Modification of Superabsorbent Polymer Granules and Fibers for Antimicrobial Efficacy and Malodor Control.

Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) granules, typically used in personal care devices such as diapers, incontinence devices, hygiene pads, and wound dressings, and granular particles of zeolite and bentonite were each subjected to modification by exposure to solutions of 1-chloro-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-imidazolidinone (MC) in ethanol at room temperature. The air-dried granules showed newly acquired properties attributable to the presence of active chlorine (Cl). The treated particles effectively oxidized the malodorant 3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol (3M3MB).

Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 individual proteins reveals the in vitro and in vivo immunogenicity of membrane protein.

Evidence in SARS-CoV-2 patients have identified that viral infection is accompanied by the expression of inflammatory mediators by both immune and stromal cells within the pulmonary system. However, the immunogenicity of individual SARS-CoV-2 proteins has yet to be evaluated. The SARS-CoV-2 virus consists of 29 proteins, categorized either as nonstructural proteins (NSP's), structural proteins (SP's) or accessory proteins.

Implementation of a brief anxiety assessment and evaluation in a Department of Veterans Affairs geriatric primary care clinic.

Anxiety disorders are common and debilitating in older individuals, yet anxiety is often not formally assessed in primary care. We conducted a quality improvement project to examine the feasibility of implementing a brief anxiety assessment, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), in a Department of Veterans Affairs geriatric primary care clinic. We compared the GAI with a depression assessment, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15).

Uridine Cytidine Kinase Like-1 Enhances Tumor Cell Proliferation and Mediates Protection from Natural Killer-Mediated Killing.

Uridine cytidine kinase like-1 (UCKL-1) is a largely uncharacterized protein over-expressed in many tumor cells, especially in highly malignant, aggressive tumors. Sequence analysis indicates that UCKL-1 has homology to uridine kinases, enzymes that play a role in DNA and RNA synthesis and that are often up-regulated in tumor cells. Previous studies have shown that UCKL-1 is a substrate for natural killer lytic-associated molecule (NKLAM), an E3 ubiquitin ligase found in NK cell cytolytic granules.

Crystal structure of (±)-(3aR,5R,8bR)-5-hydroper-oxy-2-phenyl-6-tosyl-4,5,6,8b-tetra-hydro-pyrrolo-[3,4-e]indole-1,3(2H,3aH)-dione.

The title compound, C23H20N2O6S, crystallizes as a racemate in the space group P-1, with an overall L- or J-shape to each mol-ecule. Centrosymmetric pairs of mol-ecules are tandem hydrogen bonded between the hydro-per-oxy H atom and carbonyl O atom. A different centrosymmetric pairing has stacked S-tolyl rings, and a third pairing is L,J-inter-locked by the short leg.

E3 ubiquitin ligase NKLAM positively regulates macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase expression.

Stimulated macrophages generate potent anti-microbial reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within their phagosomes. Previous studies have shown that the E3 ubiquitin ligase natural killer lytic-associated molecule (NKLAM) is a macrophage phagosomal protein that plays a role in macrophage anti-bacterial activity. In vivo, NKLAM-knockout (KO) mice produce less nitric oxide (NO) upon exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than wild type (WT) mice.

Natural killer lytic-associated molecule plays a role in controlling tumor dissemination and metastasis.

Natural killer lytic-associated molecule (NKLAM) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that plays a major role in the cytolytic activity of NK cells. NKLAM is rapidly synthesized and then targeted to the granule membranes of NK cells upon NK activation. Previous studies have shown an essential role for NKLAM in NK killing activity in vitro.

Platelet-activating factor and metastasis: calcium-independent phospholipase A2β deficiency protects against breast cancer metastasis to the lung.

We determined the contribution of calcium-independent phospholipase A(2)β (iPLA(2)β) to lung metastasis development following breast cancer injection into wild-type (WT) and iPLA(2)β-knockout (iPLA(2)β-KO) mice. WT and iPLA(2)β-KO mice were injected in the mammary pad with 200,000 E0771 breast cancer cells. There was no difference in primary tumor size between WT and iPLA(2)β-KO mice at 27 days postinjection.

Impaired NK cytolytic activity and enhanced tumor growth in NK lytic-associated molecule-deficient mice.

