Alteration in 5HT1A Receptor Activity from a Prenatal Exposure to Dexamethasone in a Stressed and Non-Stressed Adult Male Rat

Synthetic glucocorticoids (GC) are used as a clinical therapeutic to stimulate lung development in fetuses that present the risk of preterm delivery. Previous studies have shown that a prenatal exposure to Dexamethasone (DEX) causes a disturbance in normal GC mediation of neuritic outgrowth, cell signaling, and serotonergic systems. Our hypothesis is that a prenatal exposure to DEX during the third trimester of pregnancy alters 5HT1A receptor function. Pregnant dams were injected daily with 150μg/ml/kg of DEX from gestation day 14 through 19. Control dams were treated with and equal volume of saline. Swim stress followed by elevated plus maze testing was conducted on male rats an hour and a half prior to being sacrificed to induce postnatal acute stress. The non-stressed group was also tested and allowed to return to baseline before sacrifice. Hippocampi were analyzed using a radioligand-receptor binding assay and GTPγS35 incorporation (3H-MPPF antagonist and 8-OH-DPAT agonist, respectively). A significant increase in Kd was found in non-stressed DEX-exposed animals compared to non-stressed controls (p

PMMA-CNT matrices for vacuum electronic, biosensing and energy applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are interesting materials with extraordinary properties for various applications. Here, vertically-aligned multiwalled CNTs (VA-MWCNTs) are grown by our dual radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). After optimizing the synthesis processes, these VA-MWCNTs were fabricated in to a series of devices for applications in vacuum electronics, glucose biosensors, glucose biofuel cells, and supercapacitors In particular, we have created the so-called PMMA-CNT matrices (opened-tip CNTs embedded in poly-methyl methacrylate) that are promising components in a novel energy sensing, generation and storage (SGS) system that integrate glucose biosensors, biofuel cells, and supercapacitors. The content of this thesis work is described as follows: 1. We have first optimized the synthesis of VA-MWCNTs by our PECVD technique. The effects of CH4 flow rate and growth duration on the lengths of these CNTs were studied. 2. We have characterized these VA-MWCNTs for electron field emission. We noticed that as grown CNTs suffers from high emission threshold, poor emission density and poor long-term stability. We attempted a series of experiments to understand ways to overcome these problems. First, we decrease the screening effects on VA-MWCNTs by creating arrays of self-assembled CNT bundles that are catalyst-free and opened tips. These bundles are found to enhance the field emission stability and emission density. Subsequently, we have created PMMA-CNT matrices that are excellent electron field emitters with an emission threshold field of more than two-fold lower than that of the as-grown sample. Furthermore, no significant emission degradation was observed after a continuous emission test of 40 hours (versus much shorter tests in reported literatures). Based on the new understanding we learnt from the PMMA-CNT matrices, we further created PMMA-STO-CNT matrices by embedding opened-tip VA-MWCNTs that are coated with strontium titanate (SrTiO3) with PMMA. We found that the PMMA-STO-CNT matrices have all the desired properties of the PMMA-CNT matrices. Furthermore, PMMA-STO-CNT matrices offer much lower emission threshold field, about five-fold lower than that of as grown VA-MWCNTs. The new understandings we obtained are important for practical application of VA-MWCNTs in field emission devices. 3. Subsequently, we have functionalized PMMA-CNT matrices for glucose biosensing. Our biosensor was developed by immobilized glucose oxidase (GOχ) on the opened-tip CNTs exposed on the matrices. The durability, stability and sensitivity of the biosensor were studied. In order to understand the performance of miniaturized glucose biosensors, we have then investigated the effect of working electrode area on the sensitivity and current level of our biosensors. 4. Next, functionalized PMMA-CNT matrices were utilized for energy generation and storage. We found that PMMA-CNT matrices are promising component in glucose/O2 biofuel cells (BFCs) for energy generation. The construction of these BFCs and the effect of the electrode area on the power density of these BFCs were investigated. Then, we have attempted to use PMMA-CNT matrices as supercapacitors for energy storage devices. The performance of these supercapacitors and ways to enhance their performance are discussed. 5. Finally, we further evaluated the concept of energy SGS system that integrated glucose biosensors, biofuel cells, and supercapacitors. This SGS system may be implantable to monitor and control the blood glucose level in our body.

Looking at the effectiveness of an earth science unit designed using the Understanding by Design process

