The GALAXIE all-optical FEL project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenzweig, J. B.; Arab, E.; Andonian, G.; Cahill, A.; Fitzmorris, K.; Fukusawa, A.; Hoang, P.; Jovanovic, I.; Marcus, G.; Marinelli, A.; Murokh, A.; Musumeci, P.; Naranjo, B.; O'Shea, B.; O'Shea, F.; Ovodenko, A.; Pogorelsky, I.; Putterman, S.; Roberts, K.; Shumail, M.; Tantawi, S.; Valloni, A.; Yakimenko, V.; Xu, G.

2012-12-01

We describe a comprehensive project, funded under the DARPA AXiS program, to develop an all-optical table-top X-ray FEL based on dielectric acceleration and electromagnetic undulators, yielding a compact source of coherent X-rays for medical and related applications. The compactness of this source demands that high field (>GV/m) acceleration and undulation-inducing fields be employed, thus giving rise to the project's acronym: GV/m AcceLerator And X-ray Integrated Experiment (GALAXIE). There are numerous physics and technical hurdles to surmount in this ambitious scenario, and the integrated solutions include: a biharmonic photonic TW structure, 200 micron wavelength electromagnetic undulators, 5 μm laser development, ultra-high brighness magnetized/asymmetric emittance electron beam generation, and SASE FEL operation. We describe the overall design philosophy of the project, the innovative approaches to addressing the challenges presented by the design, and the significant progress towards realization of these approaches in the nine months since project initialization.

Extraction of mobility and Degradation coefficients in double gate junctionless transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhuvaneshwari, Y. V.; Kranti, Abhinav

2017-12-01

In this work, we use the modified McLarty function to understand and extract accumulation (μ acc) and bulk (μ bulk) mobility in Double Gate (DG) Junctionless (JL) MOSFETs over a wide range of doping concentration (N d) and temperature range (250 K to 520 K). The approach enables the estimation of mobility and its attenuation factors (θ 1 and θ 2) by a single method. The extracted results indicate that μ acc can reach higher values than μ bulk due to the screening effect. Results also show that θ 2 extracted in the accumulation regime of JL transistors exhibit relatively low values in comparison to inversion and accumulation mode devices. It is shown that the attenuation factor (θ 1) in JL devices designed with higher N d (≥1019 cm-3) is mainly affected by series resistance (R sd) whereas, in inversion mode (IM) and Accumulation mode (AM) devices, θ 1 factor is governed by both the intrinsic mobility reduction factor (θ 10) and R sd. Additionally, the impact of variation in oxide thickness (T ox), gate length (L g), N d and temperature on θ 1 and θ 2 has been investigated for JL transistor. The weak dependence of μ bulk and μ acc on temperature shows the prevalence of coulomb scattering over phonon scattering for heavily doped JL transistors. The work provides insights into different modes of operation, extraction of mobility and attenuation factors which will be useful for the development of compact models for JL transistors.

Measurements and analyses of the distribution of the radioactivity induced by the secondary neutrons produced by 17-MeV protons in compact cyclotron facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuda, Norihiro; Izumi, Yuichi; Yamanaka, Yoshiyuki; Gandou, Toshiyuki; Yamada, Masaaki; Oishi, Koji

2017-09-01

Measurements of reaction rates by secondary neutrons produced from beam losses by 17-MeV protons are conducted at a compact cyclotron facility with the foil activation method. The experimentally obtained distribution of the reaction rates of 197Au (n, γ) 198Au on the concrete walls suggests that a target and an electrostatic deflector as machine components for beam extraction of the compact cyclotron are principal beam loss points. The measurements are compared with calculations by the Monte Carlo code: PHITS. The calculated results based on the beam losses are good agreements with the measured ones within 21%. In this compact cyclotron facility, exponential attenuations with the distance from the electrostatic deflector in the distributions of the measured reaction rates were observed, which was looser than that by the inverse square of distance.

Reduction of the uncertainty due to fissile clusters in radioactive waste characterization with the Differential Die-away Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antoni, R.; Passard, C.; Perot, B.; Guillaumin, F.; Mazy, C.; Batifol, M.; Grassi, G.

2018-07-01

AREVA NC is preparing to process, characterize and compact old used fuel metallic waste stored at La Hague reprocessing plant in view of their future storage ("Haute Activité Oxyde" HAO project). For a large part of these historical wastes, the packaging is planned in CSD-C canisters ("Colis Standard de Déchets Compacté s") in the ACC hulls and nozzles compaction facility ("Atelier de Compactage des Coques et embouts"). . This paper presents a new method to take into account the possible presence of fissile material clusters, which may have a significant impact in the active neutron interrogation (Differential Die-away Technique) measurement of the CSD-C canisters, in the industrial neutron measurement station "P2-2". A matrix effect correction has already been investigated to predict the prompt fission neutron calibration coefficient (which provides the fissile mass) from an internal "drum flux monitor" signal provided during the active measurement by a boron-coated proportional counter located in the measurement cavity, and from a "drum transmission signal" recorded in passive mode by the detection blocks, in presence of an AmBe point source in the measurement cell. Up to now, the relationship between the calibration coefficient and these signals was obtained from a factorial design that did not consider the potential for occurrence of fissile material clusters. The interrogative neutron self-shielding in these clusters was treated separately and resulted in a penalty coefficient larger than 20% to prevent an underestimation of the fissile mass within the drum. In this work, we have shown that the incorporation of a new parameter in the factorial design, representing the fissile mass fraction in these clusters, provides an alternative to the penalty coefficient. This new approach finally does not degrade the uncertainty of the original prediction, which was calculated without taking into consideration the possible presence of clusters. Consequently, the accuracy of the fissile mass assessment is improved by this new method, and this last should be extended to similar DDT measurement stations of larger drums, also using an internal monitor for matrix effect correction.

The GALAXIE all-optical FEL project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenzweig, J. B.; Arab, E.; Andonian, G.

2012-12-21

We describe a comprehensive project, funded under the DARPA AXiS program, to develop an all-optical table-top X-ray FEL based on dielectric acceleration and electromagnetic undulators, yielding a compact source of coherent X-rays for medical and related applications. The compactness of this source demands that high field (>GV/m) acceleration and undulation-inducing fields be employed, thus giving rise to the project's acronym: GV/m AcceLerator And X-ray Integrated Experiment (GALAXIE). There are numerous physics and technical hurdles to surmount in this ambitious scenario, and the integrated solutions include: a biharmonic photonic TW structure, 200 micron wavelength electromagnetic undulators, 5 {mu}m laser development, ultra-highmore » brightness magnetized/asymmetric emittance electron beam generation, and SASE FEL operation. We describe the overall design philosophy of the project, the innovative approaches to addressing the challenges presented by the design, and the significant progress towards realization of these approaches in the nine months since project initialization.« less

Compact anti-radon facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fajt, L.; Kouba, P.; Mamedov, F.

Suppression of radon background is one of main tasks in ultra-low background experiments. The most promising technique for suppression of radon is its adsorption on charcoal. Within the frame of the NEMO-3 experiment, radon trapping facility (RTF) was installed in Modane underground laboratory in 2004. Based on long-term experience with this facility a new compact transportable anti-radon facility was constructed in cooperation among IEAP CTU, SÚRO and ATEKO company. The device provides 20m{sup 3}/h of purified air (air radon activity at the output ∼10mBq/m{sup 3}). The basic features and preliminary results of anti-radon device testing are presented.

In-depth characterization of the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma transcriptome with emphasis on dominant cell type.

PubMed

Bell, Diana; Bell, Achim H; Bondaruk, Jolanta; Hanna, Ehab Y; Weber, Randall S

2016-05-15

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 1 of the most common salivary gland malignancies, arises from the intercalated ducts, which are composed of inner ductal epithelial cells and outer myoepithelial cells. The objective of this study was to determine the genomic subtypes of ACC with emphasis on dominant cell type to identify potential specific biomarkers for each subtype and to improve the understanding of this disease. A whole-genome expression study was performed based on 42 primary salivary ACCs and 5 normal salivary glands. RNA from these specimens was subjected to expression profiling with RNA sequencing, and results were analyzed to identify transcripts in epithelial-dominant ACC (E-ACC), myoepithelial-dominant ACC (M-ACC), and all ACC that were expressed differentially compared with the transcripts in normal salivary tissue. In total, the authors identified 430 differentially expressed transcripts that were unique to E-ACC, 392 that were unique to M-ACC, and 424 that were common to both M-ACC and E-ACC. The sets of E-ACC-specific and M-ACC-specific transcripts were sufficiently large to define and differentiate E-ACC from M-ACC. Ingenuity pathway analysis identified known cancer-related genes for 60% of the E-ACC transcripts, 69% of the M-ACC transcripts, and 68% of the transcripts that were common in both E-ACC and M-ACC. Three sets of highly expressed candidate genes-distal-less homeobox 6 (DLX6) for E-ACC; protein keratin 16 (KRT16), SRY box 11 (SOX11), and v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) for M-ACC; and engrailed 1 (EN1) and statherin (STATH), which are common to both E-ACC and M-ACC)-were further validated at the protein level. The current results enabled the authors to identify novel potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers in E-ACC and M-ACC individually, with the implication that EN1, DLX6, and OTX1 (orthodenticle homeobox 1) are potential drivers of these cancers. Cancer 2016;122:1513-22. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Molecular Characterization of Lactobacillus plantarum Genes for β-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase III (fabH) and Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase (accBCDA), Which Are Essential for Fatty Acid Biosynthesis

PubMed Central

Kiatpapan, Pornpimon; Kobayashi, Hajime; Sakaguchi, Maki; Ono, Hisayo; Yamashita, Mitsuo; Kaneko, Yoshinobu; Murooka, Yoshikatsu

2001-01-01

Genes for subunits of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), which is the enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the synthesis of fatty acids in Lactobacillus plantarum L137, were cloned and characterized. We identified six potential open reading frames, namely, manB, fabH, accB, accC, accD, and accA, in that order. Nucleotide sequence analysis suggested that fabH encoded β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III, that the accB, accC, accD, and accA genes encoded biotin carboxyl carrier protein, biotin carboxylase, and the β and α subunits of carboxyltransferase, respectively, and that these genes were clustered. The organization of acc genes was different from that reported for Escherichia coli, for Bacillus subtilis, and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. E. coli accB and accD mutations were complemented by the L. plantarum accB and accD genes, respectively. The predicted products of all five genes were confirmed by using the T7 expression system in E. coli. The gene product of accB was biotinylated in E. coli. Northern and primer extension analyses demonstrated that the five genes in L. plantarum were regulated polycistronically in an acc operon. PMID:11133475

Genetic Profile of Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas (ACC) with High-Grade Transformation versus Solid Type

PubMed Central

Costa, Ana Flávia; Altemani, Albina; Vékony, Hedy; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Fresno, Florentino; Suárez, Carlos; Llorente, José Luis; Hermsen, Mario

2010-01-01

Background: ACC can occasionally undergo dedifferentiation also referred to as high-grade transformation (ACC-HGT). However, ACC-HGT can also undergo transformation to adenocarcinomas which are not poorly differentiated. ACC-HGT is generally considered to be an aggressive variant of ACC, even more than solid ACC. This study was aimed to describe the genetic changes of ACC-HGT in relation to clinico-pathological features and to compare results to solid ACC. Methods: Genome-wide DNA copy number changes were analyzed by microarray CGH in ACC-HGT, 4 with transformation into moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (MDA) and two into poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC), 5 solid ACC. In addition, Ki-67 index and p53 immunopositivity was assessed. Results: ACC-HGT carried fewer copy number changes compared to solid ACC. Two ACC-HGT cases harboured a breakpoint at 6q23, near the cMYB oncogene. The complexity of the genomic profile concurred with the clinical course of the patient. Among the ACC-HGT, p53 positivity significantly increased from the conventional to the transformed (both MDA and PDC) component. Conclusion: ACC-HGT may not necessarily reflect a more advanced stage of tumor progression, but rather a transformation to another histological form in which the poorly differentiated forms (PDC) presents a genetic complexity similar to the solid ACC. PMID:20978318

Genetic profile of adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) with high-grade transformation versus solid type.

PubMed

Costa, Ana Flávia; Altemani, Albina; Vékony, Hedy; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Fresno, Florentino; Suárez, Carlos; Llorente, José Luis; Hermsen, Mario

2010-01-01

ACC can occasionally undergo dedifferentiation also referred to as high-grade transformation (ACC-HGT). However, ACC-HGT can also undergo transformation to adenocarcinomas which are not poorly differentiated. ACC-HGT is generally considered to be an aggressive variant of ACC, even more than solid ACC. This study was aimed to describe the genetic changes of ACC-HGT in relation to clinico-pathological features and to compare results to solid ACC. genome-wide DNA copy number changes were analyzed by microarray CGH in ACC-HGT, 4 with transformation into moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (MDA) and two into poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC), 5 solid ACC. In addition, Ki-67 index and p53 immunopositivity was assessed. ACC-HGT carried fewer copy number changes compared to solid ACC. Two ACC-HGT cases harboured a breakpoint at 6q23, near the cMYB oncogene. The complexity of the genomic profile concurred with the clinical course of the patient. Among the ACC-HGT, p53 positivity significantly increased from the conventional to the transformed (both MDA and PDC) component. ACC-HGT may not necessarily reflect a more advanced stage of tumor progression, but rather a transformation to another histological form in which the poorly differentiated forms (PDC) presents a genetic complexity similar to the solid ACC.

Genetic profile of adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) with high-grade transformation versus solid type.

PubMed

Costa, Ana Flávia; Altemani, Albina; Vékony, Hedy; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Fresno, Florentino; Suárez, Carlos; Llorente, José Luis; Hermsen, Mario

2011-08-01

ACC can occasionally undergo dedifferentiation also referred to as high-grade transformation (ACC-HGT). However, ACC-HGT can also undergo transformation to adenocarcinomas which are not poorly differentiated. ACC-HGT is generally considered to be an aggressive variant of ACC, even more than solid ACC. This study was aimed to describe the genetic changes of ACC-HGT in relation to clinico-pathological features, and to compare results to solid ACC. Genome wide DNA copy number changes were analyzed by microarray CGH in ACC-HGT, four with transformation into moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (MDA) and two into poorly differentiated carcinoma (PDC), and five solid ACC. In addition, Ki67 index and p53 immunopositivity was assessed. ACC-HGT carried fewer copy number changes compared to solid ACC. Two ACC-HGT cases harboured a breakpoint at 6q23, near the cMYB oncogene. The complexity of the genomic profile concurred with the clinical course of the patient. Among the ACC-HGT, p53 positivity significantly increased from the conventional to the transformed (both MDA and PDC) component. ACC-HGT may not necessarily reflect a more advanced stage of tumor progression, but rather a transformation to another histological form in which the poorly differentiated forms (PDC) presents a genetic complexity similar to the solid ACC.

The compact AMS facility at Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Sanyuan; Ding, Ping; Wang, Ning; Shen, Chengde; Jia, Guodong; Zhang, Gan

2015-10-01

A compact 14C AMS facility manufactured by the National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC) has been installed at Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (GIGCAS). The system is based on a Model 1.5SDH-1 Pelletron accelerator with a maximum terminal volt 0.6 MV. This paper reports the performance and the operation of this machine in the first several months after installation.

Hydrogels from Amorphous Calcium Carbonate and Polyacrylic Acid: Bio-Inspired Materials for "Mineral Plastics".

PubMed

Sun, Shengtong; Mao, Li-Bo; Lei, Zhouyue; Yu, Shu-Hong; Cölfen, Helmut

2016-09-19

Given increasing environmental issues due to the large usage of non-biodegradable plastics based on petroleum, new plastic materials, which are economic, environmentally friendly, and recyclable are in high demand. One feasible strategy is the bio-inspired synthesis of mineral-based hybrid materials. Herein we report a facile route for an amorphous CaCO3 (ACC)-based hydrogel consisting of very small ACC nanoparticles physically cross-linked by poly(acrylic acid). The hydrogel is shapeable, stretchable, and self-healable. Upon drying, the hydrogel forms free-standing, rigid, and transparent objects with remarkable mechanical performance. By swelling in water, the material can completely recover the initial hydrogel state. As a matrix, thermochromism can also be easily introduced. The present hybrid hydrogel may represent a new class of plastic materials, the "mineral plastics". © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A colorimetric assay of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) based on ninhydrin reaction for rapid screening of bacteria containing ACC deaminase.

PubMed

Li, Z; Chang, S; Lin, L; Li, Y; An, Q

2011-08-01

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity is an efficient marker for bacteria to promote plant growth by lowering ethylene levels in plants. We aim to develop a method for rapidly screening bacteria containing ACC deaminase, based on a colorimetric ninhydrin assay of ACC. A reliable colorimetric ninhydrin assay was developed to quantify ACC using heat-resistant polypropylene chimney-top 96-well PCR plates, having the wells evenly heated in boiling water, preventing accidental contamination from boiling water and limiting evaporation. With this method to measure bacterial consumption of ACC, 44 ACC-utilizing bacterial isolates were rapidly screened out from 311 bacterial isolates that were able to grow on minimal media containing ACC as the sole nitrogen source. The 44 ACC-utilizing bacterial isolates showed ACC deaminase activities and belonged to the genus Burkholderia, Pseudomonas or Herbaspirillum. Determination of bacterial ACC consumption by the PCR-plate ninhydrin-ACC assay is a rapid and efficient method for screening bacteria containing ACC deaminase from a large number of bacterial isolates. The PCR-plate ninhydrin-ACC assay extends the utility of the ninhydrin reaction and enables a rapid screening of bacteria containing ACC deaminase from large numbers of bacterial isolates. © 2011 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Skeletal muscle ACC2 S212 phosphorylation is not required for the control of fatty acid oxidation during exercise.

PubMed

O'Neill, Hayley M; Lally, James S; Galic, Sandra; Pulinilkunnil, Thomas; Ford, Rebecca J; Dyck, Jason R B; van Denderen, Bryce J; Kemp, Bruce E; Steinberg, Gregory R

2015-07-01

During submaximal exercise fatty acids are a predominant energy source for muscle contractions. An important regulator of fatty acid oxidation is acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), which exists as two isoforms (ACC1 and ACC2) with ACC2 predominating in skeletal muscle. Both ACC isoforms regulate malonyl-CoA production, an allosteric inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1); the primary enzyme controlling fatty acyl-CoA flux into mitochondria for oxidation. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a sensor of cellular energy status that is activated during exercise or by pharmacological agents such as metformin and AICAR. In resting muscle the activation of AMPK with AICAR leads to increased phosphorylation of ACC (S79 on ACC1 and S221 on ACC2), which reduces ACC activity and malonyl-CoA; effects associated with increased fatty acid oxidation. However, whether this pathway is vital for regulating skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation during conditions of increased metabolic flux such as exercise/muscle contractions remains unknown. To examine this we characterized mice lacking AMPK phosphorylation sites on ACC2 (S212 in mice/S221 in humans-ACC2-knock-in [ACC2-KI]) or both ACC1 (S79) and ACC2 (S212) (ACC double knock-in [ACCD-KI]) during submaximal treadmill exercise and/or ex vivo muscle contractions. We find that surprisingly, ACC2-KI mice had normal exercise capacity and whole-body fatty acid oxidation during treadmill running despite elevated muscle ACC2 activity and malonyl-CoA. Similar results were observed in ACCD-KI mice. Fatty acid oxidation was also maintained in muscles from ACC2-KI mice contracted ex vivo. These findings indicate that pathways independent of ACC phosphorylation are important for regulating skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation during exercise/muscle contractions. © 2015 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

A functional dissociation of conflict processing within anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Kim, Chobok; Kroger, James K; Kim, Jeounghoon

2011-02-01

Goal-directed behavior requires cognitive control to regulate the occurrence of conflict. The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) has been suggested in detecting response conflict during various conflict tasks. Recent findings, however, have indicated not only that two distinct subregions of dACC are involved in conflict processing but also that the conflict occurs at both perceptual and response levels. In this study, we sought to examine whether perceptual and response conflicts are functionally dissociated in dACC. Thirteen healthy subjects performed a version of the Stroop task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. We identified a functional dissociation of the caudal dACC (cdACC) and the rostral dACC (rdACC) in their responses to different sources of conflict. The cdACC was selectively engaged in perceptual conflict whereas the rdACC was more active in response conflict. Further, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was coactivated not with cdACC but with rdACC. We suggest that cdACC plays an important role in regulative processing of perceptual conflict whereas rdACC is involved in detecting response conflict. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

High-molecular-weight fibronectin synthesized by adenoid cystic carcinoma cells of salivary gland origin.

PubMed

Toyoshima, K; Kimura, S; Cheng, J; Oda, Y; Mori, K J; Saku, T

1999-03-01

To understand the morphogenesis of characteristic cribriform structures and the frequent invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) along such basement membrane-rich structures as peripheral nerves, we have isolated fibronectin (FN) from the culture media of ACC3 cells established from a parotid ACC and characterized its glycosylation and alternative splicing status. FN isolated from ACC3 cells (ACC-FN) showed a molecular mass of 315 kDa in SDS-PAGE and was less heterogeneous and larger than plasma FN (pFN) or FNs from other cell sources. Differential enzymatic treatments of immunoprecipitated ACC-FN with neuraminidase, peptide-N-glycosidase F and endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase revealed that ACC-FN was composed of a polypeptide chain of 270 kDa, with 10 kDa each of N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharide chains. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in-situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence studies showed that most ACC-FNs contained ED-A, ED-B and IIICS regions in the molecules. This alternative splicing status of ACC-FN seemed to contribute to its less heterogeneous and larger molecular form. Cell attachment assay demonstrated that ACC-FN was more potent than pFN in adhesion of ACC3 cells. The results indicated that ACC-FN may function as a substrate for attachment of ACC3 cells, or that ACC3 cells trap and retain ACC-FN in their pericellular space. This isoform of FN may play an important role in the mode of invasion of ACC and the formation of stromal pseudocysts in the characteristic cribriform structure of ACC.

Environmental Assessment: Demolition of Munitions Storage Area Facilities at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

Eglin Parkway,Shalimar,FL,32579 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR...separately secured installation between 1950 and 1962 responsible for the storage, maintenance, and loading of atomic and thermonuclear weapons. The...portion of Ellsworth AFB and was operational between 1950 and 1962 (ACC 1997). It was operated by Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Armed Forces

Role of an Essential Acyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase in the Primary and Secondary Metabolism of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, E.; Banchio, C.; Diacovich, L.; Bibb, M. J.; Gramajo, H.

2001-01-01

Two genes, accB and accE, that form part of the same operon, were cloned from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). AccB is homologous to the carboxyl transferase domain of several propionyl coezyme A (CoA) carboxylases and acyl-CoA carboxylases (ACCases) of actinomycete origin, while AccE shows no significant homology to any known protein. Expression of accB and accE in Escherichia coli and subsequent in vitro reconstitution of enzyme activity in the presence of the biotinylated protein AccA1 or AccA2 confirmed that AccB was the carboxyl transferase subunit of an ACCase. The additional presence of AccE considerably enhanced the activity of the enzyme complex, suggesting that this small polypeptide is a functional component of the ACCase. The impossibility of obtaining an accB null mutant and the thiostrepton growth dependency of a tipAp accB conditional mutant confirmed that AccB is essential for S. coelicolor viability. Normal growth phenotype in the absence of the inducer was restored in the conditional mutant by the addition of exogenous long-chain fatty acids in the medium, indicating that the inducer-dependent phenotype was specifically related to a conditional block in fatty acid biosynthesis. Thus, AccB, together with AccA2, which is also an essential protein (E. Rodriguez and H. Gramajo, Microbiology 143:3109–3119, 1999), are the most likely components of an ACCase whose main physiological role is the synthesis of malonyl-CoA, the first committed step of fatty acid synthesis. Although normal growth of the conditional mutant was restored by fatty acids, the cultures did not produce actinorhodin or undecylprodigiosin, suggesting a direct participation of this enzyme complex in the supply of malonyl-CoA for the synthesis of these secondary metabolites. PMID:11526020

Accumulation and Transport of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid (ACC) in Plants: Current Status, Considerations for Future Research and Agronomic Applications

PubMed Central

Vanderstraeten, Lisa; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

2017-01-01

1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is a non-protein amino acid acting as the direct precursor of ethylene, a plant hormone regulating a wide variety of vegetative and developmental processes. ACC is the central molecule of ethylene biosynthesis. The rate of ACC formation differs in response to developmental, hormonal and environmental cues. ACC can be conjugated to three derivatives, metabolized in planta or by rhizobacteria using ACC deaminase, and is transported throughout the plant over short and long distances, remotely leading to ethylene responses. This review highlights some recent advances related to ACC. These include the regulation of ACC synthesis, conjugation and deamination, evidence for a role of ACC as an ethylene-independent signal, short and long range ACC transport, and the identification of a first ACC transporter. Although unraveling the complex mechanism of ACC transport is in its infancy, new questions emerge together with the identification of a first transporter. In the light of the future quest for additional ACC transporters, this review presents perspectives of the novel findings and includes considerations for future research toward applications in agronomy. PMID:28174583

Accumulation and Transport of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid (ACC) in Plants: Current Status, Considerations for Future Research and Agronomic Applications.

PubMed

Vanderstraeten, Lisa; Van Der Straeten, Dominique

2017-01-01

1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is a non-protein amino acid acting as the direct precursor of ethylene, a plant hormone regulating a wide variety of vegetative and developmental processes. ACC is the central molecule of ethylene biosynthesis. The rate of ACC formation differs in response to developmental, hormonal and environmental cues. ACC can be conjugated to three derivatives, metabolized in planta or by rhizobacteria using ACC deaminase, and is transported throughout the plant over short and long distances, remotely leading to ethylene responses. This review highlights some recent advances related to ACC. These include the regulation of ACC synthesis, conjugation and deamination, evidence for a role of ACC as an ethylene-independent signal, short and long range ACC transport, and the identification of a first ACC transporter. Although unraveling the complex mechanism of ACC transport is in its infancy, new questions emerge together with the identification of a first transporter. In the light of the future quest for additional ACC transporters, this review presents perspectives of the novel findings and includes considerations for future research toward applications in agronomy.

Final Scientific/Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reeder, Richard; Phillips, Brian

A variety of calcifying organisms produce a transient or metastable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precursor phase that is assembled and subsequently transformed into a crystalline biomineral, typically calcite or aragonite. The complex shapes, hierarchical structures, and unique physical properties of the biominerals that result from this calcification pathway have stimulated interest in adapting these concepts for the design and creation of bio-inspired functional materials in the laboratory. ACC also forms as a reactive precursor in diverse inorganic systems and is likely to play a much broader role in calcium carbonate formation. Knowledge of the structure, composition, and behavior of thismore » metastable phase is critical for establishing a structural and mechanistic framework for calcium carbonate formation and its role in biogeochemical processes, including carbon cycling. Minor additives, such as magnesium, phosphorus, and organic macromolecules, are known to play important roles in controlling ACC stability, transformation kinetics, and selection of final crystalline polymorph. Molecular water also occurs in many types of ACC and is thought to play a structural role in its stability and transformation behavior. One of the major challenges that remain unresolved is identification of the structural basis for the role of these minor additives and molecular water. The absence of long-range order in ACC, and other amorphous phases, has posed a challenge for study by techniques commonly used for crystalline solids. Preliminary studies in our group show that the combination of two techniques, synchrotron X-ray-based pair distribution function (PDF) analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can provide entirely new insight to structural properties of synthetic ACC over length scales that are most relevant for understanding its transformation properties. Building on preliminary experiments, we propose a systematic study of synthesis, structure, and transformation behavior in abiotic systems. The work will specifically address the influence of phosphate as a minor additive. PDF analysis will utilize total X-ray scattering data collected at synchrotron facilities optimized for this method and will provide direct characterization of the short- and intermediate-range structure of ACC synthesized under controlled conditions. Parallel computational work using reverse Monte Carlo methods will allow structural models to be constructed for a more complete analysis of PDF results. NMR spectroscopy, using a variety of single- and double-resonance techniques, will provide information on H and CO3 components, including dynamical properties, and their relationship to stabilizing additives. PDF and NMR results will be complemented by parallel studies using X-ray absorption and FT-IR spectroscopy to allow direct comparison to previous studies. These techniques will be used to follow the transformation of different ACC samples, with specific additives, to crystalline phases under controlled condition (e.g., relative humidity). This work will provide the structural and mechanistic basis for understanding ACC stability, its transformation behavior, and the factors that govern polymorph selection. This new insight will directly benefit researchers in diverse fields, as well as adding to the framework of knowledge for understanding and controlling calcium carbonate formation in natural and engineered systems.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 amends the current act to provide regional facilities established through compacts between two or more states. The Act defines the responsibilities of the federal government and the participating states, and provides for inspection by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and review by Congress. It also establishes procedures for siting and allocation of facilities during the transition period and the requirements for access to regional facilities, which will have a three-year licensing and construction period. There is a graduated ceiling on surcharges until 1992, when the limit is $40 per cubic foot. Themore » Act lists six compacts which are subject to consent.« less

Effect of the Age Cross-Link Breaker Alagebrium on Anterior Segment Physiology, Morphology, and Ocular Age and Rage

PubMed Central

Kiland, Julie A.; Gabelt, B’Ann T.; Tezel, Gülgün; Lütjen-Drecoll, Elke; Kaufman, Paul L.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To determine the effects of the advanced glycation end product (AGE) cross-link breaker alagebrium on intraocular pressure (IOP), accommodation (ACC), outflow facility (OF), anterior segment morphology, and ocular AGE and receptors for AGE (RAGE) in older rhesus monkeys. Methods: Six rhesus monkeys (aged 19 to 20 years) received 3 or 4 intracameral and intravitreal (final concentration, 1 mM) injections of alagebrium to one eye over 2.5 to 3 weeks and vehicle to the opposite eye. ACC and OF responses to intramuscular or intravenous pilocarpine were measured at baseline and at 1 to 2 weeks and 2, 4, and 6 months postinjection. IOP was measured prior to all injections, ACC, and OF measurements. Monkeys were euthanized 3 to 6 months after the last injection, the eyes were enucleated, and anterior and posterior segments were examined by electron microscopy or immunohistochemistry. Results: No significant differences were found in ACC or IOP at any time point after alagebrium treatment. Baseline OF was higher (37.0 ± 6.0%; P ≤ .005) in alagebrium-treated vs control eyes at 6 months postinjection. In 3 monkeys, alagebrium-treated eyes, compared to control eyes, showed greater focal plaque formation, similar to that seen in primary open-angle glaucoma, in the juxtacanalicular meshwork/inner wall of Schlemm’s canal. No changes in anterior segment AGE or RAGE were detectable. However, some areas of the retina and optic nerve head exhibited decreased AGE and increased RAGE immunostaining. Conclusions: Intraocular injection of AGE cross-link breakers is an unlikely approach for glaucoma therapy. However, it may generate a model for further study of glaucomatous-like plaque formation. Immunohistochemical changes in the posterior segment in response to alagebrium warrant further functional studies. PMID:20126491

Modernizing sports facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dustin, R.

Modernization and renovation of sports facilities challenge the design team to balance a number of requirements: spectator and owner expectations, existing building and site conditions, architectural layouts, code and legislation issues, time constraints and budget issues. System alternatives are evaluated and selected based on the relative priorities of these requirements. These priorities are unique to each project. At Alexander Memorial Coliseum, project schedules, construction funds and facility usage became the priorities. The ACC basketball schedule and arrival of the Centennial Olympics dictated the construction schedule. Initiation and success of the project depended on the commitment of the design team tomore » meet coliseum funding levels established three years ago. Analysis of facility usage and system alternative capabilities drove the design team to select a system that met the project requirements and will maximize the benefits to the owner and spectators for many years to come.« less

Growth rate regulation of Escherichia coli acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase, which catalyzes the first committed step of lipid biosynthesis.

PubMed Central

Li, S J; Cronan, J E

1993-01-01

Acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase catalyzes the synthesis of malonyl-CoA, the first intermediate of fatty acid synthesis. The Escherichia coli enzyme is encoded by four subunits located at three different positions on the E. coli chromosome. The accBC genes lie in a small operon at min 72, whereas accA and accD are located at min 4.3 and 50, respectively. We examined the expression of the genes that encode the E. coli acetyl-CoA carboxylase subunits (accA, accBC, and accD) under a variety of growth conditions by quantitative Northern (RNA) blot analysis. We found a direct correlation between the levels of transcription of the acc genes and the rate of cellular growth. Consistent results were also obtained upon nutritional upshift and downshift experiments and upon dilution of stationary-phase cultures into fresh media. We also determined the 5' end of the accA and accD mRNAs by primer extension and did transcriptional fusion analysis of the previously reported accBC promoter. Several interesting features were found in the promoter regions of these genes, including a bent DNA sequence and an open reading frame within the unusually long leader mRNA of the accBC operon, potential stem-loop structures in the accA and accD mRNA leader regions, and a stretch of GC-rich sequences followed by AT-rich sequences common to all three promoters. In addition, both accA and accD are located in complex gene clusters. For example, the accA promoter was localized within the upstream polC gene (which encodes the DNA polymerase III catalytic subunit), suggesting that additional regulatory mechanisms exist. Images PMID:7678242

Examining the Effectiveness of Climate Change Frames in the Face of a Climate Change Denial Counter-Frame.

PubMed

McCright, Aaron M; Charters, Meghan; Dentzman, Katherine; Dietz, Thomas

2016-01-01

Prior research on the influence of various ways of framing anthropogenic climate change (ACC) do not account for the organized ACC denial in the U.S. media and popular culture, and thus may overestimate these frames' influence in the general public. We conducted an experiment to examine how Americans' ACC views are influenced by four promising frames for urging action on ACC (economic opportunity, national security, Christian stewardship, and public health)-when these frames appear with an ACC denial counter-frame. This is the first direct test of how exposure to an ACC denial message influences Americans' ACC views. Overall, these four positive frames have little to no effect on ACC beliefs. But exposure to an ACC denial counter-frame does significantly reduce respondents' belief in the reality of ACC, belief about the veracity of climate science, awareness of the consequences of ACC, and support for aggressively attempting to reduce our nation's GHG emissions in the near future. Furthermore, as expected by the Anti-Reflexivity Thesis, exposure to the ACC denial counter-frame has a disproportionate influence on the ACC views of conservatives (than on those of moderates and liberals), effectively activating conservatives' underlying propensity for anti-reflexivity. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

[A novel gene (Aa-accA ) encoding acetyl-CoA carboxyltransferase alpha-subunit of Alkalimonas amylolytica N10 enhances salt and alkali tolerance of Escherichia coli and tobacco BY-2 cells].

PubMed

Xian, Mingjie; Zhai, Lei; Zhong, Naiqin; Ma, Yiwei; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe

2013-08-04

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) catalyzes the first step of fatty acid synthesis. In most bacteria, ACC is composed of four subunits encoded by accA, accB, accC, and accD. Of them, accA encodes acetyl-CoA carboxyltransferase alpha-subunit. Our prior work on proteomics of Alkalimonas amylolytica N10 showed that the expression of the Aa-accA has a remarkable response to salt and alkali stress. This research aimed to find out the Aa-accA gene contributing to salt and alkali tolerance. The Aa-accA was amplified by PCR from A. amylolytica N10 and expressed in E. coli K12 host. The effects of Aa-accA expression on the growth of transgenic strains were examined under different NaCl concentration and pH conditions. Transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells harboring Aa-accA were also generated via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The viability of BY-2 cells was determined with FDA staining method after salt and alkali shock. The Aa-accA gene product has 318 amino acids and is homologous to the carboxyl transferase domain of acyl-CoA carboxylases. It showed 76% identity with AccA (acetyl-CoA carboxylase carboxyltransferase subunit alpha) from E. coli. Compared to the wild-type strains, transgenic E. coli K12 strain containing Aa-accA showed remarkable growth superiority when grown in increased NaCl concentrations and pH levels. The final cell density of the transgenic strains was 2.6 and 3.5 times higher than that of the control type when they were cultivated in LB medium containing 6% (W/V) NaCl and at pH 9, respectively. Complementary expression of Aa-accA in an accA-depletion E. coli can recover the tolerance of K12 delta accA to salt and alkali stresses to some extent. Similar to the transgenic E. coli, transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells showed higher percentages of viability compared to the wild BY-2 cells under the salt or alkali stress condition. We found that Aa-accA from A. amylolytica N10 overexpression enhances the tolerance of both transgenic E. coli and tobacco BY-2 cells to NaCl and alkali stresses.

Nevada Training Initiative Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-01

ALTERNA TIVES The U.S. Air Force. Headquarters Air Combat Command (ACC) proposes t o construct a Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) Training...facilities along with upgrades of existing fncilities. The MOUT wou ld encompass approximately 97 acres, with construction phased O \\’er a 5-year period...action alternatives and the no- action alternative. Both action alternatives arc located in the South Range o fN1TR and propose placing the MOUT

Transformation and crystallization energetics of synthetic and biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Radha, A V; Forbes, Tori Z; Killian, Christopher E; Gilbert, P U P A; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2010-09-21

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a metastable phase often observed during low temperature inorganic synthesis and biomineralization. ACC transforms with aging or heating into a less hydrated form, and with time crystallizes to calcite or aragonite. The energetics of transformation and crystallization of synthetic and biogenic (extracted from California purple sea urchin larval spicules, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) ACC were studied using isothermal acid solution calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Transformation and crystallization of ACC can follow an energetically downhill sequence: more metastable hydrated ACC → less metastable hydrated ACC ⇒ anhydrous ACC ∼ biogenic anhydrous ACC ⇒ vaterite → aragonite → calcite. In a given reaction sequence, not all these phases need to occur. The transformations involve a series of ordering, dehydration, and crystallization processes, each lowering the enthalpy (and free energy) of the system, with crystallization of the dehydrated amorphous material lowering the enthalpy the most. ACC is much more metastable with respect to calcite than the crystalline polymorphs vaterite or aragonite. The anhydrous ACC is less metastable than the hydrated, implying that the structural reorganization during dehydration is exothermic and irreversible. Dehydrated synthetic and anhydrous biogenic ACC are similar in enthalpy. The transformation sequence observed in biomineralization could be mainly energetically driven; the first phase deposited is hydrated ACC, which then converts to anhydrous ACC, and finally crystallizes to calcite. The initial formation of ACC may be a first step in the precipitation of calcite under a wide variety of conditions, including geological CO(2) sequestration.

Solubility and bioavailability of stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Meiron, Oren E; Bar-David, Elad; Aflalo, Eliahu D; Shechter, Assaf; Stepensky, David; Berman, Amir; Sagi, Amir

2011-02-01

Since its role in the prevention of osteoporosis in humans was proven some 30 years ago, calcium bioavailability has been the subject of numerous scientific studies. Recent technology allowing the production of a stable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) now enables a bioavailability analysis of this unique form of calcium. This study thus compares the solubility and fractional absorption of ACC, ACC with chitosan (ACC-C), and crystalline calcium carbonate (CCC). Solubility was evaluated by dissolving these preparations in dilute phosphoric acid. The results demonstrated that both ACC and ACC-C are more soluble than CCC. Fractional absorption was evaluated by intrinsically labeling calcium carbonate preparations with (45)Ca, orally administrated to rats using gelatin capsules. Fractional absorption was determined by evaluating the percentage of the administrated radioactive dose per milliliter that was measured in the serum, calcium absorption in the femur, and whole-body retention over a 34-hour period. Calcium serum analysis revealed that calcium absorption from ACC and ACC-C preparations was up to 40% higher than from CCC, whereas retention of ACC and ACC-C was up to 26.5% higher than CCC. Absorbed calcium in the femurs of ACC-administrated rats was 30% higher than in CCC-treated animals, whereas 15% more calcium was absorbed following ACC-C treatment than following CCC treatment. This study demonstrates the enhanced solubility and bioavailability of ACC over CCC. The use of stable ACC as a highly bioavailable dietary source for calcium is proposed based on the findings of this study. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Molecular cloning and expression of heteromeric ACCase subunit genes from Jatropha curcas.

PubMed

Gu, Keyu; Chiam, Huihui; Tian, Dongsheng; Yin, Zhongchao

2011-04-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) catalyzes the biotin-dependent carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to produce malonyl-CoA, which is the essential first step in the biosynthesis of long-chain fatty acids. ACCase exists as a multi-subunit enzyme in most prokaryotes and the chloroplasts of most plants and algae, while it is present as a multi-domain enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum of most eukaryotes. The heteromeric ACCase of higher plants consists of four subunits: an α-subunit of carboxyltransferase (α-CT, encoded by accA gene), a biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP, encoded by accB gene), a biotin carboxylase (BC, encoded by accC gene) and a β-subunit of carboxyltransferase (β-CT, encoded by accD gene). In this study, we cloned and characterized the genes accA, accB1, accC and accD that encode the subunits of heteromeric ACCase in Jatropha (Jatropha curcas), a potential biofuel plant. The full-length cDNAs of the four subunit genes were isolated from a Jatropha cDNA library and by using 5' RACE, whereas the genomic clones were obtained from a Jatropha BAC library. They encode a 771 amino acid (aa) α-CT, a 286-aa BCCP1, a 537-aa BC and a 494-aa β-CT, respectively. The single-copy accA, accB1 and accC genes are nuclear genes, while the accD gene is located in chloroplast genome. Jatropha α-CT, BCCP1, BC and β-CT show high identity to their homologues in other higher plants at amino acid level and contain all conserved domains for ACCase activity. The accA, accB1, accC and accD genes are temporally and spatially expressed in the leaves and endosperm of Jatropha plants, which are regulated by plant development and environmental factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of ADOCS controllers and control laws. Volume 3: Simulation results and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Kenneth H.; Glusman, Steven I.

1985-01-01

The Advanced Cockpit Controls/Advanced Flight Control System (ACC/AFCS) study was conducted by the Boeing Vertol Company as part of the Army's Advanced Digital/Optical Control System (ADOCS) program. Specifically, the ACC/AFCS investigation was aimed at developing the flight control laws for the ADOCS demonstator aircraft which will provide satisfactory handling qualities for an attack helicopter mission. The three major elements of design considered are as follows: Pilot's integrated Side-Stick Controller (SSC) -- Number of axes controlled; force/displacement characteristics; ergonomic design. Stability and Control Augmentation System (SCAS)--Digital flight control laws for the various mission phases; SCAS mode switching logic. Pilot's Displays--For night/adverse weather conditions, the dynamics of the superimposed symbology presented to the pilot in a format similar to the Advanced Attack Helicopter (AAH) Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS) for each mission phase is a function of SCAS characteristics; display mode switching logic. Results of the five piloted simulations conducted at the Boeing Vertol and NASA-Ames simulation facilities are presented in Volume 3. Conclusions drawn from analysis of pilot rating data and commentary were used to formulate recommendations for the ADOCS demonstrator flight control system design. The ACC/AFCS simulation data also provide an extensive data base to aid the development of advanced flight control system design for future V/STOL aircraft.

Genotype-specific enrichment of ACC deaminase-positive bacteria in winter wheat rhizospheres

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacteria that produce ACC deaminase promote plant growth and development by lowering levels of the stress hormone ethylene through deamination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the immediate precursor of ethylene. Therefore, it is hypothesized that ACC deaminase positive (ACC+) bacteri...

24 CFR 982.151 - Annual contributions contract.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Contract and PHA Administration of Program § 982.151 Annual contributions contract. (a) Nature of ACC. (1) An annual contributions contract (ACC) is a written contract between HUD and a PHA. Under the ACC... owners and for the PHA administrative fee. The ACC specifies the maximum payment over the ACC term. The...

24 CFR 982.151 - Annual contributions contract.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Contract and PHA Administration of Program § 982.151 Annual contributions contract. (a) Nature of ACC. (1) An annual contributions contract (ACC) is a written contract between HUD and a PHA. Under the ACC... owners and for the PHA administrative fee. The ACC specifies the maximum payment over the ACC term. The...

Pleasure in using adaptive cruise control: A questionnaire study in The Netherlands.

PubMed

de Winter, J C F; Gorter, C M; Schakel, W J; van Arem, B

2017-02-17

Adaptive cruise control (ACC), a technology that allows for automated car following, is becoming increasingly prevalent. Previous surveys have shown that drivers generally regard ACC as pleasant but that they have to intervene when the ACC reaches its operational limits. The former research has been mostly concerned with specific car brands and does not fully reflect the diversity of ACC types in traffic today. The objective of the present research was to establish the determinants of pleasure in using ACC. A 55-item online questionnaire was completed by Dutch users of diverse ACC systems. Respondents (N = 182) rated their ACC highly, with a mean score of 8.0 on a scale from 1 (extraordinarily negative) to 10 (extraordinarily positive) and were most pleased with ACC on high-speed roads and in low-density traffic. Moreover, the findings point to specific operational limits such as associated with cut-in situations. Pleasure was greater for the types of ACC that are able to decelerate to a full stop, according to 48% of our sample. An analysis of the free-response items indicated that respondents who were displeased with ACC mentioned its occasional clumsiness and the dangerous situations it may evoke, whereas those who were pleased with ACC valued the complementarity of human and machine and emphasized the roles of responsibility and experience in using ACC. Pleasure in using ACC is a function of both technological advances and human factors.

Compact Full-Field Ion Detector System for SmallSats Beyond LEO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrbanek, John D.; Wrbanek, Susan Y.; Fralick, Gustave C.; Clark, Pamela E.; McNeil, Roger R.

2014-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is applying its expertise and facilities in harsh environment instrumentation to develop a Compact Full-Field Ion Detector System (CFIDS). The CFIDS is designed to be an extremely compact, low cost instrument, capable of being flown on a wide variety of deep space platforms, to provide multi-directional, comprehensive (composition, velocity, and direction) in-situ measurements of heavy ions in space plasma environments.

Anterior cingulate cortex surface area relates to behavioral inhibition in adolescents with and without heavy prenatal alcohol exposure

PubMed Central

Migliorini, Robyn; Moore, Eileen M.; Glass, Leila; Infante, M. Alejandra; Tapert, Susan F.; Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Mattson, Sarah N.; Riley, Edward P.

2015-01-01

Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with behavioral disinhibition, yet the brain structure correlates of this deficit have not been determined with sufficient detail. We examined the hypothesis that the structure of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) relates to inhibition performance in youth with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (AE, n = 32) and non-exposed controls (CON, n = 21). Adolescents (12–17 years) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging yielding measures of gray matter volume, surface area, and thickness across four ACC subregions. A subset of subjects were administered the NEPSY-II Inhibition subtest. MANCOVA was utilized to test for group differences in ACC and inhibition performance and multiple linear regression was used to probe ACC-inhibition relationships. ACC surface area was significantly smaller in AE, though this effect was primarily driven by reduced right caudal ACC (rcACC). AE also performed significantly worse on inhibition speed but not on inhibition accuracy. Regression analyses with the rcACC revealed a significant group × ACC interaction. A smaller rcACC surface area was associated with slower inhibition completion time for AE but was not significantly associated with inhibition in CON. After accounting for processing speed, smaller rcACC surface area was associated with worse (i.e., slower) inhibition regardless of group. Examining processing speed independently, a decrease in rcACC surface area was associated with faster processing speed for CON but not significantly associated with processing speed in AE. Results support the theory that caudal ACC may monitor reaction time in addition to inhibition and highlight the possibility of delayed ACC neurodevelopment in prenatal alcohol exposure. PMID:26025509

Anterior cingulate cortex surface area relates to behavioral inhibition in adolescents with and without heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

PubMed

Migliorini, Robyn; Moore, Eileen M; Glass, Leila; Infante, M Alejandra; Tapert, Susan F; Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Mattson, Sarah N; Riley, Edward P

2015-10-01

Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with behavioral disinhibition, yet the brain structure correlates of this deficit have not been determined with sufficient detail. We examined the hypothesis that the structure of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) relates to inhibition performance in youth with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (AE, n = 32) and non-exposed controls (CON, n = 21). Adolescents (12-17 years) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging yielding measures of gray matter volume, surface area, and thickness across four ACC subregions. A subset of subjects were administered the NEPSY-II Inhibition subtest. MANCOVA was utilized to test for group differences in ACC and inhibition performance and multiple linear regression was used to probe ACC-inhibition relationships. ACC surface area was significantly smaller in AE, though this effect was primarily driven by reduced right caudal ACC (rcACC). AE also performed significantly worse on inhibition speed but not on inhibition accuracy. Regression analyses with the rcACC revealed a significant group × ACC interaction. A smaller rcACC surface area was associated with slower inhibition completion time for AE but was not significantly associated with inhibition in CON. After accounting for processing speed, smaller rcACC surface area was associated with worse (i.e., slower) inhibition regardless of group. Examining processing speed independently, a decrease in rcACC surface area was associated with faster processing speed for CON but not significantly associated with processing speed in AE. Results support the theory that caudal ACC may monitor reaction time in addition to inhibition and highlight the possibility of delayed ACC neurodevelopment in prenatal alcohol exposure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of a copper(I) intermediate in the conversion of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) into ethylene by Cu(II)-ACC complexes and hydrogen peroxide.

PubMed

Ghattas, Wadih; Giorgi, Michel; Mekmouche, Yasmina; Tanaka, Tsunehiro; Rockenbauer, Antal; Réglier, Marius; Hitomi, Yutaka; Simaan, A Jalila

2008-06-02

Several Cu(II) complexes with ACC (=1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid) or AIB (=aminoisobutyric acid) were prepared using 2,2'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, and 2-picolylamine ligands: [Cu(2,2'-bipyridine)(ACC)(H2O)](ClO4) (1a), [Cu(1,10-phenanthroline)(ACC)](ClO4) (2a), [Cu(2-picolylamine)(ACC)](ClO4) (3a), and [Cu(2,2'-bipyridine)(AIB)(H2O)](ClO4) (1b). All of the complexes were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The Cu(II)-ACC complexes are able to convert the bound ACC moiety into ethylene in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, in an "ACC-oxidase-like" activity. A few equivalents of base are necessary to deprotonate H2O2 for optimum activity. The presence of dioxygen lowers the yield of ACC conversion into ethylene by the copper(II) complexes. During the course of the reaction of Cu(II)-ACC complexes with H2O2, brown species (EPR silent and lambda max approximately 435 nm) were detected and characterized as being the Cu(I)-ACC complexes that are obtained upon reduction of the corresponding Cu(II) complexes by the deprotonated form of hydrogen peroxide. The geometry of the Cu(I) species was optimized by DFT calculations that reveal a change from square-planar to tetrahedral geometry upon reduction of the copper ion, in accordance with the observed nonreversibility of the redox process. In situ prepared Cu(I)-ACC complexes were also reacted with hydrogen peroxide, and a high level of ethylene formation was obtained. We propose Cu(I)-OOH as a possible active species for the conversion of ACC into ethylene, the structure of which was examined by DFT calculation.

Enhanced responses of the anterior cingulate cortex neurones to colonic distension in viscerally hypersensitive rats

PubMed Central

Gao, Jun; Wu, Xiaoyin; Owyang, Chung; Li, Ying

2006-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is critically involved in processing the affective component of pain sensation. Visceral hypersensitivity is a characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome. Electrophysiological activity of the ACC with regard to visceral sensitization has not been characterized. Single ACC neuronal activities in response to colorectal distension (CRD) were recorded in control, sham-treated rats and viscerally hypersensitive (EA) rats (induced by chicken egg albumin injection, i.p). The ACC neurones of controls failed to respond to 10 or 30 mmHg CRD; only 22% were activated by 50 mmHg CRD. Among the latter, 16.4% exhibited an excitatory response to CRD and were labelled ‘CRD-excited’ neurones. In contrast, CRD (10, 30 and 50 mmHg) markedly increased ACC neuronal responses of EA rats (10%, 28% and 47%, respectively). CRD produced greater pressure-dependent increases in ACC spike firing rates in EA rats compared with controls. Splanchnicectomy combined with pelvic nerve section abolished ACC responses to CRD in EA rats. Spontaneous activity in CRD-excited ACC neurones was significantly higher in EA rats than in controls. CRD-excited ACC neurones in control and EA rats (7 of 16 (42%) and 8 of 20 (40%), respectively) were activated by transcutaneous electrical and thermal stimuli. However, ACC neuronal activity evoked by noxious cutaneous stimuli did not change significantly in EA rats. This study identifies CRD-responsive neurones in the ACC and establishes for the first time that persistence of a heightened visceral afferent nociceptive input to the ACC induces ACC sensitization, characterized by increased spontaneous activity of CRD-excited neurones, decreased CRD pressure threshold, and increased response magnitude. Enhanced ACC nociceptive transmission in viscerally hypersensitive rats is restricted to visceral afferent input. PMID:16239277

Genetic Profiling Reveals Cross-Contamination and Misidentification of 6 Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Cell Lines: ACC2, ACC3, ACCM, ACCNS, ACCS and CAC2

PubMed Central

Phuchareon, Janyaporn; Ohta, Yoshihito; Woo, Jonathan M.; Eisele, David W.; Tetsu, Osamu

2009-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common malignant neoplasm of the salivary glands. Most patients survive more than 5 years after surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. The 10 year survival rate, however, drops to 40%, due to locoregional recurrences and distant metastases. Improving long-term survival in ACC requires the development of more effective systemic therapies based on a better understanding of the biologic behavior of ACC. Much preclinical research in this field involves the use of cultured cells and, to date, several ACC cell lines have been established. Authentication of these cell lines, however, has not been reported. We performed DNA fingerprint analysis on six ACC cell lines using short tandem repeat (STR) examinations and found that all six cell lines had been contaminated with other cells. ACC2, ACC3, and ACCM were determined to be cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells), whereas the ACCS cell line was composed of T24 urinary bladder cancer cells. ACCNS and CAC2 cells were contaminated with cells derived from non-human mammalian species: the cells labeled ACCNS were mouse cells and the CAC2 cells were rat cells. These observations suggest that future studies using ACC cell lines should include cell line authentication to avoid the use of contaminated or non-human cells. PMID:19557180

Reward salience and risk aversion underlie differential ACC activity in substance dependence

PubMed Central

Alexander, William H.; Fukunaga, Rena; Finn, Peter; Brown, Joshua W.

2015-01-01

The medial prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has long been implicated in cognitive control and error processing. Although the association between ACC and behavior has been established, it is less clear how ACC contributes to dysfunctional behavior such as substance dependence. Evidence from neuroimaging studies investigating ACC function in substance users is mixed, with some studies showing disengagement of ACC in substance dependent individuals (SDs), while others show increased ACC activity related to substance use. In this study, we investigate ACC function in SDs and healthy individuals performing a change signal task for monetary rewards. Using a priori predictions derived from a recent computational model of ACC, we find that ACC activity differs between SDs and controls in factors related to reward salience and risk aversion between SDs and healthy individuals. Quantitative fits of a computational model to fMRI data reveal significant differences in best fit parameters for reward salience and risk preferences. Specifically, the ACC in SDs shows greater risk aversion, defined as concavity in the utility function, and greater attention to rewards relative to reward omission. Furthermore, across participants risk aversion and reward salience are positively correlated. The results clarify the role that ACC plays in both the reduced sensitivity to omitted rewards and greater reward valuation in SDs. Clinical implications of applying computational modeling in psychiatry are also discussed. PMID:26106528

Reward salience and risk aversion underlie differential ACC activity in substance dependence.

PubMed

Alexander, William H; Fukunaga, Rena; Finn, Peter; Brown, Joshua W

2015-01-01

The medial prefrontal cortex, especially the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), has long been implicated in cognitive control and error processing. Although the association between ACC and behavior has been established, it is less clear how ACC contributes to dysfunctional behavior such as substance dependence. Evidence from neuroimaging studies investigating ACC function in substance users is mixed, with some studies showing disengagement of ACC in substance dependent individuals (SDs), while others show increased ACC activity related to substance use. In this study, we investigate ACC function in SDs and healthy individuals performing a change signal task for monetary rewards. Using a priori predictions derived from a recent computational model of ACC, we find that ACC activity differs between SDs and controls in factors related to reward salience and risk aversion between SDs and healthy individuals. Quantitative fits of a computational model to fMRI data reveal significant differences in best fit parameters for reward salience and risk preferences. Specifically, the ACC in SDs shows greater risk aversion, defined as concavity in the utility function, and greater attention to rewards relative to reward omission. Furthermore, across participants risk aversion and reward salience are positively correlated. The results clarify the role that ACC plays in both the reduced sensitivity to omitted rewards and greater reward valuation in SDs. Clinical implications of applying computational modeling in psychiatry are also discussed.

Recovering from Katrina. Air Force Civil Engineer, Volume 13, Number 3, 2005

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

Texas, Col Patrick is responsible for providing functional leadership and technical guidance to civil engineer units supporting the more than...delivery of facilities prior to the Wing’s initial operational capability date. Attitude was affected by strong leadership from a senior executive...Warfare Ramping Up for AM-2’s Replacement Mr. Joe D. Fisher ACC/A7XX History of AM-2 AM-2 aluminum matting, an evolution of the pierced steel plank

Compact plasma Pockels cell for TIL of SGIII laser facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiongjun; Wu, Dengsheng; Lin, Doughui; Yu, Haiwu; Zhang, Jun

2008-01-01

Compact plasma Pockel's cells (PPC) with 70mm aperture driven by one-pulse process have been constructed for technical integration line (TIL) of SGIII laser facility. The experimental results indicate that the working range of gas pressure is wide, and the delay of gas breakdown is steady. Measurements of the optical performance show static transmittance of 93.1%, static extinction ratio of 3900, and average switching efficiency of 99.7%. Eight compact PPCs are used for the second-stage integrating experiments of TIL. By using of parallel driving technology, one driver can work for four PPCs. An analyzer of optical switch is replaced with Brewster-angle Nd-glass slabs in amplifier. Two years application results show that the PPCs can effectively minimize the growth of parasitic-oscillation, and have a high reliability.

24 CFR 941.302 - Annual contributions contract; drawdowns and advances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... execute an ACC or ACC amendment covering the entire amount of reserved development funds or the amount of... part. This ACC or ACC amendment must be executed by both the PHA and HUD before funds can be provided... the ACC for pre-development costs for materials and services related to proposal preparation and...

24 CFR 941.302 - Annual contributions contract; drawdowns and advances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... execute an ACC or ACC amendment covering the entire amount of reserved development funds or the amount of... part. This ACC or ACC amendment must be executed by both the PHA and HUD before funds can be provided... the ACC for pre-development costs for materials and services related to proposal preparation and...

Dehydration-induced amorphous phases of calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Saharay, Moumita; Yazaydin, A Ozgur; Kirkpatrick, R James

2013-03-28

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a critical transient phase in the inorganic precipitation of CaCO3 and in biomineralization. The calcium carbonate crystallization pathway is thought to involve dehydration of more hydrated ACC to less hydrated ACC followed by the formation of anhydrous ACC. We present here computational studies of the transition of a hydrated ACC with a H2O/CaCO3 ratio of 1.0 to anhydrous ACC. During dehydration, ACC undergoes reorganization to a more ordered structure with a significant increase in density. The computed density of anhydrous ACC is similar to that of calcite, the stable crystalline phase. Compared to the crystalline CaCO3 phases, calcite, vaterite, and aragonite, the computed local structure of anhydrous ACC is most-similar to those of calcite and vaterite, but the overall structure is not well described by either. The strong hydrogen bond interaction between the carbonate ions and water molecules plays a crucial role in stabilizing the less hydrated ACC compositions compared to the more hydrated ones, leading to a progressively increasing hydration energy with decreasing water content.

Recombinant yeast screen for new inhibitors of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 identifies potential drugs to treat obesity

PubMed Central

Marjanovic, Jasmina; Chalupska, Dominika; Patenode, Caroline; Coster, Adam; Arnold, Evan; Ye, Alice; Anesi, George; Lu, Ying; Okun, Ilya; Tkachenko, Sergey; Haselkorn, Robert; Gornicki, Piotr

2010-01-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is a key enzyme of fatty acid metabolism with multiple isozymes often expressed in different eukaryotic cellular compartments. ACC-made malonyl-CoA serves as a precursor for fatty acids; it also regulates fatty acid oxidation and feeding behavior in animals. ACC provides an important target for new drugs to treat human diseases. We have developed an inexpensive nonradioactive high-throughput screening system to identify new ACC inhibitors. The screen uses yeast gene-replacement strains depending for growth on cloned human ACC1 and ACC2. In “proof of concept” experiments, growth of such strains was inhibited by compounds known to target human ACCs. The screen is sensitive and robust. Medium-size chemical libraries yielded new specific inhibitors of human ACC2. The target of the best of these inhibitors was confirmed with in vitro enzymatic assays. This compound is a new drug chemotype inhibiting human ACC2 with 2.8 μM IC50 and having no effect on human ACC1 at 100 μM. PMID:20439761

The Effectiveness of an Attention Bias Modification Program as an Adjunctive Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PubMed Central

Kuckertz, Jennie M.; Amir, Nader; Boffa, Joseph W.; Warren, Ciara K.; Rindt, Susan E. M.; Norman, Sonya; Ram, Vasudha; Ziajko, Lauretta; Webb-Murphy, Jennifer; McLay, Robert

2014-01-01

Attention bias modification (ABM) may be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders (Beard, Sawyer, & Hofmann, 2012). As individuals with PTSD possess an attentional bias towards threat-relevant information ABM may prove effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. We examined the efficacy of ABM as an adjunct treatment for PTSD in a real-world setting. We administered ABM in conjunction with prolonged exposure or cognitive-processing therapy and medication in a community inpatient treatment facility for military personnel diagnosed with PTSD. Participants were randomized to either ABM or an attention control condition (ACC). While all participants experienced reductions in PTSD symptoms, participants in the ABM group experienced significantly fewer PTSD and depressive symptoms at post-treatment when compared to the ACC group. Moreover, change in plasticity of attentional bias mediated this change in symptoms and initial attentional bias moderated the effects of the treatment. These results suggest that ABM may be an effective adjunct treatment for PTSD. PMID:25277496

Activation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase is involved in Taxol-induced ovarian cancer cell death

PubMed Central

WU, JIANG; JI, FANG; DI, WEN; CHEN, HONGDUO; WAN, YINSHENG

2011-01-01

Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) is an attractive target for research into the treatment of a variety of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity and cancer. Mounting evidence suggests that the inhibition of ACC induced of cancer cell apoptosis. However, whether the inhibition of ACC regulates apoptosis in CaOV3 cancer cells has yet to be addressed. This study investigated the cytotoxic mechanism of action of ACC inhibition. Results showed that 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), an ACC inhibitor, enhanced Taxol-induced CaOV3 human ovarian cancer cell apoptosis. Notably, when TOFA was administered as a monotherapy, it induced CaOV3 cell apoptosis. Pre-treatment with the EGFR inhibitor PD153035 was found to markedly enhance ACC phosphorylation, whereas AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR was found to marginally enhance ACC phosphorylation. Taken together, the data showed ACC is a potential novel molecular target of Taxol. Additionally, ACC inhibition partially contributed to the cytotoxic effect of Taxol in ovarian cancer cells. PMID:22866118

Activation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase is involved in Taxol-induced ovarian cancer cell death.

PubMed

Wu, Jiang; Ji, Fang; DI, Wen; Chen, Hongduo; Wan, Yinsheng

2011-05-01

Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) is an attractive target for research into the treatment of a variety of human diseases, including diabetes, obesity and cancer. Mounting evidence suggests that the inhibition of ACC induced of cancer cell apoptosis. However, whether the inhibition of ACC regulates apoptosis in CaOV3 cancer cells has yet to be addressed. This study investigated the cytotoxic mechanism of action of ACC inhibition. Results showed that 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), an ACC inhibitor, enhanced Taxol-induced CaOV3 human ovarian cancer cell apoptosis. Notably, when TOFA was administered as a monotherapy, it induced CaOV3 cell apoptosis. Pre-treatment with the EGFR inhibitor PD153035 was found to markedly enhance ACC phosphorylation, whereas AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator AICAR was found to marginally enhance ACC phosphorylation. Taken together, the data showed ACC is a potential novel molecular target of Taxol. Additionally, ACC inhibition partially contributed to the cytotoxic effect of Taxol in ovarian cancer cells.

24 CFR 969.105 - Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Extension of ACC upon payment of... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.105 Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy. (a) ACC amendment... projects under a particular ACC for a PHA fiscal year beginning after the effective date of this part, the...

24 CFR 969.105 - Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Extension of ACC upon payment of... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.105 Extension of ACC upon payment of operating subsidy. (a) ACC amendment... projects under a particular ACC for a PHA fiscal year beginning after the effective date of this part, the...

The Repeat Sequences and Elevated Substitution Rates of the Chloroplast accD Gene in Cupressophytes

PubMed Central

Li, Jia; Su, Yingjuan; Wang, Ting

2018-01-01

The plastid accD gene encodes a subunit of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) enzyme. The length of accD gene has been supposed to expand in Cryptomeria japonica, Taiwania cryptomerioides, Cephalotaxus, Taxus chinensis, and Podocarpus lambertii, and the main reason for this phenomenon was the existence of tandemly repeated sequences. However, it is still unknown whether the accD gene length in other cupressophytes has expanded. Here, in order to investigate how widespread this phenomenon was, 18 accD sequences and its surrounding regions of cupressophyte were sequenced and analyzed. Together with 39 GenBank sequence data, our taxon sampling covered all the extant gymnosperm orders. The repetitive elements and substitution rates of accD among 57 gymnosperm species were analyzed, the results show: (1) Reading frame length of accD gene in 18 cupressophytes species has also expanded. (2) Many repetitive elements were identified in accD gene of cupressophyte lineages. (3) The synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates of accD were accelerated in cupressophytes. (4) accD was located in rearrangement endpoints. These results suggested that repetitive elements may mediate the chloroplast genome rearrangement and accelerated the substitution rates. PMID:29731764

Stevioside improves pancreatic beta-cell function during glucotoxicity via regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.

PubMed

Chen, Jianguo; Jeppesen, Per Bendix; Nordentoft, Iver; Hermansen, Kjeld

2007-06-01

Chronic hyperglycemia is detrimental to pancreatic beta-cells, causing impaired insulin secretion and beta-cell turnover. The characteristic secretory defects are increased basal insulin secretion (BIS) and a selective loss of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Several recent studies support the view that the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) plays a pivotal role for GSIS. We have shown that stevioside (SVS) enhances insulin secretion and ACC gene expression. Whether glucotoxicity influences ACC and whether this action can be counteracted by SVS are not known. To investigate this, we exposed isolated mouse islets as well as clonal INS-1E beta-cells for 48 h to 27 or 16.7 mM glucose, respectively. We found that 48-h exposure to high glucose impairs GSIS from mouse islets and INS-1E cells, an effect that is partly counteracted by SVS. The ACC dephosphorylation inhibitor okadaic acid (OKA, 10(-8) M), and 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR, 10(-4) M), an activator of 5'-AMP protein kinase that phosphorylates ACC, eliminated the beneficial effect of SVS. 5-Tetrade-cyloxy-2-furancarboxylic acid (TOFA), the specific ACC inhibitor, blocked the effect of SVS as well. During glucotoxity, ACC gene expression, ACC protein, and phosphorylated ACC protein were increased in INS-1E beta-cells. SVS pretreatment further increased ACC gene expression with strikingly elevated ACC activity and increased glucose uptake accompanied by enhanced GSIS. Our studies show that glucose is a potent stimulator of ACC and that SVS to some extent counteracts glucotoxicity via increased ACC activity. SVS possesses the potential to alleviate negative effects of glucotoxicity in beta-cells via a unique mechanism of action.

Rostral anterior cingulate cortex morphology predicts treatment response to internet-based CBT for depression

PubMed Central

Webb, Christian A.; Olson, Elizabeth A.; Killgore, William D.S.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Rauch, Scott L.; Rosso, Isabelle M.

2018-01-01

Background Rostral and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (rACC and sgACC) activity and, to a lesser extent, volume have been shown to predict depressive symptom improvement across different antidepressant treatments. This study extends prior work by examining whether rACC and/or sgACC morphology predicts treatment response to internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for major depressive disorder (MDD). This is the first study to examine neural predictors of response to iCBT. Methods Hierarchical linear modeling tested whether pre-treatment rACC and sgACC volumes predicted depressive symptom improvement during a 6-session (10-week) randomized clinical trial of iCBT (n = 35) vs. a monitored attention control (MAC; n = 38). Analyses also tested whether pre-treatment rACC and sgACC volumes differed between patients who achieved depression remission versus those who did not remit. Results Larger pre-treatment right rACC volume was a significant predictor of greater depressive symptom improvement in iCBT, even when controlling for demographic (age, gender, race) and clinical (baseline depression, anhedonia and anxiety) variables previously linked to treatment response. In addition, pre-treatment right rACC volume was larger among iCBT patients whose depression eventually remitted relative to those who did not remit. Corresponding analyses in the MAC group and for the sgACC were not significant. Conclusions rACC volume prior to iCBT demonstrated incremental predictive validity beyond clinical and demographic variables previously found to predict symptom improvement. Such findings may help inform our understanding of the mediating anatomy of iCBT and, if replicated, may suggest neural targets to augment treatment response (e.g., via modulation of rACC function). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01598922 PMID:29486867

Molecular cloning and characterization of two genes for the biotin carboxylase and carboxyltransferase subunits of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase in Myxococcus xanthus.

