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Maternal depressive symptoms and homeless children's mental health: risk and resiliency.

Homelessness places children at risk for mental health problems. Maternal depression may influence child outcomes through its effects on the mother-child relationship. This study examined the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and child mental health in a sample of homeless mothers and their preschool children. The relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and child behavior problems was not significant. The data suggest that mental health services for homeless mothers and their young children are needed. However, 70% of the children in this sample had no behavior problems. Their adaptation reflects resilience to extraordinary stressors and provides a unique opportunity to understand child resiliency.

Adult↗

Development and evaluation of an immunoassay for biological monitoring chlorophenols in urine as potential indicators of occupational exposure.

Trichlorophenols (TCP) eliminated by the urine can be considered as potential biomarkers of exposure of many chemicals (chlorophenols, chlorophenoxy acid herbicides, prochloraz, lindane, hexachlorobenzene, etc). High-throughput screening methods are necessary to carry out efficient monitoring programs that may help to prevent certain occupational health diseases. For this purpose, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol detection has been developed using polyclonal antisera raised against 3-(3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)propanoic acid (hapten 5) covalently coupled by the mixed anhydride (MA) method to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The indirect ELISA uses a heterologous coating antigen prepared by conjugation of 3-(2-hydroxy-3,6-dichlorophenyl)propanoic acid (hapten 4) to bovine serum albumin (BSA) using the active ester (AE) method. The optimum hapten density for the coating antigen was found to be 3 mol of hapten/mol of protein. The assay shows a limit of detection of 0.245 +/- 0.116 microg L(-1), and it is performed on 96-well microtiter plates in about 1.5 h. The ELISA reported recognizes on a much less extent other chlorinated phenols, such as 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,4,6-TtCP, 21%), 2,4,5-TCP (12%) and 2,3,5-TCP (15%); however, brominated phenols (BP) are even more recognized than the corresponding chlorinated analogues (ex. 2,4,6-TBP, 710%; 2,4-DBP, 119%). With the aim of finding an explanation for this behavior, theoretical calculations have been performed for those and other halogenated phenols (2,4,6-triiodophenol and 2,4,6-trifluorophenol) to clarify which physicochemical parameter can explain better the recognition pattern observed. Finally, the assay has been adapted to the analysis of urine samples. The studies have shown that a limit of detection of 1 microg L(-1) can be accomplished on this biological matrix by combining the ELISA procedure with a C18 solid-phase extraction method.

Chlorophenols↗

Purification of proteins from the 50S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli by ion-exchange chromatography.

Thirty-three proteins have been isolated from the 50S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli by a technique based solely upon ion-exchange chromatography. The procedure can be adapted to a wide range of sample sizes, requires no prefractionation of the subunit proteins, and employs readily regenerated chromatographic media. The molecular weights, purity, and immunological properties of the individual proteins have been characterized. More than 20 of the proteins were judged to be at least 95% pure by electrophoretic analysis; the remaining proteins were generally over 90% pure. Methods for the immunological identification of small amounts of ribosomal proteins are described.

Chromatography, Ion Exchange↗

Measurement of enantiomeric excess using molecularly imprinted polymers.

[reaction: see text] A new method is presented for the measurement of enantiomeric excess (ee) utilizing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The method is demonstrated to be accurate and rapid, as the ee values can be calculated from straightforward concentration measurements. The MIP-based assay can also be adapted to measure the ee of samples of differing initial concentrations.

Binding Sites↗

A complete set of novel 2D correlation NMR experiments based on heteronuclear J-cross polarization.