This report shares my efforts in developing a solid unit of instruction that has a clear focus on student outcomes. I have been a teacher for 20 years and have been writing and revising curricula for much of that time. However, most has been developed without the benefit of current research on how students learn and did not focus on what and how students are learning. My journey as a teacher has involved a lot of trial and error. My traditional method of teaching is to look at the benchmarks (now content expectations) to see what needs to be covered. My unit consists of having students read the appropriate sections in the textbook, complete work sheets, watch a video, and take some notes. I try to include at least one hands-on activity, one or more quizzes, and the traditional end-of-unit test consisting mostly of multiple choice questions I find in the textbook. I try to be engaging, make the lessons fun, and hope that at the end of the unit my students get whatever concepts I‘ve presented so that we can move on to the next topic. I want to increase students‘ understanding of science concepts and their ability to connect understanding to the real-world. However, sometimes I feel that my lessons are missing something. For a long time I have wanted to develop a unit of instruction that I know is an effective tool for the teaching and learning of science. In this report, I describe my efforts to reform my curricula using the “Understanding by Design” process. I want to see if this style of curriculum design will help me be a more effective teacher and if it will lead to an increase in student learning. My hypothesis is that this new (for me) approach to teaching will lead to increased understanding of science concepts among students because it is based on purposefully thinking about learning targets based on “big ideas” in science. For my reformed curricula I incorporate lessons from several outstanding programs I‘ve been involved with including EpiCenter (Purdue University), Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), the Master of Science Program in Applied Science Education at Michigan Technological University, and the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL). In this report, I present the methodology on how I developed a new unit of instruction based on the Understanding by Design process. I present several lessons and learning plans I‘ve developed for the unit that follow the 5E Learning Cycle as appendices at the end of this report. I also include the results of pilot testing of one of lessons. Although the lesson I pilot-tested was not as successful in increasing student learning outcomes as I had anticipated, the development process I followed was helpful in that it required me to focus on important concepts. Conducting the pilot test was also helpful to me because it led me to identify ways in which I could improve upon the lesson in the future.

Report on the Ermont Mine Sec. 35, T. 6 S., R. 11 W., Beaverhead County, Montana

An examination of the Ermont Mine was requested by the owners, Messrs. J. R. Bowles and R. B. Caswell, to determine the amount and grade of ore developed, the advisability of constructing a mill at the present time, and to recommend future development work.

The Amplifier - v. 8,(a-8) no. 8

In this issue...Butte Civic Orchestra, Mick O'Brien, West Point military Academy, State Treasurer, Carol Griffith, International Club, Photo Club, Circle K Club, seismographs

The results of surgery, with or without radiotherapy, for primary spinal myxopapillary ependymoma: a retrospective study from the rare cancer network

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients with primary spinal myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from a series of 85 (35 females, 50 males) patients with spinal MPE were collected in this retrospective multicenter study. Thirty-eight (45%) underwent surgery only and 47 (55%) received postoperative radiotherapy (RT). Median administered radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 22.2-59.4). Median follow-up of the surviving patients was 60.0 months (range, 0.2-316.6). RESULTS: The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 50.4% and 74.8% for surgery only and surgery with postoperative low- (<50.4 Gy) or high-dose (>or=50.4 Gy) RT, respectively. Treatment failure was observed in 24 (28%) patients. Fifteen patients presented treatment failure at the primary site only, whereas 2 and 1 patients presented with brain and distant spinal failure only. Three and 2 patients with local failure presented with concomitant spinal distant seeding and brain failure, respectively. One patient failed simultaneously in the brain and spine. Age greater than 36 years (p = 0.01), absence of neurologic symptoms at diagnosis (p = 0.01), tumor size >or=25 mm (p = 0.04), and postoperative high-dose RT (p = 0.05) were variables predictive of improved PFS on univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, only postoperative high-dose RT was independent predictors of PFS (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The observed pattern of failure was mainly local, but one fifth of the patients presented with a concomitant spinal or brain component. Postoperative high-dose RT appears to significantly reduce the rate of tumor progression.

Systematic review of atraumatic splenic rupture

BACKGROUND: Atraumatic splenic rupture (ASR) is an ill defined clinicopathological entity. METHODS: The aim was to characterize aetiological and risk factors for ASR-related mortality in order to aid disease classification and treatment. A systematic literature review (1980-2008) was undertaken and logistic regression analysis employed. RESULTS: Some 632 publications reporting 845 patients were identified. The spleen was normal in 7.0 per cent (atraumatic-idiopathic rupture). One, two or three aetiological factors were found in 84.1, 8.2 and 0.7 per cent respectively (atraumatic-pathological rupture). Six major aetiological groups were defined: neoplastic (30.3 per cent), infectious (27.3 per cent), inflammatory, non-infectious (20.0 per cent), drug- and treatment-related (9.2 per cent) and mechanical (6.8 per cent) disorders, and normal spleen (6.4 per cent). Treatment comprised total splenectomy (84.1 per cent), organ-preserving surgery (1.2 per cent) or conservative measures (14.7 per cent). The ASR-related mortality rate was 12.2 per cent. Splenomegaly (P = 0.040), age above 40 years (P = 0.007) and neoplastic disorders (P = 0.008) were associated with increased ASR-related mortality on multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: The condition can be classified simply into atraumatic-idiopathic (7.0 per cent) and atraumatic-pathological (93.0 per cent) splenic rupture. Splenomegaly, advanced age and neoplastic disorders are associated with increased ASR-related mortality.

