Studying aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) in the field requires accurate taxonomic identification, which can be difficult and time consuming. Conventionally, head capsule morphology has been ...used to identify wild larvae of Chironomidae. However, due to the number of species and possible damage and/or deformity of their head capsules, another supporting approach for identification is needed. Here, we provide hemoglobin (Hb) protein in hemolymph of chironomids as a new biomarker that may help resolve some of the ambiguities and difficulties encountered during taxonomic identification. Chironomids collected from two locations in Maine and New Jersey, USA were identified to the genus level and in some cases to the species-level using head capsule and body morphologies. The head capsule for a particular individual was then associated with a corresponding Hb protein profile generated from sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). Distinct Hb profiles were observed from one group (Thienemannimyia) and four genera (Chironomus, Cricotopus, Dicrotendipes, and Glyptotendipes) of chironomids. Several species were polymorphic, having more than one Hb profile and/or having bands of the same size as those of other species. However, major bands and the combination of bands could distinguish individuals at the genus and sometimes species-level. Overall, this study showed that Hb profiles can be used in combination with head capsule morphology to identify wild chironomids.
Learning tasks from observation and practice Bentivegna, Darrin C.; Atkeson, Christopher G.; Cheng, Gordon
Robotics and autonomous systems,
06/2004, Volume:
47, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
This paper presents a framework that gives robots the ability to initially learn a task behavior from observing others. The framework includes a method for the robots to increase performance while ...operating in the task environment. We demonstrate this approach applied to air hockey and the marble maze task. Our robots initially learn to perform the tasks using learning from observation, and then increase their performance through practice.
Basic choking education to improve parental knowledge Bentivegna, Kathryn C.; Borrup, Kevin T.; Clough, Meghan E. ...
International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology,
October 2018, 2018-Oct, 2018-10-00, 20181001, Volume:
113
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
To evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on parental knowledge of choking hazards and prevention.
A quasi experimental study was performed utilizing an internet based educational video ...intervention for parents with a child 6 months to 4 years old presenting to a Pediatric Otolaryngology clinic at a Level 1 pediatric hospital. Following the clinic visit, participants were sent a choking video (intervention) or general safety video (control) with a pretest and posttest knowledge survey (via email). An additional posttest knowledge survey was sent 30 days later as a surrogate measure for knowledge retained over time. Frequencies, chi square test, Independent t-test and McNemar's test were used for statistical analyses.
202 participants viewed the video and completed both the pretest and immediate posttest knowledge survey. Average change in total knowledge scores from the pretest to immediate posttest was statistically significant between the intervention (μ = 1.88, σ = 1.20) and control group (μ = 0.14, σ = 1.05); t (200) = −10.99, P < .001. This finding was consistent when assessing change from the pretest to 30 day posttest between the intervention (μ = 1.41, σ = 1.32) and control group (μ = 0.17, σ = 1.41); t (118) = −4.95, P < .001. A majority of the knowledge questions (5 of 7) showed a significant change in score from the pretest to immediate posttest (P = .001-.027). Additional analyses revealed accuracy on 4 of 7 knowledge questions significantly changed from the pretest to 30 day later posttest (P < .001- .002).
The brief educational video overall improved parental knowledge of choking hazards and prevention immediately after the video and 30 days later. Importantly, improved parental knowledge may decrease rates of choking among children.
