Elevated liver enzymes in women with a family history of diabetes.

PubMed

Inoue, Kazuo; Matsumoto, Masatoshi; Miyoshi, Yuji; Kobayashi, Yasuki

2008-03-01

Both elevated liver enzymes and a family history of diabetes mellitus (FHDM) are independent risk factors for type 2 diabetes. This study evaluates the epidemiological association between elevated liver enzymes and FHDM. Subjects included 3512 women workers without diabetes, hepatitis, a smoking habit, or a history of alcohol intake. Blood samples and personal data were collected from all subjects. Subjects with FHDM had a higher mean body mass index (BMI: 23.9kg/m(2) vs. 23.4kg/m(2); p=0.003). Laboratory testing also revealed higher mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG: 5.67mmol/L vs. 5.22mmol/L; p<0.001), asparate aminotransferase (AST: 20.0IU/L vs. 19.2IU/L; p=0.049), alanine aminotransferase (ALT: 18.4IU/L vs. 16.7IU/L; p=0.004), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT: 24.1IU/L vs. 20.5IU/L; p<0.001), and triglycerides (TG: 1.09mmol/L vs. 1.00mmol/L; p=0.011) for FHDM subjects, when adjusted for age and BMI. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that FHDM, age, BMI, FPG, and TG were correlated with GGT (p=0.004 for FHDM; p<0.001 for age, BMI, FPG, and TG). Elevated liver enzymes were associated with FHDM. In particular, elevated GGT was related to FHDM, independent of the other variables. Elevated liver enzymes, probably due to fat deposition in the liver, may play a role in increasing the risk of diabetes in individuals with FHDM.

Transcriptional profiling reveals elevated CO2 and elevated O3 alter resistance of soybean (Glycine max) to Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica).

PubMed

Casteel, Clare L; O'Neill, Bridget F; Zavala, Jorge A; Bilgin, Damla D; Berenbaum, May R; Delucia, Evan H

2008-04-01

The accumulation of CO2 and O3 in the troposphere alters phytochemistry which in turn influences the interactions between plants and insects. Using microarray analysis of field-grown soybean (Glycine max), we found that the number of transcripts in the leaves affected by herbivory by Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) was greater when plants were grown under elevated CO2, elevated O3 and the combination of elevated CO2 plus elevated O3 than when grown in ambient atmosphere. The effect of herbivory on transcription diminished strongly with time (<1% of genes were affected by herbivory after 3 weeks), and elevated CO2 interacted more strongly with herbivory than elevated O3. The majority of transcripts affected by elevated O3 were related to antioxidant metabolism. Constitutive levels and the induction by herbivory of key transcripts associated with defence and hormone signalling were down-regulated under elevated CO2; 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase, lipoxygenase (LOX), allene oxide synthase (AOS), allene oxide cyclase (AOC), chalcone synthase (CHS), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and cysteine protease inhibitor (CystPI) were lower in abundance compared with levels under ambient conditions. By suppressing the ability to mount an effective defence, elevated CO2 may decrease resistance of soybean to herbivory.

Are global warming and ocean acidification conspiring against marine ectotherms? A meta-analysis of the respiratory effects of elevated temperature, high CO2 and their interaction.

PubMed

Lefevre, Sjannie

2016-01-01

With the occurrence of global change, research aimed at estimating the performance of marine ectotherms in a warmer and acidified future has intensified. The concept of oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance, which is inspired by the Fry paradigm of a bell-shaped increase-optimum-decrease-type response of aerobic scope to increasing temperature, but also includes proposed negative and synergistic effects of elevated CO2 levels, has been suggested as a unifying framework. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to assess the following: (i) the generality of a bell-shaped relationship between absolute aerobic scope (AAS) and temperature; (ii) to what extent elevated CO2 affects resting oxygen uptake MO2rest and AAS; and (iii) whether there is an interaction between elevated temperature and CO2. The behavioural effects of CO2 are also briefly discussed. In 31 out of 73 data sets (both acutely exposed and acclimated), AAS increased and remained above 90% of the maximum, whereas a clear thermal optimum was observed in the remaining 42 data sets. Carbon dioxide caused a significant rise in MO2rest in only 18 out of 125 data sets, and a decrease in 25, whereas it caused a decrease in AAS in four out of 18 data sets and an increase in two. The analysis did not reveal clear evidence for an overall correlation with temperature, CO2 regime or duration of CO2 treatment. When CO2 had an effect, additive rather than synergistic interactions with temperature were most common and, interestingly, they even interacted antagonistically on MO2rest and AAS. The behavioural effects of CO2 could complicate experimental determination of respiratory performance. Overall, this meta-analysis reveals heterogeneity in the responses to elevated temperature and CO2 that is not in accordance with the idea of a single unifying principle and which cannot be ignored in attempts to model and predict the impacts of global warming and ocean acidification on marine ectotherms.

Are global warming and ocean acidification conspiring against marine ectotherms? A meta-analysis of the respiratory effects of elevated temperature, high CO2 and their interaction

PubMed Central

Lefevre, Sjannie

2016-01-01

Abstract With the occurrence of global change, research aimed at estimating the performance of marine ectotherms in a warmer and acidified future has intensified. The concept of oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance, which is inspired by the Fry paradigm of a bell-shaped increase–optimum–decrease-type response of aerobic scope to increasing temperature, but also includes proposed negative and synergistic effects of elevated CO2 levels, has been suggested as a unifying framework. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to assess the following: (i) the generality of a bell-shaped relationship between absolute aerobic scope (AAS) and temperature; (ii) to what extent elevated CO2 affects resting oxygen uptake MO2rest and AAS; and (iii) whether there is an interaction between elevated temperature and CO2. The behavioural effects of CO2 are also briefly discussed. In 31 out of 73 data sets (both acutely exposed and acclimated), AAS increased and remained above 90% of the maximum, whereas a clear thermal optimum was observed in the remaining 42 data sets. Carbon dioxide caused a significant rise in MO2rest in only 18 out of 125 data sets, and a decrease in 25, whereas it caused a decrease in AAS in four out of 18 data sets and an increase in two. The analysis did not reveal clear evidence for an overall correlation with temperature, CO2 regime or duration of CO2 treatment. When CO2 had an effect, additive rather than synergistic interactions with temperature were most common and, interestingly, they even interacted antagonistically on MO2rest and AAS. The behavioural effects of CO2 could complicate experimental determination of respiratory performance. Overall, this meta-analysis reveals heterogeneity in the responses to elevated temperature and CO2 that is not in accordance with the idea of a single unifying principle and which cannot be ignored in attempts to model and predict the impacts of global warming and ocean acidification on marine ectotherms. PMID:27382472

Quantifying the influences of various ecological factors on land surface temperature of urban forests.

PubMed

Ren, Yin; Deng, Lu-Ying; Zuo, Shu-Di; Song, Xiao-Dong; Liao, Yi-Lan; Xu, Cheng-Dong; Chen, Qi; Hua, Li-Zhong; Li, Zheng-Wei

2016-09-01

Identifying factors that influence the land surface temperature (LST) of urban forests can help improve simulations and predictions of spatial patterns of urban cool islands. This requires a quantitative analytical method that combines spatial statistical analysis with multi-source observational data. The purpose of this study was to reveal how human activities and ecological factors jointly influence LST in clustering regions (hot or cool spots) of urban forests. Using Xiamen City, China from 1996 to 2006 as a case study, we explored the interactions between human activities and ecological factors, as well as their influences on urban forest LST. Population density was selected as a proxy for human activity. We integrated multi-source data (forest inventory, digital elevation models (DEM), population, and remote sensing imagery) to develop a database on a unified urban scale. The driving mechanism of urban forest LST was revealed through a combination of multi-source spatial data and spatial statistical analysis of clustering regions. The results showed that the main factors contributing to urban forest LST were dominant tree species and elevation. The interactions between human activity and specific ecological factors linearly or nonlinearly increased LST in urban forests. Strong interactions between elevation and dominant species were generally observed and were prevalent in either hot or cold spots areas in different years. In conclusion, quantitative studies based on spatial statistics and GeogDetector models should be conducted in urban areas to reveal interactions between human activities, ecological factors, and LST. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FDTD analysis of body-core temperature elevation in children and adults for whole-body exposure.

PubMed

Hirata, Akimasa; Asano, Takayuki; Fujiwara, Osamu

2008-09-21

The temperature elevations in anatomically based human phantoms of an adult and a 3-year-old child were calculated for radio-frequency whole-body exposure. Thermoregulation in children, however, has not yet been clarified. In the present study, we developed a computational thermal model of a child that is reasonable for simulating body-core temperature elevation. Comparison of measured and simulated temperatures revealed thermoregulation in children to be similar to that of adults. Based on this finding, we calculated the body-core temperature elevation in a 3-year-old child and an adult for plane-wave exposure at the basic restriction in the international guidelines. The body-core temperature elevation in the 3-year-old child phantom was 0.03 degrees C at a whole-body-averaged specific absorption rate of 0.08 W kg(-1), which was 35% smaller than in the adult female. This difference is attributed to the child's higher body surface area-to-mass ratio.

A Twin Study of Sleep Duration and Body Mass Index

PubMed Central

Watson, Nathaniel F.; Buchwald, Dedra; Vitiello, Michael V.; Noonan, Carolyn; Goldberg, Jack

2010-01-01

Study Objective: To determine the relative importance of genetic and environmental contributions to the association between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Twins from the University of Washington Twin Registry, a community-based sample of U.S. twins, provided self-reported height and weight for BMI calculation and habitual sleep duration. A generalized estimating equation model evaluated the overall and within twin pair effects of sleep duration on BMI with and without stratification by twin zygosity. A structural equation model was used to assess genetic and non-genetic contributions to BMI and sleep duration. Results: The study sample included 1,224 twins comprised of 423 monozygotic, 143 dizygotic, and 46 indeterminate pairs. The mean age was 36.9 years; 69% were female. A multivariate adjusted analysis of all twins revealed an elevated mean BMI (26.0 kg/m2) in short sleeping twins (< 7 h/night) compared to twins sleeping 7–8.9 h/night (BMI 24.8 kg/m2; p < 0.01). The within-twin pair analysis revealed similar results, with the short sleeping twins having a mean BMI of 25.8 kg/m2 compared to 24.9 kg/m2 for the 7–8.9 h/night sleep duration group (p = 0.02). When restricted to monozygotic twins, the within-twin pair analysis continued to reveal an elevated BMI in the short sleeping twins (25.7 kg/m2) compared to the 7–8.9 h/night reference group (24.7 kg/m2; p = 0.02). No differences in mean BMI were observed between the 7–8.9 h/night reference group twins and longer sleeping twins (≥ 9 h/night) in the analysis of all twins, the overall within-twin pair analysis, or the within-twin pair analysis stratified by zygosity. The heritability of sleep duration was 0.31 (p = 0.08) and BMI 0.76 (p < 0.01). Bivariate genetic analysis revealed little evidence of shared genetics between sleep duration and BMI (p = 0.28). Conclusions: Short sleep was associated with elevated BMI following careful adjustment for genetics and shared environment. These findings point toward an environmental cause of the relationship between sleep duration and BMI. Citation: Watson NF; Buchwald D; Vitiello MV; Noonan C; Goldberg J. A twin study of sleep duration and body mass index. J Clin Sleep Med 2010;6(1):11-17. PMID:20191932

Seasonal variations of snow depth on Mars.

PubMed

Smith, D E; Zuber, M T; Neumann, G A

2001-12-07

Using topography collected over one martian year from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter on the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft, we have measured temporal changes in the elevation of the martian surface that correlate with the seasonal cycle of carbon dioxide exchange between the surface and atmosphere. The greatest elevation change (1.5 to 2 meters) occurs at high latitudes ( above 80 degrees ), whereas the bulk of the mass exchange occurs at lower latitudes (below 75 degrees N and below 73 degrees S). An unexpected period of sublimation was observed during northern hemisphere autumn, coincident with dust storms in the southern hemisphere. Analysis of MGS Doppler tracking residuals revealed temporal variations in the flattening of Mars that correlate with elevation changes. The combined changes in gravity and elevation constrain the average density of seasonally deposited carbon dioxide to be 910 +/- 230 kilograms per cubic meter, which is considerably denser than terrestrial snow.

Temporal patterns of rat behaviour in the central platform of the elevated plus maze. Comparative analysis between male subjects of strains with different basal levels of emotionality.

PubMed

Casarrubea, M; Faulisi, F; Caternicchia, F; Santangelo, A; Di Giovanni, G; Benigno, A; Magnusson, M S; Crescimanno, G

2016-08-01

We have analyzed the temporal patterns of behaviour of male rats of the Wistar and DA/Han strains on the central platform of the elevated plus maze. The ethogram encompassed 10 behavioural elements. Durations, frequencies and latencies showed quantitative differences as to walking and sniffing activities. Wistar rats displayed significantly lower latency and significantly higher durations and frequencies of walking activities. DA/Han rats showed a significant increase of sniffing duration. In addition, DA/Han rats showed a significantly higher amount of time spent in the central platform. Multivariate T-pattern analysis revealed differences in the temporal organization of behaviour of the two rat strains. DA/Han rats showed (a) higher behavioural complexity and variability and (b) a significantly higher mean number of T-patterns than Wistar rats. Taken together, T-pattern analysis of behaviour in the centre of the elevated plus maze can noticeably improve the detection of subtle features of anxiety related behaviour. We suggest that T-pattern analysis could be used as sensitive tool to test the action of anxiolytic and anxiogenic manipulations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elevational speciation in action? Restricted gene flow associated with adaptive divergence across an altitudinal gradient

USGS Publications Warehouse

Funk, W. C.; Murphy, M.A.; Hoke, K. L.; Muths, Erin L.; Amburgey, Staci M.; Lemmon, Emily M.; Lemmon, A. R.

2016-01-01

Evolutionary theory predicts that divergent selection pressures across elevational gradients could cause adaptive divergence and reproductive isolation in the process of ecological speciation. Although there is substantial evidence for adaptive divergence across elevation, there is less evidence that this restricts gene flow. Previous work in the boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata) has demonstrated adaptive divergence in morphological, life history and physiological traits across an elevational gradient from approximately 1500–3000 m in the Colorado Front Range, USA. We tested whether this adaptive divergence is associated with restricted gene flow across elevation – as would be expected if incipient speciation were occurring – and, if so, whether behavioural isolation contributes to reproductive isolation. Our analysis of 12 microsatellite loci in 797 frogs from 53 populations revealed restricted gene flow across elevation, even after controlling for geographic distance and topography. Calls also varied significantly across elevation in dominant frequency, pulse number and pulse duration, which was partly, but not entirely, due to variation in body size and temperature across elevation. However, call variation did not result in strong behavioural isolation: in phonotaxis experiments, low-elevation females tended to prefer an average low-elevation call over a high-elevation call, and vice versa for high-elevation females, but this trend was not statistically significant. In summary, our results show that adaptive divergence across elevation restricts gene flow in P. maculata, but the mechanisms for this potential incipient speciation remain open.

Transgenic soya bean seeds accumulating β-carotene exhibit the collateral enhancements of oleate and protein content traits.

PubMed

Schmidt, Monica A; Parrott, Wayne A; Hildebrand, David F; Berg, R Howard; Cooksey, Amanda; Pendarvis, Ken; He, Yonghua; McCarthy, Fiona; Herman, Eliot M

2015-05-01

Transgenic soya bean (Glycine max) plants overexpressing a seed-specific bacterial phytoene synthase gene from Pantoea ananatis modified to target to plastids accumulated 845 μg β carotene g(-1) dry seed weight with a desirable 12:1 ratio of β to α. The β carotene accumulating seeds exhibited a shift in oil composition increasing oleic acid with a concomitant decrease in linoleic acid and an increase in seed protein content by at least 4% (w/w). Elevated β-carotene accumulating soya bean cotyledons contain 40% the amount of abscisic acid compared to nontransgenic cotyledons. Proteomic and nontargeted metabolomic analysis of the mid-maturation β-carotene cotyledons compared to the nontransgenic did not reveal any significant differences that would account for the altered phenotypes of both elevated oleate and protein content. Transcriptomic analysis, confirmed by RT-PCR, revealed a number of significant differences in ABA-responsive transcripton factor gene expression in the crtB transgenics compared to nontransgenic cotyledons of the same maturation stage. The altered seed composition traits seem to be attributed to altered ABA hormone levels varying transcription factor expression. The elevated β-carotene, oleic acid and protein traits in the β-carotene soya beans confer a substantial additive nutritional quality to soya beans. © 2014 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A reconnaissance analysis of groundwater quality in the Eagle Ford shale region reveals two distinct bromide/chloride populations.

PubMed

Hildenbrand, Zacariah L; Carlton, Doug D; Meik, Jesse M; Taylor, Josh T; Fontenot, Brian E; Walton, Jayme L; Henderson, Drew; Thacker, Jonathan B; Korlie, Stephanie; Whyte, Colin J; Hudak, Paul F; Schug, Kevin A

2017-01-01

The extraction of oil and natural gas from unconventional shale formations has prompted a series of investigations to examine the quality of the groundwater in the overlying aquifers. Here we present a reconnaissance analysis of groundwater quality in the Eagle Ford region of southern Texas. These data reveal two distinct sample populations that are differentiable by bromide/chloride ratios. Elevated levels of fluoride, nitrate, sulfate, various metal ions, and the detection of exotic volatile organic compounds highlight a high bromide group of samples, which is geographically clustered, while encompassing multiple hydrogeological strata. Samples with bromide/chloride ratios representative of connate water displayed elevated levels of total organic carbon, while revealing the detection of alcohols and chlorinated compounds. These findings suggest that groundwater quality in the Western Gulf Basin is, for the most part, controlled by a series of natural processes; however, there is also evidence of episodic contamination events potentially attributed to unconventional oil and gas development or other anthropogenic activities. Collectively, this characterization of natural groundwater constituents and exogenous compounds will guide targeted remediation efforts and provides insight for agricultural entities, industrial operators, and rural communities that rely on groundwater in southern Texas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ecological complexity buffers the impacts of future climate on marine consumers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenberg, Silvan U.; Nagelkerken, Ivan; Marangon, Emma; Bonnet, Angélique; Ferreira, Camilo M.; Connell, Sean D.

2018-03-01

Ecological complexity represents a network of interacting components that either propagate or counter the effects of environmental change on individuals and communities1-3. Yet, our understanding of the ecological imprint of ocean acidification (elevated CO2) and climate change (elevated temperature) is largely based on reports of negative effects on single species in simplified laboratory systems4,5. By combining a large mesocosm experiment with a global meta-analysis, we reveal the capacity of consumers (fish and crustaceans) to resist the impacts of elevated CO2. While individual behaviours were impaired by elevated CO2, consumers could restore their performances in more complex environments that allowed for compensatory processes. Consequently, consumers maintained key traits such as foraging, habitat selection and predator avoidance despite elevated CO2 and sustained their populations. Our observed increase in risk-taking under elevated temperature, however, predicts greater vulnerability of consumers to predation. Yet, CO2 as a resource boosted the biomass of consumers through species interactions and may stabilize communities by countering the negative effects of elevated temperature. We conclude that compensatory dynamics inherent in the complexity of nature can buffer the impacts of future climate on species and their communities.

Spatial patterns of plant litter in a tidal freshwater marsh and implications for marsh persistence.

PubMed

Elmore, Andrew J; Engelhardt, Katharina A M; Cadol, Daniel; Palinkas, Cindy M

2016-04-01

The maintenance of marsh platform elevation under conditions of sea level rise is dependent on mineral sediment supply to marsh surfaces and conversion of above- and belowground plant biomass to soil organic material. These physical and biological processes interact within the tidal zone, resulting in elevation-dependent processes contributing to marsh accretion. Here, we explore spatial pattern in a variable related to aboveground biomass, plant litter, to reveal its role in the maintenance of marsh surfaces. Plant litter persisting through the dormant season represents the more recalcitrant portion of plant biomass, and as such has an extended period of influence on ecosystem processes. We conducted a field and remote sensing analysis of plant litter height, aboveground biomass, vertical cover, and stem density (collectively termed plant litter structure) at a tidal freshwater marsh located within the Potomac River estuary, USA. LiDAR and field observations show that plant litter structure becomes more prominent with increasing elevation. Spatial patterns in litter structure exhibit stability from year to year and correlate with patterns in soil organic matter content, revealed by measuring the loss on ignition of surface sediments. The amount of mineral material embedded within plant litter decreases with increasing elevation, representing an important tradeoff with litter structure. Therefore, at low elevations where litter structure is short and sparse, the role of plant litter is to capture sediment; at high elevations where litter structure is tall and dense, aboveground litter contributes organic matter to soil development. This organic matter contribution has the potential to eclipse that of belowground biomass as the root:shoot ratio of dominant species at high elevations is low compared to that of dominant species at low elevations. Because of these tradeoffs in mineral and organic matter incorporation into soil across elevation gradients, the rate of marsh surface elevation change is remarkably consistent across elevation. Because of the role of plant litter in marsh ecosystem processes, monitoring and assessment of these dynamic geomorphic marsh landscapes might be streamlined through the measurement of plant litter structure, either via LiDAR technologies or field observation.

Topogrid Derived 10 Meter Resolution Digital Elevation Model of Charleston, and Parts of Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester and Georgetown Counties, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chirico, Peter G.

2005-01-01

EXPLANATION The purpose of developing a new 10m resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the Charleston Region was to more accurately depict geologic structure, surfical geology, and landforms of the Charleston County Region. Previously, many areas northeast and southwest of Charleston were originally mapped with a 20 foot contour interval. As a result, large areas within the National Elevation Dataset (NED) depict flat terraced topography where there was a lack of higher resolution elevation data. To overcome these data voids, the new DEM is supplemented with additional elevation data and break-lines derived from aerial photography and topographic maps. The resultant DEM is stored as a raster grid at uniform 10m horizontal resolution. The elevation model contained in this publication was prodcued utilizing the ANUDEM algorthim. ANUDEM allows for the inclusion of contours, streams, rivers, lake and water body polygons as well as spot height data to control the development of the elevation model. A preliminary statistical analysis using over 788 vertical elevation check points, primarily located in the northeastern part of the study area, derived from USGS 7.5 Minute Topographic maps reveals that the final DEM, has a vertical accuracy of ?3.27 meters. A table listing the elevation comparison between the elevation check points and the final DEM is provided.

Mitochondrial DNA markers reveal high genetic diversity but low genetic differentiation in the black fly Simulium tani Takaoka & Davies along an elevational gradient in Malaysia.

PubMed

Low, Van Lun; Adler, Peter H; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Ya'cob, Zubaidah; Lim, Phaik Eem; Tan, Tiong Kai; Lim, Yvonne A L; Chen, Chee Dhang; Norma-Rashid, Yusoff; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2014-01-01

The population genetic structure of Simulium tani was inferred from mitochondria-encoded sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunits I (COI) and II (COII) along an elevational gradient in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. A statistical parsimony network of 71 individuals revealed 71 haplotypes in the COI gene and 43 haplotypes in the COII gene; the concatenated sequences of the COI and COII genes revealed 71 haplotypes. High levels of genetic diversity but low levels of genetic differentiation were observed among populations of S. tani at five elevations. The degree of genetic diversity, however, was not in accordance with an altitudinal gradient, and a Mantel test indicated that elevation did not have a limiting effect on gene flow. No ancestral haplotype of S. tani was found among the populations. Pupae with unique structural characters at the highest elevation showed a tendency to form their own haplotype cluster, as revealed by the COII gene. Tajima's D, Fu's Fs, and mismatch distribution tests revealed population expansion of S. tani in Cameron Highlands. A strong correlation was found between nucleotide diversity and the levels of dissolved oxygen in the streams where S. tani was collected.

Turning Up the Heat on a Hotspot: DNA Barcodes Reveal 80% More Species of Geometrid Moths along an Andean Elevational Gradient

PubMed Central

Brehm, Gunnar; Hebert, Paul D. N.; Colwell, Robert K.; Adams, Marc-Oliver; Bodner, Florian; Friedemann, Katrin; Möckel, Lars; Fiedler, Konrad

2016-01-01

We sampled 14,603 geometrid moths along a forested elevational gradient from 1020–3021 m in the southern Ecuadorian Andes, and then employed DNA barcoding to refine decisions on species boundaries initially made by morphology. We compared the results with those from an earlier study on the same but slightly shorter gradient that relied solely on morphological criteria to discriminate species. The present analysis revealed 1857 putative species, an 80% increase in species richness from the earlier study that detected only 1010 species. Measures of species richness and diversity that are less dependent on sample size were more than twice as high as in the earlier study, even when analysis was restricted to an identical elevational range. The estimated total number of geometrid species (new dataset) in the sampled area is 2350. Species richness at single sites was 32–43% higher, and the beta diversity component rose by 43–51%. These impacts of DNA barcoding on measures of richness reflect its capacity to reveal cryptic species that were overlooked in the first study. The overall results confirmed unique diversity patterns reported in the first investigation. Species diversity was uniformly high along the gradient, declining only slightly above 2800 m. Species turnover also showed little variation along the gradient, reinforcing the lack of evidence for discrete faunal zones. By confirming these major biodiversity patterns, the present study establishes that incomplete species delineation does not necessarily conceal trends of biodiversity along ecological gradients, but it impedes determination of the true magnitude of diversity and species turnover. PMID:26959368

Plasma ET-1 Concentrations are Elevated in Patients with Hypertension - Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies.

PubMed

Xu, Mei; Lu, Yong-Ping; Hasan, Ahmed Abdallah; Hocher, Berthold

2017-01-01

A recent study revealed that global overexpression of ET-1 causes a slight reduction in systemic blood pressure. Moreover, heterozygous ET-1 knockout mice are hypertensive. The role of ET-1 in human hypertension was so far not addressed by a strict meta-analysis of published human clinical studies. We included studies published between January 1, 1990 and February 28, 2017. We included case control studies analyzing untreated essential hypertension or hypertensive patients where antihypertensive medication was discontinued for at least two weeks. Based on the principle of Cochrane systematic reviews, case control studies (CCSs) in PubMed (Medline) and Google Scholar designed to identify the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the pathophysiological of hypertension were screened. Review Manager Version 5.0 (Rev-Man 5.0) was applied for statistical analysis. Mean difference and 95% confidence interval (CI) were shown in inverse variance (IV) fixed-effects model or IV random-effects models. Eleven studies fulfilling our in- and exclusion criteria were eligible for this meta-analysis. These studies included 450 hypertensive patients and 328 controls. Our meta-analysis revealed that ET-1 plasma concentrations were higher in hypertensive patients as compared to the control patients [mean difference between groups 1.57 pg/mL, 95%CI [0.47∼2.68, P = 0.005]. These finding were driven by patients having systolic blood pressure higher than 160 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure higher than 100 mmHg. This meta-analysis showed that hypertensive patients do have elevated plasma ET-1 concentrations. This finding is driven by those patients with high systolic/diastolic blood pressure. Given that the ET-1 gene did not appear in any of the whole genome association studies searching for hypertension associated gene loci, it is very likely that the elevated plasma ET-1 concentrations in hypertensive patients are secondary to hypertension and may reflect endothelial cell damage. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Continuous Wavelet Transform Analysis of Acceleration Signals Measured from a Wave Buoy

PubMed Central

Chuang, Laurence Zsu-Hsin; Wu, Li-Chung; Wang, Jong-Hao

2013-01-01

Accelerometers, which can be installed inside a floating platform on the sea, are among the most commonly used sensors for operational ocean wave measurements. To examine the non-stationary features of ocean waves, this study was conducted to derive a wavelet spectrum of ocean waves and to synthesize sea surface elevations from vertical acceleration signals of a wave buoy through the continuous wavelet transform theory. The short-time wave features can be revealed by simultaneously examining the wavelet spectrum and the synthetic sea surface elevations. The in situ wave signals were applied to verify the practicality of the wavelet-based algorithm. We confirm that the spectral leakage and the noise at very-low-frequency bins influenced the accuracies of the estimated wavelet spectrum and the synthetic sea surface elevations. The appropriate thresholds of these two factors were explored. To study the short-time wave features from the wave records, the acceleration signals recorded from an accelerometer inside a discus wave buoy are analysed. The results from the wavelet spectrum show the evidence of short-time nonlinear wave events. Our study also reveals that more surface profiles with higher vertical asymmetry can be found from short-time nonlinear wave with stronger harmonic spectral peak. Finally, we conclude that the algorithms of continuous wavelet transform are practical for revealing the short-time wave features of the buoy acceleration signals. PMID:23966188

Elevated Air Humidity Changes Soil Bacterial Community Structure in the Silver Birch Stand.

PubMed

Truu, Marika; Ostonen, Ivika; Preem, Jens-Konrad; Lõhmus, Krista; Nõlvak, Hiie; Ligi, Teele; Rosenvald, Katrin; Parts, Kaarin; Kupper, Priit; Truu, Jaak

2017-01-01

Soil microbes play a fundamental role in forest ecosystems and respond rapidly to changes in the environment. Simultaneously with the temperature increase the climate change scenarios also predict an intensified hydrological cycle for the Baltic Sea runoff region. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of elevated air humidity on the top soil microbial community structure of a silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth.) stand by using a free air humidity manipulation facility (FAHM). The bacterial community structures of bulk soil and birch rhizosphere were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing of bacteria-specific16S rRNA gene fragments and quantification of denitrification related genes. The increased air humidity altered both bulk soil and rhizosphere bacterial community structures, and changes in the bacterial communities initiated by elevated air humidity were related to modified soil abiotic and biotic variables. Network analysis revealed that variation in soil bacterial community structural units is explained by altered abiotic conditions such as increased pH value in bulk soil, while in rhizosphere the change in absorptive root morphology had a higher effect. Among root morphological traits, the absorptive root diameter was strongest related to the bacterial community structure. The changes in bacterial community structures under elevated air humidity are associated with shifts in C, N, and P turnover as well as mineral weathering processes in soil. Increased air humidity decreased the nir and nosZ gene abundance in the rhizosphere bacterial community. The potential contribution of the denitrification to the N 2 O emission was not affected by the elevated air humidity in birch stand soil. In addition, the study revealed a strong link between the bacterial community structure, abundance of denitrification related genes, and birch absorptive root morphology in the ecosystem system adaptation to elevated air humidity.

Elevated Air Humidity Changes Soil Bacterial Community Structure in the Silver Birch Stand

PubMed Central

Truu, Marika; Ostonen, Ivika; Preem, Jens-Konrad; Lõhmus, Krista; Nõlvak, Hiie; Ligi, Teele; Rosenvald, Katrin; Parts, Kaarin; Kupper, Priit; Truu, Jaak

2017-01-01

Soil microbes play a fundamental role in forest ecosystems and respond rapidly to changes in the environment. Simultaneously with the temperature increase the climate change scenarios also predict an intensified hydrological cycle for the Baltic Sea runoff region. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of elevated air humidity on the top soil microbial community structure of a silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) stand by using a free air humidity manipulation facility (FAHM). The bacterial community structures of bulk soil and birch rhizosphere were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing of bacteria-specific16S rRNA gene fragments and quantification of denitrification related genes. The increased air humidity altered both bulk soil and rhizosphere bacterial community structures, and changes in the bacterial communities initiated by elevated air humidity were related to modified soil abiotic and biotic variables. Network analysis revealed that variation in soil bacterial community structural units is explained by altered abiotic conditions such as increased pH value in bulk soil, while in rhizosphere the change in absorptive root morphology had a higher effect. Among root morphological traits, the absorptive root diameter was strongest related to the bacterial community structure. The changes in bacterial community structures under elevated air humidity are associated with shifts in C, N, and P turnover as well as mineral weathering processes in soil. Increased air humidity decreased the nir and nosZ gene abundance in the rhizosphere bacterial community. The potential contribution of the denitrification to the N2O emission was not affected by the elevated air humidity in birch stand soil. In addition, the study revealed a strong link between the bacterial community structure, abundance of denitrification related genes, and birch absorptive root morphology in the ecosystem system adaptation to elevated air humidity. PMID:28421053

Investigation of potential sea level rise impact on the Nile Delta, Egypt using digital elevation models.

PubMed

Hasan, Emad; Khan, Sadiq Ibrahim; Hong, Yang

2015-10-01

In this study, the future impact of Sea Level Rise (SLR) on the Nile Delta region in Egypt is assessed by evaluating the elevations of two freely available Digital Elevation Models (DEMs): the SRTM and the ASTER-GDEM-V2. The SLR is a significant worldwide dilemma that has been triggered by recent climatic changes. In Egypt, the Nile Delta is projected to face SLR of 1 m by the end of the 21th century. In order to provide a more accurate assessment of the future SLR impact on Nile Delta's land and population, this study corrected the DEM's elevations by using linear regression model with ground elevations from GPS survey. The information for the land cover types and future population numbers were derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover and the Gridded Population of the Worlds (GPWv3) datasets respectively. The DEM's vertical accuracies were assessed using GPS measurements and the uncertainty analysis revealed that the SRTM-DEM has positive bias of 2.5 m, while the ASTER-GDEM-V2 showed a positive bias of 0.8 m. The future inundated land cover areas and the affected population were illustrated based on two SLR scenarios of 0.5 m and 1 m. The SRTM DEM data indicated that 1 m SLR will affect about 3900 km(2) of cropland, 1280 km(2) of vegetation, 205 km(2) of wetland, 146 km(2) of urban areas and cause more than 6 million people to lose their houses. The overall vulnerability assessment using ASTER-GDEM-V2 indicated that the influence of SLR will be intense and confined along the coastal areas. For instance, the data indicated that 1 m SLR will inundate about 580 Km(2) (6%) of the total land cover areas and approximately 887 thousand people will be relocated. Accordingly, the uncertainty analysis of the DEM's elevations revealed that the ASTER-GDEM-V2 dataset product was considered the best to determine the future impact of SLR on the Nile Delta region.

Lysine Malonylation Is Elevated in Type 2 Diabetic Mouse Models and Enriched in Metabolic Associated Proteins*

PubMed Central

Du, Yipeng; Cai, Tanxi; Li, Tingting; Xue, Peng; Zhou, Bo; He, Xiaolong; Wei, Peng; Liu, Pingsheng; Yang, Fuquan; Wei, Taotao

2015-01-01

Protein lysine malonylation, a newly identified protein post-translational modification (PTM), has been proved to be evolutionarily conserved and is present in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. However, its potential roles associated with human diseases remain largely unknown. In the present study, we observed an elevated lysine malonylation in a screening of seven lysine acylations in liver tissues of db/db mice, which is a typical model of type 2 diabetes. We also detected an elevated lysine malonylation in ob/ob mice, which is another model of type 2 diabetes. We then performed affinity enrichment coupled with proteomic analysis on liver tissues of both wild-type (wt) and db/db mice and identified a total of 573 malonylated lysine sites from 268 proteins. There were more malonylated lysine sites and proteins in db/db than in wt mice. Five proteins with elevated malonylation were verified by immunoprecipitation coupled with Western blot analysis. Bioinformatic analysis of the proteomic results revealed the enrichment of malonylated proteins in metabolic pathways, especially those involved in glucose and fatty acid metabolism. In addition, the biological role of lysine malonylation was validated in an enzyme of the glycolysis pathway. Together, our findings support a potential role of protein lysine malonylation in type 2 diabetes with possible implications for its therapy in the future. PMID:25418362

Stairway to heaven: evaluating levels of biological organization correlated with the successful ascent of natural waterfalls in the Hawaiian stream goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni.

PubMed

Schoenfuss, Heiko L; Maie, Takashi; Moody, Kristine N; Lesteberg, Kelsey E; Blob, Richard W; Schoenfuss, Tonya C

2013-01-01

Selective pressures generated by locomotor challenges act at the level of the individual. However, phenotypic variation among individuals that might convey a selective advantage may occur across any of multiple levels of biological organization. In this study, we test for differences in external morphology, muscle mechanical advantage, muscle fiber type and protein expression among individuals of the waterfall climbing Hawaiian fish Sicyopterus stimpsoni collected from sequential pools increasing in elevation within a single freshwater stream. Despite predictions from previous laboratory studies of morphological selection, few directional morphometric changes in body shape were observed at successively higher elevations. Similarly, lever arm ratios associated with the main pelvic sucker, central to climbing ability in this species, did not differ between elevations. However, among climbing muscles, the adductor pelvicus complex (largely responsible for generating pelvic suction during climbing) contained a significantly greater red muscle fiber content at upstream sites. A proteomic analysis of the adductor pelvicus revealed two-fold increases in expression levels for two respiratory chain proteins (NADH:ubiquinone reductase and cytochrome b) that are essential for aerobic respiration among individuals from successively higher elevations. Assessed collectively, these evaluations reveal phenotypic differences at some, but not all levels of biological organization that are likely the result of selective pressures experienced during climbing.

Stairway to Heaven: Evaluating Levels of Biological Organization Correlated with the Successful Ascent of Natural Waterfalls in the Hawaiian Stream Goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni

PubMed Central

Schoenfuss, Heiko L.; Maie, Takashi; Moody, Kristine N.; Lesteberg, Kelsey E.; Blob, Richard W.; Schoenfuss, Tonya C.

2013-01-01

Selective pressures generated by locomotor challenges act at the level of the individual. However, phenotypic variation among individuals that might convey a selective advantage may occur across any of multiple levels of biological organization. In this study, we test for differences in external morphology, muscle mechanical advantage, muscle fiber type and protein expression among individuals of the waterfall climbing Hawaiian fish Sicyopterus stimpsoni collected from sequential pools increasing in elevation within a single freshwater stream. Despite predictions from previous laboratory studies of morphological selection, few directional morphometric changes in body shape were observed at successively higher elevations. Similarly, lever arm ratios associated with the main pelvic sucker, central to climbing ability in this species, did not differ between elevations. However, among climbing muscles, the adductor pelvicus complex (largely responsible for generating pelvic suction during climbing) contained a significantly greater red muscle fiber content at upstream sites. A proteomic analysis of the adductor pelvicus revealed two-fold increases in expression levels for two respiratory chain proteins (NADH:ubiquinone reductase and cytochrome b) that are essential for aerobic respiration among individuals from successively higher elevations. Assessed collectively, these evaluations reveal phenotypic differences at some, but not all levels of biological organization that are likely the result of selective pressures experienced during climbing. PMID:24386424

Hyperammonaemia and associated factors in unprovoked convulsive seizures: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Sato, Kenichiro; Arai, Noritoshi; Omori, Aki; Hida, Ayumi; Kimura, Akio; Takeuchi, Sousuke

2016-12-01

Hyperammonaemia is frequently observed in patients who have experienced convulsive seizures. Although excessive muscle contraction is presumed to be responsible for the elevated levels of ammonia, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The present study aimed to identify the independent factors associated with ammonia elevation using large-scale multivariate analysis. We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 379 adult patients who had been transported to our emergency department and treated for unprovoked convulsive seizures between August 2010 and September 2015. Elevation of venous plasma ammonia levels was set as the primary endpoint, and patients' clinical and laboratory data were obtained. Those with severe liver dysfunction, known hepatic encephalopathy, or convulsions due to cardiovascular or psychogenic causes, and those taking valproate were excluded. Using a cut-off value of 50μg/dL, 183 patients (48.3%) were found to have elevated levels of plasma ammonia. Four factors were identified as independent variables associated with hyperammonaemia following seizures: elevated venous lactate, lowered venous pH, sex (male), and longer duration of convulsion. The results of the present study revealed independent factors associated with hyperammonaemia following unprovoked convulsive seizures in a larger scale and with more plausible statistical analysis. The authors further suggest that the excessive skeletal muscle contraction and/or respiratory failure during/after convulsive seizure may be the primary mechanism of hyperammonaemia. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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

Mohnen, V.A.; Aneja, V.; Bailey, B.

The report summarizes the results of the four year field measurement and data analysis program of MCCP. The MCCP is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the joint U.S. Forest Service-EPA Spruce-Fir Research Cooperative. The objectives of the project have been met and the result is an assessment of principal atmospheric constituents as they impact the high elevation forests of the Eastern U.S. Deposition of SO4(-2), NO3(-), H(+), and NH(4+) in cloud water represents a significant input to forest canopies with elevations greater than 1000m. Cloud water deposition can exceed wet (rain) deposition and may bemore » the dominant process for input of sulfate and nitrate compounds during the growing season in high elevation forests frequently exposed to clouds. Cloud water pH concentrations may be as much as 0.6pH units lower than pH in rain. SO(4+) and NO3(-) concentrations are also higher in cloud water than in precipitation. Ozone data reveals that significant differences exist between ozone concentrations at high elevation and low elevation sites. The primary effect of the difference is to produce higher mean ozone concentrations and longer episodes at the higher elevation sites.« less

Analysis of cellular and protein content of broncho-alveolar lavage fluid from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

PubMed Central

Reynolds, H Y; Fulmer, J D; Kazmierowski, J A; Roberts, W C; Frank, M M; Crystal, R G

1977-01-01

To evaluate cellular and protein components in the lower respiratory tract of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP), limited broncho-alveolar lavage was done in 58 patients (19 IPF, 7 CHP, and 32 controls). Analysis of the cells and protein in the lavage fluids from patients with IPF revealed an inflammatory and eosinophilic response and a significant elevation of IgG in the lungs. With corticosteroid therapy, inflammation diminished but eosinophils remained. Lavage fluid from patients with CHP also had eosinophils and elevated levels of IgG. However, in contrast to IPF, lavage fluid from CHP patients contained IgM, fewer inflammatory cells, and a strikingly increased number (38-74%) of lymphocytes. Identification of lavage lymphocytes in CHP showed that T lymphocytes were significantly elevated and B lymphocytes were decreased compared to peripheral blood. These studies suggest nthat the lung in IPF and CHP may function as a relatively independent immune organ, and that analysis of cells and proteins in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid may be of diagnostic, therapeutic, and investigative value in evaluating patients with fibrotic lung disease. PMID:830661

Mitochondrial DNA Markers Reveal High Genetic Diversity but Low Genetic Differentiation in the Black Fly Simulium tani Takaoka & Davies along an Elevational Gradient in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Low, Van Lun; Adler, Peter H.; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Ya’cob, Zubaidah; Lim, Phaik Eem; Tan, Tiong Kai; Lim, Yvonne A. L.; Chen, Chee Dhang; Norma-Rashid, Yusoff; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2014-01-01

The population genetic structure of Simulium tani was inferred from mitochondria-encoded sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunits I (COI) and II (COII) along an elevational gradient in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. A statistical parsimony network of 71 individuals revealed 71 haplotypes in the COI gene and 43 haplotypes in the COII gene; the concatenated sequences of the COI and COII genes revealed 71 haplotypes. High levels of genetic diversity but low levels of genetic differentiation were observed among populations of S. tani at five elevations. The degree of genetic diversity, however, was not in accordance with an altitudinal gradient, and a Mantel test indicated that elevation did not have a limiting effect on gene flow. No ancestral haplotype of S. tani was found among the populations. Pupae with unique structural characters at the highest elevation showed a tendency to form their own haplotype cluster, as revealed by the COII gene. Tajima’s D, Fu’s Fs, and mismatch distribution tests revealed population expansion of S. tani in Cameron Highlands. A strong correlation was found between nucleotide diversity and the levels of dissolved oxygen in the streams where S. tani was collected. PMID:24941043

Numerical experiments of dynamical processes during the 2011-2013 surge of the Bering-Bagley Glacier System, using a full-Stokes finite element model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trantow, Thomas

The Bering-Bagley Glacial System (BBGS) is the largest glacier system outside of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, and is the Earth's largest surge-type glacier. Surging is one of three types of glacial acceleration and the least understood one. Understanding glacial acceleration is paramount when trying to explain ice discharge to the oceans and the glacial contribution to sea-level rise, yet there are currently no numerical glacial models that account for surging. The recent 2011-2013 surge of the BBGS provides a rare opportunity to study the surge process through observations and the subsequent data analysis and numerical modeling. Using radar, altimeter, and image data collected from airborne and satellite missions, various descriptions of ice geometry are created at different times throughout the surge. Using geostatistical estimation techniques including variography and ordinary kriging, surface and bedrock Digital Elevation Maps (DEMs) are derived. A time series analysis of elevation change during the current surge is then conducted and validated using a complete error analysis along with airborne observations. The derived DEMs are then used as inputs to a computer simulated model of glacier dynamics in the BBGS. Using the Finite Element software Elmer/Ice, a full-Stokes simulation, with Glen's flow law for temperate ice, is created for numerical experiments. With consideration of free surface evolution, glacial hydrology and surface mass balance, the model is able to predict a variety of field variables including velocity, stress, strain-rate, pressure and surface elevation change at any point forward in time. These outputs are compared and validated using observational data such as CryoSat-2 altimetry, airborne field data, imagery and previous detailed analysis of the BBGS. Preliminary results reveal that certain surge phenomena such as surface elevation changes, surge progression and locations at which the surge starts, can be recreated using the current model. Documentation of the effects that altering glaciological parameters and boundary conditions have on ice rheology in a large complex glacial system comes as secondary result. Simulations have yet to reveal any quasi-cyclic behavior or natural surge initiation.

A comparative appraisal of hydrological behavior of SRTM DEM at catchment level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Arabinda; Tiwari, K. N.

2014-11-01

The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data has emerged as a global elevation data in the past one decade because of its free availability, homogeneity and consistent accuracy compared to other global elevation dataset. The present study explores the consistency in hydrological behavior of the SRTM digital elevation model (DEM) with reference to easily available regional 20 m contour interpolated DEM (TOPO DEM). Analysis ranging from simple vertical accuracy assessment to hydrological simulation of the studied Maithon catchment, using empirical USLE model and semidistributed, physical SWAT model, were carried out. Moreover, terrain analysis involving hydrological indices was performed for comparative assessment of the SRTM DEM with respect to TOPO DEM. Results reveal that the vertical accuracy of SRTM DEM (±27.58 m) in the region is less than the specified standard (±16 m). Statistical analysis of hydrological indices such as topographic wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), slope length factor (SLF) and geometry number (GN) shows a significant differences in hydrological properties of the two studied DEMs. Estimation of soil erosion potentials of the catchment and conservation priorities of microwatersheds of the catchment using SRTM DEM and TOPO DEM produce considerably different results. Prediction of soil erosion potential using SRTM DEM is far higher than that obtained using TOPO DEM. Similarly, conservation priorities determined using the two DEMs are found to be agreed for only 34% of microwatersheds of the catchment. ArcSWAT simulation reveals that runoff predictions are less sensitive to selection of the two DEMs as compared to sediment yield prediction. The results obtained in the present study are vital to hydrological analysis as it helps understanding the hydrological behavior of the DEM without being influenced by the model structural as well as parameter uncertainty. It also reemphasized that SRTM DEM can be a valuable dataset for hydrological analysis provided any error/uncertainty therein is being properly evaluated and characterized.

Hepatic manifestations of telomere biology disorders.

PubMed

Patnaik, Mrinal M; Kamath, Patrick S; Simonetto, Douglas A

2018-06-07

A 51-year-old Caucasian male was referred for evaluation of variceal bleeding. Laboratory tests were remarkable for mild thrombocytopenia and moderate alkaline phosphatase elevation. Synthetic liver function was well preserved. Abdominal computed tomography scan revealed moderate splenomegaly, gastric varices, and normal hepatic contour. A transjugular liver biopsy was performed revealing findings of nodular regenerative hyperplasia with no significant fibrosis or necroinflammatory activity. Hepatic venous pressure gradient was elevated at 31 mmHg, consistent with clinically significant portal hypertension. The clinical course was complicated by refractory gastric variceal bleeding requiring a surgical portosystemic shunt. Approximately seven years after the initial presentation, the patient developed progressive dyspnoea and a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was made. Contrast-enhanced echocardiogram was not suggestive of hepatopulmonary syndrome or portopulmonary hypertension. Given this new diagnosis a telomere biology disorder was suspected. A flow-fluorescence in situ hybridisation analysis for telomere length assessment revealed telomere lengths below the first percentile in both lymphocytes and granulocytes. Next generation sequencing analysis identified a heterozygous mutation involving the hTERT gene (Histidine983Threonine). The lung disease unfortunately progressed in the subsequent two years, leading to the patient's death nine years after his initial presentation with portal hypertension. During those nine years two brothers also developed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The questions that arise from this case include. Copyright © 2018 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parameter variation effects on temperature elevation in a steady-state, one-dimensional thermal model for millimeter wave exposure of one- and three-layer human tissue.

PubMed

Kanezaki, Akio; Hirata, Akimasa; Watanabe, Soichi; Shirai, Hiroshi

2010-08-21

The present study describes theoretical parametric analysis of the steady-state temperature elevation in one-dimensional three-layer (skin, fat and muscle) and one-layer (skin only) models due to millimeter-wave exposure. The motivation of this fundamental investigation is that some variability of warmth sensation in the human skin has been reported. An analytical solution for a bioheat equation was derived by using the Laplace transform for the one-dimensional human models. Approximate expressions were obtained to investigate the dependence of temperature elevation on different thermal and tissue thickness parameters. It was shown that the temperature elevation on the body surface decreases monotonically with the blood perfusion rate, heat conductivity and heat transfer from the body to air. Also revealed were the conditions where maximum and minimum surface temperature elevations were observed for different thermal and tissue thickness parameters. The surface temperature elevation in the three-layer model is 1.3-2.8 times greater than that in the one-layer model. The main reason for this difference is attributed to the adiabatic nature of the fat layer. By considering the variation range of thermal and tissue thickness parameters which causes the maximum and minimum temperature elevations, the dominant parameter influencing the surface temperature elevation was found to be the heat transfer coefficient between the body surface and air.

In silico analysis of stomach lineage specific gene set expression pattern in gastric cancer

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

Pandi, Narayanan Sathiya, E-mail: sathiyapandi@gmail.com; Suganya, Sivagurunathan; Rajendran, Suriliyandi

Highlights: •Identified stomach lineage specific gene set (SLSGS) was found to be under expressed in gastric tumors. •Elevated expression of SLSGS in gastric tumor is a molecular predictor of metabolic type gastric cancer. •In silico pathway scanning identified estrogen-α signaling is a putative regulator of SLSGS in gastric cancer. •Elevated expression of SLSGS in GC is associated with an overall increase in the survival of GC patients. -- Abstract: Stomach lineage specific gene products act as a protective barrier in the normal stomach and their expression maintains the normal physiological processes, cellular integrity and morphology of the gastric wall. However,more » the regulation of stomach lineage specific genes in gastric cancer (GC) is far less clear. In the present study, we sought to investigate the role and regulation of stomach lineage specific gene set (SLSGS) in GC. SLSGS was identified by comparing the mRNA expression profiles of normal stomach tissue with other organ tissue. The obtained SLSGS was found to be under expressed in gastric tumors. Functional annotation analysis revealed that the SLSGS was enriched for digestive function and gastric epithelial maintenance. Employing a single sample prediction method across GC mRNA expression profiles identified the under expression of SLSGS in proliferative type and invasive type gastric tumors compared to the metabolic type gastric tumors. Integrative pathway activation prediction analysis revealed a close association between estrogen-α signaling and SLSGS expression pattern in GC. Elevated expression of SLSGS in GC is associated with an overall increase in the survival of GC patients. In conclusion, our results highlight that estrogen mediated regulation of SLSGS in gastric tumor is a molecular predictor of metabolic type GC and prognostic factor in GC.« less

An exploratory analysis to determine priority areas for lead poisoning prevention education programs in Missouri.

PubMed

McManus, Kaitlyn; Cummings, Madeline; Visker, Joseph; Cox, Carol

2015-03-01

Lead is a strong poison and toxic to many vital organs and body systems especially in the central nervous system of children, who are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults. The purpose of the study described in this article was to examine the relationship between elevated blood lead level (BLL) cases of children in the state of Missouri and pre-1980 home construction, lead mine proximity, and median household income and to determine counties and areas for statewide prevention education. Results of the regression analysis indicated that these combined variables were significant predictors (F[3,111] = 19.106, p < .05, R2 = .341), accounting for 34.1% of the explained variance in the number elevated BLL cases. Number of houses built prior to 1980 (β = .606, p < .05) and median household income (β = -0.186, p < .05) were specifically revealed to be significant predictors of elevated blood lead cases. In addition to screening in identified counties, Missouri's statewide plan should expand to include prevention education in all low-income counties.

78 FR 32579 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-31

... elevator control system. Investigation revealed that, the increase in the elevator breakout force induced by the introduction of a new elevator centering mechanism, in combination with the existing [[Page... behaviors of the elevator control system. This proposed AD would require repetitive replacement of the...

The (non)sense of routinely analysing beta-hydroxybutyric acid in forensic toxicology casework.

PubMed

Sadones, Nele; Lambert, Willy E; Stove, Christophe P

2017-05-01

Beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) is a ketone body which is generated from fatty acids as an alternative energy source when glucose is not available. Determination of this compound may be relevant in the forensic laboratory as ketoacidosis - an elevated level of ketone bodies - may contribute to the cause of death. In this study, we aimed at determining the relevance of routinely implementing BHB analysis in the forensic toxicological laboratory, as BHB analysis typically requires an additional workload. We therefore performed an unbiased retrospective analysis of BHB in 599 cases, comprising 553 blood, 232 urine and 62 vitreous humour samples. Cases with BHB concentrations above 100mg/L (in blood, urine and/or vitreous humour) were invariably associated with elevated levels of acetone, another ketone body, the detection of which is already implemented in most forensic laboratories using the gas chromatographic procedure for ethanol quantification. Our retrospective analysis did not reveal any positive case that had been missed initially and confirms that BHB analysis can be limited to acetone positive cases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intra- and Postoperative Complications of Lateral Maxillary Sinus Augmentation in Smokers vs Nonsmokers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Ghasemi, Samaneh; Fotouhi, Akbar; Moslemi, Neda; Chinipardaz, Zahra; Kolahi, Jafar; Paknejad, Mojgan

This meta-analysis and systematic review focused on the following question: Does tobacco smoking increase the risk of intra- or postoperative complications of lateral maxillary sinus floor elevation? The following electronic databases were searched up to and including November 2015 without language restriction: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Sirous, and Doaj. Studies were included if rates of intra-or postoperative complications of sinus floor elevation in smokers and nonsmokers were recorded separately. The following complications were assessed: sinus membrane perforation, bleeding, wound dehiscence, wound infection, sinusitis, hematoma, and oroantral fistula. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme was used to assess the risk of bias in included studies. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to assess the number of each complication in smokers and nonsmokers. Out of 929 eligible publications, 11 articles were included. Meta-analysis of the studies revealed a significantly increased risk of developing wound dehiscence after sinus floor elevation among smokers compared with nonsmokers (Risk Ratio [RR]: 7.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.38, 25.74; P = .0007). Moreover, risk of developing wound infection was greater in smokers when prospective studies were included in the meta-analysis (RR: 5.33; 95% CI: 1.34, 21.25; P = .02). However, the meta-analysis of included studies did not show significant differences between smokers and nonsmokers concerning risk of sinus membrane perforation and bleeding during sinus floor elevation (P = .46 and P = .33, respectively). Considering the lack of randomized controlled trials and the small number of included studies, the results indicate that smoking seems to be associated with increased risk of wound dehiscence and infection after the sinus augmentation procedure.

High-Resolution Data for a Low-Resolution World

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

Brady, Brendan Williams

2016-05-10

In the past 15 years, the upper section of Cañon de Valle has been severely altered by wildfires and subsequent runoff events. Loss of root structures on high-angle slopes results in debris flow and sediment accumulation in the narrow canyon bottom. The original intent of the study described here was to better understand the changes occurring in watershed soil elevations over the course of several post-fire years. An elevation dataset from 5 years post-Cerro Grande fire was compared to high-resolution LiDAR data from 14 years post-Cerro Grande fire (also 3 years post-Las Conchas fire). The following analysis was motivated bymore » a problematic comparison of these datasets of unlike resolution, and therefore focuses on what the data reveals of itself. The objective of this study is to highlight the effects vegetation can have on remote sensing data that intends to read ground surface elevation.« less

Mechanical properties of the trapezius during scapular elevation in people with chronic whiplash associated disorders--A case-control ultrasound speckle tracking analysis.

PubMed

Landén Ludvigsson, Maria; Peterson, Gunnel; Jull, Gwendolen; Trygg, Johan; Peolsson, Anneli

2016-02-01

Approximately 50% of people with Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) report longstanding symptoms. The upper trapezius is commonly painful yet its mechanical properties are not fully understood. This study examined the deformation of different depths of the upper trapezius muscle during a scapular elevation task (shoulder shrugging) before and following loaded arm abduction. A cross-sectional case-control study of 36 people (26 female and 10 male, mean age 38 (SD 11)) with chronic WAD and 36 controls, matched for age and gender. Real-time ultrasound recordings of upper trapezius were taken during both scapular elevation tasks. Post-process speckle tracking analysis was undertaken of three different sections of the upper trapezius muscle (superficial, middle, deep). The WAD group had lower deformation of the superficial section of the upper trapezius compared to the control group in both concentric and eccentric phases of scapular elevation (p < 0.05) especially before the loaded arm abduction. After arm abduction, the deformation of the trapezius was reduced in both groups but only significantly in the WAD-group (p = 0.03). Within-group analysis revealed that the control group least engaged the deep section of upper trapezius during the task (p < 0.01). This study, measuring mechanical deformation of the upper trapezius during a scapular elevation task indicates that persons with WAD may display different patterns in engagement of the muscle sections than those in the control group. Further research is needed to replicate and understand the reasons for and implications of this possible change in motor strategy within upper trapezius. Clinical Trials.gov, Number: NCT01547624. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anti-miR-33 therapy does not alter the progression of atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.

PubMed

Marquart, Tyler J; Wu, Judy; Lusis, Aldons J; Baldán, Ángel

2013-03-01

To determine the efficacy of long-term anti-miR-33 therapy on the progression of atherosclerosis in high-fat, high-cholesterol-fed Ldlr(-/-) mice. Ldlr(-/-) mice received saline, or control or anti-miR-33 oligonucleotides once a week for 14 weeks. The treatment was effective, as measured by reduced levels of hepatic miR-33 and increased hepatic expression of miR-33 targets. Analysis of plasma samples revealed an initial elevation in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol after 2 weeks of treatment that was not sustained by the end of the experiment. Additionally, we found a significant increase in circulating triglycerides in anti-miR-33-treated mice, compared with controls. Finally, examination of atheromata revealed no significant changes in the size or composition of lesions between the 3 groups. Prolonged silencing of miR-33 fails to maintain elevated plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and does not prevent the progression of atherosclerosis in Ldlr(-/-) mice.

Elevated carbon dioxide reduces emission of herbivore-induced volatiles in Zea mays.

PubMed

Block, Anna; Vaughan, Martha M; Christensen, Shawn A; Alborn, Hans T; Tumlinson, James H

2017-09-01

Terpene volatiles produced by sweet corn (Zea mays) upon infestation with pests such as beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) function as part of an indirect defence mechanism by attracting parasitoid wasps; yet little is known about the impact of climate change on this form of plant defence. To investigate how a central component of climate change affects indirect defence, we measured herbivore-induced volatile emissions in plants grown under elevated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). We found that S. exigua infested or elicitor-treated Z. mays grown at elevated CO 2 had decreased emission of its major sesquiterpene, (E)-β-caryophyllene and two homoterpenes, (3E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene and (3E,7E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene. In contrast, inside the leaves, elicitor-induced (E)-β-caryophyllene hyper-accumulated at elevated CO 2 , while levels of homoterpenes were unaffected. Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed that the induction of terpene synthase genes following treatment was lower in plants grown at elevated CO 2 . Our data indicate that elevated CO 2 leads both to a repression of volatile synthesis at the transcriptional level and to limitation of volatile release through effects of CO 2 on stomatal conductance. These findings suggest that elevated CO 2 may alter the ability of Z. mays to utilize volatile terpenes to mediate indirect defenses. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Slitrk1-deficient mice display elevated anxiety-like behavior and noradrenergic abnormalities.

PubMed

Katayama, K; Yamada, K; Ornthanalai, V G; Inoue, T; Ota, M; Murphy, N P; Aruga, J

2010-02-01

Mutations in SLITRK1 are found in patients with Tourette's syndrome and trichotillomania. SLITRK1 encodes a transmembrane protein containing leucine-rich repeats that is produced predominantly in the nervous system. However, the role of this protein is largely unknown, except that it can modulate neurite outgrowth in vitro. To clarify the role of Slitrk1 in vivo, we developed Slitrk1-knockout mice and analyzed their behavioral and neurochemical phenotypes. Slitrk1-deficient mice exhibited elevated anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze test as well as increased immobility time in forced swimming and tail suspension tests. Neurochemical analysis revealed that Slitrk1-knockout mice had increased levels of norepinephrine and its metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol. Administration of clonidine, an alpha2-adrenergic agonist that is frequently used to treat patients with Tourette's syndrome, attenuated the anxiety-like behavior of Slitrk1-deficient mice in the elevated plus-maze test. These results lead us to conclude that noradrenergic mechanisms are involved in the behavioral abnormalities of Slitrk1-deficient mice. Elevated anxiety due to Slitrk1 dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases such as Tourette's syndrome and trichotillomania.