PubMed

Kimura, Y; Miyake, R; Tokumasu, Y; Sato, M

2000-10-01

We have cloned a DNA fragment from a genomic library of Myxococcus xanthus using an oligonucleotide probe representing conserved regions of biotin carboxylase subunits of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) carboxylases. The fragment contained two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2), designated the accB and accA genes, capable of encoding a 538-amino-acid protein of 58.1 kDa and a 573-amino-acid protein of 61.5 kDa, respectively. The protein (AccA) encoded by the accA gene was strikingly similar to biotin carboxylase subunits of acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA carboxylases and of pyruvate carboxylase. The putative motifs for ATP binding, CO(2) fixation, and biotin binding were found in AccA. The accB gene was located upstream of the accA gene, and they formed a two-gene operon. The protein (AccB) encoded by the accB gene showed high degrees of sequence similarity with carboxyltransferase subunits of acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA carboxylases and of methylmalonyl-CoA decarboxylase. Carboxybiotin-binding and acyl-CoA-binding domains, which are conserved in several carboxyltransferase subunits of acyl-CoA carboxylases, were found in AccB. An accA disruption mutant showed a reduced growth rate and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity compared with the wild-type strain. Western blot analysis indicated that the product of the accA gene was a biotinylated protein that was expressed during the exponential growth phase. Based on these results, we propose that this M. xanthus acetyl-CoA carboxylase consists of two subunits, which are encoded by the accB and accA genes, and occupies a position between prokaryotic and eukaryotic acetyl-CoA carboxylases in terms of evolution.

An Examination of Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Function and Neurochemistry in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

PubMed Central

Brennan, Brian P; Tkachenko, Olga; Schwab, Zachary J; Juelich, Richard J; Ryan, Erin M; Athey, Alison J; Pope, Harrison G; Jenike, Michael A; Baker, Justin T; Killgore, William DS; Hudson, James I; Jensen, J Eric; Rauch, Scott L

2015-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex is implicated in the neurobiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, few studies have examined functional and neurochemical abnormalities specifically in the rostral subdivision of the ACC (rACC) in OCD patients. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during an emotional counting Stroop task and single-voxel J-resolved proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in the rACC to examine the function and neurochemistry of the rACC in individuals with OCD and comparison individuals without OCD. Between-group differences in rACC activation and glutamine/glutamate ratio (Gln/Glu), Glu, and Gln levels, as well as associations between rACC activation, Gln/Glu, Glu, Gln, behavioral, and clinical measures were examined using linear regression. In a sample of 30 participants with OCD and 29 age- and sex-matched participants without OCD, participants with OCD displayed significantly reduced rACC deactivation compared with those without OCD in response to OCD-specific words versus neutral words on the emotional counting Stroop task. However, Gln/Glu, Glu, and Gln in the rACC did not differ between groups nor was there an association between reduced rACC deactivation and Gln/Glu, Glu, or Gln in the OCD group. Taken together, these findings strengthen the evidence for rACC dysfunction in OCD, but weigh against an underlying association with abnormal rACC glutamatergic neurotransmission. PMID:25662837

24 CFR 941.305 - Technical processing and approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... shall notify the PHA in writing and shall forward to it for execution an ACC (or ACC amendment). If the PHA already has executed an ACC (or ACC amendment) for the entire reserved amount, HUD shall notify...

24 CFR 941.305 - Technical processing and approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... shall notify the PHA in writing and shall forward to it for execution an ACC (or ACC amendment). If the PHA already has executed an ACC (or ACC amendment) for the entire reserved amount, HUD shall notify...

28 CFR 91.3 - General eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities to ensure that secure space is..., development, expansion, modification, operation or improvement of correctional facilities designed to ensure... of the multi-state compact agreement that specifies the construction, development, expansion...

28 CFR 91.3 - General eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities to ensure that secure space is..., development, expansion, modification, operation or improvement of correctional facilities designed to ensure... of the multi-state compact agreement that specifies the construction, development, expansion...

28 CFR 91.3 - General eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities to ensure that secure space is..., development, expansion, modification, operation or improvement of correctional facilities designed to ensure... of the multi-state compact agreement that specifies the construction, development, expansion...

28 CFR 91.3 - General eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities to ensure that secure space is..., development, expansion, modification, operation or improvement of correctional facilities designed to ensure... of the multi-state compact agreement that specifies the construction, development, expansion...

28 CFR 91.3 - General eligibility requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... construct, develop, expand, operate or improve correctional facilities to ensure that secure space is..., development, expansion, modification, operation or improvement of correctional facilities designed to ensure... of the multi-state compact agreement that specifies the construction, development, expansion...

Low-level radwaste storage facility at Hope Creek and Salem Generating Stations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oyen, L.C.; Lee, K.; Bravo, R.

Following the January 1, 1993, closure of the radwaste disposal facilities at Beatty, Nevada, and Richland, Washington (to waste generators outside the compact), only Barnwell, South Carolina, is open to waste generators in most states. Barnwell is scheduled to stay open to waste generators outside the Southeast Compact until June 30, 1994. Continued delays in opening regional radwaste disposal facilities have forced most nuclear utilities to consider on-site storage of low-level radwaste. Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE G) considered several different radwaste storage options before selecting the design based on the steel-frame and metal-siding building design described inmore » the Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI's) TR-100298 Vol. 2, Project 3800 report. The storage facility will accommodate waste generated by Salem units 1 and 2 and Hope Creek unit 1 for a 5-yr period and will be located within their common protected area.« less

Carbon Beam Radio-Therapy and Research Activities at HIMAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanazawa, Mitsutaka

2007-05-01

Radio-therapy with carbon ion beam has been carried out since 1994 at HIMAC (Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba) in NIRS (National Institute of Radiological Sciences). Now, many types of tumors can be treated with carbon beam with excellent local controls of the tumors. Stimulated with good clinical results, requirement of the dedicated compact facility for carbon beam radio-therapy is increased. To realize this requirement, design study of the facility and the R&D's of the key components in this design are promoted by NIRS. According successful results of these activities, the dedicated compact facility will be realized in Gunma University. In this facility, the established irradiation method is expected to use, which is passive irradiation method with wobbler magnets and ridge filter. In this presentation, above R&D's will be presented together with clinical results and basic research activities at HIMAC.

Anticipatory activity in anterior cingulate cortex can be independent of conflict and error likelihood.

PubMed

Aarts, Esther; Roelofs, Ardi; van Turennout, Miranda

2008-04-30

Previous studies have found no agreement on whether anticipatory activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) reflects upcoming conflict, error likelihood, or actual control adjustments. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the nature of preparatory activity in the ACC. Informative cues told the participants whether an upcoming target would or would not involve conflict in a Stroop-like task. Uninformative cues provided no such information. Behavioral responses were faster after informative than after uninformative cues, indicating cue-based adjustments in control. ACC activity was larger after informative than uninformative cues, as would be expected if the ACC is involved in anticipatory control. Importantly, this activation in the ACC was observed for informative cues even when the information conveyed by the cue was that the upcoming target evokes no response conflict and has low error likelihood. This finding demonstrates that the ACC is involved in anticipatory control processes independent of upcoming response conflict or error likelihood. Moreover, the response of the ACC to the target stimuli was critically dependent on whether the cue was informative or not. ACC activity differed among target conditions after uninformative cues only, indicating ACC involvement in actual control adjustments. Together, these findings argue strongly for a role of the ACC in anticipatory control independent of anticipated conflict and error likelihood, and also show that such control can eliminate conflict-related ACC activity during target processing. Models of frontal cortex conflict-detection and conflict-resolution mechanisms require modification to include consideration of these anticipatory control properties of the ACC.

Biomineralisation by earthworms - an investigation into the stability and distribution of amorphous calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Hodson, Mark E; Benning, Liane G; Demarchi, Bea; Penkman, Kirsty E H; Rodriguez-Blanco, Juan D; Schofield, Paul F; Versteegh, Emma A A

Many biominerals form from amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), but this phase is highly unstable when synthesised in its pure form inorganically. Several species of earthworm secrete calcium carbonate granules which contain highly stable ACC. We analysed the milky fluid from which granules form and solid granules for amino acid (by liquid chromatography) and functional group (by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) compositions. Granule elemental composition was determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). Mass of ACC present in solid granules was quantified using FTIR and compared to granule elemental and amino acid compositions. Bulk analysis of granules was of powdered bulk material. Spatially resolved analysis was of thin sections of granules using synchrotron-based μ-FTIR and EMPA electron microprobe analysis. The milky fluid from which granules form is amino acid-rich (≤ 136 ± 3 nmol mg -1 (n = 3; ± std dev) per individual amino acid); the CaCO 3 phase present is ACC. Even four years after production, granules contain ACC. No correlation exists between mass of ACC present and granule elemental composition. Granule amino acid concentrations correlate well with ACC content (r ≥ 0.7, p ≤ 0.05) consistent with a role for amino acids (or the proteins they make up) in ACC stabilisation. Intra-granule variation in ACC (RSD = 16%) and amino acid concentration (RSD = 22-35%) was high for granules produced by the same earthworm. Maps of ACC distribution produced using synchrotron-based μ-FTIR mapping of granule thin sections and the relative intensity of the ν 2 : ν 4 peak ratio, cluster analysis and component regression using ACC and calcite standards showed similar spatial distributions of likely ACC-rich and calcite-rich areas. We could not identify organic peaks in the μ-FTIR spectra and thus could not determine whether ACC-rich domains also had relatively high amino acid concentrations. No correlation exists between ACC distribution and elemental concentrations determined by EMPA. ACC present in earthworm CaCO 3 granules is highly stable. Our results suggest a role for amino acids (or proteins) in this stability. We see no evidence for stabilisation of ACC by incorporation of inorganic components. Graphical abstractSynchrotron-based μ-FTIR mapping was used to determine the spatial distribution of amorphous calcium carbonate in earthworm-produced CaCO 3 granules.

Readiness Review of BWXT for Fabrication of AGR 5/6/7 Compacts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marshall, Douglas William; Sharp, Michelle Tracy

In support of preparations for fabricating compacts for the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) fuel qualification irradiation experiments (AGR-5/6/7), Idaho National Laboratory (INL) conducted a readiness review of the BWX Technology (BWXT) procedures, processes, and equipment associated with compact fabrication activities at the BWXT Nuclear Operations Group (BWXT-NOG) facility outside Lynchburg, VirginiaVA. The readiness review used quality assurance requirements taken from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Nuclear Quality Assurance Standard (NQA-1-2008/1a-2009) as a basis to assess readiness to start compact fabrication.

Compact Full-Field Ion Detector System for CubeSat Science Beyond LEO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrbanek, John D.; Wrbanek, Susan Y.; Fralick, Gustave C.; Clark, Pamela E.

2013-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is applying its expertise and facilities in harsh environment instrumentation to develop a Compact Full-Field Ion Detector System (CFIDS). The CFIDS is designed to be an extremely compact, low cost instrument, capable of being flown on a wide variety of deep space platforms, to provide comprehensive (composition, velocity, and direction) in situ measurements of heavy ions in space plasma environments with higher fidelity, than previously available.

Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-08-01

In 1980, Congress passed the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act. This Act provided for a new approach to the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. It assigned each state responsibility for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated within its borders, and it authorized states to enter into compacts for the purpose of operating regional disposal facilities. It also authorized compacts to restrict the use of regional disposal facilities to only member states. To meet their obligations under the Act, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin formed the Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact. The Compact was ratified bymore » each of the state legislatures and by Congress. The Compact established the Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, composed on one representative appointed by the Governor or Legislature of each member state. Article 3 of the compact requires that the Commission prepare an annual report regarding the activities and actions of the Commission. It also requires that the annual report be distributed to the Governors and legislative leaders in the member states. The Commission's Bylaw Article 12 requires the annual report to cover the preceding fiscal year, and to be distributed in August of each year. The Bylaw also requires that an annual audit, prepared by a certified public accountant, be included as part of the annual report. 3 figs.« less

Inventory of File gfs.t06z.smartguam06.tm00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

(0=sea, 1=land) [Proportion] 009 surface APCP 3-6 hour acc Total Precipitation [kg/m^2] 010 surface ] 020 surface TMAX 3-6 hour acc Maximum Temperature [K] 021 surface TMIN 3-6 hour acc Minimum Temperature [K] 022 surface MAXRH 3-6 hour acc Maximum Relative Humidity [%] 023 surface MINRH 3-6 hour acc

Effects of Low O2 Root Stress on Ethylene Biosynthesis in Tomato Plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv Heinz 1350) 1

PubMed Central

Wang, Tzann-Wei; Arteca, Richard N.

1992-01-01

Low O2 conditions were obtained by flowing N2 through the solution in which the tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv Heinz 1350) were growing. Time course experiments revealed that low O2 treatments stimulated 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase production in the roots and leaves. After the initiation of low O2 conditions, ACC synthase activity and ACC content in the roots increased and reached a peak after 12 and 20 hours, respectively. The conversion of ACC to ethylene in the roots was inhibited by low levels of O2, and ACC was apparently transported to the leaves where it was converted to ethylene. ACC synthase activity in the leaves was also stimulated by low O2 treatment to the roots, reaching a peak after 24 hours. ACC synthase levels were enhanced by cobalt chloride and aminooxyacetic acid (AOA), although they inhibited ethylene production. Cobalt chloride enhanced ACC synthase only in combination with low O2 conditions in the roots. Under aeration, AOA stimulated ACC synthase activity in both the roots and leaves. However, in combination with low O2 conditions, AOA caused a stimulation in ACC synthase activity in the leaves and no effect in the roots. PMID:16668654

Identification and characterization of an Apis cerana cerana Delta class glutathione S-transferase gene ( AccGSTD) in response to thermal stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Huiru; Jia, Haihong; Wang, Xiuling; Gao, Hongru; Guo, Xingqi; Xu, Baohua

2013-02-01

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are members of a multifunctional enzyme super family that plays a pivotal role in both insecticide resistance and protection against oxidative stress. In this study, we identified a single-copy gene, AccGSTD, as being a Delta class GST in the Chinese honey bee ( Apis cerana cerana). A predicted antioxidant response element, CREB, was found in the 1,492-bp 5'-flanking region, suggesting that AccGSTD may be involved in oxidative stress response pathways. Real-time PCR and immunolocalization studies demonstrated that AccGSTD exhibited both developmental- and tissue-specific expression patterns. During development, AccGSTD transcript was increased in adults. The AccGSTD expression level was the highest in the honey bee brain. Thermal stress experiments demonstrated that AccGSTD could be significantly upregulated by temperature changes in a time-dependent manner. It is hypothesized that high expression levels might be due to the increased levels of oxidative stress caused by the temperature challenges. Additionally, functional assays of the recombinant AccGSTD protein revealed that AccGSTD has the capability to protect DNA from oxidative damage. Taken together, these data suggest that AccGSTD may be responsible for antioxidant defense in adult honey bees.

Nationwide analysis of adrenocortical carcinoma reveals higher perioperative morbidity in functional tumors.

PubMed

Parikh, Punam P; Rubio, Gustavo A; Farra, Josefina C; Lew, John I

2017-08-25

Current adrenalectomy outcomes for functional adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) remain unclear. This study examines nationwide in-hospital post-adrenalectomy outcomes for ACC. A retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2006-2011) to identify unilateral adrenalectomy patients for functional or nonfunctional ACC was performed. Patient demographics, comorbidities and postoperative outcomes were evaluated by t-test, Chi-square and multivariate regression. Of 2199 patients who underwent adrenalectomy, 87% had nonfunctional and 13% had functional ACC (86% hypercortisolism, 16% hyperaldosteronism, 4% hyperandrogenism). Functional ACC patients had significantly more comorbidities, and experienced certain postoperative complications more frequently including wound issues, adrenocortical insufficiency and acute kidney injury with longer hospital stay compared to nonfunctional ACC (P < 0.01). On multivariate analysis, functional ACC was an independent prognosticator for wound complications (28.1, 95%CI 4.59-176.6). Patients with functional ACC manifest significant comorbidities with certain in-hospital complications. Such high-risk patients require appropriate preoperative medical optimization prior to adrenalectomy. Patients with functional adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) have significant preoperative comorbidities and experience higher rates of certain postoperative complications including wound complications, hematoma formation, adrenal insufficiency, pulmonary embolism and acute kidney injury. Functional ACC patients also necessitate longer hospitalizations. These patients should undergo appropriate preoperative counseling in preparation for adrenalectomy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liver resection for metastases of tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma: Report of two cases.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sumida, Yorihisa; Tobinaga, Shuichi; Wada, Hideo; Wakata, Kouki; Nonaka, Takashi; Kunizaki, Masaki; Hidaka, Shigekazu; Kinoshita, Naoe; Sawai, Terumitsu; Nagayasu, Takeshi

2018-05-16

Tracheal adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is rare and accounts for <1% of all lung cancers. Although ACC is classified as a low-grade tumor, metastases are frequently identified in the late period. Extrapulmonary metastases are rare, and their resection has rarely been reported. Case 1: A 77-year-old man underwent tracheal resection for ACC with postoperative radiation (60 Gy) 14 years before　(at the age of 63). He underwent two subsequent pulmonary resections for metastases. Fourteen years after the first operation, he underwent extended right posterior segmentectomy with resection of segment IV and radiofrequency ablation for metastases of ACC to the liver. He was diagnosed with metastases to the kidney with peritoneal dissemination 4 years after the liver resection and died of pneumonia 2 years later. Case 2: A 53-year-old woman underwent a two-stage operation involving tracheal resection for ACC and partial resection of liver segments II and V for metastases of ACC to the liver. The tracheal margin was histopathologically positive. Postoperative radiation was performed, and she was tumor-free for 10 months after the liver resection. Complete resection of tracheal ACC provides better survival. Radiotherapy is also recommended. However, the optimal treatment for metastases of ACC is unclear, especially because liver resection for metastases of tracheal ACC is rarely reported. Our two cases of metastases of tracheal ACC were surgically managed with good outcomes. Liver resection for metastases of tracheal ACC may contribute to long survival. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

24 CFR 969.107 - HUD approval of demolition or disposition before ACC expiration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... disposition before ACC expiration. 969.107 Section 969.107 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating... before ACC expiration. This part is not intended to preclude or restrict the demolition or disposition of... before the ACC Expiration Date. ...

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Is a Potential Antiangiogenic Target in Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

PubMed

Crowley, Michael J P; Scognamiglio, Theresa; Liu, Yi-Fang; Kleiman, David A; Beninato, Toni; Aronova, Anna; Liu, He; Jhanwar, Yuliya S; Molina, Ana; Tagawa, Scott T; Bander, Neil H; Zarnegar, Rasa; Elemento, Olivier; Fahey, Thomas J

2016-03-01

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor type with a poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. Assess prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression as a potential novel therapeutic target for ACC. Expression of PSMA was evaluated in benign and malignant adrenal tumors and 1 patient with metastatic ACC. This study took place at a tertiary referral center. Fifty adrenal samples were evaluated, including 16 normal adrenal glands, 16 adrenocortical adenomas, 15 primary ACC, and 3 ACC metastases. Demographics, PSMA expression levels via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry and whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography standardized uptake values for 1 patient. qPCR demonstrated an elevated level of PSMA in ACC relative to all benign tissues (P < .05). Immunohistochemistry localized PSMA expression to the neovasculature of ACC and confirmed overexpression of PSMA in ACC relative to benign tissues both in intensity and percentage of vessels stained (78% of ACC, 0% of normal adrenal, and 3.27% of adenoma-associated neovasculature; P < .001). Those with more than 25% PSMA-positive vessels were 33 times more likely to be malignant than benign (odds ratio, P < .001). Whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography imaging showed targeting of anti-PSMA Zr89-J591 to 5/5 of the patient's multiple lung masses with an average measurement of 3.49 ± 1.86 cm and a standardized uptake value of 1.4 ± 0.65 relative to blood pool at 0.8 standardized uptake value. PSMA is significantly overexpressed in ACC neovasculature when compared with normal and benign adrenal tumors. PSMA expression can be used to image ACC metastases in vivo and may be considered as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in ACC.

Medial frontal white and gray matter contributions to general intelligence.

PubMed

Ohtani, Toshiyuki; Nestor, Paul G; Bouix, Sylvain; Saito, Yukiko; Hosokawa, Taiga; Kubicki, Marek

2014-01-01

The medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) are part of a wider neural network that plays an important role in general intelligence and executive function. We used structural brain imaging to quantify magnetic resonance gray matter volume and diffusion tensor white matter integrity of the mOFC-rACC network in 26 healthy participants who also completed neuropsychological tests of intellectual abilities and executive function. Stochastic tractography, the most effective Diffusion Tensor Imaging method for examining white matter connections between adjacent gray matter regions, was employed to assess the integrity of mOFC-rACC pathways. Fractional anisotropy (FA), which reflects the integrity of white matter connections, was calculated. Results indicated that higher intelligence correlated with greater gray matter volumes for both mOFC and rACC, as well as with increased FA for left posterior mOFC-rACC connectivity. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that DTI-derived FA of left posterior mOFC-rACC uniquely accounted for 29%-34% of the variance in IQ, in comparison to 11%-16% uniquely explained by gray matter volume of the left rACC. Together, left rACC gray matter volume and white matter connectivity between left posterior mOFC and rACC accounted for up to 50% of the variance in general intelligence. This study is to our knowledge the first to examine white matter connectivity between OFC and ACC, two gray matter regions of interests that are very close in physical proximity, and underscores the important independent contributions of variations in rACC gray matter volume and mOFC-rACC white matter connectivity to individual differences in general intelligence.

Chronic Suppression of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase 1 in β-Cells Impairs Insulin Secretion via Inhibition of Glucose Rather Than Lipid Metabolism*

PubMed Central

Ronnebaum, Sarah M.; Joseph, Jamie W.; Ilkayeva, Olga; Burgess, Shawn C.; Lu, Danhong; Becker, Thomas C.; Sherry, A. Dean; Newgard, Christopher B.

2008-01-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) currently is being investigated as a target for treatment of obesity-associated dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To investigate the effects of ACC1 inhibition on insulin secretion, three small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes targeting ACC1 (siACC1) were transfected into the INS-1-derived cell line, 832/13; the most efficacious duplex was also cloned into an adenovirus and used to transduce isolated rat islets. Delivery of the siACC1 duplexes decreased ACC1 mRNA by 60–80% in 832/13 cells and islets and enzyme activity by 46% compared with cells treated with a non-targeted siRNA. Delivery of siACC1 decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by 70% in 832/13 cells and by 33% in islets. Surprisingly, siACC1 treatment decreased glucose oxidation by 49%, and the ATP:ADP ratio by 52%, accompanied by clear decreases in pyruvate cycling activity and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Exposure of siACC1-treated cells to the pyruvate cycling substrate dimethylmalate restored GSIS to normal without recovery of the depressed ATP:ADP ratio. In siACC1-treated cells, glucokinase protein levels were decreased by 25%, which correlated with a 36% decrease in glycogen synthesis and a 33% decrease in glycolytic flux. Furthermore, acute addition of the ACC1 inhibitor 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA) to β-cells suppressed [14C]glucose incorporation into lipids but had no effect on GSIS, whereas chronic TOFA administration suppressed GSIS and glucose metabolism. In sum, chronic, but not acute, suppression of ACC1 activity impairs GSIS via inhibition of glucose rather than lipid metabolism. These findings raise concerns about the use of ACC inhibitors for diabetes therapy. PMID:18381287

Chronic suppression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 in beta-cells impairs insulin secretion via inhibition of glucose rather than lipid metabolism.

PubMed

Ronnebaum, Sarah M; Joseph, Jamie W; Ilkayeva, Olga; Burgess, Shawn C; Lu, Danhong; Becker, Thomas C; Sherry, A Dean; Newgard, Christopher B

2008-05-23

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) currently is being investigated as a target for treatment of obesity-associated dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To investigate the effects of ACC1 inhibition on insulin secretion, three small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes targeting ACC1 (siACC1) were transfected into the INS-1-derived cell line, 832/13; the most efficacious duplex was also cloned into an adenovirus and used to transduce isolated rat islets. Delivery of the siACC1 duplexes decreased ACC1 mRNA by 60-80% in 832/13 cells and islets and enzyme activity by 46% compared with cells treated with a non-targeted siRNA. Delivery of siACC1 decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) by 70% in 832/13 cells and by 33% in islets. Surprisingly, siACC1 treatment decreased glucose oxidation by 49%, and the ATP:ADP ratio by 52%, accompanied by clear decreases in pyruvate cycling activity and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. Exposure of siACC1-treated cells to the pyruvate cycling substrate dimethylmalate restored GSIS to normal without recovery of the depressed ATP:ADP ratio. In siACC1-treated cells, glucokinase protein levels were decreased by 25%, which correlated with a 36% decrease in glycogen synthesis and a 33% decrease in glycolytic flux. Furthermore, acute addition of the ACC1 inhibitor 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA) to beta-cells suppressed [(14)C]glucose incorporation into lipids but had no effect on GSIS, whereas chronic TOFA administration suppressed GSIS and glucose metabolism. In sum, chronic, but not acute, suppression of ACC1 activity impairs GSIS via inhibition of glucose rather than lipid metabolism. These findings raise concerns about the use of ACC inhibitors for diabetes therapy.

Driver's behavioral adaptation to adaptive cruise control (ACC): the case of speed and time headway.

PubMed

Bianchi Piccinini, Giulio Francesco; Rodrigues, Carlos Manuel; Leitão, Miguel; Simões, Anabela

2014-06-01

The Adaptive Cruise Control is an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that allows maintaining given headway and speed, according to settings pre-defined by the users. Despite the potential benefits associated to the utilization of ACC, previous studies warned against negative behavioral adaptations that might occur while driving with the system activated. Unfortunately, up to now, there are no unanimous results about the effects induced by the usage of ACC on speed and time headway to the vehicle in front. Also, few studies were performed including actual users of ACC among the subjects. This research aimed to investigate the effect of the experience gained with ACC on speed and time headway for a group of users of the system. In addition, it explored the impact of ACC usage on speed and time headway for ACC users and regular drivers. A matched sample driving simulator study was planned as a two-way (2×2) repeated measures mixed design, with the experience with ACC as between-subjects factor and the driving condition (with ACC and manually) as within-subjects factor. The results show that the usage of ACC brought a small but not significant reduction of speed and, especially, the maintenance of safer time headways, being the latter result greater for ACC users, probably as a consequence of their experience in using the system. The usage of ACC did not cause any negative behavioral adaptations to the system regarding speed and time headway. Based on this research work, the Adaptive Cruise Control showed the potential to improve road safety for what concerns the speed and the time headway maintained by the drivers. The speed of the surrounding traffic and the minimum time headway settable through the ACC seem to have an important effect on the road safety improvement achievable with the system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 985.109 - Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Contributions Contract (ACC). 985.109 Section 985.109 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING TO... § 985.109 Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). HUD may determine that an PHA's failure... required by HUD constitutes a default under the ACC. ...

24 CFR 985.109 - Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Contributions Contract (ACC). 985.109 Section 985.109 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to... § 985.109 Default under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). HUD may determine that an PHA's failure... required by HUD constitutes a default under the ACC. ...

Understanding Portability of a High-Level Programming Model on Contemporary Heterogeneous Architectures

DOE PAGES

Sabne, Amit J.; Sakdhnagool, Putt; Lee, Seyong; ...

2015-07-13

Accelerator-based heterogeneous computing is gaining momentum in the high-performance computing arena. However, the increased complexity of heterogeneous architectures demands more generic, high-level programming models. OpenACC is one such attempt to tackle this problem. Although the abstraction provided by OpenACC offers productivity, it raises questions concerning both functional and performance portability. In this article, the authors propose HeteroIR, a high-level, architecture-independent intermediate representation, to map high-level programming models, such as OpenACC, to heterogeneous architectures. They present a compiler approach that translates OpenACC programs into HeteroIR and accelerator kernels to obtain OpenACC functional portability. They then evaluate the performance portability obtained bymore » OpenACC with their approach on 12 OpenACC programs on Nvidia CUDA, AMD GCN, and Intel Xeon Phi architectures. They study the effects of various compiler optimizations and OpenACC program settings on these architectures to provide insights into the achieved performance portability.« less

10 CFR 1800.13 - Conditions for becoming an eligible party state.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Compact, it will be the sole host state. (c) To be eligible for Compact membership, a state must warrant the availability of a regional disposal facility that will accommodate 800,000 cubic feet of waste... state approves and such importation does not jeopardize the warranted availability of 800,000 cubic feet...

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE DOCUMENT: QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR WASTE CONTAINMENT FACILITIES

EPA Science Inventory

This Technical Guidance Document provides comprehensive guidance on procedures for quality assurance and quality control for waste containment facilities. he document includes a discussion of principles and concepts, compacted soil liners, soil drainage systems, geosynthetic drai...

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE DOCUMENT: QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR WASTE CONTAINMENT FACILITIES

EPA Science Inventory

This Technical Guidance Document provides comprehensive guidance on procedures for quality assurance and quality control for waste containment facilities. The document includes a discussion of principles and concepts, compacted soil liners, soil drainage systems, geosynthetic dr...

Identification of a melatonin receptor type 1A gene ( AccMTNR1A) in Apis cerana cerana and its possible involvement in the response to low temperature stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guilin; Zhang, Yanming; Ni, Yong; Wang, Ying; Xu, Baohua; Guo, Xingqi

2018-04-01

It is known that melatonin plays an indispensable role in the defense against some environment-induced stresses. The melatonin receptor (MTNR) is also closely linked to the environmental stress response in mammals. However, little is known about the function of the MTNR in insects, including honeybees. In this study, we identified a MTNR from Apis cerana cerana named AccMTNR1A, which contained a typical seven-transmembrane domain common to this family of receptors. A subcellular localization analysis showed that AccMTNR1A was localized in the cytomembrane. Additionally, we found that cold stress apparently boosted AccMTNR1A transcription, indicating that AccMTNR1A possibly connects to the cold stress response. The knockdown of AccMTNR1A attenuated the expression level of some genes associated with the cold stress response, suggesting that AccMTNR1A likely plays an analogous role with these genes during low temperature stress response. Moreover, silencing of AccMTNR1A also suppressed the transcription of some antioxidant genes, prompting the possibility that the response of AccMTNR1A to cold stress response may be related to antioxidant signaling pathways. Collectively, the findings presented here provide evidence that AccMTNR1A may play essential roles in protecting Apis cerana cerana from cold stress.

Steady-state kinetics of substrate binding and iron release in tomato ACC oxidase.

PubMed

Thrower, J S; Blalock, R; Klinman, J P

2001-08-14

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACC oxidase) catalyzes the last step in the biosynthetic pathway of the plant hormone, ethylene. This unusual reaction results in the oxidative ring cleavage of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylate (ACC) into ethylene, cyanide, and CO2 and requires ferrous ion, ascorbate, and molecular oxygen for catalysis. A new purification procedure and assay method have been developed for tomato ACC oxidase that result in greatly increased enzymatic activity. This method allowed us to determine the rate of iron release from the enzyme and the effect of the activator, CO2, on this rate. Initial velocity studies support an ordered kinetic mechanism where ACC binds first followed by O2; ascorbate can bind after O2 or possibly before ACC. This kinetic mechanism differs from one recently proposed for the ACC oxidase from avocado.

Multiple cognitive control mechanisms associated with the nature of conflict.

PubMed

Kim, Chobok; Chung, Chongwook; Kim, Jeounghoon

2010-06-07

Cognitive control is required to regulate conflict. The conflict monitoring theory suggests that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is involved in detecting response conflict and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a critical role in regulating conflict. Recent studies, however, have suggested that rostral dACC (rdACC) responds to response conflict whereas caudal dACC (cdACC) is associated with perceptual conflict. Moreover, DLPFC has been engaged only in regulation of response conflict. A neural network involved in perceptual conflict, however, remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an attempt to reveal monitor-controller networks corresponding to either perceptual conflict or response conflict. A version of the Stroop color matching task was used to manipulate perceptual conflict, response conflict was manipulated by an arrow. The results demonstrated that rdACC and DLPFC were engaged in response conflict whereas cdACC and the dorsal portion of premotor cortex (pre-PMd) were involved in perceptual conflict. Interestingly, the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) was activated by both types of conflict. Correlation analyses between behavioral conflict effects and neural responses demonstrated that rdACC and DLPFC were associated with response conflict whereas cdACC and pre-PMd were associated with perceptual conflict. PPC was not correlated with either perceptual conflict or response conflict. We suggest that cdACC and pre-PMd play critical roles in perceptual conflict processing, and this network is independent from the rdACC/DLPFC network for response conflict processing. We also discussed the function of PPC in conflict processing. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 882.403 - ACC, housing assistance payments contract, and lease.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false ACC, housing assistance payments... Procedures for Moderate Rehabilitation-Basic Policies § 882.403 ACC, housing assistance payments contract, and lease. (a) Maximum Total ACC Commitments. The maximum total annual contribution that may be...

24 CFR 880.208 - Financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... give greater rights or funds to any party than are provided under the Agreement, Contract, and/or ACC..., Contract or ACC entered into pursuant to this part: Provided, however, That such financing is in connection..., Contract, or ACC, or payments thereunder, will be limited to the amounts payable under the Contract or ACC...

24 CFR 902.5 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...(s) for which they assumed management responsibilities. (2) ACC. The ACC makes a PHA legally... the PHA and not the RMC or AME is ultimately responsible to HUD under the ACC, the PHAS score of a PHA will be based on all of the projects covered by the ACC, including those with management operations...

24 CFR 982.154 - ACC reserve account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false ACC reserve account. 982.154... and PHA Administration of Program § 982.154 ACC reserve account. (a) HUD may establish and maintain an unfunded reserve account for the PHA program from available budget authority under the consolidated ACC...

24 CFR 982.154 - ACC reserve account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false ACC reserve account. 982.154... and PHA Administration of Program § 982.154 ACC reserve account. (a) HUD may establish and maintain an unfunded reserve account for the PHA program from available budget authority under the consolidated ACC...

Strength and Permeability Evolution of Compressed Bentonite in Response to Salinity and Temperature Changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winnard, B. R.; Mitchell, T. M.; Browning, J.; Cuss, R. J.; Norris, S.; Meredith, P. G.

2017-12-01

Deep geological repositories are the preferred solution to dispose of radioactive waste; design concepts for these disposal facilities include compacted, saturated bentonite as a buffer between waste canister and host rock. Bentonite is favoured for its high swelling capacity, low permeability, and radionuclide retention properties. However, its thermo-hydro-mechanical tolerances must be thoroughly tested to ensure adequate long term performance. Climate variations are likely to induce periods of permafrost, and consequently, changes in groundwater salinity at depth. We performed laboratory experiments investigating effects of temperature and salinity change on uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), and permeability of compacted MX-80 bentonite cylinders. These specimens (moisture content = 22.9±0.1%, dry density = 1.66±0.02 g.cm-3) were compacted with deionised water, and a range of wt% NaCl, CaCl2, or KCl, to compare the effects of compaction fluid. Samples of compressed bentonite were cooled to -20 °C, and heated to 90 ºC, a possible temperature forecast for a repository dependent on factors such as geographical location, waste type, and facility design. Tests were all performed at room temperature, however in situ temperature tests are planned. The UCS of samples that experienced freeze thaw, and 40 ºC treatment failed at 6.5 MPa, with 4% strain, maintaining the same values as untreated bentonite compacted with deionised water. Samples compacted with saline solutions also yielded similar strengths, of 7 MPa, and failed at 4%. However, the 90 ºC, regardless of compaction fluid, failed at 15-18 MPa, at just 2% strain. In all experiments, the spread of strain accommodated varied inconsistently, however, peak stress was uniform. Further experiments into heterogeneity are needed to understand the responsible mechanisms. To obtain permeability, we utilised the pore pressure oscillation (PPO) technique with argon as the pore fluid. We also tested water as the pore fluid to assess the contribution of montmorillonite swelling and compare argon and water permeability. There is potential for salinity to markedly affect permeability, as electrolytes can initiate cation-exchange reactions. Permeability and strength are both key parameters to assess the long term safety of a geological disposal facility.

Lattice QCD simulations using the OpenACC platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majumdar, Pushan

2016-10-01

In this article we will explore the OpenACC platform for programming Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). The OpenACC platform offers a directive based programming model for GPUs which avoids the detailed data flow control and memory management necessary in a CUDA programming environment. In the OpenACC model, programs can be written in high level languages with OpenMP like directives. We present some examples of QCD simulation codes using OpenACC and discuss their performance on the Fermi and Kepler GPUs.

Compact hohlraum configuration with parallel planar-wire-array x-ray sources at the 1.7-MA Zebra generator.

PubMed

Kantsyrev, V L; Chuvatin, A S; Rudakov, L I; Velikovich, A L; Shrestha, I K; Esaulov, A A; Safronova, A S; Shlyaptseva, V V; Osborne, G C; Astanovitsky, A L; Weller, M E; Stafford, A; Schultz, K A; Cooper, M C; Cuneo, M E; Jones, B; Vesey, R A

2014-12-01

A compact Z-pinch x-ray hohlraum design with parallel-driven x-ray sources is experimentally demonstrated in a configuration with a central target and tailored shine shields at a 1.7-MA Zebra generator. Driving in parallel two magnetically decoupled compact double-planar-wire Z pinches has demonstrated the generation of synchronized x-ray bursts that correlated well in time with x-ray emission from a central reemission target. Good agreement between simulated and measured hohlraum radiation temperature of the central target is shown. The advantages of compact hohlraum design applications for multi-MA facilities are discussed.

24 CFR 883.607 - Default by owner and/or agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Agency defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the Contract will provide that... enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if Agency defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that, if...; however, HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the...

24 CFR 969.104 - Continuing eligibility for operating subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... in accordance with an ACC amendment providing for extension of the term of the ACC provisions related to project operation, pursuant to § 969.105 or § 969.106. The ACC amendment shall be in the form prescribed by HUD and shall specify the particular provisions of the ACC which relate to continued project...

24 CFR 969.103 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

....103 Definitions. (a) “ACC expiration date” means the last day of the term during which a particular public housing project is subject to all or any of the provisions of the ACC. The ACC term for a... Contribution Date for the project, as determined under the ACC (e.g., if the last debt service Annual...

24 CFR 882.805 - HA application process, ACC execution, and pre-rehabilitation activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false HA application process, ACC... § 882.805 HA application process, ACC execution, and pre-rehabilitation activities. (a) Review. When... applications in accordance with the guidelines, rating criteria, and procedures published in the NOFA. (b) ACC...

24 CFR 969.103 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

....103 Definitions. (a) “ACC expiration date” means the last day of the term during which a particular public housing project is subject to all or any of the provisions of the ACC. The ACC term for a... Contribution Date for the project, as determined under the ACC (e.g., if the last debt service Annual...

24 CFR 883.607 - Default by owner and/or agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Agency defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the Contract will provide that... enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if Agency defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that, if...; however, HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the...

24 CFR 969.104 - Continuing eligibility for operating subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... in accordance with an ACC amendment providing for extension of the term of the ACC provisions related to project operation, pursuant to § 969.105 or § 969.106. The ACC amendment shall be in the form prescribed by HUD and shall specify the particular provisions of the ACC which relate to continued project...

Histopathology of acute acalculous cholecystitis in critically ill patients.

PubMed

Laurila, J J; Ala-Kokko, T I; Laurila, P A; Saarnio, J; Koivukangas, V; Syrjälä, H; Karttunen, T J

2005-11-01

To illustrate the histopathological features of acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) of critically ill patients and to compare them with those of acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) and normal gallbladders. We studied 34 gallbladders with AAC and compared them with 28 cases of ACC and 14 normal gallbladders. Histological features were systematically evaluated. Typical features in AAC were bile infiltration, leucocyte margination of blood vessels and lymphatic dilation. Bile infiltration in the gallbladder wall was more common and extended wider and deeper into the muscle layer in AAC compared with ACC. Epithelial degeneration and defects and widespread occurrence of inflammatory cells were typical features in ACC. Necrosis in the muscle layer was also more common and extended wider and deeper in ACC. There were no differences in the occurrence of capillary thromboses, lymphatic follicles or Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses between the AAC and ACC samples. There are characteristic differences in histopathology between AAC and ACC, although due to overlap, none appeared to be specific as such for either condition. These results suggest that AAC is largely a manifestation of systemic critical illness, whereas ACC is a local disease of the gallbladder.

OpenARC: Extensible OpenACC Compiler Framework for Directive-Based Accelerator Programming Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Seyong; Vetter, Jeffrey S

2014-01-01

Directive-based, accelerator programming models such as OpenACC have arisen as an alternative solution to program emerging Scalable Heterogeneous Computing (SHC) platforms. However, the increased complexity in the SHC systems incurs several challenges in terms of portability and productivity. This paper presents an open-sourced OpenACC compiler, called OpenARC, which serves as an extensible research framework to address those issues in the directive-based accelerator programming. This paper explains important design strategies and key compiler transformation techniques needed to implement the reference OpenACC compiler. Moreover, this paper demonstrates the efficacy of OpenARC as a research framework for directive-based programming study, by proposing andmore » implementing OpenACC extensions in the OpenARC framework to 1) support hybrid programming of the unified memory and separate memory and 2) exploit architecture-specific features in an abstract manner. Porting thirteen standard OpenACC programs and three extended OpenACC programs to CUDA GPUs shows that OpenARC performs similarly to a commercial OpenACC compiler, while it serves as a high-level research framework.« less

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase rewires cancer metabolism to allow cancer cells to survive inhibition of the Warburg effect by cetuximab

PubMed Central

Luo, Jingtao; Hong, Yun; Lu, Yang; Qiu, Songbo; Chaganty, Bharat K. R.; Zhang, Lun; Wang, Xudong; Li, Qiang; Fan, Zhen

2016-01-01

Cetuximab inhibits HIF-1-regulated glycolysis in cancer cells, thereby reversing the Warburg effect and leading to inhibition of cancer cell metabolism. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated after cetuximab treatment, and a sustained AMPK activity is a mechanism contributing to cetuximab resistance. Here, we investigated how acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a downstream target of AMPK, rewires cancer metabolism in response to cetuximab treatment. We found that introduction of experimental ACC mutants lacking the AMPK phosphorylation sites (ACC1_S79A and ACC2_S212A) into head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells protected HNSCC cells from cetuximab-induced growth inhibition. HNSCC cells with acquired cetuximab resistance contained not only high levels of T172-phosphorylated AMPK and S79-phosphorylated ACC1 but also an increased level of total ACC. These findings were corroborated in tumor specimens of HNSCC patients treated with cetuximab. Cetuximab plus TOFA (an allosteric inhibitor of ACC) achieved remarkable growth inhibition of cetuximab-resistant HNSCC xenografts. Our data suggest a novel paradigm in which cetuximab-mediated activation of AMPK and subsequent phosphorylation and inhibition of ACC is followed by a compensatory increase in total ACC, which rewires cancer metabolism from glycolysis-dependent to lipogenesis-dependent. PMID:27693630

Performance, throughput, and cost of in-home training for the Army Reserve: Using asynchronous computer conferencing as an alternative to resident training

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hahn, H.A.; Ashworth, R.L. Jr.; Phelps, R.H.

1990-01-01

Asynchronous computer conferencing (ACC) was investigated as an alternative to resident training for the Army Reserve Component (RC). Specifically, the goals were to (1) evaluate the performance and throughput of ACC as compared with traditional Resident School instruction and (2) determine the cost-effectiveness of developing and implementing ACC. Fourteen RC students took a module of the Army Engineer Officer Advanced Course (EOAC) via ACC. Course topics included Army doctrine, technical engineering subjects, leadership, and presentation skills. Resident content was adapted for presentation via ACC. The programs of instruction for ACC and the equivalent resident course were identical; only the mediamore » used for presentation were changed. Performance on tests, homework, and practical exercises; self-assessments of learning; throughput; and cost data wee the measures of interest. Comparison data were collected on RC students taking the course in residence. Results indicated that there were no performance differences between the two groups. Students taking the course via ACC perceived greater learning benefit than did students taking the course in residence. Resident throughput was superior to ACC throughput, both in terms of numbers of students completing and time to complete the course. In spite of this fact, however, ACC was more cost-effective than resident training.« less

Adenoid cystic carcinoma: emerging role of translocations and gene fusions

PubMed Central

Wysocki, Piotr T.; Izumchenko, Evgeny; Meir, Juliet; Ha, Patrick K.; Sidransky, David; Brait, Mariana

2016-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), the second most common salivary gland malignancy, is notorious for poor prognosis, which reflects the propensity of ACC to progress to clinically advanced metastatic disease. Due to high long-term mortality and lack of effective systemic treatment, the slow-growing but aggressive ACC poses a particular challenge in head and neck oncology. Despite the advancements in cancer genomics, up until recently relatively few genetic alterations critical to the ACC development have been recognized. Although the specific chromosomal translocations resulting in MYB-NFIB fusions provide insight into the ACC pathogenesis and represent attractive diagnostic and therapeutic targets, their clinical significance is unclear, and a substantial subset of ACCs do not harbor the MYB-NFIB translocation. Strategies based on detection of newly described genetic events (such as MYB activating super-enhancer translocations and alterations affecting another member of MYB transcription factor family-MYBL1) offer new hope for improved risk assessment, therapeutic intervention and tumor surveillance. However, the impact of these approaches is still limited by an incomplete understanding of the ACC biology, and the manner by which these alterations initiate and drive ACC remains to be delineated. This manuscript summarizes the current status of gene fusions and other driver genetic alterations in ACC pathogenesis and discusses new therapeutic strategies stemming from the current research. PMID:27533466

Phase transitions in biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Yutao

Geological calcium carbonate exists in both crystalline phases and amorphous phases. Compared with crystalline calcium carbonate, such as calcite, aragonite and vaterite, the amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is unstable. Unlike geological calcium carbonate crystals, crystalline sea urchin spicules (99.9 wt % calcium carbonate and 0.1 wt % proteins) do not present facets. To explain this property, crystal formation via amorphous precursors was proposed in theory. And previous research reported experimental evidence of ACC on the surface of forming sea urchin spicules. By using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM), we studied cross-sections of fresh sea urchin spicules at different stages (36h, 48h and 72h after fertilization) and observed the transition sequence of three mineral phases: hydrated ACC → dehydrated ACC → biogenic calcite. In addition, we unexpectedly found hydrated ACC nanoparticles that are surrounded by biogenic calcite. This observation indicates the dehydration from hydrated ACC to dehydrated ACC is inhibited, resulting in stabilization of hydrated ACC nanoparticles. We thought that the dehydration was inhibited by protein matrix components occluded within the biomineral, and we designed an in vitro assay to test the hypothesis. By utilizing XANES-PEEM, we found that SM50, the most abundant occluded matrix protein in sea urchin spicules, has the function to stabilize hydrated ACC in vitro.

Evaluating the safety impact of adaptive cruise control in traffic oscillations on freeways.

PubMed

Li, Ye; Li, Zhibin; Wang, Hao; Wang, Wei; Xing, Lu

2017-07-01

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) has been considered one of the critical components of automated driving. ACC adjusts vehicle speeds automatically by measuring the status of the ego-vehicle and leading vehicle. Current commercial ACCs are designed to be comfortable and convenient driving systems. Little attention is paid to the safety impacts of ACC, especially in traffic oscillations when crash risks are the highest. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of ACC parameter settings on rear-end collisions on freeways. First, the occurrence of a rear-end collision in a stop-and-go wave was analyzed. A car-following model in an integrated ACC was developed for a simulation analysis. The time-to-collision based factors were calculated as surrogate safety measures of the collision risk. We also evaluated different market penetration rates considering that the application of ACC will be a gradual process. The results showed that the safety impacts of ACC were largely affected by the parameters. Smaller time delays and larger time gaps improved safety performance, but inappropriate parameter settings increased the collision risks and caused traffic disturbances. A higher reduction of the collision risk was achieved as the ACC vehicle penetration rate increased, especially in the initial stage with penetration rates of less than 30%. This study also showed that in the initial stage, the combination of ACC and a variable speed limit achieved better safety improvements on congested freeways than each single technique. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abnormal Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Unilateral Chronic Tinnitus Patients

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Chen; Liu, Shenghua; Lv, Han; Bo, Fan; Feng, Yuan; Chen, Huiyou; Xu, Jin-Jing; Yin, Xindao; Wang, Shukui; Gu, Jian-Ping

2018-01-01

Purpose: The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been suggested to be involved in chronic subjective tinnitus. Tinnitus may arise from aberrant functional coupling between the ACC and cerebral cortex. To explore this hypothesis, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to illuminate the functional connectivity (FC) network of the ACC subregions in chronic tinnitus patients. Methods: Resting-state fMRI scans were obtained from 31 chronic right-sided tinnitus patients and 40 healthy controls (age, sex, and education well-matched) in this study. Rostral ACC and dorsal ACC were selected as seed regions to investigate the intrinsic FC with the whole brain. The resulting FC patterns were correlated with clinical tinnitus characteristics including the tinnitus duration and tinnitus distress. Results: Compared with healthy controls, chronic tinnitus patients showed disrupted FC patterns of ACC within several brain networks, including the auditory cortex, prefrontal cortex, visual cortex, and default mode network (DMN). The Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaires (THQ) scores showed positive correlations with increased FC between the rostral ACC and left precuneus (r = 0.507, p = 0.008) as well as the dorsal ACC and right inferior parietal lobe (r = 0.447, p = 0.022). Conclusions: Chronic tinnitus patients have abnormal FC networks originating from ACC to other selected brain regions that are associated with specific tinnitus characteristics. Resting-state ACC-cortical FC disturbances may play an important role in neuropathological features underlying chronic tinnitus. PMID:29410609

AccR Is a Master Regulator Involved in Carbon Catabolite Repression of the Anaerobic Catabolism of Aromatic Compounds in Azoarcus sp. CIB*

PubMed Central

Valderrama, J. Andrés; Shingler, Victoria; Carmona, Manuel; Díaz, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Here we characterized the first known transcriptional regulator that accounts for carbon catabolite repression (CCR) control of the anaerobic catabolism of aromatic compounds in bacteria. The AccR response regulator of Azoarcus sp. CIB controls succinate-responsive CCR of the central pathways for the anaerobic catabolism of aromatics by this strain. Phosphorylation of AccR to AccR-P triggers a monomer-to-dimer transition as well as the ability to bind to the target promoter and causes repression both in vivo and in vitro. Substitution of the Asp60 phosphorylation target residue of the N-terminal receiver motif of AccR to a phosphomimic Glu residue generates a constitutively active derivative that behaves as a superrepressor of the target genes. AccR-P binds in vitro to a conserved inverted repeat (ATGCA-N6-TGCAT) present at two different locations within the PN promoter of the bzd genes for anaerobic benzoate degradation. Because the DNA binding-proficient C-terminal domain of AccR is monomeric, we propose an activation mechanism in which phosphorylation of Asp60 of AccR alleviates interdomain repression mediated by the N-terminal domain. The presence of AccR-like proteins encoded in the genomes of other β-proteobacteria of the Azoarcus/Thauera group further suggests that AccR constitutes a master regulator that controls anaerobic CCR in these bacteria. PMID:24302740

Minimal impact of age and housing temperature on the metabolic phenotype of Acc2-/- mice.

PubMed

Brandon, Amanda E; Stuart, Ella; Leslie, Simon J; Hoehn, Kyle L; James, David E; Kraegen, Edward W; Turner, Nigel; Cooney, Gregory J

2016-03-01

An important regulator of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is the allosteric inhibition of CPT-1 by malonyl-CoA produced by the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 (ACC2). Initial studies suggested that deletion of Acc2 (Acacb) increased fat oxidation and reduced adipose tissue mass but in an independently generated strain of Acc2 knockout mice we observed increased whole-body and skeletal muscle FAO and a compensatory increase in muscle glycogen stores without changes in glucose tolerance, energy expenditure or fat mass in young mice (12-16 weeks). The aim of the present study was to determine whether there was any effect of age or housing at thermoneutrality (29 °C; which reduces total energy expenditure) on the phenotype of Acc2 knockout mice. At 42-54 weeks of age, male WT and Acc2(-/-) mice had similar body weight, fat mass, muscle triglyceride content and glucose tolerance. Consistent with younger Acc2(-/-) mice, aged Acc2(-/-) mice showed increased whole-body FAO (24 h average respiratory exchange ratio=0.95±0.02 and 0.92±0.02 for WT and Acc2(-/-) mice respectively, P<0.05) and skeletal muscle glycogen content (+60%, P<0.05) without any detectable change in whole-body energy expenditure. Hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp studies revealed no difference in insulin action between groups with similar glucose infusion rates and tissue glucose uptake. Housing Acc2(-/-) mice at 29 °C did not alter body composition, glucose tolerance or the effects of fat feeding compared with WT mice. These results confirm that manipulation of Acc2 may alter FAO in mice, but this has little impact on body composition or insulin action. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brewer, M; Gordon, C; Tien, C

Purpose: To follow the Integrating Healthcare Enterprise - Radiation Oncology (IHE-RO) initiative of proper cross-vendor technology integration, an automated chart checker (ACC) was developed. ACC compares extracted data from an approved patient plan in the Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) against data existing in the Mosaiq treatment management system (TMS). ACC automatically analyzes these parameters using built-in quality checklists to provide further aid in chart review. Methods: Eclipse TPS data are obtained using Eclipse scripting API (ESAPI) while Mosaiq TMS data are obtained from a radiotherapy-treatment-planning (RTP) file. Using this information, ACC identifies TPS-TMS discrepancies in 18 primary beam parametersmore » including MU, energy, jaw positions, gantry angle, table angle, accessories, and bolus for up to 31 beams. Next, approximately 40 items from traditional quality checklists are evaluated such as prescription consistency, DRR graticule placement, plan approval status, global max dose, and dose tracking coefficients. Parameters were artificially modified to determine if ACC would detect an error in data transfer and to test each component of quality checklists. Results: Using ESAPI scripting and RTP file-processing, ACC was able to properly aggregate data from TPS and TMS for up to 31 beams. Errors were artificially introduced into each plan parameter, and ACC was able to successfully detect all of them within seconds. Next, ACC was able to successfully detect mistakes in the chart by identifying deviations with its quality checklists, within seconds. Conclusion: ACC effectively addresses the potential issue of faulty cross-vendor data transfer, as described by IHE-RO. In addition, ACC was also able to detect deviations from its built-in quality checklists. ACC is already an invaluable tool for efficient and standardized chart review and will continue to improve as its incorporated checklists become more comprehensive.« less

Antidepressant Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy Correlate With Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Activity and Connectivity in Depression

PubMed Central

Liu, Yi; Du, Lian; Li, Yongmei; Liu, Haixia; Zhao, Wenjing; Liu, Dan; Zeng, Jinkun; Li, Xingbao; Fu, Yixiao; Qiu, Haitang; Li, Xirong; Qiu, Tian; Hu, Hua; Meng, Huaqing; Luo, Qinghua

2015-01-01

Abstract The mechanisms underlying the effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in major depressive disorder (MDD) are not fully understood. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a new tool to study the effects of brain stimulation interventions, particularly ECT. The authors aim to investigate the mechanisms of ECT in MDD by rs-fMRI. They used rs-fMRI to measure functional changes in the brain of first-episode, treatment-naive MDD patients (n = 23) immediately before and then following 8 ECT sessions (brief-pulse square-wave apparatus, bitemporal). They also computed voxel-wise amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) as a measure of regional brain activity and selected the left subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) to evaluate functional connectivity between the sgACC and other brain regions. Increased regional brain activity measured by ALFF mainly in the left sgACC following ECT. Functional connectivity of the left sgACC increased in the ipsilateral parahippocampal gyrus, pregenual ACC, contralateral middle temporal pole, and orbitofrontal cortex. Importantly, reduction in depressive symptoms were negatively correlated with increased ALFF in the left sgACC and left hippocampus, and with distant functional connectivity between the left sgACC and contralateral middle temporal pole. That is, across subjects, as depression improved, regional brain activity in sgACC and its functional connectivity increased in the brain. Eight ECT sessions in MDD patients modulated activity in the sgACC and its networks. The antidepressant effects of ECT were negatively correlated with sgACC brain activity and connectivity. These findings suggest that sgACC-associated prefrontal-limbic structures are associated with the therapeutic effects of ECT in MDD. PMID:26559309

Morphological heterogeneity of oral salivary gland carcinomas: A clinicopathologic study of 41 cases with long term follow-up emphasizing the overlapping spectrum of adenoid cystic carcinoma and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Schwarz, Stephan; Müller, Maximilian; Ettl, Tobias; Stockmann, Philipp; Zenk, Johannes; Agaimy, Abbas

2011-01-01

We analyzed 41 oral salivary gland carcinomas from consecutive 290 salivary gland carcinoma database (14%) with emphasis on the histological spectrum and clinical outcome of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA). The cohort included 14 ACCs, 14 mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MECs), 8 PLGAs, 3 adenocarcinomas, not otherwise specified and 2 acinic cell carcinomas. Mean age was 48, 58 and 61 yrs for ACC, MEC and PLGA, respectively. Eight patients (19.5%) died of tumor at a mean interval of 66.5 months. ACC and PLGA showed similar mean age, gender distribution, predominant palatal localization, nodal metastasis, perineural invasion and MIB-1 index. However, ACC tended to show higher tumor stage and residual tumor (R1/R2) more frequently than PLGA, but this was statistically not significant. ACC and PLGA showed overlapping architectural patterns. However, ACCs displayed well organized basal-luminal differentiation, highlighted by CK5/CK7 immunostaining. In contrast, PLGA showed a disorganized histological and immunohistological pattern. C-Kit expression (CD117) was common in ACC, generally mirroring that of CK7 and virtually lacking in PLGA. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a similar clinical course for ACC and PLGA with 5 years survivals of 87% and 80%, respectively. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performed on all 290 salivary carcinomas confirmed the specificity of the translocation t (11; 19) for MEC and its absence in all other carcinomas including ACC and PLGA. Our results emphasize the diversity of oral salivary gland carcinomas and the overlapping clinicopathological features of ACC and PLGA. PMID:21577319

Similar outcomes between adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast and invasive ductal carcinoma: a population-based study from the SEER 18 database.

PubMed

Chen, Qing-Xia; Li, Jun-Jing; Wang, Xiao-Xiao; Lin, Pei-Yang; Zhang, Jie; Song, Chuan-Gui; Shao, Zhi-Ming

2017-01-24

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast (breast-ACC) is a rare and indolent tumor with a good prognosis despite its triple-negative status. However, we observed different outcomes in the present study. Utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we enrolled a total of 89,937 eligible patients with an estimated 86 breast-ACC cases and 89,851 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patients. In our study, breast-ACC among women presented with a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which was more likely to feature well-differentiated tumors, rare regional lymph node involvement and greater application of breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with breast-ACC and breast-IDC patients had similar breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS). Moreover, using the propensity score matching method, no significant difference in survival was observed in matched pairs of breast-ACC and breast-IDC patients. Additionally, BCSS and OS did not differ significantly between TNBC-ACC and TNBC-IDC after matching patients for age, tumor size, and nodal status. Further subgroup analysis of molecular subtype indicated improved survival in breast-ACC patients with hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/Her2-) tumors compared to IDC patients with HR+/Her2- tumors. However, the survival of ACC-TNBC and IDC-TNBC patients was similar. In conclusion, ACCs have an indolent clinical course and result in similar outcomes compared to IDC. Understanding these clinical characteristics and outcomes will endow doctors with evidence to provide the same intensive treatment for ACC-TNBC as for IDC-TNBC and lead to more individualized and tailored therapies for breast-ACC patients.

Influence of Magnesium Content on the Local Structure of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC): Real Time Determination by In Situ PDF Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mergelsberg, S. T.; Ulrich, R. N.; Michel, F. M.; Dove, P. M.

2016-12-01

Calcium carbonate minerals are an essential component in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and mollusks. The onset of exoskeleton mineralization includes the precipitation of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) as a reactive intermediate that later transforms to produce diverse structures. Despite the importance of ACC as a critical phase during skeleton formation, the chemical and physical properties are not well characterized at conditions that approximate biological environments. Of particular interest are the solubility of ACC, the short-range structure at the time of formation, and the evolution of ACC structure to final products. Recent advances showing the widespread occurrence of multistep pathways to mineralization in biological and geological settings (De Yoreo et al., 2015) underline the importance of understanding amorphous intermediates. Using quantitative laboratory techniques developed by our research group (Blue et al., 2013; Blue and Dove, 2015; Blue et al., in press), this experimental study quantifies the solubility of ACC in parallel with the physical characterization of the corresponding structure. We measured ACC solubility at specific time points during the precipitation and during its subsequent evolution under the mild pH conditions that approximate biological and environmental conditions. In parallel experiments, structural data were collected from in situ pair distribution function (PDF) analyses were conducted to follow the evolution of individual samples from initial precipitation to final product. The measurements are leading to a quantitative solubility function for ACC with variable Mg contents and an x-ray based understanding of ACC structure in the same particles. We are also finding temporal changes in the short-range order of ACC after precipitation and this order is dependent upon Mg content. Moreover, the data show Mg distribution through the ACC particles is dependent upon total alkalinity. Insights from this study hold promise for better understanding the nature of the initial ACC that forms and factors that influence its structural evolution to final products.

Identification of methylated genes in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma xenografts using global demethylation and methylation microarray screening

PubMed Central

LING, SHIZHANG; RETTIG, ELENI M.; TAN, MARIETTA; CHANG, XIAOFEI; WANG, ZHIMING; BRAIT, MARIANA; BISHOP, JUSTIN A.; FERTIG, ELANA J.; CONSIDINE, MICHAEL; WICK, MICHAEL J.; HA, PATRICK K.

2016-01-01

Salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare head and neck malignancy without molecular biomarkers that can be used to predict the chemotherapeutic response or prognosis of ACC. The regulation of gene expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) through DNA promoter methylation may play a role in the carcinogenesis of ACC. To identify differentially methylated genes in ACC, a global demethylating agent, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-AZA) was utilized to unmask putative TSG silencing in ACC xenograft models in mice. Fresh xenografts were passaged, implanted in triplicate in mice that were treated with 5-AZA daily for 28 days. These xenografts were then evaluated for genome-wide DNA methylation patterns using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip array. Validation of the 32 candidate genes was performed by bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) in a separate cohort of 6 ACC primary tumors and 6 normal control salivary gland tissues. Hypermethylation was identified in the HCN2 gene promoter in all 6 control tissues, but hypomethylation was found in all 6 ACC tumor tissues. Quantitative validation of HCN2 promoter methylation level in the region detected by BS-seq was performed in a larger cohort of primary tumors (n=32) confirming significant HCN2 hypomethylation in ACCs compared with normal samples (n=10; P=0.04). HCN2 immunohistochemical staining was performed on an ACC tissue microarray. HCN2 staining intensity and H-score, but not percentage of the positively stained cells, were significantly stronger in normal tissues than those of ACC tissues. With our novel screening and sequencing methods, we identified several gene candidates that were methylated. The most significant of these genes, HCN2, was actually hypomethylated in tumors. However, promoter methylation status does not appear to be a major determinant of HCN2 expression in normal and ACC tissues. HCN2 hypomethylation is a biomarker of ACC and may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of ACC. PMID:27212063

Coordinated Interaction between Hippocampal Sharp-Wave Ripples and Anterior Cingulate Unit Activity

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Hippocampal–cortical interaction during sleep promotes transformation of memory for long-term storage in the cortex. In particular, hippocampal sharp-wave ripple-associated neural activation is important for this transformation during slow-wave sleep. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been shown to be crucial for expression and likely storage of long-term memory. However, little is known about how ACC activity is influenced by hippocampal ripple activity during sleep. We report here about coordinated interactions between hippocampal ripple activity and ACC neural firings. By recording from the ACC and hippocampal CA1 simultaneously in mice, we found that almost all ACC neurons showed increased activity before hippocampal ripple activity; moreover, a subpopulation (17%) displayed a further activation immediately after ripple activity. This postripple activation of ACC neurons correlated positively with ripple amplitude, and the same neurons were excited upon electrical stimulation of the CA1. Interestingly, the preripple activation of ACC neurons was present during the sleep state, but not during the awake state. These results suggest intimate interactions between hippocampal sharp-wave ripples and ACC neurons in a state-dependent manner. Importantly, sharp-wave ripples and associated activation appear to regulate activity of a small population of ACC neurons, a process that may play a critical role in memory consolidation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The hippocampus communicates with the cortex for memory transformation. Memories of previous experiences become less dependent on the hippocampus and increasingly dependent on cortical areas, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, little evidence is available to directly support this hippocampus-to-cortex information transduction hypothesis of memory consolidation. Here we show that a subpopulation of ACC neurons becomes active just after hippocampal ripple activity, and that electrical stimulation of the hippocampus excites the same ACC neurons. In addition, the majority of ACC neurons are activated just before ripple activity during the sleep state, but not during the awake state. These results provide evidence supporting the hypothesis of hippocampus-to-cortex information flow for memory consolidation as well as reciprocal interaction between the hippocampus and the cortex. PMID:27733616

Contraction-induced changes in acetyl-CoA carboxylase and 5'-AMP-activated kinase in skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Vavvas, D; Apazidis, A; Saha, A K; Gamble, J; Patel, A; Kemp, B E; Witters, L A; Ruderman, N B

1997-05-16

The concentration of malonyl-CoA, a negative regulator of fatty acid oxidation, diminishes acutely in contracting skeletal muscle. To determine how this occurs, the activity and properties of acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta (ACC-beta), the skeletal muscle isozyme that catalyzes malonyl-CoA formation, were examined in rat gastrocnemius-soleus muscles at rest and during contractions induced by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve. To avoid the problem of contamination of the muscle extract by mitochondrial carboxylases, an assay was developed in which ACC-beta was first purified by immunoprecipitation with a monoclonal antibody. ACC-beta was quantitatively recovered in the immunopellet and exhibited a high sensitivity to citrate (12-fold activation) and a Km for acetyl-CoA (120 microM) similar to that reported for ACC-beta purified by other means. After 5 min of contraction, ACC-beta activity was decreased by 90% despite an apparent increase in the cytosolic concentration of citrate, a positive regulator of ACC. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of both homogenates and immunopellets from these muscles showed a decrease in the electrophoretic mobility of ACC, suggesting that phosphorylation could account for the decrease in ACC activity. In keeping with this notion, citrate activation of ACC purified from contracting muscle was markedly depressed. In addition, homogenization of the muscles in a buffer free of phosphatase inhibitors and containing the phosphatase activators glutamate and MgCl2 or treatment of immunoprecipitated ACC-beta with purified protein phosphatase 2A abolished the decreases in both ACC-beta activity and electrophoretic mobility caused by contraction. The rapid decrease in ACC-beta activity after the onset of contractions (50% by 20 s) and its slow restoration to initial values during recovery (60-90 min) were paralleled temporally by reciprocal changes in the activity of the alpha2 but not the alpha1 isoform of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In conclusion, the results suggest that the decrease in ACC activity during muscle contraction is caused by an increase in its phosphorylation, most probably due, at least in part, to activation of the alpha2 isoform of AMPK. They also suggest a dual mechanism for ACC regulation in muscle in which inhibition by phosphorylation takes precedence over activation by citrate. These alterations in ACC and AMPK activity, by diminishing the concentration of malonyl-CoA, could be responsible for the increase in fatty acid oxidation observed in skeletal muscle during exercise.

In vitro synthesis and stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) nanoparticles within liposomes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tester, Chantel C.; Brock, Ryan E.; Wu, Ching-Hsuan

2012-02-07

We show that amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) can be synthesized in phospholipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes). Liposome-encapsulated ACC nanoparticles are stable against aggregation, do not crystallize for at least 20 h, and are ideally suited to investigate the influence of lipid chemistry, particle size, and soluble additives on ACC in situ.

24 CFR 906.9 - Title restrictions and encumbrances on properties sold under a homeownership program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... program. (a) If the property is subject to indebtedness under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC), HUD will continue to make any debt service contributions for which it is obligated under the ACC, and the... title restrictions prescribed by the ACC. Because the property will no longer be subject to the ACC...

24 CFR 969.106 - ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false ACC extension in absence of current... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.106 ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy. Where Operating Subsidy under an ACC is not approved for payment during a time period which results in extension of the...

