20 CFR 901.2 - Eligibility to perform actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... 901.2 Section 901.2 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS.... (a) Enrolled actuary. Subject to the standards of performance set forth in subpart C of this part, any individual who is an enrolled actuary as defined in § 901.1(g) may perform actuarial services...

20 CFR 901.2 - Eligibility to perform actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... 901.2 Section 901.2 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS.... (a) Enrolled actuary. Subject to the standards of performance set forth in subpart C of this part, any individual who is an enrolled actuary as defined in § 901.1(g) may perform actuarial services...

26 CFR 301.6059-1 - Periodic report of actuary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Periodic report of actuary. 301.6059-1 Section...-1 Periodic report of actuary. (a) In general. The actuarial report described in this section must be... funding deficiency (as defined in section 412(a)) to zero, (4) A statement by the enrolled actuary signing...

26 CFR 301.6059-1 - Periodic report of actuary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Periodic report of actuary. 301.6059-1 Section...-1 Periodic report of actuary. (a) In general. The actuarial report described in this section must be... funding deficiency (as defined in section 412(a)) to zero, (4) A statement by the enrolled actuary signing...

26 CFR 301.6059-1 - Periodic report of actuary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Periodic report of actuary. 301.6059-1 Section...-1 Periodic report of actuary. (a) In general. The actuarial report described in this section must be... funding deficiency (as defined in section 412(a)) to zero, (4) A statement by the enrolled actuary signing...

26 CFR 301.6059-1 - Periodic report of actuary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Periodic report of actuary. 301.6059-1 Section...-1 Periodic report of actuary. (a) In general. The actuarial report described in this section must be... funding deficiency (as defined in section 412(a)) to zero, (4) A statement by the enrolled actuary signing...

26 CFR 301.6059-1 - Periodic report of actuary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Periodic report of actuary. 301.6059-1 Section...-1 Periodic report of actuary. (a) In general. The actuarial report described in this section must be... funding deficiency (as defined in section 412(a)) to zero, (4) A statement by the enrolled actuary signing...

75 FR 63505 - Renewal of Advisory Committee on Actuarial Examinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-15

... actuarial mathematics and methodology. The Joint Board administers such examinations in discharging its... JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES Renewal of Advisory Committee on Actuarial... Committee on Actuarial Examinations. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick W. McDonough, 202-622-8225...

42 CFR 457.431 - Actuarial report for benchmark-equivalent coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...— (1) By an individual who is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries; (2) Using generally accepted actuarial principles and methodologies of the American Academy of Actuaries; (3) Using a... coverage. (c) The actuary who prepares the opinion must select and specify the standardized set and...

20 CFR 901.32 - Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... actuaries. 901.32 Section 901.32 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Suspension or Termination of Enrollment § 901.32 Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries. If an... Guaranty Corporation, or a member of the Joint Board has reason to believe that an enrolled actuary has...

20 CFR 901.20 - Standards of performance of actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... services. 901.20 Section 901.20 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Standards of Performance for Enrolled Actuaries § 901.20 Standards of performance of actuarial services. In the discharge of duties required by ERISA of enrolled actuaries with respect to any plan to which the...

20 CFR 901.20 - Standards of performance of actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... services. 901.20 Section 901.20 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Standards of Performance for Enrolled Actuaries § 901.20 Standards of performance of actuarial services. In the discharge of duties required by ERISA of enrolled actuaries with respect to any plan to which the...

20 CFR 901.32 - Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... actuaries. 901.32 Section 901.32 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Suspension or Termination of Enrollment § 901.32 Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries. If an... Guaranty Corporation, or a member of the Joint Board has reason to believe that an enrolled actuary has...

20 CFR 901.32 - Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... actuaries. 901.32 Section 901.32 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Suspension or Termination of Enrollment § 901.32 Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries. If an... Guaranty Corporation, or a member of the Joint Board has reason to believe that an enrolled actuary has...

20 CFR 901.32 - Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... actuaries. 901.32 Section 901.32 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Suspension or Termination of Enrollment § 901.32 Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries. If an... Guaranty Corporation, or a member of the Joint Board has reason to believe that an enrolled actuary has...

20 CFR 901.20 - Standards of performance of actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... services. 901.20 Section 901.20 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Standards of Performance for Enrolled Actuaries § 901.20 Standards of performance of actuarial services. In the discharge of duties required by ERISA of enrolled actuaries with respect to any plan to which the...

20 CFR 901.20 - Standards of performance of actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... services. 901.20 Section 901.20 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Standards of Performance for Enrolled Actuaries § 901.20 Standards of performance of actuarial services. In the discharge of duties required by ERISA of enrolled actuaries with respect to any plan to which the...

20 CFR 901.32 - Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... actuaries. 901.32 Section 901.32 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Suspension or Termination of Enrollment § 901.32 Receipt of information concerning enrolled actuaries. If an... Guaranty Corporation, or a member of the Joint Board has reason to believe that an enrolled actuary has...

26 CFR 300.7 - Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. 300.7... AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.7 Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the initial enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for the Enrollment of...

26 CFR 300.7 - Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. 300.7... AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.7 Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the initial enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for the Enrollment of...

26 CFR 300.7 - Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. 300.7... AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.7 Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the initial enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for the Enrollment of...

26 CFR 300.7 - Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. 300.7... AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.7 Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the initial enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for the Enrollment of...

26 CFR 300.7 - Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. 300.7... AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.7 Enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the initial enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for the Enrollment of...

Actuarial considerations of medical malpractice evaluations in M&As.

PubMed

Frese, Richard C

2014-11-01

To best project an actuarial estimate for medical malpractice exposure for a merger and acquisition, a organization's leaders should consider the following factors, among others: How to support an unbiased actuarial estimation. Experience of the actuary. The full picture of the organization's malpractice coverage. The potential for future loss development. Frequency and severity trends.

29 CFR 4231.10 - Actuarial calculations and assumptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS § 4231.10 Actuarial calculations and assumptions. (a) Most recent valuation. All calculations required by this part must be based on the most recent actuarial valuation as of the date of...

29 CFR 4231.10 - Actuarial calculations and assumptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS § 4231.10 Actuarial calculations and assumptions. (a) Most recent valuation. All calculations required by this part must be based on the most recent actuarial valuation as of the date of...

29 CFR 4231.10 - Actuarial calculations and assumptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS § 4231.10 Actuarial calculations and assumptions. (a) Most recent valuation. All calculations required by this part must be based on the most recent actuarial valuation as of the date of...

29 CFR 4231.10 - Actuarial calculations and assumptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS § 4231.10 Actuarial calculations and assumptions. (a) Most recent valuation. All calculations required by this part must be based on the most recent actuarial valuation as of the date of...

29 CFR 4231.10 - Actuarial calculations and assumptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... MULTIEMPLOYER PLANS § 4231.10 Actuarial calculations and assumptions. (a) Most recent valuation. All calculations required by this part must be based on the most recent actuarial valuation as of the date of...

Developing an Actuarial Track Utilizing Existing Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers, Kathy V.; Sarol, Yalçin

2014-01-01

Students earning a degree in mathematics often seek information on how to apply their mathematical knowledge. One option is to follow a curriculum with an actuarial emphasis designed to prepare students as an applied mathematician in the actuarial field. By developing only two new courses and utilizing existing courses for Validation by…

20 CFR 901.20 - Standards of performance of actuarial services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... explanation relative to any report signed or certified by such enrolled actuary. (d) Conflicts of interest. In any situation in which the enrolled actuary has a conflict of interest with respect to the performance... not of a distinctive nature. (h) Notification. An enrolled actuary shall provide written notification...

The Undergraduate Statistics Major--A Prelude to Actuarial Science Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratliff, Michael I.; Williams, Raymond E.

Recently there has been increased interest related to the Actuarial Science field. An actuary is a business professional who uses mathematical skills to define, analyze, and solve financial and social problems. This paper examines: (1) the interface between Statistical and Actuarial Science training; (2) statistical courses corresponding to…

77 FR 63337 - Renewal of Charter of Advisory Committee on Actuarial Examinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-16

... examinations in actuarial mathematics and methodology. The Joint Board administers such examinations in... JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES Renewal of Charter of Advisory Committee on Actuarial... the Advisory Committee on Actuarial Examinations. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick McDonough...

Different actuarial risk measures produce different risk rankings for sexual offenders.

PubMed

Barbaree, Howard E; Langton, Calvin M; Peacock, Edward J

2006-10-01

Percentile ranks were computed for N=262 sex offenders using each of 5 actuarial risk instruments commonly used with adult sex offenders (RRASOR, Static-99, VRAG, SORAG, and MnSOST-R). Mean differences between percentile ranks obtained by different actuarial measures were found to vary inversely with the correlation between the actuarial scores. Following studies of factor analyses of actuarial items, we argue that the discrepancies among actuarial instruments can be substantially accounted for by the way in which the factor Antisocial Behavior and various factors reflecting sexual deviance are represented among the items contained in each instrument. In the discussion, we provide guidance to clinicians in resolving discrepancies between instruments and we discuss implications for future developments in sex offender risk assessment.

26 CFR 300.8 - Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee...) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.8 Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for...

26 CFR 300.8 - Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee...) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.8 Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for...

26 CFR 300.8 - Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee...) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.8 Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for...

26 CFR 300.8 - Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee...) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.8 Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for...

26 CFR 300.8 - Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee...) PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION USER FEES § 300.8 Renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuary fee. (a) Applicability. This section applies to the renewal of enrollment of enrolled actuaries with the Joint Board for...

Strategic Curricular Decisions in Butler University's Actuarial Science Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Christopher James

2014-01-01

We describe specific curricular decisions employed at Butler University that have resulted in student achievement in the actuarial science major. The paper includes a discussion of how these decisions might be applied in the context of a new actuarial program.

42 CFR 440.340 - Actuarial report for benchmark-equivalent coverage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... individual who is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries (AAA). (2) Using generally accepted actuarial principles and methodologies of the AAA. (3) Using a standardized set of utilization and price factors. (4...

Actuarial risk assessment: commentary on Berlin et al.

PubMed

Hart, Stephen D

2003-10-01

F. S. Berlin, N. W. Galbreath, B. Geary, and G. McGlone (this issue) have raised some important questions regarding the use of acturial risk assessment instruments in sex offender civil commitment proceedings, also known as sexually violent predator or SVP proceedings. Their primary point is that interpreting the findings of existing actuarial risk assessment instruments is a tricky business because it is not certain whether the extent to which probability estimates derived from group data can be applied to individual cases. I agree completely with Berlin et al. on this point, but disagree with them concerning the extent to which probability estimates--and, therefore, actuarial instruments--are legally relevant in SVP proceedings. I outline some potential problems with respect to the legal admissibility of actuarial instruments, including their legal relevance.

75 FR 22754 - Federal Advisory Committee; Department of Defense Board of Actuaries; Charter Renewal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

... Board of Actuaries; Charter Renewal AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Renewal of Federal... Department of Defense Board of Actuaries (hereafter referred to as the Board). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION... qualified professional actuaries who are members of the Society of Actuaries. Board members shall be...

26 CFR 301.6692-1 - Failure to file actuarial report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... enrolled actuary (see § 301.6059-1(d)) is considered a material item of information. Further, for any report filed for a plan year ending after January 25, 1982, if the actuary seeks to materially qualify a...

26 CFR 301.6692-1 - Failure to file actuarial report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... enrolled actuary (see § 301.6059-1(d)) is considered a material item of information. Further, for any report filed for a plan year ending after January 25, 1982, if the actuary seeks to materially qualify a...

26 CFR 301.6692-1 - Failure to file actuarial report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... enrolled actuary (see § 301.6059-1(d)) is considered a material item of information. Further, for any report filed for a plan year ending after January 25, 1982, if the actuary seeks to materially qualify a...

26 CFR 301.6692-1 - Failure to file actuarial report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... enrolled actuary (see § 301.6059-1(d)) is considered a material item of information. Further, for any report filed for a plan year ending after January 25, 1982, if the actuary seeks to materially qualify a...

26 CFR 301.6692-1 - Failure to file actuarial report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... enrolled actuary (see § 301.6059-1(d)) is considered a material item of information. Further, for any report filed for a plan year ending after January 25, 1982, if the actuary seeks to materially qualify a...

20 CFR 200.9 - Selection of members of Actuarial Advisory Committee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Selection of members of Actuarial Advisory Committee. 200.9 Section 200.9 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD GENERAL ADMINISTRATION GENERAL... railroad subject to the Interstate Commerce Act which own or control more than 50 percent of the total...

75 FR 6359 - Federal Advisory Committee; DoD Board of Actuaries; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-09

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Federal Advisory Committee; DoD Board of Actuaries... the DoD Board of Actuaries will meet on July 22 and 23, 2010. Subject to the availability of space...D Office of the Actuary, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 308, Arlington, VA 22203; phone 703-696-7413...

Development of an Actuarial Science Program at Salisbury University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wainwright, Barbara A.

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on the development of an actuarial science track for the mathematics major at Salisbury University (SU). A timeline from the initial investigation into such a program through the proposal and approval processes is shared for those who might be interested in developing a new actuarial program. It is wise to start small and take…

5 CFR 839.1115 - What is an actuarial reduction?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...? An actuarial reduction allows you to receive benefits without having to pay an amount due in a lump sum. OPM reduces your annuity in a way that, on average, allows the Fund to recover the amount of the... have to pay at that time. To compute an actuarial reduction, OPM divides the lump sum amount by the...

5 CFR 839.1115 - What is an actuarial reduction?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...? An actuarial reduction allows you to receive benefits without having to pay an amount due in a lump sum. OPM reduces your annuity in a way that, on average, allows the Fund to recover the amount of the... have to pay at that time. To compute an actuarial reduction, OPM divides the lump sum amount by the...

The Role of an Actuarial Director in the Development of an Introductory Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staples, Susan G.

2014-01-01

We describe the roles and duties of a director in developing an introductory actuarial program. Degree plan design, specialized exam courses, internship classes, coordination of efforts with Economics and Finance Departments, opportunities for creating a minor in actuarial mathematics, actuarial clubs, career advice, and interaction with actuarial…

An Overview of the Society of Actuaries and Its Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klugman, Stuart; Long, Gena

2014-01-01

The Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world's largest actuarial organization. This article describes the SOA with particular attention paid to its education and qualification processes and resources available for university and college programs.

Including an Exam P/1 Prep Course in a Growing Actuarial Science Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakefield, Thomas P.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the actuarial science program at our university and the development of a course to enhance students' problem solving skills while preparing them for Exam P/1 of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Casualty Actuary Society (CAS). The Exam P/1 prep course, formally titled Mathematical Foundations of…

Connecting clinical and actuarial prediction with rule-based methods.

PubMed

Fokkema, Marjolein; Smits, Niels; Kelderman, Henk; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2015-06-01

Meta-analyses comparing the accuracy of clinical versus actuarial prediction have shown actuarial methods to outperform clinical methods, on average. However, actuarial methods are still not widely used in clinical practice, and there has been a call for the development of actuarial prediction methods for clinical practice. We argue that rule-based methods may be more useful than the linear main effect models usually employed in prediction studies, from a data and decision analytic as well as a practical perspective. In addition, decision rules derived with rule-based methods can be represented as fast and frugal trees, which, unlike main effects models, can be used in a sequential fashion, reducing the number of cues that have to be evaluated before making a prediction. We illustrate the usability of rule-based methods by applying RuleFit, an algorithm for deriving decision rules for classification and regression problems, to a dataset on prediction of the course of depressive and anxiety disorders from Penninx et al. (2011). The RuleFit algorithm provided a model consisting of 2 simple decision rules, requiring evaluation of only 2 to 4 cues. Predictive accuracy of the 2-rule model was very similar to that of a logistic regression model incorporating 20 predictor variables, originally applied to the dataset. In addition, the 2-rule model required, on average, evaluation of only 3 cues. Therefore, the RuleFit algorithm appears to be a promising method for creating decision tools that are less time consuming and easier to apply in psychological practice, and with accuracy comparable to traditional actuarial methods. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Population projections for AIDS using an actuarial model.

PubMed

Wilkie, A D

1989-09-05

This paper gives details of a model for forecasting AIDS, developed for actuarial purposes, but used also for population projections. The model is only appropriate for homosexual transmission, but it is age-specific, and it allows variation in the transition intensities by age, duration in certain states and calendar year. The differential equations controlling transitions between states are defined, the method of numerical solution is outlined, and the parameters used in five different Bases of projection are given in detail. Numerical results for the population of England and Wales are shown.

75 FR 47650 - Actuarial Advisory Committee With Respect to the Railroad Retirement Account; Notice of Public...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... Chief Actuary of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois, on the... sent by the Chief Actuary to the Committee before the meeting. The meeting will be open to the public... communications or notices to the RRB Actuarial Advisory Committee, c/o Chief Actuary, U.S. Railroad Retirement...

78 FR 9890 - DoD Board of Actuaries; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary DoD Board of Actuaries; Notice of Federal Advisory... Advisory Committee meeting of the DoD Board of Actuaries will take place. DATES: July 18, 2013, from 1:00 p... Defense Human Resource Activity, DoD Office of the Actuary, 4800 Mark Center Drive, STE 06J25-01...

Impact of actuarial assumptions on pension costs: A simulation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusof, Shaira; Ibrahim, Rose Irnawaty

2013-04-01

This study investigates the sensitivity of pension costs to changes in the underlying assumptions of a hypothetical pension plan in order to gain a perspective on the relative importance of the various actuarial assumptions via a simulation analysis. Simulation analyses are used to examine the impact of actuarial assumptions on pension costs. There are two actuarial assumptions will be considered in this study which are mortality rates and interest rates. To calculate pension costs, Accrued Benefit Cost Method, constant amount (CA) modification, constant percentage of salary (CS) modification are used in the study. The mortality assumptions and the implied mortality experience of the plan can potentially have a significant impact on pension costs. While for interest rate assumptions, it is inversely related to the pension costs. Results of the study have important implications for analyst of pension costs.

76 FR 81362 - Regulations Governing the Performance of Actuarial Services Under the Employee Retirement Income...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-28

... JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES 20 CFR Part 901 [TD 9517] RIN 1545-BC82 Regulations...; Correction AGENCY: Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries. ACTION: Correction to final regulations... Federal Register on Thursday, March 31, 2011 (76 FR 17762) relating to the enrollment of actuaries. DATES...

77 FR 12577 - Department of Defense (DoD) Board of Actuaries; Federal Advisory Committee Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-01

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense (DoD) Board of Actuaries... that the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the DoD Board of Actuaries will take place... Actuaries meeting or make an oral presentation or submit a written statement for consideration at the...

Recruiting and Advising Challenges in Actuarial Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, Bettye Anne; Guan, Yuanying Michelle; Paris, Stephen

2014-01-01

Some challenges to increasing actuarial science program size through recruiting broadly among potential students are identified. Possible solutions depend on the structures and culture of the school. Up to three student cohorts may result from partition of potential students by the levels of academic progress before program entry: students…

77 FR 12577 - Department of Defense (DoD) Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries; Federal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-01

... Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries; Federal Advisory Committee Meeting AGENCY: DoD. ACTION: Meeting... DoD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries will take place. DATES: Friday, August 3... Contact: Persons desiring to attend the DoD Medicare- Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries...

Choosing the 'best' plan in a health insurance exchange: actuarial value tells only part of the story.

PubMed

Lore, Ryan; Gabel, Jon R; McDevitt, Roland; Slover, Michael

2012-08-01

In the health insurance exchanges that will come online in 2014, consumers will be able to compare health plans with respect to actuarial value, or the percentage of health care costs that a plan would pay for a standard population. This analysis illustrates the out-of-pocket costs that might result from plans with various plan designs and actuarial values. We find that average out-of-pocket expense declines as actuarial values rise, but two plans with similar actuarial values can produce very different outcomes for a given person. The overall affordability of a plan also will be influenced by age rating, income-related premium subsidies, and out-of-pocket subsidies. Actuarial value is a useful starting point for selecting a plan, but it does not pinpoint which plan will produce the best overall value for a particular person.

Insights into managed care--operational, legal and actuarial.

PubMed

Melek, S P; Johnson, B A; Schryver, D

1997-01-01

Understanding the operational, legal and actuarial dimensions of managed care is essential to developing managed care contracts between managed care organizations and individual health care providers or groups such as provider-sponsored organizations or independent practice associations. Operationally, it is important to understand managed care and its trends, emphasizing business issues, knowing your practice and defining acceptable levels of reimbursement and risk. Legally, there are a number of common themes or issues relevant to all managed care contracts, including primary care vs. specialist contracts, services offered, program policies and procedures, utilization review, physician reimbursement and compensation, payment schedule, terms and conditions, term and termination, continuation of care requirements, indemnification, amendment of contract and program policies, and stop-loss insurance. Actuarial issues include membership, geography, age-gender distribution, degree of health care management, local managed care utilization levels, historical utilization levels, health plan benefit design, among others.

Prognosis of patients after open mitral commissurotomy. Actuarial analysis of late results in 100 patients.

PubMed

Housman, L B; Bonchek, L; Lambert, L; Grunkemeier, G; Starr, A

1977-05-01

The continuing controversy between proponents of open and closed commissurotomy might be clarified by analysis of late follow-up with modern actuarial techniques that provide a true perspective of patient risk. We have used open mitral commissurotomy exclusively for 15 years in 100 patients. There was one operative death from pancreatitis and one late death from cancer; the actuarially projected survival rate (+/- the standard error) at 10 years is 97 per cent (+/- 2). Thirteen patients had preoperative emboli, 6 of whom were in sinus rhythm and 7 in atrial fibrillation. Two patients had postoperative emboli, both in sinus rhythm. The actuarial chance of remaining free of embolism at 10 years is 97 per cent (+/- 2). Sixteen patients required reoperation on the mitral valve for functional deterioration. The remaining survivors were in Class I or II when last seen. The actuarial chance of not requiring a reoperation after 5 years is 91 per cent (+/- 4) and at 10 years, 38 per cent(+/- 16). Results in different centers are difficult to compare for many reasons, but imprecise statistical methods further obscure such comparisons. The use of actuarial techniques may help to define the role of open mitral commissurotomy.

Marketplace Plans Provide Risk Protection, But Actuarial Values Overstate Realized Coverage For Most Enrollees.

PubMed

Polyakova, Maria; Hua, Lynn Mei; Bundorf, M Kate

2017-12-01

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased the number of Americans with health insurance. Yet many policy makers and consumers have questioned the value of Marketplace plan coverage because of the generally high levels of cost sharing. We simulated out-of-pocket spending for bronze, silver, or gold Marketplace plans (those having actuarial values of 60 percent, 70 percent, and 80 percent, respectively). We found that for the vast majority of consumers, the proportion of covered spending paid by the plans is likely to be far less than their actuarial values, the metric commonly used to convey plan generosity. Indeed, only when annual health care spending exceeds $16,500 for bronze plans, $19,500 for silver plans, and $21,500 for gold plans do plans in these metal tiers cover the proportion of costs matching their actuarial values. While Marketplace plans substantially reduce consumers' exposure to financial risk relative to being uninsured, the use of actuarial values to communicate plan generosity is likely to be misleading to consumers.

77 FR 24233 - Actuarial Advisory Committee With Respect to the Railroad Retirement Account; Notice of Public...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-23

... Actuary of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois, on the conduct of... Actuary, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Dated: April...

Actuarial senescence in a long-lived orchid challenges our current understanding of ageing

PubMed Central

Colchero, Fernando; Jones, Owen R.; Øien, Dag-Inge; Moen, Asbjørn; Sletvold, Nina

2016-01-01

The dominant evolutionary theory of actuarial senescence—an increase in death rate with advancing age—is based on the concept of a germ cell line that is separated from the somatic cells early in life. However, such a separation is not clear in all organisms. This has been suggested to explain the paucity of evidence for actuarial senescence in plants. We used a 32 year study of Dactylorhiza lapponica that replaces its organs each growing season, to test whether individuals of this tuberous orchid senesce. We performed a Bayesian survival trajectory analysis accounting for reproductive investment, for individuals under two types of land use, in two climatic regions. The mortality trajectory was best approximated by a Weibull model, showing clear actuarial senescence. Rates of senescence in this model declined with advancing age, but were slightly higher in mown plots and in the more benign climatic region. At older ages, senescence was evident only when accounting for a positive effect of reproductive investment on mortality. Our results demonstrate actuarial senescence as well as a survival–reproduction trade-off in plants, and indicate that environmental context may influence senescence rates. This knowledge is crucial for understanding the evolution of demographic senescence and for models of plant population dynamics. PMID:27852801

Actuarial senescence in a long-lived orchid challenges our current understanding of ageing.

PubMed

Dahlgren, Johan Petter; Colchero, Fernando; Jones, Owen R; Øien, Dag-Inge; Moen, Asbjørn; Sletvold, Nina

2016-11-16

The dominant evolutionary theory of actuarial senescence-an increase in death rate with advancing age-is based on the concept of a germ cell line that is separated from the somatic cells early in life. However, such a separation is not clear in all organisms. This has been suggested to explain the paucity of evidence for actuarial senescence in plants. We used a 32 year study of Dactylorhiza lapponica that replaces its organs each growing season, to test whether individuals of this tuberous orchid senesce. We performed a Bayesian survival trajectory analysis accounting for reproductive investment, for individuals under two types of land use, in two climatic regions. The mortality trajectory was best approximated by a Weibull model, showing clear actuarial senescence. Rates of senescence in this model declined with advancing age, but were slightly higher in mown plots and in the more benign climatic region. At older ages, senescence was evident only when accounting for a positive effect of reproductive investment on mortality. Our results demonstrate actuarial senescence as well as a survival-reproduction trade-off in plants, and indicate that environmental context may influence senescence rates. This knowledge is crucial for understanding the evolution of demographic senescence and for models of plant population dynamics. © 2016 The Author(s).

An analysis of possible applications of fuzzy set theory to the actuarial credibility theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostaszewski, Krzysztof; Karwowski, Waldemar

1992-01-01

In this work, we review the basic concepts of actuarial credibility theory from the point of view of introducing applications of the fuzzy set-theoretic method. We show how the concept of actuarial credibility can be modeled through the fuzzy set membership functions and how fuzzy set methods, especially fuzzy pattern recognition, can provide an alternative tool for estimating credibility.

Early hypofractionated salvage radiotherapy for postprostatectomy biochemical recurrence.

PubMed

Kruser, Tim J; Jarrard, David F; Graf, Andrew K; Hedican, Sean P; Paolone, David R; Wegenke, John D; Liu, Glenn; Geye, Heather M; Ritter, Mark A

2011-06-15

Postprostatectomy adjuvant or salvage radiotherapy, when using standard fractionation, requires 6.5 to 8 weeks of treatment. The authors report on the safety and efficacy of an expedited radiotherapy course for salvage prostate radiotherapy. A total of 108 consecutive patients were treated with salvage radiation therapy to 65 grays (Gy) in 26 fractions of 2.5 Gy. Median follow-up was 32.4 months. Median presalvage prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was 0.44 (range, 0.05-9.50). Eighteen (17%) patients received androgen deprivation after surgery or concurrently with radiation. The actuarial freedom from biochemical failure for the entire group at 4 years was 67% ± 5.3%. An identical 67% control rate was seen at 5 years for the first 50 enrolled patients, whose median follow-up was longer at 43 months. One acute grade 3 genitourinary toxicity occurred, with no acute grade 3 gastrointestinal and no late grade 3 toxicities observed. On univariate analysis, higher Gleason score (P = .006), PSA doubling time ≤12 months (P = .03), perineural invasion (P = .06), and negative margins (P = .06) showed association with unsuccessful salvage. On multivariate analysis, higher Gleason score (P = .057) and negative margins (P = .088) retained an association with biochemical failure. Hypofractionated radiotherapy (65 Gy in 2.5 Gy fractions in about 5 weeks) reduces the length of treatment by from 1-½ to 3 weeks relative to other treatment schedules commonly used, produces low rates of toxicity, and demonstrates encouraging efficacy at 4 to 5 years. Hypofractionation may provide a convenient, resource-efficient, and well-tolerated salvage approach for the estimated 20,000 to 35,000 US men per year experiencing biochemical recurrence after prostatectomy. Copyright © 2010 American Cancer Society.

Actuarial Science at One Four-Year Comprehensive University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charlwood, Kevin E.

2014-01-01

Building an Actuarial Science program designated as advanced requires dedicated faculty, support from the administration, and a core group of strong students. Washburn University may serve as a model for those wishing to start or enhance such a program at their institution. We face three main ongoing challenges: first, the hiring and retention of…

A Comparison of Logistic Regression, Neural Networks, and Classification Trees Predicting Success of Actuarial Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Phyllis; Olinsky, Alan; Quinn, John; Smith, Richard

2010-01-01

The authors extended previous research by 2 of the authors who conducted a study designed to predict the successful completion of students enrolled in an actuarial program. They used logistic regression to determine the probability of an actuarial student graduating in the major or dropping out. They compared the results of this study with those…

75 FR 68790 - Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual Deductible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-09

... 0938-AP81 Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual... (SMI) program beginning January 1, 2011. In addition, this notice announces the monthly premium for... beneficiaries with modified adjusted gross income above certain threshold amounts. The monthly actuarial rates...

76 FR 67572 - Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual Deductible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-01

... 0938-AQ16 Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual... (SMI) program beginning January 1, 2012. In addition, this notice announces the monthly premium for... beneficiaries with modified adjusted gross income above certain threshold amounts. The monthly actuarial rates...

78 FR 64943 - Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual Deductible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-30

... 0938-AR58 Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual... (SMI) program beginning January 1, 2014. In addition, this notice announces the monthly premium for... beneficiaries with modified adjusted gross income above certain threshold amounts. The monthly actuarial rates...

Development of a clinical prediction model to calculate patient life expectancy: the measure of actuarial life expectancy (MALE).

PubMed

Clarke, M G; Kennedy, K P; MacDonagh, R P

2009-01-01

To develop a clinical prediction model enabling the calculation of an individual patient's life expectancy (LE) and survival probability based on age, sex, and comorbidity for use in the joint decision-making process regarding medical treatment. A computer software program was developed with a team of 3 clinicians, 2 professional actuaries, and 2 professional computer programmers. This incorporated statistical spreadsheet and database access design methods. Data sources included life insurance industry actuarial rating factor tables (public and private domain), Government Actuary Department UK life tables, professional actuarial sources, and evidence-based medical literature. The main outcome measures were numerical and graphical display of comorbidity-adjusted LE; 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival probability; in addition to generic UK population LE. Nineteen medical conditions, which impacted significantly on LE in actuarial terms and were commonly encountered in clinical practice, were incorporated in the final model. Numerical and graphical representations of statistical predictions of LE and survival probability were successfully generated for patients with either no comorbidity or a combination of the 19 medical conditions included. Validation and testing, including actuarial peer review, confirmed consistency with the data sources utilized. The evidence-based actuarial data utilized in this computer program design represent a valuable resource for use in the clinical decision-making process, where an accurate objective assessment of patient LE can so often make the difference between patients being offered or denied medical and surgical treatment. Ongoing development to incorporate additional comorbidities and enable Web-based access will enhance its use further.

Conversations with your actuary: getting to the right number.

PubMed

Frese, Richard C

2013-05-01

A healthcare finance leader can guarantee recognition of his or her organization's insurance program and better manage the program's liability by discussing changes in the following areas with an actuary: Claims management. Exposure. Coverage or retention Financial reporting of losses. Management goals. Other insurance and operational matters.

75 FR 6360 - Federal Advisory Committee; DoD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-09

... Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Meeting notice..., the Department of Defense announces that the DoD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of... actuarial methods and assumptions to be used in the valuation of benefits under DoD retiree health care...

Predicting Success for Actuarial Students in Undergraduate Mathematics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Richard Manning; Schumacher, Phyllis A.

2005-01-01

A study of undergraduate actuarial graduates found that math SAT scores, verbal SAT scores, percentile rank in high school graduating class, and percentage score on a college mathematics placement exam had some relevance to forecasting the students' grade point averages in their major. For both males and females, percentile rank in high school…

Deductibles in health insurance: can the actuarially fair premium reduction exceed the deductible?

PubMed

Bakker, F M; van Vliet, R C; van de Ven, W P

2000-09-01

The actuarially fair premium reduction in case of a deductible relative to full insurance is affected by: (1) out-of-pocket payments, (2) moral hazard, (3) administrative costs, and, in case of a voluntary deductible, (4) adverse selection. Both the partial effects and the total effect of these factors are analyzed. Moral hazard and adverse selection appear to have a substantial effect on the expected health care costs above a deductible but a small effect on the expected out-of-pocket expenditure. A premium model indicates that for a broad range of deductible amounts the actuarially fair premium reduction exceeds the deductible.

Actuarial assessment of violence risk in hospital-based partner assault clinics.

PubMed

Hilton, N Zoe; Harris, Grant T; Holder, Norah

2008-12-01

Hospital-based partner assault clinics are a relatively recent addition to the community response to partner violence. In this study, 66% of 111 women attending hospital clinics for partner assault were physically injured and 43% reported death threats. Few concurrently used other services (shelters or police) and most relied on female friends and relatives for help. Many participants who currently lived with the perpetrator were contemplating leaving but only a third had made plans to do so. Participants faced an unusually high risk of future assault, according to both victim interview using the ODARA actuarial risk assessment and their own perceptions. Findings imply an important role for partner assault clinics and the feasibility of the victim service sector's using the same actuarial risk assessments as the criminal justice system.

Body Composition and Ectopic Lipid Changes With Biochemical Control of Acromegaly.

PubMed

Bredella, Miriam A; Schorr, Melanie; Dichtel, Laura E; Gerweck, Anu V; Young, Brian J; Woodmansee, Whitney W; Swearingen, Brooke; Miller, Karen K

2017-11-01

Acromegaly is characterized by growth hormone (GH) and insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) hypersecretion, and GH and IGF-1 play important roles in regulating body composition and glucose homeostasis. The purpose of our study was to investigate body composition including ectopic lipids, measures of glucose homeostasis, and gonadal steroids in patients with active acromegaly compared with age-, body mass index (BMI)-, and sex-matched controls and to determine changes in these parameters after biochemical control of acromegaly. Cross-sectional study of 20 patients with active acromegaly and 20 healthy matched controls. Prospective study of 16 patients before and after biochemical control of acromegaly. Body composition including ectopic lipids by magnetic resonance imaging/proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; measures of glucose homeostasis by an oral glucose tolerance test; gonadal steroids. Patients with active acromegaly had lower mean intrahepatic lipid (IHL) and higher mean fasting insulin and insulin area under the curve (AUC) values than controls. Men with acromegaly had lower mean total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and estradiol values than male controls. After therapy, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, fasting insulin level, and insulin AUC decreased despite an increase in IHL and abdominal and thigh adipose tissues and a decrease in muscle mass. Patients with acromegaly were characterized by insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia but lower IHL compared with age-, BMI-, and sex-matched healthy controls. Biochemical control of acromegaly improved insulin resistance but led to a less favorable anthropometric phenotype with increased IHL and abdominal adiposity and decreased muscle mass. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Psychotherapy: theory, experience, and personalized actuarial tables.

PubMed

Leventhal, D B; Shemberg, K M

1977-12-01

This paper addresses the issue of the role of theory in the actual application of psychotherapeutic operations. Within the present framework, psychotherapeutic effectiveness is seen as an empirical, actuarial process which occurs in an interpersonal setting separate from theoretical considerations. The role of theory is discussed and a rationale for the coexistence of equally 'effective' contradictory theories is presented. Suggestions for future research in the area of behaviour change are made and an argument for the eventual development of a 'therapeutic cookbook' is presented.

Starting an Actuarial Science Major at a Liberal Arts College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Mark A.

2014-01-01

The article provides details of the process of starting an actuarial science major at a small, liberal arts college. Some critique of the major is included, as well as some challenges that may be faced by others wanting to start such a major at their institution.

An actuarial approach to retrofit savings in buildings

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

Subbarao, Krishnappa; Etingov, Pavel V.; Reddy, T. A.

An actuarial method has been developed for determining energy savings from retrofits from energy use data for a number of buildings. This method should be contrasted with the traditional method of using pre- and post-retrofit data on the same building. This method supports the U.S. Department of Energy Building Performance Database of real building performance data and related tools that enable engineering and financial practitioners to evaluate retrofits. The actuarial approach derives, from the database, probability density functions (PDFs) for energy savings from retrofits by creating peer groups for the user’s pre post buildings. From the energy use distribution ofmore » the two groups, the savings PDF is derived. This provides the basis for engineering analysis as well as financial risk analysis leading to investment decisions. Several technical issues are addressed: The savings PDF is obtained from the pre- and post-PDF through a convolution. Smoothing using kernel density estimation is applied to make the PDF more realistic. The low data density problem can be mitigated through a neighborhood methodology. Correlations between pre and post buildings are addressed to improve the savings PDF. Sample size effects are addressed through the Kolmogorov--Smirnov tests and quantile-quantile plots.« less

Long-Term Post-CABG Survival: Performance of Clinical Risk Models Versus Actuarial Predictions.

PubMed

Carr, Brendan M; Romeiser, Jamie; Ruan, Joyce; Gupta, Sandeep; Seifert, Frank C; Zhu, Wei; Shroyer, A Laurie

2016-01-01

Clinical risk models are commonly used to predict short-term coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) mortality but are less commonly used to predict long-term mortality. The added value of long-term mortality clinical risk models over traditional actuarial models has not been evaluated. To address this, the predictive performance of a long-term clinical risk model was compared with that of an actuarial model to identify the clinical variable(s) most responsible for any differences observed. Long-term mortality for 1028 CABG patients was estimated using the Hannan New York State clinical risk model and an actuarial model (based on age, gender, and race/ethnicity). Vital status was assessed using the Social Security Death Index. Observed/expected (O/E) ratios were calculated, and the models' predictive performances were compared using a nested c-index approach. Linear regression analyses identified the subgroup of risk factors driving the differences observed. Mortality rates were 3%, 9%, and 17% at one-, three-, and five years, respectively (median follow-up: five years). The clinical risk model provided more accurate predictions. Greater divergence between model estimates occurred with increasing long-term mortality risk, with baseline renal dysfunction identified as a particularly important driver of these differences. Long-term mortality clinical risk models provide enhanced predictive power compared to actuarial models. Using the Hannan risk model, a patient's long-term mortality risk can be accurately assessed and subgroups of higher-risk patients can be identified for enhanced follow-up care. More research appears warranted to refine long-term CABG clinical risk models. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cardiac Surgery Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long‐Term Post‐CABG Survival: Performance of Clinical Risk Models Versus Actuarial Predictions

PubMed Central

Carr, Brendan M.; Romeiser, Jamie; Ruan, Joyce; Gupta, Sandeep; Seifert, Frank C.; Zhu, Wei

2015-01-01

Abstract Background/aim Clinical risk models are commonly used to predict short‐term coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) mortality but are less commonly used to predict long‐term mortality. The added value of long‐term mortality clinical risk models over traditional actuarial models has not been evaluated. To address this, the predictive performance of a long‐term clinical risk model was compared with that of an actuarial model to identify the clinical variable(s) most responsible for any differences observed. Methods Long‐term mortality for 1028 CABG patients was estimated using the Hannan New York State clinical risk model and an actuarial model (based on age, gender, and race/ethnicity). Vital status was assessed using the Social Security Death Index. Observed/expected (O/E) ratios were calculated, and the models' predictive performances were compared using a nested c‐index approach. Linear regression analyses identified the subgroup of risk factors driving the differences observed. Results Mortality rates were 3%, 9%, and 17% at one‐, three‐, and five years, respectively (median follow‐up: five years). The clinical risk model provided more accurate predictions. Greater divergence between model estimates occurred with increasing long‐term mortality risk, with baseline renal dysfunction identified as a particularly important driver of these differences. Conclusions Long‐term mortality clinical risk models provide enhanced predictive power compared to actuarial models. Using the Hannan risk model, a patient's long‐term mortality risk can be accurately assessed and subgroups of higher‐risk patients can be identified for enhanced follow‐up care. More research appears warranted to refine long‐term CABG clinical risk models. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12665 (J Card Surg 2016;31:23–30) PMID:26543019

An application of actuarial methods in psychiatric diagnosis.

PubMed

Overall, J E; Higgins, C W

1977-10-01

An actuarial program for psychiatric diagnosis is evaluated for agreement with final clinical diagnosis in a series of 288 patients. The acturial program provides a probability differential diagnosis based on an analysis of history and background data, symptom rating profiles, and MMPI clinical scale profiles. The observed agreement with final clinical diagnosis is approximately 50% higher than previously reported for psychological testing in this same setting. The results emphasize the importance for psychologists of clinical interview and observation skills.

Actuarial calculation for PSAK-24 purposes post-employment benefit using market-consistent approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Effendie, Adhitya Ronnie

2015-12-01

In this paper we use a market-consistent approach to calculate present value of obligation of a companies' post-employment benefit in accordance with PSAK-24 (the Indonesian accounting standard). We set some actuarial assumption such as Indonesian TMI 2011 mortality tables for mortality assumptions, accumulated salary function for wages assumption, a scaled (to mortality) disability assumption and a pre-defined turnover rate for termination assumption. For economic assumption, we use binomial tree method with estimated discount rate as its average movement. In accordance with PSAK-24, the Projected Unit Credit method has been adapted to determine the present value of obligation (actuarial liability), so we use this method with a modification in its discount function.

Impact of yoga on biochemical profile of asthmatics: A randomized controlled study

PubMed Central

Agnihotri, Shruti; Kant, Surya; Kumar, Santosh; Mishra, Ranjeet K; Mishra, Satyendra K

2014-01-01

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. The chronic inflammation causes an associated increase in airway hyperresponsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing at night or in the early morning. Most of the studies have reported, as the effects of yoga on bronchial asthma, significant improvements in pulmonary functions, quality of life, and decrease in medication use, but none of the studies has attempted to show the effect of yoga on biochemical changes. Objective: To evaluate the effect of yoga on biochemical profile of asthmatics. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 276 patients of mild to moderate asthma (FEV 1> 60%) aged between 12 to 60 years were recruited from the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, King George's Medical University, U.P., Lucknow, India. They were randomly divided into two groups: Yoga group (with standard medical treatment and yogic intervention) and control group as standard medical treatment (without yogic intervention). At completion of 6 months of the study period, 35 subjects were dropped out, so out of 276 subjects, only 241 subjects completed the whole study (121 subjects from yoga group and 120 subjects from control group). Biochemical assessment was carried out at baseline and after 6 months of the study period. Results: In yoga group, there was significant improvement found in the proportion of hemoglobin and antioxidant superoxide dismutase in comparison to control group and significant decrease was found in total leukocyte count (TLC) and differential leukocytes count in comparison to control group. There was no significant change found in TLC, polymorphs, and monocytes in between group comparison. Conclusions: Yoga group got significantly better improvement in biochemical variables than control group. Result shows that yoga can be practiced as adjuvant therapy with standard inhalation therapy for better outcome of asthma. PMID

Throwing the baby out with the bath water: is it time for clinical judgment to supplement actuarial risk assessment?

PubMed

Abbott, Brian R

2011-01-01

The assessment of the potential for sexual violence is one of three prongs that must be met to satisfy the requirements for civil confinement of dangerous sex offenders in the 21 U.S. jurisdictions that have these laws. In a recent issue of The Journal, Sreenivasan et al. argued that, because of a host of methodological problems, actuarial risk assessment methods in general and the Static-99 and its progeny in particular are insufficient for accurate assessment of risk for dangerous sex offenders. They propose using a combination of clinical judgment with actuarial science as a solution. This analysis and review of Sreenivasan et al. reveals and corrects flaws in the arguments they employed to support their position and shows how the combination of actuarial science with clinical judgment is more error prone than the actuarial approach only, and cannot be forensically defended in court. Recommendations on reporting Static-99R data in expert testimony are provided, taking into account the limitations of the instrument.

Of pacemakers and statistics: the actuarial method extended.

PubMed

Dussel, J; Wolbarst, A B; Scott-Millar, R N; Obel, I W

1980-01-01

Pacemakers cease functioning because of either natural battery exhaustion (nbe) or component failure (cf). A study of four series of pacemakers shows that a simple extension of the actuarial method, so as to incorporate Normal statistics, makes possible a quantitative differentiation between the two modes of failure. This involves the separation of the overall failure probability density function PDF(t) into constituent parts pdfnbe(t) and pdfcf(t). The approach should allow a meaningful comparison of the characteristics of different pacemaker types.

Linear analysis near a steady-state of biochemical networks: control analysis, correlation metrics and circuit theory.

PubMed

Heuett, William J; Beard, Daniel A; Qian, Hong

2008-05-15

Several approaches, including metabolic control analysis (MCA), flux balance analysis (FBA), correlation metric construction (CMC), and biochemical circuit theory (BCT), have been developed for the quantitative analysis of complex biochemical networks. Here, we present a comprehensive theory of linear analysis for nonequilibrium steady-state (NESS) biochemical reaction networks that unites these disparate approaches in a common mathematical framework and thermodynamic basis. In this theory a number of relationships between key matrices are introduced: the matrix A obtained in the standard, linear-dynamic-stability analysis of the steady-state can be decomposed as A = SRT where R and S are directly related to the elasticity-coefficient matrix for the fluxes and chemical potentials in MCA, respectively; the control-coefficients for the fluxes and chemical potentials can be written in terms of RTBS and STBS respectively where matrix B is the inverse of A; the matrix S is precisely the stoichiometric matrix in FBA; and the matrix eAt plays a central role in CMC. One key finding that emerges from this analysis is that the well-known summation theorems in MCA take different forms depending on whether metabolic steady-state is maintained by flux injection or concentration clamping. We demonstrate that if rate-limiting steps exist in a biochemical pathway, they are the steps with smallest biochemical conductances and largest flux control-coefficients. We hypothesize that biochemical networks for cellular signaling have a different strategy for minimizing energy waste and being efficient than do biochemical networks for biosynthesis. We also discuss the intimate relationship between MCA and biochemical systems analysis (BSA).

Sexual Reconviction Rates in the United Kingdom and Actuarial Risk Estimates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Leam A.; Browne, Kevin D.; Stringer, Ian; Hogue, Todd E.

2008-01-01

Objective: Assessing the risk of further offending behavior by adult sexual perpetrators of children is highly relevant and important to professionals involved in child protection. Recent progress in assessing risk in sexual offenders has established the validity of actuarial measures, although there continues to be some debate about the…

5 CFR 839.1114 - Will OPM actuarially reduce my benefit if I elect to change my retirement coverage under these...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Will OPM actuarially reduce my benefit if... General Provisions § 839.1114 Will OPM actuarially reduce my benefit if I elect to change my retirement... Basic Employee Death Benefit (see § 839.1121). ...

Control analysis for autonomously oscillating biochemical networks.

PubMed Central

Reijenga, Karin A; Westerhoff, Hans V; Kholodenko, Boris N; Snoep, Jacky L

2002-01-01

It has hitherto not been possible to analyze the control of oscillatory dynamic cellular processes in other than qualitative ways. The control coefficients, used in metabolic control analyses of steady states, cannot be applied directly to dynamic systems. We here illustrate a way out of this limitation that uses Fourier transforms to convert the time domain into the stationary frequency domain, and then analyses the control of limit cycle oscillations. In addition to the already known summation theorems for frequency and amplitude, we reveal summation theorems that apply to the control of average value, waveform, and phase differences of the oscillations. The approach is made fully operational in an analysis of yeast glycolytic oscillations. It follows an experimental approach, sampling from the model output and using discrete Fourier transforms of this data set. It quantifies the control of various aspects of the oscillations by the external glucose concentration and by various internal molecular processes. We show that the control of various oscillatory properties is distributed over the system enzymes in ways that differ among those properties. The models that are described in this paper can be accessed on http://jjj.biochem.sun.ac.za. PMID:11751299

Linear analysis near a steady-state of biochemical networks: Control analysis, correlation metrics and circuit theory

PubMed Central

Heuett, William J; Beard, Daniel A; Qian, Hong

2008-01-01

Background Several approaches, including metabolic control analysis (MCA), flux balance analysis (FBA), correlation metric construction (CMC), and biochemical circuit theory (BCT), have been developed for the quantitative analysis of complex biochemical networks. Here, we present a comprehensive theory of linear analysis for nonequilibrium steady-state (NESS) biochemical reaction networks that unites these disparate approaches in a common mathematical framework and thermodynamic basis. Results In this theory a number of relationships between key matrices are introduced: the matrix A obtained in the standard, linear-dynamic-stability analysis of the steady-state can be decomposed as A = SRT where R and S are directly related to the elasticity-coefficient matrix for the fluxes and chemical potentials in MCA, respectively; the control-coefficients for the fluxes and chemical potentials can be written in terms of RTBS and STBS respectively where matrix B is the inverse of A; the matrix S is precisely the stoichiometric matrix in FBA; and the matrix eAt plays a central role in CMC. Conclusion One key finding that emerges from this analysis is that the well-known summation theorems in MCA take different forms depending on whether metabolic steady-state is maintained by flux injection or concentration clamping. We demonstrate that if rate-limiting steps exist in a biochemical pathway, they are the steps with smallest biochemical conductances and largest flux control-coefficients. We hypothesize that biochemical networks for cellular signaling have a different strategy for minimizing energy waste and being efficient than do biochemical networks for biosynthesis. We also discuss the intimate relationship between MCA and biochemical systems analysis (BSA). PMID:18482450

Young Men Have Equivalent Biochemical Outcomes Compared With Older Men After Treatment With Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer

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

Burri, Ryan J.; Ho, Alice Y.; Forsythe, Kevin

Purpose: To evaluate retrospectively the biochemical outcomes of young men treated with low-dose-rate brachytherapy for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: From 1990 to 2005, 1,665 men with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated with low-dose-rate brachytherapy {+-} hormone therapy (HT) {+-} external beam radiotherapy and underwent {>=}2 years of follow-up. Patients were stratified on the basis of age: {<=}60 (n = 378) and >60 years (n = 1,287). Biochemical failure was defined as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir plus 2 ng/mL. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the association of variables with freedom from biochemical failure (FFbF). Results:more » Median follow-up was 68 months (range, 24-180) for men {<=}60 years and 66 months (range, 24-200) for men >60. For the entire group, the actuarial 5- and 8-year FFbF rates were 94% and 88%, respectively. Men {<=}60 demonstrated similar 5- and 8-year FFbF (95% and 92%) compared with men >60 (93% and 87%; p = 0.071). A larger percent of young patients presented with low-risk disease; lower clinical stage, Gleason score (GS), and pretreatment PSA values; were treated after 1997; did not receive any HT; and had a high biologic effective dose (BED) of radiation (all ps <0.001). On multivariate analysis, PSA (p = 0.001), GS (p = 0.005), and BED (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with FFbF, but age was not (p = 0.665). Conclusion: Young men achieve excellent 5- and 8-year biochemical control rates that are comparable to those of older men after prostate brachytherapy. Young age should not be a deterrent when considering brachytherapy as a primary treatment option for clinically localized prostate cancer.« less

Five-Year Biochemical Results, Toxicity, and Patient-Reported Quality of Life After Delivery of Dose-Escalated Image Guided Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer

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

Bryant, Curtis, E-mail: cbryant@floridaproton.org; Smith, Tamara L.; Henderson, Randal H.

Purpose: To report clinical outcomes in patients treated with image guided proton therapy (PT) for localized prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: The medical records of 1327 men were reviewed. Each man was enrolled on an outcomes tracking study. Dual enrollment on a prospective clinical trial was allowed. Each patient was treated for localized prostate cancer with PT at our institution between 2006 and 2010. Ninety-eight percent of patients received 78 Gy (radiobiological equivalent [RBE]) or higher; 18% received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The 5-year freedom from biochemical progression (FFBP), distant metastasis-free survival, and cause-specific survival rates are reported for each risk group. Datamore » on patient-reported quality of life and high-grade toxicities were prospectively collected and reported. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify clinical predictors of biochemical failure and urologic toxicity. Results: The median follow-up time was 5.5 years. The 5-year FFBP rates were 99%, 94%, and 74% in low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk patients, respectively. The actuarial 5-year rates of late grade 3+ Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0, gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity were 0.6% and 2.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed a significant correlation between grade 3+ GU toxicity and pretreatment prostate reductive procedures (P<.0001), prostate volume (P=.0085), pretreatment α-blockers (P=.0067), diabetes (P=.0195), and dose–volume histogram parameters (P=.0208). The median International Prostate Symptom Scores pretreatment scores and scores at 5 years after treatment were 7 and 7, respectively. The mean Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) scores significantly declined for sexual summary for patients not receiving ADT (from 67 to 53) between baseline and 5 years. Conclusions: Image guided PT provided excellent biochemical control rates for patients

78 FR 773 - Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Commercial/Actuarial/Information Delivery Services (IDS...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-04

...., Commercial/ Actuarial/Information Delivery Services (IDS)/Corporate & Financial Reporting group, Hartford... financial reporting. The group develops databases for creating reports for corporate, regulatory, and... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-81,815] Hartford Financial...

Should Actuarial Risk Assessments Be Used with Sex Offenders Who Are Intellectually Disabled?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Andrew J. R.; Tough, Susan

2004-01-01

Background: Objective actuarial assessments are critical for making risk decisions, determining the necessary level of supervision and intensity of treatment ( Andrews & Bonta 2003). This paper reviews the history of organized risk assessment and discusses some issues in current attitudes towards sexual offenders with intellectual disabilities.…

78 FR 8596 - Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Commercial/Actuarial/ Information Delivery Services (IDS...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-06

... Delivery Services (IDS)/Corporate & Financial Reporting group, Hartford, Connecticut (The Hartford-IDS... technology applications for corporate, regulatory, and financial reporting. Pursuant to 29 CFR 90.18(c...., Commercial/Actuarial/Information Delivery Services (IDS)/ Corporate & Financial Reporting group, Hartford...

An Actuarial Model for Selecting Participants for a Special Medical Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker-Bartnick, Leslie; And Others

An actuarial model applied to the selection process of a special medical school program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine was tested. The 77 students in the study sample were admitted to the university's Fifth Pathway Program, which is designed for U.S. citizens who completed their medical school training, except for internship and…

Applying a Forensic Actuarial Assessment (the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide) to Nonforensic Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Grant T.; Rice, Marnie E.; Camilleri, Joseph A..

2004-01-01

The actuarial Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) was developed for male offenders where it has shown excellent replicability in many new forensic samples using officially recorded outcomes. Clinicians also make decisions, however, about the risk of interpersonal violence posed by nonforensic psychiatric patients of both sexes. Could an actuarial…

[Survival functions and life tables at the origins of actuarial mathematics].

PubMed

Spelta, D

1997-01-01

"In the determination of death probabilities of an insured subject one can use either statistical data or a mathematical function. In this paper a survey of the relationship between mortality tables and survival functions from the origins until the first half of the nineteenth century is presented. The author has tried to find the methodological grounds which have induced the actuaries to prefer either of these tools." (EXCERPT)

[Actuarial analysis of time-failure data and its rrelevance for interpretation of results. Audit of the journal "Strahlentherapie und Onkologie" (Radiotherapy and Oncology)].

PubMed

Dubben, H H; Beck-Bornholdt, H P

2000-12-01

The statistical quality of the contributions to "Strahlentherapie und Onkologie" is assessed, aiming for improvement of the journal and consequently its impact factor. All 181 articles published during 1998 and 1999 in the categories "review", "original contribution", and "short communication" were analyzed concerning actuarial analysis of time-failure data. One hundred and twenty-three publications without time-failure data were excluded from analysis. Forty-five of the remaining 58 publications with time-failure data were evaluated actuarially. This corresponds to 78% (95% confidence interval: 64 to 88%) of papers, in which data were adequately analyzed. Complications were reported in 16 of 58 papers, but in only 3 cases actuarially. The number of patients at risk during the course of follow-up was documented adequately in 22 of the 45 publications with actuarial analysis. Authors, peer reviewers, and editors could contribute to improve the quality of the journal by setting value on acturial analysis of time-failure data.

Has actuarial aging “slowed” over the past 250 years? A comparison of small-scale subsistence populations and European cohorts

PubMed Central

Gurven, Michael; Fenelon, Andrew

2012-01-01

G.C. Williams’ 1957 hypothesis famously argues that higher age-independent, or “extrinsic”, mortality should select for faster rates of senescence. Long-lived species should therefore show relatively few deaths from extrinsic causes such as predation and starvation. Theoretical explorations and empirical tests of Williams’ hypothesis have flourished in the past decade but it has not yet been tested empirically among humans. We test Williams’ hypothesis using mortality data from subsistence populations and from historical cohorts from Sweden and England/Wales, and examine whether rates of actuarial aging declined over the past two centuries. We employ three aging measures: mortality rate doubling time (MRDT), Ricklef’s ω, and the slope of mortality hazard from ages sixty to seventy, m’60–70, and model mortality using both Weibull and Gompertz-Makeham hazard models. We find that (1) actuarial aging in subsistence societies is similar to that of early Europe, (2) actuarial senescence has slowed in later European cohorts, (3) reductions in extrinsic mortality associate with slower actuarial aging in longitudinal samples, and (4) men senesce more rapidly than women, especially in later cohorts. To interpret these results, we attempt to bridge population-based evolutionary analysis with individual-level proximate mechanisms. PMID:19220451

Validation of a systems-actuarial computer process for multidimensional classification of child psychopathology.

