Effect of Simulated Mass-Tunable Auxetic Midsole on Vertical Ground Reaction Force.

When runners impact the ground, they experience a sudden peak ground reaction force (GRF), which may be up to 4× greater than their bodyweight. Increased GRF impact peak magnitude has been associated with lower limb injuries in runners. Yet, shoe midsoles are capable of cushioning the impact between the runner and the ground to reduce GRF. It has been proposed that midsoles should be tunable with subject mass to minimize GRF and reduce risk of injury. Auxetic metamaterials, structures designed to achieve negative Poisson's ratios, demonstrate superior impact properties and are highly tunable. Recently, auxetic structures have been introduced in footwear, but their effects on GRF are not documented in literature. This work investigates the viability of a three-dimensional auxetic impact structure with a tunable force plateau as a midsole through mass-spring-damper simulation. An mass-spring-damper model was used to perform 315 simulations considering combinations of seven subject masses (45-90 kg), 15 auxetic plateau forces (72-1080 N), and three auxetic damping conditions (450, 725, and 1000 Ns/m) and regression analysis was used to determine their influence on GRF impact peak, energy, instantaneous, and average loading rate. Simulations showed that tuning auxetic plateau force and damping based on subject mass may reduce GRF impact and loading rate versus simulated conventional midsoles. Auxetic plateau force and damping conditions of 450 Ns/m and ∼1 bodyweight (BW), respectively, minimized peak impact GRF. This work demonstrates the need for tunable auxetic midsoles and may inform future work involving midsole testing.

Roll maneuvers are essential for active reorientation of Caenorhabditis elegans in 3D media.

Locomotion of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a key observable used in investigations ranging from behavior to neuroscience to aging. However, while the natural environment of this model organism is 3D, quantitative investigations of its locomotion have been mostly limited to 2D motion. Here, we present a quantitative analysis of how the nematode reorients itself in 3D media. We identify a unique behavioral state of C. elegans-a roll maneuver-which is an essential component of 3D locomotion in burrowing and swimming. The rolls, associated with nonzero torsion of the nematode body, result in rotation of the plane of dorsoventral body undulations about the symmetry axis of the trajectory. When combined with planar turns in a new undulation plane, the rolls allow the nematode to reorient its body in any direction, thus enabling complete exploration of 3D space. The rolls observed in swimming are much faster than the ones in burrowing; we show that this difference stems from a purely hydrodynamic enhancement mechanism and not from a gait change or an increase in the body torsion. This result demonstrates that hydrodynamic viscous forces can enhance 3D reorientation in undulatory locomotion, in contrast to known hydrodynamic hindrance of both forward motion and planar turns.

An Audio Personal Health Library of Clinic Visit Recordings for Patients and Their Caregivers (HealthPAL): User-Centered Design Approach.

BACKGROUND: Providing digital recordings of clinic visits to patients has emerged as a strategy to promote patient and family engagement in care. With advances in natural language processing, an opportunity exists to maximize the value of visit recordings for patients by automatically tagging key visit information (eg, medications, tests, and imaging) and linkages to trustworthy web-based resources curated in an audio-based personal health library. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to report on the user-centered development of HealthPAL, an audio personal health library. METHODS: Our user-centered design and usability evaluation approach incorporated iterative rounds of video-recorded sessions from 2016 to 2019. We recruited participants from a range of community settings to represent older patient and caregiver perspectives. In the first round, we used paper prototypes and focused on feature envisionment. We moved to low-fidelity and high-fidelity versions of the HealthPAL in later rounds, which focused on functionality and use; all sessions included a debriefing interview. Participants listened to a deidentified, standardized primary care visit recording before completing a series of tasks (eg, finding where a medication was discussed in the recording). In the final round, we recorded the patients' primary care clinic visits for use in the session. Findings from each round informed the agile software development process. Task completion and critical incidents were recorded in each round, and the System Usability Scale was completed by participants using the digital prototype in later rounds. RESULTS: We completed 5 rounds of usability sessions with 40 participants, of whom 25 (63%) were women with a median age of 68 years (range 23-89). Feedback from sessions resulted in color-coding and highlighting of information tags, a more prominent play button, clearer structure to move between one's own recordings and others' recordings, the ability to filter recording content by the topic discussed and descriptions, 10-second forward and rewind controls, and a help link and search bar. Perceived usability increased over the rounds, with a median System Usability Scale of 78.2 (range 20-100) in the final round. Participants were overwhelmingly positive about the concept of accessing a curated audio recording of a clinic visit. Some participants reported concerns about privacy and the computer-based skills necessary to access recordings. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, HealthPAL is the first patient-centered app designed to allow patients and their caregivers to access easy-to-navigate recordings of clinic visits, with key concepts tagged and hyperlinks to further information provided. The HealthPAL user interface has been rigorously co-designed with older adult patients and their caregivers and is now ready for further field testing. The successful development and use of HealthPAL may help improve the ability of patients to manage their own care, especially older adult patients who have to navigate complex treatment plans.