24 CFR 969.107 - HUD approval of demolition or disposition before ACC expiration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... disposition before ACC expiration. 969.107 Section 969.107 Housing and Urban Development REGULATIONS RELATING... HOUSING AFTER COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.107 HUD approval of demolition or disposition before ACC..., HUD may authorize a PHA to demolish or dispose of public housing at any time before the ACC Expiration...

24 CFR 969.106 - ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false ACC extension in absence of current... COMPLETION OF DEBT SERVICE § 969.106 ACC extension in absence of current operating subsidy. Where Operating Subsidy under an ACC is not approved for payment during a time period which results in extension of the...

24 CFR 884.105 - Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maximum total ACC commitment and..., Scope and Basic Policies § 884.105 Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects). (a) Maximum total ACC commitment. The maximum total annual contribution that may be contracted...

24 CFR 884.105 - Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Maximum total ACC commitment and..., Scope and Basic Policies § 884.105 Maximum total ACC commitment and project account (private-owner/PHA projects). (a) Maximum total ACC commitment. The maximum total annual contribution that may be contracted...

24 CFR 906.9 - Title restrictions and encumbrances on properties sold under a homeownership program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... program. (a) If the property is subject to indebtedness under the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC), HUD will continue to make any debt service contributions for which it is obligated under the ACC, and the... title restrictions prescribed by the ACC. Because the property will no longer be subject to the ACC...

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase in Reuber hepatoma cells: variation in enzyme activity, insulin regulation, and cellular lipid content.

PubMed

Bianchi, A; Evans, J L; Nordlund, A C; Watts, T D; Witters, L A

1992-01-01

Reuber hepatoma cells are useful cultured lines for the study of insulin action, lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, and the regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid biosynthesis. During investigations in different clonal lines of these cells, we have uncovered marked intercellular variability in the activity, enzyme content, and insulin regulation of ACC paralleled by differences in cellular neutral lipid (triglyceride) content. Two contrasting clonal lines, Fao and H356A-1, have been studied in detail. Several features distinguish these two lines, including differences in ACC activity and enzyme kinetics, the content of the two major hepatic ACC isozymes (Mr 280,000 and 265,000 Da) and their heteroisozymic complex, the extent of ACC phosphorylation, and the ability of ACC to be activated on stimulation by insulin and insulinomimetic agonists. As studied by Nile Red staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, these two lines also display marked differences in neutral lipid content, which correlates with both basal levels of ACC activity and inhibition of ACC by the fatty acid analog, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA). These results emphasize the importance of characterization of any particular clonal line of Reuber cells for studies of enzyme regulation, substrate metabolism, and hormone action. With respect to ACC, studies in contrasting clonal lines of Reuber cells could provide valuable clues to understanding both the complex mechanisms of intracellular ACC regulation in the absence and presence of hormones and its regulatory role(s) in overall hepatic lipid metabolism.

Advanced MR Imaging of the Human Nucleus Accumbens--Additional Guiding Tool for Deep Brain Stimulation.

PubMed

Lucas-Neto, Lia; Reimão, Sofia; Oliveira, Edson; Rainha-Campos, Alexandre; Sousa, João; Nunes, Rita G; Gonçalves-Ferreira, António; Campos, Jorge G

2015-07-01

The human nucleus accumbens (Acc) has become a target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in some neuropsychiatric disorders. Nonetheless, even with the most recent advances in neuroimaging it remains difficult to accurately delineate the Acc and closely related subcortical structures, by conventional MRI sequences. It is our purpose to perform a MRI study of the human Acc and to determine whether there are reliable anatomical landmarks that enable the precise location and identification of the nucleus and its core/shell division. For the Acc identification and delineation, based on anatomical landmarks, T1WI, T1IR and STIR 3T-MR images were acquired in 10 healthy volunteers. Additionally, 32-direction DTI was obtained for Acc segmentation. Seed masks for the Acc were generated with FreeSurfer and probabilistic tractography was performed using FSL. The probability of connectivity between the seed voxels and distinct brain areas was determined and subjected to k-means clustering analysis, defining 2 different regions. With conventional T1WI, the Acc borders are better defined through its surrounding anatomical structures. The DTI color-coded vector maps and IR sequences add further detail in the Acc identification and delineation. Additionally, using probabilistic tractography it is possible to segment the Acc into a core and shell division and establish its structural connectivity with different brain areas. Advanced MRI techniques allow in vivo delineation and segmentation of the human Acc and represent an additional guiding tool in the precise and safe target definition for DBS. © 2015 International Neuromodulation Society.

Transformation and crystallization energetics of synthetic and biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate

PubMed Central

Radha, A. V.; Forbes, Tori Z.; Killian, Christopher E.; Gilbert, P. U. P. A.; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2010-01-01

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a metastable phase often observed during low temperature inorganic synthesis and biomineralization. ACC transforms with aging or heating into a less hydrated form, and with time crystallizes to calcite or aragonite. The energetics of transformation and crystallization of synthetic and biogenic (extracted from California purple sea urchin larval spicules, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) ACC were studied using isothermal acid solution calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Transformation and crystallization of ACC can follow an energetically downhill sequence: more metastable hydrated ACC → less metastable hydrated ACC⇒anhydrous ACC ∼ biogenic anhydrous ACC⇒vaterite → aragonite → calcite. In a given reaction sequence, not all these phases need to occur. The transformations involve a series of ordering, dehydration, and crystallization processes, each lowering the enthalpy (and free energy) of the system, with crystallization of the dehydrated amorphous material lowering the enthalpy the most. ACC is much more metastable with respect to calcite than the crystalline polymorphs vaterite or aragonite. The anhydrous ACC is less metastable than the hydrated, implying that the structural reorganization during dehydration is exothermic and irreversible. Dehydrated synthetic and anhydrous biogenic ACC are similar in enthalpy. The transformation sequence observed in biomineralization could be mainly energetically driven; the first phase deposited is hydrated ACC, which then converts to anhydrous ACC, and finally crystallizes to calcite. The initial formation of ACC may be a first step in the precipitation of calcite under a wide variety of conditions, including geological CO2 sequestration. PMID:20810918

Efficient and portable acceleration of quantum chemical many-body methods in mixed floating point precision using OpenACC compiler directives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksen, Janus J.

2017-09-01

It is demonstrated how the non-proprietary OpenACC standard of compiler directives may be used to compactly and efficiently accelerate the rate-determining steps of two of the most routinely applied many-body methods of electronic structure theory, namely the second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) model in its resolution-of-the-identity approximated form and the (T) triples correction to the coupled cluster singles and doubles model (CCSD(T)). By means of compute directives as well as the use of optimised device math libraries, the operations involved in the energy kernels have been ported to graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerators, and the associated data transfers correspondingly optimised to such a degree that the final implementations (using either double and/or single precision arithmetics) are capable of scaling to as large systems as allowed for by the capacity of the host central processing unit (CPU) main memory. The performance of the hybrid CPU/GPU implementations is assessed through calculations on test systems of alanine amino acid chains using one-electron basis sets of increasing size (ranging from double- to pentuple-ζ quality). For all but the smallest problem sizes of the present study, the optimised accelerated codes (using a single multi-core CPU host node in conjunction with six GPUs) are found to be capable of reducing the total time-to-solution by at least an order of magnitude over optimised, OpenMP-threaded CPU-only reference implementations.

Installation of new Generation General Purpose Computer (GPC) compact unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

In the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC's) Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) high bay 2, Spacecraft Electronics technician Ed Carter (right), wearing clean suit, prepares for (26864) and installs (26865) the new Generation General Purpose Computer (GPC) compact IBM unit in Atlantis', Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104's, middeck avionics bay as Orbiter Systems Quality Control technician Doug Snider looks on. Both men work for NASA contractor Lockheed Space Operations Company. All three orbiters are being outfitted with the compact IBM unit, which replaces a two-unit earlier generation computer.

Anterior cingulate cortex activity can be independent of response conflict in Stroop-like tasks.

PubMed

Roelofs, Ardi; van Turennout, Miranda; Coles, Michael G H

2006-09-12

Cognitive control includes the ability to formulate goals and plans of action and to follow these while facing distraction. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that the presence of conflicting response alternatives in Stroop-like tasks increases activity in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), suggesting that the ACC is involved in cognitive control. However, the exact nature of ACC function is still under debate. The prevailing conflict detection hypothesis maintains that the ACC is involved in performance monitoring. According to this view, ACC activity reflects the detection of response conflict and acts as a signal that engages regulative processes subserved by lateral prefrontal brain regions. Here, we provide evidence from functional MRI that challenges this view and favors an alternative view, according to which the ACC has a role in regulation itself. Using an arrow-word Stroop task, subjects responded to incongruent, congruent, and neutral stimuli. A critical prediction made by the conflict detection hypothesis is that ACC activity should be increased only when conflicting response alternatives are present. Our data show that ACC responses are larger for neutral than for congruent stimuli, in the absence of response conflict. This result demonstrates the engagement of the ACC in regulation itself. A computational model of Stroop-like performance instantiating a version of the regulative hypothesis is shown to account for our findings.

Use patterns among early adopters of adaptive cruise control.

PubMed

Xiong, Huimin; Boyle, Linda Ng; Moeckli, Jane; Dow, Benjamin R; Brown, Timothy L

2012-10-01

The objective of this study was to investigate use patterns among early adopters of adaptive cruise control (ACC). Extended use ofACC may influence a driver's behavior in the long-term, which can have unintended safety consequences. The authors examined the use of a motion-based simulator by 24 participants (15 males and 9 females). Cluster analysis was performed on drivers' use of ACC and was based on their gap settings, speed settings, number of warnings issued, and ACC disengaged. The data were then examined on the basis of driving performance measures and drivers' subjective responses to trust in ACC, understanding of system operations, and driving styles. Driving performance measures included minimum time headway, adjusted minimum time to collision, and drivers' reaction time to critical events. Three groups of drivers were observed on the basis of risky behavior, moderately risky behavior, and conservative behavior. Drivers in the conservative group stayed farther behind the lead vehicle than did drivers in the other two groups. Risky drivers responded later to critical events and had more ACC warnings issued. Safety consequences with ACC may be more prevalent in some driver groups than others. The findings suggest that these safety implications are related to trust in automation, driving styles, understanding of system operations, and personalities. Potential applications of this research include enhanced design for next-generation ACC systems and countermeasures to improve safe driving with ACC.

Biotin augments acetyl CoA carboxylase 2 gene expression in the hypothalamus, leading to the suppression of food intake in mice.

PubMed

Sone, Hideyuki; Kamiyama, Shin; Higuchi, Mutsumi; Fujino, Kaho; Kubo, Shizuka; Miyazawa, Masami; Shirato, Saya; Hiroi, Yuka; Shiozawa, Kota

2016-07-29

It is known that biotin prevents the development of diabetes by increasing the functions of pancreatic beta-cells and improving insulin sensitivity in the periphery. However, its anti-obesity effects such as anorectic effects remain to be clarified. Acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), a biotin-dependent enzyme, has two isoforms (ACC1 and ACC2) and serves to catalyze the reaction of acetyl CoA to malonyl CoA. In the hypothalamus, ACC2 increases the production of malonyl CoA, which acts as a satiety signal. In this study, we investigated whether biotin increases the gene expression of ACC2 in the hypothalamus and suppresses food intake in mice administered excessive biotin. Food intake was significantly decreased by biotin, but plasma regulators of appetite, including glucose, ghrelin, and leptin, were not affected. On the other hand, biotin notably accumulated in the hypothalamus and enhanced ACC2 gene expression there, but it did not change the gene expression of ACC1, malonyl CoA decarboxylase (a malonyl CoA-degrading enzyme), and AMP-activated protein kinase α-2 (an ACC-inhibitory enzyme). These findings strongly suggest that biotin potentiates the suppression of appetite by upregulating ACC2 gene expression in the hypothalamus. This effect of biotin may contribute to the prevention of diabetes by biotin treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase rewires cancer metabolism to allow cancer cells to survive inhibition of the Warburg effect by cetuximab.

PubMed

Luo, Jingtao; Hong, Yun; Lu, Yang; Qiu, Songbo; Chaganty, Bharat K R; Zhang, Lun; Wang, Xudong; Li, Qiang; Fan, Zhen

2017-01-01

Cetuximab inhibits HIF-1-regulated glycolysis in cancer cells, thereby reversing the Warburg effect and leading to inhibition of cancer cell metabolism. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated after cetuximab treatment, and a sustained AMPK activity is a mechanism contributing to cetuximab resistance. Here, we investigated how acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a downstream target of AMPK, rewires cancer metabolism in response to cetuximab treatment. We found that introduction of experimental ACC mutants lacking the AMPK phosphorylation sites (ACC1_S79A and ACC2_S212A) into head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells protected HNSCC cells from cetuximab-induced growth inhibition. HNSCC cells with acquired cetuximab resistance contained not only high levels of T172-phosphorylated AMPK and S79-phosphorylated ACC1 but also an increased level of total ACC. These findings were corroborated in tumor specimens of HNSCC patients treated with cetuximab. Cetuximab plus TOFA (an allosteric inhibitor of ACC) achieved remarkable growth inhibition of cetuximab-resistant HNSCC xenografts. Our data suggest a novel paradigm in which cetuximab-mediated activation of AMPK and subsequent phosphorylation and inhibition of ACC is followed by a compensatory increase in total ACC, which rewires cancer metabolism from glycolysis-dependent to lipogenesis-dependent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissociating prefrontal circuitry in intelligence and memory: neuropsychological correlates of magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging.

PubMed

Nestor, Paul G; Ohtani, Toshiyuki; Bouix, Sylvain; Hosokawa, Taiga; Saito, Yukiko; Newell, Dominick T; Kubicki, Marek

2015-12-01

We examined intelligence and memory in 25 healthy participants who had both prior magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of gray matter volumes of medial orbital frontal cortex (mOFC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), along with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of posterior and anterior mOFC-rACC white matter microstructure, as assessed by fractional anisotropy (FA). Results showed distinct relationships between these basic structural brain parameters and higher cognition, highlighted by a highly significant correlation of left rACC gray matter volume with memory, and to a lesser extent, though still statistically significant, correlation of left posterior mOFC-rACC FA with intelligence. Regression analyses showed that left posterior mOFC-rACC connections and left rACC gray matter volume each contributed to intelligence, with left posterior mOFC-rACC FA uniquely accounting for between 20.43 and 24.99% of the variance in intelligence, in comparison to 13.54 to 17.98% uniquely explained by left rACC gray matter volume. For memory, only left rACC gray matter volume explained neuropsychological performance, uniquely accounting for a remarkably high portion of individual variation, ranging from 73.61 to 79.21%. These results pointed to differential contributions of white mater microstructure connections and gray matter volumes to individual differences in intelligence and memory, respectively.

Activity and structure of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase targeted by a specific inhibitor.

PubMed

Jang, SoRi; Gornicki, Piotr; Marjanovic, Jasmina; Bass, Ethan; Lurcotta, Toni; Rodriguez, Pedro; Austin, Jotham; Haselkorn, Robert

2018-05-17

We have studied a series of human acetyl CoA-carboxylase (ACC) 1 and ACC2 proteins with deletions and/or Ser to Ala substitutions of the known phosphorylation sites. In vitro dephosphorylation/phosphorylation experiments reveal a substantial level of phosphorylation of human ACCs produced in insect cells. Our results are consistent with AMPK phosphorylation of Ser 29, Ser 80 , Ser 1,201 and Ser 1,216 . Phosphorylation of the N-terminal regulatory domain decreases ACC1 activity, while phosphorylation of residues in the ACC central domain has no effect. Inhibition of the activity by phosphorylation is significantly more profound at citrate concentrations below 2 mM. Furthermore, deletion of the N-terminal domain facilitates structural changes induced by citrate, including conversion of ACC dimers to linear polymers. We have also identified ACC2 amino acid mutations affecting specific inhibition of the isozyme by compound CD-017-0191. They form two clusters separated by 60-90 Å: one located in the vicinity of the BC active site and the other one in the vicinity of the ACC1 phosphorylation sites in the central domain, suggesting a contribution of the interface of two ACC dimers in the polymer to the inhibitor binding site. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 880.507 - Default by PHA and/or owner (private-owner/PHA projects).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... projects). (a) Rights of Owner if PHA defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the... obligations to enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if PHA defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that..., HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the Contract...

24 CFR 968.210 - Procedures for obtaining approval of a modernization program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... of Modernization capability as defined at § 968.205. (c) ACC amendment. HUD and the PHA shall enter into an ACC amendment in order for the PHA to draw down modernization funds. The ACC amendment shall require low-income use of the housing for not less than 20 years from the date of the ACC amendment...

24 CFR 880.507 - Default by PHA and/or owner (private-owner/PHA projects).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... projects). (a) Rights of Owner if PHA defaults under Agreement or Contract. The ACC, the Agreement and the... obligations to enter into the Contract. (b) Rights of HUD if PHA defaults under ACC. The ACC will provide that..., HUD will continue to pay annual contributions in accordance with the terms of the ACC and the Contract...

24 CFR 968.210 - Procedures for obtaining approval of a modernization program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of Modernization capability as defined at § 968.205. (c) ACC amendment. HUD and the PHA shall enter into an ACC amendment in order for the PHA to draw down modernization funds. The ACC amendment shall require low-income use of the housing for not less than 20 years from the date of the ACC amendment...

Microwave hydrothermal transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate nanospheres and application in protein adsorption.

PubMed

Qi, Chao; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Chen, Feng

2014-03-26

Calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate are the main components of biominerals. Among all of the forms of biominerals, amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) are the most important forms because they play a pivotal role in the process of biomineralization and are the precursors to the crystalline polymorphs. In this work, we first synthesized ACC in vitro using adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) as the stabilizer and investigated the transformation of the ACC under microwave hydrothermal conditions, and ACC/ACP composite nanospheres and carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) nanospheres were successfully prepared. In this novel strategy, ATP has two main functions: it serves as the stabilizer for ACC and the phosphorus source for ACP and CHA. Most importantly, the morphology and the size of the ACC precursor can be well-preserved after microwave heating, so it provides a new method for the preparation of calcium phosphate nanostructured materials using phosphorus-containing biomolecule-stabilized ACC as the precursor. Furthermore, the as-prepared ACC/ACP composite nanospheres have excellent biocompatibility and high protein adsorption capacity, indicating that they are promising for applications in biomedical fields such as drug delivery and protein adsorption.

Autoinhibition of Ethylene Production in Citrus Peel Discs 1

PubMed Central

Riov, Joseph; Yang, Shang Fa

1982-01-01

Wound ethylene formation induced in flavede tissue of citrus fruit (Citrus paradisi MacFad. cv. Ruby Red) by slicing was almost completely inhibited by exogenous ethylene. The inhibition lasted for at least 6 hours after removal of exogenous ethylene and was then gradually relieved. The extent of inhibition was dependent upon the concentration of ethylene (1 to 10 microliters/liter) and the duration of treatment. The increase in wound ethylene production in control discs was paralleled by an increase in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (AAC) content, whereas in ethylene-treated discs there was little increase in ACC content. Application of ACC completely restored ethylene production in ethylene-pretreated discs, indicating that the conversion of ACC to ethylene is not impaired by the presence of ethylene. Thus, autoinhibition of ethylene synthesis was exerted by reducing the availability of ACC. Ethylene treatment resulted in a decrease in extractable ACC synthase activity, but this decrease was too small to account for the marked inhibition of ACC formation. The data indicate that autoinhibition of ethylene production in citrus flavede discs results from suppression of ACC formation through repression of the synthesis of ACC synthase and inhibition of its activity. PMID:16662276

Overexpression of ACC gene from oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi enhanced the lipid accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with increased levels of glycerol 3-phosphate substrates.

PubMed

Wang, Jiancai; Xu, Ronghua; Wang, Ruling; Haque, Mohammad Enamul; Liu, Aizhong

2016-06-01

The conversion of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA by acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate-limiting step in fatty acid biosynthesis. In this study, a gene coding for ACC was isolated and characterized from an oleaginous yeast, Lipomyces starkeyi. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of L. starkeyi acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene (LsACC1) showed that the expression levels were upregulated with the fast accumulation of lipids. The LsACC1 was co-overexpressed with the glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GPD1), which regulates lipids biosynthesis by supplying another substrates glycerol 3-phosphate for storage lipid assembly, in the non-oleaginous yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Further, the S. cerevisiae acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ScACC1) was transferred with GPD1 and its function was analyzed in comparison with LsACC1. The results showed that overexpressed LsACC1 and GPD1 resulted in a 63% increase in S. cerevisiae. This study gives new data in understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of fatty acids and lipid biosynthesis in yeasts.

Antibody-containing cell response in lymph of sheep after intra-intestinal infusion of ovalbumin with and without DEAE-dextran.

PubMed Central

Beh, K J

1979-01-01

The output of antibody-containing cells (ACC) was monitored in efferent ileal lymph after continuous infusion of ovalbumin into the ileum of sheep with and without the adjuvant DEAE-dextran. When ovalbumin was infused at the slow rate of 5 ml/h, maximum outputs of 2.9 x 10(5) and 2.4 x 10(5 ACC/h were observed on days 9 and 16 respectively. When infused at the faster rate of 15 ml/h, peak levels of 6.9 x 10(5) and 11.7 x 10(5) ACC/h were recorded on days 10 and 16 respectively. The maximum response was substantially enhanced when ovalbumin was infused simultaneously with DEAE-dextran when a mean output of 51.7 x 10(5) ACC/h occurred on day 10. With all treatments the distribution of ACC amongst various immunoglobulin classes was similar. During the first few days of the response IgM-specific ACC predominated and later IgG1-specific ACC were most abundant. Throughout the response a substantial proportion (10-81%) of ACC in efferent ileal lymph were IgA-specific. PMID:572818

Implications of Starvation-Induced Change in Right Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Volume in Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

McCormick, Laurie M.; Keel, Pamela K.; Brumm, Michael C.; Bowers, Wayne; Swayze, Victor; Andersen, Arnold; Andreasen, Nancy

2013-01-01

Objective Converging evidence suggests a role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study sought to determine whether ACC volume was affected by starvation in active AN and, if so, whether this had any clinical significance. Method Eighteen patients with active AN and age- and gender-matched normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen patients (89%) with AN had intelligence quotients (IQ) testing at intake, 14 (78%) had repeat MRIs after weight normalization, and 10 (56%) had outcome data at 1-year post-hospitalization. Results Right dorsal ACC volume was significantly reduced in active AN patients versus controls and was correlated with lower performance IQ. While ACC normalization occurred with weight restoration, smaller change in right dorsal ACC volume prospectively predicted relapse after treatment. Conclusion Reduced right dorsal ACC volume during active AN relates to deficits in perceptual organization and conceptual reasoning. The degree of right dorsal ACC normalization during treatment is related to outcome. PMID:18473337

Implications of starvation-induced change in right dorsal anterior cingulate volume in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

McCormick, Laurie M; Keel, Pamela K; Brumm, Michael C; Bowers, Wayne; Swayze, Victor; Andersen, Arnold; Andreasen, Nancy

2008-11-01

Converging evidence suggests a role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study sought to determine whether ACC volume was affected by starvation in active AN and, if so, whether this had any clinical significance. Eighteen patients with active AN and age- and gender-matched normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen patients (89%) with AN had intelligence quotients (IQ) testing at intake, 14 (78%) had repeat MRIs after weight normalization, and 10 (56%) had outcome data at 1-year posthospitalization. Right dorsal ACC volume was significantly reduced in active AN patients versus controls and was correlated with lower performance IQ. While ACC normalization occurred with weight restoration, smaller change in right dorsal ACC volume prospectively predicted relapse after treatment. Reduced right dorsal ACC volume during active AN relates to deficits in perceptual organization and conceptual reasoning. The degree of right dorsal ACC normalization during treatment is related to outcome.

Determination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in apple extracts by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Liu, Xin; Li, Dian-Fan; Wang, Yun; Lu, Ying-Tang

2004-12-17

A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in apple tissues has been described. This method is based on the derivatization of ACC with 3-(2-furoyl)quinoline-2-carboxaldehyde (FQ), and separation and quantification of the resulting FQ-ACC derivative by capillary electrophoresis coupled to laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF). Our results indicated that ACC derivatized with FQ could be well separated from other interfering amino acids using 20 mM borate buffer (pH 9.35) containing 40 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and 10 mM Brij 35. The linearity of ACC was determined in the range from 0.05 to 5 microM with a correlation of 0.9967. The concentration detection limit for ACC was 10 nM (signal-to-noise = 3). The sensitivity and selectivity of this described method allows the analysis of ACC in crude apple extracts without extra purification and enrichment procedure.

The dynamic organization of fungal acetyl-CoA carboxylase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunkeler, Moritz; Stuttfeld, Edward; Hagmann, Anna; Imseng, Stefan; Maier, Timm

2016-04-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACCs) catalyse the committed step in fatty-acid biosynthesis: the ATP-dependent carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA. They are important regulatory hubs for metabolic control and relevant drug targets for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome and cancer. Eukaryotic ACCs are single-chain multienzymes characterized by a large, non-catalytic central domain (CD), whose role in ACC regulation remains poorly characterized. Here we report the crystal structure of the yeast ACC CD, revealing a unique four-domain organization. A regulatory loop, which is phosphorylated at the key functional phosphorylation site of fungal ACC, wedges into a crevice between two domains of CD. Combining the yeast CD structure with intermediate and low-resolution data of larger fragments up to intact ACCs provides a comprehensive characterization of the dynamic fungal ACC architecture. In contrast to related carboxylases, large-scale conformational changes are required for substrate turnover, and are mediated by the CD under phosphorylation control.

Neuropathic Pain Causes Pyramidal Neuronal Hyperactivity in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex.

PubMed

Zhao, Ruohe; Zhou, Hang; Huang, Lianyan; Xie, Zhongcong; Wang, Jing; Gan, Wen-Biao; Yang, Guang

2018-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is thought to be important for acute pain perception as well as the development of chronic pain after peripheral nerve injury. Nevertheless, how ACC neurons respond to sensory stimulation under chronic pain states is not well understood. Here, we used an in vivo two-photon imaging technique to monitor the activity of individual neurons in the ACC of awake, head restrained mice. Calcium imaging in the dorsal ACC revealed robust somatic activity in layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons in response to peripheral noxious stimuli, and the degree of evoked activity was correlated with the intensity of noxious stimulation. Furthermore, the activation of ACC neurons occurred bilaterally upon noxious stimulation to either contralateral or ipsilateral hind paws. Notably, with nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain in one limb, L5 pyramidal neurons in both sides of the ACC showed enhanced activity in the absence or presence of pain stimuli. These results reveal hyperactivity of L5 pyramidal neurons in the bilateral ACC during the development of neuropathic pain.

30 CFR 817.22 - Topsoil and subsoil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...— (i) Occur at the site of small structures, such as power poles, signs, or fence lines; or (ii) Will... contaminants and unnecessary compaction that would interfere with revegetation; (iii) Be protected from wind... disturbances will result from facilities such as support facilities and preparation plants and where...

30 CFR 816.22 - Topsoil and subsoil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... site of small structures, such as power poles, signs, or fence lines; or (ii) Will not destroy the... unnecessary compaction that would interfere with revegetation; (iii) Be protected from wind and water erosion... from facilities such as support facilities and preparation plants and where stockpiling of materials...

30 CFR 817.22 - Topsoil and subsoil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...— (i) Occur at the site of small structures, such as power poles, signs, or fence lines; or (ii) Will... contaminants and unnecessary compaction that would interfere with revegetation; (iii) Be protected from wind... disturbances will result from facilities such as support facilities and preparation plants and where...

30 CFR 816.22 - Topsoil and subsoil.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... site of small structures, such as power poles, signs, or fence lines; or (ii) Will not destroy the... unnecessary compaction that would interfere with revegetation; (iii) Be protected from wind and water erosion... from facilities such as support facilities and preparation plants and where stockpiling of materials...

Corona performance of a compact 230-kV line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chartier, V.L.; Blair, D.E.; Easley, M.D.

Permitting requirements and the acquisition of new rights-of-way for transmission facilities has in recent years become increasingly difficult for most utilities, including Puget Sound Power and Light Company. In order to maintain a high degree of reliability of service while being responsive to public concerns regarding the siting of high voltage (HV) transmission facilities, Puget Power has found it necessary to more heavily rely upon the use of compact lines in franchise corridors. Compaction does, however, precipitate increased levels of audible noise (AN) and radio and TV interference (RI and TVI) due to corona on the conductors and insulator assemblies.more » Puget Power relies upon the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Corona and Field Effects computer program to calculate AN and RI for new lines. Since there was some question of the program`s ability to accurately represent quiet 230-kV compact designs, a joint project was undertaken with BPA to verify the program`s algorithms. Long-term measurements made on an operating Puget Power 230-kV compact line confirmed the accuracy of BPA`s AN model; however, the RI measurements were much lower than predicted by the BPA and other programs. This paper also describes how the BPA computer program can be used to calculate the voltage needed to expose insulator assemblies to the correct electric field in single test setups in HV laboratories.« less

Corona performance of a compact 230-kV line

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chartier, V.L.; Blair, D.E.; Easley, M.D.

Permitting requirements and the acquisition of new rights-of-way for transmission facilities has in recent years become increasingly difficult for most utilities, including Puget Sound Power and Light Company. In order to maintain a high degree of reliability of service while being responsive to public concerns regarding the siting of high voltage (HV) transmission facilities, Puget Power has found it necessary to more heavily rely upon the use of compact lines in franchise corridors. Compaction does, however, precipitant increased levels of audible noise (AN) and radio and TV interference (RI and TVI) due to corona on the conductors and insulator assemblies.more » Puget Power relies upon the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Corona and Field Effects computer program to calculate AN and RI for new lines. Since there was some question of the program`s ability to accurately represent quiet 230-kV compact designs, a joint project was undertaken with BPA to verify the program`s algorithms. Long-term measurements made on an operating Puget Power 230-kV compact line confirmed the accuracy of BPA`s AN model; however, the RI measurements were much lower than predicted by the BPA computer and other programs. This paper also describes how the BPA computer program can be used to calculate the voltage needed to expose insulator assemblies to the correct electric field in single test setups in HV laboratories.« less

An Adaptive Cross-Correlation Algorithm for Extended-Scene Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidick, Erkin; Green, Joseph J.; Ohara, Catherine M.; Redding, David C.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the Adaptive Cross-Correlation (ACC) Algorithm for extended scene-Shack Hartmann wavefront (WF) sensing. A Shack-Hartmann sensor places a lenslet array at a plane conjugate to the WF error source. Each sub-aperture lenslet samples the WF in the corresponding patch of the WF. A description of the ACC algorithm is included. The ACC has several benefits; amongst them are: ACC requires only about 4 image-shifting iterations to achieve 0.01 pixel accuracy and ACC is insensitive to both background light and noise much more robust than centroiding,

GRACE Accelerometer data transplant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandikova, T.; McCullough, C. M.; Kruizinga, G. L. H.

2017-12-01

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) has recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. The aging of the satellites brings along new challenges for both mission operation and science data delivery. Since September 2016, the accelerometer (ACC) onboard GRACE-B has been permanently turned off in order to reduce the battery load. The absence of the information about the non-gravitational forces acting on the spacecraft dramatically decreases the accuracy of the monthly gravity field solutions. The missing GRACE-B accelerometer data, however, can be recovered from the GRACE-A accelerometer measurement with satisfactory accuracy. In the current GRACE data processing, simple ACC data transplant is used which includes only attitude and time correction. The full ACC data transplant, however, requires not only the attitude and time correction, but also modeling of the residual accelerations due to thruster firings, which is the most challenging part. The residual linear accelerations ("thruster spikes") are caused by thruster imperfections such as misalignment of thruster pair, force imbalance or differences in reaction time. The thruster spikes are one of the most dominant high-frequency signals in the ACC measurement. The shape and amplitude of the thruster spikes are unique for each thruster pair, for each firing duration (30 ms - 1000 ms), for each x,y,z component of the ACC linear acceleration, and for each spacecraft. In our approach, the thruster spike model is an analytical function obtained by inverse Laplace transform of the ACC transfer function. The model shape parameters (amplitude, width and time delay) are estimated using Least squares method. The ACC data transplant is validated for days when ACC data from both satellites were available. The fully transplanted data fits the original GRACE-B measurement very well. The full ACC data transplant results in significantly reduced high frequency noise compared to the simple ACC transplant (i.e. without thruster spike modeling). The full ACC data transplant is a promising solution, which will allow GRACE to deliver high quality science data despite the serious problems related to satellite aging.

AMPK activation represses the human gene promoter of the cardiac isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase: Role of nuclear respiratory factor-1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adam, Tasneem; Opie, Lionel H.; Essop, M. Faadiel, E-mail: mfessop@sun.ac.za

Research highlights: {yields} AMPK inhibits acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta gene promoter activity. {yields} Nuclear respiratory factor-1 inhibits acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta promoter activity. {yields} AMPK regulates acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta at transcriptional level. -- Abstract: The cardiac-enriched isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC{beta}) produces malonyl-CoA, a potent inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1. AMPK inhibits ACC{beta} activity, lowering malonyl-CoA levels and promoting mitochondrial fatty acid {beta}-oxidation. Previously, AMPK increased promoter binding of nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), a pivotal transcriptional modulator controlling gene expression of mitochondrial proteins. We therefore hypothesized that NRF-1 inhibits myocardial ACC{beta} promoter activity via AMPK activation. A human ACC{beta} promoter-luciferase construct was transientlymore » transfected into neonatal cardiomyocytes {+-} a NRF-1 expression construct. NRF-1 overexpression decreased ACC{beta} gene promoter activity by 71 {+-} 4.6% (p < 0.001 vs. control). Transfections with 5'-end serial promoter deletions revealed that NRF-1-mediated repression of ACC{beta} was abolished with a pPII{beta}-18/+65-Luc deletion construct. AMPK activation dose-dependently reduced ACC{beta} promoter activity, while NRF-1 addition did not further decrease it. We also investigated NRF-1 inhibition in the presence of upstream stimulatory factor 1 (USF1), a known transactivator of the human ACC{beta} gene promoter. Here NRF-1 blunted USF1-dependent induction of ACC{beta} promoter activity by 58 {+-} 7.5% (p < 0.001 vs. control), reversed with a dominant negative NRF-1 construct. NRF-1 also suppressed endogenous USF1 transcriptional activity by 55 {+-} 6.2% (p < 0.001 vs. control). This study demonstrates that NRF-1 is a novel transcriptional inhibitor of the human ACC{beta} gene promoter in the mammalian heart. Our data extends AMPK regulation of ACC{beta} to the transcriptional level.« less

Translational control of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 mRNA is mediated by an internal ribosome entry site in response to ER stress, serum deprivation or hypoxia mimetic CoCl2.

PubMed

Damiano, Fabrizio; Testini, Mariangela; Tocci, Romina; Gnoni, Gabriele V; Siculella, Luisa

2018-04-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) is a cytosolic enzyme catalyzing the rate limiting step in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis. There is mounting evidence showing that ACC1 is susceptible to dysregulation and that it is over-expressed in liver diseases associated with lipid accumulation and in several cancers. In the present study, ACC1 regulation at the translational level is reported. Using several experimental approaches, the presence of an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) has been established in the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of the ACC1 mRNA. Transfection experiments with the ACC1 5' UTR inserted in a dicistronic reporter vector show a remarkable increase in the downstream cistron translation, through a cap-independent mechanism. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress condition and the related unfolded protein response (UPR), triggered by treatment with thapsigargin and tunicamycin, cause an increase of the cap-independent translation of ACC1 mRNA in HepG2 cells, despite the overall reduction in global protein synthesis. Other stress conditions, such as serum starvation and incubation with hypoxia mimetic agent CoCl 2 , up-regulate ACC1 expression in HepG2 cells at the translational level. Overall, these findings indicate that the presence of an IRES in the ACC1 5' UTR allows ACC1 mRNA translation in conditions that are inhibitory to cap-dependent translation. A potential involvement of the cap-independent translation of ACC1 in several pathologies, such as obesity and cancer, has been discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Posttraumatic stress and alcohol use among veterans: Amygdala and anterior cingulate activation to emotional cues.

PubMed

Simons, Raluca M; Simons, Jeffrey S; Olson, Dawne; Baugh, Lee; Magnotta, Vincent; Forster, Gina

2016-11-01

This fMRI study tested a model of combat trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), alcohol use, and behavioral and neural responses to emotional cues in 100 OIF/OEF/OND veterans. Multilevel structural equation models were tested for left and right dorsal ACC (dACC), rostral ACC (rACC), and amygdala blood-oxygen- level dependent responses during the emotional counting Stroop test and masked faces task. In the Stroop task, combat exposure moderated the effect of combat stimuli resulting in hyperactivation in the rACC and dACC. Activation in the left amygdala also increased in response to combat stimuli, but effects did not vary as a function of combat severity. In the masked faces task, activation patterns did not vary as a function of stimulus. However, at the between-person level, amygdala activation during the masked faces task was inversely associated with PTSS. In respect to behavioral outcomes, higher PTSS were associated with a stronger Stroop effect, suggesting greater interference associated with combat words. Results are consistent with the premise that combat trauma results in hyperactivation in the ACC in response to combat stimuli, and, via its effect on PTSS, is associated with deficits in cognitive performance in the presence of combat stimuli. Across tasks, predeployment drinking was inversely associated with activation in the dACC but not the rACC or amygdala. Drinking may be a buffering factor, or negatively reinforcing in part because of its effects on normalizing brain response following trauma exposure. Alternatively, drinking may undermine adaptive functioning of the dACC when responding to traumatic stress cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Recalibration of the ACC/AHA Risk Score in Two Population-Based German Cohorts

PubMed Central

de las Heras Gala, Tonia; Geisel, Marie Henrike; Peters, Annette; Thorand, Barbara; Baumert, Jens; Lehmann, Nils; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Erbel, Raimund; Meisinger, Christine

2016-01-01

Background The 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines introduced an algorithm for risk assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) within 10 years. In Germany, risk assessment with the ESC SCORE is limited to cardiovascular mortality. Applicability of the novel ACC/AHA risk score to the German population has not yet been assessed. We therefore sought to recalibrate and evaluate the ACC/AHA risk score in two German cohorts and to compare it to the ESC SCORE. Methods We studied 5,238 participants from the KORA surveys S3 (1994–1995) and S4 (1999–2001) and 4,208 subjects from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall (HNR) Study (2000–2003). There were 383 (7.3%) and 271 (6.4%) first non-fatal or fatal ASCVD events within 10 years in KORA and in HNR, respectively. Risk scores were evaluated in terms of calibration and discrimination performance. Results The original ACC/AHA risk score overestimated 10-year ASCVD rates by 37% in KORA and 66% in HNR. After recalibration, miscalibration diminished to 8% underestimation in KORA and 12% overestimation in HNR. Discrimination performance of the ACC/AHA risk score was not affected by the recalibration (KORA: C = 0.78, HNR: C = 0.74). The ESC SCORE overestimated by 5% in KORA and by 85% in HNR. The corresponding C-statistic was 0.82 in KORA and 0.76 in HNR. Conclusions The recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score showed strongly improved calibration compared to the original ACC/AHA risk score. Predicting only cardiovascular mortality, discrimination performance of the commonly used ESC SCORE remained somewhat superior to the ACC/AHA risk score. Nevertheless, the recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score may provide a meaningful tool for estimating 10-year risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in Germany. PMID:27732641

Recalibration of the ACC/AHA Risk Score in Two Population-Based German Cohorts.

PubMed

de Las Heras Gala, Tonia; Geisel, Marie Henrike; Peters, Annette; Thorand, Barbara; Baumert, Jens; Lehmann, Nils; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Moebus, Susanne; Erbel, Raimund; Meisinger, Christine; Mahabadi, Amir Abbas; Koenig, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

The 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines introduced an algorithm for risk assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) within 10 years. In Germany, risk assessment with the ESC SCORE is limited to cardiovascular mortality. Applicability of the novel ACC/AHA risk score to the German population has not yet been assessed. We therefore sought to recalibrate and evaluate the ACC/AHA risk score in two German cohorts and to compare it to the ESC SCORE. We studied 5,238 participants from the KORA surveys S3 (1994-1995) and S4 (1999-2001) and 4,208 subjects from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall (HNR) Study (2000-2003). There were 383 (7.3%) and 271 (6.4%) first non-fatal or fatal ASCVD events within 10 years in KORA and in HNR, respectively. Risk scores were evaluated in terms of calibration and discrimination performance. The original ACC/AHA risk score overestimated 10-year ASCVD rates by 37% in KORA and 66% in HNR. After recalibration, miscalibration diminished to 8% underestimation in KORA and 12% overestimation in HNR. Discrimination performance of the ACC/AHA risk score was not affected by the recalibration (KORA: C = 0.78, HNR: C = 0.74). The ESC SCORE overestimated by 5% in KORA and by 85% in HNR. The corresponding C-statistic was 0.82 in KORA and 0.76 in HNR. The recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score showed strongly improved calibration compared to the original ACC/AHA risk score. Predicting only cardiovascular mortality, discrimination performance of the commonly used ESC SCORE remained somewhat superior to the ACC/AHA risk score. Nevertheless, the recalibrated ACC/AHA risk score may provide a meaningful tool for estimating 10-year risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in Germany.

Comprehensive analysis of the MYB-NFIB gene fusion in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma: Incidence, variability, and clinicopathologic significance.

PubMed

Mitani, Yoshitsugu; Li, Jie; Rao, Pulivarthi H; Zhao, Yi-Jue; Bell, Diana; Lippman, Scott M; Weber, Randal S; Caulin, Carlos; El-Naggar, Adel K

2010-10-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of the MYB-NFIB fusion in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), to establish the clinicopathologic significance of the fusion, and to analyze the expression of MYB in ACCs in the context of the MYB-NFIB fusion. We did an extensive analysis involving 123 cancers of the salivary gland, including primary and metastatic ACCs, and non-ACC salivary carcinomas. MYB-NFIB fusions were identified by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) and sequencing of the RT-PCR products, and confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. MYB RNA expression was determined by quantitative RT-PCR and protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The MYB-NFIB fusion was detected in 28% primary and 35% metastatic ACCs, but not in any of the non-ACC salivary carcinomas analyzed. Different exons in both the MYB and NFIB genes were involved in the fusions, resulting in expression of multiple chimeric variants. Notably, MYB was overexpressed in the vast majority of the ACCs, although MYB expression was significantly higher in tumors carrying the MYB-NFIB fusion. The presence of the MYB-NFIB fusion was significantly associated (P = 0.03) with patients older than 50 years of age. No correlation with other clinicopathologic markers, factors, and survival was found. We conclude that the MYB-NFIB fusion characterizes a subset of ACCs and contributes to MYB overexpression. Additional mechanisms may be involved in MYB overexpression in ACCs lacking the MYB-NFIB fusion. These findings suggest that MYB may be a specific novel target for tumor intervention in patients with ACC. ©2010 AACR.

Inflexible Functional Connectivity of the Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Adolescent Major Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Ho, Tiffany C; Sacchet, Matthew D; Connolly, Colm G; Margulies, Daniel S; Tymofiyeva, Olga; Paulus, Martin P; Simmons, Alan N; Gotlib, Ian H; Yang, Tony T

2017-11-01

Recent evidence suggests that anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) maturation during adolescence contributes to or underlies the development of major depressive disorder (MDD) during this sensitive period. The ACC is a structure that sits at the intersection of several task-positive networks (eg, central executive network, CEN), which are still developing during adolescence. While recent work using seed-based approaches indicate that depressed adolescents show limited task-evoked vs resting-state connectivity (termed 'inflexibility') between the ACC and task-negative networks, no study has used network-based approaches to investigate inflexibility of the ACC in task-positive networks to understand adolescent MDD. Here, we used graph theory to compare flexibility of network-level topology in eight subregions of the ACC (spanning three task-positive networks) in 42 unmedicated adolescents with MDD and 53 well-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent fMRI scanning during resting state and a response inhibition task that robustly engages task-positive networks. Relative to controls, depressed adolescents were characterized by inflexibility in local efficiency of a key ACC node in the CEN: right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex/medial frontal gyrus (R dACC/MFG). Furthermore, individual differences in flexibility of local efficiency of R dACC/MFG significantly predicted inhibition performance, consistent with current literature demonstrating that flexible network organization affords successful cognitive control. Finally, reduced local efficiency of dACC/MFG during the task was significantly associated with an earlier age of depression onset, consistent with prior work suggesting that MDD may alter functional network development. Our results support a neurodevelopmental hypothesis of MDD wherein dysfunctional self-regulation is potentially reflected by altered ACC maturation.

Sensitivity and specificity of univariate MRI analysis of experimentally degraded cartilage under clinical imaging conditions.

PubMed

Lukas, Vanessa A; Fishbein, Kenneth W; Reiter, David A; Lin, Ping-Chang; Schneider, Erika; Spencer, Richard G

2015-07-01

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of classification of pathomimetically degraded bovine nasal cartilage at 3 Tesla and 37°C using univariate MRI measurements of both pure parameter values and intensities of parameter-weighted images. Pre- and posttrypsin degradation values of T1 , T2 , T2 *, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and corresponding weighted images, were analyzed. Classification based on the Euclidean distance was performed and the quality of classification was assessed through sensitivity, specificity and accuracy (ACC). The classifiers with the highest accuracy values were ADC (ACC = 0.82 ± 0.06), MTR (ACC = 0.78 ± 0.06), T1 (ACC = 0.99 ± 0.01), T2 derived from a three-dimensional (3D) spin-echo sequence (ACC = 0.74 ± 0.05), and T2 derived from a 2D spin-echo sequence (ACC = 0.77 ± 0.06), along with two of the diffusion-weighted signal intensities (b = 333 s/mm(2) : ACC = 0.80 ± 0.05; b = 666 s/mm(2) : ACC = 0.85 ± 0.04). In particular, T1 values differed substantially between the groups, resulting in atypically high classification accuracy. The second-best classifier, diffusion weighting with b = 666 s/mm(2) , as well as all other parameters evaluated, exhibited substantial overlap between pre- and postdegradation groups, resulting in decreased accuracies. Classification according to T1 values showed excellent test characteristics (ACC = 0.99), with several other parameters also showing reasonable performance (ACC > 0.70). Of these, diffusion weighting is particularly promising as a potentially practical clinical modality. As in previous work, we again find that highly statistically significant group mean differences do not necessarily translate into accurate clinical classification rules. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Constraints on Biogenic Emplacement of Crystalline Calcium Carbonate and Dolomite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colas, B.; Clark, S. M.; Jacob, D. E.

2015-12-01

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is a biogenic precursor of calcium carbonates forming shells and skeletons of marine organisms, which are key components of the whole marine environment. Understanding carbonate formation is an essential prerequisite to quantify the effect climate change and pollution have on marine population. Water is a critical component of the structure of ACC and the key component controlling the stability of the amorphous state. Addition of small amounts of magnesium (1-5% of the calcium content) is known to promote the stability of ACC presumably through stabilization of the hydrogen bonding network. Understanding the hydrogen bonding network in ACC is fundamental to understand the stability of ACC. Our approach is to use Monte-Carlo simulations constrained by X-ray and neutron scattering data to determine hydrogen bonding networks in ACC as a function of magnesium doping. We have already successfully developed a synthesis protocol to make ACC, and have collected X-ray data, which is suitable for determining Ca, Mg and O correlations, and have collected neutron data, which gives information on the hydrogen/deuterium (as the interaction of X-rays with hydrogen is too low for us to be able to constrain hydrogen atom positions with only X-rays). The X-ray and neutron data are used to constrain reverse Monte-Carlo modelling of the ACC structure using the Empirical Potential Structure Refinement program, in order to yield a complete structural model for ACC including water molecule positions. We will present details of our sample synthesis and characterization methods, X-ray and neutron scattering data, and reverse Monte-Carlo simulations results, together with a discussion of the role of hydrogen bonding in ACC stability.

Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Contributes to the Induction and Expression of Affective Pain

PubMed Central

Cao, Hong; Gao, Yong-Jing; Ren, Wen-Hua; Li, Ting-Ting; Duan, Kai-Zheng; Cui, Yi-Hui; Cao, Xiao-Hua; Zhao, Zhi-Qi; Ji, Ru-Rong; Zhang, Yu-Qiu

2009-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is implicated in the affective response to noxious stimuli. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved. The present study demonstrated that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in the ACC plays a crucial role in pain-related negative emotion. Intraplantar formalin injection produced a transient ERK activation in laminae V–VI and a persistent ERK activation in laminae II–III of the rostral ACC (rACC) bilaterally. Using formalin-induced conditioned place avoidance (F-CPA) in rats, which is believed to reflect the pain-related negative emotion, we found that blockade of ERK activation in the rACC with MEK inhibitors prevented the induction of F-CPA. Interestingly, this blockade did not affect formalin-induced two-phase spontaneous nociceptive responses and CPA acquisition induced by electric foot-shock or U69,593, an innocuous aversive agent. Upstream, NMDA receptor, adenylyl cyclase (AC) and PKA activators activated ERK in rACC slices. Consistently, intra-rACC microinjection of AC or PKA inhibitors prevented F-CPA induction. Downstream, phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) was induced in the rACC by formalin injection and by NMDA, AC and PKA activators in brain slices, which was suppressed by MEK inhibitors. Furthermore, ERK also contributed to the expression of pain-related negative emotion. Thus, when rats were re-exposed to the conditioning context for retrieval of pain experience, ERK and CREB were re-activated in the rACC, and inhibiting ERK activation blocked the expression of F-CPA. All together, our results demonstrate that ERK activation in the rACC is required for the induction and expression of pain-related negative affect. PMID:19279268

Software and Hardware System for Fast Processes Study When Preparing Foundation Beds of Oil and Gas Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruzin, A. V.; Gruzin, V. V.; Shalay, V. V.

2018-04-01

Analysis of existing technologies for preparing foundation beds of oil and gas buildings and structures has revealed the lack of reasoned recommendations on the selection of rational technical and technological parameters of compaction. To study the nature of the dynamics of fast processes during compaction of foundation beds of oil and gas facilities, a specialized software and hardware system was developed. The method of calculating the basic technical parameters of the equipment for recording fast processes is presented, as well as the algorithm for processing the experimental data. The performed preliminary studies confirmed the accuracy of the decisions made and the calculations performed.

Pitfalls in the diagnosis of adrenocortical tumors: a lesson from 300 consultation cases.

PubMed

Duregon, Eleonora; Volante, Marco; Bollito, Enrico; Goia, Margherita; Buttigliero, Consuelo; Zaggia, Barbara; Berruti, Alfredo; Scagliotti, Giorgio Vittorio; Papotti, Mauro

2015-12-01

The correct pathologic classification of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is relevant to establish an early therapeutic strategy of this rare malignancy. The aim of the study was to assess the most frequent pitfalls in ACC diagnosis reviewing a large consecutive series of 300 cases with an original diagnosis or a clinical suspect of ACC, which were sent in consultation to our institution between 2004 and 2014. A major disagreement that significantly modified the clinical management of patients was recorded in 26 cases (9%). The most common pitfall (10 cases) was to distinguish ACC from pheochromocytoma and vice versa. Seven other cases diagnosed as ACC were reclassified as metastases from other primaries and primary adrenal soft tissue tumors (including 3 angiosarcomas). Finally, 5 adrenocortical adenomas were reclassified into carcinomas, and 4 ACCs were converted into adenomas. Minor disagreements were mostly related to the identification of ACC variants (up to 32% of cases of adrenocortical tumors in the present series). Moreover, more than 50% of ACC cases lacked Ki-67. In conclusion, our results indicate that, in the presence of a histologically suspected ACC, a special attention should be devoted to exclude metastatic and soft tissue tumors and pheochromocytoma (in this latter case with special reference to the oncocytic variant of adrenocortical tumors). Moreover, pathologists should be aware of the major role of Ki-67 in determining prognosis and in selecting patients to the most appropriate treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental characterization and environmental stress responses of Y-box binding protein 1 gene (AccYB-1) from Apis cerana cerana.

PubMed

Li, Guilin; Wang, Lijun; Wang, Ying; Li, Han; Liu, Zhenguo; Wang, Hongfang; Xu, Baohua; Guo, Xingqi

2018-06-22

Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) is a member of the cold shock domain protein superfamily and is involved in development, environmental stresses and DNA oxidative damage in many organisms. However, the precise functions of YB-1 are still not well understood in various insects, including bees. In the current study, we identified a YB-1 gene in Apis cerana cerana (AccYB-1). The predicted cis-acting elements in the promoter sequence of AccYB-1 indicated its possible roles in development and stress responses. AccYB-1 expression was higher in one-day-old larvae and dark-eyed pupae than in other development stages. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that the mRNA level of AccYB-1 was higher in the thorax and midgut than in other tissues. The results from real-time PCR showed that AccYB-1 was induced by many environmental stresses. Silencing AccYB-1 downregulated the transcriptional level of some growth- and development-related genes and antioxidant genes and decreased the enzyme activities of several antioxidant-related enzymes, further indicating a possible function of AccYB-1 in growth, development and stress responses. Taken together, our findings suggest that AccYB-1 may play an indispensable role in growth and development and environmental stress responses in Apis cerana cerana. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to explore the role of YB-1 in bees. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dissociating response conflict and error likelihood in anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Yeung, Nick; Nieuwenhuis, Sander

2009-11-18

Neuroimaging studies consistently report activity in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in conditions of high cognitive demand, leading to the view that ACC plays a crucial role in the control of cognitive processes. According to one prominent theory, the sensitivity of ACC to task difficulty reflects its role in monitoring for the occurrence of competition, or "conflict," between responses to signal the need for increased cognitive control. However, a contrasting theory proposes that ACC is the recipient rather than source of monitoring signals, and that ACC activity observed in relation to task demand reflects the role of this region in learning about the likelihood of errors. Response conflict and error likelihood are typically confounded, making the theories difficult to distinguish empirically. The present research therefore used detailed computational simulations to derive contrasting predictions regarding ACC activity and error rate as a function of response speed. The simulations demonstrated a clear dissociation between conflict and error likelihood: fast response trials are associated with low conflict but high error likelihood, whereas slow response trials show the opposite pattern. Using the N2 component as an index of ACC activity, an EEG study demonstrated that when conflict and error likelihood are dissociated in this way, ACC activity tracks conflict and is negatively correlated with error likelihood. These findings support the conflict-monitoring theory and suggest that, in speeded decision tasks, ACC activity reflects current task demands rather than the retrospective coding of past performance.

Insight into the molecular mechanism of yeast acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase mutants F510I, N485G, I69E, E477R, and K73R resistant to soraphen A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jian; Liang, Li; Chen, Qingqing; Zhang, Ling; Huang, Tonghui

2018-02-01

Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylases (ACCs) is the first committed enzyme of fatty acid synthesis pathway. The inhibition of ACC is thought to be beneficial not only for diseases related to metabolism, such as type-2 diabetes, but also for infectious disease like bacterial infection disease. Soraphen A, a potent allosteric inhibitor of BC domain of yeast ACC, exhibit lower binding affinities to several yeast ACC mutants and the corresponding drug resistance mechanisms are still unknown. We report here a theoretical study of binding of soraphen A to wild type and yeast ACC mutants (including F510I, N485G, I69E, E477R, and K73R) via molecular dynamic simulation and molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area free energy calculations methods. The calculated binding free energies of soraphen A to yeast ACC mutants are weaker than to wild type, which is highly consistent with the experimental results. The mutant F510I weakens the binding affinity of soraphen A to yeast ACC mainly by decreasing the van der Waals contributions, while the weaker binding affinities of Soraphen A to other yeast ACC mutants including N485G, I69E, E477R, and K73R are largely attributed to the decreased net electrostatic (ΔE ele + ΔG GB) interactions. Our simulation results could provide important insights for the development of more potent ACC inhibitors.

[Cloning, expression and transcriptional analysis of biotin carboxyl carrier protein gene (accA) from Amycolatopsis mediterranei U32 ].

PubMed

Lu, Jie; Yao, Yufeng; Jiang, Weihong; Jiao, Ruishen

2003-02-01

Acetyl CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2, ACC) catalyzes the ATP-dependent carboxylation of acetyl CoA to yield malonyl CoA, which is the first committed step in fatty acid synthesis. A pair of degenerate PCR primers were designed according to the conserved amino acid sequence of AccA from M. tuberculosis and S. coelicolor. The product of the PCR amplification, a DNA fragment of 250bp was used as a probe for screening the U32 genomic cosmid library and its gene, accA, coding the biotinylated protein subunit of acetyl CoA carboxylase, was successfully cloned from U32. The accA ORF encodes a 598-amino-acid protein with the calculated molecular mass of 63.7kD, with 70.1% of G + C content. A typical Streptomyces RBS sequence, AGGAGG, was found at the - 6 position upstream of the start codon GTG. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence showed the presence of biotin-binding site and putative ATP-bicarbonate interaction region, which suggested the U32 AccA may act as a biotin carboxylase as well as a biotin carrier protein. Gene accA was then cloned into the pET28 (b) vector and expressed solubly in E. coli BL21 (DE3) by 0.1 mmol/L IPTG induction. Western blot confirmed the covalent binding of biotin with AccA. Northern blot analyzed transcriptional regulation of accA by 5 different nitrogen sources.

Genetic analysis of the agrocinopine catabolic region of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid pTiC58, which encodes genes required for opine and agrocin 84 transport.

PubMed Central

Hayman, G T; Beck von Bodman, S; Kim, H; Jiang, P; Farrand, S K

1993-01-01

The acc region, subcloned from pTiC58 of classical nopaline and agrocinopine A and B Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, allowed agrobacteria to grow using agrocinopine B as the sole source of carbon and energy. acc is approximately 6 kb in size. It consists of at least five genes, accA through accE, as defined by complementation analysis using subcloned fragments and transposon insertion mutations of acc carried on different plasmids within the same cell. All five regions are required for agrocin 84 sensitivity, and at least four are required for agrocinopine and agrocin 84 uptake. The complementation results are consistent with the hypothesis that each of the five regions is separately transcribed. Maxicell experiments showed that the first of these genes, accA, encodes a 60-kDa protein. Analysis of osmotic shock fractions showed this protein to be located in the periplasm. The DNA sequence of the accA region revealed an open reading frame encoding a predicted polypeptide of 59,147 Da. The amino acid sequence encoded by this open reading frame is similar to the periplasmic binding proteins OppA and DppA of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and OppA of Bacillus subtilis. Images PMID:8366042

Implementation of a spark plasma sintering facility in a hermetic glovebox for compaction of toxic, radiotoxic, and air sensitive materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tyrpekl, V., E-mail: vaclav.tyrpekl@ec.europa.eu, E-mail: vaclav.tyrpekl@gmail.com; Berkmann, C.; Holzhäuser, M.

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a rapidly developing method for densification of powders into compacts. It belongs to the so-called “field assisted sintering techniques” that enable rapid sintering at much lower temperatures than the classical approaches of pressureless sintering of green pellets or hot isostatic pressing. In this paper, we report the successful integration of a SPS device into a hermetic glovebox for the handling of highly radioactive material containing radioisotopes of U, Th, Pu, Np, and Am. The glovebox implantation has been facilitated by the replacement of the hydraulic system to apply pressure with a compact electromechanical unit. Themore » facility has been successfully tested using UO{sub 2} powder. Pellets with 97% of the theoretical density were obtained at 1000 °C for 5 min, significantly lower than the ∼1600 °C for 5-10 h used in conventional pellet sintering.« less

Adrenocortical neoplasia: evolving concepts in tumorigenesis with an emphasis on adrenal cortical carcinoma variants.

PubMed

de Krijger, Ronald R; Papathomas, Thomas G

2012-01-01

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, heterogeneous malignancy with a poor prognosis. According to WHO classification 2004, ACC variants include oncocytic ACCs, myxoid ACCs and ACCs with sarcomatous areas. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of these rare subtypes of adrenocortical malignancy and emphasize their clinicopathological features with the aim of elucidating aspects of diagnostic categorization, differential diagnostics and biological behavior. The issue of current terminology, applied to biphasic tumors with pleomorphic, sarcomatous or sarcomatoid elements arising in adrenal cortex, is also discussed. We additionally present emerging evidence concerning the adrenal cortical tumorigenesis and the putative adenoma-carcinoma sequence as well.

Age-Related DNA Methylation Changes and Neoplastic Transformation of the Human Prostate

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

Vol. 4 Issue 1 Figure 4. Methylation and expression analysis of the Sprouty1. (A) Representative program traces for Sprouty1. Gray colums represents...5’-ggt acc CCC TCC TGA GCT CAT GGT AAC CT-3’ Fwd 6 (-509) 5’-ggt acc CTT CTG GTT TGG AGC ACA GTG CAA AG-3’ Fwd 5 (-1318) 5’ggt acc AGA AGA CCT...CCC GAG GTG GAT GTT A-3’ Fwd3 (-2025) 5’-ggt acc CTG TCA ATC ACC GGG AGC-3’ Reverse (+8) 5’-gct agc AAT CCG CAC TGA ATA AAT AGT TGA C-3’. For

Agreement between activity-monitoring devices during home rehabilitation: a substudy of the AAA STOP trial.

PubMed

Myers, Jonathan; Dupain, Mandi; Vu, Andrew; Jaffe, Alyssa; Smith, Kimberly; Fonda, Holly; Dalman, Ronald

2014-01-01

As part of a home-based rehabilitation program, 24 older adult patients (71 ± 3 years) with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease underwent 3 days (12 awake hr/day) of activity monitoring using an accelerometer (ACC), a pedometer, and a heart rate (HR) monitor, and recorded hourly activity logs. Subjects then underwent an interview to complete a 3-day activity recall questionnaire (3-DR). Mean energy expenditure (EE) in kcals/ day for HR, ACC, and 3-DR were 1,687 ± 458, 2,068 ± 529, and 1,974 ± 491, respectively. Differences in EE were not significant between 3-DR and ACC, but HR differed from both ACC (p < .001) and 3-DR (p < .01). ACC and 3-DR had the highest agreement, with a coefficient of variation of 7.9% and r = .86. Thus, ACC provided a reasonably accurate reflection of EE based the criterion measure, an activity recall questionnaire. ACC can be effectively used to monitor EE to achieve an appropriate training stimulus during home-based cardiac rehabilitation.

Disordered amorphous calcium carbonate from direct precipitation

DOE PAGES

Farhadi Khouzani, Masoud; Chevrier, Daniel M.; Güttlein, Patricia; ...

2015-06-01

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is known to play a prominent role in biomineralization. Different studies on the structure of biogenic ACCs have illustrated that they can have distinct short-range orders. However, the origin of so-called proto-structures in synthetic and additive-free ACCs is not well understood. In the current work, ACC has been synthesised in iso-propanolic media by direct precipitation from ionic precursors, and analysed utilising a range of different techniques. The data suggest that this additive-free type of ACC does not resemble clear proto-structural motifs relating to any crystalline polymorph. This can be explained by the undefined pH value inmore » iso-propanolic media, and the virtually instantaneous precipitation. Altogether, this work suggests that aqueous systems and pathways involving pre-nucleation clusters are required for the generation of clear proto-structural features in ACC. Experiments on the ACC-to-crystalline transformation in solution with and without ethanol highlight that polymorph selection is under kinetic control, while the presence of ethanol can control dissolution re-crystallisation pathways.« less

Bronchoscopic intervention as a main treatment for tracheobronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma.

PubMed

Wang, Hongwu; Zhang, Jieli; Zhang, Nan; Li, Dongmei; Zou, Heng; Zhou, Yunzhi; Liang, Sujuan; Mao, Jiangfeng; Li, Jing

2015-06-01

Bronchial adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare disease with low malignancy and indolent progression. Airway obstruction caused by ACC can be resolved by endoscopic procedures. The efficacy of different techniques of bronchoscopic interventions for ACC has not been determined. From November 2004 to March 2012, ACC patients, mainly treated with different techniques of bronchoscopic interventions in our hospital, were reviewed. The study included 37 ACC patients. Five patients (13.5%) with intra-luminal type underwent bronchoscopic therapies for a median of three times (range 1-6 times). Thirty-two patients (86.5%) with mixed type underwent bronchoscopic interventions for a median of 14 times (range 4-20 times). The dyspnea index was significantly improved after the first endoscopic procedure. The overall five- and ten-year survival rate was 85.9% and 45.9%, respectively, similar to surgery-dominant treatments. The present study demonstrates that different procedures of bronchoscopic interventions, as main treatments for ACC, are as effective as surgery-dominant treatment. More prospective and multicentric studies are required to confirm these favorable results, which may influence the therapeutic strategy for ACC in the future.

Molecular cloning, expression, and stress response of the estrogen-related receptor gene (AccERR) from Apis cerana cerana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weixing; Zhu, Ming; Zhang, Ge; Liu, Feng; Wang, Hongfang; Guo, Xingqi; Xu, Baohua

2016-04-01

Estrogen-related receptor (ERR), which belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been implicated in diverse physiological processes involving the estrogen signaling pathway. However, little information is available on ERR in Apis cerana cerana. In this report, we isolated the ERR gene and investigated its involvement in antioxidant defense. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed that the highest mRNA expression occurred in eggs during different developmental stages. The expression levels of AccERR were highest in the muscle, followed by the rectum. The predicted transcription factor binding sites in the promoter of AccERR suggested that AccERR potentially functions in early development and in environmental stress responses. The expression of AccERR was induced by cold (4 °C), heat (42 °C), ultraviolet light (UV), HgCl2, and various types of pesticides (phoxim, deltamethrin, triadimefon, and cyhalothrin). Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of AccERR protein. These data suggested that AccERR might play a vital role in abiotic stress responses.

CFD study on the effects of boundary conditions on air flow through an air-cooled condenser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumara, Zdeněk; Šochman, Michal

2018-06-01

This study focuses on the effects of boundary conditions on effectiveness of an air-cooled condenser (ACC). Heat duty of ACC is very often calculated for ideal uniform velocity field which does not correspond to reality. Therefore, this study studies the effect of wind and different landscapes on air flow through ACC. For this study software OpenFOAM was used and the flow was simulated with the use of RANS equations. For verification of numerical setup a model of one ACC cell with dimensions of platform 1.5×1.5 [m] was used. In this experiment static pressures behind fan and air flows through a model of surface of condenser for different rpm of fan were measured. In OpenFOAM software a virtual clone of this experiment was built and different meshes, turbulent models and numerical schemes were tested. After tuning up numerical setup virtual model of real ACC system was built. Influence of wind, landscape and height of ACC on air flow through ACC has been investigated.

Evaluation of beam wobbling methods for heavy-ion radiotherapy.

PubMed

Yonai, Shunsuke; Kanematsu, Nobuyuki; Komori, Masataka; Kanai, Tatsuaki; Takei, Yuka; Takahashi, Osamu; Isobe, Yoshiharu; Tashiro, Mutsumi; Koikegami, Hajime; Tomita, Hideki

2008-03-01

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) has extensively studied carbon-ion radiotherapy at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) with some positive outcomes, and has established its efficacy. Therefore, efforts to distribute the therapy to the general public should be made, for which it is essential to enable direct application of clinical and technological experiences obtained at NIRS. For widespread use, it is very important to reduce the cost through facility downsizing with minimal acceleration energy to deliver the HIMAC-equivalent clinical beams. For the beam delivery system, the requirement of miniaturization is translated to reduction in length while maintaining the clinically available field size and penetration range for range-modulated uniform broad beams of regular fields that are either circular or square for simplicity. In this paper, we evaluate the various wobbling methods including original improvements, especially for application to the compact facilities through the experimental and computational studies. The single-ring wobbling method used at HIMAC is the best one including a lot of experience at HIMAC but the residual range is a fatal problem in the case of a compact facility. On the other hand, uniform wobbling methods such as the spiral and zigzag wobbling methods are effective and suitable for a compact facility. Furthermore, these methods can be applied for treatment with passive range modulation including respiratory gated irradiation. In theory, the choice between the spiral and zigzag wobbling methods depends on the shape of the required irradiation field. However, we found that it is better to use the zigzag wobbling method with transformation of the wobbling pattern even when a circular uniform irradiation field is required, because it is difficult to maintain the stability of the wobbler magnet due to the rapid change of the wobbler current in the spiral wobbling method. The regulated wobbling method, which is our improvement, can well expand the uniform irradiation field and lead to reducing the power requirement of the wobbler magnets. Our evaluations showed that the regulated zigzag wobbling method is the most suitable method for use in currently designed compact carbon-therapy facilities.

Standard operating procedures for maintaining cleanliness in a novel compact facility for breeding SPF mice.