A suite of multiple-purpose sensitivity-enhanced 2D correlation NMR experiments based on heteronuclear J-cross polarization (HCP) techniques are introduced for isotropic liquid samples. Several pulse sequences using an adaptable heteronuclear TOCSY mixing building block are proposed for different types of effective coherence-order-selective (COS) heteronuclear coherence-transfer mechanisms. They are based on the anisotropic behaviour of the involved HCP process that is easily described and analysed in terms of cartesian product-operator formalism. A number of different versions are given for in-phase to in-phase (II-COS: S (-) \\ to I (-)), in-phase to anti-phase (IA-COS: S (-) \\ to 2 I (-) S (z)), in-phase to spin-state-selective (IS(3)-COS: S (-) \\ to 2 I (-) S (alpha /beta)), anti-phase to in-phase (AI-COS: 2 I (z) S (-) \\ to I (-)), anti-phase to anti-phase (AA-COS: 2 I (z) S (-) \\ to 2 I (-) S (z)), anti-phase to spin-state-selective (AS(3)-COS: 2 I (z) S (-) \\ to 2 I (-) S (alpha /beta)) and spin-state-selective to spin-state-selective (S(3)S(3)-COS: 2 I (alpha /beta) S (-) \\ to 2 I (-) S (alpha /beta )) coherence transfers. The combination of the echo/anti-echo approach, heteronuclear gradient echoes and the preservation of equivalent pathways (PEP) methodology affords a general approach to obtain sensitivity-enhanced pure-absorption 2D spectra that can be used as interesting alternatives to conventional pulse-interrupted free-precession INEPT-based pulse schemes, such as HSQC-type and TROSY-type experiments.

Anisotropy↗

Fatty acids in substitute formulas for cow's milk allergy.

BACKGROUND: The role of dietary fats in food-related allergic symptoms is increasingly being investigated, since the pivotal role of fat-derived inflammatory substances, e.g., leukotrienes, has been realized. The objective of this study was to describe the fatty acid composition of several commercially available infant formulas that are used as substitutes for adapted cow's milk formulas. METHODS: Samples of nine formulas (two soy, two extensively hydrolyzed casein, three extensively hydrolyzed whey, and two amino-acid-based formulas) and human milk as control were analyzed by gas chromatography. RESULTS: The quantity of fatty acids in the formulas was within the breast-milk range. The percentage of energy derived from fat was below the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition recommendations in two cases, but, in the others, it roughly met the recommendations. The percentage of energy derived from linoleic acid was as recommended in all but two cases, where it was higher than recommended. As indicated by a quality indicator, the linoleic to alpha-linolenic acid ratio, altogether four formulas were within either the recommendations or the analyzed breast-milk range. In three cases, it was 1.5-2.5 and in two cases 4-5 times higher than recommended. CONCLUSIONS: There are recommendations for infant formulas to meet nutritional requirements of fat intake, and the analyzed formulas are in most cases within the suggested ranges. However, little is known of requirements in allergic or inflammatory conditions, and whether these described fatty acid compositions are pro- or anti-inflammatory.

Dietary Fats, Unsaturated↗

Identifying critical dimensions for discriminating among rapists.

Considerable evidence has amassed in studies of both nonoffender and offender samples that demonstrates both that sexual aggression is determined by a multiplicity of variables and that convicted sexual offenders are markedly heterogeneous (Knight, Rosenberg, & Schneider, 1985; Malamuth, 1986). Attempts both to identify sexually coercive men in normal samples and to assess etiology, concurrent adaptation, treatment efficacy, and recidivism for convicted sexually aggressive offenders have also suggested that the critical determining components of sexual aggression interact in complex ways. The purpose of this article is to survey both the offender and nonoffender sexual aggression research for evidence about which dimensions should be included in multivariate models that attempt to discriminate rapists from nonrapists, to identify subgroups among rapists, or to enhance the efficiency of dispositional decisions about these offenders.

Aggression↗

Chemical screening by mass spectrometry to identify inhibitors of anthrax lethal factor.

Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis is applicable to a broad range of biological analytes and has the important advantage that it does not require analytes to be labeled. A drawback of MS methods, however, is the need for chromatographic steps to prepare the analyte, precluding MS from being used in chemical screening and rapid analysis. Here, we report that surfaces that are chemically tailored for characterization by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight MS eliminate the need for sample processing and make this technique adaptable to parallel screening experiments. The tailored substrates are based on self-assembled monolayers that present ligands that interact with target proteins and enzymes. We apply this method to screen a chemical library against protease activity of anthrax lethal factor, and report a compound that inhibits lethal factor activity with a K(i) of 1.1 microM and blocks the cleavage of MEK1 in 293 cells.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

Pericardial concentrations of adenosine, inosine and hypoxanthine in an experimental canine model of spastic ischaemia.