The Effect of Soil Manganese on Japanese Larch (Larix Leptolepis Sieb. and Zucc.) Seedlings in the Greenhouse

Treesearch

Callie Jo Schweitzer; William E. Sharpe; Pamela J. Edwards

1999-01-01

Preliminary analysis of 9 year old Japanese larch trees and soil subjected to appliitions of triple ambient annual nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) deposftfon revealed elevated available soil and foliar manganese (Mn) levels and decreased growth compared to controls. A greenhouse study was conducted in which Japanese larch seedlings were grown in geld collected soil...

Ecological Niche Modelling using satellite data for assessing distribution of threatened species Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, S.; Kulloli, R. N.; Tewari, J. C.; Singh, J. P.; Singh, A.

2014-11-01

Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. is a narrow endemic, tuberous twiner of Asclepiadaceae family. It is medicinally important: tubers are nutritive and edible, leaves are digestive and a cure for dysentery and diarrhea. Exploitation for its tubers and poor regeneration of this species has shrunk its distribution. In order to know its present status, we report here the results of its appraisal in Rajasthan, using remote sensing and ground truthing in the past five years (2009-14). A base map of C. bulbosa was prepared using Geographical Information System (GIS), open source software Quantum GIS, SAGA. The Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) +Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) Satellite Data were used in this study. ASTER and GDEM Data was clipped with district boundary and provided color range to get elevation information. A digital elevation model of Rajasthan physiography was developed from ASTER GDEM of 30-m resolution. GIS layers of Area of occurrences for C. bulbosa plant and elevation were created. This map along with topographic sheets of 1:50000 were used for field traversing and ground truthing as per GPS location inferred from map. Its geographic distribution was assessed using MaxEnt distribution modelling algorithm that employed 12 presence locality data, 19 bioclimatic variables, and elevation data. Results of this modelling predicted occurrence of C. bulbosa in the districts of Sirohi, Jalore, Barmer, Pali, Ajmer, Jhalawar, Dungarpur, Banswara, Baran, Kota, Bundi and Chittorgarh. Ground validation in these districts revealed its presence only at four places in three districts confirming its rarity. Analysis of dominance at their sites of occurrence revealed their poor populations and sub dominant status (RIV = 20-32) and very low density (2-12 plants per tenth ha).

Osteopetrosis, hypophosphatemia, and phosphaturia in a young man: a case presentation and differential diagnosis.

PubMed

Mitri, Zahi; Tangpricha, Vin

2012-01-01

We report the case of a 30-year-old African-American male with osteopetrosis and hypophosphatemia, presenting with diffuse myalgias. Laboratory evaluation performed revealed a low serum phosphorus level with urinary phosphate wasting, low calcium, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, as well as elevated alkaline phosphatase. Skull and pelvic radiographs revealed high bone density consistent with high bone mass found on bone mineral density reports. PHEX gene mutation analysis was negative. Patient was started on calcium and phosphorus replacement, and he clinically improved. This paper will review the different subtypes of osteopetrosis, and the evaluation of hypophosphatemia.

Mass Spectrometry Imaging Reveals Elevated Glomerular ATP/AMP in Diabetes/obesity and Identifies Sphingomyelin as a Possible Mediator.

PubMed

Miyamoto, Satoshi; Hsu, Cheng-Chih; Hamm, Gregory; Darshi, Manjula; Diamond-Stanic, Maggie; Declèves, Anne-Emilie; Slater, Larkin; Pennathur, Subramaniam; Stauber, Jonathan; Dorrestein, Pieter C; Sharma, Kumar

2016-05-01

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is suppressed in diabetes and may be due to a high ATP/AMP ratio, however the quantitation of nucleotides in vivo has been extremely difficult. Via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) to localize renal nucleotides we found that the diabetic kidney had a significant increase in glomerular ATP/AMP ratio. Untargeted MALDI-MSI analysis revealed that a specific sphingomyelin species (SM(d18:1/16:0)) accumulated in the glomeruli of diabetic and high-fat diet-fed mice compared with wild-type controls. In vitro studies in mesangial cells revealed that exogenous addition of SM(d18:1/16:0) significantly elevated ATP via increased glucose consumption and lactate production with a consequent reduction of AMPK and PGC1α. Furthermore, inhibition of sphingomyelin synthases reversed these effects. Our findings suggest that AMPK is reduced in the diabetic kidney due to an increase in the ATP/AMP ratio and that SM(d18:1/16:0) could be responsible for the enhanced ATP production via activation of the glycolytic pathway. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[A case of vasculitis syndrome associated with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP)].

PubMed

Yago, Toru; Nishinarita, Makoto

2004-12-01

In 1996 36-year-old man was admitted into our hospital because of polyarthralgia, skin eruptions followed by multiple cutaneous ulcers, dry cough and elevation of C-reactive protein level. The finding of skin biopsy from left elbow was vasculitis. Chest CT showed linear interstitial shadow at bilateral dorsalis lungs. Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) revealed marked infiltration of inflammatory cells in the bronchial walls and peripheral alveoli. In addition, eosinophils were not in branchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Moreover, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) revealed organizing fibroblastic polyp and bronchiolitis obliterans at terminal bronchiole. We diagnosed his pneumonia as bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP). Administration of oral prednisolone (40 mg/day) was begun and he experienced diminished BOOP and other clinical manifestations. Three years later he developed dry cough, dyspnea and digital ulcers again. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed marked hypoxemia and laboratory studies showed LDH (377 IU/ml) and CRP (8.27 mg/dl) levels were elevated. Chest CT pointed out an exacerbation of BOOP. Treatment with intravenous pulses methylprednisolone and oral prednisolone (60 mg/day) resulted in marked improvement of the clinical manifestations. We describe a rare case of vasculitis associated with BOOP.

"I Don't Believe in Leading a Life of My Own, I Lead His Life": A Qualitative Investigation of Difficulties Experienced by Informal Caregivers of Stroke Survivors Experiencing Depressive and Anxious Symptoms.

PubMed

Woodford, Joanne; Farrand, Paul; Watkins, Edward R; LLewellyn, David J

2018-01-01

Health and social care services are increasingly reliant on informal caregivers to provide long-term support to stroke survivors. However, caregiving is associated with elevated levels of depression and anxiety in the caregiver that may also negatively impact stroke survivor recovery. This qualitative study aims to understand the specific difficulties experienced by caregivers experiencing elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression. Nineteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers experiencing elevated levels of depression and anxiety, with a thematic analysis approach adopted for analysis. Analysis revealed three main themes: Difficulties adapting to the caring role; Uncertainty; and Lack of support. Caregivers experienced significant difficulties adapting to changes and losses associated with becoming a caregiver, such as giving up roles and goals of importance and value. Such difficulties persisted into the long-term and were coupled with feelings of hopelessness and worry. Difficulties were further exacerbated by social isolation, lack of information and poor long-term health and social care support. A greater understanding of difficulties experienced by depressed and anxious caregivers may inform the development of psychological support targeting difficulties unique to the caring role. Improving caregiver mental health may also result in health benefits for stroke survivors themselves.

New Optic Nerve Sonography Quality Criteria in the Diagnostic Evaluation of Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Johnson, Garrett G. R. J.; Gillman, Lawrence M.; Faqihi, Fahad; Balhamar, Abdullah; Mahmood, Nasir Nasim; Alharthy, Abdulrahman; Lazaridis, Christos

2018-01-01

Background New sonographic quality criteria to optimize optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurements were suggested. The latter were correlated to elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Aim We investigated whether ONSD measurements were correlated to simultaneous ICP measurements in severe TBI. Methods Forty patients with severe TBI (Marshall Scale ≥II and GCS ≤8) participated in the study. All patients had an intraparenchymal ICP catheter inserted, while ONSD was measured bilaterally, upon admission and over the next 48 hours, based on the new sonographic criteria. A total of 400 ONSD measurements were performed, while mean ONSD values of both eyes were used in the analysis. Results ONSD measurements were strongly correlated to ICP values (r=0.74, p < 0.0001). Receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis revealed that the ONSD cutoff value for predicting elevated ICP was 6.4 mm when using the mean of both eyes (AUC = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80 to 0.95; sensitivity = 85.3%, specificity = 82.6%). Linear regression analysis nested models revealed that sex (p=0.006) and height (p=0.04) were significant predictors of ONSD values. Conclusion When applying the new sonographic quality criteria, ONSD is strongly correlated to ICP in severe TBI. Whether to use such criteria to monitor ONSD as a proxy for ICP trend in TBI remains to be further explored. PMID:29854448

Anger profiles in social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Versella, Mark V; Piccirillo, Marilyn L; Potter, Carrie M; Olino, Thomas M; Heimberg, Richard G

2016-01-01

Individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) exhibit elevated levels of anger and anger suppression, which are both associated with increased depression, diminished quality of life, and poorer treatment outcomes. However, little is known about how anger experiences differ among individuals with SAD and whether any heterogeneity might relate to negative outcomes. This investigation sought to empirically define anger profiles among 136 treatment-seeking individuals with SAD and to assess their association with distress and impairment. A latent class analysis was conducted utilizing the trait subscales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 as indicators of class membership. Analysis revealed four distinct anger profiles, with greatest distress and impairment generally demonstrated by individuals with elevated trait anger, a greater tendency to suppress the expression of anger, and diminished ability to adaptively control their anger expression. These results have implications for tailoring more effective interventions for socially anxious individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Annual bed-elevation regime in the alluvial channel of Squamish River, southwestern British Columbia Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanford, S.D.; Seidl, M.A.; Ashley, G.M.

2000-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the annual regime of channel scour and fill by monitoring bed-elevation changes in a reach of Squamish River in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Sonar surveys of 13 river cross-sections in a sandy gravel-bed single-channel study reach were repeated biweekly over a full hydrologic year (1995/6). The survey results show that bedload movement occurs as waves or pulses forming bedwaves that appear to maintain an overall coherence with movement downstream. These bedwaves propagate downstream by a mode here termed pulse scour and pulse fill, a process distinguished from the conventional mode of scour and fill commonly associated with flood events (here termed local scour and local fill). Bedwave celerity was estimated to be about 15.5 m d-1 corresponding to a bedwave residence time in the study reach of almost one hydrologic year. The total amount of local bed-elevation change ranged between 0.22 m and 2.41 m during the period of study. Analysis of the bed-elevation and flow data reveals that, because of the bedware phenomenon, there is no simple relation between the mean bed-elevation and discharge nor any strong linear correlation among cross-sectional behaviour. The bed-elevation data also suggest that complex changes to the bed within a cross-section are masked when the bed is viewed in one dimension, although no definitive trends in bed behaviour were found in the two-dimensional analysis. Although a weak seasonal effect is evident in this study, the bed-elevation regime is dominated by sediment supply-driven fluctuations in bedload transport occurring at timescales shorter than the seasonal fluctuation in discharge. The study also indicates that bed-elevation monitoring on Squamish River, and others like it, for purposes of detecting and measuring aggradation/degradation must take into account very considerable and normal channel-bed variability operating at timescales from hours to months. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Ergothioneine Biosynthesis and Functionality in the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus.

PubMed

Sheridan, Kevin J; Lechner, Beatrix Elisabeth; Keeffe, Grainne O'; Keller, Markus A; Werner, Ernst R; Lindner, Herbert; Jones, Gary W; Haas, Hubertus; Doyle, Sean

2016-10-17

Ergothioneine (EGT; 2-mercaptohistidine trimethylbetaine) is a trimethylated and sulphurised histidine derivative which exhibits antioxidant properties. Here we report that deletion of Aspergillus fumigatus egtA (AFUA_2G15650), which encodes a trimodular enzyme, abrogated EGT biosynthesis in this opportunistic pathogen. EGT biosynthetic deficiency in A. fumigatus significantly reduced resistance to elevated H 2 O 2 and menadione, respectively, impaired gliotoxin production and resulted in attenuated conidiation. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed substantial proteomic remodelling in ΔegtA compared to wild-type under both basal and ROS conditions, whereby the abundance of 290 proteins was altered. Specifically, the reciprocal differential abundance of cystathionine γ-synthase and β-lyase, respectively, influenced cystathionine availability to effect EGT biosynthesis. A combined deficiency in EGT biosynthesis and the oxidative stress response regulator Yap1, which led to extreme oxidative stress susceptibility, decreased resistance to heavy metals and production of the extracellular siderophore triacetylfusarinine C and increased accumulation of the intracellular siderophore ferricrocin. EGT dissipated H 2 O 2 in vitro, and elevated intracellular GSH levels accompanied abrogation of EGT biosynthesis. EGT deficiency only decreased resistance to high H 2 O 2 levels which suggests functionality as an auxiliary antioxidant, required for growth at elevated oxidative stress conditions. Combined, these data reveal new interactions between cellular redox homeostasis, secondary metabolism and metal ion homeostasis.

Lung injury induced by secondhand smoke exposure detected with hyperpolarized helium-3 diffusion MR.

PubMed

Wang, Chengbo; Mugler, John P; de Lange, Eduard E; Patrie, James T; Mata, Jaime F; Altes, Talissa A

2014-01-01

To determine whether helium-3 diffusion MR can detect the changes in the lungs of healthy nonsmoking individuals who were regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. Three groups were studied (age: 59 ± 9 years): 23 smokers, 37 exposure-to-secondhand-smoke subjects, and 29 control subjects. We measured helium-3 diffusion values at diffusion times from 0.23 to 1.97 s. One-way analysis of variance revealed that the mean area under the helium-3 diffusion curves (ADC AUC) of the smokers was significantly elevated compared with the controls and to the exposure-to-secondhand-smoke subjects (P < 0.001 both). No difference between the mean ADC AUC of the exposure-to-secondhand-smoke subjects and that of the controls was found (P = 0.115). However, application of a receiver operator characteristic-derived rule to classify subjects as either a "control" or a "smoker," based on ADC AUC, revealed that 30% (11/37) of the exposure-to-secondhand subjects were classified as "smokers" indicating an elevation of the ADC AUC. Using helium-3 diffusion MR, elevated ADC values were detected in 30% of nonsmoking healthy subjects who had been regularly exposed to secondhand smoke, supporting the concept that, in susceptible individuals, secondhand smoke causes mild lung damage. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relationships Between Simple Toe Elevation Angle in the Standing Position and Dynamic Balance and Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

PubMed

Takatori, Katsuhiko; Matsumoto, Daisuke

2015-10-01

To investigate the relationships between toe elevation ability in the standing position and dynamic balance and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults. Cross-sectional survey. General community. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 287). Toe elevation angles in the standing position. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of measurements of the toe elevation angle was high (internal coefficient of correlation [ICC] (1,2) = 0.94 for the former and ICC (2,1) = 0.90 for the latter). Significant correlations were found between the toe elevation angle and age (r = -0.20, P < .01), 5-m walking time (r = -0.31, P < .01), Functional Reach Test (r = 0.36, P < .01), Timed Up and Go Test (r = -0.36, P < .01), and Chair Stand Test (r = 0.26, P < .01). Subjects who experienced a fall in the previous 6 months had a significantly lower toe elevation angle compared with subjects who did not experience a fall (t = 2.19, P < .05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that results of the Functional Reach Test (β = .22, P < .001) and Timed Up and Go Test (β = -0.74, P < .001) were significantly associated with the toe elevation angle. Toe elevation angle was an index of dynamic balance ability and appears to be a simple screening test for fall risk in community-dwelling older adults. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of different digital elevation models and satellite imagery for lineament analysis: Implications for identification and spatial arrangement of fault zones in crystalline basement rocks of the southern Black Forest (Germany)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meixner, J.; Grimmer, J. C.; Becker, A.; Schill, E.; Kohl, T.

2018-03-01

GIS-based remote sensing techniques and lineament mapping provide additional information on the spatial arrangement of faults and fractures in large areas with variable outcrop conditions. Due to inherent censoring and truncation bias mapping of lineaments is still a challenging task. In this study we show how statistical evaluations help to improve the reliability of lineament mappings by comparing two digital elevation models (ASTER, LIDAR) and satellite imagery data sets in the seismically active southern Black Forest. A statistical assessment of the orientation, average length, and the total length of mapped lineaments reveals an impact of the different resolutions of the data sets that allow to define maximum (censoring bias) and minimum (truncation bias) observable lineament length for each data set. The increase of the spatial resolution of the digital elevation model from 30 m × 30 m to 5 m × 5 m results in a decrease of total lineament length by about 40% whereby the average lineament lengths decrease by about 60%. Lineament length distributions of both data sets follow a power law distribution as documented elsewhere for fault and fracture systems. Predominant NE-, N-, NNW-, and NW-directions of the lineaments are observed in all data sets and correlate with well-known, mappable large-scale structures in the southern Black Forest. Therefore, mapped lineaments can be correlated with faults and hence display geological significance. Lineament density in the granite-dominated areas is apparently higher than in the gneiss-dominated areas. Application of a slip- and dilation tendency analysis on the fault pattern reveals largest reactivation potentials for WNW-ESE and N-S striking faults as strike-slip faults whereas normal faulting may occur along NW-striking faults within the ambient stress field. Remote sensing techniques in combination with highly resolved digital elevation models and a slip- and dilation tendency analysis thus can be used to quickly get first order results of the spatial arrangement of critically stressed faults in crystalline basement rocks.

Responses of high-elevation herbaceous plant assemblages to low glacial CO₂ concentrations revealed by fossil marmot (Marmota) teeth.

PubMed

McLean, Bryan S; Ward, Joy K; Polito, Michael J; Emslie, Steven D

2014-08-01

Atmospheric CO2 cycles of the Quaternary likely imposed major constraints on the physiology and growth of C3 plants worldwide. However, the measured record of this remains both geographically and taxonomically sparse. We present the first reconstruction of physiological responses in a late Quaternary high-elevation herbaceous plant community from the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA. We used a novel proxy-fossilized tooth enamel of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris)-which we developed using detailed isotopic analysis of modern individuals. Calculated C isotopic discrimination (Δ) of alpine plants was nearly 2 ‰ lower prior to the Last Glacial Maximum than at present, a response almost identical to that of nonherbaceous taxa from lower elevations. However, initial shifts in Δ aligned most closely with the onset of the late Pleistocene bipolar temperature "seesaw" rather than CO2 increase, indicating unique limitations on glacial-age high-elevation plants may have existed due to both low temperatures and low CO2. Further development of system-specific faunal proxies can help to clarify this and other plant- and ecosystem-level responses to past environmental change.

Local-scale topoclimate effects on treeline elevations: a country-wide investigation of New Zealand's southern beech treelines.

PubMed

Case, Bradley S; Buckley, Hannah L

2015-01-01

Although treeline elevations are limited globally by growing season temperature, at regional scales treelines frequently deviate below their climatic limit. The cause of these deviations relate to a host of climatic, disturbance, and geomorphic factors that operate at multiple scales. The ability to disentangle the relative effects of these factors is currently hampered by the lack of reliable topoclimatic data, which describe how regional climatic characteristics are modified by topographic effects in mountain areas. In this study we present an analysis of the combined effects of local- and regional-scale factors on southern beech treeline elevation variability at 28 study areas across New Zealand. We apply a mesoscale atmospheric model to generate local-scale (200 m) meteorological data at these treelines and, from these data, we derive a set of topoclimatic indices that reflect possible detrimental and ameliorative influences on tree physiological functioning. Principal components analysis of meteorological data revealed geographic structure in how study areas were situated in multivariate space along gradients of topoclimate. Random forest and conditional inference tree modelling enabled us to tease apart the relative effects of 17 explanatory factors on local-scale treeline elevation variability. Overall, modelling explained about 50% of the variation in treeline elevation variability across the 28 study areas, with local landform and topoclimatic effects generally outweighing those from regional-scale factors across the 28 study areas. Further, the nature of the relationships between treeline elevation variability and the explanatory variables were complex, frequently non-linear, and consistent with the treeline literature. To our knowledge, this is the first study where model-generated meteorological data, and derived topoclimatic indices, have been developed and applied to explain treeline variation. Our results demonstrate the potential of such an approach for ecological research in mountainous environments.

Local-scale topoclimate effects on treeline elevations: a country-wide investigation of New Zealand’s southern beech treelines

PubMed Central

Buckley, Hannah L.

2015-01-01

Although treeline elevations are limited globally by growing season temperature, at regional scales treelines frequently deviate below their climatic limit. The cause of these deviations relate to a host of climatic, disturbance, and geomorphic factors that operate at multiple scales. The ability to disentangle the relative effects of these factors is currently hampered by the lack of reliable topoclimatic data, which describe how regional climatic characteristics are modified by topographic effects in mountain areas. In this study we present an analysis of the combined effects of local- and regional-scale factors on southern beech treeline elevation variability at 28 study areas across New Zealand. We apply a mesoscale atmospheric model to generate local-scale (200 m) meteorological data at these treelines and, from these data, we derive a set of topoclimatic indices that reflect possible detrimental and ameliorative influences on tree physiological functioning. Principal components analysis of meteorological data revealed geographic structure in how study areas were situated in multivariate space along gradients of topoclimate. Random forest and conditional inference tree modelling enabled us to tease apart the relative effects of 17 explanatory factors on local-scale treeline elevation variability. Overall, modelling explained about 50% of the variation in treeline elevation variability across the 28 study areas, with local landform and topoclimatic effects generally outweighing those from regional-scale factors across the 28 study areas. Further, the nature of the relationships between treeline elevation variability and the explanatory variables were complex, frequently non-linear, and consistent with the treeline literature. To our knowledge, this is the first study where model-generated meteorological data, and derived topoclimatic indices, have been developed and applied to explain treeline variation. Our results demonstrate the potential of such an approach for ecological research in mountainous environments. PMID:26528407

Autonomic dysfunction assessed by EZSCAN and subclinical atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Sun, Jichao; Zhang, Yinfei; Xu, Baihui; Lv, Xiaofei; Ding, Lin; Chen, Ying; Sun, Wanwan; Lu, Jieli; Xu, Min; Bi, Yufang; Ning, Guang

2014-09-01

The present study aimed to explore the association between autonomic dysfunction and measurements of atherosclerosis in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. A population-based cross-sectional study was performed in Shanghai, China, from March to August 2010, with 5076 participants included in the analysis. Autonomic function was assessed by a novel EZSCAN test based on sudomotor function analysis. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured using B-mode ultrasonography and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) was measured using an autonomic device. Participants were divided into three groups based on EZSCAN values: Group 1: EZSCAN 0-24; Group 2, EZSCAN 25-49; and Group 3, EZSCAN 50-100. These groups denoted autonomic dysfunction risk groups as follows: no risk, moderate risk and high risk, respectively. The prevalence of elevated CIMT and ba-PWV increased markedly with increasing EZSCAN values (elevated CIMT 7.4%, 17.5%, and 29.7%, elevated ba-PWV 3.2%, 19.7%, and 36.5%, in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; both Ptrend < 0.0001). Logistic regressions revealed that EZSCAN values ≥50 were associated with a non-significantly higher risk of elevated CIMT (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-2.07) and a significantly higher risk of elevated ba-PWV (OR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.25-3.71) compared with EZSCAN values <25, after controlling for conventional risk factors. A higher EZSCAN value (≥50), an index of high autonomic dysfunction risk, was associated with an increased risk of elevated ba-PWV and CIMT. Such associations were partially explained by traditional atherosclerotic risk factors. © 2014 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Multi-Resolution Analysis of LiDAR data for Characterizing a Stabilized Aeolian Landscape in South Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrineau, C. P.; Dobreva, I. D.; Bishop, M. P.; Houser, C.

2014-12-01

Aeolian systems are ideal natural laboratories for examining self-organization in patterned landscapes, as certain wind regimes generate certain morphologies. Topographic information and scale dependent analysis offer the opportunity to study such systems and characterize process-form relationships. A statistically based methodology for differentiating aeolian features would enable the quantitative association of certain surface characteristics with certain morphodynamic regimes. We conducted a multi-resolution analysis of LiDAR elevation data to assess scale-dependent morphometric variations in an aeolian landscape in South Texas. For each pixel, mean elevation values are calculated along concentric circles moving outward at 100-meter intervals (i.e. 500 m, 600 m, 700 m from pixel). The calculated average elevation values plotted against distance from the pixel of interest as curves are used to differentiate multi-scalar variations in elevation across the landscape. In this case, it is hypothesized these curves may be used to quantitatively differentiate certain morphometries from others like a spectral signature may be used to classify paved surfaces from natural vegetation, for example. After generating multi-resolution curves for all the pixels in a selected area of interest (AOI), a Principal Components Analysis is used to highlight commonalities and singularities between generated curves from pixels across the AOI. Our findings suggest that the resulting components could be used for identification of discrete aeolian features like open sands, trailing ridges and active dune crests, and, in particular, zones of deflation. This new approach to landscape characterization not only works to mitigate bias introduced when researchers must select training pixels for morphometric investigations, but can also reveal patterning in aeolian landscapes that would not be as obvious without quantitative characterization.

Multivariate temporal pattern analysis applied to the study of rat behavior in the elevated plus maze: methodological and conceptual highlights.

PubMed

Casarrubea, M; Magnusson, M S; Roy, V; Arabo, A; Sorbera, F; Santangelo, A; Faulisi, F; Crescimanno, G

2014-08-30

Aim of this article is to illustrate the application of a multivariate approach known as t-pattern analysis in the study of rat behavior in elevated plus maze. By means of this multivariate approach, significant relationships among behavioral events in the course of time can be described. Both quantitative and t-pattern analyses were utilized to analyze data obtained from fifteen male Wistar rats following a trial 1-trial 2 protocol. In trial 2, in comparison with the initial exposure, mean occurrences of behavioral elements performed in protected zones of the maze showed a significant increase counterbalanced by a significant decrease of mean occurrences of behavioral elements in unprotected zones. Multivariate t-pattern analysis, in trial 1, revealed the presence of 134 t-patterns of different composition. In trial 2, the temporal structure of behavior become more simple, being present only 32 different t-patterns. Behavioral strings and stripes (i.e. graphical representation of each t-pattern onset) of all t-patterns were presented both for trial 1 and trial 2 as well. Finally, percent distributions in the three zones of the maze show a clear-cut increase of t-patterns in closed arm and a significant reduction in the remaining zones. Results show that previous experience deeply modifies the temporal structure of rat behavior in the elevated plus maze. In addition, this article, by highlighting several conceptual, methodological and illustrative aspects on the utilization of t-pattern analysis, could represent a useful background to employ such a refined approach in the study of rat behavior in elevated plus maze. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A retrospective study: correlation of histologic inflammation in biopsy specimens of Chinese men undergoing surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia with serum prostate-specific antigen.

PubMed

Song, Lingmin; Zhu, Yuchun; Han, Ping; Chen, Ni; Lin, Dao; Lai, Jianyu; Wei, Qiang

2011-03-01

To reveal the correlation between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) histologic inflammation and serum prostate-specific antigen (sPSA) concentrations, and the possible mechanism. Patients underwent surgery at the Urology Department of West China Hospital of Sichuan University were retrospectively studied. Preoperative sPSA and transrectal ultrasonography were measured. According to the histopathological classification system for chronic prostatic inflammation proposed by the Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network (CPCRN) and the International Prostatitis Collaborative Network (IPCN), we classified the histologic sections of prostatic biopsy into glandular, periglandular, and stromal inflammation by the anatomical location of inflammatory infiltration. The glandular inflammation was graded according to the inflammatory aggressiveness. The periglandular and stromal inflammation were graded according to the inflammatory density. The correlation between histologic inflammation and sPSA was studied by a multiple regression model in conjunction with age and total prostatic volume. A total of 454 patients with exclusively BPH were analyzed. The periglandular inflammatory infiltration was the most common pattern (95.6%). Single regression analysis revealed that total prostatic volume, the aggressiveness of glandular inflammation, and the intensity of periglandular and stromal inflammation were correlated with sPSA. However, the multiple regression analysis revealed that only the total prostatic volume and the aggressiveness of glandular inflammation were correlated significantly with sPSA (R = .389, 0.289; P = .000). The aggressiveness of glandular inflammatory infiltration in BPH is a significant contributor to elevated sPSA levels. The theory of leakage may be the most reasonable mechanism to reveal the correlation morphologically. We should take inflammation into consideration when interpreting the abnormal elevating of sPSA levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reassessing the "traditional background hypothesis" for elevated MMPI and MMPI-2 Lie-scale scores.

PubMed

Rosen, Gerald M; Baldwin, Scott A; Smith, Ronald E

2016-10-01

The Lie (L) scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is widely regarded as a measure of conscious attempts to deny common human foibles and to present oneself in an unrealistically positive light. At the same time, the current MMPI-2 manual states that "traditional" and religious backgrounds can account for elevated L scale scores as high as 65T-79T, thereby tempering impression management interpretations for faith-based individuals. To assess the validity of the traditional background hypothesis, we reviewed 11 published studies that employed the original MMPI with religious samples and found that only 1 obtained an elevated mean L score. We then conducted a meta-analysis of 12 published MMPI-2 studies in which we compared L scores of religious samples to the test normative group. The meta-analysis revealed large between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 87.1), L scale scores for religious samples that were somewhat higher but did not approach the upper limits specified in the MMPI-2 manual, and an overall moderate effect size (d¯ = 0.54, p < .001; 95% confidence interval [0.37, 0.70]). Our analyses indicated that religious-group membership accounts, on average, for elevations on L of about 5 t-score points. Whether these scores reflect conscious "fake good" impression management or religious-based virtuousness remains unanswered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Comprehensive analysis of differentially expressed genes reveals the molecular response to elevated CO2 levels in two sea buckthorn cultivars.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoyun; Zhang, Tong; Liu, Juanjuan; Zhang, Jianguo; He, Caiyun

2018-06-20

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration increases every year. It is critical to understand the elevated CO 2 response molecular mechanisms of plants using genomic techniques. Hippophae rhamnoides L. is a high stress resistance plant species widely distributed in Europe and Asia. However, the molecular mechanism of elevated CO 2 response in H. rhamnoides has been limited. In this study, transcriptomic analysis of two sea buckthorn cultivars under different CO 2 concentrations was performed, based on the next-generation illumina sequencing platform and de novo assembly. We identified 4740 differentially expressed genes in sea buckthorn response to elevated CO 2 concentrations. According to the gene ontology (GO) results, photosystem I, photosynthesis and chloroplast thylakoid membrane were the main enriched terms in 'xiangyang' sea buckthorn. In 'zhongguo' sea buckthorn, photosynthesis was also the main significantly enriched term. However, the number of photosynthesis related differentially expressed genes were different between two sea buckthorn cultivars. Our GO and pathway analyses indicated that the expression levels of the transcription factors WRKY, MYB and NAC were significantly different between the two sea buckthorn cultivars. This study provides a reliable transcriptome sequence resource and is a valuable resource for genetic and genomic researches for plants under high CO 2 concentration in the future. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Annealing on the Depth Microstructure of the Shot Peened Duplex Stainless Steel at Elevated Temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Qiang; She, Jia; Xiang, Yong; Wu, Xianyun; Wang, Chengxi; Jiang, Chuanhai

The depth profiles of residual stresses and lattice parameters in the surface layers of shot peened duplex stainless steel at elevated temperature were investigated utilizing X-ray diffraction analysis. At each deformation depth, residual stress distributions in both ferrite and austenite were studied by X-ray diffraction stress analysis which is performed on the basis of the sin2ψ method and the lattice parameters were explored by Rietveld method. The results reveal that difference changes of depth residual compressive stress profiles between ferrite and austenite under the same annealing condition are resulted from the diverse coefficient of thermal expansion, dislocation density, etc. for different phases in duplex stainless steel. The relaxations of depth residual stresses in austenite are more obvious than those in ferrite. The lattice parameters decrease in the surface layer with the extending of annealing time, however, they increase along the depth after annealing for 16min. The change of the depth lattice parameters can be ascribed to both thermal expansion and the relaxation of residual stress. The different changes of microstructure at elevated temperature between ferrite and austenite are discussed.

Spatial Patterns of Plant Litter and Sedimentation in a Tidal Freshwater Marsh and Implications for Marsh Persistence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmore, A. J.; Cadol, D. D.; Palinkas, C. M.; Engelhardt, K. A.

2014-12-01

The maintenance of marsh platform elevation under sea level rise is dependent on sedimentation and biomass conversion to soil organic material. These physical and biological processes interact within the tidal zone, resulting in elevation-dependent processes contributing to marsh accretion. Here we explore spatial pattern in plant litter, a variable related to productivity, to understand its role in physical and biological interactions in a freshwater marsh. Plant litter that persists through the dormant season has an extended period of influence on ecosystem processes. We conducted a field and remote sensing analysis of plant litter height, biomass, vertical cover, and stem density (collectively termed plant litter structure) at a tidal freshwater marsh located along the Potomac River estuary. We completed two years of repeat RTK GPS surveys with corresponding measurements of litter height (over 2000 observations) to train a non-parametric random forest decision tree to predict litter height. LiDAR and field observations show that plant litter height increases with increasing elevation, although important deviations from this relationship are apparent. These spatial patterns exhibit stability from year to year and lead to corresponding patterns in soil organic matter content, revealed by loss on ignition of surface sediments. The amount of mineral material embedded within plant litter decreases with increasing elevation, representing an important trade-off with litter structure. Therefore, at low elevations where litter structure is short and sparse, the role of plant litter is to capture sediment; at high elevations where litter structure is tall and dense, litter contributes organic matter to soil development. Despite these tradeoffs, changes in elevation over time are consistent across elevation, with only small positive differences in elevation gain over time at elevations where the most sediment is deposited or where litter exhibits the most biomass.

Turbulence Characteristics in an Elevated Shear Layer over Owens Valley

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-14

Arnéodo, G. Grasseau, Y. Gagne, E. J. Hopfinger, and U. Frisch, 1989: Wavelet analysis of turbulence reveals the multifractal nature of the Richardson...Helmholtz (KH) instability, the tur- bulence inertial subrange, turbulence intermittency, and cross -scale energy transfer over complex terrain. The...or cross -valley) and the normal (also referred to as along- valley) wind components, respectively. Figure 2 shows profiles derived from the 1800 UTC

Remeasured FIA plots reveal tree-level diameter growth and tree mortality impacts of nitrogen deposition on California’s forests

Treesearch

Mark E. Fenn; Jeremy S. Fried; Haiganoush K. Preisler; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Susan Schilling; Sarah Jovan; Olaf Kuegler

2015-01-01

The air in California’s forests spans a broad range of purity, from virtually no locally generated pollutants to highly elevated levels of pollutants in forests downwind of urban and agricultural source areas. Ten-year remeasurement data from Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots in California were used in combination with modelled atmospheric nitrogen (N)...

The Influence of Static and Dynamic Intrapersonal Factors on Longitudinal Patterns of Peer Victimization through Mid-adolescence: a Latent Transition Analysis.

PubMed

Haltigan, John D; Vaillancourt, Tracy

2018-01-01

Using 6 cycles (grade 5 through grade 10) of data obtained from a large prospective sample of Canadian school children (N = 700; 52.6% girls), we replicated previous findings concerning the empirical definition of peer victimization (i.e., being bullied) and examined static and dynamic intrapersonal factors associated with its emergence and experiential continuity through mid-adolescence. Latent class analyses consistently revealed a low victimization and an elevated victimization class across time, supporting previous work suggesting peer victimization was defined by degree rather than by type (e.g., physical). Using latent transition analyses (LTA), we found that child sex, parent-perceived pubertal development, and internalizing symptoms influenced the probability of transitioning from the low to the elevated victimization class across time. Higher-order extensions within the LTA modeling framework revealed a lasting effect of grade 5 victimization status on grade 10 victimization status and a large effect of chronic victimization on later parent-reported youth internalizing symptoms (net of prior parent-reported internalizing symptoms) in later adolescence (grade 11). Implications of the current findings for the experience of peer victimization, as well as the application of latent transition analysis as a useful approach for peer victimization research, are discussed.

A latent profile analysis of childhood trauma in women with bulimia nervosa: Associations with borderline personality disorder psychopathology.

PubMed

Utzinger, Linsey M; Haukebo, Justine E; Simonich, Heather; Wonderlich, Stephen A; Cao, Li; Lavender, Jason M; Mitchell, James E; Engel, Scott G; Crosby, Ross D

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to empirically examine naturally occurring groups of individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) based on their childhood trauma (CT) histories and to compare these groups on a clinically relevant external validator, borderline personality disorder (BPD) psychopathology. This study examined the relationship between CT and BPD psychopathology among 133 women with BN using latent profile analysis (LPA) to classify participants based on histories of CT. Participants completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I/P), the Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines-Revised (DIB-R), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). The LPA revealed four trauma profiles: low/no trauma, emotional trauma, sexual trauma, and polytrauma. Results indicated that the sexual and polytrauma profiles displayed significantly elevated scores on the DIB-R and that the low/no and emotional trauma profiles did not differ significantly on the DIB-R. Secondary analyses revealed elevated levels of a composite CT score among those with both BN and BPD psychopathology compared to those with BN only. These findings suggest that both childhood sexual abuse and the additive effects of childhood polytrauma may be linked to BPD psychopathology in BN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:689-694). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bacterial community structure in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert, Chile

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drees, Kevin P.; Neilson, Julia W.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Quade, Jay; Henderson, David A.; Pryor, Barry M.; Maier, Raina M.

2006-01-01

Soils from the hyperarid Atacama Desert of northern Chile were sampled along an east-west elevational transect (23.75 to 24.70 degrees S) through the driest sector to compare the relative structure of bacterial communities. Analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles from each of the samples revealed that microbial communities from the extreme hyperarid core of the desert clustered separately from all of the remaining communities. Bands sequenced from DGGE profiles of two samples taken at a 22-month interval from this core region revealed the presence of similar populations dominated by bacteria from the Gemmatimonadetes and Planctomycetes phyla.

Primary hyperparathyroidism with classic and severe skeletal involvement.

PubMed

Sandoval, Mark Anthony S; Paz-Pacheco, Elizabeth

2010-08-26

A 63-year-old woman has had multiple repeated fractures. A diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) was made after she was found to be hypercalcaemic with an elevated level of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). Radiographs revealed classic and severe bone findings in PHPT, features which were common in the past but are thought to be rare at this modern age. She also had nephrolithiasis and osteoporosis. An enlarged parathyroid gland was seen on ultrasound and CT scan, and hyperfunction was demonstrated by scintigraphy. Parathyroidectomy was performed. Histopathologic analysis revealed a parathyroid adenoma. She developed the hungry-bone syndrome 7 days postoperatively, which resolved with with administration of calcium and calcitriol.

Risk stratification of chronic heart failure patients by multiple biomarkers: implications of BNP, H-FABP, and PTX3.

PubMed

Ishino, Mitsunori; Takeishi, Yasuchika; Niizeki, Takeshi; Watanabe, Tetsu; Nitobe, Joji; Miyamoto, Takuya; Miyashita, Takehiko; Kitahara, Tatsuro; Suzuki, Satoshi; Sasaki, Toshiki; Bilim, Olga; Kubota, Isao

2008-11-01

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) each predict adverse cardiac events in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. For prognostic evaluation from different aspects, the utility of combined measurement of the 3 biomarkers in patients with CHF was examined in the present study. Levels of BNP (associated with left ventricular dysfunction, positive if >200 pg/ml), H-FABP (marker of myocardial damage, positive if >4.1 ng/ml), and PTX3 (marker of inflammation, positive if >4.0 ng/ml) were measured in 164 consecutive CHF patients, and patients were prospectively followed with endpoints of cardiac death or rehospitalization. When patients were categorized on the basis of the number of elevated biomarkers, patients with 1, 2, and 3 elevated biomarkers had a 5.4-fold (not significant), 11.2-old (p<0.05), and 34.6-fold increase (p<0.01), respectively, in the risk of adverse cardiac events compared with those without elevated biomarkers. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with 3 elevated biomarkers had a significantly higher cardiac event rate than patients with a lower number of elevated biomarkers. The combination of these 3 biomarkers could reliably risk-stratify CHF patients for prediction of cardiac events.

Elevated heart rate triggers action potential alternans and sudden death. translational study of a homozygous KCNH2 mutation.

PubMed

Schweigmann, Ulrich; Biliczki, Peter; Ramirez, Rafael J; Marschall, Christoph; Takac, Ina; Brandes, Ralf P; Kotzot, Dieter; Girmatsion, Zenawit; Hohnloser, Stefan H; Ehrlich, Joachim R

2014-01-01

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) leads to arrhythmic events and increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Homozygous KCNH2 mutations underlying LQTS-2 have previously been termed "human HERG knockout" and typically express severe phenotypes. We studied genotype-phenotype correlations of an LQTS type 2 mutation identified in the homozygous index patient from a consanguineous Turkish family after his brother died suddenly during febrile illness. Clinical work-up, DNA sequencing, mutagenesis, cell culture, patch-clamp, in silico mathematical modelling, protein biochemistry, confocal microscopy were performed. Genetic analysis revealed a homozygous C-terminal KCNH2 mutation (p.R835Q) in the index patient (QTc ∼506 ms with notched T waves). Parents were I° cousins - both heterozygous for the mutation and clinically unremarkable (QTc ∼447 ms, father and ∼396 ms, mother). Heterologous expression of KCNH2-R835Q showed mildly reduced current amplitudes. Biophysical properties of ionic currents were also only nominally changed with slight acceleration of deactivation and more negative V50 in R835Q-currents. Protein biochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed similar expression patterns and trafficking of WT and R835Q, even at elevated temperature. In silico analysis demonstrated mildly prolonged ventricular action potential duration (APD) compared to WT at a cycle length of 1000 ms. At a cycle length of 350 ms M-cell APD remained stable in WT, but displayed APD alternans in R835Q. Kv11.1 channels affected by the C-terminal R835Q mutation display mildly modified biophysical properties, but leads to M-cell APD alternans with elevated heart rate and could precipitate SCD under specific clinical circumstances associated with high heart rates.

Whole transcriptome analysis of the coral Acropora millepora reveals complex responses to CO₂-driven acidification during the initiation of calcification.

PubMed

Moya, A; Huisman, L; Ball, E E; Hayward, D C; Grasso, L C; Chua, C M; Woo, H N; Gattuso, J-P; Forêt, S; Miller, D J

2012-05-01

The impact of ocean acidification (OA) on coral calcification, a subject of intense current interest, is poorly understood in part because of the presence of symbionts in adult corals. Early life history stages of Acropora spp. provide an opportunity to study the effects of elevated CO(2) on coral calcification without the complication of symbiont metabolism. Therefore, we used the Illumina RNAseq approach to study the effects of acute exposure to elevated CO(2) on gene expression in primary polyps of Acropora millepora, using as reference a novel comprehensive transcriptome assembly developed for this study. Gene ontology analysis of this whole transcriptome data set indicated that CO(2) -driven acidification strongly suppressed metabolism but enhanced extracellular organic matrix synthesis, whereas targeted analyses revealed complex effects on genes implicated in calcification. Unexpectedly, expression of most ion transport proteins was unaffected, while many membrane-associated or secreted carbonic anhydrases were expressed at lower levels. The most dramatic effect of CO(2) -driven acidification, however, was on genes encoding candidate and known components of the skeletal organic matrix that controls CaCO(3) deposition. The skeletal organic matrix effects included elevated expression of adult-type galaxins and some secreted acidic proteins, but down-regulation of other galaxins, secreted acidic proteins, SCRiPs and other coral-specific genes, suggesting specialized roles for the members of these protein families and complex impacts of OA on mineral deposition. This study is the first exhaustive exploration of the transcriptomic response of a scleractinian coral to acidification and provides an unbiased perspective on its effects during the early stages of calcification. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Arabidopsis ECERIFERUM9 involvement in cuticle formation and maintenance of plant water status.

PubMed

Lü, Shiyou; Zhao, Huayan; Des Marais, David L; Parsons, Eugene P; Wen, Xiaoxue; Xu, Xiaojing; Bangarusamy, Dhinoth K; Wang, Guangchao; Rowland, Owen; Juenger, Thomas; Bressan, Ray A; Jenks, Matthew A

2012-07-01

Mutation of the ECERIFERUM9 (CER9) gene in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) causes elevated amounts of 18-carbon-length cutin monomers and a dramatic shift in the cuticular wax profile (especially on leaves) toward the very-long-chain free fatty acids tetracosanoic acid (C₂₄) and hexacosanoic acid (C₂₆). Relative to the wild type, cer9 mutants exhibit elevated cuticle membrane thickness over epidermal cells and cuticular ledges with increased occlusion of the stomatal pore. The cuticular phenotypes of cer9 are associated with delayed onset of wilting in plants experiencing water deficit, lower transpiration rates, and improved water use efficiency measured as carbon isotope discrimination. The CER9 protein thus encodes a novel determinant of plant drought tolerance-associated traits, one whose deficiency elevates cutin synthesis, redistributes wax composition, and suppresses transpiration. Map-based cloning identified CER9, and sequence analysis predicted that it encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase homologous to yeast Doa10 (previously shown to target endoplasmic reticulum proteins for proteasomal degradation). To further elucidate CER9 function, the impact of CER9 deficiency on interactions with other genes was examined using double mutant and transcriptome analyses. For both wax and cutin, cer9 showed mostly additive effects with cer6, long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase1 (lacs1), and lacs2 and revealed its role in early steps of both wax and cutin synthetic pathways. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the cer9 mutation affected diverse cellular processes, with primary impact on genes associated with diverse stress responses. The discovery of CER9 lays new groundwork for developing novel cuticle-based strategies for improving the drought tolerance and water use efficiency of crop plants.

Prediction of Left Ventricular Filling Pressure by 3-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

PubMed

Ma, Hong; Xie, Rong-Ai; Gao, Li-Jian; Zhang, Jin-Ping; Wu, Wei-Chun; Wang, Hao

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of 3-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography for estimating left ventricular filling pressure in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. Altogether, 84 patients with CAD and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy control participants in sinus rhythm were recruited prospectively. All participants underwent conventional and 3D speckle-tracking echocardiography. Global strain values were automatically calculated by 3D speckle-tracking analysis. The left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was determined invasively by left heart catheterization. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterization were performed within 24 hours. Compared with the controls, patients with CAD showed lower global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, global area strain, and global radial strain. Patients with CAD who had an elevated LVEDP had much lower levels of all 4 3D-speckle-tracking echocardiographic variables. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the LVEDP correlated positively with the early transmitral flow velocity/early diastolic myocardial velocity (E/E') ratio, global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and global area strain. It correlated negatively with global radial strain. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that these 3D speckle-tracking echocardiographic indices could effectively predict elevated left ventricular filling pressure (LVEDP >15 mm Hg) in patients with CAD (areas under the curve: global longitudinal strain, 0.78; global radial strain, 0.77; global circumferential strain, 0.75; and global area strain, 0.74). These parameters, however, showed no advantages over the commonly used E/E' ratio (area under the curve, 0.84). Three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography was a practical technique for predicting elevated left ventricular filling pressure, but it might not be superior to the commonly used E/E' ratio in patients with CAD who have a normal left ventricular ejection fraction. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Elevation of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide at Discharge is Associated With 2-Year Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis: Insights From a Multicenter Prospective OCEAN-TAVI (Optimized Transcatheter Valvular Intervention-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) Registry.

PubMed

Mizutani, Kazuki; Hara, Masahiko; Iwata, Shinichi; Murakami, Takashi; Shibata, Toshihiko; Yoshiyama, Minoru; Naganuma, Toru; Yamanaka, Futoshi; Higashimori, Akihiro; Tada, Norio; Takagi, Kensuke; Araki, Motoharu; Ueno, Hiroshi; Tabata, Minoru; Shirai, Shinichi; Watanabe, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Masanori; Hayashida, Kentaro

2017-07-14

In this study, we sought to investigate the 2-year prognostic impact of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels at discharge, following transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We enrolled 1094 consecutive patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement between 2013 and 2016. Study patients were stratified into 2 groups according to survival classification and regression tree analysis (high versus low BNP groups). We evaluated the impact of high BNP on 2-year mortality compared with that of low BNP using a multivariable Cox model, and assessed whether this stratification would improve predictive accuracy for determining 2-year mortality by assessing time-dependent net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement. The median age of patients was 85 years (quartile 82-88), and 29.2% of the study population were men. The median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 6.8 (4.7-9.5), and BNP at discharge was 186 (93-378) pg/mL. All-cause mortality following discharge was 7.9% (95% CI, 5.8-9.9%) at 1 year and 15.4% (95% CI, 11.6-19.0%) at 2 years. The survival classification and regression tree analysis revealed that the discriminating BNP level to discern 2-year mortality was 202 pg/mL, and that elevated BNP had a statistically significant impact on outcomes, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.28 (1.36-3.82, P =0.002). The time-dependent net reclassification improvement ( P =0.047) and integrated discrimination improvement ( P =0.029) analysis revealed that the incorporation of BNP stratification with other clinical variables significantly improved predictive accuracy for 2-year mortality. Elevation of BNP at discharge is associated with 2-year mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Elevated red cell distribution width contributes to a poor prognosis in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

PubMed

Wan, Guo-Xing; Chen, Ping; Cai, Xiao-Jun; Li, Lin-Jun; Yu, Xiong-Jie; Pan, Dong-Feng; Wang, Xian-He; Wang, Xuan-Bin; Cao, Feng-Jun

2016-01-15

The red cell distribution width (RDW) has also been reported to reliably reflect the inflammation and nutrition status and predict the prognosis across several types of cancer, however, the prognostic value of RDW in esophageal carcinoma has seldom been studied. A retrospective study was performed to assess the prognostic value of RDW in patients with esophageal carcinoma by the Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression proportional hazard model. All enrolled patients were divided into high RDW group (≧15%) and low RDW group (<15%) according to the detected RDW values. Clinical and laboratory data from a total of 179 patients with esophageal carcinoma were retrieved. With a median follow-up of 21months, the high RDW group exhibited a shorter disease-free survival (DFS) (p<0.001) and an unfavorable overall survival (OS) (p<0.001) in the univariate analysis. The multivariate analysis revealed that elevated RDW at diagnosis was an independent prognostic factor for shorter PFS (p=0.043, HR=1.907, 95% CI=1.020-3.565) and poor OS (p=0.042, HR=1.895, 95% CI=1.023-3.508) after adjustment with other cancer-related prognostic factors. The present study suggests that elevated preoperative RDW(≧15%) at the diagnosis may independently predict poorer disease-free and overall survival among patients with esophageal carcinoma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Olfactory function in chemical workers exposed to acrylate and methacrylate vapors.

PubMed Central

Schwartz, B S; Doty, R L; Monroe, C; Frye, R; Barker, S

1989-01-01

An investigation of the olfactory function of 731 workers at a chemical facility which manufacturers acrylates and methacrylates was undertaken using a standardized quantitative test. In a cross-sectional analysis of the data, no associations of chemical exposure with olfactory test scores were observed. A nested case-control study designed to evaluate the cumulative effects of exposure on olfactory function, however, revealed elevated crude exposure odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 2.0 (1.1, 3.8) for all workers and 6.0 (1.7, 21.5) for workers who never smoked cigarettes. Logistic regression analysis, adjusting for multiple confounders, revealed exposure odds ratios of 2.8 (1.1, 7.0) and 13.5 (2.1, 87.6) in these same groups, respectively, and a dose-response relationship between olfactory dysfunction and cumulative exposure scores--semi-quantitative indices of lifetime exposure to the acrylates. The data also revealed decreasing exposure odds ratios with increasing duration since last exposure to these chemicals, suggesting that the effects may be reversible. PMID:2784947

Optimization of tribological behaviour on Al- coconut shell ash composite at elevated temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siva Sankara Raju, R.; Panigrahi, M. K.; Ganguly, R. I.; Srinivasa Rao, G.

2018-02-01

In this study, determine the tribological behaviour of composite at elevated temperature i.e. 50 - 150 °C. The aluminium matrix composite (AMC) are prepared with compo casting route by volume of reinforcement of coconut shell ash (CSA) such as 5, 10 and 15%. Mechanical properties of composite has enhances with increasing volume of CSA. This study details to optimization of wear behaviour of composite at elevated temperatures. The influencing parameters such as temperature, sliding velocity and sliding distance are considered. The outcome response is wear rate (mm3/m) and coefficient of friction. The experiments are designed based on Taguchi [L9] array. All the experiments are considered as constant load of 10N. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that temperature is highest influencing factor followed by sliding velocity and sliding distance. Similarly, sliding velocity is most influencing factor followed by temperature and distance on coefficient of friction (COF). Finally, corroborates analytical and regression equation values by confirmation test.

X-linked dominant protoporphyria: The first reported Japanese case.

PubMed

Ninomiya, Yukiko; Kokunai, Yasuhito; Tanizaki, Hideaki; Akasaka, Eijiro; Nakano, Hajime; Moriwaki, Shinichi

2016-04-01

A 12-year-old boy with photosensitivity since 3 years of age presented with small concavities on both cheeks, the nasal root and the dorsal surface of both hands. According to the clinical features, erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) was suspected. Urine and blood samples were tested for porphyrin derivatives, which revealed a markedly elevated level of erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) and a diagnosis of EPP was made. The patient's mother had no photosensitivity, however, lesions appearing slightly as small scars were found on the dorsum of her right hand; his elder sister and father showed no rash. The EP levels were elevated in samples from his mother and mildly elevated in those from his elder sister and father. To obtain a definitive diagnosis, genetic analyses were performed using samples from all family members, which revealed no mutations in the ferrochelatase-encoding gene (FECH), which is responsible for EPP. Instead, a pathological mutation of the 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase-encoding gene (ALAS2) was identified in samples from the patient, his mother and his elder sister, confirming a definitive diagnosis of X-linked dominant protoporphyria (XLDPP). This is the first Japanese family reported to have XLDPP, demonstrating evidence of the condition in Japan. In addition, because XLDPP is very similar to EPP in its clinical aspects and laboratory findings, a genetic analysis is required for the differential diagnosis. © 2015 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Ergothioneine Biosynthesis and Functionality in the Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus

PubMed Central

Sheridan, Kevin J.; Lechner, Beatrix Elisabeth; Keeffe, Grainne O’; Keller, Markus A.; Werner, Ernst R.; Lindner, Herbert; Jones, Gary W.; Haas, Hubertus; Doyle, Sean

2016-01-01

Ergothioneine (EGT; 2-mercaptohistidine trimethylbetaine) is a trimethylated and sulphurised histidine derivative which exhibits antioxidant properties. Here we report that deletion of Aspergillus fumigatus egtA (AFUA_2G15650), which encodes a trimodular enzyme, abrogated EGT biosynthesis in this opportunistic pathogen. EGT biosynthetic deficiency in A. fumigatus significantly reduced resistance to elevated H2O2 and menadione, respectively, impaired gliotoxin production and resulted in attenuated conidiation. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed substantial proteomic remodelling in ΔegtA compared to wild-type under both basal and ROS conditions, whereby the abundance of 290 proteins was altered. Specifically, the reciprocal differential abundance of cystathionine γ-synthase and β-lyase, respectively, influenced cystathionine availability to effect EGT biosynthesis. A combined deficiency in EGT biosynthesis and the oxidative stress response regulator Yap1, which led to extreme oxidative stress susceptibility, decreased resistance to heavy metals and production of the extracellular siderophore triacetylfusarinine C and increased accumulation of the intracellular siderophore ferricrocin. EGT dissipated H2O2 in vitro, and elevated intracellular GSH levels accompanied abrogation of EGT biosynthesis. EGT deficiency only decreased resistance to high H2O2 levels which suggests functionality as an auxiliary antioxidant, required for growth at elevated oxidative stress conditions. Combined, these data reveal new interactions between cellular redox homeostasis, secondary metabolism and metal ion homeostasis. PMID:27748436

The Predictive Prognostic Values of Serum TNF-α in Comparison to SOFA Score Monitoring in Critically Ill Patients

PubMed Central

Yousef, Ayman Abd Al-Maksoud; Suliman, Ghada Abdulmomen

2013-01-01

Background. The use of inflammatory markers to follow up critically ill patients is controversial. The short time frame, the need for frequent and serial measurement of biomarkers, the presence of soluble receptor and their relatively high cost are the major drawbacks. Our study's objective is to compare the prognostic values of serum TNF-α and SOFA score monitoring in critically ill patients. Patients and Methods. A total of ninety patients were included in the study. Forty-five patients developed septic complication (sepsis group). Forty-five patients were critically ill without evidence of infectious organism (SIRS group). Patients' data include clinical status, central venous pressure, and laboratory analysis were measured. A serum level of TNF-α and SOFA score were monitored. Results. Monitoring of TNF-α revealed significant elevation of TNF-α at 3rd and 5th days of ICU admission in both groups. Monitoring of SOFA score revealed significant elevation of SOFA scores in both groups throughout their ICU stay, particularly in nonsurvivors. Positive predictive ability of SOFA score was demonstrated in critically ill patients. Conclusion. Transient significant increase in serum levels of TNF-α were detected in septic patients. Persistent elevation of SOFA score was detected in nonsurvivor septic patients. SOFA score is an independent prognostic value in critically ill patients. PMID:24175285

Identifying protein biomarkers in predicting disease severity of dengue virus infection using immune-related protein microarray.

PubMed

Soe, Hui Jen; Yong, Yean K; Al-Obaidi, Mazen M Jamil; Raju, Chandramathi Samudi; Gudimella, Ranganath; Manikam, Rishya; Sekaran, Shamala Devi

2018-02-01

Dengue virus is one of the most widespread flaviviruses that re-emerged throughout recent decades. The progression from mild dengue to severe dengue (SD) with the complications such as vascular leakage and hemorrhage increases the fatality rate of dengue. The pathophysiology of SD is not entirely clear. To investigate potential biomarkers that are suggestive of pathogenesis of SD, a small panel of serum samples selected from 1 healthy individual, 2 dengue patients without warning signs (DWS-), 2 dengue patients with warning signs (DWS+), and 5 patients with SD were subjected to a pilot analysis using Sengenics Immunome protein array. The overall fold changes of protein expressions and clustering heat map revealed that PFKFB4, TPM1, PDCL3, and PTPN20A were elevated among patients with SD. Differential expression analysis identified that 29 proteins were differentially elevated greater than 2-fold in SD groups than DWS- and DWS+. From the 29 candidate proteins, pathways enrichment analysis also identified insulin signaling and cytoskeleton pathways were involved in SD, suggesting that the insulin pathway may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of SD.

Safety and tolerability of prescription omega-3 fatty acids: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Chang, Cheng-Ho; Tseng, Ping-Tao; Chen, Nai-Yu; Lin, Pei-Chin; Lin, Pao-Yen; Chang, Jane Pei-Chen; Kuo, Feng-Yu; Lin, Jenshinn; Wu, Ming-Chang; Su, Kuan-Pin

2018-02-01

Omega-3 fatty acids [eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] are widely recommended for health promotion. Over the last decade, prescription omega-3 fatty acid products (RxOME3FAs) have been approved for medical indications. Nonetheless, there is no comprehensive analysis of safety and tolerability of RxOME3FAs so far. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was carried out based on searches in six electronic databases. The studies involving marketed RxOME3FA products were included, and adverse-effect data were extracted for meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to explore the sources of potential heterogeneity. Among the 21 included RCTs (total 24,460 participants; 12,750 from RxOME3FA treatment cohort and 11,710 from control cohort), there was no definite evidence of any RxOME3FA-emerging serious adverse event. Compared with the control group, RxOME3FAs were associated with more treatment-related dysgeusia (fishy taste; p = 0.011) and skin abnormalities (eruption, itching, exanthema, or eczema; p < 0.001). Besides, RxOME3FAs had mild adverse effects upon some non-lipid laboratory measurements [elevated fasting blood sugar (p = 0.005); elevated alanine transaminase (p = 0.022); elevated blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.047); decreased hemoglobin (p = 0.002); decreased hematocrit (p = 0.009)]. Subgroup analysis revealed that EPA/DHA combination products were associated with more treatment-related gastrointestinal adverse events [eructation (belching; p = 0.010); nausea (p = 0.044)] and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol elevation (p = 0.009; difference in means = 4.106mg/dL). RxOME3FAs are generally safe and well tolerated but not free of adverse effects. Post-marketing surveillance and observational studies are still necessary to identify long-term adverse effects and to confirm the safety and tolerability profiles of RxOME3FAs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methylglyoxal is associated with bacteriostatic activity of high fructose agave syrups.