Potential mechanisms of action for the toxicity of tributyltin (TBT) were studied in the freshwater fish embryos of medaka (
Oryzias latipes). Toxic concentrations of TBT have been found in estuaries ...and freshwater systems, presumably due to their use as biocides in boat, antifoulant paints and in industry for plastics production. Medaka embryos were exposed to a single concentration of TBT at developmental stages that corresponded to the formation of structures and/or organs which might be potential targets. Times of exposure included day 0, oviposition, day 3, completion of somite formation, and day 5, liver formation. Endpoints for evaluating toxicity were acute embryo lethality (96 h), rate of embryo development, hatching success, gross abnormalities, as well as hatchling eye diameter and number of somites. The clear chorion of medaka embryos allowed staging and in ova observations. Results showed that the acute toxicity of TBT was stage related. The 96 h LC
50 (LC
50: lowest concentration to cause 50% lethality in the test population) for embryos exposed on day 0 was 159 nM, which was lower than that for days 3 and 5, 360 and 340 nM, respectively. Subchronic endpoints showed that toxicity was concentration related and that embryos exposed on day 0 were more sensitive than those exposed on days 3 and 5. Lowest observable effect levels (LOELs) for hatching success were 36 nM for day 0 and 143 nM for days 3 and 5. LOELs for the combined effects of hatching success and gross abnormalities were 36 nM for day 0 and 71 nM for days 3 and 5. Developmental rate was slowed by TBT in a concentration-related manner; however, embryos treated with 36 and 71 nM were able to recover and hatch at the same time as controls. Types of gross abnormalities were similar regardless of day of exposure and consisted of tails bent at the tip, curled, and/or shortened. These abnormalities corresponded with statistically significant reductions in numbers of somites in all three age groups exposed to 71 nM (
P<0.05). Although day 0 embryos were the most sensitive, the similar abnormalities for all 3 days of exposure indicated that TBT's toxicity was not due to effects on an age-dependent target but one present throughout embryo development.
Background:
The most widely used treatments for ulcer healing and Helicobacter pylori eradication consist of a 1–2 week regimen of a proton pump inhibitor plus two or three antimicrobials.
Aims:
To ...evaluate the efficacy, safety, cost, and tolerance of a three‐day regimen with three antibiotics vs. a 10‐day treatment with a proton pump inhibitor or vs. a ranitidine bismuth citrate triple therapy.
Methods:
Two hundred and twenty‐one patients with endoscopically‐proven H. pylori‐positive duodenal ulcers were recruited to the study. Recruited patients were assigned to one of the following four regimens: (I) omeprazole 40 mg o.m. plus amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. for 10 days (OAC: 55 patients); (ii) omeprazole 40 mg o.m. on days 1–5, plus amoxycillin 1 g b.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. and metronidazole 500 mg b.d. on days 3–5 (OACM: 56 patients); (iii) ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. plus amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. for 10 days (RAC: 54 patients); (iv) ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. on days 1–5, plus amoxycillin 1 g b.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. and metronidazole 500 mg b.d. on days 3–5 (RACM: 56 patients). Fisher’s exact test was used to compare data regarding healing and eradication in the four groups.
Results:
The intention‐to‐treat eradication and ulcer healing rates for the RACM regimen were 95% and 98%, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed, relating to the eradication and healing of ulcers, between RACM and either the RAC or OAC regimens.
Conclusion:
The three‐day antibiotic therapy with amoxycillin, clarithromycin and metronidazole in addition to ranitidine bismuth citrate is a very effective anti‐H. pylori regimen.
Saccharides were evaluated as biomarkers for cadmium (Cd) and starvation using fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate-electrophoresis (FACE) in 4th instar
Chironomus riparius. FACE allowed different types ...of saccharides in whole larval homogenate to be analyzed simultaneously and in parallel with other larval samples. Larval homogenates showed seven principle bands labeled A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Previous work found that the migration patterns of bands A, C, D and F matched those of ribose, glucose, galactose and fructose, respectively. Four of the bands, B, C, E and G were generated from glucose-based mono, oligo, and polysaccharides. Band B was primarily derived from glucose and band E from glycogen. Experiments (0–72 h) with starved larvae showed a time dependent reduction in bands B and E that was statistically significant at 72 h. Experiments with Cd (0.01–1000 μM) showed a concentration and time dependent reduction in band E with a LOEL of 1 μM and NOEL of 0.01 μM at 48 h. The LOEL was 0.014% of the 48 h LC50. Significant reduction of band E only occurred in fed larvae indicating that food was an important route of exposure. Reductions in saccharides were independent of larval weight loss at 48 h. This suggested that major changes in saccharides were not due to weight loss but metabolic stress in the presence of Cd.
Background: An external straightener for colonoscopy which enables proper compression of the abdomen during the entire examination has been developed.
Methods: Beginning January 1, 1997, patients ...undergoing outpatient colonoscopy were subjected to either manual abdominal compression or compression with an external straightener. Two hundred patients were divided into two groups of 100 patients each: group A (colonoscopy using traditional methods; 38 men, 62 women, mean age 59.6 years, range 18 to 80) and group B (colonoscopy with the help of the external straightener; 40 men, 60 women, mean age 59.8 years, range 16 to 75). Fifteen minutes after the examination, each patient completed a form that assessed the degree of pain during the procedure (no pain, mild, moderate, severe).