It has been shown that the adenosine concentration in the pericardial fluid of the normal heart is higher by one order of magnitude than that of the venous plasma. A further increase in the pericardial adenosine concentration was also demonstrated in myocardial ischaemia or hypoxia. It was proposed that pericardial nucleoside levels may represent the interstitial concentrations of the adenine nucleosides. An experimental model was designed to determine the intrapericardial concentrations of adenosine, inosine and hypoxanthine during coronary spasm provoked by intracoronary administration of endothelin-1 (ET-1; 0.08+/-0.02 nmol/g of myocardial tissue). In the in situ dog heart (n=10), adenosine, inosine and hypoxanthine concentrations were determined by HPLC in fluid samples collected from the closed pericardial sac before and after ET-1 administration, and from the systemic arterial blood. Systemic blood pressure, heart rate and standard ECG were registered continuously. We found that the nucleoside concentrations in the infusate samples increased significantly during coronary spasm [adenosine, 1.49+/-0.44 compared with 0.37+/-0.07 microM (P<0.05); inosine, 27.43+/-11.51 compared with 0.47+/-0.11 microM (P<0.05); hypoxanthine, 21.17+/-6.49 compared with 4.91+/-1.24 microM (P<0.05)], while a significant decrease in blood pressure and an elevation in ECG ST segments were observed. The levels of the purine metabolites did not change in the systemic blood. The data indicate that changes in adenine nucleoside levels measured in pericardial infusate samples reflect activation of coronary metabolic adaptation in this model of spastic ischaemia, and that pericardial nucleoside levels may characterize alterations in interstitial adenine nucleoside concentrations.

Adenosine↗

Micro-computed tomography: a new tool for experimental endodontology.

AIM: Micro-computed tomography (MCT) using conebeam geometry is a method of producing true 3D images of the structure of small samples. A prototype MCT unit was adapted for imaging teeth to examine whether it could be used to quantify the instrumentation of root canals. METHODOLOGY: Ten mandibular first molar teeth that had intact crowns and fully formed roots were scanned using MCT at a resolution of 0.081 mm and 3D-rendered images created; root canals were segmented from this. Reproducibility of MCT was verified for root canal shape and size. Access cavities were prepared into the pulp space and root canals enlarged to a continously tapering preparation using a crowndown technique. Each tooth was scanned again to allow comparison of pre- and post-instrumentation images. The roots were then sectioned at five predetermined horizontal levels for video-digitized measurement of dimensions of roots and root canals. The video images had a resolution of 0.025 mm. Video-digitized images of the physical cut surfaces were compared with equivalent MCT reconstructed images. The total area of the root canals (internal) and root (external) at each level were calculated from both MCT reconstructions and video-digitized images, and compared. RESULTS: There was a highly significant correlation between MCT and video images for both external and internal areas (r = 0.94). Rendered 3D images were constructed to show the root canal systems of teeth. The total volumes of the apical 7.5 mm of root canals were calculated from rendered images of nine teeth before and after instrumentation. The mean amount of dentine removed by instrumentation was 3.725 mm3, which was 28% of the original canal volume. CONCLUSIONS: Micro-computed tomography was shown to be accurate for experimental endodontology.

Anatomy, Cross-Sectional↗

Aerotolerance of human clinical isolates of Prevotella spp.