High level methods for scene exploration

Virtual worlds exploration techniques are used in a wide variety of domains — from graph drawing to robot motion. This paper is dedicated to virtual world exploration techniques which have to help a human being to understand a 3D scene. An improved method of viewpoint quality estimation is presented in the paper, together with a new off-line method for automatic 3D scene exploration, based on a virtual camera. The automatic exploration method is working in two steps. In the first step, a set of “good” viewpoints is computed. The second step uses this set of points of view to compute a camera path around the scene. Finally, we define a notion of semantic distance between objects of the scene to improve the approach.

Judgments of duration, figure-ground contrast, and size for words and nonwords

Does the word-superiority effect on letter discrimination result in a word-superiority effect on duration judgments? We examined this question in five experiments. In the first four experiments, we have demonstrated that (1) words shown for 32-80 msec were judged as presented longer than non-words shown for the same duration; (2) this word-superiority effect persists if the stimuli are shown for an objective duration of up to 250 msec; and (3) these effects can be extended to judgments of figure-ground contrast and letter size. These findings extend existing data on effects of processing fluency on perceptual judgments. In Experiment 5, we found that duration judgments were higher for words than for pronounceable nonwords, and duration judgments were higher for pronounceable non-words than for nonpronounceable nonwords. We discuss the implications of this finding for the discrepancy-attribution hypothesis.

EEG microstates associated with salience and frontoparietal networks in frontotemporal dementia, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVE: There are relevant links between resting-state fMRI networks, EEG microstate classes and psychopathological alterations in mental disorders associated with frontal lobe dysfunction. We hypothesized that a certain microstate class, labeled C and correlated with the salience network, was impaired early in frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and that microstate class D, correlated with the frontoparietal network, was impaired in schizophrenia. METHODS: We measured resting EEG microstate parameters in patients with mild FTD (n = 18), schizophrenia (n = 20), mild Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 19) and age-matched controls (old n = 19, young n = 18) to investigate neuronal dynamics at the whole-brain level. RESULTS: The duration of class C was significantly shorter in FTD than in controls and AD, and the duration of class D was significantly shorter in schizophrenia than in controls, FTD and AD. Transition analysis showed a reversed sequence of activation of classes C and D in FTD and schizophrenia patients compared with that in controls, with controls preferring transitions from C to D, and patients preferring D to C. CONCLUSION: The duration and sequence of EEG microstates reflect specific aberrations of frontal lobe functions in FTD and schizophrenia. SIGNIFICANCE: This study highlights the importance of subsecond brain dynamics for understanding of psychiatric disorders.

Colostrogenesis: candidate genes for IgG1 transcytosis mechanisms in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Bovine colostrogenesis is distinguished by the specific transfer of IgG1 from the blood to mammary secretions. The process has been shown to be initiated by hormones and occurs during the last weeks of pregnancy when steroid concentrations of estradiol (E2 ) and progesterone (P4 ) are highly elevated. Rodent intestinal uptake of immunoglobulin G is mediated by a receptor termed Fc fragment of IgG, Receptor, Transporter, alpha (FcGRT) and supported by light chain Beta-2-Microglobulin (β2M). We hypothesized that steroid hormone treatments (E2 and P4 ) of bovine mammary epithelial cells in vitro would induce up-regulation of IgG1 transcytosis candidate gene mRNA expression suggesting involvement in IgG1 transcytosis. Two different primary bovine mammary epithelial cell cultures were cultured on plastic and rat tail collagen and treated with hormonal combinations (steroids/lactogenic hormones). Evaluated mRNA components were bLactoferrin (bLf: a control), bFcGRT, β2M, and various small GTPases; the latter components are reported to direct endosomal movements in eukaryotic cells. All tested transcytosis components showed strong expression of mRNA in the cells. Expression of bFcGRT, bRab25 and bRhoB were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) by steroid hormones. bRab25 and bRhoB showed increased expression by steroid treatments, but also with lactogenic hormones. Analysis for the oestrogen receptor (ER) mRNA was mostly negative, but 25% of the cultures tested exhibited weak expression, while the progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA was always detected. bRab25 and bRhoB and likely bFcGRT are potential candidate genes for IgG1 transcytosis in bovine mammary cells.

Body salt and water balances in cardiothoracic surgery patients with intensive care unit-acquired hyponatremia

PURPOSE Hyponatremia is frequently observed in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, but there is still lack information on the physiological mechanisms of development. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this retrospective analysis we performed tonicity balances in 54 patients with ICU acquired hyponatremia. We calculated fluid and solute in and outputs during 24 hours in 106 patient days with decreasing serum-sodium levels. RESULTS We could observe a positive fluid balance as a single reason for hyponatremia in 25% of patients and a negative solute balance in 57%. In 18% both factors contributed to the decrease in serum-sodium. Hyponatremic patients had renal water retention, measured by electrolyte free water clearance calculation in 79% and positive input of free water in 67% as reasons for decline of serum-sodium. The theoretical change of serum sodium during 24 hours according to the calculations of measured balances correlated well with the real change of serum sodium (r = 0.78, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Balance studies showed that renal water retention together with renal sodium loss and high electrolyte free water input are the major contributors to the development of hyponatremia. Control of renal water and sodium handling by urine analysis may contribute to a better fluid management in the ICU population.