Circadian preference and facial emotion recognition among rehabilitation inpatients.

Objective: Examined the role of circadian preference on facial emotion recognition among rehabilitation inpatients. Design: 47 patients with stroke and 24 patients with orthopedic diagnoses were screened for circadian preference and assessed at preferred and nonpreferred times of day on a computerized task of facial emotion recognition. Results: Disproportionate effects of time of day, relative to individual circadian preference, were found among persons with stroke-related cognitive impairment, compared with orthopedic patients, on facial emotion recognition. These differences were independent of differences in visual perception, subjective mood, or sleepiness. Conclusions: The circadian preference effect can be understood in terms of cognitive reserve. Among persons with acquired brain injury, the ability to access cognitive reserve appears to be affected by environmental variables (e.g., time of day), suggesting an additional component to existing models of reserve. Limited ability to recognize facial emotional expression in this population may present behavioral, occupational, and interpersonal challenges to community reintegration poststroke. Understanding this time-of-day effect adds to existing knowledge of factors affecting successful postacute outcomes in stroke rehabilitation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Invertebrate communities in Compensation Creek,a man‐made stream in boreal Newfoundland: The influence of large woody debris

Benthic invertebrate communities were examined in Compensation Creek, a man‐made stream in south‐central Newfoundland, Canada. Samples taken in September 2006 and September 2007 from large woody debris (LWD) were compared with samples from benthic environments to determine whether LWD supported a more diverse and abundant invertebrate community. Benthic habitats in a nearby natural stream were also sampled. Taxa composition was similar between the man‐made and the natural stream, highlighting successful colonization for the majority of taxa. Within Compensation Creek, taxa richness was higher in benthic habitats than on LWD, likely influenced by the successional age of the stream and surrounding habitat. The more complex benthic substrate provided refugia and allowed for the accumulation of fine detritus as a food source. Scrapers were almost completely absent from LWD and collector‐gatherer abundance was greater in the benthos. Collector‐filterer abundance was more than six times greater near the pond outflow than farther downstream when discharge was high, but abundances were almost equal when discharge was reduced. Riparian vegetation has not fully established around the man‐made stream, whereas it is overhanging and extensive at the natural stream, leading to more leaf‐litter input for shredders. As the morphology of Compensation Creek changes, the invertebrate community will continue to develop and likely increase utilization of accumulated detritus at LWD. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relative abundance,age structure,and body size in mudpuppy populations in southwestern Ontario

Little is known of mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) population structure and ecology; some populations in the Great Lakes are thought to be in decline. Mudpuppies are the obligate hosts for the mudpuppy mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua), a species that is endangered in Canada and in many Great Lakes states. We surveyed mudpuppies from the Sydenham River, the only known Canadian locality of the mudpuppy mussel, in order to generate information on relative density, deformity rates and population age/size structure and used this information to compare them to known mudpuppy populations from Great Lakes sites in the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and Long Point in Lake Erie. Deformity rates were elevated at some sites in the Sydenham River. The relative density of mudpuppies in the Sydenham River was lower than that of other Great Lakes sites and their age was skewed towards younger individuals. Although at lower densities than at other Great Lakes sites, the mudpuppy population in the Sydenham River appears stable and is showing signs of recruitment which bodes well for the future of the mudpuppy mussel population of the river.     

Bacterial dynamics during the spontaneous fermentation of cassava dough in gari production

The microbial dynamics and diversity during solid substrate fermentation of cassava, a case study of gari production in West Africa, was investigated. The 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis of the PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR–DGGE) analysis of microbial community DNA and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) of selected isolates as well as culturing techniques using different selective media were used to monitor the bacterial dynamics during cassava fermentation. The V3 variable region of the 16S gene was analyzed and the closest relatives of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei were identified by sequencing of the DGGE band amplimers. The DGGE amplimers also revealed the succession and dynamics of LAB; there was a progressive increase in their population proportional to the fermentation period. The analysis of the PFGE band patterns showed that five diverse species of LAB were involved in the fermentation. The representative isolate of each of the PFGE clusters was phenotypicaly identified as L. plantarum, L. fermentum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides by the API 50 CHL sugar fermentation profile. These combinations of parameters identified heterofermentative LAB as bacteria that initiated the fermentation, reduced the pH below four and increased the acidity of the fermentation mash. Information such as this is relevant for the development of starter cultures and predictability of the process for traditional fermented foods and to aid their intermediate and large scale production.     

The in Vitro Pfnetration of Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Drugs from Transparent Oil-Water Gels Through Excised Human Epidermis: A Comparative Study with Other Dermatological Vehicles

Within the scope OF evaluating transparent oil-water gels as dermatological vehicles, the percutaneous absorption of both a hydrophilic drug, tetracaine hydrochloride, and a lipophilic drug, benzyl nicotinate, is studied using excised human epidermis. From a comparison of the results with those of release experiments, it appears that in most cases the penetration of both drugs through the epidermis occurs at a much lower rate than their release from the vehicles. This indicates that the penetration process constitutes the rate limiting step.

For both drugs the penetration rate from the transparent oil-water gel through human epidermis is comparable to those from other commonly used vehicles. Due to the higher lipophilicity of benzyl nicotinate, however, its penetration occurs faster than for tetracaine hydrochloride. As to the influence OF drug concentration in the vehicle on penetration rate, the results do not provide a decisive answer.     

A fluid-dynamically based model of bubble column reactors

A heterogeneous fluid dynamic model has been developed to describe the complex flow structure of two-phase in bubble columns. The equation of continuity and momentum balances form the basis of the model. Coupling of the two phases occurs via an interaction force, deduced by a force balance around a single rising bubble. Multiphase flow mixing processes are taken into consideration by introducing turbulent viscosities of the two phases involved. The Simulation program was extended to reactive system, taking into account the mass balances of a second order gas-liquid chemical reaction as well as the different absorption/reaction regimes. The gas phase concentration profiles show pronounced axial and radial dependences, while the liquid phase can be regarded as a CSTR with respect to the liquid component. With reference to the gaseous component, which is being absorbed in the liquid phase, the degree of back mixing does not show CSTR behaviour as the influence of different absorption conditions in different axial and radial reactor positions is superposed on that of turbulent motion of the liquid carrier of the dissolved gaseous component.     

Detection of the starch modifying gbss-antisense construct in transgenic potatoes

Two potato varieties, Rustica and Desiree, were tested for a genetic modification consisting of a granule bound starch synthase (gbss) gene in antisense orientation combined with the endogenous B33 promoter and parts of the pBIN 19 plasmid vector including the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) gene as a marker. Various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were constructed for vector sequences, target inserts and the marker gene. At first no products with the predicted target-insert size were obtained. However, a long-template PCR combined with a nested PCR led to the expected amplification product in the Desiree variety. Results were confirmed by a restriction endonuclease digest, Southern blotting of fragments and by biochemical tests. The potato variety Rustica showed no target insert sequences on molecular analysis, nor did biochemical methods indicate modifications of the phenotype (i.e. reduced amounts of gbss protein and amylose). Only vector sequences and the marker gene were detected by the PCR method.