AIMS: To determine the influence of oxygen exposure and growth stages on oxygen tolerance for clinical and reference specimens of the genus Prevotella. METHODS AND RESULTS: Tolerance to oxygen exposure was evaluated along growth stages for a total of four Prevotella isolates constituted by two strains tested soon after isolation from periodontally compromised patients and two reference strains kept frozen (-86 degrees C) in our laboratory collection. Additionally, the recently recovered isolates were also assayed after 4 months exposed to oxygen during laboratory handling. On solid medium, recently recovered Prevotella specimens proved to be less tolerant to oxygen exposure soon after isolation than when exposed for 4 months to oxygen during laboratory handling. Oxygen resistance of reference strains maintained in the laboratory collection showed to be the highest when compared with the clinical isolates both before and after oxygen exposure. When oxygen tolerance was tested during growth, bacterial cells from the exponential phase were more tolerant. Differences were observed in protein patterns between clinical isolates soon after recovery and after laboratory handling as determined by SDS-PAGE of crude cell-free extracts. However, SOD activities were similar in all bacterial samples tested. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to adaptively change oxygen tolerance was observed for pathogenic specimens of Prevotella. This property may be considered a virulence factor. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Adaptative aerotolerance of Prevotella as a factor for virulence and survival.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Optimal dynamic discrimination of similar quantum systems with time series data.

Optimal dynamic discrimination (ODD) was proposed [Li et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 106, 8125 (2002)] as a paradigm for discriminating noninteracting similar quantum systems in a mixture. This paper extends the ODD concept to optimize a laser control pulse for guiding similar quantum systems such that each exhibits a distinct time series signal for maximum discrimination. The use of temporal data addresses various experimental difficulties, including noise in the laser pulse, signal detection errors, and finite time resolution in the signal. Simulations of ODD with time series data are presented to explore these effects. It is found that the use of an optimally chosen control pulse can significantly enhance the discrimination quality. The ODD technique is also adapted to the case where the sample contains an unknown background species.

Journal Article↗

Validity and reliability of the Block98 food-frequency questionnaire in a sample of Canadian women.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity and reliability of the most recent adaptation of Block's full-diet food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among a sample of Canadian women. DESIGN: Participants completed a self-administered FFQ (FFQ1), two unannounced 24-hour recalls (weekday and weekend) and a second FFQ (FFQ2) between October 2003 and February 2004. FFQs and recalls were analysed for 32 nutrients using Block Dietary Data Systems and the University of Minnesota's Nutrient Data System. Mean and median intakes were computed, along with crude and deattenuated Pearson correlation coefficients between FFQ1 and the average of two recalls (validity) and between FFQ1 and FFQ2 (reliability). SETTING: Ontario, Canada. SUBJECTS: A random population-based sample (n = 166) of women aged 25 to 74 years. RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen (69%) women completed FFQ1, 96 completed FFQ1 and both recalls, and 93 completed both FFQs, about 56 days apart. Mean intakes were similar for most nutrients. FFQ reliability was high, with Pearson correlation coefficients having a median of 0.75, ranging from 0.57 to 0.90 (macronutrients) and from 0.65 to 0.88 (micronutrients from supplements and food). FFQ validity was moderate to high, with deattenuated Pearson correlation coefficients having a median of 0.59, ranging from 0.11 to 0.73 (macronutrients) and from 0.50 to 0.76 (micronutrients from supplements and food). Our micronutrient correlations were similar to or higher than those of other studies that included supplements. Two correlations <0.40 were associated with fats. CONCLUSIONS: The validity and reliability of this full-diet version of the Block FFQ were moderate to high, supporting its use in future studies among Canadian women.

Adult↗

Human and animal fat cell size determination using an image analyzing computer.

An automatization of the fat cell's morphological parameters determination with an image analyzing computer is proposed. The results obtained with this technique are compared to results obtained from the usual methods. Combined with frozen cut slices of adipose tissue, this automatized determination of fat cell size is well adapted for the large number of samples necessary for a specialized hospital service.

Adipose Tissue↗

Urinary tricyclic antidepressant screening: comparison of results obtained with Abbott FPIA reagents and Syva EIA reagents.