PubMed

Corrales Escobosa, Alma Rosa; Gomez Ojeda, Armando; Wrobel, Kazimierz; Magana, Armando Alcazar; Wrobel, Katarzyna

2014-12-15

Three α-ketoaldehydes, potentially present in high fructose agave syrups (HFASs) as intermediates of the Maillard reaction, were determined. A previously reported HPLC-FLD procedure based on pre-column derivatisation with 4-methoxy-o-phenylenediamine was adopted, yielding the method quantification limits 0.11 mg/kg, 0.10mg/kg, 0.09 mg/kg for glyoxal, methylglyoxal (MGo) and diacetyl, respectively. The obtained results revealed high concentrations of methylglyoxal in HFASs (average 102 ± 91 mg/kg, range 15.6-315 mg/kg) as compared to commercial Mexican bee honeys or corn syrups. Hydrogen peroxide was generated in all HFASs upon dilution, yet to less extent than in bee honeys. HFASs presented bacteriostatic activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli; catalase addition had minimum effect on the assay results in syrups with elevated MGo. Principal component analysis revealed direct association between growth inhibition and MGo. It is concluded that elevated concentration of MGo in HFASs is at least in part responsible for their non-peroxide bacteriostatic activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geographic variation in the song of Willow Flycatchers: Differentiation between Empidonax traillii adastus and E. t. extimus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sedgwick, J.A.

2001-01-01

The vocal signatures of the primary song form (“fitz-bew”) of the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) and its northern counterpart, E. t. adastus, are distinctive. Songs of the extimus subspecies are longer (total song, note, internote) and frequencies at maximum amplitude are lower than those of adastus. I used vocal evidence to clarify the distributional limits of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and that of the geographically adjacent subspecies, E. t. adastus. Unweighted pair-group method using averaging (UPGMA) cluster analysis and canonical discriminant analysis revealed that (1) low elevation, southerly desert populations (Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Utah) have a unique vocal identity corresponding to populations in the range of E. t. extimus; (2) northerly song groups (Oregon, Colorado, and northern Utah) share a different song type corresponding to populations in the range of E. t. adastus; and (3) a departure from vocal and morphological congruence occurs for a population of high-elevation Arizona birds that, although in the currently accepted range of E. t. extimus, sings songs acoustically similar to more northern populations (E. t. adastus). Multiple regression of song distance on latitude and elevation, and a comparison of a matrix of song distances with a matrix of latitude and elevation dissimilarities, demonstrated that song populations sort out by both latitude and elevation: birds with the vocal identity of extimus occur as far north as 37°N if at low elevation, and those acoustically similar to adastus occur as far south as 33.7°N if at high elevation. The vocal background of northern New Mexico birds appears to be intermediate between that of extimus and adastus, suggesting that northern New Mexico is a zone of intermixing and intergradation between the subspecies. Pure forms of E. t. extimus apparently do not occur in Colorado because even the southernmost populations are acoustically similar to more northerly populations of adastus. A low-elevation population in western Colorado, however, stands apart from other adastus populations, suggesting moderate introgression of extimus genes into the adastus gene pool.

[Correlation analysis of hearing level and soft palate movement after palatoplasty].

PubMed

Lou, Qun; Ma, Xiaoran; Ma, Lian; Luo, Yi; Zhu, Hongping; Zhou, Zhibo

2015-10-01

To explore the relationship between hearing level and soft palate movement after palatoplasty and to verify the importance of recovery of soft palate movement function for improving the middle ear function as well as reducing the hearing loss. A total of 64 non-syndromic cleft palate patients were selected and the lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken. The patients hearing level was evaluated by the pure tone hearing threshold examination. This study also analyzed the correlation between hearing threshold of the patients after palatoplasty and the soft palate elevation angle and velopharyngeal rate respectively. Kendall correlation analysis revealed that the correlation coefficient between hearing threshold and the soft palate elevation angle after palatoplasty was -0.339 (r = -0.339, P < 0.01).The correlation showed a negative correlation. The hearing threshold decreased as the soft palate elevation angle increased. After palatoplasty, the correlation coefficient between the hearing threshold and the rate of velopharyngeal closure was -0.277 (r = -0.277, P < 0.01). The correlation showed a negative correlation. While, The hearing threshold decreased with the increase of velopharyngeal closure rate. The hearing threshold was correlated with soft palate elevation angle and velpharyngeal closure rate. The movement of soft palate and velopharyngeal closure function after palatoplasty both have impact on patient hearing level. In terms of the influence level, the movement of soft palate has a higher level of impact on patient hearing level than velopharygeal closure function.

Prognostic role of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in non-small cell lung cancers: A meta-analysis including 3,720 patients.

PubMed

Zhao, Qing-Tao; Yuan, Zheng; Zhang, Hua; Zhang, Xiao-Peng; Wang, Hui-En; Wang, Zhi-Kang; Duan, Guo-Chen

2016-07-01

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was recently reported as a useful index in predicting the prognosis of lung cancer. However, the prognostic role of PLR in lung cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between PLR and clinical outcome of lung cancer patients through a meta-analysis. Relevant literatures were retrieved from PubMed, Ovid, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. Meta-analysis was performed using hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as effect measures. A total of 5,314 patients from 13 studies were finally enrolled in the meta-analysis. The summary results showed that elevated PLR predicted poorer overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.526, 95%CI: 1.268-1.836, p < 0.001) in patients with lung cancer and OS (HR: 1.631, 95%CI: 1.447-1.837, p < 0.001) in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Subgroup analysis revealed that increased PLR was also associated with poor OS in NSCLC treated by surgical resection (HR: 1.884, 95%CI: 1.308-2.714, P < 0.001) and non-surgery (HR: 1.570, 95%CI: 1.323-1.863, P < 0.001). In addition, PLR Cut-off value ≤ 160 (HR: 1.506, 95%CI: 1.292-1.756, P < 0.001) and PLR Cut-off value>160 (HR: 1.842, 95%CI: 1.523-2.228, P < 0.001). In contrast, elevated PLR was not associated with OS (HR: 1.117, 95%CI: 0.796-1.569, P > 0.05) in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).This meta-analysis result suggested that elevated PLR might be a predicative factor of poor prognosis for NSCLC patients. © 2016 UICC.

Prediction of all-cause death in hemodialysis patients using elevated postdialysis pulse wave velocity.

PubMed

Fu, Xiaohong; Yang, Jihong; Fan, Zhaoxin; Chen, Xianguang; Wu, Jie; Li, Jie; Wu, Hua

2016-02-01

To identify the relationship between predialysis pulse wave velocity (PWV), postdialysis PWV during 1 hemodialysis (HD) session, and deaths in maintenance HD patients. 43 patients were recruited. PWV was measured before and after one HD session and dialysis- related data were recorded. Clinical data such as blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood glucose, were carefully observed and managed in a 5-year follow-up. The association between all-cause death, predialysis PWV, postdialysis PWV, change of PWV (ΔPWV), and other related variables were analyzed. After 5 years, 17 patients (39.5%) died. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that all-cause death of the patients significantly correlated with age, postdialysis PWV, and ΔPWV. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that postdialysis PWV was an independent predictor for all-cause death in these patients (HR: 1.377, 95% CI: 1.146 - 1.656, p = 0.001). Elevated postdialysis PWV significantly correlated with and was an independent predictor for all-cause death in maintenance HD patients.

Bagua Basin: an Archive of the Tectonic Evolution of the Northern Peruvian Andes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, F.; Garzione, C. N.; George, S. W. M.; Williams, L. A.

2017-12-01

The Cenozoic sediments of the intermontane Bagua Basin contain the record of the orogenic history of the northern Peruvian Andes. This Andean segment is constituted by a relatively narrow and low elevation orogen compared to the Central Andean Plateau. Understanding the similarities and differences of the tectonic evolution between these two provinces provides insights into the processes that govern the evolution of fold-thrust belts and orogenic plateaus. We use stratigraphic and sedimentologic field observations, detrital zircons (DZ) provenance analysis and stable isotopes paleoenvironmental analysis to reconstruct the regional tectonic history. Our results reveal the evolution of Bagua Basin, as a foreland basin related to the Andean belt since late Cretaceous time. The late Cretaceous Fundo el Triunfo Fm. records shelf deposits in a backbulge setting associated with a distant orogenic load. The Early Cretaceous DZ signature contained in these deposits reveal the early exhumation of Mesozoic rocks in the forebulge. The Paleocene fluvial deposits of the Rentema Fm. and the estuarine deposits of the Eocene Series record the transition to a forebulge setting. The Jurassic and Triassic DZ signature contained in the Paleocene and Eocene deposits reveal the continued exhumation of Mesozoic rocks during forebulge migration. The fluvial-floodplain succession of the Sambimera Fm. overlays the Eocene Series, recording intermediate and proximal foredeep deposition. Sambimera deposits contains sin-depositional Cenozoic DZ populations that reveal strong magmatism in the west. Comparison of δ18O and δ13C values from Sambimera and Rentema pedogenic carbonate nodules (δ18O -9‰ vs. -5‰ and δ13C -12.5‰ vs. -10‰) suggests that the Sambimera fluvial-floodplain system was more distal from the shoreline, based on the relatively negative δ18O values, and deposited in a drier climate, based on the relatively positive δ13C values. A four million year unconformity separates the Sambimera from the overlaying San Antonio Fm. that was deposited in a wedge-top setting, associated with the transition to the modern intermontane basin. We suggest that the low elevation (0.5 km) intermontane Bagua basin represents a modern analogue to the larger Altiplano basin that resided at relatively low elevations (<2 km) 10 to 15 Myr ago.

Hydraulic head interpolation using ANFIS—model selection and sensitivity analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurtulus, Bedri; Flipo, Nicolas

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the efficiency of ANFIS (adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system) for interpolating hydraulic head in a 40-km 2 agricultural watershed of the Seine basin (France). Inputs of ANFIS are Cartesian coordinates and the elevation of the ground. Hydraulic head was measured at 73 locations during a snapshot campaign on September 2009, which characterizes low-water-flow regime in the aquifer unit. The dataset was then split into three subsets using a square-based selection method: a calibration one (55%), a training one (27%), and a test one (18%). First, a method is proposed to select the best ANFIS model, which corresponds to a sensitivity analysis of ANFIS to the type and number of membership functions (MF). Triangular, Gaussian, general bell, and spline-based MF are used with 2, 3, 4, and 5 MF per input node. Performance criteria on the test subset are used to select the 5 best ANFIS models among 16. Then each is used to interpolate the hydraulic head distribution on a (50×50)-m grid, which is compared to the soil elevation. The cells where the hydraulic head is higher than the soil elevation are counted as "error cells." The ANFIS model that exhibits the less "error cells" is selected as the best ANFIS model. The best model selection reveals that ANFIS models are very sensitive to the type and number of MF. Finally, a sensibility analysis of the best ANFIS model with four triangular MF is performed on the interpolation grid, which shows that ANFIS remains stable to error propagation with a higher sensitivity to soil elevation.

Haematocrit, hypertension and smoking in patients with transient ischaemic attacks and in age and sex matched controls.

PubMed Central

Harrison, M J; Pollock, S; Thomas, D; Marshall, J

1982-01-01

The blood pressure, smoking habit and haemotocrit of 154 patients with transient ischaemic attacks and 191 age-and sex-matched neurological controls were studied. Regression analysis revealed that the haematocrit value was related to both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and to smoking. Smoking elevated the haematocrit by 1.9 +/- 0.59 in males and by 2.18 +/- 0.68 in females. When these associations were allowed for there was still evidence of a higher haematocrit in patients with transient ischaemic attacks (plus 1.44 +/- 0.56 in males and 0.75 +/- 0.75 in females p less than 0.02). The role of an elevated haematocrit in the pathogenesis of cerebrovascular disease and its management are briefly discussed. PMID:7119818

Elevated fructosamine concentrations caused by IgA paraproteinemia in two dogs

PubMed Central

Kleiter, Miriam; Wolfesberger, Birgitt; Schwendenwein, Ilse; Miller, Ingrid

2010-01-01

An 8-year-old male Austrian Pinscher and a 14-year-old male Golden Retriever were presented for evaluation due to unexplainable high fructosamine values despite euglycemia and epistaxis in combination with polydipsia/polyuria, respectively. Blood analysis revealed severe hyperglobulinemia, hypoalbuminemia and markedly elevated fructosamine concentrations in both dogs. Multiple myeloma with IgA-monoclonal gammopathy was diagnosed by serum and urine electrophoresis including immunodetection with an anti-dog IgA antibody and bone marrow aspirations. Diabetes mellitus was excluded by repeated plasma and urine glucose measurements. Fructosamine values were positively correlated with globulin, but negatively correlated with albumin concentrations. These cases suggest that, as in human patients, monoclonal IgA gammopathy should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis for dogs with high fructosamine concentrations. PMID:21113108

Transgenic overexpression of the presynaptic choline transporter elevates acetylcholine levels and augments motor endurance

PubMed Central

Holmstrand, Ericka C.; Lund, David; Cherian, Ajeesh Koshy; Wright, Jane; Martin, Rolicia F.; Ennis, Elizabeth A.; Stanwood, Gregg D.; Sarter, Martin; Blakely, Randy D.

2014-01-01

The hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) sensitive, high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) sustains cholinergic signaling via the presynaptic uptake of choline derived from dietary sources or from acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-mediated hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh). Loss of cholinergic signaling capacity is associated with cognitive and motor deficits in humans and in animal models. Whereas genetic elimination of CHT has revealed the critical nature of CHT in maintaining ACh stores and sustaining cholinergic signaling, the consequences of elevating CHT expression have yet to be studied. Using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-mediated transgenic methods, we generated mice with integrated additional copies of the mouse Slc5a7 gene. BAC–CHT mice are viable, appear to develop normally, and breed at wild-type (WT) rates. Biochemical studies revealed a 2 to 3-fold elevation in CHT protein levels in the CNS and periphery, paralleled by significant increases in [3H]HC-3 binding and synaptosomal choline transport activity. Elevations of ACh in the BAC–CHT mice occurred without compensatory changes in the activity of either choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or AChE. Immunohistochemistry for CHT in BAC–CHT brain sections revealed markedly elevated CHT expression in the cell bodies of cholinergic neurons and in axons projecting to regions known to receive cholinergic innervation. Behaviorally, BAC–CHT mice exhibited diminished fatigue and increased speeds on the treadmill test without evidence of increased strength. Finally, BAC–CHT mice displayed elevated horizontal activity in the open field test, diminished spontaneous alteration in the Y-maze, and reduced time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze. Together, these studies provide biochemical, pharmacological and behavioral evidence that CHT protein expression and activity can be elevated beyond that seen in wild-type animals. BAC–CHT mice thus represent a novel tool to examine both the positive and negative impact of constitutively elevated cholinergic signaling capacity. PMID:24274995

Temperature-Dependent Conformational Properties of Human Neuronal Calcium Sensor-1 Protein Revealed by All-Atom Simulations.

PubMed

Zhu, Yuzhen; Ma, Buyong; Qi, Ruxi; Nussinov, Ruth; Zhang, Qingwen

2016-04-14

Neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1) protein has orthologues from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to human with highly conserved amino acid sequences. NCS-1 is an important factor controlling the animal's response to temperature change. This leads us to investigate the temperature effects on the conformational dynamics of human NCS-1 at 310 and 316 K by all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and dynamic community network analysis. Four independent 500 ns MD simulations show that secondary structure content at 316 K is similar to that at 310 K, whereas the global protein structure is expanded. Loop 3 (L3) adopts an extended state occuping the hydrophobic crevice, and the number of suboptimal communication paths between residue D176 and V190 is reduced at 316 K. The dynamic community network analysis suggests that the interdomain correlation is weakened, and the intradomain coupling is strengthened at 316 K. The elevated temperature reduces the number of the salt bridges, especially in C-domain. This study suggests that the elevated temperature affects the conformational dynamics of human NCS-1 protein. Comparison of the structural dynamics of R102Q mutant and Δ176-190 truncated NCS-1 suggests that the structural and dynamical response of NCS-1 protein to elevated temperature may be one of its intrinsic functional properties.

Experimental assessment of diazotroph responses to elevated seawater pCO2 in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böttjer, Daniela; Karl, David M.; Letelier, Ricardo M.; Viviani, Donn A.; Church, Matthew J.

2014-06-01

We examined short-term (24-72 h) responses of naturally occurring marine N2 fixing microorganisms (termed diazotrophs) to abrupt increases in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in seawater during nine incubation experiments conducted between May 2010 and September 2012 at Station ALOHA (A Long-term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment) (22°45'N, 158°W) in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). Rates of N2 fixation, nitrogenase (nifH) gene abundances and transcripts of six major groups of cyanobacterial diazotrophs (including both unicellular and filamentous phylotypes), and rates of primary productivity (as measured by 14C-bicarbonate assimilation into plankton biomass) were determined under contemporary (~390 ppm) and elevated pCO2 conditions (~1100 ppm). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) amplification of planktonic nifH genes revealed that unicellular cyanobacteria phylotypes dominated gene abundances during these experiments. In the majority of experiments (seven out of nine), elevated pCO2 did not significantly influence rates of dinitrogen (N2) fixation or primary productivity (two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), P > 0.05). During two experiments, rates of N2 fixation and primary productivity were significantly lower (by 79 to 82% and 52 to 72%, respectively) in the elevated pCO2 treatments relative to the ambient controls (two-way ANOVA, P < 0.05). QPCR amplification of nifH genes and gene transcripts revealed that diazotroph abundances and nifH gene expression were largely unchanged by the perturbation of the seawater pCO2. Our results suggest that naturally occurring N2 fixing plankton assemblages in the NPSG are relatively resilient to large, short-term increases in pCO2.

Loss of carbonic anhydrase XII function in individuals with elevated sweat chloride concentration and pulmonary airway disease.

PubMed

Lee, Melissa; Vecchio-Pagán, Briana; Sharma, Neeraj; Waheed, Abdul; Li, Xiaopeng; Raraigh, Karen S; Robbins, Sarah; Han, Sangwoo T; Franca, Arianna L; Pellicore, Matthew J; Evans, Taylor A; Arcara, Kristin M; Nguyen, Hien; Luan, Shan; Belchis, Deborah; Hertecant, Jozef; Zabner, Joseph; Sly, William S; Cutting, Garry R

2016-05-15

Elevated sweat chloride levels, failure to thrive (FTT), and lung disease are characteristic features of cystic fibrosis (CF, OMIM #219700). Here we describe variants in CA12 encoding carbonic anhydrase XII in two pedigrees exhibiting CF-like phenotypes. Exome sequencing of a white American adult diagnosed with CF due to elevated sweat chloride, recurrent hyponatremia, infantile FTT and lung disease identified deleterious variants in each CA12 gene: c.908-1 G>A in a splice acceptor and a novel frameshift insertion c.859_860insACCT. In an unrelated consanguineous Omani family, two children with elevated sweat chloride, infantile FTT, and recurrent hyponatremia were homozygous for a novel missense variant (p.His121Gln). Deleterious CFTR variants were absent in both pedigrees. CA XII protein was localized apically in human bronchiolar epithelia and basolaterally in the reabsorptive duct of human sweat glands. Respiratory epithelial cell RNA from the adult proband revealed only aberrant CA12 transcripts and in vitro analysis showed greatly reduced CA XII protein. Studies of ion transport across respiratory epithelial cells in vivo and in culture revealed intact CFTR-mediated chloride transport in the adult proband. CA XII protein bearing either p.His121Gln or a previously identified p.Glu143Lys missense variant localized to the basolateral membranes of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, but enzyme activity was severely diminished when assayed at physiologic concentrations of extracellular chloride. Our findings indicate that loss of CA XII function should be considered in individuals without CFTR mutations who exhibit CF-like features in the sweat gland and lung. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Natural selection and genetic variation for reproductive reaction norms in a wild bird population.

PubMed

Brommer, Jon E; Merilä, Juha; Sheldon, Ben C; Gustafsson, Lars

2005-06-01

Many morphological and life-history traits show phenotypic plasticity that can be described by reaction norms, but few studies have attempted individual-level analyses of reaction norms in the wild. We analyzed variation in individual reaction norms between laying date and three climatic variables (local temperature, local rainfall, and North Atlantic Oscillation) of 1126 female collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) with a restricted maximum likehood linear mixed model approach using random-effect best linear unbiased predictor estimates for the elevation (i.e., expected laying date in the average environment) and slope (i.e., adjustment in laying date as a function of environment) of females' reaction norms. Variation in laying date was best explained by local temperature, and individual females differed in both the elevation and the slope of their laying date-temperature reaction norms. As revealed by animal model analyses, there was weak evidence for additive genetic variance of elevation (h2 +/- SE = 0.09 +/- 0.09), whereas there was no evidence for heritability of slope (h2 +/- SE = 0.00 +/- 0.01). Selection analysis, using a female's lifetime production of fledglings or recruits as an estimate of her fitness, revealed significant selection for a lower phenotypic value and breeding value for elevation (i.e., earlier laying date at the average temperature). There was selection for steeper phenotypic values of slope (i.e., greater plasticity in the adjustment of laying date to temperature), but no significant selection on the breeding values of slope. Although these results suggest that phenotypic laying date is influenced by additive genetic factors, as well as by an interaction with the environment, selection on plasticity would not produce an evolutionary response.

Rock Slope Stability Evaluation in a Steep-Walled Canyon: Application to Elevator Construction in the Yunlong River Valley, Enshi, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Lili; Chai, Bo; Yin, Kunlong

2015-09-01

A passenger elevator is to be built on a nearly vertical slope in the National Geological Park in Enshi, Hubei province, China. Three steps comprise the construction: excavating the slope toe for the elevator platform, building the elevator on the platform, and affixing the elevator to the slope using anchors. To evaluate the rock slope stability in the elevator area and the safety of the elevator construction, we applied three techniques: qualitative analysis, formula calculation, and numerical simulation methods, based on field investigation and parameter selection, and considering both wet and dry conditions, pre- and post-construction. Qualitative stability factors for sliding and falling were calculated using the limit equilibrium method; the results show that the slope as a whole is stable, with a few unstable blocks, notably block BT1. Formula-based stability factors were calculated for four sections on block BT1, revealing the following: anchors will decrease the stability of certain rock pieces; the lowest average stability factor after anchoring will be K f = 1.36 in wet conditions; block BT1 should be reinforced during elevator construction, up to a first-class slope stability factor of K f = 1.40; and the slope as a whole is stable. Numerical simulation using FLAC3D indicated that the stress distribution will reach equilibrium for all steps before and after construction, and that the factor of safety (FOS) is within the general slope safety range (FOS > 1.05). We suggest that unstable pieces in block BT1 be reinforced during construction to a first-class slope safety range (FOS > 1.3), and that deformation monitoring on the slope surface be implemented.

Lidar-enhanced geologic mapping, examples from the Medford and Hood River areas, Oregon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiley, T. J.; McClaughry, J. D.

2012-12-01

Lidar-based 3-foot digital elevation models (DEMs) and derivatives (slopeshade, hillshade, contours) were used to help map geology across 1700 km2 (650 mi2) near Hood River and Medford, Oregon. Techniques classically applied to interpret coarse DEMs and small-scale topographic maps were adapted to take advantage of lidar's high resolution. Penetration and discrimination of plant cover by the laser system allowed recognition of fine patterns and textures related to underlying geologic units and associated soils. Surficial geologic maps were improved by the ability to examine tiny variations in elevation and slope. Recognition of low-relief features of all sizes was enhanced where pixel elevation ranges of centimeters to meters, established by knowledge of the site or by trial, were displayed using thousands of sequential colors. Features can also be depicted relative to stream level by preparing a DEM that compensates for gradient. Near Medford, lidar-derived contour maps with 1- to 3-foot intervals revealed incised bajada with young, distal lobes defined by concentric contour lines. Bedrock geologic maps were improved by recognizing geologic features associated with surface textures and patterns or topographic anomalies. In sedimentary and volcanic terrain, structure was revealed by outcrops or horizons lying at one stratigraphic level. Creating a triangulated irregular network (TIN) facet from positions of three or more such points gives strike and dip. Each map area benefited from hundreds of these measurements. A more extensive DEM in the plane of the TIN facet can be subtracted from surface elevation (lidar DEM) to make a DEM with elevation zero where the stratigraphic horizon lies at the surface. The distribution of higher and lower stratigraphic horizons can be shown by highlighting areas similarly higher or lower on the same DEM. Poor fit of contacts or faults projected between field traverses suggest the nature and amount of intervening geologic structure. Intrusive bodies were locally delimited by linear mounds where contact metamorphism hardened soft, fractured country rock. Bedrock faults were revealed where fault traces formed topographic anomalies or where topography associated with stratigraphic horizons or bedding-parallel textural fabrics was offset. This was important for identification of young faults and associated earthquake hazards. Previously unknown Holocene faults southwest of Hood River appear as subtle lineaments redirecting modern drainages or offsetting glacial moraines or glaciated bedrock. West of Medford, the presence young faulting was confirmed by elevation data that showed bedrock in the channel of the Rogue River at higher elevations below Gold Ray dam than in boreholes upstream. Such obscure structural features would have gone unrecognized using traditional topographic analysis or field reconnaissance. Fieldwork verified that lidar techniques improved our early geologic models, resolution of geologic features, and mapping of surficial and bedrock geology between traverses.

Diagnosis of glutathione synthetase deficiency in newborn screening.

PubMed

Simon, E; Vogel, M; Fingerhut, R; Ristoff, E; Mayatepek, E; Spiekerkötter, U

2009-12-01

Glutathione synthetase (GSS) deficiency is a rare disorder of glutathione metabolism with varying clinical severity. Patients may present with haemolytic anaemia alone or together with acidosis and central nervous system impairment. Diagnosis is made by clinical presentation and detection of elevated concentrations of 5-oxoproline in urine and low GSS activity in erythrocytes or cultured skin fibroblasts. Diagnosis can be confirmed by mutational analysis. Treatment consists of the correction of acidosis, blood transfusion, and supplementation with antioxidants. The most important determinants for outcome and survival in patients with GSS deficiency are early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment. The case of a newborn with GSS deficiency diagnosed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based newborn screening is described. After onset of clinical symptoms on the 2nd day of life, expanded newborn screening revealed normal results for all disorders included in the German screening programme; however, selective MS/MS screening revealed a >10-fold elevation of 5-oxoproline in dried blood, leading to the presumptive diagnosis of GSS deficiency by the 5th day of life. Diagnosis was later confirmed by detection of markedly reduced glutathione concentration in erythrocytes and mutational analysis of the GSS gene. Presently, GSS deficiency is not included in newborn screening programmes in Europe. As outcome depends significantly on early start of treatment, routine inclusion of this disorder in newborn screening panels should be considered.

Early 21st century spatially detailed elevation changes of Jammu and Kashmir glaciers (Karakoram-Himalaya)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijay, Saurabh; Braun, Matthias

2018-06-01

Although a number of studies indicate the regional heterogeneity of the glacier elevation and mass changes in high-mountain Asia in the early 21st century, little is known about these changes with high spatial detail for some of the regions. In this study we present respective glacier elevation and mass change estimates in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (JK) for the period 2000-2012. Our estimates are based on the interferometric analysis of SRTM DEM and the bistatic TanDEM-X data. On an average the JK East (Karakoram) glaciers showed less negative elevation changes (- 0.19 ± 0.22 m yr-1) compared to the JK West (Himalaya) glaciers (- 0.50 ± 0.28 m yr-1). This agrees very well with previous studies that show a transition from larger changes in the western Himalaya to a steady-state situation in the Karakoram. We observe distinct elevation change patterns on a glacier scale that is most likely linked to debris insulation and the enhanced ice melting due to supraglacial lakes, ponds and ice cliffs. We also found 16 surge-type glaciers in the JK East which were not documented before. In total, 25 glaciers surged and 4 others appeared to be in a quiescent phase in the observation period. Our results also reveal that the glacier-averaged elevation change rates of surge-type and non surge-type glaciers in the JK East region are not significantly different.

75 FR 16648 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-02

.... Subsequent investigation revealed extensive damage to the elevator tab control system. Severe vibration in... and right elevator control tab mechanisms for gaps between the swage ring and the aft attach lug, and... replacing any discrepant elevator tab control mechanism, including performing the detailed inspection on the...

Exhumation History of the North Queensland Segment of Australia's Elevated Passive Margin Escarpment as Revealed by (U-Th)/He Analysis of Apatite and Zircon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, L. D.; Glass, J.; Flowers, R. M.; Metcalf, J. R.

2016-12-01

Australia's east coast constitutes an elevated passive continental margin that developed in response to Cretaceous-Paleogene rifting during opening of the Tasman and Coral seas. Typical of elevated passive margins around the world, Australia's east coast consists of a high plateau bounded by an abrupt escarpment, known as the Great Escarpment. We employed the apatite (AHe) and zircon (ZHe) (U-Th)/He low temperature thermochronometers to explore the exhumation history of the North Queensland segment of the Great Escarpment. Our 1500m vertical transect was conducted up the southeast flank of Mount Bartle Frere, which exposes the Bartle Frere pluton of the ca. 280 Ma Bellenden Ker Batholith. A previous apatite fission track (AFT) study determined that an outcrop of the Bartle Frere pluton at Josephine Falls, which constitutes the base of our transect, cooled through 110 °C at 142.3 ±9.9Ma. Our preliminary ZHe analysis of the same outcrop reveals that it passed through 180 °C at ca. 155 Ma. These data point to an episode of relatively rapid exhumation during the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous, which brought the Bartle Frere pluton from approximately 6 km burial depth to 3.5 km depth (assuming a 30 °C/km geothermal gradient). Samples throughout our entire transect yield AHe dates that range between 72Ma and 182Ma, with no apparent elevation-date relationship. These data suggest that the pluton cooled below 65 °C during the Cretaceous, indicating unroofing to less than 2 km depth by that time. The data scatter makes it difficult to resolve the details of this Cretaceous cooling episode. However, the fact that we obtain Cretaceous AHe dates across the entire 1500 m height of the transect suggests that the Great Escarpment in North Queensland has existed at approximately its current location and height since at least the Late Cretaceous. The Cretaceous age for this segment of the Great Escarpment is similar to the age determined by other AHe workers for the segment in southern New South Wales.

4. DETAIL OF SOUTH (FRONT) ELEVATION AT EAST END OF ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. DETAIL OF SOUTH (FRONT) ELEVATION AT EAST END OF PORCH WITH STRUCTURAL SYSTEM OF WOOD FRAME WITH BRICK NOGGING REVEALED. - Andalusia, The Cottage, State Road vicinity (Bensalem Township), Andalusia, Bucks County, PA

Combined effects of admission serum creatinine concentration with age and gender on the prognostic significance of subjects with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction in China.

PubMed

Li, Zhao-Yang; Pu-Liu; Chen, Zhao-Hong; An, Feng-Hui; Li, Li-Hua; Li-Li; Guo, Chang-Yan; Gu, Yan; Liu, Zhe; Zhu, Tie-Bing; Wang, Lian-Sheng; Li, Chun-Jian; Kong, Xiang-Qing; Ma, Wen-Zhu; Yang, Zhi-Jian; Jia, En-Zhi

2014-01-01

to explore the impact of admission serum creatinine concentration on the in-hospital mortality and its interaction with age and gender in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in China. 1424 acute STEMI patients were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric and laboratory measurements were collected from every patient. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the relationships between the admission serum creatinine level (Cr level), age, sex and the in-hospital mortality. A crossover analysis and a stratified analysis were used to determine the combined impact of Cr levels with age and gender. Female (HR 1.687, 95%CI 1.051 ∼ 2.708), elevated Cr level (HR 5.922, 95%CI 3.780 ∼ 9,279) and old age (1.692, 95%CI 1.402 ∼ 2.403) were associated with a high risk of death respectively. After adjusting for other confounders, the renal dysfunction was still independently associated with a higher risk of death (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.32 ∼ 4.63), while female gender (HR 1.19, 95%CI 0.62 ∼ 2.29) and old age (HR 1.77, 95%CI 0.92 ∼ 3.37) was not. In addition, crossover analysis revealed synergistic effects between elevated Cr level and female gender (SI = 3.01, SIM = 2.10, AP = 0.55). Stratified analysis showed that the impact of renal dysfunction on in-hospital mortality was more pronounced in patients <60 years old (odds ratios 11.10, 95% CI 3.72 to 33.14) compared with patients 60 to 74 years old (odds ratios 5.18, 95% CI 2.48 ∼ 10.83) and patients ≥ 75 years old (odds ratios 3.99, 95% CI 1.89 to 8.42). Serum Cr concentration on admission was a strong predictor for in-hospital mortality among Chinese acute STEMI patients especially in the young and the female.

Integrative Analysis of Subcellular Quantitative Proteomics Studies Reveals Functional Cytoskeleton Membrane-Lipid Raft Interactions in Cancer.

PubMed

Shah, Anup D; Inder, Kerry L; Shah, Alok K; Cristino, Alexandre S; McKie, Arthur B; Gabra, Hani; Davis, Melissa J; Hill, Michelle M

2016-10-07

Lipid rafts are dynamic membrane microdomains that orchestrate molecular interactions and are implicated in cancer development. To understand the functions of lipid rafts in cancer, we performed an integrated analysis of quantitative lipid raft proteomics data sets modeling progression in breast cancer, melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma. This analysis revealed that cancer development is associated with increased membrane raft-cytoskeleton interactions, with ∼40% of elevated lipid raft proteins being cytoskeletal components. Previous studies suggest a potential functional role for the raft-cytoskeleton in the action of the putative tumor suppressors PTRF/Cavin-1 and Merlin. To extend the observation, we examined lipid raft proteome modulation by an unrelated tumor suppressor opioid binding protein cell-adhesion molecule (OPCML) in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells. In agreement with the other model systems, quantitative proteomics revealed that 39% of OPCML-depleted lipid raft proteins are cytoskeletal components, with microfilaments and intermediate filaments specifically down-regulated. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction network and simulation analysis showed significantly higher interactions among cancer raft proteins compared with general human raft proteins. Collectively, these results suggest increased cytoskeleton-mediated stabilization of lipid raft domains with greater molecular interactions as a common, functional, and reversible feature of cancer cells.

[When to ask for a skin biopsy in a patient with leg ulcer? Retrospective study of 143 consecutive biopsies].

PubMed

Stansal, A; Khayat, K; Duchatelle, V; Tella, E; Gautier, V; Sfeir, D; Attal, R; Lazareth, I; Priollet, P

2018-02-01

A vascular cause is found in around 85% of leg ulcer patients, but non-vascular causes are also observed. Their diagnosis is based on a set of clinical arguments and skin biopsy with histological analysis. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of these biopsies and to find common criteria for ulcers whose skin biopsies had led to the diagnosis of a non-vascular ulcer. A retrospective study was carried out on the analysis of 143 skin biopsies of leg ulcers. The reasons for the biopsy were mainly atypical clinical signs and/or the lack of improvement in care after 6 months, as advocated by the French health authorities. The skin biopsies led to a diagnosis of non-vascular ulcer in 4.9% of cases (7/143), including skin cancer (n=5, 3.5%), cutaneous leishmaniasis (n=1, 0.7%) and Pyoderma gangrenosum (n=1, 0.7%). The univariate statistical analysis revealed that an elevated rim and abnormal excessive granulation tissue were significantly more frequently found in these ulcers. All patients with a positive skin biopsy had associated vascular involvement. This study found a 5% rate of non-vascular causes of ulcers, mainly skin cancer. Elevated rims and abnormal excessive granulation tissue were the unusual features most commonly found in these ulcers. All patients whose skin biopsy revealed a non-vascular cause had associated vascular involvement. This information confirms the need to perform a skin biopsy, even in the presence of a vascular disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Thermal barriers constrain microbial elevational range size via climate variability.

PubMed

Wang, Jianjun; Soininen, Janne

2017-08-01

Range size is invariably limited and understanding range size variation is an important objective in ecology. However, microbial range size across geographical gradients remains understudied, especially on mountainsides. Here, the patterns of range size of stream microbes (i.e., bacteria and diatoms) and macroorganisms (i.e., macroinvertebrates) along elevational gradients in Asia and Europe were examined. In bacteria, elevational range size showed non-significant phylogenetic signals. In all taxa, there was a positive relationship between niche breadth and species elevational range size, driven by local environmental and climatic variables. No taxa followed the elevational Rapoport's rule. Climate variability explained the most variation in microbial mean elevational range size, whereas local environmental variables were more important for macroinvertebrates. Seasonal and annual climate variation showed negative effects, while daily climate variation had positive effects on community mean elevational range size for all taxa. The negative correlation between range size and species richness suggests that understanding the drivers of range is key for revealing the processes underlying diversity. The results advance the understanding of microbial species thermal barriers by revealing the importance of seasonal and diurnal climate variation, and highlight that aquatic and terrestrial biota may differ in their response to short- and long-term climate variability. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Elevated placental adenosine signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

PubMed

Iriyama, Takayuki; Sun, Kaiqi; Parchim, Nicholas F; Li, Jessica; Zhao, Cheng; Song, Anren; Hart, Laura A; Blackwell, Sean C; Sibai, Baha M; Chan, Lee-Nien L; Chan, Teh-Sheng; Hicks, M John; Blackburn, Michael R; Kellems, Rodney E; Xia, Yang

2015-02-24

Preeclampsia is a prevalent hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. This pathogenic condition is speculated to be caused by placental abnormalities that contribute to the maternal syndrome. However, the specific factors and signaling pathways that lead to impaired placentas and maternal disease development remain elusive. Using 2 independent animal models of preeclampsia (genetically engineered pregnant mice with elevated adenosine exclusively in placentas and a pathogenic autoantibody-induced preeclampsia mouse model), we demonstrated that chronically elevated placental adenosine was sufficient to induce hallmark features of preeclampsia, including hypertension, proteinuria, small fetuses, and impaired placental vasculature. Genetic and pharmacological approaches revealed that elevated placental adenosine coupled with excessive A₂B adenosine receptor (ADORA2B) signaling contributed to the development of these features of preeclampsia. Mechanistically, we provided both human and mouse evidence that elevated placental CD73 is a key enzyme causing increased placental adenosine, thereby contributing to preeclampsia. We determined that elevated placental adenosine signaling is a previously unrecognized pathogenic factor for preeclampsia. Moreover, our findings revealed the molecular basis underlying the elevation of placental adenosine and the detrimental role of excess placental adenosine in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, and thereby, we highlight novel therapeutic targets. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

[Clinical and genetic study of an infant with Alagille syndrome: identification of a novel chromosomal interstitial deletion including JAG1 gene].

PubMed

Li, Hua; Liu, Jia-Jia; Deng, Mei; Guo, Li; Cheng, Ying; Song, Yuan-Zong

2017-10-01

Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is an autosomal dominant disease affecting multiple systems including the liver, heart, skeleton, eyes, kidneys and face. This paper reports the clinical and genetic features of an infant with this disease. A 3-month-and-10-day-old female infant was referred to the hospital with jaundiced skin and sclera for 3 months. Physical examination revealed wide forehead and micromandible. A systolic murmur of grade 3-4/6 was heard between the 2th and 3th intercostal spaces on the left side of the sternum. The abdomen was distended, and the liver palpable 3 cm under the right subcostal margin with a medium texture. Serum biochemistry analysis revealed abnormal liver function indices, with markedly elevated bilirubin (predominantly direct bilirubin), total bile acids (TBA) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). Atrial septal defect and pulmonary stenosis were detected on echocardiography. Next generation sequencing detected entire deletion of the JAG1 gene, and then chromosomal microarray analysis revealed a novel interstitial deletion of 3.0 Mb in size on chr20p12.3p12.2, involving JAG1 gene. The child had special facial features, heart malformations, and cholestasis, and based on the genetic findings, ALGS was definitively diagnosed. Thereafter, symptomatic and supportive treatment was introduced. Thus far, the infant had been followed up till his age of 11 months. The hyperbilirubinemia got improved, but GGT and TBA were persistently elevated, and the long-term outcome needs to be observed. This study extended the JAG1 mutation spectrum, and provided laboratory evidences for the diagnosis and treatment of the patient, and for the genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in the family.

High-Elevation Sierra Nevada Conifers Reveal Increasing Reliance on Snow Water with Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lepley, K. S.; Meko, D. M.; Touchan, R.; Shamir, E.; Graham, R.

2017-12-01

Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains accounts for around one third of California's water supply. Melting snow can provide water into dry summer months characteristic of the region's Mediterranean climate. As climate changes, understanding patterns of snowpack, snowmelt, and biological response are critical in this region of agricultural, recreational, and ecological value. Tree rings can act as proxy records to inform scientists and resource managers of past climate variability where instrumental data is unavailable. Here we investigate relationships between tree rings of high-elevation, snow-adapted conifer trees (Tsuga mertensiana, Abies magnifica) and April 1st snow-water equivalent (SWE) in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The 1st principal component of 29 highly correlated regional SWE time series was modeled using multiple linear regression of four tree-ring chronologies including two lagged chronologies. Split-period verification analysis of this model revealed poor predictive skill in the early half (1929 - 1966) of the calibration period (1929 - 2003). Further analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.01) change in correlation between the Tsuga mertensiana chronology and SWE during early (1929 - 1970) and late (1971 - 2013) periods. Running 31-year correlations between this chronology and SWE rose from r = 0.10 in 1950 to r = 0.77 in 1996. This strengthening relationship is coincident with a positive trend in temperature, a negative trend in SWE, and increased variability in precipitation through time. Snow water is becoming a more limiting resource to tree growth as average temperatures rise and the hydrologic regime shifts. These results highlight the need for resource managers and policy makers to consider that biological response to climate is not static.

Histological analysis on adhesive molecules of renal intravascular large B cell lymphoma treated with CHOP chemotherapy and rituximab.

PubMed

Kusaba, T; Hatta, T; Tanda, S; Kameyama, H; Tamagaki, K; Okigaki, M; Inaba, T; Shimazaki, C; Sasaki, S

2006-03-01

A 48-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for investigation of mild renal dysfunction. A blood examination revealed mild elevation of creatinine level (1.77 mg/dl). Urinary examination revealed mild protein excretion (0.54 g/day) and microhematuria; renal biopsy revealed the focal proliferation of large mononuclear cells with mitosis in glomerular capillaries. According to immunohistochemical analysis, the intravascular lymphomatous cells stained positively with anti-leukocyte common antigen (LCA: CD45) and CD20, indicating a B lymphocyte lineage. In electron microscopy, the glomerular capillary was filled with lymphoma cells and epithelial foot process fusion was noted. Immunohistochemical analysis on adhesive molecules revealed a lack of CD11a expression on lymphoma cells, but positive CD54 expression on endothelial cells. Systemic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed no abnormal uptake of isotopes. On the basis of these findings, we diagnosed intravascular diffuse large B cell lymphoma localized in the kidney. Despite treatment with rituximab and CHOP (prednisolone, doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide) for 3 cycles at 1-month intervals, the renal dysfunction did not change. In histopathological analysis of the second biopsy, lymphoma cells disappeared, but focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and moderate interstitial fibrosis were noted. Electron microscopic findings revealed severe subendothelial edema with mesangial interposition, indicating severe endothelial damage. Epithelial foot process fusion was improved. These pathological analyses let us conclude that a lack of CD11a could be a candidate factor for prevention of the extravasation of lymphoma cells from blood vessels in our patient. We also presumed that the intraglomerular endothelial damage occurred due to chemotherapy-associated cell injury.

Airborne observations reveal elevational gradient in tropical forest isoprene emissions.

PubMed

Gu, Dasa; Guenther, Alex B; Shilling, John E; Yu, Haofei; Huang, Maoyi; Zhao, Chun; Yang, Qing; Martin, Scot T; Artaxo, Paulo; Kim, Saewung; Seco, Roger; Stavrakou, Trissevgeni; Longo, Karla M; Tóta, Julio; de Souza, Rodrigo Augusto Ferreira; Vega, Oscar; Liu, Ying; Shrivastava, Manish; Alves, Eliane G; Santos, Fernando C; Leng, Guoyong; Hu, Zhiyuan

2017-05-23

Isoprene dominates global non-methane volatile organic compound emissions, and impacts tropospheric chemistry by influencing oxidants and aerosols. Isoprene emission rates vary over several orders of magnitude for different plants, and characterizing this immense biological chemodiversity is a challenge for estimating isoprene emission from tropical forests. Here we present the isoprene emission estimates from aircraft eddy covariance measurements over the Amazonian forest. We report isoprene emission rates that are three times higher than satellite top-down estimates and 35% higher than model predictions. The results reveal strong correlations between observed isoprene emission rates and terrain elevations, which are confirmed by similar correlations between satellite-derived isoprene emissions and terrain elevations. We propose that the elevational gradient in the Amazonian forest isoprene emission capacity is determined by plant species distributions and can substantially explain isoprene emission variability in tropical forests, and use a model to demonstrate the resulting impacts on regional air quality.

Neurological Nuance: Hodgkin lymphoma presenting with Guillain-BarrÉ syndrome.

PubMed

Anderson, Dustin; Beecher, Grayson; Steve, Trevor A; Jen, Ho; Camicioli, Richard; Zochodne, Douglas W

2017-04-01

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a common lymphoid malignancy rarely associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In most cases, GBS does not precede HL. We describe a patient with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy who fulfilled criteria for GBS that heralded undiagnosed HL. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies revealed albuminocytologic dissociation with significant protein elevation (250 mg/dl). The patient worsened during intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy. Constitutional symptoms with elevated inflammatory markers prompted further investigation, and imaging revealed an anterior mediastinal mass confirmed on biopsy to be HL. Chemotherapy yielded early clinical improvement. GBS preceding HL is rare, and this case highlights the importance of considering HL in the setting of GBS. Marked elevations in CSF protein, ongoing deterioration despite administration of IVIg, and constitutional symptoms with elevated inflammatory markers may be clues to possible HL-induced GBS. Muscle Nerve 55: 601-604, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparative genomic analysis as a tool for biologicaldiscovery

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

Nobrega, Marcelo A.; Pennacchio, Len A.

2003-03-30

Biology is a discipline rooted in comparisons. Comparative physiology has assembled a detailed catalogue of the biological similarities and differences between species, revealing insights into how life has adapted to fill a wide-range of environmental niches. For example, the oxygen and carbon dioxide carrying capacity of vertebrate has evolved to provide strong advantages for species respiring at sea level, at high elevation or within water. Comparative- anatomy, -biochemistry, -pharmacology, -immunology and -cell biology have provided the fundamental paradigms from which each discipline has grown.

Hypereosinophilia with abnormal T cells, trisomy 7 and elevated TARC serum level.

PubMed

Roumier, A S; Grardel, N; Laï, J L; Becqueriaux, I; Ghomari, K; de Lavareille, A; Roufosse, F; Prin, L; Capron, M

2003-07-01

The idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare heterogeneous disorder, characterized by persistent blood eosinophilia with possible organ involvement. We describe here the case of a 20-year-old atopic male presenting chronic hypereosinophilia and eczema since childhood. Biological findings included hypereosinophilia (9.5 x 10(9)/L), hyperlymphocytosis (10.9 x 10(9)/L), polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia and elevated IgE serum level. Flow cytometric analysis of blood lymphoid cells showed a population of CD2+CD3-CD4+TCRab-TCRgd- lymphocytes. These cells displayed a Th0/Th2 cytokine profile, and a clonal TCR rearrangement pattern. A high serum TARC level was observed. Karyotype studies on blood stimulated culture or lymph nodes revealed a cellular hyperdiploïd clone 47, XY, +7. To our knowledge, this chromosomal aberration has never been reported in such case.

Degradation analysis of a Ni-based layered positive-electrode active material cycled at elevated temperatures studied by scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kojima, Y.; Muto, S.; Tatsumi, K.; Kondo, H.; Oka, H.; Horibuchi, K.; Ukyo, Y.

We investigate the local structural changes in a positive electrode of a lithium ion secondary battery (LiNi 0.8Co 0.15Al 0.05O 2 (NCA) as the active material) associated with charge-discharge cycling at elevated temperatures by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). STEM-EELS spectral imaging reveals the evolution of a NiO-like phase localized near the surface and grain boundary regions after many cycles. The amounts of capacity fading and resistance increase are discussed based on the results of the semiquantitative estimation of NiO-like and other product phases. We also identify the chemical state of lithium in the NiO-like phase substituting for Ni.

Elevated level of human RPA interacting protein α (hRIPα) in cervical tumor cells is involved in cell proliferation through regulating RPA transport.

PubMed

Namkoong, Sim; Lee, Eun-Ju; Jang, Ik-Soon; Park, Junsoo

2012-10-19

Replication protein A (RPA) is a eukaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein that is essential for DNA replication, repair, and recombination, and human RPA interacting protein α (hRIPα) is the nuclear transporter of RPA. Here, we report the regulatory role of hRIPα protein in cell proliferation. Western blot analysis revealed that the level of hRIPα was frequently elevated in cervical tumors tissues and hRIPα knockdown by siRNA inhibited cellular proliferation through deregulation of the cell cycle. In addition, overexpression of hRIPα resulted in increased clonogenicity. These results indicate that hRIPα is involved in cell proliferation through regulation of RPA transport. Copyright © 2012 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pseudohypoparathyroidism with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Turner syndrome: a case report.

PubMed

Zeng, Wen-Heng; Xu, Jiao-Jun; Jia, Min-Yue; Ren, Yue-Zhong

2014-10-01

To report the case of an individual with PHP, Turner syndrome and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. A 16-year-old girl was referred to our hospital with chief complaint of short stature. She presented with round chubby facies, short neck, obesity and short stature. Radiography indicated short metatarsals and metacarpals, which mainly affected the second, third and fourth digits. Biochemistry revealed hyperphosphatemia, increased serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone, elevated levels of follicular-stimulating hormone and prolactin, and increased thyroid peroxidase antibody and thyroglobulin antibody. Radiographic examination revealed delayed bone age and pelvic ultrasonography demonstrated an immature uterus. Karyotype analysis showed 46,X,i(Xq10), while molecular analysis revealed a same sense mutation in exon 5 of GNAS (ATC → ATT, Ile).The specific diagnosis was made of Turner syndrome in the presence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and PHP. She was treated with calcium supplementation, calcitriol and thyroxine. This is the first case report to describe a combination of Turner syndrome with these other clinical entities, and their co-existence should be considered and further investigated.

Differential Effects of IL6 and Activin A in the Development of Cancer-Associated Cachexia.

PubMed

Chen, Justin L; Walton, Kelly L; Qian, Hongwei; Colgan, Timothy D; Hagg, Adam; Watt, Matthew J; Harrison, Craig A; Gregorevic, Paul

2016-09-15

Cachexia is a life-threatening wasting syndrome lacking effective treatment, which arises in many cancer patients. Although ostensibly induced by multiple tumor-produced cytokines (tumorkines), their functional contribution to initiation and progression of this syndrome has proven difficult to determine. In this study, we used adeno-associated viral vectors to elevate circulating levels of the tumorkines IL6 and/or activin A in animals in the absence of tumors as a tactic to evaluate hypothesized roles in cachexia development. Mice with elevated levels of IL6 exhibited 8.1% weight loss after 9 weeks, whereas mice with elevated levels of activin A lost 11% of their body weight. Co-elevation of both tumorkines to levels approximating those observed in cancer cachexia models induced a more rapid and profound body weight loss of 15.4%. Analysis of body composition revealed that activin A primarily triggered loss of lean mass, whereas IL6 was a major mediator of fat loss. Histologic and transcriptional analysis of affected organs/tissues (skeletal muscle, fat, and liver) identified interactions between the activin A and IL6 signaling pathways. For example, IL6 exacerbated the detrimental effects of activin A in skeletal muscle, whereas activin A curbed the IL6-induced acute-phase response in liver. This study presents a useful model to deconstruct cachexia, opening a pathway to determining which tumorkines are best targeted to slow/reverse this devastating condition in cancer patients. Cancer Res; 76(18); 5372-82. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Clinical implications in the prevalence and associated cardiovascular factors of elevated serum alanine aminotransferase levels among elderly agricultural and fishing population in Taipei, Taiwan: experience at a teaching hospital.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Fen; Hu, Yi-Chun; Shen, Hsi-Che; Chang, Hui-Te; Tung, Tao-Hsin

2014-01-01

To discuss the prevalence and associated factors related to an elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level among the elderly agricultural and fishing population. A total of 6542 (3989 males and 2553 females) healthy adults voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup in 2010 in Taipei, Taiwan. Fasting blood samples were drawn via venipuncture, and clinical nurses interviewed the study participants using a structured questionnaire from. The overall prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level was 18.2% and revealed a statistically significant decrease with increasing age (P < 0.001). The men exhibited a higher prevalence than the women (19.7% vs 15.9%; P < 0.001). Male sex; younger age; and presence of obesity, hypertension, hyperuricemia, and hypoalbuminemia were significantly associated with an elevated serum ALT level. Sex-related differences were also revealed. For the men, type 2 diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.57), hypercholesterolemia (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.22-2.83), hypertriglyceridemia (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04-1.73), and low high-density lipoprotein (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.05-1.51) were significantly related to an elevated serum ALT level, but this was not so for the women. The disparity of ALT in age groups was revealed. Several sex-related differences were indicated pertaining to the prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level among elderly specific occupational population.

Elevated lipoprotein (a) levels are an independent risk factor for retinal vein occlusion.

PubMed

Kuhli-Hattenbach, Claudia; Miesbach, Wolfgang; Lüchtenberg, Marc; Kohnen, Thomas; Hattenbach, Lars-Olof

2017-03-01

To investigate the prevalence of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] and other thrombophilic disorders among retinal vein occlusion (RVO) patients with regard to age and various risk factors. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 100 patients with central, hemicentral or branch RVO who had undergone routine thrombophilia screening. Data were compared with 100 controls. Both cohorts were divided into three subgroups (≤45 years, >45-≤60 years or >60 years), depending on the patients' age at the time of the RVO or a previous thromboembolic event. Elevated Lp(a) plasma levels were significantly more prevalent among RVO patients than among controls (p < 0.0001; OR: 4.8). Moreover, we determined age ≤60 years by the time of the first thromboembolic event as a strong predictor of elevated Lp(a) (p = 0.0002). The coincidence of elevated Lp(a) with other coagulation disorders further increased the OR for RVO to 9.3 (95% CI 2.1-41.8). Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (OR: 3.1, p = 0.0004), elevated lipoprotein (a) levels (OR: 5.2, p = 0.0001) and increased factor VIII activity (OR: 5.9, p = 0.001) as independent risk factors for the development of RVO among patients. Our results indicate that elevated plasma levels of Lp(a) are associated with the development of RVO. Selective screening of young patients and subjects with a personal or family history of thromboembolism may be helpful in identifying RVO patients with elevated Lp(a). © 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring the genetic basis of adaptation to high elevations in reptiles: a comparative transcriptome analysis of two toad-headed agamas (genus Phrynocephalus).

PubMed

Yang, Weizhao; Qi, Yin; Fu, Jinzhong

2014-01-01

High elevation adaptation offers an excellent study system to understand the genetic basis of adaptive evolution. We acquired transcriptome sequences of two closely related lizards, Phrynocephalus przewalskii from low elevations and P. vlangalii from high elevations. Within a phylogenetic framework, we compared their genomic data along with green anole, chicken and Chinese softshell turtle, and identified candidate genes and functional categories that are potentially linked to adaptation to high elevation environments. More than 100 million sequence reads were generated for each species via Illumina sequencing. A de novo assembly produced 70,919 and 62,118 transcripts for P. przewalskii and P. vlangalii, respectively. Based on a well-established reptile phylogeny, we detected 143 positively selected genes (PSGs) along the P. vlangalii lineage from the 7,012 putative orthologs using a branch-site model. Furthermore, ten GO categories and one KEGG pathway that are over-represented by PSGs were recognized. In addition, 58 GO categories were revealed to have elevated evolutionary rates along the P. vlangalii lineage relative to P. przewalskii. These functional analyses further filter out PSGs that are most likely involved in the adaptation process to high elevations. Among them, ADAM17, MD, and HSP90B1 likely contributed to response to hypoxia, and POLK likely contributed to DNA repair. Many other candidate genes involved in gene expression and metabolism were also identified. Genome-wide scan for candidate genes may serve as the first step to explore the genetic basis of high elevation adaptation. Detailed comparative study and functional verification are needed to solidify any conclusions. High elevation adaptation requires coordinated changes in multiple genes that involve various physiological and biochemical pathways; we hope that our genetic studies will provide useful directions for future physiological or molecular studies in reptiles as well as other poikilothermic species.

Exploring the Genetic Basis of Adaptation to High Elevations in Reptiles: A Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Two Toad-Headed Agamas (Genus Phrynocephalus)

PubMed Central

Yang, Weizhao; Qi, Yin; Fu, Jinzhong

2014-01-01

High elevation adaptation offers an excellent study system to understand the genetic basis of adaptive evolution. We acquired transcriptome sequences of two closely related lizards, Phrynocephalus przewalskii from low elevations and P. vlangalii from high elevations. Within a phylogenetic framework, we compared their genomic data along with green anole, chicken and Chinese softshell turtle, and identified candidate genes and functional categories that are potentially linked to adaptation to high elevation environments. More than 100 million sequence reads were generated for each species via Illumina sequencing. A de novo assembly produced 70,919 and 62,118 transcripts for P. przewalskii and P. vlangalii, respectively. Based on a well-established reptile phylogeny, we detected 143 positively selected genes (PSGs) along the P. vlangalii lineage from the 7,012 putative orthologs using a branch-site model. Furthermore, ten GO categories and one KEGG pathway that are over-represented by PSGs were recognized. In addition, 58 GO categories were revealed to have elevated evolutionary rates along the P. vlangalii lineage relative to P. przewalskii. These functional analyses further filter out PSGs that are most likely involved in the adaptation process to high elevations. Among them, ADAM17, MD, and HSP90B1 likely contributed to response to hypoxia, and POLK likely contributed to DNA repair. Many other candidate genes involved in gene expression and metabolism were also identified. Genome-wide scan for candidate genes may serve as the first step to explore the genetic basis of high elevation adaptation. Detailed comparative study and functional verification are needed to solidify any conclusions. High elevation adaptation requires coordinated changes in multiple genes that involve various physiological and biochemical pathways; we hope that our genetic studies will provide useful directions for future physiological or molecular studies in reptiles as well as other poikilothermic species. PMID:25386640

Does elevated CO2 ameliorate the impact of O3 on chlorophyll content and photosynthesis in potato (Solanum tuberosum)?

PubMed

Donnelly, Alison; Craigon, Jim; Black, Colin R.; Colls, Jeremy J.; Landon, Geoff

2001-04-01

This study examined the impact of season-long exposure to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3), individually and in combination, on leaf chlorophyll content and gas exchange characteristics in potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Bintje). Plants grown in open-top chambers were exposed to three CO2 (ambient, 550 and 680 µmol mol-1) and two O3 treatments (ambient and elevated; 25 and 65 nmol mol-1, 8 h day-1 means, respectively) between crop emergence and maturity; plants were also grown in unchambered field plots. Non-destructive measurements of chlorophyll content and visible foliar injury were made for all treatments at 2-week intervals between 43 and 95 days after emergence. Gas exchange measurements were made for all except the intermediate 550 µmol mol-1 CO2 treatment. Season-long exposure to elevated O3 under ambient CO2 reduced chlorophyll content and induced extensive visible foliar damage, but had little effect on net assimilation rate or stomatal conductance. Elevated CO2 had no significant effect on chlorophyll content, but greatly reduced the damaging impact of O3 on chlorophyll content and visible foliar damage. Light-saturated assimilation rates for leaves grown under elevated CO2 were consistently lower when measured under either elevated or ambient CO2 than in equivalent leaves grown under ambient CO2. Analysis of CO2 response curves revealed that CO2-saturated assimilation rate, maximum rates of carboxylation and electron transport and respiration decreased with time. CO2-saturated assimilation rate was reduced by elevated O3 during the early stages of the season, while respiration was significantly greater under elevated CO2 as the crop approached maturity. The physiological origins of these responses and their implications for the performance of potato in a changing climate are discussed.

Heterogeneity of Systemic Oxidative Stress Profiles in COPD: A Potential Role of Gender.