PubMed

McDermott, P A; Hale, R L

1982-07-01

Tested diagnostic classifications of child psychopathology produced by a computerized technique known as multidimensional actuarial classification (MAC) against the criterion of expert psychological opinion. The MAC program applies series of statistical decision rules to assess the importance of and relationships among several dimensions of classification, i.e., intellectual functioning, academic achievement, adaptive behavior, and social and behavioral adjustment, to perform differential diagnosis of children's mental retardation, specific learning disabilities, behavioral and emotional disturbance, possible communication or perceptual-motor impairment, and academic under- and overachievement in reading and mathematics. Classifications rendered by MAC are compared to those offered by two expert child psychologists for cases of 73 children referred for psychological services. Experts' agreement with MAC was significant for all classification areas, as was MAC's agreement with the experts held as a conjoint reference standard. Whereas the experts' agreement with MAC averaged 86.0% above chance, their agreement with one another averaged 76.5% above chance. Implications of the findings are explored and potential advantages of the systems-actuarial approach are discussed.

29 CFR 2520.104-42 - Waiver of certain actuarial information in the annual report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ERISA that the annual report include as part of the actuarial statement (Schedule B) 1 the present value of all of the plan's liabilities for nonforfeitable pension benefits allocated by termination... report. 2520.104-42 Section 2520.104-42 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) EMPLOYEE BENEFITS...

Human actuarial aging increases faster when back ground death rates are lower: a consequence of differential heterogeneity?

PubMed Central

Hawkes, Kristen; Smith, Ken R.; Blevins, James K.

2014-01-01

Many analyses of human populations have found that age-specific mortality rates increase faster across most of adulthood when overall mortality levels decline. This contradicts the relationship often expected from Williams′ classic hypothesis about the effects of natural selection on the evolution of senescence. More likely, much of the within-species difference in actuarial aging is not due to variation in senescence, but to the strength of filters on the heterogeneity of frailty in older survivors. A challenge to this differential frailty hypothesis was recently posed by an analysis of life tables from historical European populations and traditional societies that reported variation in actuarial aging consistent with Williams′ hypothesis after all. To investigate the challenge, we reconsidered those cases and aging measures. Here we show that the discrepancy depends on Ricklefs′ aging rate measure,ω, which decreases as mortality levels drop because it is an index of mortality level itself, not the rate of increase in mortality with age. We also show unappreciated correspondence among the parameters of Gompertz–Makeham and Weibull survival models. Finally, we compare the relationships among mortality parameters of the traditional societies and the historical series, providing further suggestive evidence that differential heterogeneity has strong effects on actuarial aging. PMID:22220868

77 FR 69850 - Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual Deductible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-21

... percent reserve has been the normal target used to calculate the Part B premium. In view of the strong... 0938-AR16 Medicare Program; Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rate, and Annual...

Favorable toxicity and biochemical control using real-time inverse optimization technique for prostate brachytherapy.

PubMed

Raben, Adam; Rusthoven, Kyle E; Sarkar, Abrihup; Glick, Andrew; Benge, Bruce; Jacobs, Dayee; Raben, David

2009-01-01

Favorable dosimetric results have been reported using intraoperative inverse optimization (IO) for permanent prostate brachytherapy. The clinical implications of these improvements in dosimetry are unclear. We review toxicity and early biochemical outcomes for patients implanted using IO technique. Between 2001 and 2007, 165 patients received permanent prostate implants using real-time IO and had >/=3 months of followup. Dose constraints for inverse planning were: the prostate volume receiving 100% of the prescription dose [prostate V(100)] was >95%; the dose received by 90% of the gland [prostate D(90)] was within the 140-180 by dose range; the volume of urethra receiving 150% of the prescription dose [urethra V(150)] was <30%; and the volume of rectal wall receiving 110% of the prescription dose [rectal V(110)] was <1.0 cc. Toxicity was prospectively scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity scale and the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire. Biochemical control was determined using the nadir + 2 ng/mL definition. Mean followup was 30 months (range, 6-63 months). Risk classification was low risk in 89% and intermediate risk in 11%. Iodine-125 sources were used for 161 implants and palladium-103 sources for four implants. The median number of seeds and total activity implanted were 61 and 999 MBq, respectively, for a median prostate volume of 33.6 cc. Late GU and GI morbidity was uncommon. Among patients with at least 24 months followup, 16% had persistent Grade 2-3 urinary morbidity. Grade 2 rectal bleeding occurred in 1 patient (0.6%). Biochemical failure has occurred in only 4 patients at last followup. IO technique for prostate brachytherapy is associated with low rates of late morbidity and excellent early biochemical control. Additionally, the number of seeds and total implanted activity required to achieve a high-quality implant are lower compared with historical controls.

A mathematical proof and example that Bayes's Theorem is fundamental to actuarial estimates of sexual recidivism risk.

PubMed

Donaldson, Theodore; Wollert, Richard

2008-06-01

Expert witnesses in sexually violent predator (SVP) cases often rely on actuarial instruments to make risk determinations. Many questions surround their use, however. Bayes's Theorem holds much promise for addressing these questions. Some experts nonetheless claim that Bayesian analyses are inadmissible in SVP cases because they are not accepted by the relevant scientific community. This position is illogical because Bayes's Theorem is simply a probabilistic restatement of the way that frequency data are combined to arrive at whatever recidivism rates are paired with each test score in an actuarial table. This article presents a mathematical proof and example validating this assertion. The advantages and implications of a logic model that combines Bayes's Theorem and the null hypothesis are also discussed.

Clinical importance of achieving biochemical control with medical therapy in adult patients with acromegaly

PubMed Central

Christofides, Elena A

2016-01-01

In acromegaly, achieving biochemical control (growth hormone [GH] level <1.0 ng/mL and age- and sex-normalized levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF-1]) through timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment provides an opportunity to improve patient outcomes. Diagnosis of acromegaly is challenging because it is rooted in observing subtle clinical manifestations, and it is typical for acromegaly to evolve for up to 10 years before it is recognized. This results in chronic exposure to elevated levels of GH and IGF-1 and delay in patients receiving appropriate treatment, which consequently increases mortality risk. In this review, the clinical impact of elevated GH and IGF-1 levels, the effectiveness of current therapies, and the potential role of novel treatments for acromegaly will be discussed. Clinical burden of acromegaly and benefits associated with management of GH and IGF-1 levels will be reviewed. Major treatment paradigms in acromegaly include surgery, medical therapy, and radiotherapy. With medical therapies, such as somatostatin analogs, dopamine agonists, and GH receptor antagonists, a substantial proportion of patients achieve reduced GH and normalized IGF-1 levels. In addition, signs and symptoms, quality of life, and comorbidities have also been reported to improve to varying degrees in patients who achieve biochemical control. Currently, there are several innovative therapies in development to improve patient outcomes, patient use, and access. Timely biochemical control of acromegaly ensures that the patient can ultimately improve morbidity and mortality from this disease and its extensive consequences. PMID:27471378

Two-Tiered Violence Risk Estimates: a validation study of an integrated-actuarial risk assessment instrument.

PubMed

Mills, Jeremy F; Gray, Andrew L

2013-11-01

This study is an initial validation study of the Two-Tiered Violence Risk Estimates instrument (TTV), a violence risk appraisal instrument designed to support an integrated-actuarial approach to violence risk assessment. The TTV was scored retrospectively from file information on a sample of violent offenders. Construct validity was examined by comparing the TTV with instruments that have shown utility to predict violence that were prospectively scored: The Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) and Lifestyle Criminality Screening Form (LCSF). Predictive validity was examined through a long-term follow-up of 12.4 years with a sample of 78 incarcerated offenders. Results show the TTV to be highly correlated with the HCR-20 and LCSF. The base rate for violence over the follow-up period was 47.4%, and the TTV was equally predictive of violent recidivism relative to the HCR-20 and LCSF. Discussion centers on the advantages of an integrated-actuarial approach to the assessment of violence risk.

76 FR 81362 - Regulations Governing the Performance of Actuarial Services Under the Employee Retirement Income...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-28

... Governing the Performance of Actuarial Services Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974... regulations (TD 9517) that are the subject of this correction are under section 3042 of the Employee... EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974 0 Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 901...

A comparison of biochemical pregnancy rates between women who underwent IVF and fertile controls who conceived spontaneously†.

PubMed

Zeadna, Atif; Son, Weon Young; Moon, Jeong Hee; Dahan, Michael H

2015-04-01

Does IVF affect the biochemical pregnancy rate? The likelihood of an early pregnancy loss may be lower and is certainly not higher in IVF cycles when compared with published rates of biochemical pregnancy in fertile women ≤42 years old. The use of gonadotrophins to stimulate multi-folliculogenesis alters endometrial expression of genes and proteins, compared with unstimulated cycles. Exogenous estrogen and progesterone taken for endometrial preparation in frozen embryo transfer cycles, also cause changes in endometrial gene and protein expression .These endometrial alterations may compromise the ability of embryos to develop once implanted, possibly increasing the biochemical pregnancy rate. This is a retrospective study, involving 1636 fresh and 188 frozen, single embryo transfer (SET) IVF cycles performed between August 2008 and December 2012. The biochemical pregnancy rate of the 1824 combined IVF and frozen cycles were compared with fertile controls, derived from the three prospective studies in the medical literature that evaluate this rate. Subjects ≤42-years old, who underwent a SET, as part of a fresh or thawed IVF cycle were considered for inclusion. Each subject is represented only once. The biochemical pregnancy rates were compared with those of historical standard, fertile populations with spontaneous conceptions. The pregnancy rates per transfer for fresh and frozen IVF cycles were similar at 39 and 40%, respectively. There was also no significant difference in the likelihood of pregnancy outcomes (clinical, biochemical and ectopic pregnancy) between fresh IVF and frozen cycles (85.4 versus 85.6%, 13.8 versus 14.8%, 0.5 versus 0%, P = 0.82). However, pregnancy rates decreased in older patients when compared with younger ones P < 0.0001. The biochemical pregnancy rate for fresh and frozen IVF cycles combined was 13.8% of all pregnancies. IVF and frozen cycles were combined as the IVF group treated with hormones for further comparison with the

Proton mediated control of biochemical reactions with bioelectronic pH modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yingxin; Miyake, Takeo; Keene, Scott; Josberger, Erik E.; Rolandi, Marco

2016-04-01

In Nature, protons (H+) can mediate metabolic process through enzymatic reactions. Examples include glucose oxidation with glucose dehydrogenase to regulate blood glucose level, alcohol dissolution into carboxylic acid through alcohol dehydrogenase, and voltage-regulated H+ channels activating bioluminescence in firefly and jellyfish. Artificial devices that control H+ currents and H+ concentration (pH) are able to actively influence biochemical processes. Here, we demonstrate a biotransducer that monitors and actively regulates pH-responsive enzymatic reactions by monitoring and controlling the flow of H+ between PdHx contacts and solution. The present transducer records bistable pH modulation from an “enzymatic flip-flop” circuit that comprises glucose dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The transducer also controls bioluminescence from firefly luciferase by affecting solution pH.

The Actuarial Society of South Africa AIDS model.

PubMed

1997-01-01

The AIDS Committee of the Actuarial Society of South Africa has developed a demographic model to allow researchers to project the impact of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The model is available for use as a projection tool rather than to endorse a given projected scenario as being representative. It is very flexible and can be adapted to suit different purposes by anyone with a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. The need for a model, calibration of the model, the lack of allowance in the model for racial and cultural heterogeneity in the underlying population, and default scenario projections are discussed. The model is available free of charge via E-mail and on the worldwide web at the following respective addresses: awhitelo@oldmutual.com and http://www.und.ac.za/und/eco/eru/eru.htm.

Are psychological measures and actuarial data equally effective in discriminating among the prison population? Analysis by crimes

PubMed Central

Burneo-Garcés, Carlos; Marín-Morales, Agar; Pérez-García, Miguel

2018-01-01

The ability of a wide range of psychological and actuarial measures to characterize crimes in the prison population has not yet been compared in a single study. Our main objective was to determine if the discriminant capacity of psychological measures (PM) and actuarial data (AD) varies according to the crime. An Ecuadorian sample of 576 men convicted of Robbery, Murder, Rape and Drug Possession crimes was evaluated through an ad hoc questionnaire, prison files and the Spanish adaptation of the Personality Assessment Inventory. Discriminant analysis was used to establish, for each crime, the discriminant capacity and the classification accuracy of a model composed of AD (socio-demographic and judicial measures) and a second model incorporating PM. The AD showed a superior discriminant capacity, whilst the contribution of both types of measures varied according to the crime. The PM generated some increase in the correct classification percentages for Murder, Rape and Drug Possession, but their contribution was zero for the crime of Robbery. Specific profiles of each crime were obtained from the strongest significant correlations between the value of each explanatory variable and the probability of belonging to the crime. The AD model is more robust when these four crimes are characterized. The contribution of AD and PM depends on the crime, and the inclusion of PM in actuarial models moderately optimizes the classification accuracy of Murder, Rape, and Drug Possession crimes. PMID:29874264

Proton mediated control of biochemical reactions with bioelectronic pH modulation

DOE PAGES

Deng, Yingxin; Miyake, Takeo; Keene, Scott; ...

2016-04-07

In Nature, protons (H +) can mediate metabolic process through enzymatic reactions. Examples include glucose oxidation with glucose dehydrogenase to regulate blood glucose level, alcohol dissolution into carboxylic acid through alcohol dehydrogenase, and voltage-regulated H + channels activating bioluminescence in firefly and jellyfish. Artificial devices that control H + currents and H + concentration (pH) are able to actively influence biochemical processes. Here, we demonstrate a biotransducer that monitors and actively regulates pH-responsive enzymatic reactions by monitoring and controlling the flow of H + between PdH x contacts and solution. The present transducer records bistable pH modulation from an “enzymaticmore » flip-flop” circuit that comprises glucose dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. Furthermore, the transducer also controls bioluminescence from firefly luciferase by affecting solution pH.« less

Proton mediated control of biochemical reactions with bioelectronic pH modulation

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

Deng, Yingxin; Miyake, Takeo; Keene, Scott

In Nature, protons (H +) can mediate metabolic process through enzymatic reactions. Examples include glucose oxidation with glucose dehydrogenase to regulate blood glucose level, alcohol dissolution into carboxylic acid through alcohol dehydrogenase, and voltage-regulated H + channels activating bioluminescence in firefly and jellyfish. Artificial devices that control H + currents and H + concentration (pH) are able to actively influence biochemical processes. Here, we demonstrate a biotransducer that monitors and actively regulates pH-responsive enzymatic reactions by monitoring and controlling the flow of H + between PdH x contacts and solution. The present transducer records bistable pH modulation from an “enzymaticmore » flip-flop” circuit that comprises glucose dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. Furthermore, the transducer also controls bioluminescence from firefly luciferase by affecting solution pH.« less

26 CFR 1.412(c)(2)-1 - Valuation of plan assets; reasonable actuarial valuation methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... market value by making use of the— (i) Fair market value (determined under paragraph (c) of this section... requirements of section 412(c)(2)(A) solely on the basis of their fair market value (under paragraph (c) of... reasonble actuarial valuation methods designed to mitigate short-run changes in the fair market value of...

Long-term actuarial survivorship analysis of an interspinous stabilization system

PubMed Central

Sénégas, Jacques; Pointillart, Vincent; Mangione, Paolo

2007-01-01

In 1986, an interspinous dynamic stabilization system (the prototype of the current Wallis implant) was designed to stiffen unstable operated degenerate lumbar segments with a hard interspinous blocker to limit extension and a tension band around the spinous processes to secure the implant and limit flexion. Restoring physiological mechanical conditions to the treated level(s) while preserving some intervertebral mobility was intended to treat low-back pain related to degenerative instability without increasing stress forces in the adjacent segments. The procedure was easily reversible. If low back pain persisted or recurred, the device was removed and stability was achieved using fusion. The intermediate-term results were promising, but the long-term safety and efficacy of this dynamic interspinous stabilization device has not been previously documented. We retrospectively reviewed the hospital files of all the patients (n = 241) who had this dynamic stabilization system implanted between 1987 and 1995, contacting as many as possible to determine the actuarial survivorship of the system. In this manner, 142 of the 241 patients (58.9%) were contacted by telephone. The endpoints used for the survivorship analysis were ‘any subsequent lumbar operation’ and ‘implant removal’. At 14 years follow-up, values of actuarial survivorship with 95% confidence interval were 75.9 ± 8.3 and 81.3 ± 6.8% for the endpoints ‘any subsequent lumbar operation’ and ‘implant removal’, respectively. There was no difference in survivorship of multiple-level implants with respect to single-level devices. Although the conclusions of the present study must be tempered by the 41% attrition rate, these findings support the long-term safety of this system, and possibly long-term protective action against adjacent-level degeneration by motion preservation. Outcomes at least equivalent to those of fusion were observed without the primary drawbacks of fusion. PMID:17426988

Academic Attributes of College Freshmen that Lead to Success in Actuarial Studies in a Business College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Richard Manning; Schumacher, Phyllis

2006-01-01

The authors studied beginning undergraduate actuarial concentrators in a business college. They identified four variables (math Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT] score, verbal SAT score, percentile rank in high school graduating class, and percentage score on a college mathematics placement exam) that were available for entering college students that…

Failure to Achieve a PSA Level {<=}1 ng/mL After Neoadjuvant LHRHA Therapy Predicts for Lower Biochemical Control Rate and Overall Survival in Localized Prostate Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy

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

Mitchell, Darren M.; McAleese, Jonathan; Park, Richard M.

2007-12-01

Purpose: To investigate whether failure to suppress the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level to {<=}1 ng/mL after {>=}2 months of neoadjuvant luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy in patients scheduled to undergo external beam radiotherapy for localized prostate carcinoma is associated with reduced biochemical failure-free survival. Methods and Materials: A retrospective case note review of consecutive patients with intermediate- or high-risk localized prostate cancer treated between January 2001 and December 2002 with neoadjuvant hormonal deprivation therapy, followed by concurrent hormonal therapy and radiotherapy was performed. Patient data were divided for analysis according to whether the PSA level in Week 1 of radiotherapymore » was {<=}1.0 ng/mL. Biochemical failure was determined using the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (Phoenix) definition. Results: A total of 119 patients were identified. The PSA level after neoadjuvant hormonal deprivation therapy was {<=}1 ng/mL in 67 patients and >1 ng/mL in 52. At a median follow-up of 49 months, the 4-year actuarial biochemical failure-free survival rate was 84% vs. 60% (p = 0.0016) in favor of the patients with a PSA level after neoadjuvant hormonal deprivation therapy of {<=}1 ng/mL. The overall survival rate was 94% vs. 77.5% (p = 0.0045), and the disease-specific survival rate at 4 years was 98.5% vs. 82.5%. Conclusions: The results of our study have shown that patients with a PSA level >1 ng/mL at the beginning of external beam radiotherapy after {>=}2 months of neoadjuvant luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy have a significantly greater rate of biochemical failure and lower survival rate compared with those with a PSA level of {<=}1 ng/mL. Patients without adequate PSA suppression should be considered a higher risk group and considered for dose escalation or the use of novel treatments.« less

5 CFR 839.1121 - What is the Actuarial Reduction for the Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB)?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... will be the amount of the BEDB divided by the present value factor for your age at the time of the... Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB)? 839.1121 Section 839.1121 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF... Benefits § 839.1121 What is the Actuarial Reduction for the Basic Employee Death Benefit (BEDB)? If you...

A Brief Actuarial Assessment for the Prediction of Wife Assault Recidivism: The Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, N. Zoe; Harris, Grant T.; Rice, Marnie E.; Lang, Carol; Cormier, Catherine A.; Lines, Kathryn J.

2004-01-01

An actuarial assessment to predict male-to-female marital violence was constructed from a pool of potential predictors in a sample of 589 offenders identified in police records and followed up for an average of almost 5 years. Archival information in several domains (offender characteristics, domestic violence history, nondomestic criminal…

Biochemical abnormalities in neonatal seizures.

PubMed

Sood, Arvind; Grover, Neelam; Sharma, Roshan

2003-03-01

The presence of seizure does not constitute a diagnoses but it is a symptom of an underlying central nervous system disorder due to systemic or biochemical disturbances. Biochemical disturbances occur frequently in the neonatal seizures either as an underlying cause or as an associated abnormality. In their presence, it is difficult to control seizure and there is a risk of further brain damage. Early recognition and treatment of biochemical disturbances is essential for optimal management and satisfactory long term outcome. The present study was conducted in the department of pediatrics in IGMC Shimla on 59 neonates. Biochemical abnormalities were detected in 29 (49.15%) of cases. Primary metabolic abnormalities occurred in 10(16.94%) cases of neonatal seizures, most common being hypocalcaemia followed by hypoglycemia, other metabolic abnormalities include hypomagnesaemia and hyponateremia. Biochemical abnormalities were seen in 19(38.77%) cases of non metabolic seizure in neonates. Associated metabolic abnormalities were observed more often with Hypoxic-ischemic-encephalopathy (11 out of 19) cases and hypoglycemia was most common in this group. No infant had hyponateremia, hyperkelemia or low zinc level.

If You Build It, Will They Come? Tales of Developing a New Degree Program in Actuarial Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marano, Lisa E.

2014-01-01

In 2007, the B.S. in Applied Mathematics program consisting of five concentrations, including Actuarial Science, began at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and we graduated our first class (of one) that December. We describe our program, some ideas to consider when planning your own program, and share some of the successes of our program…

78 FR 9890 - DoD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries; Notice of Federal Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary DoD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Board of... Retiree Health Care Board of Actuaries will take place. DATES: Friday, August 2, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to... assumptions to be used in the valuation of benefits under DoD retiree health care programs for Medicare...

Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy (66 Gy in 22 Fractions at 3 Gy per Fraction) for Favorable-Risk Prostate Cancer: Long-term Outcomes

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

Patel, Nita; Faria, Sergio, E-mail: sergio.faria@muhc.mcgill.ca; Cury, Fabio

2013-07-01

Purpose: To report long-term outcomes of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients treated with high-dose hypofractionated radiation therapy (HypoRT). Methods and Materials: Patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer were treated using 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy to a dose of 66 Gy in 22 daily fractions of 3 Gy without hormonal therapy. A uniform 7-mm margin was created around the prostate for the planning target volume, and treatment was prescribed to the isocenter. Treatment was delivered using daily ultrasound image-guided radiation therapy. Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0, was used to prospectively score toxicity. Biochemical failure was definedmore » as the nadir prostate-specific antigen level plus 2 ng/mL. Results: A total of 129 patients were treated between November 2002 and December 2005. With a median follow-up of 90 months, the 5- and 8-year actuarial biochemical control rates were 97% and 92%, respectively. The 5- and 8-year actuarial overall survival rates were 92% and 88%, respectively. Only 1 patient died from prostate cancer at 92 months after treatment, giving an 8-year actuarial cancer-specific survival of 98%. Radiation therapy was well tolerated, with 57% of patients not experiencing any acute gastrointestinal (GI) or genitourinary (GU) toxicity. For late toxicity, the worst grade ≥2 rate for GI and GU toxicity was 27% and 33%, respectively. There was no grade >3 toxicity. At last follow-up, the rate of grade ≥2 for both GI and GU toxicity was only 1.5%. Conclusions: Hypofractionation with 66 Gy in 22 fractions prescribed to the isocenter using 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy produces excellent biochemical control rates, with moderate toxicity. However, this regimen cannot be extrapolated to the intensity modulated radiation therapy technique.« less

The factor structure of static actuarial items: its relation to prediction.

PubMed

Barbaree, Howard E; Langton, Calvin M; Peacock, Edward J

2006-04-01

Principal components analysis was conducted on items contained in actuarial instruments used with adult sex offenders, including: the Rapid Assessment of Sex Offender Risk for Recidivism (RASORR), the Static-99, the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG), and the Minnesota Sex Offender Screening Tool-Revised (MnSOST-R). In a data set that included child molesters and rapists (N = 311), six interpretable components were identified: Antisocial Behavior, Child Sexual Abuse, Persistence, Detached Predatory Behavior, Young and Single, and Male Victim(s). The RRASOR was highly correlated with Persistence, and the VRAG and SORAG were highly correlated with Antisocial Behavior. Antisocial Behavior was a significant predictor of violent recidivism, while Persistence and Child Sexual Abuse were significant predictors of sexual recidivism.

Actuarial Models for Assessing Prison Violence Risk: Revisions and Extensions of the Risk Assessment Scale for Prison (RASP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Mark D.; Sorensen, Jon R.

2006-01-01

An investigation and extension of the Risk Assessment Scale for Prison (RASP-Potosi), an actuarially derived scale for the assessment of prison violence, was undertaken through a retrospective review of the disciplinary records of the first 12 months of confinement of a cohort of inmates entering the Florida Department of Corrections in 2002 and…

Complexity and performance of on-chip biochemical assays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopf-Sill, Anne R.; Nikiforov, Theo; Bousse, Luc J.; Nagle, Rob; Parce, J. W.

1997-03-01

The use of microchips for performing biochemical processes has the potential to reduce reagent use and thus assay costs, increase throughput, and automate complex processes. We are building a multifunctional platform that provides sensing and actuation functions for a variety of microchip- based biochemical and analytical processes. Here we describe recent experiments that include on-chip dilution, reagent mixing, reaction, separation, and detection for important classes of biochemical assays. Issues in chip design and control are discussed.

Competence in Mathematics and Academic Achievement: An Analysis of Enrollees in the Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamala, Robert; Maswere, Dyson W.; Mwanga, Yeko

2013-01-01

This study investigates the role of prior grounding attained in mathematics in predicting the academic achievement of enrollees in Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science (BSAS). The investigation is based on administrative records of 240 BSAS enrollees at Makerere University, School of Statistics and Planning in the 2007-2009 cohorts. Students'…

Local Control After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Liver Tumors.

PubMed

Ohri, Nitin; Tomé, Wolfgang A; Méndez Romero, Alejandra; Miften, Moyed; Ten Haken, Randall K; Dawson, Laura A; Grimm, Jimm; Yorke, Ellen; Jackson, Andrew

2018-01-06

To quantitatively evaluate published experiences with hepatic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), to determine local control rates after treatment of primary and metastatic liver tumors and to examine whether outcomes are affected by SBRT dosing regimen. We identified published articles that reported local control rates after SBRT for primary or metastatic liver tumors. Biologically effective doses (BEDs) were calculated for each dosing regimen using the linear-quadratic equation. We excluded series in which a wide range of BEDs was used. Individual lesion data for local control were extracted from actuarial survival curves, and data were aggregated to form a single dataset. Actuarial local control curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method after grouping lesions by disease type and BED (<100 Gy 10 vs >100 Gy 10 ). Comparisons were made using log-rank testing. Thirteen articles met all inclusion criteria and formed the dataset for this analysis. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year actuarial local control rates after SBRT for primary liver tumors (n = 431) were 93%, 89%, and 86%, respectively. Lower 1- (90%), 2- (79%), and 3-year (76%) actuarial local control rates were observed for liver metastases (n = 290, log-rank P = .011). Among patients treated with SBRT for primary liver tumors, there was no evidence that local control is influenced by BED within the range of schedules used. For liver metastases, on the other hand, outcomes were significantly better for lesions treated with BEDs exceeding 100 Gy 10 (3-year local control 93%) than for those treated with BEDs of ≤100 Gy 10 (3-year local control 65%, P < .001). Stereotactic body radiation therapy for primary liver tumors provides high rates of durable local control, with no clear evidence for a dose-response relationship among commonly utilized schedules. Excellent local control rates are also seen after SBRT for liver metastases when BEDs of >100 Gy 10 are utilized. Copyright © 2018

Intracellular integration of synthetic nanostructures with viable cells for controlled biochemical manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKnight, Timothy E.; Melechko, Anatoli V.; Griffin, Guy D.; Guillorn, Michael A.; Merkulov, Vladimir I.; Serna, Francisco; Hensley, Dale K.; Doktycz, Mitchel J.; Lowndes, Douglas H.; Simpson, Michael L.

2003-05-01

We demonstrate the integration of vertically aligned carbon nanofibre (VACNF) elements with the intracellular domains of viable cells for controlled biochemical manipulation. Deterministically synthesized VACNFs were modified with either adsorbed or covalently-linked plasmid DNA and were subsequently inserted into cells. Post insertion viability of the cells was demonstrated by continued proliferation of the interfaced cells and long-term (> 22 day) expression of the introduced plasmid. Adsorbed plasmids were typically desorbed in the intracellular domain and segregated to progeny cells. Covalently bound plasmids remained tethered to nanofibres and were expressed in interfaced cells but were not partitioned into progeny, and gene expression ceased when the nanofibre was no longer retained. This provides a method for achieving a genetic modification that is non-inheritable and whose extent in time can be directly and precisely controlled. These results demonstrate the potential of VACNF arrays as an intracellular interface for monitoring and controlling subcellular and molecular phenomena within viable cells for applications including biosensors, in vivo diagnostics, and in vivo logic devices.

Diabetes, Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover, Diabetes Control, and Bone

PubMed Central

Starup-Linde, Jakob

2012-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is known to have late complications including micro vascular and macro vascular disease. This review focuses on another possible area of complication regarding diabetes; bone. Diabetes may affect bone via bone structure, bone density, and biochemical markers of bone turnover. The aim of the present review is to examine in vivo from humans on biochemical markers of bone turnover in diabetics compared to non-diabetics. Furthermore, the effect of glycemic control on bone markers and the similarities and differences of type 1- and type 2-diabetics regarding bone markers will be evaluated. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, and SveMed+ with the search terms: “Diabetes mellitus,” “Diabetes mellitus type 1,” “Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus,” “Diabetes mellitus type 2,” “Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus,” “Bone,” “Bone and Bones,” “Bone diseases,” “Bone turnover,” “Hemoglobin A Glycosylated,” and “HbA1C.” After removing duplicates from this search 1,188 records were screened by title and abstract and 75 records were assessed by full text for inclusion in the review. In the end 43 records were chosen. Bone formation and resorption markers are investigated as well as bone regulating systems. T1D is found to have lower osteocalcin and CTX, while osteocalcin and tartrate-resistant acid are found to be lower in T2D, and sclerostin is increased and collagen turnover markers altered. Other bone turnover markers do not seem to be altered in T1D or T2D. A major problem is the lack of histomorphometric studies in humans linking changes in turnover markers to actual changes in bone turnover and further research is needed to strengthen this link. PMID:23482417

Serum Biochemical Phenotypes in the Domestic Dog

PubMed Central

Chang, Yu-Mei; Hadox, Erin; Szladovits, Balazs; Garden, Oliver A.

2016-01-01

The serum or plasma biochemical profile is essential in the diagnosis and monitoring of systemic disease in veterinary medicine, but current reference intervals typically take no account of breed-specific differences. Breed-specific hematological phenotypes have been documented in the domestic dog, but little has been published on serum biochemical phenotypes in this species. Serum biochemical profiles of dogs in which all measurements fell within the existing reference intervals were retrieved from a large veterinary database. Serum biochemical profiles from 3045 dogs were retrieved, of which 1495 had an accompanying normal glucose concentration. Sixty pure breeds plus a mixed breed control group were represented by at least 10 individuals. All analytes, except for sodium, chloride and glucose, showed variation with age. Total protein, globulin, potassium, chloride, creatinine, cholesterol, total bilirubin, ALT, CK, amylase, and lipase varied between sexes. Neutering status significantly impacted all analytes except albumin, sodium, calcium, urea, and glucose. Principal component analysis of serum biochemical data revealed 36 pure breeds with distinctive phenotypes. Furthermore, comparative analysis identified 23 breeds with significant differences from the mixed breed group in all biochemical analytes except urea and glucose. Eighteen breeds were identified by both principal component and comparative analysis. Tentative reference intervals were generated for breeds with a distinctive phenotype identified by comparative analysis and represented by at least 120 individuals. This is the first large-scale analysis of breed-specific serum biochemical phenotypes in the domestic dog and highlights potential genetic components of biochemical traits in this species. PMID:26919479

Evaluation of biochemical markers combined with uterine artery Doppler parameters in fetuses with growth restriction: a case-control study.

PubMed

Zamarian, Ana Cristina Perez; Araujo Júnior, Edward; Daher, Sílvia; Rolo, Liliam Cristine; Moron, Antonio Fernandes; Nardozza, Luciano Marcondes Machado

2016-10-01

Assessing the biochemical markers levels and the uterine artery Doppler (UtA) parameters in fetuses with growth restriction (FGR). Prospective case-control study included 66 patients with diagnosis of FGR and 64 healthy pregnancies at 24-41 weeks of gestation. For both groups, maternal circulating concentrations of biochemical factors of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), soluble endoglin(sEng), adiponectin, A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAM-12), pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), angiopoietin-2 (ANGI-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were assayed by ELISA and UtA by Doppler were performed. ANOVA, Mann-Whitney tests and Pearson correlation coefficient were applied to compare the biochemical factors, UtA Doppler and EFW Z-score between the groups. Concentrations of sFlt-1, sEng, PAPP-A were significantly higher in FGR than controls (p < 0.0001, p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively), but concentration of ANGI-2 (p < 0.0001) was significantly lower in FGR than controls and ADAM-12 levels had a tendency to be lower in the FGR, though not statistically significant (p = 0.059). Increased sEng concentrations were correlated with abnormal UtA Doppler in FGR. Fetal growth restriction fetuses showed increased serum levels of sFlt-1, sEng and PAPP-A with levels of ANGI-2 decreased and a positive association between elevated concentrations of sEng and changing impedance of UtA Doppler were observed.

29 CFR 4010.15 - OMB control number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false OMB control number. 4010.15 Section 4010.15 Labor... DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND ACTUARIAL INFORMATION REPORTING § 4010.15 OMB control number... Management and Budget under OMB control number 1212-0049. [61 FR 34022, July 1, 1996. Redesignated at 74 FR...

29 CFR 4010.15 - OMB control number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false OMB control number. 4010.15 Section 4010.15 Labor... DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND ACTUARIAL INFORMATION REPORTING § 4010.15 OMB control number... Management and Budget under OMB control number 1212-0049. [61 FR 34022, July 1, 1996. Redesignated at 74 FR...

29 CFR 4010.15 - OMB control number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false OMB control number. 4010.15 Section 4010.15 Labor... DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND ACTUARIAL INFORMATION REPORTING § 4010.15 OMB control number... Management and Budget under OMB control number 1212-0049. [61 FR 34022, July 1, 1996. Redesignated at 74 FR...

29 CFR 4010.15 - OMB control number.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false OMB control number. 4010.15 Section 4010.15 Labor... DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS ANNUAL FINANCIAL AND ACTUARIAL INFORMATION REPORTING § 4010.15 OMB control number... Management and Budget under OMB control number 1212-0049. [61 FR 34022, July 1, 1996. Redesignated at 74 FR...

40 CFR 158.2070 - Biochemical pesticides product performance data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... efficacy data unless the pesticide product bears a claim to control public health pests, such as pest... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides product... AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2070...

40 CFR 158.2070 - Biochemical pesticides product performance data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... efficacy data unless the pesticide product bears a claim to control public health pests, such as pest... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides product... AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2070...

40 CFR 158.2070 - Biochemical pesticides product performance data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... efficacy data unless the pesticide product bears a claim to control public health pests, such as pest... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides product... AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2070...

40 CFR 158.2070 - Biochemical pesticides product performance data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... efficacy data unless the pesticide product bears a claim to control public health pests, such as pest... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides product... AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2070...

40 CFR 158.2070 - Biochemical pesticides product performance data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... efficacy data unless the pesticide product bears a claim to control public health pests, such as pest... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides product... AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2070...

Projections of health care expenditures as a share of the GDP: actuarial and macroeconomic approaches.

PubMed Central

Warshawsky, M J

1994-01-01

STUDY QUESTION. Can the steady increases in health care expenditures as a share of GDP projected by widely cited actuarial models be rationalized by a macroeconomic model with sensible parameters and specification? DATA SOURCES. National Income and Product Accounts, and Social Security and Health Care Financing Administration are the data sources used in parameters estimates. STUDY DESIGN. Health care expenditures as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) are projected using two methodological approaches--actuarial and macroeconomic--and under various assumptions. The general equilibrium macroeconomic approach has the advantage of allowing an investigation of the causes of growth in the health care sector and its consequences for the overall economy. DATA COLLECTION METHODS. Simulations are used. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Both models unanimously project a continued increase in the ratio of health care expenditures to GDP. Under the most conservative assumptions, that is, robust economic growth, improved demographic trends, or a significant moderation in the rate of health care price inflation, the health care sector will consume more than a quarter of national output by 2065. Under other (perhaps more realistic) assumptions, including a continuation of current trends, both approaches predict that health care expenditures will comprise between a third and a half of national output. In the macroeconomic model, the increasing use of capital goods in the health care sector explains the observed rise in relative prices. Moreover, this "capital deepening" implies that a relatively modest fraction of the labor force is employed in health care and that the rest of the economy is increasingly starved for capital, resulting in a declining standard of living. PMID:8063567

PSA nadir as a predictive factor for biochemical disease-free survival and overall survival following whole-gland salvage HIFU following radiotherapy failure.

PubMed

Shah, T T; Peters, M; Kanthabalan, A; McCartan, N; Fatola, Y; van der Voort van Zyp, J; van Vulpen, M; Freeman, A; Moore, C M; Arya, M; Emberton, M; Ahmed, H U

2016-09-01

Treatment options for radio-recurrent prostate cancer are either androgen-deprivation therapy or salvage prostatectomy. Whole-gland high-intensity focussed ultrasound (HIFU) might have a role in this setting. An independent HIFU registry collated consecutive cases of HIFU. Between 2005 and 2012, we identified 50 men who underwent whole-gland HIFU following histological confirmation of localised disease following prior external beam radiotherapy (2005-2012). No upper threshold was applied for risk category, PSA or Gleason grade either at presentation or at the time of failure. Progression was defined as a composite with biochemical failure (Phoenix criteria (PSA>nadir+2 ng ml(-1))), start of systemic therapies or metastases. Median age (interquartile range (IQR)), pretreatment PSA (IQR) and Gleason score (range) were 68 years (64-72), 5.9 ng ml(-1) (2.2-11.3) and 7 (6-9), respectively. Median follow-up was 64 months (49-84). In all, 24/50 (48%) avoided androgen-deprivation therapies. Also, a total of 28/50 (56%) achieved a PSA nadir <0.5 ng ml(-1), 15/50 (30%) had a nadir ⩾0.5 ng ml(-1) and 7/50 (14%) did not nadir (PSA non-responders). Actuarial 1, 3 and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 72, 40 and 31%, respectively. Actuarial 1, 3 and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 100, 94 and 87%, respectively. When comparing patients with PSA nadir <0.5 ng ml(-1), nadir ⩾0.5 and non-responders, a statistically significant difference in PFS was seen (P<0.0001). Three-year PFS in each group was 57, 20 and 0%, respectively. Five-year OS was 96, 100 and 38%, respectively. Early in the learning curve, between 2005 and 2007, 3/50 (6%) developed a fistula. Intervention for bladder outlet obstruction was needed in 27/50 (54%). Patient-reported outcome measure questionnaires showed incontinence (any pad-use) as 8/26 (31%). In our series of high-risk patients, in whom 30-50% may have micro-metastases, disease control rates were promising in PSA

Substance abuse among high-risk sexual offenders: do measures of lifetime history of substance abuse add to the prediction of recidivism over actuarial risk assessment instruments?

PubMed

Looman, Jan; Abracen, Jeffrey

2011-03-01

There has been relatively little research on the degree to which measures of lifetime history of substance abuse add to the prediction of risk based on actuarial measures alone among sexual offenders. This issue is of relevance in that a history of substance abuse is related to relapse to substance using behavior. Furthermore, substance use has been found to be related to recidivism among sexual offenders. To investigate whether lifetime history of substance abuse adds to prediction over and above actuarial instruments alone, several measures of substance abuse were administered in conjunction with the Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG). The SORAG was found to be the most accurate actuarial instrument for the prediction of serious recidivism (i.e., sexual or violent) among the sample included in the present investigation. Complete information, including follow-up data, were available for 250 offenders who attended the Regional Treatment Centre Sex Offender Treatment Program (RTCSOTP). The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) were used to assess lifetime history of substance abuse. The results of logistic regression procedures indicated that both the SORAG and the MAST independently added to the prediction of serious recidivism. The DAST did not add to prediction over the use of the SORAG alone. Implications for both the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders are discussed.

Split-face histological and biochemical evaluation of tightening efficacy using temperature- and impedance-controlled continuous non-invasive radiofrequency energy.

PubMed

Boisnic, Sylvie; Divaris, Marc; Branchet, Marie-Christine; Nelson, Andrew A

2017-06-01

Bipolar radiofrequency (RF) is capable of heating dermal collagen fibers and inducing skin tightening by collagen remodeling. To substantiate safety and improvement of skin laxity following skin heating with a novel temperature- and impedance-controlled non-invasive radiofrequency (RF) device by histological and biochemical evaluations. A split-face study was performed on 4 subjects who underwent 8 weekly RF sessions on one side of their face, leaving the other side an untreated control and then underwent facelift procedure. Clinical evaluation by photographs was done prior to the surgical procedure. Ex vivo fragments were harvested from both sides and compared. Morphometric analysis of dermal collagen fibers, collagen synthesis, and elastin synthesis evaluations were compared in triplicates. Facial skin tightening was apparent in split-face photographs. A significant increase of 7.9% in dermal collagen content, and a significant increase of 34.7% in collagen synthesis were demonstrated in the treated samples. No statistically significant effect on elastin synthesis was detected. Skin tightening following treatment with non-invasive RF has proven histologically and biochemically to derive from increase in dermal collagen synthesis and content.

Correlations between female breast density and biochemical markers.

PubMed

Kim, Ji-Hye; Lee, Hae-Kag; Cho, Jae-Hwan; Park, Hyong-Keun; Yang, Han-Jun

2015-07-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to identify biochemical markers related to breast density. The study was performed with 200 patients who received mammography and biochemical marker testing between March 1, 2014 to October 1, 2014. [Subjects and Methods] Following the American College of Radiology, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR BI-RADS), breast parenchymal pattern density from mammography was categorized into four grades: grade 1, almost entirely fat; grade 2, fibroglandular densities; grade 3, heterogeneously dense; and grade 4, extremely dense. Regarding biochemical markers, subjects underwent blood and urine tests after a 12-h fast. We analyzed correlations among breast density, general characteristics, and biochemical markers. [Results] Breast density-related factors were age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), hematocrit, MCH, RDW, AST, ALT, ALP, uric acid, γGT, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol. [Conclusion] The results can be used as basic and comparative data for the prevention and early control of breast cancer.

[Analysis of biochemical markers in serum of guinea pigs after death caused by hypothermia].

PubMed

Li, Shi-ying; Deng, Kai-fei; Shao, Yu; Li, Zheng-dong; Qin, Zhi-qiang; Chen, Yi-jiu; Huang, Ping

2014-08-01

To explore the changes and rules of biochemical markers in serum of guinea pigs after death caused by hypothermia and to provide references for fatal hypothermia diagnosis by serum biochemical markers. Twenty guinea pigs were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The guinea pigs in the experimental group were kept at -30 °C until death, while the ones in control group were decapitated after same survival intervals at 25 °C. The serum was extracted from the whole blood of right ventricular immediately. Subsequently, a series of serum biochemical markers were analyzed by auto bio-chemical analyzer. The levels of glucose, uric acid, creatinine and urea nitrogen in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in control group, respectively (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of total protein and albumin were significantly lower in the experimental group (P<0.05). There were no significantly differences of the levels of other markers such as serum enzymes and ions observed between the two groups. There are characteristic changes of some specific serum biochemical markers in fatal hypothermia, which may be potentially useful for auxiliary diagnosis of fatal hypothermia.

Are we selecting the right patients for treatment of localized prostate cancer? Results of an actuarial analysis.

PubMed

Koch, M O; Miller, D A; Butler, R; Lebos, L; Collings, D; Smith, J A

1998-02-01

To determine our accuracy in selecting patients with at least a 10-year life expectancy for aggressive treatment of localized prostate cancer. The medical records of 261 consecutive patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy were submitted to the actuarial division of American General Life and Accident Insurance Company (AGLA) for estimation of life expectancy, excluding the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Survival curves were generated from predicted individual survivals. In patients with less than a 10-year life expectancy, AGLA provided us with the basis for assigning suboptimal survival rates. The mean life expectancy for the group was 15.2 years. Two hundred ten men (80%) were projected to have a life expectancy of more than 10 years, including 27 of 55 (49%) and 4 of 8 (50%) men who were older than or equal to 70 and 75 years of age, respectively. Coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus were the most common coexisting medical conditions that adversely affected risk as single disease entities. Although clinicians do not estimate life expectancy with the scientific exactitude of an actuary, the ability to assess the patient in person and assimilate pertinent medical information in a less rigid format yields similar results. Selection of men for definitive treatment of localized prostate cancer should be based on the inherent aggressiveness of the disease and the health of the individual and should not be limited by specific age cutoffs. Populations of men undergoing radical prostatectomy are younger and healthier than those in reported series of watchful waiting for prostate cancer.

Youth Actuarial Risk Assessment Tool (Y-ARAT): The development of an actuarial risk assessment instrument for predicting general offense recidivism on the basis of police records.

PubMed

van der Put, Claudia E

2014-06-01

Estimating the risk for recidivism is important for many areas of the criminal justice system. In the present study, the Youth Actuarial Risk Assessment Tool (Y-ARAT) was developed for juvenile offenders based solely on police records, with the aim to estimate the risk of general recidivism among large groups of juvenile offenders by police officers without clinical expertise. On the basis of the Y-ARAT, juvenile offenders are classified into five risk groups based on (combinations of) 10 variables including different types of incidents in which the juvenile was a suspect, total number of incidents in which the juvenile was a suspect, total number of other incidents, total number of incidents in which co-occupants at the youth's address were suspects, gender, and age at first incident. The Y-ARAT was developed on a sample of 2,501 juvenile offenders and validated on another sample of 2,499 juvenile offenders, showing moderate predictive accuracy (area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve = .73), with little variation between the construction and validation sample. The predictive accuracy of the Y-ARAT was considered sufficient to justify its use as a screening instrument for the police. © The Author(s) 2013.

Clinical and biochemical heterogeneity between patients with glycogen storage disease type IA: the added value of CUSUM for metabolic control.

PubMed

Peeks, Fabian; Steunenberg, Thomas A H; de Boer, Foekje; Rubio-Gozalbo, M Estela; Williams, Monique; Burghard, Rob; Rajas, Fabienne; Oosterveer, Maaike H; Weinstein, David A; Derks, Terry G J

2017-09-01

To study heterogeneity between patients with glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD Ia), a rare inherited disorder of carbohydrate metabolism caused by the deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). Descriptive retrospective study of longitudinal clinical and biochemical data and long-term complications in 20 GSD Ia patients. We included 11 patients with homozygous G6PC mutations and siblings from four families carrying identical G6PC genotypes. To display subtle variations for repeated triglyceride measurements with respect to time for individual patients, CUSUM-analysis graphs were constructed. Patients with different homozygous G6PC mutations showed important differences in height, BMI, and biochemical parameters (i.e., lactate, uric acid, triglyceride, and cholesterol concentrations). Furthermore, CUSUM-analysis predicts and displays subtle changes in longitudinal blood triglyceride concentrations. Siblings in families also displayed important differences in biochemical parameters (i.e., lactate, uric acid, triglycerides, and cholesterol concentrations) and long-term complications (i.e., liver adenomas, nephropathy, and osteopenia/osteoporosis). Differences between GSD Ia patients reflect large clinical and biochemical heterogeneity. Heterogeneity between GSD Ia patients with homozygous G6PC mutations indicate an important role of the G6PC genotype/mutations. Differences between affected siblings suggest an additional role (genetic and/or environmental) of modifying factors defining the GSD Ia phenotype. CUSUM-analysis can facilitate single-patient monitoring of metabolic control and future application of this method may improve precision medicine for patients both with GSD and remaining inherited metabolic diseases.

Preliminary studies on Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Berg.) and Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F. Macbr. aqueous extract: weight control and biochemical parameters.

PubMed

Biavatti, M W; Farias, C; Curtius, F; Brasil, L M; Hort, S; Schuster, L; Leite, S N; Prado, S R T

2004-08-01

An infusion of Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg. (Myrtaceae) leaves (Guabiroba) and the herb Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) J.F. Macbr. (Lythraceae) (Sete-sangrias) is traditionally used in the South of Brazil to treat high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. The effects of the aqueous extracts of these herbs were investigated in rats fed on a high calorie diet. Chronic treatment with the Guabiroba aqueous extract induced a significant reduction in weight gain in the rats, compared to the control group. Also, biochemical analysis showed that this treatment reduced the glycemia, while no effects on lipidic levels were observed. The biochemical analysis of the animals treated with Sete-sangrias aqueous extract showed no effect on glucose and triglyceride levels, while chronic treatment with the Sete-sangrias aqueous extract induced a significant reduction in plasma cholesterol in rats.

Dose escalation using conformal high-dose-rate brachytherapy improves outcome in unfavorable prostate cancer.

PubMed

Martinez, Alvaro A; Gustafson, Gary; Gonzalez, José; Armour, Elwood; Mitchell, Chris; Edmundson, Gregory; Spencer, William; Stromberg, Jannifer; Huang, Raywin; Vicini, Frank

2002-06-01

To overcome radioresistance for patients with unfavorable prostate cancer, a prospective trial of pelvic external beam irradiation (EBRT) interdigitated with dose-escalating conformal high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy was performed. Between November 1991 and August 2000, 207 patients were treated with 46 Gy pelvic EBRT and increasing HDR brachytherapy boost doses (5.50-11.5 Gy/fraction) during 5 weeks. The eligibility criteria were pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level >or=10.0 ng/mL, Gleason score >or=7, or clinical Stage T2b or higher. Patients were divided into 2 dose levels, low-dose biologically effective dose <93 Gy (58 patients) and high-dose biologically effective dose >93 Gy (149 patients). No patient received hormones. We used the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology definition for biochemical failure. The median age was 69 years. The mean follow-up for the group was 4.4 years, and for the low and high-dose levels, it was 7.0 and 3.4 years, respectively. The actuarial 5-year biochemical control rate was 74%, and the overall, cause-specific, and disease-free survival rate was 92%, 98%, and 68%, respectively. The 5-year biochemical control rate for the low-dose group was 52%; the rate for the high-dose group was 87% (p <0.001). Improvement occurred in the cause-specific survival in favor of the brachytherapy high-dose level (p = 0.014). On multivariate analysis, a low-dose level, higher Gleason score, and higher nadir value were associated with increased biochemical failure. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Grade 3 gastrointestinal/genitourinary complications ranged from 0.5% to 9%. The actuarial 5-year impotency rate was 51%. Pelvic EBRT interdigitated with transrectal ultrasound-guided real-time conformal HDR prostate brachytherapy boost is both a precise dose delivery system and a very effective treatment for unfavorable prostate cancer. We demonstrated an incremental beneficial effect on biochemical control and

Amelogenin test: From forensics to quality control in clinical and biochemical genomics.

PubMed

Francès, F; Portolés, O; González, J I; Coltell, O; Verdú, F; Castelló, A; Corella, D

2007-01-01

The increasing number of samples from the biomedical genetic studies and the number of centers participating in the same involves increasing risk of mistakes in the different sample handling stages. We have evaluated the usefulness of the amelogenin test for quality control in sample identification. Amelogenin test (frequently used in forensics) was undertaken on 1224 individuals participating in a biomedical study. Concordance between referred sex in the database and amelogenin test was estimated. Additional sex-error genetic detecting systems were developed. The overall concordance rate was 99.84% (1222/1224). Two samples showed a female amelogenin test outcome, being codified as males in the database. The first, after checking sex-specific biochemical and clinical profile data was found to be due to a codification error in the database. In the second, after checking the database, no apparent error was discovered because a correct male profile was found. False negatives in amelogenin male sex determination were discarded by additional tests, and feminine sex was confirmed. A sample labeling error was revealed after a new DNA extraction. The amelogenin test is a useful quality control tool for detecting sex-identification errors in large genomic studies, and can contribute to increase its validity.

Long-term treatment outcomes of acromegaly patients presenting biochemically-uncontrolled at a tertiary pituitary center.

PubMed

Carmichael, John D; Broder, Michael S; Cherepanov, Dasha; Chang, Eunice; Mamelak, Adam; Said, Qayyim; Neary, Maureen P; Bonert, Vivien

2017-08-04

Acromegaly is a rare, slowly progressive disorder resulting from excessive growth hormone (GH) production by a pituitary somatotroph tumor. The objective of this study was to examine acromegaly treatment outcomes during long-term care at a specialized pituitary center in patients presenting with lack of biochemical control. Data came from an acromegaly registry at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Pituitary Center (center). Acromegaly patients included in this study were those who presented biochemically-uncontrolled for care at the center. Biochemical control status, based on serum insulin-like growth factor-1 values, was determined at presentation and at study end. Patient characteristics and acromegaly treatments were reported before and after presentation by presenting treatment status and final biochemical control status. Data on long-term follow-up were recorded from 1985 through June 2013. Seventy-four patients presented uncontrolled: 40 untreated (54.1%) and 34 (45.9%) previously-treated. Mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 43.2 (14.7); 32 (43.2%) were female patients. Of 65 patients with tumor size information, 59 (90.8%) had macroadenomas. Prior treatments among the 34 previously-treated patients were pituitary surgery alone (47.1%), surgery and medication (41.2%), and medication alone (11.8%). Of the 40 patients without prior treatment, 82.5% achieved control by study end. Of the 34 with prior treatment, 50% achieved control by study end. This observational study shows that treatment outcomes of biochemically-uncontrolled acromegaly patients improve with directed care, particularly for those that initially present untreated. Patients often require multiple modalities of treatment, many of which are offered with the highest quality at specialized pituitary centers. Despite specialized care, some patients were not able to achieve biochemical control with methods of treatment that were available at the time of their treatment, showing the need for additional

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; standards related to essential health benefits, actuarial value and accreditation. Final rule.

PubMed

2013-02-25

This final rule sets forth standards for health insurance issuers consistent with title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, referred to collectively as the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, this final rule outlines Exchange and issuer standards related to coverage of essential health benefits and actuarial value. This rule also finalizes a timeline for qualified health plans to be accredited in Federally-facilitated Exchanges and amends regulations providing an application process for the recognition of additional accrediting entities for purposes of certification of qualified health plans.

Thermodynamic considerations on Ca2+-induced biochemical reactions in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucia, Umberto; Ponzetto, Antonio

2016-02-01

Cells can be regarded as complex engines that execute a series of chemical reactions. Energy transformations, thermo-electro-chemical processes and transport phenomena can occur across cell membranes. Different, related thermo-electro-biochemical behaviour can occur between health and disease states. Analysis of the irreversibility related to ion fluxes can represent a new approach to study and control the biochemical behaviour of living cells.

Multidimensional biochemical information processing of dynamical patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, Yoshihiko

2018-02-01

Cells receive signaling molecules by receptors and relay information via sensory networks so that they can respond properly depending on the type of signal. Recent studies have shown that cells can extract multidimensional information from dynamical concentration patterns of signaling molecules. We herein study how biochemical systems can process multidimensional information embedded in dynamical patterns. We model the decoding networks by linear response functions, and optimize the functions with the calculus of variations to maximize the mutual information between patterns and output. We find that, when the noise intensity is lower, decoders with different linear response functions, i.e., distinct decoders, can extract much information. However, when the noise intensity is higher, distinct decoders do not provide the maximum amount of information. This indicates that, when transmitting information by dynamical patterns, embedding information in multiple patterns is not optimal when the noise intensity is very large. Furthermore, we explore the biochemical implementations of these decoders using control theory and demonstrate that these decoders can be implemented biochemically through the modification of cascade-type networks, which are prevalent in actual signaling pathways.