PubMed

Sakuma, Kenji; Hayashi, Susumu; Otokuni, Keiko; Matsumoto, Izumi; Matsuoka, Hideaki; Saito, Mikako

2013-11-01

A compact facility for SPF mice that was not equipped with a large autoclave used disposable mouse cages instead. The SPF clean room was 5.7 × 8.1 × 2.7 m(3), with a breeding capacity of 1008 cages (168 cages on each of 6 racks). We evaluated cleanliness in the SPF clean room under the conditions of an occupation rate of 60% to 70% and typically 1 to 3 personnel (maximum, 4 to 6) daily on weekdays. Personnel were taught standard procedures and received training beforehand. During the 15-mo study period, the maximal concentration of airborne particles 0.5 μm or larger was 1.0 × 10(4) particles/m3 and that of particles 5.0 μm or larger was 5.0 × 10(2) particles/m(3)--well below the maximal permissible concentrations of 3.52 × 10(5) and 2.93 × 10(3) particles/m(3), respectively. During the study period, no mice exhibited clinical symptoms of infection. Testing of 2 representative, overtly healthy mice for 16 pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Helicobacter bilis failed to detect any of the target agents. The current study demonstrates the feasibility of the compact facility for breeding SPF mice in the academic environment.

Standard Operating Procedures for Maintaining Cleanliness in a Novel Compact Facility for Breeding SPF Mice

PubMed Central

Sakuma, Kenji; Hayashi, Susumu; Otokuni, Keiko; Matsumoto, Izumi; Matsuoka, Hideaki; Saito, Mikako

2013-01-01

A compact facility for SPF mice that was not equipped with a large autoclave used disposable mouse cages instead. The SPF clean room was 5.7 × 8.1 × 2.7 m3, with a breeding capacity of 1008 cages (168 cages on each of 6 racks). We evaluated cleanliness in the SPF clean room under the conditions of an occupation rate of 60% to 70% and typically 1 to 3 personnel (maximum, 4 to 6) daily on weekdays. Personnel were taught standard procedures and received training beforehand. During the 15-mo study period, the maximal concentration of airborne particles 0.5 μm or larger was 1.0 × 104 particles/m3 and that of particles 5.0 μm or larger was 5.0 × 102 particles/m3—well below the maximal permissible concentrations of 3.52 × 105 and 2.93 × 103 particles/m3, respectively. During the study period, no mice exhibited clinical symptoms of infection. Testing of 2 representative, overtly healthy mice for 16 pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Helicobacter bilis failed to detect any of the target agents. The current study demonstrates the feasibility of the compact facility for breeding SPF mice in the academic environment. PMID:24351759

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Azar, Miguel; Gardner, Donald A.; Taylor, Edward R.

Exelon Nuclear (Exelon) designed and constructed an Interim Radwaste Storage Facility (IRSF) in the mid-1980's at LaSalle County Nuclear Station (LaSalle). The facility was designed to store low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) on an interim basis, i.e., up to five years. The primary reason for the IRSF was to offset lack of disposal in case existing disposal facilities, such as the Southeast Compact's Barnwell Disposal Facility in Barnwell, South Carolina, ceased accepting radioactive waste from utilities not in the Southeast Compact. Approximately ninety percent of the Radwaste projected to be stored in the LaSalle IRSF in that period of time wasmore » Class A, with the balance being Class B/C waste. On July 1, 2008 the Barnwell Disposal Facility in the Southeast Compact closed its doors to out of- compact Radwaste, which precluded LaSalle from shipping Class B/C Radwaste to an outside disposal facility. Class A waste generated by LaSalle is still able to be disposed at the 'Envirocare of Utah LLRW Disposal Complex' in Clive, Utah. Thus the need for utilizing the LaSalle IRSF for storing Class B/C Radwaste for an extended period, perhaps life-of-plant or more became apparent. Additionally, other Exelon Midwest nuclear stations located in Illinois that did not build an IRSF heretofore also needed extended Radwaste storage. In early 2009, Exelon made a decision to forward Radwaste from the Byron Nuclear Station (Byron), Braidwood Nuclear Station (Braidwood), and Clinton Nuclear Station (Clinton) to LaSalle's IRSF. As only Class B/C Radwaste would need to be forwarded to LaSalle, the original volumetric capacity of the LaSalle IRSF was capable of handling the small number of additional expected shipments annually from the Exelon sister nuclear stations in Illinois. Forwarding Class B/C Radwaste from the Exelon sister nuclear stations in Illinois to LaSalle would require an amendment to the LaSalle Station operating license. Exelon submitted the License Amendment Request (LAR) to NRC on January 6, 2010; NRC approved the LAR on July 21, 2011. A similar decision was made by Exelon in early 2009 to forward Radwaste from Limerick Nuclear Station to its sister station, the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station; both in Pennsylvania. A LAR submittal to the NRC was also provided and NRC approval was received in 2011. (authors)« less

24 CFR 941.608 - Technical processing and approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... execution an ACC amendment and/or a grant agreement. If the PHA has already executed a front-end ACC amendment, HUD will send to the PHA for execution a special ACC amendment for the mixed-finance development...

24 CFR 884.122 - Separate project requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... separate ACC List and ACC Part I and shall be assigned a separate project number. All new construction... construction projects where: (1) The units are placed under ACC on the same date; and (2) Such consolidation is...

24 CFR 941.608 - Technical processing and approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... execution an ACC amendment and/or a grant agreement. If the PHA has already executed a front-end ACC amendment, HUD will send to the PHA for execution a special ACC amendment for the mixed-finance development...

24 CFR 884.122 - Separate project requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... separate ACC List and ACC Part I and shall be assigned a separate project number. All new construction... construction projects where: (1) The units are placed under ACC on the same date; and (2) Such consolidation is...

Metastatic adrenal cortical carcinoma to T12 vertebrae.

PubMed

Lee, Daniel; Yanamadala, Vijay; Shankar, Ganesh M; Shin, John H

2016-05-01

We report spinal metastasis of adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) to the T12 vertebrae with epidural extension. ACC is a rare malignancy with poor prognosis and high rates of metastasis. However, spinal lesions of ACC are rare, and few have been reported in the literature. We discuss our management of this lesion and review the current understanding and treatment of ACC and spinal metastasis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of acid-sensing ion channels in adenoid cystic carcinomas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ye Jinhai; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Research Institute of Stomatology, Nanjing 210029; Gao Jun

2007-04-20

Tissue acidosis is an important feature of tumor. The response of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) cells to acidic solution was studied using whole-cell patch-clamp recording in the current study. An inward, amiloride-sensitive Na{sup +} current was identified in cultured ACC-2 cells while not in normal human salivary gland epithelial cells. Electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of the currents suggest that heteromeric acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) containing 2a and 3 may be responsible for the proton-induced currents in the majority of ACC-2 cells. Consistent with it, analyses of RT-PCR and Western blotting demonstrated the presences of ASIC2a and 3 in ACC-2 cells.more » Furthermore, we observed the enhanced expression of ASIC2a and 3 in the sample of ACC tissues. These results indicate that the functional expression of ASICs is characteristic feature of ACC cells.« less

Analysis of Arabidopsis Accessions Hypersensitive to a Loss of Chloroplast Translation1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Parker, Nicole; Wang, Yixing; Meinke, David

2016-01-01

Natural accessions of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) differ in their ability to tolerate a loss of chloroplast translation. These differences can be attributed in part to variation in a duplicated nuclear gene (ACC2) that targets homomeric acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) to plastids. This functional redundancy allows limited fatty acid biosynthesis to occur in the absence of heteromeric ACCase, which is encoded in part by the plastid genome. In the presence of functional ACC2, tolerant alleles of several nuclear genes, not yet identified, enhance the growth of seedlings and embryos disrupted in chloroplast translation. ACC2 knockout mutants, by contrast, are hypersensitive. Here we describe an expanded search for hypersensitive accessions of Arabidopsis, evaluate whether all of these accessions are defective in ACC2, and characterize genotype-to-phenotype relationships for homomeric ACCase variants identified among 855 accessions with sequenced genomes. Null alleles with ACC2 nonsense mutations, frameshift mutations, small deletions, genomic rearrangements, and defects in RNA splicing are included among the most sensitive accessions examined. By contrast, most missense mutations affecting highly conserved residues failed to eliminate ACC2 function. Several accessions were identified where sensitivity could not be attributed to a defect in either ACC2 or Tic20-IV, the chloroplast membrane channel required for ACC2 uptake. Overall, these results underscore the central role of ACC2 in mediating Arabidopsis response to a loss of chloroplast translation, highlight future applications of this system to analyzing chloroplast protein import, and provide valuable insights into the mutational landscape of an important metabolic enzyme that is highly conserved throughout eukaryotes. PMID:27707889

Leptin activates hypothalamic acetyl-CoA carboxylase to inhibit food intake

PubMed Central

Gao, Su; Kinzig, Kimberly P.; Aja, Susan; Scott, Karen A.; Keung, Wendy; Kelly, Sandra; Strynadka, Ken; Chohnan, Shigeru; Smith, Wanli W.; Tamashiro, Kellie L. K.; Ladenheim, Ellen E.; Ronnett, Gabriele V.; Tu, Yajun; Birnbaum, Morris J.; Lopaschuk, Gary D.; Moran, Timothy H.

2007-01-01

Hypothalamic fatty acid metabolism has recently been implicated in the controls of food intake and energy homeostasis. We report that intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of leptin, concomitant with inhibiting AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), activates acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the key regulatory enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis, in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in the hypothalamus. Arc overexpression of constitutively active AMPK prevents the Arc ACC activation in response to ICV leptin, supporting the hypothesis that AMPK lies upstream of ACC in leptin's Arc intracellular signaling pathway. Inhibiting hypothalamic ACC with 5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid, a specific ACC inhibitor, blocks leptin-mediated decreases in food intake, body weight, and mRNA level of the orexigenic neuropeptide NPY. These results show that hypothalamic ACC activation makes an important contribution to leptin's anorectic effects. Furthermore, we find that ICV leptin up-regulates the level of malonyl-CoA (the intermediate of fatty acid biosynthesis) specifically in the Arc and increases the level of palmitoyl-CoA (a major product of fatty acid biosynthesis) specifically in the PVN. The rises of both levels are blocked by 5-tetradecyloxy-2-furoic acid along with the blockade of leptin-mediated hypophagia. These data suggest malonyl-CoA as a downstream mediator of ACC in leptin's signaling pathway in the Arc and imply that palmitoyl-CoA, instead of malonyl-CoA, could be an effector in relaying ACC signaling in the PVN. Together, these findings highlight site-specific impacts of hypothalamic ACC activation in leptin's anorectic signaling cascade. PMID:17956983

Theta-frequency phase-locking of single anterior cingulate cortex neurons and synchronization with the medial thalamus are modulated by visceral noxious stimulation in rats.

PubMed

Wang, J; Cao, B; Yu, T R; Jelfs, B; Yan, J; Chan, R H M; Li, Y

2015-07-09

The rodent anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is critical for visceral pain and pain-related aversive response in chronic visceral hypersensitive (VH) state. Long-term potentiation (LTP), induced by theta burst stimulation (TBS) in the medial thalamus (MT)-ACC pathway, is blocked in VH rats. However, the neuronal intrinsic firing characteristics and the MT-ACC connectivity have not been investigated in visceral pain. Using repetitive distension of the colon and rectum (rCRD) as a sensitization paradigm, we have identified that the spontaneous firing rates of ACC neurons and the CRD-stimulated neuronal firings were increased after repetitive visceral noxious stimulation. This correlates with increases in visceral pain responses (visceromotor responses, VMRs). Two multichannel arrays of electrodes were implanted in the MT and ACC. Recordings were performed in free-moving rats before and after repeated CRD treatment. Power spectral density analysis showed that the local field potential (LFP) recorded in the ACC displayed increases in theta band power (4-10 Hz) that were modulated by rCRD. Neural spike activity in the ACC becomes synchronized with ongoing theta oscillations of LFP. Furthermore, cross correlation analysis showed augmented synchronization of thalamo-ACC theta band LFPs, which was consistent with an increase of neuronal communication between the two regions. In conclusion, these results reveal theta oscillations and theta-frequency phase-locking as prominent features of neural activity in the ACC and a candidate neural mechanism underlying acute visceral pain. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Acute Radiation Hypotension in the Rabbit: a Model for the Human Radiation Shock Syndrome.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makale, Milan Theodore

This study has shown that total body irradiation (TBI) of immature (40 to 100 day old) rabbits leads to an acute fall in mean arterial pressure (MAP) 30 to 90 minutes after exposure, which takes no more than about three minutes, and often results in pressures which are less than 50% of the lowest pre-exposure MAP. This is termed acute cardiovascular collapse (ACC). ACC is often accompanied by ECG T-wave elevation, a sharp rise in ear temperature, labored breathing, pupillary constriction, bladder emptying, and loss of abdominal muscle tone. About 73% of 40 to 100 day rabbits exhibit ACC; the others and most older rabbits display gradual pressure reductions (deliberate hypotension) which may be profound, and which may be accompanied by the same changes associated with ACC. ACC and deliberate hypotension occurred in rabbits cannulated in the dorsal aorta, and in non-operated animals. The decline in MAP for all 40 to 100 day cannulated rabbits (deliberate and ACC responders) is 55.4%. The experiments described below only involved 40 to 100 day cannulated TBI rabbits. Heart region irradiation resulted in an average MAP decline of 29.1%, with 1/15 rabbits showing ACC. Heart shielding during TBI reduced the decline in MAP to 19%, with 1/10 rabbits experiencing ACC. These results imply that the heart region, which includes the heart, part of the lungs, neural receptors, roots of the systemic vessels, and the blood, is a sensitive target. Bilateral vagotomy reduced the decline in MAP to 24.9%, and abolished ACC. Atropine (6 mg/kg) reduced the frequency of ACC to 26%, and the decline in MAP to 41.4%. In 11/13 rabbits the voltage generated by left vagal transmission rose after TBI. The vagi appear to participate in radiation hypotension. Heart shielding together with bilateral vagotomy reduced the decline in MAP to only 9.9%, with no ACC responders. The mean right ventricular pressure (MRVP) rose after TBI in 8/10 rabbits. In animals which displayed either ACC or steep deliberate hypotension, the MRVP rose sharply prior to the rapid decline in MAP. This suggests that the pulmonary blood flow was impeded, possibly causing right heart failure (cor pulmonale), and consequent cardiovascular collapse.

Comparison of the Surgical Outcomes of Dorsal Augmentation Using Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene or Autologous Costal Cartilage.

PubMed

Joo, Yeon Hee; Jang, Yong Ju

2016-09-01

Dorsal augmentation material includes alloplastic implants and autologous tissues. However, there has been no comparison to date of dorsal augmentation using different materials performed by the same surgeon. To compare the aesthetic outcomes and complications of dorsal augmentation using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and autologous costal cartilage (ACC) in rhinoplasty. A retrospective review of the medical records of 244 patients who underwent dorsal augmentation performed by the same surgeon at the Asan Medical Center using ePTFE or ACC from March 1, 2003, through September 31, 2015. Patient demographics and surgical procedures were analyzed. The aesthetic outcomes were scored from 1 (worst) to 4 (best) by 3 otolaryngologists. Changes in dorsal height and radix height were measured by comparing preoperative and postoperative profile views. Postoperative complications were also evaluated. A total of 244 patients who underwent augmentation rhinoplasty were reviewed in this study, including 141 men (57.8%) and 103 women (42.2%). The ePTFE group included 176 patients, and the ACC group comprised 68 patients. In the ePTFE and ACC groups, 96 patients (54.5%) and 45 patients (66.2%) were male, respectively. The patient ages ranged from 11 to 69 years, with a mean (SD) age of 30.3 (11.49) years in the ePTFE group and 36.04 (12.65) years in the ACC group. The mean (SD) aesthetic outcome scores were comparable between the 2 groups: 2.99 (0.05) in the ePTFE group and 2.99 (0.06) in the ACC group (P = .93). The change of dorsal (2.64% in ePTFE group and 5.82% in ACC group) and radix (3.62% in ePTFE group and 3.77% in ACC group) heights were significantly increased after augmentation in both groups (P < .001) even though the dorsal height of the ACC group after augmentation showed a significantly greater increase compared to the ePTFE group (P < .001). However, the complication rate was significantly higher in the ACC group: 4.0% in ePTFE group and 11.8% in ACC group (P = .02). Dorsal augmentation with ACC produces similar aesthetic outcomes but a higher complication rate than dorsal augmentation with ePTFE. This higher complication rate may justify the use of ePTFE implants for dorsal augmentation in Asian patients undergoing rhinoplasty. 3.

Further studies of auxin and ACC induced feminization in the cucumber plant using ethylene inhibitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, H.; Jaffe, M. J.

1984-01-01

The present study was designed to establish the role of an essential hormone controlling sex expression in cucumber. A potent anti-ethylene agent, AgNO3, completely inhibited pistillate flower formation caused by IAA, ACC or ethephon. Inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis, AVG and CoCl2 also suppressed feminization due to exogenous IAA or ACC. Though AVG also suppressed ethephon-induced feminization, this may be due to the second effect of AVG rather than the effect on ACC biosynthesis. These results confirm that ethylene is a major factor regulating feminization and that exogenous auxin induces pistillate flower formation through its stimulation of ethylene production, rather than ACC production.

Glycolytic intermediates induce amorphous calcium carbonate formation in crustaceans.

PubMed

Sato, Ai; Nagasaka, Seiji; Furihata, Kazuo; Nagata, Shinji; Arai, Isao; Saruwatari, Kazuko; Kogure, Toshihiro; Sakuda, Shohei; Nagasawa, Hiromichi

2011-04-01

It has been thought that phosphorus in biominerals made of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) might be related to ACC formation, but no such phosphorus-containing compounds have ever been identified. Crustaceans use ACC biominerals in exoskeleton and gastroliths so that they will have easy access to calcium carbonate inside the body before and after molting. We have identified phosphoenolpyruvate and 3-phosphoglycerate, intermediates of the glycolytic pathway, in exoskeleton and gastroliths and found them important for stabilizing ACC.

Air Force Institute of Technology Research Report 2006

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-30

Mitigation by Considering the Effects of Coatings , Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics and Material Failure.” Sponsor: AFRL/AFOSR/NM. Funding: $102,953...April 2005. Martinez, S.A., Sathish, S., and Mall, S., and Blodgett, M.P., " Effects of Fretting Fatigue on the Residual Stress of Shot-Peened Ti-6Al...Sponsor: ACC/OL- 0011 E8SG JTF/EN, ACC/E8SG/NG, and ACC/330 CTS. LEE, SANG H. Investigation of the Effects of Target Feature Variations

Absence of cytotoxic antibody to human immunodeficiency virus-infected cells in humans and its induction in animals after infection or immunization with purified envelope glycoprotein gp120

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nara, P.L.; Robey, W.G.; Gonda, M.A.

1987-06-01

The presence of antibody-dependent complement-mediated cytotoxicity (ACC) was assessed in humans and chimpanzees, which are capable of infection with human immunodeficiency virus isolate HTLV-IIIb, and examined in the goat after immunization with the major viral glycoprotein (gp120) of HTLV-IIIb. In infected humans no antibody mediating ACC was observed regardless of the status of disease. Even healthy individuals with high-titer, broadly reactive, neutralizing antibodies has no ACC. In contrast, chimpanzees infected with HTLV-IIIb, from whom virus could be isolated, not only had neutralizing antibody but also antibodies broadly reactive in ACC, even against distantly related human immunodeficiency virus isolates, as wellmore » as against their own reisolated virus. In the goat, the gp120 of HTLV-IIIb induced a highly type-specific response as measured by both ACC and flow cytofluorometry of live infected H9 cells. Normal human cells were not subject to ACC by animal anti-HTLV-III gp120-specific sera. Induction of ACC and neutralizing antibody were closely correlated in the animal experimental models but not in humans. The presence of ACC in gp120-inoculated goats and HTLV-III-infected chimpanzees represent a qualitative difference that may be important in the quest for the elicitation of a protective immunity in humans.« less

TP53 alterations in pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma: new insights into the molecular pathology of this rare cancer.

PubMed

La Rosa, Stefano; Bernasconi, Barbara; Frattini, Milo; Tibiletti, Maria Grazia; Molinari, Francesca; Furlan, Daniela; Sahnane, Nora; Vanoli, Alessandro; Albarello, Luca; Zhang, Lizhi; Notohara, Kenji; Casnedi, Selenia; Chenard, Marie-Pierre; Adsay, Volkan; Asioli, Sofia; Capella, Carlo; Sessa, Fausto

2016-03-01

The molecular alterations of pancreatic acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) are poorly understood and have been reported as being different from those in ductal adenocarcinomas. Loss of TP53 gene function in the pathogenesis of ACCs is controversial since contradictory findings have been published. A comprehensive analysis of the different possible genetic and epigenetic mechanisms leading to TP53 alteration in ACC has never been reported and hence the role of TP53 in the pathogenesis and/or progression of ACC remains unclear. We investigated TP53 alterations in 54 tumor samples from 44 patients, including primary and metastatic ACC, using sequencing analysis, methylation-specific multiplex ligation probe amplification, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. TP53 mutations were found in 13 % of primary ACCs and in 31 % of metastases. Primary ACCs and metastases showed the same mutational profile, with the exception of one case, characterized by a wild-type sequence in the primary carcinoma and a mutation in the corresponding metastasis. FISH analysis revealed deletion of the TP53 region in 53 % of primary ACCs and in 50 % of metastases. Promoter hypermethylation was found in one case. The molecular alterations correlated well with the immunohistochemical findings. A statistically significant association was found between the combination of mutation of one allele and loss of the other allele of TP53 and worse survival.

Reducing the risk of rear-end collisions with infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) integration of variable speed limit control and adaptive cruise control system.

PubMed

Li, Ye; Wang, Hao; Wang, Wei; Liu, Shanwen; Xiang, Yun

2016-08-17

Adaptive cruise control (ACC) has been investigated recently to explore ways to increase traffic capacity, stabilize traffic flow, and improve traffic safety. However, researchers seldom have studied the integration of ACC and roadside control methods such as the variable speed limit (VSL) to improve safety. The primary objective of this study was to develop an infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) integrated system that incorporated both ACC and VSL to reduce rear-end collision risks on freeways. The intelligent driver model was firstly modified to simulate ACC behavior and then the VSL strategy used in this article was introduced. Next, the I2V system was proposed to integrate the 2 advanced techniques, ACC and VSL. Four scenarios of no control, VSL only, ACC only, and the I2V system were tested in simulation experiments. Time exposed time to collision (TET) and time integrated time to collision (TIT), 2 surrogate safety measures derived from time to collision (TTC), were used to evaluate safety issues associated with rear-end collisions. The total travel times of each scenario were also compared. The simulation results indicated that both the VSL-only and ACC-only methods had a positive impact on reducing the TET and TIT values (reduced by 53.0 and 58.6% and 59.0 and 65.3%, respectively). The I2V system combined the advantages of both ACC and VSL to achieve the most safety benefits (reduced by 71.5 and 77.3%, respectively). Sensitivity analysis of the TTC threshold also showed that the I2V system obtained the largest safety benefits with all of the TTC threshold values. The impact of different market penetration rates of ACC vehicles in I2V system indicated that safety benefits increase with an increase in ACC proportions. Compared to VSL-only and ACC-only scenarios, this integrated I2V system is more effective in reducing rear-end collision risks. The findings of this study provide useful information for traffic agencies to implement novel techniques to improve safety on freeways.

ACC Effectiveness Review, 1999-2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Roslyn, Ed.

2002-01-01

These newsletters on Institutional Effectiveness (IE) at Austin Community College (ACC) in Texas include the following articles: (1) "The 'Fast Track'...Students Say It Works!" (2) "Are Students Successfully Completing Distance Learning Courses at ACC?" (3) "Tracking Transfers"; (4) "Math Pilot: Study Skills…

Serotonin2C receptors in the nucleus accumbens are involved in enhanced alcohol-drinking behavior

PubMed Central

Yoshimoto, Kanji; Watanabe, Yoshihisa; Tanaka, Masaki; Kimura, Minoru

2012-01-01

Dopamine and serotonin (5-HT) in the nucleus accumbens (ACC) and ventral tegmental area of the mesoaccumbens reward pathways have been implicated in the mechanisms underlying development of alcohol dependence. We used a C57BL/6J mouse model with increased voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior by exposing the mice to alcohol vapor for 20 consecutive days. In the alcohol-exposed mice, the expression of 5-HT2C receptor mRNA increased in the ACC, caudate nucleus and putamen, dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), hippocampus and lateral hypothalamus, while the protein level of 5-HT2C receptor significantly increased in the ACC. The expression of 5-HT7 receptor mRNA increased in the ACC and DRN. Contents of 5-HT decreased in the ACC shell (ACCS) and DRN of the alcohol-exposed mice. The basal extracellular releases of dopamine (DA) and 5-HT in the ACCS increased more in the alcohol-exposed mice than in alcohol-naïve mice. The magnitude of the alcohol-induced ACCS DA and 5-HT release in the alcohol-exposed mice was increased compared with the control mice. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration or local injection into ACCS of the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, SB-242084, suppressed voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior in the alcohol-exposed mice. But the i.p. administration of the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist, SB-258719, did not have significant effects on alcohol-drinking behavior in the alcohol-exposed mice. The effects of the 5-HT2C receptor antagonist were not observed in the air-exposed control mice. These results suggest that adaptations of the 5-HT system, especially the upregulation of 5-HT2C receptors in the ACCS, are involved in the development of enhanced voluntary alcohol-drinking behavior. PMID:22512261

Startup of air-cooled condensers and dry cooling towers at low temperatures of the cooling air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milman, O. O.; Ptakhin, A. V.; Kondratev, A. V.; Shifrin, B. A.; Yankov, G. G.

2016-05-01

The problems of startup and performance of air-cooled condensers (ACC) and dry cooling towers (DCT) at low cooling air temperatures are considered. Effects of the startup of the ACC at sub-zero temperatures are described. Different options of the ACC heating up are analyzed, and examples of existing technologies are presented (electric heating, heating up with hot air or steam, and internal and external heating). The use of additional heat exchanging sections, steam tracers, in the DCT design is described. The need for high power in cases of electric heating and heating up with hot air is noted. An experimental stand for research and testing of the ACC startup at low temperatures is described. The design of the three-pass ACC unit is given, and its advantages over classical single-pass design at low temperatures are listed. The formation of ice plugs inside the heat exchanging tubes during the start-up of ACC and DCT at low cooling air temperatures is analyzed. Experimental data on the effect of the steam flow rate, steam nozzle distance from the heat-exchange surface, and their orientation in space on the metal temperature were collected, and test results are analyzed. It is noted that the surface temperature at the end of the heat up is almost independent from its initial temperature. Recommendations for the safe start-up of ACCs and DCTs are given. The heating flow necessary to sufficiently heat up heat-exchange surfaces of ACCs and DCTs for the safe startup is estimated. The technology and the process of the heat up of the ACC with the heating steam external supply are described by the example of the startup of the full-scale section of the ACC at sub-zero temperatures of the cooling air, and the advantages of the proposed start-up technology are confirmed.

Tone-Evoked Acoustic Change Complex (ACC) Recorded in a Sedated Animal Model.

PubMed

Presacco, Alessandro; Middlebrooks, John C

2018-05-10

The acoustic change complex (ACC) is a scalp-recorded cortical evoked potential complex generated in response to changes (e.g., frequency, amplitude) in an auditory stimulus. The ACC has been well studied in humans, but to our knowledge, no animal model has been evaluated. In particular, it was not known whether the ACC could be recorded under the conditions of sedation that likely would be necessary for recordings from animals. For that reason, we tested the feasibility of recording ACC from sedated cats in response to changes of frequency and amplitude of pure-tone stimuli. Cats were sedated with ketamine and acepromazine, and subdermal needle electrodes were used to record electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Tones were presented from a small loudspeaker located near the right ear. Continuous tones alternated at 500-ms intervals between two frequencies or two levels. Neurometric functions were created by recording neural response amplitudes while systematically varying the magnitude of steps in frequency centered in octave frequency around 2, 4, 8, and 16 kHz, all at 75 dB SPL, or in decibel level around 75 dB SPL tested at 4 and 8 kHz. The ACC could be recorded readily under this ketamine/azepromazine sedation. In contrast, ACC could not be recorded reliably under any level of isoflurane anesthesia that was tested. The minimum frequency (expressed as Weber fractions (df/f)) or level steps (expressed in dB) needed to elicit ACC fell in the range of previous thresholds reported in animal psychophysical tests of discrimination. The success in recording ACC in sedated animals suggests that the ACC will be a useful tool for evaluation of other aspects of auditory acuity in normal hearing and, presumably, in electrical cochlear stimulation, especially for novel stimulation modes that are not yet feasible in humans.

Job satisfaction among academic coordinators of clinical education in physical therapy.

PubMed

Harris, M J; Fogel, M; Blacconiere, M

1987-06-01

The Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education is the physical therapy faculty member who is responsible for the clinical component of the curriculum. The responsibilities involved in the ACCE's job are such that ACCEs seem to be at risk for job dissatisfaction and burnout. The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the levels and patterns of job satisfaction among ACCEs in physical therapy. A questionnaire, including a 32-item job satisfaction inventory, was sent to the ACCE at each accredited entry-level education program for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants (N = 169). One hundred twelve (66.3%) responses were received and analyzed. Demographic characteristics of the respondents are reported. The results of the study showed that ACCEs, in general, expressed low levels of occupational dissatisfaction and burnout. Satisfaction with the aspects of the job involving self-esteem, achievement, and creativity seems to outweight dissatisfaction with the time available, the work load, and organizational efficiency. Those ACCEs with doctoral degrees expressed the highest levels of dissatisfaction and burnout. Those ACCEs working in entry-level master's degree programs expressed the lowest level of dissatisfaction; those in tenure-track positions expressed the lowest level of burnout. Factors contributing to job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are discussed.

Impaired Voluntary Control in PTSD: Probing Self-Regulation of the ACC With Real-Time fMRI

PubMed Central

Zweerings, Jana; Pflieger, Eliza M.; Mathiak, Krystyna A.; Zvyagintsev, Mikhail; Kacela, Anastasia; Flatten, Guido; Mathiak, Klaus

2018-01-01

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by deficits in the self-regulation of cognitions and emotions. Neural networks of emotion regulation may exhibit reduced control mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), contributing to aberrant limbic responses in PTSD. Methods: Real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI NF) assessed self-regulation of the ACC in nine patients with PTSD after single trauma exposure and nine matched healthy controls. All participants were instructed to train ACC upregulation on three training days. Results: Both groups achieved regulation, which was associated with wide-spread brain activation encompassing the ACC. Compared to the controls, regulation amplitude and learning rate was lower in patients, correlating with symptom severity. In addition, a frontopolar activation cluster was associated with self-regulation efforts in patients. Conclusions: For the first time, we tested self-regulation of the ACC in patients with PTSD. The observed impairment supports models of ACC-mediated regulation deficits that may contribute to the psychopathology of PTSD. Controlled trials in a larger sample are needed to confirm our findings and to directly investigate whether training of central regulation mechanisms improves emotion regulation in PTSD. PMID:29899712

[The anaesthesia and critical care specialty and new hospital management in France: an inquiry in university and general hospitals].

PubMed

Fusciardi, J; Remérand, F; Landais, A; Brodeur, J; Journois, D; Laffon, M

2010-03-01

To know: (1) how French public services of anaesthesia and critical care (ACC) have applied the new principles of hospital management and (2) whether or not it has impacted the different components of ACC. National questionnaire at the end of 2008, i.e., after 2 years of new hospital management. Heads of ACC services in general (GH) and university hospitals (UH). Eighteen closed questions and open opinions analyzed. Comparisons of percentages (Chi(2) - Yates): linear correlation. Percentages of responses were 70% (n=51) for UH and 37% (n=146) for GH. The new management principles were mainly applied. The different clinical and academic components of the ACC specialty (ACC, emergency medicine, pain management) mainly remained associated in UH. In GH, the new management induced constant and various changes. They were mainly judged as defeating the object of the ACC speciality in GH, especially in those of lower and mild sizes. The general tendency is that the ACC specialty was able to maintain the family ties of its different components in the UH. However, this principle was not a cornerstone of the new management in the GH. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Acetyl CoA Carboxylase Inhibition Reduces Hepatic Steatosis but Elevates Plasma Triglycerides in Mice and Humans: A Bedside to Bench Investigation.

PubMed

Kim, Chai-Wan; Addy, Carol; Kusunoki, Jun; Anderson, Norma N; Deja, Stanislaw; Fu, Xiaorong; Burgess, Shawn C; Li, Cai; Ruddy, Marcie; Chakravarthy, Manu; Previs, Steve; Milstein, Stuart; Fitzgerald, Kevin; Kelley, David E; Horton, Jay D

2017-08-01

Inhibiting lipogenesis prevents hepatic steatosis in rodents with insulin resistance. To determine if reducing lipogenesis functions similarly in humans, we developed MK-4074, a liver-specific inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1) and (ACC2), enzymes that produce malonyl-CoA for fatty acid synthesis. MK-4074 administered to subjects with hepatic steatosis for 1 month lowered lipogenesis, increased ketones, and reduced liver triglycerides by 36%. Unexpectedly, MK-4074 increased plasma triglycerides by 200%. To further investigate, mice that lack ACC1 and ACC2 in hepatocytes (ACC dLKO) were generated. Deletion of ACCs decreased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations in liver due to reduced malonyl-CoA, which is required for elongation of essential fatty acids. PUFA deficiency induced SREBP-1c, which increased GPAT1 expression and VLDL secretion. PUFA supplementation or siRNA-mediated knockdown of GPAT1 normalized plasma triglycerides. Thus, inhibiting lipogenesis in humans reduced hepatic steatosis, but inhibiting ACC resulted in hypertriglyceridemia due to activation of SREBP-1c and increased VLDL secretion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A functional polymorphism of the MAOA gene is associated with neural responses to induced anger control.

PubMed

Denson, Thomas F; Dobson-Stone, Carol; Ronay, Richard; von Hippel, William; Schira, Mark M

2014-07-01

Aggressiveness is highly heritable. Recent experimental work has linked individual differences in a functional polymorphism of the monoamine oxidase-A gene (MAOA) to anger-driven aggression. Other work has implicated the dorsal ACC (dACC) in cognitive-emotional control and the amygdala in emotional arousal. The present imaging genetics study investigated dACC and amygdala reactivity to induced anger control as a function of MAOA genotype. A research assistant asked 38 healthy male undergraduates to control their anger in response to an insult by a rude experimenter. Men with the low-expression allele showed increased dACC and amygdala activation after the insult, but men with the high-expression allele did not. Both dACC and amygdala activation independently mediated the relationship between MAOA genotype and self-reported anger control. Moreover, following the insult, men with the high-functioning allele showed functional decoupling between the amygdala and dACC, but men with the low-functioning allele did not. These results suggest that heightened dACC and amygdala activation and their connectivity are neuroaffective mechanisms underlying anger control in participants with the low-functioning allele of the MAOA gene.

Effect of adaptive cruise control systems on mixed traffic flow near an on-ramp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, L. C.

2007-06-01

Mixed traffic flow consisting of vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and manually driven vehicles is analyzed using car-following simulations. Simulations of merging from an on-ramp onto a freeway reported in the literature have not thus far demonstrated a substantial positive impact of ACC. In this paper cooperative merging for ACC vehicles is proposed to improve throughput and increase distance traveled in a fixed time. In such a system an ACC vehicle senses not only the preceding vehicle in the same lane but also the vehicle immediately in front in the other lane. Prior to reaching the merge region, the ACC vehicle adjusts its velocity to ensure that a safe gap for merging is obtained. If on-ramp demand is moderate, cooperative merging produces significant improvement in throughput (20%) and increases up to 3.6 km in distance traveled in 600 s for 50% ACC mixed flow relative to the flow of all-manual vehicles. For large demand, it is shown that autonomous merging with cooperation in the flow of all ACC vehicles leads to throughput limited only by the downstream capacity, which is determined by speed limit and headway time.

Impaired Voluntary Control in PTSD: Probing Self-Regulation of the ACC With Real-Time fMRI.

PubMed

Zweerings, Jana; Pflieger, Eliza M; Mathiak, Krystyna A; Zvyagintsev, Mikhail; Kacela, Anastasia; Flatten, Guido; Mathiak, Klaus

2018-01-01

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by deficits in the self-regulation of cognitions and emotions. Neural networks of emotion regulation may exhibit reduced control mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), contributing to aberrant limbic responses in PTSD. Methods: Real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI NF) assessed self-regulation of the ACC in nine patients with PTSD after single trauma exposure and nine matched healthy controls. All participants were instructed to train ACC upregulation on three training days. Results: Both groups achieved regulation, which was associated with wide-spread brain activation encompassing the ACC. Compared to the controls, regulation amplitude and learning rate was lower in patients, correlating with symptom severity. In addition, a frontopolar activation cluster was associated with self-regulation efforts in patients. Conclusions: For the first time, we tested self-regulation of the ACC in patients with PTSD. The observed impairment supports models of ACC-mediated regulation deficits that may contribute to the psychopathology of PTSD. Controlled trials in a larger sample are needed to confirm our findings and to directly investigate whether training of central regulation mechanisms improves emotion regulation in PTSD.

HIF1α in Tumorigenesis of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

PubMed

Lim, Yun-Sung; Cha, Wonjae; Park, Min-Woo; Jeong, Woo-Jin; Ahn, Soon-Hyun

2017-02-01

Tumor hypoxia induces hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α), which can influence tumorigenesis and metastasis. We evaluated the expression of HIF1α and the effect of HIF1α inhibitors in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). HIF1α expression was demonstrated in ACC cell lines (ACC2 and ACCM). The effect of HIF1α inhibitors was evaluated. A systemic metastasis model was developed. The number of metastatic pulmonary nodules were analyzed. The ACCM cell line demonstrated greater HIF1α expression and invasion than ACC2. The expression of HIF1α and invasion of ACC cells were blocked by HIF1α siRNA. HIF1α inhibitors 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG) and echinomycin inhibited cell invasion. 17AAG inhibited metastasis in the animal model, although not statistically significantly. HIF1α siRNA and 17AAG and echinomycin blocked invasion by ACC2 and ACCM cells. 17AAG exhibited therapeutic potential for inhibition of metastasis. Our results provide positive evidence that HIF1α is a promising research pathway for therapy of ACC. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase-a as a novel target for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Wang, Chun; Rajput, Sandeep; Watabe, Kounosuke; Liao, Duan-Fang; Cao, Deliang

2010-01-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACC) are rate-limiting enzymes in de novo fatty acid synthesis, catalyzing ATP-dependent carboxylation of acetyl-CoA to form malonyl-CoA. Malonyl-CoA is a critical bi-functional molecule, i.e., a substrate of fatty acid synthase (FAS) for acyl chain elongation (fatty acid synthesis) and an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I) for fatty acid beta-oxidation. Two ACC isoforms have been identified in mammals, i.e. ACC-alpha (ACCA, also termed ACC1) and ACC-beta (ACCB, also designated ACC2). ACC has long been used as a target for the management of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome, and various inhibitors have been developed in clinical trials. Recently, ACCA up-regulation has been recognized in multiple human cancers, promoting lipogenesis to meet the need of cancer cells for rapid growth and proliferation. Therefore, ACCA might be effective as a potent target for cancer intervention, and the inhibitors developed for the treatment of metabolic diseases would be potential therapeutic agents for cancer therapy. This review summarizes our recent findings and updates the current understanding of the ACCA with focus on cancer research.

75 FR 39034 - Public Housing Annual Contributions Contract

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-07

... Contributions Contract (ACC) with certain requirements applicable to all project and other requirements... (General Depository Agreements); 52190-A and B (Declaration of Trust); and 52840-A (Capital Fund ACC... terms and conditions contained in an Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) with certain requirements...

U.S. DOE Office of Science Success Stories (2011)

Science.gov Websites

; Gibson, Kerry; ACC0400 2011-04-01; Thin Sheet of Diamond Has Worlds of Uses; Sagoff, Jared; ACC0399 Top -03-28; Firm Uses DOE's Fastest Supercomputer to Streamline Long-Haul Trucks; ACC0391 2011-03-28

Effect of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid on the production of ethylene in senescing flowers of Ipomoea tricolor Cav

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konze, J.R.; Jones, J.F.; Boller, T.

1980-10-01

Application of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) to rib segments excised from flowers of Ipomoea tricolor Cav. resulted in the formation of C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ in greater quantities than produced under natural conditions. The ability of ACC to enhance C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ production was independent of the physiological age of the tissue and its capacity to synthesize C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ without applied ACC. When ACC was fed to rib segments that had been treated with (/sup 14/C)methionine, incorporation of radioactivity into C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ was reduced by 80%. Aminoethoxyvinylglycine and aminooxyacetic acid inhibited C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ production in rib segments of I.more » tricolor but had no effect on ACC-enhanced C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ production. Protoplasts obtained from flower tissue of I. tricolor did not form C/sub 2/H/sub 4/, even when incubated with methionine or selenomethionine. They produced C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ upon incubation with ACC, however. ACC-dependent C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ production in protoplasts was inhibited by n-propyl gallate, AgCl, CoCl/sub 2/, KCN, Na/sub 2/S, and NaN/sub 3/. ACC-dependent C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ synthesis in rib segments and protoplasts was dependent on O/sub 2/, the K/sub m/ for O/sub 2/ being 1.0 to 1.4% (v/v). These results confirm the following pathway for C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ biosynthesis in I. tricolor: methionine (selenomethionine) ..-->..S-adenosylmethionine (selenoadenosylmethionine) ..-->.. ACC ..-->.. C/sub 2/H/sub 4/.« less

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS): An observation-based tool for assessing cognitive behavioral therapy competence.

PubMed

Muse, Kate; McManus, Freda; Rakovshik, Sarah; Thwaites, Richard

2017-05-01

This article outlines the development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) rating scale. The ACCS aims to provide a novel assessment framework to deliver formative and summative feedback regarding therapists' performance within observed cognitive-behavioral treatment sessions, and for therapists to rate and reflect on their own performance. Findings from 3 studies are outlined: (a) a feedback study (n = 66) examining content validity, face validity and usability; (b) a focus group (n = 9) evaluating usability and utility; and (c) an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the ACCS in real world cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training and routine clinical practice contexts. Results suggest that the ACCS has good face validity, content validity, and usability and provides a user-friendly tool that is useful for promoting self-reflection and providing formative feedback. Scores on both the self and assessor-rated versions of the ACCS demonstrate good internal consistency, interrater reliability, and discriminant validity. In addition, ACCS scores were found to be correlated with, but distinct from, the Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) and were comparable to CTS-R scores in terms of internal consistency and discriminant validity. In addition, the ACCS may have advantages over the CTS-R in terms of interrater reliability of scores. The studies also provided insight into areas for refinement and a number of modifications were undertaken to improve the scale. In summary, the ACCS is an appropriate and useful measure of CBT competence that can be used to promote self-reflection and provide therapists with formative and summative feedback. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Conflict-related anterior cingulate functional connectivity is associated with past suicidal ideation and behavior in recent-onset schizophrenia.

PubMed

Minzenberg, Michael J; Lesh, Tyler; Niendam, Tara; Yoon, Jong H; Cheng, Yaoan; Rhoades, Remy; Carter, Cameron S

2015-06-01

Suicide is highly prevalent in schizophrenia (SZ), yet it remains unclear how suicide risk factors such as past suicidal ideation or behavior relate to brain function. Circuits modulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are altered in SZ, including in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during conflict-monitoring (an important component of cognitive control), and dACC changes are observed in post-mortem studies of heterogeneous suicide victims. We tested whether conflict-related dACC functional connectivity is associated with past suicidal ideation and behavior in SZ. 32 patients with recent-onset of DSM-IV-TR-defined SZ were evaluated with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and functional MRI during cognitive control (AX-CPT) task performance. Group-level regression models relating past history of suicidal ideation or behavior to dACC-seeded functional connectivity during conflict-monitoring controlled for severity of depression, psychosis and impulsivity. Past suicidal ideation was associated with relatively higher functional connectivity of the dACC with the precuneus during conflict-monitoring. Intensity of worst-point past suicidal ideation was associated with relatively higher dACC functional connectivity in medial parietal lobe and striato-thalamic nuclei. In contrast, among those with past suicidal ideation (n = 17), past suicidal behavior was associated with lower conflict-related dACC connectivity with multiple lateral and medial PFC regions, parietal and temporal cortical regions. This study provides unique evidence that recent-onset schizophrenia patients with past suicidal ideation or behavior show altered dACC-based circuit function during conflict-monitoring. Suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior have divergent patterns of associated dACC functional connectivity, suggesting a differing pattern of conflict-related brain dysfunction with these two distinct features of suicide phenomenology. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Deficiencies in acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase 1 differentially affect eggshell formation and blood meal digestion in Aedes aegypti.

PubMed

Alabaster, Amy; Isoe, Jun; Zhou, Guoli; Lee, Ada; Murphy, Ashleigh; Day, W Anthony; Miesfeld, Roger L

2011-12-01

To better understand the mechanism of de novo lipid biosynthesis in blood fed Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, we quantitated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase 1 (FAS1) transcript levels in blood fed mosquitoes, and used RNAi methods to generate ACC and FAS1 deficient mosquitoes. Using the ketogenic amino acid (14)C-leucine as a metabolic precursor of (14)C-acetyl-CoA, we found that (14)C-triacylglycerol and (14)C-phospholipid levels were significantly reduced in both ACC and FAS1 deficient mosquitoes, confirming that ACC and FAS1 are required for de novo lipid biosynthesis after blood feeding. Surprisingly however, we also found that ACC deficient mosquitoes, but not FAS1 deficient mosquitoes, produced defective oocytes, which lacked an intact eggshell and gave rise to inviable eggs. This severe phenotype was restricted to the 1st gonotrophic cycle, suggesting that the eggshell defect was due to ACC deficiencies in the follicular epithelial cells, which are replaced after each gonotrophic cycle. Consistent with lower amounts of de novo lipid biosynthesis, both ACC and FAS1 deficient mosquitoes produced significantly fewer eggs than control mosquitoes in both the 1st and 2nd gonotrophic cycles. Lastly, FAS1 deficient mosquitoes, but not ACC deficient mosquitoes, showed delayed blood meal digestion, suggesting that a feedback control mechanism may coordinate rates of fat body lipid biosynthesis and midgut digestion during feeding. We propose that decreased ACC and FAS1 enzyme levels lead to reduced lipid biosynthesis and lower fecundity, whereas altered levels of the regulatory metabolites acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA account for the observed defects in eggshell formation and blood meal digestion, respectively. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deficiencies in acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase 1 differentially affect eggshell formation and blood meal digestion in Aedes aegypti

PubMed Central

Alabaster, Amy; Isoe, Jun; Zhou, Guoli; Lee, Ada; Murphy, Ashleigh; Day, W. Anthony; Miesfeld, Roger L.

2011-01-01

To better understand the mechanism of de novo lipid biosynthesis in blood fed Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, we quantitated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase 1 (FAS1) transcript levels in blood fed mosquitoes, and used RNAi methods to generate ACC and FAS1 deficient mosquitoes. Using the ketogenic amino acid 14C-leucine as a metabolic precursor of 14C-acetyl-CoA, we found that 14C-triacylglycerol and 14C-phospholipid levels were significantly reduced in both ACC and FAS1 deficient mosquitoes, confirming that ACC and FAS1 are required for de novo lipid biosynthesis after blood feeding. Surprisingly however, we also found that ACC deficient mosquitoes, but not FAS1 deficient mosquitoes, produced defective oocytes, which lacked an intact eggshell and gave rise to inviable eggs. This severe phenotype was restricted to the 1st gonotrophic cycle, suggesting that the eggshell defect was due to ACC deficiencies in the follicular epithelial cells, which are replaced after each gonotrophic cycle. Consistent with lower amounts of de novo lipid biosynthesis, both ACC and FAS1 deficient mosquitoes produced significantly fewer eggs than control mosquitoes in both the 1st and 2nd gonotrophic cycles. Lastly, FAS1 deficient mosquitoes, but not ACC deficient mosquitoes, showed delayed blood meal digestion, suggesting that a feedback control mechanism may coordinate rates of fat body lipid biosynthesis and midgut digestion during feeding. We propose that decreased ACC and FAS1 enzyme levels lead to reduced lipid biosynthesis and lower fecundity, whereas altered levels of the regulatory metabolites acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA account for the observed defects in eggshell formation and blood meal digestion, respectively. PMID:21971482

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase reaction mechanism and putative post-translational activities of the ACCO protein

PubMed Central

Dilley, David R.; Wang, Zhenyong; Kadirjan-Kalbach, Deena K.; Ververidis, Fillipos; Beaudry, Randolph; Padmanabhan, Kallaithe

2013-01-01

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase (ACCO) catalyses the final step in ethylene biosynthesis converting ACC to ethylene, cyanide, CO2, dehydroascorbate and water with inputs of Fe(II), ascorbate, bicarbonate (as activators) and oxygen. Cyanide activates ACCO. A ‘nest’ comprising several positively charged amino acid residues from the C-terminal α-helix 11 along with Lys158 and Arg299 are proposed as binding sites for ascorbate and bicarbonate to coordinately activate the ACCO reaction. The binding sites for ACC, bicarbonate and ascorbic acid for Malus domestica ACCO1 include Arg175, Arg244, Ser246, Lys158, Lys292, Arg299 and Phe300. Glutamate 297, Phe300 and Glu301 in α-helix 11 are also important for the ACCO reaction. Our proposed reaction pathway incorporates cyanide as an ACCO/Fe(II) ligand after reaction turnover. The cyanide ligand is likely displaced upon binding of ACC and ascorbate to provide a binding site for oxygen. We propose that ACCO may be involved in the ethylene signal transduction pathway not directly linked to the ACCO reaction. ACC oxidase has significant homology with Lycopersicon esculentum cysteine protease LeCp, which functions as a protease and as a regulator of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (Acs2) gene expression. ACC oxidase may play a similar role in signal transduction after post-translational processing. ACC oxidase becomes inactivated by fragmentation and apparently has intrinsic protease and transpeptidase activity. ACC oxidase contains several amino acid sequence motifs for putative protein–protein interactions, phosphokinases and cysteine protease. ACC oxidase is subject to autophosphorylaton in vitro and promotes phosphorylation of some apple fruit proteins in a ripening-dependent manner. PMID:24244837

Effects of the inoculations using bacteria producing ACC deaminase on ethylene metabolism and growth of wheat grown under different soil water contents.

PubMed

Zhang, Guozhuang; Sun, Yonglin; Sheng, Hao; Li, Haichao; Liu, Xiping

2018-04-01

Crop growth and productivity are often impacted by the increased ethylene content induced by adverse environmental conditions such drought. Inoculations with bacteria producing ACC deaminase is considered as a potential biological approach to improve the growth and tolerance of stressed plants by lowering endogenous ethylene level. In this study, germinated wheat seeds were inoculated using three species of the rhizobacteria, which were isolated from the rhizosphere of wheat growing in dryland, and sown in pots. After three weeks, wheat seedlings were exposed to non-limiting water condition, medium drought and severe drought, respectively, for six weeks. The results showed that, irrespective of rhizobacterial inoculations, decreased soil water contents stimulated wheat ethylene metabolism, which was reflected by the significantly increased activity of ACC synthetase and ACC oxidase, besides an increased content of ACC both in the roots and leaves, and an enhanced capacity of leaves to release ethylene, concomitant with a significant decline in shoot and roots biomass. The inoculations of all three rhizobacterial species under each water condition reduced ACC content in wheat leaves, but effects of the inoculations on ACC synthase and ACC oxidase activity in the leaves and roots, ACC content in the roots, the capacity of leaves to release ethylene, and wheat growth varied with water conditions and bacterial species. Hence, both soil water conditions and rhizobacterial inoculations acted on all the processes of ethylene metabolism, with the former being dominant. The inoculations under non-limiting water condition and medium drought promoted shoot and root growth of wheat plants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

MYB Labeling by Immunohistochemistry Is More Sensitive and Specific for Breast Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma than MYB Labeling by FISH.

PubMed

Poling, Justin S; Yonescu, Raluca; Subhawong, Andrea P; Sharma, Rajni; Argani, Pedram; Ning, Yi; Cimino-Mathews, Ashley

2017-07-01

Breast adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a primary breast carcinoma that, like salivary gland ACC, displays the t(6;9) translocation resulting in the MYB-NFIB gene fusion and immunopositivity for MYB by immunohistochemistry (IHC). However, it is not well established whether MYB immunoreactivity or rearrangement can be used to support a diagnosis of ACC in a malignant basaloid or benign cribriform breast lesion. Whole sections of primary breast ACC (n=11), collagenous spherulosis (CS; n=7), and microglandular adenosis (MGA; n=5) and tissue microarrays containing 16 basal-like, triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBC) were labeled for MYB by IHC and underwent MYB fluorescence in situ hybridization using a break-apart probe. Strong, diffuse nuclear MYB labeling was seen in 100% ACC compared with no cases of basal-like TNBC, CS, or MGA (P=0.0001). Any degree of nuclear MYB labeling was seen in 100% ACC compared with 54% of all other cases (P=0.007), with any labeling seen in 71% CS, 63% basal-like TNBC, and 0% MGA. MYB rearrangement was detected in 89% (8/9) of evaluable ACC compared with 4% (1/26) of all other evaluable cases (P=0.0001), with a rearrangement detected in 1 (7%; n=1/15) evaluable basal-like TNBC. Strong, diffuse nuclear labeling for MYB is more sensitive than MYB fluorescence in situ hybridization for breast ACC and can be used to support a diagnosis of ACC in a cribriform or basaloid lesion in the breast. However, weak and focal labeling should be interpreted with caution as it can be seen in other benign cribriform and malignant basaloid lesions.

Therapeutic inhibition of the MDM2-p53 interaction prevents recurrence of adenoid cystic carcinomas

PubMed Central

Nör, Felipe; Warner, Kristy A.; Zhang, Zhaocheng; Acasigua, Gerson A.; Pearson, Alexander T.; Kerk, Samuel A.; Helman, Joseph; Filho, Manoel Sant’Ana; Wang, Shaomeng; Nör, Jacques E.

2016-01-01

Purpose Conventional chemotherapy has modest efficacy in advanced adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC). Tumor recurrence is a major challenge in the management of ACC patients. Here, we evaluated the anti-tumor effect of a novel small molecule inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 interaction (MI-773) combined with Cisplatin in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) ACC tumors. Experimental design Therapeutic strategies with MI-773 and/or Cisplatin were evaluated in SCID mice harboring PDX ACC tumors (UM-PDX-HACC-5) and in low passage primary human ACC cells (UM-HACC-2A, -2B, -5, -6) in vitro. The effect of therapy on the fraction of cancer stem cells was determined by flow cytometry for ALDH activity and CD44 expression. Results Combined therapy with MI-773 with Cisplatin caused p53 activation, induction of apoptosis, and regression of ACC PDX tumors. Western blots revealed induction of MDM2, p53 and downstream p21 expression, and regulation of apoptosis-related proteins PUMA, BAX, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and active Caspase-9 upon MI-773 treatment. Both, single-agent MI-773, and MI-773 combined with Cisplatin, decreased the fraction of cancer stem cells in PDX ACC tumors. Notably, neoadjuvant MI-773 and surgery eliminated tumor recurrences during a post-surgical follow-up of more than 300 days. In contrast, 62.5% of mice that received vehicle control presented with palpable tumor recurrences within this time period (p=0.0097). Conclusions Collectively, these data demonstrate that therapeutic inhibition of MDM2-p53 interaction by MI-773 decreased the cancer stem cell fraction, sensitized ACC xenograft tumors to Cisplatin, and eliminated tumor recurrence. These results suggest that patients with ACC might benefit from the therapeutic inhibition of the MDM2-p53 interaction. PMID:27550999

Diffuse Staining for Activated NOTCH1 Correlates With NOTCH1 Mutation Status and Is Associated With Worse Outcome in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

PubMed

Sajed, Dipti P; Faquin, William C; Carey, Chris; Severson, Eric A; H Afrogheh, Amir; A Johnson, Carl; Blacklow, Stephen C; Chau, Nicole G; Lin, Derrick T; Krane, Jeffrey F; Jo, Vickie Y; Garcia, Joaquín J; Sholl, Lynette M; Aster, Jon C

2017-11-01

NOTCH1 is frequently mutated in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). To test the idea that immunohistochemical (IHC) staining can identify ACCs with NOTCH1 mutations, we performed IHC for activated NOTCH1 (NICD1) in 197 cases diagnosed as ACC from 173 patients. NICD1 staining was positive in 194 cases (98%) in 2 major patterns: subset positivity, which correlated with tubular/cribriform histology; and diffuse positivity, which correlated with a solid histology. To determine the relationship between NICD1 staining and NOTCH1 mutational status, targeted exome sequencing data were obtained on 14 diffusely NICD1-positive ACC specimens from 11 patients and 15 subset NICD1-positive ACC specimens from 15 patients. This revealed NOTCH1 gain-of-function mutations in 11 of 14 diffusely NICD1-positive ACC specimens, whereas all subset-positive tumors had wild-type NOTCH1 alleles. Notably, tumors with diffuse NICD1 positivity were associated with significantly worse outcomes (P=0.003). To determine whether NOTCH1 activation is unique among tumors included in the differential diagnosis with ACC, we performed NICD1 IHC on a cohort of diverse salivary gland and head and neck tumors. High fractions of each of these tumor types were positive for NICD1 in a subset of cells, particularly in basaloid squamous cell carcinomas; however, sequencing of basaloid squamous cell carcinomas failed to identify NOTCH1 mutations. These findings indicate that diffuse NICD1 positivity in ACC correlates with solid growth pattern, the presence of NOTCH1 gain-of-function mutations, and unfavorable outcome, and suggest that staining for NICD1 can be helpful in distinguishing ACC with solid growth patterns from other salivary gland and head and neck tumors.

Principles of control automation of soil compacting machine operating mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anatoly Fedorovich, Tikhonov; Drozdov, Anatoly

2018-03-01

The relevance of the qualitative compaction of soil bases in the erection of embankment and foundations in building and structure construction is given.The quality of the compactible gravel and sandy soils provides the bearing capability and, accordingly, the strength and durability of constructed buildings.It has been established that the compaction quality depends on many external actions, such as surface roughness and soil moisture; granulometry, chemical composition and degree of elasticity of originalfilled soil for compaction.The analysis of technological processes of soil bases compaction of foreign and domestic information sources showed that the solution of such important problem as a continuous monitoring of soil compaction actual degree in the process of machine operation carry out only with the use of modern means of automation. An effective vibrodynamic method of gravel and sand material sealing for the building structure foundations for various applications was justified and suggested.The method of continuous monitoring the soil compaction by measurement of the amplitudes and frequencies of harmonic oscillations on the compactible surface was determined, which allowed to determine the basic elements of facilities of soil compacting machine monitoring system of operating, etc. mechanisms: an accelerometer, a bandpass filter, a vibro-harmonics, an on-board microcontroller. Adjustable parameters have been established to improve the soil compaction degree and the soil compacting machine performance, and the adjustable parameter dependences on the overall indexhave been experimentally determined, which is the soil compaction degree.A structural scheme of automatic control of the soil compacting machine control mechanism and theoperation algorithm has been developed.

Measuring Zonal Transport Variability of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current Using GRACE Ocean Bottom Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, J.; Chambers, D. P.; Bonin, J. A.

2012-12-01

Previous studies have suggested that ocean bottom pressure (OBP) can be used to measure the transport variability of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Using OBP data from the JPL ECCO model and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), we examine the zonal transport variability of the ACC integrated between the major fronts between 2003-2010. The JPL ECCO data are used to determine average front positions for the time period studies, as well as where transport is mainly zonal. Statistical analysis will be conducted to determine the uncertainty of the GRACE observations using a simulated data set. We will also begin looking at low frequency changes and how coherent transport variability is from region to region of the ACC. Correlations with bottom pressure south of the ACC and the average basin transports will also be calculated to determine the probability of using bottom pressure south of the ACC as a means for describing the ACC dynamics and transport.

Ethylene and 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) in Plant–Bacterial Interactions

PubMed Central

Nascimento, Francisco X.; Rossi, Márcio J.; Glick, Bernard R.

2018-01-01

Ethylene and its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) actively participate in plant developmental, defense and symbiotic programs. In this sense, ethylene and ACC play a central role in the regulation of bacterial colonization (rhizospheric, endophytic, and phyllospheric) by the modulation of plant immune responses and symbiotic programs, as well as by modulating several developmental processes, such as root elongation. Plant-associated bacterial communities impact plant growth and development, both negatively (pathogens) and positively (plant-growth promoting and symbiotic bacteria). Some members of the plant-associated bacterial community possess the ability to modulate plant ACC and ethylene levels and, subsequently, modify plant defense responses, symbiotic programs and overall plant development. In this work, we review and discuss the role of ethylene and ACC in several aspects of plant-bacterial interactions. Understanding the impact of ethylene and ACC in both the plant host and its associated bacterial community is key to the development of new strategies aimed at increased plant growth and protection. PMID:29520283

Driver behaviour with adaptive cruise control.

PubMed

Stanton, Neville A; Young, Mark S

2005-08-15

This paper reports on the evaluation of adaptive cruise control (ACC) from a psychological perspective. It was anticipated that ACC would have an effect upon the psychology of driving, i.e. make the driver feel like they have less control, reduce the level of trust in the vehicle, make drivers less situationally aware, but workload might be reduced and driving might be less stressful. Drivers were asked to drive in a driving simulator under manual and ACC conditions. Analysis of variance techniques were used to determine the effects of workload (i.e. amount of traffic) and feedback (i.e. degree of information from the ACC system) on the psychological variables measured (i.e. locus of control, trust, workload, stress, mental models and situation awareness). The results showed that: locus of control and trust were unaffected by ACC, whereas situation awareness, workload and stress were reduced by ACC. Ways of improving situation awareness could include cues to help the driver predict vehicle trajectory and identify conflicts.

Engineered ACC deaminase-expressing free-living cells of Mesorhizobium loti show increased nodulation efficiency and competitiveness on Lotus spp.

PubMed

Conforte, Valeria P; Echeverria, Mariela; Sánchez, Cintia; Ugalde, Rodolfo A; Menéndez, Ana B; Lepek, Viviana C

2010-08-01

Ethylene inhibits the establishment of symbiosis between rhizobia and legumes. Several rhizobia species express the enzyme ACC deaminase, which degrades the ethylene precursor 1-cyclopropane-1-carboxilate (ACC), leading to reductions in the amount of ethylene evolved by the plant. M. loti has a gene encoding ACC deaminase, but this gene is under the activity of the NifA-RpoN-dependent promoter; thus, it is only expressed inside the nodule. The M. loti structural gene ACC deaminase (acdS) was integrated into the M. loti chromosome under a constitutive promoter activity. The resulting strain induced the formation of a higher number of nodules and was more competitive than the wild-type strain on Lotus japonicus and L. tenuis. These results suggest that the introduction of the ACC deaminase activity within M. loti in a constitutive way could be a novel strategy to increase nodulation competitiveness of the bacteria, which could be useful for the forage inoculants industry.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma: current therapy and potential therapeutic advances based on genomic profiling

PubMed Central

Chae, Young Kwang; Chung, Su Yun; Davis, Andrew A.; Carneiro, Benedito A.; Chandra, Sunandana; Kaplan, Jason; Kalyan, Aparna; Giles, Francis J.

2015-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer with high potential for recurrence and metastasis. Efficacy of current treatment options, particularly for advanced disease, is very limited. Recent whole genome and exome sequencing has dramatically improved our understanding of ACC pathogenesis. A balanced translocation resulting in the MYB-NFIB fusion gene appears to be a fundamental signature of ACC. In addition, sequencing has identified a number of other driver genes mutated in downstream pathways common to other well-studied cancers. Overexpression of oncogenic proteins involved in cell growth, adhesion, cell cycle regulation, and angiogenesis are also present in ACC. Collectively, studies have identified genes and proteins for targeted, mechanism-based, therapies based on tumor phenotypes, as opposed to nonspecific cytotoxic agents. In addition, although few studies in ACC currently exist, immunotherapy may also hold promise. Better genetic understanding will enable treatment with novel targeted agents and initial exploration of immune-based therapies with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with ACC. PMID:26359351

Localized microstimulation of primate pregenual cingulate cortex induces negative decision-making.

PubMed

Amemori, Ken-ichi; Graybiel, Ann M

2012-05-01

The pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) has been implicated in human anxiety disorders and depression, but the circuit-level mechanisms underlying these disorders are unclear. In healthy individuals, the pACC is involved in cost-benefit evaluation. We developed a macaque version of an approach-avoidance decision task used to evaluate anxiety and depression in humans and, with multi-electrode recording and cortical microstimulation, we probed pACC function as monkeys performed this task. We found that the macaque pACC has an opponent process-like organization of neurons representing motivationally positive and negative subjective value. Spatial distribution of these two neuronal populations overlapped in the pACC, except in one subzone, where neurons with negative coding were more numerous. Notably, microstimulation in this subzone, but not elsewhere in the pACC, increased negative decision-making, and this negative biasing was blocked by anti-anxiety drug treatment. This cortical zone could be critical for regulating negative emotional valence and anxiety in decision-making.

Acute catecholamine cardiomyopathy in patients with phaeochromocytoma or functional paraganglioma.

PubMed

Giavarini, Alessandra; Chedid, Antoine; Bobrie, Guillaume; Plouin, Pierre-François; Hagège, Albert; Amar, Laurence

2013-10-01

Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) can cause acute catecholamine cardiomyopathy (ACC). We assessed the prevalence of ACC and compared the presentation of cases with and without ACC in a large series of PPGL. Single centre retrospective study. Hypertension Unit, University Hospital, Paris. 140 consecutive patients with PPGL, referred from January 2003 to September 2012. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), perioperative mortality. Fifteen patients (11%) had suffered an ACC, occurring in 14 cases before the diagnosis of PPGL. Precipitating factors were identified in 11 cases. Twelve patients presented with acute pulmonary oedema, including 10 with cardiogenic shock, requiring life support in eight cases. Seven patients (five with pulmonary oedema) presented with acute chest pain and cardiac dysfunction. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were present in 14 cases: ST segment elevation or pathological Q waves, ST segment depression, and/or diffuse T wave inversion. Six patients displayed classical (apical ballooning) or inverted (basal/mid ventricular stunning) takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy. Coronary arteries were always normal on angiography. In patients with ACC, median LVEF rose from 30% (IQR 23-33%) during ACC to 71% (50-72%) before surgery (n=11, p<0.001). Median LVEF before PPGL surgery was 65% (51-72%) and 65% (60-70%) in patients with and without a history of ACC, respectively (not significant). PPGL may present as ACC in 11% of cases, excluding patients dying from undiagnosed tumours. Left ventricular dysfunction is usually reversible before surgery. PPGL should be suspected in patients with acute heart failure without evidence of valvular or coronary artery disease.

Neural representation of cost-benefit selections in rat anterior cingulate cortex in self-paced decision making.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Shi, Yi; Li, Bao-Ming

2017-03-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is crucial for decision making which involves the processing of cost-benefit information. Our previous study has shown that ACC is essential for self-paced decision making. However, it is unclear how ACC neurons represent cost-benefit selections during the decision-making process. In the present study, we trained rats on the same "Do More Get More" (DMGM) task as in our previous work. In each trial, the animals stand upright and perform a sustained nosepoke of their own will to earn a water reward, with the amount of reward positively correlated to the duration of the nosepoke (i.e., longer nosepokes earn larger rewards). We then recorded ACC neuronal activity on well-trained rats while they were performing the DMGM task. Our results show that (1) approximately 3/5 ACC neurons (296/496, 59.7%) exhibited changes in firing frequency that were temporally locked with the main events of the DMGM task; (2) about 1/5 ACC neurons (101/496, 20.4%) or 1/3 of the event-modulated neurons (101/296, 34.1%) showed differential firing rate changes for different cost-benefit selections; and (3) many ACC neurons exhibited linear encoding of the cost-benefit selections in the DMGM task events. These results suggest that ACC neurons are engaged in encoding cost-benefit information, thus represent the selections in self-paced decision making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Report of a case of acinic cell carcinoma of the upper lip and review of Japanese cases of acinic cell carcinoma of the minor salivary glands

PubMed Central

Ishikawa, Hitoshi; Fuyama, Shigemi; Kobayashi, Takehito; Waki, Takayoshi; Taira, Yukio; Iino, Mitsuyoshi

2016-01-01

Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant tumor of the salivary glands. The majority of ACCs occur in the parotid gland, and ACCs of the minor salivary glands (MSGs) are relatively infrequent. We describe here a patient with ACC of the upper lip. The patient was a 31-year-old male who presented with a nodular mass on the left upper lip. The preoperative diagnosis was benign tumor or cyst, and the lesion was surgically excised. The histological diagnosis was ACC. The postoperative course was uneventful. No recurrence or metastasis was detected at 13 months postoperatively. In addition, we retrospectively reviewed 21 reported Japanese patients with ACC of the MSGs. In 7 of the 21 patients, the preoperative diagnosis was benign tumor, and the tumors were resected without preoperative biopsy. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that disease-free survival was worse in patients who underwent resection with a preoperative diagnosis of benign tumor than in patients who underwent resection with a preoperative diagnosis of malignant tumor. The rate of recurrence was higher for ACCs assumed to be benign lesions on a purely clinical basis, or without an accurate preoperative biopsy. ACCs of the MSGs are easy to be misdiagnosed for benign lesions such as mucous cysts or hemangiomas. Correct preoperative diagnosis and initial therapy may therefore be the most important prognostic factors. Key words:Acinic cell carcinoma, Kaplan-Meier analysis, minor salivary glands, prognosis, upper lip. PMID:27957284

Amino acid N-malonyltransferases from mung beans. Action on 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and D-phenylalanine.

