Reflections on Hurricane Katrina and its impact: One psychologist's experience.

What has it been like to experience Hurricane Katrina as a resident of New Orleans and a pediatric psychologist practicing in the area? This article provides a glimpse of 1 psychologist's experience before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. The author not only details the impact of this storm on her professional and personal life but also provides practical recommendations for other psychologists who may encounter hurricanes or other natural disasters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

BAX regulates follicular endowment in mice

It is believed that the endowment of primordial follicles in mammalian ovaries is finite. Once follicles are depleted, infertility ensues. Thus, the size of the initial endowment has consequences for fertility and reproductive longevity. Follicular endowment is comprised of various processes that culminate with the incorporation of meiosis-arrested oocytes into primordial follicles. Apoptosis is prominent during follicular endowment, and apoptosis regulatory genes are involved in its regulation. Conflicting data exist with regard to the role of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 associated X protein (BAX) in follicular endowment. Therefore, we investigated the role of BAX during follicular endowment in embryonic and neonatal ovaries. We found that BAX is involved in regulating follicular endowment in mice. Deletion of Bax yields increased oocyte numbers in embryonic ovaries and increased follicle numbers in neonatal ovaries when compared with wild-type ovaries. Increased follicular endowment in Bax -/- ovaries is not due to enhanced germ cell viability. Further, it is not due to an increased primordial germ cell (PGC) allotment, a delay in the onset of meiosis, or altered proliferative activity of oogonia. Instead, our data suggest that the regulatory activity of BAX in follicular endowment likely occurs during PGC migration, prior to PGC colonization of the gonad.     

Microscopically focused synchrotron X-ray investigation of selenium speciation in soils developing on reclaimed mine lands

Chemical speciation determines Se solubility and therefore its bioavailability and potential for transport in the environment. In this study we investigated the speciation of Se in soil developed on reclaimed mine sites in the U.S. Western Phosphate Resource Area (WPRA) using micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (micro-XANES) spectroscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) mapping. Selenium was nonuniformly distributed in the soils and positively correlated with Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Ni. Sixteen points of interest (POI) from three soil samples were analyzed with micro-XANES spectroscopy. The XANES data indicated that Se is present in the soils in at least three oxidation states, Se(-II, 0), Se(IV), and Se(VI). Selenides or elemental Se dominated 7 of the 16 POI. Selenate was the dominant species at only one of the POI. The remaining eight POI were composed of both Se(IV) and Se(VI), with minor Se(-II, 0) contributions. The results of this research suggest that the reduced Se species in the soil parent material are oxidizing to Se(VI), one of the more mobile species of Se in the environment. This information can be used to better predict and manage Se availability in soils.     

Neuropsychologic prediction of performance measures of daily living skills in geriatric patients.

The current study examined the capacity of an abbreviated neuropsychologic (NP) battery to predict performance-based activities of daily living (ADLs) in a psychogeriatric sample. Inpatients of a geriatric evaluation unit (34 men and 74 women), mean age 74, underwent neuropsychologic assessment and performance assessment of ADLs. Results revealed a strong overall relation between NP assessment and ADL performance. Multiple regressions were significant for 4 of 5 instrumental ADLs, with the NP battery accounting for 14% to 32% of the variance in ADL performance. Visuospatial ability was the best predictor of functional dependence across each ADL domain, followed by memory performance. The findings provide validation for the use of specific NP tests in making judgments about dependence in instrumental ADLs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lertisan SL 10——用于射流喷网法的纺丝油剂

过去非织造材料市场主要是由热轧和机械针刺非织造材料组成。新的加固方法,由于其各种优点,如射流喷网技术,已确立了市场。为此,一个新的科研课题已经由德国Zschimmer＆Schwarz公司和德国聚酯短纤生产商及德国萨克森纺织研究所（STFI）合作完成。     

Quantification of compaction-induced crystallinity reduction of a pharmaceutical solid using 19F solid-state NMR and powder X-ray diffraction

¹⁹F solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was investigated as an analytical technique to quantify the amorphous phase in a fluorine-containing pharmaceutical candidate. The crystallinity of Compound 1 was calculated using two ¹⁹F T₁ relaxation-based methods. The first method employs both the pure amorphous and the crystalline reference standards while the second method is model independent and utilizes a single standard. The ¹⁹F solid-state NMR results were confirmed with powder X-ray diffraction methods. From X-ray diffraction data, two linear calibration curves were obtained from blends of crystalline and amorphous Compound 1: one is based on the total integrated intensity of selected diffraction peaks and the other on the total intensity of the amorphous halo at 2θ positions that have no interference from crystalline diffraction peaks. The crystallinity of Compound 1 after compaction calculated by both ¹⁹F solid-state NMR methods was in excellent agreement with the results from the X-ray calibration curves. ¹⁹F solid-state NMR was shown to be a powerful technique in determining the amount of amorphous phase present in a pharmaceutical solid.     

Alcohol- or drug-use disorders and motor vehicle accident mortality: A retrospective cohort study

A large body of research has linked alcohol consumption and motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), but far fewer studies have estimated the risk of MVA fatality among drug users. Our study addresses this gap. We identified cohorts of individuals hospitalized in California from 1990 to 2005 with ICD-9 diagnoses of methamphetamine- (n = 74,170), alcohol- (n = 592,406), opioids- (n = 68,066), cannabis- (n = 47,048), cocaine- (n = 48,949), or polydrug-related disorders (n = 411,175), and these groups were followed for up to 16 years. Age-, sex-, and race-adjusted standardized mortality rates (SMRs) for deaths due to MVAs were generated in relation to the California general population. Standardized MVA mortality ratios were elevated across all drug cohorts: alcohol (4.5, 95% CI, 4.1–4.9), cocaine (3.8, 95% CI, 2.3–5.3), opioids (2.8, 95% CI, 2.1–3.5), methamphetamine (2.6, 95% CI, 2–3.1), cannabis (2.3, 95% CI, 1.5–3.2) and polydrug (2.6, 95% CI, 2.4–2.9). Males and females had similar MVA SMRs. Our large, population-based study found elevated risk of MVA mortality across all cohorts of individuals with alcohol- or drug-use disorders. Given that illicit drug users are often unaware of or misperceive the impacts of drug use on safe driving, it may be important for health-service or public-health interventions to address such biases and improve road safety.     

Multiphoton Lithography of Unconstrained Three‐Dimensional Protein Microstructures

Multiphoton lithography (MPL) is a highly versatile strategy for creating 3D microscale objects with complex geometrical arrangements, including nested boxes, interlocking blocks, and braided threads. Of the various chemistries used to produce solid forms in MPL, protein photocrosslinking has been of particular value in biological applications, yielding materials with high porosity, tunable elasticity, and a diverse set of chemical and biochemical properties. Unfortunately, the potential for object drift, and consequent distortion, during this direct‐write process has required that microforms be constructed in integral contact with an immobile surface, precluding fabrication of protein‐based objects that retain rotational and translational degrees of freedom. Here, the development of a high‐viscosity protein‐based reagent that can be used to fabricate complex 3D microstructures that are not adhered to a surface, including chains of Möbius strips, paddlewheels, and unconstrained (free‐floating) probes for bacterial motility, is reported.