Reproducibility of regional pulse-wave velocity in uremic subjects

Despite the clinical importance of pulse-wave velocity (PWV), there are no standards for accurate carotid-radial pulse-wave measurement in uremic patients with respect to carotid-femoral measurement. We assessed the reproducibility of PWV values using the carotid-radial PWV measurement. We have measured the carotid-femoral PWV and carotid-radial PWV with an automated system (Pulse Pen, DiaTecne) using 2 different blind operators in 105 hemodialysis (HD) patients. The carotid-femoral waveforms were acquired by the first blind operator simultaneously with 2 pressure-sensitive transducers and the transit time of the pulse was calculated using the system software. Similarly, the second blind operator acquired the carotid-radial waveforms. The two operators performed 2 consecutive measurements from the same subject, in a random order. In fact, after the first operator had completed 2 consecutive measurements from 1 subject, all of the sensors were detached, and the second operator attached sensors again to the same subject. The measurements were performed during interval of a midweek dialysis-free day. To evaluate the reproducibility of the system, both within-observer and between-observer analyses were performed. We studied 105 dialysis patients (HD) and 20 controls. All HD patients had three dialysis sessions lasting at least 4 h/wk. A total of 28 patients (26.7%) had diabetic nephropathy. The mean age of HD was 64.6 ± 16.1 years, the body weight was 71.1 ± 15.1 kg, and the height was 164.6 ± 6.1 cm. All population studied is referral at a tertiary care from at least 6 months (mean 11.1 ± 2.1 months). A total of 45% of patients are smokers or ex-smokers. The PWV of carotid-femoral is 8.58 ± 3.99 and the PWV of carotid-radial is 8.70 ± 4.01 m/sec, respectively, by the first and the second operator; the difference of PWV (femoral-radial measure) is -0.037 ± 0.99 m/sec. The linear correlation of carotid-femoral vs. carotid-radial PWV measurements is the highest (R(2) =0.90). The results regarding reproducibility, including mean differences and standard deviations, standard errors, and correlation coefficients were analyzed for each regional PWV value for the between-observer and within-observer studies. All of the measurements showed significant correlation coefficients, ranging from 0.94 to 0.98. The reproducibility of regional PWV values for 2 consecutive measurements from the same subject was also analyzed using Bland-Altman plots, with the reproducibility expressed as the mean difference and 2 standard deviations between the measurements obtained by the 2 operators during carotid-femoral and carotid-radial measurements. Carotid-radial PWV measurement provides an accurate analysis with a high reproducibility with respect to carotid-femoral PWV measurement, and it can be used for arterial stiffness analysis in hemodialysis patients.     

Sex-specific association between psychopathic traits and electrodermal reactivity in children.

This study investigated the relationship of skin conductance response (SCR) to a child psychopathy measure. Blunted electrodermal activity is a theoretically important characteristic of psychopathy, but it has not been fully explored in preadolescents or females. The authors tested the hypothesis that reduced SCR magnitude is associated with psychopathic-like traits in boys and girls. Participants were drawn from an ethnically diverse community sample of 9- to 10-year-old twins. Given the fact that members of each twin pair were rated by the same individual (i.e., their caregiver) on the Child Psychopathy Scale, the authors examined individual differences at the within-family level. Skin conductance data were collected during a passive auditory task consisting of 75-dB tones as well as miscellaneous sounds (e.g., baby cries, bird noises, and speech-like stimuli). Reduced SCR magnitude (hyporeactivity) was characteristic only of boys with higher psychopathy scores. More specifically, electrodermal hyporeactivity was linked to the interpersonal facet of psychopathy, suggesting that it is a biological marker of a manipulative and deceitful orientation in males. No association was found between SCRs and psychopathic traits in girls, indicating the importance of sex specific etiologies of psychopathy in childhood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality Characteristics of Wholemeal Flour and Bread from Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L subsp. durum Desf.) after Field Treatment with Plant Water Extracts

The use of selected plant water extracts to control pests and weeds is gaining growing attention in organic and sustainable agriculture, but the effects that such extracts may exert on the quality aspects of durum wheat are still unexplored. In 2014, 5 plant water extracts (Artemisia arborescens, Euphorbia characias, Rhus coriaria, Thymus vulgaris, Lantana camara) were prepared and distributed on durum wheat cv Valbelice to evaluate their potential herbicidal effects. After crop harvesting, the major physicochemical and technological parameters of wholemeal flours obtained from each treatment were measured and compared with those from chemical weeding and untreated controls. A baking test was also performed to evaluate the breadmaking quality. In wholemeal flours obtained after the treatment with plant extracts protein and dry gluten content were higher than in control and chemical weeding. Wholemeal flours obtained after chemical weeding reached the highest Mixograph parameters, and that from durum wheat treated with R. coriaria extract demonstrated a very high α‐amylase activity. We concluded that the treatments with plant water extracts may influence many quality traits of durum wheat. This occurrence must be taken into account in overall decisions concerning the use of plant extracts in pest and weed management practice.     