Thiocyanate in excess develops goiter followed by auto immune thyroid diseases even after effective salt iodization in a rural community of north east India.

PURPOSE: Salt iodization in Manipur of north-east India failed to prevent endemic goiter, therefore an in depth study carried out to evaluate thyroid functions of goitrous subjects in a randomly selected region. METHODS: Goiter survey conducted in children and women of reproductive ages by palpation followed by measurement of urinary iodine, thiocyanate and house-hold salt iodine to evaluate iodine nutritional status and consumption pattern of bamboo-shoots (BS). In all grade-2 goitrous subjects, free thyroxine, triiodothyronine, TSH, TPO and Tg antibodies, thyroid volume and echogenecity by ultrasonography and cytomorphology of thyroid by FNAC studied. RESULTS: Study population was 2486 children and 1506 women, goiter prevalence was 12.59% and 16.27% respectively; median urinary iodine and mean thiocyanate were 166 µg/l and 0.729 ± 0.408 mg/dl while salt iodine was ≥30 ppm. Serum thyroid hormones and TSH profiles of all grade-2 goitrous subjects showed 16.21% were subclinically hypothyroid, 2.16% overt hypothyroid, 4.86% subclinically hyperthyroid and 6.48% overt hyperthyroid, serum TPO- and Tg-antibodies found positive in 41.62%. Ultrasonographic results showed 24% had enlarged thyroid and 86.4% hypoechoic. Cytomorphological studies showed prevalence of colloid goiter (41.08%), lymphocytic thyroiditis (37.83%), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (8.10%), autoimmune thyroiditis (4.32%), sub-acute thyroiditis (2.16%) and 1.62% each papillary, medullary carcinoma, simple diffused hyperplasia and adenomoid nodular goiter. CONCLUSIONS: Grade-2 goitrous individuals in this mild goiter endemic region were affected by hypo- and hyperthyroidism with hypoechoic thyroid and thyroiditis. Thiocyanate that originates from BS even in presence of adequate iodine developed goiter and led goitrous population towards such diseases.

Statistical Design of Biocarbon Reinforced Sustainable Composites from Blends of Polyphthalamide (PPA) and Polyamide 4,10 (PA410).

A full factorial design with four factors (the ratio of polyphthalamide (PPA) and polyamide 4,10 (PA410) in the polymer matrix, content percent of biocarbon (BioC), the temperature at which it was pyrolyzed and the presence of a chain extender (CE)), each factor with two levels (high and low), was carried out to optimize the mechanical properties of the resulting composites. After applying a linear model, changes in tensile strength, elongation at break and impact energy were not statistically significant within the considered material space, while the ones in the flexural modulus, the tensile modulus, density and heat deflection temperature (HDT) were. The two most influential factors were the content of BioC and its pyrolysis temperature, followed by the content of PPA. The affinity of PPA with a high-temperature biocarbon and the affinity of PA410 with a lower-temperature biocarbon, appear to explain the mechanical properties of the resulting composites. The study also revealed that the addition of CE hindered the mechanical properties. By maximizing the flexural modulus, tensile modulus and HDT, while minimizing the density, the optimal composite predicted is an 80 [PPA:PA410 (25:75)] wt% polymer composite, with 20 wt% of a BioC, pyrolyzed at a calculated 823 °C.