PubMed

Maury, Jonathan; Gouzi, Farés; De Rigal, Philippe; Heraud, Nelly; Pincemail, Joël; Molinari, Nicolas; Pomiès, Pascal; Laoudj-Chenivesse, Dalila; Mercier, Jacques; Préfaut, Christian; Hayot, Maurice

2015-01-01

Oxidative stress (OS) plays a key role in the muscle impairment and exercise capacity of COPD patients. However, the literature reveals that systemic OS markers show great heterogeneity, which may hinder the prescription of effective antioxidant supplementation. This study therefore aimed to identify OS markers imbalance of COPD patients, relative to validated normal reference values, and to investigate the possibility of systemic OS profiles. We measured systemic enzymatic/nonenzymatic antioxidant and lipid peroxidation (LP) levels in 54 stable COPD patients referred for a rehabilitation program. The main systemic antioxidant deficits in these patients concerned vitamins and trace elements. Fully 89% of the COPD patients showed a systemic antioxidant imbalance which may have caused the elevated systemic LP levels in 69% of them. Interestingly, two patient profiles (clusters 3 and 4) had a more elevated increase in LP combined with increased copper and/or decreased vitamin C, GSH, and GPx. Further analysis revealed that the systemic LP level was higher in COPD women and associated with exercise capacity. Our present data therefore support future supplementations with antioxidant vitamins and trace elements to improve exercise capacity, but COPD patients will probably show different positive responses.

Delayed post-hypoxic leukoencephalopathy: case report with a review of disease pathophysiology.

PubMed

Meyer, Michael Andrew

2013-01-01

Delayed post-hypoxic leukoencephalopathy is a rare clinical phenomenon usually observed in a small number of carbon monoxide poisoning survivors. A similar phenomenon is reported here in a patient who successfully recovered from a large overdose of diazepam and methadone, but then abruptly declined 3 weeks after the initial event. Magnetic resnance revealed confluent white matter hyperintensity on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T2 weighted sequences, and spectroscopy revealed elevated peaks in choline, creatinine, and lactate. Analysis and review of the literature suggests this phenomenon occurs on average about 19 days after the initial event. Although the pathophysiology remains obscure, it is noted here that the mean lucid interval coincides approximately with the replacement half-life for myelin related lipids and proteins.

Trigger medications and patient-related risk factors for Parkinson disease psychosis requiring anti-psychotic drugs: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Sawada, Hideyuki; Oeda, Tomoko; Yamamoto, Kenji; Umemura, Atsushi; Tomita, Satoshi; Hayashi, Ryutaro; Kohsaka, Masayuki; Kawamura, Takashi

2013-10-12

Psychoses such as hallucinations are a frequent non-motor problem in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and serious psychosis requires anti-psychotic medications that worsen Parkinsonism. Although psychosis could be associated with patient-related or biological factors such as cognition, age, and severity of PD, it can also be associated with medications.Therefore we aimed to investigate patient-related and medication-related risks of psychosis requiring anti-psychotic medications (serious psychosis). A retrospective cohort of 331 PD patients was followed for 2 years. Patient-related factors associated with risk of psychosis were identified by a survival time analysis. In patients who developed psychosis, medications during the hazard period (1-14 days before psychosis) were contrasted with those during the control periods (1 and 3 months before psychosis) using a case-crossover analysis to identify medication-related risks of psychosis. Serious psychosis was detected in 52 patients and the incidence was estimated to be 116 (95% confidence interval [CI], 85-148) per 1,000 person-years. Analyses of baseline characteristics revealed the risk to be higher in patients with a modified Hoehn-Yahr stage of ≥4 (hazard ratio [HR], 2.22; 95% CI, 1.11-4.40), those with a longer duration of PD (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.00-1.55, per 5 years) and those with Mini-Mental State Examination scores of ≤24 (HR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.37-5.16). The case-crossover analysis revealed that anti-cholinergics use (HR, 19.7; 95% CI, 2.39-162) elevated the risk, while donepezil use reduced it (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27-0.85). Risk of psychosis was elevated by increasing severity of PD, cognitive dysfunction and duration of the disease. It was elevated by use of anti-cholinergic drugs and reduced by use of donepezil. The medication-related risk was higher in patients aged ≥ 70 years. In contrast, there was no significant medication-related risk in younger patients, suggesting different pathomechanisms between young and old patients.

[Risk factors for elevated serum total bile acid in preterm infants].

PubMed

Song, Yan-Ting; Wang, Yong-Qin; Zhao, Yue-Hua; Zhu, Hai-Ling; Liu, Qian; Zhang, Xiao; Gao, Yi-Wen; Zhang, Wei-Ye; Sang, Yu-Tong

2018-03-01

To study the risk factors for elevated serum total bile acid (TBA) in preterm infants. A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 216 preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. According to the presence or absence of elevated TBA (TBA >24.8 μmol/L), the preterm infants were divided into elevated TBA group with 53 infants and non-elevated TBA group with 163 infants. A univariate analysis and an unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the risk factors for elevated TBA. The univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the elevated TBA group and the non-elevated TBA group in gestational age at birth, birth weight, proportion of small-for-gestational-age infants, proportion of infants undergoing ventilator-assisted ventilation, fasting time, parenteral nutrition time, and incidence of neonatal respiratory failure and sepsis (P<0.05). The unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low birth weight (OR=3.84, 95%CI: 1.53-9.64) and neonatal sepsis (OR=2.56, 95%CI: 1.01-6.47) were independent risk factors for elevated TBA in preterm infants. Low birth weight and neonatal sepsis may lead to elevated TBA in preterm infants.

The 10 m-resolution TINITALY DEM as a trans-disciplinary basis for the analysis of the Italian territory: Current trends and new perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarquini, Simone; Nannipieri, Luca

2017-03-01

The increasing availability of high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) is changing our viewpoint towards Earth surface landforms. Nevertheless, large-coverage, intermediate-resolution DEMs are still largely used, and can be the ideal choice in several applications based on the processing of spatially-integrated information. In 2012 the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia opened a website for the free download of the "TINTALY" Digital Elevation Model (DEM), which covers the whole Italian territory. Since then, about 700 users from 28 different countries have been accredited for data download, and a report of 4 years of data dissemination and use is presented. The analysis of the intended use reveals that the 10 m-resolution, seamless TINITALY DEM is of use for an extremely assorted research community. Accredited users are working in virtually any branch of the Earth Sciences (e.g. Volcanology, Seismology, and Geomorphology), in spatially integrated humanities (e.g. History and Archaeology), and in other thematic areas such as in applied Physics and Zoology. Many users are also working in local administrations (e.g. Regions and Municipalities) for civil protection or land use planning purposes. In summary, the documented activity shows that the dissemination of seamless, large coverage elevation datasets can fertilize the technological progress of the whole society providing a significant benefit to stakeholders.

Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small T Antigen Promotes Pro-Glycolytic Metabolic Perturbations Required for Transformation

PubMed Central

Keibler, Mark A.; Park, Donglim Esther; Molla, Vadim; Cheng, Jingwei; Stephanopoulos, Gregory

2016-01-01

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is an etiological agent of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a highly aggressive skin cancer. The MCPyV small tumor antigen (ST) is required for maintenance of MCC and can transform normal cells. To gain insight into cellular perturbations induced by MCPyV ST, we performed transcriptome analysis of normal human fibroblasts with inducible expression of ST. MCPyV ST dynamically alters the cellular transcriptome with increased levels of glycolytic genes, including the monocarboxylate lactate transporter SLC16A1 (MCT1). Extracellular flux analysis revealed increased lactate export reflecting elevated aerobic glycolysis in ST expressing cells. Inhibition of MCT1 activity suppressed the growth of MCC cell lines and impaired MCPyV-dependent transformation of IMR90 cells. Both NF-κB and MYC have been shown to regulate MCT1 expression. While MYC was required for MCT1 induction, MCPyV-induced MCT1 levels decreased following knockdown of the NF-κB subunit RelA, supporting a synergistic activity between MCPyV and MYC in regulating MCT1 levels. Several MCC lines had high levels of MYCL and MYCN but not MYC. Increased levels of MYCL was more effective than MYC or MYCN in increasing extracellular acidification in MCC cells. Our results demonstrate the effects of MCPyV ST on the cellular transcriptome and reveal that transformation is dependent, at least in part, on elevated aerobic glycolysis. PMID:27880818

p.R182C mutation in Korean twin with congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia

PubMed Central

Park, Hye Won; Kwak, Byung Ok; Kim, Gu-Hwan; Yoo, Han-Wook

2013-01-01

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) is the most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia which is caused by mutations in the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). The mutations in StAR gene resulted in failure of the transport cholesterol into mitochondria for steroidogenesis in the adrenal gland. Twin sisters (A, B) with normal 46, XX were born at 36+2 gestational week, premature to nonrelated parents. They had symptoms as hyperpigmentation, slightly elevated potassium level and low level of sodium. Laboratory finding revealed normal 17-hydroxyprogesterone level, elevated adrenocorticotropin hormone (A, 4,379.2 pg/mL; B, 11,616.1 pg/mL), and high plasma renin activity (A, 49.02 ng/mL/hr; B, 52.7 ng mL/hr). However, the level of plasma cortisol before treatment was low (1.5 µg/dL) in patient B but normal (8.71 µg/dL) in patient A. Among them, only patient A was presented with adrenal insufficiency symptoms which was suggestive of CLAH and prompted us to order a gene analysis in both twin. The results of gene analysis of StAR in twin revealed same heterozygous conditions for c.544C>T (Arg182Cys) in exon 5 and c.722C>T (Gln258*) in exon 7. We report the first case on the mutation of p.R182C in exon 5 of the StAR gene in Korea. PMID:24904850

MERRF/MELAS overlap syndrome due to the m.3291T>C mutation.

PubMed

Liu, Kaiming; Zhao, Hui; Ji, Kunqian; Yan, Chuanzhu

2014-03-01

We report the case of a 19-year-old Chinese female harboring the m.3291T>C mutation in the MT-TL1 gene encoding the mitochondrial transfer RNA for leucine. She presented with a complex phenotype characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia, frequent myoclonus seizures, recurrent stroke-like episodes, migraine-like headaches with nausea and vomiting, and elevated resting lactate blood level. It is known that the myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) is characterized by cerebellar ataxia and myoclonus epilepsy, while that the mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is characterized by recurrent stroke-like episodes, migraine-like headaches, and elevated resting lactate blood level. So the patient's clinical manifestations suggest the presence of a MERRF/MELAS overlap syndrome. Muscle biopsy of the patient showed the presence of numerous scattered ragged-red fibers, some cytochrome c oxidase-deficient fibers, and several strongly succinate dehygrogenase-reactive vessels, suggestive of a mitochondrial disorder. Direct sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome of the proband revealed no mutations other than the T-to-C transition at nucleotide position 3291. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the proband and her family revealed maternal inheritance of the mutation in a heteroplasmic manner. The analysis of aerobic respiration and glycolysis demonstrated that the fibroblasts from the patient had mitochondrial dysfunction. Our results suggest that the m.3291T>C is pathogenic. This study is the first to describe the m.3291T>C mutation in association with the MERRF/MELAS overlap syndrome.

Antioxidant activity of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, on CCl(4)-induced liver injury in rats.

PubMed

Jayakumar, T; Ramesh, E; Geraldine, P

2006-12-01

This study was undertaken to investigate the putative antioxidant activity of the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus on CCl(4)-induced liver damage in male Wistar rats. Intraperitoneal administration of CCl(4) (2ml/kg) to rats for 4 days resulted in significantly elevated (p<0.05) serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase (SALP) compared to controls. In the liver, significantly elevated levels (p<0.05) of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lowered levels (p<0.05) of reduced glutathione (GSH) were observed following CCl(4) administration. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) revealed lower activities of these antioxidant enzymes in the liver of CCl(4)-administered rats. An analysis of the isozyme pattern of these enzymes revealed variations in relative concentration presumably due to hepatotoxicity. When rats with CCl(4)-induced hepatotoxicity were treated with the extract of P. ostreatus, the serum SGOT, SGPT and SALP levels reverted to near normal, while the hepatic concentration of GSH, CAT, SOD and Gpx were significantly increased (p<0.05) and that of MDA significantly (p<0.05) lowered, when compared to CCl(4)-exposed untreated rats. Histopathological studies confirmed the hepatoprotective effect conferred by the extract of P. ostreatus. These results suggest that an extract of P. ostreatus is able to significantly alleviate the hepatotoxicity induced by CCl(4) in the rat.

Genetic structure along an elevational gradient in Hawaiian honeycreepers reveals contrasting evolutionary responses to avian malaria.

PubMed

Eggert, Lori S; Terwilliger, Lauren A; Woodworth, Bethany L; Hart, Patrick J; Palmer, Danielle; Fleischer, Robert C

2008-11-14

The Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae) are one of the best-known examples of an adaptive radiation, but their persistence today is threatened by the introduction of exotic pathogens and their vector, the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. Historically, species such as the amakihi (Hemignathus virens), the apapane (Himatione sanguinea), and the iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) were found from the coastal lowlands to the high elevation forests, but by the late 1800's they had become extremely rare in habitats below 900 m. Recently, however, populations of amakihi and apapane have been observed in low elevation habitats. We used twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci to investigate patterns of genetic structure, and to infer responses of these species to introduced avian malaria along an elevational gradient on the eastern flanks of Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. Our results indicate that amakihi have genetically distinct, spatially structured populations that correspond with altitude. We detected very few apapane and no iiwi in low-elevation habitats, and genetic results reveal only minimal differentiation between populations at different altitudes in either of these species. Our results suggest that amakihi populations in low elevation habitats have not been recolonized by individuals from mid or high elevation refuges. After generations of strong selection for pathogen resistance, these populations have rebounded and amakihi have become common in regions in which they were previously rare or absent.

Analysis of optical imagery reveals regionally coherent slowdown in High Mountain Asia in response to glacier thinning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehecq, A.; Gardner, A. S.; Gourmelen, N.

2016-12-01

High Mountain Asia (HMA) glaciers play a key role in the hydrology of the region, impacting water resources. Studies focusing on HMA glaciers reveal contrasting patterns of change with rapid rates of retreat in Himalayas and near balance condition in the Karakorum, Pamir and Kunlun. Glaciers dynamics is a key variable to understand their future evolution and sensitivity to changes in atmospheric forcing. Several studies based on field measurements and remote sensing data have shown consistent slow-down of land terminating glaciers in response to ice thinning. While highly insightful, these studies have relied on the analysis of glacier velocities over small regions and/or a limited number of glaciers. Here we analyze changes in ice velocities for thousands of glaciers in HMA from optical satellite images. Applying feature-tracking algorithms to the entire Landsat 7 (SLC-ON) and 8 archives, we generated surface velocity fields over 90% of the HMA with an uncertainty of the order of 4 m/yr. The change in velocities over the last 15 years will be analyzed with reference to regional glacier elevation changes and topographic characteristics. We show that the first-order temporal evolution of glacier flow mirrors the pattern of glacier elevation changes. We observe a general decrease of ice velocity in regions of known ice mass loss, and a more complex patterns consisting of mixed acceleration and decrease of ice velocity in regions that are experiencing near-equilibrium conditions and exhibit surging behavior. To provide long-term context we analyze Landsat 4/5 to construct sparse historic velocities and Hexagon KH-9 mapping camera imagery to reconstruct historic elevations dating back as early as the 1970'. However, the older imagery is sparse due to limited downlink locations and bandwidth. In addition, sensor geometry and pointing knowledge are crude in comparison to modern imagery, imagery is often saturated (featureless) over bright snow and ice surface, and many images suffer from banding artifacts.

Surface Response to Regional Uplift of Madagascar Reveals Short Wavelength Dynamic Topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, S.; White, N.

2016-12-01

The physiography of Madagascar is characterized by high elevation but low relief topography with 42% of the landscape at an elevation grgeater than 500 m. Eocene marine limestones crop out at an elevation of 400 m, extensive low relief erosion surfaces capped by laterites occur at elevations of up to 2 km, and longitudinal river profiles are disequilibrated. Together, these observations suggest that Madagascar underwent regional uplift in Neogene times. Inverse modeling of drainage networks suggests that regional uplift is diachronous and has occurred on wavelengths of 1000 km. The existence of deeply incised river channels together with low-temperature thermochronologic measurements (i.e. AFT, AHe) implies that erosion occurred in response to regional Neogene uplift. Admittance analysis of long wavelength free-air gravity and topography shows that admittance, Z = 45 ± 5 mGal/km. The history of Neogene volcanism and a lack of significant tectonic shortening both suggest that uplift is dynamically supported. Here we present a suite of U-Th dates of emergent coral reef deposits from northern Madagascar, whose margins are sometimes considered `stable'. Elevation of these coeval coral reefs decreases from 7.2 m at the northern tip of Madagascar to sea level 100 km to the south. The existence of a spatial gradient suggests that differential vertical motions occurred during Late Quaternary times. These results raise significant questions about the reliability both of emergent coral reefs as global sea-level markers and the length-scale of variations in dynamic topography.

Hypervitaminosis A causing hypercalcemia in cystic fibrosis. Case report and focused review.

PubMed

Safi, Khalid H; Filbrun, Amy G; Nasr, Samya Z

2014-10-01

Hypercalcemia is a rare complication of hypervitaminosis A. We report a pediatric patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) and pancreatic insufficiency who was found to have hypervitaminosis A causing hypercalcemia, complicated by nephrocalcinosis and renal impairment. The patient is a 4-year-old girl with pancreatic-insufficient CF, gastroesophageal reflux, oral aversion, and failure to thrive requiring gastrostomy tube placement. She was prescribed Source CF vitamins, but rarely received the full dose, due to emesis and intolerance. She had routine annual labs that revealed hypercalcemia with elevated blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, which were not present in her previous annual labs. Upon further questioning, her mother reported that she seemed more fatigued for a few weeks, had abdominal pain, and was urinating more frequently. Upon admission to the hospital, laboratory results revealed elevated HCO3, while serum levels of potassium, phosphorus, and albumin were within normal limits. Vitamin D (25-hydroxy) level was low, and vitamin A level was elevated. Extensive metabolic and hormonal workup for the etiology of the hypercalcemia revealed evidence of chronic renal insufficiency and elevated vitamin A levels. She had a renal ultrasound that revealed bilateral nephrocalciosis. Diagnosis of chronic hypervitaminosis A complicated by hypercalcemia was made and was managed by holding vitamin A supplements, aggressive diuresis, and prednisolone. This case emphasizes the importance of regular vitamin A monitoring in patients with CF. There is a wide variability for the lowest intake required to cause toxicity, and the lower limit to cause toxicity has not been determined.

Stress Induced Cardiomyopathy Triggered by Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Case Series Challenging the Mayo Clinic Definition.

PubMed

Christodoulidis, Georgios; Kundoor, Vishwa; Kaluski, Edo

2017-08-28

BACKGROUND Various physical and emotional factors have been previously described as triggers for stress induced cardiomyopathy. However, acute myocardial infarction as a trigger has never been reported. CASE REPORT We describe four patients who presented with an acute myocardial infarction, in whom the initial echocardiography revealed wall motion abnormalities extending beyond the coronary distribution of the infarct artery. Of the four patients identified, the mean age was 59 years; three patients were women and two patients had underlying psychiatric history. Electrocardiogram revealed ST elevation in the anterior leads in three patients; QTc was prolonged in all cases. All patients had ≤ moderately elevated troponin. Single culprit lesion was found uniformly in the proximal or mid left anterior descending artery. Initial echocardiography revealed severely reduced ejection fraction with relative sparing of the basal segments, whereas early repeat echocardiography revealed significant improvement in the left ventricular function in all patients. CONCLUSIONS This is the first case series demonstrating that acute myocardial infarction can trigger stress induced cardiomyopathy. Extensive reversible wall motion abnormalities, beyond the ones expected from angiography, accompanied by modest elevation in troponin and marked QTc prolongation, suggest superimposed stress induced cardiomyopathy.

Treatment of Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Process Analysis of Patient and Program Factors in a Teaching Hospital.

PubMed

Shepple, Benjamin I; Thistlethwaite, William A; Schumann, Christopher L; Akosah, Kwame O; Schutt, Robert C; Keeley, Ellen C

2016-09-01

As part of a quality improvement project, we performed a process analysis to evaluate how patients presenting with type 1 non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are diagnosed and managed early after the diagnosis has been made. We performed a retrospective chart review and collected detailed information regarding the timing of the first 12-lead electrocardiogram, troponin order entry and first positive troponin result, administration of anticoagulation and antiplatelet medications, and referral for coronary angiography to identify areas of treatment variability and delay. A total of 242 patients with type 1 non-STEMI were included. The majority of patients received aspirin early after presentation to the emergency department; however, there was significant variability in the time from presentation to administration of other medications, including anticoagulation and P2Y12 therapy, even after an elevated troponin level was documented in the chart. Lack of a standardized non-STEMI admission order set, inconsistency regarding whether the emergency department physician or the cardiology admitting team order these medications after the diagnosis is made, and per current protocol, the initial call regarding the patient made to the cardiology fellow, not the admitting house staff, were identified as possible contributors to the delay. Patients who presented during "nighttime" hours had higher rates of atypical symptoms (P = 0.036) and longer delays to coronary angiography (46.5 versus 24 hours, P < 0.001) even in those deemed intermediate to high risk. A process analysis revealed considerable variation in non-STEMI treatment in our teaching hospital and identified specific areas for quality improvement measures.

Use of an imaging device after nonablative radiofrequency (Pellevé): treatment of periorbital rhytids.

PubMed

Javate, Reynaldo M; Grantoza, Charlene L; Buyucan, Kathleen Faye N

2014-01-01

To use the Canfield Reveal imager in objective photo documentation of the effect of nonablative radiofrequency (Pellevé) treatment on periorbital rhytids. This is a prospective cohort study. Twelve patients underwent 1 to 2 sessions of nonablative radiofrequency (Pellevé) treatment over the periorbital region. aged 30 to 60 years old, minimal tissue laxity, and shallow wrinkle development. Standardized reproducible photographs (left, frontal, right views) with use of the Canfield Reveal imager's superimposition feature were taken of each patient prior, immediately after application, and on 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th week follow up. Brow elevation was measured in the pre- and posttreatment photographs with the use of the Canfield Reveal imager and rendered the photographs in 3-dimensional images. Comparison of the pre- and posttreatment photographs taken via the Canfield Reveal imager showed reduction in the wrinkles, smoothening, and tightening of the eyelid and the periorbital tissue. Patients exhibited an average increase of 2.05 mm (p<0.001) of eyebrow lift and 0.98 mm (p<0.001) of superior eyelid crease elevation immediately after treatment. Eight weeks after, average brow elevation was measured at 3.52 mm (p<0.001) and crease elevation at 1.84 mm (p<0.001). The 3-dimensional imaging feature rendered in normal skin tone, and shades of gray showed softening of fine lines and crow's feet after treatment. Furthermore, it also rendered in color relief that highlighted the changes seen with depressions noted to decrease after treatment. The Canfield Reveal imager can be used in the objective photodocumentation of subtle and modest effects of nonablative radiofrequency (Pellevé) treatment to the periorbital region.

Traumatic Hemothorax Blood Contains Elevated Levels of Microparticles that are Prothrombotic but Inhibit Platelet Aggregation.

PubMed

Mitchell, Thomas A; Herzig, Maryanne C; Fedyk, Chriselda G; Salhanick, Marc A; Henderson, Aaron T; Parida, Bijaya K; Prat, Nicolas J; Dent, Daniel L; Schwacha, Martin G; Cap, Andrew P

2017-06-01

Autotransfusion of shed blood from traumatic hemothorax is an attractive option for resuscitation of trauma patients in austere environments. However, previous analyses revealed that shed hemothorax (HX) blood is defibrinated, thrombocytopenic, and contains elevated levels of D-dimer. Mixing studies with normal pooled plasma demonstrated hypercoagulability, evoking concern for potentiation of acute traumatic coagulopathy. We hypothesized that induction of coagulopathic changes by shed HX blood may be due to increases in cellular microparticles (MP) and that these may also affect recipient platelet function. Shed HX blood was obtained from 17 adult trauma patients under an Institutional Review Board approved prospective observational protocol. Blood samples were collected every hour up to 4 h after thoracostomy tube placement. The corresponding plasma was isolated and frozen for analysis. The effects of shed HX frozen plasma (HFP) and isolated HX microparticles (HMP) on coagulation and platelet function were assessed through mixing studies with platelet-rich plasma at various dilutions followed by analysis with thromboelastometry (ROTEM), platelet aggregometry (Multiplate), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and flow cytometry. Furthermore, HFP was assessed for von Willebrand factor antigen levels and multimer content, and plasma-free hemoglobin. ROTEM analysis demonstrated that diluted HFP and isolated HMP samples decreased clotting time, clotting formation time, and increased α angle, irrespective of sample concentrations, when compared with diluted control plasma. Isolated HMP inhibited platelet aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate, arachidonic acid, and collagen. HFP contained elevated levels of fibrin-degradation products and tissue factor compared with control fresh frozen plasma samples. MP concentrations in HFP were significantly increased and enriched in events positive for phosphatidylserine, tissue factor, CD235, CD45, CD41a, and CD14. von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimer analysis revealed significant loss of high molecular weight multimers in HFP samples. Plasma-free hemoglobin levels were 8-fold higher in HFP compared with fresh frozen plasma. HFP induces plasma hypercoagulability that is likely related to increased tissue factor and phosphatidylserine expression originating from cell-derived MP. In contrast, platelet dysfunction is induced by HMP, potentially aggravated by depletion of high molecular weight multimers of vWF. Thus, autologous transfusion of shed traumatic hemothorax blood may induce a range of undesirable effects in patients with acute traumatic coagulopathy.

Usefulness of laser ablation ICP-MS for analysis of metallic particles released to oral mucosa after insertion of dental implants.

PubMed

Sajnóg, Adam; Hanć, Anetta; Koczorowski, Ryszard; Makuch, Krzysztof; Barałkiewicz, Danuta

2018-03-01

Despite the fact that titanium is considered highly biocompatible, its presence in the oral cavity (an environment of frequently changing pH and temperature) may result in the release of titanium from intraosseous implants into the oral mucosa, causing a range of reactions from the human body. Fragments of oral mucosa collected from patients after dental implant insertion were analyzed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The study revealed an elevated content of elements (Ti, Al, V) which are components of the metal implants and temporary cover screws. Dynamic ablation of the tissue surface was used in order to obtain maps of the content and distribution of analyzed elements. The material consisted of 30 oral mucosa tissue fragments collected 3-5 months after implantation and 10 samples collected before implantation (control group). The application of optical microscope allowed for indication and confirmation of the location of metal particles prior to LA-ICP-MS analysis. The so-obtained map permitted location of regions containing metal particles. LA-ICP-MS analysis revealed groups of samples with similar properties of metal particles, thus confirming that those metal particles were the main source of the elevated content of metals (Ti, Al, V) in the tissue after implantation. A calibration strategy based on matrix matched solid standards with powdered egg white proteins as matrix material was applied with 34 S as an internal standard. The accuracy of the analytical method was verified by ablating pellets of certified reference material ERM-BB422 Fish muscle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Breeding habitat preference of preimaginal black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Ya'cob, Zubaidah; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Pramual, Pairot; Low, Van Lun; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2016-01-01

To investigate the breeding habitat preference of black flies, a comprehensive black fly survey was conducted for the first time in Peninsular Malaysia. Preimaginal black flies (pupae and larvae) were collected manually from 180 stream points encompassing northern, southern, central and east coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 47 black fly species were recorded in this study. The predominant species were Simulium trangense (36.7%) and Simulium angulistylum (33.3%). Relatively common species were Simulium cheongi (29.4%), Simulium tani (25.6%), Simulium nobile (16.2%), Simulium sheilae (14.5%) and Simulium bishopi (10.6%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of all stream variables revealed four PCs that accounted for 69.3% of the total intersite variance. Regression analysis revealed that high species richness is associated with larger, deeper, faster and higher discharge streams with larger streambed particles, more riparian vegetation and low pH (F=22.7, d.f.=1, 173; P<0.001). Relationship between species occurrence of seven common species (present in >10% of the sampling sites) was assessed. Forward logistic regression analysis indicated that four species were significantly related to the stream variables. S. nobile and S. tani prefer large, fast flowing streams with higher pH, large streambed particles and riparian trees. S. bishopi was commonly found at high elevation with cooler stream, low conductivity, higher conductivity and more riparian trees. In contrast, S. sheilae was negatively correlated with PC-2, thus, this species commonly found at low elevation, warmer stream with low conductivity and less riparian trees. The results of this study are consistent with previous studies from other geographic regions, which indicated that both physical and chemical stream conditions are the key factors for black fly ecology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metals associated with stormwater-relevant brake and tire samples

PubMed Central

McKenzie, Erica R.; Money, Jon E.; Green, Peter G.; Young, Thomas M.

2009-01-01

Properly apportioning the loads of metals in highway stormwater runoff to the appropriate sources requires accurate data on source composition, especially regarding constituents that help to distinguish among sources. Representative tire and brake samples were collected from privately owned vehicles and aqueous extracts were analyzed for twenty-eight elements. Correlation principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that tires were most influenced by Zn, Pb, and Cu, while brakes were best characterized by Na and Fe followed by Ba, Cu, Mg, Mn, and K; the latter three may be due to roadside soil contributions. Notably elevated Cd contributions were found in several brake samples. A targeted Cd-plated brake rotor was sampled, producing results consistent with the elevated levels found in the larger sample population. This enriched source of Cd is of particular concern due to high toxicity of Cd in aquatic ecosystems. PMID:19709720

Berberine-induced autophagic cell death by elevating GRP78 levels in cancer cells.

PubMed

La, Xiaoqin; Zhang, Lichao; Li, Zhuoyu; Yang, Peng; Wang, Yingying

2017-03-28

Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma, has been shown to induce cancer cell autophagic death. Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is associated with stress-induced autophagy. However, the related mechanisms between berberine-induced cancer cell autophagy and GRP78 remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that berberine can induce autophagic cancer cell death by elevating levels of GRP78. These results further demonstrated that berberine enhanced GRP78 by suppression of ubiquitination / proteasomal degradation of GRP78 and activation of ATF6. Moreover, fluorescence spectrum assay revealed that berberine could bind to GRP78 and form complexes. Finally, co-IP analysis showed that the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34 was increased with berberine treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that berberine induces autophagic cancer cell death via enhancing GRP78 levels and the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34.

Berberine-induced autophagic cell death by elevating GRP78 levels in cancer cells

PubMed Central

Li, Zhuoyu; Yang, Peng; Wang, Yingying

2017-01-01

Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid extracted from Coptidis Rhizoma, has been shown to induce cancer cell autophagic death. Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is associated with stress-induced autophagy. However, the related mechanisms between berberine-induced cancer cell autophagy and GRP78 remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that berberine can induce autophagic cancer cell death by elevating levels of GRP78. These results further demonstrated that berberine enhanced GRP78 by suppression of ubiquitination / proteasomal degradation of GRP78 and activation of ATF6. Moreover, fluorescence spectrum assay revealed that berberine could bind to GRP78 and form complexes. Finally, co-IP analysis showed that the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34 was increased with berberine treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that berberine induces autophagic cancer cell death via enhancing GRP78 levels and the ability of GRP78 to bind to VPS34. PMID:28157699

Risk Factors Associated with Renal Involvement in Childhood Henoch-Schönlein Purpura: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Chan, Han; Tang, Yan-Ling; Lv, Xiao-Hang; Zhang, Gao-Fu; Wang, Mo; Yang, Hai-Ping; Li, Qiu

2016-01-01

Background and objective Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is an important cause of chronic kidney disease in children. This meta-analysis identified risk factors associated with renal involvement in childhood HSP. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. The quality of all eligible studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale criteria. An analysis of possible risk factors was conducted to report the odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD). Results Thirteen studies (2398 children) revealed 20 possible and 13 significant risk factors associated with renal involvement in HSP, with the following meta-analysis estimates of OR and WMD, with 95% confidence intervals: older age (0.90, 0.61–1.19); age > 10 y (3.13, 1.39–7.07); male gender (1.36, 1.07–1.74); abdominal pain (1.94,1.24–3.04); gastrointestinal bleeding (1.86, 1.30–2.65); severe bowel angina (3.38, 1.17–9.80); persistent purpura (4.02, 1.22–13.25); relapse (4.70, 2.42–9.14); WBC > 15 × 109/L (2.42, 1.39–4.22); platelets > 500 × 109/L (2.98, 1.22–7.25); elevated antistreptolysin O (ASO) (2.17, 1.29–3.64); and decreased complement component 3 (C3) (3.13, 1.62–6.05). Factors not significantly associated with renal involvement were: blood pressure; orchitis; elevated C-reactive protein; elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR); and elevated serum IgA/IgE or IgG. Arthritis/arthralgia may be a risk factor according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (1.41, 1.01–1.96). Conclusion The following are associated with renal involvement in pediatric HSP: male gender; > 10 y old; severe gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, and severe bowel angina); arthritis/arthralgia; persistent purpura or relapse; WBC > 15 × 109/L; platelets > 500 × 109/L; elevated ASO; and low C3. Relevant clinical interventions for these risk factors may exert positive effects on the prevention of kidney disease during the early stages of HSP. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the limitations of the studies. PMID:27902749

Electrical and magnetic properties of spherical SmFeO{sub 3} synthesized by aspartic acid assisted combustion method

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

Yuvaraj, Subramanian; Layek, Samar; Vidyavathy, S. Manisha

2015-12-15

Highlights: • SmFeO{sub 3} is synthesized by simple combustion method using aspartic acid as the fuel. • The particles are spherical in shape with the size ranges between 150 and 300 nm. • Cole–Cole plot infers the bulk conduction mechanism. • Room temperature VSM analysis reveal the weak ferromagnetic behaviour of SmFeO{sub 3}. • Mössbauer analysis elucidates the +3 oxidation state of Fe atoms. - Abstract: Samarium orthoferrite (SmFeO{sub 3}) is synthesized by a simple combustion method using aspartic acid as fuel. Phase purity and functional groups are analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, whichmore » confirms the single phase formation of orthorhombic SmFeO{sub 3}. Approximately spherical particles with size range 150–300 nm is revealed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The conductivity of the material is identified by the single semicircle obtained in the solid state impedance spectra at elevated temperatures. The calculated electrical conductivity increases with increasing temperature, inferring the semiconducting nature of SmFeO{sub 3}. A magnetic study at room temperature revealed weak ferromagnetic behaviour in SmFeO{sub 3} due to Dzyaloshinsky–Moriya antisymmetric exchange interaction mechanism. Mössbauer analysis confirmed the +3 oxidation state of iron and magnetic ordering of the sample at room temperature.« less

Elevation of cAMP Levels Inhibits Doxorubicin-Induced Apoptosis in Pre- B ALL NALM- 6 Cells Through Induction of BAD Phosphorylation and Inhibition of P53 Accumulation.

PubMed

Fatemi, Ahmad; Kazemi, Ahmad; Kashiri, Meysam; Safa, Majid

2015-01-01

Recognition of the molecular mechanisms of cAMP action against DNA damage-induced apoptosis can be useful to improve the efficacy of DNA damaging therapeutic agents. Considering the critical role of bcl-2-associated death promoter (BAD) and p53 proteins in DNA damage -induced apoptosis, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of cAMP-elevating agents on these proteins in doxorubicin-treated pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) NALM-6 cells.The pre-B ALL cell line NALM-6 was cultured and treated with doxorubicin in combination with or without cAMP-elevating agents forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Cell viability was measured by trypan blue staining and MTT assay. For evaluation of apoptosis, annexin-V staining by flow cytometry and caspase-3 activity assay were used. Protein expression of p53, BAD and phoshorylated BAD was detected by western blotting analysis.cAMP-increasing agents diminished the doxorubicin-mediated cytotoxicity in NALM-6 cells as indicated by the viability assays. Annexin-V apoptosis assay showed that the cAMP-elevating agents decreased doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Moreover, doxorubicin-induced caspase-3 activity was attenuated in the presence of cAMP-increasing agents. Western blot results revealed the reduced expression of p53 protein in cells treated with combination of cAMP-elevating agents and doxorubicin in contrast to cells treated with doxorubicin alone. Expression of total BAD protein was not affected by doxorubicin and cAMP-elevating agents. However, phosphorylation of BAD protein was induced in the presence of cAMP-elevating agents. Our study suggests that elevated cAMP levels inhibit doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in pre-B ALL cells through induction of BAD phosphorylation and abrogation of p53 accumulation.

The relationship of meteorological patterns with changes in floristic richness along a large elevational gradient in a seasonally dry region of southern Mexico.

PubMed

Salas-Morales, Silvia H; Meave, Jorge A; Trejo, Irma

2015-12-01

Globally, climate is a fundamental driver of plant species' geographical distributions, yet we still lack a good understanding of climatic variation on tropical mountains and its consequences for elevational floristic patterns. In a seasonally dry region of southern Mexico, we analysed meteorological patterns along a large elevational gradient (0-3670 m a.s.l.) and examined their relationship with changes in floristic richness. Meteorological patterns were characterised using two data sources. First, climatic information was extracted from cartography and records from a few existing meteorological stations. Additionally, air temperature and humidity were recorded hourly during 1 year with data loggers, at sites representing 200-m elevation increments. Floristic information was extracted from a database containing 10,124 records of plant collections, and organized in 200-m elevational belts. Climatic charts distinguished three climate types along the gradient, all with marked rainfall seasonality, but these bore little correspondence with the information obtained with the data loggers. Mean annual air temperature decreased with increasing elevation (lapse rate of 0.542 °C 100 m(-1)). Thermal oscillation was minimum around 1400 m and increased towards both extremes of the gradient. Relative humidity opposed this pattern, with maxima between 800 and 1800 m, decreasing towards the highest elevations. An analysis of temperature frequency distributions revealed meteorological features undetectable from the annual or monthly means of this variable; despite an overall gradual transition of the proportions of time recorded at different temperatures, some changes did not conform to this pattern. The first discontinuity occurred between 1000-1200 m, where dominant temperatures shifted abruptly; also noticeable was an abrupt increase of the proportion of time elapsed at 0.1-10 °C between 2400 and 2600 m. Air temperature appears to be the most influential climatic factor driving elevational variation of plant species richness in this region.

The role of climate in the dynamics of a hybrid zone in Appalachian salamanders

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walls, Susan

2009-01-01

I examined the potential influence of climate change on the dynamics of a previously studied hybrid zone between a pair of terrestrial salamanders at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, U.S. Forest Service, in the Nantahala Mountains of North Carolina, USA. A 16-year study led by Nelson G. Hairston, Sr. revealed that Plethodon teyahalee and Plethodon shermani hybridized at intermediate elevations, forming a cline between 'pure' parental P. teyahalee at lower elevations and 'pure' parental P. shermani at higher elevations. From 1974 to 1990 the proportion of salamanders at the higher elevation scored as 'pure' P. shermani declined significantly, indicating that the hybrid zone was spreading upward. To date there have been no rigorous tests of hypotheses for the movement of this hybrid zone. Using temperature and precipitation data from Coweeta, I re-analyzed Hairston's data to examine whether the observed elevational shift was correlated with variation in either air temperature or precipitation from the same time period. For temperature, my analysis tracked the results of the original study: the proportion of 'pure' P. shermani at the higher elevation declined significantly with increasing mean annual temperature, whereas the proportion of 'pure' P. teyahalee at lower elevations did not. There was no discernable relationship between proportions of 'pure' individuals of either species with variation in precipitation. From 1974 to 1990, low-elevation air temperatures at the Coweeta Laboratory ranged from annual means of 11.8 to 14.2 °C, compared with a 55-year average (1936-1990) of 12.6 °C. My re-analyses indicate that the upward spread of the hybrid zone is correlated with increasing air temperatures, but not precipitation, and provide an empirical test of a hypothesis for one factor that may have influenced this movement. My results aid in understanding the potential impact that climate change may have on the ecology and evolution of terrestrial salamanders in montane regions.

CITED2 modulates estrogen receptor transcriptional activity in breast cancer cells

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

Lau, Wen Min; Doucet, Michele; Huang, David

2013-07-26

Highlights: •The effects of elevated CITED2 on ER function in breast cancer cells are examined. •CITED2 enhances cell growth in the absence of estrogen and presence of tamoxifen. •CITED2 functions as a transcriptional co-activator of ER in breast cancer cells. -- Abstract: Cbp/p300-interacting transactivator with Glu/Asp-rich carboxy-terminal domain 2 (CITED2) is a member of the CITED family of non-DNA binding transcriptional co-activators of the p300/CBP-mediated transcription complex. Previously, we identified CITED2 as being overexpressed in human breast tumors relative to normal mammary epithelium. Upon further investigation within the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive subset of these breast tumor samples, we found thatmore » CITED2 mRNA expression was elevated in those associated with poor survival. In light of this observation, we investigated the effect of elevated CITED2 levels on ER function. While ectopic overexpression of CITED2 in three ER-positive breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T47D, and CAMA-1) did not alter cell proliferation in complete media, growth was markedly enhanced in the absence of exogenous estrogen. Correspondingly, cells overexpressing CITED2 demonstrated reduced sensitivity to the growth inhibitory effects of the selective estrogen receptor modulator, 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Subsequent studies revealed that basal ER transcriptional activity was elevated in CITED2-overexpressing cells and was further increased upon the addition of estrogen. Similarly, basal and estrogen-induced expression of the ER-regulated genes trefoil factor 1 (TFF1) and progesterone receptor (PGR) was higher in cells overexpressing CITED2. Concordant with this observation, ChIP analysis revealed higher basal levels of CITED2 localized to the TFF-1 and PGR promoters in cells with ectopic overexpression of CITED2, and these levels were elevated further in response to estrogen stimulation. Taken together, these data indicate that CITED2 functions as a transcriptional co-activator of ER in breast cancer cells and that its increased expression in tumors may result in estrogen-independent ER activation, thereby reducing estrogen dependence and response to anti-estrogen therapy.« less

The effects of administration of monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors on rat striatal neurone responses to dopamine.

PubMed Central

Berry, M D; Scarr, E; Zhu, M Y; Paterson, I A; Juorio, A V

1994-01-01

1. (-)-Deprenyl has been shown to potentiate rat striatal neurone responses to dopamine agonists at doses not altering dopamine metabolism. Since there are a number of effects of (-)-deprenyl which could result in this phenomenon, we have investigated the effects of MDL 72,145 and Ro 19-6327, whose only common effect with (-)-deprenyl is an inhibition of monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), on rat striatal neurone responses to dopamine and on striatal dopamine metabolism. 2. Using in vivo electrophysiology, i.p. injection of either MDL 72,145 or Ro 19-6327 was found to produce a dose-dependent potentiation of striatal neurone responses to dopamine but not gamma-aminobutyric acid. 3. Neurochemical investigations revealed that this occurred at doses (0.25-1 mg kg-1) which, while not affecting levels of dopamine or its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid or homovanillic acid, did cause a significant, dose-dependent, elevation in striatal levels of the putative neuromodulator, 2-phenylethylamine (PE). 4. Inhibition of PE synthesis by i.p. injection of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, NSD 1015, produced a reversal of the effects of MDL 72,145 and Ro 19-6327. 5. Neurochemical analysis revealed this to occur at a dose of NSD 1015 (10 mg kg-1) selective for reduction of elevated PE levels. 6. These results suggest that PE can act as a neuromodulator of dopaminergic responses and that MAO-B inhibitors may potentiate neuronal responses to dopamine via the indirect mechanism of elevation of PE following MAO-B inhibition. PMID:7889269

A case of brugada syndrome presenting with ventricular fibrillation storm and prominent early repolarization.

PubMed

Iizuka, Chifumi; Sato, Masahito; Kitazawa, Hitoshi; Ikeda, Yoshio; Okabe, Masaaki; Kugiyama, Kiyotaka; Aizawa, Yoshifusa

2016-01-01

A 21-year-old man developed ventricular fibrillation (VF) while drinking alcohol and was admitted to our hospital. An electrocardiogram (ECG) on admission revealed remarkably prominent slurs on the terminal part of QRS complexes in the left precordial leads and a coved type ST elevation at higher intercostal spaces. After hypothermia therapy, he underwent implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Standard twelve-lead follow-up ECGs revealed early repolarization pattern and an intermittent coved type ST elevation. When the coved type ST elevation appeared, the early repolarization pattern in the inferior and left precordial leads was attenuated. Prominent early repolarization pattern was the most likely trigger of the VF storm in this Brugada patient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heart Disease Death Rates in Low Versus High Land Elevation Counties in the U.S.

PubMed

Hart, John

2015-01-01

Previous research on land elevation and cancer death rates in the U.S. revealed lower cancer death rates in higher elevations. The present study further tests the possible effect of land elevation on a diffident health outcome, namely, heart disease death rates. U.S. counties not overlapping in their land elevations according to their lowest and highest elevation points were identified. Using an ecological design, heart disease death rates for two races (black and white) corresponding to lower elevation counties were compared to heart disease death rates in higher land elevation counties using the two-sample t-test and effect size statistics. Death rates in higher land elevation counties for both races were lower compared to the death rates in lower land elevation counties (p < 0.001) with large effect sizes (of > 0.70). Since this is an observational study, no causal inference is claimed, and further research is indicated to verify these findings.

Heart Disease Death Rates in Low Versus High Land Elevation Counties in the U.S

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Previous research on land elevation and cancer death rates in the U.S. revealed lower cancer death rates in higher elevations. The present study further tests the possible effect of land elevation on a diffident health outcome, namely, heart disease death rates. U.S. counties not overlapping in their land elevations according to their lowest and highest elevation points were identified. Using an ecological design, heart disease death rates for two races (black and white) corresponding to lower elevation counties were compared to heart disease death rates in higher land elevation counties using the two-sample t-test and effect size statistics. Death rates in higher land elevation counties for both races were lower compared to the death rates in lower land elevation counties (p < 0.001) with large effect sizes (of > 0.70). Since this is an observational study, no causal inference is claimed, and further research is indicated to verify these findings. PMID:26674102

[Arf6, RalA and BIRC5 protein expression in non small cell lung cancer].

PubMed

Knizhnik, A V; Kovaleva, O B; Laktionov, K K; Mochal'nikova, V V; Komel'kov, A V; Chevkina, E M; Zborovskaia, I B

2011-01-01

Evaluation of tumor markers expression pattern which determines individual progression parameters is one of the major topics in molecular oncopathology research. This work presents research on expression analysis of several Ras-Ral associated signal transduction pathway proteins (Arf6, RalA and BIRC5) in accordance with clinical criteria in non small cell lung cancer patients. Using Western-blot analysis and RT-PCR Arf6, RalA and BIRC5 expression has been analyzed in parallel in 53 non small cell lung cancer samples of different origin. Arf6 protein expression was elevated in 55% non small cell lung cancer tumor samples in comparison with normal tissue. In the group of squamous cell lung cancer Arf6 expression elevation was observed more often. RalA protein expression was decreased in comparison to normal tissue samples in 64% of non small cell lung cancer regardless to morphological structure. Correlation between RalA protein expression decrease and absence of regional metastases was revealed for squamous cell lung cancer. BIRC5 protein expression in tumor samples versus corresponding normal tissue was 1.3 times more often elevated in the squamous cell lung cancer group (in 76% tumor samples). At the same time elevation of BIRC5 expression was fixed only in 63% of adenocarcinoma tumor samples. A statistically significant decrease (p = 0.0158) of RalA protein expression and increase (p = 0.0498) of Arf6 protein expression in comparison with normal tissue was found for T1-2N0M0 and T1-2N1-2M0 groups of squamous cell lung cancer correspondingly.

Reconstructing initial Mediterranean Outflow from Benthic Foraminifera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Gallardo, A.; Grunert, P.; Voelker, A. H. L.; Mendes, I.; Piller, W. E.

2016-12-01

The onset of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) takes place after the opening of the Gibraltar Strait (5.33 Ma). Its impact on oceanography and climate in the present is widely studied but its role in the early Pliocene is not well explored yet. Quantitative analysis of benthic foraminifera has been performed on sediment samples from the lower part of IODP Hole U1387C (IODP Expedition 339) in order to reconstruct paleoenvironmental changes during the late Miocene-early Pliocene. Micropaleontological records reveal a shift from reduced oxygenation in the late Miocene to a better ventilated setting during the early Pliocene likely related to the first evidence of Mediterranean-Atlantic exchange. Increased abundances of the functional benthic foraminiferal "elevated epifauna" group have been directly related to MOW in the Gulf of Cadiz since they are adapted to settle on substrates above the sediment surface to catch food particles from strong bottom currents (Schönfeld, 2002). In our study, the elevated epifauna is represented by Planulina ariminensis, Cibicides lobatulus and C. refulgens. However, our early Pliocene records reveal that peak abundances of C. lobatulus and C. refulgens are well correlated with allochthonous shelf taxa and grain-size maxima, suggesting downslope transport to deeper settings. To clarify this issue, stable isotope analyses (δ18O, δ13C) have been performed on shells of shelf dwellers, deep water taxa and elevated epifauna from Pliocene and present-day samples from the Iberian Margin. Preliminary results indicate that some elevated epifaunal elements have a broad bathymetric range and are not always autochthonous to deeper settings. In the early Pliocene Gulf of Cadiz, characterized by frequent turbidite deposition, P. ariminensis would thus remain the only reliable indicator of MOW. Schönfeld, J., 2002. A new benthic foraminiferal proxy for near-bottom current velocities in the Gulf of cadiz, Northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Deep-Sea Res I 49:1853-1875.

Alteration of Microbial Communities Colonizing Leaf Litter in a Temperate Woodland Stream by Growth of Trees under Conditions of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 ▿

PubMed Central

Kelly, John J.; Bansal, Amit; Winkelman, Jonathan; Janus, Lori R.; Hell, Shannon; Wencel, Marie; Belt, Patricia; Kuehn, Kevin A.; Rier, Steven T.; Tuchman, Nancy C.

2010-01-01

Elevated atmospheric CO2 can cause increased carbon fixation and altered foliar chemical composition in a variety of plants, which has the potential to impact forested headwater streams because they are detritus-based ecosystems that rely on leaf litter as their primary source of organic carbon. Fungi and bacteria play key roles in the entry of terrestrial carbon into aquatic food webs, as they decompose leaf litter and serve as a source of nutrition for invertebrate consumers. This study tested the hypothesis that changes in leaf chemistry caused by elevated atmospheric CO2 would result in changes in the size and composition of microbial communities colonizing leaves in a woodland stream. Three tree species, Populus tremuloides, Salix alba, and Acer saccharum, were grown under ambient (360 ppm) or elevated (720 ppm) CO2, and their leaves were incubated in a woodland stream. Elevated-CO2 treatment resulted in significant increases in the phenolic and tannin contents and C/N ratios of leaves. Microbial effects, which occurred only for P. tremuloides leaves, included decreased fungal biomass and decreased bacterial counts. Analysis of fungal and bacterial communities on P. tremuloides leaves via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library sequencing revealed that fungal community composition was mostly unchanged by the elevated-CO2 treatment, whereas bacterial communities showed a significant shift in composition and a significant increase in diversity. Specific changes in bacterial communities included increased numbers of alphaproteobacterial and cytophaga-flavobacter-bacteroides (CFB) group sequences and decreased numbers of betaproteobacterial and firmicutes sequences, as well as a pronounced decrease in overall Gram-positive bacterial sequences. PMID:20543045

Alteration of microbial communities colonizing leaf litter in a temperate woodland stream by growth of trees under conditions of elevated atmospheric CO2.

PubMed

Kelly, John J; Bansal, Amit; Winkelman, Jonathan; Janus, Lori R; Hell, Shannon; Wencel, Marie; Belt, Patricia; Kuehn, Kevin A; Rier, Steven T; Tuchman, Nancy C

2010-08-01

Elevated atmospheric CO(2) can cause increased carbon fixation and altered foliar chemical composition in a variety of plants, which has the potential to impact forested headwater streams because they are detritus-based ecosystems that rely on leaf litter as their primary source of organic carbon. Fungi and bacteria play key roles in the entry of terrestrial carbon into aquatic food webs, as they decompose leaf litter and serve as a source of nutrition for invertebrate consumers. This study tested the hypothesis that changes in leaf chemistry caused by elevated atmospheric CO(2) would result in changes in the size and composition of microbial communities colonizing leaves in a woodland stream. Three tree species, Populus tremuloides, Salix alba, and Acer saccharum, were grown under ambient (360 ppm) or elevated (720 ppm) CO(2), and their leaves were incubated in a woodland stream. Elevated-CO(2) treatment resulted in significant increases in the phenolic and tannin contents and C/N ratios of leaves. Microbial effects, which occurred only for P. tremuloides leaves, included decreased fungal biomass and decreased bacterial counts. Analysis of fungal and bacterial communities on P. tremuloides leaves via terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and clone library sequencing revealed that fungal community composition was mostly unchanged by the elevated-CO(2) treatment, whereas bacterial communities showed a significant shift in composition and a significant increase in diversity. Specific changes in bacterial communities included increased numbers of alphaproteobacterial and cytophaga-flavobacter-bacteroides (CFB) group sequences and decreased numbers of betaproteobacterial and firmicutes sequences, as well as a pronounced decrease in overall gram-positive bacterial sequences.

Intrinsic increase in lymphangion muscle contractility in response to elevated afterload

PubMed Central

Scallan, Joshua P.; Wolpers, John H.; Muthuchamy, Mariappan; Gashev, Anatoliy A.; Zawieja, David C.

2012-01-01

Collecting lymphatic vessels share functional and biochemical characteristics with cardiac muscle; thus, we hypothesized that the lymphatic vessel pump would exhibit behavior analogous to homeometric regulation of the cardiac pump in its adaptation to elevated afterload, i.e., an increase in contractility. Single lymphangions containing two valves were isolated from the rat mesenteric microcirculation, cannulated, and pressurized for in vitro study. Pressures at either end of the lymphangion [input pressure (Pin), preload; output pressure (Pout), afterload] were set by a servo controller. Intralymphangion pressure (PL) was measured using a servo-null micropipette while internal diameter and valve positions were monitored using video methods. The responses to step- and ramp-wise increases in Pout (at low, constant Pin) were determined. PL and diameter data recorded during single contraction cycles were used to generate pressure-volume (P-V) relationships for the subsequent analysis of lymphangion pump behavior. Ramp-wise Pout elevation led to progressive vessel constriction, a rise in end-systolic diameter, and an increase in contraction frequency. Step-wise Pout elevation produced initial vessel distention followed by time-dependent declines in end-systolic and end-diastolic diameters. Significantly, a 30% leftward shift in the end-systolic P-V relationship accompanied an 84% increase in dP/dt after a step increase in Pout, consistent with an increase in contractility. Calculations of stroke work from the P-V loop area revealed that robust pumps produced net positive work to expel fluid throughout the entire afterload range, whereas weaker pumps exhibited progressively more negative work as gradual afterload elevation led to pump failure. We conclude that lymphatic muscle adapts to output pressure elevation with an intrinsic increase in contractility and that this compensatory mechanism facilitates the maintenance of lymph pump output in the face of edemagenic and/or gravitational loads. PMID:22886407

Contrasting impacts of ocean acidification and warming on the molecular responses of CO2-resilient oysters.

PubMed

Goncalves, Priscila; Thompson, Emma L; Raftos, David A

2017-06-02

This study characterises the molecular processes altered by both elevated CO 2 and increasing temperature in oysters. Differences in resilience of marine organisms against the environmental stressors associated with climate change will have significant implications for the sustainability of coastal ecosystems worldwide. Some evidence suggests that climate change resilience can differ between populations within a species. B2 oysters represent a unique genetic resource because of their capacity to better withstand the impacts of elevated CO 2 at the physiological level, compared to non-selected oysters from the same species (Saccostrea glomerata). Here, we used proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of gill tissue to evaluate whether the differential response of B2 oysters to elevated CO 2 also extends to increased temperature. Substantial and distinctive effects on protein concentrations and gene expression were evident among B2 oysters responding to elevated CO 2 or elevated temperature. The combination of both stressors also altered oyster gill proteomes and gene expression. However, the impacts of elevated CO 2 and temperature were not additive or synergistic, and may be antagonistic. The data suggest that the simultaneous exposure of CO 2 -resilient oysters to near-future projected ocean pH and temperature results in complex changes in molecular processes in order to prevent stress-induced cellular damage. The differential response of B2 oysters to the combined stressors also indicates that the addition of thermal stress may impair the resilience of these oysters to decreased pH. Overall, this study reveals the intracellular mechanisms that might enable marine calcifiers to endure the emergent, adverse seawater conditions resulting from climate change.

Serum nitric oxide metabolites and disease activity in patients with systemic sclerosis.

PubMed

Mok, Mo Yin; Fung, Peter Chin Wah; Ooi, Clara; Tse, Hung Fat; Wong, Yik; Lam, Yui Ming; Wong, Woon Sing; Lau, Chak Sing

2008-03-01

There is no surrogate marker in serum for defining disease activity in scleroderma (SSc). Nitric oxide (NO), which regulates vasodilation and possesses pro-inflammatory actions, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of SSc. We compared serum NO(x) (total nitrate and nitrite) level in SSc patients to healthy controls and evaluated its correlation with detailed symptomatology and scoring systems for various organ involvement. Symptoms and physical findings that suggested disease activity in regard to various organs were documented. Lung function test, high-resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) scan of thorax and echocardiography were performed. Serum NO(x) was measured by chemiluminescence. Serum NO(x) levels in SSc (n = 43) were significantly higher (72.4 +/- 47.8 microM) than age- and sex-matched controls (n = 41; 37.1 +/- 13.5 microM; p < 0.001). Serum NO(x) were not found to be associated with lung fibrosis defined by lung function parameters or inflammation and fibrosis scores on HRCT. Twenty-two patients were found to have elevated serum NO(x) level defined as mean +/- 2 SD of normal controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR 1.12, p = 0.02) and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) (n = 9; OR 145.3, p = 0.01) were predictive factors for elevated serum NO(x). Prednisolone use was associated with lower serum NO(x) level (OR 0.06, p = 0.04). Elevated PAP of increasing severity was found to be associated with higher level of serum NO(x) (p = 0.004 by trend). Serum NO(x) in SSc patients were elevated compared to healthy controls. Serum NO(x) level was determined by multiple factors including age, prednisolone use, and elevated PAP.

RNA-Seq Mouse Brain Regions Expression Data Analysis: Focus on ApoE Functional Network

PubMed

Babenko, Vladimir N; Smagin, Dmitry A; Kudryavtseva, Natalia N

2017-09-13

ApoE expression status was proved to be a highly specific marker of energy metabolism rate in the brain. Along with its neighbor, Translocase of Outer Mitochondrial Membrane 40 kDa (TOMM40) which is involved in mitochondrial metabolism, the corresponding genomic region constitutes the neuroenergetic hotspot. Using RNA-Seq data from a murine model of chronic stress a significant positive expression coordination of seven neighboring genes in ApoE locus in five brain regions was observed. ApoE maintains one of the highest absolute expression values genome-wide, implying that ApoE can be the driver of the neighboring gene expression alteration observed under stressful loads. Notably, we revealed the highly statistically significant increase of ApoE expression in the hypothalamus of chronically aggressive (FDR < 0.007) and defeated (FDR < 0.001) mice compared to the control. Correlation analysis revealed a close association of ApoE and proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene expression profiles implying the putative neuroendocrine stress response background of ApoE expression elevation therein.

Efficacy of electrical resistivity and induced polarization methods for revealing fluoride contaminated groundwater in granite terrain.

PubMed

Mondal, Nepal C; Rao, Ananda V; Singh, Vijay P

2010-09-01

The accumulation of fluoride (F) in groundwater is a common phenomenon in India and worldwide. Its location can be identified through a direct hydrochemical analysis, which was carried out in Kurmapalli watershed (located 60 km SE of Hyderabad city), Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India affected by F contamination. The results of the hydrochemical analysis showed that F varied from 0.71 to 19.01 mg/l and its concentration exceeded the permissible limit (i.e., 1.5 mg/l) in 78% of the total 32 samples analyzed. The highest F value (19.01 mg/l) was found near Madnapur village, which is located in the central part of the watershed. Resistivity and induced polarization (IP) surveys were also carried out to reveal the zones where elevated F-contaminated groundwater exists. The objective of this paper was to highlight the utility of resistivity and IP surveys, using hydrochemical constituents as constraint, for the successful delineation of such contaminated/polluted groundwater zones in the granite area.

Quantitative assessment of serum-specific IgE in the diagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis.

