Impairments of movement kinematics in patients with Huntington's disease: a comparison with and without a concurrent task

This study aimed to quantify the efficiency and smoothness of voluntary movement in Huntington's disease (HD) by the use of a graphics tablet that permits analysis of movements profiles. In particular, we aimed to ascertain whether a concurrent task (digit span) would affect the kinematics of goal-directed movements. Twelve patients with HD and their matched controls performed 12 vertical zig-zag movements, with both left and right hands (with and without the concurrent task), to large or small circular targets over long or short extents. The concurrent task was associated with shorter movement times and reduced right-hand superiority. Patients with HD were overall slower, especially, with long strokes, and had similar peak velocities for both small and large targets, so that controls could better accommodate differences in target size. Patients with HD spent more time decelerating, especially with small targets, whereas controls allocated more nearly equal proportions of time to the acceleration and deceleration phases of movement, especially with large targets. Short strokes were generally less force inefficient than were long strokes, especially so for either hand in either group in the absence of the concurrent task, and for the right hand is its presence. With the concurrent task, however, the left hand's behavior changed differentially for the two groups; for patients with HD, it became more force efficient with short strokes and even less efficient with long strokes, whereas for controls, it became more efficient with long strokes. Controls may be able to divert attention away from the inferior left hand, increasing its automaticity, whereas patients with HD, because of disease, may be forced to engage even further online visual control under the demands of a concurrent task. Patients with HD may perhaps become increasingly reliant on terminal visual guidance, which indicates an impairment in constructing and refining an internal representation of the movement necessary for its effective execution. Basal ganglia dysfunction may impair the ability to use internally generated cues to guide movement.     

Design and simulation of waveguide electrooptic beam deflectors

Numerical simulation based on the scalar beam propagation method, was used to investigate the performance of waveguide electrooptic beam deflectors. The deflectors under investigation consist of a stack of electrooptically controlled prisms in a waveguide. The results were compared to earlier simplified analysis. It was found that for given overall device dimensions, the number of interfaces between prisms in a prism-type electrooptic deflector has significant influence on the device performance when it is small. To avoid wavefront distortion, unwanted reflection from the interfaces, and asymmetry in the deflection angles caused by small number of interfaces, one should use more than about ten interfaces in a typical deflector. Additional insights of device operation and design issues are discussed     

Allelotype analysis of uterine leiomyoma: localization of a potential tumor suppressor gene to a 4-cM region of chromosome 7q

The degree and nature of patient involvement in consultations with health professionals influences problem and needs recognition and management, and public accountability. This paper suggests a framework for understanding the scope for patient involvement in such consultations. Patients are defined as co-producers of formal health services, whose potential for involvement in consultations depends on their personal rights, responsibilities and preferences. Patients' rights in consultations are poorly defined and, in the National Health Service (NHS), not legally enforceable. The responsibilities of patients are also undefined. I suggest that these are not to deny, of their own volition, the rights of others, which in consultations necessitate mutuality of involvement through information-exchange and shared decision-making. Preferences should be met insofar as they do not militate against responsibilities and rights.     

Efficient fault-tolerant multicast scheme for hypercubemulticomputers

This paper presents a fault-tolerant multicast scheme for hypercube multicomputers. The method is based on the routing capability information that is stored in each node. In comparison with the previous schemes, this information is able to capture the fault status more precisely. Two multicast algorithms are presented in the paper. These algorithms multicast messages in an attempt to minimize derouting so that time optimality can be achieved. Moreover, the routing capability information is used to guide derouting in an efficient manner when such needs arise. The amount of traffic incurred is addressed in the paper. The hardware design for the algorithms is also discussed. Extensive simulation has been conducted to evaluate the performance of the scheme. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms     

An atomic model of the outer layer of the bluetongue virus core derived from X-ray crystallography and electron cryomicroscopy

BACKGROUND: Bluetongue virus (BTV), which belongs to the Reoviridae family and orbivirus genus, is a non-enveloped, icosahedral, double-stranded RNA virus. Several protein layers enclose its genome; upon cell entry the outer layer is stripped away leaving a core, the surface of which is composed of VP7. The structure of the trimeric VP7 molecule has previously been determined using X-ray crystallography. The articulated VP7 subunit consists of two domains, one which is largely alpha-helical and the other, smaller domain, is a beta barrel with jelly-roll topology. The relative orientations of these two domains vary in different crystal forms. The structure of VP7 and the organizations of 780 subunits of this molecule in the core of virus is central to the assembly and function of BTV. RESULTS: A 23 A resolution map of the core, determined using electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) data, reveals that the 260 trimers of VP7 are organized on a rather precise T = 13 laevo icosahedral lattice, in accordance with the theory of quasi-equivalence. The VP7 layer occupies a shell that is between 260 A and 345 A from the centre of the core. Below this radius (230-260 A) lies the T = 1 layer of 120 molecules of VP3. By fitting the X-ray structure of an individual VP7 trimer onto the cryoEM BTV core structure, we have generated an atomic model of the VP7 layer of BTV. This demonstrates that one of the molecular structures seen in crystals of the isolated VP7 corresponds to the in vivo conformation of the molecule in the core. CONCLUSIONS: The beta-barrel domains of VP7 are external to the core and interact with protein in the outer layer of the mature virion. The lower, alpha-helical domains of VP7 interact with VP3 molecules which form the inner layer of the BTV core. Adjacent VP7 trimer-trimer interactions in the T = 13 layer are mediated principally through well-defined regions in the broader lower domains, to form a structure that conforms well with that expected from the theory of quasi-equivalence with no significant conformational changes within the individual trimers. The VP3 layer determines the particle size and forms a rather smooth surface upon which the two-dimensional lattice of VP7 trimers is laid down.     