NK lytic-associated molecule (NKLAM) is a protein involved in the cytolytic function of NK cells. It is weakly expressed in resting NK cells but upon target cell stimulation or after incubation with cytokines that enhance NK killing, NKLAM mRNA levels increase and protein is synthesized and is targeted to cytoplasmic granule membranes. We have previously shown that NKLAM plays a role in perforin/granzyme-mediated cytolysis in vitro.

Altered experience of emotion following bilateral amygdala damage.

It has been well established that the amygdala is critical for processing various aspects of emotion, and in particular, for the perception of negative emotions such as fear. Perhaps the strongest evidence for this conclusion in humans comes from an extensive series of investigations in patient SM, an extremely rare neurological patient who has complete, focal bilateral amygdala damage. One question that has remained unanswered, however, is whether SM has a normal phenomenological experience of emotion, especially negative emotion.

A Lewis acid-catalyzed formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with 4-hydroxy-2-pyrone, diketones, and vinylogous esters.

[reaction: see text] A Lewis acid-catalyzed formal cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with 6-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone, 1,3-diketones, and vinylogous silyl esters is described here.

Should the audiometric database analysis method (draft ANSI S12.13-1991) for evaluating the effectiveness of hearing conservation programs be accepted as a US national standard?

The value of audiometric database analysis (ADBA) procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of hearing conservation programs (HCPs) was studied in a population of 82,195 workers. We rated the HCP using four ADBA procedures. Results showed that the HCP ratings ran the gamut from "unacceptable" to "acceptable" from year to year and from procedure to procedure.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria and hemoglobin A1.

We measured hemoglobin A1 (HbA1) and performed clean-catch urine cultures in 752 patients (411 men and 341 women) with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) attending an outpatient diabetes clinic. Prevalence of bacteriuria was significantly greater in diabetic women than in controls (9.1 vs.

Graduate medical education and certification in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation has certified 1608 physiatrists as diplomates, of whom 377 were certified in the years 1977 through 1979. For the 1979-1980 educational year, 516 of 608 residency positions were filled. Demographic analysis indicates 43% women and 52% foreign medical graduates (FMG) with an increasing female-to-male ratio and a decreasing ratio of FMGs to American medical graduates (AMGs).

Stroke rehabilitation: evaluation of its quality by assessing patient outcomes.

A modified version of an outcome-oriented quality-assurance system was used to assess the care received by patients, aged 21 to 60 years, with completed stroke, who had participated for at least three weeks in a rehabilitation program. Care for 110 patients was evaluated by comparing actual results with a set of standards for outcomes produced by practicing rehabilitation professionals using small-group estimation techniques. Outcomes were better than estimated, standards having indicated that 29% of patients should be capable of self-care, while actually 43% were.

Energy cost of ambulation in health and disability: a literature review.

The literature concerning ambulation of normal and disabled persons--amputees, hemiplegics, and paraplegics--is reviewed. Also reviewed are studies of the energy cost of ambulating with assistive devices and of wheelchair locomotion. According to an average of the results available from the literature, a normal expenditure (Ee) of 0.

Behavior modification of chronic pain: a treatment program by a multidisciplinary team.

A treatment program for chronic pain is reported which focuses on modification of patient pain behavior. After an outpatient pain clinic screening by a multidisciplinary team, the patient with chronic pain (duration of 6 months or longer) is admitted for a 7--8 week inpatient program followed by a 4-week outpatient period. The first week of the inpatient program is used for evaluation of pain behaviors, recording use of pain medications, activity levels, and tolerance for special conditioning exercises.

Cervical orthoses effect on cervical spine motion: roentgenographic and goniometric method of study.

Movement of the cervical spine in the sagittal plane was studied in ten normal subjects from 20 to 30 years of age without and with four different cervical orthoses: (1) polyethylene Camp plastic collar with chin and occiput piece, (2) plastizote Philadelphia collar, (3) four-poster and (4) SOMI (sternal occipital mandibular immobilization). The effect of the orthoses on restricting sagittal motion was measured simultaneously using roentgenographic and bubble goniometric methods. The subject was immobilized in a straight back chair to eliminate trunk motion, and lateral cervical spine films were taken of each subject in neutral, flexion and extension without and with each orthotic device.