PubMed

Marinova, I; Nikolov, G; Michova, A; Kurdova, R; Petrunov, B

2011-07-01

Anti-Echinococcus serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E was assessed by the ImmunoCAP system and compared with anti-Echinococcus serum IgG assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot. The ImmunoCAP system revealed very high specificity (one false positive of 110 healthy individuals), low cross-reactivity (one false positive of 58 patients with other diseases) and decreased sensitivity (73.55%). Receiver operating characteristic analysis displayed a beneficial diagnostic value with high accuracy. Comparison of the ImmunoCAP system with ELISA and Western blot showed significantly higher specificity and significantly lower cross-reactivity compared with the ELISA. Examination of sera from 155 patients with cystic echinococcosis (CE) showed varying levels of anti-Echinococcus IgE (range, 0.01-118.33 kUA/L). However, most samples had moderately elevated IgE levels. Analysis of serum-specific IgE revealed significantly higher sensitivity of the ImmunoCAP system and significantly higher antibody levels in hepatic CE compared with pulmonary CE. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Genetic structure along an elevational gradient in Hawaiian honeycreepers reveals contrasting evolutionary responses to avian malaria

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background The Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae) are one of the best-known examples of an adaptive radiation, but their persistence today is threatened by the introduction of exotic pathogens and their vector, the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. Historically, species such as the amakihi (Hemignathus virens), the apapane (Himatione sanguinea), and the iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) were found from the coastal lowlands to the high elevation forests, but by the late 1800's they had become extremely rare in habitats below 900 m. Recently, however, populations of amakihi and apapane have been observed in low elevation habitats. We used twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci to investigate patterns of genetic structure, and to infer responses of these species to introduced avian malaria along an elevational gradient on the eastern flanks of Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. Results Our results indicate that amakihi have genetically distinct, spatially structured populations that correspond with altitude. We detected very few apapane and no iiwi in low-elevation habitats, and genetic results reveal only minimal differentiation between populations at different altitudes in either of these species. Conclusion Our results suggest that amakihi populations in low elevation habitats have not been recolonized by individuals from mid or high elevation refuges. After generations of strong selection for pathogen resistance, these populations have rebounded and amakihi have become common in regions in which they were previously rare or absent. PMID:19014596

Genetic structure along an elevational gradient in Hawaiian honeycreepers reveals contrasting evolutionary responses to avian malaria

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eggert, L.S.; Terwilliger, L.A.; Woodworth, B.L.; Hart, P.J.; Palmer, D.; Fleischer, R.C.

2008-01-01

Background. The Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae) are one of the best-known examples of an adaptive radiation, but their persistence today is threatened by the introduction of exotic pathogens and their vector, the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. Historically, species such as the amakihi (Hemignathus virens), the apapane (Himatione sanguinea), and the iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) were found from the coastal lowlands to the high elevation forests, but by the late 1800's they had become extremely rare in habitats below 900 m. Recently, however, populations of amakihi and apapane have been observed in low elevation habitats. We used twelve polymorphic microsatellite loci to investigate patterns of genetic structure, and to infer responses of these species to introduced avian malaria along an elevational gradient on the eastern flanks of Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes on the island of Hawaii. Results. Our results indicate that amakihi have genetically distinct, spatially structured populations that correspond with altitude. We detected very few apapane and no iiwi in low-elevation habitats, and genetic results reveal only minimal differentiation between populations at different altitudes in either of these species. Conclusion. Our results suggest that amakihi populations in low elevation habitats have not been recolonized by individuals from mid or high elevation refuges. After generations of strong selection for pathogen resistance, these populations have rebounded and amakihi have become common in regions in which they were previously rare or absent. ?? 2008 Eggert et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Severe carbon monoxide poisoning complicated by hypothermia: a case report.

PubMed

Kamijo, Yoshito; Ide, Toshimitsu; Ide, Ayako; Soma, Kazui

2011-03-01

It is proposed that the significant elevation of interleukin-6 (>400 pg/mL) in cerebrospinal fluid during the early phase of carbon monoxide poisoning may be a predictive biomarker for the development of delayed encephalopathy. A 52-year-old man presented to the emergency department with severe carbon monoxide poisoning. On arrival, the patient was comatose with decorticate rigidity (Glasgow Coma Scale, E1V1M3). His core body temperature, measured in the urinary bladder, was 32.4°C. Laboratory blood analysis revealed elevated CO-Hb (36.0%) and metabolic acidosis with elevated lactate (pH 7.081; base excess [BE], -19.2 mmol/L; HCO3, -9.8 mmol/L; lactate, 168.8 mg/dL). After treatment with hyperbaric oxygen and several different rewarming techniques, he became alert and his core body temperature increased to normal. Interleukin-6 in cerebrospinal fluid at 5.5 hours after his last exposure to carbon monoxide was significantly elevated (752 pg/mL). However, he did not develop delayed encephalopathy. In this case, hypothermia in the range of therapeutic hypothermia (32°C to 34°C) may have suppressed formation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent lipid peroxydation, preventing the development of delayed encephalopathy. Therapeutic hypothermia initiated soon after the last exposure to carbon monoxide may be an effective prophylactic method for preventing the development of delayed encephalopathy.

Response of lake chemistry to changes in atmospheric deposition and climate in three high-elevation wilderness areas of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mast, M. Alisa; Turk, John T.; Clow, David W.; Campbell, Donald D.

2011-01-01

Trends in precipitation chemistry and hydrologic and climatic data were examined as drivers of long-term changes in the chemical composition of high-elevation lakes in three wilderness areas in Colorado during 1985-2008. Sulfate concentrations in precipitation decreased at a rate of -0.15 to -0.55 μeq/l/year at 10 high-elevation National Atmospheric Deposition Program stations in the state during 1987-2008 reflecting regional reductions in SO2 emissions. In lakes where sulfate is primarily derived from atmospheric inputs, sulfate concentrations also decreased although the rates generally were less, ranging from -0.12 to -0.27 μeq/l/year. The similarity in timing and sulfur isotopic data support the hypothesis that decreases in atmospheric deposition are driving the response of high-elevation lakes in some areas of the state. By contrast, in lakes where sulfate is derived primarily from watershed weathering sources, sulfate concentrations showed sharp increases during 1985-2008. Analysis of long-term climate records indicates that annual air temperatures have increased between 0.45 and 0.93°C per decade throughout most mountainous areas of Colorado, suggesting climate as a factor. Isotopic data reveal that sulfate in these lakes is largely derived from pyrite, which may indicate climate warming is preferentially affecting the rate of pyrite weathering.

Response of lake chemistry to changes in atmospheric deposition and climate in three high-elevation wilderness areas of Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mast, M.A.; Turk, J.T.; Clow, D.W.; Campbell, D.H.

2011-01-01

Trends in precipitation chemistry and hydrologic and climatic data were examined as drivers of long-term changes in the chemical composition of high-elevation lakes in three wilderness areas in Colorado during 1985-2008. Sulfate concentrations in precipitation decreased at a rate of -0.15 to -0.55 ??eq/l/year at 10 high-elevation National Atmospheric Deposition Program stations in the state during 1987-2008 reflecting regional reductions in SO2 emissions. In lakes where sulfate is primarily derived from atmospheric inputs, sulfate concentrations also decreased although the rates generally were less, ranging from -0.12 to -0.27 ??eq/l/year. The similarity in timing and sulfur isotopic data support the hypothesis that decreases in atmospheric deposition are driving the response of high-elevation lakes in some areas of the state. By contrast, in lakes where sulfate is derived primarily from watershed weathering sources, sulfate concentrations showed sharp increases during 1985-2008. Analysis of long-term climate records indicates that annual air temperatures have increased between 0.45 and 0.93??C per decade throughout most mountainous areas of Colorado, suggesting climate as a factor. Isotopic data reveal that sulfate in these lakes is largely derived from pyrite, which may indicate climate warming is preferentially affecting the rate of pyrite weathering. ?? 2010 US Government.

Jasmonate-mediated stomatal closure under elevated CO2 revealed by time-resolved metabolomics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Foliar stomatal movements are critical for regulating plant water status and gas exchange. Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are known to induce stomatal closure. However, current knowledge on CO2 signal transduction in stomatal guard cells is limited. Here we report the metabolomic respo...

Composition of soil microbiome along elevation gradients in southwestern highlands of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Yasir, Muhammad; Azhar, Esam I; Khan, Imran; Bibi, Fehmida; Baabdullah, Rnda; Al-Zahrani, Ibrahim A; Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed K

2015-03-14

Saudi Arabia is mostly barren except the southwestern highlands that are susceptible to environmental changes, a hotspot for biodiversity, but poorly studied for microbial diversity and composition. In this study, 454-pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene hypervariable region V6 was used to analyze soil bacterial community along elevation gradients of the southwestern highlands. In general, lower percentage of total soil organic matter (SOM) and nitrogen were detected in the analyzed soil samples. Total 33 different phyla were identified across the samples, including dominant phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria. Representative OTUs were grouped into 329 and 508 different taxa at family and genus level taxonomic classification, respectively. The identified OTUs unique to each sample were very low irrespective of the altitude. Jackknifed principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed, overall differences in the bacterial community were more related to the quantity of specific OTUs than to their diversity among the studied samples. Bacterial diversity and soil physicochemical properties did not show consistent changes along the elevation gradients. The large number of OTUs shared between the studied samples suggest the presence of a core soil bacterial community in the southwestern highlands of Saudi Arabia.

The influence of environmental and lithologic factors on rockfall at a regional scale: an evaluation using GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menéndez Duarte, Rosana; Marquínez, Jorge

2002-02-01

Analysis of the spatial distribution of rockfall deposits at a regional scale (over an area of 250 km 2 of northern Spain) using a cartographic database supported by a Geographic Information System (GIS) reveals several relationships between rockfall activity and environmental variables. Recent rockfall activity is inferred when recent scree is preserved at the bottom of the rock slopes. In order to identify the slope source areas of the scree we have mapped the deposit's drainage basin, applying topographic criteria, and we have combined these basins with the rock slopes map. A method for setting the basin boundaries automatically will replace manual cartography. This method is based on algorithms available within many commercial software programs and originally planned to analyse the behaviour of fluids over a topographic surface. The results obtained by combining the rockfall area source map with the geology and DTM show the relationships between the distribution of rockfall deposits and lithology, elevation and slope of the rockwall and a strong control of the joint type and density. Elevation influence on rockfall has been associated with climatic variations with elevation. Other variables, such as orientation, show complex influences that are difficult to interpret.

Severe oligozoospermia in a patient with myxedema coma.

PubMed

Komiya, Akira; Watanabe, Akihiko; Kawauchi, Yoko; Takano, Atsuko; Fuse, Hideki

2012-10-01

A case of severe oligozoospermia with myxedema coma is herein presented. The patient was referred to a male infertility clinic with a 5-year history of primary infertility. Decreased serum testosterone and elevated serum prolactin without abnormal MRI findings in the hypothalamus, and decreased semen volume and sperm motility were noted. A GnRH test revealed a decreased luteinizing hormone response, whereas the HCG test showed a normal testosterone increase. Because a urinalysis after ejaculation indicated retrograde ejaculation, imipramine administration was started. However, the semen quality deteriorated, so the patient was referred to an ART clinic. Twenty-one months from the initial visit, the patient developed a loss of consciousness and edema due to myxedema coma, a life-threatening state of hypothyroidism. The patient recovered after 1 month of thyroid hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with corticosteroids. Three months after the myxedema coma, a semen analysis showed a decreased semen volume (0.2 mL) and severe oligozoospermia (two spermatozoa/ejaculate). Elevated prolactin and decreased testosterone levels were still present. These parameters gradually improved after restoration of euthyroidism by HRT. In conclusion, physicians should confirm the thyroid function in the management of male infertility, especially in patients with elevated prolactin levels.

Elevated CD147 expression is associated with shorter overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaojun; Tian, Tian; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Liu, Changting; Fang, Xiangqun

2017-06-06

A number of studies have reported on the prognostic role of CD147 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the results remain controversial. This study aims to investigate the impact of CD147 on the prognosis of NSCLC by means of a meta-analysis. A literature search was performed for relevant studies published before October 29, 2016. The hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as effective measures. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias examination were also conducted. Ten eligible studies with a total of 1605 patients were included in this meta-analysis. CD147 overexpression was correlated with poor overall survival (OS) (HR=1.59, 95% CI=1.32-1.91, p<0.001). Elevated CD147 expression was associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (OR=2.31, 95% CI=1.74-3.07, p<0.001) and advanced TNM stage (OR=3.03, 95% CI=1.24-7.39, p=0.015). However, no significant association between CD147 and sex, age, differentiation, or histology was found. No evidence of significant publication bias was identified. This meta-analysis revealed that overexpression of CD147 was associated with shorter OS, the presence of lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage in NSCLC. Therefore, CD147 could serve as a potential prognostic marker for NSCLC.

Elevated CD147 expression is associated with shorter overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaojun; Tian, Tian; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Liu, Changting; Fang, Xiangqun

2017-01-01

A number of studies have reported on the prognostic role of CD147 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the results remain controversial. This study aims to investigate the impact of CD147 on the prognosis of NSCLC by means of a meta-analysis. A literature search was performed for relevant studies published before October 29, 2016. The hazard ratios (HRs), odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as effective measures. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias examination were also conducted. Ten eligible studies with a total of 1605 patients were included in this meta-analysis. CD147 overexpression was correlated with poor overall survival (OS) (HR=1.59, 95% CI=1.32–1.91, p<0.001). Elevated CD147 expression was associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (OR=2.31, 95% CI=1.74–3.07, p<0.001) and advanced TNM stage (OR=3.03, 95% CI=1.24–7.39, p=0.015). However, no significant association between CD147 and sex, age, differentiation, or histology was found. No evidence of significant publication bias was identified. This meta-analysis revealed that overexpression of CD147 was associated with shorter OS, the presence of lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage in NSCLC. Therefore, CD147 could serve as a potential prognostic marker for NSCLC. PMID:28445149

Metabolite signatures in hydrophilic extracts of mouse lungs exposed to cigarette smoke revealed by 1H NMR metabolomics investigation

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

Hu, Jian Z.; Wang, Xuan; Feng, Ju

Herein, 1H-NMR metabolomics are carried out to evaluate the changes of metabolites in lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke. It is found that the concentrations of adenosine derivatives (i.e. ATP, ADP and AMP), inosine and uridine are significantly fluctuated in the lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke compared with those of controls regardless the mouse is obese or regular weight. The decreased ATP, ADP, AMP and elevated inosine predict that the deaminases in charge of adenosine derivatives to inosine derivatives conversion are altered in lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke. Transcriptional analysis reveals that the concentrations ofmore » adenosine monophosphate deaminase and adenosine deaminase are different in the lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke, confirming the prediction from metabolomics studies. We also found, for the first time, that the ratio of glycerophosphocholine (GPC) to phosphocholine (PC) is significantly increased in the lungs of obese mice compared with regular weight mice. The ratio of GPC/PC is further elevated in the lungs of obese group by cigarette smoke exposure. Since GPC/PC ratio is a known biomarker for cancer, these results may suggest that obese group is more susceptible to lung cancer when exposed to cigarette smoke.« less

Vanadium Geochemistry of Oil Sands Fluid Petroleum Coke.

PubMed

Nesbitt, Jake A; Lindsay, Matthew B J

2017-03-07

Vanadium has previously been linked to elevated toxicity of leachates derived from oil sands petroleum coke. However, geochemical controls on V mobility within coke deposits remain poorly constrained. Detailed examinations of porewater and solid-phase V geochemistry were therefore performed on oil sands fluid petroleum coke deposits in Alberta, Canada. Sample collection focused on both active and reclaimed deposits, which contained more than 3 × 10 7 m 3 of fluid petroleum coke. Dissolved V concentrations were highest (up to 3.0 mg L -1 ) immediately below the water table but decreased rapidly with increasing depth. This trend corresponded to a transition from mildly acidic (pH 6-7) and oxic conditions to mildly alkaline (pH 7-8.5) and anoxic conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), and micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) mapping revealed coke particles exhibited an internal structure characterized by successive concentric layers. The outer margins of these layers were characterized by elevated V, Fe, Si, and Al concentrations, indicating the presence of inorganic phases. Micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (μXANES) spectroscopy revealed that V speciation was dominated by V(IV) porphyrins except at outer margins of layers, where octahedrally coordinated V(III) was a major component. Minor to trace V(V) was also detected within fluid petroleum coke particles.

The proximal experience of gratitude

PubMed Central

Layous, Kristin; Sweeny, Kate; Armenta, Christina; Na, Soojung; Choi, Incheol; Lyubomirsky, Sonja

2017-01-01

Although a great deal of research has tested the longitudinal effects of regularly practicing gratitude, much less attention has been paid to the emotional landscape directly following engagement in gratitude exercises. In three studies, we explored the array of discrete emotions people experience after being prompted to express or recall gratitude. In Studies 1 and 2, two different gratitude exercises produced not only greater feelings of gratitude relative to two positive emotion control conditions (i.e., recalling relief), but also higher levels of other socially relevant states like elevation, connectedness, and indebtedness. In a third study, conducted in both the U.S. and S. Korea, we compared a gratitude exercise to another positive emotion elicitation (i.e., recalling a kind act) and to a neutral task, and again found that the gratitude exercise prompted greater gratitude, elevation, indebtedness, and guilt, but no more embarrassment or shame, than the two comparison conditions. Additionally, in all three studies, emodiversity and cluster analyses revealed that gratitude exercises led to the simultaneous experience of both pleasant and unpleasant socially-relevant states. In sum, although it may seem obvious that gratitude exercises would evoke grateful, positive states, a meta-analysis of our three studies revealed that gratitude exercises actually elicit a mixed emotional experience—one that simultaneously leads individuals to feel uplifted and indebted. PMID:28686593

The proximal experience of gratitude.

PubMed

Layous, Kristin; Sweeny, Kate; Armenta, Christina; Na, Soojung; Choi, Incheol; Lyubomirsky, Sonja

2017-01-01

Although a great deal of research has tested the longitudinal effects of regularly practicing gratitude, much less attention has been paid to the emotional landscape directly following engagement in gratitude exercises. In three studies, we explored the array of discrete emotions people experience after being prompted to express or recall gratitude. In Studies 1 and 2, two different gratitude exercises produced not only greater feelings of gratitude relative to two positive emotion control conditions (i.e., recalling relief), but also higher levels of other socially relevant states like elevation, connectedness, and indebtedness. In a third study, conducted in both the U.S. and S. Korea, we compared a gratitude exercise to another positive emotion elicitation (i.e., recalling a kind act) and to a neutral task, and again found that the gratitude exercise prompted greater gratitude, elevation, indebtedness, and guilt, but no more embarrassment or shame, than the two comparison conditions. Additionally, in all three studies, emodiversity and cluster analyses revealed that gratitude exercises led to the simultaneous experience of both pleasant and unpleasant socially-relevant states. In sum, although it may seem obvious that gratitude exercises would evoke grateful, positive states, a meta-analysis of our three studies revealed that gratitude exercises actually elicit a mixed emotional experience-one that simultaneously leads individuals to feel uplifted and indebted.

Metabolite signatures in hydrophilic extracts of mouse lungs exposed to cigarette smoke revealed by 1H NMR metabolomics investigation

DOE PAGES

Hu, Jian Z.; Wang, Xuan; Feng, Ju; ...

2015-05-12

Herein, 1H-NMR metabolomics are carried out to evaluate the changes of metabolites in lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke. It is found that the concentrations of adenosine derivatives (i.e. ATP, ADP and AMP), inosine and uridine are significantly fluctuated in the lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke compared with those of controls regardless the mouse is obese or regular weight. The decreased ATP, ADP, AMP and elevated inosine predict that the deaminases in charge of adenosine derivatives to inosine derivatives conversion are altered in lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke. Transcriptional analysis reveals that the concentrations ofmore » adenosine monophosphate deaminase and adenosine deaminase are different in the lungs of mice exposed to cigarette smoke, confirming the prediction from metabolomics studies. We also found, for the first time, that the ratio of glycerophosphocholine (GPC) to phosphocholine (PC) is significantly increased in the lungs of obese mice compared with regular weight mice. The ratio of GPC/PC is further elevated in the lungs of obese group by cigarette smoke exposure. Since GPC/PC ratio is a known biomarker for cancer, these results may suggest that obese group is more susceptible to lung cancer when exposed to cigarette smoke.« less

Scrub Typhus: A Clinico-Laboratory Differentiation of Children with and without Meningitis.

PubMed

Bhat, Nowneet Kumar; Pandita, Neerul; Saini, Manju; Dhar, Minakshi; Ahmed, Sohaib; Shirazi, Nadia; Wasim, Sanober; Shirke, Rupali; Chandar, Vipan

2016-06-01

Neurological involvement in the form of meningitis or meningoencephalitis, although well documented in scrub typhus, has not been extensively studied in the pediatric population. We report the clinical and laboratory profile of 96 children with scrub typhus and compared those with and without meningitis. Twenty seven (28%) children had clinical and laboratory evidence of meningitis. The most frequent presenting features were fever (100%), meningeal signs (66.6%), nausea and vomiting (56.3%), seizures (55.5%) and altered sensorium (51.8%). The children with meningitis presented early and had significantly lower respiratory and renal impairments when compared with the non-meningitis group. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed elevated total leukocyte count (86.73 ± 94.50 cells/mm(3)), mononuclear pleocytosis (lymphocyte percentage of 76.85 ± 15.86), elevated proteins (108.33 ± 52.63 mg%) and normal CSF glucose (64.18 ± 15.92 mg%). We conclude that meningitis is a common and early complication of childhood scrub typhus. The CSF reveals a lymphocytic pleocytosis, raised proteins and a normal glucose level. These children respond promptly to appropriate antibiotics as do children without meningitis. © The Author [2016]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Protein microarray analysis reveals BAFF-binding autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

PubMed Central

Price, Jordan V.; Haddon, David J.; Kemmer, Dodge; Delepine, Guillaume; Mandelbaum, Gil; Jarrell, Justin A.; Gupta, Rohit; Balboni, Imelda; Chakravarty, Eliza F.; Sokolove, Jeremy; Shum, Anthony K.; Anderson, Mark S.; Cheng, Mickie H.; Robinson, William H.; Browne, Sarah K.; Holland, Steven M.; Baechler, Emily C.; Utz, Paul J.

2013-01-01

Autoantibodies against cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors inhibit normal immunity and are implicated in inflammatory autoimmune disease and diseases of immune deficiency. In an effort to evaluate serum from autoimmune and immunodeficient patients for Abs against cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in a high-throughput and unbiased manner, we constructed a multiplex protein microarray for detection of serum factor–binding Abs and used the microarray to detect autoantibody targets in SLE. We designed a nitrocellulose-surface microarray containing human cytokines, chemokines, and other circulating proteins and demonstrated that the array permitted specific detection of serum factor–binding probes. We used the arrays to detect previously described autoantibodies against cytokines in samples from individuals with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 and chronic mycobacterial infection. Serum profiling from individuals with SLE revealed that among several targets, elevated IgG autoantibody reactivity to B cell–activating factor (BAFF) was associated with SLE compared with control samples. BAFF reactivity correlated with the severity of disease-associated features, including IFN-α–driven SLE pathology. Our results showed that serum factor protein microarrays facilitate detection of autoantibody reactivity to serum factors in human samples and that BAFF-reactive autoantibodies may be associated with an elevated inflammatory disease state within the spectrum of SLE. PMID:24270423

Reproductive allocation in plants as affected by elevated carbon dioxide and other environmental changes: a synthesis using meta-analysis and graphical vector analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Xianzhong; Taub, Daniel R; Jablonski, Leanne M

2015-04-01

Reproduction is an important life history trait that strongly affects dynamics of plant populations. Although it has been well documented that elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere greatly enhances biomass production in plants, the overall effect of elevated CO2 on reproductive allocation (RA), i.e., the proportion of biomass allocated to reproductive structures, is little understood. We combined meta-analysis with graphical vector analysis to examine the overall effect of elevated CO2 on RA and how other environmental factors, such as low nutrients, drought and elevated atmospheric ozone (O3), interacted with elevated CO2 in affecting RA in herbaceous plants. Averaged across all species of different functional groups and environmental conditions, elevated CO2 had little effect on RA (-0.9%). RA in plants of different reproductive strategies and functional groups, however, differed in response to elevated CO2. For example, RA in iteroparous wild species decreased by 8%, while RA in iteroparous crops increased significantly (+14%) at elevated CO2. RA was unaffected by CO2 in plants grown with no stress or in low-nutrient soils. RA decreased at elevated CO2 and elevated O3, but increased in response to elevated CO2 in drought-stressed plants, suggesting that elevated CO2 could ameliorate the adverse effect of drought on crop production to some extent. Our results demonstrate that elevated CO2 and other global environmental changes have the potential to greatly alter plant community composition through differential effects on RA of different plant species and thus affect the dynamics of natural and agricultural ecosystems in the future.

High-resolution receiver function imaging reveals Colorado Plateau lithospheric architecture and mantle-supported topography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domingo, Dorothy L.; R. Aster,; S. Grand,; J Ni,; W.S. Baldridge,; David C. Wilson USGS,

2010-01-01

After maintaining elevations near sea level for over 500 million years, the Colorado Plateau (CP) has a present average elevation of 2 km. We compute new receiver function images from the first dense seismic transect to cross the plateau that reveal a central CP crustal thickness of 42–50 km thinning to 30–35 km at the CP margins. Isostatic calculations show that only approximately 20% of central CP elevations can be explained by thickened crust alone, with the CP edges requiring nearly total mantle compensation. We calculate an uplift budget showing that CP buoyancy arises from a combination of crustal thickening, heating and alteration of the lithospheric root, dynamic support from mantle upwelling, and significant buoyant edge effects produced by small-scale convecting asthenosphere at its margins.

Analysis of Decadal-Scale Shoreline Change along the Hamlet of Paulatuk (Canadian Arctic), using Landsat Satellite Imagery and GIS techniques from 1984 to 2014.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankar, R. D.; Murray, M. S.; Wells, P.

2016-12-01

Increased accuracy in estimating coastal change along localized segments of the Canadian Arctic coast is essential, in order to identify plausible adaptation initiatives to deal with the effects of climate change. This paper quantifies rates of shoreline movement along an 11 km segment of the Hamlet of Paulatuk (Northwest Territories, Canada), using an innovative modelling technique - Analyzing Moving Boundaries Using R (AMBUR). Approximately two dozen shorelines, obtained from high-resolution Landsat satellite imagery were analyzed. Shorelines were extracted using the band ratio method and compiled in ArcMapTM to determine decadal trends of coastal change. The unique geometry of Paulatuk facilitated an independent analysis of the western and eastern sections of the study area. Long-term (1984-2014) and short-term (1984-2003) erosion and accretion rates were calculated using the Linear Regression and End Point Rate methods respectively. Results reveal an elevated rate of erosion for the western section of the hamlet over the long-term (-1.1 m/yr), compared to the eastern portion (-0.92 m/yr). The study indicates a significant alongshore increase in the rates of erosion on both portions of the study area, over the short-term period 1984 to 2003. Mean annual erosion rates increased over the short-term along the western segment (-1.4 m/yr), while the eastern shoreline retreated at a rate of -1.3 m/yr over the same period. The analysis indicates that an amalgamation of factors may be responsible for the patterns of land loss experienced along Paulatuk. These include increased sea-surface temperature coupled with dwindling arctic ice and elevated storm hydrodynamics. The analysis further reveals that the coastline along the eastern portion of the hamlet, where the majority of the population reside, is vulnerable to a high rate of shoreline erosion.

Damage to photosystem II in symbiotic dinoflagellates: a determinant of coral bleaching.

PubMed

Warner, M E; Fitt, W K; Schmidt, G W

1999-07-06

Coral bleaching has been defined as a general phenomenon, whereby reef corals turn visibly pale because of the loss of their symbiotic dinoflagellates and/or algal pigments during periods of exposure to elevated seawater temperatures. During the summer of 1997, seawater temperatures in the Florida Keys remained at or above 30 degrees C for more than 6 weeks, and extensive coral bleaching was observed. Bleached colonies of the dominant Caribbean reef-building species, Montastrea faveolata and Montastrea franksi, were sampled over a depth gradient from 1 to 17 m during this period of elevated temperature and contained lower densities of symbiotic dinoflagellates in deeper corals than seen in previous "nonbleaching" years. Fluorescence analysis by pulse-amplitude modulation fluorometry revealed severe damage to photosystem II (PSII) in remaining symbionts within the corals, with greater damage indicated at deeper depths. Dinoflagellates with the greatest loss in PSII activity also showed a significant decline in the D1 reaction center protein of PSII, as measured by immunoblot analysis. Laboratory experiments on the temperature-sensitive species Montastrea annularis, as well as temperature-sensitive and temperature-tolerant cultured symbiotic dinoflagellates, confirmed the temperature-dependent loss of PSII activity and concomitant decrease in D1 reaction center protein seen in symbionts collected from corals naturally bleached on the reef. In addition, variation in PSII repair was detected, indicating that perturbation of PSII protein turnover rates during photoinhibition at elevated temperatures underlies the physiological collapse of symbionts in corals susceptible to heat-induced bleaching.

[The association of eccentricity indexes with cardiac biomarkers in normotensive acute pulmonary embolism patients: an observational study].

PubMed

Cetiner, Mehmet Ali; Sayın, Muhammet Raşit; Yıldırım, Nesligül; Karabağ, Turgut; Aydın, Mustafa

2013-03-01

The present study aims at investigating the association of systolic and diastolic eccentricity indexes with cardiac biomarkers in hemodynamically stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Thirty hemodynamically stable (systolic blood pressure >90 mmHg) patients with APE (17M, mean age 61.67±17.6 years) were included in this cross-sectional observational study. The associations of serum troponin I, D-dimer, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and heart type fatty acid binding protein (hFABP) levels with systolic and diastolic eccentricity indices, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), myocardial performance index (MPI), systolic pulmonary artery pressure and the index of the inferior vena cava were investigated. The relationships between parameters were evaluated by Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis according to the distribution of data. Correlation analysis revealed that the most significant relationship between cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic measurements was in the BNP value. Meanwhile, systolic and diastolic eccentricity indexes were found to have significant correlation with serum troponin I (respectively r=0.470, p=0.009/r=0.310, p=0.095) and BNP (respectively r=0.402, p=0.028/r=0.384, p=0.036) values. On the other hand, elevated D-dimer levels led to statistical significance in none of the echocardiographic parameters. According to our results, hFABP was rarely positive in normotensive patients with APE. An elevated D-dimer alone was not significant in predicting RVD. Eccentricity indexes revealed significant relationship with BNP and troponin I values. The results obtained indicate that early echocardiographic evaluation is important in patients with abnormal cardiac biomarkers.

DNA microarray analysis of Methanosarcina mazei Gö1 reveals adaptation to different methanogenic substrates.

PubMed

Hovey, Raymond; Lentes, Sabine; Ehrenreich, Armin; Salmon, Kirsty; Saba, Karla; Gottschalk, Gerhard; Gunsalus, Robert P; Deppenmeier, Uwe

2005-05-01

Methansarcina mazei Gö1 DNA arrays were constructed and used to evaluate the genomic expression patterns of cells grown on either of two alternative methanogenic substrates, acetate or methanol, as sole carbon and energy source. Analysis of differential transcription across the genome revealed two functionally grouped sets of genes that parallel the central biochemical pathways in, and reflect many known features of, acetate and methanol metabolism. These include the acetate-induced genes encoding acetate activating enzymes, acetyl-CoA synthase/CO dehydrogenase, and carbonic anhydrase. Interestingly, additional genes expressed at significantly higher levels during growth on acetate included two energy-conserving complexes (the Ech hydrogenase, and the A1A0-type ATP synthase). Many previously unknown features included the induction by acetate of genes coding for ferredoxins and flavoproteins, an aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, enzymes for the synthesis of aromatic amino acids, and components of iron, cobalt and oligopeptide uptake systems. In contrast, methanol-grown cells exhibited elevated expression of genes assigned to the methylotrophic pathway of methanogenesis. Expression of genes for components of the translation apparatus was also elevated in cells grown in the methanol medium relative to acetate, and was correlated with the faster growth rate observed on the former substrate. These experiments provide the first comprehensive insight into substrate-dependent gene expression in a methanogenic archaeon. This genome-wide approach, coupled with the complementary molecular and biochemical tools, should greatly accelerate the exploration of Methanosarcina cell physiology, given the present modest level of our knowledge of these large archaeal genomes.

Generation of a precise DEM by interactive synthesis of multi-temporal elevation datasets: a case study of Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawak, Shridhar D.; Luis, Alvarinho J.

2016-05-01

Digital elevation model (DEM) is indispensable for analysis such as topographic feature extraction, ice sheet melting, slope stability analysis, landscape analysis and so on. Such analysis requires a highly accurate DEM. Available DEMs of Antarctic region compiled by using radar altimetry and the Antarctic digital database indicate elevation variations of up to hundreds of meters, which necessitates the generation of local improved DEM. An improved DEM of the Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica has been generated by synergistically fusing satellite-derived laser altimetry data from Geoscience Laser Altimetry System (GLAS), Radarsat Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) elevation data and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) global elevation data (GDEM). This is a characteristic attempt to generate a DEM of any part of Antarctica by fusing multiple elevation datasets, which is essential to model the ice elevation change and address the ice mass balance. We analyzed a suite of interpolation techniques for constructing a DEM from GLAS, RAMP and ASTER DEM-based point elevation datasets, in order to determine the level of confidence with which the interpolation techniques can generate a better interpolated continuous surface, and eventually improve the elevation accuracy of DEM from synergistically fused RAMP, GLAS and ASTER point elevation datasets. The DEM presented in this work has a vertical accuracy (≈ 23 m) better than RAMP DEM (≈ 57 m) and ASTER DEM (≈ 64 m) individually. The RAMP DEM and ASTER DEM elevations were corrected using differential GPS elevations as ground reference data, and the accuracy obtained after fusing multitemporal datasets is found to be improved than that of existing DEMs constructed by using RAMP or ASTER alone. This is our second attempt of fusing multitemporal, multisensory and multisource elevation data to generate a DEM of Antarctica, in order to address the ice elevation change and address the ice mass balance. Our approach focuses on the strengths of each elevation data source to produce an accurate elevation model.

Functional characterization of the turkey macrophage migration inhibitory factor.

PubMed

Park, Myeongseon; Kim, Sungwon; Fetterer, Raymond H; Dalloul, Rami A

2016-08-01

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a soluble protein that inhibits the random migration of macrophages and plays a pivotal immunoregulatory function in innate and adaptive immunity. The aim of this study was to clone the turkey MIF (TkMIF) gene, express the active protein, and characterize its basic function. The full-length TkMIF gene was amplified from total RNA extracted from turkey spleen, followed by cloning into a prokaryotic (pET11a) expression vector. Sequence analysis revealed that TkMIF consists of 115 amino acids with 12.5 kDa molecular weight. Multiple sequence alignment revealed 100%, 65%, 95% and 92% identity with chicken, duck, eagle and zebra finch MIFs, respectively. Recombinant TkMIF (rTkMIF) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified through HPLC and endotoxin removal. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed an approximately 13.5 kDa of rTkMIF monomer containing T7 tag in soluble form. Western blot analysis showed that anti-chicken MIF (ChMIF) polyclonal antisera detected a monomer form of TkMIF at approximately 13.5 kDa size. Further functional analysis revealed that rTkMIF inhibits migration of both mononuclear cells and splenocytes in a dose-dependent manner, but was abolished by the addition of anti-ChMIF polyclonal antisera. qRT-PCR analysis revealed elevated transcripts of pro-inflammatory cytokines by rTkMIF in LPS-stimulated monocytes. rTkMIF also led to increased levels of IFN-γ and IL-17F transcripts in Con A-activated splenocytes, while IL-10 and IL-13 transcripts were decreased. Overall, the sequences of both the turkey and chicken MIF have high similarity and comparable biological functions with respect to migration inhibitory activities of macrophages and enhancement of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, suggesting that turkey and chicken MIFs would be biologically cross-reactive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Tumour Epithelial Subtype on Circulating microRNAs in Breast Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Brougham, Cathy; Glynn, Claire L.; Wall, Deirdre; Hyland, Peter; Duignan, Maria; McLoughlin, Mark; Newell, John; Kerin, Michael J.

2014-01-01

While a range of miRNAs have been shown to be dysregulated in the circulation of patients with breast cancer, little is known about the relationship between circulating levels and tumour characteristics. The aim of this study was to analyse alterations in circulating miRNA expression during tumour progression in a murine model of breast cancer, and to detemine the clinical relevance of identified miRNAs at both tissue and circulating level in patient samples. Athymic nude mice received a subcutaneous or mammary fat pad injection of MDA-MB-231 cells. Blood sampling was performed at weeks 1, 3 and 6 following tumour induction, and microRNA extracted. MicroRNA microArray analysis was performed comparing samples harvested at week 1 to those collected at week 6 from the same animals. Significantly altered miRNAs were validated across all murine samples by RQ-PCR (n = 45). Three miRNAs of interest were then quantified in the circulation(n = 166) and tissue (n = 100) of breast cancer patients and healthy control individuals. MicroArray-based analysis of murine blood samples revealed levels of 77 circulating microRNAs to be changed during disease progression, with 44 demonstrating changes >2-fold. Validation across all samples revealed miR-138 to be significantly elevated in the circulation of animals during disease development, with miR-191 and miR-106a levels significantly decreased. Analysis of patient tissue and blood samples revealed miR-138 to be significantly up-regulated in the circulation of patients with breast cancer, with no change observed in the tissue setting. While not significantly changed overall in breast cancer patients compared to controls, circulating miR-106a and miR-191 were significantly decreased in patients with basal breast cancer. In tissue, both miRNAs were significantly elevated in breast cancer compared to normal breast tissue. The data demonstrates an impact of tumour epithelial subtype on circulating levels of miRNAs, and highlights divergent miRNA profiles between tissue and blood samples from breast cancer patients. PMID:24626163

Validation of digital elevation models (DEMs) and comparison of geomorphic metrics on the southern Central Andean Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purinton, Benjamin; Bookhagen, Bodo

2017-04-01

In this study, we validate and compare elevation accuracy and geomorphic metrics of satellite-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) on the southern Central Andean Plateau. The plateau has an average elevation of 3.7 km and is characterized by diverse topography and relief, lack of vegetation, and clear skies that create ideal conditions for remote sensing. At 30 m resolution, SRTM-C, ASTER GDEM2, stacked ASTER L1A stereopair DEM, ALOS World 3D, and TanDEM-X have been analyzed. The higher-resolution datasets include 12 m TanDEM-X, 10 m single-CoSSC TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X DEMs, and 5 m ALOS World 3D. These DEMs are state of the art for optical (ASTER and ALOS) and radar (SRTM-C and TanDEM-X) spaceborne sensors. We assessed vertical accuracy by comparing standard deviations of the DEM elevation versus 307 509 differential GPS measurements across 4000 m of elevation. For the 30 m DEMs, the ASTER datasets had the highest vertical standard deviation at > 6.5 m, whereas the SRTM-C, ALOS World 3D, and TanDEM-X were all < 3.5 m. Higher-resolution DEMs generally had lower uncertainty, with both the 12 m TanDEM-X and 5 m ALOS World 3D having < 2 m vertical standard deviation. Analysis of vertical uncertainty with respect to terrain elevation, slope, and aspect revealed the low uncertainty across these attributes for SRTM-C (30 m), TanDEM-X (12-30 m), and ALOS World 3D (5-30 m). Single-CoSSC TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X 10 m DEMs and the 30 m ASTER GDEM2 displayed slight aspect biases, which were removed in their stacked counterparts (TanDEM-X and ASTER Stack). Based on low vertical standard deviations and visual inspection alongside optical satellite data, we selected the 30 m SRTM-C, 12-30 m TanDEM-X, 10 m single-CoSSC TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X, and 5 m ALOS World 3D for geomorphic metric comparison in a 66 km2 catchment with a distinct river knickpoint. Consistent m/n values were found using chi plot channel profile analysis, regardless of DEM type and spatial resolution. Slope, curvature, and drainage area were calculated and plotting schemes were used to assess basin-wide differences in the hillslope-to-valley transition related to the knickpoint. While slope and hillslope length measurements vary little between datasets, curvature displays higher magnitude measurements with fining resolution. This is especially true for the optical 5 m ALOS World 3D DEM, which demonstrated high-frequency noise in 2-8 pixel steps through a Fourier frequency analysis. The improvements in accurate space-radar DEMs (e.g., TanDEM-X) for geomorphometry are promising, but airborne or terrestrial data are still necessary for meter-scale analysis.

[Anxiety and depression in residents - results of a Swiss longitudinal study].

PubMed

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Stamm, Martina; Buddeberg, Claus; Klaghofer, Richard

2009-01-01

The study investigates the development of anxiety and depression during residents' postgraduate training as well as the symptom patterns and the prediction of these patterns of impaired affectivity by personality factors. It furthermore regards the differences between these patterns in workplace- and career-related factors as well as in worklife balance. In a prospective cohort study (2001-2007), 390 junior physicians of various specialties (54.9% females, 45.1% males) were investigated with respect to the percentage of participants with elevated anxiety and depression scores at the beginning of the second, fourth, and sixth year of residency, respectively. Symptom patterns were evaluated by two-step cluster analysis. The prediction of the assignment to the symptom patterns was investigated by logistic regression analysis. The differences in further factors between the two patterns was analyzed by t-tests. In the second year of residency, relevant anxiety symptoms were found in 30% of the physicians, and in the fourth and sixth year in 20%; relevant depression symptoms were found in 15% and 10%, respectively. The cluster analysis revealed two symptom patterns: Type A (n = 135, 34.6%) with continuously elevated anxiety and depression symptoms; and type B (n = 255, 65.4%) with continuously low values. Personality factors such as the sense of coherence, self-esteem, occupational self-efficacy expectation, and overcommitment significantly predicted the assignment to the symptom patterns. Also in terms of workload, mentoring experience, career satisfaction, and worklife balance, persons of type A differ from those of type B. Personality factors play an important role in physicians' ability to cope with job demands. Persons with an elevated vulnerability for anxiety and depression should be continuously supported and counselled by a mentor during residency.

Metabolomic analysis reveals metabolic changes caused by bisphenol A in rats.

PubMed

Chen, Minjian; Zhou, Kun; Chen, Xiaojiao; Qiao, Shanlei; Hu, Yanhui; Xu, Bo; Xu, Bin; Han, Xiumei; Tang, Rong; Mao, Zhilei; Dong, Congcong; Wu, Di; Wang, Yubang; Wang, Shoulin; Zhou, Zuomin; Xia, Yankai; Wang, Xinru

2014-04-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used material known to cause adverse effects in humans and other mammals. To date, little is known about the global metabolomic alterations caused by BPA using urinalysis. Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administrated BPA at the levels of 0, 0.5 μg/kg/day and 50 mg/kg/day covering a low dose and a reference dose for 8 weeks. We conducted a capillary electrophoresis in tandem with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry based nontargeted metabolomic analysis using rat urine. To verify the metabolic alteration at both low and high doses, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were further conducted to analyze hepatic expression of methionine adenosyltransferase Iα (Mat1a) and methionine adenosyltransferase IIα (Mat2a). Hepatic S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) was also analyzed. A total of 199 metabolites were profiled. Statistical analysis and pathway mapping indicated that the most significant metabolic perturbations induced by BPA were the increased biotin and riboflavin excretion, increased synthesis of methylated products, elevated purine nucleotide catabolism, and increased flux through the choline metabolism pathway. We found significantly higher mRNA and protein levels of Mat1a and Mat2a, and significantly higher SAMe levels in rat liver at both low and high doses. These two genes encode critical isoenzymes that catalyze the formation of SAMe, the principal biological methyl donor involved in the choline metabolism. In conclusion, an elevated choline metabolism is underlying the mechanism of highly methylated environment and related metabolic alterations caused by BPA. The data of BPA-elevated accepted biomarkers of injury indicate that BPA induces DNA methylation damage and broad protein degradation, and the increased deleterious metabolites in choline pathway may also be involved in the toxicity of BPA.

Elevated host lipid metabolism revealed by iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid of tuberculous meningitis patients

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

Mu, Jun; Institute of Neuroscience and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing

Purpose: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) remains to be one of the most deadly infectious diseases. The pathogen interacts with the host immune system, the process of which is largely unknown. Various cellular processes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) centers around lipid metabolism. To determine the lipid metabolism related proteins, a quantitative proteomic study was performed here to identify differential proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from TBM patients (n = 12) and healthy controls (n = 12). Methods: CSF samples were desalted, concentrated, labelled with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ™), and analyzed by multi-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Gene ontology andmore » proteomic phenotyping analysis of the differential proteins were conducted using Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) Bioinformatics Resources. ApoE and ApoB were selected for validation by ELISA. Results: Proteomic phenotyping of the 4 differential proteins was invloved in the lipid metabolism. ELISA showed significantly increased ApoB levels in TBM subjects compared to healthy controls. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated ApoB levels could distinguish TBM subjects from healthy controls and viral meningitis subjects with 89.3% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Conclusions: CSF lipid metabolism disregulation, especially elevated expression of ApoB, gives insights into the pathogenesis of TBM. Further evaluation of these findings in larger studies including anti-tuberculosis medicated and unmedicated patient cohorts with other center nervous system infectious diseases is required for successful clinical translation. - Highlights: • The first proteomic study on the cerebrospinal fluid of tuberculous meningitis patients using iTRAQ. • Identify 4 differential proteins invloved in the lipid metabolism. • Elevated expression of ApoB gives insights into the pathogenesis of TBM.« less

Regional Patterns of Elevated Alpha and High-Frequency Electroencephalographic Activity during Nonrapid Eye Movement Sleep in Chronic Insomnia: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Riedner, Brady A.; Goldstein, Michael R.; Plante, David T.; Rumble, Meredith E.; Ferrarelli, Fabio; Tononi, Giulio; Benca, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in insomnia using high-density electroencephalography (EEG). Methods: All-night sleep recordings with 256 channel high-density EEG were analyzed for 8 insomnia subjects (5 females) and 8 sex and age-matched controls without sleep complaints. Spectral analyses were conducted using unpaired t-tests and topographical differences between groups were assessed using statistical non-parametric mapping. Five minute segments of deep NREM sleep were further analyzed using sLORETA cortical source imaging. Results: The initial topographic analysis of all-night NREM sleep EEG revealed that insomnia subjects had more high-frequency EEG activity (> 16 Hz) compared to good sleeping controls and that the difference between groups was widespread across the scalp. In addition, the analysis also showed that there was a more circumscribed difference in theta (4–8 Hz) and alpha (8–12 Hz) power bands between groups. When deep NREM sleep (N3) was examined separately, the high-frequency difference between groups diminished, whereas the higher regional alpha activity in insomnia subjects persisted. Source imaging analysis demonstrated that sensory and sensorimotor cortical areas consistently exhibited elevated levels of alpha activity during deep NREM sleep in insomnia subjects relative to good sleeping controls. Conclusions: These results suggest that even during the deepest stage of sleep, sensory and sensorimotor areas in insomnia subjects may still be relatively active compared to control subjects and to the rest of the sleeping brain. Citation: Riedner BA, Goldstein MR, Plante DT, Rumble ME, Ferrarelli F, Tononi G, Benca RM. Regional patterns of elevated alpha and high-frequency electroencephalographic activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep in chronic insomnia: a pilot study. SLEEP 2016;39(4):801–812. PMID:26943465

Interpretation of acid α-glucosidase activity in creatine kinase elevation: A case of Becker muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Oitani, Yoshiki; Ishiyama, Akihiko; Kosuga, Motomichi; Iwasawa, Kentaro; Ogata, Ayako; Tanaka, Fumiko; Takeshita, Eri; Shimizu-Motohashi, Yuko; Komaki, Hirofumi; Nishino, Ichizo; Okuyama, Torayuki; Sasaki, Masayuki

2018-05-16

Diagnosis of Pompe disease is sometimes challenging because it exhibits clinical similarities to muscular dystrophy. We describe a case of Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) with a remarkable reduction in activity of the acid α-glucosidase (GAA) enzyme, caused by a combination of pathogenic mutation and polymorphism variants resulting in pseudodeficiency in GAA. The three-year-old boy demonstrated asymptomatic creatine kinase elevation. Neither exon deletion nor duplication was detected on multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) of DMD. GAA enzyme activity in both dried blood spots and lymphocytes was low, at 11.7% and 7.7% of normal, respectively. However, genetic analysis of GAA detected only heterozygosity for a nonsense mutation (c.118C > T, p.Arg40 ∗ ). Muscle pathology showed no glycogen deposits and no high acid phosphatase activity. Hematoxylin-eosin staining detected scattered regenerating fibers; the fibers were faint and patchy on immunochemistry staining of dystrophin. The amount of dystrophin protein was reduced to 11.8% of normal, on Western blotting analysis. Direct sequencing analysis of DMD revealed hemizygosity for a nonsense mutation (c.72G > A, p.Trp24 ∗ ). The boy was diagnosed with BMD, despite remarkable reduction in GAA activity; further, he demonstrated heterozygosity for [p.Gly576Ser; p.Glu689Lys] polymorphism variants that indicated pseudodeficiency on another allele in GAA. Pseudodeficiency alleles are detected in approximately 4% of the Asian population; these demonstrate low activity of acid α-glucosidase (GAA), similar to levels found in Pompe disease. Clinicians should be careful in their interpretations of pseudodeficiency alleles that complicate diagnosis in cases of elevated creatine kinase. Copyright © 2018 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural changes of gut microbiota during berberine-mediated prevention of obesity and insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed rats.

PubMed

Zhang, Xu; Zhao, Yufeng; Zhang, Menghui; Pang, Xiaoyan; Xu, Jia; Kang, Chaoying; Li, Meng; Zhang, Chenhong; Zhang, Zhiguo; Zhang, Yifei; Li, Xiaoying; Ning, Guang; Zhao, Liping

2012-01-01

Berberine, a major pharmacological component of the Chinese herb Coptis chinensis, which was originally used to treat bacterial diarrhea, has recently been demonstrated to be clinically effective in alleviating type 2 diabetes. In this study, we revealed that berberine effectively prevented the development of obesity and insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats, which showed decreased food intake. Increases in the levels of serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and leptin and decrease in the serum level of adiponectin corrected for body fat in HFD-fed rats were also significantly retarded by the co-administration of berberine at 100 mg/kg body weight. Bar-coded pyrosequencing of the V3 region of 16S rRNA genes revealed a significant reduction in the gut microbiota diversity of berberine-treated rats. UniFrac principal coordinates analysis revealed a marked shift of the gut microbiota structure in berberine-treated rats away from that of the controls. Redundancy analysis identified 268 berberine-responding operational taxonomic units (OTUs), most of which were essentially eliminated, whereas a few putative short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, including Blautia and Allobaculum, were selectively enriched, along with elevations of fecal SCFA concentrations. Partial least square regression models based on these 268 OTUs were established (Q(2)>0.6) for predicting the adiposity index, body weight, leptin and adiponectin corrected for body fat, indicating that these discrete phylotypes might have a close association with the host metabolic phenotypes. Taken together, our findings suggest that the prevention of obesity and insulin resistance by berberine in HFD-fed rats is at least partially mediated by structural modulation of the gut microbiota, which may help to alleviate inflammation by reducing the exogenous antigen load in the host and elevating SCFA levels in the intestine.

Ultrasound assisted, thermally activated persulfate oxidation of coal tar DNAPLs.

PubMed

Peng, Libin; Wang, Li; Hu, Xingting; Wu, Peihui; Wang, Xueqing; Huang, Chumei; Wang, Xiangyang; Deng, Dayi

2016-11-15

The feasibility of ultrasound assisted, thermally activated persulfate for effective oxidation of twenty 2-6 ringed coal tar PAHs in a biphasic tar/water system and a triphasic tar/soil/water system were investigated and established. The results indicate that ultrasonic assistance, persulfate and elevated reaction temperature are all required to achieve effective oxidation of coal tar PAHs, while the heating needed can be provided by ultrasonic induced heating as well. Further kinetic analysis reveals that the oxidation of individual PAH in the biphasic tar/water system follows the first-order kinetics, and individual PAH oxidation rate is primary determined by the mass transfer coefficients, tar/water interfacial areas, the aqueous solubility of individual PAH and its concentration in coal tar. Based on the kinetic analysis and experimental results, the contributions of ultrasound, persulfate and elevated reaction temperature to PAHs oxidation were characterized, and the effects of ultrasonic intensity and oxidant dosage on PAHs oxidation efficiency were investigated. In addition, the results indicate that individual PAH degradability is closely related to its reactivity as well, and the high reactivity of 4-6 ringed PAHs substantially improves their degradability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical Significance of Serum Ferritin at Diagnosis in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A YACHT Multicenter Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Tachibana, Takayoshi; Andou, Taiki; Tanaka, Masatsugu; Ito, Satomi; Miyazaki, Takuya; Ishii, Yoshimi; Ogusa, Eriko; Koharazawa, Hideyuki; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Motohashi, Kenji; Aoki, Jun; Nakajima, Yuki; Matsumoto, Kenji; Hagihara, Maki; Hashimoto, Chizuko; Taguchi, Jun; Fujimaki, Katsumichi; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Fujisawa, Shin; Kanamori, Heiwa; Nakajima, Hideaki

2018-06-01

A multicenter retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical significance of serum ferritin at diagnosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study cohort included 305 patients who were newly diagnosed with AML from 2000 to 2015 and received standard induction chemotherapy. Transplantation was performed in 168 patients. The median ferritin value was 512 ng/mL (range, 8-9475 ng/mL). Ferritin correlated with lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and blast count, and elevation of ferritin was associated with poor performance status. The median follow-up period was 58 months (range, 4-187 months) among survivors. The high ferritin group (≥ 400 ng/mL) demonstrated inferior event-free survival (EFS) at the 5-year interval (30% vs. 40%; P = .033) compared to the low ferritin group. Multivariate analysis in the high-risk karyotype revealed that high ferritin levels predicted worse EFS (hazard ratio = 2.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-3.33; P = .003). Elevated ferritin at diagnosis may indicate tumor burden in patients with AML and predict worse EFS in the high-risk group. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uterine artery leptin receptors during the ovarian cycle and pregnancy regulate angiogenesis in ovine uterine artery endothelial cells†

PubMed Central

Vargas, Vladimir E.; Landeros, Rosalina Villalon; Lopez, Gladys E.; Zheng, Jing; Magness, Ronald R.

2017-01-01

Abstract Leptin regulates body weight, reproductive functions, blood pressure, endothelial function, and fetoplacental angiogenesis. Compared to the luteal phase, the follicular phase and pregnancy are physiological states of elevated estrogen, angiogenesis, and uterine blood flow (UBF). Little is known concerning regulation of uterine artery (UA) angiogenesis by leptin and its receptors. We hypothesized that (1) ex vivo expression of leptin receptors (LEPR) in UA endothelium (UAendo) and UA vascular smooth muscle (UAvsm) is elevated in pregnant versus nonpregnant (Luteal and Follicular) sheep; (2) in vitro leptin treatments differentially modulate mitogenesis in uterine artery endothelial cells from pregnant (P-UAECs) more than in nonpregnant (NP-UAECs) ewes; and (3) LEPR are upregulated in P-UAECs versus NP-UAECs in association with leptin activation of phospho-STAT3 signaling. Local UA adaptations were evaluated using a unilateral pregnant sheep model where prebreeding uterine horn isolation (nongravid) restricted gravidity to one horn. Immunolocalization revealed LEPR in UAendo and UAvsm from pregnant and nonpregnant sheep. Contrary to our hypothesis, western analysis revealed that follicular UAendo and UAvsm LEPR were greater than luteal, nongravid, gravid, and control pregnant. Compared to pregnant groups, LEPR were elevated in renal artery endothelium of follicular and luteal sheep. Leptin treatment significantly increased mitogenesis in follicular phase NP-UAECs and P-UAECs, but not luteal phase NP-UAECs. Although UAEC expression of LEPR was similar between groups, leptin treatment only activated phospho-STAT3 in follicular NP-UAECs and P-UAECs. Thus, leptin may play an angiogenic role particularly in preparation for the increased UBF during the periovulatory period and subsequently to meet the demands of the growing fetus. PMID:28339937

Spatial-temporal dynamics of chemical composition of surface snow in East Antarctica along the Progress station-Vostok station transect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khodzher, T. V.; Golobokova, L. P.; Osipov, E. Yu.; Shibaev, Yu. A.; Lipenkov, V. Ya.; Osipova, O. P.; Petit, J. R.

2014-05-01

In January of 2008, during the 53rd Russian Antarctic Expedition, surface snow samples were taken from 13 shallow (0.7 to 1.5 m depth) snow pits along the first tractor traverse from Progress to Vostok stations, East Antarctica. Sub-surface snow/firn layers are dated from 2.1 to 18 yr. The total length of the coast to inland traverse is more than 1280 km. Here we analysed spatial variability of concentrations of sulphate ions and elements and their fluxes in the snow deposited within the 2006-2008 time interval. Anions were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the determination of selected metals, including Na, K, Mg, Ca and Al, was carried out by mass spectroscopy with atomization by induced coupled plasma (ICP-MS). Surface snow concentration records were examined for trends versus distance inland, elevation, accumulation rate and slope gradient. Na shows a significant positive correlation with accumulation rate, which decreases as distance from the sea and altitude increase. K, Ca and Mg concentrations do not show any significant relationship either with distance inland or with elevation. Maximal concentrations of these elements with a prominent Al peak are revealed in the middle part of the traverse (500-600 km from the coast). Analysis of element correlations and atmospheric circulation patterns allow us to suggest their terrestrial origin (e.g. aluminosilicates carried as a continental dust) from the Antarctic nunatak areas. Sulphate concentrations show no significant relationship with distance inland, elevation, slope gradient and accumulation rate. Non-sea salt secondary sulphate is the most important contribution to the total sulphate budget along the traverse. Sulphate of volcanic origin attributed to the Pinatubo eruption (1991) was revealed in the snow pit at 1276 km (depth 120-130 cm).

CXCL4 and CXCL10 Predict Risk of Fatal Cerebral Malaria

PubMed Central

Wilson, Nana O.; Jain, Vidhan; Roberts, Christina E.; Lucchi, Naomi; Joel, Pradeep K.; Singh, Mrigendra P.; Nagpal, Avinash C.; Dash, Aditya P.; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam; Singh, Neeru; Stiles, Jonathan K.

2011-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum in a subset of patients can lead to a diffuse encephalopathy known as cerebral malaria (CM). Despite treatment, mortality caused by CM can be as high as 30% while 10% of survivors of the disease may experience short- and long-term neurological complications. The pathogenesis of CM involves alterations in cytokine and chemokine expression, local inflammation, vascular injury and repair processes. These diverse factors have limited the rate of discovery of prognostic predictors of fatal CM. Identification of reliable early predictors of CM severity will enable clinicians to adjust this risk with appropriate management of CM. Recent studies revealed that elevated levels of CXCL10 expression in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood plasma independently predicted severe and fatal CM. CXCR3, a promiscuous receptor of CXCL10, plays an important role in pathogenesis of mouse model of CM. In this study the role of corresponding CXCR3 ligands (CXCL11, CXCL10, CXCL9 & CXCL4) in fatal or severe CM was evaluated by comparing their levels in 16 healthy control (HC), 26 mild malaria (MM), 26 cerebral malaria survivors (CMS) and 12 non-survivors (CMNS) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of CXCL4 and CXCL10 were significantly elevated in CMNS patients (p < 0.05) when compared with HC, MM and CMS. Elevated plasma levels of CXCL10 and CXCL4 were tightly associated with CM mortality. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that CXCL4 and CXCL10 can discriminate CMNS from MM (p < 0.0001) and CMS (p < 0.0001) with an area under the curve (AUC) = 1. These results suggest that CXCL4 and CXCL10 play a prominent role in pathogenesis of CM associated death and may be used as functional or surrogate biomarkers for predicting CM severity. PMID:21508508

CXCL4 and CXCL10 predict risk of fatal cerebral malaria.

PubMed

Wilson, Nana O; Jain, Vidhan; Roberts, Christina E; Lucchi, Naomi; Joel, Pradeep K; Singh, Mrigendra P; Nagpal, Avinash C; Dash, Aditya P; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam; Singh, Neeru; Stiles, Jonathan K

2011-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum in a subset of patients can lead to a diffuse encephalopathy known as cerebral malaria (CM). Despite treatment, mortality caused by CM can be as high as 30% while 10% of survivors of the disease may experience short- and long-term neurological complications. The pathogenesis of CM involves alterations in cytokine and chemokine expression, local inflammation, vascular injury and repair processes. These diverse factors have limited the rate of discovery of prognostic predictors of fatal CM. Identification of reliable early predictors of CM severity will enable clinicians to adjust this risk with appropriate management of CM. Recent studies revealed that elevated levels of CXCL10 expression in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood plasma independently predicted severe and fatal CM. CXCR3, a promiscuous receptor of CXCL10, plays an important role in pathogenesis of mouse model of CM. In this study the role of corresponding CXCR3 ligands (CXCL11, CXCL10, CXCL9 & CXCL4) in fatal or severe CM was evaluated by comparing their levels in 16 healthy control (HC), 26 mild malaria (MM), 26 cerebral malaria survivors (CMS) and 12 non-survivors (CMNS) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of CXCL4 and CXCL10 were significantly elevated in CMNS patients (p < 0.05) when compared with HC, MM and CMS. Elevated plasma levels of CXCL10 and CXCL4 were tightly associated with CM mortality. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that CXCL4 and CXCL10 can discriminate CMNS from MM (p < 0.0001) and CMS (p <0.0001) with an area under the curve (AUC)=1. These results suggest that CXCL4 and CXCL10 play a prominent role in pathogenesis of CM associated death and may be used as functional or surrogate biomarkers for predicting CM severity.