Resveratrol Butyrate Esters Inhibit BPA-Induced Liver Damage in Male Offspring Rats by Modulating Antioxidant Capacity and Gut Microbiota

Resveratrol can affect the physiology or biochemistry of offspring in the maternal–fetal animal model. However, it exhibits low bioavailability in humans and animals. Fifteen-week SD pregnant female rats were orally administered bisphenol A (BPA) and/or resveratrol butyrate ester (RBE), and the male offspring rats (n = 4–8 per group) were evaluated. The results show that RBE treatment (BPA + R30) compared with the BPA group can reduce the damage caused by BPA (p < 0.05). RBE enhanced the expression of selected genes and induced extramedullary hematopoiesis and mononuclear cell infiltration. RBE increased the abundance of S24-7 and Adlercreutzia in the intestines of the male offspring rats, as well as the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the feces. RBE also increased the antioxidant capacity of the liver by inducing Nrf2, promoting the expression of HO-1, SOD, and CAT. It also increased the concentration of intestinal SCFAs, enhancing the barrier formed by intestinal cells, thereby preventing BPA-induced metabolic disruption in the male offspring rats, and reduced liver inflammation. This study identified a potential mechanism underlying the protective effects of RBE against the liver damage caused by BPA exposure during the peri-pregnancy period, and the influence of the gut microbiota on the gut–liver axis in the offspring.     

Aging and mechanical properties of NR/BR blends

The mechanical properties and post-thermal aging properties of natural rubber (NR) and polybutadiene rubber (BR) blends at different blending ratios are investigated herein. The experimental results show that both tensile and tear strengths of NR/BR blends increase with increasing NR content. BR has a higher compression stiffness than NR. The deformation of BR is less than that of NR under the same load conditions. With regard to aging properties, both tensile stress and strain of NR/BR blends decrease after prolonged aging. In addition, the stress loss of BR is lower than that of NR, meaning that the aging resistance property of BR is superior to that of NR. Furthermore, accumulated thermal history has shifted the glass transition temperature (T _g) of NR/BR blends toward lower temperatures while the loss tangent (tan δ) value increases with prolonged thermal aging.     

Influence of volatile matter and deposited carbon on coke yield from coals

The relations between coke yields and the volatile matter content of 30 individual and 30 blended coals were investigated. Coke yields and deposited carbon related to volatile matter content can be expressed in the following equations: CY (%) = 97.89?0.86 VMch+VMc; and DC (%)= ?2.24+0.16 VMch; where: CY=real coke yield; VMch = volatile matter content of charging coal; VMc=volatile matter content of coke, and in the case of <2%; DC = deposited carbon. The test results show excellent correlation with practice.     

Electrochemical pitting behaviour of type 321 stainless steel in sulfide-containing chloride solutions

The pitting behaviour of type 321 stainless steel in sulfide-containing chloride aqueous environments was studied using cyclic potentiodynamic polarization. A well-established correlation between H₂S and Na₂S₂O₃ in the study of corrosion was applied, that is, H₂S was simulated by Na₂S₂O₃. The major factors affecting the pitting corrosion of type 321 stainless steel are the Cl^- concentration, solution pH and temperature. The results clearly indicate that both E_pit and E _pp decrease with increasing Cl^- concentration and temperature, while I _pass is more sensitive to temperature variation. E _pit decreased with decreasing pH in the range 2 < pH < 7.5. The surface morphology and chemistry of the corroded type 321 stainless steel resulting from anodic polarization in 0.01 M S₂O ₃ ^2- -containing Cl^- solution were analysed by XRD, SEM and EPMA. A higher concentration of sulfur was found in the pits, and the dark surface film was mainly composed of FeS and -Fe₂O₃. The results describe the pitting behaviour of type 321 stainless steel in sulfide-containing Cl^- aqueous environments.     

Curing behavior and mechanical behavior of fully and semi-interpenetrating polymer networks based on polyurethane and acrylics

Polyurethane (PU) was made by reacting stoichiometric equivalent of trimethylol propane (TMP) and desmodur L. Fully interpenetrating polymer networks (fully IPN's) of various compositions based on PU and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) were prepared by blending various ratios of PU/PEGDA, and cured by benzoyl peroxide (BPO). Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks based on PU and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether of acrylate (PEGMEA) were prepared in a similar way. Shift of exothermic peaks during IPN formation were examined with dynamic DSC. Viscosity increases were investigated with a Brookfield RVT type viscometer. Dynamic mechanical properties were probed via a rheometric dynamic spectroscopy (RDS).Expermintal results revealed a good compatibility of both IPN systems, as evidenced from the single damping peak of the RDS curves for each composition. Shifts of exothermic peaks to higher temperatures during the formation of fully IPN were observed, especially for the composition of PU/PEGDA = 50/50, which showed an exothermic peak at the highest temperature. Experimental results also revealed delayed viscosity increases and decreased gel fractions for all fully IPN's. On the contrary, the semi-IPN did not exhibibt similar phenomena. All these findings supported an effect of network interlock during fully IPN formation. The existence of a network not only provided a sterically hindered environment, but also restrained the chain mobility of the growing network, and vice versa, thus retarding the curing rates of both networks. Network interlock also broadened the width of the half damping peak, T_1/2, and subsequently led to improved mechanical properties such as the impact resistance and Young's modulus of fully IPN material.