Results: The ileocecal valve was reached in 89 cases in group A and 94 cases in group B. The average time required to reach the valve was 9.34 ± 4 minutes (range 4 to 25) in group A and 6.97 ± 3.37 minutes (range 2 to 21) in group B (
p < 0.001). With regard to the degree of pain, the results for groups A and B were, respectively: no pain = 25% and 40%, mild = 29% and 34%, moderate = 30% and 20%, severe = 16% and 6% (
p < 0.001).
Conclusions: The external straightener reduced examination time and decreased the degree of patient pain compared with traditional methods.
A growing body of evidence suggests that a variety of upper respiratory symptoms (URS) are associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux (GORD). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ...endoscopic erosive, and non-erosive, oesophagitis among patients complaining of persistent URS, in the absence of typical GORD symptoms, and to compare them with a comparison group of similar age. A group of 110 patients aged 18-75, presenting with persistent URS with no suspicion of GORD symptoms, underwent upper flexible endoscopy, with biopsy sampling for histology, and was compared with a group of 117 patients of similar age undergoing endoscopy for reasons other than GORD. Patients affected with upper airway disorders, such as posterior laryngitis, chronic sinusitis and vocal fold nodules, had a significantly higher prevalence of oesophagitis of varying degrees (31 per cent) compared to the comparison population (15.4 per cent) (p < 0.01). These data suggest that in many patients with chronic URS occult gastro-oesophageal diseases are present.
Fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate-electrophoresis (FACE) was developed as a bioassay for environmental stressors in larval
Chironomus riparius. This quantitative technique involved acid hydrolysis ...and 2-aminoacridone labeling of monosaccharides followed by carbohydrate gel electrophoresis. Methods for carbohydrate isolation from whole tissue homogenates as well as migration distances for 23 different monosaccharides and 4 disaccharides were established. Sensitivity of the technique (5 μg/ml saccharide) exceeded those of other detection methods. Results showed seven distinct bands in larvae. Four migrated distances similar to those of ribose, glucose, galactose, and fructose. Three proved to be alternative reaction products (ARP). Experiments determined that two of the ARPs were primarily from glucose and one was from glycogen. FACE allowed different saccharides from multiple larval samples to be analyzed in parallel. Effects of toxicants and diet on bioenergetics could be studied using this technique.
Aim:
To compare the efficacy and safety of triple therapy with omeprazole plus amoxycillin and clarithromycin vs. ranitidine bismuth citrate plus amoxycillin and clarithromycin in the treatment of ...Helicobacter pylori‐associated duodenal ulcers.
Methods:
Eighty‐one patients with duodenal ulcers were randomized to the following treatments: 39 cases with amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. for 1 week plus omeprazole 20 mg b.d. for 2 weeks (omeprazole + amoxycillin + clarithromycin (OAC)), and 42 cases to the same regimen of amoxycillin and clarithromycin for 7 days plus ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. for 2 weeks (ranitidine bismuth citrate + amoxycillin + clarithromycin (RbAC)). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed together with a rapid urease test and histological examination of antral and corpus biopsy samples prior to treatment and 4 weeks after the end of therapy.
Results:
Thirty‐four patients in the OAC group and 38 in the RbAC group completed the treatment and 4‐week follow‐up. H. pylori was eradicated in 30 of 34 patients (88%) in the OAC group and in 32 of 38 patients (84%) in the RbAC group according to a per‐protocol analysis (P = N.S.). Thirty‐three (97%) patients treated with OAC and 36 (95%) treated with RbAC presented healed duodenal ulcers at 4 weeks (P = N.S.). On an intention‐to‐treat basis there was no difference in H. pylori eradication between the OAC (77%) and RbAC groups (76%); duodenal ulcer healing was achieved in 85 and 86% of patients in the OAC and RbAC groups, re‐ spectively (P = N.S.).
Conclusion:
The OAC and RbAC triple therapy regimens proved equally effective in both H. pylori eradication and in duodenal ulcer healing.
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