Psychological stress is associated with altered levels of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Mundy-Bosse, Bethany L; Thornton, Lisa M; Yang, Hae-Chung; Andersen, Barbara L; Carson, William E

2011-01-01

Our group has shown in a randomized clinical trial that psychological intervention to reduce stress in patients with stages II and III breast cancer led to enhanced immune function, fewer recurrences and improved overall survival. We hypothesized that patients with high levels of stress would have alterations in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) compared to patients with lower stress. PBMC from 16 patients with high stress (n = 8) or with low stress (n = 8) after surgery as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) questionnaire were evaluated for the presence of MDSC. Patients with higher IES scores had significantly elevated salivary cortisol levels (P = 0.013; 13 μg/dl vs. 9.74 μg/dl). Levels of IL-1Rα were also significantly elevated in the higher IES group (45.09 pg/ml vs. 97.16 pg/ml; P = 0.010). IP 10, G-CSF, and IL-6 were all higher in the high stress group although not to a significant degree. Flow cytometric analysis for CD33+/HLA-DR-neg/CD15+/CD11b+ MDSC revealed increased MDSC in patients with lower IES scores (P = 0.009). CD11b+/CD15+ cells constituted 9.4% of the CD33+/HLA DR-neg cell population in patients with high IES, vs. 27.3% in patients with low IES scores. Additional analyzes of the number of stressful events that affected the patients in addition to their cancer diagnosis revealed that this type of stress measure correlated with elevated levels of MDSC (P = 0.064). These data indicate the existence of a complex relationship between stress and immune function in breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychological Stress is Associated with Altered Levels of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor cells in Breast Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Mundy-Bosse, Bethany L.; Thornton, Lisa M.; Yang, Hae-Chung; Andersen, Barbara L.; Carson, William E.

2011-01-01

Our group has shown in a randomized clinical trial that psychological intervention to reduce stress in patients with stage II and III breast cancer led to enhanced immune function, fewer recurrences and improved overall survival. We hypothesized that patients with high levels of stress would have alterations in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) compared to patients with lower stress. PBMC from 16 patients with high stress (n = 8) or with low stress (n = 8) after surgery as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) questionnaire were evaluated for the presence of MDSC. Patients with higher IES scores had significantly elevated salivary cortisol levels (P = 0.013; 13 µg/dl vs. 9.74 µg/dl). Levels of IL-1Rα were also significantly elevated in the higher IES group (45.09 pg/mL vs. 97.16 pg/mL; P = 0.010). IP 10, G-CSF, and IL-6 were all higher in the high stress group although not to a significant degree. Flow cytometric analysis for CD33+/HLA-DR-neg/CD15+/CD11b+ MDSC revealed increased MDSC in patients with lower IES scores (P = 0.009). CD11b+/CD15+ cells constituted 9.4% of the CD33+/HLA DR-neg cell population in patients with high IES, versus 27.3% in patients with low IES scores. Additional analyses of the number of stressful events that affected the patients in addition to their cancer diagnosis revealed that this type of stress measure correlated with elevated levels of MDSC (P = .064). These data indicate the existence of a complex relationship between stress and immune function in breast cancer patients. PMID:21600570

Experimental model of transthoracic, vascular-targeted, photodynamically induced myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Chrastina, Adrian; Pokreisz, Peter; Schnitzer, Jan E

2014-01-15

We describe a novel model of myocardial infarction (MI) in rats induced by percutaneous transthoracic low-energy laser-targeted photodynamic irradiation. The procedure does not require thoracotomy and represents a minimally invasive alternative to existing surgical models. Target cardiac area to be photodynamically irradiated was triangulated from the thoracic X-ray scans. The acute phase of MI was histopathologically characterized by the presence of extensive vascular occlusion, hemorrhage, loss of transversal striations, neutrophilic infiltration, and necrotic changes of cardiomyocytes. Consequently, damaged myocardium was replaced with fibrovascular and granulation tissue. The fibrotic scar in the infarcted area was detected by computer tomography imaging. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a specific marker of myocardial injury, was significantly elevated at 6 h (41 ± 6 ng/ml, n = 4, P < 0.05 vs. baseline) and returned to baseline after 72 h. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining revealed transmural anterolateral infarcts targeting 25 ± 3% of the left ventricle at day 1 with a decrease to 20 ± 3% at day 40 (n = 6 for each group, P < 0.01 vs. day 1). Electrocardiography (ECG) showed significant ST-segment elevation in the acute phase with subsequent development of a pathological Q wave and premature ventricular contractions in the chronic phase of MI. Vectorcardiogram analysis of spatiotemporal electrical signal transduction revealed changes in inscription direction, QRS loop morphology, and redistribution in quadrant areas. The photodynamically induced MI in n = 51 rats was associated with 12% total mortality. Histological findings, ECG abnormalities, and elevated cTnI levels confirmed the photosensitizer-dependent induction of MI after laser irradiation. This novel rodent model of MI might provide a platform to evaluate new diagnostic or therapeutic interventions.

Early life stress induces attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-like behavioral and brain metabolic dysfunctions: functional imaging of methylphenidate treatment in a novel rodent model.

PubMed

Bock, J; Breuer, S; Poeggel, G; Braun, K

2017-03-01

In a novel animal model Octodon degus we tested the hypothesis that, in addition to genetic predisposition, early life stress (ELS) contributes to the etiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder-like behavioral symptoms and the associated brain functional deficits. Since previous neurochemical observations revealed that early life stress impairs dopaminergic functions, we predicted that these symptoms can be normalized by treatment with methylphenidate. In line with our hypothesis, the behavioral analysis revealed that repeated ELS induced locomotor hyperactivity and reduced attention towards an emotionally relevant acoustic stimulus. Functional imaging using ( 14 C)-2-fluoro-deoxyglucose-autoradiography revealed that the behavioral symptoms are paralleled by metabolic hypoactivity of prefrontal, mesolimbic and subcortical brain areas. Finally, the pharmacological intervention provided further evidence that the behavioral and metabolic dysfunctions are due to impaired dopaminergic neurotransmission. Elevating dopamine in ELS animals by methylphenidate normalized locomotor hyperactivity and attention-deficit and ameliorated brain metabolic hypoactivity in a dose-dependent manner.

Large scale aggregate microarray analysis reveals three distinct molecular subclasses of human preeclampsia.

PubMed

Leavey, Katherine; Bainbridge, Shannon A; Cox, Brian J

2015-01-01

Preeclampsia (PE) is a life-threatening hypertensive pathology of pregnancy affecting 3-5% of all pregnancies. To date, PE has no cure, early detection markers, or effective treatments short of the removal of what is thought to be the causative organ, the placenta, which may necessitate a preterm delivery. Additionally, numerous small placental microarray studies attempting to identify "PE-specific" genes have yielded inconsistent results. We therefore hypothesize that preeclampsia is a multifactorial disease encompassing several pathology subclasses, and that large cohort placental gene expression analysis will reveal these groups. To address our hypothesis, we utilized known bioinformatic methods to aggregate 7 microarray data sets across multiple platforms in order to generate a large data set of 173 patient samples, including 77 with preeclampsia. Unsupervised clustering of these patient samples revealed three distinct molecular subclasses of PE. This included a "canonical" PE subclass demonstrating elevated expression of known PE markers and genes associated with poor oxygenation and increased secretion, as well as two other subclasses potentially representing a poor maternal response to pregnancy and an immunological presentation of preeclampsia. Our analysis sheds new light on the heterogeneity of PE patients, and offers up additional avenues for future investigation. Hopefully, our subclassification of preeclampsia based on molecular diversity will finally lead to the development of robust diagnostics and patient-based treatments for this disorder.

Cumulative trauma and symptom complexity in children: a path analysis.

PubMed

Hodges, Monica; Godbout, Natacha; Briere, John; Lanktree, Cheryl; Gilbert, Alicia; Kletzka, Nicole Taylor

2013-11-01

Multiple trauma exposures during childhood are associated with a range of psychological symptoms later in life. In this study, we examined whether the total number of different types of trauma experienced by children (cumulative trauma) is associated with the complexity of their subsequent symptomatology, where complexity is defined as the number of different symptom clusters simultaneously elevated into the clinical range. Children's symptoms in six different trauma-related areas (e.g., depression, anger, posttraumatic stress) were reported both by child clients and their caretakers in a clinical sample of 318 children. Path analysis revealed that accumulated exposure to multiple different trauma types predicts symptom complexity as reported by both children and their caretakers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Floodflow characteristics at proposed bridge site on Fishkill Creek, Fishkill, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zembrzuski, Thomas J.; Dunn, Bernard

1976-01-01

An evaluation of floodflow characteristics of Fishkill Creek at the proposed bridge site at Fishkill, N.Y., was made for the 50- and 100-year floods. The flood-frequency analysis revealed that the magnitude of the 50- and 100-year floods are 8,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and 10,000 cfs, respectively. The normal water-surface elevation at the approach cross section was determined by the slope-conveyance method to be 209.8 feet during a 50-year flood and 210.8 feet during a 100-year flood. Also included is an analysis of the effect of the existing bridge and of two alternative bridge designs on the profiles of floods having recurrence intervals of 50 and 100 years. (Woodard-USGS)

Identification of sexually abused female adolescents at risk for suicidal ideations: a classification and regression tree analysis.

PubMed

Brabant, Marie-Eve; Hébert, Martine; Chagnon, François

2013-01-01

This study explored the clinical profiles of 77 female teenager survivors of sexual abuse and examined the association of abuse-related and personal variables with suicidal ideations. Analyses revealed that 64% of participants experienced suicidal ideations. Findings from classification and regression tree analysis indicated that depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and hopelessness discriminated profiles of suicidal and nonsuicidal survivors. The elevated prevalence of suicidal ideations among adolescent survivors of sexual abuse underscores the importance of investigating the presence of suicidal ideations in sexual abuse survivors. However, suicidal ideation is not the sole variable that needs to be investigated; depression, hopelessness and posttraumatic stress symptoms are also related to suicidal ideations in survivors and could therefore guide interventions.

Draft genome sequence of Micrococcus luteus strain O'Kane implicates metabolic versatility and the potential to degrade polyhydroxybutyrates.

PubMed

Hanafy, Radwa A; Couger, M B; Baker, Kristina; Murphy, Chelsea; O'Kane, Shannon D; Budd, Connie; French, Donald P; Hoff, Wouter D; Youssef, Noha

2016-09-01

Micrococcus luteus is a predominant member of skin microbiome. We here report on the genomic analysis of Micrococcus luteus strain O'Kane that was isolated from an elevator. The partial genome assembly of Micrococcus luteus strain O'Kane is 2.5 Mb with 2256 protein-coding genes and 62 RNA genes. Genomic analysis revealed metabolic versatility with genes involved in the metabolism and transport of glucose, galactose, fructose, mannose, alanine, aspartate, asparagine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, serine, cysteine, methionine, arginine, proline, histidine, phenylalanine, and fatty acids. Genomic comparison to other M. luteus representatives identified the potential to degrade polyhydroxybutyrates, as well as several antibiotic resistance genes absent from other genomes.

Long-term survival in a dog with meningoencephalitis and epidural abscessation due to Actinomyces species.

PubMed

Song, Rachel B; Vitullo, Carina A; da Costa, Ronaldo C; Daniels, Joshua B

2015-07-01

A 2-year-old, female spayed Golden Retriever dog was presented to The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center for evaluation of ataxia, cervical pain, 1 episode of acute collapse, dull mentation, and inappetence. Physical examination revealed an elevated temperature of 39.7°C and severe cervical pain. Blood work revealed a mature neutrophilia. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed nondegenerative neutrophilic pleocytosis with no infectious agents. A presumptive diagnosis of steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis was made, and corticosteroid therapy was started. The patient improved initially but experienced a vestibular episode characterized by falling and vertical nystagmus. A magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed an epidural abscess in the cervical vertebral canal and diffuse meningeal enhancement in the brain and cranial cervical spine. Abscess drainage revealed degenerate neutrophils and several filamentous, branching organisms. Culture of the initial CSF using an enrichment broth revealed growth of a Gram-positive organism 5 days after fluid collection. The isolate was identified by partial 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing as Actinomyces spp. The patient was successfully treated with long-term antibiotics. Our study reports the long-term survival after medical treatment of bacterial meningoencephalitis and epidural abscessation due to Actinomyces sp. infection in a dog. Bacterial meningoencephalitis should be included as a differential diagnosis in patients with cervical pain and fever, even when a nondegenerative neutrophilic pleocytosis is found on CSF analysis. Culture of the CSF with use of an enrichment broth should be considered in all cases of neutrophilic pleocytosis to rule out infections of the central nervous system. © 2015 The Author(s).

Profound metabolic acidosis and oxoprolinuria in an adult.

PubMed

Hodgman, Michael J; Horn, James F; Stork, Christine M; Marraffa, Jeanna M; Holland, Michael G; Cantor, Richard; Carmel, Patti M

2007-09-01

Profound metabolic acidosis in critically ill adults sometimes remains unexplained despite extensive evaluation. A 58-year-old female presented in a confused state to the emergency department; she had been confused for several days. Laboratory evaluation revealed a high anion gap metabolic acidosis and modestly elevated acetaminophen level. Lactic acid was only modestly elevated. There was no evidence of ketoacids, salicylate, methanol, or ethylene glycol. A urine sample submitted on day 1 of hospitalization revealed a markedly elevated level of 5-oxoproline. Originally described in children with an inherited defect of glutathione synthetase, 5-oxoproline is an unusual cause of metabolic acidosis. More recently this disturbance has been recognized in critically ill adults without a recognized inherited metabolic disorder. In most of these cases there has been the concomitant use of acetaminophen. Any causal relationship between acetaminophen and this disturbance is speculative. In critically ill adults with unexplained metabolic acidosis, 5-Oxoproline should be considered in the differential.

Harvest index, a parameter conditioning responsiveness of wheat plants to elevated CO2

PubMed Central

Aranjuelo, Iker; Sanz-Sáez, Álvaro; Jauregui, Iván; Irigoyen, Juan J.; Araus, José L.; Sánchez-Díaz, Manuel; Erice, Gorka

2013-01-01

The expansion of the world’s population requires the development of high production agriculture. For this purpose, it is essential to identify target points conditioning crop responsiveness to predicted [CO2]. The aim of this study was to determine the relevance of ear sink strength in leaf protein and metabolomic profiles and its implications in photosynthetic activity and yield of durum wheat plants exposed to elevated [CO2]. For this purpose, a genotype with high harvest index (HI) (Triticum durum var. Sula) and another with low HI (Triticum durum var. Blanqueta) were exposed to elevated [CO2] (700 µmol mol–1 versus 400 µmol mol–1 CO2) in CO2 greenhouses. The obtained data highlighted that elevated [CO2] only increased plant growth in the genotype with the largest HI; Sula. Gas exchange analyses revealed that although exposure to 700 µmol mol–1 depleted Rubisco content, Sula was capable of increasing the light-saturated rate of CO2 assimilation (Asat) whereas, in Blanqueta, the carbohydrate imbalance induced the down-regulation of Asat. The specific depletion of Rubisco in both genotypes under elevated [CO2], together with the enhancement of other proteins in the Calvin cycle, revealed that there was a redistribution of N from Rubisco towards RuBP regeneration. Moreover, the down-regulation of N, NO3 –, amino acid, and organic acid content, together with the depletion of proteins involved in amino acid synthesis that was detected in Blanqueta grown at 700 µmol mol–1 CO2, revealed that inhibition of N assimilation was involved in the carbohydrate imbalance and consequently with the down-regulation of photosynthesis and growth in these plants. PMID:23564953

Rectal Cancer in a Patient with Bartter Syndrome: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Fujino, Shiki; Miyoshi, Norikatsu; Ohue, Masayuki; Mukai, Mikio; Kukita, Yoji; Hata, Taishi; Matsuda, Chu; Mizushima, Tsunekazu; Doki, Yuichiro; Mori, Masaki

2017-01-01

A woman with rectal cancer was scheduled for surgery. However, she also had hypokalemia, hyperreninemia, and hyperaldosteronism in the absence of any known predisposing factors or endocrine tumors. She was given intravenous potassium, and her blood abnormalities stabilized after tumor resection. Genetic analysis revealed mutations in several genes associated with Bartter syndrome (BS) and Gitelman syndrome, including SLC12A1, CLCNKB, CASR, SLC26A3, and SLC12A3. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays an important role in BS and worsens electrolyte abnormalities. The PGE2 level is reportedly increased in colorectal cancer, and in the present case, immunohistochemical examination revealed an increased PGE2 level in the tumor. We concluded that the tumor-related PGE2 elevation had worsened the patient’s BS, which became more manageable after tumor resection. PMID:28498361

Rectal Cancer in a Patient with Bartter Syndrome: A Case Report.

PubMed

Fujino, Shiki; Miyoshi, Norikatsu; Ohue, Masayuki; Mukai, Mikio; Kukita, Yoji; Hata, Taishi; Matsuda, Chu; Mizushima, Tsunekazu; Doki, Yuichiro; Mori, Masaki

2017-05-12

A woman with rectal cancer was scheduled for surgery. However, she also had hypokalemia, hyperreninemia, and hyperaldosteronism in the absence of any known predisposing factors or endocrine tumors. She was given intravenous potassium, and her blood abnormalities stabilized after tumor resection. Genetic analysis revealed mutations in several genes associated with Bartter syndrome (BS) and Gitelman syndrome, including SLC12A1 , CLCNKB , CASR , SLC26A3 , and SLC12A3 . Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays an important role in BS and worsens electrolyte abnormalities. The PGE2 level is reportedly increased in colorectal cancer, and in the present case, immunohistochemical examination revealed an increased PGE2 level in the tumor. We concluded that the tumor-related PGE2 elevation had worsened the patient's BS, which became more manageable after tumor resection.

Separate channels for the analysis of the shape and the movement of moving visual stimulus.

PubMed

Tolhurst, D J

1973-06-01

1. The effects of temporal modulation on the properties of spatial frequency channels have been investigated using adaptation.2. Adapting to drifting sinusoidal gratings caused threshold elevation that was both spatial frequency and direction specific. Little systematic difference was found between the band widths of the elevation curves for drifting and stationary gratings.3. It was confirmed that adaptation fails to reveal channels at low spatial frequencies when stationary gratings are used. However, channels were revealed at frequencies at least as low as 0.66 c/deg when the test gratings were made to move. These channels are adapted only a little by stationary gratings, confirming their dependence on movement.4. The existence of movement-sensitive channels at low spatial frequencies explains the well known observation that temporal modulation greatly increases the sensitivity of the visual system to low spatial frequencies.5. Temporal modulation was effective at revealing these channels only when the flicker or movement of the test patterns was apparent to the observer; only at low spatial frequencies did patterns, modulated at low rates, actually appear to be temporarily modulated at threshold. At higher spatial frequencies, they were indistinguishable from stationary patterns until the contrast was some way above the detection threshold.6. It is suggested, therefore, that the movement-sensitive channels are responsible for signalling the occurrence of movement; the channels at higher spatial frequencies give no information about temporal changes. These two systems of channels are compared to the Y- and X-cells respectively of the cat.

Investigation of electrical noise in selenium-immersed thermistor bolometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarpley, J. L.; Sarmiento, P. D.

1980-01-01

The selenium immersed, thermistor bolometer, IR detector failed due to spurious and escalating electrical noise outburst as a function of time at elevated temperatures during routine ground based testing in a space simulated environment. Spectrographic analysis of failed bolometers revealed selenium pure zones in the insulating selenium arsenic (Se-As) glass film which surrounds the active sintered Mn, Ni, Co oxide flake. The selenium pure film was identified as a potentially serious failure mechanism. Significant changes were instituted in the manufacturing techniques along with more stringent process controls which eliminated the selenium pure film and successfully produced 22study bolometers.

Streptomyces communities in soils polluted with heavy metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grishko, V. N.; Syshchikova, O. V.

2009-02-01

The contents of differently mobile heavy metal compounds and their influence on the formation of microbial cenoses (particularly, streptomyces communities) in technogenically disturbed soils are considered. Elevated concentrations of mobile Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd, and Fe compounds are shown to determine structural-functional changes in microbial cenoses that are displayed in a decreasing number of microorganisms and a narrower spectrum of the streptomyces species. Some specific features of the formation of streptomyces communities in technogenic soils were revealed on the basis of the analysis of their species structure with the use of the Margalef, Berger-Parker, and Sorensen indices of biodiversity.

Effect of elevation on distribution of female bats in the Black Hills, South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cryan, P.M.; Bogan, M.A.; Altenbach, J.S.

2000-01-01

Presumably, reproductive female bats are more constrained by thermoregulatory and energy needs than are males and nonreproductive females. Constraints imposed on reproductive females may limit their geographic distribution relative to other bats. Such constraints likely increase with latitude and elevation. Males of 11 bat species that inhabit the Black Hills were captured more frequently than females, and reproductive females typically were encountered at low-elevational sites. To investigate the relationship between female distribution and elevation, we fitted a logistic regression model to evaluate the probability of reproductive-female capture as a function of elevation. Mist-net data from 1,197 captures of 7 species revealed that 75% of all captures were males. We found a significant inverse relationship between elevation and relative abundance of reproductive females. Relative abundance of reproductive females decreased as elevation increased. Reproductive females may be constrained from roosting and foraging in high-elevational habitats that impose thermoregulatory costs and decrease foraging efficiency. Failure to account for sex differences in distributional patterns along elevational gradients may significantly bias estimates of population size.

[Effects of topography on the diversity and distribution pattern of ground plants in karst montane forests in Southwest Guangxi, China].

PubMed

Yuan, Tie-Xiang; Zhang, He-Ping; Ou, Zhi-Yang; Tan, Yi-Bo

2014-10-01

Covariance analysis, curve-fitting, and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to explore the effects of topographic factors on the plant diversity and distribution patterns of ground flora with different growth forms in the karst mountains of Southwest Guangxi, China. A total of 152 ground plants were recorded. Among them, 37 species were ferns, 44 species herbs, 9 species lianas, and 62 species shrubs. Covariance analysis revealed that altitude significantly correlated with the individual number and richness of ground plants, and slope aspect had a significant effect on richness. Statistical analyses showed a highly significant nonlinear correlation between the individual number or richness of ground plants and altitude. Results of CCA revealed that slope aspect had a significant effect on the distribution pattern of ferns, and slope had a significant effect on the distribution patterns of herbs, lianas and shrubs. Ferns were more sensitive than herbs, lianas and shrubs to changes in heat and soil water caused by aspect. The effect of slope was stronger than that of elevation on soil water and nutrients, and it was the most important topographic factor that affected the distribution patterns of herbs, lianas and shrubs in this region.

Peptidomic analysis of human cell lines

PubMed Central

Gelman, Julia S.; Sironi, Juan; Castro, Leandro M.; Ferro, Emer S.; Fricker, Lloyd D.

2011-01-01

Peptides have been proposed to function in intracellular signaling within the cytosol. Although cytosolic peptides are considered to be highly unstable, a large number of peptides have been detected in mouse brain and other biological samples. In the present study, we evaluated the peptidome of three diverse cell lines: SH-SY5Y, MCF7, and HEK293 cells. A comparison of the peptidomes revealed considerable overlap in the identity of the peptides found in each cell line. The majority of the observed peptides are not derived from the most abundant or least stable proteins in the cell, and approximately half of the cellular peptides correspond to the N- or C- termini of the precursor proteins. Cleavage site analysis revealed a preference for hydrophobic residues in the P1 position. Quantitative peptidomic analysis indicated that the levels of most cellular peptides are not altered in response to elevated intracellular calcium, suggesting that calpain is not responsible for their production. The similarity of the peptidomes of the three cell lines and the lack of correlation with the predicted cellular degradome implies the selective formation or retention of these peptides, consistent with the hypothesis that they are functional in the cells. PMID:21204522

Stress- and sequence-dependent release into the culture medium of HIV-1 Nef produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Macreadie, I G; Castelli, L A; Lucantoni, A; Azad, A A

1995-09-11

We have produced human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Nef (a myristylated 206-amino-acid protein) in Saccharomyces cerevisaie and shown that, while Nef is normally found as a predominantly intracellular protein, amounts up to 40 micrograms/ml of Nef are also released into the extracellular medium during stress. By electrophoretic (SDS-PAGE) analysis the extracellular Nef is indistinguishable from intracellular Nef. Conditions of stress that lead to the release of Nef include elevated levels of copper or magnesium ions or growth at elevated temperatures. This release appears to be dependent upon the N-terminal sequences of Nef, including the presence of a myristylation site. Our observations concerning Nef release in yeast suggest new ways in which the behaviour of Nef should be examined in order to gain further insights into the development of AIDS. If the release of Nef is important in the development of AIDS, our work reveals that Nef-associated symptoms may be reduced or delayed by reducing stresses, such as fevers.

Running-Induced Systemic Cathepsin B Secretion Is Associated with Memory Function.

PubMed

Moon, Hyo Youl; Becke, Andreas; Berron, David; Becker, Benjamin; Sah, Nirnath; Benoni, Galit; Janke, Emma; Lubejko, Susan T; Greig, Nigel H; Mattison, Julie A; Duzel, Emrah; van Praag, Henriette

2016-08-09

Peripheral processes that mediate beneficial effects of exercise on the brain remain sparsely explored. Here, we show that a muscle secretory factor, cathepsin B (CTSB) protein, is important for the cognitive and neurogenic benefits of running. Proteomic analysis revealed elevated levels of CTSB in conditioned medium derived from skeletal muscle cell cultures treated with AMP-kinase agonist AICAR. Consistently, running increased CTSB levels in mouse gastrocnemius muscle and plasma. Furthermore, recombinant CTSB application enhanced expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and doublecortin (DCX) in adult hippocampal progenitor cells through a mechanism dependent on the multifunctional protein P11. In vivo, in CTSB knockout (KO) mice, running did not enhance adult hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial memory function. Interestingly, in Rhesus monkeys and humans, treadmill exercise elevated CTSB in plasma. In humans, changes in CTSB levels correlated with fitness and hippocampus-dependent memory function. Our findings suggest CTSB as a mediator of effects of exercise on cognition. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Expanding the spectrum of genetic mutations in antenatal Bartter syndrome type II.

PubMed

Fretzayas, Andreas; Gole, Evangelia; Attilakos, Achilleas; Daskalaki, Anna; Nicolaidou, Polyxeni; Papadopoulou, Anna

2013-06-01

Bartter syndrome (BS) is a group of genetic disorders characterized by hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, hyponatremia and elevated renin and aldosterone plasma concentrations. BS type II is caused by mutations in the KCNJ1 gene and usually presents with transient hyperkalemia. We report here a novel KCNJ1 mutation in a male neonate, prematurely born after a pregnancy complicated by polyhydramnios. The infant presented with typical clinical and laboratory findings of BS type II, such as hyponatremia, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis, severe weight loss, elevated renin and aldosterone levels and transient hyperkalemia in the early postnatal period, which were later normalized. Molecular analysis revealed a compound heterozygous mutation in the KCNJ1 gene, consisting of a novel K76E and an already described V315G mutation, both affecting functional domains of the channel protein. Typical manifestations of antenatal BS in combination with hyperkalemia should prompt the clinician to search for mutations in the KCNJ1 gene first. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2013 Japan Pediatric Society.

Gender nonconformity, intelligence, and sexual orientation.

PubMed

Rahman, Qazi; Bhanot, Suraj; Emrith-Small, Hanna; Ghafoor, Shilan; Roberts, Steven

2012-06-01

The present study explored whether there were relationships among gender nonconformity, intelligence, and sexual orientation. A total of 106 heterosexual men, 115 heterosexual women, and 103 gay men completed measures of demographic variables, recalled childhood gender nonconformity (CGN), and the National Adult Reading Test (NART). NART error scores were used to estimate Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) and Verbal IQ (VIQ) scores. Gay men had significantly fewer NART errors than heterosexual men and women (controlling for years of education). In heterosexual men, correlational analysis revealed significant associations between CGN, NART, and FSIQ scores (elevated boyhood femininity correlated with higher IQ scores). In heterosexual women, the direction of the correlations between CGN and all IQ scores was reversed (elevated girlhood femininity correlating with lower IQ scores). There were no significant correlations among these variables in gay men. These data may indicate a "sexuality-specific" effect on general cognitive ability but with limitations. They also support growing evidence that quantitative measures of sex-atypicality are useful in the study of trait sexual orientation.

Relationship between chronic lead toxicity and plasma neurotransmitters in autistic patients from Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

El-Ansary, Afaf K; Bacha, Abir Ben; Ayahdi, Layla Y Al-

2011-09-01

This study aims to clarify the relationship between blood Pb(2+) concentration as a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and plasma neurotransmitters as biochemical parameters that reflect brain function in Saudi autistic patients. RBC's lead content together with plasma concentration of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin (5HT) and dopamine (DA) were measured in 25 Saudi autistic patients and compared to 16 age-matching control samples. The obtained data recorded that Saudi autistic patients have a remarkable higher levels of Pb(2+) and significantly elevated levels of GABA, 5HT and DA compared to healthy subjects. ROC analysis revealed satisfactory values of specificity and sensitivity of the measured parameters. This study suggests that postnatal lead toxicity in autistic patients of Saudi Arabia could represent a causative factor in the pathogenesis of autism. Elevated GABA, 5HT and DA were discussed in relation to the chronic lead toxicity recorded in the investigated autistic samples. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Association of unmeasured strong ions with outcome of hospitalized beef and dairy diarrheic calves

PubMed Central

Gomez, Diego E.; Lofstedt, Jeanne; Arroyo, Luis G.; Wichtel, Maureen; Muirhead, Tammy; Stämpfli, Henri; McClure, J. Trenton

2017-01-01

Increased systemic concentrations of L-lactate and unmeasured strong ions (USI) are associated with an increased risk of mortality in human neonates and adults suffering from various diseases. This exploratory study aimed to investigate if values of certain acid-base parameters, especially L-lactate and USI, on admission to hospital are associated with mortality in diarrheic calves. Fifty-five calves < 28 days old admitted to 2 teaching hospitals for diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea were included. Admission demographic, physical examination, blood gas and biochemistry analysis, and outcome data were recorded. Admission acid-base values associated with outcome were assessed using multivariable regression modeling. Calves with elevated plasma L-lactate (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.55; P = 0.005) and USI (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.74; P = 0.003) at admission were more likely to die or to be euthanized. This study revealed that elevated concentrations of L-lactate and USI at admission were positively associated with mortality. PMID:28966359

Intrinsic evolutions of dielectric function and electronic transition in tungsten doping Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} phase change films discovered by ellipsometry at elevated temperatures

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

Guo, S.; Ding, X. J.; Zhang, J. Z.

2015-02-02

Tungsten (W) doping effects on Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (GSTW) phase change films with different concentrations (3.2, 7.1, and 10.8%) have been investigated by variable-temperature spectroscopic ellipsometry. The dielectric functions from 210 K to 660 K have been evaluated with the aid of Tauc-Lorentz and Drude dispersion models. The analysis of Tauc gap energy (E{sub g}) and partial spectral weight integral reveal the correlation between optical properties and local structural change. The order degree increment and chemical bond change from covalent to resonant should be responsible for band gap narrowing and electronic transition enhancement during the phase change process. It is foundmore » that the elevated crystalline temperature for GSTW can be related to improved disorder degree. Furthermore, the shrinkage of E{sub g} for GSTW should be attributed to the enhanced metallicity compared with undoped GST.« less

Adaptive population divergence and directional gene flow across steep elevational gradients in a climate‐sensitive mammal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waterhouse, Matthew D.; Erb, Liesl P.; Beever, Erik; Russello, Michael A.

2018-01-01

The American pika is a thermally sensitive, alpine lagomorph species. Recent climate-associated population extirpations and genetic signatures of reduced population sizes range-wide indicate the viability of this species is sensitive to climate change. To test for potential adaptive responses to climate stress, we sampled pikas along two elevational gradients (each ~470 to 1640 m) and employed three outlier detection methods, BAYESCAN, LFMM, and BAYPASS, to scan for genotype-environment associations in samples genotyped at 30,763 SNP loci. We resolved 173 loci with robust evidence of natural selection detected by either two independent analyses or replicated in both transects. A BLASTN search of these outlier loci revealed several genes associated with metabolic function and oxygen transport, indicating natural selection from thermal stress and hypoxia. We also found evidence of directional gene flow primarily downslope from large high-elevation populations and reduced gene flow at outlier loci, a pattern suggesting potential impediments to the upward elevational movement of adaptive alleles in response to contemporary climate change. Finally, we documented evidence of reduced genetic diversity associated the south-facing transect and an increase in corticosterone stress levels associated with inbreeding. This study suggests the American pika is already undergoing climate-associated natural selection at multiple genomic regions. Further analysis is needed to determine if the rate of climate adaptation in the American pika and other thermally sensitive species will be able to keep pace with rapidly changing climate conditions.

Effects of Three Depression Prevention Interventions on Risk for Depressive Disorder Onset in the Context of Depression Risk Factors

PubMed Central

Rohde, Paul; Stice, Eric; Gau, Jeff M.

2013-01-01

Study aims were to identify subgroups of adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms who had the highest likelihood of developing future major/minor depressive disorder on the basis of depression risk factors and participation in three depression prevention programs, with the goal of evaluating the preventive effect of indicated prevention interventions in the context of known risk factors. Adolescents (N = 341) with elevated depressive symptoms were randomized to one of four prevention intervention conditions (cognitive-behavioral group, supportive-expressive group, cognitive-behavioral bibliotherapy, educational brochure control). By 2-year follow-up, 14% showed onset of major/minor depressive disorders. Classification tree analysis (CTA) revealed that negative attributional style was the most important risk factor: youth with high scores showed a 4-fold increase in depression onset compared to youth who did not endorse this attributional style. For adolescents with negative attributional style, prevention condition emerged as the most important predictor: those receiving bibliotherapy showed a 5-fold reduction in depression disorder onset relative to adolescents in the three other intervention conditions. For adolescents who reported low negative attributional style scores, elevated levels of depressive symptoms at baseline emerged as the most potent predictor. Results implicate two key pathways to depression involving negative attributional style and elevated depressive symptoms in this population, and suggest that bibliotherapy may offset the risk conveyed by the most important depression risk factor in this sample. PMID:22932745

Ecological structure and function in a restored versus natural salt marsh

PubMed Central

Rezek, Ryan J.; Lebreton, Benoit; Sterba-Boatwright, Blair

2017-01-01

Habitat reconstruction is commonly employed to restore degraded estuarine habitats and lost ecological functions. In this study, we use a combination of stable isotope analyses and macrofauna community analysis to compare the ecological structure and function between a recently constructed Spartina alterniflora salt marsh and a natural reference habitat over a 2-year period. The restored marsh was successful in providing habitat for economically and ecologically important macrofauna taxa; supporting similar or greater density, biomass, and species richness to the natural reference during all but one sampling period. Stable isotope analyses revealed that communities from the natural and the restored marshes relied on a similar diversity of food resources and that decapods had similar trophic levels. However, some generalist consumers (Palaemonetes spp. and Penaeus aztecus) were more 13C-enriched in the natural marsh, indicating a greater use of macrophyte derived organic matter relative to restored marsh counterparts. This difference was attributed to the higher quantities of macrophyte detritus and organic carbon in natural marsh sediments. Reduced marsh flooding frequency was associated with a reduction in macrofaunal biomass and decapod trophic levels. The restored marsh edge occurred at lower elevations than natural marsh edge, apparently due to reduced fetch and wind-wave exposure provided by the protective berm structures. The lower elevation of the restored marsh edge mitigated negative impacts in sampling periods with low tidal elevations that affected the natural marsh. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering sediment characteristics and elevation in salt marsh constructions. PMID:29261795

Differential risk for late adolescent conduct problems and mood dysregulation among children with early externalizing behavior problems.

PubMed

Okado, Yuko; Bierman, Karen L

2015-05-01

To investigate the differential emergence of antisocial behaviors and mood dysregulation among children with externalizing problems, the present study prospectively followed 317 high-risk children with early externalizing problems from school entry (ages 5-7) to late adolescence (ages 17-19). Latent class analysis conducted on their conduct and mood symptoms in late adolescence revealed three distinct patterns of symptoms, characterized by: 1) criminal offenses, conduct disorder symptoms, and elevated anger ("conduct problems"), 2) elevated anger, dysphoric mood, and suicidal ideation ("mood dysregulation"), and 3) low levels of severe conduct and mood symptoms. A diathesis-stress model predicting the first two outcomes was tested. Elevated overt aggression at school entry uniquely predicted conduct problems in late adolescence, whereas elevated emotion dysregulation at school entry uniquely predicted mood dysregulation in late adolescence. Experiences of low parental warmth and peer rejection in middle childhood moderated the link between early emotion dysregulation and later mood dysregulation but did not moderate the link between early overt aggression and later conduct problems. Thus, among children with early externalizing behavior problems, increased risk for later antisocial behavior or mood dysfunction may be identifiable in early childhood based on levels of overt aggression and emotion dysregulation. For children with early emotion dysregulation, however, increased risk for mood dysregulation characterized by anger, dysphoric mood, and suicidality--possibly indicative of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder--emerges only in the presence of low parental warmth and/or peer rejection during middle childhood.

Ecological structure and function in a restored versus natural salt marsh.

PubMed

Rezek, Ryan J; Lebreton, Benoit; Sterba-Boatwright, Blair; Beseres Pollack, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Habitat reconstruction is commonly employed to restore degraded estuarine habitats and lost ecological functions. In this study, we use a combination of stable isotope analyses and macrofauna community analysis to compare the ecological structure and function between a recently constructed Spartina alterniflora salt marsh and a natural reference habitat over a 2-year period. The restored marsh was successful in providing habitat for economically and ecologically important macrofauna taxa; supporting similar or greater density, biomass, and species richness to the natural reference during all but one sampling period. Stable isotope analyses revealed that communities from the natural and the restored marshes relied on a similar diversity of food resources and that decapods had similar trophic levels. However, some generalist consumers (Palaemonetes spp. and Penaeus aztecus) were more 13C-enriched in the natural marsh, indicating a greater use of macrophyte derived organic matter relative to restored marsh counterparts. This difference was attributed to the higher quantities of macrophyte detritus and organic carbon in natural marsh sediments. Reduced marsh flooding frequency was associated with a reduction in macrofaunal biomass and decapod trophic levels. The restored marsh edge occurred at lower elevations than natural marsh edge, apparently due to reduced fetch and wind-wave exposure provided by the protective berm structures. The lower elevation of the restored marsh edge mitigated negative impacts in sampling periods with low tidal elevations that affected the natural marsh. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering sediment characteristics and elevation in salt marsh constructions.

Imaging Features on Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Clinical Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Combined Hepatocellular-Cholangiocarcinoma: Comparison with Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PubMed

Ye, Jieyi; Xie, Xiaoyan; Liu, Baoxian; Zhang, Xiaoer; Wang, Wei; Huang, Xiaowen; Lu, Mingde; Huang, Guangliang

2017-11-01

The objective of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and imaging features on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thirty-one pathologically proven CHCs were included and 31 HCCs were randomly selected as controls. Elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 alone and simultaneous elevation of α-fetoprotein and CA19-9 were more frequent in CHC than in HCC patients (p = 0.004 and 0.029, respectively). On CEUS, homogeneous, heterogeneous and peripheral irregular rim-like enhancement was illustrated in 8 (25.8%), 12 (38.7%) and 11 (35.5%) CHCs and in 6 (19.4%), 23 (74.1%) and 2 (6.5%) HCCs, respectively (p = 0.007). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed CA19-9 elevation (p = 0.011, odds ratio [OR] = 6.545) and peripheral irregular rim-like enhancement on CEUS (p = 0.017, OR = 7.718) were independent variables. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted and the area under the curve was 0.740. CHC should be watched for in HBV-infected patients with liver tumor manifesting peripheral irregular rim-like enhancement on CEUS, accompanied by CA19-9 elevation. Copyright © 2017 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of three depression prevention interventions on risk for depressive disorder onset in the context of depression risk factors.

PubMed

Rohde, Paul; Stice, Eric; Gau, Jeff M

2012-12-01

Study aims were to identify subgroups of adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms who had the highest likelihood of developing future major/minor depressive disorder on the basis of depression risk factors and participation in three depression prevention programs, with the goal of evaluating the preventive effect of indicated prevention interventions in the context of known risk factors. Adolescents (N = 341) with elevated depressive symptoms were randomized to one of four prevention intervention conditions (cognitive-behavioral group, supportive-expressive group, cognitive-behavioral bibliotherapy, educational brochure control). By 2-year follow-up, 14% showed onset of major/minor depressive disorders. Classification tree analysis (CTA) revealed that negative attributional style was the most important risk factor: Youth with high scores showed a 4-fold increase in depression onset compared to youth who did not endorse this attributional style. For adolescents with negative attributional style, prevention condition emerged as the most important predictor: Those receiving bibliotherapy showed a 5-fold reduction in depression disorder onset relative to adolescents in the three other intervention conditions. For adolescents who reported low negative attributional style scores, elevated levels of depressive symptoms at baseline emerged as the most potent predictor. Results implicate two key pathways to depression involving negative attributional style and elevated depressive symptoms in this population, and suggest that bibliotherapy may offset the risk conveyed by the most important depression risk factor in this sample.

Balance and exposure to an elevated sloped surface.

PubMed

Wade, Chip; Davis, Jerry; Weimar, Wendi H

2014-01-01

Fall injuries and fatalities exceed 50 billion dollars annually. One half of fatal falls are from pitched roof settings. Falls from elevation in an occupational setting have been documented to be a significant issue in today's workforce. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of exposure to inclined surfaces on flat surface balance at varying heights above the ground. Thirty participants, 10 male college students (inexperienced), 10 female college students (inexperienced) and 10 male roofers (experienced) between age 19 and 50 years participated in this study. Participants walked for 20 min on an elevated roof segment (9-14 feet above ground level) and a ground level roof segment (0-5 feet above ground level) on separate days. Results indicated a significant difference for all groups in sway velocity over time at both levels (elevated and ground) and from eyes open to eyes closed conditions at both levels (p<0.05). Statistical analysis revealed that roofers had significantly less increase in sway velocity, post exposure than that of the inexperienced group (p<0.05). These findings provide practical information to employers and employees during the construction of structures that employ a pitched roof design. The implication of these findings include the knowledge that an individual is less stable directly after performing roofing tasks on a pitched roof setting, and should be afforded ample time to recover before moving into activities that would place them at a higher risk of injury from falls. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leukoencephalopathy with brain stem and spinal cord involvement and high lactate: a genetically proven case without elevated white matter lactate.

PubMed

Sharma, Suvasini; Sankhyan, Naveen; Kumar, Atin; Scheper, Gert C; van der Knaap, Marjo S; Gulati, Sheffali

2011-06-01

A 17-year-old Indian boy with gradually progressive ataxia with onset at 12 years of age is described. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed extensive, inhomogeneous signal abnormalities in the cerebral white matter, with involvement of selected tracts in the brain stem and spinal cord. The imaging findings were characteristic of leukoencephalopathy with brain stem and spinal cord involvement and high lactate, a recently described leukodystrophy. Interestingly, magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the abnormal white matter did not reveal elevated lactate. The patient was compound heterozygous for 2 new mutations in DARS2, genetically confirming the diagnosis.

Poor safety climate, long work hours, and musculoskeletal discomfort among Latino horse farm workers.

PubMed

Swanberg, Jennifer; Clouser, Jessica Miller; Gan, Wenqi; Flunker, John C; Westneat, Susan; Browning, Steven R

2017-09-03

This study investigated the prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) and work-related factors associated with elevated MSD among Latino thoroughbred farm workers. Participants (N = 225) were recruited using a community-based purposive sampling approach to participate in in-person interviews. Of these workers, 85% experienced MSD. MSD was divided into tertiles; the upper tertile was defined as elevated. Multivariable Poisson regression revealed associations between any elevated MSD and longer tenure on horse farms, longer work hours, and poor safety climate. Elevated neck/back MSD was associated with longer tenure, longer work hours, and poor safety climate. Elevated upper extremity MSD was associated with age and poor safety climate. Elevated lower extremity MSD was associated with longer tenure, longer work hours, and being female. Musculoskeletal discomfort is common among these workers. Improving safety climate and minimizing long work hours is recommended.

Pseudoinfarction pattern in a patient with hyperkalemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and normal coronary vessels: a case report.

PubMed

Ziakas, Antonios; Basagiannis, Christos; Stiliadis, Ioannis

2010-04-26

A rare electrocardiographic finding of hyperkalemia is ST segment elevation or the so called 'pseudoinfarction' pattern. It has been suggested that hyperkalemia causes the 'pseudoinfarction' pattern not only through its direct myocardial effects, but also through other mechanisms, such as anoxia, acidosis, and coronary artery spasm. A 33-year-old Caucasian woman with insulin-treated diabetes presented with continuous epigastric pain of four hours duration. Her coronary heart disease risk factors apart from diabetes included hypercholesterolemia and smoking. Her initial electrocardiogram revealed ST segment elevation in the anteroseptal leads consistent with anterior myocardial infarction. Blood tests revealed hyperglycemia, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis and urine ketones, while a bed-side cardiac echocardiogram showed no segmental wall motion abnormality. We provisionally diagnosed diabetic ketoacidosis that was possibly precipitated by acute myocardial infarction, as there were findings in favor of (epigastric pain, electrocardiogram pattern, presence of 3 coronary heart disease risk factors) and against (young age, normal echocardiogram) the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. We performed cardiac angiography in order to exclude an anterior acute myocardial infarction, which could lead to myocardial damage and possible severe complications should there be a delay in treatment. Angiography revealed normal coronary arteries. During the procedure, ST segment elevation in the anteroseptal leads was still present in our patient's electrocardiogram results. ST segment elevation is a rare manifestation of hyperkalemia. In our patient, coronary spasm did not contribute to such an electrocardiography finding.

Economic analysis for commingling effects of insect activity in the elevator boot area

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Boot areas in commercial grain elevators and feed mills contribute to commingling of insects with grain that moves through the elevator leg. A partial budget and stochastic dominance model was developed to improve pest management decision-making and risk analysis assessment from commingling effects ...

Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of the effects of sub-ambient atmospheric oxygen and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on gametophytes of the moss, Physcomitrella patens

PubMed Central

Shinde, Suhas; Behpouri, Ali; McElwain, Jennifer C.; Ng, Carl K.-Y.

2015-01-01

It is widely accepted that atmospheric O2 has played a key role in the development of life on Earth, as evident from the coincidence between the rise of atmospheric O2 concentrations in the Precambrian and biological evolution. Additionally, it has also been suggested that low atmospheric O2 is one of the major drivers for at least two of the five mass-extinction events in the Phanerozoic. At the molecular level, our understanding of the responses of plants to sub-ambient O2 concentrations is largely confined to studies of the responses of underground organs, e.g. roots to hypoxic conditions. Oxygen deprivation often results in elevated CO2 levels, particularly under waterlogged conditions, due to slower gas diffusion in water compared to air. In this study, changes in the transcriptome of gametophytes of the moss Physcomitrella patens arising from exposure to sub-ambient O2 of 13% (oxygen deprivation) and elevated CO2 (1500 ppmV) were examined to further our understanding of the responses of lower plants to changes in atmospheric gaseous composition. Microarray analyses revealed that the expression of a large number of genes was affected under elevated CO2 (814 genes) and sub-ambient O2 conditions (576 genes). Intriguingly, the expression of comparatively fewer numbers of genes (411 genes) was affected under a combination of both sub-ambient O2 and elevated CO2 condition (low O2–high CO2). Overall, the results point towards the effects of atmospheric changes in CO2 and O2 on transcriptional reprogramming, photosynthetic regulation, carbon metabolism, and stress responses. PMID:25948702

Effect of the percentage of body fat on surgical, clinical and pathological outcomes in women with endometrial cancer.

PubMed

Kerimoglu, Ozlem Secilmis; Pekin, Aybike; Yilmaz, Setenay Arzu; Yavas, Guler; Beyhekim, Fatma; Demirtaş, Ayşe Ayda; Dogan, Nasuh Utku; İlhan, Tolgay Tuyan; Celik, Cetin

2015-03-01

This study used the measure of percentage of body fat (%BF) to define obesity and evaluated the effect of percentage of %BF on clinical, surgical and pathological features in women with endometrial cancer. Between 2011 and 2013, bioelectrical impedance analysis and body size measurements of 94 patients whose endometrial biopsy revealed endometrial cancer were obtained. Patients were divided into two groups according to body mass index (BMI) (normal, < 30 kg/m(2); elevated, ≥ 30 kg/m(2)), and also classified by %BF (normal, < 32%; elevated, ≥ 32%). The patients' mean age was 55.0 ± 10.9 years. Mean %BF and BMI were 40.8% ± 9.8% and 32.9 ± 7.5, respectively. Eighty-three (88%) patients were obese according to %BF; 54 (57%) were obese according to BMI. Patients with elevated %BF were more likely to have less than 50% myometrial invasion (P = 0.004). Significantly more para-aortic lymph nodes were retrieved in patients with normal %BF or BMI (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). Patients with elevated %BF had longer operating times (P = 0.043) and were more likely to have stage I disease than patients with normal %BF (P < 0.001). Endometrial cancer patients with an elevated %BF are more likely to have stage I disease and less than 50% myometrial invasion than patients with normal %BF. Defining obesity by BF may provide better estimation of obesity prevalence in patients with endometrial cancer and further understanding the relationship between BF with endometrial cancer may give more information about the effects of obesity on endometrial cancer. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of the effects of sub-ambient atmospheric oxygen and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on gametophytes of the moss, Physcomitrella patens.

PubMed

Shinde, Suhas; Behpouri, Ali; McElwain, Jennifer C; Ng, Carl K-Y

2015-07-01

It is widely accepted that atmospheric O2 has played a key role in the development of life on Earth, as evident from the coincidence between the rise of atmospheric O2 concentrations in the Precambrian and biological evolution. Additionally, it has also been suggested that low atmospheric O2 is one of the major drivers for at least two of the five mass-extinction events in the Phanerozoic. At the molecular level, our understanding of the responses of plants to sub-ambient O2 concentrations is largely confined to studies of the responses of underground organs, e.g. roots to hypoxic conditions. Oxygen deprivation often results in elevated CO2 levels, particularly under waterlogged conditions, due to slower gas diffusion in water compared to air. In this study, changes in the transcriptome of gametophytes of the moss Physcomitrella patens arising from exposure to sub-ambient O2 of 13% (oxygen deprivation) and elevated CO2 (1500 ppmV) were examined to further our understanding of the responses of lower plants to changes in atmospheric gaseous composition. Microarray analyses revealed that the expression of a large number of genes was affected under elevated CO2 (814 genes) and sub-ambient O2 conditions (576 genes). Intriguingly, the expression of comparatively fewer numbers of genes (411 genes) was affected under a combination of both sub-ambient O2 and elevated CO2 condition (low O2-high CO2). Overall, the results point towards the effects of atmospheric changes in CO2 and O2 on transcriptional reprogramming, photosynthetic regulation, carbon metabolism, and stress responses. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

The role of abiotic conditions in shaping the long-term patterns of a high-elevation Argentine ant invasion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krushelnycky, P.D.; Joe, S.M.; Medeiros, A.C.; Daehler, C.C.; Loope, L.L.

2005-01-01

Analysis of long-term patterns of invasion can reveal the importance of abiotic factors in influencing invasion dynamics, and can help predict future patterns of spread. In the case of the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), most prior studies have investigated this species' limitations in hot and dry climates. However, spatial and temporal patterns of spread involving two ant populations over the course of 30 years at a high elevation site in Hawaii suggest that cold and wet conditions have influenced both the ant's distribution and its rate of invasion. In Haleakala National Park on Maui, we found that a population invading at lower elevation is limited by increasing rainfall and presumably by associated decreasing temperatures. A second, higher elevation population has spread outward in all directions, but rates of spread in different directions appear to have been strongly influenced by differences in elevation and temperature. Patterns of foraging activity were strongly tied to soil temperatures, supporting the hypothesis that variation in temperature can influence rates of spread. Based on past patterns of spread, we predicted a total potential range that covers nearly 50% of the park and 75% of the park's subalpine habitats. We compared this rough estimate with point predictions derived from a degree-day model for Argentine ant colony reproduction, and found that the two independent predictions match closely when soil temperatures are used in the model. The cold, wet conditions that have influenced Argentine ant invasion at this site are likely to be influential at other locations in this species' current and future worldwide distribution. ?? 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Relation of structure to mechanical properties of thin thoria dispersion strengthened nickel-chromium (TD-NiCr alloy sheet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whittenberger, J. D.

1975-01-01

A study of the relation between structure and mechanical properties of thin TD-NiCr sheet indicated that the elevated temperature tensile, stress-rupture, and creep strength properties depend primarily on the grain aspect ratio and sheet thickness. In general, the strength properties increased with increasing grain aspect ratio and sheet thickness. Tensile testing revealed an absence of ductility at elevated temperatures. A threshold stress for creep appears to exist. Even small amounts of prior creep deformation at elevated temperatures can produce severe creep damage.

[Should the patient with myocardial bridge be advised not to performe extreme sport effort? Case of a patient with troponin I elevation after exercise].

PubMed

Jankowski, Krzysztof; Ożdżeńska-Milke, Ewa; Jankowski, Łukasz; Rzewuska, Ewa; Dul, Przemysław; Ilnicka, Edyta; Kobylecka, Małgorzata; Pruszczyk, Piotr

2012-01-01

Elevated levels of cardiac troponins are an established method of diagnosis of heart muscle necrosis. A case of a long distance amateur-marathon runner, who showed significant elevation of plasma troponin I after extreme physical effort is reported. The diagnostic examinations did not reveal atherosclerosis burden, but myocardial bridging of coronary artery. The authors describe the significance of the pathology in the view of extreme sport effort performed by the described patient.

Prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in oncologic outcomes of esophageal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiangwei; Wang, Yang; Zhao, Linping; Sang, Shaowei; Zhang, Lin

2018-04-01

The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a useful prognostic factor in several cancers. However, the prognostic role of PLR in esophageal cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between PLR and the oncologic outcome of esophageal cancer patients through a meta-analysis. Relevant articles were researched from Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. The meta-analysis was performed using hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as effect measures. Finally, 19 articles with 6134 patients were included in our study. The summary results indicated that the elevated PLR was negatively related to overall survival (HR= 1.263; 95% CI 1.094, 1.458). The subgroup analysis revealed that increased PLR was associated with poor overall survival in esophageal cancer patients for Asians (HR=1.252; 95% CI 1.141, 1.373) but not for Caucasians (HR=1.463; 95% CI 0.611, 3.502). When the patients were segregated by pathological type, sample size, and HR estimate method, high PLR was also significantly correlated with poor overall survival. In contrast, elevated PLR was not statistically associated with disease-free survival or cancer-specific survival. High PLR is associated with poor overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer. PLR may be a significant predictive biomarker in patients with esophageal cancer. Further large-cohort studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Concerns Regarding Hair Cortisol as a Biomarker of Chronic Stress in Exercise and Sport Science

PubMed Central

Gerber, Markus; Brand, Serge; Lindwall, Magnus; Elliot, Catherine; Kalak, Nadeem; Herrmann, Christian; Pühse, Uwe; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H.

2012-01-01

Hair cortisol has the potential to fill the methodological void of long-term cortisol assessment while becoming a widely accepted measure in biopsychology. This review critically examines the applicability and relevance of hair cortisol measurement specifically within the field of exercise and sport science. Current measures of the HPA axis only cover a brief time period, whereas hair cortisol is a unique, non-invasive means to capture long- term cortisol secretion. Studies have shown that individuals who have elevated cortisol secretion (e.g. due to diseases associated with a disturbed activation of the HPA axis or exposure to stressful life events) reveal increased hair cortisol. By contrast, only weak correlations exist between hair cortisol and perceived stress, and the direction of the relationship between hair cortisol levels and mental disorders is unclear. Acute exercise, however, results in increased levels of cortisol that eventually is reflected in higher levels of cortisol in hair samples and studies have shown that exercise intensity is related to hair cortisol level. Thus, elevated hair cortisol levels found among regular exercisers are not necessarily pathological. Thus, one should practice caution when associating athletes’ elevated hair cortisol with poor mental health or disease. Hair cortisol analysis can contribute to a more complete understanding of how long-term cortisol elevation mediates stress-related effects on the health and performance of recreational exercisers and elite athletes. Nevertheless, it is crucial for exercise and sport scientists to consider whether their research questions can be adequately addressed, given that regular intense exercise results in substantially augmented hair cortisol levels. Key points Hair cortisol is a unique, non-invasive and painless means to capture long-term cortisol secretion. Individuals expected to have elevated cortisol secretion (e.g. due to trauma) have increased hair cortisol. Preliminary evidence shows that exercisers have higher hair cortisol levels as well. Hair cortisol analysis can contribute to a more complete understanding of how long-term cortisol secretion mediates stress-related effects on health and performance. There is a great dearth of knowledge about the relationship between sport, exercise and hair cortisol. PMID:24150065

The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of patient outcomes in ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ma, X-M; Sun, X; Yang, G-W; Yu, M-W; Zhang, G-L; Yu, J; Zhang, Y; Wang, X-M

2017-10-01

The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is a predictive clinical biomarker for different cancers. However, the results of several studies investigating the association between the PLR and the prognosis of ovarian cancer have been inconclusive. Therefore, there is a need to conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the prognostic value of the PLR in ovarian cancer. We searched the EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, and Web of Science databases to identify clinical studies that had evaluated the association between the PLR and ovarian cancer prognosis. Outcomes evaluated included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). We also analyzed PLR differences between malignant ovarian masses and the controls. Twelve relevant studies that comprised 2340 patients were selected for the meta-analysis. The results revealed that elevated PLR was significantly associated with poor OS (hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.56, p < 0.01) and PFS (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.03-2.51, p < 0.01). The PLRs in malignant cases were higher than in controls (mean difference = 63.57, 95% CI 39.47-87.66, p < 0.00001). An elevated PLR is associated with poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer. The PLR could be employed as a prognostic marker in patients with ovarian cancer.

The faking orgasm scale for women: psychometric properties.

PubMed

Cooper, Erin B; Fenigstein, Allan; Fauber, Robert L

2014-04-01

The Faking Orgasm Scale for Women (FOS) was designed to assess women's self-reported motives for faking orgasm during oral sex and sexual intercourse. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the responses of 481 heterosexual undergraduate females (M age = 20.33 years, SD = 2.48). Results of the EFA revealed that the FOS-Sexual Intercourse Subscale was composed of four factors: (1) Altruistic Deceit, faking orgasm out of concern for a partner's feelings; (2) Fear and Insecurity, faking orgasm to avoid negative emotions associated with the sexual experience; (3) Elevated Arousal, a woman's attempt to increase her own arousal through faking orgasm; and (4) Sexual Adjournment, faking orgasm to end sex. The analysis of the FOS-Oral Sex Subscale yielded four factors: (1) Altruistic Deceit; (2) Insecure Avoidance, faking orgasm to avoid feelings of insecurity; (3) Elevated Arousal; and (4) Fear of Dysfunction, faking orgasm to cope with concerns of being abnormal. Each factor of the two subscales was found to have excellent internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis on a separate sample of 398 heterosexual female undergraduates (M age = 20.52 years, SD = 2.55) confirmed the factor structure of each subscale with excellent fit statistics. The FOS should allow researchers and clinicians to better understand why women fake orgasm. Deepening this understanding may serve future research examining sexual desire, satisfaction, and dysfunction as well as have applications in sex and couples' therapy.

Case-control study of lung cancer in civilian employees at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine.