Underutilized Agricultural Co-Product as a Sustainable Biofiller for Polyamide 6,6: Effect of Carbonization Temperature.

Polyamide 6,6 (PA66)-based biocomposites with low-cost carbonaceous natural fibers (i.e., soy hulls, co-product from soybean industry) were prepared through twin-screw extrusion and injection molding. The soy hull natural fiber was pyrolyzed at two different temperatures (500 °C and 900 °C denoted as BioC500 and BioC900 respectively) to obtain different types of biocarbons. The BioC500 preserved a higher number of functional groups as compared to BioC900. Higher graphitic carbon content was observed on the BioC900 than BioC500 as evident in Raman spectroscopy. Both biocarbons interact with the PA66 backbone through hydrogen bonding in different ways. BioC900 has a greater interaction with N-H stretching, while BioC500 interacts strongly with the amide I (C=O stretching) linkage. The BioC500 interrupts the crystallite growth of PA66 due to strong bond connection while the BioC900 promotes heterogeneous crystallization. Dynamic mechanical analysis shows that both biocarbons result in an increasing storage modulus and glass transition temperature with increasing content in the BioC/PA66 biocomposites over PA66. Rheological analysis shows that the incorporation of BioC900 results in decreasing melt viscosity of PA66, while the incorporation of BioC500 results in increasing the melt viscosity of PA66 due to greater filler-matrix adhesion. This study shows that pyrolyzed soy hull natural fiber can be processed effectively with a high temperature (>270 °C) engineering plastic for biocomposites fabrication with no degradation issues.

Cross-Linkable Liquid-Crystalline Biopolyesteramide as a Multifunctional Polymeric Platform Designed from Corn Oil Side-Stream Product of Bioethanol Industry.

A tunable biopolyesteramide platform is designed from the corn oil (CnO) side-stream product of bioethanol industry. The (trans)amidation of CnO by diethanolamine (DEA) leads to the generation of a diol monomer (MCnO). The subsequent polymerization of MCnO with maleic anhydride (MA) generated a new kind of branched and brushed amphiphilic polymer (PCnO). This explorative investigation aims to understand the relationship between the reactivity, topology, self-organization, and photoluminescence properties of PCnO and its cross-linked homologous (CPCnO). This strategy offers an easy, inexpensive, and versatile way to design sustainable and soft smart materials.

Assessment of Iodine Nutritional Status of School-Age Children in Kolkata District of West Bengal State in Post-Iodation Scenario.

To evaluate the state of iodine nutrition in post-iodation scenario, 3500 children were examined clinically for endemic goitre. Iodine and thiocyanate were measured in 240 urine samples; iodine content in 210 salt samples was measured. Total goitre prevalence was 6.1%. Median urinary iodine level was 21.80 µg/dl, and mean (±SD) urinary thiocyanate was 0.89 ± 0.49 mg/dl. Iodine content of only 11.9% salt samples was below recommended level of 15 ppm, 25.2% was between 15 and 30 ppm and 62.9% was >30 ppm. Iodine deficiency disorders are thus clinically mild public health problem of the studied population; however, they have no biochemical iodine deficiency. Studied population found exposed to thiocyanate load that might be the possible cause for persistence of endemic goitre. People of Kolkata should be advised to eat commonly consumed goitrogenic foods after boiling and decanting the water. Periodical monitoring and evaluation of iodine status should be mandatory.

Excess iodine-induced lymphocytic impairment in adult rats.