PubMed

Guo, L; Phillips, A T; Arteca, R N

1993-12-05

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) N-malonyltransferase from etiolated mung bean hypocotyls was examined for its relationship to D-phenylalanine N-malonyltransferase and other enzymes which transfer malonyl groups from malonyl-CoA to D-amino acids. Throughout a 3600-fold purification the ratio of D-phenylalanine N-malonyltransferase activity to ACC N-malonyltransferase activity was unchanged. Antibodies raised against purified ACC N-malonyltransferase 55-kDa protein were also able to precipitate all D-phenylalanine-directed activity from partially purified mung bean extracts. The irreversible inhibitors phenylglyoxal and tetranitromethane reduced malonyltransferase activity towards D-phenylalanine to the same extent as that for ACC. In addition, several other D-amino acids, particularly D-tryptophan and D-tyrosine, were able to inhibit action towards both ACC and D-phenylalanine. These lines of evidence suggest that a single enzyme is capable of promoting malonylation of both ACC and D-phenylalanine. Km values for D-phenylalanine and malonyl-CoA were found to be 48 and 43 microM, respectively; these values are 10-fold lower than the corresponding values when ACC was substrate. Coenzyme A was a noncompetitive (mixed type) product inhibitor towards malonyl-CoA at both unsaturated and saturated ACC concentrations. The enzyme was also inhibited uncompetitively at high concentrations of malonyl-CoA. We propose that the enzyme follows an Ordered Bi-Bi reaction pathway, with the amino acid substrate being bound initially.

Leaf Abscission Induced by Ethylene in Water-Stressed Intact Seedlings of Cleopatra Mandarin Requires Previous Abscisic Acid Accumulation in Roots.

PubMed Central

Gomez-Cadenas, A.; Tadeo, F. R.; Talon, M.; Primo-Millo, E.

1996-01-01

The involvement of abscisic acid (ABA) in the process of leaf abscission induced by 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) transported from roots to shoots in Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reshni Hort. ex Tan.) seedlings grown under water stress was studied using norflurazon (NF). Water stress induced both ABA (24-fold) and ACC (16-fold) accumulation in roots and arrested xylem flow. Leaf bulk ABA also increased (8-fold), although leaf abscission did not occur. Shortly after rehydration, root ABA and ACC returned to their prestress levels, whereas sharp and transitory increases of ACC (17-fold) and ethylene (10-fold) in leaves and high percentages of abscission (up to 47%) were observed. NF suppressed the ABA and ACC accumulation induced by water stress in roots and the sharp increases of ACC and ethylene observed after rewatering in leaves. NF also reduced leaf abscission (7-10%). These results indicate that water stress induces root ABA accumulation and that this is required for the process of leaf abscission to occur. It was also shown that exogenous ABA increases ACC levels in roots but not in leaves. Collectively, the data suggest that ABA, the primary sensitive signal to water stress, modulates the levels of ethylene, which is the hormonal activator of leaf abscission. This assumption implies that root ACC levels are correlated with root ABA amounts in a dependent way, which eventually links water status to an adequate, protective response such as leaf abscission. PMID:12226398

24 CFR 964.7 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Contributions Contract (ACC). A contract (in the form prescribed by HUD) under which HUD agrees to provide... activities for which the HA is responsible to HUD under the ACC, within the definition of “operation” under the Act and the ACC, including the development of resident programs and services. Management contract...

24 CFR 881.208 - Financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... any party than are provided under the Agreement, Contract, and/or ACC. Where the project is financed... pledge, or offer as security for any loan or obligation, an Agreement, Contract or ACC entered into... pursuant to this part and approved by HUD. Any pledge of the Agreement, Contract, or ACC, or payments...

24 CFR 970.3 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... subject to annual contributions contracts (ACCs) under the Act. (b) This part does not apply to the... dwelling units under ACC); (3) The conveyance of public housing for the purpose of providing homeownership... incidental to the normal operation of the project for public housing purposes, as permitted by the ACC; (5...

24 CFR 904.101 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... operated as Turnkey III, the Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) shall contain the “Special Provisions for... III developments pursuant to an executed ACC where no Agreements with Homebuyers have been signed, the ACC shall be amended (i) to include the “Special Provisions” set forth in Appendix I, (ii) to extend...

24 CFR 970.3 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... subject to annual contributions contracts (ACCs) under the Act. (b) This part does not apply to the... dwelling units under ACC); (3) The conveyance of public housing for the purpose of providing homeownership... incidental to the normal operation of the project for public housing purposes, as permitted by the ACC; (5...

Motivation of extended behaviors by anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Holroyd, Clay B; Yeung, Nick

2012-02-01

Intense research interest over the past decade has yielded diverse and often discrepant theories about the function of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). In particular, a dichotomy has emerged between neuropsychological theories suggesting a primary role for ACC in motivating or 'energizing' behavior, and neuroimaging-inspired theories emphasizing its contribution to cognitive control and reinforcement learning. To reconcile these views, we propose that ACC supports the selection and maintenance of 'options' - extended, context-specific sequences of behavior directed toward particular goals - that are learned through a process of hierarchical reinforcement learning. This theory accounts for ACC activity in relation to learning and control while simultaneously explaining the effects of ACC damage as disrupting the motivational context supporting the production of goal-directed action sequences. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surgical management and clinical prognosis of adrenocortical carcinoma.

PubMed

Dong, Dexin; Li, Hanzhong; Yan, Weigang; Ji, Zhigang; Mao, Quanzong

2012-01-01

To study the relationship between surgical management and prognosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in order to guide the surgical management of ACC. Clinical data of 45 cases of ACC treated in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The 45 cases included 3 cases in stage I, 12 cases in stage II, 7 cases in stage III, and 23 cases in stage IV. 17 cases underwent complete excision, 14 cases underwent palliative excision, 8 cases had non-operative treatment and 6 cases gave up treatment. All patients were followed up from 2 to 141 months. The average survival time of 31 patients with surgery was 32.46 months, and the average survival time of 14 patients without surgery was 4.75 months. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in survival time in stage III and stage IV (p > 0.05). Surgery is considered to be the only method to cure ACC. For ACC in stage I and II, tumor resection is the most effective treatment, and second surgical operation is recommended for local recurrence. For ACC in stage III, extensive surgical operation is recommended, and for ACC in stage IV, surgical operation has no effect on the prognosis. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A meta-analysis of the anterior cingulate contribution to social pain

PubMed Central

Lemogne, Cedric; Hinfray, Sophie; Huguet, Pascal; Grynszpan, Ouriel; Tartour, Eric; George, Nathalie; Fossati, Philippe

2015-01-01

Many functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have explored the neural correlates of social pain that results from social threat, exclusion, rejection, loss or negative evaluation. Although activations have consistently been reported within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), it remains unclear which ACC subdivision is particularly involved. To provide a quantitative estimation of the specific involvement of ACC subdivisions in social pain, we conducted a voxel-based meta-analysis. The literature search identified 46 articles that included 940 subjects, the majority of which used the cyberball task. Significant likelihoods of activation were found in both the ventral and dorsal ACC for both social pain elicitation and self-reported distress during social pain. Self-reported distress involved more specifically the subgenual and pregenual ACC than social pain-related contrasts. The cyberball task involved the anterior midcingulate cortex to a lesser extent than other experimental tasks. During social pain, children exhibited subgenual activations to a greater extent than adults. Finally, the ventro-dorsal gradient of ACC activations in cyberball studies was related to the length of exclusion phases. The present meta-analysis contributes to a better understanding of the role of ACC subdivisions in social pain, and it could be of particular importance for guiding future studies of social pain and its neural underpinnings. PMID:25140048

ATP-stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate nanospheres and their application in protein adsorption.

PubMed

Qi, Chao; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Lu, Bing-Qiang; Zhao, Xin-Yu; Zhao, Jing; Chen, Feng; Wu, Jin

2014-05-28

Calcium carbonate is a common substance found in rocks worldwide, and is the main biomineral formed in shells of marine organisms and snails, pearls and eggshells. Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is the least stable polymorph of calcium carbonate, which is so unstable under normal conditions that it is difficult to be prepared in vitro because it rapidly crystallizes to form one of the more stable polymorphs in aqueous solution. Herein, we report the successful synthesis of highly stable ACC nanospheres in vitro using adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) as a stabilizer. The effect of ATP on the stability of ACC nanospheres is investigated. Our experiments show that ATP plays an unique role in the stabilization of ACC nanospheres in aqueous solution. Moreover, the as-prepared ACC nanospheres are highly stable in phosphate buffered saline for a relatively long period of time (12 days) even under relatively high concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions. The cytotoxicity tests show that the as-prepared highly stable ACC nanospheres have excellent biocompatibility. The highly stable ACC nanospheres have high protein adsorption capacity, implying that they are promising for applications in biomedical fields such as drug delivery and protein adsorption. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Depression in chronic ketamine users: Sex differences and neural bases.

PubMed

Li, Chiang-Shan R; Zhang, Sheng; Hung, Chia-Chun; Chen, Chun-Ming; Duann, Jeng-Ren; Lin, Ching-Po; Lee, Tony Szu-Hsien

2017-11-30

Chronic ketamine use leads to cognitive and affective deficits including depression. Here, we examined sex differences and neural bases of depression in chronic ketamine users. Compared to non-drug using healthy controls (HC), ketamine-using females but not males showed increased depression score as assessed by the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We evaluated resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), a prefrontal structure consistently implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. Compared to HC, ketamine users (KU) did not demonstrate significant changes in sgACC connectivities at a corrected threshold. However, in KU, a linear regression against CES-D score showed less sgACC connectivity to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) with increasing depression severity. Examined separately, male and female KU showed higher sgACC connectivity to bilateral superior temporal gyrus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), respectively, in correlation with depression. The linear correlation of sgACC-OFC and sgACC-dmPFC connectivity with depression was significantly different in slope between KU and HC. These findings highlighted changes in rsFC of the sgACC as associated with depression and sex differences in these changes in chronic ketamine users. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Asian Care Certificate (ACC): a care quality assurance framework.

PubMed

Talaie, Tony

2018-04-16

Purpose Quality assuring elderly care through a viable and feasible standard framework is a major challenge for Asian governments. Although several attempts have been made to tackle foreign care worker (FCW) shortage, assuring the quality of the care they provide has been overlooked. The original framework allowed a better control over service quality to assure the elderly about their care according to the agreed standards. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Through several Japanese Governmental meetings, a new Asian Care Certificate (ACC) program is discussed based on the Japanese Care Certificate (JCC). The governments' representatives adopted the JCC to form the ACC, which enables the ACC board to evaluate care workers and to intervene whenever the desired quality level is not achieved. Findings The author describes a new program. The findings of this paper will be confirmed when the ACC is implemented. Practical implications Using the ACC framework, the challenge in providing a high-quality care service using FCWs across Asia would be partly resolved. FCWs' quality of life might also gradually improve especially regarding to their human rights. Originality/value The ACC provides a new framework. Its value is recognized if one considers that many Asian populations are rapidly aging and many governments compromise quality by employing overseas workers to solve care worker shortages.

Competition between learned reward and error outcome predictions in anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Alexander, William H; Brown, Joshua W

2010-02-15

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is implicated in performance monitoring and cognitive control. Non-human primate studies of ACC show prominent reward signals, but these are elusive in human studies, which instead show mainly conflict and error effects. Here we demonstrate distinct appetitive and aversive activity in human ACC. The error likelihood hypothesis suggests that ACC activity increases in proportion to the likelihood of an error, and ACC is also sensitive to the consequence magnitude of the predicted error. Previous work further showed that error likelihood effects reach a ceiling as the potential consequences of an error increase, possibly due to reductions in the average reward. We explored this issue by independently manipulating reward magnitude of task responses and error likelihood while controlling for potential error consequences in an Incentive Change Signal Task. The fMRI results ruled out a modulatory effect of expected reward on error likelihood effects in favor of a competition effect between expected reward and error likelihood. Dynamic causal modeling showed that error likelihood and expected reward signals are intrinsic to the ACC rather than received from elsewhere. These findings agree with interpretations of ACC activity as signaling both perceptions of risk and predicted reward. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China.

PubMed

Song, Zhao-Qi; Wang, Li; Wang, Feng-Ping; Jiang, Hong-Chen; Chen, Jin-Quan; Zhou, En-Min; Liang, Feng; Xiao, Xiang; Li, Wen-Jun

2013-09-01

It has been suggested that archaea carrying the accA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of the acetyl CoA carboxylase, autotrophically fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway in low-temperature environments (e.g., soils, oceans). However, little new information has come to light regarding the occurrence of archaeal accA genes in high-temperature ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of archaeal accA gene in hot springs in Yunnan Province, China, using DNA- and RNA-based phylogenetic analyses and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that archaeal accA genes were present and expressed in the investigated Yunnan hot springs with a wide range of temperatures (66-96 °C) and pH (4.3-9.0). The majority of the amplified archaeal accA gene sequences were affiliated with the ThAOA/HWCG III [thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA)/hot water crenarchaeotic group III]. The archaeal accA gene abundance was very close to that of AOA amoA gene, encoding the alpha subunit of ammonia monooxygenase. These data suggest that AOA in terrestrial hot springs might acquire energy from ammonia oxidation coupled with CO2 fixation using the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate pathway.

Criticality assessment of LLRWDF closure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarrack, A.G.; Weber, J.H.; Woody, N.D.

1992-10-06

During the operation of the Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF), large amounts (greater than 100 kg) of enriched uranium (EU) were buried. This EU came primarily from the closing and decontamination of the Naval Fuels Facility in the time period from 1987--1989. Waste Management Operations (WMO) procedures were used to keep the EU boxes separated to prevent possible criticality during normal operation. Closure of the LLRWDF is currently being planned, and waste stabilization by Dynamic Compaction (DC) is proposed. Dynamic compaction will crush the containers in the LLRWDF and result in changes in their geometry. Research of themore » LLRWDF operations and record keeping practices have shown that the EU contents of trenches are known, but details of the arrangement of the contents cannot be proven. Reviews of the trench contents, combined with analysis of potential critical configurations, revealed that some portions of the LLRWDF can be expected to be free of criticality concerns while other sections have credible probabilities for the assembly of a critical mass, even in the uncompacted configuration. This will have an impact on the closure options and which trenches can be compacted.« less

40 CFR 240.101 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pollutants released to the atmosphere. (g) Facility means all thermal processing equipment, buildings, and... hazards by spreading the solid wastes in thin layers, compacting the solid wastes to the smallest...

40 CFR 240.101 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... pollutants released to the atmosphere. (g) Facility means all thermal processing equipment, buildings, and... hazards by spreading the solid wastes in thin layers, compacting the solid wastes to the smallest...

40 CFR 240.101 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... pollutants released to the atmosphere. (g) Facility means all thermal processing equipment, buildings, and... hazards by spreading the solid wastes in thin layers, compacting the solid wastes to the smallest...

Applicability of the 2013 ACC/AHA Risk Assessment and Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines in the real world: results from a multiethnic case-control study.

PubMed

Magnoni, Marco; Berteotti, Martina; Norata, Giuseppe Danilo; Limite, Luca Rosario; Peretto, Giovanni; Cristell, Nicole; Maseri, Attilio; Cianflone, Domenico

2016-01-01

The 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guidelines have introduced a new cardiovascular risk assessment approach (PCE) and have revisited the threshold for prescribing statins. This study aims to compare the ex ante application of the ACC/AHA and the ATP-III guideline models by using a multiethnic case-control study. ATP-III-FRS and PCE were assessed in 739 patients with first STEMI and 739 age- and gender-matched controls; the proportion of cases and controls that would have been eligible for statin as primary prevention therapy and the discriminatory ability of both models were evaluated. The application of the ACC/AHA compared to the ATP-III model, resulted in an increase in sensitivity [94% (95%CI: 91%-95%) vs. 65% (61%-68%), p< 0.0001], a reduction in specificity [19% (15%-22%) vs. 55% (51%-59%), p< 0.0001] with similar global accuracy [0.56 (0.53-0.59) vs.0.59 (0.57-0.63), p ns]. When stratifying for ethnicity, the accuracy of the ACC/AHA model was higher in Europeans than in Chinese (p = 0.003) and to identified premature STEMI patients within Europeans much better compared to the ATP-III model (p = 0.0289). The application of the ACC/AHA model resulted in a significant reduction of first STEMI patients who would have escaped from preventive treatment. Age and ethnicity affected the accuracy of the ACC/AHA model improving the identification of premature STEMI among Europeans only. Key messages According to the ATP-III guideline model, about one-third of patients with STEMI would not be eligible for primary preventive treatment before STEMI. The application of the new ACC/AHA cholesterol treatment guideline model leads to a significant reduction of the percentage of patients with STEMI who would have been considered at lower risk before the STEMI. The global accuracy of the new ACC/AHA model is higher in the Europeans than in the Chinese and, moreover, among the Europeans, the application of the new ACC/AHA guideline model also improved identification of premature STEMI patients.

Trust in smart systems: sharing driving goals and giving information to increase trustworthiness and acceptability of smart systems in cars.

PubMed

Verberne, Frank M F; Ham, Jaap; Midden, Cees J H

2012-10-01

We examine whether trust in smart systems is generated analogously to trust in humans and whether the automation level of smart systems affects trustworthiness and acceptability of those systems. Trust is an important factor when considering acceptability of automation technology. As shared goals lead to social trust, and intelligent machines tend to be treated like humans, the authors expected that shared driving goals would also lead to increased trustworthiness and acceptability of adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems. In an experiment, participants (N = 57) were presented with descriptions of three ACCs with different automation levels that were described as systems that either shared their driving goals or did not. Trustworthiness and acceptability of all the ACCs were measured. ACCs sharing the driving goals of the user were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs not sharing the driving goals of the user. Furthermore, ACCs that took over driving tasks while providing information were more trustworthy and acceptable than were ACCs that took over driving tasks without providing information. Trustworthiness mediated the effects of both driving goals and automation level on acceptability of ACCs. As when trusting other humans, trusting smart systems depends on those systems sharing the user's goals. Furthermore, based on their description, smart systems that take over tasks are judged more trustworthy and acceptable when they also provide information. For optimal acceptability of smart systems, goals of the user should be shared by the smart systems, and smart systems should provide information to their user.

Amorphous calcium carbonate associated with biofilms in hot spring deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Brian; Peng, Xiaotong

2012-08-01

Calcium carbonate nanoparticles are intimately associated with crystalline calcite and aragonite in the Eryuan, Gongxiaoshe, and Zhuyuan hot springs (water temperature > 75 °C), which are located in Yunnan Province, China. The nanoparticles, < 1 μm long, are spherical to disc-shaped and commonly fuse together into small clusters. Their general appearance and lack of crystal faces or edges indicate that they are noncrystalline. Morphologically, these nanoparticles are similar to calcified nannobacteria or the constituent grains in amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), which can be formed by various biogenic and abiogenic processes. In the Chinese hot springs, the ACC is always found under, in, or on top of biofilms, commonly in close proximity to crystalline calcite and/or aragonite. Textural evidence indicates that the ACC probably developed in microdomains that develop in the complex biofilm hydrogels. Critically, there is no evidence to support the notion that the nanoparticles are calcified nannobacteria. In the Chinese springs, ACC appears to play a formative role in the development of wheat-sheaf arrays of aragonite crystals and some of the calcite crystals. Hollow cores in some of the aragonite bundles probably formed as ACC was dissolved and many of the aragonite crystals appear to have developed as ACC recrystallized. Similarly, layers of ACC that coat the surfaces of some calcite crystals could be diagenetically transformed into calcite. The development of ACC in hot spring systems may be widespread and may play a critical but transitory role in the development of crystalline CaCO3 in these high temperature environments.

Frontal Hyperconnectivity Related to Discounting and Reversal Learning in Cocaine Subjects

PubMed Central

Camchong, Jazmin; MacDonald, Angus W; Nelson, Brent; Bell, Christopher; Mueller, Bryon A; Specker, Sheila; Lim, Kelvin O

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND Functional neuroimaging studies suggest that chronic cocaine use is associated with frontal lobe abnormalities. Functional connectivity (FC) alterations of cocaine dependent individuals (CD), however, are not yet clear. This is the first study to our knowledge that examines resting FC of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in CD. Because ACC is known to integrate inputs from different brain regions to regulate behavior, we hypothesize that CD will have connectivity abnormalities in ACC networks. In addition, we hypothesized that abnormalities would be associated with poor performance in delayed discounting and reversal learning tasks. METHODS Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected to look for FC differences between twenty-seven cocaine dependent individuals (CD) (5 females, age: M=39.73, SD=6.14) and twenty-four controls (5 females, age: M=39.76, SD = 7.09). Participants were assessed with delayed discounting and reversal learning tasks. Using seed-based FC measures, we examined FC in CD and controls within five ACC connectivity networks with seeds in subgenual, caudal, dorsal, rostral, and perigenual ACC. RESULTS CD showed increased FC within the perigenual ACC network in left middle frontal gyrus, ACC and middle temporal gyrus when compared to controls. FC abnormalities were significantly positively correlated with task performance in delayed discounting and reversal learning tasks in CD. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that participants with chronic cocaine-dependency have hyperconnectivity within an ACC network known to be involved in social processing and mentalizing. In addition, FC abnormalities found in CD were associated with difficulties with delay rewards and slower adaptive learning. PMID:21371689

Anterior cingulate cortex supports effort allocation towards a qualitatively preferred option.

PubMed

Hart, Evan E; Gerson, Julian O; Zoken, Yael; Garcia, Marisella; Izquierdo, Alicia

2017-07-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is known to be involved in effortful choice, yet its role in cost-benefit evaluation of qualitatively different rewards (more/less preferred), beyond magnitude differences (larger/smaller), is poorly understood. Selecting between qualitatively different options is a decision type commonly faced by humans. Here, we assessed the role of ACC on a task that has primarily been used to probe striatal function in motivation. Rats were trained to stable performance on a progressive ratio schedule for sucrose pellets and were then given sham surgeries (control) or excitotoxic NMDA lesions of ACC. Subsequently, a choice was introduced: chow was concurrently available while animals could work for the preferred sucrose pellets. ACC lesions produced a significant decrease in lever presses for sucrose pellets compared to control, whereas chow consumption was unaffected. Lesions had no effect on sucrose pellet preference when both options were freely available. When laboratory chow was not concurrently available, ACC-lesioned rats exhibited similar lever pressing as controls. During a test under specific satiety for sucrose pellets, ACC-lesioned rats also showed intact devaluation effects. The effects of ACC lesions in our task are not mediated by decreased appetite, a change in food preference, a failure to update value or a learning deficit. Taken together, we found that ACC lesions decreased effort for a qualitatively preferred option. These results are discussed with reference to effects of striatal manipulations and our recent report of a role for basolateral amygdala in effortful choice. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Alleviating neuropathic pain mechanical allodynia by increasing Cdh1 in the anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Tan, Wei; Yao, Wen-Long; Hu, Rong; Lv, You-You; Wan, Li; Zhang, Chuan-Han; Zhu, Chang

2015-09-12

Plastic changes in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are critical in the pathogenesis of pain hypersensitivity caused by injury to peripheral nerves. Cdh1, a co-activator subunit of anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) regulates synaptic differentiation and transmission. Based on this, we hypothesised that the APC/C-Cdh1 played an important role in long-term plastic changes induced by neuropathic pain in ACC. We employed spared nerve injury (SNI) model in rat and found Cdh1 protein level in the ACC was down-regulated 3, 7 and 14 days after SNI surgery. We detected increase in c-Fos expression, numerical increase of organelles, swollen myelinated fibre and axon collapse of neuronal cells in the ACC of SNI rat. Additionally, AMPA receptor GluR1 subunit protein level was up-regulated on the membrane through a pathway that involves EphA4 mediated by APC/C-Cdh1, 3 and 7 days after SNI surgery. To confirm the effect of Cdh1 in neuropathic pain, Cdh1-expressing lentivirus was injected into the ACC of SNI rat. Intra-ACC treatment with Cdh1-expressing lentivirus vectors elevated Cdh1 levels, erased synaptic strengthening, as well as alleviating established mechanical allodynia in SNI rats. We also found Cdh1-expressing lentivirus normalised SNI-induced redistribution of AMPA receptor GluR1 subunit in ACC by regulating AMPA receptor trafficking. These results provide evidence that Cdh1 in ACC synapses may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for treating chronic neuropathic pain.

Are general practice characteristics predictors of good glycaemic control in patients with diabetes? A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Esterman, Adrian J; Fountaine, Tim; McDermott, Robyn

2016-01-18

To determine whether certain characteristics of general practices are associated with good glycaemic control in patients with diabetes and with completing an annual cycle of care (ACC). Our cross-sectional analysis used baseline data from the Australian Diabetes Care Project conducted between 2011 and 2014. Practice characteristics were self-reported. Characteristics of the patients that were assessed included glycaemic control (HbA1c level ≤ 53 mmol/mol), age, sex, duration of diabetes, socio-economic disadvantage (SEIFA) score, the complexity of the patient's condition, and whether the patient had completed an ACC for diabetes in the past 18 months. Clustered logistic regression was used to establish predictors of glycaemic control and a completed ACC. Data were available from 147 general practices and 5455 patients with established type 1 or type 2 diabetes in three Australian states. After adjustment for other patient characteristics, only the patient completing an ACC was statistically significant as a predictor of glycaemic control (P = 0.011). In a multivariate model, the practice having a chronic disease-focused practice nurse (P = 0.036) and running educational events for patients with diabetes (P = 0.004) were statistically significant predictors of the patient having complete an ACC. Patient characteristics are moderately good predictors of whether the patient is in glycaemic control, whereas practice characteristics appear to predict only the likelihood of patients completing an ACC. The ACC is an established indicator of good diabetes management. This is the first study to report a positive association between having completed an ACC and the patient being in glycaemic control.

Rostral anterior cingulate cortex volume correlates with depressed mood in normal healthy children

PubMed Central

Boes, Aaron D.; McCormick, Laurie M.; Coryell, William H.; Nopoulos, Peg

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND The rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) has been implicated as a structural neural correlate of familial major depressive disorder, raising the possibility that the structure of this region may act as a biologic marker of depression vulnerability. The aim of the current study was to determine whether children and adolescents with depressive symptoms have lower rACC volume relative to those without symptoms and examine how a positive family history of depression affects this relationship. METHODS 112 normal healthy children (59 boys, 53 girls), age 7–17, without a current diagnosis or history of depression or other psychiatric illness, were recruited from the community. Mood symptoms were collected using the Pediatric Behavior Scale, a parent- and teacher-reported questionnaire. Volumetric measures of the rACC were generated using structural MRI. The relationship of depressive symptoms and rACC volume was examined. RESULTS 1) The rACC volume was significantly lower in boys with subclinical depressive symptoms compared to boys with no depressive symptoms, particularly on the left side (14.6% reduction; F = 8.90, p = .005). 2) In comparing the correlation of depressive symptoms and rACC volume in boys with a positive family history of depression to those with no family history there was a more robust negative correlation in subjects with a positive family history. 3) In girls there was not a significant association of depressive symptoms and rACC volume. CONCLUSIONS These findings lend further support to the notion that rACC structure may act as a biologic marker of vulnerability or trait-marker of depression. PMID:17916329

Neural Processing of Emotional Musical and Nonmusical Stimuli in Depression

PubMed Central

Atchley, Ruth Ann; Chrysikou, Evangelia; Martin, Laura E.; Clair, Alicia A.; Ingram, Rick E.; Simmons, W. Kyle; Savage, Cary R.

2016-01-01

Background Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and striatum are part of the emotional neural circuitry implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD). Music is often used for emotion regulation, and pleasurable music listening activates the dopaminergic system in the brain, including the ACC. The present study uses functional MRI (fMRI) and an emotional nonmusical and musical stimuli paradigm to examine how neural processing of emotionally provocative auditory stimuli is altered within the ACC and striatum in depression. Method Nineteen MDD and 20 never-depressed (ND) control participants listened to standardized positive and negative emotional musical and nonmusical stimuli during fMRI scanning and gave subjective ratings of valence and arousal following scanning. Results ND participants exhibited greater activation to positive versus negative stimuli in ventral ACC. When compared with ND participants, MDD participants showed a different pattern of activation in ACC. In the rostral part of the ACC, ND participants showed greater activation for positive information, while MDD participants showed greater activation to negative information. In dorsal ACC, the pattern of activation distinguished between the types of stimuli, with ND participants showing greater activation to music compared to nonmusical stimuli, while MDD participants showed greater activation to nonmusical stimuli, with the greatest response to negative nonmusical stimuli. No group differences were found in striatum. Conclusions These results suggest that people with depression may process emotional auditory stimuli differently based on both the type of stimulation and the emotional content of that stimulation. This raises the possibility that music may be useful in retraining ACC function, potentially leading to more effective and targeted treatments. PMID:27284693

Clinical and molecular insights into adenoid cystic carcinoma: Neural crest‐like stemness as a target

PubMed Central

Panaccione, Alexander; Chang, Michael T.; Ivanov, Sergey V.

2016-01-01

Objectives This review surveys trialed therapies and molecular defects in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), with an emphasis on neural crest‐like stemness characteristics of newly discovered cancer stem cells (CSCs) and therapies that may target these CSCs. Data Sources Articles available on Pubmed or OVID MEDLINE databases and unpublished data. Review Methods Systematic review of articles pertaining to ACC and neural crest‐like stem cells. Results Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland is a slowly growing but relentless cancer that is prone to nerve invasion and metastases. A lack of understanding of molecular etiology and absence of targetable drivers has limited therapy for patients with ACC to surgery and radiation. Currently, no curative treatments are available for patients with metastatic disease, which highlights the need for effective new therapies. Research in this area has been inhibited by the lack of validated cell lines and a paucity of clinically useful markers. The ACC research environment has recently improved, thanks to the introduction of novel tools, technologies, approaches, and models. Improved understanding of ACC suggests that neural crest‐like stemness is a major target in this rare tumor. New cell culture techniques and patient‐derived xenografts provide tools for preclinical testing. Conclusion Preclinical research has not identified effective targets in ACC, as confirmed by the large number of failed clinical trials. New molecular data suggest that drivers of neural crest‐like stemness may be required for maintenance of ACC; as such, CSCs are a target for therapy of ACC. PMID:28894804

Inactivation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase involves oxidative modifications.

PubMed

Barlow, J N; Zhang, Z; John, P; Baldwin, J E; Schofield, C J

1997-03-25

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of the plant signaling molecule ethylene. It is a member of the ferrous iron dependent family of oxidases and dioxygenases and is unusual in that it displays a very short half-life under catalytic conditions, typically less than 20 min, and a requirement for CO2 as an activator. The rates of inactivation of purified, recombinant ACC oxidase from tomato under various combinations of substrates and cofactors were measured. Inactivation was relatively slow in the presence of buffer alone (t1/2 > 1 h), but fast in the presence of ferrous iron and ascorbate (t1/2 approximately 10 min). The rate of iron/ascorbate-mediated inactivation was increased by the addition of ACC, unaffected by the addition of CO2 at saturation (supplied as bicarbonate) but decreased by the addition of catalase or ACC + CO2 at saturation (supplied as bicarbonate). Iron/ascorbate-mediated inactivation was accompanied by partial proteolysis as observed by SDS-PAGE analysis. The fragmentation pattern was altered when ACC was also included, suggesting that ACC can bind to ACC oxidase in the absence of bicarbonate. N-terminal sequencing of fragments resulted in identification of an internal cleavage site which we propose is proximate to active-site bound iron. Thus, ACC oxidase inactivates via relatively slow partial unfolding of the catalytically active conformation, oxidative damage mediated via hydrogen peroxide which is catalase protectable and oxidative damage to the active site which results in partial proteolysis and is not catalase protectable.

Evidence against translational repression by the carboxyltransferase component of Escherichia coli acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase.

PubMed

Smith, Alexander C; Cronan, John E

2014-11-01

In Escherichia coli, synthesis of the malonyl coenzyme A (malonyl-CoA) required for membrane lipid synthesis is catalyzed by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a large complex composed of four subunits. The subunit proteins are needed in a defined stoichiometry, and it remains unclear how such production is achieved since the proteins are encoded at three different loci. Meades and coworkers (G. Meades, Jr., B. K. Benson, A. Grove, and G. L. Waldrop, Nucleic Acids Res. 38:1217-1227, 2010, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkp1079) reported that coordinated production of the AccA and AccD subunits is due to a translational repression mechanism exerted by the proteins themselves. The AccA and AccD subunits form the carboxyltransferase (CT) heterotetramer that catalyzes the second partial reaction of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Meades et al. reported that CT tetramers bind the central portions of the accA and accD mRNAs and block their translation in vitro. However, long mRNA molecules (500 to 600 bases) were required for CT binding, but such long mRNA molecules devoid of ribosomes seemed unlikely to exist in vivo. This, plus problematical aspects of the data reported by Meades and coworkers, led us to perform in vivo experiments to test CT tetramer-mediated translational repression of the accA and accD mRNAs. We report that increased levels of CT tetramer have no detectable effect on translation of the CT subunit mRNAs. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Evidence against Translational Repression by the Carboxyltransferase Component of Escherichia coli Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase

PubMed Central

Smith, Alexander C.

2014-01-01

In Escherichia coli, synthesis of the malonyl coenzyme A (malonyl-CoA) required for membrane lipid synthesis is catalyzed by acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a large complex composed of four subunits. The subunit proteins are needed in a defined stoichiometry, and it remains unclear how such production is achieved since the proteins are encoded at three different loci. Meades and coworkers (G. Meades, Jr., B. K. Benson, A. Grove, and G. L. Waldrop, Nucleic Acids Res. 38:1217–1227, 2010, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkp1079) reported that coordinated production of the AccA and AccD subunits is due to a translational repression mechanism exerted by the proteins themselves. The AccA and AccD subunits form the carboxyltransferase (CT) heterotetramer that catalyzes the second partial reaction of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Meades et al. reported that CT tetramers bind the central portions of the accA and accD mRNAs and block their translation in vitro. However, long mRNA molecules (500 to 600 bases) were required for CT binding, but such long mRNA molecules devoid of ribosomes seemed unlikely to exist in vivo. This, plus problematical aspects of the data reported by Meades and coworkers, led us to perform in vivo experiments to test CT tetramer-mediated translational repression of the accA and accD mRNAs. We report that increased levels of CT tetramer have no detectable effect on translation of the CT subunit mRNAs. PMID:25157077

Advances in compact proton spectrometers for inertial-confinement fusion and plasma nuclear science.

PubMed

Seguin, F H; Sinenian, N; Rosenberg, M; Zylstra, A; Manuel, M J-E; Sio, H; Waugh, C; Rinderknecht, H G; Johnson, M Gatu; Frenje, J; Li, C K; Petrasso, R; Sangster, T C; Roberts, S

2012-10-01

Compact wedge-range-filter proton spectrometers cover proton energies ∼3-20 MeV. They have been used at the OMEGA laser facility for more than a decade for measuring spectra of primary D(3)He protons in D(3)He implosions, secondary D(3)He protons in DD implosions, and ablator protons in DT implosions; they are now being used also at the National Ignition Facility. The spectra are used to determine proton yields, shell areal density at shock-bang time and compression-bang time, fuel areal density, and implosion symmetry. There have been changes in fabrication and in analysis algorithms, resulting in a wider energy range, better accuracy and precision, and better robustness for survivability with indirect-drive inertial-confinement-fusion experiments.

24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

24 CFR 982.102 - Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. 982.102 Section 982.102 Housing and Urban... ASSISTANCE: HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Funding and PHA Application for Funding § 982.102 Allocation of budget authority for renewal of expiring consolidated ACC funding increments. (a) Applicability. This...

24 CFR 883.604 - Maximum annual commitment and project account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... annual commitment. The maximum annual contribution that may be contracted for in the ACC is the total of... annual commitment exceeds the amount actually paid out under the ACC each year. Payments will be made... specifically approved by the Secretary. (2) Whenever a HUD-approved estimate of required payments under the ACC...

24 CFR 982.355 - Portability: Administration by receiving PHA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... by the receiving PHA. (1) If funding is available under the consolidated ACC for the receiving PHA... consolidated ACC for the receiving PHA tenant-based program. (2) HUD may require that the receiving PHA absorb... families to the receiving PHA from funds available under the initial PHA ACC. (2) HUD may provide...

24 CFR 883.604 - Maximum annual commitment and project account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... annual commitment. The maximum annual contribution that may be contracted for in the ACC is the total of... annual commitment exceeds the amount actually paid out under the ACC each year. Payments will be made... specifically approved by the Secretary. (2) Whenever a HUD-approved estimate of required payments under the ACC...

24 CFR 964.225 - Resident management requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... management functions for which the HA is responsible to HUD under the ACC and any other functions not inconsistent with the ACC and applicable state and local laws, regulations and licensing requirements. (e... HUD approval of contracts contained in the ACC do not apply to the decision of a HA to contract with a...

24 CFR 982.355 - Portability: Administration by receiving PHA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... by the receiving PHA. (1) If funding is available under the consolidated ACC for the receiving PHA... consolidated ACC for the receiving PHA tenant-based program. (2) HUD may require that the receiving PHA absorb... families to the receiving PHA from funds available under the initial PHA ACC. (2) HUD may provide...

The Austin Community College District Master Plan: FY 2004-2006.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin Community Coll., TX.

This Austin Community College (ACC) District Master Plan for 2004-2006 continues ACC's efforts to manage growth and change through a comprehensive planning process. The planning process was coordinated with the ACC Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Alternate Self Study. This study addresses the following areas: (1) Fiscal…

24 CFR 941.612 - Disbursement of grant funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... determines that the proposed development is approvable, it may execute with the PHA a front-end ACC amendment and the special mixed-finance amendment to the ACC (and/or grant agreement) to provide advances for... the best of the PHA's knowledge, it is not in default under the ACC, as amended; (iii) All conditions...

Performance on the Cardiovascular In-Training Examination in Relation to the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Examination.

PubMed

Indik, Julia H; Duhigg, Lauren M; McDonald, Furman S; Lipner, Rebecca S; Rubright, Jonathan D; Haist, Steven A; Botkin, Naomi F; Kuvin, Jeffrey T

2017-06-13

The American College of Cardiology In-Training Exam (ACC-ITE) is incorporated into most U.S. training programs, but its relationship to performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine Cardiovascular Disease (ABIM CVD) Certification Examination is unknown. ACC-ITE scores from third-year fellows from 2011 to 2014 (n = 1,918) were examined. Covariates for regression analyses included sex, age, medical school country, U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step, and ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Examination scores. A secondary analysis examined fellows (n = 511) who took the ACC-ITE in the first and third years. ACC-ITE scores were the strongest predictor of ABIM CVD scores (p < 0.0001), and the most significant predictor of passing (p < 0.0001). The change in ACC-ITE scores from first to third year was a strong predictor of the ABIM CVD score (p < 0.001). The ACC-ITE is strongly associated with performance on the ABIM CVD Certification Examination. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Purification and Characterization of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate Synthase from Apple Fruits 1

PubMed Central

Yip, Wing-Kin; Dong, Jian-Guo; Yang, Shang Fa

1991-01-01

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase, a key enzyme in ethylene biosynthesis, was isolated and partially purified from apple (Malus sylvestris Mill.) fruits. Unlike ACC synthase isolated from other sources, apple ACC synthase is associated with the pellet fraction and can be solubilized in active form with Triton X-100. Following five purification steps, the solubilized enzyme was purified over 5000-fold to a specific activity of 100 micromoles per milligram protein per hour, and its purity was estimated to be 20 to 30%. Using this preparation, specific monoclonal antibodies were raised. Monoclonal antibodies against ACC synthase immunoglobulin were coupled to protein-A agarose to make an immunoaffinity column, which effectively purified the enzyme from a relatively crude enzyme preparation (100 units per milligram protein). As with the tomato enzyme, apple ACC synthase was inactivated and radiolabeled by its substrate S-adenosyl-l-methionine. Apple ACC synthase was identified to be a 48-kilodalton protein based on the observation that it was specifically bound to immunoaffinity column and it was specifically radiolabeled by its substrate S-adenosyl-l-methionine. Images Figure 4 Figure 6 PMID:16667960

Neural responses to negative feedback are related to negative emotionality in healthy adults

PubMed Central

Santesso, Diane L.; Bogdan, Ryan; Birk, Jeffrey L.; Goetz, Elena L.; Holmes, Avram J.

2012-01-01

Prior neuroimaging and electrophysiological evidence suggests that potentiated responses in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), particularly the rostral ACC, may contribute to abnormal responses to negative feedback in individuals with elevated negative affect and depressive symptoms. The feedback-related negativity (FRN) represents an electrophysiological index of ACC-related activation in response to performance feedback. The purpose of the present study was to examine the FRN and underlying ACC activation using low resolution electromagnetic tomography source estimation techniques in relation to negative emotionality (a composite index including negative affect and subclinical depressive symptoms). To this end, 29 healthy adults performed a monetary incentive delay task while 128-channel event-related potentials were recorded. We found that enhanced FRNs and increased rostral ACC activation in response to negative—but not positive—feedback was related to greater negative emotionality. These results indicate that individual differences in negative emotionality—a putative risk factor for emotional disorders—modulate ACC-related processes critically implicated in assessing the motivational impact and/or salience of environmental feedback. PMID:21917847

Contributing Factors to Driver's Over-trust in a Driving Support System for Workload Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Makoto

Avoiding over-trust in machines is a vital issue in order to establish intelligent driver support systems. It is necessary to distinguish systems for workload reduction from systems for accident prevention/mitigation. This study focuses on over-trust in an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system as a typical driving support system for workload reduction. By conducting an experiment, we obtained a case in which a driver trusted the ACC system too much. Concretely speaking, the driver just watched the ACC system crashing into a stopped car even though the ACC system was designed to ignore such stopped cars. This paper investigates possible contributing factors to the driver' s over-trust in the ACC system. The results suggest that emerging trust in the dimension of performance may cause over-trust in the dimension of method or purpose.

Establishing the solubility and local structure(s) of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate (ACC): Toward an understanding of invertebrate biomineralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mergelsberg, S. T.; Ulrich, R. N.; Michel, F. M.; Dove, P. M.

2017-12-01

Recent advances in high-resolution imaging show the widespreadd occurrence of multistep pathways to mineralization in biological and geological settings (De Yoreo et al., 2015, Science). For example, carbonate biomineralization often involves precipitation of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) as a reactive intermediate that subsequently transforms to crystalline products with diverse structures. Although current carbonate mineral proxies are based upon the composition of final crystalline products, the final signatures may be recording the properties of the initial amorphous phase. Thus, it is critical to establish the physical properties of ACC and understand the factors that influence its evolution to final products at conditions that approximate biological environments. This disconnect limits our ability to build a process-based understanding of when/how minor and trace elements are recorded in mineral composition proxies. In this experimental study, we quantified the chemical and physical properties of ACC and its evolution to final products. We first determined ACC solubility under controlled chemical conditions using a new type of flow-through reactor developed by our research group (Blue and Dove, 2015, GCA; Blue et al., 2017, GCA). The experimental design varied Mg concentration and total alkalinity while maintaining a mild pH that approximates biological environments. ACC solubility was measured at specific time points during the precipitation (from super- and undersaturated conditions) and during its subsequent evolution. Parallel experiments characterized the structure of the corresponding amorphous products using in situ pair distribution function (PDF) and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses. The measurements demonstrate at least two types of ACC can be produced by tuning Mg concentration and alkalinity. Each "phase" exhibits distinct short-range ordering that demonstrates structure-specific solubility. We also find temporal changes in the short-range order of each type of ACC that are dependent upon Mg content. Insights from this study hold promise for quantifying the chemical and structural properties of ACC and reconcile discrepancies in the literature.

Effectiveness of rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase for growth promotion of peas (Pisum sativum) under drought conditions.

PubMed

Zahir, Z A; Munir, A; Asghar, H N; Shaharoona, B; Arshad, M

2008-05-01

A series of experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of rhizobacteria containing 1-aminocyclopropane- 1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase for growth promotion of peas under drought conditions. Ten rhizobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of different crops (peas, wheat, and maize) were screened for their growth promoting ability in peas under axenic condition. Three rhizobacterial isolates, Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype G (ACC-5), P. fluorescens (ACC-14), and P. putida biotype A (Q-7), were selected for pot trial on the basis of their source, ACC deaminase activity, root colonization, and growth promoting activity under axenic conditions. Inoculated and uninoculated (control) seeds of pea cultivar 2000 were sown in pots (4 seeds/pot) at different soil moisture levels (25, 50, 75, and 100% of field capacity). Results revealed that decreasing the soil moisture levels from 100 to 25% of field capacity significantly decreased the growth of peas. However, inoculation of peas with rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase significantly decreased the "drought stress imposed effects" on growth of peas, although with variable efficacy at different moisture levels. At the lowest soil moisture level (25% field capacity), rhizobacterial isolate Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype G (ACC-5) was found to be more promising compared with the other isolates, as it caused maximum increases in fresh weight, dry weight, root length, shoot length, number of leaves per plant, and water use efficiency on fresh and dry weight basis (45, 150, 92, 45, 140, 46, and 147%, respectively) compared with respective uninoculated controls. It is highly likely that rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase might have decreased the drought-stress induced ethylene in inoculated plants, which resulted in better growth of plants even at low moisture levels. Therefore, inoculation with rhizobacteria containing ACC deaminase could be helpful in eliminating the inhibitory effects of drought stress on the growth of peas.

Dysfunctional Noise Cancelling of the Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Tinnitus Patients

PubMed Central

Song, Jae Jin; Vanneste, Sven; De Ridder, Dirk

2015-01-01

Background Peripheral auditory deafferentation and central compensation have been regarded as the main culprits of tinnitus generation. However, patient-to-patient discrepancy in the range of the percentage of daytime in which tinnitus is perceived (tinnitus awareness percentage, 0 – 100%), is not fully explicable only by peripheral deafferentation, considering that the deafferentation is a stable persisting phenomenon but tinnitus is intermittently perceived in most patients. Consequently, the involvement of a dysfunctional noise cancellation mechanism has recently been suggested with regard to the individual differences in reported tinnitus awareness. By correlating the tinnitus awareness percentage with resting-state source-localized electroencephalography findings, we may be able to retrieve the cortical area that is negatively correlated with tinnitus awareness percentage, and then the area may be regarded as the core of the noise cancelling system that is defective in patients with tinnitus. Methods and Findings Using resting-state cortical oscillation, we investigated 80 tinnitus patients by correlating the tinnitus awareness percentage with their source-localized cortical oscillatory activity and functional connectivity. The activity of bilateral rostral anterior cingulate cortices (ACCs), left dorsal- and pregenual ACCs for the delta band, bilateral rostral/pregenual/subgenual ACCs for the theta band, and left rostral/pregenual ACC for the beta 1 band displayed significantly negative correlations with tinnitus awareness percentage. Also, the connectivity between the left primary auditory cortex (A1) and the rostral ACC, as well as between the left A1 and the subgenual ACC for the beta 1 band, were negatively correlated with tinnitus awareness percentage. Conclusions These results may designate the role of the rostral ACC as the core of the descending noise cancellation system, and thus dysfunction of the rostral ACC may result in perception of tinnitus. The present study also opens a possibility of tinnitus modulation by neuromodulatory approaches targeting the rostral ACC. PMID:25875099

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the submandibular gland with rare metastasis to the sternum in a 52-year-old male.

PubMed

Alshammari, Abdullah; Eldeib, Omar Jamal; Eldeib, Ahmed Jamal; Saleh, Waleed

2016-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor, described as being one of the most biologically destructive tumors of the head and neck. It is the most common malignancy that affects the minor salivary glands. Lung and bones are the most common regions of ACC distant metastasis. To the best of our knowledge, herein, we report the first ever case of latent isolated sternal metastasis from ACC in a 52-year-old gentleman, who was diagnosed to have ACC of the submandibular gland, excised 10 years ago.

Onyx embolization of anterior condylar confluence dural arteriovenous fistula

PubMed Central

Takemoto, Koichiro; Tateshima, Satoshi; Rastogi, Sachin; Gonzalez, Nestor; Jahan, Reza; Duckwiler, Gary; Vinuela, Fernando

2013-01-01

The anterior condylar confluence (ACC) is a small complex venous structure located medial to the jugular vein and adjacent to the hypoglossal canal. To our knowledge, this is the first report of transvenous Onyx embolization for ACC dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF). Three patients with ACC DAVF were treated using the Onyx liquid embolic agent with or without detachable coils. Complete angiographic obliteration of the fistulas was achieved in all cases without permanent lower cranial neuropathy. This report suggests that the controlled penetration of Onyx is advantageous in order to obliterate ACC DAVFs with a small amount of embolic material. PMID:23459160

Modelling the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist-managed anticoagulation service for older adults with atrial fibrillation in Singapore.

PubMed

Chua, Wen Bing Brandon; Cheen, Hua Heng McVin; Kong, Ming Chai; Chen, Li Li; Wee, Hwee Lin

2016-10-01

Background Oral anticoagulation with warfarin is the cornerstone therapy in atrial fibrillation (AF) for stroke prevention. Multi-disciplinary anticoagulation management services have been shown to be cost-effective in the United States, Hong Kong and Thailand, but the findings are not readily generalizable to Singapore's healthcare system. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinic (ACC) compared with usual care (UC) for the management of older adults with AF receiving oral anticoagulation with warfarin. Setting Pharmacist-managed ACC in an academic medical centre. Method A Markov model with 3-month cycle length and 30-year time horizon compared costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of ACC and UC from the patient's and healthcare provider's perspectives. Four pathways based on time in therapeutic range (TTR) were: ACC TTR < 70 %, ACC TTR ≥ 70 %, UC TTR < 70 % and UC TTR ≥ 70 %. A hypothetical cohort of 70-year-old Singaporean AF patients receiving warfarin was utilised. Local data from national disease registries, patient surveys and hospital databases were used. When local data was not available, published studies on Asian populations were utilized when available. One-way sensitivity analyses and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to account for uncertainties. Costs and QALYs were discounted annually by 3 %. Main outcome measure Costs and QALYs of ACC and UC. Results Pharmacist-managed ACC was found to dominate UC in all comparisons. It improved effectiveness by 0.19 and 0.13 QALYs at TTR < 70 % and TTR ≥ 70 % respectively compared with UC. From the patient's perspective, ACC reduced costs by SG$1222.67 (€1110.24) for TTR < 70 % and SG$1008.16 (€915.46) for TTR ≥ 70 %. Similar trends were observed from the healthcare provider's perspective, with ACC reducing costs by SG$1444.79 (€1311.94) for TTR < 70 % and SG$1269.17 (€1152.46) for TTR ≥ 70 % compared with UC. The results were robust to variations of the parameters over their plausible ranges in one-way sensitivity analyses. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated that ACC was cost-effective more than 79 % of the time from both perspectives at a willingness-to-pay threshold of SG$69,050 (€62,701) per QALY. Conclusion Pharmacist-managed ACC is more effective and less costly compared with UC regardless of the quality of anticoagulation therapy. The findings support the current body of evidence demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of ACC.

A compact electron cyclotron resonance proton source for the Paul Scherrer Institute's proton accelerator facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baumgarten, C.; Barchetti, A.; Einenkel, H.

2011-05-15

A compact electron cyclotron resonance proton source has been developed and installed recently at thePaul Scherrer Institute's high intensity proton accelerator. Operation at the ion source test stand and the accelerator demonstrates a high reliability and stability of the new source. When operated at a 10 - 12 mA net proton current the lifetime of the source exceeds 2000 h. The essential development steps towards the observed performance are described.

The land-use of Bandung, its density, overcrowded area and public facility toward a compact city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paramita, B.

2016-04-01

The concept of a compact city has been introduced since 1973. It is a utopian vision largely driven by a desire to see more efficient uses of resources. In 1980s, the reconfiguration of the physical urban form of metropolitan areas was increasingly debated by both theorists and practitioners. Recently, the concept of a compact city has been more focused on developed countries in which the population tends to decrease. However, in Asia, except Japan which contains many dense cities, it has become a concept which promotes relatively high residential density with mixed land uses, though rather only in population and density. This paper addresses the land-use of Bandung that having the density over 14,000 people/km2, which has been so much potential toward a compact city. Somehow, unprepared ness of urban planning and regulation, the city seemed overwrought to serve its inhabitants. This condition is shown from the demographic condition, especially population density in Bandung based on its sub areas of the city (SWK). The stack of public facilities in a certain district has led the concentration of density and activity, which finally raising the slum and overcrowded settlement. Finally, this paper explores the implications of land use management and describes challenges faced and possible approaches, especially in land-use management strategies to be implemented in Bandung.

Compact gain saturated plasma based X-ray lasers down to 6.9nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocca, Jorge; Wang, Y.; Wang, S.; Rockwood, A.; Berrill, M.; Shlyaptsev, V.

2017-10-01

Plasma based soft x-ray amplifiers allow many experiments requiring bright, high energy soft x-ray laser pulses to be conducted in compact facilities. We have extended the wavelength of compact gain saturated x-ray lasers to 6.89 nm in a Ni-like Gd plasma generated by a Ti:Sa laser. Gain saturated laser operation was also obtained at 7.36 nm in Ni-like Sm. Isolectronic scaling and optimization of laser pre-pulse duration allowed us to also observe strong lasing at 6.6 nm and 6.1 nm in Ni-like Tb, and amplification at 6.4 nm and 5.89 nm in Ni-like Dy. The results were obtained by transient laser heating of solid targets with traveling wave excitation at progressively increased gracing incidence angles. We show that the optimum pump angle of incidence for collisional Ni-like lasers increases linearly with atomic number from Z =42 to Z =66, reaching 43 degrees for Ni-like Dy, in good agreement with hydrodynamic/atomic physics simulations. These results will enable single-shot nano-scale imaging and other application of sub-7 nm lasers to be performed at compact facilities. Work supported by Grant DE-FG02-4ER15592 of the Department of Energy, Office of Science, and by the National Science Foundation Grant ECCS 1509925.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bentz, L.K.; Bender, D.S.

This report contains socioeconomic information on the Plainsboro, New Jersey, area, the proposed location of the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT) facility. It was prepared as supplemental information for an environmental assessment for the CIT at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The report contains descriptions of the demographic, economic, and community resource characteristics, and, based on information available in early 1987, considers the socioeconomic effect of the proposed facility. In all areas examined, the anticipated socioeconomic impacts of the proposed CIT facility at PPPL are negligible or minimal. 29 refs., 8 figs., 24 tabs.

A meta-analysis of the anterior cingulate contribution to social pain.

PubMed

Rotge, Jean-Yves; Lemogne, Cedric; Hinfray, Sophie; Huguet, Pascal; Grynszpan, Ouriel; Tartour, Eric; George, Nathalie; Fossati, Philippe

2015-01-01

Many functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have explored the neural correlates of social pain that results from social threat, exclusion, rejection, loss or negative evaluation. Although activations have consistently been reported within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), it remains unclear which ACC subdivision is particularly involved. To provide a quantitative estimation of the specific involvement of ACC subdivisions in social pain, we conducted a voxel-based meta-analysis. The literature search identified 46 articles that included 940 subjects, the majority of which used the cyberball task. Significant likelihoods of activation were found in both the ventral and dorsal ACC for both social pain elicitation and self-reported distress during social pain. Self-reported distress involved more specifically the subgenual and pregenual ACC than social pain-related contrasts. The cyberball task involved the anterior midcingulate cortex to a lesser extent than other experimental tasks. During social pain, children exhibited subgenual activations to a greater extent than adults. Finally, the ventro-dorsal gradient of ACC activations in cyberball studies was related to the length of exclusion phases. The present meta-analysis contributes to a better understanding of the role of ACC subdivisions in social pain, and it could be of particular importance for guiding future studies of social pain and its neural underpinnings. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Integra®-Dermal Regeneration Template and Split-Thickness Skin Grafting: A Therapy Approach to Correct Aplasia Cutis Congenita and Epidermolysis Bullosa in Carmi Syndrome.

PubMed

Trah, Julian; Has, Christina; Hausser, Ingrid; Kutzner, Heinz; Reinshagen, Konrad; Königs, Ingo

2018-05-18

The association of junctional epidermolysis bullosa with pyloric atresia (JEB-PA) and aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) was described by El Shafie et al. (J Pediatr Surg 14(4):446-449, 1979) and Carmi et al. (Am J Med Genet 11:319-328, 1982). Most patients die in the first weeks of life, and no curative treatment options are available so far. We describe a patient with JEB-PA and ACC (OMIM # 226730) who was treated for extensive areas of ACC by Integra ® -Dermal Regeneration Template and split-thickness skin grafting (STSG). Clinically, the dermal template changed into well-vascularized neodermis, and after STSG, full take of the transplants was detected. No infections of the huge ACC areas were seen. Further studies must validate this treatment option in severe and acute cases of JEB-PA with ACC. Based on clinical findings, we postulate that placement of Integra ® -Dermal Regeneration Template with STSG could be a new treatment option for patients having JEB-PA with ACC to prevent severe infection, compartment-syndrome-like conditions, and deformities. Based on literature findings, we assume that Integra ® -Dermal Regeneration Template with STSG could even be able to prevent new blistering and thereby be a treatment option in cases of ACC and JEB.

The time course of activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex during top-down attentional control.

PubMed

Silton, Rebecca Levin; Heller, Wendy; Towers, David N; Engels, Anna S; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Edgar, J Christopher; Sass, Sarah M; Stewart, Jennifer L; Sutton, Bradley P; Banich, Marie T; Miller, Gregory A

2010-04-15

A network of brain regions has been implicated in top-down attentional control, including left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). The present experiment evaluated predictions of the cascade-of-control model (Banich, 2009), which predicts that during attentionally-demanding tasks, LDLPFC imposes a top-down attentional set which precedes late-stage selection performed by dACC. Furthermore, the cascade-of-control model argues that dACC must increase its activity to compensate when top-down control by LDLPFC is poor. The present study tested these hypotheses using fMRI and dense-array ERP data collected from the same 80 participants in separate sessions. fMRI results guided ERP source modeling to characterize the time course of activity in LDLPFC and dACC. As predicted, dACC activity subsequent to LDLPFC activity distinguished congruent and incongruent conditions on the Stroop task. Furthermore, when LDLPFC activity was low, the level of dACC activity was related to performance outcome. These results demonstrate that dACC responds to attentional demand in a flexible manner that is dependent on the level of LDLPFC activity earlier in a trial. Overall, results were consistent with the temporal course of regional brain function proposed by the cascade-of-control model. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Management of adrenal cancer: a 2013 update.

PubMed

Terzolo, M; Daffara, F; Ardito, A; Zaggia, B; Basile, V; Ferrari, L; Berruti, A

2014-03-01

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a devastating tumor for either patients or their families because of short life expectancy and severe impact on quality of life. Due to the rarity of ACC, with a reported annual incidence of 0.5-2 cases per million population, progress in the development of treatment options beyond surgery has been limited. Up to now, no personalized approach of ACC therapy has emerged, apart from plasma level-guided mitotane therapy, and no simple targetable molecular event has been identified from preclinical studies. Complete surgical removal of ACC is the only potentially curative approach and has the most important impact on patient’s prognosis. Despite the limits of the available evidence, adjuvant mitotane therapy is currently recommended in many expert centers whenever the patients present an elevated risk of recurrence. The management of patients with recurrent and metastatic disease is challenging and the prognosis is often poor. Mitotane monotherapy is indicated in the management of patients with a low tumor burden and/or more indolent disease while patients whose disease show an aggressive behavior need cytotoxic chemotherapy. The treatment of patients with advanced ACC may include loco-regional approaches such as surgery and radiofrequency ablation in addition to systemic therapies. The present review provides an updated overview of the management of ACC patients following surgery and of the management of ACC patients with advanced disease.

High expression of Polycomb group protein EZH2 predicts poor survival in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

PubMed

Vékony, H; Raaphorst, F M; Otte, A P; van Lohuizen, M; Leemans, C R; van der Waal, I; Bloemena, E

2008-06-01

The prognosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), a malignant salivary gland tumour, depends on clinicopathological parameters. To decipher the biological behaviour of ACC, and to identify patients at risk of developing metastases, additional markers are needed. Expression of the cell cycle proteins p53, cyclin D1, p16(INK4a), E2F1 and Ki-67, together with the Polycomb group (PcG) proteins BMI-1, MEL-18, EZH2 and EED was investigated immunohistochemically 21 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded primary ACCs in relation to tumour characteristics. ACC revealed significantly increased expression of the cell cycle proteins compared to normal salivary tissue (n = 17). Members of the two PcG complexes displayed mutually exclusive expression in normal salivary gland tissue, with BMI-1 and MEL-18 being abundantly present. In ACC, this expression pattern was disturbed, with EZH2 and EED showing significantly increased expression levels. In univariate analysis, presence of recurrence, poor differentiation and high EZH2 levels (>25% immunopositivity) significantly correlated with unfavourable outcome. ACCs with high proliferative rate (>25% Ki-67 immunopositivity) significantly correlated with high levels of EZH2 and p16. Only the development of recurrence was an independent prognostic factor of survival in multivariate analysis. Expression of PcG complexes and of essential cell cycle proteins is highly deregulated in ACC. Also, EZH2 expression has prognostic relevance in this malignancy.

High intensity interval training improves liver and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity.

PubMed

Marcinko, Katarina; Sikkema, Sarah R; Samaan, M Constantine; Kemp, Bruce E; Fullerton, Morgan D; Steinberg, Gregory R

2015-12-01

Endurance exercise training reduces insulin resistance, adipose tissue inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an effect often associated with modest weight loss. Recent studies have indicated that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) lowers blood glucose in individuals with type 2 diabetes independently of weight loss; however, the organs affected and mechanisms mediating the glucose lowering effects are not known. Intense exercise increases phosphorylation and inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in muscle, adipose tissue and liver. AMPK and ACC are key enzymes regulating fatty acid metabolism, liver fat content, adipose tissue inflammation and insulin sensitivity but the importance of this pathway in regulating insulin sensitivity with HIIT is unknown. In the current study, the effects of 6 weeks of HIIT were examined using obese mice with serine-alanine knock-in mutations on the AMPK phosphorylation sites of ACC1 and ACC2 (AccDKI) or wild-type (WT) controls. HIIT lowered blood glucose and increased exercise capacity, food intake, basal activity levels, carbohydrate oxidation and liver and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed WT and AccDKI mice. These changes occurred independently of weight loss or reductions in adiposity, inflammation and liver lipid content. These data indicate that HIIT lowers blood glucose levels by improving adipose and liver insulin sensitivity independently of changes in adiposity, adipose tissue inflammation, liver lipid content or AMPK phosphorylation of ACC.

Post-learning infusion of anisomycin into the anterior cingulate cortex impairs instrumental acquisition through an effect on reinforcer valuation

PubMed Central

Jonkman, Sietse; Everitt, Barry J.

2009-01-01

The integrity of the rodent anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is essential for various aspects of instrumental behavior, but it is not clear if the ACC is important for the acquisition of a simple instrumental response. Here, it was demonstrated that post-session infusions of anisomycin into the rat ACC completely prevented the acquisition of instrumental responding. The experimental use of post-session intracranial infusions of plasticity inhibitors is assumed to affect local consolidation of plasticity, but not behavioral task performance. However, in associative appetitive conditioning, post-session intracranial infusion of pharmaco-active compounds could actually interfere with subsequent task performance indirectly through retrospective effects on the valuation of ingested rewards. Thus, it was subsequently demonstrated that the intracranial infusion of anisomycin into the ACC after sucrose pellet consumption significantly reduced subsequent pellet consumption, suggesting that the infusion of anisomycin into the ACC produced conditioned taste avoidance. In the third experiment, an innovative procedure was introduced that dissociated the effects of intracranial infusions after conditioning sessions on task-learning and unconditioned stimulus valuation. With this procedure, the infusion of anisomycin into the ACC after instrumental sessions did not affect instrumental reinforcer valuation or the acquisition of instrumental responding, suggesting that plasticity in the ACC is not necessary for the acquisition of instrumental behavior. PMID:19864297

A prototype fully polarimetric 160-GHz bistatic ISAR compact radar range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaudoin, C. J.; Horgan, T.; DeMartinis, G.; Coulombe, M. J.; Goyette, T.; Gatesman, A. J.; Nixon, William E.

2017-05-01

We present a prototype bistatic compact radar range operating at 160 GHz and capable of collecting fullypolarimetric radar cross-section and electromagnetic scattering measurements in a true far-field facility. The bistatic ISAR system incorporates two 90-inch focal length, 27-inch-diameter diamond-turned mirrors fed by 160 GHz transmit and receive horns to establish the compact range. The prototype radar range with its modest sized quiet zone serves as a precursor to a fully developed compact radar range incorporating a larger quiet zone capable of collecting X-band bistatic RCS data and 3D imagery using 1/16th scale objects. The millimeter-wave transmitter provides 20 GHz of swept bandwidth in the single linear (Horizontal/Vertical) polarization while the millimeter-wave receiver, that is sensitive to linear Horizontal and Vertical polarization, possesses a 7 dB noise figure. We present the design of the compact radar range and report on test results collected to validate the system's performance.

24 CFR 880.503 - Maximum annual commitment and project account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... may be contracted for in the ACC is the total of the contract rents and utility allowances for all... commitment exceeds the amount actually paid out under the Contract or ACC each year. Payments will be made... the Contract or ACC for a fiscal year exceeds the maximum annual commitment and would cause the amount...

24 CFR 990.150 - Limited vacancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... shall pay operating subsidy for a limited number of vacant units under an ACC if the annualized vacancy... percent of the unit months under an ACC) for the period July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005, and (2) Three... to five vacant units not to exceed 100 percent of the unit months under an ACC. For example, a PHA...

24 CFR 880.503 - Maximum annual commitment and project account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... may be contracted for in the ACC is the total of the contract rents and utility allowances for all... commitment exceeds the amount actually paid out under the Contract or ACC each year. Payments will be made... the Contract or ACC for a fiscal year exceeds the maximum annual commitment and would cause the amount...

Errors without Conflict: Implications for Performance Monitoring Theories of Anterior Cingulate Cortex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Veen, V.; Holroyd, C.B.; Cohen, J.D.; Stenger, V.A.; Carter, C.S.

2004-01-01

Recent theories of the neural basis of performance monitoring have emphasized a central role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Replicating an earlier event-related potential (ERP) study, which showed an error feedback negativity that was modeled as having an ACC generator, we used event-related fMRI to investigate whether the ACC would…

24 CFR 990.150 - Limited vacancies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... shall pay operating subsidy for a limited number of vacant units under an ACC if the annualized vacancy... percent of the unit months under an ACC) for the period July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005, and (2) Three... to five vacant units not to exceed 100 percent of the unit months under an ACC. For example, a PHA...

Cognitive Functioning after Medial Frontal Lobe Damage Including the Anterior Cingulate Cortex: A Preliminary Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Amee; Dewar, Bonnie-Kate; Critchley, Hugo; Gilbert, Sam J.; Dolan, Raymond J.; Cipolotti, Lisa

2006-01-01

Two patients with medial frontal lobe damage involving the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) performed a range of cognitive tasks, including tests of executive function and anterior attention. Both patients lesions extended beyond the ACC, therefore caution needs to be exerted in ascribing observed deficits to the ACC alone. Patient performance was…

Chemical and physical controls on the transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate into crystalline CaCO3 polymorphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blue, C. R.; Giuffre, A.; Mergelsberg, S.; Han, N.; De Yoreo, J. J.; Dove, P. M.