UV-Visible Spectroscopy and Multivariate Classification as a Screening Tool for Determining the Adulteration of Sauces

A rapid, simple, and economic multivariate screening methodology based on UV-visible spectroscopy and multivariate classification is proposed to test for adulteration in sauces. Two classification strategies were evaluated to compare their ability to detect food fraud: untargeted modeling (class modeling) and targeted classification (discriminant analysis). As a case study, the possible adulteration of ketchups and barbecue sauces with the banned Sudan I dye was considered. The classification models were built with a new classification tool for class modeling (partial least squares-density modeling, PLS-DM) and with the classical discriminant partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Very satisfactory classification results were obtained with both strategies: regarding untargeted modeling, only original samples (class 1) were modeled obtaining a 94.5 % of correct classification and regarding targeted classification, two classes were considered (class 1 original samples and class 2 adulterated samples) with an overall classification rate of 97.3 %. The two strategies are useful and adequate as screening tools for monitoring the quality of sauces especially in situations that require quick responses.     

Hybrid Polyoxometalates: Merging Organic and Inorganic Domains for Enhanced Catalysis and Energy Applications

Organic–inorganic hybrids based on polyoxometalate scaffolds(POMs) are a unique class of molecular metal-oxides featuring a composite surface, whereby the merging of complementary domains stimulates new functions and enhances performances. The interaction between the organic and inorganic components can be designed via covalent and/or non-covalent strategies, yielding novel molecular systems with key applications in catalysis and materials science. Selected examples of such a rewarding approach will be illustrated, including the synthesis of tailored POM-based catalysts, and their application in homogeneous systems and on electrocatalytic surfaces for water splitting and renewable energy production.     

High‐Quality Stereo Depth Map Generation Using Infrared Pattern Projection

In this paper, we present a method for obtaining a highquality 3D depth. The advantages of active pattern projection and passive stereo matching are combined and a system is established. A diffractive optical element (DOE) is developed to project the active pattern. Cross guidance (CG) and auto guidance (AG) are proposed to perform the passive stereo matching in a stereo image in which a DOE pattern is projected. When obtaining the image, the CG emits a DOE pattern periodically and consecutively receives the original and pattern images. In addition, stereo matching is performed using these images. The AG projects the DOE pattern continuously. It conducts cost aggregation, and the image is restored through the process of removing the pattern from the pattern image. The ground truth is generated to estimate the optimal parameter among various stereo matching algorithms. Using the ground truth, the optimal parameter is estimated and the cost computation and aggregation algorithm are selected. The depth is calculated and bad‐pixel errors make up 4.45% of the non‐occlusion area.     

Analysis of furan in coffee of different provenance by head-space solid phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: effect of brewing procedures

A simple, sensitive and accurate method for the analysis of furan in roasted coffee has been used based on headspace–solid-phase micro-extraction (HS–SPME) coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The extraction was performed using 75-µm carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Ionic strength, extraction time and temperature, and desorption time were assessed as the most important parameters affecting the HS–SPME procedure and d ₄-furan was used as the internal standard. The linearity range was in the range 0.0075–0.486 ng g^?1; the LOD and LOQ calculated using the signal-to-noise ratio approach were 0.002 and 0.006 ng g^?1, respectively. The inter- and intra-day precision was 8 and 10%, respectively. The concentration of furan found in batches of roasted coffee powder different producing countries ranged from 57.3 to 587.3 ng g^?1. The mean reduction in furan levels observed when brewing coffee by either infusion, using a moka pot or an expresso machine was 57, 67.5 and 63.3%, respectively.     

Design,Synthesis, and Evaluation of WC5 Analogues as Inhibitors of Human Cytomegalovirus Immediate‐Early 2 Protein,a Promising Target for Anti‐HCMV Treatment

Although human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is mostly asymptomatic for immunocompetent individuals, it remains a serious threat for those who are immunocompromised, in whom it is associated with various clinical manifestations. The therapeutic utility of the few available anti‐HCMV drugs is limited by several drawbacks, including cross‐resistance due to their common mechanism of action, i.e., inhibition of viral DNA polymerase. Therefore, compounds that target other essential viral events could overcome this problem. One example of this is the 6‐aminoquinolone WC5 , which acts by directly blocking the transactivation of essential viral Early genes by the Immediate‐Early 2 (IE2) protein. In this study, the quinolone scaffold of the lead compound WC5 was investigated in depth, defining more suitable substituents for each of the scaffold positions explored and identifying novel, potent and nontoxic compounds. Some compounds showed potent anti‐HCMV activity by interfering with IE2‐dependent viral E gene expression. Among them, naphthyridone 1 was also endowed with potent anti‐HIV activity in latently infected cells. Their antiviral profile along with their innovative mechanism of action make these anti‐HCMV quinolones a very promising class of compounds to be exploited for more effective antiviral therapeutic treatment.