Abstract 4533
Identifying and treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC and a U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to prevent various ...long-term squeals such as delayed mental and psychomotor development.
As the prevalence of IDA and Thalassemia is high in Israel, the ministry of health has instituted that all infants of 4-12 months of age be supplemented with an iron preparation at 3 mg/kg/day. Iron deficient infants are treated with 6mg/kg/day iron, and rechecked at 3 months.
To determine the prevalence of IDA in infants in the second year of life
Study population consists of 1818 toddlers between 12 to 24 months, from eight clinics in the southern (Negev) district of Israel; four clinics of the Bedouin sector (1167 toddlers) and four of the Jewish sector (651 toddlers) Samples were collected during 2006 and 2007 from otherwise healthy individuals, as recommended by the ministry of health. Toddlers were eligible unless previously known to be suffering from a congenital anemia disorder. Anemia was defined as MCV < 70. Iron deficiency was defined by an increment in MCV at a repeat test within 6 months or a ferritin level below norm.
Of the 968 males and 850 females (Mean age 16.9±3.4 months), 505 (27.8%) toddlers were found to be anemic. The prevalence of anemia was significantly higher amongst Bedouin toddlers, (37.5% vs. 10.3% in Jews, p=0.001), and Male gender (30.5% vs. 24.7% in females, p=0.006), highly significant for Jewish males (14.6% vs. 5.5% in Jewish females p<0.001). Anemic toddlers were significantly older than the non-anemic toddlers (17.3±3.4 months vs. 16.7±3.4, respectively, p=0.001).
One hundred thirteen (22.3%) anemic infants had a follow-up test (average time 4.4 months), 81 of them had an improvement in MCV and 5 had a low ferritin level. The group of toddlers with IDA was determined at 76.1% of the anemic children. We found no significant difference in the execution of a follow-up test between sectors and genders. However, toddlers that underwent a second test were significantly younger, by an average of 3 months (p<0.001, 95% CI: 2.27-3.45 months).
No differences in demographics gender, age or blood indices were found between the groups of infants who repeated the test and those without further data. Of the total sample population 20.1% were defined as IDA. Multivariate analysis of the anemia model revealed a significantly higher risk for developing IDA in the second year of life for Bedouin toddlers (27%) compared to Jewish toddlers (7.4%; OR: 3.7; 95% CI: 2.482-5.468), and for male toddlers compared to female.
A cost-effective screening program to prevent and treat IDA and other anemias in a high-risk population is cost effective and easily executed. Physicians need to be aware of IDA in order to implement an effective screen.
With an overall prevalence of more than 1 in 5 infants suffering from IDA, and the very low probability of iron overload, our results clearly support the need to continue iron supplementation in the second year of life.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
We present high field DEER (double electron-electron resonance) distance measurements using Gd(3+) (S = 7/2) spin labels for probing peptides' conformations in solution. The motivation for using ...Gd(3+) spin labels as an alternative for the standard nitroxide spin labels is the sensitivity improvement they offer because of their very intense EPR signal at high magnetic fields. Gd(3+) was coordinated by dipicolinic acid derivative (4MMDPA) tags that were covalently attached to two cysteine thiol groups. Cysteines were introduced in positions 15 and 27 of the peptide melittin and then two types of spin labeled melittins were prepared, one labeled with two nitroxide spin labels and the other with two 4MMDPA-Gd(3+) labels. Both types were subjected to W-band (95 GHz, 3.5 T) DEER measurements. For the Gd(3+) labeled peptide we explored the effect of the solution molar ratio of Gd(3+) and the labeled peptide, the temperature, and the maximum dipolar evolution time T on the DEER modulation depth. We found that the optimization of the Gd(3+)/Tag ratio is crucial because excess Gd(3+) masked the DEER effect and too little Gd(3+) resulted in the formation of Gd(3+)-tag(2) complexes, generating peptide dimers. In addition, we observed that the DEER modulation depth is sensitive to spectral diffusion processes even at Gd(3+) concentrations as low as 0.2 mM and therefore experimental conditions should be chosen to minimize it as it decreases the DEER effect. Finally, the distance between the two Gd(3+) ions, 3.4 nm, was found to be longer by 1.2 nm than the distance between the two nitroxides. The origin and implications of this difference are discussed.
Vibrio vulnificus is a marine pathogen capable of causing severe soft tissue infections and septicemia in humans. V. vulnificus biotype 2 is the etiological agent of fish vibriosis. We describe here ...the first draft genome sequence of V. vulnificus biotype 2, strain ES-7601, isolated from an infected eel in Japan.
Bridging the gap between the specification of software requirements and actual execution of the behavior of the specified system has been the target of much research in recent years. We have created ...a natural language interface, which, for a useful class of systems, yields the automatic production of executable code from structured requirements. In this paper we describe how our method uses static and dynamic grammar for generating live sequence charts (LSCs), that constitute a powerful executable extension of sequence diagrams for reactive systems. We have implemented an automatic translation from controlled natural language requirements into LSCs, and we demonstrate it on two sample reactive systems.