Altered lymphocytic activity and its subset ratio found responsible for initiating abnormal autoimmune responses in men and animals after excess iodine exposure. Study objective is to reveal excess iodine-induced impairment of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), its functional status, antioxidant balance, DNA damage, proliferation assay, and serum cytokine levels (IL6 and TNF α)in adult male rats to understand the onset of autoimmune alterations if any indirectly that is unexplored. Experimental animals were grouped depending on doses of iodine(KI) treatment with moderately excess-7 mg/kg bw (100EI) and excessively excess-35 mg/kg bw (500EI)for 30 days to analyze IL6 and TNF α, hematological indices, oxidative stress, lymphocytic DNA damage, and proliferation status. Significant impairment in superoxide dismutase, catalase, GPx activities including elevated NO, LPO in lymphocytes of treated group, with increased IL6 and TNF α level, lymphocyte proliferation and DNA damage depending on doses of iodine. Therefore, excess iodine consumption leads to lymphocytic impairment that may be the potential cause of autoimmune thyroid diseases in long run. Highlights Excess iodine triggers the oxidative stress in lymphocytes. Excess iodine promotes the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Excess iodine causes impairment of functional status of lymphocytes leading to immune-cytotoxicity. Excess iodine exacerbates the autoimmunity.

Influence of iodine in excess on seminiferous tubular structure and epididymal sperm character in male rats.

Excess iodine induced public health problems are now emerging in many iodine sufficient regions for indiscriminate intake of iodine through various iodized products. It has been reported that excess iodine can disrupt overall male reproductive physiology by generating oxidative stress in the testis. However, information on the possible effect of iodine in excess on spermatozoa found less. In the present investigation flow cytometric techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used to study the spermatozoal functional as well as structural status under the influence of excess iodine; generation of ROS in the spermatozoa as evident by DCFDA, altered acrosomal integrity as observed by fluorescence lectin staining method and depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm ) noticed by JC-1 staining. Ultrastructure of seminiferous tubule after excess iodine exposure indicated severe deterioration of seminiferous tubular surface architecture. Significant increase in spermatozoal DNA fragmentation and apoptotic sperms were found by acridine orange and Annexin V, respectively, however the plasma membrane integrity/viability was decreased as evident by propidium iodide staining in various incremental doses and durations under iodine excess. The study reveals that excess iodine could cause apoptosis of spermatozoal cells by inducing ROS that ultimately affects male fertility potential.

Prevalence, burden, and risk factors of migraine: A community-based study from Eastern India.

BACKGROUND: Headache is common in communities; however, epidemiological research regarding its prevalence is infrequent in India. AIM: We planned to study the prevalence of migraine, its disease burden, and the associated risk factors. SETTING AND DESIGN: This is an urban community study conducted in Kolkata with a cross-sectional and nested case-control design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The criteria to study headache among a representative sample (aged 20-50 years) was based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders-II. Sex- and age-matched controls without headache were evaluated for putative risk factors. The disease burden was measured as disability adjusted life years (DALY). RESULTS: Screening of 2421 individuals revealed that the 1-year prevalence of migraine was 14.12%. Education, environmental exposure, travel, and oral contraceptives determine approximately 75% of the underlying risks. DALY showed maximum burden among women in the age range of between 30 and 34 years. CONCLUSION: The community-based prevalence of migraine in India is similar to that observed in other countries except Africa. The burden was maximum among women. The risk factors responsible for migraine should be addressed and institution of public health measures are warranted.

Fluorescent bovine serum albumin interacting with the antitussive quencher dextromethorphan: a spectroscopic insight.