Multidimensional biochemical information processing of dynamical patterns.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Yoshihiko

2018-02-01

Cells receive signaling molecules by receptors and relay information via sensory networks so that they can respond properly depending on the type of signal. Recent studies have shown that cells can extract multidimensional information from dynamical concentration patterns of signaling molecules. We herein study how biochemical systems can process multidimensional information embedded in dynamical patterns. We model the decoding networks by linear response functions, and optimize the functions with the calculus of variations to maximize the mutual information between patterns and output. We find that, when the noise intensity is lower, decoders with different linear response functions, i.e., distinct decoders, can extract much information. However, when the noise intensity is higher, distinct decoders do not provide the maximum amount of information. This indicates that, when transmitting information by dynamical patterns, embedding information in multiple patterns is not optimal when the noise intensity is very large. Furthermore, we explore the biochemical implementations of these decoders using control theory and demonstrate that these decoders can be implemented biochemically through the modification of cascade-type networks, which are prevalent in actual signaling pathways.

Pretreatment Endorectal Coil Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings Predict Biochemical Tumor Control in Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Combination Brachytherapy and External-Beam Radiotherapy

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

Riaz, Nadeem; Afaq, Asim; Akin, Oguz

Purpose: To investigate the utility of endorectal coil magenetic resonance imaging (eMRI) in predicting biochemical relapse in prostate cancer patients treated with combination brachytherapy and external-beam radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Between 2000 and 2008, 279 men with intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer underwent eMRI of their prostate before receiving brachytherapy and supplemental intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Endorectal coil MRI was performed before treatment and retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists experienced in genitourinary MRI. Image-based variables, including tumor diameter, location, number of sextants involved, and the presence of extracapsular extension (ECE), were incorporated with other established clinical variables to predict biochemical control outcomes.more » The median follow-up was 49 months (range, 1-13 years). Results: The 5-year biochemical relapse-free survival for the cohort was 92%. Clinical findings predicting recurrence on univariate analysis included Gleason score (hazard ratio [HR] 3.6, p = 0.001), PSA (HR 1.04, p = 0.005), and National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk group (HR 4.1, p = 0.002). Clinical T stage and the use of androgen deprivation therapy were not correlated with biochemical failure. Imaging findings on univariate analysis associated with relapse included ECE on MRI (HR 3.79, p = 0.003), tumor size (HR 2.58, p = 0.04), and T stage (HR 1.71, p = 0.004). On multivariate analysis incorporating both clinical and imaging findings, only ECE on MRI and Gleason score were independent predictors of recurrence. Conclusions: Pretreatment eMRI findings predict for biochemical recurrence in intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer patients treated with combination brachytherapy and external-beam radiotherapy. Gleason score and the presence of ECE on MRI were the only significant predictors of biochemical relapse in this group of patients.« less

Balanced Biochemical Reactions: A New Approach to Unify Chemical and Biochemical Thermodynamics

PubMed Central

Sabatini, Antonio; Vacca, Alberto; Iotti, Stefano

2012-01-01

A novel procedure is presented which, by balancing elements and electric charge of biochemical reactions which occur at constant pH and pMg, allows assessing the thermodynamics properties of reaction ΔrG ′0, ΔrH ′0, ΔrS ′0 and the change in binding of hydrogen and magnesium ions of these reactions. This procedure of general applicability avoids the complex calculations required by the use of the Legendre transformed thermodynamic properties of formation ΔfG ′0, ΔfH ′0 and ΔfS ′0 hitherto considered an obligatory prerequisite to deal with the thermodynamics of biochemical reactions. As a consequence, the term “conditional” is proposed in substitution of “Legendre transformed” to indicate these thermodynamics properties. It is also shown that the thermodynamic potential G is fully adequate to give a criterion of spontaneous chemical change for all biochemical reactions and then that the use of the Legendre transformed G′ is unnecessary. The procedure proposed can be applied to any biochemical reaction, making possible to re-unify the two worlds of chemical and biochemical thermodynamics, which so far have been treated separately. PMID:22247780

24 CFR 1000.139 - What are the standards for insurance entities owned and controlled by recipients?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Governmental Risk Pools and conducted by an independent property or casualty actuary who is a member of a recognized professional actuarial organization, such as the American Academy of Actuaries. The report issued and submitted to HUD must include the actuary's written opinion on any over- or under-reserving and...

Effect of UV irradiation on cutaneous cicatrices: a randomized, controlled trial with clinical, skin reflectance, histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical evaluations.

PubMed

Due, Eva; Rossen, Kristian; Sorensen, Lars Tue; Kliem, Anette; Karlsmark, Tonny; Haedersdal, Merete

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on human cutaneous cicatrices. In this randomized, controlled study, dermal punch biopsy wounds served as a wound healing model. Wounds healed by primary or second intention and were randomized to postoperative solar UV irradiation or to no UV exposure. Evaluations after 5 and 12 weeks included blinded clinical assessments, skin reflectance measurements, histology, immunohistochemistry, and biochemical analyses of the N-terminal propeptide from procollagen-1, hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine, and proline. Twelve weeks postoperatively, UV-irradiated cicatrices healing by second intention: (i) were significantly pointed out as the most disfiguring; (ii) obtained significantly higher scores of colour, infiltration and cicatrix area; and (iii) showed significantly higher increase in skin-reflectance measurements of skin-pigmentation vs. non-irradiated cicatrices. No histological, immunohistochemical or biochemical differences were found. In conclusion, postoperative UV exposure aggravates the clinical appearance of cicatrices in humans.

Designing Epigenome Editors: Considerations of Biochemical and Locus Specificities.

PubMed

Sen, Dilara; Keung, Albert J

2018-01-01

The advent of locus-specific protein recruitment technologies has enabled a new class of studies in chromatin biology. Epigenome editors enable biochemical modifications of chromatin at almost any specific endogenous locus. Their locus specificity unlocks unique information including the functional roles of distinct modifications at specific genomic loci. Given the growing interest in using these tools for biological and translational studies, there are many specific design considerations depending on the scientific question or clinical need. Here we present and discuss important design considerations and challenges regarding the biochemical and locus specificities of epigenome editors. These include how to account for the complex biochemical diversity of chromatin; control for potential interdependency of epigenome editors and their resultant modifications; avoid sequestration effects; quantify the locus specificity of epigenome editors; and improve locus specificity by considering concentration, affinity, avidity, and sequestration effects.

Development of a new first-aid biochemical detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jingfei; Liao, Haiyang; Su, Shilin; Ding, Hao; Liu, Suquan

2016-10-01

The traditional biochemical detector exhibits poor adaptability, inconvenient carrying and slow detection, which can't meet the needs of first-aid under field condition like natural or man-made disasters etc. Therefore a scheme of first-aid biochemical detector based on MOMES Micro Spectrometer, UV LED and Photodiode was proposed. An optical detection structure combined continuous spectrum sweep with fixed wavelength measurement was designed, which adopted mobile detection optical path consisting of Micro Spectrometer and Halogen Lamp to detect Chloride (Cl-), Creatinine (Cre), Glucose (Glu), Hemoglobin (Hb). The UV LED and Photodiode were designed to detect Potassium (K-), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Sodium (Na+). According to the field diagnosis and treatment requirements, we designed the embedded control hardware circuit and software system, the prototype of first-aid biochemical detector was developed and the clinical trials were conducted. Experimental results show that the sample's absorbance repeatability is less than 2%, the max coefficient of variation (CV) in the batch repeatability test of all 7 biochemical parameters in blood samples is 4.68%, less than the clinical requirements 10%, the correlation coefficient (R2) in the clinical contrast test with AU5800 is almost greater than 0.97. To sum up, the prototype meets the requirements of clinical application.

Metabolomic profiling and genomic analysis of wheat aneuploid lines to identify genes controlling biochemical pathways in mature grain.

PubMed

Francki, Michael G; Hayton, Sarah; Gummer, Joel P A; Rawlinson, Catherine; Trengove, Robert D

2016-02-01

Metabolomics is becoming an increasingly important tool in plant genomics to decipher the function of genes controlling biochemical pathways responsible for trait variation. Although theoretical models can integrate genes and metabolites for trait variation, biological networks require validation using appropriate experimental genetic systems. In this study, we applied an untargeted metabolite analysis to mature grain of wheat homoeologous group 3 ditelosomic lines, selected compounds that showed significant variation between wheat lines Chinese Spring and at least one ditelosomic line, tracked the genes encoding enzymes of their biochemical pathway using the wheat genome survey sequence and determined the genetic components underlying metabolite variation. A total of 412 analytes were resolved in the wheat grain metabolome, and principal component analysis indicated significant differences in metabolite profiles between Chinese Spring and each ditelosomic lines. The grain metabolome identified 55 compounds positively matched against a mass spectral library where the majority showed significant differences between Chinese Spring and at least one ditelosomic line. Trehalose and branched-chain amino acids were selected for detailed investigation, and it was expected that if genes encoding enzymes directly related to their biochemical pathways were located on homoeologous group 3 chromosomes, then corresponding ditelosomic lines would have a significant reduction in metabolites compared with Chinese Spring. Although a proportion showed a reduction, some lines showed significant increases in metabolites, indicating that genes directly and indirectly involved in biosynthetic pathways likely regulate the metabolome. Therefore, this study demonstrated that wheat aneuploid lines are suitable experimental genetic system to validate metabolomics-genomics networks. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Substance Abuse among High-Risk Sexual Offenders: Do Measures of Lifetime History of Substance Abuse Add to the Prediction of Recidivism over Actuarial Risk Assessment Instruments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Looman, Jan; Abracen, Jeffrey

2011-01-01

There has been relatively little research on the degree to which measures of lifetime history of substance abuse add to the prediction of risk based on actuarial measures alone among sexual offenders. This issue is of relevance in that a history of substance abuse is related to relapse to substance using behavior. Furthermore, substance use has…

Biochemical correlates in an animal model of depression

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

Johnson, J.O.

1986-01-01

A valid animal model of depression was used to explore specific adrenergic receptor differences between rats exhibiting aberrant behavior and control groups. Preliminary experiments revealed a distinct upregulation of hippocampal beta-receptors (as compared to other brain regions) in those animals acquiring a response deficit as a result of exposure to inescapable footshock. Concurrent studies using standard receptor binding techniques showed no large changes in the density of alpha-adrenergic, serotonergic, or dopaminergic receptor densities. This led to the hypothesis that the hippocampal beta-receptor in responses deficient animals could be correlated with the behavioral changes seen after exposure to the aversive stimulus.more » Normalization of the behavior through the administration of antidepressants could be expected to reverse the biochemical changes if these are related to the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs. This study makes three important points: (1) there is a relevant biochemical change in the hippocampus of response deficient rats which occurs in parallel to a well-defined behavior, (2) the biochemical and behavioral changes are normalized by antidepressant treatments exhibiting both serotonergic and adrenergic mechanisms of action, and (3) the mode of action of antidepressants in this model is probably a combination of serotonergic and adrenergic influences modulating the hippocampal beta-receptor. These results are discussed in relation to anatomical and biochemical aspects of antidepressant action.« less

Outcomes and toxicities in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer treated with brachytherapy alone or brachytherapy and supplemental external beam radiation therapy.

PubMed

Schlussel Markovic, Emily; Buckstein, Michael; Stone, Nelson N; Stock, Richard G

2018-05-01

To evaluate the cancer control outcomes and long-term treatment-related morbidity of brachytherapy as well as combination brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. A retrospective review was conducted in a prospectively collected database of patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer who were treated either with brachytherapy or brachytherapy and EBRT, with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), in the period 1990-2014. Urinary and erectile dysfunction symptoms were measured using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Mount Sinai erectile function scale and the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). Cancer control endpoints included biochemical failure and development of distant metastases. All statistical analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Survival curves were calculated using Kaplan-Meier actuarial methods and compared using log-rank tests. Cox regression multivariate analyses were used to test the effect of multiple variables on treatment outcomes. A total of 902 patients were identified, with a median follow-up of 91 months. Of these, 390 received brachytherapy and 512 received combination therapy with EBRT. In patients with one intermediate-risk factor, the addition of EBRT did not significantly affect freedom from biochemical failure or distant metastases. Among patients with two or three intermediate-risk factors, added EBRT did not improve freedom from biochemical failure. Significant differences in late toxicity between patients treated with brachytherapy vs combination brachytherapy and EBRT were identified including urge incontinence (P < 0.001), haematuria (P < 0.001), dysuria (P < 0.001), and change in quality-of-life IPSS (P = 0.002). These symptoms were reported by patients at any point during treatment follow-up. Analysis of patients who were potent before treatment using actuarial methods showed that

BIOCHEMICAL CONTROL DURING LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF 230 ADULT PATIENTS WITH CUSHING DISEASE: A MULTICENTER RETROSPECTIVE STUDY.

PubMed

Geer, Eliza B; Shafiq, Ismat; Gordon, Murray B; Bonert, Vivien; Ayala, Alejandro; Swerdloff, Ronald S; Katznelson, Laurence; Lalazar, Yelena; Manuylova, Ekaterina; Pulaski-Liebert, Karen J; Carmichael, John D; Hannoush, Zeina; Surampudi, Vijaya; Broder, Michael S; Cherepanov, Dasha; Eagan, Marianne; Lee, Jackie; Said, Qayyim; Neary, Maureen P; Biller, Beverly M K

2017-08-01

Cushing disease (CD) results from excessive exposure to glucocorticoids caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting pituitary tumor. Inadequately treated CD is associated with significant morbidity and elevated mortality. Multicenter data on CD patients treated in routine clinical practice are needed to assess treatment outcomes in this rare disorder. The study purpose was to describe the burden of illness and treatment outcomes for CD patients. Eight pituitary centers in four U.S. regions participated in this multicenter retrospective chart review study. Subjects were CD patients diagnosed at ≥18 years of age within the past 20 years. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to examine presenting signs, symptoms, comorbidities, and treatment outcomes. Of 230 patients, 79% were female (median age at diagnosis, 39 years; range, 18 to 78 years). Length of follow-up was 0 to 27.5 years (median, 1.9 years). Pituitary adenomas were 0 to 51 mm. The most common presenting comorbidities included hypertension (67.3%), polycystic ovary syndrome (43.5%), and hyperlipidemia (41.5%). Biochemical control was achieved with initial pituitary surgery in 41.4% patients (91 of 220), not achieved in 50.0% of patients (110 of 220), and undetermined in 8.6% of patients (19 of 220). At the end of follow-up, control had been achieved with a variety of treatment methods in 49.1% of patients (110 of 224), not achieved in 29.9% of patients (67 of 224), and undetermined in 21.0% of patients (47 of 224). Despite multiple treatments, at the end of follow-up, biochemical control was still not achieved in up to 30% of patients. These multicenter data demonstrate that in routine clinical practice, initial and long-term control is not achieved in a substantial number of patients with CD. BLA = bilateral adrenalectomy CD = Cushing disease CS = Cushing syndrome eCRF = electronic case report form MRI = magnetic resonance imaging PCOS = polycystic ovary syndrome.

[Circulating miR-152 helps early prediction of postoperative biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer].

PubMed

Chen, Jun-Feng; Liao, Yu-Feng; Ma, Jian-Bo; Mao, Qi-Feng; Jia, Guang-Cheng; Dong, Xue-Jun

2017-07-01

To investigate the value of circulating miR-152 in the early prediction of postoperative biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer. Sixty-six cases of prostate cancer were included in this study, 35 with and 31 without biochemical recurrence within two years postoperatively, and another 31 healthy individuals were enrolled as normal controls. The relative expression levels of circulating miR-152 in the serum of the subjects were detected by qRT-PCR, its value in the early diagnosis of postoperative biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer was assessed by ROC curve analysis, and the correlation of its expression level with the clinicopathological parameters of the patients were analyzed. The expression of circulating miR-152 was significantly lower in the serum of the prostate cancer patients than in the normal controls (t = －5.212, P = 0.001), and so was it in the patients with than in those without postoperative biochemical recurrence (t = －5.727, P = 0.001). The ROC curve for the value of miR-152 in the early prediction of postoperative biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer showed the area under the curve (AUC) to be 0.906 (95% CI: 0.809－0.964), with a sensitivity of 91.4% and a specificity of 80.6%. The expression level of miR-152 was correlated with the Gleason score, clinical stage of prostate cancer, biochemical recurrence, and bone metastasis (P <0.05), decreasing with increased Gleason scores and elevated clinical stage of the malignancy. No correlation, however, was found between the miR-152 expression and the patients' age or preoperative PSA level (P >0.05). The expression level of circulating miR-152 is significantly reduced in prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence after prostatectomy and could be a biomarker in the early prediction of postoperative biochemical recurrence of the malignancy.

Nanoparticles as biochemical sensors

PubMed Central

El-Ansary, Afaf; Faddah, Layla M

2010-01-01

There is little doubt that nanoparticles offer real and new opportunities in many fields, such as biomedicine and materials science. Such particles are small enough to enter almost all areas of the body, including cells and organelles, potentially leading to new approaches in nanomedicine. Sensors for small molecules of biochemical interest are of critical importance. This review is an attempt to trace the use of nanomaterials in biochemical sensor design. The possibility of using nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies as markers for proteins will be elucidated. Moreover, capabilities and applications for nanoparticles based on gold, silver, magnetic, and semiconductor materials (quantum dots), used in optical (absorbance, luminescence, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, surface plasmon resonance), electrochemical, and mass-sensitive sensors will be highlighted. The unique ability of nanosensors to improve the analysis of biochemical fluids is discussed either through considering the use of nanoparticles for in vitro molecular diagnosis, or in the biological/biochemical analysis for in vivo interaction with the human body. PMID:24198472

Misleading biochemical laboratory test results

PubMed Central

Nanji, Amin A.

1984-01-01

This article reviews the general and specific factors that interfere with the performance of common biochemical laboratory tests and the interpretation of their results. The clinical status of the patient, drug interactions, and in-vivo and in-vitro biochemical interactions and changes may alter the results obtained from biochemical analysis of blood constituents. Failure to recognize invalid laboratory test results may lead to injudicious and dangerous management of patients. PMID:6375845

Biochemical responses of the Skylab crewman

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leach, C. S.; Rambaut, P. C.

1974-01-01

The biochemical investigations of the Skylab crewmen were designed to study the physiological changes that were observed on flight crews returning from previous space flight missions as well as to study those changes expected to result from prolonged weightless exposure. These studies can be divided into two broad categories. One category included routine blood studies similar to those used in clinical medical practice. The second included research-type endocrine analyses used to investigate more thoroughly the metabolic/endocrine responses to the space flight environment. The premission control values indicated that all Skylab crewmen were healthy and were free from biochemical abnormalities. The routine results during and after flight showed slight but significant changes in electrolytes, glucose, total protein, osmolality, uric acid, cholesterol, and creatinine. Plasma hormal changes included adrenocorticotrophic hormone, cortisol, angiotensin I, aldosterone, insulin, and thyroxine. The 24-hour urine analyses results revealed increased excretion of cortisol, catecholamines, antidiuretic hormone, and aldosterone as well as excretion of significant electrolyte and uric acid during the Skylab flights.

Management Options for Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Fakhrejahani, Farhad; Madan, Ravi A; Dahut, William L

2017-05-01

Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumor malignancy in men worldwide. Treatment with surgery and radiation can be curative in organ-confined disease. Unfortunately, about one third of men develop biochemically recurrent disease based only on rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the absence of visible disease on conventional imaging. For these patients with biochemical recurrent prostate cancer, there is no uniform guideline for subsequent management. Based on available data, it seems prudent that biochemical recurrent prostate cancer should initially be evaluated for salvage radiation or prostatectomy, with curative intent. In selected cases, high-intensity focused ultrasound and cryotherapy may be considered in patients that meet very narrow criteria as defined by non-randomized trials. If salvage options are not practical or unsuccessful, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a standard option for disease control. While some patients prefer ADT to manage the disease immediately, others defer treatment because of the associated toxicity. In the absence of definitive randomized data, patients may be followed using PSA doubling time as a trigger to initiate ADT. Based on retrospective data, a PSA doubling time of less than 3-6 months has been associated with near-term development of metastasis and thus could be used signal to initiate ADT. Once treatment is begun, patients and their providers can choose between an intermittent and continuous ADT strategy. The intermittent approach may limit side effects but in patients with metastatic disease studies could not exclude a 20% greater risk of death. In men with biochemical recurrence, large studies have shown that intermittent therapy is non-inferior to continuous therapy, thus making this a reasonable option. Since biochemically recurrent prostate cancer is defined by technological limitations of radiographic detection, as new imaging (i.e., PSMA) strategies are developed, it may alter how the disease is

Biochemical transformation of coals

DOEpatents

Lin, Mow S.; Premuzic, Eugene T.

1999-03-23

A method of biochemically transforming macromolecular compounds found in solid carbonaceous materials, such as coal is provided. The preparation of new microorganisms, metabolically weaned through challenge growth processes to biochemically transform solid carbonaceous materials at extreme temperatures, pressures, pH, salt and toxic metal concentrations is also disclosed.

Biochemical and Biophysical Cues in Matrix Design for Chronic and Diabetic Wound Treatment

PubMed Central

Xiao, Yun; Ahadian, Samad

2017-01-01

Progress in biomaterial science and engineering and increasing knowledge in cell biology have enabled us to develop functional biomaterials providing appropriate biochemical and biophysical cues for tissue regeneration applications. Tissue regeneration is particularly important to treat chronic wounds of people with diabetes. Understanding and controlling the cellular microenvironment of the wound tissue are important to improve the wound healing process. In this study, we review different biochemical (e.g., growth factors, peptides, DNA, and RNA) and biophysical (e.g., topographical guidance, pressure, electrical stimulation, and pulsed electromagnetic field) cues providing a functional and instructive acellular matrix to heal diabetic chronic wounds. The biochemical and biophysical signals generally regulate cell–matrix interactions and cell behavior and function inducing the tissue regeneration for chronic wounds. Some technologies and devices have already been developed and used in the clinic employing biochemical and biophysical cues for wound healing applications. These technologies can be integrated with smart biomaterials to deliver therapeutic agents to the wound tissue in a precise and controllable manner. This review provides useful guidance in understanding molecular mechanisms and signals in the healing of diabetic chronic wounds and in designing instructive biomaterials to treat them. PMID:27405960

Biochemical transformation of coals

DOEpatents

Lin, M.S.; Premuzic, E.T.

1999-03-23

A method of biochemically transforming macromolecular compounds found in solid carbonaceous materials, such as coal is provided. The preparation of new microorganisms, metabolically weaned through challenge growth processes to biochemically transform solid carbonaceous materials at extreme temperatures, pressures, pH, salt and toxic metal concentrations is also disclosed. 7 figs.

Biochemical Reconstitution of the WAVE Regulatory Complex

PubMed Central

Chen, Baoyu; Padrick, Shae B.; Henry, Lisa; Rosen, Michael K.

2014-01-01

The WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) is a 400-KDa heteropentameric protein assembly that plays a central role in controlling actin cytoskeletal dynamics in many cellular processes. The WRC acts by integrating diverse cellular cues and stimulating the actin nucleating activity of the Arp2/3 complex at membranes. Biochemical and biophysical studies of the underlying mechanisms of these processes require large amounts of purified WRC. Recent success in recombinant expression, reconstitution, purification and crystallization of the WRC has greatly advanced our understanding of the inhibition, activation and membrane recruitment mechanisms of this complex. But many important questions remain to be answered. Here we summarize and update the methods developed in our laboratory, which allow reliable and flexible production of tens of milligrams of recombinant WRC of crystallographic quality, sufficient for many biochemical and structural studies. PMID:24630101

Biosensors and bioelectronics on smartphone for portable biochemical detection.

PubMed

Zhang, Diming; Liu, Qingjun

2016-01-15

Smartphone has been widely integrated with sensors, such as test strips, sensor chips, and hand-held detectors, for biochemical detections due to its portability and ubiquitous availability. Utilizing built-in function modules, smartphone is often employed as controller, analyzer, and displayer for rapid, real-time, and point-of-care monitoring, which can significantly simplify design and reduce cost of the detecting systems. This paper presents a review of biosensors and bioelectronics on smartphone for portable biochemical detections. The biosensors and bioelectronics based on smartphone can mainly be classified into biosensors using optics, surface plasmon resonance, electrochemistry, and near-field communication. The developments of these biosensors and bioelectronics on smartphone are reviewed along with typical biochemical detecting cases. Sensor strategies, detector attachments, and coupling methods are highlighted to show designs of the compact, lightweight, and low-cost sensor systems. The performances and advantages of these designs are introduced with their applications in healthcare diagnosis, environment monitoring, and food evaluation. With advances in micro-manufacture, sensor technology, and miniaturized electronics, biosensor and bioelectronic devices on smartphone can be used to perform biochemical detections as common and convenient as electronic tag readout in foreseeable future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical-Pathway Diversity in Archaebacteria

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-30

Classification) (U) Biochemical-pathway diversity in Archaebacteria 12 PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) I Jensen, Roy-A. i3o. TYPE OF REN" RT 12b. Tki~ 0’E D-30-9 4...by block numtb.sj FIEL I ROU I SIGRLJP Archaebacteria , biochemical diversity, prephenate 06 03. 1 dehydratase, aromatic amino acid biosynthesis t...1988 RE10SE: lo assess the extent to which the archaebacteria possess unique biochemical features of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis and regulation and

76 FR 77270 - Proposed Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; Comment Request; Annual Financial...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-12

...; Comment Request; Annual Financial and Actuarial Information Reporting AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty... financial and actuarial information reporting under 29 CFR Part 4010 (OMB control number 1212- 0049; expires... controlled group to submit financial and actuarial information to PBGC under certain circumstances. PBGC's...

A brief actuarial assessment for the prediction of wife assault recidivism: the Ontario domestic assault risk assessment.

PubMed

Hilton, N Zoe; Harris, Grant T; Rice, Marnie E; Lang, Carol; Cormier, Catherine A; Lines, Kathryn J

2004-09-01

An actuarial assessment to predict male-to-female marital violence was constructed from a pool of potential predictors in a sample of 589 offenders identified in police records and followed up for an average of almost 5 years. Archival information in several domains (offender characteristics, domestic violence history, nondomestic criminal history, relationship characteristics, victim characteristics, index offense) and recidivism were subjected to setwise and stepwise logistic regression. The resulting 13-item scale, the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA), showed a large effect size in predicting new assaults against legal or common-law wives or ex-wives (Cohen's d = 1.1, relative operating characteristic area =.77) and was associated with number and severity of new assaults and time until recidivism. Cross-validation and comparisons with other instruments are also reported.

40 CFR 158.2010 - Biochemical pesticides data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... conditions are identified within the test notes. Definitions that apply to all biochemical data requirements... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides data...) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2010 Biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2010 - Biochemical pesticides data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... conditions are identified within the test notes. Definitions that apply to all biochemical data requirements... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides data...) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2010 Biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2010 - Biochemical pesticides data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... conditions are identified within the test notes. Definitions that apply to all biochemical data requirements... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides data...) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2010 Biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2010 - Biochemical pesticides data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... conditions are identified within the test notes. Definitions that apply to all biochemical data requirements... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides data...) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2010 Biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2010 - Biochemical pesticides data requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... conditions are identified within the test notes. Definitions that apply to all biochemical data requirements... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides data...) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2010 Biochemical pesticides...

Structure and biochemical characterization of proliferating cellular nuclear antigen from a parasitic protozoon

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

Cardona-Felix, Cesar S.; Lara-Gonzalez, Samuel; Brieba, Luis G.

2012-02-08

Proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a toroidal-shaped protein that is involved in cell-cycle control, DNA replication and DNA repair. Parasitic protozoa are early-diverged eukaryotes that are responsible for neglected diseases. In this work, a PCNA from a parasitic protozoon was identified, cloned and biochemically characterized and its crystal structure was determined. Structural and biochemical studies demonstrate that PCNA from Entamoeba histolytica assembles as a homotrimer that is able to interact with and stimulate the activity of a PCNA-interacting peptide-motif protein from E. histolytica, EhDNAligI. The data indicate a conservation of the biochemical mechanisms of PCNA-mediated interactions between metazoa, yeastmore » and parasitic protozoa.« less

A microfluidic platform for controlled biochemical stimulation of twin neuronal networks.

PubMed

Biffi, Emilia; Piraino, Francesco; Pedrocchi, Alessandra; Fiore, Gianfranco B; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Redaelli, Alberto; Menegon, Andrea; Rasponi, Marco

2012-06-01

Spatially and temporally resolved delivery of soluble factors is a key feature for pharmacological applications. In this framework, microfluidics coupled to multisite electrophysiology offers great advantages in neuropharmacology and toxicology. In this work, a microfluidic device for biochemical stimulation of neuronal networks was developed. A micro-chamber for cell culturing, previously developed and tested for long term neuronal growth by our group, was provided with a thin wall, which partially divided the cell culture region in two sub-compartments. The device was reversibly coupled to a flat micro electrode array and used to culture primary neurons in the same microenvironment. We demonstrated that the two fluidically connected compartments were able to originate two parallel neuronal networks with similar electrophysiological activity but functionally independent. Furthermore, the device allowed to connect the outlet port to a syringe pump and to transform the static culture chamber in a perfused one. At 14 days invitro, sub-networks were independently stimulated with a test molecule, tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin known to block action potentials, by means of continuous delivery. Electrical activity recordings proved the ability of the device configuration to selectively stimulate each neuronal network individually. The proposed microfluidic approach represents an innovative methodology to perform biological, pharmacological, and electrophysiological experiments on neuronal networks. Indeed, it allows for controlled delivery of substances to cells, and it overcomes the limitations due to standard drug stimulation techniques. Finally, the twin network configuration reduces biological variability, which has important outcomes on pharmacological and drug screening.

Changes in serum biochemical factors associated with opium addiction after addiction desertion.

PubMed

Afarinesh, Mohammad Reza; Haghpanah, Tahereh; Divsalar, Kouros; Dehyadegary, Elham; Shaikh-Aleslami, Azar; Mahmoodi, Majid

2014-01-01

The long time use of opium has some effects on serums biochemical factors, the determination of this variation is a new approach in understanding off addiction and relive of drug abuser health. Hence in this study, these indicators in person who were withdrawing of opium have been studied. In this cross-sectional study bloods biochemical factors such as fasting blood sugar (FBS), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), uric acid (UA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, cholesterol, total protein, and fibrinogen in three groups serum were studied: (1) Who had been permanent opium users more than 2 years (case). (2) Dependent person who has taken one month addiction withdrawal course (control). (3) A healthy group that had been demographically similar to the other groups. According to these study findings, FBS serum level in the case group is lower than control group. Serum level of Na, creatinine, and blood triglyceride (TG) in case study are higher than group control. Concentration of potassium, Ca, UA, BUN, cholesterol, total serum protein, fibrinogen, and thrombin time in case study and group control showed no significant difference. Also, in withdrawing case serum level of Na, Ca, UA, BUN, creatinine, and TG significantly increase and thrombin time decrease. According to this study not only the longtime use of opium but also opium with drawerin opium dependent people can change their serum biochemical factors. So recognition, treatment, and prevention of this change could be a new step in improving of health and condition of patients.

Biochemical Network Stochastic Simulator (BioNetS): software for stochastic modeling of biochemical networks.

PubMed

Adalsteinsson, David; McMillen, David; Elston, Timothy C

2004-03-08

Intrinsic fluctuations due to the stochastic nature of biochemical reactions can have large effects on the response of biochemical networks. This is particularly true for pathways that involve transcriptional regulation, where generally there are two copies of each gene and the number of messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules can be small. Therefore, there is a need for computational tools for developing and investigating stochastic models of biochemical networks. We have developed the software package Biochemical Network Stochastic Simulator (BioNetS) for efficiently and accurately simulating stochastic models of biochemical networks. BioNetS has a graphical user interface that allows models to be entered in a straightforward manner, and allows the user to specify the type of random variable (discrete or continuous) for each chemical species in the network. The discrete variables are simulated using an efficient implementation of the Gillespie algorithm. For the continuous random variables, BioNetS constructs and numerically solves the appropriate chemical Langevin equations. The software package has been developed to scale efficiently with network size, thereby allowing large systems to be studied. BioNetS runs as a BioSpice agent and can be downloaded from http://www.biospice.org. BioNetS also can be run as a stand alone package. All the required files are accessible from http://x.amath.unc.edu/BioNetS. We have developed BioNetS to be a reliable tool for studying the stochastic dynamics of large biochemical networks. Important features of BioNetS are its ability to handle hybrid models that consist of both continuous and discrete random variables and its ability to model cell growth and division. We have verified the accuracy and efficiency of the numerical methods by considering several test systems.

[Some biochemical parameters in the placenta in discoordinated and powerless labors].

PubMed

Sitnikova, O G; Peretiatko, L P; Sharygin, S A; Kuz'menko, G N; Popova, I G

2009-11-01

A number of biochemical parameters (total nitrites and nitrates (NO(x)), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), nitrotyrosine, medium-weight molecules (MCM) in the placenta were determined in women with gestosis during discoordinated and powerless labor. Thirty placentas (10 placentas from parturients after discoordinated labor, 10 from those after powerless labor, 10 placentas as a control group) were examined. Changes in the parameters under study were found to result in the development of nitroxide and oxidant stresses and endotoxicosis. The biochemical parameters should be considered as placental criteria for the differential diagnosis of labor anomalies in gestosis, such as powerless and discoordinated labors.

Molecular and elemental effects underlying the biochemical action of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in appetite control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surowka, Artur D.; Ziomber, Agata; Czyzycki, Mateusz; Migliori, Alessandro; Kasper, Kaja; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, Magdalena

2018-04-01

Recent studies highlight that obesity may alter the electric activity in brain areas triggering appetite and craving. Transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) has recently emerged as a safe alternative for treating food addiction via modulating cortical excitability without any high-risk surgical procedure to be utilized. As for anodal-type tDCS (atDCS), we observe increased excitability and spontaneous firing of the cortical neurons, whilst for the cathodal-type tDCS (ctDCS) a significant decrease is induced. Unfortunately, for the method to be fully used in a clinical setting, its biochemical action mechanism must be precisely defined, although it is proposed that molecular remodelling processes play in concert with brain activity changes involving the ions of: Na, Cl, K and Ca. Herein, we proposed for the first time Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SRXRF) microprobes for a combined molecular and elemental analysis in the brain areas implicated appetite control, upon experimental treatment by either atDCS or ctDCS. The study, although preliminary, shows that by stimulating the prefrontal cortex in the rats fed high-caloric nutrients, the feeding behavior can be significantly changed, resulting in significantly inhibited appetite. Both, atDCS and ctDCS produced significant molecular changes involving qualitative and structural properties of lipids, whereas atDCS was found with a somewhat more significant effect on protein secondary structure in all the brain areas investigated. Also, tDCS was reported to reduce surface masses of Na, Cl, K, and Ca in almost all brain areas investigated, although the atDCS deemed to have a stronger neuro-modulating effect. Taken together, one can report that tDCS is an effective treatment technique, and its action mechanism in the appetite control seems to involve a variety of lipid-, protein- and metal/non-metal-ion-driven biochemical changes, regardless the current polarization.

Anthropometric and Biochemical Characteristics of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in South Indian Women Using AES-2006 Criteria.

PubMed

Thathapudi, Sujatha; Kodati, Vijayalakshmi; Erukkambattu, Jayashankar; Katragadda, Anuradha; Addepally, Uma; Hasan, Qurratulain

2014-01-01

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine conditions affecting women of reproductive age with a prevalence of approximately 5-10% worldwide. PCOS can be viewed as a heterogeneous androgen excess disorder with varying degrees of reproductive and metabolic abnormalities, whose diagnosis is based on anthropometric, biochemical and radiological abnormalities. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the anthropometric, biochemical and ultrasonographic characteristics of PCOS in Asian Indians of South India, using the Androgen Excess Society (AES-2006) diagnostic criteria. To assess anthropometric, biochemical and ultrasonographic features of PCOS subgroups and controls among South Indian women using the AES-2006 criteria. Two hundred and four women clinically diagnosed with PCOS, and 204 healthy women controls aged 17 to 35 years were evaluated. PCOS was diagnosed by clinical hyperandrogenism (HA), irregular menstruation (IM), and polycystic ovary (PCO). PCOS was further categorized into phenotypic subgroups including the IM+HA+PCO (n = 181, 89%), HA+PCO (n = 23, 11%), IM+HA (n = 0), and also into obese PCOS (n = 142, 70%) and lean PCOS (n = 62, 30%) using body mass index (BMI). Anthropometric measurements and biochemical characteristics were compared among the PCOS subgroups. The PCOS subgroups with regular menstrual cycles (HA+PCO), had more luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and high insulin resistance (IR) expressed as the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) score, compared with the IM+HA+PCO subgroups and controls. Similarly, the obese PCOS had high BMI, waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting glucose, LH, LH/FSH, fasting insulin, HOMA score (IR), and dyslipidemia, compared with lean PCOS and controls. Unilateral polycystic ovary was seen in 32 (15.7%) patients, and bilateral involvement in 172 (84.3%) patients. All the controls showed normal ovaries. Anthropometric

Anthropometric and Biochemical Characteristics of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in South Indian Women Using AES-2006 Criteria

PubMed Central

Thathapudi, Sujatha; Kodati, Vijayalakshmi; Erukkambattu, Jayashankar; Katragadda, Anuradha; Addepally, Uma; Hasan, Qurratulain

2014-01-01

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine conditions affecting women of reproductive age with a prevalence of approximately 5-10% worldwide. PCOS can be viewed as a heterogeneous androgen excess disorder with varying degrees of reproductive and metabolic abnormalities, whose diagnosis is based on anthropometric, biochemical and radiological abnormalities. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the anthropometric, biochemical and ultrasonographic characteristics of PCOS in Asian Indians of South India, using the Androgen Excess Society (AES-2006) diagnostic criteria. Objectives: To assess anthropometric, biochemical and ultrasonographic features of PCOS subgroups and controls among South Indian women using the AES-2006 criteria. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and four women clinically diagnosed with PCOS, and 204 healthy women controls aged 17 to 35 years were evaluated. PCOS was diagnosed by clinical hyperandrogenism (HA), irregular menstruation (IM), and polycystic ovary (PCO). PCOS was further categorized into phenotypic subgroups including the IM+HA+PCO (n = 181, 89%), HA+PCO (n = 23, 11%), IM+HA (n = 0), and also into obese PCOS (n = 142, 70%) and lean PCOS (n = 62, 30%) using body mass index (BMI). Anthropometric measurements and biochemical characteristics were compared among the PCOS subgroups. Results: The PCOS subgroups with regular menstrual cycles (HA+PCO), had more luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and high insulin resistance (IR) expressed as the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) score, compared with the IM+HA+PCO subgroups and controls. Similarly, the obese PCOS had high BMI, waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting glucose, LH, LH/FSH, fasting insulin, HOMA score (IR), and dyslipidemia, compared with lean PCOS and controls. Unilateral polycystic ovary was seen in 32 (15.7%) patients, and bilateral involvement in 172 (84.3%) patients

Biochemical tests of placental function for assessment in pregnancy.

PubMed

Neilson, James P

2012-08-15

Biochemical tests of placental or feto-placental function were widely used in the 1960s and 1970s in high-risk pregnancies to try to predict, and thus try to avoid, adverse fetal outcome. To assess the effects of performing biochemical tests of placental function in high-risk, low-risk, or unselected pregnancies. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (10 May 2012). Controlled trials (randomized or 'quasi-randomized') that compare the use of biochemical tests of placental function in pregnancy with non-use. Trial quality was assessed and data were extracted by the review author. A single eligible trial of poor quality was identified. It involved 622 women with high-risk pregnancies who had had plasma (o)estriol estimations. Women were allocated to have their (o)estriol results revealed or concealed on the basis of hospital record number (with attendant risk of selection bias). There were no obvious differences in perinatal mortality (relative risk (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36 to 2.13) or planned delivery (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.15) between the two groups. The available trial data do not support the use of (o)estriol estimation in high-risk pregnancies. The single small trial available does not have the power to exclude a beneficial effect but this is probably of historical interest since biochemical testing has been superseded by biophysical testing in antepartum fetal assessment.

The ethical implications of Paul Meehl's work on comparing clinical versus actuarial prediction methods.

PubMed

Dawes, Robyn M

2005-10-01

Paul E. Meehl's work comparing statistical versus actuarial prediction-and the large body of research that followed by others on the same topic-was mainly theoretical and empirical. Meehl also suggested that this work led to a "practical" conclusion, which was quite strong. The author argues that, in addition, it leads to an ethical conclusion, equally strong. Whether the scientific findings are combined with an overarching ethical principle that the best predictions possible should be made for clients, or whether these findings are framed as delineating what can be done for clients-and that clinicians ought not to attempt to do what they cannot-the conclusion is the same. Whenever statistical prediction rules (SPR's) are available for making a relevant prediction, they should be used in preference to intuition. Any modification of these rules should be systematic and subject to the same type of evaluation originally used to assess the SPR's themselves. It is even possible to develop near-optimal rules in new situations. Providing service that assumes that clinicians "can do better" simply based on self-confidence or plausibility in the absence of evidence that they can actually do so is simply unethical. 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The underlying pathway structure of biochemical reaction networks

PubMed Central

Schilling, Christophe H.; Palsson, Bernhard O.

1998-01-01

Bioinformatics is yielding extensive, and in some cases complete, genetic and biochemical information about individual cell types and cellular processes, providing the composition of living cells and the molecular structure of its components. These components together perform integrated cellular functions that now need to be analyzed. In particular, the functional definition of biochemical pathways and their role in the context of the whole cell is lacking. In this study, we show how the mass balance constraints that govern the function of biochemical reaction networks lead to the translation of this problem into the realm of linear algebra. The functional capabilities of biochemical reaction networks, and thus the choices that cells can make, are reflected in the null space of their stoichiometric matrix. The null space is spanned by a finite number of basis vectors. We present an algorithm for the synthesis of a set of basis vectors for spanning the null space of the stoichiometric matrix, in which these basis vectors represent the underlying biochemical pathways that are fundamental to the corresponding biochemical reaction network. In other words, all possible flux distributions achievable by a defined set of biochemical reactions are represented by a linear combination of these basis pathways. These basis pathways thus represent the underlying pathway structure of the defined biochemical reaction network. This development is significant from a fundamental and conceptual standpoint because it yields a holistic definition of biochemical pathways in contrast to definitions that have arisen from the historical development of our knowledge about biochemical processes. Additionally, this new conceptual framework will be important in defining, characterizing, and studying biochemical pathways from the rapidly growing information on cellular function. PMID:9539712

Soil biochemical properties and microbial resilience in agroforestry systems: effects on wheat growth under controlled drought and flooding conditions.

PubMed

Rivest, David; Lorente, Miren; Olivier, Alain; Messier, Christian

2013-10-01

Agroforestry is increasingly viewed as an effective means of maintaining or even increasing crop and tree productivity under climate change while promoting other ecosystem functions and services. This study focused on soil biochemical properties and resilience following disturbance within agroforestry and conventional agricultural systems and aimed to determine whether soil differences in terms of these biochemical properties and resilience would subsequently affect crop productivity under extreme soil water conditions. Two research sites that had been established on agricultural land were selected for this study. The first site included an 18-year-old windbreak, while the second site consisted in an 8-year-old tree-based intercropping system. In each site, soil samples were used for the determination of soil nutrient availability, microbial dynamics and microbial resilience to different wetting-drying perturbations and for a greenhouse pot experiment with wheat. Drying and flooding were selected as water stress treatments and compared to a control. These treatments were initiated at the beginning of the wheat anthesis period and maintained over 10 days. Trees contributed to increase soil nutrient pools, as evidenced by the higher extractable-P (both sites), and the higher total N and mineralizable N (tree-based intercropping site) found in the agroforestry compared to the conventional agricultural system. Metabolic quotient (qCO2) was lower in the agroforestry than in the conventional agricultural system, suggesting higher microbial substrate use efficiency in agroforestry systems. Microbial resilience was higher in the agroforestry soils compared to soils from the conventional agricultural system (windbreak site only). At the windbreak site, wheat growing in soils from agroforestry system exhibited higher aboveground biomass and number of grains per spike than in conventional agricultural system soils in the three water stress treatments. At the tree

Changes in Serum Biochemical Factors Associated with Opium Addiction after Addiction Desertion

PubMed Central

Afarinesh, Mohammad Reza; Haghpanah, Tahereh; Divsalar, Kouros; Dehyadegary, Elham; Shaikh-Aleslami, Azar; Mahmoodi, Majid

2014-01-01

Background The long time use of opium has some effects on serums biochemical factors, the determination of this variation is a new approach in understanding off addiction and relive of drug abuser health. Hence in this study, these indicators in person who were withdrawing of opium have been studied. Methods In this cross-sectional study bloods biochemical factors such as fasting blood sugar (FBS), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), uric acid (UA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, cholesterol, total protein, and fibrinogen in three groups serum were studied: (1) Who had been permanent opium users more than 2 years (case). (2) Dependent person who has taken one month addiction withdrawal course (control). (3) A healthy group that had been demographically similar to the other groups. Findings According to these study findings, FBS serum level in the case group is lower than control group. Serum level of Na, creatinine, and blood triglyceride (TG) in case study are higher than group control. Concentration of potassium, Ca, UA, BUN, cholesterol, total serum protein, fibrinogen, and thrombin time in case study and group control showed no significant difference. Also, in withdrawing case serum level of Na, Ca, UA, BUN, creatinine, and TG significantly increase and thrombin time decrease. Conclusion According to this study not only the longtime use of opium but also opium with drawerin opium dependent people can change their serum biochemical factors. So recognition, treatment, and prevention of this change could be a new step in improving of health and condition of patients. PMID:25984281

[Biochemical principles of early saturnism recognition].

PubMed

Tsimakuridze, M P; Mansuradze, E A; Zurashvili, D G; Tsimakuridze, M P

2009-03-01

The aim of the work is to determine the major sensitive criteria of biochemical indicators that allow timely discovery of negative influence of lead on organism and assist in early diagnosis of primary stages of saturnism. The workers of Georgian typographies, performing technological processes of letterpress printing were observed. Professional groups having contact with lead aerosols (main group of 66 people) and the workers of the same typography not being in touch with the poison (control group of 24 people) were studied. It was distinguished that, protracted professional contact with lead causes moderate increase of lead, coproporphyrin and DALA in daily urine in most cases; it is more clearly evidenced in the professional groups of lead smelters and lino operators and less clearly among typesetter and printers. Upon the checkup of people, having a direct contact with lead, biochemical analysis of urine should be given a preference, especially the determination of quantitative content of lead and coproporphyrin in urine with the aim of revealing the lead carrier, which is one of the first signals for occupational lookout and medical monitoring of the similar contingent.

Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Mechanisms of Heat Stress Tolerance in Plants

PubMed Central

Hasanuzzaman, Mirza; Nahar, Kamrun; Alam, Md. Mahabub; Roychowdhury, Rajib; Fujita, Masayuki

2013-01-01

High temperature (HT) stress is a major environmental stress that limits plant growth, metabolism, and productivity worldwide. Plant growth and development involve numerous biochemical reactions that are sensitive to temperature. Plant responses to HT vary with the degree and duration of HT and the plant type. HT is now a major concern for crop production and approaches for sustaining high yields of crop plants under HT stress are important agricultural goals. Plants possess a number of adaptive, avoidance, or acclimation mechanisms to cope with HT situations. In addition, major tolerance mechanisms that employ ion transporters, proteins, osmoprotectants, antioxidants, and other factors involved in signaling cascades and transcriptional control are activated to offset stress-induced biochemical and physiological alterations. Plant survival under HT stress depends on the ability to perceive the HT stimulus, generate and transmit the signal, and initiate appropriate physiological and biochemical changes. HT-induced gene expression and metabolite synthesis also substantially improve tolerance. The physiological and biochemical responses to heat stress are active research areas, and the molecular approaches are being adopted for developing HT tolerance in plants. This article reviews the recent findings on responses, adaptation, and tolerance to HT at the cellular, organellar, and whole plant levels and describes various approaches being taken to enhance thermotolerance in plants. PMID:23644891

Yield, quality and biochemical properties of various strawberry cultivars under water stress.

PubMed

Adak, Nafiye; Gubbuk, Hamide; Tetik, Nedim

2018-01-01

Although strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) species are sensitive to abiotic stress conditions, some cultivars are known to be tolerant to different environmental conditions. We examined the response of different strawberry cultivars to water stress conditions in terms of yield, quality and biochemical features. The trial was conducted under two different irrigation regimes: in grow bags containing cocopeat (control, 30%; water stress, 15% drainage) with four different cultivars (Camarosa, Albion, Amiga and Rubygem). Fruit weight declined by 59.72% and the yield per unit area by 63.62% under water stress conditions as compared to control. Albion and Rubygem were found to be more tolerant and Amiga the most sensitive in terms of yield under stress conditions. Water stress increased all biochemical features in fruits such as total phenol, total anthocyanin, antioxidant activity and sugar contents. Among the cultivars, glucose and fructose was higher in Albion. Considering the rise in global warming, identification of resistant and tolerant cultivars to stress conditions are crucial for future breeding programmes. Our results showed that some of the fruit's physical features were affected negatively by stress conditions whereas many of the biochemical features such as total anthocyanin content, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were positively modulated. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Switching patients with acromegaly from octreotide to pasireotide improves biochemical control: crossover extension to a randomized, double-blind, Phase III study.

PubMed

Bronstein, Marcello D; Fleseriu, Maria; Neggers, Sebastian; Colao, Annamaria; Sheppard, Michael; Gu, Feng; Shen, Chiung-Chyi; Gadelha, Mônica; Farrall, Andrew J; Hermosillo Reséndiz, Karina; Ruffin, Matthieu; Chen, YinMiao; Freda, Pamela

2016-04-02

Many patients with acromegaly do not achieve biochemical control with first-generation somatostatin analogues. A large, multicenter, randomized, Phase III core study demonstrated that pasireotide LAR had significantly superior efficacy over octreotide LAR. This analysis explores the efficacy and safety of switching therapeutic arms in inadequately controlled patients during a 12-month crossover extension. Patients with inadequate biochemical control (GH ≥2.5 μg/L and/or IGF-1 > ULN) at end of core study (month 12) were eligible to switch to pasireotide LAR 40 mg/28 days (n = 81) or octreotide LAR 20 mg/28 days (n = 38). One dose escalation to pasireotide LAR 60 mg/28 days or octreotide LAR 30 mg/28 days was permitted, but not mandatory, at month 17 or 20. Twelve months after crossover, 17.3 % of pasireotide LAR and 0 % of octreotide LAR patients achieved GH <2.5 μg/L and normal IGF-1 (main outcome measure); 27.2 and 5.3 % of pasireotide LAR and octreotide LAR patients achieved normal IGF-1, respectively; 44.4 and 23.7 % of pasireotide LAR and octreotide LAR patients achieved GH <2.5 μg/L, respectively. Mean (±SD) tumor volume further decreased from the end of the core study by 25 % (±25) and 18 % (±28); 54.3 % of pasireotide LAR and 42.3 % of octreotide LAR patients achieved significant (≥20 %) tumor volume reduction during the extension. The safety profile of pasireotide LAR was similar to that of octreotide LAR, with the exception of the frequency and degree of hyperglycemia-related adverse events. Pasireotide LAR is a promising treatment option for patients with acromegaly inadequately controlled with the first-generation somatostatin analogue octreotide LAR. clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00600886 . Registered 14 January 2008.

[Fundamentals of quality control systems in medical-biochemical laboratories--the role of marketing].

PubMed

Topić, E; Turek, S

2000-01-01

The basic criterion for the overall quality system in medical biochemistry laboratories concerning equipment, premises and laboratory staff in primary health care (PHC) (Regulations on quality systems and good laboratory practice of the Croatian Medical Biochemists Chamber, 1995, Regulations on categorization of medical biochemistry laboratories of the Croatian Medical Biochemists Chamber, 1996, EC4: Essential criteria for quality systems in medical laboratories. Eur J Clin Chem Clin Biochem 1997 in medical biochemical laboratories included in the First Croatia health project, Primary health care subproject, has been met by the marketing approach to the project. The equipment ensuring implementation of the complete laboratory program (NN/96), more accurate and precise analytical procedures, and higher reliability of laboratory test results compared with previous equipment, has been purchased by an international tender. Uniform technology and methods of analysis have ensured high standards of good laboratory services, yielding test results than can be transferred from primary to secondary health care level. The new equipment has improved organization between central and detached medical biochemistry laboratory units, while the high quality requirement has led to improvement in the staff structure, e.g., medical biochemists have been employed in laboratories that had previously worked without such a professional. Equipment renewal has been accompanied by proper education for all levels of PHC professionals.

Influence of low-frequency vibration on changes of biochemical parameters of living rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasprzak, Cezary; Damijan, Zbigniew; Panuszka, Ryszard

2004-05-01

The aim of the research was to investigate how some selected biochemical parameters of living rats depend on exposure of low-frequency vibrations. Experiments were run on 30 Wistar rats randomly segregated into three groups: (I) 20 days old (before puberty), (II) 70th day after; (III) control group. The exposure was repeated seven times, for 3 h, at the same time of day. Vibrations applied during the first tests of the experiment had acceleration 1.22 m/s2 and frequency 20 Hz. At the 135th day the rats' bones were a subject of morphometric/biochemical examination. The results of biochemical tests proved decrease in LDL and HDL cholesterol levels for exposed rats as well as the Ca contents in blood plasma. There was evident increasing of Ca in blood plasma in exposed rats for frequency of exposition.

Aspects on the Physiological and Biochemical Foundations of Neurocritical Care

PubMed Central

Nordström, Carl-Henrik; Koskinen, Lars-Owe; Olivecrona, Magnus

2017-01-01

Neurocritical care (NCC) is a branch of intensive care medicine characterized by specific physiological and biochemical monitoring techniques necessary for identifying cerebral adverse events and for evaluating specific therapies. Information is primarily obtained from physiological variables related to intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) and from physiological and biochemical variables related to cerebral energy metabolism. Non-surgical therapies developed for treating increased ICP are based on knowledge regarding transport of water across the intact and injured blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the regulation of CBF. Brain volume is strictly controlled as the BBB permeability to crystalloids is very low restricting net transport of water across the capillary wall. Cerebral pressure autoregulation prevents changes in intracranial blood volume and intracapillary hydrostatic pressure at variations in arterial blood pressure. Information regarding cerebral oxidative metabolism is obtained from measurements of brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) and biochemical data obtained from intracerebral microdialysis. As interstitial lactate/pyruvate (LP) ratio instantaneously reflects shifts in intracellular cytoplasmatic redox state, it is an important indicator of compromised cerebral oxidative metabolism. The combined information obtained from PbtO2, LP ratio, and the pattern of biochemical variables reveals whether impaired oxidative metabolism is due to insufficient perfusion (ischemia) or mitochondrial dysfunction. Intracerebral microdialysis and PbtO2 give information from a very small volume of tissue. Accordingly, clinical interpretation of the data must be based on information of the probe location in relation to focal brain damage. Attempts to evaluate global cerebral energy state from microdialysis of intraventricular fluid and from the LP ratio of the draining venous blood have recently been presented. To be of clinical relevance, the

Improving Marine Ecosystem Models with Biochemical Tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pethybridge, Heidi R.; Choy, C. Anela; Polovina, Jeffrey J.; Fulton, Elizabeth A.

2018-01-01

Empirical data on food web dynamics and predator-prey interactions underpin ecosystem models, which are increasingly used to support strategic management of marine resources. These data have traditionally derived from stomach content analysis, but new and complementary forms of ecological data are increasingly available from biochemical tracer techniques. Extensive opportunities exist to improve the empirical robustness of ecosystem models through the incorporation of biochemical tracer data and derived indices, an area that is rapidly expanding because of advances in analytical developments and sophisticated statistical techniques. Here, we explore the trophic information required by ecosystem model frameworks (species, individual, and size based) and match them to the most commonly used biochemical tracers (bulk tissue and compound-specific stable isotopes, fatty acids, and trace elements). Key quantitative parameters derived from biochemical tracers include estimates of diet composition, niche width, and trophic position. Biochemical tracers also provide powerful insight into the spatial and temporal variability of food web structure and the characterization of dominant basal and microbial food web groups. A major challenge in incorporating biochemical tracer data into ecosystem models is scale and data type mismatches, which can be overcome with greater knowledge exchange and numerical approaches that transform, integrate, and visualize data.

Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, J. E.; Ollis, D. F.

1976-01-01

Discusses a biochemical engineering course that is offered as part of a chemical engineering curriculum and includes topics that influence the behavior of man-made or natural microbial or enzyme reactors. (MLH)

77 FR 10786 - Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; Comment Request; Annual Financial and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-23

... Request; Annual Financial and Actuarial Information Reporting AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation..., of its collection of information for annual financial and actuarial information reporting under 29... Act of 1974 (ERISA) requires each member of a controlled group to submit financial and actuarial...

Biochemical transformation of solid carbonaceous material

DOEpatents

Lin, Mow S.; Premuzic, Eugene T.