Sanctions Law Richard, QC Gordon; Michael, CBE QC (Hon) Smyth; Cornell, Tom
2019, 2019/01/01, 2019-01-24
eBook
This book aims to create a user-friendly, accessible guide to the complex area of sanctions law. In particular, the book will examine how sanctions restrictions work in practice, and what the ...implications are for multinational businesses operating across numerous sanctions regimes. To this extent, the book considers the interrelationship between sanctions at the supranational and national levels, including the impact of the far-reaching US sanctions regime. The book’s aim is not to provide an exhaustive list of sanctions regulations, but rather a framework for engaging with the relevant legislation and the main issues arising therefrom. Reinforcing this practical and commercially-focused approach, each chapter is written in a format that enables easy reading and rapid assimilation. Where there are relevant materials, be they legislative or case-law, these are outlined at the start of each chapter. In addition, the chapters dealing with challenges to sanctions designations each include a section with key principles, providing the clearest possible treatment of the subject.
ATP-dependent binding of the chaperonin GroEL to its cofactor GroES forms a cavity in which encapsulated substrate proteins can fold in isolation from bulk solution. It has been suggested that ...folding in the cavity may differ from that in bulk solution owing to steric confinement, interactions with the cavity walls, and differences between the properties of cavity-confined and bulk water. However, experimental data regarding the cavity-confined water are lacking. Here, we report measurements of water density and diffusion dynamics in the vicinity of a spin label attached to a cysteine in the Tyr71 → Cys GroES mutant obtained using two magnetic resonance techniques: electron-spin echo envelope modulation and Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization. Residue 71 in GroES is fully exposed to bulk water in free GroES and to confined water within the cavity of the GroEL–GroES complex. Our data show that water density and translational dynamics in the vicinity of the label do not change upon complex formation, thus indicating that bulk water-exposed and cavity-confined GroES surface water share similar properties. Interestingly, the diffusion dynamics of water near the GroES surface are found to be unusually fast relative to other protein surfaces studied. The implications of these findings for chaperonin-assisted folding mechanisms are discussed.
Two genes encoding Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) DEAD-box RNA helicases were identified in a functional genomics screen as being down-regulated by multiple abiotic stresses. Mutations in either ...gene caused increased tolerance to salt, osmotic, and heat stresses, suggesting that the helicases suppress responses to abiotic stress. The genes were therefore designated STRESS RESPONSE SUPPRESSOR1 (STRS1; At1g31970) and STRS2 (At5g08620). In the strs mutants, salt, osmotic, and cold stresses induced enhanced expression of genes encoding the transcriptional activators DREB1A/CBF3 and DREB2A and a downstream DREB target gene, RD29A. Under heat stress, the strs mutants exhibited enhanced expression of the heat shock transcription factor genes, HSF4 and HSF7, and the downstream gene HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN101. Germination of mutant seed was hyposensitive to the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), but mutants showed up-regulated expression of genes encoding ABA-dependent stress-responsive transcriptional activators and their downstream targets. In wild-type plants, STRS1 and STRS2 expression was rapidly down-regulated by salt, osmotic, and heat stress, but not cold stress. STRS expression was also reduced by ABA, but salt stress led to reduced STRS expression in both wild-type and ABA-deficient mutant plants. Taken together, our results suggest that STRS1 and STRS2 attenuate the expression of stress-responsive transcriptional activators and function in ABA-dependent and ABA-independent abiotic stress signaling networks.
The forced swim test in rodents has been widely used to evaluate potential effectiveness of antidepressant medications since it was described in 1977 by Porsolt. In this test, a rodent is placed in a ...water container, and its immobility time is measured. The immobility time indicates the level of inactivity, interpreted as ‘hopelessness’, and has been shown to decrease when the rodent is treated with antidepressant medications. The simple measure of immobility time does not take into account intermediate behaviors during testing (ranging from total immobility to extensive ‘struggling’ behavior) and does not show normal Gaussian distribution in tested groups of rats.
We have previously developed a software allowing an observer to assign scores to the full range of intermediate behaviors by continuously reporting the motion of the limbs using a joystick. Based on the joystick score, we have now developed an automatic tool that uses computer vision algorithm (CVA) to analyze specifically the motion of the limbs and generate an objective, reproducible and automated score.
In the current study we have analyzed data obtained during the swim test using the traditional immobility time, the joystick analysis and the new CVA method to test the distribution of scores in a group of 20 rats. In addition, we tested the effects of various medications using these different scoring methods. The CVA method has been validated and positively correlated with the joystick score. Data obtained using the CVA method is objective, reproducible, and significantly reduces the time required for human analysis.
We present a new approach to obtain details on the distribution and average structure and locations of membrane-associated peptides. The approach combines (i) pulse double electron−electron resonance ...(DEER) to determine intramolecular distances between residues in spin labeled peptides, (ii) electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) experiments to measure water exposure and the direct interaction of spin labeled peptides with deuterium nuclei on the phospholipid molecules, and (iii) Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to derive the peptide−membrane populations, energetics, and average conformation of the native peptide and mutants mimicking the spin labeling. To demonstrate the approach, we investigated the membrane-bound and solution state of the well-known antimicrobial peptide melittin, used as a model system. A good agreement was obtained between the experimental results and the MC simulations regarding the distribution of distances between the labeled amino acids, the side chain mobility, and the peptide’s orientation. A good agreement in the extent of membrane penetration of amino acids in the peptide core was obtained as well, but the EPR data reported a somewhat deeper membrane penetration of the termini compared to the simulations. Overall, melittin adsorbed on the membrane surface, in a monomeric state, as an amphipatic helix with its hydrophobic residues in the hydrocarbon region of the membrane and its charged and polar residues in the lipid headgroup region.
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