The interaction of dextromethorphan hydrobromide (DXM) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) is studied by using fluorescence spectra, UV-vis absorption, synchronous fluorescence spectra (SFS), 3D fluorescence spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and circular dichroism under simulated physiological conditions. DXM effectively quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA. Values of the binding constant, K(A), are 7.159 × 10(3), 9.398 × 10(3) and 16.101 × 10(3) L/mol; the number of binding sites, n, and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° between DXM and BSA were calculated at different temperatures. The interaction between DXM and BSA occurs through dynamic quenching and the effect of DXM on the conformation of BSA was analyzed using SFS. The average binding distance, r, between the donor (BSA) and acceptor (DXM) was determined based on Förster's theory. The results of fluorescence spectra, UV-vis absorption spectra and SFS show that the secondary structure of the protein has been changed in the presence of DXM.

Chromosomal copy number alterations for associations of ductal carcinoma in situ with invasive breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Screening mammography has contributed to a significant increase in the diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), raising concerns about overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Building on prior observations from lineage evolution analysis, we examined whether measuring genomic features of DCIS would predict association with invasive breast carcinoma (IBC). The long-term goal is to enhance standard clinicopathologic measures of low- versus high-risk DCIS and to enable risk-appropriate treatment. METHODS: We studied three common chromosomal copy number alterations (CNA) in IBC and designed fluorescence in situ hybridization-based assay to measure copy number at these loci in DCIS samples. Clinicopathologic data were extracted from the electronic medical records of Stanford Cancer Institute and linked to demographic data from the population-based California Cancer Registry; results were integrated with data from tissue microarrays of specimens containing DCIS that did not develop IBC versus DCIS with concurrent IBC. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to describe associations of CNAs with these two groups of DCIS. RESULTS: We examined 271 patients with DCIS (120 that did not develop IBC and 151 with concurrent IBC) for the presence of 1q, 8q24 and 11q13 copy number gains. Compared to DCIS-only patients, patients with concurrent IBC had higher frequencies of CNAs in their DCIS samples. On multivariable analysis with conventional clinicopathologic features, the copy number gains were significantly associated with concurrent IBC. The state of two of the three copy number gains in DCIS was associated with a risk of IBC that was 9.07 times that of no copy number gains, and the presence of gains at all three genomic loci in DCIS was associated with a more than 17-fold risk (P = 0.0013). CONCLUSIONS: CNAs have the potential to improve the identification of high-risk DCIS, defined by presence of concurrent IBC. Expanding and validating this approach in both additional cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts may enable improved risk stratification and risk-appropriate treatment in DCIS.

Synergic actions of polyphenols and cyanogens of peanut seed coat (Arachis hypogaea) on cytological, biochemical and functional changes in thyroid.

In animals, long-term feeding with peanut (Arachis hypogaea) seed coats causes hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the thyroid gland. However, to date there have been no detailed studies. Here, we explored the thyroidal effects of dietary peanut seed coats (PSC) in rats. The PSC has high levels of pro-goitrogenic substances including phenolic and other cyanogenic constituents. The PSC was mixed with a standard diet and fed to rats for 30 and 60 days, respectively. Animals fed with the PSC-supplemented diet showed a significant increase in urinary excretion of thiocyanate and iodine, thyroid enlargement, and hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of thyroid follicles. In addition, there was inhibition of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) activity, 5'-deiodinase-I (DIO1) activity, and (Na+-K+)-ATPase activity in the experimental groups of rats as compared to controls. Furthermore, the PSC fed animals exhibited decreased serum circulating total T4 and T3 levels, severe in the group treated for longer duration. These data indicate that PSC could be a novel disruptor of thyroid function, due to synergistic actions of phenolic as well as cyanogenic constituents.

Breast cancer treatment across health care systems: linking electronic medical records and state registry data to enable outcomes research.

