Rationally and empirically derived dimensions of children's symptomatology: Expert ratings and confirmatory factor analyses of the CBCL.

Expert ratings and confirmatory factor analyses were used to develop an alternative system for scoring the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; T. M. Achenbach, 1991) to measure specific dimensions corresponding to current conceptualizations of child symptomatology. Data were from a nonclinic and 2 independent clinic samples. Subscales measuring Anxiety, Attention Problems/Hyperactivity, Conduct Problems, Depression, Oppositional Defiant, Social Problems/Immaturity, and Somatization were created. Logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and discrimination of the new and original approaches to scoring the CBCL. Some of the new subscales demonstrated better sensitivity, positive predictive power, and discriminant validity than the original CBCL subscales; however, subscales from both approaches demonstrated low sensitivity. Results support the use of the new subscales for specific research purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Both Specific Endothelial and Proximal Tubular Adam17 Deletion Protect against Diabetic Nephropathy

ADAM17 is a disintegrin and metalloproteinase capable of cleaving the ectodomains of a diverse variety of molecules including TNF-α, TGF-α, L-selectin, and ACE2. We have previously demonstrated that renal ADAM17 is upregulated in diabetic mice. The role of endothelial (eAdam17) and proximal tubular (tAdam17) Adam17 deletion in renal histology, modulation of the renin angiotensin system (RAS), renal inflammation, and fibrosis was studied in a mouse model of type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Moreover, the effect of Adam17 deletion in an in vitro 3D cell culture from human proximal tubular cells under high glucose conditions was evaluated. eAdam17 deletion attenuates renal fibrosis and inflammation, whereas tAdam17 deletion decreases podocyte loss, attenuates the RAS, and decreases macrophage infiltration, α-SMA and collagen accumulation. The 3D in vitro cell culture reinforced the findings obtained in tAdam17KO mice with decreased fibrosis in the Adam17 knockout spheroids. In conclusion, Adam17 deletion either in the endothelial or the tubular cells mitigates kidney injury in the diabetic mice by targeting different pathways. The manipulation of Adam17 should be considered as a therapeutic strategy for treating DN.     

Numerical Simulation of Water Flow from the Coal Seam Floor in a Deep Longwall Mine in China

The study of groundwater flow from the coal seam floor is critical to safe mining operations in China. We developed a numerical simulation model to describe flood water pathways during mining, using the field conditions present at the no. 4196 west work face in the Panxi longwall coal mine, Shandong Province, China, Groundwater flow analysis revealed unusual values for the failure depth of the coal seam floor. The high ground stress and underground pressure, excavation length, width of working face, poor mechanical properties of aquitards, and expansion of fractures by groundwater infiltration all contribute to groundwater flow into the mine. The modeling results predict the time and longwall locations associated with the maximum likelihood of flood occurrence. Such results can be used by decision makers to improve mine design and safety.     

Determination of the eutectic solubility lines of the ternary system NaHCO3–Na2CO3–H2O

A crystallizer was built and a procedure developed to accurately measure the eutectic solubility lines where ice and salt coexist in equilibrium with the solution, for potential application of Eutectic Freeze Crystallization. The eutectic solubility lines of the ternary system NaHCO₃–Na₂CO₃–H₂O were determined experimentally and calculated with the extended UNIQUAC model. The extended UNIQUAC model describes the experimental data quite well. Anhydrous NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃·10H₂O were the only two types of crystals present in equilibrium with ice crystals in the ternary system. At the quadruple point NaHCO₃ and Na₂CO₃·10H₂O are in equilibrium with a solution of about 4.34 wt% of Na₂CO₃ and 4.77 wt% of NaHCO₃ at −3.32 °C. The anhydrous NaHCO₃ crystals were needle shaped with lengths between 5 and 10 μm, that were agglomerated into particles of about 100–300 μm, while the Na₂CO₃·10H₂O crystals were hexagonally shaped with sizes between 100 and 500 μm.     

Eutectic freeze crystallization from the ternary Na2CO3–NaHCO3–H2O system: A novel scraped wall crystallizer for the recovery of soda from an industrial aqueous stream

Eutectic freeze crystallization was tested in a scaled up version of a scraped cooled wall crystallizer on an industrial aqueous sodium carbonate–sodium bicarbonate waste stream containing traces of molybdenum. A heat transfer rate of 5 kW m⁻² was maintained in the crystallizer. Sodium carbonate decahydrate with molybdenum content below 1 ppm and pure ice were produced by continuous crystallization at −3.8 °C by operating within the metastable zone width of bicarbonate. At −4.0 °C bicarbonate started to co-crystallize. The bimodal size distribution of the mixture resulted in poor filtration and purity of the salt product.     

Serendipitous Identification of a Covalent Activator of Liver Pyruvate Kinase

Enzymes are effective biological catalysts that accelerate almost all metabolic reactions in living organisms. Synthetic modulators of enzymes are useful tools for the study of enzymatic reactions and can provide starting points for the design of new drugs. Here, we report on the discovery of a class of biologically active compounds that covalently modifies lysine residues in human liver pyruvate kinase (PKL), leading to allosteric activation of the enzyme (EC₅₀=0.29 μM). Surprisingly, the allosteric activation control point resides on the lysine residue K282 present in the catalytic site of PKL. These findings were confirmed by structural data, MS/MS experiments, and molecular modelling studies. Altogether, our study provides a molecular basis for the activation mechanism and establishes a framework for further development of human liver pyruvate kinase covalent activators.     

Pomegranate fallen leaves as a source of natural dye for mordant-free dyeing of wool

The application of metal mordants is usually necessary in dyeing of wool with natural dyes to improve the dye exhaustion and fastness properties. The majority of metal salts generally used as mordants are considered as toxic and it is important to find replacements for them. Plant sources with high content of tannins are good candidates as bio-mordant or colourant to overcome this drawback. In this study, the waste fallen leaves of pomegranate tree were used as a source of natural dye for the eco-friendly dyeing of wool fabric without the use of metal mordants. The dyeing process variables including dye concentration, dyebath pH, and temperature were optimised using response surface methodology to obtain the highest colour strength. The colour strength was increased by increasing the natural dye powder up to 100%owf while the optimum pH and dyebath temperature were 4 and 100°C, respectively. The sample dyed under the optimal condition exhibited good fastness properties against washing and light. This study approved the potential of Punica granatum fallen leaves for the dyeing of wool without any mordant, while high fastness properties were obtained.     

The role of K2O on sintering and crystallization of glass powder compacts in the Li2O–K2O–Al2O3–SiO2 system

The effects of K₂O content on sintering and crystallization of glass powder compacts in the Li₂O–K₂O–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ system were investigated. Glasses featuring SiO₂/Li₂O molar ratios of 2.69–3.13, far beyond the lithium disilicate (LD-Li₂Si₂O₅) stoichiometry, were produced by conventional melt-quenching technique. The sintering and crystallization behaviour of glass powders was explored using hot stage microscopy (HSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential thermal (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Increasing K₂O content at the expense of SiO₂ was shown to lower the temperature of maximum shrinkage, eventually resulting in early densification of the glass-powder compacts. Lithium metasilicate was the main crystalline phase formed upon heat treating the glass powders with higher amounts of K₂O. In contrast, lithium disilicate predominantly crystallized from the compositions with lower K₂O contents resulting in strong glass–ceramics with high chemical and electrical resistance. The total content of K₂O should be kept below 4.63 mol% for obtaining LD-based glass–ceramics.