2001-09-25

A method of biochemically transforming macromolecular compounds found in solid carbonaceous materials, such as coal is provided. The preparation of new microorganisms, metabolically weaned through challenge growth processes to biochemically transform solid carbonaceous materials at extreme temperatures, pressures, pH, salt and toxic metal concentrations is also disclosed.

Simulation studies in biochemical signaling and enzyme reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelatury, Sudarshan R.; Vagula, Mary C.

2014-06-01

Biochemical pathways characterize various biochemical reaction schemes that involve a set of species and the manner in which they are connected. Determination of schematics that represent these pathways is an important task in understanding metabolism and signal transduction. Examples of these Pathways are: DNA and protein synthesis, and production of several macro-molecules essential for cell survival. A sustained feedback mechanism arises in gene expression and production of mRNA that lead to protein synthesis if the protein so synthesized serves as a transcription factor and becomes a repressor of the gene expression. The cellular regulations are carried out through biochemical networks consisting of reactions and regulatory proteins. Systems biology is a relatively new area that attempts to describe the biochemical pathways analytically and develop reliable mathematical models for the pathways. A complete understanding of chemical reaction kinetics is prohibitively hard thanks to the nonlinear and highly complex mechanisms that regulate protein formation, but attempting to numerically solve some of the governing differential equations seems to offer significant insight about their biochemical picture. To validate these models, one can perform simple experiments in the lab. This paper introduces fundamental ideas in biochemical signaling and attempts to take first steps into the understanding of biochemical oscillations. Initially, the two-pool model of calcium is used to describe the dynamics behind the oscillations. Later we present some elementary results showing biochemical oscillations arising from solving differential equations of Elowitz and Leibler using MATLAB software.

The effect of triazole induced photosynthetic pigments and biochemical constituents of Zea mays L. (Maize) under drought stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajasekar, Mahalingam; Rabert, Gabriel Amalan; Manivannan, Paramasivam

2016-06-01

In this investigation, pot culture experiment was carried out to estimate the ameliorating effect of triazole compounds, namely Triadimefon (TDM), Tebuconazole (TBZ), and Propiconazole (PCZ) on drought stress, photosynthetic pigments, and biochemical constituents of Zea mays L. (Maize). From 30 days after sowing (DAS), the plants were subjected to 4 days interval drought (DID) stress and drought with TDM at 15 mg l-1, TBZ at 10 mg l-1, and PCZ at 15 mg l-1. Irrigation at 1-day interval was kept as control. Irrigation performed on alternative day. The plant samples were collected on 40, 50, and 60 DAS and separated into root, stem, and leaf for estimating the photosynthetic pigments and biochemical constituents. Drought and drought with triazole compounds treatment increased the biochemical glycine betaine content, whereas the protein and the pigments contents chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin decreased when compared to control. The triazole treatment mitigated the adverse effects of drought stress by increasing the biochemical potentials and paved the way to overcome drought stress in corn plant.

Salvage Radiotherapy After Postprostatectomy Biochemical Failure: Does Pretreatment Radioimmunoscintigraphy Help Select Patients with Locally Confined Disease?

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

Liauw, Stanley L.; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.; Zagaja, Gregory P.

2008-08-01

Purpose: Radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) has the potential to demonstrate early recurrences after prostatectomy and might be useful in selecting patients for salvage radiotherapy (RT). Methods: A total of 82 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate were treated with salvage RT between 1988 and 2005, for an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level after prostatectomy. Of the 82 patients, 32% had Gleason score 6 or less disease, 54% Gleason score 7 disease, 70% had Stage pT3 disease, 55% had positive margins, and 5% had pathologic lymph node involvement. The median pre-RT PSA level was 0.63 ng/mL. Of the 82 patients, 47 (57%) hadmore » a pre-RT RIS (ProstaScint) scan, which was used for both patient selection and target delineation. The RT regimen was a median dose of 66 Gy to the prostate bed. Also, 64% received androgen deprivation therapy. Biochemical failure was defined as a PSA level >0.1 ng/mL and increasing. Results: Patients with a pre-RT RIS scan had a lower preoperative PSA level (p = 0.0240) and shorter follow-up (p = 0.0221) than those without RIS. With a median follow-up of 44 months, the biochemical control rate was 56% at 3 years and 48% at 5 years. Margin status was the only factor associated with biochemical control on univariate (p = 0.0055) and multivariate (p = 0.0044) analysis. Patients who had prostate bed-only uptake on RIS (n = 38) did not have improved outcomes, with biochemical control rates of 51% at 3 years and 40% at 5 years. Conclusion: Patients treated with salvage RT had modest responses. Patients who were selected for treatment with RIS did not have better biochemical outcomes. Our results indicated that patients with positive margins were most likely to benefit from salvage RT.« less

Salvage radiotherapy after postprostatectomy biochemical failure: does pretreatment radioimmunoscintigraphy help select patients with locally confined disease?

PubMed

Liauw, Stanley L; Weichselbaum, Ralph R; Zagaja, Gregory P; Jani, Ashesh B

2008-08-01

Radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) has the potential to demonstrate early recurrences after prostatectomy and might be useful in selecting patients for salvage radiotherapy (RT). A total of 82 patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate were treated with salvage RT between 1988 and 2005, for an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level after prostatectomy. Of the 82 patients, 32% had Gleason score 6 or less disease, 54% Gleason score 7 disease, 70% had Stage pT3 disease, 55% had positive margins, and 5% had pathologic lymph node involvement. The median pre-RT PSA level was 0.63 ng/mL. Of the 82 patients, 47 (57%) had a pre-RT RIS (ProstaScint) scan, which was used for both patient selection and target delineation. The RT regimen was a median dose of 66 Gy to the prostate bed. Also, 64% received androgen deprivation therapy. Biochemical failure was defined as a PSA level >0.1 ng/mL and increasing. Patients with a pre-RT RIS scan had a lower preoperative PSA level (p = 0.0240) and shorter follow-up (p = 0.0221) than those without RIS. With a median follow-up of 44 months, the biochemical control rate was 56% at 3 years and 48% at 5 years. Margin status was the only factor associated with biochemical control on univariate (p = 0.0055) and multivariate (p = 0.0044) analysis. Patients who had prostate bed-only uptake on RIS (n = 38) did not have improved outcomes, with biochemical control rates of 51% at 3 years and 40% at 5 years. Patients treated with salvage RT had modest responses. Patients who were selected for treatment with RIS did not have better biochemical outcomes. Our results indicated that patients with positive margins were most likely to benefit from salvage RT.

Biochemical Control of Fungal Biomass and Enzyme Production During Native Hawaiian Litter Degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amatangelo, K. L.; Cordova, T. P.; Vitousek, P. M.

2007-12-01

Microbial growth and enzyme production during decomposition is controlled by the availability of carbon substrates, essential elements, and the ratios of these (such as lignin:N). We manipulated carbon:nutrient stoichiometry during decomposition using a natural fertility gradient in Hawaii and litter of varying initial biochemistry. We collected freshly senesced litter of seven biochemically distinct species from three sites offering differing levels of N, P, cations, and 15N , but similar yearly rainfall and temperature patterns. Litter types were decomposed at both the sites they were collected, and at the other site(s) that species was found. Litter was collected at multiple time points, and after one year of decomposition, calculated K constants varied an order of magnitude, from 0.276 to 2.76. Decomposition rates varied significantly with both litter site of origin and deployment, except at the oldest, P-limited site, where litter site of origin was not significantly correlated with decomposition within species. As microbial exocellular enzymes provide the catalyst for the breakdown of organic molecules including phenols, cellulose, and cutin, we assayed polyphenol oxidase, cellobiohydrolase, cutinase, chitinase, and lignin peroxidase to evaluate the breakdown sequence of different litter types. To measure the fungal biomass accumulating during decomposition, we extracted (22E)-Ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3beta- ol (ergosterol) on a subset of samples. The production of particular exocellular enzymes on litter species responded distinctly to origin and decomposition sites: after six months, chitinase and cellobiohydrolase were significantly affected by origin site, whereas polyphenol oxidase activity was controlled by deployment site. We conclude that site characteristics can alter the interaction between litter carbon:nutrient ratios and decomposition rate, mediated through microbial biomass and enzyme production.

Effect of azadirachtin on haematological and biochemical parameters of Argulus-infested goldfish Carassius auratus (Linn. 1758).

PubMed

Kumar, Saurav; Raman, R P; Kumar, Kundan; Pandey, P K; Kumar, Neeraj; Mallesh, B; Mohanty, Snatashree; Kumar, Abhay

2013-08-01

Argulosis hampers aquaculture production and alters the host physiology and growth. Azadirachtin is recognized as a potential antiparasitic agent against Argulus sp. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of different concentration of azadirachtin solution on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of Argulus-infested goldfish Carassius auratus. Ninety Argulus-infested goldfish were randomly divided into six equal groups. Fish of group 1-5 were treated with azadirachtin solution through bath of 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg L(-1) as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively, and group 6 was exposed to 2% DMSO solution without azadirachtin and considered as negative control T0(-). Along with six treatment groups, a positive control T0(+) of healthy goldfish free from Argulus infestation was also maintained. Parasitic mortality was evaluated after 3 days of consecutive bath treatment. After 7 days of post-treatment, the blood and serum were drawn from each of the treatment groups and haematological and serum biochemical parameters were evaluated. Total leucocyte count (TLC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), blood glucose, total protein (TP), globulin, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) were significantly (p < 0.05) high in negative control group when compared with positive control group. It could be concluded that Argulus infestation altered marked haematological and serum biochemical parameters. However, in treated groups complete elimination of Argulus was found in T4 and T5 groups. Also significant (p < 0.05) reduction in haematological and serum biochemical parameters of all the treatment groups were recorded in comparison with negative control group. In addition, T4 and T5 groups showed significantly (p < 0.05) high superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, total erythrocyte count (TEC) and haemoglobin (Hb). However, higher mean corpuscular haemoglobin

Sonographic assessment of petroleum-induced hepatotoxicity in Nigerians: does biochemical assessment underestimate liver damage?

PubMed

Anakwue, Angel-Mary; Anakwue, Raphael; Okeji, Mark; Idigo, Felicitas; Agwu, Kenneth; Nwogu, Uloma

2017-03-01

Exposure to petroleum products has been shown to have significant adverse effects on the liver which can manifest either as morphological or physiological changes. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of chronic exposure to some petroleum products on the liver of exposed workers using sonography and to determine whether biochemical assessments underestimated hepatotoxicity. Abdominal ultrasound was performed on 415 exposed workers in order to evaluate liver echogenicity and size. Also, biochemical assessment of the liver was done to evaluate its function. Statistically significant increase in the liver parenchymal echogenicity and the liver size was seen in the exposed workers compared with control (p ≤ 0.05). These increased as the exposure duration increased. It was also noted that out of 16.87% (N=70) exposed workers with abnormal liver echopattern, only 2.65% (N=11) had alanine aminotransferase above the reference range. The study revealed evidence of ultrasound detectable hepatotoxicity among the exposed subjects. Sonography appeared to detect petroleum products-induced hepatic toxicity more than biochemical assays suggesting that biochemical assessment may have underestimated toxicity.

A biochemical method for assessing the neurotoxic effects of misonidazole in the rat.

PubMed Central

Rose, G. P.; Dewar, A. J.; Stratford, I. J.

1980-01-01

A proven biochemical method for assessing chemically induced neurotoxicity has been applied to the study of the toxic effects of misonidazole (MISO) in the rat. This involves the fluorimetric measurement of beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase activities in homogenates of rat nervous tissue. The tissues analysed were sciatic/posterior tibial nerve (SPTN) cut into 4 sections, trigeminal ganglia and cerebellum. MISO administered i.p. to Wistar rats in doses greater than 300 mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days produced maximal increases in both beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase activities in th SPTN at 4 weeks (140-180% of control values). The highest increases were associated with the most distal secretion of the nerve. Significant enzyme-activity changes were also found in the trigeminal ganglia and cerebellum of MISO-dosed rats. The greatest activity occurred 4-5 weeks after dosing, and was dose-related. It is concluded that, in the rat, MISO can produce biochemical changes consistent with a dying-back peripheral neuropathy, and biochemical changes suggestive of cerebellar damage. This biochemical approach would appear to offer a convenient quantitative method for the detection of neurotoxic effects of other potential radio-sensitizing drugs. PMID:7459223

Genetic and biochemical investigations of the role of MamP in redox control of iron biomineralization in Magnetospirillum magneticum.

PubMed

Jones, Stephanie R; Wilson, Tiffany D; Brown, Margaret E; Rahn-Lee, Lilah; Yu, Yi; Fredriksen, Laura L; Ozyamak, Ertan; Komeili, Arash; Chang, Michelle C Y

2015-03-31

Magnetotactic bacteria have evolved complex subcellular machinery to construct linear chains of magnetite nanocrystals that allow the host cell to sense direction. Each mixed-valent iron nanoparticle is mineralized from soluble iron within a membrane-encapsulated vesicle termed the magnetosome, which serves as a specialized compartment that regulates the iron, redox, and pH environment of the growing mineral. To dissect the biological components that control this process, we have carried out a genetic and biochemical study of proteins proposed to function in iron mineralization. In this study, we show that the redox sites of c-type cytochromes of the Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 magnetosome island, MamP and MamT, are essential to their physiological function and that ablation of one or both heme motifs leads to loss of function, suggesting that their ability to carry out redox chemistry in vivo is important. We also develop a method to heterologously express fully heme-loaded MamP from AMB-1 for in vitro biochemical studies, which show that its Fe(III)-Fe(II) redox couple is set at an unusual potential (-89 ± 11 mV) compared with other related cytochromes involved in iron reduction or oxidation. Despite its low reduction potential, it remains competent to oxidize Fe(II) to Fe(III) and mineralize iron to produce mixed-valent iron oxides. Finally, in vitro mineralization experiments suggest that Mms mineral-templating peptides from AMB-1 can modulate the iron redox chemistry of MamP.

Comparison of Opa Locka Tower with other ATC facilities by means of a biochemical stress index.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-12-01

Physiological and biochemical measurements of stress in 14 Opa Locka Tower (OPF) controllers indicated that the principal stressor at that facility was the heavy volume of air traffic. Controllers responded to this stressor with a large increase in u...

Improved local and regional control with radiotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

PubMed

Strom, Tobin; Naghavi, Arash O; Messina, Jane L; Kim, Sungjune; Torres-Roca, Javier F; Russell, Jeffery; Sondak, Vernon K; Padhya, Tapan A; Trotti, Andy M; Caudell, Jimmy J; Harrison, Louis B

2017-01-01

We hypothesized that radiotherapy (RT) would improve both local and regional control with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A single-institution institutional review board-approved study was performed including 113 patients with nonmetastatic Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Postoperative RT was delivered to the primary tumor bed (71.7% cases) ± draining lymphatics (33.3% RT cases). Postoperative local RT was associated with improved local control (3-year actuarial local control 89.4% vs 68.1%; p = .005; Cox hazard ratio [HR] 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.55; p = .002). Similarly, regional RT was associated with improved regional control (3-year actuarial regional control 95.0% vs 66.7%; p = .008; Cox HR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01-0.69; p = .02). Regional RT played an important role for both clinical node-negative patients (3-year regional control 100% vs 44.7%; p = .03) and clinical/pathological node-positive patients (3-year regional control 90.9% vs 55.6%; p = .047). Local RT was beneficial for all patients with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck, whereas regional RT was beneficial for clinical node-negative and clinical/pathological node-positive patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 48-55, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Physiologic and biochemical aspects of skeletal muscle denervation and reinnervation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Max, S. R.; Mayer, R. F.

1984-01-01

Some of the physiologic and biochemical changes that occur in mammalian skeletal muscle following denervation and reinnervation are considered and some comparisons are made with changes observed following altered motor function. The nature of the trophic influence by which nerves control muscle properties are discussed, including the effects of choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase and the role of the acetylcholine receptor.

Xeroderma pigmentosum: biochemical and genetic characteristics

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

Cleaver, J.E.; Bootsma, D.

1975-01-01

Biochemical and genetic studies on xeroderma pigmentosum are reviewed under the following headings: clinical features of xeroderma pigmentosum; karyotype; cell killing and host cell reactivation after irradiation or exposure to chemical carcinogens; SV40 transformation of xeroderma pigmentosum cells; biochemical defects in the common and de Sanctis-Cacchione forms of xeroderma pigmentosum; cell hybridization and complementation groups; biochemical defects in the xeroderma pigmentosum variant and the role of caffeine in DNA repair; DNA repair in xeroderma pigmentosum heterozygotes; response of xeroderma pigmentosum cells to various mutagens and chemical carcinogens; other high and low repair diseases; and possible significance of DNA repair inmore » theories of aging and carcinogenesis. (HLW)« less

Biochemical and nutritional markers and antioxidant activity in metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Bernabé García, Juana; Zafrilla Rentero, Pilar; Mulero Cánovas, Juana; Gómez Jara, Purificación; Leal Hernández, Mariano; Abellán Alemán, José

2014-01-01

1) Nutritional assessment of the diet followed by patients with metabolic syndrome, and 2) biochemical analysis of the oxidation-reduction level in patients with metabolic syndrome. A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with metabolic syndrome in Murcia. Fifty-three patients, 33 with and 20 without (control group) metabolic syndrome, were selected. The intervention consisted of completion of a recall survey and a test to nutritionally assess dietary intake. Anthropometric and laboratory variables, including those related to antioxidant activity, were also tested. Antioxidant activity was within normal limits in both groups (1.7 ± 0.2 mmol/L in the control group and 1.8 ± 0.1 mmol/L in the metabolic syndrome group) (NS). Superoxide dismutase levels were not significantly different between the groups. Mean glutathione reductase levels (U/L) were higher in the control group as compared to patients with metabolic syndrome (P<.05). As regards oxidative stress biomarkers, mean isoprostane levels were higher in the control group (4.9 ± 6.2 ng/mL) than in metabolic syndrome patients (3.5 ± 3.9 ng/mL) (P<.05). Oxidized LDL values tended to be higher in metabolic syndrome patients (96 ± 23.2U/L) as compared to the control group (86.2 ± 17.3 U/L), but differences were not significant. There is a trend to a poorer nutritional and biochemical profile in patients with metabolic syndrome, who also tend to have a greater degree of oxidative stress. Copyright © 2013 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A Dose–Response Analysis of Biochemical Control Outcomes After {sup 125}I Monotherapy for Patients With Favorable-Risk Prostate Cancer

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

Shiraishi, Yutaka, E-mail: shiraishi@rad.med.keio.ac.jp; Department of Radiology, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo; Yorozu, Atsunori

Purpose: To define the optimal dose for {sup 125}I prostate implants by correlating postimplantation dosimetry findings with biochemical failure and toxicity. Methods and Materials: Between 2003 and 2009, 683 patients with prostate cancer were treated with {sup 125}I prostate brachytherapy without supplemental external beam radiation therapy and were followed up for a median time of 80 months. Implant dose was defined as the D90 (the minimal dose received by 90% of the prostate) on postoperative day 1 and 1 month after implantation. Therefore, 2 dosimetric variables (day 1 D90 and day 30 D90) were analyzed for each patient. We investigated the dosemore » effects on biochemical control and toxicity. Results: The 7-year biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS) rate for the group overall was 96.4% according to the Phoenix definition. A multivariate analysis found day 1 D90 and day 30 D90 to be the most significant factors affecting BFFS. The cutoff points for day 1 D90 and day 30 D90, calculated from ROC curves, were 163 Gy and 175 Gy, respectively. By use of univariate analysis, various dosimetric cutoff points for day 30 D90 were tested. We found that day 30 D90 cutoff points from 130 to 180 Gy appeared to be good for the entire cohort. Greater D90s were associated with an increase in late genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity ≥ grade 2, but the increase was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Improvements in BFFS rates were seen with increasing D90 levels. Day 30 D90 doses of 130 to 180 Gy were found to serve as cutoff levels. For low-risk and low-tier intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients, high prostate D90s, even with doses exceeding 180 Gy, achieve better treatment results and are feasible.« less

Adaptive and Optimal Control of Stochastic Dynamical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-14

Advances in Statistics, Probability and Actuarial Sciences , Vol. 1, World Scientific, 2012, 451- 463. [4] T. E. Duncan and B. Pasik-Duncan, A...S. N. Cohen, T. K. Siu and H. Yang) Advances in Statistics, Probability and Actuarial Sciences , Vol. 1, World Scientific, 2012, 451-463. 4. T. E...games with gen- eral noise processes, Models and Methods in Economics and Management Science : Essays in Honor of Charles S. Tapiero, (eds. F. El

Trajectories of Metabolic Risk Factors and Biochemical Markers prior to the Onset of Cardiovascular Disease – The Doetinchem Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Hulsegge, Gerben; Spijkerman, Annemieke M. W.; van der Schouw, Yvonne T.; Bakker, Stephan J. L.; Gansevoort, Ron T.; Smit, Henriette A.; Verschuren, W. M. Monique

2016-01-01

Risk factors often develop at young age and are maintained over time, but it is not fully understood how risk factors develop over time preceding cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our objective was to examine how levels and trajectories of metabolic risk factors and biochemical markers prior to diagnosis differ between people with and without CVD over a period of up to 15–20 years. A total of 449 incident non-fatal and fatal CVD cases and 1,347 age- and sex-matched controls were identified in a prospective cohort between 1993 and 2011. Metabolic risk factors and biochemical markers were measured at five-year intervals prior to diagnosis. Trajectories of metabolic risk factors and biochemical markers were analysed using random coefficient analyses. Although not always statistically significant, participants with CVD had slightly more unfavourable levels for most metabolic risk factors and biochemical markers 15–20 years before diagnosis than controls. Subsequent trajectories until diagnosis were similar in participants with incident CVD and controls for body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, random glucose, triglycerides, gamma glutamyltransferase, C-reactive protein and uric acid. Trajectories were more unfavourable in participants with CVD than controls for systolic blood pressure, waist circumference and estimated glomerular filtration rate (p≤0.05). For example, among participants with CVD, systolic blood pressure increased on average by 9 mmHg over the 18-year period preceding diagnosis, whereas the increase among controls was 4 mmHg. In conclusion, unfavourable levels of metabolic risk factors and biochemical markers are present long before CVD, which indicates that the risk of CVD is already partly determined in young adulthood. This underscores the need for early prevention to reduce the burden of CVD. PMID:27203599

Exercise Capacity Assessment by the Modified Shuttle Walk Test and its Correlation with Biochemical Parameters in Obese Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

de Assumpção, Priscila Kurz; Heinzmann-Filho, João Paulo; Isaia, Heloisa Ataíde; Holzschuh, Flávia; Dalcul, Tiéle; Donadio, Márcio Vinícius Fagundes

2018-03-23

To evaluate exercise capacity of obese children and adolescents compared with normal-weight individuals and to investigate possible correlations with blood biochemical parameters. In this study, children and adolescents between 6 and 18 y were included and divided into control (eutrophic) and obese groups according to body mass index (BMI). Data were collected regarding demographic, anthropometric, waist circumference and exercise capacity through the Modified Shuttle Walk Test (MSWT). In the obese group, biochemical parameters in the blood (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and glucose) were evaluated, and a physical activity questionnaire was applied. Seventy seven participants were included; 27 in the control group and 50 obese. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding sample characteristics, except for body weight, BMI and waist circumference. Most obese children presented results of biochemical tests within the desirable limit, though none were considered active. There was a significant exercise capacity reduction (p < 0.001) in the obese group compared to control subjects. Positive correlations were identified for the MSWT with age and height, and a negative correlation with BMI. However, there were no correlations with the biochemical parameters analyzed. Obese children and adolescents have reduced exercise capacity when compared to normal individuals. The MSWT performance seems to have a negative association with BMI, but is not correlated with blood biochemical parameters.

Biochemical mechanisms of cisplatin cytotoxicity.

PubMed

Cepeda, Victoria; Fuertes, Miguel A; Castilla, Josefina; Alonso, Carlos; Quevedo, Celia; Pérez, Jose M

2007-01-01

Since the discovery by Rosenberg and collaborators of the antitumor activity of cisplatin 35 years ago, three platinum antitumor drugs (cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin) have enjoyed a huge clinical and commercial hit. Ever since the initial discovery of the anticancer activity of cisplatin, major efforts have been devoted to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms of antitumor activity of cisplatin in order to be able to rationally design novel platinum based drugs with superior pharmacological profiles. In this report we attempt to provide a current picture of the known facts pertaining to the mechanism of action of the drug, including those involved in drug uptake, DNA damage signals transduction, and cell death through apoptosis or necrosis. A deep knowledge of the biochemical mechanisms, which are triggered in the tumor cell in response to cisplatin injury not only may lead to the design of more efficient platinum antitumor drugs but also may provide new therapeutic strategies based on the biochemical modulation of cisplatin activity.

Recent Advances on the Use of Biochemical Extracts as Filaricidal Agents

PubMed Central

Al-Abd, Nazeh M.; Nor, Zurainee Mohamed; Al-Adhroey, Abdulelah H.; Suhaimi, Anwar; Sivanandam, S.

2013-01-01

Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic infection that causes a devastating public health and socioeconomic burden with an estimated infection of over 120 million individuals worldwide. The infection is caused by three closely related nematode parasites, namely, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and B. timori, which are transmitted to human through mosquitoes of Anopheles, Culex, and Aedes genera. The species have many ecological variants and are diversified in terms of their genetic fingerprint. The rapid spread of the disease and the genetic diversification cause the lymphatic filarial parasites to respond differently to diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. This in turn prompts the current challenge encountered in its management. Furthermore, most of the chemical medications used are characterized by adverse side effects. These complications urgently warrant intense prospecting on bio-chemicals that have potent efficacy against either the filarial worms or thier vector. In lieu of this, we presented a review on recent literature that reported the efficacy of filaricidal biochemicals and those employed as vector control agents. In addition, methods used for biochemical extraction, screening procedures, and structure of the bioactive compounds were also presented. PMID:24298292

BioNetCAD: design, simulation and experimental validation of synthetic biochemical networks

PubMed Central

Rialle, Stéphanie; Felicori, Liza; Dias-Lopes, Camila; Pérès, Sabine; El Atia, Sanaâ; Thierry, Alain R.; Amar, Patrick; Molina, Franck

2010-01-01

Motivation: Synthetic biology studies how to design and construct biological systems with functions that do not exist in nature. Biochemical networks, although easier to control, have been used less frequently than genetic networks as a base to build a synthetic system. To date, no clear engineering principles exist to design such cell-free biochemical networks. Results: We describe a methodology for the construction of synthetic biochemical networks based on three main steps: design, simulation and experimental validation. We developed BioNetCAD to help users to go through these steps. BioNetCAD allows designing abstract networks that can be implemented thanks to CompuBioTicDB, a database of parts for synthetic biology. BioNetCAD enables also simulations with the HSim software and the classical Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE). We demonstrate with a case study that BioNetCAD can rationalize and reduce further experimental validation during the construction of a biochemical network. Availability and implementation: BioNetCAD is freely available at http://www.sysdiag.cnrs.fr/BioNetCAD. It is implemented in Java and supported on MS Windows. CompuBioTicDB is freely accessible at http://compubiotic.sysdiag.cnrs.fr/ Contact: stephanie.rialle@sysdiag.cnrs.fr; franck.molina@sysdiag.cnrs.fr Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:20628073

Physiological, biochemical and transcriptional analysis of onion bulbs during storage

PubMed Central

Chope, Gemma A.; Cools, Katherine; Hammond, John P.; Thompson, Andrew J.; Terry, Leon A.

2012-01-01

Background and Aims During the transition from endo-dormancy to eco-dormancy and subsequent growth, the onion bulb undergoes the transition from sink organ to source, to sustain cell division in the meristematic tissue. The mechanisms controlling these processes are not fully understood. Here, a detailed analysis of whole onion bulb physiological, biochemical and transcriptional changes in response to sprouting is reported, enabling a better knowledge of the mechanisms regulating post-harvest onion sprout development. Methods Biochemical and physiological analyses were conducted on different cultivars (‘Wellington’, ‘Sherpa’ and ‘Red Baron’) grown at different sites over 3 years, cured at different temperatures (20, 24 and 28 °C) and stored under different regimes (1, 3, 6 and 6 → 1 °C). In addition, the first onion oligonucleotide microarray was developed to determine differential gene expression in onion during curing and storage, so that transcriptional changes could support biochemical and physiological analyses. Key Results There were greater transcriptional differences between samples at harvest and before sprouting than between the samples taken before and after sprouting, with some significant changes occurring during the relatively short curing period. These changes are likely to represent the transition from endo-dormancy to sprout suppression, and suggest that endo-dormancy is a relatively short period ending just after curing. Principal component analysis of biochemical and physiological data identified the ratio of monosaccharides (fructose and glucose) to disaccharide (sucrose), along with the concentration of zeatin riboside, as important factors in discriminating between sprouting and pre-sprouting bulbs. Conclusions These detailed analyses provide novel insights into key regulatory triggers for sprout dormancy release in onion bulbs and provide the potential for the development of biochemical or transcriptional markers for sprout

Induced seismicity closed-form traffic light system for actuarial decision-making during deep fluid injections.

PubMed

Mignan, A; Broccardo, M; Wiemer, S; Giardini, D

2017-10-19

The rise in the frequency of anthropogenic earthquakes due to deep fluid injections is posing serious economic, societal, and legal challenges to many geo-energy and waste-disposal projects. Existing tools to assess such problems are still inherently heuristic and mostly based on expert elicitation (so-called clinical judgment). We propose, as a complementary approach, an adaptive traffic light system (ATLS) that is function of a statistical model of induced seismicity. It offers an actuarial judgement of the risk, which is based on a mapping between earthquake magnitude and risk. Using data from six underground reservoir stimulation experiments, mostly from Enhanced Geothermal Systems, we illustrate how such a data-driven adaptive forecasting system could guarantee a risk-based safety target. The proposed model, which includes a linear relationship between seismicity rate and flow rate, as well as a normal diffusion process for post-injection, is first confirmed to be representative of the data. Being integrable, the model yields a closed-form ATLS solution that is both transparent and robust. Although simulations verify that the safety target is consistently ensured when the ATLS is applied, the model from which simulations are generated is validated on a limited dataset, hence still requiring further tests in additional fluid injection environments.

How to investigate neuro-biochemical relationships on a regional level in humans? Methodological considerations for combining functional with biochemical imaging.

PubMed

Duncan, Niall W; Wiebking, Christine; Muñoz-Torres, Zeidy; Northoff, Georg

2014-01-15

There is an increasing interest in combining different imaging modalities to investigate the relationship between neural and biochemical activity. More specifically, imaging techniques like MRS and PET that allow for biochemical measurement are combined with techniques like fMRI and EEG that measure neural activity in different states. Such combination of neural and biochemical measures raises not only technical issues, such as merging the different data sets, but also several methodological issues. These methodological issues – ranging from hypothesis generation and hypothesis-guided use of technical facilities to target measures and experimental measures – are the focus of this paper. We discuss the various methodological problems and issues raised by the combination of different imaging methodologies in order to investigate neuro-biochemical relationships on a regional level in humans. For example, the choice of transmitter and scan type is discussed, along with approaches to allow the establishment of particular specificities (such as regional or biochemical) to in turn make results fully interpretable. An algorithm that can be used as a form of checklist for designing such multimodal studies is presented. The paper concludes that while several methodological and technical caveats needs to be overcome and addressed, multimodal imaging of the neuro-biochemical relationship provides an important tool to better understand the physiological mechanisms of the human brain.

How to investigate neuro-biochemical relationships on a regional level in humans? Methodological considerations for combining functional with biochemical imaging.

PubMed

Duncan, Niall W; Wiebking, Christine; Munoz-Torres, Zeidy; Northoff, Georg

2013-10-25

There is an increasing interest in combining different imaging modalities to investigate the relationship between neural and biochemical activity. More specifically, imaging techniques like MRS and PET that allow for biochemical measurement are combined with techniques like fMRI and EEG that measure neural activity in different states. Such combination of neural and biochemical measures raises not only technical issues, such as merging the different data sets, but also several methodological issues. These methodological issues - ranging from hypothesis generation and hypothesis-guided use of technical facilities to target measures and experimental measures - are the focus of this paper. We discuss the various methodological problems and issues raised by the combination of different imaging methodologies in order to investigate neuro-biochemical relationships on a regional level in humans. For example, the choice of transmitter and scan type is discussed, along with approaches to allow the establishment of particular specificities (such as regional or biochemical) to in turn make results fully interpretable. An algorithm that can be used as a form of checklist for designing such multimodal studies is presented. The paper concludes that while several methodological and technical caveats needs to be overcome and addressed, multimodal imaging of the neuro-biochemical relationship provides an important tool to better understand the physiological mechanisms of the human brain. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The biochemical basis for thermoregulation in heat-producing flowers

PubMed Central

Umekawa, Yui; Seymour, Roger S.; Ito, Kikukatsu

2016-01-01

Thermoregulation (homeothermy) in animals involves a complex mechanism involving thermal receptors throughout the body and integration in the hypothalamus that controls shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis. The flowers of some ancient families of seed plants show a similar degree of physiological thermoregulation, but by a different mechanism. Here, we show that respiratory control in homeothermic spadices of skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius) is achieved by rate-determining biochemical reactions in which the overall thermodynamic activation energy exhibits a negative value. Moreover, NADPH production, catalyzed by mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase in a chemically endothermic reaction, plays a role in the pre-equilibrium reaction. We propose that a law of chemical equilibrium known as Le Châtelier’s principle governs the homeothermic control in skunk cabbage. PMID:27095582

MARCKS promotes invasion and is associated with biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer

PubMed Central

Dorris, Emma; O'Neill, Amanda; Hanrahan, Karen; Treacy, Ann; Watson, R. William

2017-01-01

Background Overtreatment of low-grade prostate cancer is a recognised problem for clinicians and patients. However, under-treatment runs the risk of missing the opportunity for cure in those who could benefit. Identification of new biomarkers of disease progression, including metastases, is required to better stratify and appropriately treat these patients. The ability to predict if prostate cancer will recur is an important clinical question that would impact treatment options for patients. Studies in other cancers have associated MARCKS with metastasis. Methods Tissue microarrays of local prostatectomy samples from a cohort of biochemical recurrent and non-biochemical recurrent tumours were assayed for MARCKS protein expression. Prostate cancer cell lines were transfected with siRNA targeting MARCKS or a control and functional endpoints of migration, invasion, proliferation, viability and apoptosis were measured. Actin was visualised by fluorescent microscopy and evidence of a cadherin switch and activation of the AKT pathway were assayed. Results MARCKS was upregulated in biochemical recurrent patients compared to non-biochemical recurrent. Knockdown of MARCKS reduced migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells, reduced MMP9 mRNA expression, as well as decreasing cell spreading and increased cell:cell adhesion in prostate cancer cell colonies. Knockdown of MARCKS had no effect on proliferation, viability or apoptosis of the prostate cancer cells. Conclusions In conclusion, MARCKS promotes migration and invasion and is associated with biochemical recurrence in localised prostate cancer tumours. The mechanisms by which this occurs have yet to be fully elucidated but lack of a cadherin switch indicates it is not via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Actin rearrangement indicates that MARCKS promotes invasion through regulating the architecture of the cell. PMID:29069765

The effect of metal ions on Staphylococcus aureus revealed by biochemical and mass spectrometric analyses.

PubMed

Chudobova, Dagmar; Dostalova, Simona; Ruttkay-Nedecky, Branislav; Guran, Roman; Rodrigo, Miguel Angel Merlos; Tmejova, Katerina; Krizkova, Sona; Zitka, Ondrej; Adam, Vojtech; Kizek, Rene

2015-01-01

In this study, we focused on the effect of heavy metal ions in resistant strains of gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus using biochemical methods and mass spectrometry. Five nitrate solutions of heavy metals (Ag(+), Cu(2+), Cd(2+), Zn(2+) and Pb(2+)) were used to create S. aureus resistant strains. Biochemical changes of resistant strains in comparison with the non-resistant control strain of S. aureus were observed by microbiological (measuring - growth curves and inhibition zones) and spectrophotometric methods (antioxidant activity and alaninaminotransferase, aspartateaminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyltransferase activities). Mass spectrometry was employed for the qualitative analysis of the samples (changes in S. aureus protein composition) and for the identification of the strains database MALDI Biotyper was employed. Alterations, in terms of biochemical properties and protein composition, were observed in resistant strains compared to non-resistant control strain. Our results describe the possible option for the analysis of S. aureus resistant strains and may thus serve as a support for monitoring of changes in genetic information caused by the forming of resistance to heavy metals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

biochem4j: Integrated and extensible biochemical knowledge through graph databases.

PubMed

Swainston, Neil; Batista-Navarro, Riza; Carbonell, Pablo; Dobson, Paul D; Dunstan, Mark; Jervis, Adrian J; Vinaixa, Maria; Williams, Alan R; Ananiadou, Sophia; Faulon, Jean-Loup; Mendes, Pedro; Kell, Douglas B; Scrutton, Nigel S; Breitling, Rainer

2017-01-01

Biologists and biochemists have at their disposal a number of excellent, publicly available data resources such as UniProt, KEGG, and NCBI Taxonomy, which catalogue biological entities. Despite the usefulness of these resources, they remain fundamentally unconnected. While links may appear between entries across these databases, users are typically only able to follow such links by manual browsing or through specialised workflows. Although many of the resources provide web-service interfaces for computational access, performing federated queries across databases remains a non-trivial but essential activity in interdisciplinary systems and synthetic biology programmes. What is needed are integrated repositories to catalogue both biological entities and-crucially-the relationships between them. Such a resource should be extensible, such that newly discovered relationships-for example, those between novel, synthetic enzymes and non-natural products-can be added over time. With the introduction of graph databases, the barrier to the rapid generation, extension and querying of such a resource has been lowered considerably. With a particular focus on metabolic engineering as an illustrative application domain, biochem4j, freely available at http://biochem4j.org, is introduced to provide an integrated, queryable database that warehouses chemical, reaction, enzyme and taxonomic data from a range of reliable resources. The biochem4j framework establishes a starting point for the flexible integration and exploitation of an ever-wider range of biological data sources, from public databases to laboratory-specific experimental datasets, for the benefit of systems biologists, biosystems engineers and the wider community of molecular biologists and biological chemists.

biochem4j: Integrated and extensible biochemical knowledge through graph databases

PubMed Central

Batista-Navarro, Riza; Dunstan, Mark; Jervis, Adrian J.; Vinaixa, Maria; Ananiadou, Sophia; Faulon, Jean-Loup; Kell, Douglas B.

2017-01-01

Biologists and biochemists have at their disposal a number of excellent, publicly available data resources such as UniProt, KEGG, and NCBI Taxonomy, which catalogue biological entities. Despite the usefulness of these resources, they remain fundamentally unconnected. While links may appear between entries across these databases, users are typically only able to follow such links by manual browsing or through specialised workflows. Although many of the resources provide web-service interfaces for computational access, performing federated queries across databases remains a non-trivial but essential activity in interdisciplinary systems and synthetic biology programmes. What is needed are integrated repositories to catalogue both biological entities and–crucially–the relationships between them. Such a resource should be extensible, such that newly discovered relationships–for example, those between novel, synthetic enzymes and non-natural products–can be added over time. With the introduction of graph databases, the barrier to the rapid generation, extension and querying of such a resource has been lowered considerably. With a particular focus on metabolic engineering as an illustrative application domain, biochem4j, freely available at http://biochem4j.org, is introduced to provide an integrated, queryable database that warehouses chemical, reaction, enzyme and taxonomic data from a range of reliable resources. The biochem4j framework establishes a starting point for the flexible integration and exploitation of an ever-wider range of biological data sources, from public databases to laboratory-specific experimental datasets, for the benefit of systems biologists, biosystems engineers and the wider community of molecular biologists and biological chemists. PMID:28708831

Physiological and biochemical characterization of Trichoderma harzianum, a biological control agent against soilborne fungal plant pathogens.

PubMed Central

Grondona, I; Hermosa, R; Tejada, M; Gomis, M D; Mateos, P F; Bridge, P D; Monte, E; Garcia-Acha, I

1997-01-01

Monoconidial cultures of 15 isolates of Trichoderma harzianum were characterized on the basis of 82 morphological, physiological, and biochemical features and 99 isoenzyme bands from seven enzyme systems. The results were subjected to numerical analysis which revealed four distinct groups. Representative sequences of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS 1)-ITS 2 region in the ribosomal DNA gene cluster were compared between groups confirming this distribution. The utility of the groupings generated from the morphological, physiological, and biochemical data was assessed by including an additional environmental isolate in the electrophoretic analysis. The in vitro antibiotic activity of the T. harzianum isolates was assayed against 10 isolates of five different soilborne fungal plant pathogens: Aphanomyces cochlioides, Rhizoctonia solani, Phoma betae, Acremonium cucurbitacearum, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis lycopersici. Similarities between levels and specificities of biological activity and the numerical characterization groupings are both discussed in relation to antagonist-specific populations in known and potential biocontrol species. PMID:9251205

[Individual physical performance capacity with physiological and biochemical indicators of stress].

PubMed

Bergert, K D; Nestler, K; Böttger, H; Schettler, R

1989-09-01

22 health male subjects were exposed by a combination of physical exercises and heat. Strain related physiological and biochemical parameters were measured. Different individual reactions were obtained under controlled conditions. In dependence on the individual performance an increased mobilisation of lactat, free fatty acids and catecholamines were found. The determination of aerob physical performance can be applied for the evaluation of working capacity.

Similarities of biochemical abnormalities between major depressive disorder and bipolar depression: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Zhong, Shuming; Wang, Ying; Zhao, Guoxiang; Xiang, Qi; Ling, Xueying; Liu, Sirun; Huang, Li; Jia, Yanbin

2014-10-01

Depression in the context of bipolar disorder (BD) is often misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder (MDD), leading to mistreatments and poor clinical outcomes for many bipolar patients. Previous neuroimaging studies found mixed results on brain structure, and biochemical metabolism of the two disorders. To eliminate the compounding effects of medication, and aging, this study sought to investigate the brain biochemical changes of treatment-naïve, non-late-life patients with MDD and BD in white matter in prefrontal (WMP) lobe, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). Three groups of participants were recruited: 26 MDD patients, 20 depressed BD patients, and 13 healthy controls. The multi-voxel (1)H-MRS [repetition time (TR)=1000ms; echo-time (TE)=144ms] was used for the measurement of N-acetylaspartate(NAA), choline containg compounds (Cho), and creatine (Cr) in three brain locations: white matter in prefrontal (WMP) lobe, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and hippocampus. Two ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr as a measure of brain biochemical changes were compared among three experimental groups. On the comparison of brain biochemical changes, both MDD patients and BD patients showed many similarities compared to the controls. They both had a significantly lower NAA/Cr ratio in the left WMP lobe. There were no significant differences among three experimental groups for Cho/Cr ratio in the WMP lobe, and for the ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in the bilateral ACC and hippocampus. The only difference between MDD and BD patients existed for the NAA/Cr ratio in the right WMP lobe. While MDD patients had a significantly lower NAA/Cr ratio than controls, BD patients showed no such differences. On the comparison of correlation of medical variables and brain biochemical changes, all participants demonstrated no significant correlations. Reduced NAA/Cr ratio at the left WMP lobe indicated the dysfunction of neuronal

[INVITED] Tilted fiber grating mechanical and biochemical sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Tuan; Liu, Fu; Guan, Bai-Ou; Albert, Jacques

2016-04-01

The tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) is a new kind of fiber-optic sensor that possesses all the advantages of well-established Bragg grating technology in addition to being able to excite cladding modes resonantly. This device opens up a multitude of opportunities for single-point sensing in hard-to-reach spaces with very controllable cross-sensitivities, absolute and relative measurements of various parameters, and an extreme sensitivity to materials external to the fiber without requiring the fiber to be etched or tapered. Over the past five years, our research group has been developing multimodal fiber-optic sensors based on TFBG in various shapes and forms, always keeping the device itself simple to fabricate and compatible with low-cost manufacturing. This paper presents a brief review of the principle, fabrication, characterization, and implementation of TFBGs, followed by our progress in TFBG sensors for mechanical and biochemical applications, including one-dimensional TFBG vibroscopes, accelerometers and micro-displacement sensors; two-dimensional TFBG vector vibroscopes and vector rotation sensors; reflective TFBG refractometers with in-fiber and fiber-to-fiber configurations; polarimetric and plasmonic TFBG biochemical sensors for in-situ detection of cell, protein and glucose.

Fauna-associated changes in chemical and biochemical properties of soil.

PubMed

Tripathi, G; Sharma, B M

2006-12-01

To study the impacts of abundance of woodlice, termites, and mites on some functional aspects of soil in order to elucidate the specific role of soil fauna in improving soil fertility in desert. Fauna-rich sites were selected as experimental sites and adjacent areas were taken as control. Soil samples were collected from both sites. Soil respiration was measured at both sites. The soil samples were sent to laboratory, their chemical and biochemical properties were analyzed. Woodlice showed 25% decrease in organic carbon and organic matter as compared to control site. Whereas termites and mites showed 58% and 16% decrease in organic carbon and organic matter. In contrast, available nitrogen (nitrate and ammonical both) and phosphorus exhibited 2-fold and 1.2-fold increase, respectively. Soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity at the sites rich in woodlice, termites and mites produced 2.5-, 3.5- and 2-fold increases, respectively as compared to their control values. Fauna-associated increase in these biological parameters clearly reflected fauna-induced microbial activity in soil. Maximum decrease in organic carbon and increase in nitrate-nitrogen and ammonical-nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil respiration and dehydrogenase activity were produced by termites and minimum by mites reflecting termite as an efficient soil improver in desert environment. The soil fauna-associated changes in chemical (organic carbon, nitrate-nitrogen, ammonical-nitrogen, phosphorus) and biochemical (soil respiration, dehydrogenase activity) properties of soil improve soil health and help in conservation of desert pedoecosystem.

Hemato-biochemical responses to packing in donkeys administered ascorbic acid during the harmattan season.

PubMed

Olaifa, Folashade; Ayo, Joseph Olusegun; Ambali, Suleiman Folorunsho; Rekwot, Peter Ibrahim

2015-02-01

Experiments were performed to investigate the effect of ascorbic acid (AA) in reducing hemato-biochemical changes in pack donkeys during the cold-dry (harmattan) season. Six experimental donkeys administered orally AA (200 mg/kg) and six control donkeys not administered ascorbic acid were subjected to packing. Blood samples were collected from all donkeys for hematological and biochemical analyses. In the control donkeys, packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte count and hemoglobin concentration (Hb) decreased significantly (P<0.05) at the end of packing. In the experimental donkeys, there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-packing values of PCV, erythrocyte count and Hb. In the control donkeys, the neutrophil and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio increased significantly (P<0.05) post packing, but in the experimental donkeys, the pre- and post-packing values were not significantly different. The eosinophil count increased significantly (P<0.05) in experimental and control donkeys post packing. In conclusion, packing exerted significant adverse effects on the hematological parameters ameliorated by AA administration. AA may modulate neutrophilia and induce a considerable alteration of erythroid markers in donkeys subjected to packing during the harmattan season.

Hemato-biochemical responses to packing in donkeys administered ascorbic acid during the harmattan season

PubMed Central

OLAIFA, Folashade; AYO, Joseph Olusegun; AMBALI, Suleiman Folorunsho; REKWOT, Peter Ibrahim

2012-01-01

Experiments were performed to investigate the effect of ascorbic acid (AA) in reducing hemato-biochemical changes in pack donkeys during the cold-dry (harmattan) season. Six experimental donkeys administered orally AA (200 mg/kg) and six control donkeys not administered ascorbic acid were subjected to packing. Blood samples were collected from all donkeys for hematological and biochemical analyses. In the control donkeys, packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte count and hemoglobin concentration (Hb) decreased significantly (P<0.05) at the end of packing. In the experimental donkeys, there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-packing values of PCV, erythrocyte count and Hb. In the control donkeys, the neutrophil and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio increased significantly (P<0.05) post packing, but in the experimental donkeys, the pre- and post-packing values were not significantly different. The eosinophil count increased significantly (P<0.05) in experimental and control donkeys post packing. In conclusion, packing exerted significant adverse effects on the hematological parameters ameliorated by AA administration. AA may modulate neutrophilia and induce a considerable alteration of erythroid markers in donkeys subjected to packing during the harmattan season. PMID:23154452

Biochemical Characterization of Prions.

PubMed

Fiorini, Michele; Bongianni, Matilde; Monaco, Salvatore; Zanusso, Gianluigi

2017-01-01

Prion disease or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are characterized by the presence of the abnormal form of the prion protein (PrP Sc ). The pathological and transmissible properties of PrP Sc are enciphered in its secondary and tertiary structures. Since it's well established that different strains of prions are linked to different conformations of PrP Sc , biochemical characterization of prions seems a preliminary but reliable approach to detect, analyze, and compare prion strains. Experimental biochemical procedures might be helpful in distinguishing PrP Sc physicochemical properties and include resistance to proteinase K (PK) digestion, insolubility in nonionic detergents, PK-resistance under denaturing conditions and sedimentation properties in sucrose gradients. This biochemical approach has been extensively applied in human prion disorders and subsequently expanded for PrP Sc characterization in animals. In particular, in sporadic Creutzfedlt-Jakob disease (sCJD) PrP Sc is characterized by two main glycotypes conventionally named Type 1 and Type 2, based on the apparent gel migration at 21 and 19kDa of the PrP Sc PK-resistant fragment. An additional PrP Sc type was identified in sCJD characterized by an unglycosylated dominant glycoform pattern and in 2010 a variably protease-sensitive prionopathy (VPSPr) was reported showing a PrP Sc with an electrophoretic ladder like pattern. Additionally, the presence of PrP Sc truncated fragments completes the electrophoretic characterization of different prion strains. By two-dimensional (2D) electrophoretic analysis additional PrP Sc pattern was identified, since this procedure provides information about the isoelectric point and the different peptides length related to PK cleavage, as well as to glycosylation extent or GPI anchor presence. We here provide and extensive review on PrP Sc biochemical analysis in human and animal prion disorders. Further, we show that PrP Sc glycotypes observed in CJD share

Hypomagnesemia predicts postoperative biochemical hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Luo, Han; Yang, Hongliu; Zhao, Wanjun; Wei, Tao; Su, Anping; Wang, Bin; Zhu, Jingqiang

2017-05-25

To investigate the role of magnesium in biochemical and symptomatic hypocalcemia, a retrospective study was conducted. Less-than-total thyroidectomy patients were excluded from the final analysis. Identified the risk factors of biochemical and symptomatic hypocalcemia, and investigated the correlation by logistic regression and correlation test respectively. A total of 304 patients were included in the final analysis. General incidence of hypomagnesemia was 23.36%. Logistic regression showed that gender (female) (OR = 2.238, p = 0.015) and postoperative hypomagnesemia (OR = 2.010, p = 0.017) were independent risk factors for biochemical hypocalcemia. Both Pearson and partial correlation tests indicated there was indeed significant relation between calcium and magnesium. However, relative decreasing of iPTH (>70%) (6.691, p < 0.001) and hypocalcemia (2.222, p = 0.046) were identified as risk factors of symptomatic hypocalcemia. The difference remained significant even in normoparathyroidism patients. Postoperative hypomagnesemia was independent risk factor of biochemical hypocalcemia. Relative decline of iPTH was predominating in predicting symptomatic hypocalcemia.

Season-controlled changes in biochemical constituents and oxidase enzyme activities in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.).

PubMed

Sen, Supatra; Mukherji, S

2009-07-01

Season-controlled changes in biochemical constituents viz. carotenoids (carotene and xanthophyll) and pectic substances along with IAA-oxidase and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activities were estimated/assayed in leaves of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (tomato) in two developmental stages--pre-flowering (35 days after sowing) and post-flowering (75 days after sowing) in three different seasons--summer rainy and winter Carotenoid content along with pectic substances were highest in winter and declined significantly in summer followed by rainy i.e. winter > summer > rainy. Carotenoid content was significantly higher in the pre-flowering as compared to post-flowering in all three seasons while pectic substances increased in the post-flowering as compared to pre-flowering throughout the annual cycle. IAA oxidase and PPO enzyme activities were enhanced in rainy and decreased sharply in summer and winter i.e. rainy > summer > winter. Both the enzymes exhibited higher activity in the post-flowering stage as compared to pre-flowering in all three seasons. These results indicate winter to be the most favourable season for tomato plants while rainy season environmental conditions prove to be unfavourable (stressful) with diminished content of carotenoid and pectic substances and low activities of IAA oxidase and PPO, ultimately leading to poor growth and productivity.

Phaeochromocytoma: diagnostic challenges for biochemical screening and diagnosis.

PubMed

Barron, Jeffrey

2010-08-01

The aim of this article is to provide knowledge of the origin of catecholamines and metabolites so that there can be an informed approach to the methods for biochemical screening for a possible phaeochromocytoma; The article includes a review of catecholamine and metadrenaline metabolism, with methods used in biochemical screening. In the adrenal medulla and a phaeochromocytoma, catecholamines continuously leak from chromaffin granules into the cytoplasm and are converted to metadrenalines. For a phaeochromocytoma to become biochemically detectable, metnoradrenaline secretion needs to rise fourfold, whereas noradrenaline secretion needs to rise 15-fold. The prevalence of a sporadic phaeochromocytoma is low; therefore false-positive results exceed true-positive results. Assay sensitivity is high because it is important not to miss a possible phaeochromocytoma. The use of urine or plasma fractionated metadrenalines as the first-line test has been recommended due to improved sensitivity. A negative result excludes a phaeochromocytoma. Only after a sporadic phaeochromocytoma has been diagnosed biochemically is it cost effective to request imaging. Sensitivities and specificities of the assays differ according to pre-test probabilities of the presence of a phaeochromocytoma, with hereditary and incidentalomas having a higher pre-test probability than sporadic phaeochromocytoma. In conclusion, in screening for a possible phaeochromocytoma, biochemical investigations should be completed first to exclude or establish the diagnosis. The preferred biochemical screening test is fractionated metadrenalines, including methoxytyramine so as not to miss dopamine-secreting tumours.

eQuilibrator--the biochemical thermodynamics calculator.

PubMed

Flamholz, Avi; Noor, Elad; Bar-Even, Arren; Milo, Ron

2012-01-01

The laws of thermodynamics constrain the action of biochemical systems. However, thermodynamic data on biochemical compounds can be difficult to find and is cumbersome to perform calculations with manually. Even simple thermodynamic questions like 'how much Gibbs energy is released by ATP hydrolysis at pH 5?' are complicated excessively by the search for accurate data. To address this problem, eQuilibrator couples a comprehensive and accurate database of thermodynamic properties of biochemical compounds and reactions with a simple and powerful online search and calculation interface. The web interface to eQuilibrator (http://equilibrator.weizmann.ac.il) enables easy calculation of Gibbs energies of compounds and reactions given arbitrary pH, ionic strength and metabolite concentrations. The eQuilibrator code is open-source and all thermodynamic source data are freely downloadable in standard formats. Here we describe the database characteristics and implementation and demonstrate its use.

eQuilibrator—the biochemical thermodynamics calculator

PubMed Central

Flamholz, Avi; Noor, Elad; Bar-Even, Arren; Milo, Ron

2012-01-01

The laws of thermodynamics constrain the action of biochemical systems. However, thermodynamic data on biochemical compounds can be difficult to find and is cumbersome to perform calculations with manually. Even simple thermodynamic questions like ‘how much Gibbs energy is released by ATP hydrolysis at pH 5?’ are complicated excessively by the search for accurate data. To address this problem, eQuilibrator couples a comprehensive and accurate database of thermodynamic properties of biochemical compounds and reactions with a simple and powerful online search and calculation interface. The web interface to eQuilibrator (http://equilibrator.weizmann.ac.il) enables easy calculation of Gibbs energies of compounds and reactions given arbitrary pH, ionic strength and metabolite concentrations. The eQuilibrator code is open-source and all thermodynamic source data are freely downloadable in standard formats. Here we describe the database characteristics and implementation and demonstrate its use. PMID:22064852

Biochemical adaptation to ocean acidification.