BACKGROUND: Understanding of cancer outcomes is limited by data fragmentation. In the current study, the authors analyzed the information yielded by integrating breast cancer data from 3 sources: electronic medical records (EMRs) from 2 health care systems and the state registry. METHODS: Diagnostic test and treatment data were extracted from the EMRs of all patients with breast cancer treated between 2000 and 2010 in 2 independent California institutions: a community-based practice (Palo Alto Medical Foundation; "Community") and an academic medical center (Stanford University; "University"). The authors incorporated records from the population-based California Cancer Registry and then linked EMR-California Cancer Registry data sets of Community and University patients. RESULTS: The authors initially identified 8210 University patients and 5770 Community patients; linked data sets revealed a 16% patient overlap, yielding 12,109 unique patients. The percentage of all Community patients, but not University patients, treated at both institutions increased with worsening cancer prognostic factors. Before linking the data sets, Community patients appeared to receive less intervention than University patients (mastectomy: 37.6% vs 43.2%; chemotherapy: 35% vs 41.7%; magnetic resonance imaging: 10% vs 29.3%; and genetic testing: 2.5% vs 9.2%). Linked Community and University data sets revealed that patients treated at both institutions received substantially more interventions (mastectomy: 55.8%; chemotherapy: 47.2%; magnetic resonance imaging: 38.9%; and genetic testing: 10.9% [P < .001 for each 3-way institutional comparison]). CONCLUSIONS: Data linkage identified 16% of patients who were treated in 2 health care systems and who, despite comparable prognostic factors, received far more intensive treatment than others. By integrating complementary data from EMRs and population-based registries, a more comprehensive understanding of breast cancer care and factors that drive treatment use was obtained.

Triple-layered mixed co-culture model of RPE cells with neuroretina for evaluating the neuroprotective effects of adipose-MSCs.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is promising for neuroprotection but there is no report of an appropriate in vitro model mimicking the situation of the in vivo retina that is able to test the effect of MSCs in suspension or encapsulated with/without a drug combination. This study aims to establish a viable mixed co-culture model having three layers: neuroretina explants (NRs), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AT-MSCs) for evaluating adipose-MSC effects. AT-MSCs were grown on the lower surface of a transwell membrane and RPE cells were grown on the bottom of a culture plate as monocultures. A transwell membrane was inserted into a culture plate well. NR was placed as an organotypic culture on the upper surface of the transwell membrane. Thus, a triple-layered co-culture setup was constructed. In double-layered setups, NR were co-cultured with AT-MSCs or RPE cells. Optimum medium, experiment execution period and transwell membrane permeability (TMP) were determined. MSC effects on RPE cell proliferation and NR reactive gliosis were evaluated. Limitations were discussed. Our study shows that neurobasal A with DMEM (1:1) mixed medium was suitable for viability of all three layers. AT-MSC growth decreased TMP significantly, 30-60 % in 3- to 6-day periods. Spontaneous NR reactive gliosis limits the experiment execution period to 6 days. AT-MSCs maintained their undifferentiated nature and showed no or limited neuroprotective effects. In this study, we successfully assembled viable double- and triple-layered co-culture setups for AT-MSCs, RPE and NR, optimised conditions for their survival and explored setup Limitations.

Effects of magnesium on cytomorphology and enzyme activities in thyroid of rats.

Till date knowledge regarding the effects of high dietary magnesium on thyroid gland is incomprehensive though certain epidemiological studies reported development of thyroid gland dysfunctions in people with chronic exposure to hard water (especially with high magnesium) despite sufficient iodine consumption. The present study is to explore the effects of chronic high dietary magnesium exposure on thyroid morphology and functional status. Male adult albino Wistar strain rats were treated with graded doses of magnesium sulphate (MgSO4; 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g %) for 60 days and changes in different thyroid parameters were investigated. Significantly stimulated thyroid peroxidase and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and altered idothyronine 5'-deiodinase type I activities, enhanced serum thyroxine (T4) (both total and free), total triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone with decreased free T3 levels and T3/T4 ratio (T3:T4) along with enlargement of thyroid with associated histopathological changes were observed in the treated groups. The results clearly confirm that chronic high dietary magnesium exposure causes potential thyroid disruption as reported in earlier epidemiological studies.

