to Susan Kean, February 21, 1789

Sarah Ricketts wrote from New York, New York to Susan Kean, unaddressed. Sarah discussed a ball that was being thrown by the Count. Mr. O planned to invite the ladies in his name. Eliza asked Sarah if she would introduce Mrs. H to the Count. Mrs. H and Eliza received cards from the count but not Ann. Mrs. H asked for advice and begged Sarah to ask Mr. O if it was a mistake that Ann was omitted from the invitation. Mr. O said that if they did not go, they would not be invited again. They all thought it proper to attend the ball. The children were all in high spirits and Sarah longed to see little James. Saltus promised to take apples to Susan. Shared news on mutual acquaintances and asked Susan to tell Violet that her mother was well. This document is incomplete. People mentioned: Violet, Peter Kean, John Kean, Mrs. Eveliegh, Mr. Barnwell, Mrs. Montgomery, Mrs. Armstrong, Hannah, the Chancellor, Mrs. C. Verplank, Miss Prevost, Lady S., Hannah L., Peggy, Mrs. Burr[?], Polly, Mrs. Lewis, Mr. O, Mrs. H., and Eliza.https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/lhc_1780s/1411/thumbnail.jp

Nature-based supportive care opportunities: A conceptual framework

Objective: Given preliminary evidence for positive health outcomes related to contact with nature for cancer populations, research is warranted to ascertain possible strategies for incorporating nature-based care opportunities into oncology contexts as additional strategies for addressing multidimensional aspects of cancer patients’ health and recovery needs. The objective of this study was to consolidate existing research related to nature-based supportive care opportunities and generate a conceptual framework for discerning relevant applications in the supportive care setting. Methods: Drawing on research investigating nature-based engagement in oncology contexts, a two-step analytic process was used to construct a conceptual framework for guiding nature-based supportive care design and future research. Concept analysis methodology generated new representations of understanding by extracting and synthesising salient concepts. Newly formulated concepts were transposed to findings from related research about patient-reported and healthcare expert-developed recommendations for nature-based supportive care in oncology. Results: Five theoretical concepts (themes) were formulated describing patients’ reasons for engaging with nature and the underlying needs these interactions address. These included: connecting with what is genuinely valued, distancing from the cancer experience, meaning-making and reframing the cancer experience, finding comfort and safety, and vital nurturance. Eight shared patient and expert recommendations were compiled, which address the identified needs through nature-based initiatives. Eleven additional patient-reported recommendations attend to beneficial and adverse experiential qualities of patients’ nature-based engagement and complete the framework. Conclusions: The framework outlines salient findings about helpful nature-based supportive care opportunities for ready access by healthcare practitioners, designers, researchers and patients themselves