PubMed

Stillman, Jonathon H; Paganini, Adam W

2015-06-01

The change in oceanic carbonate chemistry due to increased atmospheric PCO2  has caused pH to decline in marine surface waters, a phenomenon known as ocean acidification (OA). The effects of OA on organisms have been shown to be widespread among diverse taxa from a wide range of habitats. The majority of studies of organismal response to OA are in short-term exposures to future levels of PCO2 . From such studies, much information has been gathered on plastic responses organisms may make in the future that are beneficial or harmful to fitness. Relatively few studies have examined whether organisms can adapt to negative-fitness consequences of plastic responses to OA. We outline major approaches that have been used to study the adaptive potential for organisms to OA, which include comparative studies and experimental evolution. Organisms that inhabit a range of pH environments (e.g. pH gradients at volcanic CO2 seeps or in upwelling zones) have great potential for studies that identify adaptive shifts that have occurred through evolution. Comparative studies have advanced our understanding of adaptation to OA by linking whole-organism responses with cellular mechanisms. Such optimization of function provides a link between genetic variation and adaptive evolution in tuning optimal function of rate-limiting cellular processes in different pH conditions. For example, in experimental evolution studies of organisms with short generation times (e.g. phytoplankton), hundreds of generations of growth under future conditions has resulted in fixed differences in gene expression related to acid-base regulation. However, biochemical mechanisms for adaptive responses to OA have yet to be fully characterized, and are likely to be more complex than simply changes in gene expression or protein modification. Finally, we present a hypothesis regarding an unexplored area for biochemical adaptation to ocean acidification. In this hypothesis, proteins and membranes exposed to the

Accuracy of actuarial procedures for assessment of sexual offender recidivism risk may vary across ethnicity.

PubMed

Långström, Niklas

2004-04-01

Little is known about whether the accuracy of tools for assessment of sexual offender recidivism risk holds across ethnic minority offenders. I investigated the predictive validity across ethnicity for the RRASOR and the Static-99 actuarial risk assessment procedures in a national cohort of all adult male sex offenders released from prison in Sweden 1993-1997. Subjects ordered out of Sweden upon release from prison were excluded and remaining subjects (N = 1303) divided into three subgroups based on citizenship. Eighty-three percent of the subjects were of Nordic ethnicity, and non-Nordic citizens were either of non-Nordic European (n = 49, hereafter called European) or African Asian descent (n = 128). The two tools were equally accurate among Nordic and European sexual offenders for the prediction of any sexual and any violent nonsexual recidivism. In contrast, neither measure could differentiate African Asian sexual or violent recidivists from nonrecidivists. Compared to European offenders, AfricanAsian offenders had more often sexually victimized a nonrelative or stranger, had higher Static-99 scores, were younger, more often single, and more often homeless. The results require replication, but suggest that the promising predictive validity seen with some risk assessment tools may not generalize across offender ethnicity or migration status. More speculatively, different risk factors or causal chains might be involved in the development or persistence of offending among minority or immigrant sexual abusers.

Effect of family history on outcomes in patients treated with definitive brachytherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer.

PubMed

Peters, Christopher A; Stock, Richard G; Blacksburg, Seth R; Stone, Nelson N

2009-01-01

To determine the impact familial prostate cancer has on prognosis in men treated with brachytherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer. A total of 1,738 consecutive patients with prostate cancer (cT1-3, N0/X, M0) received low-dose-rate brachytherapy alone or in combination with external beam radiation therapy or hormone ablation from 1992 to 2005. The primary end-point was freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) using the Phoenix definition. Minimum follow-up was 2 years and the median follow-up was 60 months (range, 24-197 months). A total of 187 of 1,738 men (11%) had a family history of prostate cancer in a first-degree relative. For the low-risk patients, both groups had similar actuarial 5-year FFBF (97.2% vs. 95.5%, p = 0.516). For intermediate-risk patients, there was a trend toward improved biochemical control in men positive for family history (5-yr FFBF 100% vs. 93.6%, p = 0.076). For the high-risk patients, men with a positive family history had similar 5-year FFBF (92.8% vs. 85.2%, p = 0.124). On multivariate analysis, family history was not significant; use of hormones, high biologic effective dose, initial prostate-specific antigen value, and Gleason score were the significant variables predicting biochemical control. This is the first study to examine the relationship of familial prostate cancer and outcomed in men treated with brachytherapy alone or in combination therapy. Men with a positive family history have clinicopathologic characteristics and biochemical outcomes similar to those with sporadic disease.

Biochemical Testing in Thyroid Disorders.

PubMed

Esfandiari, Nazanene H; Papaleontiou, Maria

2017-09-01

This article summarizes the main principles for the appropriate use of laboratory testing in the diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders, as well as controversies that have arisen in association with some of these biochemical tests. To place a test in perspective, its sensitivity and accuracy should be taken into account. Ordering the correct laboratory tests facilitates the early diagnosis of a thyroid disorder and allows for timely and appropriate treatment. This article focuses on a comprehensive update regarding thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxine/triiodothyronine, thyroid autoantibodies, thyroglobulin, and calcitonin. Clinical uses of these biochemical tests are outlined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic histiocytic intervillositis - Clinical, biochemical and radiological findings: An observational study.

PubMed

Koby, Lawrence; Keating, Sarah; Malinowski, Ann Kinga; D'Souza, Rohan

2018-04-01

Chronic histiocytic intervillositis (CHI) of the placenta although rare, has a high recurrence rate, is associated with serious adverse pregnancy outcomes and has no available treatment. This study aims to determine clinical, biochemical and radiological factors associated with CHI, to guide management of subsequent pregnancies. This retrospective observational study included consecutive cases with a histopathologic diagnosis of CHI after 18 weeks of gestation, between 2001 and 2014, and no controls. Clinical (maternal, fetal and delivery outcomes), biochemical (first- and second-trimester biomarkers for fetal aneuploidy and serum alkaline phosphatase) and radiological (second- and third-trimester fetal, placental and Doppler ultrasound) factors associated with a histopathological diagnosis of CHI were identified and results presented as percentages. Outcomes of subsequent pregnancies were described. Of 231 identified cases of 'intervillositis', 33 were confirmed to have CHI, of which only 4/33 (12.1%) had prior uncomplicated term deliveries. During pregnancy, 10/18 (55.5%) had abnormal first-trimester screening, 4/16 (25%) had abnormal second-trimester screening, 6/19 (31.6%) had at least one elevated alkaline phosphatase level, and 15/20 (75%) had at least one abnormal feature on mid-trimester placental ultrasound. In subsequent pregnancies that were closely followed with a combination of biochemical and radiologic tests, there were no cases of fetal loss, and lower incidence of fetal growth restriction and preterm birth. No clinical, biochemical or radiological finding is consistently associated with CHI and adverse outcomes thereof. Whether the incorporation of these tests in individualized care-plans could improve outcomes in subsequent pregnancies needs to be studied further. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alterations of biochemical indicators in hepatopancreas of the golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, from paddy fields in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chiu, Yuh-Wen; Wu, Jui-Pin; Hsieh, Tsung-Chih; Liang, Shih-Hsiung; Chen, Chien-Min; Huang, Da-Ji

2014-07-01

The freshwater golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata, is one of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species. The snails' wide distribution, high abundance, and sensitivity to environmental pollution make them a potential bioindicator for environmental contamination. In this study, the biochemical status of golden apple snails collected from paddy fields throughout the island of Taiwan was examined. This study found that the biochemical status of apple snails collected from paddy fields differed from that of animals bred and maintained in the laboratory. Furthermore, certain biochemical endpoints of the snails collected from the paddy fields before and after agricultural activities were also different-hemolymphatic vitellogenin protein was induced in male snail after exposure to estrogen-like chemicals, the hepatic monooxygenase (1.97 +/- 0.50 deltaA(650mm) 30 min(-1) mg(-1) protein in control group) and glutathione S transferase (0.02 +/- 0.01 delta A(340mm) 30 min(-1) mg(-1) protein in control group) snails exposed to pesticides, as well as the hepatopancreatic levels of aspartate aminotransferase (450.00 +/- 59.40 U mg(-1) mg(-1) protein in control group) and alanine aminotransferase (233.27 +/- 42.09 U mg(-1) mg(-1) protein in control group) decreased the indicating that xenobiotics destroyed hepatopancreatic. The above findings reveal that apple snail could be used as a practical bioindicator to monitor anthropogenic environmental pollution.

A Model Incorporating Some of the Mechanical and Biochemical Factors Underlying Clot Formation and Dissolution in Flowing Blood

DOE PAGES

Anand, M.; Rajagopal, K.; Rajagopal, K. R.

2003-01-01

Multiple interacting mechanisms control the formation and dissolution of clots to maintain blood in a state of delicate balance. In addition to a myriad of biochemical reactions, rheological factors also play a crucial role in modulating the response of blood to external stimuli. To date, a comprehensive model for clot formation and dissolution, that takes into account the biochemical, medical and rheological factors, has not been put into place, the existing models emphasizing either one or the other of the factors. In this paper, after discussing the various biochemical, physiologic and rheological factors at some length, we develop a modelmore » for clot formation and dissolution that incorporates many of the relevant crucial factors that have a bearing on the problem. The model, though just a first step towards understanding a complex phenomenon, goes further than previous models in integrating the biochemical, physiologic and rheological factors that come into play.« less

Serum biochemical markers in lung cancer.

PubMed Central

Burt, R. W.; Ratcliffe, J. G.; Stack, B. H.; Cuthbert, J.; Kennedy, R. S.; Corker, C. S.; Franchimont, P.; Spilg, W. G.; Stimson, W. H.

1978-01-01

The prevalence of elevated serum levels of 5 potential tumour-associated antigens was determined in patients with lung cancer sampled at the time of initial presentation, using age- and sex-matched patients with benign lung disease as controls. Elevated levels (greater than upper 95th centile of controls) were found as follows: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), 17%; pregnancy-associated alpha-macroglobulin (PAM), 16%; casein 14%; human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) 6%; alpha-foetoprotein (AFP), 1.5%. The prevalence of elevated CEA levels (but not other markers) was higher in patients with evidence of extra-thoracic tumour spread (23%) mainly due to anaplastic tumours and adenocarcinomas. A degree of concordance of elevated marker levels occurred with CEA, HCG, casein and AFP, but there was a striking discordance of elevated CEA and PAM levels. Simultaneous assays of CEA and PAM will detect the majority of patients with elevations of any of the markers studied, and are likely to be the most useful biochemical markers in following the response of lung tumours to therapy. PMID:77672

Biochemical phenotypes to discriminate microbial subpopulations and improve outbreak detection.

PubMed

Galar, Alicia; Kulldorff, Martin; Rudnick, Wallis; O'Brien, Thomas F; Stelling, John

2013-01-01

Clinical microbiology laboratories worldwide constitute an invaluable resource for monitoring emerging threats and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. We studied the growing number of biochemical tests routinely performed on clinical isolates to explore their value as epidemiological markers. Microbiology laboratory results from January 2009 through December 2011 from a 793-bed hospital stored in WHONET were examined. Variables included patient location, collection date, organism, and 47 biochemical and 17 antimicrobial susceptibility test results reported by Vitek 2. To identify biochemical tests that were particularly valuable (stable with repeat testing, but good variability across the species) or problematic (inconsistent results with repeat testing), three types of variance analyses were performed on isolates of K. pneumonia: descriptive analysis of discordant biochemical results in same-day isolates, an average within-patient variance index, and generalized linear mixed model variance component analysis. 4,200 isolates of K. pneumoniae were identified from 2,485 patients, 32% of whom had multiple isolates. The first two variance analyses highlighted SUCT, TyrA, GlyA, and GGT as "nuisance" biochemicals for which discordant within-patient test results impacted a high proportion of patient results, while dTAG had relatively good within-patient stability with good heterogeneity across the species. Variance component analyses confirmed the relative stability of dTAG, and identified additional biochemicals such as PHOS with a large between patient to within patient variance ratio. A reduced subset of biochemicals improved the robustness of strain definition for carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. Surveillance analyses suggest that the reduced biochemical profile could improve the timeliness and specificity of outbreak detection algorithms. The statistical approaches explored can improve the robust recognition of microbial subpopulations with routinely available

Biochemical Phenotypes to Discriminate Microbial Subpopulations and Improve Outbreak Detection

PubMed Central

Galar, Alicia; Kulldorff, Martin; Rudnick, Wallis; O'Brien, Thomas F.; Stelling, John

2013-01-01

Background Clinical microbiology laboratories worldwide constitute an invaluable resource for monitoring emerging threats and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. We studied the growing number of biochemical tests routinely performed on clinical isolates to explore their value as epidemiological markers. Methodology/Principal Findings Microbiology laboratory results from January 2009 through December 2011 from a 793-bed hospital stored in WHONET were examined. Variables included patient location, collection date, organism, and 47 biochemical and 17 antimicrobial susceptibility test results reported by Vitek 2. To identify biochemical tests that were particularly valuable (stable with repeat testing, but good variability across the species) or problematic (inconsistent results with repeat testing), three types of variance analyses were performed on isolates of K. pneumonia: descriptive analysis of discordant biochemical results in same-day isolates, an average within-patient variance index, and generalized linear mixed model variance component analysis. Results: 4,200 isolates of K. pneumoniae were identified from 2,485 patients, 32% of whom had multiple isolates. The first two variance analyses highlighted SUCT, TyrA, GlyA, and GGT as “nuisance” biochemicals for which discordant within-patient test results impacted a high proportion of patient results, while dTAG had relatively good within-patient stability with good heterogeneity across the species. Variance component analyses confirmed the relative stability of dTAG, and identified additional biochemicals such as PHOS with a large between patient to within patient variance ratio. A reduced subset of biochemicals improved the robustness of strain definition for carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. Surveillance analyses suggest that the reduced biochemical profile could improve the timeliness and specificity of outbreak detection algorithms. Conclusions The statistical approaches explored can improve the

Stochastic hybrid systems for studying biochemical processes.

PubMed

Singh, Abhyudai; Hespanha, João P

2010-11-13

Many protein and mRNA species occur at low molecular counts within cells, and hence are subject to large stochastic fluctuations in copy numbers over time. Development of computationally tractable frameworks for modelling stochastic fluctuations in population counts is essential to understand how noise at the cellular level affects biological function and phenotype. We show that stochastic hybrid systems (SHSs) provide a convenient framework for modelling the time evolution of population counts of different chemical species involved in a set of biochemical reactions. We illustrate recently developed techniques that allow fast computations of the statistical moments of the population count, without having to run computationally expensive Monte Carlo simulations of the biochemical reactions. Finally, we review different examples from the literature that illustrate the benefits of using SHSs for modelling biochemical processes.

40 CFR 158.2080 - Experimental use permit data requirements-biochemical pesticides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... requirements-biochemical pesticides. 158.2080 Section 158.2080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2080 Experimental use permit data requirements—biochemical pesticides. (a) Sections 158.2081...

40 CFR 158.2080 - Experimental use permit data requirements-biochemical pesticides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... requirements-biochemical pesticides. 158.2080 Section 158.2080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2080 Experimental use permit data requirements—biochemical pesticides. (a) Sections 158.2081...

40 CFR 158.2080 - Experimental use permit data requirements-biochemical pesticides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... requirements-biochemical pesticides. 158.2080 Section 158.2080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2080 Experimental use permit data requirements—biochemical pesticides. (a) Sections 158.2081...

40 CFR 158.2080 - Experimental use permit data requirements-biochemical pesticides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... requirements-biochemical pesticides. 158.2080 Section 158.2080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2080 Experimental use permit data requirements—biochemical pesticides. (a) Sections 158.2081...

40 CFR 158.2080 - Experimental use permit data requirements-biochemical pesticides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... requirements-biochemical pesticides. 158.2080 Section 158.2080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2080 Experimental use permit data requirements—biochemical pesticides. (a) Sections 158.2081...

Maternal biochemical serum screening for Down syndrome in pregnancy with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

PubMed

Le Meaux, Jean-Patrick; Tsatsaris, Vassilis; Schmitz, Thomas; Fulla, Yvonne; Launay, Odile; Goffinet, François; Azria, Elie

2008-08-01

To estimate the influence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and antiretroviral therapy on maternal serum markers levels and the false-positive rate with biochemical maternal serum screening for Down syndrome. We performed a 1:1 matched case-control study comparing 132 HIV-infected women with single pregnancy to controls selected among non-HIV-infected women matched on geographical origin and fetal sex. Of HIV-infected women, 47.7% were receiving antiretroviral therapy. Groups did not differ in multiples of the median (MoM) levels of total human chorionic gonadotrophin. The MoM alpha fetoprotein level did not differ between total HIV-infected women and control women but was significantly lower for untreated HIV-positive women compared with control women (0.91 compared with 1.03 MoM, P<.01) and compared with treated HIV-positive women (0.91 compared with 1.18 MoM, P<.01). The false-positive rate of biochemical screening did not differ between groups. Untreated HIV infection is associated with lower maternal serum alpha fetoprotein levels. Nevertheless, the false-positive rate of double-marker second-trimester Down syndrome serum screening did not appear to be affected in our sample of HIV-infected women, whether women were receiving antiretroviral therapy at the time of the test or not.

Incidence of Abnormal Liver Biochemical Tests in Hyperthyroidism

PubMed Central

Lin, Tiffany Y.; Shekar, Anshula O.; Li, Ning; Yeh, Michael W.; Saab, Sammy; Wilson, Mark; Leung, Angela M.

2017-01-01

Objective Abnormal serum liver function tests are common in patients with untreated thyrotoxicosis, even prior to the initiation of antithyroidal medications that may worsen their severity. There is a wide range of the incidence of these abnormalities in the published literature. The aim of this study was to assess the risks factors and threshold of thyrotoxicosis severity for developing an abnormal liver biochemical test upon the diagnosis of new thyrotoxicosis. Design Single-institution retrospective cohort study. Patients Patients ≥18 years old receiving medical care at a large, academic, urban U.S. medical center between 2002–2016. Measurements Inclusion criteria were a serum thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] concentration < 0.3 mIU/L or ICD-9 code for thyrotoxicosis, with thyrotoxicosis confirmed by either a concurrent elevated serum triiodothyronine (T3) and/or thyroxine (T4) concentration [total or free] within 3 months), and an available liver biochemical test(s) within 6 months of thyrotoxicosis. The biochemical liver tests assessed were serum aspartate transaminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), total bilirubin, and conjugated bilirubin concentrations. Results In this cohort of 1,514 subjects, the overall incidence of any biochemical liver test abnormality within 6 months of thyrotoxicosis was 39%. An initial serum TSH concentration <0.02 mIU/L, male gender, and African-American race were significant predictors of an abnormal serum liver biochemical test within 6 months of the diagnosis of new-onset untreated thyrotoxicosis. Conclusions This study identifies risk factors for patients who develop an abnormal serum liver biochemical test result within 6 months of a diagnosis of untreated thyrotoxicosis. PMID:28199740

Incidence of abnormal liver biochemical tests in hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Lin, Tiffany Y; Shekar, Anshula O; Li, Ning; Yeh, Michael W; Saab, Sammy; Wilson, Mark; Leung, Angela M

2017-05-01

Abnormal serum liver function tests are common in patients with untreated thyrotoxicosis, even prior to the initiation of antithyroidal medications that may worsen the severity of the abnormal serum liver biochemistries. There is a wide range of the incidence of these abnormalities in the published literature. The aim of this study was to assess the risks factors and threshold of thyrotoxicosis severity for developing an abnormal liver biochemical test upon the diagnosis of new thyrotoxicosis. Single-institution retrospective cohort study. Patients of ≥18 years old receiving medical care at a large, academic, urban US medical centre between 2002-2016. Inclusion criteria were a serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration of <0·3 mIU/l or ICD-9 code for thyrotoxicosis, with thyrotoxicosis confirmed by either a concurrent elevated serum triiodothyronine (T3) or thyroxine (T4) concentration ([total or free] within 3 months), and an available liver biochemical test(s) within 6 months of thyrotoxicosis. The biochemical liver tests assessed were serum aspartate transaminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), total bilirubin, and conjugated bilirubin concentrations. In this cohort of 1514 subjects, the overall incidence of any biochemical liver test abnormality within 6 months of thyrotoxicosis was 39%. An initial serum TSH concentration <0·02 mIU/l, male gender, and African-American race were significant predictors of an abnormal serum liver biochemical test within 6 months of the diagnosis of new-onset untreated thyrotoxicosis. This study identifies risk factors for patients who develop an abnormal serum liver biochemical test result within 6 months of a diagnosis of untreated thyrotoxicosis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biochemical Predictors of Low Bone Mineral Density and Fracture Susceptibility in Maltese Postmenopausal Women.

PubMed

Formosa, Melissa M; Xuereb-Anastasi, Angela

2016-01-01

Osteoporosis and fractures are complex conditions influenced by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. The aim of the study was to investigate three biochemical parameters including total serum calcium, total serum alkaline phosphatase (sALP) and albumin in relation to bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck (FN), and with all-type of low-trauma fractures in Maltese postmenopausal women. Levels were also correlated with age and physical activity. A case-control study of 1045 women was performed. Women who suffered a fracture were classified as cases whereas women without a fracture history were included as controls subdivided into normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic according to their BMD measurements. Blood specimens were collected following good standard practice and testing was performed by spectrophotometry. Calcium and sALP levels were weakly correlated with FN BMD levels (calcium: r = -0.111, p = 0.002; sALP: r = 0.089, p = 0.013). Fracture cases had the lowest serum levels of calcium, sALP and albumin relative to all other control groups, which decreased with increasing age, possibly increasing fracture risk. Biochemical levels were lowest in women who sustained a hip fracture and more than one fracture. Biochemical parameters decreased with reduced physical activity; however, this was most evident for fracture cases. Reduced physical activity was associated with lower BMD levels at the hip, and to a lower extent at the spine. In conclusion, results suggest that levels of serum calcium and albumin could be indicative of fracture risk, whereas calcium levels and to lower extent sALP levels could be indicators of hip BMD.

Biotinidase deficiency: Genotype-biochemical phenotype association in Brazilian patients

PubMed Central

Borsatto, Taciane; Sperb-Ludwig, Fernanda; Lima, Samyra E.; S. Carvalho, Maria R.; S. Fonseca, Pablo A.; S. Camelo, José; M. Ribeiro, Erlane; F. V. de Medeiros, Paula; M. Lourenço, Charles; F. M. de Souza, Carolina; Boy, Raquel; Félix, Têmis M.; M. Bittar, Camila; L. C. Pinto, Louise; C. Neto, Eurico; J. Blom, Henk; D. Schwartz, Ida V.

2017-01-01

Introduction The association between the BTD genotype and biochemical phenotype [profound biotinidase deficiency (BD), partial BD or heterozygous activity] is not always consistent. This study aimed to investigate the genotype-biochemical phenotype association in patients with low biotinidase activity. Methods All exons, the 5'UTR and the promoter of the BTD gene were sequenced in 72 Brazilian individuals who exhibited low biotinidase activity. For each patient, the expected biochemical phenotype based on the known genotype was compared with the observed biochemical phenotype. Additional non-genetic factors that could affect the biotinidase activity were also analysed. Results Most individuals were identified by neonatal screening (n = 66/72). When consecutive results for the same patient were compared, age, prematurity and neonatal jaundice appeared to affect the level of biotinidase activity. The biochemical phenotype at the time of the second blood collection changed in 11/22 patients compared to results from the first sample. Three novel variants were found: c.1337T>C (p.L446P), c.1466A>G (p.N489S) and c.962G>A (p.W321*). Some patients with the same genotype presented different biochemical phenotypes. The expected and observed biochemical phenotypes agreed in 68.5% of cases (concordant patients). The non-coding variants c.-183G>A, c.-315A>G and c.-514C>T were present in heterozygosis in 5/17 discordant patients. In addition, c.-183G>A and c.-514C>T were also present in 10/37 concordant patients. Conclusions The variants found in the promoter region do not appear to have a strong impact on biotinidase activity. Since there is a disparity between the BTD genotype and biochemical phenotype, and biotinidase activity may be affected by both genetic and non-genetic factors, we suggest that the diagnosis of BD should be based on more than one measurement of plasma biotinidase activity. DNA analysis can be of additional relevance to differentiate between partial BD and

Accurate atom-mapping computation for biochemical reactions.

PubMed

Latendresse, Mario; Malerich, Jeremiah P; Travers, Mike; Karp, Peter D

2012-11-26

The complete atom mapping of a chemical reaction is a bijection of the reactant atoms to the product atoms that specifies the terminus of each reactant atom. Atom mapping of biochemical reactions is useful for many applications of systems biology, in particular for metabolic engineering where synthesizing new biochemical pathways has to take into account for the number of carbon atoms from a source compound that are conserved in the synthesis of a target compound. Rapid, accurate computation of the atom mapping(s) of a biochemical reaction remains elusive despite significant work on this topic. In particular, past researchers did not validate the accuracy of mapping algorithms. We introduce a new method for computing atom mappings called the minimum weighted edit-distance (MWED) metric. The metric is based on bond propensity to react and computes biochemically valid atom mappings for a large percentage of biochemical reactions. MWED models can be formulated efficiently as Mixed-Integer Linear Programs (MILPs). We have demonstrated this approach on 7501 reactions of the MetaCyc database for which 87% of the models could be solved in less than 10 s. For 2.1% of the reactions, we found multiple optimal atom mappings. We show that the error rate is 0.9% (22 reactions) by comparing these atom mappings to 2446 atom mappings of the manually curated Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) RPAIR database. To our knowledge, our computational atom-mapping approach is the most accurate and among the fastest published to date. The atom-mapping data will be available in the MetaCyc database later in 2012; the atom-mapping software will be available within the Pathway Tools software later in 2012.

Biochemical studies in patients with hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia.

PubMed

Al-Otaibi, Hessah; Senniappan, Senthil; Alam, Syeda; Hussain, Khalid

2013-11-01

Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (HH) is characterised by the dysregulated secretion of insulin from the pancreatic β-cell. It is a major cause of severe and persistent hypoglycaemia in the newborn period. There have been no previous studies assessing the various biochemical alterations at the time of hypoglycaemia in relation to the severity of the hypoglycaemia. Biochemical and clinical data were collected on 90 neonates (gestational age range, 32-42 weeks) with a diagnosis of HH [(based on glucose requirement  > 8 mg/kg/min) and the biochemical profile of insulin action (low beta-hydroxybutyrate and fatty acid concentrations)] who had undergone fasting studies. The results showed that (a) the serum insulin level measured at the time of hypoglycaemia had no correlation with the severity of hypoglycaemia, (b) the serum insulin level was undetectable despite severe hypoglycaemia in a significant proportion of patients, (c) there was no correlation between the birth weight and the insulin level at the time of hypoglycaemia, (d) the suppression of ketogenesis was more marked than that of the non-esterified fatty acids. This study suggests that the diagnosis of HH should not rely solely on a raised serum insulin level at the time of hypoglycaemia but on the constellation of clinical and biochemical findings.

Biochemical characteristics among Mycobacterium bovis BCG substrains.

PubMed

Hayashi, Daisuke; Takii, Takemasa; Mukai, Tetsu; Makino, Masahiko; Yasuda, Emi; Horita, Yasuhiro; Yamamoto, Ryuji; Fujiwara, Akiko; Kanai, Keita; Kondo, Maki; Kawarazaki, Aya; Yano, Ikuya; Yamamoto, Saburo; Onozaki, Kikuo

2010-05-01

In order to evaluate the biochemical characteristics of 14 substrains of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) - Russia, Moreau, Japan, Sweden, Birkhaug, Danish, Glaxo, Mexico, Tice, Connaught, Montreal, Phipps, Australia and Pasteur - we performed eight different biochemical tests, including those for nitrate reduction, catalase, niacin accumulation, urease, Tween 80 hydrolysis, pyrazinamidase, p-amino salicylate degradation and resistance to thiophene 2-carboxylic acid hydrazide. Catalase activities of the substrains were all low. Data for nitrate reduction, niacin accumulation, Tween 80 hydrolysis, susceptibility to hydrogen peroxide and nitrate, and optimal pH for growth were all variable among these substrains. These findings suggest that the heterogeneities of biochemical characteristics are relevant to the differences in resistance of BCG substrains to environmental stress. The study also contributes to the re-evaluation of BCG substrains for use as vaccines.

Biochemical mutagens affect the preservation of fungi and biodiversity estimations.

PubMed

Paterson, R Russell M; Lima, Nelson

2013-01-01

Many fungi have significant industrial applications or biosafety concerns and maintaining the original characteristics is essential. The preserved fungi have to represent the situation in nature for posterity, biodiversity estimations, and taxonomic research. However, spontaneous fungal mutations and secondary metabolites affecting producing fungi are well known. There is increasing interest in the preservation of microbes in Biological Resource Centers (BRC) to ensure that the organisms remain viable and stable genetically. It would be anathema if they contacted mutagens routinely. However, for the purpose of this discussion, there are three potential sources of biochemical mutagens when obtaining individual fungi from the environment: (a) mixtures of microorganisms are plated routinely onto growth media containing mutagenic antibiotics to control overgrowth by contaminants, (b) the microbial mixtures may contain microorganisms capable of producing mutagenic secondary metabolites, and (c) target fungi for isolation may produce "self" mutagens in pure culture. The probability that these compounds could interact with fungi undermines confidence in the preservation process and the potential effects of these biochemical mutagens are considered for the first time on strains held in BRC in this review.

Hemodynamic, ventilatory, and biochemical responses of panic patients and normal controls with sodium lactate infusion and spontaneous panic attacks.

PubMed

Gaffney, F A; Fenton, B J; Lane, L D; Lake, C R

1988-01-01

Hemodynamic, ventilatory, and biochemical variables were measured in ten healthy adults and ten panic patients during infusion of 0.5 mol/L of sodium lactate. Physical activity, fitness level, and ambulatory electrocardiograms were also recorded. Lactate infusion doubled cardiac output, increased blood lactate levels by sixfold, and produced hypernatremia, hypocalcemia, and decreased serum bicarbonate levels in both groups but raised arterial pressure only in the patients. The patients hyperventilated before and during the infusion. Physiological responses and somatic complaints with the infusion differed little between the groups, but emotional complaints were six times more frequent among the panic patients. Eight patients but no control subjects interpreted their symptoms as a panic attack. Heart rate increased with only 14 of 31 recorded spontaneous outpatient panic attacks. Sodium lactate infusions appear to produce panic by mimicking the physiology of spontaneous panic. Treatment with cardioactive agents is not indicated in the absence of cardiopulmonary or autonomic nervous system abnormalities.

Biochemical Characterization of Prion Strains in Bank Voles

PubMed Central

Pirisinu, Laura; Marcon, Stefano; Di Bari, Michele Angelo; D’Agostino, Claudia; Agrimi, Umberto; Nonno, Romolo

2013-01-01

Prions exist as different strains exhibiting distinct disease phenotypes. Currently, the identification of prion strains is still based on biological strain typing in rodents. However, it has been shown that prion strains may be associated with distinct PrPSc biochemical types. Taking advantage of the availability of several prion strains adapted to a novel rodent model, the bank vole, we investigated if any prion strain was actually associated with distinctive PrPSc biochemical characteristics and if it was possible to univocally identify strains through PrPSc biochemical phenotypes. We selected six different vole-adapted strains (three human-derived and three animal-derived) and analyzed PrPSc from individual voles by epitope mapping of protease resistant core of PrPSc (PrPres) and by conformational stability and solubility assay. Overall, we discriminated five out of six prion strains, while two different scrapie strains showed identical PrPSc types. Our results suggest that the biochemical strain typing approach here proposed was highly discriminative, although by itself it did not allow us to identify all prion strains analyzed. PMID:25437201

Craniometaphyseal dysplasia with obvious biochemical abnormality and rickets-like features.

PubMed

Wu, Bo; Jiang, Yan; Wang, Ou; Li, Mei; Xing, Xiao-Ping; Xia, Wei-Bo

2016-05-01

Craniometaphyseal dysplasia (CMD) is a rare genetic disorder that is characterized by progressive sclerosis of the craniofacial bones and metaphyseal widening of long bones, and biochemical indexes were mostly normal. To further the understanding of the disease from a biochemical perspective, we reported a CMD case with obviously abnormal biochemical indexes. A 1-year-old boy was referred to our clinic. Biochemical test showed obviously increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH), mild hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia. Moreover, significant elevated receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) level, but normal β-C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX) concentration were revealed. He was initially suspected of rickets, because the radiological examination also showed broadened epiphysis in his long bones. Supplementation with calcium and calcitriol alleviated biochemical abnormality. However, the patient gradually developed osteosclerosis which was inconformity with rickets. Considering that he was also presented with facial paralysis and nasal obstruction symptom, the diagnosis of craniometaphyseal dysplasia was suspected, and then was confirmed by the mutation analysis of ANKH of the proband and his family, which showed a de novo heterozygous mutation (C1124-1126delCCT) on exon 9. Our study revealed that obvious biochemical abnormality and rickets-like features might present as uncommon characteristics in CMD patients, and the calcium and calcitriol supplementation could alleviate biochemical abnormalities. Furthermore, although early osteoclast differentiation factor was excited in CMD patient, activity of osteoclast was still inert. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Varenicline in Autism: Theory and Case Report of Clinical and Biochemical Changes.

PubMed

Mostafavi, Mojdeh; Hardy, Paul; Arnold, L Eugene

2016-11-01

To explore the potential benefits of varenicline (CHANTIX ® ), a highly specific partial agonist of neuronal α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), for autistic symptoms, and present resulting biochemical changes in light of dopamine-related genotype. The clinical and biochemical changes exhibited by a 19-year-old severely autistic man following the use of low-dose varenicline in an ABA experiment of nature, and his genotype, were extracted from chart review. Clinical outcome was measured by the Ohio Autism Clinical Impression Scale and 12 relevant urine and saliva metabolites were measured by Neuroscience Laboratory. With varenicline, this patient improved clinically and autonomic biochemical indicators in saliva and urine normalized, including dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), epinephrine, norepinephrine, taurine, and histamine levels. In addition, with varenicline, the dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1) antibody titer as well as the percent of baseline calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM KII) activity dropped significantly. When varenicline stopped, he deteriorated; when it was resumed, he again improved. Doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg daily were tried before settling on a dose of 1.5 mg daily. He has remained on varenicline for over a year with no noticeable side effects. This report is, to the best of our knowledge, only the second to demonstrate positive effects of varenicline in autism, the first to show it in a severe case, and the first to show normalization of biochemical parameters related to genotype. As with the previous report, these encouraging results warrant further controlled research before clinical recommendations can be made.

A Biochemical Approach to the Problem of Dyslexia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Sidney McDonald

1985-01-01

The paper presents the case of a sixth-grade boy, labeled dyslexic, who responded positively to a biochemical approach. Remedy of iron, zinc, and Vitamin B-6 deficiencies as well as an imbalance of fatty acids resulted in improvements in hair and skin and also in reading. A biochemical approach to behavior problems is proposed. (Author/CL)

Developments in commercially produced microbials at Biochem Products

Treesearch

John Lublinkhof; Douglas H. Ross

1985-01-01

Biochem Products is part of a large industrial and scientific family - the Solvay Group. Solvay, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium is a multinational company with 46,000 employees worldwide. In the U.S., our working partners include a large polymer manufacturer, a peroxygen producer and a leading poultry and animal health products company. Biochem Products is a...

Kombucha tea fermentation: Microbial and biochemical dynamics.

PubMed

Chakravorty, Somnath; Bhattacharya, Semantee; Chatzinotas, Antonis; Chakraborty, Writachit; Bhattacharya, Debanjana; Gachhui, Ratan

2016-03-02

Kombucha tea, a non-alcoholic beverage, is acquiring significant interest due to its claimed beneficial properties. The microbial community of Kombucha tea consists of bacteria and yeast which thrive in two mutually non-exclusive compartments: the soup or the beverage and the biofilm floating on it. The microbial community and the biochemical properties of the beverage have so far mostly been described in separate studies. This, however, may prevent understanding the causal links between the microbial communities and the beneficial properties of Kombucha tea. Moreover, an extensive study into the microbial and biochemical dynamics has also been missing. In this study, we thus explored the structure and dynamics of the microbial community along with the biochemical properties of Kombucha tea at different time points up to 21 days of fermentation. We hypothesized that several biochemical properties will change during the course of fermentation along with the shifts in the yeast and bacterial communities. The yeast community of the biofilm did not show much variation over time and was dominated by Candida sp. (73.5-83%). The soup however, showed a significant shift in dominance from Candida sp. to Lachancea sp. on the 7th day of fermentation. This is the first report showing Candida as the most dominating yeast genus during Kombucha fermentation. Komagateibacter was identified as the single largest bacterial genus present in both the biofilm and the soup (~50%). The bacterial diversity was higher in the soup than in the biofilm with a peak on the seventh day of fermentation. The biochemical properties changed with the progression of the fermentation, i.e., beneficial properties of the beverage such as the radical scavenging ability increased significantly with a maximum increase at day 7. We further observed a significantly higher D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone content and caffeine degradation property compared to previously described Kombucha tea fermentations. Our

Maximizing the Biochemical Resolving Power of Fluorescence Microscopy

PubMed Central

Esposito, Alessandro; Popleteeva, Marina; Venkitaraman, Ashok R.

2013-01-01

Most recent advances in fluorescence microscopy have focused on achieving spatial resolutions below the diffraction limit. However, the inherent capability of fluorescence microscopy to non-invasively resolve different biochemical or physical environments in biological samples has not yet been formally described, because an adequate and general theoretical framework is lacking. Here, we develop a mathematical characterization of the biochemical resolution in fluorescence detection with Fisher information analysis. To improve the precision and the resolution of quantitative imaging methods, we demonstrate strategies for the optimization of fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence anisotropy and hyperspectral detection, as well as different multi-dimensional techniques. We describe optimized imaging protocols, provide optimization algorithms and describe precision and resolving power in biochemical imaging thanks to the analysis of the general properties of Fisher information in fluorescence detection. These strategies enable the optimal use of the information content available within the limited photon-budget typically available in fluorescence microscopy. This theoretical foundation leads to a generalized strategy for the optimization of multi-dimensional optical detection, and demonstrates how the parallel detection of all properties of fluorescence can maximize the biochemical resolving power of fluorescence microscopy, an approach we term Hyper Dimensional Imaging Microscopy (HDIM). Our work provides a theoretical framework for the description of the biochemical resolution in fluorescence microscopy, irrespective of spatial resolution, and for the development of a new class of microscopes that exploit multi-parametric detection systems. PMID:24204821

Measures of Biochemical Sociology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snell, Joel; Marsh, Mitchell

2008-01-01

In a previous article, the authors introduced a new sub field in sociology that we labeled "biochemical sociology." We introduced the definition of a sociology that encompasses sociological measures, psychological measures, and biological indicators Snell & Marsh (2003). In this article, we want to demonstrate a research strategy that would assess…

Biochemical Education in Brazil.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vella, F.

1988-01-01

Described are discussions held concerning the problems of biochemical education in Brazil at a meeting of the Sociedade Brazileira de Bioquimica in April 1988. Also discussed are other visits that were made to universities in Brazil. Three major recommendations to improve the state of biochemistry education in Brazil are presented. (CW)

Weak Perturbations of Biochemical Oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gailey, Paul

2001-03-01

Biochemical oscillators may play important roles in gene regulation, circadian rhythms, physiological signaling, and sensory processes. These oscillations typically occur inside cells where the small numbers of reacting molecules result in fluctuations in the oscillation period. Some oscillation mechanisms have been reported that resist fluctuations and produce more stable oscillations. In this paper, we consider the use of biochemical oscillators as sensors by comparing inherent fluctuations with the effects of weak perturbations to one of the reactants. Such systems could be used to produce graded responses to weak stimuli. For example, a leading hypothesis to explain geomagnetic navigation in migrating birds and other animals is based on magnetochemical reactions. Because the magnitude of magnetochemical effects is small at geomagnetic field strengths, a sensitive, noise resistant detection scheme would be required.

Discovering Reliable Sources of Biochemical Thermodynamic Data to Aid Students' Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Me´ndez, Eduardo; Cerda´, María F.

2016-01-01

Students of physical chemistry in biochemical disciplines need biochemical examples to capture the need, not always understood, of a difficult area in their studies. The use of thermodynamic data in the chemical reference state may lead to incorrect interpretations in the analysis of biochemical examples when the analysis does not include relevant…

Effects of fluoride on growth, body composition, and serum biochemical profile in a freshwater teleost, Cyprinus carpio.

PubMed

Chen, Jianjie; Cao, Jinling; Wang, Jundong; Jia, Ruhui; Xue, Wenjuan; Li, Yundong; Luo, Yongju; Xie, Lingtian

2013-10-01

Fluoride is ubiquitously distributed in natural waters. Elevated fluoride may cause histopathological changes and induce oxidative stress in the gills of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The present study further evaluates the effects of fluoride on growth performance, body composition, and biochemical measurements of C. carpio. The results showed that food intake, growth, serum osmolality, body composition, and biochemical measures in the blood were affected by fluoride. Weight gain rate and specific growth rate in the exposed fish decreased compared with those of the control fish. Levels of crude protein and crude lipids were reduced in the fluoride-exposed fish. The major ion levels in the sera of fluoride-exposed fish were severely disturbed, resulting in a lower osmolality. All the biochemical parameters measured in the blood were affected by the exposure to fluoride. Total protein, albumin, globulin, and glucose in fish exposed to 63.6 mg/L, 77.7 mg/L, and 124.4 mg/L were lower than those in the control fish. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were markedly increased in exposed fish compared with control. Taken together, the data showed that exposure to fluoride caused a suite of detrimental effects in C. carpio, which might lead to a decrease in growth and food utilization efficiency. The results of the present study indicated that high levels of fluoride could pose a threat to carp in the field. © 2013 SETAC.

Added ingredients affect the microbiota and biochemical characteristics of durum wheat type-I sourdough.

PubMed

Minervini, Fabio; Celano, Giuseppe; Lattanzi, Anna; De Angelis, Maria; Gobbetti, Marco

2016-12-01

This study aimed at understanding the effect of additional ingredients (baker's yeast, macerated pears, grape must, honey, or water from macerated pears) on the microbiota and biochemical characteristics of durum wheat-based sourdough. One dough prepared using only flour was used as the control (control-dough). Compared to the control-dough, doughs containing additional ingredients showed higher (P < 0.05) cell numbers of lactic acid bacteria after the first fermentation. Constant pH of ca. 4.0 was found after two (macerated pears or water pears-doughs) to seven (control-dough) back-slopping steps. The use of additional ingredients caused lower microbial diversity, after the first fermentation and in mature sourdoughs. Regardless of the type of ingredient used, OTU belonging to the genus Lactobacillus represented more than 95% of the total Firmicutes in mature sourdoughs. Some metabolic capacities of microbial community of the mature sourdoughs were linked to the additional ingredient. Based on culture-dependent method, Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae dominated in all the sourdoughs. However, the sourdoughs showed different strains of these two species. Other lactic acid bacterium species were associated to baker's yeast, grape must and macerated pears. The different microbial composition was correlated (r > 0.7, P < 0.05) with several biochemical characteristics of the sourdoughs (e.g., free amino acids and their derivatives). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochemical and nutritional evaluation of patients with visceral leishmaniasis before and after treatment with leishmanicidal drugs.

PubMed

Gatto, Mariana; de Abreu, Mariana Miziara; Tasca, Karen Ingrid; Simão, José Cláudio; Fortaleza, Carlos Magno Castelo Branco; Pereira, Paulo Câmara Marques; Calvi, Sueli Aparecida

2013-01-01

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is caused by the intracellular protozoan Leishmania donovani complex. VL may be asymptomatic or progressive and is characterized by fever, anemia, weight loss and the enlargement of the spleen and liver. The nutritional status of the patients with VL is a major determinant of the progression, severity and mortality of the disease, as it affects the clinical progression of the disease. Changes in lipoproteins and plasma proteins may have major impacts in the host during infection. Thus, our goal was evaluate the serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, glucose, albumin, globulin and total protein levels, as well as the body composition, of VL patients before and after treatment. Nutritional evaluation was performed using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to assess body composition. Biochemical data on the serum total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glucose, albumin, globulin and total protein were collected from the medical charts of the patients. BIA indicated that both pre-treatment and post-treatment patients exhibited decreased phase angles compared to the controls, which is indicative of disease. Prior to treatment, the patients exhibited lower levels of total body water compared to the controls. Regarding the biochemical evaluation, patients with active VL exhibited lower levels of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and albumin and higher triglyceride levels compared to patients after treatment and the controls. Treatment increased the levels of albumin and lipoproteins and decreased the triglyceride levels. Our results suggest that patients with active VL present biochemical and nutritional changes that are reversed by treatment.

[Biochemical failure after curative treatment for localized prostate cancer].

PubMed

Zouhair, Abderrahim; Jichlinski, Patrice; Mirimanoff, René-Olivier

2005-12-07

Biochemical failure after curative treatment for localized prostate cancer is frequent. The diagnosis of biochemical failure is clear when PSA levels rise after radical prostatectomy, but may be more difficult after external beam radiation therapy. The main difficulty once biochemical failure is diagnosed is to distinguish between local and distant failure, given the low sensitivity of standard work-up exams. Metabolic imaging techniques currently under evaluation may in the future help us to localize the site of failures. There are several therapeutic options depending on the initial curative treatment, each with morbidity risks that should be considered in multidisciplinary decision-making.

Atherogenic dyslipidemia in children: evaluation of clinical, biochemical and genetic aspects.

PubMed

Montali, Anna; Truglio, Gessica; Martino, Francesco; Ceci, Fabrizio; Ferraguti, Giampiero; Ciociola, Ester; Maranghi, Marianna; Gianfagna, Francesco; Iacoviello, Licia; Strom, Roberto; Lucarelli, Marco; Arca, Marcello

2015-01-01

The precursors of atherogenic dyslipidemia (AD) are not well defined. Therefore, we investigated 62 non-obese, non-diabetic AD and 221 normolipemic children. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure and biochemical measures were obtained in index children, their parents and all available siblings. The heritability (h(2)) of anthropometric and biochemical traits was estimated by SOLAR. Rare and common variants in APOA1 and LPL genes were screened by re-sequencing. Compared to normolipemic, AD children showed increased body mass index, waist circumference, plasma glucose, insulin, ApoB, HOMA-IR, hs-CRP and lower adiponectin (p<0.001 for all). Metabolic syndrome was present in 40% of AD while absent in controls. All traits (except adiponectin and hs-CRP) showed a strong familial aggregation, with plasma glucose having the highest heritability (89%). Overall, 4 LPL loss-of-function mutations were detected (p.Asp9Asn, p.Ser45Asn, p.Asn291Ser, p.Leu365Val) and their cumulative prevalence was higher in AD than in control children (0.073 vs. 0.026; P=0.038). The LPL p.S447* gain-of-function mutation, resulted to be less frequent in AD than in control children (0.064 vs. 0.126; P=0.082). No variant in the APOA1 gene was found. Our data indicate that AD is a rather common dyslipidemia in childhood; it associates with metabolic abnormalities typical of insulin resistant state and shows a strong familial aggregation. LPL variants may contribute to the development of AD phenotype.

Validation of artificial neural network models for predicting biochemical markers associated with male infertility.

PubMed

Vickram, A S; Kamini, A Rao; Das, Raja; Pathy, M Ramesh; Parameswari, R; Archana, K; Sridharan, T B

2016-08-01

Seminal fluid is the secretion from many glands comprised of several organic and inorganic compounds including free amino acids, proteins, fructose, glucosidase, zinc, and other scavenging elements like Mg(2+), Ca(2+), K(+), and Na(+). Therefore, in the view of development of novel approaches and proper diagnosis to male infertility, overall understanding of the biochemical and molecular composition and its role in regulation of sperm quality is highly desirable. Perhaps this can be achieved through artificial intelligence. This study was aimed to elucidate and predict various biochemical markers present in human seminal plasma with three different neural network models. A total of 177 semen samples were collected for this research (both fertile and infertile samples) and immediately processed to prepare a semen analysis report, based on the protocol of the World Health Organization (WHO [2010]). The semen samples were then categorized into oligoasthenospermia (n=35), asthenospermia (n=35), azoospermia (n=22), normospermia (n=34), oligospermia (n=34), and control (n=17). The major biochemical parameters like total protein content, fructose, glucosidase, and zinc content were elucidated by standard protocols. All the biochemical markers were predicted by using three different artificial neural network (ANN) models with semen parameters as inputs. Of the three models, the back propagation neural network model (BPNN) yielded the best results with mean absolute error 0.025, -0.080, 0.166, and -0.057 for protein, fructose, glucosidase, and zinc, respectively. This suggests that BPNN can be used to predict biochemical parameters for the proper diagnosis of male infertility in assisted reproductive technology (ART) centres. AAS: absorption spectroscopy; AI: artificial intelligence; ANN: artificial neural networks; ART: assisted reproductive technology; BPNN: back propagation neural network model; DT: decision tress; MLP: multilayer perceptron; PESA: percutaneous

Optimal Signal Processing in Small Stochastic Biochemical Networks

PubMed Central

Ziv, Etay; Nemenman, Ilya; Wiggins, Chris H.

2007-01-01

We quantify the influence of the topology of a transcriptional regulatory network on its ability to process environmental signals. By posing the problem in terms of information theory, we do this without specifying the function performed by the network. Specifically, we study the maximum mutual information between the input (chemical) signal and the output (genetic) response attainable by the network in the context of an analytic model of particle number fluctuations. We perform this analysis for all biochemical circuits, including various feedback loops, that can be built out of 3 chemical species, each under the control of one regulator. We find that a generic network, constrained to low molecule numbers and reasonable response times, can transduce more information than a simple binary switch and, in fact, manages to achieve close to the optimal information transmission fidelity. These high-information solutions are robust to tenfold changes in most of the networks' biochemical parameters; moreover they are easier to achieve in networks containing cycles with an odd number of negative regulators (overall negative feedback) due to their decreased molecular noise (a result which we derive analytically). Finally, we demonstrate that a single circuit can support multiple high-information solutions. These findings suggest a potential resolution of the “cross-talk” phenomenon as well as the previously unexplained observation that transcription factors that undergo proteolysis are more likely to be auto-repressive. PMID:17957259

Know-how and know-why in biochemical engineering.

PubMed

von Stockar, U; Valentinotti, S; Marison, I; Cannizzaro, C; Herwig, C

2003-08-01

This contribution analyzes the position of biochemical engineering in general and bioprocess engineering particularly in the force fields between fundamental science and applications, and between academia and industry. By using culture technology as an example, it can be shown that bioprocess engineering has moved slowly but steadily from an empirical art concerned with mainly know-how to a science elucidating the know-why of culture behavior. Highly powerful monitoring tools enable biochemical engineers to understand and explain quantitatively the activity of cellular culture on a metabolic basis. Among these monitoring tools are not just semi-online analyses of culture broth by HPLC, GC and FIA, but, increasingly, also noninvasive methods such as midrange IR, Raman and capacitance spectroscopy, as well as online calorimetry. The detailed and quantitative insight into the metabolome and the fluxome that bioprocess engineers are establishing offers an unprecedented opportunity for building bridges between molecular biology and engineering biosciences. Thus, one of the major tasks of biochemical engineering sciences is not developing new know-how for industrial applications, but elucidating the know-why in biochemical engineering by conducting research on the underlying scientific fundamentals.

Post-operative radiation therapy for advanced-stage oropharyngeal cancer.

PubMed

Hansen, Eric; Panwala, Kathryn; Holland, John

2002-11-01

Between 1985 and 1999, 43 patients with locally-advanced, resectable oropharyngeal cancer were treated with combined surgery and post-operative radiation therapy (RT) at Oregon Health and Science University. Five patients (12 per cent) had Stage III disease and 38 patients (88 per cent) had Stage IV disease. All patients had gross total resections of the primary tumour. Thirty-seven patients had neck dissections for regional disease. RT consisted of a mean tumour-bed dose of 63.0 Gy delivered in 1.8-2.0 Gy fractions over a mean of 49 days. At three- and five-years, the actuarial local control was 96 per cent and the actuarial local/regional control was 80 per cent. The three- and five-year actuarial rates of distant metastases were 41 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively. The actuarial overall survival at three- and five-years was 41 per cent and 34 per cent, respectively. The actuarial rates of progression-free survival were 49 per cent at three-years and 45 per cent at five years. Combined surgery and post-operative RT for advanced-stage oropharyngeal cancer results in excellent local/regional control. This particular group of patients experienced a high-rate of developing distant metastases.

Recommendations for terminology and databases for biochemical thermodynamics.

PubMed

Alberty, Robert A; Cornish-Bowden, Athel; Goldberg, Robert N; Hammes, Gordon G; Tipton, Keith; Westerhoff, Hans V

2011-05-01

Chemical equations are normally written in terms of specific ionic and elemental species and balance atoms of elements and electric charge. However, in a biochemical context it is usually better to write them with ionic reactants expressed as totals of species in equilibrium with each other. This implies that atoms of elements assumed to be at fixed concentrations, such as hydrogen at a specified pH, should not be balanced in a biochemical equation used for thermodynamic analysis. However, both kinds of equations are needed in biochemistry. The apparent equilibrium constant K' for a biochemical reaction is written in terms of such sums of species and can be used to calculate standard transformed Gibbs energies of reaction Δ(r)G'°. This property for a biochemical reaction can be calculated from the standard transformed Gibbs energies of formation Δ(f)G(i)'° of reactants, which can be calculated from the standard Gibbs energies of formation of species Δ(f)G(j)° and measured apparent equilibrium constants of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Tables of Δ(r)G'° of reactions and Δ(f)G(i)'° of reactants as functions of pH and temperature are available on the web, as are functions for calculating these properties. Biochemical thermodynamics is also important in enzyme kinetics because apparent equilibrium constant K' can be calculated from experimentally determined kinetic parameters when initial velocities have been determined for both forward and reverse reactions. Specific recommendations are made for reporting experimental results in the literature. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conditions for duality between fluxes and concentrations in biochemical networks

PubMed Central

Fleming, Ronan M.T.; Vlassis, Nikos; Thiele, Ines; Saunders, Michael A.

2016-01-01

Mathematical and computational modelling of biochemical networks is often done in terms of either the concentrations of molecular species or the fluxes of biochemical reactions. When is mathematical modelling from either perspective equivalent to the other? Mathematical duality translates concepts, theorems or mathematical structures into other concepts, theorems or structures, in a one-to-one manner. We present a novel stoichiometric condition that is necessary and sufficient for duality between unidirectional fluxes and concentrations. Our numerical experiments, with computational models derived from a range of genome-scale biochemical networks, suggest that this flux-concentration duality is a pervasive property of biochemical networks. We also provide a combinatorial characterisation that is sufficient to ensure flux-concentration duality. The condition prescribes that, for every two disjoint sets of molecular species, there is at least one reaction complex that involves species from only one of the two sets. When unidirectional fluxes and molecular species concentrations are dual vectors, this implies that the behaviour of the corresponding biochemical network can be described entirely in terms of either concentrations or unidirectional fluxes. PMID:27345817

Conditions for duality between fluxes and concentrations in biochemical networks

DOE PAGES

Fleming, Ronan M. T.; Vlassis, Nikos; Thiele, Ines; ...

2016-06-23

Mathematical and computational modelling of biochemical networks is often done in terms of either the concentrations of molecular species or the fluxes of biochemical reactions. When is mathematical modelling from either perspective equivalent to the other? Mathematical duality translates concepts, theorems or mathematical structures into other concepts, theorems or structures, in a one-to-one manner. We present a novel stoichiometric condition that is necessary and sufficient for duality between unidirectional fluxes and concentrations. Our numerical experiments, with computational models derived from a range of genome-scale biochemical networks, suggest that this flux-concentration duality is a pervasive property of biochemical networks. We alsomore » provide a combinatorial characterisation that is sufficient to ensure flux-concentration duality.The condition prescribes that, for every two disjoint sets of molecular species, there is at least one reaction complex that involves species from only one of the two sets. When unidirectional fluxes and molecular species concentrations are dual vectors, this implies that the behaviour of the corresponding biochemical network can be described entirely in terms of either concentrations or unidirectional fluxes« less

Conditions for duality between fluxes and concentrations in biochemical networks

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

Fleming, Ronan M. T.; Vlassis, Nikos; Thiele, Ines

Mathematical and computational modelling of biochemical networks is often done in terms of either the concentrations of molecular species or the fluxes of biochemical reactions. When is mathematical modelling from either perspective equivalent to the other? Mathematical duality translates concepts, theorems or mathematical structures into other concepts, theorems or structures, in a one-to-one manner. We present a novel stoichiometric condition that is necessary and sufficient for duality between unidirectional fluxes and concentrations. Our numerical experiments, with computational models derived from a range of genome-scale biochemical networks, suggest that this flux-concentration duality is a pervasive property of biochemical networks. We alsomore » provide a combinatorial characterisation that is sufficient to ensure flux-concentration duality.The condition prescribes that, for every two disjoint sets of molecular species, there is at least one reaction complex that involves species from only one of the two sets. When unidirectional fluxes and molecular species concentrations are dual vectors, this implies that the behaviour of the corresponding biochemical network can be described entirely in terms of either concentrations or unidirectional fluxes« less

A Course in... Biochemical Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Terry K-L.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes a chemical engineering course for senior undergraduates and first year graduate students in biochemical engineering. Discusses five experiments used in the course: aseptic techniques, dissolved oxygen measurement, oxygen uptake by yeast, continuous sterilization, and cultivation of microorganisms. (MVL)

Computer-aided biochemical programming of synthetic microreactors as diagnostic devices.