Improving the Barrier and Mechanical Properties of Paper Used for Packing Applications with Renewable Hydrophobic Coatings Derived from Camelina Oil.

This study looked at using modified camelina oil to develop sustainable coatings that could replace those derived from petroleum-based materials for use in packaging and other industrial sectors. Solvent-free synthesis of maleic anhydride grafted camelina oil (MCO) was carried out at two different temperatures (200 and 230 °C) to obtain sustainable hydrophobic coating materials for paper substrates. Maleic anhydride grafting of camelina oil was confirmed with attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectroscopic techniques, and up to 16% grafting of maleic anhydride was achieved, as determined by the titration method. MCO, obtained at different reaction temperatures, was coated onto cellulosic paper and evaluated for its hydrophobicity, mechanical, oxygen, and water vapor barrier properties. Scanning electron microscopy indicated the homogeneous dispersion of coating material onto the paper substrate. MCO-coated papers (MCO-200C paper and MCO-230C paper) provided a water contact angle of above 90° which indicates that the modified oil was working as a hydrophobic coating. Water vapor permeability (WVP) testing of coated papers revealed a reduction in WVP of up to 94% in comparison to the uncoated paper. Moreover, an improved oxygen barrier property was also observed for paper coated with both types of MCO. Analysis of the mechanical properties showed a greater than 70% retention of tensile strength and up to a five-fold increase in elongation at break of coated versus uncoated papers. Overall, the results show that camelina oil, a renewable resource, can be modified to produce environmentally friendly hydrophobic coating materials with improved mechanical and water vapor barrier properties that can serve as a potential coating material in the packaging industry. The results of this research could find applications in the huge paper packaging industries, specially in food packaging.

Normal midbrain dopaminergic neuron development and function in miR-133b mutant mice.

Midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons control movement and emotion, and their degeneration leads to motor and cognitive defects in Parkinson's disease (PD). miR-133b is a conserved microRNA that is thought to regulate mDA neuron differentiation by targeting Pitx3, a transcription factor required for appropriate development of mDA substantia nigra neurons. Moreover, miR-133b has been found to be depleted in the midbrain of PD patients. However, the function of miR-133b in the intact midbrain has not been determined. Here we show that miR-133b null mice have normal numbers of mDA neurons during development and aging. Dopamine levels are unchanged in the striatum, while expression of dopaminergic genes, including Pitx3, is also unaffected. Finally, motor coordination and both spontaneous and psychostimulant-induced locomotion are unaltered in miR-133b null mice, suggesting that miR-133b does not play a significant role in mDA neuron development and maintenance in vivo.

Inflammatory effects of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus infection in the CNS of mice.

The A/VN/1203/04 strain of the H5N1 influenza virus is capable of infecting the CNS of mice and inducing a number of neurodegenerative pathologies. Here, we examined the effects of H5N1 on several pathological aspects affected in parkinsonism, including loss of the phenotype of dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), expression of monoamines and indolamines in brain, alterations in SNpc microglia number and morphology, and expression of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. We find that H5N1 induces a transient loss of the dopaminergic phenotype in SNpc and now report that this loss recovers by 90 d after infection. A similar pattern of loss and recovery was seen in monoamine levels of the basal ganglia. The inflammatory response in lung and different regions of the brain known to be targets of the H5N1 virus (brainstem, substantia nigra, striatum, and cortex) were examined at 3, 10, 21, 60, and 90 d after infection. In each of these brain regions, we found a significant increase in the number of activated microglia that lasted at least 90 d. We also quantified expression of IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-13, TNF-α, IFN-γ, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, eotaxin, interferon-inducible protein 10, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) 1α, MIP-1ß, and VEGF, and found that the pattern and levels of expression are dependent on both brain region and time after infection. We conclude that H5N1 infection in mice induces a long-lasting inflammatory response in brain and may play a contributing factor in the development of pathologies in neurodegenerative disorders.