PubMed

Rinsky, R A; Melius, J M; Hornung, R W; Zumwalde, R D; Waxweiler, R J; Landrigan, P J; Bierbaum, P J; Murray, W E

1988-01-01

Case-control analysis of deaths due to lung cancer (International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision, code 162) among persons who worked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, between 1952 and 1977 found elevated odds ratios for exposures to ionizing radiation, asbestos, and welding byproducts. The radiation-related excess was statistically significant in persons with cumulative lifetime exposures of 1.0-4.999 rem. When asbestos and welding histories were combined into a single risk factor, odds ratios for the combined exposure were significantly elevated for two of three duration-of-exposure categories examined. Further analysis of data on radiation exposure, controlling for exposures to asbestos and welding, found reductions in initial estimates of radiation risk at all levels of radiation exposure. This reduction suggests that radiation workers were more heavily exposed to asbestos and/or welding fumes than were other workers and that those exposures confounded the observed association between radiation and lung cancer. Analysis of mortality by time since first exposure to radiation revealed no pattern of progressive increase as latency increased. By contrast, odds ratios for asbestos/welding increased with latency. Data on cigarette smoking and socioeconomic status were not available. The results of this study do not preclude a possible association between radiation exposure at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and excess mortality from lung cancer. However, they provide no evidence in support of such a relation.

Ambient Ultrafine Particle Ingestion Alters Gut Microbiota in Association with Increased Atherogenic Lipid Metabolites

PubMed Central

Li, Rongsong; Yang, Jieping; Saffari, Arian; Jacobs, Jonathan; Baek, Kyung In; Hough, Greg; Larauche, Muriel H.; Ma, Jianguo; Jen, Nelson; Moussaoui, Nabila; Zhou, Bill; Kang, Hanul; Reddy, Srinivasa; Henning, Susanne M.; Campen, Matthew J.; Pisegna, Joseph; Li, Zhaoping; Fogelman, Alan M.; Sioutas, Constantinos; Navab, Mohamad; Hsiai, Tzung K.

2017-01-01

Ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure is associated with atherosclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. Ultrafine particles (UFP, dp < 0.1–0.2 μm) are redox active components of PM. We hypothesized that orally ingested UFP promoted atherogenic lipid metabolites in both the intestine and plasma via altered gut microbiota composition. Low density lipoprotein receptor-null (Ldlr−/−) mice on a high-fat diet were orally administered with vehicle control or UFP (40 μg/mouse/day) for 3 days a week. After 10 weeks, UFP ingested mice developed macrophage and neutrophil infiltration in the intestinal villi, accompanied by elevated cholesterol but reduced coprostanol levels in the cecum, as well as elevated atherogenic lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC 18:1) and lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) in the intestine and plasma. At the phylum level, Principle Component Analysis revealed significant segregation of microbiota compositions which was validated by Beta diversity analysis. UFP-exposed mice developed increased abundance in Verrocomicrobia but decreased Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Firmicutes as well as a reduced diversity in microbiome. Spearman’s analysis negatively correlated Actinobacteria with cecal cholesterol, intestinal and plasma LPC18:1, and Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria with plasma LPC 18:1. Thus, ultrafine particles ingestion alters gut microbiota composition, accompanied by increased atherogenic lipid metabolites. These findings implicate the gut-vascular axis in a atherosclerosis model. PMID:28211537

Stamping of Thin-Walled Structural Components with Magnesium Alloy AZ31 Sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Fuh-Kuo; Chang, Chih-Kun

2005-08-01

In the present study, the stamping process for manufacturing cell phone cases with magnesium alloy AZ31 sheets was studied using both the experimental approach and the finite element analysis. In order to determine the proper forming temperature and set up a fracture criterion, tensile tests and forming limit tests were first conducted to obtain the mechanical behaviors of AZ31 sheets at various elevated temperatures. The mechanical properties of Z31 sheets obtained from the experiments were then adopted in the finite element analysis to investigate the effects of the process parameters on the formability of the stamping process of cell phone cases. The finite element simulation results revealed that both the fracture and wrinkle defects could not be eliminated at the same time by adjusting blank-holder force or blank size. A drawbead design was then performed using the finite element simulations to determine the size and the location of drawbead required to suppress the wrinkle defect. An optimum stamping process, including die geometry, forming temperature, and blank dimension, was then determined for manufacturing the cell phone cases. The finite element analysis was validated by the good agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data. It confirms that the cell phone cases can be produced with magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet by the stamping process at elevated temperatures.

Preoperative Myocardial Injury as a Predictor of Mortality in Emergency General Surgery: An Analysis Using the American College of Surgeons NSQIP Database.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Asha M; Marwaha, Jayson; Nunez, Hector; Harrington, David; Heffernan, Daithi; Monaghan, Sean; Adams, Charles; Stephen, Andrew

2016-08-01

Recent studies have linked postoperative serum troponin elevation to mortality in a range of different clinical scenarios. To date, there has been no investigation into the significance of preoperative troponin elevation in emergency general surgery (EGS) patients. We define this as preoperative myocardial injury (PMI). We hypothesize that PMI seen in EGS patients may predict postoperative morbidity and mortality. Using the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, we performed a retrospective review of all EGS cases between 2008 and 2014. Patients with preoperative troponin I drawn were compared. There were 464 EGS patients who had troponin I measurements preoperatively. Eighty-two (18%) had preoperative troponin elevations. Patients with PMI were more likely to have the following preoperative physiologic derangements: acute renal failure (18% vs 4%; p = 0.002) and septic shock (40% vs 13%; p < 0.001). Patient comorbidities associated with PMI included congestive heart failure (13% vs 3%; p = 0.007), dialysis dependence (16% vs 3%; p = 0.002), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class ≥ 4 (52% vs 29%; p < 0.001). Compared with controls, patients with PMI had higher rates of postoperative events (77% vs 52%; p < 0.001) and mortality (34% vs 13%; p = 0.009). Univariate analysis showed that patients with PMI had an increased risk of postoperative events (odds ratio [OR] 3.02; 95% CI 1.74 to 5.25) and mortality (OR 3.53; 95% CI 1.66 to 7.47). Multivariate analysis revealed preoperative troponin I elevation was an independent predictor of mortality (OR 3.03; 95% CI 1.19 to 7.72, p = 0.020). Emergency general surgery patients with PMI are at increased risk for postoperative events and death. Preoperative myocardial injury is an independent predictor of mortality and has prognostic utility that can prepare surgical teams for adverse events so that they can be recognized, evaluated, and treated earlier. Copyright © 2016 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ADHD and risky sexual behavior in adolescents: Conduct problems and substance use as mediators of risk

PubMed Central

Sarver, Dustin E.; McCart, Michael R.; Sheidow, Ashli J.; Letourneau, Elizabeth J.

2015-01-01

Background Recent studies have linked attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to elevated rates of risky sexual behavior (RSB) in adult samples. The current study tested whether ADHD symptoms were associated with RSB among adolescents, and examined comorbid conduct problems and problematic substance use as joint mediators of this association. Methods ADHD symptoms, conduct problems (oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder symptoms), problematic alcohol use (alcohol use disorder symptoms, alcohol use frequency), problematic marijuana use (marijuana use disorder symptoms, marijuana use frequency), and RSB were assessed among an ethnically diverse cross-sectional sample of adolescents (N=115; mean age=14.9 years) involved in the juvenile justice system. Results Bootstrapped mediation models revealed an initial association between ADHD symptoms and RSB that was accounted for fully by the influence of problematic alcohol and marijuana use, but not conduct problems. A follow-up multiple groups mediation analysis demonstrated that the relationship between ADHD symptoms and RSB emerged only among youth with clinically elevated conduct problems, and that problematic marijuana use fully accounted for this relationship. Hyperactive/impulsive but not inattentive symptoms were related to RSB, although the pattern of indirect effects was consistent with the multiple groups analysis. Conclusions The association between ADHD and adolescent RSB is restricted to youth with elevated comorbid conduct problems and reflects the contributions of comorbid marijuana use problems, and to a lesser extent alcohol use problems. Early identification and treatment of these comorbid conditions may be important for the prevention of negative sexual health outcomes among youth with ADHD. PMID:24813803

Metabolic and Transcriptional Analysis of Durum Wheat Responses to Elevated CO2 at Low and High Nitrate Supply.

PubMed

Vicente, Rubén; Pérez, Pilar; Martínez-Carrasco, Rafael; Feil, Regina; Lunn, John E; Watanabe, Mutsumi; Arrivault, Stephanie; Stitt, Mark; Hoefgen, Rainer; Morcuende, Rosa

2016-10-01

Elevated [CO 2 ] (eCO 2 ) can lead to photosynthetic acclimation and this is often intensified by low nitrogen (N). Despite intensive studies of plant responses to eCO 2 , the regulation mechanism of primary metabolism at the whole-plant level in interaction with [Formula: see text] supply remains unclear. We examined the metabolic and transcriptional responses triggered by eCO 2 in association with physiological-biochemical traits in flag leaves and roots of durum wheat grown hydroponically in ambient and elevated [CO 2 ] with low (LN) and high (HN) [Formula: see text] supply. Multivariate analysis revealed a strong interaction between eCO 2 and [Formula: see text] supply. Photosynthetic acclimation induced by eCO 2 in LN plants was accompanied by an increase in biomass and carbohydrates, and decreases of leaf organic N per unit area, organic acids, inorganic ions, Calvin-Benson cycle intermediates, Rubisco, nitrate reductase activity, amino acids and transcripts for N metabolism, particularly in leaves, whereas [Formula: see text] uptake was unaffected. In HN plants, eCO 2 did not decrease photosynthetic capacity or leaf organic N per unit area, but induced transcripts for N metabolism, especially in roots. In conclusion, the photosynthetic acclimation in LN plants was associated with an inhibition of leaf [Formula: see text] assimilation, whereas up-regulation of N metabolism in roots could have mitigated the acclimatory effect of eCO 2 in HN plants. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adolescent activity-based anorexia increases anxiety-like behavior in adulthood.

PubMed

Kinzig, Kimberly P; Hargrave, Sara L

2010-09-01

Activity-based anorexia is a paradigm that induces increased physical activity, reduced food intake, and heightened activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in adult rats. To investigate whether experience with activity-based anorexia produced enduring effects on brain and behavior, female adolescent rats experienced activity-based anorexia during adolescence and were tested in adulthood for anxiety-like behavior on an elevated plus maze and in an open field. Analysis of elevated plus maze and open field behavior in adulthood revealed that rats that experienced activity-based anorexia during adolescence, but not rats that were simply food restricted, displayed increased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood. Plasma corticosterone and expression levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and in the central nucleus of the amygdala were significantly elevated in adult rats that had undergone activity-based anorexia in adolescence in response to the open field exposure, as compared to control rats. These data demonstrate enduring effects of adolescent activity-based anorexia on anxiety-like behavior and neuroendocrine factors critical in stress responsivity in adulthood. Furthermore, we demonstrate that activity-based anorexia during adolescence serves as a model whereby prolonged anxiety is induced, allowing for evaluation of the behavioral and neural correlates of mediating anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Activity-Based Anorexia Increases Anxiety-Like Behavior in Adulthood

PubMed Central

Kinzig, Kimberly P.; Hargrave, Sara L.

2010-01-01

Activity-based anorexia is a paradigm that induces increased physical activity, reduced food intake, and heightened activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in adult rats. To investigate whether experience with activity-based anorexia produced enduring effects on brain and behavior, female adolescent rats experienced activity-based anorexia during adolescence and were tested in adulthood for anxiety-like behavior on an elevated plus maze and in an open field. Analysis of elevated plus maze and open field behavior in adulthood revealed that rats that experienced activity-based anorexia during adolescence, but not rats that were simply food restricted, displayed increased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood. Plasma corticosterone and expression levels of corticotropin- releasing hormone mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and in the central nucleus of the amygdala were significantly elevated in adult rats that had undergone activity-based anorexia in adolescence in response to the open field exposure, as compared to control rats. These data demonstrate enduring effects of adolescent activity-based anorexia on anxiety-like behavior and neuroendocrine factors critical in stress responsivity in adulthood. Furthermore, we demonstrate that activity-based anorexia during adolescence serves as a model whereby prolonged anxiety is induced, allowing for evaluation of the behavioral and neural correlates of mediating anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood. PMID:20566408

Up-regulation of fatty acid synthase induced by EGFR/ERK activation promotes tumor growth in pancreatic cancer

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

Bian, Yong, E-mail: drbiany@126.com; Yu, Yun; Wang, Shanshan

2015-08-07

Lipid metabolism is dysregulated in many human diseases including atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and cancers. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a key lipogenic enzyme involved in de novo lipid biosynthesis, is significantly upregulated in multiple types of human cancers and associates with tumor progression. However, limited data is available to understand underlying biological functions and clinical significance of overexpressed FASN in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, upregulated FASN was more frequently observed in PDAC tissues compared with normal pancreas in a tissue microarray. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed that high expression level of FASN resulted in a significantly poor prognosis of PDACmore » patients. Knockdown or inhibition of endogenous FASN decreased cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis in HPAC and AsPC-1 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that EGFR/ERK signaling accounts for elevated FASN expression in PDAC as ascertained by performing siRNA assays and using specific pharmacological inhibitors. Collectively, our results indicate that FASN exhibits important roles in tumor growth and EGFR/ERK pathway is responsible for upregulated expression of FASN in PDAC. - Highlights: • Increased expression of FASN indicates a poor prognosis in PDAC. • Elevated FASN favors tumor growth in PDAC in vitro. • Activation of EGFR signaling contributes to elevated FASN expression.« less

Revised paleoenvironmental analysis of the Holocene portion of the Barbados sea-level record: Cobbler's Reef revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toscano, Marguerite A.

2016-06-01

Sample elevations corrected for tectonic uplift and assessed relative to local modeled sea levels provide a new perspective on paleoenvironmental history at Cobbler's Reef, Barbados. Previously, 14C-dated surface samples of fragmented Acropora palmata plotted above paleo sea level based on their present (uplifted) elevations, suggesting supratidal rubble deposited during a period of extreme storms (4500-3000 cal BP), precipitating reef demise. At several sites, however, A. palmata persisted, existing until ~370 cal BP. Uplift-corrected A. palmata sample elevations lie below the western Atlantic sea-level curve, and ~2 m below ICE-6G-modeled paleo sea level, under slow rates of sea-level rise, negating the possibility that Cobbler's Reef is a supratidal storm ridge. Most sites show limited age ranges from corals likely damaged/killed on the reef crest, not the mixed ages of rubble ridges, strongly suggesting the reef framework died off in stages over 6500 yr. Reef crest death assemblages invoke multiple paleohistoric causes, from ubiquitous hurricanes to anthropogenic impacts. Comparison of death assemblage ages to dated regional paleotempestological sequences, proxy-based paleotemperatures, recorded hurricanes, tsunamis, European settlement, deforestation, and resulting turbidity, reveals many possible factors inimical to the survival of A. palmata along Cobbler's Reef.

Respiratory Disease Related Mortality and Morbidity on an Island of Greece Exposed to Perlite and Bentonite Mining Dust

PubMed Central

Sampatakakis, Stefanos; Linos, Athena; Papadimitriou, Eleni; Petralias, Athanasios; Dalma, Archontoula; Papasaranti, Eirini Saranti; Christoforidou, Eleni; Stoltidis, Melina

2013-01-01

A morbidity and mortality study took place, focused on Milos Island, where perlite and bentonite mining sites are located. Official data concerning number and cause of deaths, regarding specific respiratory diseases and the total of respiratory diseases, for both Milos Island and the Cyclades Prefecture were used. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) were computed, adjusted specifically for age, gender and calendar year. Tests of linear trend were performed. By means of a predefined questionnaire, the morbidity rates of specific respiratory diseases in Milos, were compared to those of the municipality of Oinofita, an industrial region. Chi-square analysis was used and the confounding factors of age, gender and smoking were taken into account, by estimating binary logistic regression models. The SMRs for Pneumonia and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) were found elevated for both genders, although they did not reach statistical significance. For the total of respiratory diseases, a statistically significant SMR was identified regarding the decade 1989–1998. The morbidity study revealed elevated and statistically significant Odds Ratios (ORs), associated with allergic rhinitis, pneumonia, COPD and bronchiectasis. An elevated OR was also identified for asthma. After controlling for age, gender and smoking, the ORs were statistically significant and towards the same direction. PMID:24129114

Landform-related permafrost characteristics in the source area of the Yellow River, eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Sheng, Yu; Wu, Jichun; Feng, Ziliang; Ning, Zuojun; Hu, Xiaoying; Zhang, Xiumin

2016-09-01

The source area of the Yellow River (SAYR) lies in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Glaciers are absent in the area, but permafrost is widespread because of the high elevations, typically 4200-5000 m a.s.l. Landforms in the SAYR were classified into seven basic types, based on their morphological characteristics and genesis, and further divided into 12 sub-classes based on geomorphic processes. Permafrost development and ground temperature in boreholes were analyzed on representative landforms in the SAYR. Permafrost was discontinuously distributed at 4300-4400 m a.s.l. in fluvial plains because of variations in local topography, sediments, vegetation and water content. In hills and low-relief mountains in the western part of the study area, permafrost is continuous above 4400 m a.s.l. even on unshaded south-facing slopes. In contrast, permafrost in the central part of the study area is discontinuous over this elevation range. Analysis of ground temperature measurements revealed that three macro-scale factors, latitude, longitude, and elevation, explain 72.8% of the variation in the measured mean annual ground temperature (MAGT). The remaining 27.2% can potentially be explained by variations in topography and land cover within the SAYR.

Trace metal contamination of mineral spring water in an historical mining area in regional Victoria, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Rachael; Dowling, Kim

2013-11-01

Significant global consumption of spring and mineral water is fuelled by perceived therapeutic and medicinal qualities, cultural habits and taste. The Central Victorian Mineral Springs Region, Australia comprises approximately 100 naturally effervescent, cold, high CO2 content springs with distinctive tastes linked to a specific spring or pump. The area has a rich settlement history. It was first settled by miners in the 1840s closely followed by the first commercial operations of a health resort 1895. The landscape is clearly affected by gold mining with geographically proximal mine waste, mullock heaps or tailings. Repeated mineral springs sampling since 1985 has revealed elevated arsenic concentrations. In 1985 an arsenic concentration five times the current Australian Drinking Water Guideline was recorded at a popular tourist spring site. Recent sampling and analyses have confirmed elevated levels of heavy metals/metalloids, with higher concentrations occurring during periods of low rainfall. Despite the elevated levels, mineral water source points remain accessible to the public with some springs actively promoting the therapeutic benefits of the waters. In light of our analysis, the risk to consumers (some of whom are likely to be negatively health-affected or health-compromised) needs to be considered with a view to appropriate and verified analyses made available to the public.

Respiratory disease related mortality and morbidity on an island of Greece exposed to perlite and bentonite mining dust.

PubMed

Sampatakakis, Stefanos; Linos, Athena; Papadimitriou, Eleni; Petralias, Athanasios; Dalma, Archontoula; Papasaranti, Eirini Saranti; Christoforidou, Eleni; Stoltidis, Melina

2013-10-14

A morbidity and mortality study took place, focused on Milos Island, where perlite and bentonite mining sites are located. Official data concerning number and cause of deaths, regarding specific respiratory diseases and the total of respiratory diseases, for both Milos Island and the Cyclades Prefecture were used. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) were computed, adjusted specifically for age, gender and calendar year. Tests of linear trend were performed. By means of a predefined questionnaire, the morbidity rates of specific respiratory diseases in Milos, were compared to those of the municipality of Oinofita, an industrial region. Chi-square analysis was used and the confounding factors of age, gender and smoking were taken into account, by estimating binary logistic regression models. The SMRs for Pneumonia and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) were found elevated for both genders, although they did not reach statistical significance. For the total of respiratory diseases, a statistically significant SMR was identified regarding the decade 1989-1998. The morbidity study revealed elevated and statistically significant Odds Ratios (ORs), associated with allergic rhinitis, pneumonia, COPD and bronchiectasis. An elevated OR was also identified for asthma. After controlling for age, gender and smoking, the ORs were statistically significant and towards the same direction.

Human-specific features of spatial gene expression and regulation in eight brain regions.

PubMed

Xu, Chuan; Li, Qian; Efimova, Olga; He, Liu; Tatsumoto, Shoji; Stepanova, Vita; Oishi, Takao; Udono, Toshifumi; Yamaguchi, Katsushi; Shigenobu, Shuji; Kakita, Akiyoshi; Nawa, Hiroyuki; Khaitovich, Philipp; Go, Yasuhiro

2018-06-13

Molecular maps of the human brain alone do not inform us of the features unique to humans. Yet, the identification of these features is important for understanding both the evolution and nature of human cognition. Here, we approached this question by analyzing gene expression and H3K27ac chromatin modification data collected in eight brain regions of humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, a gibbon and macaques. An analysis of spatial transcriptome trajectories across eight brain regions in four primate species revealed 1,851 genes showing human-specific transcriptome differences in one or multiple brain regions, in contrast to 240 chimpanzee-specific ones. More than half of these human-specific differences represented elevated expression of genes enriched in neuronal and astrocytic markers in the human hippocampus, while the rest were enriched in microglial markers and displayed human-specific expression in several frontal cortical regions and the cerebellum. An analysis of the predicted regulatory interactions driving these differences revealed the role of transcription factors in species-specific transcriptome changes, while epigenetic modifications were linked to spatial expression differences conserved across species. Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Community structure of free-floating filamentous cyanobacterial mats from the Wonder Lake geothermal springs in the Philippines.

PubMed

Lacap, Donnabella C; Smith, Gavin J D; Warren-Rhodes, Kimberley; Pointing, Stephen B

2005-07-01

Cyanobacterial mats were characterized from pools of 45-60 degrees C in near-neutral pH, low-sulphide geothermal springs in the Philippines. Mat structure did not vary with temperature. All mats possessed highly ordered layers of airspaces at both the macroscopic and microscopic level, and these appear to be an adaptation to a free-floating growth habit. Upper mat layers supported biomass with elevated carotenoid:chlorophyll a ratios and an as yet uncharacterized waxy layer on the dorsal surface. Microscopic examination revealed mats comprised a single Fischerella morphotype, with abundant heterocysts throughout mats at all temperatures. Molecular analysis of mat community structure only partly matched morphological identification. All samples supported greater 16S rDNA-defined diversity than morphology suggested, with a progressive loss in the number of genotypes with increasing temperature. Fischerella-like sequences were recovered from mats occurring at all temperatures, but some mats also yielded Oscillatoria-like sequences, although corresponding phenotypes were not observed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Fischerella-like sequences were most closely affiliated with Fischerella major and the Oscillatoria-like sequences with Oscillatoria amphigranulata.

Evidence of hemolysis in pigs infected with highly virulent African swine fever virus

PubMed Central

Karalyan, Zaven; Zakaryan, Hovakim; Arakelova, Elina; Aivazyan, Violeta; Tatoyan, Marina; Kotsinyan, Armen; Izmailyan, Roza; Karalova, Elena

2016-01-01

Aim: The research was conducted to understand more profoundly the pathogenetic aspects of the acute form of the African swine fever (ASF). Materials and Methods: A total of 10 pigs were inoculated with ASF virus (ASFV) (genotype II) in the study of the red blood cells (RBCs), blood and urine biochemistry in the dynamics of disease. Results: The major hematological differences observed in ASFV infected pigs were that the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and hematocrits were significantly decreased compared to controls, and the levels of erythropoietin were significantly increased. Also were detected the trends of decrease in RBC count at terminal stages of ASF. Analysis of blood biochemistry revealed that during ASF development, besides bilirubinemia significantly elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase were detected. Analysis of urine biochemistry revealed the presence of bilirubinuria, proteinuria during ASF development. Proteinuria, especially at late stages of the disease reflects a severe kidney damage possible glomerulonefritis. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the characteristics of developing hemolytic anemia observed in acute ASF (genotype II). PMID:28096614

DNA Repair and the Accumulation of Oxidatively Damaged DNA Are Affected by Fruit Intake in Mice

PubMed Central

Croteau, Deborah L.; de Souza-Pinto, Nadja C.; Harboe, Charlotte; Keijzers, Guido; Zhang, Yongqing; Becker, Kevin; Sheng, Shan

2010-01-01

AGING is associated with elevated oxidative stress and DNA damage. To achieve healthy aging, we must begin to understand how diet affects cellular processes. We postulated that fruit-enriched diets might initiate a program of enhanced DNA repair and thereby improve genome integrity. C57Bl/6 J mice were fed for 14 weeks a control diet or a diet with 8% peach or nectarine extract. The activities of DNA repair enzymes, the level of DNA damage, and gene expression changes were measured. Our study showed that repair of various oxidative DNA lesions was more efficient in liver extracts derived from mice fed fruit-enriched diets. In support of these findings, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that there was a decrease in the levels of formamidopyrimidines in peach-fed mice compared with the controls. Additionally, microarray analysis revealed that NTH1 was upregulated in peach-fed mice. Taken together, these results suggest that an increased intake of fruits might modulate the efficiency of DNA repair, resulting in altered levels of DNA damage. PMID:20847039

Gene expression profiling reveals decreased expression of two hemoglobin genes associated with increased consumption of oxygen in Chironomus tentans exposed to atrazine: a possible mechanism for adapting to oxygen deficiency.

PubMed

Anderson, Troy D; Jin-Clark, Ying; Begum, Khurshida; Starkey, Sharon R; Zhu, Kun Yan

2008-01-31

Atrazine is an extensively used triazine herbicide in agricultural and residential areas and has been routinely detected in many surface and ground waters. This study reveals various up- and down-regulated genes associated with hypoxic stress in atrazine-treated fourth-instar Chironomus tentans larvae (midges) by using restriction fragment differential display-PCR. Two down-regulated hemoglobin cDNAs were isolated from the midges. Northern blot analysis indicated CteHb-IIbeta and CteHb-III mRNA expressions decreased by 36 and 21%, respectively, in midges exposed to atrazine at 1 microg/L for 96h. Decreased hemoglobin gene expression was associated with elevated oxygen consumption in atrazine-treated midges. Midges exposed to atrazine at 1 microg/L increased their oxygen consumption by 47%, whereas midges exposed to atrazine at 1000 microg/L for 48h increased their oxygen consumption by 66%. Our study demonstrates for the first time that atrazine, at environmentally relevant concentrations, can elevate respiration, possibly eliciting counteractive measures at the transcriptional level to adapt to oxygen deficiency in an ecologically important aquatic insect. Our results further suggest that the ability to modulate both the quantity and quality of Hb serves as an adaptive response to counteract the initial onset of oxygen deficiency induced by atrazine in midges.

Metabolic Imaging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Detects Altered Choline Metabolism

PubMed Central

Penet, Marie-France; Shah, Tariq; Bharti, Santosh; Krishnamachary, Balaji; Artemov, Dmitri; Mironchik, Yelena; Wildes, Flonné; Maitra, Anirban; Bhujwalla, Zaver M.

2014-01-01

Purpose Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive and lethal disease that develops relatively symptom-free and is therefore advanced at the time of diagnosis. The absence of early symptoms and effective treatments has created a critical need for identifying and developing new noninvasive biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Experimental Design We investigated the metabolism of a panel of PDAC cell lines in culture and noninvasively in vivo with 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) to identify noninvasive biomarkers and uncover potential metabolic targets. Results We observed elevated choline-containing compounds in the PDAC cell lines and tumors. These elevated choline-containing compounds were easily detected by increased total choline (tCho) in vivo, in spectroscopic images obtained from tumors. Principal component analysis of the spectral data identified additional differences in metabolites between HPNE and neoplastic PDAC cells. Molecular characterization revealed overexpression of choline kinase (Chk)-α, choline transporter 1 (CHT1), and choline transporter-like protein 1 (CTL1) in the PDAC cell lines and tumors. Conclusions Collectively, these data identify new metabolic characteristics of PDAC and reveal potential metabolic targets. Total choline detected with 1H MRSI may provide an intrinsic, imaging-probe independent biomarker to complement existing techniques in detecting PDAC. The expression of Chk-α, CHT1, and CTL1 may provide additional molecular markers in aspirated cytological samples. PMID:25370468

Association between Plasma Ceramides and Phosphatidylcholines and Hippocampal Brain Volume in Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Kim, Min; Nevado-Holgado, Alejo; Whiley, Luke; Snowden, Stuart G.; Soininen, Hilkka; Kloszewska, Iwona; Mecocci, Patrizia; Tsolaki, Magda; Vellas, Bruno; Thambisetty, Madhav; Dobson, Richard J.B.; Powell, John F.; Lupton, Michelle K.; Simmons, Andy; Velayudhan, Latha; Lovestone, Simon; Proitsi, Petroula; Legido-Quigley, Cristina

2016-01-01

Lipids such as ceramides and phosphatidylcholines (PC) have been found altered in the plasma of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients in a number of discovery studies. For this reason, the levels of 6 ceramides and 3 PCs, with different fatty acid length and saturation levels, were measured in the plasma from 412 participants (AD n = 205, Control n = 207) using mass spectrometry coupled with ultra-performance liquid chromatography. After this, associations with AD status, brain atrophy, and age-related effects were studied. In the plasma of AD participants, cross-sectional analysis revealed elevated levels of three ceramides (Cer16:0 p < 0.01, Cer18:0 p < 0.01, Cer24:1 p < 0.05). In addition, two PCs in AD plasma (PC36:5 p < 0.05, PC38:6 p < 0.05) were found to be depleted compared to the control group, with PC36:5 also associating with hippocampal atrophy (p < 0.01). Age-specific analysis further revealed that levels of Cer16:0, Cer18:0, and Cer20:0 were associated with hippocampal atrophy only in younger participants (age < 75, p < 0.05), while all 3 PCs did so in the older participants (age > 75, p < 0.05). PC36:5 was associated with AD status in the younger group (p < 0.01), while PC38:6 and 40:6 did so in the older group (p < 0.05). In this study, elevated ceramides and depleted PCs were found in the plasma from 205 AD volunteers. Our findings also suggest that dysregulation in PC and ceramide metabolism could be occurring in different stages of AD progression. PMID:27911300

Existence of HbF Enhancer Haplotypes at HBS1L-MYB Intergenic Region in Transfusion-Dependent Saudi β-Thalassemia Patients

PubMed Central

Vatte, Chittibabu; Borgio, J. Francis; Al-Rubaish, Abdullah; Nasserullah, Zaki A.; Jarrash, Sana Al; Sulaiman, Ahmed; Qutub, Hatem; Alsaleem, Hassan; Alzahrani, Alhusain J.; Steinberg, Martin H.

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives. β-Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are genetic disorders characterized by reduced and abnormal β-globin chain production, respectively. The elevation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can ameliorate the severity of these disorders. In sickle cell disease patients, the HbF level elevation is associated with three quantitative trait loci (QTLs), BCL11A, HBG2 promoter, and HBS1L-MYB intergenic region. This study elucidates the existence of the variants in these three QTLs to determine their association with HbF levels of transfusion-dependent Saudi β-thalassemia patients. Materials and Methods. A total of 174 transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia patients and 164 healthy controls from Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were genotyped for fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the three QTL regions using TaqMan assay on real-time PCR. Results. Genotype analysis revealed that six alleles of HBS1L-MYB QTL (rs9376090C p = 0.0009, rs9399137C p = 0.008, rs4895441G p = 0.004, rs9389269C p = 0.008, rs9402686A p = 0.008, and rs9494142C p = 0.002) were predominantly associated with β-thalassemia. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotypes of HBS1L-MYB (GCCGCAC p = 0.022) and HBG2 (GTT p = 0.009) were also predominantly associated with β-thalassemia. Furthermore, the HBS1L-MYB region also exhibited association with the high HbF cohort. Conclusion. The stimulation of HbF gene expression may provide alternative therapies for the amelioration of the disease severity of β-thalassemia. PMID:28280727

Existence of HbF Enhancer Haplotypes at HBS1L-MYB Intergenic Region in Transfusion-Dependent Saudi β-Thalassemia Patients.

PubMed

Cyrus, Cyril; Vatte, Chittibabu; Borgio, J Francis; Al-Rubaish, Abdullah; Chathoth, Shahanas; Nasserullah, Zaki A; Jarrash, Sana Al; Sulaiman, Ahmed; Qutub, Hatem; Alsaleem, Hassan; Alzahrani, Alhusain J; Steinberg, Martin H; Ali, Amein K Al

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives . β -Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are genetic disorders characterized by reduced and abnormal β -globin chain production, respectively. The elevation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can ameliorate the severity of these disorders. In sickle cell disease patients, the HbF level elevation is associated with three quantitative trait loci (QTLs), BCL11A , HBG 2 promoter, and HBS1L-MYB intergenic region. This study elucidates the existence of the variants in these three QTLs to determine their association with HbF levels of transfusion-dependent Saudi β -thalassemia patients. Materials and Methods . A total of 174 transfusion-dependent β -thalassemia patients and 164 healthy controls from Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were genotyped for fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the three QTL regions using TaqMan assay on real-time PCR. Results . Genotype analysis revealed that six alleles of HBS1L-MYB QTL (rs9376090C p = 0.0009, rs9399137C p = 0.008, rs4895441G p = 0.004, rs9389269C p = 0.008, rs9402686A p = 0.008, and rs9494142C p = 0.002) were predominantly associated with β -thalassemia. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotypes of HBS1L-MYB (GCCGCAC p = 0.022) and HBG 2 (GTT p = 0.009) were also predominantly associated with β -thalassemia. Furthermore, the HBS1L-MYB region also exhibited association with the high HbF cohort. Conclusion . The stimulation of HbF gene expression may provide alternative therapies for the amelioration of the disease severity of β -thalassemia.

Altitudinal Variation at Duplicated β-Globin Genes in Deer Mice: Effects of Selection, Recombination, and Gene Conversion

PubMed Central

Storz, Jay F.; Natarajan, Chandrasekhar; Cheviron, Zachary A.; Hoffmann, Federico G.; Kelly, John K.

2012-01-01

Spatially varying selection on a given polymorphism is expected to produce a localized peak in the between-population component of nucleotide diversity, and theory suggests that the chromosomal extent of elevated differentiation may be enhanced in cases where tandemly linked genes contribute to fitness variation. An intriguing example is provided by the tandemly duplicated β-globin genes of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), which contribute to adaptive differentiation in blood–oxygen affinity between high- and low-altitude populations. Remarkably, the two β-globin genes segregate the same pair of functionally distinct alleles due to a history of interparalog gene conversion and alleles of the same functional type are in perfect coupling-phase linkage disequilibrium (LD). Here we report a multilocus analysis of nucleotide polymorphism and LD in highland and lowland mice with different genetic backgrounds at the β-globin genes. The analysis of haplotype structure revealed a paradoxical pattern whereby perfect LD between the two β-globin paralogs (which are separated by 16.2 kb) is maintained in spite of the fact that LD within both paralogs decays to background levels over physical distances of less than 1 kb. The survey of nucleotide polymorphism revealed that elevated levels of altitudinal differentiation at each of the β-globin genes drop away quite rapidly in the external flanking regions (upstream of the 5′ paralog and downstream of the 3′ paralog), but the level of differentiation remains unexpectedly high across the intergenic region. Observed patterns of diversity and haplotype structure are difficult to reconcile with expectations of a two-locus selection model with multiplicative fitness. PMID:22042573

Mechanisms of fibrosis in acute liver failure.

PubMed

He, Yingli; Jin, Li; Wang, Jing; Yan, Zhi; Chen, Tianyan; Zhao, Yingren

2015-07-01

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a condition with high mortality and morbidity. Fibrosis in chronic liver disease was extensively researched, whereas fibrosis and underlying mechanism in acute liver failure remains unclear. Hepatitis B virus related ALF patients were recruited to investigate if there was ongoing fibrosis by liver histology and liver stiffness measurement(LSM) analysis as well as fibrosis markers assay. Sera HMGB1 were kinetically detected in progression and remission stage of ALF. Hepatic stellate cell(HSC) activation by HMGB1 was explored by testing mRNA and protein level of α-SMA and collagen 1a1 by using qPCR and western blot. Autophagy induction by HMGB1 was explored by LC3-II conversion, autophagy flux and fluorescence. Firstly, ongoing fibrosis in progression stage of ALF was confirmed by histological analysis, LS measurement as well as fibrosis markers detection. HSC activation and autophagy induction in explanted liver tissue also revealed. Next, kinetic monitoring sera HMGB1 revealed elevated HMGB1 in progression stage of ALF vs HBsAg carrier, and drop back to base level in remission stage. Thirdly, rHMGB1 dose dependently activated HSCs, as indicated by increased mRNA and proteins level in α-SMA and collagen 1a1. Moreover, autophagy was induced in HSC treated with rHMGB1, as illustrated by increased LC3 lipidation, elevated autophagy flux and GFP-LC3 puncta. Acute liver failure is accompanied by ongoing fibrosis, HSC activation and autophagy induction. Increased HMGB1 activates HSC via autophagy induction. Those findings integrate HMGB1, HSCs activation, autophagy into a common framework that underlies the fibrosis in ALF. © 2014 The Authors. Liver International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Biochemical protective mechanisms in the accumulation of heavy metals in organisms].

PubMed

Petukhov, A S; Petukhova, G A

At present due to the environmental contamination by heavy metals there is a great interest to investigate the processes of their both accumulation in plants and toxic effect on biochemical indices. Therefore the objective of this research was the analysis of the alteration of the system of antioxidant protection ofplants in conditions of soil contamination by copper and zinc. Research object were germinants of oat in amount of300 plants in each variant of the experiment. For the performance of the experiment, the sand was equally contaminated by sulfates of Cu and Zn in concentration of 2 MPC on its gross content in soil. The experiment lastedfor 2 weeks. For the implementation of the objective of research there was analyzed the contentof both Cu and Zn in plants exposed to soil contamination. Additionally there was performed an analysis of as the content of lipids peroxidation products, phenols and flavonoids; as well the activity ofperoxidase, catalase and photosynthetic system. Under the soil contamination by copper and zinc corresponding to 2 MPC the accumulation of heavy metals was established to be happening in plants. If compared copper accumulation was higher than zinc accumulation that can be explained by the high migration capability of zinc. Under combined impact of two metals there was revealed their antagonistic interaction. There was established an elevated content of lipids peroxidation products in cells as a sequence of the accumulation of heavy metals in plants. As a result of the elevation of the content of lipids peroxidation products there was revealed a raised activity ofphotosynthetic apparatus and antioxidant system (carotenoids, catalase and peroxidase) in the cell. The decrease of the content ofphenols and flavonoids is related with the usage of this system of antioxidant protection for the neutralization of lipids peroxidation processes.

Systemic molecular and cellular changes induced in rats upon inhalation of JP-8 petroleum fuel vapor.

PubMed

Hanas, Jay S; Bruce Briggs, G; Lerner, Megan R; Lightfoot, Stan A; Larabee, Jason L; Karsies, Todd J; Epstein, Robert B; Hanas, Rushie J; Brackett, Daniel J; Hocker, James R

2010-05-01

Limited information is available regarding systemic changes in mammals associated with exposures to petroleum/hydrocarbon fuels. In this study, systemic toxicity of JP-8 jet fuel was observed in a rat inhalation model at different JP-8 fuel vapor concentrations (250, 500, or 1000 mg/m(3), for 91 days). Gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry sequencing identified the alpha-2 microglobulin protein to be elevated in rat kidney in a JP-8 dose-dependent manner. Western blot analysis of kidney and lung tissue extracts revealed JP-8 dependent elevation of inducible heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). Tissue changes were observed histologically (hematoxylin and eosin staining) in liver, kidney, lung, bone marrow, and heart, and more prevalently at medium or high JP-8 vapor phase exposures (500-1000 mg/m(3)) than at low vapor phase exposure (250 mg/m(3)) or non-JP-8 controls. JP-8 fuel-induced liver alterations included dilated sinusoids, cytoplasmic clumping, and fat cell deposition. Changes to the kidneys included reduced numbers of nuclei, and cytoplasmic dumping in the lumen of proximal convoluted tubules. JP-8 dependent lung alterations were edema and dilated alveolar capillaries, which allowed clumping of red blood cells (RBCs). Changes in the bone marrow in response to JP-8 included reduction of fat cells and fat globules, and cellular proliferation (RBCs, white blood cells-WBCs, and megakaryocytes). Heart tissue from JP-8 exposed animals contained increased numbers of inflammatory and fibroblast cells, as well as myofibril scarring. cDNA array analysis of heart tissue revealed a JP-8 dependent increase in atrial natriuretic peptide precursor mRNA and a decrease in voltage-gated potassium (K+) ion channel mRNA.

Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Mitochondrial-Derived Lipid Biomarkers That Drive Obesity-Associated Inflammation

PubMed Central

Sampey, Brante P.; Freemerman, Alex J.; Zhang, Jimmy; Kuan, Pei-Fen; Galanko, Joseph A.; O'Connell, Thomas M.; Ilkayeva, Olga R.; Muehlbauer, Michael J.; Stevens, Robert D.; Newgard, Christopher B.; Brauer, Heather A.; Troester, Melissa A.; Makowski, Liza

2012-01-01

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Several animal models of obesity exist, but studies are lacking that compare traditional lard-based high fat diets (HFD) to “Cafeteria diets" (CAF) consisting of nutrient poor human junk food. Our previous work demonstrated the rapid and severe obesogenic and inflammatory consequences of CAF compared to HFD including rapid weight gain, markers of Metabolic Syndrome, multi-tissue lipid accumulation, and dramatic inflammation. To identify potential mediators of CAF-induced obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, we used metabolomic analysis to profile serum, muscle, and white adipose from rats fed CAF, HFD, or standard control diets. Principle component analysis identified elevations in clusters of fatty acids and acylcarnitines. These increases in metabolites were associated with systemic mitochondrial dysfunction that paralleled weight gain, physiologic measures of Metabolic Syndrome, and tissue inflammation in CAF-fed rats. Spearman pairwise correlations between metabolites, physiologic, and histologic findings revealed strong correlations between elevated markers of inflammation in CAF-fed animals, measured as crown like structures in adipose, and specifically the pro-inflammatory saturated fatty acids and oxidation intermediates laurate and lauroyl carnitine. Treatment of bone marrow-derived macrophages with lauroyl carnitine polarized macrophages towards the M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype through downregulation of AMPK and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results presented herein demonstrate that compared to a traditional HFD model, the CAF diet provides a robust model for diet-induced human obesity, which models Metabolic Syndrome-related mitochondrial dysfunction in serum, muscle, and adipose, along with pro-inflammatory metabolite alterations. These data also suggest that modifying the availability or metabolism of saturated fatty acids may limit the inflammation associated with obesity leading to Metabolic Syndrome. PMID:22701716

Characterisation of a Novel Retrovirus and a dsDNA Virus Infecting the Coral Algal Endosymbiont, Symbiodinium sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weynberg, K. D.; Neave, M. J.; Clode, P. L.; Voolstra, C. R.; Brownlee, C.; Laffy, P.; Webster, N.; Levin, R.; Wood-Charlson, E.; van Oppen, M. J.

2016-02-01

Research into viruses associated with coral reefs is a newly emerging field. Corals form an important symbiotic relationship with the dinoflagellate species Symbiodinium, which the coral relies heavily upon for nutrients and calcification. Coral bleaching is the result of disruption of this symbiosis when the algae and/or its photosynthetic pigments are lost from the coral tissues. Environmental stressors, including elevated sea surface temperatures and increased UV light exposure, have been implicated in coral bleaching. We set out to test the hypothesis that Symbiodinium in culture plays host to a latent virus that switches to a lytic infection under stress, such as UV exposure or elevated temperature. Analysis of Symbiodinium cultures (isolated from corals on the Great Barrier Reef) using flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), revealed an active viral infection was ongoing, regardless of experimental conditions. Morphological analysis using TEM revealed filamentous and icosahedral virus-like particles associated with Symbiodinium cultures. We present genomic data of the virus assemblages isolated from cultured Symbiodinium cells that indicate this dinoflagellate is targeted by both a dsDNA virus, related to members of the Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Large dsDNA Virus family (NCLDV), and a novel ssRNA virus related to the Orthoretrovirinae. Further investigations are underway to detect viruses in freshly isolated Symbiodinium from reef corals and to compare these with viruses observed in laboratory cultures of this symbiotic alga. We aim to develop molecular diagnostic probes to detect viruses in field samples to help monitor and assess the impact of viruses in coral bleaching and other climate change-related events, which have huge implications for the health of coral reefs to future global climate scenarios.

75 FR 68548 - Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 Series Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

...: One case of elevator servo-control disconnection has been experienced on an aeroplane of the A320 family. Investigation has revealed that the failure occurred at the servo-control rod eye-end. Further to... servo-control rod eye-ends. In several cases, both actuators of the same elevator surface were affected...

The effects and regulatory mechanism of RIP3 on RGC-5 necroptosis following elevated hydrostatic pressure.

PubMed

Shang, Lei; Ding, Wei; Li, Na; Liao, Lvshuang; Chen, Dan; Huang, Jufang; Xiong, Kun

2017-02-06

Necroptosis is a type of regulated cell death that has been implicated in various diseases. Receptor-interacting protein 3 (RIP3), a member of the RIP family, is an important mediator of the necroptotic pathway. Cleavage of RIP3 at Asp328 by caspase-8 abolishes the kinase activity of RIP3, which is critical for necroptosis. Moreover, RIP3 is significantly upregulated during the early stages of acute high intra-ocular pressure and oxygen glucose deprivation. In this study, the effects of RIP3 during elevated hydrostatic pressure (EHP) were investigated and the possible mechanism through which caspase-8 regulated RIP3 cleavage was explored. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the number of EHP-induced necrotic retinal ganglion cell 5 (RGC-5) cells was reduced after RIP3-knockdown. Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL) activity in normal RGC-5 cells were much higher than those in RIP3-knockdown cells after EHP. EHP-induced RGC-5 necrosis was significantly reduced after treatment with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. MDA levels and PYGL activity were lower in normal RGC-5 cells than those in cells with caspase-8 inhibition after EHP. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the RIP3 cleavage product was upregulated in cells with caspase-8 inhibition. Additionally, flow cytometry analysis revealed that the number of EHP-induced necrotic RGC-5 cells was increased after caspase-8 inhibition. Our results suggested that RGC-5 necroptosis following EHP was mediated by RIP3 through induction of PYGL activity and subsequent ROS accumulation. Thus, caspase-8 may participate in the regulation of RGC-5 necroptosis via RIP3 cleavage. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in acute pulmonary embolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Qian; Ma, Junfen; Jiang, Zhiyun; Ming, Liang

2018-02-01

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been reported to predict prognosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). However, the prognostic value of NLR and PLR remained inconsistent between studies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the prognostic role of NLR and PLR in acute PE. We systematically searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and CNKI for relative literature up to March 2017. The pooled statistics for all outcomes were expressed as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3.5 analysis software and Stata software. Totally 7 eligible studies consisting of 2323 patients were enrolled in our meta-analysis. Elevated NLR was significantly associated with overall (short-term and long-term) mortality (OR 10.13, 95% CI 6.57-15.64, P<0.001) and short-term (in-hospital and 30 days) mortality (OR 8.43, 95% CI 5.23-13.61, P<0.001). And elevated PLR was significantly associated with overall mortality (OR 6.32, 95% CI 4.52-8.84, P<0.001), short-term mortality (OR 6.69, 95% CI 2.86-15.66, P<0.001) and long-term mortality (OR 6.11, 95% CI 3.90-9.55, P<0.001). Our meta-analysis revealed that NLR and PLR are promising biomarkers in predicting prognosis in acute PE patients. We suggest NLR and PLR be used routinely in the PE prognostic assessment.

A semi-automated tool for reducing the creation of false closed depressions from a filled LIDAR-derived digital elevation model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waller, John S.; Doctor, Daniel H.; Terziotti, Silvia

2015-01-01

Closed depressions on the land surface can be identified by ‘filling’ a digital elevation model (DEM) and subtracting the filled model from the original DEM. However, automated methods suffer from artificial ‘dams’ where surface streams cross under bridges and through culverts. Removal of these false depressions from an elevation model is difficult due to the lack of bridge and culvert inventories; thus, another method is needed to breach these artificial dams. Here, we present a semi-automated workflow and toolbox to remove falsely detected closed depressions created by artificial dams in a DEM. The approach finds the intersections between transportation routes (e.g., roads) and streams, and then lowers the elevation surface across the roads to stream level allowing flow to be routed under the road. Once the surface is corrected to match the approximate location of the National Hydrologic Dataset stream lines, the procedure is repeated with sequentially smaller flow accumulation thresholds in order to generate stream lines with less contributing area within the watershed. Through multiple iterations, artificial depressions that may arise due to ephemeral flow paths can also be removed. Preliminary results reveal that this new technique provides significant improvements for flow routing across a DEM and minimizes artifacts within the elevation surface. Slight changes in the stream flow lines generally improve the quality of flow routes; however some artificial dams may persist. Problematic areas include extensive road ditches, particularly along divided highways, and where surface flow crosses beneath road intersections. Limitations do exist, and the results partially depend on the quality of data being input. Of 166 manually identified culverts from a previous study by Doctor and Young in 2013, 125 are within 25 m of culverts identified by this tool. After three iterations, 1,735 culverts were identified and cataloged. The result is a reconditioned elevation dataset, which retains the karst topography for further analysis, and a culvert catalog.

Elevational gradient in clutch size of Red-faced Warblers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dillon, Kristen G.; Conway, Courtney J.

2015-01-01

Our understanding of life history evolution has benefited from debates regarding the underlying causes, and geographic ubiquity, of spatial patterns in avian clutch sizes. Past studies have revealed that birds lay smaller clutch sizes at higher elevation. However, in most previous studies, investigators have failed to adequately control for elevational differences in breeding phenology. To better understand the elevational gradient in avian clutch size, we need to know how clutch size changes across the entire elevational breeding range of a species (i.e., the shape of the relationship between elevation and clutch size), and whether the elevational gradient in clutch size is merely an artifact of elevational gradients in breeding phenology or breeding season length. We examined the relationship between breeding elevation and clutch size of Red-faced Warblers (Cardellina rubrifrons) along a 1000-m elevational gradient in Arizona. Our objectives were to determine how clutch size changed with elevation, and if the relationship between clutch size and elevation merely reflected elevational changes in breeding season length or phenology. The proportion of 5-egg clutches decreased and the proportion of 3- and 4-egg clutches increased non-linearly with increasing elevation, even after controlling for the elevational gradient in nest initiation date. Thus, average clutch size declined across the elevational breeding range of Red-faced Warblers, but this decline was not due to elevational variation in breeding phenology. Timing of breeding changed, but the duration of the breeding season did not change appreciably across the elevational gradient. Hence, elevational differences in breeding season length or breeding phenology cannot explain why Red-faced Warblers (and perhaps other birds) breeding at higher elevations have smaller clutches.

Cell type-specific gene expression of midbrain dopaminergic neurons reveals molecules involved in their vulnerability and protection.

PubMed

Chung, Chee Yeun; Seo, Hyemyung; Sonntag, Kai Christian; Brooks, Andrew; Lin, Ling; Isacson, Ole

2005-07-01

Molecular differences between dopamine (DA) neurons may explain why the mesostriatal DA neurons in the A9 region preferentially degenerate in Parkinson's disease (PD) and toxic models, whereas the adjacent A10 region mesolimbic and mesocortical DA neurons are relatively spared. To characterize innate physiological differences between A9 and A10 DA neurons, we determined gene expression profiles in these neurons in the adult mouse by laser capture microdissection, microarray analysis and real-time PCR. We found 42 genes relatively elevated in A9 DA neurons, whereas 61 genes were elevated in A10 DA neurons [> 2-fold; false discovery rate (FDR) < 1%]. Genes of interest for further functional analysis were selected by criteria of (i) fold differences in gene expression, (ii) real-time PCR validation and (iii) potential roles in neurotoxic or protective biochemical pathways. Three A9-elevated molecules [G-protein coupled inwardly rectifying K channel 2 (GIRK2), adenine nucleotide translocator 2 (ANT-2) and the growth factor IGF-1] and three A10-elevated peptides (GRP, CGRP and PACAP) were further examined in both alpha-synuclein overexpressing PC12 (PC12-alphaSyn) cells and rat primary ventral mesencephalic (VM) cultures exposed to MPP+ neurotoxicity. GIRK2-positive DA neurons were more vulnerable to MPP+ toxicity and overexpression of GIRK2 increased the vulnerability of PC12-alphaSyn cells to the toxin. Blocking of ANT decreased vulnerability to MPP+ in both cell culture systems. Exposing cells to IGF-1, GRP and PACAP decreased vulnerability of both cell types to MPP+, whereas CGRP protected PC12-alphaSyn cells but not primary VM DA neurons. These results indicate that certain differentially expressed molecules in A9 and A10 DA neurons may play key roles in their relative vulnerability to toxins and PD.

Distribution of trace metals in anchialine caves of Adriatic Sea, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuculić, Vlado; Cukrov, Neven; Kwokal, Željko; Mlakar, Marina

2011-11-01

This study presents results of the first comprehensive research on ecotoxic trace metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) in aquatic anchialine ecosystems. Data show the influence of hydrological and geological characteristics on trace metals in highly stratified anchialine water columns. Distribution of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in two anchialine water bodies, Bjejajka Cave and Lenga Pit in the Mljet National park, Croatia were investigated seasonally from 2006 to 2010. Behaviour and concentrations of dissolved and total trace metals in stratified water columns and metal contents in sediment, carbonate rocks and soil of the anchialine environment were evaluated. Trace metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in both anchialine water columns were significantly elevated compared to adjacent seawater. Zn and Cu concentrations were the highest in the Lenga Pit water column and sediment. Elevated concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cu in Bjejajka Cave were mainly terrigenous. Significantly elevated concentrations of cadmium (up to 0.3 μg L -1) were found in the water column of Bjejajka cave, almost two orders of magnitude higher compared to nearby surface seawater. Laboratory analysis revealed that bat guano was the major source of cadmium in Bjejajka Cave. Cadmium levels in Lenga Pit, which lacks accumulations of bat guano, were 20-fold lower. Moreover, low metal amounts in carbonate rocks in both caves, combined with mineral leaching experiments, revealed that carbonates play a minor role as a source of metals in both water columns. We observed two types of vertical distribution pattern of cadmium in the stratified anchialine Bjejajka Cave water column. At lower salinities, non-conservative behaviour was characterized by strong desorption and enrichment of dissolved phase while, at salinities above 20, Cd behaved conservatively and its dissolved concentration decreased. Conservative behaviour of Cu, Pb, Zn and DOC was observed throughout the water column. After heavy rains, Cd showed reduced concentration and uniform vertical distribution, suggesting a non-terrestrial origin. Under the same conditions, concentrations of total and dissolved Pb, Cu, Zn and DOC were significantly elevated. Variations of trace metal vertical distributions in anchialine water columns were caused by large inputs of fresh water (extraordinary rainy events), and were not influenced by seasonal changes.

Radar Image with Color as Height, Sman Teng, Temple, Cambodia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This image of Cambodia's Angkor region, taken by NASA's Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR), reveals a temple (upper-right) not depicted on early 19th Century French archeological survey maps and American topographic maps. The temple, known as 'Sman Teng,' was known to the local Khmer people, but had remained unknown to historians due to the remoteness of its location. The temple is thought to date to the 11th Century: the heyday of Angkor. It is an important indicator of the strategic and natural resource contributions of the area northwest of the capitol, to the urban center of Angkor. Sman Teng, the name designating one of the many types of rice enjoyed by the Khmer, was 'discovered' by a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., working in collaboration with an archaeological expert on the Angkor region. Analysis of this remote area was a true collaboration of archaeology and technology. Locating the temple of Sman Teng required the skills of scientists trained to spot the types of topographic anomalies that only radar can reveal.

This image, with a pixel spacing of 5 meters (16.4 feet), depicts an area of approximately 5 by 4.7 kilometers (3.1 by 2.9 miles). North is at top. Image brightness is from the P-band (68 centimeters, or 26.8 inches) wavelength radar backscatter, a measure of how much energy the surface reflects back toward the radar. Color is used to represent elevation contours. One cycle of color represents 25 meters (82 feet) of elevation change, so going from blue to red to yellow to green and back to blue again corresponds to 25 meters (82 feet) of elevation change.

AIRSAR flies aboard a NASA DC-8 based at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. In the TOPSAR mode, AIRSAR collects radar interferometry data from two spatially separated antennas (2.6 meters, or 8.5 feet). Information from the two antennas is used to form radar backscatter imagery and to generate highly accurate elevation data. Built, operated and managed by JPL, AIRSAR is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise program. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Novel genomic resources for a climate change sensitive mammal: characterization of the American pika transcriptome.

PubMed

Lemay, Matthew A; Henry, Philippe; Lamb, Clayton T; Robson, Kelsey M; Russello, Michael A

2013-05-10

When faced with climate change, species must either shift their home range or adapt in situ in order to maintain optimal physiological balance with their environment. The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a small alpine mammal with limited dispersal capacity and low tolerance for thermal stress. As a result, pikas have become an important system for examining biotic responses to changing climatic conditions. Previous research using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) has revealed evidence for environmental-mediated selection in O. princeps populations distributed along elevation gradients, yet the anonymity of AFLP loci and lack of available genomic resources precluded the identification of associated gene regions. Here, we harnessed next-generation sequencing technology in order to characterize the American pika transcriptome and identify a large suite of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which can be used to elucidate elevation- and site-specific patterns of sequence variation. We constructed pooled cDNA libraries of O. princeps from high (1400 m) and low (300 m) elevation sites along a previously established transect in British Columbia. Transcriptome sequencing using the Roche 454 GS FLX titanium platform generated 780 million base pairs of data, which were assembled into 7,325 high coverage contigs. These contigs were used to identify 24,261 novel SNP loci. Using high resolution melt analysis, we developed 17 of these SNPs into genotyping assays, which were validated with independent DNA samples from British Columbia Canada and Oregon State USA. In addition, we detected haplotypes in the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 of the mitochondrial genome that were fixed and different among elevations, suggesting that this may be an informative target gene for studying the role of cellular respiration in local adaptation. We also identified contigs that were unique to each elevation, including a high elevation-specific contig that was a positive match with the hemoglobin alpha chain from the plateau pika, a species restricted to high elevation steppes in Asia. Elevation-specific contigs may represent candidate regions subject to differential levels of gene expression along this elevation gradient. To our knowledge, this is the first broad-scale, transcriptome-level study conducted within the Ochotonidae, providing novel genomic resources for studying pika ecology, behaviour and population history.

Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis in an Infant: Diagnostic Role of Viral Genome Analysis

PubMed Central

Baram, Tallie Z.; Gonzalez-Gomez, Ignacio; Xie, Zong-De; Yao, Dapeng; Gilles, Floyd H.; Nelson, Marvin D.; Nguyen, Hahn T.; Peters, Julius

2013-01-01

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is related to “defective” measles virus or vaccination, though an association with parainfluenza viruses has been reported. SSPE is characterized by a slow, erratic course and elevated cerebrospinal fluid measles titers. An immunocompetent, vaccinated infant, with onset of symptoms in parainfiuenza virus season and a catastrophic course is described. Cerebrospinal fluid titers were negative, but postmortem brain had typical SSPE lesions. Patient brain-derived RNA, subjected to reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction yielded polymerase chain reaction products with measles virus but not parainfluenza virus genes. The sequenced fragment revealed multiple mutations, typical for SSPE. SSPE can thus present in infants, with short latency and no cerebrospinal fluid antibodies. Viral genomic analysis may be diagnostic, permitting early therapy. PMID:8024248

Recent Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent trends and implications for the snow-albedo feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Déry, Stephen J.; Brown, Ross D.

2007-11-01

Monotonic trend analysis of Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent (SCE) over the period 1972-2006 with the Mann-Kendall test reveals significant declines in SCE during spring over North America and Eurasia, with lesser declines during winter and some increases in fall SCE. The weekly mean trend attains -1.28, -0.78, and -0.48 × 106 km2 (35 years)-1 over the Northern Hemisphere, North America, and Eurasia, respectively. The standardized SCE time series vary and trend coherently over Eurasia and North America, with evidence of a poleward amplification of decreasing SCE trends during spring. Multiple linear regression analyses reveal a significant dependence of the retreat of the spring continental SCE on latitude and elevation. The poleward amplification is consistent with an enhanced snow-albedo feedback over northern latitudes that acts to reinforce an initial anomaly in the cryospheric system.

Developmental Trajectories of Anxiety Symptoms Among Boys Across Early and Middle Childhood

PubMed Central

Feng, Xin; Shaw, Daniel S.; Silk, Jennifer S.

2009-01-01

This study examined the developmental trajectory of anxiety symptoms among 290 boys and evaluated the association of trajectory groups with child and family risk factors and children’s internalizing disorders. Anxiety symptoms were measured using maternal reports from the Child Behavior Checklist (T. M. Achenbach, 1991, 1992) for boys between the ages of 2 and 10. A group-based trajectory analysis revealed 4 distinct trajectories in the development of anxiety symptoms: low, low increasing, high declining, and high-increasing trajectories. Child shy temperament tended to differentiate between initial high and low groups, whereas maternal negative control and maternal depression were associated with increasing trajectories and elevated anxiety symptoms in middle childhood. Follow-up analyses to diagnoses of preadolescent depression and/or anxiety disorders revealed different patterns on the basis of trajectory group membership. The results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms of risk factors and implications for early identification and prevention. PMID:18266484

Spontaneous ruptured pheochromocytoma: an unusual case report and literature review.