PubMed

Courbet, Alexis; Amar, Patrick; Fages, François; Renard, Eric; Molina, Franck

2018-04-26

Biological systems have evolved efficient sensing and decision-making mechanisms to maximize fitness in changing molecular environments. Synthetic biologists have exploited these capabilities to engineer control on information and energy processing in living cells. While engineered organisms pose important technological and ethical challenges, de novo assembly of non-living biomolecular devices could offer promising avenues toward various real-world applications. However, assembling biochemical parts into functional information processing systems has remained challenging due to extensive multidimensional parameter spaces that must be sampled comprehensively in order to identify robust, specification compliant molecular implementations. We introduce a systematic methodology based on automated computational design and microfluidics enabling the programming of synthetic cell-like microreactors embedding biochemical logic circuits, or protosensors , to perform accurate biosensing and biocomputing operations in vitro according to temporal logic specifications. We show that proof-of-concept protosensors integrating diagnostic algorithms detect specific patterns of biomarkers in human clinical samples. Protosensors may enable novel approaches to medicine and represent a step toward autonomous micromachines capable of precise interfacing of human physiology or other complex biological environments, ecosystems, or industrial bioprocesses. © 2018 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

Xeroderma pigmentosum and Cockayne syndrome: overlapping clinical and biochemical phenotypes.

PubMed Central

Greenhaw, G A; Hebert, A; Duke-Woodside, M E; Butler, I J; Hecht, J T; Cleaver, J E; Thomas, G H; Horton, W A

1992-01-01

Two siblings are described whose clinical presentation of cutaneous photosensitivity and central nervous system dysfunction is strongly reminiscent of the DeSanctis-Cacchione syndrome (DCS) variant of xeroderma pigmentosum. An extensive clinical evaluation supported a diagnosis of DCS and documented previously unreported findings. In vitro fibroblast studies showed UV sensitivity that was two to three times that of normal controls. However, neither a post-UV-irradiation DNA excision-repair defect indicative of XP nor a semiconservative DNA replication defect indicative of XP variant was found. Rather, a failure of RNA synthesis to recover to normal levels after UV exposure was observed, a biochemical abnormality seen in Cockayne syndrome (CS), one of the premature-aging syndromes with clinical UV sensitivity. These patients, therefore, clinically have XP, but their biochemical characteristics suggest CS. The reason(s) for the severe neurologic disease, in light of the relatively mild cutaneous abnormalities, is unclear. Other cases with unusual fibroblast responses to irradiation have been noted in the literature and, along with the data from our patients, reinforce the notion of the complexity of DNA maintenance and repair. Images Figure 1 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:1372469

40 CFR 158.2050 - Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides human health... § 158.2050 Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. (a) General. (1... table shows the data requirements for biochemical pesticides human health assessment. The test notes are...

40 CFR 158.2050 - Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides human health... § 158.2050 Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. (a) General. (1... table shows the data requirements for biochemical pesticides human health assessment. The test notes are...

40 CFR 158.2050 - Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides human health... § 158.2050 Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. (a) General. (1... table shows the data requirements for biochemical pesticides human health assessment. The test notes are...

40 CFR 158.2050 - Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides human health... § 158.2050 Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. (a) General. (1... table shows the data requirements for biochemical pesticides human health assessment. The test notes are...

40 CFR 158.2050 - Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Biochemical pesticides human health... § 158.2050 Biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. (a) General. (1... table shows the data requirements for biochemical pesticides human health assessment. The test notes are...

Outcomes of Proton Therapy for Patients With Functional Pituitary Adenomas

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

Wattson, Daniel A.; Tanguturi, Shyam K.; Spiegel, Daphna Y.

2014-11-01

Purpose/Objective(s): This study evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of proton therapy for functional pituitary adenomas (FPAs). Methods and Materials: We analyzed 165 patients with FPAs who were treated at a single institution with proton therapy between 1992 and 2012 and had at least 6 months of follow-up. All but 3 patients underwent prior resection, and 14 received prior photon irradiation. Proton stereotactic radiosurgery was used for 92% of patients, with a median dose of 20 Gy(RBE). The remainder received fractionated stereotactic proton therapy. Time to biochemical complete response (CR, defined as ≥3 months of normal laboratory values with no medical treatment), local control,more » and adverse effects are reported. Results: With a median follow-up time of 4.3 years (range, 0.5-20.6 years) for 144 evaluable patients, the actuarial 3-year CR rate and the median time to CR were 54% and 32 months among 74 patients with Cushing disease (CD), 63% and 27 months among 8 patients with Nelson syndrome (NS), 26% and 62 months among 50 patients with acromegaly, and 22% and 60 months among 9 patients with prolactinomas, respectively. One of 3 patients with thyroid stimulating hormone—secreting tumors achieved CR. Actuarial time to CR was significantly shorter for corticotroph FPAs (CD/NS) compared with other subtypes (P=.001). At a median imaging follow-up time of 43 months, tumor control was 98% among 140 patients. The actuarial 3-year and 5-year rates of development of new hypopituitarism were 45% and 62%, and the median time to deficiency was 40 months. Larger radiosurgery target volume as a continuous variable was a significant predictor of hypopituitarism (adjusted hazard ratio 1.3, P=.004). Four patients had new-onset postradiosurgery seizures suspected to be related to generously defined target volumes. There were no radiation-induced tumors. Conclusions: Proton irradiation is an effective treatment for FPAs, and hypopituitarism remains the

Biochemical analysis of tunica vaginalis fluid in patients with or without idiopathic hydroceles.

PubMed

Madlala, T S; Rencken, R K; Bornman, M S; Reif, S; Joubert, H F; Van der Merwe, C A

1994-10-01

To establish the differences, if any, between the biochemical composition of idiopathic hydrocele fluid and the fluid normally present in the tunica vaginalis. Aspiration and sclerotherapy of 37 idiopathic hydroceles from patients who presented to this urology clinic were performed. The biochemical content of the fluid was compared with that of the tunica vaginalis fluid from a small group of controls (n = 8), taken from patients undergoing orchidectomy for carcinoma of the prostate. Differences in several measurements were recorded; in particular, there were significantly higher concentrations of calcium, albumin, total protein and creatine-kinase in the hydrocele group. The levels of potassium, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly lower in the hydrocele group. Whether these differences have a role in the causation of an idiopathic hydrocele is, at this stage, speculative. A similar study on a larger scale would probably be more conclusive.

Comparative biochemical composition in gonad and adductor muscle of triploid and diploid catarina scallop (Argopecten ventricosus Sowerby II, 1842).

PubMed

Ruiz-Verdugo, C A.; Racotta, I S.; Ibarra, A M.

2001-05-15

Biochemical components of gonad and adductor muscle for diploid and triploid catarina scallop, Argopecten ventricosus, were evaluated and compared at four periods in 1 year (January, April, June, and October). Two comparisons were done. The first one compared an untreated control (diploid) vs. a triploidy-treated group for which the percentage of triploids was 57%. The second comparison was done on a group derived from within the triploidy-treated group, separating diploids (internal control) from triploids ('putative triploids'). Regardless of which comparison, in the gonad diploid scallops had larger concentrations of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and acylglycerols than triploid scallops. This reflects the maturation processes in diploid scallops vs. the sterility seen in most triploid scallops, and it is particularly supported by the consistently larger concentration of acylglycerols in gonads of diploids than in triploids. The gonad index of the internal control (diploid) group was significantly larger than that seen in the putative triploid group at all sampling periods but October, when none of the gonad biochemical components were different between ploidy groups.Triploid scallops had a significantly larger muscle index than diploids from April to October. This can be caused by a larger gain in muscle tissue in triploids than diploids from January to June. However, there were no consistent differences in any of the biochemical components evaluated in adductor muscle of diploids and triploids. The use of freshly ingested food rather than reserve mobilization from muscle in diploids is suggested by these results. Nutrients derived from ingested food are apparently used for muscle growth in triploids, whereas in diploids those nutrients serve primarily for gonad development. The importance of freshly ingested food for maintenance and growth is suggested because the decline in biochemical components seen in October in both muscle and gonad was paired with a

Stoichiometric network theory for nonequilibrium biochemical systems.

PubMed

Qian, Hong; Beard, Daniel A; Liang, Shou-dan

2003-02-01

We introduce the basic concepts and develop a theory for nonequilibrium steady-state biochemical systems applicable to analyzing large-scale complex isothermal reaction networks. In terms of the stoichiometric matrix, we demonstrate both Kirchhoff's flux law sigma(l)J(l)=0 over a biochemical species, and potential law sigma(l) mu(l)=0 over a reaction loop. They reflect mass and energy conservation, respectively. For each reaction, its steady-state flux J can be decomposed into forward and backward one-way fluxes J = J+ - J-, with chemical potential difference deltamu = RT ln(J-/J+). The product -Jdeltamu gives the isothermal heat dissipation rate, which is necessarily non-negative according to the second law of thermodynamics. The stoichiometric network theory (SNT) embodies all of the relevant fundamental physics. Knowing J and deltamu of a biochemical reaction, a conductance can be computed which directly reflects the level of gene expression for the particular enzyme. For sufficiently small flux a linear relationship between J and deltamu can be established as the linear flux-force relation in irreversible thermodynamics, analogous to Ohm's law in electrical circuits.

Microfluidics meets metabolomics to reveal the impact of Campylobacter jejuni infection on biochemical pathways.

PubMed

Mortensen, Ninell P; Mercier, Kelly A; McRitchie, Susan; Cavallo, Tammy B; Pathmasiri, Wimal; Stewart, Delisha; Sumner, Susan J

2016-06-01

Microfluidic devices that are currently being used in pharmaceutical research also have a significant potential for utilization in investigating exposure to infectious agents. We have established a microfluidic device cultured with Caco-2 cells, and utilized metabolomics to investigate the biochemical responses to the bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni. In the microfluidic devices, Caco-2 cells polarize at day 5, are uniform, have defined brush borders and tight junctions, and form a mucus layer. Metabolomics analysis of cell culture media collected from both Caco-2 cell culture systems demonstrated a more metabolic homogenous biochemical profile in the media collected from microfluidic devices, compared with media collected from transwells. GeneGo pathway mapping indicated that aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis was perturbed by fluid flow, suggesting that fluid dynamics and shear stress impacts the cells translational quality control. Both microfluidic device and transwell culturing systems were used to investigate the impact of Campylobacter jejuni infection on biochemical processes. Caco-2 cells cultured in either system were infected at day 5 with C. jejuni 81-176 for 48 h. Metabolomics analysis clearly differentiated C. jejuni 81-176 infected and non-infected medias collected from the microfluidic devices, and demonstrated that C. jejuni 81-176 infection in microfluidic devices impacts branched-chain amino acid metabolism, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis. In contrast, no distinction was seen in the biochemical profiles of infected versus non-infected media collected from cells cultured in transwells. Microfluidic culturing conditions demonstrated a more metabolically homogenous cell population, and present the opportunity for studying host-pathogen interactions for extended periods of time.

Microfluidics Meets Metabolomics to Reveal the Impact of Campylobacter jejuni Infection on Biochemical Pathways

PubMed Central

Mortensen, Ninell P.; Mercier, Kelly A.; McRitchie, Susan; Cavallo, Tammy B.; Pathmasiri, Wimal; Stewart, Delisha; Sumner, Susan J.

2016-01-01

Microfluidic devices that are currently being used in pharmaceutical research also have a significant potential for utilization in investigating exposure to infectious agents. We have established a microfluidic device cultured with Caco-2 cells, and utilized metabolomics to investigate the biochemical responses to the bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni. In the microfluidic devices, Caco-2 cells polarize at day 5, are uniform, have defined brush borders and tight junctions, and form a mucus layer. Metabolomics analysis of cell culture media collected from both Caco-2 cell culture systems demonstrated a more metabolic homogenous biochemical profile in the media collected from microfluidic devices, compared with media collected from transwells. GeneGo pathway mapping indicated that aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis was perturbed by fluid flow, suggesting that fluid dynamics and shear stress impacts the cells translational quality control. Both microfluidic device and transwell culturing systems were used to investigate the impact of Campylobacter jejuni infection on biochemical processes. Caco-2 cells cultured in either system were infected at day 5 with C. jejuni 81-176 for 48 hours. Metabolomics analysis clearly differentiated C. jejuni 81-176 infected and non-infected medias collected from the microfluidic devices, and demonstrated that C. jejuni 81-176 infection in microfluidic devices impacts branched-chain amino acid metabolism, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis. In contrast, no distinction was seen in the biochemical profiles of infected versus non-infected media collected from cells cultured in transwells. Microfluidic culturing conditions demonstrated a more metabolically homogenous cell population, and present the opportunity for studying host-pathogen interactions for extended periods of time. PMID:27231016

Thermodynamics of stoichiometric biochemical networks in living systems far from equilibrium.

PubMed

Qian, Hong; Beard, Daniel A

2005-04-22

The principles of thermodynamics apply to both equilibrium and nonequilibrium biochemical systems. The mathematical machinery of the classic thermodynamics, however, mainly applies to systems in equilibrium. We introduce a thermodynamic formalism for the study of metabolic biochemical reaction (open, nonlinear) networks in both time-dependent and time-independent nonequilibrium states. Classical concepts in equilibrium thermodynamics-enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy of biochemical reaction systems-are generalized to nonequilibrium settings. Chemical motive force, heat dissipation rate, and entropy production (creation) rate, key concepts in nonequilibrium systems, are introduced. Dynamic equations for the thermodynamic quantities are presented in terms of the key observables of a biochemical network: stoichiometric matrix Q, reaction fluxes J, and chemical potentials of species mu without evoking empirical rate laws. Energy conservation and the Second Law are established for steady-state and dynamic biochemical networks. The theory provides the physiochemical basis for analyzing large-scale metabolic networks in living organisms.

Biochemical upgrading of oils

DOEpatents

Premuzic, Eugene T.; Lin, Mow S.

1999-01-12

A process for biochemical conversion of heavy crude oils is provided. The process includes contacting heavy crude oils with adapted biocatalysts. The resulting upgraded oil shows, a relative increase in saturated hydrocarbons, emulsions and oxygenates and a decrease in compounds containing in organic sulfur, organic nitrogen and trace metals. Adapted microorganisms which have been modified under challenged growth processes are also disclosed.

Biochemical upgrading of oils

DOEpatents

Premuzic, E.T.; Lin, M.S.

1999-01-12

A process for biochemical conversion of heavy crude oils is provided. The process includes contacting heavy crude oils with adapted biocatalysts. The resulting upgraded oil shows, a relative increase in saturated hydrocarbons, emulsions and oxygenates and a decrease in compounds containing organic sulfur, organic nitrogen and trace metals. Adapted microorganisms which have been modified under challenged growth processes are also disclosed. 121 figs.

The quality of veterinary in-clinic and reference laboratory biochemical testing.

PubMed

Rishniw, Mark; Pion, Paul D; Maher, Tammy

2012-03-01

Although evaluation of biochemical analytes in blood is common in veterinary practice, studies assessing the global quality of veterinary in-clinic and reference laboratory testing have not been reported. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of biochemical testing in veterinary laboratories using results obtained from analyses of 3 levels of assayed quality control materials over 5 days. Quality was assessed by comparison of calculated total error with quality requirements, determination of sigma metrics, use of a quality goal index to determine factors contributing to poor performance, and agreement between in-clinic and reference laboratory mean results. The suitability of in-clinic and reference laboratory instruments for statistical quality control was determined using adaptations from the computerized program, EZRules3. Reference laboratories were able to achieve desirable quality requirements more frequently than in-clinic laboratories. Across all 3 materials, > 50% of in-clinic analyzers achieved a sigma metric ≥ 6.0 for measurement of 2 analytes, whereas > 50% of reference laboratory analyzers achieved a sigma metric ≥ 6.0 for measurement of 6 analytes. Expanded uncertainty of measurement and ± total allowable error resulted in the highest mean percentages of analytes demonstrating agreement between in-clinic and reference laboratories. Owing to marked variation in bias and coefficient of variation between analyzers of the same and different types, the percentages of analytes suitable for statistical quality control varied widely. These findings reflect the current state-of-the-art with regard to in-clinic and reference laboratory analyzer performance and provide a baseline for future evaluations of the quality of veterinary laboratory testing. © 2012 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

A nutrition education intervention for anthropometric and biochemical profiles of rural older Malays with metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Shahar, Suzana; Adznam, Siti Nur'asyura; Lee, Lai Kuan; Yusof, Noor Aini Mohd; Salleh, Mohmad; Mohamed Sakian, Noor Ibrahim

2013-03-01

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a nutrition education intervention package in improving anthropometric, clinical and biochemical indicators of rural older Malays with metabolic syndrome (MS). In this study, 47 older Malays diagnosed with MS were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 24) or the control group (n = 23) based on their geographical site. The intervention group received nutrition education via group counselling sessions, talks, and cooking and exercise demonstrations using a specifically developed healthy aging package for 6 months. The efficacy of the nutrition education intervention on anthropometric and biochemical parameters was assessed. Women in the nutrition education group showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (p < .01) compared to the control group. Men who received the nutrition education intervention maintained their total cholesterol (TC) level (p < .05) compared to the control group. The nutrition education intervention showed potential for improving TC levels in men and waist circumference in women with MS. Similar intervention studies could be initiated among the older adults in the community as a preventive measure. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of blood lead level on biochemical and hematological parameters in children with neurological diseases of Western Maharashtra, India.

PubMed

Pratinidhi, Shilpa A; Patil, Arun J; Behera, Manaskumar; Patil, Maya; Ghadage, Dnyaneshwari P; Pratinidhi, Asha K

2014-05-01

Lead is found in small but appreciable quantities in air, soil, drinking water, and food. Exposure to such amounts of lead does not lead to acute lead toxicity but produces subtle effects particularly in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of blood lead level on biochemical and hematological parameters in children with neurological diseases in Western Maharashtra, India, and to estimate the blood lead level by liver and kidney function tests and hematological parameters in children with neurological disorders admitted to the pediatric ward and compare them with healthy controls. In this study, 30 children with various neurological disorders admitted to the pediatric ward of Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India, were compared with 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Four milliliters of venous blood was collected for estimation of blood lead level, and biochemical and hematological parameters were determined using standard methods. Blood lead level was significantly increased in the study group (p<0.01, 65.38%) compared to that in the control group. When different neurological conditions were grouped into three groups according to blood lead levels, there was a significant difference between the groups. All other biochemical and hematological parameters were not significantly altered in the study group as compared to the control group. Neurologically challenged children are more vulnerable to lead intoxication. It is imperative for the parents to take extra care of their children's food habits and limit hand-to-mouth activities to prevent lead intoxication.

Impaired telomere length and telomerase activity in peripheral blood leukocytes and granulosa cells in patients with biochemical primary ovarian insufficiency.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaofei; Chen, Xinxia; Zhang, Xiruo; Liu, Yixun; Wang, Zhao; Wang, Peng; Du, Yanzhi; Qin, Yingying; Chen, Zi-Jiang

2017-01-01

Are telomere length and telomerase activity associated with biochemical primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)? Shortened telomere length and diminished telomerase activity were associated with biochemical POI. POI is a result of pathological reproductive aging and encompasses occult, biochemical and overt stages. Studies have indicated telomere length as a biomarker for biological aging. A total of 120 patients with biochemical POI and 279 control women were recruited by the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Shandong University. Telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes (LTL) and granulosa cells (GTL) was measured using a modified Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction technique. The relative telomerase activity (RTA) in granulosa cells was detected using a modified quantitative-telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay. After adjusting for age, patients with biochemical POI (n = 120) exhibited significantly shorter LTLs (0.75 ± 0.09 vs 1.79 ± 0.12, P < 0.001; OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.43-0.68) and GTLs (0.78 ± 0.09 vs 1.90 ± 0.23, P < 0.001; OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.41-0.70) than the controls (n = 279 for LTLs; n = 90 for GTLs). Significantly diminished RTAs in granulosa cells were detected in patients with biochemical POI (n = 31) compared with the controls (n = 38) (1.57 ± 0.59 vs 4.63 ± 0.93, P = 0.025; OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.72-0.98). N/A. The cross-sectional nature of this study might have its limit in telomere length as well as telomerase activity along with the progressing decline in ovarian function. These findings suggest that telomere length and telomerase activity may be considered as indicators for progression of ovarian decline. This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2012CB944700), Science research foundation item of no-earnings health vocation (201402004) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471352, 81270662, 81471509, 81300461, 81522018

The study of the changes in the biochemical and mineral contents of bones of Catla catla due to lead intoxication.

PubMed

Palaniappan, P L R M; Krishnakumar, N; Vadivelu, M; Vijayasundaram, V

2010-02-01

In the present study, an attempt has been made to analyze the changes in the biochemical and mineral contents of lead-intoxicated bones of Catla catla at subchronic (15.5 ppm) exposure, and also to determine whether the effects of Pb intoxication can be reversed with the chelating agent meso 2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) on the bones of freshwater fingerlings Catla catla by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic absorption spectrophotometer techniques. The FT-IR spectra of the lead-exposed bones show significant alteration in the biochemical constituents. The XRD analysis showed a decrease in crystallinity due to lead exposure. Further, the Ca, Mg, and P contents of the lead-exposed bones were less than those of the control group, and there was an increase in the mineral contents of the bones after DMSA treatment. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the subchronic lead exposure results in severe loss of bone minerals. The overall decrease in the FT-IR band intensity of Pb-exposed bones relative to the control indicates a decrease in the biochemical constituents like proteins and lipids. The increase in the band intensity after treatment with chelating agent DMSA indicates increased biochemical constituents, showing that the subchronic effects of lead can be reversed by DMSA. The amide I bands observed at 1654 cm(-1) in the present study suggest that the protein is dominated by alpha-helical structure.

Impaired quality of life in patients with treated acromegaly despite long-term biochemically stable disease: Results from a 5-years prospective study.

PubMed

Kyriakakis, Nikolaos; Lynch, Julie; Gilbey, Stephen G; Webb, Susan M; Murray, Robert D

2017-06-01

Patients with acromegaly demonstrate impaired quality of life (QoL), but data on long-term QoL changes in treated acromegaly are limited. This study evaluates and identifies factors that influence QoL in patients with long-term biochemical remission. The study consists of a cross-sectional arm comparing QoL between patients with treated and controlled acromegaly and healthy controls; and a longitudinal arm assessing QoL changes in patients with biochemically stable disease during 5.7±0.6 years of follow-up. A total of 58 patients and 116 matched controls were recruited for the cross-sectional arm; 28 patients completed the longitudinal arm. Three generic questionnaires (Psychological General Well-Being Schedule [PGWBS], 36-item Short-Form [SF-36], EuroQoL [EQ-5D]) and the disease-specific acromegaly QoL questionnaire (AcroQoL) were applied. Quality of life assessment was performed 11.6±8.2 years following diagnosis and treatment of acromegaly. Patients with treated acromegaly had lower QoL scores compared with controls in all questionnaires with the exception of the PGWBS "Anxiety" subscale. The AcroQoL "Appearance" subscale and the "Physical Function" subscales of the remaining questionnaires were the most underscored domains. No difference in the total and subscale scores of all questionnaires was observed between baseline and follow-up, with the exception of the SF-36 "Physical Function," where a decline was found (58.5±24.7% vs 43.1±31.1%; P=.002). However, after adjusting for covariates, no significant change in any of the QoL scores was seen. Duration of IGF-1/GH control was positively correlated with QoL scores in most questionnaires at baseline, whereas use of GH lowering therapy at the time of QoL assessment was a negative predictive factor of QoL. Patients with biochemically controlled acromegaly demonstrate impaired QoL, which persists despite long-term disease control. This primarily consists of impaired physical function and secondly of impaired

Impact of industrial effluents on the biochemical composition of fresh water fish Labeo rohita.

PubMed

Muley, D V; Karanjkar, D M; Maske, S V

2007-04-01

In acute toxicity (96 hr) experiment the fingerlings of freshwater fish Labeo rohita was exposed to tannery, electroplating and textile mill effluents. The LC0 and LC50 concentrations were 15% and 20% for tannery effluents, 3% and 6% for electroplating effluents and 18% and 22% for textile mill effluents respectively. It was found that, electroplating effluent was more toxic than tannery and textile mill wastes. After acute toxicity experiments for different industrial effluents, various tissues viz. gill, liver, muscle and kidney were obtained separately from control, LC0 and LC50 groups. These tissues were used for biochemical estimations. The glycogen content in all the tissues decreased considerably upon acute toxicity of three industrial effluents except muscle in LC50 group of tannery effluent and kidney in LC50 group of textile mill effluent, when compared to control group. The total protein content decreased in all tissues in three effluents except gills in LC50 group of tannery effluent, kidney in LC50 group of electroplating effluent and kidney in LC0 group of textile mill effluent. In general total lipid content decreased in all tissues after acute exposure when compared to control group. The results obtained in the present study showed that, the industrial effluents from tannery, electroplating and textile mills caused marked depletion in biochemical composition in various tissues of the fish Labeo rohita after acute exposure.

Histopathological and biochemical assessment of d-limonene-induced liver injury in rats.

PubMed

Ramos, Carlos Alberto F; Sá, Rita de Cássia da S; Alves, Mateus F; Benedito, Rubens B; de Sousa, Damião P; Diniz, Margareth de Fátima F M; Araújo, Maria Salete T; de Almeida, Reinaldo N

2015-01-01

The aim of the present work was to develop a biochemical, histologic and immunohistochemical study about the potential hepatotoxic effect of d-limonene - a component of volatile oils extracted from citrus plants. Blood alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) from d-limonene-treated animals were determined and compared to morphologic hepatic lesions in order to investigate the possible physiopathologic mechanisms involved in the liver toxicity, in experimental animals treated with d-limonene. Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups: two control groups (untreated or receiving only vehicle, tween-80); one positive control (vehicle); two experimental groups treated with d-limonene at doses of 25 mg/kg/day and 75 mg/kg/day for 45 days, and two other groups treated with the same doses for 30 days and kept under observation during 30 more days. Biochemical data showed significant reduction in ALT levels in the animals treated with 75 mg/kg of d-limonene. Histological analysis revealed some hepatocyte morphological lesions, including hydropic degeneration, microvesicular steatosis and necrosis, Kupffer cell hyperplasia and incipient fibrosis. By immunohistochemistry, influx of T (CD3+) and cytotoxic (CD8+) lymphocytes was observed in the rats treated with d-limonene at both dose levels. In conclusion, it is possible that d-limonene has been directly responsible for hepatic parenchymal and matrix damage following subchronic treatment with d-limonene.

Arsenic Uptake, Toxicity, Detoxification, and Speciation in Plants: Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Aspects

PubMed Central

Abbas, Ghulam; Murtaza, Behzad; Bibi, Irshad; Shahid, Muhammad; Khan, Muhammad Imran; Amjad, Muhammad; Hussain, Munawar; Natasha

2018-01-01

Environmental contamination with arsenic (As) is a global environmental, agricultural and health issue due to the highly toxic and carcinogenic nature of As. Exposure of plants to As, even at very low concentration, can cause many morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. The recent research on As in the soil-plant system indicates that As toxicity to plants varies with its speciation in plants (e.g., arsenite, As(III); arsenate, As(V)), with the type of plant species, and with other soil factors controlling As accumulation in plants. Various plant species have different mechanisms of As(III) or As(V) uptake, toxicity, and detoxification. This review briefly describes the sources and global extent of As contamination and As speciation in soil. We discuss different mechanisms responsible for As(III) and As(V) uptake, toxicity, and detoxification in plants, at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. This review highlights the importance of the As-induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as their damaging impacts on plants at biochemical, genetic, and molecular levels. The role of different enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and ascorbate peroxidase) and non-enzymatic (salicylic acid, proline, phytochelatins, glutathione, nitric oxide, and phosphorous) substances under As(III/V) stress have been delineated via conceptual models showing As translocation and toxicity pathways in plant species. Significantly, this review addresses the current, albeit partially understood, emerging aspects on (i) As-induced physiological, biochemical, and genotoxic mechanisms and responses in plants and (ii) the roles of different molecules in modulation of As-induced toxicities in plants. We also provide insight on some important research gaps that need to be filled to advance our scientific understanding in this area of research on As in soil-plant systems. PMID:29301332

Molecular and biochemical characterization of tomato farnesyl-protein transferase.

PubMed

Schmitt, D; Callan, K; Gruissem, W

1996-10-01

The prenylation of membrane-associated proteins involved in the regulation of eukaryotic cell growth and signal transduction is critically important for their subcellular localization and biological activity. In contrast to mammalian cells and yeast, however, the function of protein prenylation in plants is not well understood and only a few prenylated proteins have been identified. We partially purified and characterized farnesyl-protein transferase from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum, LeFTase) to analyze its biochemical and molecular properties. Using Ras- and G gamma-specific peptide substrates and competition assays we showed that tomato protein extracts have both farnesyl-protein transferase and geranylgeranyl-protein transferase 1 activities. Compared with the heterologous synthetic peptide substrates, the plant-specific CaaX sequence of the ANJ1 protein is a less efficient substrate for LeFTase in vitro. LeFTase activity profiles and LeFTase beta-subunit protein (LeFTB) levels differ significantly in various tissues and are regulated during fruit development. Partially purified LeFTase requires Zn2+ and Mg2+ for enzymatic activity and has an apparent molecular mass of 100 kD Immunoprecipitation experiments using anti-alpha LeFTB antibodies confirmed that LeFTB is a component of LeFTase but not of tomato geranylgeranyl-protein transferase 1. Based on their conserved bio-chemical activities, we expect that prenyltransferases are likely integrated with the sterol biosynthesis pathway in the control of plant cell growth.

Stratified analysis of 800 Asian patients after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with a median 64 months of follow up.

PubMed

Abdel Raheem, Ali; Kim, Dae Keun; Santok, Glen Denmer; Alabdulaali, Ibrahim; Chung, Byung Ha; Choi, Young Deuk; Rha, Koon Ho

2016-09-01

To report the 5-year oncological outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy from the largest series ever reported from Asia. A retrospective analysis of 800 Asian patients who were treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy from July 2005 to May 2010 in the Department of Urology and Urological Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea was carried out. The primary end-point was to evaluate the biochemical recurrence. The secondary end-point was to show the biochemical recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival and cancer-specific survival. A total of 197 (24.65%), 218 (27.3%), and 385 (48.1%) patients were classified as low-, intermediate- and high-risk patients according to the D'Amico risk stratification risk criteria, respectively. The median follow-up period was 64 months (interquartile range 28-71 months). The overall incidence of positive surgical margin was 36.6%. There was biochemical recurrence in 183 patients (22.9%), 38 patients (4.8%) developed distant metastasis and 24 patients (3%) died from prostate cancer. Actuarial biochemical recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and cancer-specific survival rates at 5 years were 76.4%, 94.6% and 96.7%, respectively. Positive lymph node was associated with lower 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival (9.1%), cancer-specific survival (75.7%) and metastasis-free survival (61.9%) rates (P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, among all the predictors, positive lymph node was the strongest predictor of biochemical recurrence, cancer-specific survival and metastasis-free survival (P < 0.001). Herein we report the largest robot-assisted radical prostatectomy series from Asia. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy is confirmed to be an oncologically safe procedure that is able to provide effective 5-year cancer control, even in patients with high-risk disease. © 2016 The Japanese Urological Association.

BNDB - the Biochemical Network Database.

PubMed

Küntzer, Jan; Backes, Christina; Blum, Torsten; Gerasch, Andreas; Kaufmann, Michael; Kohlbacher, Oliver; Lenhof, Hans-Peter

2007-10-02

Technological advances in high-throughput techniques and efficient data acquisition methods have resulted in a massive amount of life science data. The data is stored in numerous databases that have been established over the last decades and are essential resources for scientists nowadays. However, the diversity of the databases and the underlying data models make it difficult to combine this information for solving complex problems in systems biology. Currently, researchers typically have to browse several, often highly focused, databases to obtain the required information. Hence, there is a pressing need for more efficient systems for integrating, analyzing, and interpreting these data. The standardization and virtual consolidation of the databases is a major challenge resulting in a unified access to a variety of data sources. We present the Biochemical Network Database (BNDB), a powerful relational database platform, allowing a complete semantic integration of an extensive collection of external databases. BNDB is built upon a comprehensive and extensible object model called BioCore, which is powerful enough to model most known biochemical processes and at the same time easily extensible to be adapted to new biological concepts. Besides a web interface for the search and curation of the data, a Java-based viewer (BiNA) provides a powerful platform-independent visualization and navigation of the data. BiNA uses sophisticated graph layout algorithms for an interactive visualization and navigation of BNDB. BNDB allows a simple, unified access to a variety of external data sources. Its tight integration with the biochemical network library BN++ offers the possibility for import, integration, analysis, and visualization of the data. BNDB is freely accessible at http://www.bndb.org.

Measurement of biochemical oxygen demand of the leachates.

PubMed

Fulazzaky, Mohamad Ali

2013-06-01

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the leachates originally from the different types of landfill sites was studied based on the data measured using the two manometric methods. The measurements of BOD using the dilution method were carried out to assess the typical physicochemical and biological characteristics of the leachates together with some other parameters. The linear regression analysis was used to predict rate constants for biochemical reactions and ultimate BOD values of the different leachates. The rate of a biochemical reaction implicated in microbial biodegradation of pollutants depends on the leachate characteristics, mass of contaminant in the leachate, and nature of the leachate. Character of leachate samples for BOD analysis of using the different methods may differ significantly during the experimental period, resulting in different BOD values. This work intends to verify effect of the different dilutions for the manometric method tests on the BOD concentrations of the leachate samples to contribute to the assessment of reaction rate and microbial consumption of oxygen.

40 CFR 158.2040 - Biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... for biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2... be available for human or livestock consumption. 13. Data on fish are required for all pesticides... for human consumption. 14. Data are required when a pesticide is to be applied directly to water that...

40 CFR 158.2040 - Biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... for biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2... be available for human or livestock consumption. 13. Data on fish are required for all pesticides... for human consumption. 14. Data are required when a pesticide is to be applied directly to water that...

40 CFR 158.2040 - Biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... for biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2... be available for human or livestock consumption. 13. Data on fish are required for all pesticides... for human consumption. 14. Data are required when a pesticide is to be applied directly to water that...

40 CFR 158.2040 - Biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... for biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2... be available for human or livestock consumption. 13. Data on fish are required for all pesticides... for human consumption. 14. Data are required when a pesticide is to be applied directly to water that...

40 CFR 158.2040 - Biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... for biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2... be available for human or livestock consumption. 13. Data on fish are required for all pesticides... for human consumption. 14. Data are required when a pesticide is to be applied directly to water that...

40 CFR 158.2084 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides nontarget organisms and environmental fate data...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... test notes are shown in paragraph (e) of this section. Table—EUP Biochemical Pesticides Nontarget... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2084 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2084 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides nontarget organisms and environmental fate data...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... test notes are shown in paragraph (e) of this section. Table—EUP Biochemical Pesticides Nontarget... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2084 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2084 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides nontarget organisms and environmental fate data...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... test notes are shown in paragraph (e) of this section. Table—EUP Biochemical Pesticides Nontarget... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2084 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides...

40 CFR 158.2084 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides nontarget organisms and environmental fate data...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... test notes are shown in paragraph (e) of this section. Table—EUP Biochemical Pesticides Nontarget... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... FOR PESTICIDES Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2084 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides...

Factors predicting biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy among patients with clinical T3 prostate cancer.

PubMed

Otsuka, Masafumi; Kamasako, Tomohiko; Uemura, Toshihiro; Takeshita, Nobushige; Shinozaki, Tetsuo; Kobayashi, Masayuki; Komaru, Atsushi; Fukasawa, Satoshi

2018-06-19

The effectiveness of cancer control is unclear after radical prostatectomy for patients with clinical T3 prostate cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 1409 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy between April 2007 and December 2014, including 210 patients with cT3 prostate cancer. Nine patients who received neoadjuvant hormonal therapy and three patients who were lost to follow-up were excluded from the analysis. Clinical staging was performed by an experienced radiologist using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging findings. We analyzed the predictors of biochemical recurrence using Cox proportional hazard analyses. A total of 113 patients (57%) underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy and 85 patients (43%) underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. The median follow-up period was 36 months. Downstaging occurred for 60 patients (30%), positive surgical margins were identified in 117 patients (59%), and biochemical recurrence was observed for 89 patients (45%). In the multivariate analyses, the independent preoperative predictors of biochemical recurrence were ≥50% proportion of positive biopsy cores [hazard ratio (HR): 2.858, P < 0.0001] and a biopsy Gleason score of ≥8 (HR: 1.800, P = 0.0093). The independent post-operative predictors of biochemical recurrence were positive surgical margins (HR: 2.490, P = 0.0018) and seminal vesicle invasion (HR: 2.750, P < 0.0001). Among patients with cT3 prostate cancer, the percentage of positive biopsy cores and the biopsy Gleason score should be considered to select treatment. Compared with radical retropubic prostatectomy, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy may be a feasible treatment option in this setting.

Biochemical traits and proteomic changes in postharvest flowers of medicinal chrysanthemum exposed to enhanced UV-B radiation.

PubMed

Yao, Xiaoqin; Chu, Jian-Zhou; Ma, Chun-Hui; Si, Chao; Li, Ji-Gang; Shi, Xiao-Fei; Liu, Chao-Nan

2015-08-01

The article studied UV-B effects on biochemical traits and proteomic changes in postharvest flowers of medicinal chrysanthemum. The experiment about UV-B effects on biochemical traits in flowers included six levels of UV-B treatments (0 (UV0), 50 (UV50), 200 (UV200), 400 (UV400), 600 (UV600) and 800 (UV800) μWcm(-2)). UV400, UV600 and UV800 treatments significantly increased the contents of hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and UV-B absorbing compounds, and the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzyme over the control. The contents of chlorogenic acid and flavone in flowers were significantly increased by UV-B treatments (except for UV50 and UV800). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was utilized to analyze proteomic changes in flowers with or without UV-B radiation. Results indicated that 43 protein spots (>1.5-fold difference in volume) were detected, including 19 spots with a decreasing trend and 24 spots with an increasing trend, and 19 differentially expressed protein spots were successfully indentified by MALDI-TOF MS. The indentified proteins were classified based on functions, the most of which were involved in photosynthesis, respiration, protein biosynthesis and degradation and defence. An overall assessment using biochemical and differential proteomic data revealed that UV-B radiation could affect biochemical reaction and promote secondary metabolism processes in postharvest flowers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Biochemical indicators of anaphylactic shock and the application in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Mi, Li; Chen, Jie; Gao, Wei-Min; Du, Zhong-Bo; Cao, Zhi-Peng; Zhang, Yuan; Zhu, Bao-Li

2014-04-01

Fatal anaphylactic shock is common in forensic practice. However, it is difficult to diagnose for lacking specific pathological and morphologic changes in forensic autopsy. The application of some biochemical indicators is of great significance. This paper reviews the biological characteristics of some biochemical indicators and detection methods. The forensic application, problems and prospects of these indicators are also introduced in details. The stable biochemical indicators, IgE, tryptase and chymase, show great potential and advantages in the identification of fatal anaphylactic shock in forensic medicine.

Effect of azoxystrobin fungicide on the physiological and biochemical indices and ginsenoside contents of ginseng leaves.

PubMed

Liang, Shuang; Xu, Xuanwei; Lu, Zhongbin

2018-04-01

The impact of fungicide azoxystrobin, applied as foliar spray, on the physiological and biochemical indices and ginsenoside contents of ginseng was studied in ginseng ( Panax ginseng Mey. cv. "Ermaya") under natural environmental conditions. Different concentrations of 25% azoxystrobin SC (150 g a.i./ha and 225 g a.i./ha) on ginseng plants were sprayed three times, and the changes in physiological and biochemical indices and ginsenoside contents of ginseng leaves were tested. Physiological and biochemical indices were measured using a spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-2450). Every index was determined three times per replication. Extracts of ginsenosides were analyzed by HPLC (Shimadzu LC20-AB) utilizing a GL-Wondasil C 18 column. Chlorophyll and soluble protein contents were significantly ( p  = 0.05) increased compared with the control by the application of azoxystrobin. Additionally, activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, and ginsenoside contents in azoxystrobin-treated plants were improved, and malondialdehyde content and O 2 - contents were reduced effectively. Azoxystrobin treatments to ginseng plants at all growth stages suggested that the azoxystrobin-induced delay of senescence was due to an enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity protecting the plants from harmful active oxygen species. When the dose of azoxystrobin was 225 g a.i./ha, the effect was more significant. This work suggested that azoxystrobin played a role in delaying senescence by changing physiological and biochemical indices and improving ginsenoside contents in ginseng leaves.

Causal correlation of foliar biochemical concentrations with AVIRIS spectra using forced entry linear regression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, Terence P.; Curran, Paul J.; Kupiec, John A.

1995-01-01

A major goal of airborne imaging spectrometry is to estimate the biochemical composition of vegetation canopies from reflectance spectra. Remotely-sensed estimates of foliar biochemical concentrations of forests would provide valuable indicators of ecosystem function at regional and eventually global scales. Empirical research has shown a relationship exists between the amount of radiation reflected from absorption features and the concentration of given biochemicals in leaves and canopies (Matson et al., 1994, Johnson et al., 1994). A technique commonly used to determine which wavelengths have the strongest correlation with the biochemical of interest is unguided (stepwise) multiple regression. Wavelengths are entered into a multivariate regression equation, in their order of importance, each contributing to the reduction of the variance in the measured biochemical concentration. A significant problem with the use of stepwise regression for determining the correlation between biochemical concentration and spectra is that of 'overfitting' as there are significantly more wavebands than biochemical measurements. This could result in the selection of wavebands which may be more accurately attributable to noise or canopy effects. In addition, there is a real problem of collinearity in that the individual biochemical concentrations may covary. A strong correlation between the reflectance at a given wavelength and the concentration of a biochemical of interest, therefore, may be due to the effect of another biochemical which is closely related. Furthermore, it is not always possible to account for potentially suitable waveband omissions in the stepwise selection procedure. This concern about the suitability of stepwise regression has been identified and acknowledged in a number of recent studies (Wessman et al., 1988, Curran, 1989, Curran et al., 1992, Peterson and Hubbard, 1992, Martine and Aber, 1994, Kupiec, 1994). These studies have pointed to the lack of a physical

Physiological and molecular biochemical mechanisms of bile formation

PubMed Central

Reshetnyak, Vasiliy Ivanovich

2013-01-01

This review considers the physiological and molecular biochemical mechanisms of bile formation. The composition of bile and structure of a bile canaliculus, biosynthesis and conjugation of bile acids, bile phospholipids, formation of bile micellar structures, and enterohepatic circulation of bile acids are described. In general, the review focuses on the molecular physiology of the transporting systems of the hepatocyte sinusoidal and apical membranes. Knowledge of physiological and biochemical basis of bile formation has implications for understanding the mechanisms of development of pathological processes, associated with diseases of the liver and biliary tract. PMID:24259965

Centrifugal multiplexing fixed-volume dispenser on a plastic lab-on-a-disk for parallel biochemical single-end-point assays

PubMed Central

La, Moonwoo; Park, Sang Min; Kim, Dong Sung

2015-01-01

In this study, a multiple sample dispenser for precisely metered fixed volumes was successfully designed, fabricated, and fully characterized on a plastic centrifugal lab-on-a-disk (LOD) for parallel biochemical single-end-point assays. The dispenser, namely, a centrifugal multiplexing fixed-volume dispenser (C-MUFID) was designed with microfluidic structures based on the theoretical modeling about a centrifugal circumferential filling flow. The designed LODs were fabricated with a polystyrene substrate through micromachining and they were thermally bonded with a flat substrate. Furthermore, six parallel metering and dispensing assays were conducted at the same fixed-volume (1.27 μl) with a relative variation of ±0.02 μl. Moreover, the samples were metered and dispensed at different sub-volumes. To visualize the metering and dispensing performances, the C-MUFID was integrated with a serpentine micromixer during parallel centrifugal mixing tests. Parallel biochemical single-end-point assays were successfully conducted on the developed LOD using a standard serum with albumin, glucose, and total protein reagents. The developed LOD could be widely applied to various biochemical single-end-point assays which require different volume ratios of the sample and reagent by controlling the design of the C-MUFID. The proposed LOD is feasible for point-of-care diagnostics because of its mass-producible structures, reliable metering/dispensing performance, and parallel biochemical single-end-point assays, which can identify numerous biochemical. PMID:25610516

[The use of controlled physical training in patients with acute coronary syndrome treated with intervention - assessment of effects on biochemical parameters and functional myocardial].

PubMed

Kapusta, Joanna; Kapusta, Anna; Pawlicki, Lucjan; Irzmański, Robert

2016-06-01

Diseases of the cardiovascular system is one of the most common causes of death among people over 65 years. Due to its course and incidence are a major cause of disability and impaired quality of life for seniors, as well as a serious economic problem in health care. Important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease plays making systematic physical activity, which is a component of any rehabilitation program. Regular physical training by doing cardio-and vasoprotective has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular status and physical performance in patients with diagnosed coronary heart disease, regardless of age. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of controlled exercise on selected biochemical parameters and functional myocardial infarction. A group of 89 patients were divided into 3 subgroups. In group I (n = 30) was performed 2 weeks cardiac rehabilitation program, in group II (n = 30) 4 weekly. Streamline the program consisted of a series of interval training performed using a bicycle ergometer and general exercise. The remaining group (gr. III, n = 29) participated in individually selected training program. In all subjects before and after the training cycle underwent thoracic impedance plethysmography, also determined the level of plasma natriuretic peptide NT-proBNP and echocardiography and exercise test. After training, in groups, which carried out a controlled physical training, improvement was observed: exercise capacity of patients respectively in group I (p = 0.0003), group II (p = 0.0001) and group III (p = 0.032), stroke volume SV, cardiac output CO and global myocardial contractility, there was also reduction in the concentration of natriuretic peptide NT-proBNP. Furthermore, the correlation between the results shown pletyzmography parameters and NT-proBNP, SV, CO and EF. Regular physical training as part of the cardiac rehabilitation has a beneficial effect on biochemical parameters and functional myocardial infarction in patients

New biochemical markers: from bench to bedside.

PubMed

Zaninotto, Martina; Mion, Monica Maria; Novello, Enrica; Altinier, Sara; Plebani, Mario

2007-05-01

Evaluation of patients presenting to hospital with chest pain or other signs or symptoms suggesting acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is problematic, time-consuming and sometimes expensive, even if new biochemical markers, such as troponins, have improved the ability to detect cardiac injury. However, patients with normal troponin values are not necessarily risk-free for major cardiac events. Recent investigations indicate that the overall patient risk may be assessed earlier than before, thanks to new knowledge acquired concerning the pathobiology of atherosclerosis and molecular events involved in the progression of disease, thus allowing the development of new biochemical markers. Some selected markers are released during the different phases of development of cardiovascular disease and may be useful for the diagnosis of patients with cardiovascular disease. In particular, the identification of emerging markers that provide relevant information on the inflammatory process, and the development of biomarkers whose circulating concentrations suggest the status of plaque instability and rupture, seems to be of particular value in prognosis and risk stratification. The overall expectations for a cardiovascular biochemical marker are not only its biological plausibility but also the availability at a reasonable cost of rapid, high quality assays, and their correct interpretation by clinicians using optimal cut-offs. The crossing from bench to bedside for each new marker discovered, must be associated with concurrent advances in the characterization of analytical features and the development of routine assay, in the assessment of analytical performance and in interpretative reporting of test results as well as in the training of physicians to use the array of biomarkers available appropriately and to interpret them correctly. This approach calls for the coordinated support of clinicians, technology experts, statisticians and the industry so that new biochemical

Optimal Information Processing in Biochemical Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiggins, Chris

2012-02-01

A variety of experimental results over the past decades provide examples of near-optimal information processing in biological networks, including in biochemical and transcriptional regulatory networks. Computing information-theoretic quantities requires first choosing or computing the joint probability distribution describing multiple nodes in such a network --- for example, representing the probability distribution of finding an integer copy number of each of two interacting reactants or gene products while respecting the `intrinsic' small copy number noise constraining information transmission at the scale of the cell. I'll given an overview of some recent analytic and numerical work facilitating calculation of such joint distributions and the associated information, which in turn makes possible numerical optimization of information flow in models of noisy regulatory and biochemical networks. Illustrating cases include quantification of form-function relations, ideal design of regulatory cascades, and response to oscillatory driving.

Improved biochemical preservation of lung slices during cold storage.

PubMed

Bull, D A; Connors, R C; Reid, B B; Albanil, A; Stringham, J C; Karwande, S V

2000-05-15

Development of lung preservation solutions typically requires whole-organ models which are animal and labor intensive. These models rely on physiologic rather than biochemical endpoints, making accurate comparison of the relative efficacy of individual solution components difficult. We hypothesized that lung slices could be used to assess preservation of biochemical function during cold storage. Whole rat lungs were precision cut into slices with a thickness of 500 microm and preserved at 4 degrees C in the following solutions: University of Wisconsin (UW), Euro-Collins (EC), low-potassium-dextran (LPD), Kyoto (K), normal saline (NS), or a novel lung preservation solution (NPS) developed using this model. Lung biochemical function was assessed by ATP content (etamol ATP/mg wet wt) and capacity for protein synthesis (cpm/mg protein) immediately following slicing (0 h) and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 h of cold storage. Six slices were assayed at each time point for each solution. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and are presented as means +/- SD. ATP content was significantly higher in the lung slices stored in NPS compared with all other solutions at each time point (P < 0.0001). Protein synthesis was significantly higher in the lung slices stored in NPS compared with all other solutions at 6, 12, and 18 h of preservation (P < 0.05). This lung slice model allows the rapid and efficient screening of lung preservation solutions and their components using quantifiable biochemical endpoints. Using this model, we have developed a novel solution that improves the biochemical preservation of lung slices during cold storage. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Protective and ameliorative effect of sea buckthorn leaf extract supplementation on lead induced hemato-biochemical alterations in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Zargar, Rizwana; Raghuwanshi, Pratiksha; Rastogi, Ankur; Koul, Aditi Lal; Khajuria, Pallavi; Ganai, Aafreen Wahid; Kour, Sumeet

2016-09-01

To evaluate the protective and ameliorative effect of aqueous sea buckthorn leaf extract (SLE) on hemato-biochemical profile in lead intoxicated Wistar rats. An experiment was conducted for 60 days. 36 adult male Wistar rats with a mean body weight of 177.8±12.6 g were divided into five groups and were subjected to various daily oral treatment regimens. Group I served as a negative control receiving only feed and water, Group II (positive control for lead) received lead acetate at 250 ppm in drinking water, and Group III (positive control for SLE) received SLE at 100 mg/kg b.wt. Animals in Group IV received a combination of lead acetate at 250 ppm in drinking water for the first 45 days and SLE at 100 mg/kg b.wt. throughout the experimental period of 60-day, and in Group V for the last 15 days of the trial after the administration of lead acetate until the first 45 days of the trial to study the protective and ameliorating effects of SLE, respectively. Blood samples were collected from retro-orbital fossa of each rat on 0 th , 45 th , and 60 th day of the experiment for hemato-biochemical analysis including hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), serum total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin:globulin ratio, cholesterol, urea, and creatinine. Significantly (p<0.01) lower levels of serum total proteins and albumin, and a significantly (p<0.01) higher serum cholesterol, urea and creatinine levels were observed in Group II (lead intoxicated group) in comparison to Group I (negative control). Administration of SLE at 100 mg/kg body wt. to lead intoxicated Wistar rats resulted in normalization of almost all the biochemical parameters studied in both the treatment Groups, i.e., IV and V (protective and ameliorative). However, the effects were more pronounced in the protective group. No effects of SLE supplementation were observed on Hb levels. PCV levels improved in protective groups, but no effect was observed in ameliorative group in comparison to lead intoxicated

Biochemical markers of trisomy 21 in amniotic fluid.

PubMed

Spencer, K; Muller, F; Aitken, D A

1997-01-01

In a study of amniotic fluid from 91 Down's syndrome cases and 240 controls, we have shown that the median values of four biochemical markers (AFP, total hCG, free beta hCG, and unconjugated oestriol) in the amniotic fluid of pregnancies affected by Down's syndrome on the whole reflect those observed in the maternal serum of affected cases. The median MOM for AFP was lower than average (0.56), as was that for unconjugated oestriol (0.55), whilst those for total hCG (1.82) and free beta hCG (2.10) were increased on average. The width of the distribution of marker levels in amniotic fluid is similar to that in serum for free beta hCG and total hCG but between 1.5 and 2 times wider for unconjugated oestriol and AFP. Analysis of data by fetal sex showed a significantly higher median MOM in female control cases compared with male controls for the analytes free beta hCG, total hCG, and unconjugated oestriol, but not for AFP. Amongst the Down's syndrome cases, this trend was not statistically significant and we cannot confirm a previous study which reported that elevated levels of amniotic fluid total and free beta hCG were associated only with female fetuses.

Tomato lycopene attenuates myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol: electrocardiographic, biochemical and anti-apoptotic study.

PubMed

Aman, Upaganlawar; Vaibhav, Patel; Balaraman, R

2012-05-01

To assess the protective effects of lycopene on electrocardiographic, hemodynamic, biochemical and apoptotic changes in isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction was induced in rats by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (200 mg/kg) for two consecutive days at an interval of 24 h. Rats were treated with lycopene (10 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for a period of 30 days and isoproterenol (ISO) was injected on the 29th and 30th day. At the end of experiment i.e. on the 31st day electrocardiographic, hemodynamic, biochemical and apoptotic changes were monitored from control and experimental groups. ISO injected rats showed a significant alteration in electrocardiograph pattern and hemodynamic changes (i.e. systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure). It also showed significant increase in C-reactive protein, myeloperoxidase, nitrite levels and Caspase-3 protease activity. In addition, it also exhibited alteration in the levels of electrolytes (Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+)), vitamin E, uric acid and serum protein. Gel electrophoresis of ISO injected rats showed increase in DNA fragmentation. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining of the heart section shows increase area of infarction in ISO injected rats. Pre-co-treatment with lycopene significantly prevented the ISO induced alteration in ECG, haemodynamic, biochemical and apoptotic changes. The present result shows that treatment of lycopene in ISO injected rats significantly attenuates induced myocardial infarction.

[Interpretation of false positive results of biochemical prenatal tests].

PubMed

Sieroszewski, Piotr; Słowakiewicz, Katarzyna; Perenc, Małgorzata

2010-03-01

Modern, non-invasive prenatal diagnostics based on biochemical and ultrasonographic markers of fetal defects allows us to calculate the risk of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies with high sensitivity and specificity An introduction of biochemical, non-invasive prenatal tests turned out to result in frequent false positive results of these tests in cases when invasive diagnostics does not confirm fetal defects. However prospective analysis of these cases showed numerous complications in the third trimester of the pregnancies.

Advanced Nanoporous Materials for Micro-Gravimetric Sensing to Trace-Level Bio/Chemical Molecules

PubMed Central

Xu, Pengcheng; Li, Xinxin; Yu, Haitao; Xu, Tiegang

2014-01-01

Functionalized nanoporous materials have been developed recently as bio/chemical sensing materials. Due to the huge specific surface of the nano-materials for molecular adsorption, high hopes have been placed on gravimetric detection with micro/nano resonant cantilevers for ultra-sensitive sensing of low-concentration bio/chemical substances. In order to enhance selectivity of the gravimetric resonant sensors to the target molecules, it is crucial to modify specific groups onto the pore-surface of the nano-materials. By loading the nanoporous sensing material onto the desired region of the mass-type transducers like resonant cantilevers, the micro-gravimetric bio/chemical sensors can be formed. Recently, such micro-gravimetric bio/chemical sensors have been successfully applied for rapid or on-the-spot detection of various bio/chemical molecules at the trace-concentration level. The applicable nanoporous sensing materials include mesoporous silica, zeolite, nanoporous graphene oxide (GO) and so on. This review article focuses on the recent achievements in design, preparation, functionalization and characterization of advanced nanoporous sensing materials for micro-gravimetric bio/chemical sensing. PMID:25313499

Complete integrability of information processing by biochemical reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agliari, Elena; Barra, Adriano; Dello Schiavo, Lorenzo; Moro, Antonio

2016-11-01

Statistical mechanics provides an effective framework to investigate information processing in biochemical reactions. Within such framework far-reaching analogies are established among (anti-) cooperative collective behaviors in chemical kinetics, (anti-)ferromagnetic spin models in statistical mechanics and operational amplifiers/flip-flops in cybernetics. The underlying modeling - based on spin systems - has been proved to be accurate for a wide class of systems matching classical (e.g. Michaelis-Menten, Hill, Adair) scenarios in the infinite-size approximation. However, the current research in biochemical information processing has been focusing on systems involving a relatively small number of units, where this approximation is no longer valid. Here we show that the whole statistical mechanical description of reaction kinetics can be re-formulated via a mechanical analogy - based on completely integrable hydrodynamic-type systems of PDEs - which provides explicit finite-size solutions, matching recently investigated phenomena (e.g. noise-induced cooperativity, stochastic bi-stability, quorum sensing). The resulting picture, successfully tested against a broad spectrum of data, constitutes a neat rationale for a numerically effective and theoretically consistent description of collective behaviors in biochemical reactions.