Human urine was tested for tricyclic antidepressants with fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) reagents on Abbott's ADx system and with EIA reagents on Syva's ETS system. A 75-ng/mL imipramine calibrator cutoff was used with the ADx system and a 300-ng/mL nortriptyline calibrator cutoff with the ETS system. The ETS system was adapted to analyze tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) samples using the Syva Emittox serum TCA assay. Negative urine was spiked with various tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants, phenothiazines, and other medications with potential to interfere with the assays. Verification of samples was performed by thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The different compounds were added to urine at concentrations of 200, 400 and 1,000 ng/mL. At 1,000 ng/mL all TCA compounds tested gave positive results with the ADx and ETS systems. However, some non-TCA medications spiked at 1,000 ng/mL gave false positive results with both systems. The tetracyclic antidepressants did not cross-react and gave negative results. Clomipramine-spiked urine at 400 ng/mL yielded a false negative result on the ETS system.

Antibody Specificity↗

Determination of methyl mercury in whole blood by ethylation-GC-CVAFS after alkaline digestion-solvent extraction.

A method for the determination of methyl mercury in whole blood samples based on ethylation-gas chromatography-cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry after alkaline digestion-solvent extraction is described. The extraction procedure and conditions were optimized, and the matrix interference after extraction was critically investigated. The storage stability of MeHg in blood samples and a series of extracts was determined. The method detection limit was found to be approximately 0.02 ng/g for a 0.5-g blood sample with relative standard deviations of less than 10%. The accuracy and precision were evaluated by summarizing the quality-control (QC) data generated over a one and one half year period. Appropriate procedures for sample collection, transportation, and storage were adapted to the method. Using this method accompanied by explicit QC protocols and procedures, background levels of MeHg and total mercury in blood for 150 8-10-year-old Portuguese children with nonoccupational and nonamalgamal exposure were determined and reported with summarized QC data.

Child↗

Use of a vascular access port for the measurement of pulsatile luteinizing hormone in old broiler breeders.

Techniques used to measure circulating hormone concentrations in avian species over extended periods routinely involve cannulation or multiple venipunctures under physical restraint, resulting in sepsis and stress. We adapted a method for serial blood sampling in chickens using a vascular access port (VAP) surgically implanted under the skin of the neck and connected to a catheter inserted in the right jugular vein. The system was used to measure circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) profiles in six, 21-mo-old broiler breeders at the end of their laying period. The VAP were implanted under general anesthesia, and, after a period of recovery, serial blood samples (every 10 min for 6 h) were collected using an extension line connected to a push-pull system. Birds were unrestrained and had free access to food and water. Red blood cells were recovered by centrifugation, reconstituted in saline solution, and returned to the donor bird through the VAP once every 90 min. Luteinizing hormone levels were subsequently measured in plasma by radioimmunoassay. With the exception of 1 hen that developed valvular endocarditis, no sign of disease or infection was observed throughout the study, and the VAP remained functional in all birds for at least 3 mo. Thus, our results suggest that VAP are a safe, reliable, and less stressful technique for serial blood sampling and long-term studies. Radioimmunoassay results revealed that in old birds, circulating LH levels followed a pulsatile pattern, with pulse amplitudes ranging from 1.35 to 2.02 ng/mL and pulse frequencies ranging from 5 to 6 peaks per 6 h. Although not significant, amplitude of LH pulses in out-of-lay hens appeared to be lower than in laying hens.

Aging↗

Confidence-based active learning.

This paper proposes a new active learning approach, confidence-based active learning, for training a wide range of classifiers. This approach is based on identifying and annotating uncertain samples. The uncertainty value of each sample is measured by its conditional error. The approach takes advantage of current classifiers' probability preserving and ordering properties. It calibrates the output scores of classifiers to conditional error. Thus, it can estimate the uncertainty value for each input sample according to its output score from a classifier and select only samples with uncertainty value above a user-defined threshold. Even though we cannot guarantee the optimality of the proposed approach, we find it to provide good performance. Compared with existing methods, this approach is robust without additional computational effort. A new active learning method for support vector machines (SVMs) is implemented following this approach. A dynamic bin width allocation method is proposed to accurately estimate sample conditional error and this method adapts to the underlying probabilities. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated using synthetic and real data sets and its performance is compared with the widely used least certain active learning method.

Algorithms↗