2017-01-01

Calcite and other crystalline polymorphs of CaCO3 can form by pathways involving amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). Apparent inconsistencies in the literature indicate the relationships between ACC composition, local conditions, and the subsequent crystalline polymorphs are not yet established. This experimental study quantifies the control of solution composition on the transformation of ACC into crystalline polymorphs in the presence of magnesium. Using a mixed flow reactor to control solution chemistry, ACC was synthesized with variable Mg contents by tuning input pH, Mg/Ca, and total carbonate concentration. ACC products were allowed to transform within the output suspension under stirred or quiescent conditions while characterizing the evolving solutions and solids. As the ACC transforms into a crystalline phase, the solutions record a polymorph-specific evolution of pH and Mg/Ca. The data provide a quantitative framework for predicting the initial polymorph that forms from ACC based upon the solution aMg2+/aCa2+ and aCO32-/aCa2+ and stirring versus quiescent conditions. This model reconciles discrepancies among previous studies that report on the nature of the polymorphs produced from ACC and supports the previous claim that monohydrocalcite may be an important, but overlooked, transient phase on the way to forming some aragonite and calcite deposits. By this construct, organic additives and extreme pH are not required to tune the composition and nature of the polymorph that forms. Our measurements show that the Mg content of ACC is recorded in the resulting calcite with a ≈1:1 dependence. By correlating composition of these calcite products with the Mgtot/Catot of the initial solutions, we find a ≈3:1 dependence that is approximately linear and general to whether calcite is formed via an ACC pathway or by the classical step-propagation process. Comparisons to calcite grown in synthetic seawater show a ≈1:1 dependence. The relationships suggest that the local Mg2+/Ca2+ at the time of precipitation determines the calcite composition, independent of whether growth occurs via an amorphous intermediate or classical pathway for a range of supersaturations and pH conditions. The findings reiterate the need to revisit the traditional picture of chemical and physical controls on CaCO3 polymorph selection. Mineralization by pathways involving ACC can lead to the formation of crystalline phases whose polymorphs and compositions are out of equilibrium with local growth media. As such, classical thermodynamic equilibria may not provide a reliable predictor of observed compositions.

Compact Heat Exchanger Design and Testing for Advanced Reactors and Advanced Power Cycles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Xiaodong; Zhang, Xiaoqin; Christensen, Richard

The goal of the proposed research is to demonstrate the thermal hydraulic performance of innovative surface geometries in compact heat exchangers used as intermediate heat exchangers (IHXs) and recuperators for the supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO 2) Brayton cycle. Printed-circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) are the primary compact heat exchangers of interest. The overall objectives are: To develop optimized PCHE designs for different working fluid combinations including helium to s-CO 2, liquid salt to s-CO 2, sodium to s-CO 2, and liquid salt to helium; To experimentally and numerically investigate thermal performance, thermal stress and failure mechanism of PCHEs under various transients;more » and To study diffusion bonding techniques for elevated-temperature alloys and examine post-test material integrity of the PCHEs. The project objectives were accomplished by defining and executing five different tasks corresponding to these specific objectives. The first task involved a thorough literature review and a selection of IHX candidates with different surface geometries as well as a summary of prototypic operational conditions. The second task involved optimization of PCHE design with numerical analyses of thermal-hydraulic performances and mechanical integrity. The subsequent task dealt with the development of testing facilities and engineering design of PCHE to be tested in s-CO 2 fluid conditions. The next task involved experimental investigation and validation of the thermal-hydraulic performances and thermal stress distribution of prototype PCHEs manufactured with particular surface geometries. The last task involved an investigation of diffusion bonding process and posttest destructive testing to validate mechanical design methods adopted in the design process. The experimental work utilized the two test facilities at The Ohio State University (OSU) including one existing High-Temperature Helium Test Facility (HTHF) and the newly developed s-CO 2 test loop (STL) facility and s-CO 2 test facility at University of Wisconsin – Madison (UW).« less

Functional, structural, and emotional correlates of impaired insight in cocaine addiction

PubMed Central

Moeller, Scott J.; Konova, Anna B.; Parvaz, Muhammad A.; Tomasi, Dardo; Lane, Richard D.; Fort, Carolyn; Goldstein, Rita Z.

2014-01-01

Context Individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) have difficulty monitoring ongoing behavior, possibly stemming from dysfunction of brain regions subserving insight and self-awareness [e.g., anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)]. Objective To test the hypothesis that CUD with impaired insight (iCUD) would show abnormal (A) ACC activity during error processing, assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging during a classic inhibitory control task; (B) ACC gray matter integrity assessed with voxel-based morphometry; and (C) awareness of one’s own emotional experiences, assessed with the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS). Using a previously validated probabilistic choice task, we grouped 33 CUD according to insight [iCUD: N=15; unimpaired insight CUD: N=18]; we also studied 20 healthy controls, all with unimpaired insight. Design Multimodal imaging design. Setting Clinical Research Center at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Participants Thirty-three CUD and 20 healthy controls. Main Outcome Measure Functional magnetic resonance imaging, voxel-based morphometry, LEAS, and drug use variables. Results Compared with the other two study groups, iCUD showed lower (A) error-induced rostral ACC (rACC) activity as associated with more frequent cocaine use; (B) gray matter within the rACC; and (C) LEAS scores. Conclusions These results point to rACC functional and structural abnormalities, and diminished emotional awareness, in a subpopulation of CUD characterized by impaired insight. Because the rACC has been implicated in appraising the affective/motivational significance of errors and other types of self-referential processing, functional and structural abnormalities in this region could result in lessened concern (frequently ascribed to minimization and denial) about behavioral outcomes that could potentially culminate in increased drug use. Treatments targeting this CUD subgroup could focus on enhancing the salience of errors (e.g., lapses). PMID:24258223

A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Predictor of Treatment Response to Venlafaxine in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

PubMed Central

Johnstone, Tom; Somerville, Leah H.; Nitschke, Jack B.; Polis, Sara; Alexander, Andrew L.; Davidson, Richard J.; Kalin, Ned H.

2008-01-01

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) holds promise as a noninvasive means of identifying neural responses that can be used to predict treatment response before beginning a drug trial. Imaging paradigms employing facial expressions as presented stimuli have been shown to activate the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Here, we sought to determine whether pretreatment amygdala and rostral ACC (rACC) reactivity to facial expressions could predict treatment outcomes in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods Fifteen subjects (12 female subjects) with GAD participated in an open-label venlafaxine treatment trial. Functional magnetic resonance imaging responses to facial expressions of emotion collected before subjects began treatment were compared with changes in anxiety following 8 weeks of venlafaxine administration. In addition, the magnitude of fMRI responses of subjects with GAD were compared with that of 15 control subjects (12 female subjects) who did not have GAD and did not receive venlafaxine treatment. Results The magnitude of treatment response was predicted by greater pretreatment reactivity to fearful faces in rACC and lesser reactivity in the amygdala. These individual differences in pretreatment rACC and amygdala reactivity within the GAD group were observed despite the fact that 1) the overall magnitude of pretreatment rACC and amygdala reactivity did not differ between subjects with GAD and control subjects and 2) there was no main effect of treatment on rACC-amygdala reactivity in the GAD group. Conclusions These findings show that this pattern of rACC-amygdala responsivity could prove useful as a predictor of venlafaxine treatment response in patients with GAD. PMID:17964548

Autologous Cartilage Chip Transplantation Improves Repair Tissue Composition Compared With Marrow Stimulation.

PubMed

Christensen, Bjørn Borsøe; Olesen, Morten Lykke; Lind, Martin; Foldager, Casper Bindzus

2017-06-01

Repair of chondral injuries by use of cartilage chips has recently demonstrated clinical feasibility. To investigate in vivo cartilage repair outcome of autologous cartilage chips compared with marrow stimulation in full-thickness cartilage defects in a minipig model. Controlled laboratory study. Six Göttingen minipigs received two 6-mm chondral defects in the medial and lateral trochlea of each knee. The two treatment groups were (1) autologous cartilage chips embedded in fibrin glue (ACC) (n = 12) and (2) marrow stimulation (MST) (n = 12). The animals were euthanized after 6 months, and the composition of repair tissue was quantitatively determined using histomorphometry. Semiquantitative evaluation was performed by means of the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) II score. Collagen type II staining was used to further evaluate the repair tissue composition. Significantly more hyaline cartilage was found in the ACC (17.1%) compared with MST (2.9%) group ( P < .01). Furthermore, the ACC group had significantly less fibrous tissue (23.8%) compared with the MST group (41.1%) ( P < .01). No significant difference in fibrocartilage content was found (54.7% for ACC vs 50.8% for MST). The ACC group had significantly higher ICRS II scores for tissue morphological characteristics, matrix staining, cell morphological characteristics, surface assessment, mid/deep assessment, and overall assessment ( P < .05). The ACC-treated defects had significantly more collagen type II staining (54.5%) compared with the MST-treated defects (28.1%) ( P < .05). ACC transplant resulted in improved quality of cartilage repair tissue compared with MST at 6 months postoperatively. Further studies are needed to investigate ACC as a possible alternative first-line treatment for focal cartilage injuries in the knee.

The ability of the 2013 ACC/AHA cardiovascular risk score to identify rheumatoid arthritis patients with high coronary artery calcification scores

PubMed Central

Kawai, Vivian K.; Chung, Cecilia P.; Solus, Joseph F.; Oeser, Annette; Raggi, Paolo; Stein, C. Michael

2014-01-01

Objective Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) that is underestimated by the Framingham risk score (FRS). We hypothesized that the 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year risk score would perform better than the FRS and the Reynolds risk score (RRS) in identifying RA patients known to have elevated cardiovascular risk based on high coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores. Methods Among 98 RA patients eligible for risk stratification using the ACC/AHA score we identified 34 patients with high CAC (≥ 300 Agatston units or ≥75th percentile) and compared the ability of the 10-year FRS, RRS and the ACC/AHA risk scores to correctly assign these patients to an elevated risk category. Results All three risk scores were higher in patients with high CAC (P values <0.05). The percentage of patients with high CAC correctly assigned to the elevated risk category was similar among the three scores (FRS 32%, RRS 32%, ACC/AHA 41%) (P=0.233). The c-statistics for the FRS, RRS and ACC/AHA risk scores predicting the presence of high CAC were 0.65, 0.66, and 0.65, respectively. Conclusions The ACC/AHA 10-year risk score does not offer any advantage compared to the traditional FRS and RRS in the identification of RA patients with elevated risk as determined by high CAC. The ACC/AHA risk score assigned almost 60% of patients with high CAC into a low risk category. Risk scores and standard risk prediction models used in the general population do not adequately identify many RA patients with elevated cardiovascular risk. PMID:25371313

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) contributes to neuropathic spontaneous pain-related aversion via NR2B receptors.

PubMed

Zhang, Le; Wang, Gongming; Ma, Jinben; Liu, Chengxiao; Liu, Xijiang; Zhan, Yufeng; Zhang, Mengyuan

2016-10-01

The rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) plays an important role in pain affect. Previous investigations have reported that the rACC mediates the negative affective component of inflammatory pain and contributed to the aversive state of nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an activity-dependent neuromodulator in the adult brain, is believed to play a role in the development and maintenance of inflammatory and neuropathic pain in the spinal cord. However, whether and how BDNF in the rACC regulates pain-related aversion due to peripheral nerve injury is largely unknown. Behaviorally, using conditioned place preference (CPP) training in rats, which is thought to reveal spontaneous pain-related aversion, we found that CPP was acquired following spinal clonidine in rats with partial sciatic nerve transection. Importantly, BDNF was upregulated within the rACC in of rats with nerve injury and enhanced the CPP acquisition, while a local injection of a BDNF-tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) antagonist into the rACC completely blocked this process. Finally, we demonstrated that the BDNF/TrkB pathway exerted its function by activating the NR2B receptor, which is widely accepted to be a crucial factor contributing to pain affect. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the BDNF/TrkB-mediated signaling pathway in the rACC is involved in the development of neuropathic spontaneous pain-related aversion and that this process is dependent upon activation of NR2B receptors. These findings suggest that suppression of the BDNF-related signaling pathway in the rACC may provide a novel strategy to overcome pain-related aversion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reduced heart size and increased myocardial fuel substrate oxidation in ACC2 mutant mice

PubMed Central

Essop, M. Faadiel; Camp, Heidi S.; Choi, Cheol Soo; Sharma, Saumya; Fryer, Ryan M.; Reinhart, Glenn A.; Guthrie, Patrick H.; Bentebibel, Assia; Gu, Zeiwei; Shulman, Gerald I.; Taegtmeyer, Heinrich; Wakil, Salih J.; Abu-Elheiga, Lutfi

2008-01-01

The cardiac-enriched isoform of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC2) is a key regulator of mitochondrial fatty acid (FA) uptake via carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1). To test the hypothesis that oxidative metabolism is upregulated in hearts from animals lacking ACC2 (employing a transgenic Acc2-mutant mouse), we assessed cardiac function in vivo and determined rates of myocardial substrate oxidation ex vivo. When examined by echocardiography, there was no difference in systolic function, but left ventricular mass of the Acc2-mutant (MUT) mouse was significantly reduced (∼25%) compared with wild-types (WT). Reduced activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its downstream target p70S6K was found in MUT hearts. Exogenous oxidation rates of oleate were increased ∼22%, and, unexpectedly, exogenous glucose oxidation rates were also increased in MUT hearts. Using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, we found that glucose uptake in MUT hearts was increased by ∼83%. Myocardial triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in MUT vs. WT while glycogen content was the same. In parallel, transcript levels of PPARα and its target genes, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-4 (PDK-4), malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD), and mCPT1, were downregulated in MUT mice. In summary, we report that 1) Acc2-mutant hearts exhibit a marked preference for the oxidation of both glucose and FAs coupled with greater utilization of endogenous fuel substrates (triglycerides), 2) attenuated mTOR signaling may result in reduced heart sizes observed in Acc2-mutant mice, and 3) Acc2-mutant hearts displayed normal functional parameters despite a significant decrease in size. PMID:18487439

Delay of flower senescence by bacterial endophytes expressing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase.

PubMed

Ali, S; Charles, T C; Glick, B R

2012-11-01

The ability of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase-containing plant growth-promoting bacterial (PGPB) endophytes Pseudomonas fluorescens YsS6 and Pseudomonas migulae 8R6, their ACC deaminase minus mutants and the rhizospheric plant growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas putida UW4 to delay the senescence of mini carnation cut flowers was assessed. Fresh cut flowers were incubated with either a bacterial cell suspension, the ethylene precursor ACC, the ethylene inhibitor l-α-(aminoethoxyvinyl)-glycine or 0·85% NaCl at room temperature for 11 days. Levels of flower senescence were recorded every other day. To verify the presence of endophytes inside the plant tissues, scanning electron microscopy was performed. Among all treatments, flowers treated with wild-type ACC deaminase-containing endophytic strains exhibited the most significant delay in flower senescence, while flowers treated with the ACC deaminase minus mutants senesced at a rate similar to the control. Flowers treated with Ps. putida UW4 senesced more rapidly than untreated control flowers. The only difference between wild-type and mutant bacterial endophytes was ACC deaminase activity so that it may be concluded that this enzyme is directly responsible for the significant delay in flower senescence. Despite containing ACC deaminase activity, Ps. putida UW4 is not taken up by the cut flowers and therefore has no effect on prolonging their shelf life. The world-wide cut flower industry currently uses expensive and potentially environmentally dangerous chemical inhibitors of ethylene to prolong the shelf life of cut flowers. The use of PGPB endophytes with ACC deaminase activity has the potential to replace the chemicals that are currently used by the cut flower industry. © 2012 The Authors Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Frontal hyperconnectivity related to discounting and reversal learning in cocaine subjects.

PubMed

Camchong, Jazmin; MacDonald, Angus W; Nelson, Brent; Bell, Christopher; Mueller, Bryon A; Specker, Sheila; Lim, Kelvin O

2011-06-01

Functional neuroimaging studies suggest that chronic cocaine use is associated with frontal lobe abnormalities. Functional connectivity (FC) alterations of cocaine-dependent individuals (CD), however, are not yet clear. This is the first study to our knowledge that examines resting FC of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in CD. Because ACC is known to integrate inputs from different brain regions to regulate behavior, we hypothesized that CD will have connectivity abnormalities in ACC networks. In addition, we hypothesized that abnormalities would be associated with poor performance in delayed discounting and reversal learning tasks. Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected to look for FC differences between 27 CD (5 women, age: M = 39.73, SD = 6.14 years) and 24 control subjects (5 women, age: M = 39.76, SD = 7.09 years). Participants were assessed with delayed discounting and reversal learning tasks. With seed-based FC measures, we examined FC in CD and control subjects within five ACC connectivity networks with seeds in subgenual, caudal, dorsal, rostral, and perigenual ACC. The CD showed increased FC within the perigenual ACC network in left middle frontal gyrus, ACC, and middle temporal gyrus when compared with control subjects. The FC abnormalities were significantly positively correlated with task performance in delayed discounting and reversal learning tasks in CD. The present study shows that participants with chronic cocaine-dependency have hyperconnectivity within an ACC network known to be involved in social processing and "mentalizing." In addition, FC abnormalities found in CD were associated with difficulties with delay rewards and slower adaptive learning. Copyright © 2011 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Inhibition Reverses NAFLD and Hepatic Insulin Resistance but Promotes Hypertriglyceridemia in Rodents.

PubMed

Goedeke, Leigh; Bates, Jamie; Vatner, Daniel F; Perry, Rachel J; Wang, Ting; Ramirez, Ricardo; Li, Li; Ellis, Matthew W; Zhang, Dongyan; Wong, Kari E; Beysen, Carine; Cline, Gary W; Ray, Adrian S; Shulman, Gerald I

2018-05-23

Pharmacologic inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) enzymes, ACC1 and ACC2, offers an attractive therapeutic strategy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) via simultaneous inhibition of fatty acid synthesis and stimulation of fatty acid oxidation. However, the effects of ACC inhibition on hepatic mitochondrial oxidation, anaplerosis, and ketogenesis in vivo are unknown. Here, we evaluated the impact of a novel liver-directed allosteric inhibitor of ACC1 and ACC2 (Compound 1) on these parameters, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism, in control and diet-induced rodent models of NAFLD. Oral administration of Compound 1 preferentially inhibited ACC enzymatic activity in the liver, reduced hepatic malonyl-CoA levels and enhanced hepatic ketogenesis by 50%. Furthermore, administration for 6 days to high-fructose fed rats resulted in a 20% reduction in hepatic de novo lipogenesis. Importantly, long-term treatment (21 days) significantly reduced high-fat sucrose diet (HFSD)-induced hepatic steatosis, PKCε activation and hepatic insulin resistance. ACCi treatment was associated with a significant increase in plasma triglycerides (∼30 to 130%, depending on length of fasting). ACCi-mediated hypertriglyceridemia could be attributed to a ∼15% increase in hepatic VLDL production and ∼20% reduction in triglyceride clearance by lipoprotein lipase (LPL) (P ≤ 0.05). At the molecular level, these changes were associated with increases in LXR/SREBP1 and decreases in PPARα target activation and could be reversed with fenofibrate co-treatment in a high-fat diet mouse model. Collectively, these studies warrant further investigation into the therapeutic utility of liver-directed ACC inhibition for the treatment of NAFLD and hepatic insulin resistance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Voluntary modulation of anterior cingulate response to negative feedback.

PubMed

Shane, Matthew S; Weywadt, Christina R

2014-01-01

Anterior cingulate and medial frontal cortex (dACC/mFC) response to negative feedback represents the actions of a generalized error-monitoring system critical for the management of goal-directed behavior. Magnitude of dACC/mFC response to negative feedback correlates with levels of post-feedback behavioral change, and with proficiency of operant learning processes. With this in mind, it follows that an ability to alter dACC/mFC response to negative feedback may lead to representative changes in operant learning proficiency. To this end, the present study investigated the extent to which healthy individuals would show modulation of their dACC/mFC response when instructed to try to either maximize or minimize their neural response to the presentation of contingent negative feedback. Participants performed multiple runs of a standard time-estimation task, during which they received feedback regarding their ability to accurately estimate a one-second duration. On Watch runs, participants were simply instructed to try to estimate as closely as possible the one second duration. On Increase and Decrease runs, participants performed the same task, but were instructed to "try to increase [decrease] their brain's response every time they received negative feedback". Results indicated that participants showed changes in dACC/mFC response under these differing instructional conditions: dACC/mFC activity following negative feedback was higher in the Increase condition, and dACC activity trended lower in the Decrease condition, compared to the Watch condition. Moreover, dACC activity correlated with post-feedback performance adjustments, and these adjustments were highest in the Increase condition. Potential implications for neuromodulation and facilitated learning are discussed.

Bilingual term alignment from comparable corpora in English discharge summary and Chinese discharge summary.

PubMed

Xu, Yan; Chen, Luoxin; Wei, Junsheng; Ananiadou, Sophia; Fan, Yubo; Qian, Yi; Chang, Eric I-Chao; Tsujii, Junichi

2015-05-09

Electronic medical record (EMR) systems have become widely used throughout the world to improve the quality of healthcare and the efficiency of hospital services. A bilingual medical lexicon of Chinese and English is needed to meet the demand for the multi-lingual and multi-national treatment. We make efforts to extract a bilingual lexicon from English and Chinese discharge summaries with a small seed lexicon. The lexical terms can be classified into two categories: single-word terms (SWTs) and multi-word terms (MWTs). For SWTs, we use a label propagation (LP; context-based) method to extract candidates of translation pairs. For MWTs, which are pervasive in the medical domain, we propose a term alignment method, which firstly obtains translation candidates for each component word of a Chinese MWT, and then generates their combinations, from which the system selects a set of plausible translation candidates. We compare our LP method with a baseline method based on simple context-similarity. The LP based method outperforms the baseline with the accuracies: 4.44% Acc1, 24.44% Acc10, and 62.22% Acc100, where AccN means the top N accuracy. The accuracy of the LP method drops to 5.41% Acc10 and 8.11% Acc20 for MWTs. Our experiments show that the method based on term alignment improves the performance for MWTs to 16.22% Acc10 and 27.03% Acc20. We constructed a framework for building an English-Chinese term dictionary from discharge summaries in the two languages. Our experiments have shown that the LP-based method augmented with the term alignment method will contribute to reduction of manual work required to compile a bilingual sydictionary of clinical terms.

Systems Reconsolidation Reveals a Selective Role for the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Generalized Contextual Fear Memory Expression

PubMed Central

Einarsson, Einar Ö; Pors, Jennifer; Nader, Karim

2015-01-01

After acquisition, hippocampus-dependent memories undergo a systems consolidation process, during which they become independent of the hippocampus and dependent on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for memory expression. However, consolidated remote memories can become transiently hippocampus-dependent again following memory reactivation. How this systems reconsolidation affects the role of the ACC in remote memory expression is not known. Using contextual fear conditioning, we show that the expression of 30-day-old remote memory can transiently be supported by either the ACC or the dorsal hippocampus following memory reactivation, and that the ACC specifically mediates expression of remote generalized contextual fear memory. We found that suppression of neural activity in the ACC with the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) impaired the expression of remote, but not recent, contextual fear memory. Fear expression was not affected by this treatment if preceded by memory reactivation 6 h earlier, nor was it affected by suppression of neural activity in the dorsal hippocampus with the GABA-receptor agonist muscimol. However, simultaneous targeting of both the ACC and the dorsal hippocampus 6 h after memory reactivation disrupted contextual fear memory expression. Second, we observed that expression of a 30-day-old generalized contextual fear memory in a novel context was not affected by memory reactivation 6 h earlier. However, intra-ACC CNQX infusion before testing impaired contextual fear expression in the novel context, but not the original training context. Together, these data suggest that although the dorsal hippocampus may be recruited during systems reconsolidation, the ACC remains necessary for the expression of generalized contextual fear memory. PMID:25091528

Systems reconsolidation reveals a selective role for the anterior cingulate cortex in generalized contextual fear memory expression.

PubMed

Einarsson, Einar Ö; Pors, Jennifer; Nader, Karim

2015-01-01

After acquisition, hippocampus-dependent memories undergo a systems consolidation process, during which they become independent of the hippocampus and dependent on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for memory expression. However, consolidated remote memories can become transiently hippocampus-dependent again following memory reactivation. How this systems reconsolidation affects the role of the ACC in remote memory expression is not known. Using contextual fear conditioning, we show that the expression of 30-day-old remote memory can transiently be supported by either the ACC or the dorsal hippocampus following memory reactivation, and that the ACC specifically mediates expression of remote generalized contextual fear memory. We found that suppression of neural activity in the ACC with the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) impaired the expression of remote, but not recent, contextual fear memory. Fear expression was not affected by this treatment if preceded by memory reactivation 6 h earlier, nor was it affected by suppression of neural activity in the dorsal hippocampus with the GABA-receptor agonist muscimol. However, simultaneous targeting of both the ACC and the dorsal hippocampus 6 h after memory reactivation disrupted contextual fear memory expression. Second, we observed that expression of a 30-day-old generalized contextual fear memory in a novel context was not affected by memory reactivation 6 h earlier. However, intra-ACC CNQX infusion before testing impaired contextual fear expression in the novel context, but not the original training context. Together, these data suggest that although the dorsal hippocampus may be recruited during systems reconsolidation, the ACC remains necessary for the expression of generalized contextual fear memory.

Passive and active plasma deceleration for the compact disposal of electron beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonatto, A., E-mail: abonatto@lbl.gov; CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, DF 700040-020; Schroeder, C. B.

2015-08-15

Plasma-based decelerating schemes are investigated as compact alternatives for the disposal of high-energy beams (beam dumps). Analytical solutions for the energy loss of electron beams propagating in passive and active (laser-driven) schemes are derived. These solutions, along with numerical modeling, are used to investigate the evolution of the electron distribution, including energy chirp and total beam energy. In the active beam dump scheme, a laser-driver allows a more homogeneous beam energy extraction and drastically reduces the energy chirp observed in the passive scheme. These concepts could benefit applications requiring overall compactness, such as transportable light sources, or facilities operating atmore » high beam power.« less

Bacterial Modulation of Plant Ethylene Levels

PubMed Central

Gamalero, Elisa; Glick, Bernard R.

2015-01-01

A focus on the mechanisms by which ACC deaminase-containing bacteria facilitate plant growth.Bacteria that produce the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, when present either on the surface of plant roots (rhizospheric) or within plant tissues (endophytic), play an active role in modulating ethylene levels in plants. This enzyme activity facilitates plant growth especially in the presence of various environmental stresses. Thus, plant growth-promoting bacteria that express ACC deaminase activity protect plants from growth inhibition by flooding and anoxia, drought, high salt, the presence of fungal and bacterial pathogens, nematodes, and the presence of metals and organic contaminants. Bacteria that express ACC deaminase activity also decrease the rate of flower wilting, promote the rooting of cuttings, and facilitate the nodulation of legumes. Here, the mechanisms behind bacterial ACC deaminase facilitation of plant growth and development are discussed, and numerous examples of the use of bacteria with this activity are summarized. PMID:25897004

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex is selective for pain: Results from large-scale reverse inference

PubMed Central

Lieberman, Matthew D.; Eisenberger, Naomi I.

2015-01-01

Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) activation is commonly observed in studies of pain, executive control, conflict monitoring, and salience processing, making it difficult to interpret the dACC’s specific psychological function. Using Neurosynth, an automated brainmapping database [of over 10,000 functional MRI (fMRI) studies], we performed quantitative reverse inference analyses to explore the best general psychological account of the dACC function P(Ψ process|dACC activity). Results clearly indicated that the best psychological description of dACC function was related to pain processing—not executive, conflict, or salience processing. We conclude by considering that physical pain may be an instance of a broader class of survival-relevant goals monitored by the dACC, in contrast to more arbitrary temporary goals, which may be monitored by the supplementary motor area. PMID:26582792

Theta–gamma coordination between anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex indexes correct attention shifts

PubMed Central

Voloh, Benjamin; Valiante, Taufik A.; Everling, Stefan; Womelsdorf, Thilo

2015-01-01

Anterior cingulate and lateral prefrontal cortex (ACC/PFC) are believed to coordinate activity to flexibly prioritize the processing of goal-relevant over irrelevant information. This between-area coordination may be realized by common low-frequency excitability changes synchronizing segregated high-frequency activations. We tested this coordination hypothesis by recording in macaque ACC/PFC during the covert utilization of attention cues. We found robust increases of 5–10 Hz (theta) to 35–55 Hz (gamma) phase–amplitude correlation between ACC and PFC during successful attention shifts but not before errors. Cortical sites providing theta phases (i) showed a prominent cue-induced phase reset, (ii) were more likely in ACC than PFC, and (iii) hosted neurons with burst firing events that synchronized to distant gamma activity. These findings suggest that interareal theta–gamma correlations could follow mechanistically from a cue-triggered reactivation of rule memory that synchronizes theta across ACC/PFC. PMID:26100868

A more accurate detection of codon 72 polymorphism and LOH of the TP53 gene.

PubMed

Baccouche, Sami; Mabrouk, Imed; Said, Salem; Mosbah, Ali; Jlidi, Rachid; Gargouri, Ali

2003-01-10

The polymorphism at codon 72 of the TP53 gene has been extensively studied for its involvement in cancerogenesis and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) detection. Usually, the exon 4 of the TP53 gene is amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA extracted from blood and tumor tissues, then digested by AccII. In the case of heterozygosity, the comparison of AccII profile from blood and tumor DNA PCR products allowed the identification of a potential LOH in the TP53 locus. This method can be hindered by a partial AccII digestion and/or DNA contamination of non-tumor cells. To circumvent these problems, we have developed a new approach by using the AccII restriction site between exon 4 and exon 6. The PCR amplification of exon 4-6, followed by AccII digestion allowed us to detect without ambiguity any LOH case.

Are biopolymers potential deodourising agents in wound management?

PubMed

Lee, G; Anand, S C; Rajendran, S

2009-07-01

To investigate the odour-adsorbing properties of biopolymers, with a view to using the findings to develop a novel dressing with odour-adsorbing properties. The odour-adsorbing properties of a selection of biopolymers (aloe vera, tea tree oil, neem oil and manuka honey) and three commercially available dressings containing activated charcoal cloth (ACC) were quantitatively assessed using laboratory test equipment. An aloe vera-containing composite dressing, designed and developed by the authors, was also compared with the ACC dressings. Aloe vera was the most adsorbent of the biopolymers and a 40% dilution had comparable values to those of the ACC dressings. Furthermore, values for the novel composite dressing were similar to those of the ACC dressings. The novel composite dressing may be a potential alternative to ACC dressings, and has the added advantages of having antimicrobial properties as well as the ability to promote a moist wound environment. However, more research is needed.

Adsorption/electrosorption of catechol and resorcinol onto high area activated carbon cloth.

PubMed

Bayram, Edip; Hoda, Numan; Ayranci, Erol

2009-09-15

Removal of catechol and resorcinol from aqueous solutions by adsorption and electrosorption onto high area activated carbon cloth (ACC) was investigated. Kinetics of both adsorption and electrosorption were followed by in-situ UV-spectroscopic method and the data were treated according to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models. It was found that the adsorption and electrosorption of these compounds onto ACC follows pseudo-second-order model. pH changes during adsorption and electrosorption were followed and discussed with regard to the interaction between ACC and adsorbate molecules, utilizing the pH(pzc) value of ACC. An electrodesorption experiment was conducted to explore the possibility of regeneration of ACC. Adsorption isotherms were derived at 25 degrees C on the basis of batch analysis. The fits of experimental isotherm data to the well-known Freundlich, Langmuir and Tempkin models were examined.

Neural encoding of competitive effort in the anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Hillman, Kristin L; Bilkey, David K

2012-09-01

In social environments, animals often compete to obtain limited resources. Strategically electing to work against another animal represents a cost-benefit decision. Is the resource worth an investment of competitive effort? The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in cost-benefit decision-making, but its role in competitive effort has not been examined. We recorded ACC neurons in freely moving rats as they performed a competitive foraging choice task. When at least one of the two choice options demanded competitive effort, the majority of ACC neurons exhibited heightened and differential firing between the goal trajectories. Inter- and intrasession manipulations revealed that differential firing was not attributable to effort or reward in isolation; instead ACC encoding patterns appeared to indicate net utility assessments of available choice options. Our findings suggest that the ACC is important for encoding competitive effort, a cost-benefit domain that has received little neural-level investigation despite its predominance in nature.

OpenACC performance for simulating 2D radial dambreak using FVM HLLE flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunawan, P. H.; Pahlevi, M. R.

2018-03-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the performances of openACC platform for computing 2D radial dambreak. Here, the shallow water equation will be used to describe and simulate 2D radial dambreak with finite volume method (FVM) using HLLE flux. OpenACC is a parallel computing platform based on GPU cores. Indeed, from this research this platform is used to minimize computational time on the numerical scheme performance. The results show the using OpenACC, the computational time is reduced. For the dry and wet radial dambreak simulations using 2048 grids, the computational time of parallel is obtained 575.984 s and 584.830 s respectively for both simulations. These results show the successful of OpenACC when they are compared with the serial time of dry and wet radial dambreak simulations which are collected 28047.500 s and 29269.40 s respectively.

Sexual attraction enhances glutamate transmission in mammalian anterior cingulate cortex

PubMed Central

Wu, Long-Jun; Kim, Susan S; Li, Xiangyao; Zhang, Fuxing; Zhuo, Min

2009-01-01

Functional human brain imaging studies have indicated the essential role of cortical regions, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), in romantic love and sex. However, the neurobiological basis of how the ACC neurons are activated and engaged in sexual attraction remains unknown. Using transgenic mice in which the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) is controlled by the promoter of the activity-dependent gene c-fos, we found that ACC pyramidal neurons are activated by sexual attraction. The presynaptic glutamate release to the activated neurons is increased and pharmacological inhibition of neuronal activities in the ACC reduced the interest of male mice to female mice. Our results present direct evidence of the critical role of the ACC in sexual attraction, and long-term increases in glutamate mediated excitatory transmission may contribute to sexual attraction between male and female mice. PMID:19419552

Assay Methods for ACS Activity and ACS Phosphorylation by MAP Kinases In Vitro and In Vivo.

PubMed

Han, Xiaomin; Li, Guojing; Zhang, Shuqun

2017-01-01

Ethylene, a gaseous phytohormone, has profound effects on plant growth, development, and adaptation to the environment. Ethylene-regulated processes begin with the induction of ethylene biosynthesis. There are two key steps in ethylene biosynthesis. The first is the biosynthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) from S-Adenosyl-Methionine (SAM), a common precursor in many metabolic pathways, which is catalyzed by ACC synthase (ACS). The second is the oxidative cleavage of ACC to form ethylene under the action of ACC oxidase (ACO). ACC biosynthesis is the committing and generally the rate-limiting step in ethylene biosynthesis. As a result, characterizing the cellular ACS activity and understanding its regulation are important. In this chapter, we detail the methods used to measure, (1) the enzymatic activity of both recombinant and native ACS proteins, and (2) the phosphorylation of ACS protein by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in vivo and in vitro.

Interaction of Light and Ethylene on Stem Gravitropism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, Marcia A.

1996-01-01

The major objective of this study was to evaluate light-regulated ethylene production during gravitropic bending in etiolated pea stems. Previous investigations indicated that ethylene production increases after gravistimulation and is associated with the later (counter-reactive) phase of bending. Additionally, changes in the counter-reaction and locus of curvature during gravitropism are greatly influenced by red light and ethylene production. Ethylene production may be regulated by the levels of available precursor (1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid, ACC) via its synthesis, conjugation to malonyl-ACC or glutamyl-ACC, or oxidation to ethylene. The regulation of ethylene production by quantifying ACC and conjugated ACC levels in gravistimulated pea stemswas examined. Also measured was the changes in protein and enzyme activity associated with gravitropic curvature by electrophoretic and spectrophotometric techniques. An image analysis system was used to visualize and quantify enzymatic activity and transcriptional products in gravistimulated and red-light treated etiolated pea stem tissues.

Phase transitions in biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate.

PubMed

Gong, Yutao U T; Killian, Christopher E; Olson, Ian C; Appathurai, Narayana P; Amasino, Audra L; Martin, Michael C; Holt, Liam J; Wilt, Fred H; Gilbert, P U P A

2012-04-17

Crystalline biominerals do not resemble faceted crystals. Current explanations for this property involve formation via amorphous phases. Using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM), here we examine forming spicules in embryos of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sea urchins, and observe a sequence of three mineral phases: hydrated amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC · H(2)O) → dehydrated amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) → calcite. Unexpectedly, we find ACC · H(2)O-rich nanoparticles that persist after the surrounding mineral has dehydrated and crystallized. Protein matrix components occluded within the mineral must inhibit ACC · H(2)O dehydration. We devised an in vitro, also using XANES-PEEM, assay to identify spicule proteins that may play a role in stabilizing various mineral phases, and found that the most abundant occluded matrix protein in the sea urchin spicules, SM50, stabilizes ACC · H(2)O in vitro.

24 CFR 943.120 - What programs of a PHA are included in a consortium's functions?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... PHA under an ACC with HUD; and (5) Any grant programs of the PHA in connection with its Section 8 or... in paragraph (a) of this section, the consortium must cover the PHA's whole program under the ACC with HUD for that category, including all dwelling units and all funding for that program under the ACC...

24 CFR 943.120 - What programs of a PHA are included in a consortium's functions?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... PHA under an ACC with HUD; and (5) Any grant programs of the PHA in connection with its Section 8 or... in paragraph (a) of this section, the consortium must cover the PHA's whole program under the ACC with HUD for that category, including all dwelling units and all funding for that program under the ACC...

Like Father, Like Daughter-inherited cutis aplasia occurring in a family with Marfan syndrome: a case report.

PubMed

Islam, Yasmin Florence Khodeja; Williams, Charles A; Schoch, Jennifer Jane; Andrews, Israel David

2017-01-01

We present the case of a newborn with co-occurrence of Marfan syndrome and aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) and a family history significant for Marfan syndrome and ACC in the father. This case details a previously unreported mutation in Marfan syndrome and describes a novel coinheritance of Marfan syndrome and ACC.

Biology is Destiny: A Case of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Diagnosed and Resected at Inception in a Patient Under Close Surveillance for Lung Cancer.

PubMed

Miron, Benjamin; Ristau, Benjamin T; Tomaszewski, Jeffrey J; Jones, Josh; Milestone, Bart; Wong, Yu-Ning; Uzzo, Robert G; Edmondson, Donna; Scott, Walter; Kutikov, Alexander

2016-11-01

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy that is generally associated with a poor prognosis whose existence dictates the management of incidental renal masses. We report a case of ACC diagnosed and treated at its apparent inception in a patient undergoing close surveillance imaging of a prior malignancy. Despite timely detection and resection of a localized ACC this patient rapidly progressed to systemic disease. This case highlights the rapid growth kinetics of ACC and puts into perspective the challenges associated with the established treatment paradigm for patients diagnosed with an adrenal mass.

Test Rig for Evaluating Active Turbine Blade Tip Clearance Control Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lattime, Scott B.; Steinetz, Bruce M.; Robbie, Malcolm G.; Erker, Arthur H.

2004-01-01

The objectives of the research presented in this viewgraph presentation are to 1) Design a mechanical ACC system for HPT tip seal clearance management; 2) Design a test rig to evaluate ACC system concepts. We have focused our efforts on designing mechanical ACC systems that articulate the seal shroud via mechanical linkages connected to actuators that reside outside the extreme environment of the HPT. We opted for this style of design due to a lack of high temperature/low profile actuators that are presently available. We have also selected multiple hydraulic actuators for this first generation ACC system. Fuel-draulic actuators are already a well established technology.

Effect of trait anxiety on prefrontal control mechanisms during emotional conflict.

PubMed

Comte, Magali; Cancel, Aïda; Coull, Jennifer T; Schön, Daniele; Reynaud, Emmanuelle; Boukezzi, Sarah; Rousseau, Pierre-François; Robert, Gabriel; Khalfa, Stéphanie; Guedj, Eric; Blin, Olivier; Weinberger, Daniel R; Fakra, Eric

2015-06-01

Converging evidence points to a link between anxiety proneness and altered emotional functioning, including threat-related biases in selective attention and higher susceptibility to emotionally ambiguous stimuli. However, during these complex emotional situations, it remains unclear how trait anxiety affects the engagement of the prefrontal emotional control system and particularly the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a core region at the intersection of the limbic and prefrontal systems. Using an emotional conflict task and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated in healthy subjects the relations between trait anxiety and both regional activity and functional connectivity (psychophysiological interaction) of the ACC. Higher levels of anxiety were associated with stronger task-related activation in ACC but with reduced functional connectivity between ACC and lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC). These results support the hypothesis that when one is faced with emotionally incompatible information, anxiety leads to inefficient high-order control, characterized by insufficient ACC-LPFC functional coupling and increases, possibly compensatory, in activation of ACC. Our findings provide a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of the neural circuitry underlying anxiety and may offer potential treatment markers for anxiety disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Taking the load off: investigations of how adaptive cruise control affects mental workload.

PubMed

Young, Mark S; Stanton, Neville A

2004-07-15

It has been posited that Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) represents a new generation of vehicle automation, in that it has the potential to relieve drivers of mental as well as physical workload. The results of previous research however, have raised some confusing issues about the specific effects of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) on driver mental workload (MWL)--some studies report reduced MWL compared to manual driving, while others find no effect. Two hypotheses are proposed in an attempt to explain these discrepancies: (a) that any potential MWL reductions due to ACC could be masked by the overriding influence of steering demand; or (b) that the tasks designed in some experiments do not exploit the adaptive nature of the ACC system, therefore precluding any potential benefits. Two related experiments were designed to test these hypotheses. It was found that the main reason for the discrepant findings was the nature of the driving task chosen--constant-speed tasks do not realise the mental workload benefits of ACC. Future researchers using ACC devices are advised to use variable-speed tasks to ensure that all aspects of device functionality are covered.

Enhanced intelligent driver model to access the impact of driving strategies on traffic capacity.

PubMed

Kesting, Arne; Treiber, Martin; Helbing, Dirk

2010-10-13

With an increasing number of vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC), the impact of such vehicles on the collective dynamics of traffic flow becomes relevant. By means of simulation, we investigate the influence of variable percentages of ACC vehicles on traffic flow characteristics. For simulating the ACC vehicles, we propose a new car-following model that also serves as the basis of an ACC implementation in real cars. The model is based on the intelligent driver model (IDM) and inherits its intuitive behavioural parameters: desired velocity, acceleration, comfortable deceleration and desired minimum time headway. It eliminates, however, the sometimes unrealistic behaviour of the IDM in cut-in situations with ensuing small gaps that regularly are caused by lane changes of other vehicles in dense or congested traffic. We simulate the influence of different ACC strategies on the maximum capacity before breakdown and the (dynamic) bottleneck capacity after breakdown. With a suitable strategy, we find sensitivities of the order of 0.3, i.e. 1 per cent more ACC vehicles will lead to an increase in the capacities by about 0.3 per cent. This sensitivity multiplies when considering travel times at actual breakdowns.

Haplotypes of the IL10 Gene as Potential Protection Factors in Leprosy Patients

PubMed Central

Garcia, Patricia; Alencar, Dayse; Pinto, Pablo; Santos, Ney; Salgado, Claudio; Sortica, Vinicius A.; Hutz, Mara H.; Santos, Sidney

2013-01-01

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae characterized by dermatoneurological signs and symptoms that has a large number of new cases worldwide. Several studies have associated interleukin 10 with susceptibility/resistance to several diseases. We investigated haplotypes formed by three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the IL10 gene (A-1082G, C-819T, and C-592A) in order to better understand the susceptibility to and severity of leprosy in an admixed northern Brazil population, taking into account estimates of interethnic admixture. We observed the genotypes ACC/ACC (P = 0.021, odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.290 [0.085 to 0823]) and ACC/GCC (P = 0.003, OR [95% CI] = 0.220 [0.504 to 0.040]) presenting significant results for protection against leprosy development, framed in the profiles of low and medium interleukin production, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that genotypes A-1082G, C-819T, and C-592A formed by interleukin-10 polymorphisms are closely related to protection of the leprosy development in an admixed northern Brazil population, in particular ACC/ACC and ACC/GCC genotypes. PMID:23966553

Where did the acute medical trainees go? A review of the career pathways of acute care common stem acute medical trainees in London.

PubMed

Gowland, Emily; Ball, Karen Le; Bryant, Catherine; Birns, Jonathan

2016-10-01

Acute care common stem acute medicine (ACCS AM) training was designed to develop competent multi-skilled acute physicians to manage patients with multimorbidity from 'door to discharge' in an era of increasing acute hospital admissions. Recent surveys by the Royal College of Physicians have suggested that acute medical specialties are proving less attractive to trainees. However, data on the career pathways taken by trainees completing core acute medical training has been lacking. Using London as a region with a 100% fill rate for its ACCS AM training programme, this study showed only 14% of trainees go on to higher specialty training in acute internal medicine and a further 10% to pursue higher medical specialty training with dual accreditation with internal medicine. 16% of trainees switched from ACCS AM to emergency medicine or anaesthetics during core ACCS training, and intensive care medicine proved to be the most popular career choice for ACCS AM trainees (21%). The ACCS AM training programme therefore does not appear to be providing what it was set out to do and this paper discusses the potential causes and effects. © Royal College of Physicians 2016. All rights reserved.

Effect of thiosulfate on rapid start-up of sulfur-based reduction of high concentrated perchlorate: A study of kinetics, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and bacterial community structure.

PubMed

Guo, Jianbo; Zhang, Chao; Lian, Jing; Lu, Caicai; Chen, Zhi; Song, Yuanyuan; Guo, Yankai; Xing, Yajuan

2017-11-01

Perchlorate (ClO 4 - ) contamination is more and more concerned due to the hazards to humans. Based on the common primary bacterium (Helicobacteraceae) of both thiosulfate-acclimated sludge (T-Acc) and sulfur-acclimated sludge (S-Acc) for perchlorate reduction, the rapid start-up of sulfur-based perchlorate reduction reactor (SBPRR) was hypothesized by inoculating T-Acc. Furthermore, the performance of SBPRR, the SO 4 2- yield, kinetics of ClO 4 - reduction and the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of biofilm confirmed the hypothesis. The start-up time of R3 (reactor inoculating T-Acc) was 0.18 and 0.21 times that of R1 (control) and R2 (reactor with the influent containing thiosulfate), respectively. The SO 4 2- yield of R3 was lower than that of R2 and R1 with perchlorate removal rate 166.7mg/(Lh). The kinetic study and EPS demonstrated that inoculating T-Acc was beneficial for the development of biofilm. Consequently, the present study indicated that SBPRR can be rapidly and successfully started-up via inoculation of T-Acc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression, purification, and characterization of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2.

PubMed

Kim, Ki Won; Yamane, Harvey; Zondlo, James; Busby, James; Wang, Minghan

2007-05-01

The full-length human acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) was expressed and purified to homogeneity by two separate groups (Y.G. Gu, M. Weitzberg, R.F. Clark, X. Xu, Q. Li, T. Zhang, T.M. Hansen, G. Liu, Z. Xin, X. Wang, T. McNally, H. Camp, B.A. Beutel, H.I. Sham, Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of N-{3-[2-(4-alkoxyphenoxy)thiazol-5-yl]-1-methylprop-2-ynyl}carboxy derivatives as selective acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 inhibitors, J. Med. Chem. 49 (2006) 3770-3773; D. Cheng, C.H. Chu, L. Chen, J.N. Feder, G.A. Mintier, Y. Wu, J.W. Cook, M.R. Harpel, G.A. Locke, Y. An, J.K. Tamura, Expression, purification, and characterization of human and rat acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) isozymes, Protein Expr. Purif., in press). However, neither group was successful in expressing the full-length ACC2 due to issues of solubility and expression levels. The two versions of recombinant human ACC2 in these reports are either truncated (lacking 1-148 aa) or have the N-terminal 275 aa replaced with the corresponding ACC1 region (1-133 aa). Despite the fact that ACC activity was observed in both cases, these constructs are not ideal because the N-terminal region of ACC2 could be important for the correct folding of the catalytic domains. Here, we report the high level expression and purification of full-length human ACC2 that lacks only the N-terminal membrane attachment sequence (1-20 and 1-26 aa, respectively) in Trichoplusia ni cells. In addition, we developed a sensitive HPLC assay to analyze the kinetic parameters of the recombinant enzyme. The recombinant enzyme is a soluble protein and has a K(m) value of 2 microM for acetyl-CoA, almost 30-fold lower than that reported for the truncated human ACC2. Our recombinant enzyme also has a lower K(m) value for ATP (K(m)=52 microM). Although this difference could be ascribed to different assay conditions, our data suggest that the longer human ACC2 produced in our system may have higher affinities for the substrates and could be more similar to the native enzyme.

Towards ion beam therapy based on laser plasma accelerators.

PubMed

Karsch, Leonhard; Beyreuther, Elke; Enghardt, Wolfgang; Gotz, Malte; Masood, Umar; Schramm, Ulrich; Zeil, Karl; Pawelke, Jörg

2017-11-01

Only few ten radiotherapy facilities worldwide provide ion beams, in spite of their physical advantage of better achievable tumor conformity of the dose compared to conventional photon beams. Since, mainly the large size and high costs hinder their wider spread, great efforts are ongoing to develop more compact ion therapy facilities. One promising approach for smaller facilities is the acceleration of ions on micrometre scale by high intensity lasers. Laser accelerators deliver pulsed beams with a low pulse repetition rate, but a high number of ions per pulse, broad energy spectra and high divergences. A clinical use of a laser based ion beam facility requires not only a laser accelerator providing beams of therapeutic quality, but also new approaches for beam transport, dosimetric control and tumor conformal dose delivery procedure together with the knowledge of the radiobiological effectiveness of laser-driven beams. Over the last decade research was mainly focused on protons and progress was achieved in all important challenges. Although currently the maximum proton energy is not yet high enough for patient irradiation, suggestions and solutions have been reported for compact beam transport and dose delivery procedures, respectively, as well as for precise dosimetric control. Radiobiological in vitro and in vivo studies show no indications of an altered biological effectiveness of laser-driven beams. Laser based facilities will hardly improve the availability of ion beams for patient treatment in the next decade. Nevertheless, there are possibilities for a need of laser based therapy facilities in future.

Facilities for Study and Research in the Offices of the United States Government at Washington. Bulletin, 1909, No. 1. Whole Number 398

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadley, Arthur Twining

1909-01-01

This bulletin contains a report prepared by President Hadley of Yale University on the facilities for advanced study and research in the offices of the National Government at Washington. Especial interest attaches to this publication. It sets forth, in compact form, information which has frequently been sought by institutions and individuals…

A skyshine study for a low-level radwaste storage facility for state compacts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shoemaker, D.C.; Hopkins, W.C.; Jha, S.

1989-11-01

The Central Interstate Compact Facility, to be located in Nebraska, is designed to utilize above-grade concrete vaults for disposal of all classes of waste. Such a low-level radwaste facility (LLRWF) must meet many, and at times competing, design conditions. One of the more rigorous design conditions is to limit the yearly effluent dose and direct radiation dose to the closest resident to the facility to < 0.25 mSv (25 mrem). Thus, a shield designer must assure that the proposed design will not only be cost-effective and provide for the conventional maintenance and operations of the facility, but will also meetmore » the performance criteria. During the operational phase of the facility, the dominant dose quickly becomes the air-scattered dose (skyshine) from the photons emerging from the roofs and walls of the facility. To investigate the sensitivity to skyshine of a preliminary design for an LLRWF, a study was undertaken using a version of the MORSE Monte Carlo program that runs on a PC/386. The effects of source energy were also examined by modeling two difference sources--{sup 60}Co and {sup 137}Cs. It was felt that these two isotopes are representative of the predominant high-energy gamma emitters for the projected waste inventory in the LLRWF. At the end of the design life of the LLRWF (i.e., full capacity at 30 yr), it was found that the difference in the yearly dose between assuring all {sup 60}Co and all {sup 137}Cs was a factor of < 2.« less

Development of a Bulk-Format System to Harvest, Handle, Store, and Deliver High-Tonnage Low-Moisture Switchgrass Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Womac, Alvin; Groothuis, Mitch; Westover, Tyler

2013-09-24

This project evaluates and compares comprehensive feedstock logistics systems (FLS), where a FLS is defined to comprehensively span from biomass material standing in a field to conveyance of a uniform, industrial-milled product into the throat of a biomass conversion facility (BCF). Elements of the bulk-format FLS evaluated in this project include: field-standing switchgrass dry chopped into bulk format on the farm, hauled (either loose or bulk compacted) to storage, stored with confining overburden in a protective facility, reclaimed and conveyed to bulk-format discharge, bulk compacted into an ejector trailer, and conveyed as bulk flow into the BCF. In this FLSmore » evaluation, bulk storage bins served as a controlled and sensored proxy for large commercial stacks protected from moisture with a membrane cover.« less

In vivo toxicity assessment of aflatoxin B1-contaminated corn after ozone degradation.

PubMed

Luo, Xiaohu; Li, Ke; Xing, Jiali; Qi, Lijun; Yang, Ming; Wang, Ren; Wang, Li; Li, Yanan; Chen, Zhengxing

2018-02-01

Corn is an important food and feedstuff in China and worldwide. The problems caused by aflatoxin B 1 -contaminated corn (ACC) are of great concern. Our previous studies have demonstrated that ozone can effectively degrade AFB 1 in corn, prompting us to investigate the in vivo toxicity of treated ACC. In this study, 35 Kunming mice were used to assess the in vivo toxicity of ozone treated ACC. Results indicated that compared to mice fed with basal feedstuff (provided by the Shanghai SLAC Laboratory), those fed with ACC have significantly decreased mean weight as well as total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), and globulin (GLB) contents (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the liver and kidney/body weight ratio as well as the serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels significantly increased (p < 0.05). Obvious histopathological changes were found in the liver and kidney. When mice were fed with the ozone-treated ACC, no significant differences were observed in the mean weight, the liver and kidney/body weight ratio and in the major serum indexes ALT, TP, ALB, and GLB (p > 0.05). However, AST and ALP significantly increased (p < 0.05), and slight histopathological changes were found in liver tissues. This study indicated that ACC may lead to significant changes in various physiological characteristics and biochemical indexes in liver and kidney tissues, but ozone treatment of ACC could significantly reduce these changes.

Efficient Plastid Transformation in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Yu, Qiguo; Lutz, Kerry Ann; Maliga, Pal

2017-09-01

Plastid transformation is routine in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) but 100-fold less frequent in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ), preventing its use in plastid biology. A recent study revealed that null mutations in ACC2 , encoding a plastid-targeted acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, cause hypersensitivity to spectinomycin. We hypothesized that plastid transformation efficiency should increase in the acc2 background, because when ACC2 is absent, fatty acid biosynthesis becomes dependent on translation of the plastid-encoded ACC β-carboxylase subunit. We bombarded ACC2 -defective Arabidopsis leaves with a vector carrying a selectable spectinomycin resistance ( aadA ) gene and gfp , encoding the green fluorescence protein GFP. Spectinomycin-resistant clones were identified as green cell clusters on a spectinomycin medium. Plastid transformation was confirmed by GFP accumulation from the second open reading frame of a polycistronic messenger RNA, which would not be translated in the cytoplasm. We obtained one to two plastid transformation events per bombarded sample in spectinomycin-hypersensitive Slavice and Columbia acc2 knockout backgrounds, an approximately 100-fold enhanced plastid transformation frequency. Slavice and Columbia are accessions in which plant regeneration is uncharacterized or difficult to obtain. A practical system for Arabidopsis plastid transformation will be obtained by creating an ACC2 null background in a regenerable Arabidopsis accession. The recognition that the duplicated ACCase in Arabidopsis is an impediment to plastid transformation provides a rational template to implement plastid transformation in related recalcitrant crops. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Thickness Is Related to Alexithymia in Childhood Trauma-Related PTSD

PubMed Central

Demers, Lauren A.; Olson, Elizabeth A.; Crowley, David J.; Rauch, Scott L.; Rosso, Isabelle M.

2015-01-01

Alexithymia, or “no words for feelings”, is highly prevalent in samples with childhood maltreatment and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) has been identified as a key region involved in alexithymia, early life trauma, and PTSD. Functional alterations in the dACC also have been associated with alexithymia in PTSD. This study examined whether dACC morphology is a neural correlate of alexithymia in child maltreatment-related PTSD. Sixteen adults with PTSD and a history of childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, or exposure to domestic violence, and 24 healthy controls (HC) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20 (TAS–20) and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Cortical thickness of the dACC was measured using FreeSurfer, and values were correlated with TAS–20 scores, controlling for sex and age, in both groups. Average TAS–20 score was significantly higher in the PTSD than the HC group. TAS–20 scores were significantly positively associated with dACC thickness only in the PTSD group. This association was strongest in the left hemisphere and for TAS–20 subscales that assess difficulty identifying and describing feelings. We found that increasing dACC gray matter thickness is a neural correlate of greater alexithymia in the context of PTSD with childhood maltreatment. While findings are correlational, they motivate further inquiry into the relationships between childhood adversity, emotional awareness and expression, and dACC morphologic development in trauma-related psychopathology. PMID:26439117

Withaferin A suppresses the up-regulation of acetyl-coA carboxylase 1 and skin tumor formation in a skin carcinogenesis mouse model.

PubMed

Li, Wenjuan; Zhang, Chunjing; Du, Hongyan; Huang, Vincent; Sun, Brandi; Harris, John P; Richardson, Quitin; Shen, Xinggui; Jin, Rong; Li, Guohong; Kevil, Christopher G; Gu, Xin; Shi, Runhua; Zhao, Yunfeng

2016-11-01

Withaferin A (WA), a natural product derived from Withania somnifera, has been used in traditional oriental medicines to treat neurological disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that this compound may have a potential for cancer treatment and a clinical trial has been launched to test WA in treating melanoma. Herein, WA's chemopreventive potential was tested in a chemically-induced skin carcinogenesis mouse model. Pathological examinations revealed that WA significantly suppressed skin tumor formation. Morphological observations of the skin tissues suggest that WA suppressed cell proliferation rather than inducing apoptosis during skin carcinogenesis. Antibody Micro array analysis demonstrated that WA blocked carcinogen-induced up-regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), which was further confirmed in a skin cell transformation model. Overexpression of ACC1 promoted whereas knockdown of ACC1 suppressed anchorage-independent growth and oncogene activation of transformable skin cells. Further studies demonstrated that WA inhibited tumor promotor-induced ACC1 gene transcription by suppressing the activation of activator protein 1. In melanoma cells, WA was also able to suppress the expression levels of ACC1. Finally, results using human skin cancer tissues confirmed the up-regulation of ACC1 in tumors than adjacent normal tissues. In summary, our results suggest that withaferin A may have a potential in chemoprevention and ACC1 may serve as a critical target of WA. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Soraphen A, an inhibitor of acetyl CoA carboxylase activity, interferes with fatty acid elongation

PubMed Central

Jump, Donald B.; Torres-Gonzalez, Moises; Olson, L. Karl

2010-01-01

Acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC1 & ACC2) generates malonyl CoA, a substrate for de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and an inhibitor of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). Malonyl CoA is also a substrate for microsomal fatty acid elongation, an important pathway for saturated (SFA), mono- (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthesis. Despite the interest in ACC as a target for obesity and cancer therapy, little attention has been given to the role ACC plays in long chain fatty acid synthesis. This report examines the effect of pharmacological inhibition of ACC on DNL & palmitate (16:0) and linoleate (18:2,n-6) metabolism in HepG2 and LnCap cells. The ACC inhibitor, soraphen A, lowers cellular malonyl CoA, attenuates DNL and the formation of fatty acid elongation products derived from exogenous fatty acids, i.e., 16:0 & 18:2,n-6; IC50 ~ 5 nM. Elevated expression of fatty acid elongases (Elovl5, Elovl6) or desaturases (FADS1, FADS2) failed to override the soraphen A effect on SFA, MUFA or PUFA synthesis. Inhibition of fatty acid elongation leads to the accumulation of 16- and 18-carbon unsaturated fatty acids derived from 16:0 and 18:2,n-6, respectively. Pharmacological inhibition of ACC activity will not only attenuate DNL and induce FAO, but will also attenuate the synthesis of very long chain saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. PMID:21184748

APC alterations are frequently involved in the pathogenesis of acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas, mainly through gene loss and promoter hypermethylation.

PubMed

Furlan, Daniela; Sahnane, Nora; Bernasconi, Barbara; Frattini, Milo; Tibiletti, Maria Grazia; Molinari, Francesca; Marando, Alessandro; Zhang, Lizhi; Vanoli, Alessandro; Casnedi, Selenia; Adsay, Volkan; Notohara, Kenji; Albarello, Luca; Asioli, Sofia; Sessa, Fausto; Capella, Carlo; La Rosa, Stefano

2014-05-01

Genetic and epigenetic alterations involved in the pathogenesis of pancreatic acinar cell carcinomas (ACCs) are poorly characterized, including the frequency and role of gene-specific hypermethylation, chromosome aberrations, and copy number alterations (CNAs). A subset of ACCs is known to show alterations in the APC/β-catenin pathway which includes mutations of APC gene. However, it is not known whether, in addition to mutation, loss of APC gene function can occur through alternative genetic and epigenetic mechanisms such as gene loss or promoter methylation. We investigated the global methylation profile of 34 tumor suppressor genes, CNAs of 52 chromosomal regions, and APC gene alterations (mutation, methylation, and loss) together with APC mRNA level in 45 ACCs and related peritumoral pancreatic tissues using methylation-specific multiplex ligation probe amplification (MS-MLPA), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), mutation analysis, and reverse transcription-droplet digital PCR. ACCs did not show an extensive global gene hypermethylation profile. RASSF1 and APC were the only two genes frequently methylated. APC mutations were found in only 7 % of cases, while APC loss and methylation were more frequently observed (48 and 56 % of ACCs, respectively). APC mRNA low levels were found in 58 % of cases and correlated with CNAs. In conclusion, ACCs do not show extensive global gene hypermethylation. APC alterations are frequently involved in the pathogenesis of ACCs mainly through gene loss and promoter hypermethylation, along with reduction of APC mRNA levels.

DNA copy number gains at loci of growth factors and their receptors in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

PubMed

Vékony, Hedy; Ylstra, Bauke; Wilting, Saskia M; Meijer, Gerrit A; van de Wiel, Mark A; Leemans, C René; van der Waal, Isaäc; Bloemena, Elisabeth

2007-06-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant salivary gland tumor with a high mortality rate due to late, distant metastases. This study aimed at unraveling common genetic abnormalities associated with ACC. Additionally, chromosomal changes were correlated with patient characteristics and survival. Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization was done to a series of 18 paraffin-embedded primary ACCs using a genome-wide scanning BAC array. A total of 238 aberrations were detected, representing more gains than losses (205 versus 33, respectively). Most frequent gains (>60%) were observed at 9q33.3-q34.3, 11q13.3, 11q23.3, 19p13.3-p13.11, 19q12-q13.43, 21q22.3, and 22q13.33. These loci harbor numerous growth factor [fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)] and growth factors receptor (FGFR3 and PDGFRbeta) genes. Gains at the FGF(R) regions occurred significantly more frequently in the recurred/metastasized ACCs compared with indolent ACCs. Furthermore, patients with 17 or more chromosomal aberrations had a significantly less favorable outcome than patients with fewer chromosomal aberrations (log-rank = 5.2; P = 0.02). Frequent DNA copy number gains at loci of growth factors and their receptors suggest their involvement in ACC initiation and progression. Additionally, the presence of FGFR3 and PDGFRbeta in increased chromosomal regions suggests a possible role for autocrine stimulation in ACC tumorigenesis.

High intensity interval training improves liver and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity

PubMed Central

Marcinko, Katarina; Sikkema, Sarah R.; Samaan, M. Constantine; Kemp, Bruce E.; Fullerton, Morgan D.; Steinberg, Gregory R.

2015-01-01

Objective Endurance exercise training reduces insulin resistance, adipose tissue inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an effect often associated with modest weight loss. Recent studies have indicated that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) lowers blood glucose in individuals with type 2 diabetes independently of weight loss; however, the organs affected and mechanisms mediating the glucose lowering effects are not known. Intense exercise increases phosphorylation and inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in muscle, adipose tissue and liver. AMPK and ACC are key enzymes regulating fatty acid metabolism, liver fat content, adipose tissue inflammation and insulin sensitivity but the importance of this pathway in regulating insulin sensitivity with HIIT is unknown. Methods In the current study, the effects of 6 weeks of HIIT were examined using obese mice with serine–alanine knock-in mutations on the AMPK phosphorylation sites of ACC1 and ACC2 (AccDKI) or wild-type (WT) controls. Results HIIT lowered blood glucose and increased exercise capacity, food intake, basal activity levels, carbohydrate oxidation and liver and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed WT and AccDKI mice. These changes occurred independently of weight loss or reductions in adiposity, inflammation and liver lipid content. Conclusions These data indicate that HIIT lowers blood glucose levels by improving adipose and liver insulin sensitivity independently of changes in adiposity, adipose tissue inflammation, liver lipid content or AMPK phosphorylation of ACC. PMID:26909307

MicroRNA-101-3p suppresses cell proliferation, invasion and enhances chemotherapeutic sensitivity in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma by targeting Pim-1

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiao-Yu; Liu, Zhi-Jian; He, Hong; Zhang, Chen; Wang, Yun-Long

2015-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Recent research has revealed miR-101-3p as an important regulator in several cancers. Nevertheless, its function in salivary gland Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), a relatively rare malignance with poor long-term survival rate arisen in head and neck region, remain unknown. In this study, down-regulated miR-101-3p expression was detected in ACC tissues and ACC cell lines with high potential for metastasis. Ectopic expression of miR-101-3p significantly repressed the invasion, proliferation, colony formation, and formation of nude mice xenografts and induced potent apoptosis in ACC cell lines. The provirus integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus 1 (Pim-1) oncogene was subsequently confirmed as a direct target gene of miR-101-3p in ACC. Functional restoration assays revealed that miR-101-3p inhibits cell growth and invasion by directly decreasing Pim-1 expression. Protein levels of Survivin, Cyclin D1 and β-catenin were also down-regulated by miR-101-3p. miR-101-3p enhanced the sensitivity of cisplatin in ACC cell lines. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the novel miR-101-3p/Pim-1 axis provides excellent insights into the carcinogenesis and tumor progression of ACC and may be a promising therapeutic target for this type of cancer. PMID:26693056

Characterization of Ethylene Biosynthesis Associated with Ripening in Banana Fruit1

PubMed Central

Liu, Xuejun; Shiomi, Shinjiro; Nakatsuka, Akira; Kubo, Yasutaka; Nakamura, Reinosuke; Inaba, Akitsugu

1999-01-01

We investigated the characteristics of ethylene biosynthesis associated with ripening in banana (Musa sp. [AAA group, Cavendish subgroup] cv Grand Nain) fruit. MA-ACS1 encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase in banana fruit was the gene related to the ripening process and was inducible by exogenous ethylene. At the onset of the climacteric period in naturally ripened fruit, ethylene production increased greatly, with a sharp peak concomitant with an increase in the accumulation of MA-ACS1 mRNA, and then decreased rapidly. At the onset of ripening, the in vivo ACC oxidase activity was enhanced greatly, followed by an immediate and rapid decrease. Expression of the MA-ACO1 gene encoding banana ACC oxidase was detectable at the preclimacteric stage, increased when ripening commenced, and then remained high throughout the later ripening stage despite of a rapid reduction in the ACC oxidase activity. This discrepancy between enzyme activity and gene expression of ACC oxidase could be, at least in part, due to reduced contents of ascorbate and iron, cofactors for the enzyme, during ripening. Addition of these cofactors to the incubation medium greatly stimulated the in vivo ACC oxidase activity during late ripening stages. The results suggest that ethylene production in banana fruit is regulated by transcription of MA-ACS1 until climacteric rise and by reduction of ACC oxidase activity possibly through limited in situ availability of its cofactors once ripening has commenced, which in turn characterizes the sharp peak of ethylene production. PMID:10594112

Sulcal Polymorphisms of the IFC and ACC Contribute to Inhibitory Control Variability in Children and Adults

PubMed Central

Linzarini, Adriano; Dollfus, Sonia; Etard, Olivier; Orliac, François; Houdé, Olivier

2018-01-01

Abstract Inhibitory control (IC) is a core executive function that enables humans to resist habits, temptations, or distractions. IC efficiency in childhood is a strong predictor of academic and professional success later in life. Based on analysis of the sulcal pattern, a qualitative feature of cortex anatomy determined during fetal life and stable during development, we searched for evidence that interindividual differences in IC partly trace back to prenatal processes. Using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we analyzed the sulcal pattern of two key regions of the IC neural network, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the inferior frontal cortex (IFC), which limits the inferior frontal gyrus. We found that the sulcal pattern asymmetry of both the ACC and IFC contributes to IC (Stroop score) in children and adults: participants with asymmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns had better IC efficiency than participants with symmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns. Such additive effects of IFC and ACC sulcal patterns on IC efficiency suggest that distinct early neurodevelopmental mechanisms targeting different brain regions likely contribute to IC efficiency. This view shares some analogies with the “common variant–small effect” model in genetics, which states that frequent genetic polymorphisms have small effects but collectively account for a large portion of the variance. Similarly, each sulcal polymorphism has a small but additive effect: IFC and ACC sulcal patterns, respectively, explained 3% and 14% of the variance of the Stroop interference scores. PMID:29527565

Sulcal Polymorphisms of the IFC and ACC Contribute to Inhibitory Control Variability in Children and Adults.