Biochemical differences in ethnic groups in Durango, Mexico.

PubMed

Lares-Asseff, Ismael; Lujín-García, Azalia; Sosa-Macías, Martha; Lazalde-Ramos, Blanca; Loera-Castañeda, Veronica; Galaviz-Hernández, Carlos; Villanueva-Fierro, Ignacio

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess biochemical differences between Tepehuano indigenous people, and Mennonite and Mestizo populations of Durango, Mexico. Our study involved 334 volunteers aged 15 to 80 years; 132 Mennonite and 130 Mestizo individuals from Nuevo Ideal Municipality and 72 Tepehuano indigenous people from Mezquital Durango were evaluated. A clinical history and fast determination of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), uric acid, urea and creatinine were performed on each studied case. Statistically significant differences between the three studied groups were found for age, weight and height (P < .05), with higher values observed in men. The highest plasma urea levels were found in Mennonite compared to Mestizo people, followed by the Tepehuano indigenous. Higher biochemical parameters were found in men (vs women) in the studied groups. The percentage of individuals with abnormal levels for AST, ALT and uric acid were higher in Tepehuano indigenous people than in Mestizo, whereas the urea and creatinine percentages were higher in Mestizo people. The differences found on biochemical tests, could be explained by differences in lifestyle such as diet and sanitary habits.

Complete integrability of information processing by biochemical reactions.

PubMed

Agliari, Elena; Barra, Adriano; Dello Schiavo, Lorenzo; Moro, Antonio

2016-11-04

Statistical mechanics provides an effective framework to investigate information processing in biochemical reactions. Within such framework far-reaching analogies are established among (anti-) cooperative collective behaviors in chemical kinetics, (anti-)ferromagnetic spin models in statistical mechanics and operational amplifiers/flip-flops in cybernetics. The underlying modeling - based on spin systems - has been proved to be accurate for a wide class of systems matching classical (e.g. Michaelis-Menten, Hill, Adair) scenarios in the infinite-size approximation. However, the current research in biochemical information processing has been focusing on systems involving a relatively small number of units, where this approximation is no longer valid. Here we show that the whole statistical mechanical description of reaction kinetics can be re-formulated via a mechanical analogy - based on completely integrable hydrodynamic-type systems of PDEs - which provides explicit finite-size solutions, matching recently investigated phenomena (e.g. noise-induced cooperativity, stochastic bi-stability, quorum sensing). The resulting picture, successfully tested against a broad spectrum of data, constitutes a neat rationale for a numerically effective and theoretically consistent description of collective behaviors in biochemical reactions.

Circadian Clocks: Unexpected Biochemical Cogs.

PubMed

Mori, Tetsuya; Mchaourab, Hassane; Johnson, Carl Hirschie

2015-10-05

A circadian oscillation can be reconstituted in vitro from three proteins that cycles with a period of ∼ 24 h. Two recent studies provide surprising biochemical answers to why this remarkable oscillator has such a long time constant and how it can switch effortlessly between alternating enzymatic modes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autonomous bio-chemical decontaminator (ABCD) against weapons of mass destruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyacinthe, Berg P.

2006-05-01

The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the use of such elements pose an eminent asymmetric threat with disastrous consequences to the national security of any nation. In particular, the use of biochemical warfare agents against civilians and unprotected troops in international conflicts or by terrorists against civilians is considered as a very peculiar threat. Accordingly, taking a quarantine-before-inhalation approach to biochemical warfare, the author introduces the notion of autonomous biochemical decontamination against WMD. In the unfortunate event of a biochemical attack, the apparatus proposed herein is intended to automatically detect, identify, and more importantly neutralize a biochemical threat. Along with warnings concerning a cyber-WMD nexus, various sections cover discussions on human senses and computer sensors, corroborating evidence related to detection and neutralization of chemical toxins, and cyber-assisted olfaction in stand alone, peer-to-peer, and network settings. In essence, the apparatus can be used in aviation and mass transit security to initiate mass decontamination by dispersing a decontaminant aerosol or to protect the public water supply against a potential bioterrorist attack. Future effort may involve a system-on-chip (SoC) embodiment of this apparatus that allows a safer environment for the emerging phenomenon of cyber-assisted olfaction and morph cell phones into ubiquitous sensors/decontaminators. Although this paper covers mechanisms and protocols to avail a neutralizing substance, further research will need to explore the substance's various pharmacological profiles and potential side effects.

Physiological and biochemical response to high temperature stress in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayamanesh, Shahnoosh; Keitel, Claudia; Ahmad, Nabil; Trethowan, Richard

2016-04-01

High temperature has been shown to lower the growth and yield of Okra, an important summer vegetable crop grown in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Australia. We aimed to characterise the physiological and biochemical response of Okra to heat stress. 150 genotypes from Pakistan and the AVRDC (The World Vegetable Centre) were screened for their physiological response (fluorescence, electrolyte leakage and yield) to heat in a greenhouse. Four genotypes (including heat tolerant and sensitive) were selected and subsequently grown in control and hot greenhouses. Daytime temperatures were on average 10°C warmer in the hot greenhouse, whereas nighttime temperatures were similar between the two temperature treatments. During a 12 week period, the physiological (assimilation rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, fluorescence, electrolyte leakage, water potential) and biochemical (carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, C content) response of the four genotypes to heat stress was assessed. The effect of heat stress on the C allocation patterns and yield in Okra will be discussed.

Raman spectroscopy of oral tissues: correlation of spectral and biochemical markers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, S. P.; Krishna, C. Murali

2014-03-01

Introduction Optical spectroscopic methods are being explored as novel tools for early and non-invasive cancer diagnosis. Both ex vivo and in vivo Raman spectroscopic studies carried out in oral cancer over the past decade have demonstrated that spectra of normal tissues are rich in lipids while tumor spectra show predominance of proteins. An accurate understanding of spectral features with respect to the biochemical composition is a pre-requisite before transferring these technologies for routine clinical usage. Therefore, in the present study, we have carried out Raman and biochemical studies on same tissues to correlate spectral markers and biochemical composition of normal and tumor oral tissues. Materials and Methods Spectra of 20 pairs of normal and tumor oral tissues were acquired using fiber-optic probe coupled HE-785 Raman spectrometer. Intensity associated with lipid (1440 cm-1) and protein (1450 and 1660 cm-1) bands were computed using curve-deconvolution method. Same tissues were then subjected to biochemical estimations of major biomolecules i.e., protein, lipid and phospholipids. Results and Discussion The intensity of the lipid band was found to be higher in normal tissues with respect to tumors, and the protein band was higher in tumors compared to normal tissues. Biochemical estimation yielded similar results i.e. high protein to lipid or phospholipid ratio in tumors with-respect to normal tissues. These differences were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion Findings of curve-deconvolution and biochemical estimation correlate very well and corroborate the spectral profile noted in earlier studies.

40 CFR 158.2081 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... Pesticides § 158.2081 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements...: (d) Table. The following table shows the data requirements for experimental use permit biochemical...

40 CFR 158.2081 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... Pesticides § 158.2081 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements...: (d) Table. The following table shows the data requirements for experimental use permit biochemical...

40 CFR 158.2081 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... Pesticides § 158.2081 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements...: (d) Table. The following table shows the data requirements for experimental use permit biochemical...

40 CFR 158.2081 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... Pesticides § 158.2081 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements...: (d) Table. The following table shows the data requirements for experimental use permit biochemical...

40 CFR 158.2081 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Experimental use permit biochemical... Pesticides § 158.2081 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides product chemistry data requirements...: (d) Table. The following table shows the data requirements for experimental use permit biochemical...

Modeling of uncertainties in biochemical reactions.

PubMed

Mišković, Ljubiša; Hatzimanikatis, Vassily

2011-02-01

Mathematical modeling is an indispensable tool for research and development in biotechnology and bioengineering. The formulation of kinetic models of biochemical networks depends on knowledge of the kinetic properties of the enzymes of the individual reactions. However, kinetic data acquired from experimental observations bring along uncertainties due to various experimental conditions and measurement methods. In this contribution, we propose a novel way to model the uncertainty in the enzyme kinetics and to predict quantitatively the responses of metabolic reactions to the changes in enzyme activities under uncertainty. The proposed methodology accounts explicitly for mechanistic properties of enzymes and physico-chemical and thermodynamic constraints, and is based on formalism from systems theory and metabolic control analysis. We achieve this by observing that kinetic responses of metabolic reactions depend: (i) on the distribution of the enzymes among their free form and all reactive states; (ii) on the equilibrium displacements of the overall reaction and that of the individual enzymatic steps; and (iii) on the net fluxes through the enzyme. Relying on this observation, we develop a novel, efficient Monte Carlo sampling procedure to generate all states within a metabolic reaction that satisfy imposed constrains. Thus, we derive the statistics of the expected responses of the metabolic reactions to changes in enzyme levels and activities, in the levels of metabolites, and in the values of the kinetic parameters. We present aspects of the proposed framework through an example of the fundamental three-step reversible enzymatic reaction mechanism. We demonstrate that the equilibrium displacements of the individual enzymatic steps have an important influence on kinetic responses of the enzyme. Furthermore, we derive the conditions that must be satisfied by a reversible three-step enzymatic reaction operating far away from the equilibrium in order to respond to

2009 Biochemical Conversion Platform Review Report

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

Ferrell, John

2009-12-01

This document summarizes the recommendations and evaluations provided by an independent external panel of experts at the U.S. Department of Energy Biomass Program’s Biochemical Conversion platform review meeting, held on April 14-16, 2009, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown, Denver, Colorado.

Length of positive surgical margin after radical prostatectomy as a predictor of biochemical recurrence.

PubMed

Shikanov, Sergey; Song, Jie; Royce, Cassandra; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat; Zorn, Kevin; Steinberg, Gary; Zagaja, Gregory; Shalhav, Arieh; Eggener, Scott

2009-07-01

Length and location of positive surgical margins are independent predictors of biochemical recurrence after open radical prostatectomy. We assessed their impact on biochemical recurrence in a large robotic prostatectomy series. Data were collected prospectively from 1,398 men undergoing robotic radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer from 2003 to 2008 at a single institution. The associations of preoperative prostate specific antigen, pathological Gleason score, pathological stage and positive surgical margin parameters (location, length and focality) with biochemical recurrence rate were evaluated. Margin status and length were measured by a single uropathologist. Biochemical recurrence was defined as serum prostate specific antigen greater than 0.1 ng/ml on 2 consecutive tests. Cox regression models were constructed to evaluate predictors of biochemical recurrence. Of 1,398 consecutive patients who underwent robotic prostatectomy positive margins were present in 243 (17%) (11% of pathological T2 and 41% of T3). Preoperative prostate specific antigen, pathological stage, Gleason score, margin status, and margin length as a continuous and categorical variable (less than 1, 1 to 3, more than 3 mm) were independent predictors of biochemical recurrence. Patients with negative margins and those with a positive margin less than 1 mm had similar rates of biochemical recurrence (log rank test p = 0.18). Surgical margin location was not independently associated with biochemical recurrence. Margin status and length are independent predictors of biochemical recurrence following robotic radical prostatectomy. Although longer followup and validation studies are necessary for confirmation, patients with a positive margin less than 1 mm appear to have similar recurrence rates as those with negative margins.

Improved biochemical preservation of heart slices during cold storage.

PubMed

Bull, D A; Reid, B B; Connors, R C; Albanil, A; Stringham, J C; Karwande, S V

2000-01-01

Development of myocardial preservation solutions requires the use of whole organ models which are animal and labor intensive. These models rely on physiologic rather than biochemical endpoints, making accurate comparison of the relative efficacy of individual solution components difficult. We hypothesized that myocardial slices could be used to assess preservation of biochemical function during cold storage. Whole rat hearts were precision cut into slices with a thickness of 200 microm and preserved at 4 degrees C in one of the following solutions: Columbia University (CU), University of Wisconsin (UW), D5 0.2% normal saline with 20 meq/l KCL (QNS), normal saline (NS), or a novel cardiac preservation solution (NPS) developed using this model. Myocardial biochemical function was assessed by ATP content (etamoles ATP/mg wet weight) and capacity for protein synthesis (counts per minute (cpm)/mg protein) immediately following slicing (0 hours), and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours of cold storage. Six slices were assayed at each time point for each solution. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and are presented as the mean +/- standard deviation. ATP content was higher in the heart slices stored in the NPS compared to all other solutions at 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours of cold storage (p < 0.05). Capacity for protein synthesis was higher in the heart slices stored in the NPS compared to all other solutions at 6, 12, and 18 hours of cold storage (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This myocardial slice model allows the rapid and efficient screening of cardiac preservation solutions and their components using quantifiable biochemical endpoints. Using this model, we have developed a novel preservation solution which improves the biochemical function of myocardial slices during cold storage.

Rapid Methods for Biochemical Testing of Anaerobic Bacteria

PubMed Central

Schreckenberger, Paul C.; Blazevic, Donna J.

1974-01-01

Rapid biochemical tests for nitrate, indole, gelatin, starch, esculin, and o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside were performed on 112 strains of anaerobic bacteria. All tests were incubated under aerobic conditions, and results were recorded within 4 h. The tests for nitrate, indole, and starch showed a 95% or greater correlation when compared to the standard biochemical tests. Tests for esculin and gelatin showed an agreement of 86 and 77%, respectively. PathoTec test strips for nitrate, indole, esculin, o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside, Voges-Proskauer, and urease were also tested and showed encouraging results. PMID:4613268

The effects of different environmental factors on the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter in Gwangyang Bay, South Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jang Han; Lee, Dabin; Kang, Jae Joong; Joo, Hui Tae; Lee, Jae Hyung; Lee, Ho Won; Ahn, So Hyun; Kang, Chang Keun; Lee, Sang Heon

2017-04-01

The biochemical composition of particulate organic matter (POM) produced through phytoplankton photosynthesis is important in determining food quality for planktonic consumers as well as the physiological conditions of phytoplankton. Major environmental factors controlling the biochemical composition were seasonally investigated in Gwangyang Bay, South Korea, which has only natural conditions (e.g., no artificial dams). Water samples for the biochemical compositions were obtained from three different light depths (100, 30, and 1 %) mainly at three sites in Gwangyang Bay from April 2012 to April 2013. Different biochemical classes (carbohydrates, CHO; proteins, PRT; and lipids, LIP) were extracted, and then the concentrations were determined by the optical density measured with a spectrophotometer. The highest and lowest PRT compositions among the three biochemical classes were found in April 2012 (58.0 %) and August 2012 (21.2 %), whereas the highest and lowest LIP compositions were found in August 2012 (49.0 %) and April 2012 (24.8 %), respectively. The CHO composition was recorded as high in January 2013 and remained above 25 % during the study period. The calorific contents of the food material (FM) ranged from 1.0 to 6.1 Kcal m-3 (annual average ± SD = 2.8 ± 1.1 Kcal m-3). Based on a Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis, a major governing factor in the biochemical composition of POM was dissolved inorganic nitrogen loading from the river input in Gwangyang Bay. In conclusion, a relatively larger amount of FM and the higher calorific contents of POM found in this study compared to other regions reflected good nutritive conditions for sustaining productive shellfish and fish populations in Gwangyang Bay. Continuous observations are needed to monitor the marine ecosystem response to potential environmental perturbations in Gwangyang Bay.

Changes in Biochemical Properties of the Blood in Winter Swimmers.

PubMed

Teleglow, Aneta; Marchewka, Jakub; Marchewka, Anna; Kulpa, Jan

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of winter swimming on biochemical indicators of the blood. The subjects - winter swimmers - belonged to the Krakow Walrus Club "Kaloryfer" - "The Heater". The study group consisted of 11 men, aged 30-50 years, 'walrusing' throughout the whole season from November to March. Statistically significant changes throughout the 'walrusing' season were observed for the following biochemical parameters: a decrease in sodium (mmol/1), chloride (mmol/1), alpha-2 globulin(g/1), gamma globulin (g/1), IgG (g/1), and an increase in albumin (g/1), indicator A/G, IgA (g/l ), Herpes simplex virus IgM. Seasonal effort of winter swimmers has a positive influence on biochemical blood parameters.

A Program on Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San, Ka-Yiu; McIntire, Larry V.

1989-01-01

Presents an introduction to the Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering program at Rice University. Describes the development of the academic and enhancement programs, including organizational structure and research project titles. (YP)

CLINICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH BIOCHEMICAL ADRENAL-CORTISOL INSUFFICIENCY IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS

PubMed Central

Ben-Shlomo, Anat; Mirocha, James; Liu, Ning-Ai; Sheinin, Renee C.; Melmed, Shlomo

2014-01-01

Background Diagnosis of adrenal-cortisol insufficiency is often misleading in hospitalized patients as clinical and biochemical features overlap with co-morbidities. We analyzed clinical determinants associated with a biochemical diagnosis of adrenal-cortisol insufficiency in non-ICU hospitalized patients. Methods In a retrospective cohort study we reviewed 4668 inpatients with random morning cortisol levels ≤15 μg/dL hospitalized in our center between 2003 and 2010. Using serum cortisol threshold level of 18 μg/dL 30 and/or 60 minutes after cortrosyn (250 μg) injection to define biochemical adrenal-cortisol status, we characterized and compared insufficient (n=108, serum cortisol ≤18 μg/dL) and sufficient ( n=394; serum cortisol >18 μg/dL) non-ICU hospitalized patients. Results Commonly reported clinical and routine biochemical adrenal-cortisol insufficiency features were similar between insufficient and sufficient inpatients. Biochemical adrenal-cortisol insufficiency was associated with increased frequency of liver disease, specifically hepatitis C (p=0.01) and prior orthotopic liver transplantation (p<0.001), HIV (p=0.005) and reported preexisting male hypogonadism (p<0.001) as compared to biochemical adrenal-cortisol sufficiency group. Forty percent of insufficient inpatients were not treated with glucocorticoids after diagnosis. Multivariable logistic analysis demonstrated that inpatients with higher cortisol levels (p=0.0001), higher diastolic blood pressure (p=0.05) and females (p=0.009) were more likely not to be treated, while those with previous short-term glucocorticoid treatment (p=0.002), had other co-existing endocrine diseases (p=0.005) or received an inhospital endocrinology consultation (p<0.0001) were more likely to be replaced with glucocorticoids. Conclusions Commonly reported adrenal-cortisol insufficiency features do not reliably identify hospitalized patients biochemically confirmed to have this disorder. Co-morbidities including

Multiple Ion Binding Equilibria, Reaction Kinetics, and Thermodynamics in Dynamic Models of Biochemical Pathways

PubMed Central

Vinnakota, Kalyan C.; Wu, Fan; Kushmerick, Martin J.; Beard, Daniel A.

2009-01-01

The operation of biochemical systems in vivo and in vitro is strongly influenced by complex interactions between biochemical reactants and ions such as H+, Mg2+, K+, and Ca2+. These are important second messengers in metabolic and signaling pathways that directly influence the kinetics and thermodynamics of biochemical systems. Herein we describe the biophysical theory and computational methods to account for multiple ion binding to biochemical reactants and demonstrate the crucial effects of ion binding on biochemical reaction kinetics and thermodynamics. In simulations of realistic systems, the concentrations of these ions change with time due to dynamic buffering and competitive binding. In turn, the effective thermodynamic properties vary as functions of cation concentrations and important environmental variables such as temperature and overall ionic strength. Physically realistic simulations of biochemical systems require incorporating all of these phenomena into a coherent mathematical description. Several applications to physiological systems are demonstrated based on this coherent simulation framework. PMID:19216922

An Integrated Qualitative and Quantitative Biochemical Model Learning Framework Using Evolutionary Strategy and Simulated Annealing.

PubMed

Wu, Zujian; Pang, Wei; Coghill, George M

2015-01-01

Both qualitative and quantitative model learning frameworks for biochemical systems have been studied in computational systems biology. In this research, after introducing two forms of pre-defined component patterns to represent biochemical models, we propose an integrative qualitative and quantitative modelling framework for inferring biochemical systems. In the proposed framework, interactions between reactants in the candidate models for a target biochemical system are evolved and eventually identified by the application of a qualitative model learning approach with an evolution strategy. Kinetic rates of the models generated from qualitative model learning are then further optimised by employing a quantitative approach with simulated annealing. Experimental results indicate that our proposed integrative framework is feasible to learn the relationships between biochemical reactants qualitatively and to make the model replicate the behaviours of the target system by optimising the kinetic rates quantitatively. Moreover, potential reactants of a target biochemical system can be discovered by hypothesising complex reactants in the synthetic models. Based on the biochemical models learned from the proposed framework, biologists can further perform experimental study in wet laboratory. In this way, natural biochemical systems can be better understood.

Chemical and biochemical thermodynamics: Is it time for a reunification?

PubMed

Iotti, Stefano; Raff, Lionel; Sabatini, Antonio

2017-02-01

The thermodynamics of chemical reactions in which all species are explicitly considered with atoms and charge balanced is compared with the transformed thermodynamics generally used to treat biochemical reactions where atoms and charges are not balanced. The transformed thermodynamic quantities suggested by Alberty are obtained by execution of Legendre transformation of the usual thermodynamic potentials. The present analysis demonstrates that the transformed values for Δ r G' 0 and Δ r H' 0 can be obtained directly without performing Legendre transformations by simply writing the chemical reactions with all the pseudoisomers explicitly included and charges balanced. The appropriate procedures for computing the stoichiometric coefficients for the pseudoisomers are fully explained by means of an example calculation for the biochemical ATP hydrolysis reaction. It is concluded that the analysis has reunited the "two separate worlds" of conventional thermodynamics and transformed thermodynamics. In addition, it is also shown that the value of the conditional Gibbs energy of reaction, Δ r G', for a biochemical reaction is the same of the value of Δ r G for any chemical reaction involving pseudoisomers of the biochemical reagents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proton beam radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma: tumor control and cranial nerve toxicity.

PubMed

Weber, Damien C; Chan, Annie W; Bussiere, Marc R; Harsh, Griffith R; Ancukiewicz, Marek; Barker, Fred G; Thornton, Allan T; Martuza, Robert L; Nadol, Joseph B; Chapman, Paul H; Loeffler, Jay S

2003-09-01

We sought to determine the tumor control rate and cranial nerve function outcomes in patients with vestibular schwannomas who were treated with proton beam stereotactic radiosurgery. Between November 1992 and August 2000, 88 patients with vestibular schwannomas were treated at the Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory with proton beam stereotactic radiosurgery in which two to four convergent fixed beams of 160-MeV protons were applied. The median transverse diameter was 16 mm (range, 2.5-35 mm), and the median tumor volume was 1.4 cm(3) (range, 0.1-15.9 cm(3)). Surgical resection had been performed previously in 15 patients (17%). Facial nerve function (House-Brackmann Grade 1) and trigeminal nerve function were normal in 79 patients (89.8%). Eight patients (9%) had good or excellent hearing (Gardner-Robertson [GR] Grade 1), and 13 patients (15%) had serviceable hearing (GR Grade 2). A median dose of 12 cobalt Gray equivalents (range, 10-18 cobalt Gray equivalents) was prescribed to the 70 to 108% isodose lines (median, 70%). The median follow-up period was 38.7 months (range, 12-102.6 mo). The actuarial 2- and 5-year tumor control rates were 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.9-99.9%) and 93.6% (95% CI, 88.3-99.3%). Salvage radiosurgery was performed in one patient 32.5 months after treatment, and a craniotomy was required 19.1 months after treatment in another patient with hemorrhage in the vicinity of a stable tumor. Three patients (3.4%) underwent shunting for hydrocephalus, and a subsequent partial resection was performed in one of these patients. The actuarial 5-year cumulative radiological reduction rate was 94.7% (95% CI, 81.2-98.3%). Of the 21 patients (24%) with functional hearing (GR Grade 1 or 2), 7 (33.3%) retained serviceable hearing ability (GR Grade 2). Actuarial 5-year normal facial and trigeminal nerve function preservation rates were 91.1% (95% CI, 85-97.6%) and 89.4% (95% CI, 82-96.7%). Univariate analysis revealed that prescribed dose (P = 0

Lambda-cyhalothrin-induced biochemical and histopathological changes in the liver of rats: ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid.

PubMed

Fetoui, Hamadi; Garoui, El Mouldi; Zeghal, Najiba

2009-05-01

Pyrethroid pesticides were used preferably over organochlorines and organophosphates due to their high effectiveness, low toxicity to non-target organisms and easy biodegrability. It has widespread applications in agriculture through the world and in Tunisia. The present study investigates lambda-cyhalothrin (LTC) effects on biochemical parameters, hepatotoxicity and their attenuation by vitamin C. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of seven each: a control group (C) and two treated groups during 3 weeks with LTC administrated either alone in drinking water for LTC group or coadministred with vitamin C for LTC+vit C group. Lactate deshydrogenase (LDH) activity was significantly increased in liver (+51%, p<0.001) and in plasma (+40%, p<0.001) compared to those of control group. A significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in liver (+53%; p<0.001) associated with a decrease in antioxidants enzyme activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) content was observed in LTC group compared to controls. The administration of vitamin C to LTC+vit C group improved all parameters studied. We conclude that LTC induces oxidative stress and modifies biochemical parameters and histological aspects of liver. Administration of vitamin C alleviates the toxicity induced by this synthetic pyrethroid insecticide.

Explorations into Chemical Reactions and Biochemical Pathways.

PubMed

Gasteiger, Johann

2016-12-01

A brief overview of the work in the research group of the present author on extracting knowledge from chemical reaction data is presented. Methods have been developed to calculate physicochemical effects at the reaction site. It is shown that these physicochemical effects can quite favourably be used to derive equations for the calculation of data on gas phase reactions and on reactions in solution such as aqueous acidity of alcohols or carboxylic acids or the hydrolysis of amides. Furthermore, it is shown that these physicochemical effects are quite effective for assigning reactions into reaction classes that correspond to chemical knowledge. Biochemical reactions constitute a particularly interesting and challenging task for increasing our understanding of living species. The BioPath.Database is a rich source of information on biochemical reactions and has been used for a variety of applications of chemical, biological, or medicinal interests. Thus, it was shown that biochemical reactions can be assigned by the physicochemical effects into classes that correspond to the classification of enzymes by the EC numbers. Furthermore, 3D models of reaction intermediates can be used for searching for novel enzyme inhibitors. It was shown in a combined application of chemoinformatics and bioinformatics that essential pathways of diseases can be uncovered. Furthermore, a study showed that bacterial flavor-forming pathways can be discovered. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Biochemical Thermodynamics under near Physiological Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendez, Eduardo

2008-01-01

The recommendations for nomenclature and tables in Biochemical Thermodynamics approved by IUBMB and IUPAC in 1994 can be easily introduced after the chemical thermodynamic formalism. Substitution of the usual standard thermodynamic properties by the transformed ones in the thermodynamic equations, and the use of appropriate thermodynamic tables…

Biochemical Approaches to Improved Nitrogen Fixation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improving symbiotic nitrogen fixation by legumes has emerged again as an important topic on the world scene due to the energy crisis and lack of access to nitrogen fertilizer in developing countries. We have taken a biochemical genomics approach to improving symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes. L...

Complete integrability of information processing by biochemical reactions

PubMed Central

Agliari, Elena; Barra, Adriano; Dello Schiavo, Lorenzo; Moro, Antonio

2016-01-01

Statistical mechanics provides an effective framework to investigate information processing in biochemical reactions. Within such framework far-reaching analogies are established among (anti-) cooperative collective behaviors in chemical kinetics, (anti-)ferromagnetic spin models in statistical mechanics and operational amplifiers/flip-flops in cybernetics. The underlying modeling – based on spin systems – has been proved to be accurate for a wide class of systems matching classical (e.g. Michaelis–Menten, Hill, Adair) scenarios in the infinite-size approximation. However, the current research in biochemical information processing has been focusing on systems involving a relatively small number of units, where this approximation is no longer valid. Here we show that the whole statistical mechanical description of reaction kinetics can be re-formulated via a mechanical analogy – based on completely integrable hydrodynamic-type systems of PDEs – which provides explicit finite-size solutions, matching recently investigated phenomena (e.g. noise-induced cooperativity, stochastic bi-stability, quorum sensing). The resulting picture, successfully tested against a broad spectrum of data, constitutes a neat rationale for a numerically effective and theoretically consistent description of collective behaviors in biochemical reactions. PMID:27812018

Analysis of postoperative biochemical values and clinical outcomes after adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism.

PubMed

Swearingen, Andrew J; Kahramangil, Bora; Monteiro, Rosebel; Krishnamurthy, Vikram; Jin, Judy; Shin, Joyce; Siperstein, Allan; Berber, Eren

2018-04-01

Primary aldosteronism causes hypertension and hypokalemia and is often surgically treatable. Diagnosis includes elevated plasma aldosterone, suppressed plasma renin activity, and elevated aldosterone renin ratio. Adrenalectomy improves hypertension and hypokalemia. Postoperative plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity may be useful in documenting cure or failure. A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism from 2010 to 2016 was performed, analyzing preoperative and postoperative plasma aldosterone, plasma renin activity, hypertension, and hypokalemia. The utility of postoperative testing was assessed. Clinical cure was defined as improved hypertension control and resolution of potassium loss. Biochemical cure was defined as aldosterone renin ratio reduction to <23.6. Forty-four patients were included; 20 had plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity checked on postoperative day 1. In the study, 40/44 (91%) were clinically cured. All clinical failures had of biochemical failure at follow-up. Postoperative day 1aldosterone renin ratio <23.6 had PPV of 95% for clinical cure. Cured patients had mean plasma aldosterone drop of 33.1 ng/dL on postoperative day 1; noncured patient experienced 3.9 ng/dL increase. A cutoff of plasma aldosterone decrease of 10 ng/dL had high positive predictive value for clinical cure. Changes in plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity after adrenalectomy correlate with improved hypertension and hypokalemia. The biochemical impact of adrenalectomy manifests as early as postoperative day 1. We propose a plasma aldosterone decrease of 10 ng/dL as a criterion to predict clinical cure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reconstructing biochemical pathways from time course data.

PubMed

Srividhya, Jeyaraman; Crampin, Edmund J; McSharry, Patrick E; Schnell, Santiago

2007-03-01

Time series data on biochemical reactions reveal transient behavior, away from chemical equilibrium, and contain information on the dynamic interactions among reacting components. However, this information can be difficult to extract using conventional analysis techniques. We present a new method to infer biochemical pathway mechanisms from time course data using a global nonlinear modeling technique to identify the elementary reaction steps which constitute the pathway. The method involves the generation of a complete dictionary of polynomial basis functions based on the law of mass action. Using these basis functions, there are two approaches to model construction, namely the general to specific and the specific to general approach. We demonstrate that our new methodology reconstructs the chemical reaction steps and connectivity of the glycolytic pathway of Lactococcus lactis from time course experimental data.

Oxidative stress and some biochemical alterations due to scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) crude venom in rats.

PubMed

Salman, Muhammad M A; Hammad, Seddik

2017-07-01

Scorpion envenomation is a common medical problem in many countries; it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The venom of Leiurus quinquestriatus (LQ) is responsible for a number of deaths in children and adults. It has been stated that specific pathophysiological conditions such as generation of oxygen free radicals may trigger the onset of multiple organ dysfunction; therefore, the present study aimed to assess the oxidative stress mediated by LQ crude venom and its effect on the biochemical parameters in rats. Adult male Albino rats (250±30g body weight) were divided into three groups (n=5). In control group, rats were intraperitoneally (ip) injected with 50μL saline solution. Groups 2 and 3 were ip injected with 0.1mg/kg and 0.2mg/kg body weight of crude venom, respectively. Blood samples and liver tissues were harvested 1, 2 and 4h post-injection. Serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, urea, uric acid and malondialdehyde increased significantly in envenomed animals within 1, 2 and 4h post-injection, compared to controls. However, the levels of total serum protein, albumin, globulin and triglycerides as well as catalase, glutathione peroxidase and super oxide dismutase in envenomed rats were significantly decreased compared to controls. We can conclude that LQ crude venom induces oxidative stress via reduction of antioxidant systems and alters some biochemical parameters of envenomed rats. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

The use of biochemical methods in extraterrestrial life detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Gene

2006-08-01

Instrument development for in situ extraterrestrial life detection focuses primarily on the ability to distinguish between biological and non-biological material, mostly through chemical analysis for potential biosignatures (e.g., biogenic minerals, enantiomeric excesses). In constrast, biochemical analysis techniques commonly applied to Earth life focus primarily on the exploration of cellular and molecular processes, not on the classification of a given system as biological or non-biological. This focus has developed because of the relatively large functional gap between life and non-life on Earth today. Life on Earth is very diverse from an environmental and physiological point of view, but is highly conserved from a molecular point of view. Biochemical analysis techniques take advantage of this similarity of all terrestrial life at the molecular level, particularly through the use of biologically-derived reagents (e.g., DNA polymerases, antibodies), to enable analytical methods with enormous sensitivity and selectivity. These capabilities encourage consideration of such reagents and methods for use in extraterrestrial life detection instruments. The utility of this approach depends in large part on the (unknown at this time) degree of molecular compositional differences between extraterrestrial and terrestrial life. The greater these differences, the less useful laboratory biochemical techniques will be without significant modification. Biochemistry and molecular biology methods may need to be "de-focused" in order to produce instruments capable of unambiguously detecting a sufficiently wide range of extraterrestrial biochemical systems. Modern biotechnology tools may make that possible in some cases.

Biochemical analysis of respiratory function in cybrid cell lines harbouring mitochondrial DNA mutations

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

We analysed key biochemical features that reflect the balance between glycolysis and glucose oxidation in cybrids (cytoplasmic hybrids) harbouring a representative sample of mitochondrial DNA point mutations and deletions. The cybrids analysed had the same 143B cell nuclear background and were isogenic for the mitochondrial background. The 143B cell line and its ρ0 counterpart were used as controls. All cells analysed were in a dynamic state, and cell number, time of plating, culture medium, extracellular volume and time of harvest and assay were strictly controlled. Intra- and extra-cellular lactate and pyruvate levels were measured in homoplasmic wild-type and mutant cells, and correlated with rates of ATP synthesis and O2 consumption. In all mutant cell lines, except those with the T8993C mutation in the ATPase 6 gene, glycolysis was increased even under conditions of low glucose, as demonstrated by increased levels of extracellular lactate and pyruvate. Extracellular lactate levels were strictly and inversely correlated with rates of ATP synthesis and O2 consumption. These results show increased glycolysis and defective oxidative phosphorylation, irrespective of the type or site of the point mutation or deletion in the mitochondrial genome. The different biochemical consequences of the T8993C mutation suggest a uniquely different pathogenic mechanism for this mutation. However, the distinct clinical features associated with some of these mutations still remain to be elucidated. PMID:15324306

40 CFR 158.2083 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. 158.2083 Section 158.2083 Protection of... Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2083 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data... determine the human health assessment data requirements for a particular biochemical pesticide product. (2...

40 CFR 158.2083 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. 158.2083 Section 158.2083 Protection of... Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2083 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data... determine the human health assessment data requirements for a particular biochemical pesticide product. (2...

40 CFR 158.2083 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. 158.2083 Section 158.2083 Protection of... Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2083 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data... determine the human health assessment data requirements for a particular biochemical pesticide product. (2...

40 CFR 158.2083 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. 158.2083 Section 158.2083 Protection of... Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2083 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data... determine the human health assessment data requirements for a particular biochemical pesticide product. (2...

40 CFR 158.2083 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... pesticides human health assessment data requirements table. 158.2083 Section 158.2083 Protection of... Biochemical Pesticides § 158.2083 Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides human health assessment data... determine the human health assessment data requirements for a particular biochemical pesticide product. (2...

Biochemical reactions of ozone in plants

Treesearch

J. Brian Mudd

1998-01-01

Plants react biochemically to ozone in three phases: with constitutive chemicals in the apoplastic fluid and cell membranes; by forming messenger molecules by the affected constitutive materials (ethylene); and by responding to the messenger molecules with pathogenic RNAs and proteins. For instance, plant reactions with ozone result in constitutive molecules such as...

Significance of clinical observations and biochemical alterations in buffalo calves with dietary abomasal impaction.

PubMed

El-Ashker, Maged R; Salama, Mohamed F; El-Boshy, Mohamed E; Abo El-Fadle, Eman A

2018-01-02

The present study aimed to throw light on the clinical characteristics of abomasal impaction in buffalo calves and its associated biochemical alterations. For this reason, a total of 20 male buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis) with abomasal impaction were studied. The investigated calves were at 6 to 12 months of age and were belonged to three private farms in Dakahlia Governorate besides sporadic cases admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. Ten apparently healthy buffalo calves were also included as controls. According to the clinical outcome, the diseased calves were categorized into survivors (n = 11) and non-survivors (n = 9). Blood samples were collected from all animals to estimate blood gases besides a panel of selected biochemical parameters. The definitive diagnosis of dietary abomasal impaction was achieved by either left flank exploratory laparotomy or by necropsy. Both survivors and non-survivors demonstrated common clinical findings including distension of ventro-lateral aspect of the right abdomen, and varying degrees of dehydration. The great majority of survivors (81%) and 100% of non-survivors were anorexic and had rumen stasis as well as hard texture upon ballottement of the left flank. Approximately 45% of non-survivors had frothy salivation, expiratory grunting and were being tender when strong percussion was applied on the right flank. Diseased calves had metabolic alkalosis, while plasma potassium and chloride were significantly lower in non-survivors than those of survivors (P < 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and uric acid were significantly higher in diseased buffalo than controls and in non-survivors than survivors (P < 0.05). Serum total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and total bilirubin levels were also higher in non-survivors than those of survivors (P < 0.05). Buffalo

Overview of the DOE/SERI Biochemical Conversion Program

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

Wright, J D

1986-09-01

The Solar Energy Research Institute manages a program of research and development on the biochemical conversion of renewable lignocellulosic materials to liquid fuels for the Department of Energy's Biofuels and Municipal Waste Technology Division. The Biochemical Conversion Program is mission oriented so effort is concentrated on technologies which appear to have the greatest potential for being adopted by the private sector to economically convert lignocellulosic materials into high value liquid transportation fuels such as ethanol. The program is structured to supply the technology for such fuels to compete economically first as an octane booster or fuel additive, and, with additionalmore » improvements, as a neat fuel. 18 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less

Reporting the accuracy of biochemical measurements for epidemiologic and nutrition studies.

PubMed

McShane, L M; Clark, L C; Combs, G F; Turnbull, B W

1991-06-01

Procedures for reporting and monitoring the accuracy of biochemical measurements are presented. They are proposed as standard reporting procedures for laboratory assays for epidemiologic and clinical-nutrition studies. The recommended procedures require identification and estimation of all major sources of variability and explanations of laboratory quality control procedures employed. Variance-components techniques are used to model the total variability and calculate a maximum percent error that provides an easily understandable measure of laboratory precision accounting for all sources of variability. This avoids ambiguities encountered when reporting an SD that may taken into account only a few of the potential sources of variability. Other proposed uses of the total-variability model include estimating precision of laboratory methods for various replication schemes and developing effective quality control-checking schemes. These procedures are demonstrated with an example of the analysis of alpha-tocopherol in human plasma by using high-performance liquid chromatography.

The physiological and biochemical effects of salicylic acid on sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) exposed to flurochloridone.

PubMed

Kaya, Armagan; Yigit, Emel

2014-08-01

In this study, we comparatively evaluated the effects of the flurochloridone as well as flurochloridone and exogenously applied salicylic acid (SA) on Helianthus annuus L. to find out herbicide-induced toxicity reducing influence of SA. We examined and compared the physiological and biochemical effects of different concentrations of flurochloridone (11, 32 and 72 mM) in both the SA pre-treated and non-treated plants. The plants treated with flurochloridone exhibited reduced total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and relative water content compared to the control group, whereas the plants that were pre-treated with SA exhibited relatively higher values for the same physiological parameters. In the SA non-treated plants, the superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities were increased in the treatment groups compared to the control group. In the treatment groups, these enzyme activities were decreased in the SA-pre-treated plants compared to the non-treated plants. Ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activities decreased in the flurochloridone-treated plants compared to the control plants. The ascorbate peroxidase activity increased in the control groups but decreased in the treatment groups in the SA pre-treated plants compared to the non-treated plants. However, SA treatment decreased the activity of catalase in the control and treatment groups compared to the plants that were not treated with SA. Flurochloridone treatment increased the malondialdehyde content in the treated groups compared to the control groups, whereas SA-pretreatment decreased malondialdehyde content compared to plants that were not treated with SA. Flurochloridone treatment increased endogenous SA content compared to the control. Although the residual levels of herbicide in the plants increased proportionately with increasing herbicide concentrations, the SA-pre-treated plants exhibited reduced residual herbicide levels compared to the plants that were not treated

A systematic petri net approach for multiple-scale modeling and simulation of biochemical processes.

PubMed

Chen, Ming; Hu, Minjie; Hofestädt, Ralf

2011-06-01

A method to exploit hybrid Petri nets for modeling and simulating biochemical processes in a systematic way was introduced. Both molecular biology and biochemical engineering aspects are manipulated. With discrete and continuous elements, the hybrid Petri nets can easily handle biochemical factors such as metabolites concentration and kinetic behaviors. It is possible to translate both molecular biological behavior and biochemical processes workflow into hybrid Petri nets in a natural manner. As an example, penicillin production bioprocess is modeled to illustrate the concepts of the methodology. Results of the dynamic of production parameters in the bioprocess were simulated and observed diagrammatically. Current problems and post-genomic perspectives were also discussed.

Silymarin improves the behavioural, biochemical and histoarchitecture alterations in focal ischemic rats: a comparative evaluation with piracetam and protocatachuic acid.

PubMed

Muley, Milind M; Thakare, Vishnu N; Patil, Rajesh R; Kshirsagar, Ajay D; Naik, Suresh R

2012-08-01

Comparative neuroprotective potential of silymarin, piracetam and protocatechuic acid ethyl ester (PCA) was evaluated in focal ischemic rats. Various pharmacological, biochemical (lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, catalase, nitrite content, brain water content) and behavioural (memory impairment, motor control, neurological score) including infarct size and histopathological alterations were evaluated. Silymarin (200mg/kg) and PCA treatment significantly improved behavioural, biochemical and histopathological changes, and reduced water content and infarct size. However, piracetam only improved behavioural and histopathological changes, reduced water content and infarct size. The findings indicate that silymarin exhibits neuroprotective activity better than PCA and piracetam in focal ischemia/reperfusion reflected by its better restoration of behavioural and antioxidant profile. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Novel Wounding Device Suitable for Quantitative Biochemical Analysis of Wound Healing and Regeneration of Cultured Epithelium

PubMed Central

Lan, Rongpei; Geng, Hui; Hwang, Yoon; Mishra, Pramod; Skloss, Wayne L.; Sprague, Eugene A.; Saikumar, Pothana; Venkatachalam, Manjeri

2010-01-01

We describe the fabrication and use of an in vitro wounding device that denudes cultured epithelium in patterns designed to leave behind strips or islands of cells sufficiently narrow or small to ensure that all remaining cells become rapidly activated and then migrate, dedifferentiate and proliferate in near synchrony. The design ensures that signals specific to regenerating cells do not become diluted by quiescent differentiated cells that are not affected by wound induced activation. The device consists of a flat circular disk of rubber engraved to produce alternating ridges and grooves in patterns of concentric circles or parallel lines. The disk is mounted at the end of a pneumatically controlled piston assembly. Application of controlled pressure and circular or linear movement of the disk on cultures produced highly reproducible wounding patterns. The near synchronous regenerative activity of cell bands or islands permitted the collection of samples large enough for biochemical studies to sensitively detect alterations involving mRNA for several early response genes and protein phosphorylation in major signaling pathways. The method is versatile, easy to use and reproducible, and should facilitate biochemical, proteomic and genomic studies of wound induced regeneration of cultured epithelium. PMID:20230600

Evaluation of the biochemical, inflammatory and oxidative profile of obese patients given clinical treatment and bariatric surgery.

PubMed

Schmatz, Roberta; Bitencourt, Mariana R; Patias, Luciana D; Beck, Maristela; da C Alvarez, Glauco; Zanini, Daniela; Gutierres, Jessié M; Diehl, Lia Natália; Pereira, Luciane B; Leal, Claudio Alberto; Duarte, Marta Frescura; Schetinger, Maria Rosa; Morsch, Vera Maria

2017-02-01

We investigated the biochemical and inflammatory parameters as well as biomarkers of oxidative stress in morbidly obese patients before and after bariatric surgery and clinical treatment. This study was conducted using 60 individuals (10 men and 50 women) distributed into 3 groups: the control group, 20 non-diabetic obese patients given clinical treatment, the bariatric group, 20 non-diabetic obese patients given a Roux-en-Y bypass gastroplasty, and the bariatric diabetic group, 20 diabetic obese patients given a Roux-en-Y bypass gastroplasty. Measurements were made before and 1, 3, 6, and 12months after surgery and clinical treatment. We showed a significant decrease in body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, accompanied by a decrease in the lipid profile and glucose and glycated hemoglobin concentrations in the groups that received bariatric surgery. The concentrations of lipid peroxidation, carbonyl protein and NPSH, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, significantly decreased in both groups after surgery. The concentrations of inteleukin-6, inteleukin-1, TNF-α and resistin were also significantly lower, while adiponectin concentrations significantly increased 12months after bariatric surgery. No significant alterations were observed in the biochemical, inflammatory or oxidative parameters of the control group. Our findings demonstrate a decrease in body mass and a subsequent improvement in biochemical, metabolic and anthropometric parameters in patients given bariatric surgery. This may contribute to the reduction of oxidative damage in these patients and consequently a reduction in the risk of the development and progression of multiple co-morbidities associated with obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical and hemodynamic changes in normal subjects during acute and rigorous bed rest and ambulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zorbas, Yan G.; Kakurin, Vassily J.; Afonin, Victor B.; Yarullin, Vladimir L.

2002-06-01

Rigorous bed rest (RBR) induces significant biochemical and circulatory changes. However, little is known about acute rigorous bed rest (ARBR). Measuring biochemical and circulatory variables during ARBR and RBR the aim of this study was to establish the significance of ARBR effect. Studies were done during 3 days of a pre-bed rest (BR) period and during 7 days of ARBR and RBR period. Thirty normal male individuals aged, 24.1±6.3 years were chosen as subjects. They were divided equally into three groups: 10 subjects placed under active control conditions served as unrestricted ambulatory control subjects (UACS), 10 subjects submitted to an acute rigorous bed rest served as acute rigorous bed rested subjects (ARBRS) and 10 subjects submitted to a rigorous bed rest served as rigorous bed rested subjects (RBRS). The UACS were maintained under an average running distance of 9.7 km day -1. For the ARBR effect simulation, ARBRS were submitted abruptly to BR for 7 days. They did not have any prior knowledge of the exact date and time when they would be asked to confine to RBR. For the RBR effect simulation, RBRS were subjected to BR for 7 days on a predetermined date and time known to them right away from the start of the study. Plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma cortisol (PC), plasma aldosterone (PA), plasma and urinary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) levels, heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and arterial blood pressure (ABP) increased significantly, and urinary aldosterone (UA), stroke volume (SV) and plasma volume (PV) decreased significantly ( p<0.05) in ARBRS and RBRS as compared with their pre-BR values and the values in UACS. Electrolyte, hormonal and hemodynamic responses were significantly ( p<0.05) greater and occurred significantly faster ( p<0.05) during ARBR than RBR. Parameters change insignificantly ( p>0.05) in UACS compared with pre-BR control values. It was concluded that, the more abruptly muscular activity is restricted in experimental subjects

Effect of taking dietary supplement on hematological and biochemical parameters in male bodybuilders an equation model

PubMed Central

Meamar, Rokhsareh; Maracy, Mohammad; Nematollahi, Shahrzad; Yeroshalmi, Shemouil; Zamani-Moghaddam, Ali; Ghazvini, Mohammad Reza Aghaye

2015-01-01

Background: The improved physical action following administration of supplements to bodybuilders was supported by changes in laboratory parameters. Despite the fact that these supplements are sometimes associated both advantage and side effects, this study were conducted for the purpose of evaluating the possible effects of some commonly used supplements in bodybuilders on the hematological and biochemical parameters. Materials and Methods: In this study, we included 40 male bodybuilders as cases and 40 controls in the age group of 20-40 years. They used different kinds of supplements for 1 year. In general, all the supplements used were classified into two groups: hormonal and non-hormonal. Laboratory tests were requested for evaluation of hematological and biochemical parameters. Results: In an equation model, we found that weight (P = 0.024), duration of bodybuilding (P < 0.001), and duration of hormone supplement consumption (P < 0.001) were loaded significantly on the latent variables, demographic and dietary supplement, respectively. The relationship between dietary supplement and biochemical and hematological parameters was significant (P = 0.01) and some of these parameters including creatinine (P = 0.023), blood aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P < 0.001), and red blood cell distribution (RDW) (P = 0.046) had a significant role than others. In a multivariate regression model, we found that WBC (P < 0.001), platelets (P < 0.001), blood urea nitrogen (BUN; P < 0.001), creatinine (P < 0.001), AST (P = 0.005), and ALT (P = 0.001) were higher in athletes than in controls. Conclusions: It is strongly advised that there should be some concerns about possible supplement-induced changes in the laboratory exams for bodybuilders. The available supplements are unchecked and not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). More studies should be designed for a better and precise administration of each supplement in

Sex-specific reference intervals of hematologic and biochemical analytes in Sprague-Dawley rats using the nonparametric rank percentile method.

PubMed

He, Qili; Su, Guoming; Liu, Keliang; Zhang, Fangcheng; Jiang, Yong; Gao, Jun; Liu, Lida; Jiang, Zhongren; Jin, Minwu; Xie, Huiping

2017-01-01

Hematologic and biochemical analytes of Sprague-Dawley rats are commonly used to determine effects that were induced by treatment and to evaluate organ dysfunction in toxicological safety assessments, but reference intervals have not been well established for these analytes. Reference intervals as presently defined for these analytes in Sprague-Dawley rats have not used internationally recommended statistical method nor stratified by sex. Thus, we aimed to establish sex-specific reference intervals for hematologic and biochemical parameters in Sprague-Dawley rats according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute C28-A3 and American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology guideline. Hematology and biochemistry blood samples were collected from 500 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats (250 males and 250 females) in the control groups. We measured 24 hematologic analytes with the Sysmex XT-2100i analyzer, 9 biochemical analytes with the Olympus AU400 analyzer. We then determined statistically relevant sex partitions and calculated reference intervals, including corresponding 90% confidence intervals, using nonparametric rank percentile method. We observed that most hematologic and biochemical analytes of Sprague-Dawley rats were significantly influenced by sex. Males had higher hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count, red cell distribution width, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, white blood cell count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, percentage of neutrophils, percentage of monocytes, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and triglycerides compared to females. Females had higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, plateletcrit, platelet count, eosinophils, percentage of lymphocytes, percentage of eosinophils, creatinine, glucose, total cholesterol and urea compared to males. Sex partition was required for most hematologic and biochemical analytes in Sprague-Dawley rats. We established sex-specific reference

Biochemical basis for the biological clock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morre, D. James; Chueh, Pin-Ju; Pletcher, Jake; Tang, Xiaoyu; Wu, Lian-Ying; Morre, Dorothy M.

2002-01-01

NADH oxidases at the external surface of plant and animal cells (ECTO-NOX proteins) exhibit stable and recurring patterns of oscillations with potentially clock-related, entrainable, and temperature-compensated period lengths of 24 min. To determine if ECTO-NOX proteins might represent the ultradian time keepers (pacemakers) of the biological clock, COS cells were transfected with cDNAs encoding tNOX proteins having a period length of 22 min or with C575A or C558A cysteine to alanine replacements having period lengths of 36 or 42 min. Here we demonstrate that such transfectants exhibited 22, 36, or 40 to 42 h circadian patterns in the activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, a common clock-regulated protein, in addition to the endogenous 24 h circadian period length. The fact that the expression of a single oscillatory ECTO-NOX protein determines the period length of a circadian biochemical marker (60 X the ECTO-NOX period length) provides compelling evidence that ECTO-NOX proteins are the biochemical ultradian drivers of the cellular biological clock.

Does Oral Coenzyme Q10 Plus NADH Supplementation Improve Fatigue and Biochemical Parameters in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

PubMed Central

Cordero, Mario D.; Segundo, María José; Sáez-Francàs, Naia; Calvo, Natalia; Román-Malo, Lourdes; Aliste, Luisa; Fernández de Sevilla, Tomás; Alegre, José

2015-01-01

Abstract Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a chronic and extremely debilitating illness characterized by prolonged fatigue and multiple symptoms with unknown cause, diagnostic test, or universally effective treatment. Inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and CoQ10 deficiency have been well documented in CFS. We conducted an 8-week, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the benefits of oral CoQ10 (200 mg/day) plus NADH (20 mg/day) supplementation on fatigue and biochemical parameters in 73 Spanish CFS patients. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02063126). A significant improvement of fatigue showing a reduction in fatigue impact scale total score (p<0.05) was reported in treated group versus placebo. In addition, a recovery of the biochemical parameters was also reported. NAD+/NADH (p<0.001), CoQ10 (p<0.05), ATP (p<0.05), and citrate synthase (p<0.05) were significantly higher, and lipoperoxides (p<0.05) were significantly lower in blood mononuclear cells of the treated group. These observations lead to the hypothesis that the oral CoQ10 plus NADH supplementation could confer potential therapeutic benefits on fatigue and biochemical parameters in CFS. Larger sample trials are warranted to confirm these findings. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 22, 679–685. PMID:25386668

Computer Simulation in Predicting Biochemical Processes and Energy Balance at WWTPs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drewnowski, Jakub; Zaborowska, Ewa; Hernandez De Vega, Carmen

2018-02-01

Nowadays, the use of mathematical models and computer simulation allow analysis of many different technological solutions as well as testing various scenarios in a short time and at low financial budget in order to simulate the scenario under typical conditions for the real system and help to find the best solution in design or operation process. The aim of the study was to evaluate different concepts of biochemical processes and energy balance modelling using a simulation platform GPS-x and a comprehensive model Mantis2. The paper presents the example of calibration and validation processes in the biological reactor as well as scenarios showing an influence of operational parameters on the WWTP energy balance. The results of batch tests and full-scale campaign obtained in the former work were used to predict biochemical and operational parameters in a newly developed plant model. The model was extended with sludge treatment devices, including anaerobic digester. Primary sludge removal efficiency was found as a significant factor determining biogas production and further renewable energy production in cogeneration. Water and wastewater utilities, which run and control WWTP, are interested in optimizing the process in order to save environment, their budget and decrease the pollutant emissions to water and air. In this context, computer simulation can be the easiest and very useful tool to improve the efficiency without interfering in the actual process performance.

A Randomized Phase 2 Trial of 177Lu Radiolabeled Anti-PSMA Biochemically Monoclonal Antibody J591 in Patients with High-Risk Castrate, Biochemically Relapsed Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

relapsed prostate cancer (PC) after local therapy. J Clin Oncol 28: 15s, 2010 (suppl; Abstr TPS248) Presentation: Poster presentation, 2010 ASCO...Annual Meeting V. Conclusions Biochemical relapse is common after local therapy for prostate cancer. Based on the physical properties of 177Lu...ketoconazole in patients (pts) with high-risk castrate biochemically relapsed prostate cancer (PC) after local therapy. S. T. Tagawa, J. Osborne, P. J

ReactPRED: a tool to predict and analyze biochemical reactions.

PubMed

Sivakumar, Tadi Venkata; Giri, Varun; Park, Jin Hwan; Kim, Tae Yong; Bhaduri, Anirban

2016-11-15

Biochemical pathways engineering is often used to synthesize or degrade target chemicals. In silico screening of the biochemical transformation space allows predicting feasible reactions, constituting these pathways. Current enabling tools are customized to predict reactions based on pre-defined biochemical transformations or reaction rule sets. Reaction rule sets are usually curated manually and tailored to specific applications. They are not exhaustive. In addition, current systems are incapable of regulating and refining data with an aim to tune specificity and sensitivity. A robust and flexible tool that allows automated reaction rule set creation along with regulated pathway prediction and analyses is a need. ReactPRED aims to address the same. ReactPRED is an open source flexible and customizable tool enabling users to predict biochemical reactions and pathways. The tool allows automated reaction rule creation from a user defined reaction set. Additionally, reaction rule degree and rule tolerance features allow refinement of predicted data. It is available as a flexible graphical user interface and a console application. ReactPRED is available at: https://sourceforge.net/projects/reactpred/ CONTACT: anirban.b@samsung.com or ty76.kim@samsung.comSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of biochemical changes in chronic arsenic poisoning among Bangladeshi patients.

