High resolution solid state NMR in paramagnetic metal-organic frameworks.

We study the metal-organic framework (MOF) ZIF-67 with 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In addition to the usual orbital chemical shifts, we observe spinning sideband manifolds in the NMR spectrum due to hyperfine interactions of the paramagnetic cobalt with 1H and 13C. Both orbital and paramagnetic chemical shifts are in good agreement with values calculated from first principles, allowing high-confidence assignment of the observed peaks to specific sites within the MOF. Our measured resonance shifts, line shapes, and spin lattice relaxation rates are also consistent with calculated values. We show that molecules in the pores of the MOF can exhibit high-resolution NMR spectra with fast spin lattice relaxation rates due to dipole-dipole couplings to the Co2+ nodes in the ZIF-67 lattice, showcasing NMR spectroscopy as a powerful tool for identification and characterization of "guests" that may be hosted by the MOF in electrochemical and catalytic applications.

Object-Tool-Actor Interaction: Object Information Drives Intended Action.

Tool use is typically explored via actor-tool interactions. However, the target-object (that which is being acted on) may influence perceived action possibilities and thereby guide action. Three different tool-target-object pairings were tested (Experiment 1). The hammering action demonstrated the greatest sensitivity and therefore subsequently used to further investigate target-object pairings. The hammer was removed as an option and instructions were provided using pictorial (Experiment 2), written (Experiment 3), and both pictorial and written formats (Experiment 4). The designed tool is chosen when available (Experiment 1) and when removed as a choice (i.e., the hammer), participants perform the same action associated with the designed tool (i.e., hammering) regardless of instruction method (Experiments 2, 3, and 4).

Surprising stability of neutral interstitial hydrogen in diamond and cubic BN.

In virtually all semiconductors and insulators, hydrogen interstitials ([Formula: see text]) act as negative-U centers, implying that hydrogen is never stable in the neutral charge state. Using hybrid density functional calculations, we find a different behavior for [Formula: see text] in diamond and cubic BN. In diamond, [Formula: see text] is a very strong positive-U center, and the [Formula: see text] charge state is stable over a Fermi-level range of more than 2 eV. In cubic BN, a III-V compound similar to diamond, we also find positive-U behavior, though over a much smaller Fermi-level range. These results highlight the unique behavior of [Formula: see text] in these covalent wide-band-gap semiconductors.

Outcomes of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischaemic stroke in HIV-infected adults.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To our knowledge there are no studies reporting the use and short-term outcomes of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-TPA) for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) in people living with HIV. METHODS: The US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) (2006-2010) was searched for HIV-infected AIS patients treated with IV-TPA. RESULTS: In the NIS, 2.2% (62/2877) of HIV-infected AIS cases were thrombolyzed with IV-TPA (median age 52 years, range 27-78, 32% female, 22% Caucasian) vs. 2.1% (19 335/937 896) of HIV-uninfected cases (median age 72 years, range 17-102 years, 50% female, 74% Caucasian; P = 0.77). There were more deaths in HIV-infected versus uninfected patients with stroke (220/2877, 7.6% vs. 49 089/937 547, 5.2%, P < 0.001) but no difference in the proportion of deaths amongst IV-TPA-treated patients. The age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio for death following IV-TPA administration in HIV-infected versus uninfected patients was 2.26 (95% CI 1.12, 4.58), but the interaction on mortality between HIV and IV-TPA use was not statistically significant, indicating no difference in risk of in-hospital death by HIV serostatus with IV-TPA use. A higher number of HIV-infected patients remained in hospital versus died or were discharged at both 10 and 30 days (P < 0.01 at 10 and 30 days). No difference in the proportion of intracerebral hemorrhage in the two groups was found (P = 0.362). CONCLUSIONS: The in-hospital mortality is higher amongst HIV-infected AIS patients than HIV-uninfected patients. However, the risk of death amongst HIV-infected patients treated with IV-TPA is similar to HIV-uninfected groups.

A novel model of bacterially-induced acute anterior uveitis in rats and the lack of effect from HLA-B27 expression.

BACKGROUND: Humans with the major histocompatibility antigen B27 (HLA-B27) are especially at risk for developing rheumatic disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter's syndrome. Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) often occurs in association with these diseases or in HLA B27 positive individuals without joint disease. METHODS: We induced acute anterior uveitis in Lewis rats by a standard model, the intraperitoneal injection of 200 micrograms of Escherichia coli endotoxin. We also developed a novel model of uveitis secondary to gram-negative infection. RESULTS: Transgenic rats that expressed a low copy number of the B27 gene did not differ statistically from litter mate controls in the intensity of anterior uveitis as judged by histology, enumeration of cells in aqueous humor, protein in aqueous humor, or slit lamp examination. The majority of rats exposed to live Salmonella enteritidis or Yersinia enterocolitica 0:3 using either an oral or intravenous route of infection developed anterior uveitis. In contrast to the disease induced by endotoxin that is most intense 24 hours after the endotoxin challenge, uveitis induced by live bacteria usually began 7 to 9 days after exposure to bacterial products, was more often unilateral, persisted for as long as 3 weeks, and was sometimes recurrent. The expression of HLA-B27 did not appear to influence the incidence or severity of uveitis in B27+ low copy heterozygous animals. CONCLUSION: This rat model of AAU should facilitate evaluation of bacterial antigenic component(s) involved in the pathogenesis of live gram-negative bacteria induced AAU.

Uveitis associated with inflammatory bowel disease compared with uveitis associated with spondyloarthropathy.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and spondyloarthropathy (SA) such as Reiter syndrome may be characterized by diarrhea, arthritis, stomatitis, and uveitis. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the characteristics of the eye disease could help distinguish these 2 diagnoses. DESIGN: Seventeen patients with uveitis and IBD referred to a university clinic were compared retrospectively with 89 patients with uveitis and SA referred to the same clinic. RESULTS: Twelve (80%) of the 15 patients with evaluable IBD had Crohn disease. In marked contrast to patients with SA, patients with IBD were usually female (82%). Whereas uveitis with SA was predominantly anterior, unilateral, sudden in onset, and limited in duration, patients with IBD frequently had uveitis that was bilateral, posterior, insidious in onset, and/or chronic in duration. Results for 89% of the patients with SA who underwent HLA-B27 typing were positive, compared with only 46% of such patients with IBD. Episcleritis, scleritis, and glaucoma were more common among patients with IBD. Arthritis did not easily distinguish the 2 groups, as 13 (76%) of the patients with IBD had a history of joint disease. In 10 (59%) of the patients with IBD, the diagnosis of uveitis preceded that of IBD. CONCLUSION: The hallmarks of uveitis can often distinguish SA and IBD.

A therapeutic work program for head-injured adults.

The Therapeutic Work Program operates in an ambulatory care setting and aids in assessing and developing prevocational skills in adults with head injuries. The program has eight phases, including initial evaluation, individual and group treatment, and prevocational assessment and treatment. We conducted a phone survey to evaluate the program's effectiveness and found that 79% of the 29 respondents participated in occupational activities (i.e., they were competitive or volunteer employees, homemakers, or students), a greater percentage than reported by other prevocational programs for patients with head injuries.