PubMed

Tissier, Cloélia; Linzarini, Adriano; Allaire-Duquette, Geneviève; Mevel, Katell; Poirel, Nicolas; Dollfus, Sonia; Etard, Olivier; Orliac, François; Peyrin, Carole; Charron, Sylvain; Raznahan, Armin; Houdé, Olivier; Borst, Grégoire; Cachia, Arnaud

2018-01-01

Inhibitory control (IC) is a core executive function that enables humans to resist habits, temptations, or distractions. IC efficiency in childhood is a strong predictor of academic and professional success later in life. Based on analysis of the sulcal pattern, a qualitative feature of cortex anatomy determined during fetal life and stable during development, we searched for evidence that interindividual differences in IC partly trace back to prenatal processes. Using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we analyzed the sulcal pattern of two key regions of the IC neural network, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the inferior frontal cortex (IFC), which limits the inferior frontal gyrus. We found that the sulcal pattern asymmetry of both the ACC and IFC contributes to IC (Stroop score) in children and adults: participants with asymmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns had better IC efficiency than participants with symmetrical ACC or IFC sulcal patterns. Such additive effects of IFC and ACC sulcal patterns on IC efficiency suggest that distinct early neurodevelopmental mechanisms targeting different brain regions likely contribute to IC efficiency. This view shares some analogies with the "common variant-small effect" model in genetics, which states that frequent genetic polymorphisms have small effects but collectively account for a large portion of the variance. Similarly, each sulcal polymorphism has a small but additive effect: IFC and ACC sulcal patterns, respectively, explained 3% and 14% of the variance of the Stroop interference scores.

Discordant correlation of breast adenoid cystic carcinoma on imaging and pathology: A case report and literature review on surgical management.

PubMed

Yan, Zhiyan; Leong, May Ying; Lim, Geok Hoon

2018-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) of the breast are extremely rare tumours, accounting for <0.1% of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. Little data exist regarding the correlation of radiological findings with histology of this rare subtype. To our knowledge, gross size discrepancy between the 2 modalities has not been reported. We describe a case of ACC with appreciable size discordance between imaging and pathology report. A 71 years old lady presented with a painless right breast lump of a few months duration. Clinical examination revealed a 1.5 cm right breast upper outer quadrant mass. Axillary and systemic examinations were unremarkable. Mammogram showed an asymmetric density in the right upper outer quadrant which corresponded to a suspicious nodule measuring about 2 cm on the ultrasound. Ultrasound of the axilla showed an indeterminate right lymph node. Core needle biopsy of the right breast nodule showed ACC while the lymph node biopsy was non- metastatic. Staging scans did not reveal any definite distant metastasis. Her naso-endoscopy and MRI of the neck were normal. She underwent a right mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Final histology returned as a grade II 55 mm ACC. Lympho-vascular invasion was absent. The tumour was triple negative for Estrogen receptor (ER), Progesterone receptor (PR) and Human epidermal receptor 2 (HER 2). Sentinel lymph node biopsy was negative for metastasis. She recovered well but declined adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She is currently well 6 months post operation. ACC is an extremely rare subtype, therefore there are limited reports in literature on its imaging and pathological characteristics. Of this sparse data, there was no mention that there might be a big size discrepancy between the 2 modalities. This appreciable discrepancy has implications for pre-operative planning and the choice of breast surgery. It will be useful if the pathological extent of ACC could be determined more accurately radiologically. However, there are no distinctive imaging characteristics for ACC. ACC can appear as a smooth round mass similar to that of a benign mass or as an irregular mass on mammogram. On ultrasound, ACC often manifested as a hypo- echoic heterogeneous mass with minimal vascularity on Doppler imaging and may have an indistinct margin. MRI has a higher sensitivity than mammogram and ultrasound in determining the true extent of the tumour, but there remains little data on its usefulness in ACC. ACC can be extensively infiltrative and present much larger than its radiological size, as reported in our case. Use of better imaging modalities judiciously, in these cases, are needed to more accurately predict the true pathological size of ACC to prevent inadequate surgery. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

History of the Association for Creativity in Counseling: The Evolution of a Conference, Division, and Journal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffey, Thelma; Kerl-McClain, Stella

2007-01-01

The Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC), though granted status as the 19th division of the American Counseling Association only three years ago, is rich with history. This article takes the reader through the evolution of ACC and its official journal: The "Journal of Creativity in Mental Health (JCMH)." The ACC and the "JCMH" are…

24 CFR 884.120 - Responsibility for contract administration and defaults (private-owner/PHA projects).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the Contract, subject to review and audit by HUD. (b) Defaults by PHA and/or owner. (1) The ACC and... assure that the obligations of the PHA to the Owner are carried out. (2) The ACC shall contain a... accordance with the terms of the ACC and the Contract. (3) The Contract shall contain a provision to the...

Dopamine D1 Receptors in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Regulate Effort-Based Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweimer, Judith; Hauber, Wolfgang

2006-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in encoding whether or not an action is worth performing in view of the expected benefit and the cost of performing the action. Dopamine input to the ACC may be critical for this form of effort-based decision making; however, the role of distinct ACC dopamine receptors is yet unknown.…

24 CFR 884.120 - Responsibility for contract administration and defaults (private-owner/PHA projects).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the Contract, subject to review and audit by HUD. (b) Defaults by PHA and/or owner. (1) The ACC and... assure that the obligations of the PHA to the Owner are carried out. (2) The ACC shall contain a... accordance with the terms of the ACC and the Contract. (3) The Contract shall contain a provision to the...

ACCE/ACS National Educator and Leader of the Year Winners: AEC Congratulates These Outstanding Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Educational Computing, 2012

2012-01-01

This article presents the ACCE/ACS National Educator and Leader of the Year winners. Anne Mirtschin is the recipient of the ACCE/ACS 2012 Educator of the Year Award. Mirtschin is an innovative teacher at Hawkesdale P-12 College a small rural school that is isolated culturally and geographically. She uses online tools and technology to create…

Post-Learning Infusion of Anisomycin into the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Impairs Instrumental Acquisition through an Effect on Reinforcer Valuation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonkman, Sietse; Everitt, Barry J.

2009-01-01

The integrity of the rodent anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is essential for various aspects of instrumental behavior, but it is not clear if the ACC is important for the acquisition of a simple instrumental response. Here, it was demonstrated that post-session infusions of anisomycin into the rat ACC completely prevented the acquisition of…

Identification of vascular patients at very high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events: validation of the current ACC/AHA very high risk criteria.

PubMed

van den Berg, M Johanneke; Bhatt, Deepak L; Kappelle, L Jaap; de Borst, Gert J; Cramer, Maarten J; van der Graaf, Yolanda; Steg, Ph Gabriel; Visseren, Frank L J

2017-11-14

To validate and assess performance of the current ACC/AHA very high risk criteria in patients with clinically manifest arterial disease. Data were used from the SMART study (n = 7216) and REACH Registry (n = 48 322), two prospective cohorts of patients with manifest atherosclerotic arterial disease. Prevalence and incidence rates of recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were calculated, according to the ACC/AHA VHR criteria (cardiovascular disease combined with diabetes, smoking, dyslipidaemia, and/or recent recurrent coronary events). Performance of the ACC/AHA criteria was compared with single very high risk factors in terms of C-statistics and Net Reclassification Index. All patients were at VHR according to the ESC guidelines (incidence of recurrent MACE in SMART was 2.4/100PY, with 95% CI 2.3-2.5/100PY and in REACH 5.1/100PY with 95% CI 5.0-5.3/100PY). In SMART 57% of the patients were at VHR according to the ACC/AHA criteria (incidence of recurrent MACE 2.7/100PY, 95% CI 2.5-2.9/100PY) and in REACH this was 64% (5.9/100PY, 95% CI 5.7-6.1/100PY). The C-statistic for the ACC/AHA VHR criteria was 0.53 in REACH and 0.54 in SMART. Very high risk factors with comparable or slightly better performance were eGFR < 45, polyvascular disease and age >70 years. Around two third of the patients meeting the ACC/AHA VHR criteria had a predicted 10-year risk of recurrent MACE <30%. The ACC/AHA VHR criteria have limited discriminative power. Identifying patients with clinically manifest arterial disease at VHR for recurrent vascular events using eGFR <45, polyvascular disease, or age >70 years performs as well as the ACC/AHA VHR criteria. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Objective measurement of subjective tinnitus using the acoustic change complex.

PubMed

Han, Ji-Hye; Won, Joong Yeon; Hong, Sung Kwang; Kim, Ja Hee; Kim, Eun Soo; Kim, Hyung-Jong; Lee, Hyo-Jeong

2017-01-01

At present, there is no objective method for diagnosing subjective sensorineural tinnitus. Recently, the acoustic change complex (ACC) has been used to evaluate neural detection of sounds. Thus, the present study aimed to examine whether the ACC can reflect cortical detection and discrimination of sounds matched with tinnitus frequencies. We hypothesized that the ACC to change stimuli matched with tinnitus frequencies would be decreased in tinnitus patients because the tinnitus interferes with the perception of acoustic changes. To test the hypothesis, 96 ears of normal-hearing (NH) tinnitus patients and controls were tested. Among the tinnitus patients, 33 ears with a tinnitus frequency of 8 kHz constituted the tinnitus group, and the remaining 63 ears with no experience of tinnitus were allocated to the control group. For the 4 kHz non-tinnitus matched frequency, a subset of tinnitus (n = 17) and NH (n = 47) subjects was tested. The acoustic stimuli were pure tones with a total duration of 500 ms consisting of a 1 kHz tone in the first 250 ms and a second tone of either 8 kHz or 4 kHz in the latter 250 ms. The normalized amplitude of the ACC (naACC) was calculated separately for the amplitude of the N1'-P2' complex evoked by an 8 kHz or 4 kHz change stimulus and for the amplitude of the N1-P2 complex elicited by the initial 1 kHz background stimulus. Our results showed that the naACC to an 8 kHz stimulus in the tinnitus group was significantly smaller than those to 4 kHz and 8 kHz in normal controls. Additionally, in the tinnitus group, the naACC to 4 kHz was greater compared to 8 kHz. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis conducted for naACC to 8 kHz at UCL revealed a fair degree of diagnostic efficacy. Overall, our results indicated that the ACC to a change stimulus matched with the tinnitus frequency can provide an objective measure of frequency-specific tinnitus.

Objective measurement of subjective tinnitus using the acoustic change complex

PubMed Central

Han, Ji-Hye; Won, Joong Yeon; Hong, Sung Kwang; Kim, Ja Hee; Kim, Eun Soo; Kim, Hyung-Jong

2017-01-01

At present, there is no objective method for diagnosing subjective sensorineural tinnitus. Recently, the acoustic change complex (ACC) has been used to evaluate neural detection of sounds. Thus, the present study aimed to examine whether the ACC can reflect cortical detection and discrimination of sounds matched with tinnitus frequencies. We hypothesized that the ACC to change stimuli matched with tinnitus frequencies would be decreased in tinnitus patients because the tinnitus interferes with the perception of acoustic changes. To test the hypothesis, 96 ears of normal-hearing (NH) tinnitus patients and controls were tested. Among the tinnitus patients, 33 ears with a tinnitus frequency of 8 kHz constituted the tinnitus group, and the remaining 63 ears with no experience of tinnitus were allocated to the control group. For the 4 kHz non-tinnitus matched frequency, a subset of tinnitus (n = 17) and NH (n = 47) subjects was tested. The acoustic stimuli were pure tones with a total duration of 500 ms consisting of a 1 kHz tone in the first 250 ms and a second tone of either 8 kHz or 4 kHz in the latter 250 ms. The normalized amplitude of the ACC (naACC) was calculated separately for the amplitude of the N1’-P2’ complex evoked by an 8 kHz or 4 kHz change stimulus and for the amplitude of the N1-P2 complex elicited by the initial 1 kHz background stimulus. Our results showed that the naACC to an 8 kHz stimulus in the tinnitus group was significantly smaller than those to 4 kHz and 8 kHz in normal controls. Additionally, in the tinnitus group, the naACC to 4 kHz was greater compared to 8 kHz. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis conducted for naACC to 8 kHz at UCL revealed a fair degree of diagnostic efficacy. Overall, our results indicated that the ACC to a change stimulus matched with the tinnitus frequency can provide an objective measure of frequency-specific tinnitus. PMID:29176873

The transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate, ACC, to crystalline phases as function of time and temperature.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gies, Hermann; Happel, Marian; Niedermayr, Andrea; Immenhauser, Adrian

2017-04-01

We present results from a structural study of the transformation of freeze dried amorphous calcium carbonate, ACC, in crystalline material using pair distribution function analysis, PDF analysis, of X-ray powder diffraction data, XPD data. PDF analysis allows for the analysis of local order of structural subunit in the range between molecular unit (1. and 2. coordination sphere) and long range periodicity as in crystalline materials. ACC was precipitated from aqueous solutions at 298 K and 278 K using different amounts of Mg cations as stabilizer. The samples were immediately separated from the solution and freeze dried. For the transformation study, the samples were heated and analysed using XPD until they were crystallized. The radial distribution obtained from the XPD data were compared to simulated radial distributions of the calcium carbonate polymorphs and their hydrated phases. An ACC precipitated from a solution with Ca:Mg:CO3 = 1:5:4 at 298 K (ration in mmol, pH = 8.2) and freeze dried right after isolation from the solution revealed a close resemblance with ikaite in its local order. Another ACC with Ca:Mg:CO3 = 1:10:1.4 (T = 298, pH = 8.7) showed distinctly different local order resembling monohydrocalcite. Both ACC, however, still had considerable amounts of water dominating the Ca-coordination sphere. During the transformation to calcite, the structural changes in the sample concerned the hydrate water coordinating Ca which was removed and replaced by the carbonate oxygens. The study shows that ACC obtained from different starting solutions show specific local order. Freeze drying leads to solid ACC powder which still contain considerable amounts of hydrate water. Structural subunits are distinct in ACC and different from the crystalline phase. The study supplements recent reports presented by Konrad et al., Purgstaller et al., and Tobler et al.. F. Konrad et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 16, 6310-6317(2016) B. Purgstaller et al., Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 174, 180-195(2016) DJ. Tobler et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 16, 4500-4508(2016)

Compact ECR ion source with permanent magnets for carbon therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muramatsu, M.; Kitagawa, A.; Sakamoto, Y.; Sato, Y.; Yamada, S.; Ogawa, H.; Drentje, A. G.; Biri, S.; Yoshida, Y.

2004-05-01

Ion sources for the medical facilities should have the following characteristics of easy maintenance, low electric power, good stability, and long operation time without trouble (1 year or longer). For this, a 10 GHz compact electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) with all permanent magnets was developed. The beam intensity and stability for C4+ were 280 e μA and better than 6% during 20 h with no adjustment of any source parameters. These results were acceptable for the medical requirements. Recently, many plans were proposed to construct the next generation cancer treatment facility. For such a facility we have designed an all permanent magnet ECRIS, in which a high magnetic field is chosen for increasing the beam intensity. The maximum mirror magnetic fields on the beam axis are 0.59 T at the extraction side and 0.87 T at the gas injection side, while the minimum B strength is 0.25 T. The source has a diameter of 32 cm and a length of 29.5 cm. Details of the design of this source and its background are described in this article.

Emotion triggers executive attention: anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala responses to emotional words in a conflict task.

PubMed

Kanske, Philipp; Kotz, Sonja A

2011-02-01

Coherent behavior depends on attentional control that detects and resolves conflict between opposing actions. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging study tested the hypothesis that emotion triggers attentional control to speed up conflict processing in particularly salient situations. Therefore, we presented emotionally negative and neutral words in a version of the flanker task. In response to conflict, we found activation of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and of the amygdala for emotional stimuli. When emotion and conflict coincided, a region in the ventral ACC was activated, which resulted in faster conflict processing in reaction times. Emotion also increased functional connectivity between the ventral ACC and activation of the dorsal ACC and the amygdala in conflict trials. These data suggest that the ventral ACC integrates emotion and conflict and prioritizes the processing of conflict in emotional trials. This adaptive mechanism ensures rapid detection and resolution of conflict in potentially threatening situations signaled by emotional stimuli. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Mutational Landscape of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Ho, Allen S.; Kannan, Kasthuri; Roy, David M.; Morris, Luc G.T.; Ganly, Ian; Katabi, Nora; Ramaswami, Deepa; Walsh, Logan A.; Eng, Stephanie; Huse, Jason T.; Zhang, Jianan; Dolgalev, Igor; Huberman, Kety; Heguy, Adriana; Viale, Agnes; Drobnjak, Marija; Leversha, Margaret A.; Rice, Christine E.; Singh, Bhuvanesh; Iyer, N. Gopalakrishna; Leemans, C. Rene; Bloemena, Elisabeth; Ferris, Robert L.; Seethala, Raja R.; Gross, Benjamin E.; Liang, Yupu; Sinha, Rileen; Peng, Luke; Raphael, Benjamin J.; Turcan, Sevin; Gong, Yongxing; Schultz, Nikolaus; Kim, Seungwon; Chiosea, Simion; Shah, Jatin P.; Sander, Chris; Lee, William; Chan, Timothy A.

2013-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) are among the most enigmatic of human malignancies. These aggressive salivary cancers frequently recur and metastasize despite definitive treatment, with no known effective chemotherapy regimen. Here, we determined the ACC mutational landscape and report the exome or whole genome sequences of 60 ACC tumor/normal pairs. These analyses revealed a low exonic somatic mutation rate (0.31 non-silent events/megabase) and wide mutational diversity. Interestingly, mutations selectively involved chromatin state regulators, such as SMARCA2, CREBBP, and KDM6A, suggesting aberrant epigenetic regulation in ACC oncogenesis. Mutations in genes central to DNA damage and protein kinase A signaling also implicate these processes. We observed MYB-NFIB translocations and somatic mutations in MYB-associated genes, solidifying these aberrations as critical events. Lastly, we identified recurrent mutations in the FGF/IGF/PI3K pathway that may potentially offer new avenues for therapy (30%). Collectively, our observations establish a molecular foundation for understanding and exploring new treatments for ACC. PMID:23685749

Meridional displacement of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current

PubMed Central

Gille, Sarah T.

2014-01-01

Observed long-term warming trends in the Southern Ocean have been interpreted as a sign of increased poleward eddy heat transport or of a poleward displacement of the entire Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) frontal system. The two-decade-long record from satellite altimetry is an important source of information for evaluating the mechanisms governing these trends. While several recent studies have used sea surface height contours to index ACC frontal displacements, here altimeter data are instead used to track the latitude of mean ACC transport. Altimetric height contours indicate a poleward trend, regardless of whether they are associated with ACC fronts. The zonally averaged transport latitude index shows no long-term trend, implying that ACC meridional shifts determined from sea surface height might be associated with large-scale changes in sea surface height more than with localized shifts in frontal positions. The transport latitude index is weakly sensitive to the Southern Annular Mode, but is uncorrelated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation. PMID:24891396

Adenoid cystic carcinoma: A review of recent advances, molecular targets, and clinical trials.

PubMed

Dillon, Patrick M; Chakraborty, Samhita; Moskaluk, Christopher A; Joshi, Prashant J; Thomas, Christopher Y

2016-04-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor of secretory glands. In this study, recent advances in molecular characterization and in therapeutics are reviewed. A search of articles in PubMed and of abstracts from national meetings was performed regarding ACC. Recent genetic analyses found that recurrent chromosome 6:9 translocations in ACC generate an MYB:NFIB gene fusion resulting in overexpression of the MYB oncoprotein. Several other frequent mutations are recently published that may be relevant for drug development. Several trials of targeted drugs are reviewed. Some agents delay tumor progression, but tumor responses remain rare. ACCs have a characteristic chromosomal translocation, but also frequently pick up additional mutations. Clinical research is limited by the rarity and slow growth of ACC. Several ongoing trials are testing agents that inhibit fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling or other signaling pathways. Novel treatments based on the recently sequenced tumor genome are under development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Breast: A Clinical Case Report.

PubMed

Kocaay, Akin Firat; Celik, Suleyman Utku; Hesimov, Ilkin; Eker, Tevfik; Percinel, Sibel; Demirer, Seher

2016-10-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an uncommon tumor of the breast, accounting for approximately 0.1% to 1% of all breast cancers. It is characterized by rare lymph node involvement and distant metastasis, and associated with a favorable prognosis with excellent survival, despite its triple-negative status. In the current state of knowledge, results of breast-conserving treatment with postoperative radiotherapy seem to be equivalent to mastectomy alone, with respect to survival for ACC of the breast. Due to its rarity, there is no consensus on optimal treatment for patients with ACC. Otherwise, the role of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy remains controversial. Further clinical studies are required to compare treatment options for ACC. But, a long-term follow-up is very important and mandatory for affected patients, due to the late onset of local relapse and occurrence of distant metastasis. Here, we report the case of a patient who presented with a palpable breast mass in the left breast that turned out to be an ACC of the breast.

GEODE : In situ planetary compact geochemistry facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angrilli, F.; Guizzo, G. P.; Bibring, J. P.; Fulchignoni, M.; Marinangeli, L.

2001-11-01

The purpose of this compact and miniaturised facility is to analyse the composition and physical properties of soils and rocks of the planetary surfaces. This type of assemblage would be suitable for the Mercury and Mars Scout missions (though under different environmental conditions) which require a very lightweight scientific package. In fact, ought to the very small dimensions of this facility, it can be easily allocated either inside a microrover or on a robotic arm of a lander. The scientific experiments we propose to be onboard the facility are: XMAP (x-ray diffractometer and fluorescence), MPE (magnetic properties experiment), VIRCUI (visible and infrared close-up imager). XMAP will perform mineralogical and chemical analysis directly on the sample surface. It will allow to define the textural and petro-mineralogical characteristics of the rocks and thus information of the past environment conditions. MPE will provide answers on the magnetic phase of particles and minerals which are responsible for the magnetisation of the soil. It can perform repeated measurements in different sites or generate variable field intensity and collect particles with different sizes. VIRCUI is a multifunction microscope that can perform visible and infrared analysis of the soil and at the same time it is a support for the MPE experiment; moreover VIRCUI can also be useful for the navigation of a microrover.

Inventory of File sref_nmm.t03z.pgrb221.p1.f00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

ground VGRD analysis V-Component of Wind [m/s] 015 surface WEASD analysis Water Equivalent of Accumulated day acc f Convective Precipitation [kg/m^2] 018 surface WEASD 0-0 day acc f Water Equivalent of Potential Temperature [K] 403 surface NCPCP 0-0 day acc f Large-Scale Precipitation (non-convective) [kg/m^2

Inventory of File sref_nmb.t03z.pgrb221.p1.f00.grib2

Science.gov Websites

ground VGRD analysis V-Component of Wind [m/s] 015 surface WEASD analysis Water Equivalent of Accumulated day acc f Convective Precipitation [kg/m^2] 018 surface WEASD 0-0 day acc f Water Equivalent of Potential Temperature [K] 403 surface NCPCP 0-0 day acc f Large-Scale Precipitation (non-convective) [kg/m^2

Adrenocortical Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Kim, Alex C.; Sabolch, Aaron; Raymond, Victoria M.; Kandathil, Asha; Caoili, Elaine M.; Jolly, Shruti; Miller, Barbra S.; Giordano, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy, often with an unfavorable prognosis. Here we summarize the knowledge about diagnosis, epidemiology, pathophysiology, and therapy of ACC. Over recent years, multidisciplinary clinics have formed and the first international treatment trials have been conducted. This review focuses on evidence gained from recent basic science and clinical research and provides perspectives from the experience of a large multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to the care of patients with ACC. PMID:24423978

ETHY. A theory of fruit climacteric ethylene emission.

PubMed

Génard, Michel; Gouble, Barbara

2005-09-01

A theory of fruit climacteric ethylene emission was developed and used as the basis of a simulation model called ETHY. According to the theory, the biosynthetic pathway of ethylene is supplied by ATP and is regulated by 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase and ACC oxidase. The conjugation of ACC with malonate to form MACC was taken into account as a way to decrease the availability of ACC. Because of the seasonal increase of fruit volume, the dilution of biochemical compounds used in ETHY was taken into account. Finally, the ethylene diffusion across the skin was considered. The theory took into account the effect of temperature and O(2) and CO(2) internal concentrations on ethylene. The model was applied to peach (Prunus persica) fruit over 3 years, several leaf:fruit ratios, and irrigation conditions. An adequate ethylene increase was predicted without considering any increase in respiration during the ripening period, which suggests that the respiratory climacteric may not be required for ripening. Another important result of this study is the high sensitivity of ETHY to the parameters involved in the calculation of ACC oxidase and ACC synthase activities, ATP production, and skin surface and permeability. ETHY was also highly sensitive to changes in fruit growth and temperature.

ETHY. A Theory of Fruit Climacteric Ethylene Emission1

PubMed Central

Génard, Michel; Gouble, Barbara

2005-01-01

A theory of fruit climacteric ethylene emission was developed and used as the basis of a simulation model called ETHY. According to the theory, the biosynthetic pathway of ethylene is supplied by ATP and is regulated by 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase and ACC oxidase. The conjugation of ACC with malonate to form MACC was taken into account as a way to decrease the availability of ACC. Because of the seasonal increase of fruit volume, the dilution of biochemical compounds used in ETHY was taken into account. Finally, the ethylene diffusion across the skin was considered. The theory took into account the effect of temperature and O2 and CO2 internal concentrations on ethylene. The model was applied to peach (Prunus persica) fruit over 3 years, several leaf:fruit ratios, and irrigation conditions. An adequate ethylene increase was predicted without considering any increase in respiration during the ripening period, which suggests that the respiratory climacteric may not be required for ripening. Another important result of this study is the high sensitivity of ETHY to the parameters involved in the calculation of ACC oxidase and ACC synthase activities, ATP production, and skin surface and permeability. ETHY was also highly sensitive to changes in fruit growth and temperature. PMID:16143642

Rostral anterior cingulate cortex activity and early symptom improvement during treatment for major depressive disorder

PubMed Central

Korb, Alexander S.; Hunter, Aimee M.; Cook, Ian A.; Leuchter, Andrew F.

2011-01-01

In treatment trials for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), early symptom improvement is predictive of eventual clinical response. Clinical response may also be predicted by elevated pretreatment theta (4-7 Hz) current density in the rostral anterior cingulate (rACC) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC). We investigated the relationship between pretreatment EEG and early improvement in predicting clinical outcome in 72 MDD subjects across three placebo-controlled treatment trials. Subjects were randomized to receive fluoxetine, venlafaxine, or placebo. Theta current density in the rACC and mOFC was computed with Low-Resolution Brain Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA). An ANCOVA, examining week 8 Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HamD) percent change, showed a significant effect of week-2-HamD-percent-change, and a significant three-way interaction of week-2-HamD-percent-change × Treatment × rACC. Medication subjects with robust early improvement showed almost no relationship between rACC theta current density and final clinical outcome. However, in subjects with little early improvement, rACC activity showed a strong relationship with clinical outcome. The model examining mOFC showed a trend in the three-way interaction. A combination of pretreatment rACC activity and early symptom improvement may be useful for predicting treatment response. PMID:21546222

Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Theta Current Density and Response to Antidepressants and Placebo in Major Depression

PubMed Central

Korb, Alexander S.; Hunter, Aimee M.; Cook, Ian A.; Leuchter, Andrew F.

2009-01-01

Objective To assess whether pretreatment theta current density in the rostral anterior cingulate (rACC) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) differentiates responders from non-responders to antidepressant medication or placebo in a double-blinded study. Methods Pretreatment EEGs were collected from 72 subjects with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who participated in one of three placebo-controlled trials. Subjects were randomized to receive treatment with fluoxetine, venlafaxine, or placebo. Low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) was used to assess theta current density in the rACC and mOFC. Results Medication responders showed elevated rACC and mOFC theta current density compared to medication non-responders (rACC: p=0.042; mOFC: p=0.039). There was no significant difference in either brain region between placebo responders and placebo non-responders. Conclusions Theta current density in the rACC and mOFC may be useful as a biomarker for prediction of response to antidepressant medication. Significance This is the first double-blinded treatment study to examine pretreatment rACC and mOFC theta current density in relation to antidepressant response and placebo response. Results support the potential clinical utility of this approach for predicting clinical outcome to antidepressant treatments in MDD. PMID:19539524

The 10-year Absolute Risk of Cardiovascular (CV) Events in Northern Iran: a Population Based Study

PubMed Central

Motamed, Nima; Mardanshahi, Alireza; Saravi, Benyamin Mohseni; Siamian, Hasan; Maadi, Mansooreh; Zamani, Farhad

2015-01-01

Background: The present study was conducted to estimate 10-year cardiovascular disease events (CVD) risk using three instruments in northern Iran. Material and methods: Baseline data of 3201 participants 40-79 of a population based cohort which was conducted in Northern Iran were analyzed. Framingham risk score (FRS), World Health Organization (WHO) risk prediction charts and American college of cardiovascular / American heart association (ACC/AHA) tool were applied to assess 10-year CVD events risk. The agreement values between the risk assessment instruments were determined using the kappa statistics. Results: Our study estimated 53.5%of male population aged 40-79 had a 10 –year risk of CVD events≥10% based on ACC/AHA approach, 48.9% based on FRS and 11.8% based on WHO risk charts. A 10 –year risk≥10% was estimated among 20.1% of women using the ACC/AHA approach, 11.9%using FRS and 5.7%using WHO tool. ACC/AHA and Framingham tools had closest agreement in the estimation of 10-year risk≥10% (κ=0.7757) in meanwhile ACC/AHA and WHO approaches displayed highest agreement (κ=0.6123) in women. Conclusion: Different estimations of 10-year risk of CVD event were provided by ACC/AHA, FRS and WHO approaches. PMID:26236160

Differential functional connectivity of rostral anterior cingulate cortex during emotional interference

PubMed Central

Szekely, Akos; Silton, Rebecca L.; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A.

2017-01-01

Abstract The rostral-ventral subdivision of the anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) plays a key role in the regulation of emotional processing. Although rACC has strong anatomical connections with anterior insular cortex (AIC), amygdala, prefrontal cortex and striatal brain regions, it is unclear whether the functional connectivity of rACC with these regions changes when regulating emotional processing. Furthermore, it is not known whether this connectivity changes with deficits in emotion regulation seen in different kinds of anxiety and depression. To address these questions regarding rACC functional connectivity, non-patients high in self-reported anxious apprehension (AP), anxious arousal (AR), anhedonic depression (AD) or none (CON) indicated the ink color of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant words during functional magnetic resonance imaging. While ignoring task-irrelevant unpleasant words, AD and CON showed an increase in the functional connectivity of rACC with AIC, putamen, caudate and ventral pallidum. There was a decrease in this connectivity in AP and AR, with AP showing greater reduction than AR. These findings provide support for the role of rACC in integrating interoceptive, emotional and cognitive functions via interactions with insula and striatal regions during effective emotion regulation in healthy individuals and a failure of this integration that may be specific to anxiety, particularly AP. PMID:27998997

Value of brain MRI when sonography raises suspicion of agenesis of the corpus callosum in fetuses.

PubMed

Jarre, A; Llorens Salvador, R; Montoliu Fornas, G; Montoya Filardi, A

To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in fetuses with a previous sonographic suspicion of agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) to confirm the diagnosis and to detect associated intracranial anomalies. Single-center retrospective and descriptive observational study of the brain MRI performed in 78 fetuses with ACC sonographic suspicion between January 2006 and December 2015. Two experts in fetal imaging reviewed the MRI findings to evaluate the presence and morphology of the corpus callosum. When ACC was detected the whole fetal brain anatomy was thoroughly studied to determine the presence of associated anomalies. Prenatal MR imaging findings were compared to postnatal brain MRI or necropsy findings when available. Fetal MRI diagnosed 45 cases of ACC, 12 were partial (26.7%) and 33 complete (73.3%). In 28 cases (62,2%) associated intracranial anomalies were identified. The most often abnormality was ventriculomegaly (78,6%), followed by cortical malformations (53,6%), posterior fossa (25%) and midline anomalies (10,7%). Fetal brain MRI has an important role in the diagnosis of ACC and detection of associated anomalies. To perform a fetal brain MRI is important in fetuses with sonographic suspicion of ACC. Copyright © 2017 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Monitoring apoptosis of TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M cells induced by ACV using FRET technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Tao; Zhang, Zhihong; Lin, Juqiang; Yang, Jie; Zeng, Shaoqun; Luo, Qingming

2006-05-01

Apoptosis is an evolutionary conserved cellular process that plays an important role during development, but it is also involved in tissue homeostasis and in many diseases. To study the characteristics of suicide gene system of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene in tumor cells and explore the apoptosis phenomena in this system and its effect on the human adenoid cystic carcinoma line ACC-M cell, we detected apoptosis of CD3- (ECFP-CRS-DsRed) and TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M (ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3) cells induced by acyclovir (ACV) using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique. CD3 is a FRET-based indicator for activity of caspase-3, which is composed of an enhanced cyan fluorescent protein, a caspase-3 sensitive linker, and a red fluorescent protein from Discosoma with efficient maturation property. FRET from ECFP to DsRed could be detected in normal ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells, and the FRET efficient was remarkably decreased and then disappeared during the cells apoptosis induced by ACV. It was due to the activated caspase-3 cleaved the CD3 fusion protein. In this study, the results suggested that the ACV-induced apoptosis of ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells was through caspase-3 pathway.

Monitoring apoptosis of TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M cells induced by ACV using FRET technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Tao; Zhang, Zhihong; Lin, Juqiang; Yang, Jie; Zeng, Shaoqun; Luo, Qingming

2006-09-01

Apoptosis is an evolutionary conserved cellular process that plays an important role during development, but it is also involved in tissue homeostasis and in many diseases. To study the characteristics of suicide gene system of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene in tumor cells and explore the apoptosis phenomena in this system and its effect on the human adenoid cystic carcinoma line ACC-M cell, we detected apoptosis of CD3- (ECFP-CRS-DsRed) and TK-GFP-expressing ACC-M (ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3) cells induced by acyclovir (ACV) using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique. CD3 is a FRET-based indicator for activity of caspase-3, which is composed of an enhanced cyan fluorescent protein, a caspase-3 sensitive linker, and a red fluorescent protein from Discosoma with efficient maturation property. FRET from ECFP to DsRed could be detected in normal ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells, and the FRET efficient was remarkably decreased and then disappeared during the cells apoptosis induced by ACV. It was due to the activated caspase-3 cleaved the CD3 fusion protein. In this study, the results suggested that the AVC-induced apoptosis of ACC-M-TK-GFP-CD3 cells was through caspase-3 pathway.

Reinforcement learning signals in the anterior cingulate cortex code for others' false beliefs.

PubMed

Apps, M A J; Green, R; Ramnani, N

2013-01-01

The ability to recognise that another's belief is false is a hallmark of our capacity to understand others' mental states. It has been suggested that the computational and neural mechanisms that underpin learning about others' mental states may be similar to those that underpin first-person Reinforcement Learning (RL). In RL, unexpected decision-making outcomes constitute prediction errors (PE), which are coded for by neurons in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC). Does the ACC signal the PEs (false beliefs) of others about the outcomes of their decisions? We scanned subjects using fMRI while they monitored a third-person's decisions and similar responses made by a computer. The outcomes of the trials were manipulated, such that the actual outcome was unexpectedly different from the predicted outcome on 1/3 of trials. We examined activity time-locked to privileged information which indicated the actual outcomes only to subjects. Activity in the gyral ACC was found when the outcomes of the third-person's decisions were unexpectedly positive. Activity in the sulcal ACC was found when the third-person's or computer's outcomes were unexpectedly positive. We suggest that a property of the ACC is that it codes PEs, with a portion of the gyral ACC specialised for processing the PEs of others. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emotion speeds up conflict resolution: a new role for the ventral anterior cingulate cortex?

PubMed

Kanske, Philipp; Kotz, Sonja A

2011-04-01

It has been hypothesized that processing of conflict is facilitated by emotion. Emotional stimuli signal significance in a situation. Thus, when an emotional stimulus is task relevant, more resources may be devoted to conflict processing to reduce the time that an organism is unable to act. In the present electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, we employed a conflict task and manipulated the emotional content and prosody of auditory target stimuli. In line with our hypothesis, reaction times revealed faster conflict resolution for emotional stimuli. Early stages of event-related potential conflict processing were modulated by emotion as indexed in an enhanced frontocentral negativity at 420 ms. FMRI yielded conflict activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), a crucial part of the executive control network. The right ventral ACC (vACC) was activated for conflict processing in emotional stimuli, suggesting that it is additionally activated for conflict processing in emotional stimuli. The amygdala was also activated by emotion. Furthermore, emotion increased functional connectivity between the vACC and activity in the amygdala and the dACC. The results support the hypothesis that emotion speeds up conflict processing and suggest a new role for the vACC in processing conflict in particularly significant situations signaled by emotion.

Progression to Adrenocortical Tumorigenesis in Mice and Humans through Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2 and β-Catenin

PubMed Central

Heaton, Joanne H.; Wood, Michelle A.; Kim, Alex C.; Lima, Lorena O.; Barlaskar, Ferdous M.; Almeida, Madson Q.; Fragoso, Maria C.B.V.; Kuick, Rork; Lerario, Antonio M.; Simon, Derek P.; Soares, Ibere C.; Starnes, Elisabeth; Thomas, Dafydd G.; Latronico, Ana C.; Giordano, Thomas J.; Hammer, Gary D.

2013-01-01

Dysregulation of the WNT and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) signaling pathways has been implicated in sporadic and syndromic forms of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Abnormal β-catenin staining and CTNNB1 mutations are reported to be common in both adrenocortical adenoma and ACC, whereas elevated IGF2 expression is associated primarily with ACC. To better understand the contribution of these pathways in the tumorigenesis of ACC, we examined clinicopathological and molecular data and used mouse models. Evaluation of adrenal tumors from 118 adult patients demonstrated an increase in CTNNB1 mutations and abnormal β-catenin accumulation in both adrenocortical adenoma and ACC. In ACC, these features were adversely associated with survival. Mice with stabilized β-catenin exhibited a temporal progression of increased adrenocortical hyperplasia, with subsequent microscopic and macroscopic adenoma formation. Elevated Igf2 expression alone did not cause hyperplasia. With the combination of stabilized β-catenin and elevated Igf2 expression, adrenal glands were larger, displayed earlier onset of hyperplasia, and developed more frequent macroscopic adenomas (as well as one carcinoma). Our results are consistent with a model in which dysregulation of one pathway may result in adrenal hyperplasia, but accumulation of a second or multiple alterations is necessary for tumorigenesis. PMID:22800756

A halotolerant Enterobacter sp. displaying ACC deaminase activity promotes rice seedling growth under salt stress.

PubMed

Sarkar, Anumita; Ghosh, Pallab Kumar; Pramanik, Krishnendu; Mitra, Soumik; Soren, Tithi; Pandey, Sanjeev; Mondal, Monohar Hossain; Maiti, Tushar Kanti

2018-01-01

Agricultural productivity is proven to be hampered by the synthesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and production of stress-induced ethylene under salinity stress. One-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is the direct precursor of ethylene synthesized by plants. Bacteria possessing ACC deaminase activity can use ACC as a nitrogen source preventing ethylene production. Several salt-tolerant bacterial strains displaying ACC deaminase activity were isolated from rice fields, and their plant growth-promoting (PGP) properties were determined. Among them, strain P23, identified as an Enterobacter sp. based on phenotypic characteristics, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry data and the 16S rDNA sequence, was selected as the best-performing isolate for several PGP traits, including phosphate solubilization, IAA production, siderophore production, HCN production, etc. Enterobacter sp. P23 was shown to promote rice seedling growth under salt stress, and this effect was correlated with a decrease in antioxidant enzymes and stress-induced ethylene. Isolation of an acdS mutant strain enabled concluding that the reduction in stress-induced ethylene content after inoculation of strain P23 was linked to ACC deaminase activity. Copyright © 2017 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Biomineral shell formation under ocean acidification: a shift from order to chaos.

PubMed

Fitzer, Susan C; Chung, Peter; Maccherozzi, Francesco; Dhesi, Sarnjeet S; Kamenos, Nicholas A; Phoenix, Vernon R; Cusack, Maggie

2016-02-15

Biomineral production in marine organisms employs transient phases of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) in the construction of crystalline shells. Increasing seawater pCO2 leads to ocean acidification (OA) with a reduction in oceanic carbonate concentration which could have a negative impact on shell formation and therefore survival. We demonstrate significant changes in the hydrated and dehydrated forms of ACC in the aragonite and calcite layers of Mytilus edulis shells cultured under acidification conditions (1000 μatm pCO2) compared to present day conditions (380 μatm pCO2). In OA conditions, Mytilus edulis has more ACC at crystalisation sites. Here, we use the high-spatial resolution of synchrotron X-ray Photo Emission Electron Microscopy (XPEEM) combined with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to investigate the influence of OA on the ACC formation in the shells of adult Mytilus edulis. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) confirms that OA reduces crystallographic control of shell formation. The results demonstrate that OA induces more ACC formation and less crystallographic control in mussels suggesting that ACC is used as a repair mechanism to combat shell damage under OA. However, the resultant reduced crystallographic control in mussels raises concerns for shell protective function under predation and changing environments.

Biomineral shell formation under ocean acidification: a shift from order to chaos

PubMed Central

Fitzer, Susan C.; Chung, Peter; Maccherozzi, Francesco; Dhesi, Sarnjeet S.; Kamenos, Nicholas A.; Phoenix, Vernon R.; Cusack, Maggie

2016-01-01

Biomineral production in marine organisms employs transient phases of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) in the construction of crystalline shells. Increasing seawater pCO2 leads to ocean acidification (OA) with a reduction in oceanic carbonate concentration which could have a negative impact on shell formation and therefore survival. We demonstrate significant changes in the hydrated and dehydrated forms of ACC in the aragonite and calcite layers of Mytilus edulis shells cultured under acidification conditions (1000 μatm pCO2) compared to present day conditions (380 μatm pCO2). In OA conditions, Mytilus edulis has more ACC at crystalisation sites. Here, we use the high-spatial resolution of synchrotron X-ray Photo Emission Electron Microscopy (XPEEM) combined with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to investigate the influence of OA on the ACC formation in the shells of adult Mytilus edulis. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) confirms that OA reduces crystallographic control of shell formation. The results demonstrate that OA induces more ACC formation and less crystallographic control in mussels suggesting that ACC is used as a repair mechanism to combat shell damage under OA. However, the resultant reduced crystallographic control in mussels raises concerns for shell protective function under predation and changing environments. PMID:26876022

Formation of amorphous calcium carbonate in caves and its implications for speleothem research.

PubMed

Demény, Attila; Németh, Péter; Czuppon, György; Leél-Őssy, Szabolcs; Szabó, Máté; Judik, Katalin; Németh, Tibor; Stieber, József

2016-12-22

Speleothem deposits are among the most valuable continental formations in paleoclimate research, as they can be dated using absolute dating methods, and they also provide valuable climate proxies. However, alteration processes such as post-depositional mineralogical transformations can significantly influence the paleoclimatic application of their geochemical data. An innovative sampling and measurement protocol combined with scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is presented, demonstrating that carbonate precipitating from drip water in caves at ~10 °C contains amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) that later transforms to nanocrystalline calcite. Stable oxygen isotope fractionations among calcite, ACC and water were also determined, proving that ACC is 18 O-depleted (by >2.4 ± 0.8‰) relative to calcite. This, in turn, has serious consequences for speleothem-based fluid inclusion research as closed system transformation of ACC to calcite may induce a negative oxygen isotope shift in fluid inclusion water, resulting in deterioration of the original compositions. ACC formation increases the speleothems' sensitivity to alteration as its interaction with external solutions may result in the partial loss of original proxy signals. Mineralogical analysis of freshly precipitating carbonate at the studied speleothem site is suggested in order to determine the potential influence of ACC formation.

[Study on garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M].

PubMed

Wu, Fayin; Zhou, Hefeng; Fan, Zhiying; Zhu, Yawen; Li, Yongye; Yao, Yukun; Ran, Dan

2014-02-01

To observe the effect of garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M. Human salivary in adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line AC-M was cultured, divided into the experimental group (5-FU group, garlic oil group, garlic oil + 5-FU group) and the control group, to observe the growth activity of tumor cells by MTT methods; to analyse the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis rate by flow cytometry. MTT experiments showed that 5-FU, garlic oil, garlic oil and 5-FU on ACC-M cells have inhibition in different concentration, with the increase of concentration and action time of the rise; Cell cycle analysis showed significant changes in flow cytometry. With the increase of concentration and the acting time, the G0/G1, phase of the cell ratio increased, S had no significant change, but G2/M phase cells decreased. Apoptosis rate display showed garlic oil combined with 5-FU induced apoptosis of ACC-M cells was significantly stronger than single group. Garlic oil can effectively induce the apoptosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line ACC-M. The effect of garlic oil combined with 5-FU on ACC-M cells was stronger than the garlic oil, 5-FU used alone.

[Isolation, identification and characterization of ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria from halophyte Suaeda salsa].

PubMed

Teng, Songshan; Liu, Yanping; Zhao, Lei

2010-11-01

We Isolated and characterized 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria from halophyte Suaeda salsa to understand the interactions between endophytes and halophyte. ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria were isolated from root, stalk and leaf of Suaeda salsa and were identified based on morphological, physiological-biochemical properties, API and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Isolates were evaluated for their ACC deaminase, antifungal, protease activity, siderophores and phytohormones, such as indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and abscisic acid production, as well as atmospheric nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization. Four ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria strains named as LP11, SS12, TW1 and TW2 were isolated and identified as Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, Pseudomonas sp., Pantoea agglomerans and Pseudomonas putida respectively. All the strains possessed the phosphate-solubilizing ability and could produce siderophores and phytohormones more or less. None of them could fix atmospheric nitrogen or produce protease. Only strain SS12 showed antagonism against two phytopathogenic fungi viz Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans and F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. ACC deaminase-containing endophytic bacteria of Pseudomonas sp. and Pantoea sp. isolated from halophyte Suaeda salsa have abundant biological characteristics related to plant growth promotion, stress homeostasis regulation and biocontrol activity.

Dependence of Adaptive Cross-correlation Algorithm Performance on the Extended Scene Image Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidick, Erkin

2008-01-01

Recently, we reported an adaptive cross-correlation (ACC) algorithm to estimate with high accuracy the shift as large as several pixels between two extended-scene sub-images captured by a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. It determines the positions of all extended-scene image cells relative to a reference cell in the same frame using an FFT-based iterative image-shifting algorithm. It works with both point-source spot images as well as extended scene images. We have demonstrated previously based on some measured images that the ACC algorithm can determine image shifts with as high an accuracy as 0.01 pixel for shifts as large 3 pixels, and yield similar results for both point source spot images and extended scene images. The shift estimate accuracy of the ACC algorithm depends on illumination level, background, and scene content in addition to the amount of the shift between two image cells. In this paper we investigate how the performance of the ACC algorithm depends on the quality and the frequency content of extended scene images captured by a Shack-Hatmann camera. We also compare the performance of the ACC algorithm with those of several other approaches, and introduce a failsafe criterion for the ACC algorithm-based extended scene Shack-Hatmann sensors.

Biomineral shell formation under ocean acidification: a shift from order to chaos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzer, Susan C.; Chung, Peter; Maccherozzi, Francesco; Dhesi, Sarnjeet S.; Kamenos, Nicholas A.; Phoenix, Vernon R.; Cusack, Maggie

2016-02-01

Biomineral production in marine organisms employs transient phases of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) in the construction of crystalline shells. Increasing seawater pCO2 leads to ocean acidification (OA) with a reduction in oceanic carbonate concentration which could have a negative impact on shell formation and therefore survival. We demonstrate significant changes in the hydrated and dehydrated forms of ACC in the aragonite and calcite layers of Mytilus edulis shells cultured under acidification conditions (1000 μatm pCO2) compared to present day conditions (380 μatm pCO2). In OA conditions, Mytilus edulis has more ACC at crystalisation sites. Here, we use the high-spatial resolution of synchrotron X-ray Photo Emission Electron Microscopy (XPEEM) combined with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to investigate the influence of OA on the ACC formation in the shells of adult Mytilus edulis. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) confirms that OA reduces crystallographic control of shell formation. The results demonstrate that OA induces more ACC formation and less crystallographic control in mussels suggesting that ACC is used as a repair mechanism to combat shell damage under OA. However, the resultant reduced crystallographic control in mussels raises concerns for shell protective function under predation and changing environments.

Emergency braking is affected by the use of cruise control.

PubMed

Jammes, Yves; Behr, Michel; Llari, Maxime; Bonicel, Sarah; Weber, Jean Paul; Berdah, Stephane

2017-08-18

We compared the differences in the braking response to vehicle collision between an active human emergency braking (control condition) and cruise control (CC) or adaptive cruise control (ACC). In 11 male subjects, age 22 to 67 years, we measured the active emergency braking response during manual driving using the accelerator pedal (control condition) or in condition mimicking CC or ACC. In both conditions, we measured the brake reaction time (BRT), delay to produce the peak braking force (PBD), total emergency braking response (BRT + PBD), and peak braking force (PBF). Electromyograms of leg and thigh muscles were recorded during braking. The tonic vibratory response (TVR), Hoffman reflex (HR), and M-waves were recorded in leg muscles to explore the change in sensorimotor control. No difference in PBF, TVR amplitude, HR latency, and H max /M max ratio were found between the control and CC/ACC conditions. On the other hand, BRT and PBD were significantly lengthened in the CC/ACC condition (240 ± 13 ms and 704 ± 70 ms, respectively) compared to control (183 ± 7 ms and 568 ± 36 ms, respectively). BRT increased with the age of participants and the driving experience shortened PBD and increased PBF. In male subjects, driving in a CC/ACC condition significantly delays the active emergency braking response to vehicle collision. This could result from higher amplitude of leg motion in the CC/ACC condition and/or by the age-related changes in motor control. Car and truck drivers must take account of the significant increase in the braking distance in a CC/ACC condition.

Population impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines compared with the 2013 ESH/ESC guidelines for hypertension management.

PubMed

Vaucher, Julien; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Waeber, Gérard; Vollenweider, Peter

2018-01-01

Background The 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on hypertension management recommend the introduction of antihypertensive treatment for patients with new stage 1 hypertension thresholds (130-139/80-89 mm Hg) and with a cardiovascular disease or related condition. We compared the Swiss population and economic impact of antihypertensive treatment of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines with the 2013 European guidelines. Methods Analyses were based on 4438 participants (aged 45-85 years; 2448 women) of the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study recruited between 2014-2017. Participants eligible for antihypertensive treatment according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and 2013 European guidelines were sex and age standardised using the Swiss population for 2016. In addition, we estimated the population-wide annual costs of antihypertensive treatment. Results Individuals eligible for antihypertensive treatment were 40.3% (95% confidence interval 38.5-42.1) and 31.3% (29.7-32.9) according to the 2017 ACC/AHA and 2013 European guidelines, respectively. That difference would translate into approximately 250,000 additional individuals eligible for antihypertensive treatment, corresponding to an additional annual cost of 72.5 million CHF (63.0 million EUR). Conclusion The 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines on the management of hypertension substantially increase the number of individuals eligible for antihypertensive treatment compared to the 2013 European guidelines. While implementation of the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines is expected to lead to cost reduction by preventing cardiovascular diseases, that reduction might be mitigated by the costs incurred by antihypertensive treatments in a larger proportion of the population.

Dysfunctional insular connectivity during reward prediction in patients with first-episode psychosis

PubMed Central

Schmidt, André; Palaniyappan, Lena; Smieskova, Renata; Simon, Andor; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Lang, Undine E.; Fusar-Poli, Paolo; McGuire, Philip; Borgwardt, Stefan J.

2016-01-01

Background Increasing evidence indicates that psychosis is associated with abnormal reward processing. Imaging studies in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) have revealed reduced activity in diverse brain regions, including the ventral striatum, insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), during reward prediction. However, whether these reductions in local brain activity are due to altered connectivity has rarely been explored. Methods We applied dynamic causal modelling and Bayesian model selection to fMRI data during the Salience Attribution Task to investigate whether patients with FEP showed abnormal modulation of connectivity between the ventral striatum, insula and ACC induced by rewarding cues and whether these changes were related to positive psychotic symptoms and atypical antipsychotic medication. Results The model including reward-induced modulation of insula–ACC connectivity was the best fitting model in each group. Compared with healthy controls (n = 19), patients with FEP (n = 29) revealed reduced right insula–ACC connectivity. After subdividing patients according to current antipsychotic medication, we found that the reduced insula–ACC connectivity relative to healthy controls was observed only in untreated patients (n = 17), not in patients treated with antipsychotics (n = 12), and that it correlated negatively with unusual thought content in untreated patients with FEP. Limitations The modest sample size of untreated patients with FEP was a limitation of our study. Conclusion This study indicates that insula–ACC connectivity during reward prediction is reduced in untreated patients with FEP and related to the formation of positive psychotic symptoms. Our study further suggests that atypical antipsychotics may reverse connectivity between the insula and the ACC during reward prediction. PMID:26854756

Right Anterior Cingulate Cortical Thickness and Bilateral Striatal Volume Correlate with CBCL Aggressive Behavior Scores in Healthy Children

PubMed Central

Ducharme, Simon; Hudziak, James J; Botteron, Kelly N; Ganjavi, Hooman; Lepage, Claude; Collins, D Louis; Albaugh, Matthew D.; Evans, Alan C; Karama, Sherif

2011-01-01

Background The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) and basal ganglia have been implicated in pathological aggression. This study aimed at identifying neuroanatomical correlates of impulsive aggression in healthy children. Methods Data from 193 representative 6–18 year-old healthy children were obtained from the NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development after a blinded quality control (1). Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were obtained with automated software. Aggression levels were measured with the Aggressive Behavior scale (AGG) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). AGG scores were regressed against cortical thickness and basal ganglia volumes using first and second-order linear models while controlling for age, gender, scanner site and total brain volume. ‘Gender by AGG’ interactions were analyzed. Results There were positive associations between bilateral striatal volumes and AGG scores (right: r=0.238, p=0.001; left: r=0.188, p=0.01). A significant association was found with right ACC and subgenual ACC cortical thickness in a second-order linear model (p<0.05, corrected). High AGG scores were associated with a relatively thin right ACC cortex. An ‘AGG by gender’ interaction trend was found in bilateral OFC and ACC associations with AGG scores. Conclusion This study shows the existence of relationships between impulsive aggression in healthy children and the structure of the striatum and right ACC. It also suggests the existence of gender specific patterns of association in OFC/ACC grey matter. These results may guide research on oppositional-defiant and conduct disorders. PMID:21531391

7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging of caudal anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate cortex atrophy in patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

PubMed

Moon, Hyeong Cheol; Park, Chan-A; Jeon, Yeong-Jae; You, Soon Tae; Baek, Hyun Man; Lee, Youn Joo; Cho, Chul Beom; Cheong, Chae Joon; Park, Young Seok

2018-05-16

The cingulate cortex (CC) is a brain region that plays a key role in pain processing, but CC abnormalities are not unclear in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The purpose of this study was to determine the central causal mechanisms of TN and the surrounding brain structure in healthy controls and patients with TN using 7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Whole-brain parcellation in gray matter volume and thickness was assessed in 15 patients with TN and 16 healthy controls matched for sex, age, and regional variability using T1-weighted imaging. Regions of interest (ROIs) were measured in rostral anterior CC (rACC), caudal anterior CC (cACC) and posterior CC (PCC). We also investigated associations between gray matter volume or thickness and clinical symptoms, such as pain duration, Barrow Neurologic Institute (BNI) scores, offender vessel, and medications, in patients with TN. The cACC and PCC exhibited gray matter atrophy and reduced thickness between the TN and control groups. However, the rACC did not. Cortical volumes were negatively correlated with pain duration in transverse and inferior temporal areas, and thickness was also negatively correlated with pain duration in superior frontal and parietal areas. The cACC and PCC gray matter atrophy occurred in the patients with TN, and pain duration was associated with frontal, parietal, and temporal cortical regions. These results suggest that the cACC, PCC but not the rACC are associated with central pain mechanisms in TN. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neurons in Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex Signal Postdecisional Variables in a Foraging Task

PubMed Central

Hayden, Benjamin Y.

2014-01-01

The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is a key hub of the brain's executive control system. Although a great deal is known about its role in outcome monitoring and behavioral adjustment, whether and how it contributes to the decision process remain unclear. Some theories suggest that dACC neurons track decision variables (e.g., option values) that feed into choice processes and is thus “predecisional.” Other theories suggest that dACC activity patterns differ qualitatively depending on the choice that is made and is thus “postdecisional.” To compare these hypotheses, we examined responses of 124 dACC neurons in a simple foraging task in which monkeys accepted or rejected offers of delayed rewards. In this task, options that vary in benefit (reward size) and cost (delay) appear for 1 s; accepting the option provides the cued reward after the cued delay. To get at dACC neurons' contributions to decisions, we focused on responses around the time of choice, several seconds before the reward and the end of the trial. We found that dACC neurons signal the foregone value of the rejected option, a postdecisional variable. Neurons also signal the profitability (that is, the relative value) of the offer, but even these signals are qualitatively different on accept and reject decisions, meaning that they are also postdecisional. These results suggest that dACC can be placed late in the decision process and also support models that give it a regulatory role in decision, rather than serving as a site of comparison. PMID:24403162

Right anterior cingulate cortical thickness and bilateral striatal volume correlate with child behavior checklist aggressive behavior scores in healthy children.

PubMed

Ducharme, Simon; Hudziak, James J; Botteron, Kelly N; Ganjavi, Hooman; Lepage, Claude; Collins, D Louis; Albaugh, Matthew D; Evans, Alan C; Karama, Sherif

2011-08-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and basal ganglia have been implicated in pathological aggression. This study aimed at identifying neuroanatomical correlates of impulsive aggression in healthy children. Data from 193 representative 6- to 18-year-old healthy children were obtained from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Normal Brain Development after a blinded quality control. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were obtained with automated software. Aggression levels were measured with the Aggressive Behavior scale (AGG) of the Child Behavior Checklist. AGG scores were regressed against cortical thickness and basal ganglia volumes using first- and second-order linear models while controlling for age, gender, scanner site, and total brain volume. Gender by AGG interactions were analyzed. There were positive associations between bilateral striatal volumes and AGG scores (right: r = .238, p = .001; left: r = .188, p = .01). A significant association was found with right ACC and subgenual ACC cortical thickness in a second-order linear model (p < .05, corrected). High AGG scores were associated with a relatively thin right ACC cortex. An AGG by gender interaction trend was found in bilateral OFC and ACC associations with AGG scores. This study shows the existence of relationships between impulsive aggression in healthy children and the structure of the striatum and right ACC. It also suggests the existence of gender-specific patterns of association in OFC/ACC gray matter. These results may guide research on oppositional-defiant and conduct disorders. Copyright © 2011 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conversion of urodynamic pressures measured simultaneously by air-charged and water-filled catheter systems.

PubMed

Awada, Hassan K; Fletter, Paul C; Zaszczurynski, Paul J; Cooper, Mitchell A; Damaser, Margot S

2015-08-01

The objective of this study was to compare the simultaneous responses of water-filled (WFC) and air-charged (ACC) catheters during simulated urodynamic pressures and develop an algorithm to convert peak pressures measured using an ACC to those measured by a WFC. Examples of cough leak point pressure and valsalva leak point pressure data (n = 4) were obtained from the literature, digitized, and modified in amplitude and duration to create a set of simulated data that ranged in amplitude from 15 to 220 cm H2 O (n = 25) and duration from 0.1 to 3.0 sec (n = 25) for each original signal. Simulated pressure signals were recorded simultaneously by WFCs, ACCs, and a reference transducer in a specially designed pressure chamber. Peak pressure and time to peak pressure were calculated for each simulated pressure signal and were used to develop an algorithm to convert peak pressures recorded with ACCs to corresponding peak pressures recorded with WFCs. The algorithm was validated with additional simulated urodynamic pressure signals and additional catheters that had not been utilized to develop the algorithm. ACCs significantly underestimated peak pressures of more rapidly changing pressures, as in coughs, compared to those measured by WFCs. The algorithm corrected 90% of peak pressures measured by ACCs to within 5% of those measured by WFCs when simultaneously exposed to the same pressure signals. The developed algorithm can be used to convert rapidly changing urodynamic pressures, such as cough leak point pressure, obtained using ACC systems to corresponding values expected from WFC systems. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate Synthase Genes Regulated by Primary and Secondary Pollination Signals in Orchid Flowers1

PubMed Central

Bui, Anhthu Q.; Neill, Sharman D. O'

1998-01-01

The temporal and spatial expression patterns of three 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase genes were investigated in pollinated orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.) flowers. Pollination signals initiate a cascade of development events in multiple floral organs, including the induction of ethylene biosynthesis, which coordinates several postpollination developmental responses. The initiation and propagation of ethylene biosynthesis is regulated by the coordinated expression of three distinct ACC synthase genes in orchid flowers. One ACC synthase gene (Phal-ACS1) is regulated by ethylene and participates in amplification and interorgan transmission of the pollination signal, as we have previously described in a related orchid genus. Two additional ACC synthase genes (Phal-ACS2 and Phal-ACS3) are expressed primarily in the stigma and ovary of pollinated orchid flowers. Phal-ACS2 mRNA accumulated in the stigma within 1 h after pollination, whereas Phal-ACS1 mRNA was not detected until 6 h after pollination. Similar to the expression of Phal-ACS2, the Phal-ACS3 gene was expressed within 2 h after pollination in the ovary. Exogenous application of auxin, but not ACC, mimicked pollination by stimulating a rapid increase in ACC synthase activity in the stigma and ovary and inducing Phal-ACS2 and Phal-ACS3 mRNA accumulation in the stigma and ovary, respectively. These results provide the basis for an expanded model of interorgan regulation of three ACC synthase genes that respond to both primary (Phal-ACS2 and Phal-ACS3) and secondary (Phal-ACS1) pollination signals. PMID:9449850

The 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk index is better than SCORE and QRisk II in rheumatoid arthritis: is it enough?

PubMed

Ozen, Gulsen; Sunbul, Murat; Atagunduz, Pamir; Direskeneli, Haner; Tigen, Kursat; Inanc, Nevsun

2016-03-01

To determine the ability of the new American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk algorithm in detecting high cardiovascular (CV) risk, RA patients identified by carotid ultrasonography (US) were compared with Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and QRisk II algorithms. SCORE, QRisk II, 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk and EULAR recommended modified versions were calculated in 216 RA patients. In sonographic evaluation, carotid intima-media thickness >0.90 mm and/or carotid plaques were used as the gold standard test for subclinical atherosclerosis and high CV risk (US+). Eleven (5.1%), 15 (6.9%) and 44 (20.4%) patients were defined as having high CV risk according to SCORE, QRisk II and ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. Fifty-two (24.1%) patients were US + and of those, 8 (15.4%), 7 (13.5%) and 23 (44.2%) patients were classified as high CV risk according to SCORE, QRisk II and ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. The ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk index better identified US + patients than SCORE and QRisk II (P < 0.0001). With EULAR modification, reclassification from moderate to high risk occurred only in two, five and seven patients according to SCORE, QRisk II and ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk, respectively. The 2013 ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk estimator was better than the SCORE and QRisk II indices in RA, but still failed to identify 55% of high risk patients. Furthermore adjustment of threshold and EULAR modification did not work well. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of the efficacy, acceptability and palatability of calcium montmorillonite clay used to reduce aflatoxin B1 dietary exposure in a crossover study in Kenya

PubMed Central

Awuor, Abigael O.; Yard, Ellen; Daniel, Johnni H.; Martin, Collen; Bii, Christine; Romoser, Amelia; Oyugi, Elvis; Elmore, Sarah; Amwayi, Samwel; Vulule, John; Zitomer, Nicholas C.; Rybak, Michael E.; Phillips, Timothy D.; Montgomery, Joel M.; Lewis, Lauren S.

2017-01-01

Acute aflatoxin exposure can cause death and disease (aflatoxicosis) in humans. Aflatoxicosis fatality rates have been documented to be as high as 40% in Kenya. The inclusion in the diet of calcium silicate 100 (ACCS100), a calcium montmorillonite clay, may reduce aflatoxin bioavailability, thus potentially decreasing the risk of aflatoxicosis. We investigated the efficacy, acceptability and palatability of ACCS100 in a population in Kenya with recurring aflatoxicosis outbreaks. Healthy adult participants were enrolled in this double-blinded, crossover clinical trial in 2014. Following informed consent, participants (n = 50) were randomised to receive either ACCS100 (3 g day−1) or placebo (3 g day−1) for 7 days. Treatments were switched following a 5-day washout period. Urine samples were collected daily and assessed for urinary aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). Blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the trial and assessed for aflatoxin B1-lysine adducts from serum albumin (AFB1-lys). AFM1 concentrations in urine were significantly reduced while taking ACCS100 compared with calcium carbonate placebo (β = 0.49, 95% confidence limit = 0.32–0.75). The 20-day interval included both the placebo and ACCS100 treatments as well as a washout period. There were no statistically significant differences in reported taste, aftertaste, appearance, colour or texture by treatment. There were no statistically significant differences in self-reported adverse events by treatment. Most participants would be willing to take ACCS100 (98%) and give it to their children (98%). ACCS100 was effective, acceptable and palatable. More work is needed to test ACCS100 among vulnerable populations and to determine if it remains effective at the levels of aflatoxin exposure that induce aflatoxicosis. PMID:27603954

Evaluation of dexamethasone phosphate delivered by ocular iontophoresis for treating noninfectious anterior uveitis.

PubMed

Cohen, Amy E; Assang, Carol; Patane, Michael A; From, Stephen; Korenfeld, Michael

2012-01-01

Determine safe, effective, iontophoretic dose(s) of EGP-437 (dexamethasone phosphate formulated for iontophoresis) in patients with noninfectious anterior uveitis; evaluate systemic drug exposures. Prospective, phase I/II, multicenter, double-masked, parallel group, randomized clinical trial. Forty outpatients with anterior uveitis. Forty of 42 randomized patients received an iontophoresis treatment in 1 qualifying eye and completed the study. Patients were randomized into 1 of 4 iontophoresis dose groups (1.6, 4.8, 10.0, or 14.0 mA-min), treated with EGP-437 via the EyeGate II Delivery System (EGDS), and followed until day 28. The main outcome measures were anterior chamber cell (ACC) scores at days 14 and 28; time to ACC score of zero; proportion of patients with an ACC score reduction from baseline of ≥ 0.5 at day 28; mean change from baseline in ACC score at day 28; and the systemic exposures of dexamethasone and dexamethasone phosphate after EGP-437 treatment with the EGDS. After a single EGP-437 treatment, 19 of 40 patients (48%) achieved an ACC score of zero at day 14. By day 28, 24 of 40 patients (60%) achieved an ACC score of zero. A Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the 1.6 mA-min dose was the most effective and revealed an inverse dose response; median days to an ACC score of zero were 11.5 days in the 1.6 mA-min group versus 31 days in the 14.0 mA-min group. Twenty-six patients (65%) had an ACC score reduction from baseline of ≥ 0.5 at day 28. The mean change in ACC score from baseline to day 28 was -2.14 with a median of -2.00. Throughout the study, the mean intraocular pressure remained within normal range and mean best-corrected visual acuity at 4 meters remained relatively stable. Most adverse events were mild; no serious adverse events were reported. Pharmacokinetics results showed low short-term systemic exposure to dexamethasone after iontophoresis; no nonocular systemic corticosteroid-mediated effects were observed. Approximately two thirds of the patients reached an ACC score of zero within 28 days, after only receiving 1 iontophoresis treatment. The lower doses seemed to be the most effective, and treatments were well-tolerated. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A High Resolution Fourier-Transform Spectrometer for the Measurement of Atmospheric Column Abundances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cageao, R.; Sander, S.; Blavier, J.; Jiang, Y.; Nemtchinov, V.