PubMed

Nabi, A H M Nurun; Rahman, M Mahfuzur; Islam, Laila N

2005-12-01

An estimated 40 million people in Bangladesh have been suffering from arsenic toxicity-related diseases because of drinking water contamination with high levels of naturally occurring arsenic. To evaluate the biochemical changes in chronic arsenic exposure, a total of 115 exposed subjects diagnosed as arsenicosis patients were examined and interviewed, and 120 unexposed volunteers were enrolled in this study. Drinking water, urine and peripheral blood samples were collected from all participants and analyzed. The average levels of arsenic in the drinking water and spot urine samples of the arsenicosis patients were 218.1 microg/L and 234.6 microg/L, respectively, and duration of exposure was 7.6 +/- 5.2 yrs that ranged from 1-25 yrs. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus among chronic arsenic-exposed subjects was about 2.8 times higher than the unexposed subjects. The activities of alkaline phosphatase were significantly elevated in the patients, 197 U/L compared to 149 U/L in the controls, but alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were mostly normal. The patients had significantly lower levels of serum creatinine, 0.97 mg/dL compared to 1.15 mg/dL in the controls; but had significantly elevated levels of total protein, 84 g/L and 77 g/L respectively. The mean level of inorganic phosphate in the serum of arsenicosis patients was 6.4 mg/dL compared to 4.6 mg/dL in the unexposed subjects and the level was significantly higher, indicating substitution of the pentavalent arsenate for the phosphate ion causing underutilization of the latter. Evaluation of the lipid profiles showed while the levels of triacylglycerol were not much different, the patients had significantly lower levels of cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol compared to the unexposed subjects. These findings suggest significant changes in biochemical parameters in human arsenic toxicity.

Dietary antioxidants and the biochemical response to oxidant inhalation. II. Influence of dietary selenium on the biochemical effects of ozone exposure in mouse lung

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

Elsayed, N.M.; Hacker, A.D.; Kuehn, K.

The influence of dietary selenium (Se) on the pulmonary biochemical response to ozone (O/sub 3/) exposure was examined. For 11 weeks, weanling female strain A/St mice were fed a test diet containing Se either at 0 ppm (-Se) or 1 ppm (+Se). Each diet contained 55 ppm vitamin E (vit E). Mice from each dietary group were exposed to 0.8 +/- 0.05 ppm (1568 +/- 98 micrograms/m3) O/sub 3/ continuously for 5 days. After O/sub 3/ exposure, they were killed along with a matched number of unexposed controls, and their lungs were analyzed for various biochemical parameters. The Se contentsmore » of lung tissue and whole blood were determined, and the levels were seven- to eightfold higher in +Se mice than in -Se mice, reflecting the Se intake of the animals. In unexposed control mice, Se deficiency caused a decline in glutathione peroxidase (GP) activity relative to +Se group. After O/sub 3/ exposure, the GP activity in the -Se group was associated with a lack of stimulation of glutathione reductase (GR) activity and the pentose phosphate cycle (PPC) as assessed by measuring glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) activities. In contrast, the +Se group after O/sub 3/ exposure exhibited increases in all four enzyme activities. Other parameters, e.g., lung weight, total lung protein, DNA and nonprotein sulfhydryl contents, and O/sub 2/ consumption, were not affected by dietary Se in the presence or absence of O/sub 3/ exposure. The data indicate that dietary Se alters the GP activity, which in turn influences the GR and PPC activities in the lung evidently through a reduced demand for NADPH. The level of vit E in the lung was found to be twofold higher in the -Se group than in the +Se group, suggesting a compensatory relationship between Se and vit E in the lung. With O3 exposure, both Se and vit E contents further increased in the lungs of each dietary group.« less

Spaceflight effects on biomechanical and biochemical properties of rat vertebrae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zernicke, R. F.; Vailas, A. C.; Grindeland, R. E.; Kaplansky, A.; Salem, G. J.; Martinez, D. A.

1990-01-01

The biomechanical and biochemical responses of lumbar vertebral bodies during a 12.5-day spaceflight (Cosmos 1887 biosatellite) were determined for rapidly growing rats (90-day-old, Czechoslovakian-Wistar). By use of age-matched vivarium controls (normal cage environment) and synchronous controls (simulated flight conditions), as well as a basal control group (killed before lift-off on the 1st day of flight), the combined influences of growth and space-flight could be examined. Centra of the sixth lumbar vertebrae (L6) were compressed to 50% strain at a fast strain rate while immersed in physiological buffer (37 degrees C). The body masses of vivarium and synchronous controls were significantly heavier than either the flight or basal controls. The flight group had an L6 vertebral body compressional stiffness that was 39% less than the vivarium controls, 47% less than the synchronous control, and 16% less than the basal controls. In addition, the average initial maximum load of the flight L6 was 22% less than vivarium controls and 18% less than the synchronous controls, whereas the linear compressional load of the flight group averaged 34% less than the vivarium and 25% less than the synchronous groups. The structural properties of the vertebrae from the 12.5-day-younger basal group closely resembled the flight vertebrae. Calcium, phosphorous, and hydroxyproline concentrations were not significantly different among the groups. Nevertheless, the lack of strength and stiffness development in spaceflight, coupled with a smaller proportion of mature hydroxypyridinoline cross-links, suggested that the 12.5 days of spaceflight slowed the maturation of trabecular bone in the vertebral bodies of rapidly growing rats.

Variations in biochemical values for common laboratory tests: a comparison among multi-ethnic Israeli women cohort.

PubMed

Birk, Ruth; Heifetz, Eliyahu M

2018-04-28

Biochemical laboratory values are an essential tool in medical diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up; however, they are known to vary between populations. Establishment of ethnicity-adjusted reference values is recommended by health organizations. To investigate the ethnicity element in biochemical lab values studying women of different ethnic groups. Biochemical lab values (n = 27) of 503 adult Israeli women of three ethnicities (Jewish Ashkenazi, Jewish Sephardic, and Bedouin Arab) attending a single medical center were analyzed. Biochemical data were extracted from medical center records. Ethnic differences of laboratory biochemicals were studied using ANCOVA to analyze the center of the distribution as well as quartile regression analysis to analyze the upper and lower limits, both done with an adjustment for age. Significant ethnic differences were found in almost half (n = 12) of the biochemical laboratory tests. Ashkenazi Jews exhibited significantly higher mean values compared to Bedouins in most of the biochemical tests, including albumin, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, cholesterol, cholesterol LDL and HDL, cholesterol LDL calc., folic acid, globulin, and iron saturation, while the Bedouins exhibited the highest mean values in the creatinine and triglycerides. For most of these tests, Sephardic Jews exhibited biochemical mean levels in between the two other groups. Compared to Ashkenazi Jews, Sephardic Jews had a significant shift to lower values in cholesterol LDL. Ethnic subpopulations have distinct distributions in biochemical laboratory test values, which should be taken into consideration in medical practice enabling precision medicine.

Real-time biochemical sensor based on Raman scattering with CMOS contact imaging.

PubMed

Muyun Cao; Yuhua Li; Yadid-Pecht, Orly

2015-08-01

This work presents a biochemical sensor based on Raman scattering with Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) contact imaging. This biochemical optical sensor is designed for detecting the concentration of solutions. The system is built with a laser diode, an optical filter, a sample holder and a commercial CMOS sensor. The output of the system is analyzed by an image processing program. The system provides instant measurements with a resolution of 0.2 to 0.4 Mol. This low cost and easy-operated small scale system is useful in chemical, biomedical and environmental labs for quantitative bio-chemical concentration detection with results reported comparable to a highly cost commercial spectrometer.

Effects of dietary supplementation of organic chromium (picolinate) on physical and biochemical characteristics of semen and carcass traits of male turkeys.

PubMed

Biswas, Avishek; Divya, Sharma; Mandal, A B; Majumdar, S; Singh, Ram

2014-12-30

This experiment investigated the effect of dietary chromium (Cr as picolinate) on physical and biochemical characteristics of semen and carcass traits of adult male turkey. Seventy-two (72) male turkeys (16 weeks old) were randomly distributed into four dietary treatment groups (4×3×6) for a period of 24 weeks. Three experimental diets were supplemented with 250, 500 and 750μg Cr/kg (T2, T3 and T4 respectively) in basal diet (T1 considered as control). Semen physical characteristics viz. sperm concentration, progressive motility, live and dead count of spermatozoa and fertility differed significantly (P<0.05). Sperm concentration, progressive motility and fertility were higher and dead count was lower in T4 (750μg) group than control (T1) or other dietary treatments (T2 or T3) group. Semen biochemical parameters like creatinine, acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentration did not differ significantly among the dietary treatment groups, whereas, total protein, glucose, malondialdehyde (MAD) and cholesterol concentration differed significantly (P<0.05) amongst the treatment groups. Protein and MAD were higher while glucose and cholesterol concentrations were lower in T3 and T4 group than control or T1 group. The shrinkage loss, eviscerated yield, relative weight (as percent of body weight) of breast, thigh and liver improved on supplementation of Cr leading to significantly higher in T4 group in comparison to control. From this study, it could be concluded that supplementation of chromium as chromium picolinate, at 750μg/kg level in diet was beneficial for improving physical characteristics of semen, carcass yield and breast yield of adult male turkeys. However, Cr levels of 500 or 750μg/kg in diet were beneficial for semen biochemical parameters of adult male turkeys. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamics of Computational Copying in Biochemical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouldridge, Thomas E.; Govern, Christopher C.; ten Wolde, Pieter Rein

2017-04-01

Living cells use readout molecules to record the state of receptor proteins, similar to measurements or copies in typical computational devices. But is this analogy rigorous? Can cells be optimally efficient, and if not, why? We show that, as in computation, a canonical biochemical readout network generates correlations; extracting no work from these correlations sets a lower bound on dissipation. For general input, the biochemical network cannot reach this bound, even with arbitrarily slow reactions or weak thermodynamic driving. It faces an accuracy-dissipation trade-off that is qualitatively distinct from and worse than implied by the bound, and more complex steady-state copy processes cannot perform better. Nonetheless, the cost remains close to the thermodynamic bound unless accuracy is extremely high. Additionally, we show that biomolecular reactions could be used in thermodynamically optimal devices under exogenous manipulation of chemical fuels, suggesting an experimental system for testing computational thermodynamics.

Chronic acarbose treatment alleviates age-related behavioral and biochemical changes in SAMP8 mice.

PubMed

Tong, Jing-Jing; Chen, Gui-Hai; Wang, Fang; Li, Xue-Wei; Cao, Lei; Sui, Xu; Tao, Fei; Yan, Wen-Wen; Wei, Zhao-Jun

2015-05-01

The administration of maintaining the homeostasis of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling and/or glucose metabolism may reverse brain aging. In the present study, we investigated the effect of acarbose, an inhibitor of α-glucosidase, on age-related behavioral and biochemical changes. The SAMP8 mice were randomly divided into old control group and acarbose-treatment group. The mice in the acarbose group were administered acarbose (20 mg/kg/d, dissolved in drinking water) orally from 3 to 9 months of age when a new group of 3-month-old mice was added as young controls. The results showed that the aged controls exhibited declines in sensorimotor ability, open field anxiety, spatial and non-spatial memory abilities, decreased serum insulin levels, increased IGF-1 receptor and synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1) levels and decreased insulin receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and syntaxin 1 (Stx1) levels in the hippocampal layers. The age-related behavioral deficits correlated with the serological and histochemical data. Chronic acarbose treatment relieved these age-related changes, especially with respect to learning and memory abilities. This protective effect of acarbose on age-related behavioral impairments might be related to changes in the insulin system and the levels of BDNF, IGF-1R, and the pre-synaptic proteins Syt1 and Stx1. In conclusion, long-term treatment with acarbose ameliorated the behavioral deficits and biochemical changes in old SAMP8 mice and promoted successful aging. This study provides insight into the potential of acarbose for the treatment of brain aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biochemical Diagnosis in Substance and Non-substance Addiction.

PubMed

Shen, Wenwen; Liu, Huifeng; Xie, Xiaohu; Liu, Haixiong; Zhou, Wenhua

2017-01-01

An optimal biochemical marker for addiction would be some easily traced molecules in body specimens, which indicates indulgent addictive behaviors, or susceptibility to certain addictive stimuli. In this chapter, we discussed existing literature about possible biomarkers, and classified them into three categories: origin forms and metabolites of substances, markers from biochemical responses to certain addiction, and genetic and epigenetic biomarkers suggesting susceptibility to addiction. In every category, we examined studies concerning certain type of addiction one by one, with focuses mainly on opiates, psychostimulants, and pathological gambling. Several promising molecules were highlighted, including those of neurotrophic factors, inflammatory factors, and indicators of vascular injury, and genetic and epigenetic biomarkers such as serum miRNAs. DNA methylation signatures and signal nucleotide polymorphism of candidate gene underlying the addiction.

Biochemical analysis of human POLG2 variants associated with mitochondrial disease

PubMed Central

Young, Matthew J.; Longley, Matthew J.; Li, Fang-Yuan; Kasiviswanathan, Rajesh; Wong, Lee-Jun; Copeland, William C.

2011-01-01

Defects in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance comprise an expanding repertoire of polymorphic diseases caused, in part, by mutations in the genes encoding the p140 mtDNA polymerase (POLG), its p55 accessory subunit (POLG2) or the mtDNA helicase (C10orf2). In an exploration of nuclear genes for mtDNA maintenance linked to mitochondrial disease, eight heterozygous mutations (six novel) in POLG2 were identified in one control and eight patients with POLG-related mitochondrial disease that lacked POLG mutations. Of these eight mutations, we biochemically characterized seven variants [c.307G>A (G103S); c.457C>G (L153V); c.614C>G (P205R); c.1105A>G (R369G); c.1158T>G (D386E); c.1268C>A (S423Y); c.1423_1424delTT (L475DfsX2)] that were previously uncharacterized along with the wild-type protein and the G451E pathogenic variant. These seven mutations encode amino acid substitutions that map throughout the protein, including the p55 dimer interface and the C-terminal domain that interacts with the catalytic subunit. Recombinant proteins harboring these alterations were assessed for stimulation of processive DNA synthesis, binding to the p140 catalytic subunit, binding to dsDNA and self-dimerization. Whereas the G103S, L153V, D386E and S423Y proteins displayed wild-type behavior, the P205R and R369G p55 variants had reduced stimulation of processivity and decreased affinity for the catalytic subunit. Additionally, the L475DfsX2 variant, which possesses a C-terminal truncation, was unable to bind the p140 catalytic subunit, unable to bind dsDNA and formed aberrant oligomeric complexes. Our biochemical analysis helps explain the pathogenesis of POLG2 mutations in mitochondrial disease and emphasizes the need to quantitatively characterize the biochemical consequences of newly discovered mutations before classifying them as pathogenic. PMID:21555342

Integration of electrochemistry in micro-total analysis systems for biochemical assays: recent developments.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Song; Chen, Hui; Kong, Jilie

2009-11-15

Micro-total analysis systems (microTAS) integrate different analytical operations like sample preparation, separation and detection into a single microfabricated device. With the outstanding advantages of low cost, satisfactory analytical efficiency and flexibility in design, highly integrated and miniaturized devices from the concept of microTAS have gained widespread applications, especially in biochemical assays. Electrochemistry is shown to be quite compatible with microanalytical systems for biochemical assays, because of its attractive merits such as simplicity, rapidity, high sensitivity, reduced power consumption, and sample/reagent economy. This review presents recent developments in the integration of electrochemistry in microdevices for biochemical assays. Ingenious microelectrode design and fabrication methods, and versatility of electrochemical techniques are involved. Practical applications of such integrated microsystem in biochemical assays are focused on in situ analysis, point-of-care testing and portable devices. Electrochemical techniques are apparently suited to microsystems, since easy microfabrication of electrochemical elements and a high degree of integration with multi-analytical functions can be achieved at low cost. Such integrated microsystems will play an increasingly important role for analysis of small volume biochemical samples. Work is in progress toward new microdevice design and applications.

Short-term effects of different organic amendments on soil chemical, biochemical and biological indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondelli, Donato; Aly, Adel; Yirga Dagnachew, Ababu; Piscitelli, Lea; Dumontet, Stefano; Miano, Teodoro

2014-05-01

compared to control soil. Results concerning biochemical indicators revealed that phosphatase and β-glycosidase were significantly reduced, while activities of urease and FDA were improved in all amended plots in comparison to the control, regardless of amendment type. Data demonstrated the efficiency, the high sensitivity and a quick response of the biochemical indicators in assessing soil quality changes. As a conclusion, it is possible to emphasize that alternative and common soil organic amendments behave similarly in enhancing the chemical, biochemical and biological properties. The alternative soil organic amendments could, then, be candidates for substituting some commonly used one which are currently showing shortage in their supply and a lowering in their quality. Keywords: Organic agriculture, Soil quality, Enzymatic activities, Olive mill wastewater, Residues of mushroom cultivation, Coffee chaff.

Performance limits and trade-offs in entropy-driven biochemical computers.

PubMed

Chu, Dominique

2018-04-14

It is now widely accepted that biochemical reaction networks can perform computations. Examples are kinetic proof reading, gene regulation, or signalling networks. For many of these systems it was found that their computational performance is limited by a trade-off between the metabolic cost, the speed and the accuracy of the computation. In order to gain insight into the origins of these trade-offs, we consider entropy-driven computers as a model of biochemical computation. Using tools from stochastic thermodynamics, we show that entropy-driven computation is subject to a trade-off between accuracy and metabolic cost, but does not involve time-trade-offs. Time trade-offs appear when it is taken into account that the result of the computation needs to be measured in order to be known. We argue that this measurement process, although usually ignored, is a major contributor to the cost of biochemical computation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of biochemical features of defective Coffea arabica L. beans.

PubMed

Casas, María I; Vaughan, Michael J; Bonello, Pierluigi; McSpadden Gardener, Brian; Grotewold, Erich; Alonso, Ana P

2017-05-01

Coffee organoleptic properties are based in part on the quality and chemical composition of coffee beans. The presence of defective beans during processing and roasting contribute to off flavors and reduce overall cup quality. A multipronged approach was undertaken to identify specific biochemical markers for defective beans. To this end, beans were split into defective and non-defective fractions and biochemically profiled in both green and roasted states. A set of 17 compounds in green beans, including organic acids, amino acids and reducing sugars; and 35 compounds in roasted beans, dominated by volatile compounds, organic acids, sugars and sugar alcohols, were sufficient to separate the defective and non-defective fractions. Unsorted coffee was examined for the presence of the biochemical markers to test their utility in detecting defective beans. Although the green coffee marker compounds were found in all fractions, three of the roasted coffee marker compounds (1-methylpyrrole, 5-methyl- 2-furfurylfuran, and 2-methylfuran) were uniquely present in defective fractions. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Label-Free Imaging and Biochemical Characterization of Bovine Sperm Cells

PubMed Central

Ferrara, Maria Antonietta; Di Caprio, Giuseppe; Managò, Stefano; De Angelis, Annalisa; Sirleto, Luigi; Coppola, Giuseppe; De Luca, Anna Chiara

2015-01-01

A full label-free morphological and biochemical characterization is desirable to select spermatozoa during preparation for artificial insemination. In order to study these fundamental parameters, we take advantage of two attractive techniques: digital holography (DH) and Raman spectroscopy (RS). DH presents new opportunities for studying morphological aspect of cells and tissues non-invasively, quantitatively and without the need for staining or tagging, while RS is a very specific technique allowing the biochemical analysis of cellular components with a spatial resolution in the sub-micrometer range. In this paper, morphological and biochemical bovine sperm cell alterations were studied using these techniques. In addition, a complementary DH and RS study was performed to identify X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm cells. We demonstrate that the two techniques together are a powerful and highly efficient tool elucidating some important criterions for sperm morphological selection and sex-identification, overcoming many of the limitations associated with existing protocols. PMID:25836358

Slot-waveguide biochemical sensor.

PubMed

Barrios, Carlos A; Gylfason, Kristinn B; Sánchez, Benito; Griol, Amadeu; Sohlström, H; Holgado, M; Casquel, R

2007-11-01

We report an experimental demonstration of an integrated biochemical sensor based on a slot-waveguide microring resonator. The microresonator is fabricated on a Si3N4-SiO2 platform and operates at a wavelength of 1.3 microm. The transmission spectrum of the sensor is measured with different ambient refractive indices ranging from n=1.33 to 1.42. A linear shift of the resonant wavelength with increasing ambient refractive index of 212 nm/refractive index units (RIU) is observed. The sensor detects a minimal refractive index variation of 2x10(-4) RIU.

Amorphous material of the skin in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a morphologic and biochemical study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ono, S.; Nagao, K.; Yamauchi, M.

1994-01-01

We performed morphologic studies on skin from seven patients with ALS and seven control subjects. By light microscopy, the wide spaces that separated collagen bundles reacted strongly with colloidal iron and alcian blue in ALS patients. Electron microscopy revealed markedly increased amorphous material that was positive for ruthenium red in the ground substance. These findings were not present in controls. Quantitative amino acid analysis showed that the amount of total amino acids (nmoles per mg dry weight) was significantly decreased (p < 0.01) in ALS patients compared with that of controls, and there was a significant negative correlation between skin amino acid content and duration of illness in ALS patients (r = -0.83, p < 0.001). These morphologic findings and biochemical data indicate that the amorphous material, which is markedly increased in ALS skin, includes glycosaminoglycans.

Biochemical Effects of Energy Drinks Alone or in Combination with Alcohol in Normal Albino Rats

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Purpose: To determine the biochemical effects of energy drink alone or in combination with alcohol in normal albino rats. Methods: Twenty male albino rats weighing 160-180g were assigned into groups A-E of four rats per group. Group A and B rats were given low and high doses of ED, respectively, groups C and D were administered low and high doses of EDmA, respectively while group E rats were given distilled water and served as control. The treatment lasted for 30 days after which the animals were killed and their blood collected for laboratory analyses using standard methods. Results: There were no significant differences in body weight, packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration with either administration of ED or EDmA in comparison to the control. Energy drink alone or EDmA has significant effects on total white blood cell count, plasma potassium, calcium, renal functions, liver enzymes and plasma triglycerides, with EDmA having more effects than ED alone, except for body weight where the energy drink alone has higher effect. Conclusion: Consumption of energy drink alone or in combination with alcohol is associated with significant alterations in some biochemical parameters. Caution should be exercised while consuming either of them. Public health education is urgently needed to correct the wrong impression already formed by the unsuspecting consumers, especially the youths. PMID:24409412

Biochemical analysis with microfluidic systems.

PubMed

Bilitewski, Ursula; Genrich, Meike; Kadow, Sabine; Mersal, Gaber

2003-10-01

Microfluidic systems are capillary networks of varying complexity fabricated originally in silicon, but nowadays in glass and polymeric substrates. Flow of liquid is mainly controlled by use of electroosmotic effects, i.e. application of electric fields, in addition to pressurized flow, i.e. application of pressure or vacuum. Because electroosmotic flow rates depend on the charge densities on the walls of capillaries, they are influenced by substrate material, fabrication processes, surface pretreatment procedures, and buffer additives. Microfluidic systems combine the properties of capillary electrophoretic systems and flow-through analytical systems, and thus biochemical analytical assays have been developed utilizing and integrating both aspects. Proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids can be separated because of their different electrophoretic mobility; detection is achieved with fluorescence detectors. For protein analysis, in particular, interfaces between microfluidic chips and mass spectrometers were developed. Further levels of integration of required sample-treatment steps were achieved by integration of protein digestion by immobilized trypsin and amplification of nucleic acids by the polymerase chain reaction. Kinetic constants of enzyme reactions were determined by adjusting different degrees of dilution of enzyme substrates or inhibitors within a single chip utilizing mainly the properties of controlled dosing and mixing liquids within a chip. For analysis of kinase reactions, however, a combination of a reaction step (enzyme with substrate and inhibitor) and a separation step (enzyme substrate and reaction product) was required. Microfluidic chips also enable separation of analytes from sample matrix constituents, which can interfere with quantitative determination, if they have different electrophoretic mobilities. In addition to analysis of nucleic acids and enzymes, immunoassays are the third group of analytical assays performed in microfluidic

Synergetic effect of pH and biochemical components on bacterial diversity during mesophilic anaerobic fermentation of biomass-origin waste.

PubMed

Lü, F; Shao, L M; Bru, V; Godon, J J; He, P J

2009-02-01

To investigate the synergetic effect of pH and biochemical components on bacterial community structure during mesophilic anaerobic degradation of solid wastes with different origins, and under acidic or neutral conditions. The bacterial community in 16 samples of solid wastes with different biochemical compositions and origins was evaluated during mesophilic anaerobic degradation at acidic and neutral pH. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) were used to compare the communities. Multivariate analysis of the DGGE and SSCP results revealed that most of the dominant microbes were dependent on the content of easily degradable carbohydrates in the samples. Furthermore, the dominant microbes were divided into two types, those that preferred an acid environment and those that preferred a neutral environment. A shift in pH was found to change their preference for medium substrates. Although most of the substrates with similar origin and biochemical composition had similar microbial diversity during fermentation, some microbes were found only in substrates with specific origins. For example, two microbes were only found in substrate that contained lignocellulose and animal protein without starch. These microbes were related to micro-organisms that are found in swine manure, as well as in other intestinal or oral niches. In addition, the distribution of fermentation products was less sensitive to the changes in pH and biochemical components than the microbial community. Bacterial diversity during anaerobic degradation of organic wastes was affected by both pH and biochemical components; however, pH exerted a greater effect. The results of this study reveal that control of pH may be an effective method to produce a stable bacterial community and relatively similar product distribution during anaerobic digestion of waste, regardless of variation in the waste feedstocks.

40 CFR 180.1127 - Biochemical pesticide plant floral volatile attractant compounds: cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Biochemical pesticide plant floral... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1127 Biochemical pesticide plant floral volatile attractant compounds...

40 CFR 180.1127 - Biochemical pesticide plant floral volatile attractant compounds: cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Biochemical pesticide plant floral... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS TOLERANCES AND EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1127 Biochemical pesticide plant floral volatile attractant compounds...

Impact of colour pigments on biochemical parameters of bivalve, Lamellidens marginalis.

PubMed

Phadnis, S D; Chandagade, C A; Jadhav, V V; Raut, P D

2013-03-01

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of colour pigments used for painting the decorative articles like idols, on the freshwater bivalve, Lamellidens marginalis. The effects of subchronic exposure were studied by the changes in the biochemical constituents like total protein, glycogen and lactic acid, in different tissues like muscle, mantle, gills, foot, hepatopancreas and gonads for 10 and 20 days period. The glycogen contents in the muscle, mantle and gonads were significantly decreased with increase in concentration of colour pigments. It decreased from 26.77 mg gm(-1) in control to 19.17 mg gm(-1) at 900 ppm after 20 days of exposure; whereas protein contents in the tissues studied decreased significantly from 22.5 mg gm(-1) in control to 15.5 mg gm(-1) at 900 ppm after 10 days of exposure. The increase in lactic acid content in all the tissues except gills and gonads may be due to acute hypoxia.

Biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy: what does it mean?

PubMed Central

Tourinho-Barbosa, Rafael; Srougi, Victor; Nunes-Silva, Igor; Baghdadi, Mohammed; Rembeyo, Gregory; Eiffel, Sophie S.; Barret, Eric; Rozet, Francois; Galiano, Marc; Cathelineau, Xavier; Sanchez-Salas, Rafael

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Radical prostatectomy (RP) has been used as the main primary treatment for prostate cancer (PCa) for many years with excellent oncologic results. However, approximately 20-40% of those patients has failed to RP and presented biochemical recurrence (BCR). Prostatic specific antigen (PSA) has been the pivotal tool for recurrence diagnosis, but there is no consensus about the best PSA threshold to define BCR until this moment. The natural history of BCR after surgical procedure is highly variable, but it is important to distinguish biochemical and clinical recurrence and to find the correct timing to start multimodal treatment strategy. Also, it is important to understand the role of each clinical and pathological feature of prostate cancer in BCR, progression to metastatic disease and cancer specific mortality (CSM). Review design A simple review was made in Medline for articles written in English language about biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Objective To provide an updated assessment of BCR definition, its meaning, PCa natural history after BCR and the weight of each clinical/pathological feature and risk group classifications in BCR, metastatic disease and CSM. PMID:29039897

Biochemical and nutritional components of selected honey samples.

PubMed

Chua, Lee Suan; Adnan, Nur Ardawati

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of biochemical (enzymes) and nutritional components in the selected honey samples from Malaysia. The relationship is important to estimate the quality of honey based on the concentration of these nutritious components. Such a study is limited for honey samples from tropical countries with heavy rainfall throughout the year. A number of six honey samples that commonly consumed by local people were collected for the study. Both the biochemical and nutritional components were analysed by using standard methods from Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Individual monosaccharides, disaccharides and 17 amino acids in honey were determined by using liquid chromatographic method. The results showed that the peroxide activity was positively correlated with moisture content (r = 0.8264), but negatively correlated with carbohydrate content (r = 0.7755) in honey. The chromatographic sugar and free amino acid profiles showed that the honey samples could be clustered based on the type and maturity of honey. Proline explained for 64.9% of the total variance in principle component analysis (PCA). The correlation between honey components and honey quality has been established for the selected honey samples based on their biochemical and nutritional concentrations. PCA results revealed that the ratio of sucrose to maltose could be used to measure honey maturity, whereas proline was the marker compound used to distinguish honey either as floral or honeydew.

Biochemical and Cellular Assessment of Acetabular Chondral Flaps Identified During Hip Arthroscopy.

PubMed

Hariri, Sanaz; Truntzer, Jeremy; Smith, Robert Lane; Safran, Marc R

2015-06-01

To analyze chondral flaps debrided during hip arthroscopy to determine their biochemical and cellular composition. Thirty-one full-thickness acetabular chondral flaps were collected during hip arthroscopy. Biochemical analysis was undertaken in 21 flaps from 20 patients, and cellular viability was determined in 10 flaps from 10 patients. Biochemical analysis included concentrations of (1) DNA (an indicator of chondrocyte content), (2) hydroxyproline (an indicator of collagen content), and (3) glycosaminoglycan (an indicator of chondrocyte biosynthesis). Higher values for these parameters indicated more healthy tissue. The flaps were examined to determine the percentage of viable chondrocytes. The percentage of acetabular chondral flap specimens that had concentrations within 1 SD of the mean values reported in previous normal cartilage studies was 38% for DNA, 0% for glycosaminoglycan, and 43% for hydroxyproline. The average cellular viability of our acetabular chondral flap specimens was 39% (SD, 14%). Only 2 of the 10 specimens had more than half the cells still viable. There was no correlation between (1) the gross examination of the joint or knowledge of the patient's demographic characteristics and symptoms and (2) biochemical properties and cell viability of the flap, with one exception: a degenerative appearance of the surrounding cartilage correlated with a higher hydroxyproline concentration. Although full-thickness acetabular chondral flaps can appear normal grossly, the biochemical properties and percentage of live chondrocytes in full-thickness chondral flaps encountered in hip arthroscopy show that this tissue is not normal. There has been recent interest in repairing chondral flaps encountered during hip arthroscopy. These data suggest that acetabular chondral flaps are not biochemically and cellularly normal. Although these flaps may still be valuable mechanically and/or as a scaffold in some conductive or inductive capacity, further study is

MetaMapp: mapping and visualizing metabolomic data by integrating information from biochemical pathways and chemical and mass spectral similarity

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) leads to higher rates of pulmonary diseases and infections in children. To study the biochemical changes that may precede lung diseases, metabolomic effects on fetal and maternal lungs and plasma from rats exposed to ETS were compared to filtered air control animals. Genome- reconstructed metabolic pathways may be used to map and interpret dysregulation in metabolic networks. However, mass spectrometry-based non-targeted metabolomics datasets often comprise many metabolites for which links to enzymatic reactions have not yet been reported. Hence, network visualizations that rely on current biochemical databases are incomplete and also fail to visualize novel, structurally unidentified metabolites. Results We present a novel approach to integrate biochemical pathway and chemical relationships to map all detected metabolites in network graphs (MetaMapp) using KEGG reactant pair database, Tanimoto chemical and NIST mass spectral similarity scores. In fetal and maternal lungs, and in maternal blood plasma from pregnant rats exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), 459 unique metabolites comprising 179 structurally identified compounds were detected by gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF MS) and BinBase data processing. MetaMapp graphs in Cytoscape showed much clearer metabolic modularity and complete content visualization compared to conventional biochemical mapping approaches. Cytoscape visualization of differential statistics results using these graphs showed that overall, fetal lung metabolism was more impaired than lungs and blood metabolism in dams. Fetuses from ETS-exposed dams expressed lower lipid and nucleotide levels and higher amounts of energy metabolism intermediates than control animals, indicating lower biosynthetic rates of metabolites for cell division, structural proteins and lipids that are critical for in lung development. Conclusions MetaMapp graphs efficiently

Metabonomics and medicine: the Biochemical Oracle.

PubMed

Mitchell, Steve; Holmes, Elaine; Carmichael, Paul

2002-10-01

Occasionally, a new idea emerges that has the potential to revolutionize an entire field of scientific endeavour. It is now within our grasp to be able to detect subtle perturbations within the phenomenally complex biochemical matrix of living organisms. The discipline of metabonomics promises an all-encompassing approach to understanding total, yet fundamental, changes occurring in disease processes, drug toxicity and cell function.

Feasibility of biochemical verification in a web-based smoking cessation study.

PubMed

Cha, Sarah; Ganz, Ollie; Cohn, Amy M; Ehlke, Sarah J; Graham, Amanda L

2017-10-01

Cogent arguments have been made against the need for biochemical verification in population-based studies with low-demand characteristics. Despite this fact, studies involving digital interventions (low-demand) are often required in peer review to report biochemically verified abstinence. To address this discrepancy, we examined the feasibility and costs of biochemical verification in a web-based study conducted with a national sample. Participants were 600U.S. adult current smokers who registered on a web-based smoking cessation program and completed surveys at baseline and 3months. Saliva sampling kits were sent to participants who reported 7-day abstinence at 3months, and analyzed for cotinine. The response rate at 3-months was 41.2% (n=247): 93 participants reported 7-day abstinence (38%) and were mailed a saliva kit (71% returned). The discordance rate was 36.4%. Participants with discordant responses were more likely to report 3-month use of nicotine replacement therapy or e-cigarettes than those with concordant responses (79.2% vs. 45.2%, p=0.007). The total cost of saliva sampling was $8280 ($125/sample). Biochemical verification was both time- and cost-intensive, and yielded a relatively small number of samples due to low response rates and use of other nicotine products during the follow-up period. There was a high rate of discordance of self-reported abstinence and saliva testing. Costs for data collection may be prohibitive for studies with large sample sizes or limited budgets. Our findings echo previous statements that biochemical verification is not necessary in population-based studies, and add evidence specific to technology-based studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biochemical abnormalities in Pearson syndrome.

PubMed

Crippa, Beatrice Letizia; Leon, Eyby; Calhoun, Amy; Lowichik, Amy; Pasquali, Marzia; Longo, Nicola

2015-03-01

Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome is a multisystem mitochondrial disorder characterized by bone marrow failure and pancreatic insufficiency. Children who survive the severe bone marrow dysfunction in childhood develop Kearns-Sayre syndrome later in life. Here we report on four new cases with this condition and define their biochemical abnormalities. Three out of four patients presented with failure to thrive, with most of them having normal development and head size. All patients had evidence of bone marrow involvement that spontaneously improved in three out of four patients. Unique findings in our patients were acute pancreatitis (one out of four), renal Fanconi syndrome (present in all patients, but symptomatic only in one), and an unusual organic aciduria with 3-hydroxyisobutyric aciduria in one patient. Biochemical analysis indicated low levels of plasma citrulline and arginine, despite low-normal ammonia levels. Regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between each intermediate of the urea cycle and the next, except between ornithine and citrulline. This suggested that the reaction catalyzed by ornithine transcarbamylase (that converts ornithine to citrulline) might not be very efficient in patients with Pearson syndrome. In view of low-normal ammonia levels, we hypothesize that ammonia and carbamylphosphate could be diverted from the urea cycle to the synthesis of nucleotides in patients with Pearson syndrome and possibly other mitochondrial disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In silico characterization of microbial electrosynthesis for metabolic engineering of biochemicals

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background A critical concern in metabolic engineering is the need to balance the demand and supply of redox intermediates such as NADH. Bioelectrochemical techniques offer a novel and promising method to alleviate redox imbalances during the synthesis of biochemicals and biofuels. Broadly, these techniques reduce intracellular NAD+ to NADH and therefore manipulate the cell's redox balance. The cellular response to such redox changes and the additional reducing power available to the cell can be harnessed to produce desired metabolites. In the context of microbial fermentation, these bioelectrochemical techniques can be used to improve product yields and/or productivity. Results We have developed a method to characterize the role of bioelectrosynthesis in chemical production using the genome-scale metabolic model of E. coli. The results in this paper elucidate the role of bioelectrosynthesis and its impact on biomass growth, cellular ATP yields and biochemical production. The results also suggest that strain design strategies can change for fermentation processes that employ microbial electrosynthesis and suggest that dynamic operating strategies lead to maximizing productivity. Conclusions The results in this paper provide a systematic understanding of the benefits and limitations of bioelectrochemical techniques for biochemical production and highlight how electrical enhancement can impact cellular metabolism and biochemical production. PMID:21967745

Flow Injection Technique for Biochemical Analysis with Chemiluminescence Detection in Acidic Media

PubMed Central

Chen, Jing; Fang, Yanjun

2007-01-01

A review with 90 references is presented to show the development of acidic chemiluminescence methods for biochemical analysis by use of flow injection technique in the last 10 years. A brief discussion of both the chemiluminescence and flow injection technique is given. The proposed methods for biochemical analysis are described and compared according to the used chemiluminescence system.

Sequence-controlled RNA self-processing: computational design, biochemical analysis, and visualization by AFM

PubMed Central

Petkovic, Sonja; Badelt, Stefan; Flamm, Christoph; Delcea, Mihaela

2015-01-01

Reversible chemistry allowing for assembly and disassembly of molecular entities is important for biological self-organization. Thus, ribozymes that support both cleavage and formation of phosphodiester bonds may have contributed to the emergence of functional diversity and increasing complexity of regulatory RNAs in early life. We have previously engineered a variant of the hairpin ribozyme that shows how ribozymes may have circularized or extended their own length by forming concatemers. Using the Vienna RNA package, we now optimized this hairpin ribozyme variant and selected four different RNA sequences that were expected to circularize more efficiently or form longer concatemers upon transcription. (Two-dimensional) PAGE analysis confirms that (i) all four selected ribozymes are catalytically active and (ii) high yields of cyclic species are obtained. AFM imaging in combination with RNA structure prediction enabled us to calculate the distributions of monomers and self-concatenated dimers and trimers. Our results show that computationally optimized molecules do form reasonable amounts of trimers, which has not been observed for the original system so far, and we demonstrate that the combination of theoretical prediction, biochemical and physical analysis is a promising approach toward accurate prediction of ribozyme behavior and design of ribozymes with predefined functions. PMID:25999318

Label-free optical resonant sensors for biochemical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciminelli, Caterina; Campanella, Clarissa Martina; Dell'Olio, Francesco; Campanella, Carlo Edoardo; Armenise, Mario Nicola

2013-03-01

For a number of years, the scientific community has been paying growing attention to the monitoring and enhancement of public health and the quality of life through the detection of all dangerous agents for the human body, including gases, proteins, virus, and bacterial agents. When these agents are detected through label-free biochemical sensors, the molecules are not modified structurally or functionally by adding fluorescent or radioactive dyes. This work focuses on label-free optical ring resonator-based configurations suited for bio-chemical sensing, highlighting their physical aspects and specific applications. Resonant wavelength shift and the modal splitting occurring when the analyte interacts with microresonant structures are the two major physical aspects analyzed in this paper. Competitive optical platforms proposed in the literature are also illustrated together with their properties and performance.

Use of biochemical tests of placental function for improving pregnancy outcome.

PubMed

Heazell, Alexander E P; Whitworth, Melissa; Duley, Lelia; Thornton, Jim G

2015-11-25

The placenta has an essential role in determining the outcome of pregnancy. Consequently, biochemical measurement of placentally-derived factors has been suggested as a means to improve fetal and maternal outcome of pregnancy. To assess whether clinicians' knowledge of the results of biochemical tests of placental function is associated with improvement in fetal or maternal outcome of pregnancy. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 July 2015) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomised, cluster-randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials assessing the merits of the use of biochemical tests of placental function to improve pregnancy outcome.Studies were eligible if they compared women who had placental function tests and the results were available to their clinicians with women who either did not have the tests, or the tests were done but the results were not available to the clinicians. The placental function tests were any biochemical test of placental function carried out using the woman's maternal biofluid, either alone or in combination with other placental function test/s. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed trial quality. Authors of published trials were contacted for further information. Three trials were included, two quasi-randomised controlled trials and one randomised controlled trial. One trial was deemed to be at low risk of bias while the other two were at high risk of bias. Different biochemical analytes were measured - oestrogen was measured in one trial and the other two measured human placental lactogen (hPL). One trial did not contribute outcome data, therefore, the results of this review are based on two trials with 740 participants.There was no evidence of a difference in the incidence of death of a baby (risk ratio (RR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36 to 2.13, two trials, 740 participants (very low quality evidence)) or the

Exploring the remote sensing of foliar biochemical concentrations with AVIRIS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Geoffrey M.; Curran, Paul J.

1992-01-01

Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data shows promise for the estimation of foliar biochemical concentrations at the scale of the canopy. There are, however, several problems associated with the use of AVIRIS data in this way and these are detailed in recent Plant Biochemical Workshop Report. The research reported was concentrated upon three of these problems: field sampling of forest canopies, wet laboratory assay of foliar chemicals, and the visualization of AVIRIS data.

Pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma: Biochemical and genetic diagnosis.

PubMed

Cano Megías, Marta; Rodriguez Puyol, Diego; Fernández Rodríguez, Loreto; Sención Martinez, Gloria Lisette; Martínez Miguel, Patricia

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are tumours derived from neural crest cells, which can be diagnosed by biochemical measurement of metanephrine and methoxytyramine. Advances in genetic research have identified many genes involved in the pathogenesis of these tumours, suggesting that up to 35-45% may have an underlying germline mutation. These genes have a singular transcriptional signature and can be grouped into 2 clusters (or groups): cluster 1 (VHL and SHDx), involved in angiogenesis and hypoxia pathways; and cluster 2 (MEN2 and NF1), linked to the kinase signalling pathway. In turn, these genes are associated with a characteristic biochemical phenotype (noradrenergic and adrenergic), and clinical features (location, biological behaviour, age of presentation, etc.) in a large number of cases. Early diagnosis of these tumours, accompanied by a correct genetic diagnosis, should eventually become a priority to enable better treatment, early detection of complications, proper screening of family members and related tumours, as well as an improvement in the overall prognosis of these patients. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Nefrología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Biochemical Applications in the Analytical Chemistry Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, Cynthia; Ruttencutter, Jeffrey

2004-01-01

An HPLC and a UV-visible spectrophotometer are identified as instruments that helps to incorporate more biologically-relevant experiments into the course, in order to increase the students understanding of selected biochemistry topics and enhances their ability to apply an analytical approach to biochemical problems. The experiment teaches…

Survey of Biochemical Education in Japanese Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kagawa, Yasuo

1995-01-01

Reports findings of questionnaires sent to faculty in charge of biochemical education in medical schools and other programs from dentistry to agriculture. Total class hours have declined since 1984. New trends include bioethics and computer-assisted learning. Tables show trends in lecture hours, lecture content, laboratory hours, core subject…

Biochemical, structural and functional diversity between two digestive α-amylases from Helicoverpa armigera.

PubMed

Bhide, Amey J; Channale, Sonal M; Patil, Sucheta S; Gupta, Vidya S; Ramasamy, Sureshkumar; Giri, Ashok P

2015-09-01

Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera) feeds on various plants using diverse digestive enzymes as one of the survival tool-kit. The aim of the present study was to understand biochemical properties of recombinant α-amylases of H. armigera viz., HaAmy1 and HaAmy2. The open reading frames of HaAmy1 and HaAmy2 were cloned in Pichia pastoris and expressed heterologously. Purified recombinant enzymes were characterized for their biochemical and biophysical attributes using established methods. Sequence alignment and homology modeling showed that HaAmy1 and HaAmy2 were conserved in their amino acid sequences and structures. HaAmy1 and HaAmy2 showed optimum activity at 60°C; however, they differed in their optimum pH. Furthermore, HaAmy2 showed higher affinity for starch and amylopectin whereas HaAmy1 had higher catalytic efficiency. HaAmy1 and HaAmy2 were inhibited to the same magnitude by a synthetic amylase inhibitor (acarbose) while wheat amylase inhibitor showed about 2-fold higher inhibition of HaAmy1 than HaAmy2 at pH7 while 6-fold difference at pH11. Interactions of HaAmy1 and HaAmy2 with wheat amylase inhibitor revealed 2:1 stoichiometric ratio and much more complex interaction with HaAmy1. The diversity of amylases in perspective of their biochemical and biophysical properties, and their differential interactions with amylase inhibitors signify the potential role of these enzymes in adaptation of H. armigera on diverse plant diets. Characterization of digestive enzymes of H. armigera provides the molecular basis for the polyphagous nature and thus could assist in designing future strategies for the insect control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utility of biochemical verification of tobacco cessation in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

PubMed

Noonan, Devon; Jiang, Yunyun; Duffy, Sonia A

2013-03-01

Research on the validity of self-report tobacco use has varied by the population studied and has yet to be examined among smokers serviced by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of returning a biochemical urine test and the specificity and sensitivity of self-reported tobacco use status compared to biochemical verification. This was a sub-analysis of the larger Tobacco Tactics research study, a pre-/post-non-randomized control design study to implement and evaluate a smoking cessation intervention in three large VA hospitals. Inpatient smokers completed baseline demographic, health history and tobacco use measures. Patients were sent a follow-up survey at six-months to assess tobacco use and urine cotinine levels. A total of 645 patients returned six-month surveys of which 578 also returned a urinary cotinine strip at six-months. Multivariate analysis of the predictors of return rate revealed those more likely to return biochemical verification of their smoking status were younger, more likely to be thinking about quitting smoking, have arthritis, and less likely to have heart disease. The sensitivity and specificity of self-report tobacco use were 97% (95% confidence interval=0.95-0.98) and 93% (95% confidence interval=0.84-0.98) respectively. The misclassification rate among self-reported quitters was 21%. The misclassification rate among self-reported tobacco users was 1%. The sensitivity and specificity of self-report tobacco use were high among veteran smokers, yet among self-report quitters that misclassification rate was high at 21% suggesting that validating self-report tobacco measures is warranted in future studies especially in populations that are prone to misclassification. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parasitological and biochemical studies on cutaneous leishmaniasis in Shara'b District, Taiz, Yemen.

PubMed

Asmaa, Qhtan; Al-Shamerii, Salwa; Al-Tag, Mohammed; Al-Shamerii, Adam; Li, Yiping; Osman, Bashir H

2017-07-04

The leishmaniasis is a group of diseases caused by intracellular haemoflagellate protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Leishmaniasis has diverse clinical manifestations; cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis which is responsible for 60% of disability-adjusted life years. CL is endemic in Yemen. In Shara'b there is no reference study available to identify the prevalence of endemic diseases and no investigation has been conducted for diagnosing the diseases. This study was conducted in villages for CL which collected randomly. The study aimed at investigating the epidemiological factors of CL in Shara'b by using questioner. Symptoms of lesions in patients suffering from CL, confirmed by laboratory tests, gave a new evidence of biochemical diagnosis in 525 villagers aged between 1 and 60 years old. Venous bloods were collected from 99 patients as well as from 51 control after an overnight fast. The percentage prevalence of CL was found 18.8%. The prevalence rate of infection among males (19.3%) was higher than females (18.40%). Younger age group (1-15) had a higher prevalence rate (20.3%) than the other age groups. Furthermore, the population with no formal education had the higher rate of infection (61% of the total). A significant increase of serum malondialdehyde (P < 0.001) in CL patients was obtained. The highest level of MDA may be due to over production of ROS and RNS results in oxidative stress and the acceleration of lipid peroxidation in CL patients. There were high prevalence rates of CL in Shara'b. The patient who had CL has been found with many changes in some biochemical levels. This study provides a clear indication on the role of MDA as an early biochemical marker of peroxidation damage occurring during CL. Increased uric acid, and catalase activity was provided of free radical.

40 CFR 158.2082 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2. The same... human or livestock consumption. 12. Data on fish are required for all pesticides applied directly to... pesticides residue data requirements table. 158.2082 Section 158.2082 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 158.2082 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2. The same... human or livestock consumption. 12. Data on fish are required for all pesticides applied directly to... pesticides residue data requirements table. 158.2082 Section 158.2082 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 158.2082 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2. The same... human or livestock consumption. 12. Data on fish are required for all pesticides applied directly to... pesticides residue data requirements table. 158.2082 Section 158.2082 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 158.2082 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2. The same... human or livestock consumption. 12. Data on fish are required for all pesticides applied directly to... pesticides residue data requirements table. 158.2082 Section 158.2082 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

40 CFR 158.2082 - Experimental use permit biochemical pesticides residue data requirements table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... biochemical agents in the biochemical human health assessment data requirements, § 158.2050. 2. The same... human or livestock consumption. 12. Data on fish are required for all pesticides applied directly to... pesticides residue data requirements table. 158.2082 Section 158.2082 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL...

Treatment of salivary gland neoplasms with fast neutron radiotherapy.

PubMed

Douglas, James G; Koh, Wui-jin; Austin-Seymour, Mary; Laramore, George E

2003-09-01

To evaluate the efficacy of fast neutron radiotherapy for the treatment of salivary gland neoplasms. Retrospective analysis. University of Washington Cancer Center, Neutron Facility, Seattle. The medical records of 279 patients treated with curative intent using fast neutron radiotherapy at the University of Washington Cancer Center were reviewed. Of the 279 patients, 263 had evidence of gross residual disease at the time of treatment (16 had no evidence of gross residual disease), 141 had tumors of a major salivary gland, and 138 had tumors of minor salivary glands. The median follow-up period was 36 months (range, 1-142 months). Local-regional control, cause-specific survival, and freedom from metastasis. The 6-year actuarial cause-specific survival rate was 67%. Multivariate analysis revealed that low group stage (I-II) disease, minor salivary sites, lack of skull base invasion, and primary disease were associated with a statistically significant improvement in cause-specific survival. The 6-year actuarial local-regional control rate was 59%. Multivariate analysis revealed size 4 cm or smaller, lack of base of skull invasion, prior surgical resection, and no previous radiotherapy to have a statistically significant improved local-regional control. Sixteen patients without evidence of gross residual disease had a 100% 6-year actuarial local-regional control. The 6-year actuarial freedom from metastasis rate was 64%. Factors associated with decreased development of systemic metastases included negative lymph nodes at the time of treatment and lack of base of skull involvement. The 6-year actuarial rate of development of grade 3 or 4 long-term toxicity (using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and European Organization for Research on the Treatment of Cancer criteria) was 10%. No patient experienced grade 5 toxic effects. Neuron radiotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with salivary gland neoplasms who have gross residual disease and achieves excellent

Salivary testosterone may not serve as a screening test in the diagnosis of biochemical hyperandrogenism.

PubMed

Ambroziak, Urszula; Kuryłowicz, Alina; Kępczyńska-Nyk, Anna; Kondracka, Agnieszka; Gajda, Sylvia; Sieńko, Damian

2018-06-01

The diagnosis of biochemical hyperandrogenism is still challenging because a set of appropriate, recommended diagnostic tests has not been established. In our study, we aimed to answer the question of whether salivary testosterone is a reliable test to establish the diagnosis of biochemical hyperandrogenism as compared to serum total testosterone (TT) measured either by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) or immunoassay and to assess which set of biochemical tests would be the most appropriate for the identification of biochemical hyperandrogenism. A total of 39 women, aged 18-45 years, with clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism and 41 healthy individuals, aged 19-45 years, were enrolled in the study. Salivary testosterone was measured using the Salimetrics test. Serum TT was measured either using the LC-MS/MS method or immunoassay, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and androstenedione were measured using LC-MS/MS. In 15 of 17 (88%) patients with elevated serum TT measured by LC-MS/MS and in 14 of 16 (87%) measured with immunoassay, salivary testosterone showed normal levels. In 11 of 39 women (28%) with normal serum testosterone levels, DHEA-S was elevated. All patients with elevated androstenedione presented with an elevated concentration of either serum testosterone or DHEA-S. Salivary testosterone measurement may lead to the underdiagnosis of biochemical hyperandrogenism. Both serum testosterone and DHEA-S should be measured in the endocrine work-up toward biochemical hyperandrogenism. © 2018 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Effect of feeding different levels of Azolla pinnata on blood biochemicals, hematology and immunocompetence traits of Chabro chicken

PubMed Central

Mishra, Deepesh Bharat; Roy, Debashis; Kumar, Vinod; Bhattacharyya, Amitav; Kumar, Muneendra; Kushwaha, Raju; Vaswani, Shalini

2016-01-01

Aim: The present study was conducted to see the effect of feeding different levels of Azolla meal on blood biochemicals, hematology and immunocompetence traits of Chabro chicken. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 160 Chabro chicks, which were randomly divided into four treatment groups each with four replicates of 10 birds. The first treatment (T1) served as a control in which basal diets was offered without Azolla supplementation while in T2, T3, and T4 groups, basal diet was replaced with Azolla meal at 5%, 7.5%, and 10% levels, respectively. A feeding trial was conducted upto 8 weeks. At the last week of trial, blood samples were collected randomly from one bird of each replicate and plasma was separated to estimate certain biochemical parameters, some blood metabolites, minerals and enzymes like alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, packed cell volume, total leukocytes count and differential leukocytes count were estimated in fresh blood just after collection. The humoral immune response was measured against sheep red blood cells,and cell-mediated immune response was measured against phyto hemagglutinin lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris (PHA-P). Results: The study showed that hematological profile of the Chabro bird was not affected by any treatment except heterophil and lymphocyte which was found higher in T2 and T3 groups and eosinophil was found higher in a T3 group than control. Blood glucose, creatinine, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, uric acid, and triglycerides were found similar in all the groups and within the normal values for broiler chicken. Liver enzymes and macro mineral content in blood were found similar in all the treatment groups and within normal physiological range. Although AST was found higher in 10% replacement group than control, the value was within normal range for broiler chicken. Although antibody titer was found similar in all the experimental

Effect of feeding different levels of Azolla pinnata on blood biochemicals, hematology and immunocompetence traits of Chabro chicken.

PubMed

Mishra, Deepesh Bharat; Roy, Debashis; Kumar, Vinod; Bhattacharyya, Amitav; Kumar, Muneendra; Kushwaha, Raju; Vaswani, Shalini

2016-02-01

The present study was conducted to see the effect of feeding different levels of Azolla meal on blood biochemicals, hematology and immunocompetence traits of Chabro chicken. The study was conducted on 160 Chabro chicks, which were randomly divided into four treatment groups each with four replicates of 10 birds. The first treatment (T1) served as a control in which basal diets was offered without Azolla supplementation while in T2, T3, and T4 groups, basal diet was replaced with Azolla meal at 5%, 7.5%, and 10% levels, respectively. A feeding trial was conducted upto 8 weeks. At the last week of trial, blood samples were collected randomly from one bird of each replicate and plasma was separated to estimate certain biochemical parameters, some blood metabolites, minerals and enzymes like alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Hematological parameters such as hemoglobin, packed cell volume, total leukocytes count and differential leukocytes count were estimated in fresh blood just after collection. The humoral immune response was measured against sheep red blood cells,and cell-mediated immune response was measured against phyto hemagglutinin lectin from Phaseolus vulgaris (PHA-P). The study showed that hematological profile of the Chabro bird was not affected by any treatment except heterophil and lymphocyte which was found higher in T2 and T3 groups and eosinophil was found higher in a T3 group than control. Blood glucose, creatinine, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, uric acid, and triglycerides were found similar in all the groups and within the normal values for broiler chicken. Liver enzymes and macro mineral content in blood were found similar in all the treatment groups and within normal physiological range. Although AST was found higher in 10% replacement group than control, the value was within normal range for broiler chicken. Although antibody titer was found similar in all the experimental groups in the present study, cell