2000-01-01

A compact, high resolution Fourier-transform spectrometer for atmospheric near ultraviolet spectroscopy has been installed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Table Mountain Facility (34.4N, 117.7 W, elevation 2290m).

Demonstration of geophysical methods for burial ground geophysical characterization study at the DOE Savannah River site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hasbrouck, J.C.; MacLean, H.D.; Geotech, R.

1996-11-01

Rust Geotech, operating contractor at the U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Projects Office (DOE-GJPO), conducted a demonstration of the trench boundary and large-object location capabilities of five nonintrusive geophysical methods in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF) at the DOE Savannah River Site (SRS). The plan for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure of the SRS LLRWDF specifies inplace compaction of {open_quotes}B-25{close_quotes} metal boxes containing low-level radioactive wastes. The boxes are buried in Engineered Low-Level Trenches (ELLTs) at the facility. To properly guide and control the compaction operation, the coordinates of the trench boundaries must be determinedmore » to an accuracy within 5 feet and the outer edges of the metal boxes in the trenches must be determined to within 2 feet.« less

State of the art in electromagnetic modeling for the Compact Linear Collider

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Candel, Arno; Kabel, Andreas; Lee, Lie-Quan

SLAC's Advanced Computations Department (ACD) has developed the parallel 3D electromagnetic time-domain code T3P for simulations of wakefields and transients in complex accelerator structures. T3P is based on state-of-the-art Finite Element methods on unstructured grids and features unconditional stability, quadratic surface approximation and up to 6th-order vector basis functions for unprecedented simulation accuracy. Optimized for large-scale parallel processing on leadership supercomputing facilities, T3P allows simulations of realistic 3D structures with fast turn-around times, aiding the design of the next generation of accelerator facilities. Applications include simulations of the proposed two-beam accelerator structures for the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) - wakefieldmore » damping in the Power Extraction and Transfer Structure (PETS) and power transfer to the main beam accelerating structures are investigated.« less

Expression of recombinant AccMRJP1 protein from royal jelly of Chinese honeybee in Pichia pastoris and its proliferation activity in an insect cell line

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Main royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP1) is the most abundant member of the main royal jelly protein (MRJP) family among honeybees. Mature MRJP1 cDNA of the Chinese honeybee (Apis cerana cerana MRJP1, or AccMRJP1) was expressed in Pichia pastoris. SDS-PAGE showed that recombinant AccMRJP1 was identical in...

Inventory of File sref_em.t03z.pgrb212.p1.f06.grib2

Science.gov Websites

surface WEASD 6 hour fcst Water Equivalent of Accumulated Snow Depth [kg/m^2] 016 surface APCP 0-6 hour surface WEASD 0-6 hour acc Water Equivalent of Accumulated Snow Depth [kg/m^2] 019 surface CSNOW 6 hour -6 hour acc Large-Scale Precipitation (non-convective) [kg/m^2] 415 surface SNOM 0-6 hour acc Snow

Extradural Spinal Metastasis of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC): A Case Report

PubMed Central

Nair, Rajesh; Upadhyaya, Sunil; Nayal, Bhavna; Shetty, Arjun

2015-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant tumour of the major salivary glands. It accounts for 10-15% of all salivary gland tumours and 1% of all head and neck tumours. Surgical resection followed by radiation is the choice of treatment for ACC. However, late loco-regional recurrence and metastasis is often seen emphasizing the importance of long-term follow-up. We report an unusual case of extradural metastasis of ACC in the dorsal spine. The primary submandibular gland tumour was resected 11 y back. A recurrence had been detected two years prior to the occurrence of spinal metastasis. Surgical decompression was done which was followed by palliative radiotherapy. Patient is symptomatically better, ambulant and on regular follow-up. PMID:25738073

PROBING HUMAN AND MONKEY ANTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX IN VARIABLE ENVIRONMENTS

PubMed Central

Walton, Mark E.; Mars, Rogier B.

2008-01-01

Previous research has identified the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as an important node in the neural network underlying decision making in primates. Decision making can, however, be studied under large variety of circumstances, ranging from the standard well-controlled lab situation to more natural, stochastic settings during which multiple agents interact. Here, we illustrate how these different varieties of decision making studied can influence theories of ACC function in monkeys. Converging evidence from unit recordings and lesions studies now suggest that the ACC is important for interpreting outcome information according to the current task context to guide future action selection. We then apply this framework to the study of human ACC function and discuss its potential implications. PMID:18189014

Portable LQCD Monte Carlo code using OpenACC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonati, Claudio; Calore, Enrico; Coscetti, Simone; D'Elia, Massimo; Mesiti, Michele; Negro, Francesco; Fabio Schifano, Sebastiano; Silvi, Giorgio; Tripiccione, Raffaele

2018-03-01

Varying from multi-core CPU processors to many-core GPUs, the present scenario of HPC architectures is extremely heterogeneous. In this context, code portability is increasingly important for easy maintainability of applications; this is relevant in scientific computing where code changes are numerous and frequent. In this talk we present the design and optimization of a state-of-the-art production level LQCD Monte Carlo application, using the OpenACC directives model. OpenACC aims to abstract parallel programming to a descriptive level, where programmers do not need to specify the mapping of the code on the target machine. We describe the OpenACC implementation and show that the same code is able to target different architectures, including state-of-the-art CPUs and GPUs.

Investigating the Basis of Biogenic Calcium Carbonate Formation from an Amorphous Precursor: Nature of the Transformation to Calcite on Hydroxyl Functionalized Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D.; Lee, J. R.; Talley, C. E.; Murphy, K. E.; Han, T. Y.; Deyoreo, J. J.; Dove, P. M.

2006-12-01

Calcium carbonate biominerals are particularly significant because of their direct role in regulating the global carbon cycle, as well as their ubiquitous occurrence across earth environments. Biogenic carbonates are further distinguished by their broad phlyogenetic distribution; hence it has been suggested that unrelated eukaryotes must have used similar biochemical strategies to control mineralization. Recent studies have shown that an amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) phase potentially plays a key role in the initial formation of carbonate minerals and in "shaping" them into complex morphologies widely seen in biominerals. Echinoderms, mollusks, and possibly many other organisms use ACC as a precursor phase that is first nucleated in cellularly controlled environments such as vesicles and subsequently transforms into a fully crystalline material. Recent studies on sea urchin embryos have shown that during transformation ACC develops short range that resembles calcite before fully crystallizing and serve as inspiration for our studies in synthetic systems. Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on gold and silver have been used as simple model systems that approximate biological surfaces. Many studies have shown that thiol monolayers with hydroxyl termination stabilize a transitory ACC film that with prolonged exposure to aqueous solution transforms into calcite nucleated on {104} faces. Using Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) we studied SAM/mineral interactions with well ordered mercaptophenol monolayers showed that when these films are first exposed to calcium carbonate solutions, they become disordered and remain so after subsequent deposition of an ACC over-layer. Yet calcite nucleates and grows from the surface bound ACC with predominantly {104} orientation, which suggests a dynamic structural relationship between the SAMs and the mineral phase. While the monolayer/mineral phase interaction has been characterized, the mechanism for nucleating calcite from ACC on these SAMs remains unknown and is the objective of this research. Our preliminary observations of the transforming ACC film with in situ Raman spectroscopy have shown a strengthening of the symmetric mode of the carbonate ion suggesting ordering of the ACC. To fully determine the structural evolution of the mineral phase we will use both Raman and Extended X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) measurements, coupled with morphological analysis using SEM.

Musicians Are Better than Non-musicians in Frequency Change Detection: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence

PubMed Central

Liang, Chun; Earl, Brian; Thompson, Ivy; Whitaker, Kayla; Cahn, Steven; Xiang, Jing; Fu, Qian-Jie; Zhang, Fawen

2016-01-01

Objective: The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine if musicians have a better ability to detect frequency changes under quiet and noisy conditions; (2) to use the acoustic change complex (ACC), a type of electroencephalographic (EEG) response, to understand the neural substrates of musician vs. non-musician difference in frequency change detection abilities. Methods: Twenty-four young normal hearing listeners (12 musicians and 12 non-musicians) participated. All participants underwent psychoacoustic frequency detection tests with three types of stimuli: tones (base frequency at 160 Hz) containing frequency changes (Stim 1), tones containing frequency changes masked by low-level noise (Stim 2), and tones containing frequency changes masked by high-level noise (Stim 3). The EEG data were recorded using tones (base frequency at 160 and 1200 Hz, respectively) containing different magnitudes of frequency changes (0, 5, and 50% changes, respectively). The late-latency evoked potential evoked by the onset of the tones (onset LAEP or N1-P2 complex) and that evoked by the frequency change contained in the tone (the acoustic change complex or ACC or N1′-P2′ complex) were analyzed. Results: Musicians significantly outperformed non-musicians in all stimulus conditions. The ACC and onset LAEP showed similarities and differences. Increasing the magnitude of frequency change resulted in increased ACC amplitudes. ACC measures were found to be significantly different between musicians (larger P2′ amplitude) and non-musicians for the base frequency of 160 Hz but not 1200 Hz. Although the peak amplitude in the onset LAEP appeared to be larger and latency shorter in musicians than in non-musicians, the difference did not reach statistical significance. The amplitude of the onset LAEP is significantly correlated with that of the ACC for the base frequency of 160 Hz. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that musicians do perform better than non-musicians in detecting frequency changes in quiet and noisy conditions. The ACC and onset LAEP may involve different but overlapping neural mechanisms. Significance: This is the first study using the ACC to examine music-training effects. The ACC measures provide an objective tool for documenting musical training effects on frequency detection. PMID:27826221

Accumulated Delivered Dose Response of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Liver Metastases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swaminath, Anand; Massey, Christine; Brierley, James D.

2015-11-01

Purpose: To determine whether the accumulated dose using image guided radiation therapy is a stronger predictor of clinical outcomes than the planned dose in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for liver metastases. Methods and Materials: From 2003 to 2009, 81 patients with 142 metastases were treated in institutional review board–approved SBRT studies (5-10 fractions). Patients were treated during free breathing (with or without abdominal compression) or with controlled exhale breath-holding. SBRT was planned on a static exhale computed tomography (CT) scan, and the minimum planning target volume dose to 0.5 cm{sup 3} (minPTV) was recorded. The accumulated minimum dose to themore » 0.5 cm{sup 3} gross tumor volume (accGTV) was calculated after performing dose accumulation from exported image guided radiation therapy data sets registered to the planning CT using rigid (2-dimensional MV/kV orthogonal) or deformable (3-dimensional/4-dimensional cone beam CT) image registration. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models assessed the factors influencing the time to local progression (TTLP). Hazard ratios for accGTV and minPTV were compared using model goodness-of-fit and bootstrapping. Results: Overall, the accGTV dose exceeded the minPTV dose in 98% of the lesions. For 5 to 6 fractions, accGTV doses of >45 Gy were associated with 1-year local control of 86%. On univariate analysis, the cancer subtype (breast), smaller tumor volume, and increased dose were significant predictors for improved TTLP. The dose and volume were uncorrelated; the accGTV dose and minPTV dose were correlated and were tested separately on multivariate models. Breast cancer subtype, accGTV dose (P<.001), and minPTV dose (P=.02) retained significance in the multivariate models. The univariate hazard ratio for TTLP for 5-Gy increases in accGTV versus minPTV was 0.67 versus 0.74 (all patients; 95% confidence interval of difference 0.03-0.14). Goodness-of-fit testing confirmed the accGTV dose as a stronger dose–response predictor than the minPTV dose. Conclusions: The accGTV dose is a better predictor of TTLP than the minPTV dose for liver metastasis SBRT. The use of modern image guided radiation therapy in future analyses of dose–response outcomes should increase the concordance between the planned and delivered doses.« less

Immediate versus modified release hydrocortisone in mitotane-treated patients with adrenocortical cancer.

PubMed

Weigel, Marianne; Hahner, Stefanie; Sherlock, Mark; Agha, Amar; Behan, Lucy Ann; Stewart, Paul M; Arlt, Wiebke; Beier, Daniela; Frey, Kathrin; Zopf, Kathrin; Quinkler, Marcus

2017-04-01

Mitotane induces hepatic CYP3A4 activity, resulting in accelerated cortisol inactivation, and also increases cortisol binding globulin (CBG). Therefore, higher hydrocortisone doses are required in patients with adrenocortical cancer (ACC) on mitotane treatment. Modified release hydrocortisone has not been used in mitotane-treated ACC patients yet. Case series to compare serum cortisol, calculated free serum cortisol and ACTH levels in ACC patients on mitotane treatment with immediate and modified release hydrocortisone. Pharmacokinetics of immediate and modified release hydrocortisone, each administered at a dose of 40-20-0 mg, in nine patients with ACC and adjuvant mitotane treatment. For comparison, ten patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI) on three different hydrocortisone regimens and ten healthy males were included. Serum cortisol and plasma ACTH were measured by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay, and CBG by RIA, followed by calculation of free cortisol. Calculated free serum cortisol levels after 40 mg immediate release hydrocortisone in ACC patients (46 ± 14 nmol/l) were similar to those after 10 mg immediate release hydrocortisone intake in men with SAI (64 ± 16 nmol/l) or to the physiological morning free cortisol levels in healthy subjects (31 ± 5 nmol/l). Compared to immediate release hydrocortisone, free cortisol levels after 40 mg modified release hydrocortisone in ACC patients were significantly lower (12 ± 3 nmol/l; P = 0·03) resulting in a generally lower AUC (98 ± 21 vs 149 ± 37 nmol h/l; P = 0·02). 40-20-0 mg immediate release, but not modified release hydrocortisone, resulted in sufficient glucocorticoid coverage in patients with ACC receiving mitotane treatment. The use of equivalent doses of modified release hydrocortisone preparation should be avoided in patients on mitotane treatment. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transient alcohol craving suppression by rTMS of dorsal anterior cingulate: an fMRI and LORETA EEG study.

PubMed

De Ridder, Dirk; Vanneste, Sven; Kovacs, Silvia; Sunaert, Stefan; Dom, Geert

2011-05-27

It has recently become clear that alcohol addiction might be related to a brain dysfunction, in which a genetic background and environmental factors shape brain mechanisms involved with alcohol consumption. Craving, a major component determining relapses in alcohol abuse has been linked to abnormal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulated cortex (dACC) and amygdala. We report the results of a patient who underwent rTMS targeting the dACC using a double cone coil in an attempt to suppress very severe intractable alcohol craving. Functional imaging studies consisting of fMRI and resting state EEG were performed before rTMS, after successful rTMS and after unsuccessful rTMS with relapse. Craving was associated with EEG beta activity and connectivity between the dACC and PCC in the patient in comparison to a healthy population, which disappeared after successful rTMS. Cue induced worsening of craving pre-rTMS activated the ACC-vmPFC and PCC on fMRI, as well as the nucleus accumbens area, and lateral frontoparietal areas. The nucleus accumbens, ACC-vmPFC and PCC activation disappeared on fMRI following successful rTMS. Relapse was associated with recurrence of ACC and PCC EEG activity, but in gamma band, in comparison to a healthy population. On fMRI nucleus accumbens, ACC and PCC activation returned to the initial activation pattern. A pathophysiological approach is described to suppress alcohol craving temporarily by rTMS directed at the anterior cingulate. Linking functional imaging changes to craving intensity suggests this approach warrants further exploration. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of statin eligibility according to the Adult Treatment Panel III, ACC/AHA blood cholesterol guideline, and presence of carotid plaque by ultrasound in Mexican mestizo patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Galarza-Delgado, Dionicio A; Azpiri-Lopez, Jose R; Colunga-Pedraza, Iris J; Cardenas-de la Garza, Jesus A; Vera-Pineda, Raymundo; Garcia-Colunga, Judith I; Arvizu-Rivera, Rosa I; Martinez-Moreno, Adrian; Villarreal-Perez, Jesus Z; Elizondo-Riojas, Guillermo; Garza Elizondo, Mario A

2016-11-01

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Guidelines of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2013 and the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) differ in their strategies to recommend initiation of statin therapy. The presence of carotid plaque (CP) by carotid ultrasound is an indication to begin statin therapy. We aimed to compare the recommendation to initiate statin therapy according to the ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines, ATP-III guidelines, and CP by carotid ultrasound. We then carried out an observational, cross-sectional study of 62 statin-naive Mexican mestizo RA patients, aged 40 to 75, who fulfilled the 1987 or 2010 ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. CP was evaluated with B-mode ultrasound. Cohen's kappa (k) was used to assess agreement between ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines, ATP-III guidelines, and the presence of CP, considering a p < 0.05 as statistically significant. Agreement was classified as slight (0.01-0.20), fair (0.21-0.40), moderate (0.41-0.60), substantial (0.61-0.80), and an almost perfect agreement (0.81-1.00). Slight agreement (k = 0.096) was found when comparing statin recommendation between CP and ATP-III. Fair agreement (k = 0.242) was revealed between ACC/AHA 2013 and ATP-III. Comparison between ACC/AHA 2013 and CP showed moderate agreement (k = 0.438). ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines could be an adequate and cost-effective tool to evaluate the need of statin therapy in Mexican mestizo RA patients, with moderate agreement with the presence of CP by ultrasound.

Functional reconstitution of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis long-chain acyl-CoA carboxylase from multiple acyl-CoA subunits.

PubMed

Bazet Lyonnet, Bernardo; Diacovich, Lautaro; Gago, Gabriela; Spina, Lucie; Bardou, Fabienne; Lemassu, Anne; Quémard, Annaïk; Gramajo, Hugo

2017-04-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces a large number of structurally diverse lipids that have been implicated in the pathogenicity, persistence and antibiotic resistance of this organism. Most building blocks involved in the biosynthesis of all these lipids are generated by acyl-CoA carboxylases whose subunit composition and physiological roles have not yet been clearly established. Inconclusive data in the literature refer to the exact protein composition and substrate specificity of the enzyme complex that produces the long-chain α-carboxy-acyl-CoAs, which are substrates involved in the last step of condensation mediated by the polyketide synthase 13 to synthesize mature mycolic acids. Here we have successfully reconstituted the long-chain acyl-CoA carboxylase (LCC) complex from its purified components, the α subunit (AccA3), the ε subunit (AccE5) and the two β subunits (AccD4 and AccD5), and demonstrated that the four subunits are essential for its activity. Furthermore, we also showed by substrate competition experiments and the use of a specific inhibitor that the AccD5 subunit's role in the carboxylation of the long acyl-CoAs, as part of the LCC complex, was structural rather than catalytic. Moreover, AccD5 was also able to carboxylate its natural substrates, acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA, in the context of the LCC enzyme complex. Thus, the supercomplex formed by these four subunits has the potential to generate the main substrates, malonyl-CoA, methylmalonyl-CoA and α-carboxy-C 24-26 -CoA, used as condensing units for the biosynthesis of all the lipids present in this pathogen. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

A feasibility study on porting the community land model onto accelerators using OpenACC

DOE PAGES

Wang, Dali; Wu, Wei; Winkler, Frank; ...

2014-01-01

As environmental models (such as Accelerated Climate Model for Energy (ACME), Parallel Reactive Flow and Transport Model (PFLOTRAN), Arctic Terrestrial Simulator (ATS), etc.) became more and more complicated, we are facing enormous challenges regarding to porting those applications onto hybrid computing architecture. OpenACC appears as a very promising technology, therefore, we have conducted a feasibility analysis on porting the Community Land Model (CLM), a terrestrial ecosystem model within the Community Earth System Models (CESM)). Specifically, we used automatic function testing platform to extract a small computing kernel out of CLM, then we apply this kernel into the actually CLM dataflowmore » procedure, and investigate the strategy of data parallelization and the benefit of data movement provided by current implementation of OpenACC. Even it is a non-intensive kernel, on a single 16-core computing node, the performance (based on the actual computation time using one GPU) of OpenACC implementation is 2.3 time faster than that of OpenMP implementation using single OpenMP thread, but it is 2.8 times slower than the performance of OpenMP implementation using 16 threads. On multiple nodes, MPI_OpenACC implementation demonstrated very good scalability on up to 128 GPUs on 128 computing nodes. This study also provides useful information for us to look into the potential benefits of “deep copy” capability and “routine” feature of OpenACC standards. In conclusion, we believe that our experience on the environmental model, CLM, can be beneficial to many other scientific research programs who are interested to porting their large scale scientific code using OpenACC onto high-end computers, empowered by hybrid computing architecture.« less

Genetic Diversity of Aromatic Rice Germplasm Revealed By SSR Markers.

PubMed

Jasim Aljumaili, Saba; Rafii, M Y; Latif, M A; Sakimin, Siti Zaharah; Arolu, Ibrahim Wasiu; Miah, Gous

2018-01-01

Aromatic rice cultivars constitute a small but special group of rice and are considered the best in terms of quality and aroma. Aroma is one of the most significant quality traits of rice, and variety with aroma has a higher price in the market. This research was carried out to study the genetic diversity among the 50 aromatic rice accessions from three regions (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak) with 3 released varieties as a control using the 32 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The objectives of this research were to quantify the genetic divergence of aromatic rice accessions using SSR markers and to identify the potential accessions for introgression into the existing rice breeding program. Genetic diversity index among the three populations such as Shannon information index ( I ) ranged from 0.25 in control to 0.98 in Sabah population. The mean numbers of effective alleles and Shannon's information index were 0.36 and 64.90%, respectively. Similarly, the allelic diversity was very high with mean expected heterozygosity ( H e ) of 0.60 and mean Nei's gene diversity index of 0.36. The dendrogram based on UPGMA and Nei's genetic distance classified the 53 rice accessions into 10 clusters. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 89% of the total variation observed in this germplasm came from within the populations, while 11% of the variation emanated among the populations. These results reflect the high genetic differentiation existing in this aromatic rice germplasm. Using all these criteria and indices, seven accessions (Acc9993, Acc6288, Acc6893, Acc7580, Acc6009, Acc9956, and Acc11816) from three populations have been identified and selected for further evaluation before introgression into the existing breeding program and for future aromatic rice varietal development.

Genetic Diversity of Aromatic Rice Germplasm Revealed By SSR Markers

PubMed Central

Jasim Aljumaili, Saba; Sakimin, Siti Zaharah; Arolu, Ibrahim Wasiu; Miah, Gous

2018-01-01

Aromatic rice cultivars constitute a small but special group of rice and are considered the best in terms of quality and aroma. Aroma is one of the most significant quality traits of rice, and variety with aroma has a higher price in the market. This research was carried out to study the genetic diversity among the 50 aromatic rice accessions from three regions (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak) with 3 released varieties as a control using the 32 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The objectives of this research were to quantify the genetic divergence of aromatic rice accessions using SSR markers and to identify the potential accessions for introgression into the existing rice breeding program. Genetic diversity index among the three populations such as Shannon information index (I) ranged from 0.25 in control to 0.98 in Sabah population. The mean numbers of effective alleles and Shannon's information index were 0.36 and 64.90%, respectively. Similarly, the allelic diversity was very high with mean expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.60 and mean Nei's gene diversity index of 0.36. The dendrogram based on UPGMA and Nei's genetic distance classified the 53 rice accessions into 10 clusters. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 89% of the total variation observed in this germplasm came from within the populations, while 11% of the variation emanated among the populations. These results reflect the high genetic differentiation existing in this aromatic rice germplasm. Using all these criteria and indices, seven accessions (Acc9993, Acc6288, Acc6893, Acc7580, Acc6009, Acc9956, and Acc11816) from three populations have been identified and selected for further evaluation before introgression into the existing breeding program and for future aromatic rice varietal development. PMID:29736396

Potentiation of motor sub-networks for motor control but not working memory: Interaction of dACC and SMA revealed by resting-state directed functional connectivity

PubMed Central

Diwadkar, Vaibhav A.; Asemi, Avisa; Burgess, Ashley; Chowdury, Asadur; Bressler, Steven L.

2017-01-01

The dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC) and the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) are known to interact during motor coordination behavior. We previously discovered that the directional influences underlying this interaction in a visuo-motor coordination task are asymmetric, with the dACC→SMA influence being significantly greater than that in the reverse direction. To assess the specificity of this effect, here we undertook an analysis of the interaction between dACC and SMA in two distinct contexts. In addition to the motor coordination task, we also assessed these effects during a (n-back) working memory task. We applied directed functional connectivity analysis to these two task paradigms, and also to the rest condition of each paradigm, in which rest blocks were interspersed with task blocks. We report here that the previously known asymmetric interaction between dACC and SMA, with dACC→SMA dominating, was significantly larger in the motor coordination task than the memory task. Moreover the asymmetry between dACC and SMA was reversed during the rest condition of the motor coordination task, but not of the working memory task. In sum, the dACC→SMA influence was significantly greater in the motor task than the memory task condition, and the SMA→dACC influence was significantly greater in the motor rest than the memory rest condition. We interpret these results as suggesting that the potentiation of motor sub-networks during the motor rest condition supports the motor control of SMA by dACC during the active motor task condition. PMID:28278267

Comparison of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology guidelines for the management of patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

PubMed

Alame, Aya J; Karatasakis, Aris; Karacsonyi, Judit; Danek, Barbara A; Resendes, Erica; Martinez Parachini, Jose R; Kalsaria, Pratik; Roesle, Michele; Rangan, Bavana V; Sorajja, Paul; Jneid, Hani; Banerjee, Subhash; Brilakis, Emmanouil S

2017-06-01

The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have been developing guidelines to assist clinicians in making evidence-based decisions. The current ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines for non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) that were updated in 2014 and 2015, respectively, were compared to assess the number of recommendations on the basis of class of recommendation and level of evidence (LOE), the sources cited, and the content. The total number of recommendations in the ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines was 182 and 147, respectively. The recommendation class distribution of the ACC/AHA guidelines was 61.0% class I (compared with 61.9% in the ESC guidelines, P=0.865), 29.7% class II (compared with 32.0% in the ESC guidelines, P=0.653), and 9.3% class III (compared with 6.1% in the ESC guidelines, P=0.282). The LOE distribution among ACC/AHA guidelines was 15.9% LOE A (compared with 27.9% in the ESC guidelines, P=0.008), 50.0% LOE B (compared with 33.3% in the ESC guidelines, P=0.002), and 34.1% LOE C (compared with 38.8% in the ESC guidelines, P=0.377). The ACC/AHA guidelines cited 827 publications and the ESC guidelines cited 551 publications, 124 of which were shared by both sets of guidelines. The guidelines' approaches to NSTE-ACS were consistent, with minor differences in diagnostic and medical therapy recommendations. Overall, the ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines contain a comparable number of recommendations and provide similar guidance for the management of patients with NSTE-ACS.

Glutamate and GABA contributions to medial prefrontal cortical activity to emotion: implications for mood disorders.

PubMed

Stan, Ana D; Schirda, Claudiu V; Bertocci, Michele A; Bebko, Genna M; Kronhaus, Dina M; Aslam, Haris A; LaBarbara, Eduard J; Tanase, Costin; Lockovich, Jeanette C; Pollock, Myrna H; Stiffler, Richelle S; Phillips, Mary L

2014-09-30

The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (MdPFC) and anterior cingulate cortices (ACC) play a critical role in implicit emotion regulation; however the understanding of the specific neurotransmitters that mediate such role is lacking. In this study, we examined relationships between MdPFC concentrations of two neurotransmitters, glutamate and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), and BOLD activity in ACC during performance of an implicit facial emotion-processing task. Twenty healthy volunteers, aged 20-35 years, were scanned while performing an implicit facial emotion-processing task, whereby presented facial expressions changed from neutral to one of the four emotions: happy, anger, fear, or sad. Glutamate concentrations were measured before and after the emotion-processing task in right MdPFC using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). GABA concentrations were measured in bilateral MdPFC after the emotion-processing task. Multiple regression models were run to determine the relative contribution of glutamate and GABA concentration, age, and gender to BOLD signal in ACC to each of the four emotions. Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between MdPFC GABA concentration and BOLD signal in subgenual ACC (p<0.05, corrected) to sad versus shape contrast. For the anger versus shape contrast, there was a significant negative correlation between age and BOLD signal in pregenual ACC (p<0.05, corrected) and a positive correlation between MdPFC glutamate concentration (pre-task) and BOLD signal in pregenual ACC (p<0.05, corrected). Our findings are the first to provide insight into relationships between MdPFC neurotransmitter concentrations and ACC BOLD signal, and could further understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying emotion processing in healthy and mood-disordered individuals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

ACLY and ACC1 Regulate Hypoxia-Induced Apoptosis by Modulating ETV4 via α-ketoglutarate.

PubMed

Keenan, Melissa M; Liu, Beiyu; Tang, Xiaohu; Wu, Jianli; Cyr, Derek; Stevens, Robert D; Ilkayeva, Olga; Huang, Zhiqing; Tollini, Laura A; Murphy, Susan K; Lucas, Joseph; Muoio, Deborah M; Kim, So Young; Chi, Jen-Tsan

2015-10-01

In order to propagate a solid tumor, cancer cells must adapt to and survive under various tumor microenvironment (TME) stresses, such as hypoxia or lactic acidosis. To systematically identify genes that modulate cancer cell survival under stresses, we performed genome-wide shRNA screens under hypoxia or lactic acidosis. We discovered that genetic depletion of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACACA or ACC1) or ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) protected cancer cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the loss of ACLY or ACC1 reduced levels and activities of the oncogenic transcription factor ETV4. Silencing ETV4 also protected cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis and led to remarkably similar transcriptional responses as with silenced ACLY or ACC1, including an anti-apoptotic program. Metabolomic analysis found that while α-ketoglutarate levels decrease under hypoxia in control cells, α-ketoglutarate is paradoxically increased under hypoxia when ACC1 or ACLY are depleted. Supplementation with α-ketoglutarate rescued the hypoxia-induced apoptosis and recapitulated the decreased expression and activity of ETV4, likely via an epigenetic mechanism. Therefore, ACC1 and ACLY regulate the levels of ETV4 under hypoxia via increased α-ketoglutarate. These results reveal that the ACC1/ACLY-α-ketoglutarate-ETV4 axis is a novel means by which metabolic states regulate transcriptional output for life vs. death decisions under hypoxia. Since many lipogenic inhibitors are under investigation as cancer therapeutics, our findings suggest that the use of these inhibitors will need to be carefully considered with respect to oncogenic drivers, tumor hypoxia, progression and dormancy. More broadly, our screen provides a framework for studying additional tumor cell stress-adaption mechanisms in the future.

ACLY and ACC1 Regulate Hypoxia-Induced Apoptosis by Modulating ETV4 via α-ketoglutarate

PubMed Central

Keenan, Melissa M.; Liu, Beiyu; Tang, Xiaohu; Wu, Jianli; Cyr, Derek; Stevens, Robert D.; Ilkayeva, Olga; Huang, Zhiqing; Tollini, Laura A.; Murphy, Susan K.; Lucas, Joseph; Muoio, Deborah M.; Kim, So Young; Chi, Jen-Tsan

2015-01-01

In order to propagate a solid tumor, cancer cells must adapt to and survive under various tumor microenvironment (TME) stresses, such as hypoxia or lactic acidosis. To systematically identify genes that modulate cancer cell survival under stresses, we performed genome-wide shRNA screens under hypoxia or lactic acidosis. We discovered that genetic depletion of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACACA or ACC1) or ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) protected cancer cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the loss of ACLY or ACC1 reduced levels and activities of the oncogenic transcription factor ETV4. Silencing ETV4 also protected cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis and led to remarkably similar transcriptional responses as with silenced ACLY or ACC1, including an anti-apoptotic program. Metabolomic analysis found that while α-ketoglutarate levels decrease under hypoxia in control cells, α-ketoglutarate is paradoxically increased under hypoxia when ACC1 or ACLY are depleted. Supplementation with α-ketoglutarate rescued the hypoxia-induced apoptosis and recapitulated the decreased expression and activity of ETV4, likely via an epigenetic mechanism. Therefore, ACC1 and ACLY regulate the levels of ETV4 under hypoxia via increased α-ketoglutarate. These results reveal that the ACC1/ACLY-α-ketoglutarate-ETV4 axis is a novel means by which metabolic states regulate transcriptional output for life vs. death decisions under hypoxia. Since many lipogenic inhibitors are under investigation as cancer therapeutics, our findings suggest that the use of these inhibitors will need to be carefully considered with respect to oncogenic drivers, tumor hypoxia, progression and dormancy. More broadly, our screen provides a framework for studying additional tumor cell stress-adaption mechanisms in the future. PMID:26452058

A Chemogenomic Screen Reveals Novel Snf1p/AMPK Independent Regulators of Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase.

PubMed

Bozaquel-Morais, Bruno L; Madeira, Juliana B; Venâncio, Thiago M; Pacheco-Rosa, Thiago; Masuda, Claudio A; Montero-Lomeli, Monica

2017-01-01

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc1p) is a key enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis and is essential for cell viability. To discover new regulators of its activity, we screened a Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion library for increased sensitivity to soraphen A, a potent Acc1p inhibitor. The hits identified in the screen (118 hits) were filtered using a chemical-phenotype map to exclude those associated with pleiotropic drug resistance. This enabled the identification of 82 ORFs that are genetic interactors of Acc1p. The main functional clusters represented by these hits were "transcriptional regulation", "protein post-translational modifications" and "lipid metabolism". Further investigation of the "transcriptional regulation" cluster revealed that soraphen A sensitivity is poorly correlated with ACC1 transcript levels. We also studied the three top unknown ORFs that affected soraphen A sensitivity: SOR1 (YDL129W), SOR2 (YIL092W) and SOR3 (YJR039W). Since the C18/C16 ratio of lipid acyl lengths reflects Acc1p activity levels, we evaluated this ratio in the three mutants. Deletion of SOR2 and SOR3 led to reduced acyl lengths, suggesting that Acc1p is indeed down-regulated in these strains. Also, these mutants showed no differences in Snf1p/AMPK activation status and deletion of SNF1 in these backgrounds did not revert soraphen A sensitivity completely. Furthermore, plasmid maintenance was reduced in sor2Δ strain and this trait was shared with 18 other soraphen A sensitive hits. In summary, our screen uncovered novel Acc1p Snf1p/AMPK-independent regulators.

A randomized trial of assertive continuing care and contingency management for adolescents with substance use disorders.

PubMed

Godley, Mark D; Godley, Susan H; Dennis, Michael L; Funk, Rodney R; Passetti, Lora L; Petry, Nancy M

2014-02-01

Most adolescents relapse within 90 days of discharge from residential substance use treatment. We hypothesized that contingency management (CM), assertive continuing care (ACC), and their combination (CM + ACC) would each be more effective than usual continuing care (UCC). Following residential treatment, 337 adolescents were randomized to 4 continuing care conditions: UCC alone, CM, ACC, or CM + ACC. UCC was available across all conditions. Outcome measures over 12 months included percentage of days abstinent from alcohol, heavy alcohol, marijuana, and any alcohol or other drugs (AOD) using self-reports and toxicology testing and remission status at 12 months. CM had significantly higher rates of abstinence than UCC for heavy alcohol use, t(297) = 2.50, p < .01, d = 0.34; any alcohol use, t(297) = 2.58, p < .01, d = 0.36; or any AOD use, t(297) = 2.12, p = .01, d = 0.41; and had a higher rate in remission, odds ratio (OR) = 2.45, 90% confidence interval (CI) [1.18, 5.08], p = .02. ACC had significantly higher rates of abstinence than UCC from heavy alcohol use, t(297) = 2.66, p < .01, d = 0.31; any alcohol use, t(297) = 2.63, p < .01, d = 0.30; any marijuana use, t(297) = 1.95, p = .02, d = 0.28; or any AOD use, t(297) = 1.88, p = .02, d = 0.30; and had higher rates in remission, OR = 2.31, 90% CI [1.10, 4.85], p = .03. The ACC + CM condition was not significantly different from UCC on any outcomes. CM and ACC are promising continuing care approaches after residential treatment. Future research should seek to further improve their effectiveness. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Temporal Dynamics of Antidepressant Ketamine Effects on Glutamine Cycling Follow Regional Fingerprints of AMPA and NMDA Receptor Densities.

PubMed

Li, Meng; Demenescu, Liliana Ramona; Colic, Lejla; Metzger, Coraline Danielle; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Steiner, Johann; Speck, Oliver; Fejtova, Anna; Salvadore, Giacomo; Walter, Martin

2017-05-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has shown decreased glutamate levels in patients with major depressive disorder. Subanesthetic doses of ketamine were repeatedly shown to improve depressive symptoms within 24 h after infusion and this antidepressant effect was attributed to increased α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) throughput. To elucidate ketamine's mechanism of action, we tested whether the clinical time course of the improvement is mirrored by the change of glutamine/glutamate ratio and if such effects show a regional and temporal specificity in two distinct subdivisions of ACC with different AMPA/N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor profiles. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled intravenous infusion study of ketamine, we measured glutamate and glutamine in the pregenual ACC (pgACC) and the anterior midcingulate cortex at 1 and 24 h post infusion with magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7 T. A significant interaction of time, region, and treatment was found for the glutamine/glutamate ratios (placebo, n=14; ketamine, n=12). Post-hoc analyses revealed that the glutamine/glutamate ratio increased significantly in the ketamine group, compared with placebo, specifically in the pgACC after 24 h. The glutamine/glutamate increase in the pgACC caused by ketamine at 24 h post infusion was reproduced in an enlarged sample (placebo, n=24; ketamine, n=20). Our results support a significant temporal and regional response in glutamine/glutamate ratios to a single subanesthetic dose of ketamine, which mirrors the time course of the antidepressant response and reversal of the molecular deficits in patients and which may be associated with the histoarchitectonical receptor fingerprints of the ACC subregions.

Temporal Dynamics of Antidepressant Ketamine Effects on Glutamine Cycling Follow Regional Fingerprints of AMPA and NMDA Receptor Densities

PubMed Central

Li, Meng; Demenescu, Liliana Ramona; Colic, Lejla; Metzger, Coraline Danielle; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Steiner, Johann; Speck, Oliver; Fejtova, Anna; Salvadore, Giacomo; Walter, Martin

2017-01-01

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has shown decreased glutamate levels in patients with major depressive disorder. Subanesthetic doses of ketamine were repeatedly shown to improve depressive symptoms within 24 h after infusion and this antidepressant effect was attributed to increased α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) throughput. To elucidate ketamine's mechanism of action, we tested whether the clinical time course of the improvement is mirrored by the change of glutamine/glutamate ratio and if such effects show a regional and temporal specificity in two distinct subdivisions of ACC with different AMPA/N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor profiles. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled intravenous infusion study of ketamine, we measured glutamate and glutamine in the pregenual ACC (pgACC) and the anterior midcingulate cortex at 1 and 24 h post infusion with magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7 T. A significant interaction of time, region, and treatment was found for the glutamine/glutamate ratios (placebo, n=14; ketamine, n=12). Post-hoc analyses revealed that the glutamine/glutamate ratio increased significantly in the ketamine group, compared with placebo, specifically in the pgACC after 24 h. The glutamine/glutamate increase in the pgACC caused by ketamine at 24 h post infusion was reproduced in an enlarged sample (placebo, n=24; ketamine, n=20). Our results support a significant temporal and regional response in glutamine/glutamate ratios to a single subanesthetic dose of ketamine, which mirrors the time course of the antidepressant response and reversal of the molecular deficits in patients and which may be associated with the histoarchitectonical receptor fingerprints of the ACC subregions. PMID:27604568

Hair cortisol measurement in mitotane-treated adrenocortical cancer patients.

PubMed

Manenschijn, L; Quinkler, M; van Rossum, E F C

2014-04-01

The only approved drug for the treatment of adrenocortical cancer (ACC) is mitotane. Mitotane is adrenolytic and therefore, hydrocortisone replacement therapy is necessary. Since mitotane increases cortisol binding globulin (CBG) and induces CYP3A4 activity, high doses of hydrocortisone are thought to be required. Evaluation of hydrocortisone therapy in mitotane-treated patients has been difficult since there is no good marker to evaluate hydrocortisone therapy. Measurement of cortisol in scalp hair is a novel method that offers the opportunity to measure long-term cortisol levels. Our aim was to evaluate whether hair cortisol measurements could be useful in evaluating recent hydrocortisone treatment in mitotane-treated ACC patients. Hair cortisol levels were measured in 15 mitotane-treated ACC patients on hydrocortisone substitution and 96 healthy individuals. Cortisol levels were measured in 3 cm hair segments, corresponding to a period of 3 months. Hair cortisol levels were higher in ACC patients compared to healthy individuals (p<0.0001). Seven ACC patients (47%) had hair cortisol levels above the reference range. None of the patients had hair cortisol levels below normal. In contrast to hydrocortisone doses (β=0.03, p=0.93), hair cortisol levels were associated with BMI (β=0.53, p=0.042). There was no correlation between hair cortisol levels and hydrocortisone doses (β=0.41, p=0.13). Almost half of the ACC patients had high hair cortisol levels, suggesting long-term over-substitution of hydrocortisone in some of the patients, whereas none of the patients was under-substituted. Hair cortisol measurements might be useful in long-term monitoring hydrocortisone treatment in mitotane-treated ACC patients. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Aberrant error processing in relation to symptom severity in obsessive–compulsive disorder: A multimodal neuroimaging study

PubMed Central

Agam, Yigal; Greenberg, Jennifer L.; Isom, Marlisa; Falkenstein, Martha J.; Jenike, Eric; Wilhelm, Sabine; Manoach, Dara S.

2014-01-01

Background Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by maladaptive repetitive behaviors that persist despite feedback. Using multimodal neuroimaging, we tested the hypothesis that this behavioral rigidity reflects impaired use of behavioral outcomes (here, errors) to adaptively adjust responses. We measured both neural responses to errors and adjustments in the subsequent trial to determine whether abnormalities correlate with symptom severity. Since error processing depends on communication between the anterior and the posterior cingulate cortex, we also examined the integrity of the cingulum bundle with diffusion tensor imaging. Methods Participants performed the same antisaccade task during functional MRI and electroencephalography sessions. We measured error-related activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the error-related negativity (ERN). We also examined post-error adjustments, indexed by changes in activation of the default network in trials surrounding errors. Results OCD patients showed intact error-related ACC activation and ERN, but abnormal adjustments in the post- vs. pre-error trial. Relative to controls, who responded to errors by deactivating the default network, OCD patients showed increased default network activation including in the rostral ACC (rACC). Greater rACC activation in the post-error trial correlated with more severe compulsions. Patients also showed increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the white matter underlying rACC. Conclusions Impaired use of behavioral outcomes to adaptively adjust neural responses may contribute to symptoms in OCD. The rACC locus of abnormal adjustment and relations with symptoms suggests difficulty suppressing emotional responses to aversive, unexpected events (e.g., errors). Increased structural connectivity of this paralimbic default network region may contribute to this impairment. PMID:25057466

Genetic rearrangements, hotspot mutations, and microRNA expression in the progression of metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland

PubMed Central

Andreasen, Simon; Agander, Tina Klitmøller; Bjørndal, Kristine; Erentaite, Daiva; Heegaard, Steffen; Larsen, Stine R.; Melchior, Linea Cecilie; Tan, Qihua; Ulhøi, Benedicte Parm; Wessel, Irene; Homøe, Preben

2018-01-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is among the most common salivary gland malignancies, and is notorious for its unpredictable clinical course with frequent local recurrences and metastatic spread. However, the molecular mechanisms for metastatic spread are poorly understood. This malignancy is known to frequently harbor gene fusions involving MYB, MYBL1, and NFIB, and to have a low mutational burden. Most studies have focused on primary tumors to understand the biology of ACC, but this has not revealed a genetic cause for metastatic dissemination in the majority of cases. Hence, other molecular mechanisms are likely to be involved. Here, we characterize the genetic and microRNA expressional landscape of primary ACC and corresponding metastatic lesions from 11 patients. FISH demonstrated preservation of MYB aberrations between primary tumors and metastases, and targeted next-generation sequencing identified mutations exclusive for the metastatic lesions in 3/11 cases (27.3%). Global microRNA profiling identified several differentially expressed miRNAs between primary ACC and metastases as compared to normal salivary gland tissue. Interestingly, individual tumor pairs differed in miRNA profile, but there was no general difference between primary ACCs and metastases. Collectively, we show that MYB and NFIB aberrations are consistently preserved in ACC metastatic lesions, and that additional mutations included in the 50-gene hotspot panel used are infrequently acquired by the metastatic lesions. In contrast, tumor pairs differ in microRNA expression and our data suggest that they are heterogeneous according to their microRNA profile. This adds an additional layer to the complex process of ACC metastatic spread. PMID:29731974

Targeting MDM2 for Treatment of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Warner, Kristy A.; Nör, Felipe; Acasigua, Gerson A.; Martins, Manoela D.; Zhang, Zhaocheng; McLean, Scott A.; Spector, Matthew E.; Chepeha, Douglas B.; Helman, Joseph; Wick, Michael J.; Moskaluk, Christopher A.; Castilho, Rogerio M.; Pearson, Alexander T.; Wang, Shaomeng; Nör, Jacques E.

2016-01-01

Purpose There are no effective treatment options for patients with advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). Here, we evaluated the effect of a new small molecule inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 interaction (MI-773) in preclinical models of ACC. Experimental Design To evaluate the anti-tumor effect of MI-773, we administered it to mice harboring 3 different patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of ACC expressing functional p53. The effect of MI-773 on MDM2, p53, phospho-p53 and p21 was examined by Western blots in 5 low passage primary human ACC cell lines and in MI-773-treated PDX tumors. Results Single agent MI-773 caused tumor regression in the 3 PDX models of ACC studied here. For example, we observed a tumor growth inhibition (TGI) index of 127% in UM-PDX-HACC-5 tumors that was associated with an increase in the fraction of apoptotic cells (p=0.015). The number of p53-positive cells was increased in MI-773-treated PDX tumors (p<0.001), with a correspondent shift in p53 localization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Western blots demonstrated that MI-773 potently induced expression of p53 and its downstream targets p21, MDM2 and induced phosphorylation of p53 (serine 392) in low passage primary human ACC cells. Notably, MI-773 induced a dose-dependent increase in the fraction of apoptotic ACC cells and in the fraction of cells in the G1 phase of cell cycle (p<0.05). Conclusions Collectively, these data demonstrate that therapeutic inhibition of the MDM2-p53 interaction with MI-773 activates downstream effectors of apoptosis and causes robust tumor regression in preclinical models of adenoid cystic carcinoma. PMID:26936915

The roles of the anterior cingulate cortex and its dopamine receptors in self-paced cost-benefit decision making in rats.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Hu, Shan-Hu; Shi, Yi; Li, Bao-Ming

2017-03-01

It has been shown that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and its dopamine system are crucial for decision making that requires physical/emotional effort, but not for all forms of cost-benefit decision making. Previous studies had mostly employed behavioral tasks with two competing cost-reward options that were preset by the experimenters. However, few studies have been conducted using scenarios in which the subjects have full control over the energy/time expenditure required to obtain a proportional reward. Here, we assessed the roles of the ACC and its dopamine system in cost-benefit decision making by utilizing a "do more get more" (DMGM) task and a time-reward trade-off (TRTO) task, wherein the animals were able to self-determine how much effort or time to expend at a nosepoke operandum for a proportional reward. Our results showed that (1) ACC inactivation severely impaired DMGM task performance, with a reduction in the rate of correct responses and a decrease in the effort expended, but did not affect the TRTO task; and (2) blocking ACC D2 receptors had no impact on DMGM task performance in the baseline cost-benefit scenario, but it significantly reduced the attempts to invest increased effort for a large reward when the benefit-cost ratio was reduced by half. In contrast, blocking ACC D1 receptors had no effect on DMGM task performance. These findings suggest that the ACC is required for self-paced effort-based but not for time-reward trade-off decision making. Furthermore, ACC dopamine D2 but not D1 receptors are involved in DMGM decision making.

Report of the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2018, Orlando.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Takuya; Ako, Junya

2018-04-28

The 67 th Annual Scientific Session and Expo of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) were held at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, from March 10-12, 2018. This meeting offered 2,700 accepted abstracts presented in oral and poster sessions by 2,100 experts and 37 Late-Breaking Clinical Trials and Featured Clinical Research presentations. This report introduces the key presentations and highlights from the ACC 2018 Scientific Session.

CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT PREDICTS REDUCED INHIBITION-RELATED ACTIVITY IN THE ROSTRAL ANTERIOR CINGULATE IN PTSD, BUT NOT TRAUMA-EXPOSED CONTROLS.

PubMed

Stevens, Jennifer S; Ely, Timothy D; Sawamura, Takehito; Guzman, Dora; Bradley, Bekh; Ressler, Kerry J; Jovanovic, Tanja

2016-07-01

A deficit in the ability to inhibit fear has been proposed as a biomarker of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous research indicates that individuals with PTSD show reduced inhibition-related activation in rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). The goal of the current study was to investigate differential influences of an early environmental risk factor for PTSD-childhood maltreatment-on inhibition-related brain function in individuals with PTSD versus trauma-exposed controls. Individuals with PTSD (n = 37) and trauma-exposed controls (n = 53) were recruited from the primary care waiting rooms of an urban public hospital in Atlanta, GA. Participants completed an inhibition task during fMRI, and reported childhood and adult traumatic experiences. The groups were matched for adult and child trauma load. We observed an interaction between childhood maltreatment severity and PTSD status in the rACC (P < .05, corrected), such that maltreatment was negatively associated with inhibition-related rACC activation in the PTSD group, but did not influence rACC activation in the TC group. Rostral ACC activation was associated with inhibition-related task performance in the TC group but not the PTSD group, suggesting a possible contribution to stress resilience. Findings highlight individual differences in neural function following childhood trauma, and point to inhibition-related activation in rostral ACC as a risk factor for PTSD. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oral methylphenidate normalizes cingulate activity in cocaine addiction during a salient cognitive task.

PubMed

Goldstein, Rita Z; Woicik, Patricia A; Maloney, Thomas; Tomasi, Dardo; Alia-Klein, Nelly; Shan, Juntian; Honorio, Jean; Samaras, Dimitris; Wang, Ruiliang; Telang, Frank; Wang, Gene-Jack; Volkow, Nora D

2010-09-21

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) hypoactivations during cognitive demand are a hallmark deficit in drug addiction. Methylphenidate (MPH) normalizes cortical function, enhancing task salience and improving associated cognitive abilities, in other frontal lobe pathologies; however, in clinical trials, MPH did not improve treatment outcome in cocaine addiction. We hypothesized that oral MPH will attenuate ACC hypoactivations and improve associated performance during a salient cognitive task in individuals with cocaine-use disorders (CUD). In the current functional MRI study, we used a rewarded drug cue-reactivity task previously shown to be associated with hypoactivations in both major ACC subdivisions (implicated in default brain function) in CUD compared with healthy controls. The task was performed by 13 CUD and 14 matched healthy controls on 2 d: after ingesting a single dose of oral MPH (20 mg) or placebo (lactose) in a counterbalanced fashion. Results show that oral MPH increased responses to this salient cognitive task in both major ACC subdivisions (including the caudal-dorsal ACC and rostroventromedial ACC extending to the medial orbitofrontal cortex) in the CUD. These functional MRI results were associated with reduced errors of commission (a common impulsivity measure) and improved task accuracy, especially during the drug (vs. neutral) cue-reactivity condition in all subjects. The clinical application of such MPH-induced brain-behavior enhancements remains to be tested.

Developing an appropriate staff mix for anticoagulation clinics: functional job analysis approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hailemariam, Desta A.; Shan, Xiaojun; Chung, Sung H.; Khasawneh, Mohammad T.; Lukesh, William; Park, Angela; Rose, Adam

2018-05-01

Anticoagulation clinics (ACCs) are specialty clinics that manage patients with blood clotting problems. Since labor costs usually account for a substantial portion of a healthcare organization's budget, optimizing the number and types of staff required was often the focus, especially for ACCs, where labor-intensive staff-patient interactions occur. A significant portion of tasks performed by clinical pharmacists might be completed by clinical pharmacist technicians, which are less-expensive resources. While nurse staffing models for a hospital inpatient unit are well established, these models are not readily applicable to staffing ACCs. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to develop a framework for determining the right staff mix of clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy technicians that increases the efficiency of care delivery process and improves the productivity of ACC staff. A framework is developed and applied to build a semi-automated full-time equivalent (FTE) calculator and compare various staffing scenarios using a simulation model. The FTE calculator provides the right staff mix for a given staff utilization target. Data collected from the ACCs at VA Boston Healthcare System is used to illustrate the FTE calculator and the simulation model. The result of the simulation model can be used by ACC managers to easily determine the number of FTEs of clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy technicians required to reach the target utilization and the corresponding staffing cost.

Oral methylphenidate normalizes cingulate activity in cocaine addiction during a salient cognitive task

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldstein, R.Z.; Goldstein, R.Z.; Woicik, P.A.

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) hypoactivations during cognitive demand are a hallmark deficit in drug addiction. Methylphenidate (MPH) normalizes cortical function, enhancing task salience and improving associated cognitive abilities, in other frontal lobe pathologies; however, in clinical trials, MPH did not improve treatment outcome in cocaine addiction. We hypothesized that oral MPH will attenuate ACC hypoactivations and improve associated performance during a salient cognitive task in individuals with cocaine-use disorders (CUD). In the current functional MRI study, we used a rewarded drug cue-reactivity task previously shown to be associated with hypoactivations in both major ACC subdivisions (implicated in default brain function)more » in CUD compared with healthy controls. The task was performed by 13 CUD and 14 matched healthy controls on 2 d: after ingesting a single dose of oral MPH (20 mg) or placebo (lactose) in a counterbalanced fashion. Results show that oral MPH increased responses to this salient cognitive task in both major ACC subdivisions (including the caudal-dorsal ACC and rostroventromedial ACC extending to the medial orbitofrontal cortex) in the CUD. These functional MRI results were associated with reduced errors of commission (a common impulsivity measure) and improved task accuracy, especially during the drug (vs. neutral) cue-reactivity condition in all subjects. The clinical application of such MPH-induced brain-behavior enhancements remains to be tested.« less

Self-referential processing influences functional activation during cognitive control: an fMRI study

PubMed Central

Koch, Kathrin; Schachtzabel, Claudia; Peikert, Gregor; Schultz, Carl Christoph; Reichenbach, Jürgen R.; Sauer, Heinrich; Schlösser, Ralf G.

2013-01-01

Rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) plays a central role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). As we reported in our previous study (Wagner et al., 2006), patients with MDD were characterized by an inability to deactivate this region during cognitive processing leading to a compensatory prefrontal hyperactivation. This hyperactivation in rACC may be related to a deficient inhibitory control of negative self-referential processes, which in turn may interfere with cognitive control task execution and the underlying fronto-cingulate network activation. To test this assumption, a functional magnetic resonance imaging study was conducted in 34 healthy subjects. Univariate and functional connectivity analyses in statistical parametric mapping software 8 were used. Self-referential stimuli and the Stroop task were presented in an event-related design. As hypothesized, rACC was specifically engaged during negative self-referential processing (SRP) and was significantly related to the degree of depressive symptoms in participants. BOLD signal in rACC showed increased valence-dependent (negative vs neutral SRP) interaction with BOLD signal in prefrontal and dorsal anterior cingulate regions during Stroop task performance. This result provides strong support for the notion that enhanced rACC interacts with brain regions involved in cognitive control processes and substantiates our previous interpretation of increased rACC and prefrontal activation in patients during Stroop task. PMID:22798398

Potential Functional Replacement of the Plastidic Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Subunit (accD) Gene by Recent Transfers to the Nucleus in Some Angiosperm Lineages1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Rousseau-Gueutin, Mathieu; Huang, Xun; Higginson, Emily; Ayliffe, Michael; Day, Anil; Timmis, Jeremy N.

2013-01-01

Eukaryotic cells originated when an ancestor of the nucleated cell engulfed bacterial endosymbionts that gradually evolved into the mitochondrion and the chloroplast. Soon after these endosymbiotic events, thousands of ancestral prokaryotic genes were functionally transferred from the endosymbionts to the nucleus. This process of functional gene relocation, now rare in eukaryotes, continues in angiosperms. In this article, we show that the chloroplastic acetyl-CoA carboxylase subunit (accD) gene that is present in the plastome of most angiosperms has been functionally relocated to the nucleus in the Campanulaceae. Surprisingly, the nucleus-encoded accD transcript is considerably smaller than the plastidic version, consisting of little more than the carboxylase domain of the plastidic accD gene fused to a coding region encoding a plastid targeting peptide. We verified experimentally the presence of a chloroplastic transit peptide by showing that the product of the nuclear accD fused to green fluorescent protein was imported in the chloroplasts. The nuclear gene regulatory elements that enabled the erstwhile plastidic gene to become functional in the nuclear genome were identified, and the evolution of the intronic and exonic sequences in the nucleus is described. Relocation and truncation of the accD gene is a remarkable example of the processes underpinning endosymbiotic evolution. PMID:23435694

Sustained reduction of nicotine craving with real-time neurofeedback: exploring the role of severity of dependence.

PubMed

Canterberry, Melanie; Hanlon, Colleen A; Hartwell, Karen J; Li, Xingbao; Owens, Max; LeMatty, Todd; Prisciandaro, James J; Borckardt, Jeffrey; Saladin, Michael E; Brady, Kathleen T; George, Mark S

2013-12-01

Neurofeedback delivered via real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) is a promising therapeutic technique being explored to facilitate self-regulation of craving in nicotine-dependent cigarette smokers. The current study examined the role of nicotine-dependence severity and the efficacy of multiple visits of neurofeedback from a single region of interest (ROI) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) on craving reduction. Nine nicotine-dependent cigarette smokers participated in three rtfMRI visits that examined cue-induced craving and brain activation. Severity of nicotine dependence was assessed with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. When viewing smoking-related images with instructions to "crave," patient-tailored ROIs were generated in the vicinity of the ACC. Activity levels from the ROI were fed back while participants viewed smoking cues with the instruction to reduce craving. Neurofeedback from a single ROI in the ACC led to consistent decreases in self-reported craving and activation in the ACC across the three visits. Dependence severity predicted response to neurofeedback at Visit 3. This study builds upon previous rtfMRI studies on the regulation of nicotine craving in demonstrating that feedback from the ACC can reduce activation to smoking cues across three separate visits. Individuals with lower nicotine-dependence severity were more successful in reducing ACC activation over time. These data highlight the need to consider dependence severity in developing more individualized neurofeedback methods.

Mortality Risk After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Analysis of the Predictive Accuracy of the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry Risk Assessment Model.

PubMed

Codner, Pablo; Malick, Waqas; Kouz, Remi; Patel, Amisha; Chen, Cheng-Han; Terre, Juan; Landes, Uri; Vahl, Torsten Peter; George, Isaac; Nazif, Tamim; Kirtane, Ajay J; Khalique, Omar K; Hahn, Rebecca T; Leon, Martin B; Kodali, Susheel

2018-05-08

Risk assessment tools currently used to predict mortality in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) were designed for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We aim to assess the accuracy of the TAVI dedicated American College of Cardiology / Transcatheter Valve Therapies (ACC/TVT) risk score in predicting mortality outcomes. Consecutive patients (n=1038) undergoing TAVI at a single institution from 2014 to 2016 were included. The ACC/TVT registry mortality risk score, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons - Patient Reported Outcomes (STS-PROM) score and the EuroSCORE II were calculated for all patients. In hospital and 30-day all-cause mortality rates were 1.3% and 2.9%, respectively. The ACC/TVT risk stratification tool scored higher for patients who died in-hospital than in those who survived the index hospitalization (6.4 ± 4.6 vs. 3.5 ± 1.6, p = 0.03; respectively). The ACC/TVT score showed a high level of discrimination, C-index for in-hospital mortality 0.74, 95% CI [0.59 - 0.88]. There were no significant differences between the performance of the ACC/TVT registry risk score, the EuroSCORE II and the STS-PROM for in hospital and 30-day mortality rates. The ACC/TVT registry risk model is a dedicated tool to aid in the prediction of in-hospital mortality risk after TAVI.

A Computational Model of Major Depression: the Role of Glutamate Dysfunction on Cingulo-Frontal Network Dynamics

PubMed Central

Ramirez-Mahaluf, Juan P.; Roxin, Alexander; Mayberg, Helen S.; Compte, Albert

2017-01-01

Abstract Major depression disease (MDD) is associated with the dysfunction of multinode brain networks. However, converging evidence implicates the reciprocal interaction between midline limbic regions (typified by the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, vACC) and the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), reflecting interactions between emotions and cognition. Furthermore, growing evidence suggests a role for abnormal glutamate metabolism in the vACC, while serotonergic treatments (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, SSRI) effective for many patients implicate the serotonin system. Currently, no mechanistic framework describes how network dynamics, glutamate, and serotonin interact to explain MDD symptoms and treatments. Here, we built a biophysical computational model of 2 areas (vACC and dlPFC) that can switch between emotional and cognitive processing. MDD networks were simulated by slowing glutamate decay in vACC and demonstrated sustained vACC activation. This hyperactivity was not suppressed by concurrent dlPFC activation and interfered with expected dlPFC responses to cognitive signals, mimicking cognitive dysfunction seen in MDD. Simulation of clinical treatments (SSRI or deep brain stimulation) counteracted this aberrant vACC activity. Theta and beta/gamma oscillations correlated with network function, representing markers of switch-like operation in the network. The model shows how glutamate dysregulation can cause aberrant brain dynamics, respond to treatments, and be reflected in EEG rhythms as biomarkers of MDD. PMID:26514163

Oxygen control of ethylene biosynthesis during seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramonell, K. M.; McClure, G.; Musgrave, M. E.

2002-01-01

An unforeseen side-effect on plant growth in reduced oxygen is the loss of seed production at concentrations around 25% atmospheric (50 mmol mol-1 O2). In this study, the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. cv. 'Columbia' was used to investigate the effect of low oxygen on ethylene biosynthesis during seed development. Plants were grown in a range of oxygen concentrations (210 [equal to ambient], 160, 100, 50 and 25 mmol mol-1) with 0.35 mmol mol-1 CO2 in N2. Ethylene in full-sized siliques was sampled using gas chromatography, and viable seed production was determined at maturity. Molecular analysis of ethylene biosynthesis was accomplished using cDNAs encoding 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase and ACC oxidase in ribonuclease protection assays and in situ hybridizations. No ethylene was detected in siliques from plants grown at 50 and 25 mmol mol-1 O2. At the same time, silique ACC oxidase mRNA increased three-fold comparing plants grown under the lowest oxygen with ambient controls, whereas ACC synthase mRNA was unaffected. As O2 decreased, tissue-specific patterning of ACC oxidase and ACC synthase gene expression shifted from the embryo to the silique wall. These data demonstrate how low O2 modulates the activity and expression of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway during seed development in Arabidopsis.

Differential functional connectivity of rostral anterior cingulate cortex during emotional interference.

PubMed

Szekely, Akos; Silton, Rebecca L; Heller, Wendy; Miller, Gregory A; Mohanty, Aprajita

2017-03-01

The rostral-ventral subdivision of the anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) plays a key role in the regulation of emotional processing. Although rACC has strong anatomical connections with anterior insular cortex (AIC), amygdala, prefrontal cortex and striatal brain regions, it is unclear whether the functional connectivity of rACC with these regions changes when regulating emotional processing. Furthermore, it is not known whether this connectivity changes with deficits in emotion regulation seen in different kinds of anxiety and depression. To address these questions regarding rACC functional connectivity, non-patients high in self-reported anxious apprehension (AP), anxious arousal (AR), anhedonic depression (AD) or none (CON) indicated the ink color of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant words during functional magnetic resonance imaging. While ignoring task-irrelevant unpleasant words, AD and CON showed an increase in the functional connectivity of rACC with AIC, putamen, caudate and ventral pallidum. There was a decrease in this connectivity in AP and AR, with AP showing greater reduction than AR. These findings provide support for the role of rACC in integrating interoceptive, emotional and cognitive functions via interactions with insula and striatal regions during effective emotion regulation in healthy individuals and a failure of this integration that may be specific to anxiety, particularly AP. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

24 CFR 963.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

.... Annual Contributions Contract (ACC). See definition in 24 CFR 968.105. Certification. A written assertion... Contribution Contract (ACC). Public housing resident. Any individual who resides in public housing as a...

Social pain and social gain in the adolescent brain: A common neural circuitry underlying both positive and negative social evaluation

PubMed Central

Dalgleish, Tim; Walsh, Nicholas D.; Mobbs, Dean; Schweizer, Susanne; van Harmelen, Anne-Laura; Dunn, Barnaby; Dunn, Valerie; Goodyer, Ian; Stretton, Jason

2017-01-01

Social interaction inherently involves the subjective evaluation of cues salient to social inclusion and exclusion. Testifying to the importance of such social cues, parts of the neural system dedicated to the detection of physical pain, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and anterior insula (AI), have been shown to be equally sensitive to the detection of social pain experienced after social exclusion. However, recent work suggests that this dACC-AI matrix may index any socially pertinent information. We directly tested the hypothesis that the dACC-AI would respond to cues of both inclusion and exclusion, using a novel social feedback fMRI paradigm in a population-derived sample of adolescents. We show that the dACC and left AI are commonly activated by feedback cues of inclusion and exclusion. Our findings suggest that theoretical accounts of the dACC-AI network as a neural alarm system restricted within the social domain to the processing of signals of exclusion require significant revision. PMID:28169323

Role of chemotherapy and molecularly targeted agents in the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland.

PubMed

Le Tourneau, Christophe; Razak, Albiruni R A; Levy, Christine; Calugaru, Valentin; Galatoire, Olivier; Dendale, Rémi; Desjardins, Laurence; Gan, Hui K

2011-11-01

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the most common malignant epithelial cancer of the lacrimal gland. Despite a slow rate of growth, ACCs are ultimately associated with poor clinical outcome. Given the rarity of this disease, most recommendations regarding therapy are guided by expert opinion and retrospective data rather than level 1 evidence. Surgery and postoperative radiation therapy are commonly used as initial local treatment. In patients at high risk of recurrence, concomitant platinum-based chemotherapy may be added to postoperative radiotherapy in an attempt to enhance radio-sensitivity. While encouraging responses have been reported with intra-arterial neoadjuvant chemotherapy, this strategy is associated with substantial toxicity and should be considered investigational. For patients with metastatic disease not amenable to surgery or radiotherapy, chemotherapy may have a role based on its modest efficacy in non-lacrimal ACC. Similarly, molecular targeted agents may have a role, although the agents tested to date in non-lacrimal ACC have been disappointing. A better understanding of the biology of ACC will be crucial to the future success of developing targeted agents for this disease.

Altered baseline brain activity differentiates regional mechanisms subserving biological and psychological alterations in obese men

PubMed Central

Zhang, Bin; Tian, Derun; Yu, Chunshui; Li, Meng; Zang, Yufeng; Liu, Yijun; Walter, Martin

2015-01-01

Obesity as a chronic disease is a major factor for insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, which has become a global health problem. In the present study, we used resting state functional MRI to investigate the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations of spontaneous signal during both hunger and satiety states in 20 lean and 20 obese males. We found that, before food intake, obese men had significantly greater baseline activity in the precuneus and lesser activity in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) relative to lean subjects. Furthermore, after food intake, obese males had significantly lesser activity in dACC than lean males. We further found a significant positive correlation between precuneus activation and hunger ratings before food intake, while dACC activity was negatively correlated with plasma insulin levels before and after food intake. These results indicated that both precuneus and dACC may play an important role in eating behavior. While precuneus rather seemed to mediate subjective satiety, dACC levels rather reflected indirect measures of glucose utilization. PMID:26099208

Depression and anxious apprehension distinguish frontocingulate cortical activity during top-down attentional control.

PubMed

Silton, Rebecca Levin; Heller, Wendy; Engels, Anna S; Towers, David N; Spielberg, Jeffrey M; Edgar, J Christopher; Sass, Sarah M; Stewart, Jennifer L; Sutton, Bradley P; Banich, Marie T; Miller, Gregory A

2011-05-01

A network consisting of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (LDLPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) has been implicated in top-down attentional control. Few studies have systematically investigated how this network is altered in psychopathology, despite evidence that depression and anxiety are associated with attentional control impairments. Functional MRI and dense-array event-related brain potential (ERP) data were collected in separate sessions from 100 participants during a color-word Stroop task. Functional MRI results guided ERP source modeling to characterize the time course of activity in LDLPFC (300-440 ms) and dACC (520-680 ms). At low levels of depression, LDLPFC activity was indirectly related to Stroop interference and only via dACC activity. In contrast, at high levels of depression, dACC did not play an intervening role, and increased LDLPFC activity was directly related to decreased Stroop interference. Specific to high levels of anxious apprehension, higher dACC activity was related to more Stroop interference. Results indicate that depression and anxious apprehension modulate temporally and functionally distinct aspects of the frontocingulate network involved in top-down attention control.