PubMed

Jee, Ye Seob

2017-09-01

Ruptured pheochromocytoma is a rare disease. Its mortality rate is up to 31%-50%. Proper management of ruptured pheochromocytoma remains unclear. A 44-year-old male patient visited our Emergency Department and presented with abrupt onset of left flank pain. His blood pressure was 190/140 mmHg with purse rate of 130 beats/min. CT scan showed 8.1 × 5.6-cm-sized heterogeneously mass with rupture on the left retroperitoneal space and active bleeding. His symptom of abdominal pain was aggravated. Follow-up laboratory analysis revealed elevated WBC count and decreased hemoglobin 2 hours after admission. Emergency laparotomy was performed. We resected the ruptured left retroperitoneal mass and hemostasis. Pathologic exams revealed adrenal pheochromocytoma with rupture. Although our patient was alive, according to literature review, mortality rate of emergency operation without medical management is higher than elective operation after blood pressure control with either medical or interventional methods such as transcatheter arterial embolization.

Neutron irradiation and high temperature effects on amorphous Fe-based nano-coatings on steel - A macroscopic assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simos, N.; Zhong, Z.; Dooryhee, E.; Ghose, S.; Gill, S.; Camino, F.; Şavklıyıldız, İ.; Akdoğan, E. K.

2017-06-01

The study revealed that loss of ductility in an amorphous Fe-alloy coating on a steel substrate composite structure was essentially prevented from occurring, following radiation with modest neutron doses of ∼2 × 1018 n/cm2. At the higher neutron dose of ∼2 × 1019, macroscopic stress-strain analysis showed that the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating, while still amorphous, experienced radiation-induced embrittlement, no longer offering protection against ductility loss in the coating-substrate composite structure. Neutron irradiation in a corrosive environment revealed exemplary oxidation/corrosion resistance of the amorphous Fe-alloy coating, which is attributed to the formation of the Fe2B phase in the coating. To establish the impact of elevated temperatures on the amorphous-to-crystalline transition in the amorphous Fe-alloy, electron microscopy was carried out which confirmed the radiation-induced suppression of crystallization in the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating.

Streptococcus pyogenes degrades extracellular matrix in chondrocytes via MMP-13

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

Sakurai, Atsuo; Okahashi, Nobuo; Maruyama, Fumito

2008-08-29

Group A streptococcus (GAS) causes a wide range of human diseases, including bacterial arthritis. The pathogenesis of arthritis is characterized by synovial proliferation and the destruction of cartilage and subchondral bone in joints. We report here that GAS strain JRS4 invaded a chondrogenic cell line ATDC5 and induced the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), whereas an isogenic mutant of JRS4 lacking a fibronectin-binding protein, SAM1, failed to invade the chondrocytes or degrade the ECM. Reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 was strongly elevated during the infection with GAS. A reporter assaymore » revealed that the activation of the AP-1 transcription factor and the phosphorylation of c-Jun terminal kinase participated in MMP-13 expression. These results suggest that MMP-13 plays an important role in the destruction of infected joints during the development of septic arthritis.« less

Analysis of the Transcriptional Differences between Indigenous and Invasive Whiteflies Reveals Possible Mechanisms of Whitefly Invasion

PubMed Central

Wang, Yong-Liang; Wang, Yu-Jun; Luan, Jun-Bo; Yan, Gen-Hong; Liu, Shu-Sheng; Wang, Xiao-Wei

2013-01-01

Background The whitefly Bemisa tabaci is a species complex of more than 31 cryptic species which include some of the most destructive invasive pests of crops worldwide. Among them, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean have invaded many countries and displaced the native whitefly species. The successful invasion of the two species is largely due to their wide range of host plants, high resistance to insecticides and remarkable tolerance to environmental stresses. However, the molecular differences between invasive and indigenous whiteflies remain largely unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings Here the global transcriptional difference between the two invasive whitefly species (MEAM1, MED) and one indigenous whitefly species (Asia II 3) were analyzed using the Illumina sequencing. Our analysis indicated that 2,422 genes between MEAM1 and MED; 3,073 genes between MEAM1 and Asia II 3; and 3,644 genes between MED and Asia II 3 were differentially expressed. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed that the differently expressed genes between the invasive and indigenous whiteflies were significantly enriched in the term of ‘oxidoreductase activity’. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that carbohydrate, amino acid and glycerolipid metabolisms were more active in MEAM1 and MED than in Asia II 3, which may contribute to their differences in biological characteristics. Our analysis also illustrated that the majority of genes involved in ‘drug metabolic pathway’ were expressed at a higher level in MEAM1 and MED than in Asia II 3. Taken together, these results revealed that the genes related to basic metabolism and detoxification were expressed at an elevated level in the invasive whiteflies, which might be responsible for their higher resistance to insecticides and environmental stresses. Conclusions/Significance The extensive comparison of MEAM1, MED and Asia II 3 gene expression may serve as an invaluable resource for revealing the molecular mechanisms underlying their biological differences and the whitefly invasion. PMID:23667457

Small-scale topography modulates elevational α-, β- and γ-diversity of Andean leaf beetles.

PubMed

Thormann, Birthe; Ahrens, Dirk; Espinosa, Carlos Iván; Armijos, Diego Marín; Wagner, Thomas; Wägele, Johann W; Peters, Marcell K

2018-05-01

Elevational diversity gradients are typically studied without considering the complex small-scale topography of large mountains, which generates habitats of strongly different environmental conditions within the same elevational zones. Here we analyzed the importance of small-scale topography for elevational diversity patterns of hyperdiverse tropical leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We compared patterns of elevational diversity and species composition of beetles in two types of forests (on mountain ridges and in valleys) and analyzed whether differences in the rate of species turnover among forest habitats lead to shifts in patterns of elevational diversity when scaling up from the local study site to the elevational belt level. We sampled beetle assemblages at 36 sites in the Podocarpus National Park, Ecuador, which were equally distributed over two forest habitats and three elevational levels. DNA barcoding and Poisson tree processes modelling were used to delimitate putative species. On average, local leaf beetle diversity showed a clear hump-shaped pattern. However, only diversity in forests on mountain ridges peaked at mid-elevation, while beetle diversity in valleys was similarly high at low- and mid-elevation and only declined at highest elevations. A higher turnover of species assemblages at lower than at mid-elevations caused a shift from a hump-shaped diversity pattern found at the local level to a low-elevation plateau pattern (with similar species numbers at low and mid-elevation) at the elevational belt level. Our study reveals an important role of small-scale topography and spatial scale for the inference on gradients of elevational species diversity.

Elevated striatal reactivity across monetary and social rewards in bipolar I disorder.

PubMed

Dutra, Sunny J; Cunningham, William A; Kober, Hedy; Gruber, June

2015-11-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with increased reactivity to rewards and heightened positive affectivity. It is less clear to what extent this heightened reward sensitivity is evident across contexts and what the associated neural mechanisms might be. The present investigation used both a monetary and social incentive delay task among adults with remitted BD Type I (n = 24) and a healthy nonpsychiatric control group (HC; n = 25) using fMRI. Both whole-brain and region-of-interest analyses revealed elevated reactivity to reward receipt in the striatum, a region implicated in incentive sensitivity, in the BD group. Post hoc analyses revealed that greater striatal reactivity to reward receipt, across monetary and social reward tasks, predicted decreased self-reported positive affect when anticipating subsequent rewards in the HC but not in the BD group. Results point toward elevated striatal reactivity to reward receipt as a potential neural mechanism of persistent reward pursuit in BD. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Revealing topographic lineaments through IHS enhancement of DEM data. [Digital Elevation Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murdock, Gary

1990-01-01

Intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) processing of slope (dip), aspect (dip direction), and elevation to reveal subtle topographic lineaments which may not be obvious in the unprocessed data are used to enhance digital elevation model (DEM) data from northwestern Nevada. This IHS method of lineament identification was applied to a mosiac of 12 square degrees using a Cray Y-MP8/864. Square arrays from 3 x 3 to 31 x 31 points were tested as well as several different slope enhancements. When relatively few points are used to fit the plane, lineaments of various lengths are observed and a mechanism for lineament classification is described. An area encompassing the gold deposits of the Carlin trend and including the Rain in the southeast to Midas in the northwest is investigated in greater detail. The orientation and density of lineaments may be determined on the gently sloping pediment surface as well as in the more steeply sloping ranges.

Elevated Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase in Brains of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Astarita, Giuseppe; Jung, Kwang-Mook; Vasilevko, Vitaly; DiPatrizio, Nicholas V.; Martin, Sarah K.; Cribbs, David H.; Head, Elizabeth; Cotman, Carl W.; Piomelli, Daniele

2011-01-01

The molecular bases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remain unclear. We used a lipidomic approach to identify lipid abnormalities in the brains of subjects with AD (N = 37) compared to age-matched controls (N = 17). The analyses revealed statistically detectable elevations in levels of non-esterified monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and mead acid (20:3n-9) in mid-frontal cortex, temporal cortex and hippocampus of AD patients. Further studies showed that brain mRNAs encoding for isoforms of the rate-limiting enzyme in MUFAs biosynthesis, stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD-1, SCD-5a and SCD-5b), were elevated in subjects with AD. The monounsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio (‘desaturation index’) – displayed a strong negative correlation with measures of cognition: the Mini Mental State Examination test (r = −0.80; P = 0.0001) and the Boston Naming test (r = −0.57; P = 0.0071). Our results reveal a previously unrecognized role for the lipogenic enzyme SCD in AD. PMID:22046234

The Landcover Impact on the Aspect/Slope Accuracy Dependence of the SRTM-1 Elevation Data for the Humboldt Range.

PubMed

Miliaresis, George C

2008-05-15

The U.S. National Landcover Dataset (NLCD) and the U.S National Elevation Dataset (NED) (bare earth elevations) were used in an attempt to assess to what extent the directional and slope dependency of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) finished digital elevation model is affected by landcover. Four landcover classes: forest, shrubs, grass and snow cover, were included in the study area (Humboldt Range in NW portion of Nevada, USA). Statistics, rose diagrams, and frequency distributions of the elevation differences (NED-SRTM) per landcover class per geographic direction were used. The decomposition of elevation differences on the basis of aspect and slope terrain classes identifies a) over-estimation of elevation by the SRTM instrument along E, NE and N directions (negative elevation difference that decreases linearly with slope) while b) underestimation is evident towards W, SW and S directions (positive elevation difference increasing with slope). The aspect/slope/landcover elevation differences modelling overcome the systematic errors evident in the SRTM dataset and revealed vegetation height information and the snow penetration capability of the SRTM instrument. The linear regression lines per landcover class might provide means of correcting the systematic error (aspect/slope dependency) evident in SRTM dataset.

The Landcover Impact on the Aspect/Slope Accuracy Dependence of the SRTM-1 Elevation Data for the Humboldt Range

PubMed Central

Miliaresis, George C.

2008-01-01

The U.S. National Landcover Dataset (NLCD) and the U.S National Elevation Dataset (NED) (bare earth elevations) were used in an attempt to assess to what extent the directional and slope dependency of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) finished digital elevation model is affected by landcover. Four landcover classes: forest, shrubs, grass and snow cover, were included in the study area (Humboldt Range in NW portion of Nevada, USA). Statistics, rose diagrams, and frequency distributions of the elevation differences (NED-SRTM) per landcover class per geographic direction were used. The decomposition of elevation differences on the basis of aspect and slope terrain classes identifies a) over-estimation of elevation by the SRTM instrument along E, NE and N directions (negative elevation difference that decreases linearly with slope) while b) underestimation is evident towards W, SW and S directions (positive elevation difference increasing with slope). The aspect/slope/landcover elevation differences modelling overcome the systematic errors evident in the SRTM dataset and revealed vegetation height information and the snow penetration capability of the SRTM instrument. The linear regression lines per landcover class might provide means of correcting the systematic error (aspect/slope dependency) evident in SRTM dataset. PMID:27879870

Preparticipation Screening of Athletic Officials: SEC Football Referees at Risk.

PubMed

Turner, John L; Walters, Rod; Leski, Mark J; Saywell, Robert M; Wooldridge, J Scott

2003-03-01

Although preparticipation screening for athletes is commonplace, few studies have addressed the issue for those officiating at games. To review current data on physiologic stress on sports officials, to obtain prevalence data on health parameters for football officials, and to determine the outcomes when screening criteria are applied in preseason exams. A protocol was established using health history questionnaires and physical exams with laboratory screening to assess the health of all football officials working in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) from 1997 to 2000. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of cardiac risk factors as determined by American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. Initial screening of 102 football officials revealed that 10.1% of SEC referees had elevated systolic blood pressure, 13.9% had elevated diastolic blood pressure, and 3.8% had resting tachycardia. Average body mass index (BMI) was 28.6 kg/m2, with 87.3% having a BMI that exceeded 25 (overweight). About one-third (31.6%) had a BMI greater than 30 (obese). Total fasting cholesterol exceeded 200 mg/dL in 44.2%, HDL levels were below 35 mg/dL in 34.3%, and LDL levels were above 120 mg/dL in 62.3%. Compared with age-adjusted national data, there were more overweight and more obese officials, but they had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures and lower mean total cholesterol levels. Using the Framingham Study prediction model to estimate coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, analysis revealed that referees had a lower risk than the national 10-year CHD risk but a higher risk compared with that of the low-risk population. These data reveal a greater need for graded exercise testing. The higher rates of obesity among officials will promote further screening for CHD risk factors.

Evidence of divergent selection for drought and cold tolerance at landscape and local scales in Abies alba Mill. in the French Mediterranean Alps.

PubMed

Roschanski, Anna M; Csilléry, Katalin; Liepelt, Sascha; Oddou-Muratorio, Sylvie; Ziegenhagen, Birgit; Huard, Frédéric; Ullrich, Kristian K; Postolache, Dragos; Vendramin, Giovanni G; Fady, Bruno

2016-02-01

Understanding local adaptation in forest trees is currently a key research and societal priority. Geographically and ecologically marginal populations provide ideal case studies, because environmental stress along with reduced gene flow can facilitate the establishment of locally adapted populations. We sampled European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) trees in the French Mediterranean Alps, along the margin of its distribution range, from pairs of high- and low-elevation plots on four different mountains situated along a 170-km east-west transect. The analysis of 267 SNP loci from 175 candidate genes suggested a neutral pattern of east-west isolation by distance among mountain sites. F(ST) outlier tests revealed 16 SNPs that showed patterns of divergent selection. Plot climate was characterized using both in situ measurements and gridded data that revealed marked differences between and within mountains with different trends depending on the season. Association between allelic frequencies and bioclimatic variables revealed eight genes that contained candidate SNPs, of which two were also detected using F(ST) outlier methods. All SNPs were associated with winter drought, and one of them showed strong evidence of selection with respect to elevation. Q(ST)-F(ST) tests for fitness-related traits measured in a common garden suggested adaptive divergence for the date of bud flush and for growth rate. Overall, our results suggest a complex adaptive picture for A. alba in the southern French Alps where, during the east-to-west Holocene recolonization, locally advantageous genetic variants established at both the landscape and local scales. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Epidemiological features and risk factors associated with the spatial and temporal distribution of human brucellosis in China

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Human brucellosis incidence in China has been increasing dramatically since 1999. However, epidemiological features and potential factors underlying the re-emergence of the disease remain less understood. Methods Data on human and animal brucellosis cases at the county scale were collected for the year 2004 to 2010. Also collected were environmental and socioeconomic variables. Epidemiological features including spatial and temporal patterns of the disease were characterized, and the potential factors related to the spatial heterogeneity and the temporal trend of were analysed using Poisson regression analysis, Granger causality analysis, and autoregressive distributed lag (ADL) models, respectively. Results The epidemic showed a significantly higher spatial correlation with the number of sheep and goats than swine and cattle. The disease was most prevalent in grassland areas with elevation between 800–1,600 meters. The ADL models revealed that local epidemics were correlated with comparatively lower temperatures and less sunshine in winter and spring, with a 1–7 month lag before the epidemic peak in May. Conclusions Our findings indicate that human brucellosis tended to occur most commonly in grasslands at moderate elevation where sheep and goats were the predominant livestock, and in years with cooler winter and spring or less sunshine. PMID:24238301

Landslide-susceptibility analysis using light detection and ranging-derived digital elevation models and logistic regression models: a case study in Mizunami City, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Liang-Jie; Sawada, Kazuhide; Moriguchi, Shuji

2013-01-01

To mitigate the damage caused by landslide disasters, different mathematical models have been applied to predict landslide spatial distribution characteristics. Although some researchers have achieved excellent results around the world, few studies take the spatial resolution of the database into account. Four types of digital elevation model (DEM) ranging from 2 to 20 m derived from light detection and ranging technology to analyze landslide susceptibility in Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, are presented. Fifteen landslide-causative factors are considered using a logistic-regression approach to create models for landslide potential analysis. Pre-existing landslide bodies are used to evaluate the performance of the four models. The results revealed that the 20-m model had the highest classification accuracy (71.9%), whereas the 2-m model had the lowest value (68.7%). In the 2-m model, 89.4% of the landslide bodies fit in the medium to very high categories. For the 20-m model, only 83.3% of the landslide bodies were concentrated in the medium to very high classes. When the cell size decreases from 20 to 2 m, the area under the relative operative characteristic increases from 0.68 to 0.77. Therefore, higher-resolution DEMs would provide better results for landslide-susceptibility mapping.

Systems analysis of sex differences reveals an immunosuppressive role for testosterone in the response to influenza vaccination

PubMed Central

Furman, David; Hejblum, Boris P.; Simon, Noah; Jojic, Vladimir; Dekker, Cornelia L.; Thiébaut, Rodolphe; Tibshirani, Robert J.; Davis, Mark M.

2014-01-01

Females have generally more robust immune responses than males for reasons that are not well-understood. Here we used a systems analysis to investigate these differences by analyzing the neutralizing antibody response to a trivalent inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine (TIV) and a large number of immune system components, including serum cytokines and chemokines, blood cell subset frequencies, genome-wide gene expression, and cellular responses to diverse in vitro stimuli, in 53 females and 34 males of different ages. We found elevated antibody responses to TIV and expression of inflammatory cytokines in the serum of females compared with males regardless of age. This inflammatory profile correlated with the levels of phosphorylated STAT3 proteins in monocytes but not with the serological response to the vaccine. In contrast, using a machine learning approach, we identified a cluster of genes involved in lipid biosynthesis and previously shown to be up-regulated by testosterone that correlated with poor virus-neutralizing activity in men. Moreover, men with elevated serum testosterone levels and associated gene signatures exhibited the lowest antibody responses to TIV. These results demonstrate a strong association between androgens and genes involved in lipid metabolism, suggesting that these could be important drivers of the differences in immune responses between males and females. PMID:24367114

Spatial analysis of fluvial terraces in GRASS GIS accessing R functionality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Józsa, Edina

2017-04-01

Terrace research along the Danube is a major topic of Hungarian traditional geomorphology because of the socio-economic role of terrace surfaces and their importance in paleo-environmental reconstructions. Semi-automated mapping of fluvial landforms from a coherent digital elevation dataset allow objective analysis of hydrogeomorphic characteristics with low time and cost requirements. New results obtained with unified GIS-based algorithms can be integrated with previous findings regarding landscape evolution. The complementary functionality of GRASS GIS and R provides the possibility to develop a flexible terrain analysing tool for the delineation and quantifiable analysis of terrace remnants. Using R as an intermediate analytical environment and visualisation tool gives great added value to the algorithm, while GRASS GIS is capable of handling the large digital elevation datasets and perform the demanding computations to prepare necessary raster derivatives (Bivand, R.S. et al. 2008). The proposed terrace mapping algorithm is based on the work of Demoulin, A. et al. (2007), but it is further improved in the form of GRASS GIS script tool accessing R functionality. In the first step the hydrogeomorphic signatures of the given study site are explored and the area is divided along clearly recognizable structural-morphological boundaries.The algorithm then cuts up the subregions into parallel sections in the flow direction and determines cells potentially belonging to terrace surfaces based on local slope characteristics and a minimum area size threshold. As a result an output report is created that contains a histogram of altitudes, a swath-profile of the landscape, scatter plots to represent the relation of the relative elevations and slope values in the analysed sections and a final plot showing the longitudinal profile of the river with the determined height ranges of terrace levels. The algorithm also produces a raster map of extracted terrace remnants. From this dataset it is possible to interpolate a new digital elevation model approximating the former terraced valley surface using the Ordinary Kriging method (Troiani, F. and Della Seta, M. 2011). The applicability of the algorithm was tested on the northern foreland of Gerecse Mountains, an antecedent valley section of the Danube, with terrace remnants expected in 6 to 8 altitude ranges. Methodological issues arising from determining the optimal threshold values were explored using an artificial hillslope model, while the terrace profiles and terrace-top surfaces raster generated from the digital elevation model were validated with the previous findings of traditional geomorphological surveys. This research was supported by the Human Capacities Grant Management Office and the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities in the framework of the NTP-NFTÖ-16 project. References: Bivand, R.S. et al. (2008). Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R. New York: Springer. 378 p. Demoulin, A. et al. (2007). An automated method to extract fluvial terraces from digital elevation models: The Vesdre valley, a case study in eastern Belgium. - Geomorphology 91 (1-2): 51-64. Troiani, E. and Della Seta, M. (2011). Geomorphological response of fluvial and coastal terraces to Quaternary tectonics and climate as revealed by geostatistical topographic analysis. - Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 36: 1193-1208.

Unsuspected Diversity of Arsenite-Oxidizing Bacteria as Revealed by Widespread Distribution of the aoxB Gene in Prokaryotes ▿ †

PubMed Central

Heinrich-Salmeron, Audrey; Cordi, Audrey; Brochier-Armanet, Céline; Halter, David; Pagnout, Christophe; Abbaszadeh-fard, Elham; Montaut, Didier; Seby, Fabienne; Bertin, Philippe N.; Bauda, Pascale; Arsène-Ploetze, Florence

2011-01-01

In this study, new strains were isolated from an environment with elevated arsenic levels, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (France), and the diversity of aoxB genes encoding the arsenite oxidase large subunit was investigated. The distribution of bacterial aoxB genes is wider than what was previously thought. AoxB subfamilies characterized by specific signatures were identified. An exhaustive analysis of AoxB sequences from this study and from public databases shows that horizontal gene transfer has likely played a role in the spreading of aoxB in prokaryotic communities. PMID:21571879

Increased intra-individual reaction time variability in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder across response inhibition tasks with different cognitive demands.

PubMed

Vaurio, Rebecca G; Simmonds, Daniel J; Mostofsky, Stewart H

2009-10-01

One of the most consistent findings in children with ADHD is increased moment-to-moment variability in reaction time (RT). The source of increased RT variability can be examined using ex-Gaussian analyses that divide variability into normal and exponential components and Fast Fourier transform (FFT) that allow for detailed examination of the frequency of responses in the exponential distribution. Prior studies of ADHD using these methods have produced variable results, potentially related to differences in task demand. The present study sought to examine the profile of RT variability in ADHD using two Go/No-go tasks with differing levels of cognitive demand. A total of 140 children (57 with ADHD and 83 typically developing controls), ages 8-13 years, completed both a "simple" Go/No-go task and a more "complex" Go/No-go task with increased working memory load. Repeated measures ANOVA of ex-Gaussian functions revealed for both tasks children with ADHD demonstrated increased variability in both the normal/Gaussian (significantly elevated sigma) and the exponential (significantly elevated tau) components. In contrast, FFT analysis of the exponential component revealed a significant task x diagnosis interaction, such that infrequent slow responses in ADHD differed depending on task demand (i.e., for the simple task, increased power in the 0.027-0.074 Hz frequency band; for the complex task, decreased power in the 0.074-0.202 Hz band). The ex-Gaussian findings revealing increased variability in both the normal (sigma) and exponential (tau) components for the ADHD group, suggest that both impaired response preparation and infrequent "lapses in attention" contribute to increased variability in ADHD. FFT analyses reveal that the periodicity of intermittent lapses of attention in ADHD varies with task demand. The findings provide further support for intra-individual variability as a candidate intermediate endophenotype of ADHD.

Plant adaptation or acclimation to rising CO2 ? Insight from first multigenerational RNA-Seq transcriptome.

PubMed

Watson-Lazowski, Alexander; Lin, Yunan; Miglietta, Franco; Edwards, Richard J; Chapman, Mark A; Taylor, Gail

2016-11-01

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) directly determines the rate of plant photosynthesis and indirectly effects plant productivity and fitness and may therefore act as a selective pressure driving evolution, but evidence to support this contention is sparse. Using Plantago lanceolata L. seed collected from a naturally high CO 2 spring and adjacent ambient CO 2 control site, we investigated multigenerational response to future, elevated atmospheric CO 2 . Plants were grown in either ambient or elevated CO 2 (700 μmol mol -1 ), enabling for the first time, characterization of the functional and population genomics of plant acclimation and adaptation to elevated CO 2 . This revealed that spring and control plants differed significantly in phenotypic plasticity for traits underpinning fitness including above-ground biomass, leaf size, epidermal cell size and number and stomatal density and index. Gene expression responses to elevated CO 2 (acclimation) were modest [33-131 genes differentially expressed (DE)], whilst those between control and spring plants (adaptation) were considerably larger (689-853 DE genes). In contrast, population genomic analysis showed that genetic differentiation between spring and control plants was close to zero, with no fixed differences, suggesting that plants are adapted to their native CO 2 environment at the level of gene expression. An unusual phenotype of increased stomatal index in spring but not control plants in elevated CO 2 correlated with altered expression of stomatal patterning genes between spring and control plants for three loci (YODA, CDKB1;1 and SCRM2) and between ambient and elevated CO 2 for four loci (ER, YODA, MYB88 and BCA1). We propose that the two positive regulators of stomatal number (SCRM2) and CDKB1;1 when upregulated act as key controllers of stomatal adaptation to elevated CO 2 . Combined with significant transcriptome reprogramming of photosynthetic and dark respiration and enhanced growth in spring plants, we have identified the potential basis of plant adaptation to high CO 2 likely to occur over coming decades. © 2016 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Alpha-fetoprotein-producing esophageal adenocarcinoma: a mimicker of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Wang, Jeremy; Liu, Wendy; Parikh, Keyur; Post, Anthony Benjamin

2017-02-01

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a rare occurrence. Elevation of serum AFP is commonly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and yolk sac tumors, but rarely with esophageal carcinoma. Here, we report a rare case of AFP-producing EAC. A 51-year-old man presented with two weeks of acid reflux and a 35-lb weight loss. Laboratory data were notable for transaminitis and AFP was 2524 ng/mL. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed abnormal thickening of the esophagus and multiple metastatic masses throughout the liver. Biopsy of one of the masses revealed adenocarcinoma of gastrointestinal origin. Subsequent upper endoscopy revealed an esophageal mass with biopsy notable for ulcerated dysplastic glandular mucosa with likely underlying malignancy. The patient underwent palliative esophageal stent placement but died two months later. Elevated AFP levels are an unusual occurrence in EAC. Prognosis is poor given its advanced presenting stage and high metastatic potential. Most cases are unsuccessfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Serial measurement of serum AFP may be useful for monitoring clinical status and treatment response. Clinicians should consider AFP-producing EAC in their differential diagnosis in the work-up of a liver mass in the setting of elevated AFP or liver function impairment, especially in the absence of chronic liver disease.

Pneumopyopericardium mimicking an inferior ST elevation myocardial infarction with regional electrocardiogram changes: a case report.

PubMed

Ratnayake, Eranda Chamara; Premaratne, Sandamali; Lokunarangoda, Niroshan; Fernando, Sanduni; Fernando, Nilanthi; Ponnamperuma, Chandrike; Santharaj, W Samuel

2015-04-30

Pneumopyopericardium is a rare disease with poor prognosis. The usual presentation is with fever, shortness of breath and haemodynamic compromise. The Electrocardiogram changes associated with this disease entity would be similar to pericarditis such as concave shaped ST elevations in all leads with PR sagging. Pneumopyopericardium mimicking an acute ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, with regional Electrocardiogram changes has hitherto not been described in world literature. We describe the case of a 48 year old native Sri Lankan man, presenting with chest pain and Electrocardiogram changes compatible with an Acute ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction, subsequently found to have Pneumopyopericardium secondary to an oesophageal tear. Retrospective history revealed repetitive vomiting due to heavy alcohol consumption, prior to presentation. It unfortunately led to a fatal outcome. Pneumopyopericardium may mimic an acute ST elevation myocardial infarction with associated regional Electrocardiogram changes. A high degree of suspicion should be maintained and an adequate history should always be obtained prior to any intervention in all ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction patients.

Aeolian Landscapes of Titan from Cassini RADAR Reveal Winds, Elevation Constraints and Sediment Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radebaugh, J.; Lewis, R. C.; Bishop, B.; Christiansen, E. H.; Kerber, L.; Rodriguez, S.; Narteau, C.; Le Gall, A. A.; Lucas, A.; Malaska, M.

2017-12-01

Similar to terrestrial bodies with atmospheres, a significant portion of the surface of Titan is covered in aeolian landscapes, now imaged by Cassini RADAR at close to 50% coverage. While the compositions of the wind-carried and wind-carved sediments are under discussion, their characteristics, such as being rounded, loose and capable of being saltated, or being fine, soft and forming easily erodible deposits, can be discerned from the geomorphology. Large duneforms are similar to those in Earth's big deserts, formed by particles in strict size and shape limits, and steep, badlands-like morphologies of yardang regions indicate soft rocks with armored features. Shapes and orientations of dunes and yardangs can also reveal wind directions and effects of elevation and topographic obstacles. Recent studies of dunes in the Belet Sand Sea of Titan's equatorial trailing hemisphere reveal dunes are generally wider and with greater spacing near the center, similar to dunes in the Namib Sand Sea of Earth. Dune-to-interdune ratios decrease toward higher latitudes, as was previously observed, and are slightly higher in regions of low elevation, which may relate to elevation affecting winds and sand transport capacity. However, this relationship is not as strong for the Namib. Furthermore, the effects of the location of dunes with respect to sand sea margins on dune parameter values has only begun to be explored. The European ERA-Interim (observations plus model) wind results for the Namib reveal vector sum winds are several degrees away from down the dune long axis, consistent with the fingering mode of dune growth, and allowing for down-axis sand transport. We assume similar model winds for the dunes of Titan. Model winds for the yardangs of the Lut desert of Earth are directly down axis, which means wind directions should be able to be determined in the isolated yardang fields of Titan's northern midlatitudes. Further studies of dune parameters on Titan from Cassini can help reveal the reasons for the extent of the sand seas and how (and whether) sands are transported across them. Further studies of winds and sediment properties of yardangs on Earth will reveal expected winds, material requirements and relative ages of the yardangs with respect to other landforms of Titan.

Elevational characteristics of the archaeal community in full-scale activated sludge wastewater treatment plants at a 3,660-meter elevational scale.

PubMed

Niu, Lihua; Zhang, Xue; Li, Yi; Wang, Peifang; Zhang, Wenlong; Wang, Chao; Wang, Qing

2017-07-01

Due to the important roles of archaea in wastewater treatment processes, archaeal communities have been studied extensively in various anaerobic reactors, but the knowledge of archaeal communities in full-scale activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remains quite poor. In this study, 454-pyrosequencing was for the first time employed to investigate archaeal communities from 20 full-scale activated sludge WWTPs distributed at a 3,660-meter elevational scale in China. Results showed that archaeal communities from WWTPs were dominated by Methanosarcinales (84.6%). A core archaeal population (94.5%) composed of Methanosaeta, Methanosarcina, Methanogenium and Methanobrevibacter was shared among WWTPs. The elevational pattern of archaeal communities was observed in WWTPs, with an elevational threshold associated with archaeal community richness and structures at approximately 1,500 meters above sea level (masl). A declining trend in community richness with increasing elevation was observed at higher elevations, whereas no trend was presented at lower elevations. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that the archaeal community richness at higher elevations was associated with more environmental variables than that at lower elevations. Redundancy analysis indicated that wastewater variables were the dominant contributors to the variation of community structures at higher elevations, followed by operational variables and elevation.

Elevated Levels of Dickkopf-1 Are Associated with β-Catenin Accumulation and Poor Prognosis in Patients with Chondrosarcoma

PubMed Central

Chen, Changbao; Zhou, Hua; Zhang, Xiaolin; Ma, Xinlong; Liu, Zhongjun; Liu, Xiaoguang

2014-01-01

Background Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is an antagonist of Wnt/β-catenin signaling implicated in tumorigenesis. However, the biological role of DKK1 and β-catenin involved in chondrosarcoma has not been sufficiently investigated. This study was designed to investigate the expression profiles of DKK1 and β-catenin, and to clarify their clinical values in chondrosarcoma. Methods The mRNA and protein levels of DKK1 and β-catenin in fresh chondrosarcoma and the corresponding non-tumor tissues were analyzed by Real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. The protein expression patterns of DKK1 and β-catenin were investigated by immunohistochemistry. The associations among DKK1 level, β-catenin accumulation, clinicopathological factors and the overall survival were separately evaluated. Results Both DKK1 and β-catenin levels were remarkably elevated in chondrosarcoma compared with the corresponding non-tumor tissues. High DKK1 level and positive β-catenin accumulation in chondrosarcoma specimens were 58.7% and 53.9%, respectively. Elevated DKK1 level significantly correlated with positive β-catenin accumulation, and they were remarkably associated with histological grade and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society stage. Furthermore, DKK1 level and β-catenin accumulation had significant impacts on the prognosis of chondrosarcoma patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that DKK1 level was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Conclusions Elevated DKK1 levels associated with β-catenin accumulation play a crucial role in chondrosarcoma. DKK1 can serve as a novel predictor of poor prognosis in patients with chondrosarcoma. PMID:25144498

Downregulation of Glutamine Synthetase via GLAST Suppression Induces Retinal Axonal Swelling in a Rat Ex Vivo Hydrostatic Pressure Model

PubMed Central

Yoshitomi, Takeshi; Zorumski, Charles F.; Izumi, Yukitoshi

2011-01-01

Purpose. High levels of glutamate can be toxic to retinal GCs. Thus, effective buffering of extracellular glutamate is important in preserving retinal structure and function. GLAST, a major glutamate transporter in the retina, and glutamine synthetase (GS) regulate extracellular glutamate accumulation and prevent excitotoxicity. This study was an examination of changes in function and expression of GLAST and GS in ex vivo rat retinas exposed to acute increases in ambient pressure. Methods. Ex vivo rat retinas were exposed to elevated hydrostatic pressure for 24 hours. The expression of GLAST and GS were examined using immunochemistry and real-time PCR analysis. Also examined were the effects of (2S,3S)-3-[3-[4-(trifluoromethyl) benzoylamino] benzyloxy] aspartate (TFB-TBOA), an inhibitor of glutamate transporters, and l-methionine-S-sulfoximine (MSO), an inhibitor of GS. Results. In this acute model, Western blot and real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that substantially (75 mm Hg), but not moderately (35 mm Hg), elevated pressure depressed GLAST expression, diminished GS activity, and induced axonal swelling between the GC layer and the inner limiting membrane. However, at the moderately elevated pressure (35 mm Hg), administration of either TFB-TBOA or MSO also induced axonal swelling and excitotoxic neuronal damage. MSO did not depress GLAST expression but TFB-TBOA significantly suppressed GS, suggesting that downregulation of GS during pressure loading may result from impaired GLAST expression. Conclusions. The retina is at risk during acute intraocular pressure elevation due to downregulation of GS activity resulting from depressed GLAST expression. PMID:21775659

Downregulation of glutamine synthetase via GLAST suppression induces retinal axonal swelling in a rat ex vivo hydrostatic pressure model.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Makoto; Yoshitomi, Takeshi; Zorumski, Charles F; Izumi, Yukitoshi

2011-08-22

PURPOSE. High levels of glutamate can be toxic to retinal GCs. Thus, effective buffering of extracellular glutamate is important in preserving retinal structure and function. GLAST, a major glutamate transporter in the retina, and glutamine synthetase (GS) regulate extracellular glutamate accumulation and prevent excitotoxicity. This study was an examination of changes in function and expression of GLAST and GS in ex vivo rat retinas exposed to acute increases in ambient pressure. METHODS. Ex vivo rat retinas were exposed to elevated hydrostatic pressure for 24 hours. The expression of GLAST and GS were examined using immunochemistry and real-time PCR analysis. Also examined were the effects of (2S,3S)-3-[3-[4-(trifluoromethyl) benzoylamino] benzyloxy] aspartate (TFB-TBOA), an inhibitor of glutamate transporters, and l-methionine-S-sulfoximine (MSO), an inhibitor of GS. RESULTS. In this acute model, Western blot and real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that substantially (75 mm Hg), but not moderately (35 mm Hg), elevated pressure depressed GLAST expression, diminished GS activity, and induced axonal swelling between the GC layer and the inner limiting membrane. However, at the moderately elevated pressure (35 mm Hg), administration of either TFB-TBOA or MSO also induced axonal swelling and excitotoxic neuronal damage. MSO did not depress GLAST expression but TFB-TBOA significantly suppressed GS, suggesting that downregulation of GS during pressure loading may result from impaired GLAST expression. CONCLUSIONS. The retina is at risk during acute intraocular pressure elevation due to downregulation of GS activity resulting from depressed GLAST expression.

Cross-talk between branched-chain amino acids and hepatic mitochondria is compromised in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

PubMed

Sunny, Nishanth E; Kalavalapalli, Srilaxmi; Bril, Fernando; Garrett, Timothy J; Nautiyal, Manisha; Mathew, Justin T; Williams, Caroline M; Cusi, Kenneth

2015-08-15

Elevated plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in the setting of insulin resistance have been relevant in predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) onset, but their role in the etiology of hepatic insulin resistance remains uncertain. We determined the link between BCAA and dysfunctional hepatic tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which is a central feature of hepatic insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Plasma metabolites under basal fasting and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps (insulin stimulation) were measured in 94 human subjects with varying degrees of insulin sensitivity to identify their relationships with insulin resistance. Furthermore, the impact of elevated BCAA on hepatic TCA cycle was determined in a diet-induced mouse model of NAFLD, utilizing targeted metabolomics and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolic flux analysis. Insulin stimulation revealed robust relationships between human plasma BCAA and indices of insulin resistance, indicating chronic metabolic overload from BCAA. Human plasma BCAA and long-chain acylcarnitines also showed a positive correlation, suggesting modulation of mitochondrial metabolism by BCAA. Concurrently, mice with NAFLD failed to optimally induce hepatic mTORC1, plasma ketones, and hepatic long-chain acylcarnitines, following acute elevation of plasma BCAA. Furthermore, elevated BCAA failed to induce multiple fluxes through hepatic TCA cycle in mice with NAFLD. Our data suggest that BCAA are essential to mediate efficient channeling of carbon substrates for oxidation through mitochondrial TCA cycle. Impairment of BCAA-mediated upregulation of the TCA cycle could be a significant contributor to mitochondrial dysfunction in NAFLD.

Cross-talk between branched-chain amino acids and hepatic mitochondria is compromised in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

PubMed Central

Kalavalapalli, Srilaxmi; Bril, Fernando; Garrett, Timothy J.; Nautiyal, Manisha; Mathew, Justin T.; Williams, Caroline M.; Cusi, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Elevated plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in the setting of insulin resistance have been relevant in predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) onset, but their role in the etiology of hepatic insulin resistance remains uncertain. We determined the link between BCAA and dysfunctional hepatic tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which is a central feature of hepatic insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Plasma metabolites under basal fasting and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps (insulin stimulation) were measured in 94 human subjects with varying degrees of insulin sensitivity to identify their relationships with insulin resistance. Furthermore, the impact of elevated BCAA on hepatic TCA cycle was determined in a diet-induced mouse model of NAFLD, utilizing targeted metabolomics and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolic flux analysis. Insulin stimulation revealed robust relationships between human plasma BCAA and indices of insulin resistance, indicating chronic metabolic overload from BCAA. Human plasma BCAA and long-chain acylcarnitines also showed a positive correlation, suggesting modulation of mitochondrial metabolism by BCAA. Concurrently, mice with NAFLD failed to optimally induce hepatic mTORC1, plasma ketones, and hepatic long-chain acylcarnitines, following acute elevation of plasma BCAA. Furthermore, elevated BCAA failed to induce multiple fluxes through hepatic TCA cycle in mice with NAFLD. Our data suggest that BCAA are essential to mediate efficient channeling of carbon substrates for oxidation through mitochondrial TCA cycle. Impairment of BCAA-mediated upregulation of the TCA cycle could be a significant contributor to mitochondrial dysfunction in NAFLD. PMID:26058864

Chronic psoriatic skin inflammation leads to increased monocyte adhesion and aggregation

PubMed Central

Golden, Jackelyn B.; Groft, Sarah G.; Squeri, Michael V.; Debanne, Sara M.; Ward, Nicole L.; McCormick, Thomas S.; Cooper, Kevin D.

2015-01-01

Psoriasis patients exhibit an increased risk of death by cardiovascular disease (CVD) and have elevated levels of circulating intermediate (CD14++CD16+) monocytes. This elevation could represent evidence of monocyte dysfunction in psoriasis patients at risk of CVD, as increases in circulating CD14++CD16+ monocytes are predictive of myocardial infarction and death. An elevation in the CD14++CD16+ cell population has been previously reported in patients with psoriatic disease, which has been confirmed in the cohort of our human psoriasis patients. CD16 expression was induced in CD14++CD16neg classical monocytes following plastic adhesion, which also elicited enhanced β2 but not β1 integrin surface expression, suggesting increased adhesive capacity. Indeed, we found that psoriasis patients have increased monocyte aggregation among circulating PBMCs which is recapitulated in the KC-Tie2 murine model of psoriasis. Visualization of human monocyte aggregates using imaging cytometry revealed that classical CD14++CD16neg monocytes are the predominant cell type participating in these aggregate pairs. Many of these pairs also included CD16+ monocytes, which could account for apparent elevations of intermediate monocytes. Additionally, intermediate monocytes and monocyte aggregates were the predominant cell type to adhere to TNF-α and IL-17A-stimulated dermal endothelium. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) demonstrated that monocyte aggregates have a distinct transcriptional profile from singlet monocytes and monocytes following plastic adhesion, suggesting that circulating monocyte responses to aggregation are not fully accounted for by homotypic adhesion, and that further factors influence their functionality. PMID:26223654

Responding for a conditioned reinforcer or unconditioned sensory reinforcer in mice: interactions with environmental enrichment, social isolation, and monoamine reuptake inhibitors.

PubMed

Browne, Caleb J; Fletcher, Paul J; Zeeb, Fiona D

2016-03-01

Environmental factors influence the etiology of many psychiatric disorders. Likewise, environmental factors can alter processes central to motivation. Therefore, motivational deficits present in many disorders may be influenced by early life environmental conditions. We examined whether housing animals in different environmental conditions influenced the ability of sensory stimuli to acquire incentive value and whether elevated monoamine activity altered responsing for these stimuli. Isolation-housed (IH), pair-housed (PH), and environmentally enriched (EE) male C57BL/6N mice were examined in tests of responding for a conditioned reinforcer (CRf) or an unconditioned sensory reinforcer (USRf). The CRf was previously paired with saccharin delivery through Pavlovian conditioning, while the USRf was not conditioned with a reward. Following baseline tests of responding for the CRf or USRf, the effects of elevated monoamine activity were examined. At baseline, PH and EE mice responded similarly for the CRf or USRf. IH mice responded more for the CRf but exhibited slower acquisition of responding for the USRf. Administration of citalopram, a serotonin transporter blocker, or atomoxetine, a norepinephrine transporter blocker, decreased responding for the CRf and USRf in all groups. The dopamine transporter blocker GBR 12909 generally increased responding for the CRf and USRf, but further analysis revealed enhanced responding for both reinforcers only in EE mice. Baseline incentive motivation is strongly influenced by the social component of housing conditions. Furthermore, environmental enrichment increased the sensitivity to elevated dopamine activity, while acute elevations in serotonin and norepinephrine inhibit incentive motivation irrespective of housing condition.

Differential Risk for Late Adolescent Conduct Problems and Mood Dysregulation Among Children with Early Externalizing Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Bierman, Karen L.

2016-01-01

To investigate the differential emergence of antisocial behaviors and mood dysregulation among children with externalizing problems, the present study prospectively followed 317 high-risk children with early externalizing problems from school entry (ages 5–7) to late adolescence (ages 17–19). Latent class analysis conducted on their conduct and mood symptoms in late adolescence revealed three distinct patterns of symptoms, characterized by: 1) criminal offenses, conduct disorder symptoms, and elevated anger (“conduct problems”), 2) elevated anger, dysphoric mood, and suicidal ideation (“mood dysregulation”), and 3) low levels of severe conduct and mood symptoms. A diathesis-stress model predicting the first two outcomes was tested. Elevated overt aggression at school entry uniquely predicted conduct problems in late adolescence, whereas elevated emotion dysregulation at school entry uniquely predicted mood dysregulation in late adolescence. Experiences of low parental warmth and peer rejection in middle childhood moderated the link between early emotion dysregulation and later mood dysregulation but did not moderate the link between early overt aggression and later conduct problems. Thus, among children with early externalizing behavior problems, increased risk for later antisocial behavior or mood dysfunction may be identifiable in early childhood based on levels of overt aggression and emotion dysregulation. For children with early emotion dysregulation, however, increased risk for mood dysregulation characterized by anger, dysphoric mood, and suicidality – possibly indicative of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder – emerges only in the presence of low parental warmth and/or peer rejection during middle childhood. PMID:25183553

elevatr: Access Elevation Data from Various APIs | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Several web services are available that provide access to elevation data. This package provides access to several of those services and returns elevation data either as a SpatialPointsDataFrame from point elevation services or as a raster object from raster elevation services. Currently, the package supports access to the Mapzen Elevation Service, Mapzen Terrain Service, and the USGS Elevation Point Query Service. The R language for statistical computing is increasingly used for spatial data analysis . This R package, elevatr, is in response to this and provides access to elevation data from various sources directly in R. The impact of `elevatr` is that it will 1) facilitate spatial analysis in R by providing access to foundational dataset for many types of analyses (e.g. hydrology, limnology) 2) open up a new set of users and uses for APIs widely used outside of R, and 3) provide an excellent example federal open source development as promoted by the Federal Source Code Policy (https://sourcecode.cio.gov/).

Response of humic acid formation to elevated nitrate during chicken manure composting.

PubMed

Shi, Mingzi; Wei, Zimin; Wang, Liqin; Wu, Junqiu; Zhang, Duoying; Wei, Dan; Tang, Yu; Zhao, Yue

2018-06-01

Nitrate can stimulate microbes to degrade aromatic compounds, whereas humic acid (HA) as a high molecular weight aromatic compound, its formation may be affected by elevated nitrate during composting. Therefore, this study is conducted to determine the effect of elevated nitrate on HA formation. Five tests were executed by adding different nitrate concentrations to chicken manure composting. Results demonstrate that the concentration of HA in treatment group is significantly decreased compared with control group (p < 0.05), especially in the highest nitrate concentration group. RDA indicates that the microbes associated with HA and environmental parameters are influenced by elevated nitrate. Furthermore, structural equation model reveals that elevated nitrate reduces HA formation by mediating microbes directly, or by affecting ammonia and pH as the indirect drivers to regulate microbial community structure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Elevated CO2 stimulates marsh elevation gain, counterbalancing sea-level rise

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langley, J.A.; McKee, K.L.; Cahoon, D.R.; Cherry, J.A.; Megonigala, J.P.

2009-01-01

Tidal wetlands experiencing increased rates of sea-level rise (SLR) must increase rates of soil elevation gain to avoid permanent conversion to open water. The maximal rate of SLR that these ecosystems can tolerate depends partly on mineral sediment deposition, but the accumulation of organic matter is equally important for many wetlands. Plant productivity drives organic matter dynamics and is sensitive to global change factors, such as rising atmospheric CO2 concentration. It remains unknown how global change will influence organic mechanisms that determine future tidal wetland viability. Here, we present experimental evidence that plant response to elevated atmospheric [CO2] stimulates biogenic mechanisms of elevation gain in a brackish marsh. Elevated CO2 (ambient + 340 ppm) accelerated soil elevation gain by 3.9 mm yr−1in this 2-year field study, an effect mediated by stimulation of below-ground plant productivity. Further, a companion greenhouse experiment revealed that the CO2 effect was enhanced under salinity and flooding conditions likely to accompany future SLR. Our results indicate that by stimulating biogenic contributions to marsh elevation, increases in the greenhouse gas, CO2, may paradoxically aid some coastal wetlands in counterbalancing rising seas.

Elevated CO2 stimulates marsh elevation gain, counterbalancing sea-level rise.

PubMed

Langley, J Adam; McKee, Karen L; Cahoon, Donald R; Cherry, Julia A; Megonigal, J Patrick

2009-04-14

Tidal wetlands experiencing increased rates of sea-level rise (SLR) must increase rates of soil elevation gain to avoid permanent conversion to open water. The maximal rate of SLR that these ecosystems can tolerate depends partly on mineral sediment deposition, but the accumulation of organic matter is equally important for many wetlands. Plant productivity drives organic matter dynamics and is sensitive to global change factors, such as rising atmospheric CO(2) concentration. It remains unknown how global change will influence organic mechanisms that determine future tidal wetland viability. Here, we present experimental evidence that plant response to elevated atmospheric [CO(2)] stimulates biogenic mechanisms of elevation gain in a brackish marsh. Elevated CO(2) (ambient + 340 ppm) accelerated soil elevation gain by 3.9 mm yr(-1) in this 2-year field study, an effect mediated by stimulation of below-ground plant productivity. Further, a companion greenhouse experiment revealed that the CO(2) effect was enhanced under salinity and flooding conditions likely to accompany future SLR. Our results indicate that by stimulating biogenic contributions to marsh elevation, increases in the greenhouse gas, CO(2), may paradoxically aid some coastal wetlands in counterbalancing rising seas.

Elevated CO2 stimulates marsh elevation gain, counterbalancing sea-level rise

PubMed Central

Langley, J. Adam; McKee, Karen L.; Cahoon, Donald R.; Cherry, Julia A.; Megonigal, J. Patrick

2009-01-01

Tidal wetlands experiencing increased rates of sea-level rise (SLR) must increase rates of soil elevation gain to avoid permanent conversion to open water. The maximal rate of SLR that these ecosystems can tolerate depends partly on mineral sediment deposition, but the accumulation of organic matter is equally important for many wetlands. Plant productivity drives organic matter dynamics and is sensitive to global change factors, such as rising atmospheric CO2 concentration. It remains unknown how global change will influence organic mechanisms that determine future tidal wetland viability. Here, we present experimental evidence that plant response to elevated atmospheric [CO2] stimulates biogenic mechanisms of elevation gain in a brackish marsh. Elevated CO2 (ambient + 340 ppm) accelerated soil elevation gain by 3.9 mm yr−1 in this 2-year field study, an effect mediated by stimulation of below-ground plant productivity. Further, a companion greenhouse experiment revealed that the CO2 effect was enhanced under salinity and flooding conditions likely to accompany future SLR. Our results indicate that by stimulating biogenic contributions to marsh elevation, increases in the greenhouse gas, CO2, may paradoxically aid some coastal wetlands in counterbalancing rising seas. PMID:19325121

Site Suitability Analysis for Beekeeping via Analythical Hyrearchy Process, Konya Example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarı, F.; Ceylan, D. A.

2017-11-01

Over the past decade, the importance of the beekeeping activities has been emphasized in the field of biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture and human health. Thus, efficient management and deciding correct beekeeping activities seems essential to maintain and improve productivity and efficiency. Due to this importance, considering the economic contributions to the rural area, the need for suitability analysis concept has been revealed. At this point, Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) integration provides efficient solutions to the complex structure of decision- making process for beekeeping activities. In this study, site suitability analysis via Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was carried out for Konya city in Turkey. Slope, elevation, aspect, distance to water resources, roads and settlements, precipitation and flora criteria are included to determine suitability. The requirements, expectations and limitations of beekeeping activities are specified with the participation of experts and stakeholders. The final suitability map were validated with existing 117 beekeeping locations and Turkish Statistical Institute 2016 beekeeping statistics for Konya province.

Annotation analysis for testing drug safety signals using unstructured clinical notes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The electronic surveillance for adverse drug events is largely based upon the analysis of coded data from reporting systems. Yet, the vast majority of electronic health data lies embedded within the free text of clinical notes and is not gathered into centralized repositories. With the increasing access to large volumes of electronic medical data—in particular the clinical notes—it may be possible to computationally encode and to test drug safety signals in an active manner. Results We describe the application of simple annotation tools on clinical text and the mining of the resulting annotations to compute the risk of getting a myocardial infarction for patients with rheumatoid arthritis that take Vioxx. Our analysis clearly reveals elevated risks for myocardial infarction in rheumatoid arthritis patients taking Vioxx (odds ratio 2.06) before 2005. Conclusions Our results show that it is possible to apply annotation analysis methods for testing hypotheses about drug safety using electronic medical records. PMID:22541596

Lab-on-a-chip based total-phosphorus analysis device utilizing a photocatalytic reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Dong Geon; Jung, Daewoong; Kong, Seong Ho

2018-02-01

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for total phosphorus (TP) analysis was fabricated for water quality monitoring. Many commercially available TP analysis systems used to estimate water quality have good sensitivity and accuracy. However, these systems also have many disadvantages such as bulky size, complex pretreatment processes, and high cost, which limit their application. In particular, conventional TP analysis systems require an indispensable pretreatment step, in which the fluidic analyte is heated to 120 °C for 30 min to release the dissolved phosphate, because many phosphates are soluble in water at a standard temperature and pressure. In addition, this pretreatment process requires elevated pressures of up to 1.1 kg cm-2 in order to prevent the evaporation of the heated analyte. Because of these limiting conditions required by the pretreatment processes used in conventional systems, it is difficult to miniaturize TP analysis systems. In this study, we employed a photocatalytic reaction in the pretreatment process. The reaction was carried out by illuminating a photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO2) surface formed in a microfluidic channel with ultraviolet (UV) light. This pretreatment process does not require elevated temperatures and pressures. By applying this simplified, photocatalytic-reaction-based pretreatment process to a TP analysis system, greater degrees of freedom are conferred to the design and fabrication of LOC devices for TP monitoring. The fabricated LOC device presented in this paper was characterized by measuring the TP concentration of an unknown sample, and comparing the results with those measured by a conventional TP analysis system. The TP concentrations of the unknown sample measured by the proposed LOC device and the conventional TP analysis system were 0.018 mgP/25 mL and 0.019 mgP/25 mL, respectively. The experimental results revealed that the proposed LOC device had a performance comparable to the conventional bulky TP analysis system. Therefore, our device could be directly employed in water quality monitoring as an alternative to conventional TP analysis systems.

Airborne observations reveal elevational gradient in tropical forest isoprene emissions

DOE PAGES

Gu, Dasa; Guenther, Alex B.; Shilling, John E.; ...

2017-05-23

Terrestrial vegetation emits vast quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to he atmosphere1-3, which influence oxidants and aerosols leading to complex feedbacks on air quality and climate4-6. Isoprene dominates global non-methane VOC emissions with tropical regions contributing ~80% of global isoprene emissions2. Isoprene emission rates vary over several orders of magnitude for different plant species, and characterizing this immense biological chemodiversity is a challenge for estimating isoprene emission from tropical forests. Here we present the isoprene emission estimates from aircraft direct eddy covariance measurements over the pristine Amazon forest. We report isoprene emission rates that are 3 times higher thanmore » satellite top-down estimates and 35% higher than model predictions based on satellite land cover and vegetation specific emission factors (EFs). The results reveal strong correlations between observed isoprene emission rates and terrain elevations which are confirmed by similar correlations between satellite-derived isoprene emissions and terrain elevations. We propose that the elevational gradient in the Amazonian forest isoprene emission capacity is determined by plant species distributions and can explain a substantial degree of isoprene emission variability in tropical forests. Finally, we apply this approach over the central Amazon and use a model to demonstrate the impacts on regional air quality.« less

Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Deng, Juhong; Zhang, Peng; Sun, Yue; Peng, Ping; Huang, Yu

2018-03-01

The prognostic and clinicopathological significance of the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been studied in various cancers. However, studies examining the role of PLR in esophageal cancer have not yielded consistent results. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to study the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of PLR in esophageal cancer patients. We performed a literature search in three major databases: PubMed, Web of Science and Embase (up until May 1, 2017). The clinicopathologic significance of PLR and its prognostic significance were analyzed. Our meta-analysis consisted of 13 studies with 4,621 patients. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) showed that a high PLR was associated with poor survival of esophageal cancer [HR =1.283; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.173-1.404; P<0.001]. Subgroup analysis revealed that elevated PLR was associated with poor survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HR =1.281; 95% CI: 1.098-1.493; P=0.002). The pooled odds ratio (OR) indicated that high PLR was also associated with the depth of tumor invasion (OR =1.543, 95% CI: 1.269-1.876, P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (OR =1.427, 95% CI: 1.195-1.705, P<0.001), tumor length (OR =1.81, 95% CI: 1.331-2.461, P<0.001), and Tumor stage (OR =1.459, 95% CI: 1.235-1.724, P<0.001). Our results demonstrate that elevated PLR was significantly associated with poor prognosis of esophageal cancer. Furthermore, the high PLR might predict worse clinicopathological features of esophageal cancer patients.

Value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for predicting lung cancer prognosis: A meta-analysis of 7,219 patients.

PubMed

Yu, Yu; Qian, Lei; Cui, Jiuwei

2017-09-01

Current evidence suggests that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a biomarker for poor prognosis in lung cancer, although this association remains controversial. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between NLR and lung cancer outcome. A systematic literature search was performed through the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases (until July 30, 2016), to identify studies evaluating the association between NLR and overall survival (OS) and/or progression-free survival (PFS) among patients with lung cancer. Based on the results of this search, data from 18 studies involving 7,219 patients with lung cancer were evaluated. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) suggested that elevated pretreatment NLR predicted poor OS [HR=1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30-1.64] and poor PFS (HR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.15-1.75) among patients with lung cancer. Subgroup analysis revealed that the prognostic value of NLR for predicting poor OS increased among patients who underwent surgery (HR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.21-1.84) or patients with early-stage disease (HR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.37-1.97). An NLR cut-off value of ≥4 significantly predicted poor OS (HR=1.56, 95% CI: 1.31-1.85) and PFS (HR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.13-1.82), particularly in the cases of small-cell lung cancer. Thus, the results of the present meta-analysis suggested that an elevated pretreatment NLR (e.g., ≥4) may be considered as a biomarker for poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer.

Postnatally elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II fail to rescue the dwarfism of IGF-I-deficient mice except kidney weight.

PubMed

Moerth, Corinna; Schneider, Marlon R; Renner-Mueller, Ingrid; Blutke, Andreas; Elmlinger, Martin W; Erben, Reinhold G; Camacho-Hübner, Cecilia; Hoeflich, Andreas; Wolf, Eckhard

2007-01-01

This study tested whether elevated levels of IGF-II in the postnatal period can rescue the dwarfism in IGF-I-deficient mice. Heterozygous Igf1 mutant mice [I(+/-) II(wt)] were crossed with heterozygous Igf1 mutant, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase promoter IGF-II transgenic mice [I(+/-) II(tg)], and [I(+/+) II(wt)], [I(+/+) II(tg)], [I(-/-) II(wt)], and [I(-/-) II(tg)] offspring were investigated. IGF-II levels were 11- and 6-fold higher in male and female [I(-/-) II(tg)] vs. [I(-/-) II(wt)] animals. Western ligand blot analysis revealed markedly reduced activities of 30- and 32-kDa IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) (most likely IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2) and the 39- to 43-kDa IGFBP-3 double band in serum from IGF-I-deficient mice. These binding proteins were partially restored by overexpression of IGF-II. Analysis of weight data from the early postnatal period until d 60 showed that, in the absence of IGF-I, elevated levels of IGF-II have no effect on body weight gain. A detailed analysis of body proportions, bone parameters, and organ weights of 60-d-old mice also failed to show effects of IGF-II with one important exception: in Igf1 mutant and also Igf1 intact male mice, IGF-II overexpression significantly increased absolute (+32.4 and +28.6%; P < 0.01) and relative kidney weights (+29.0 and +22.4%; P < 0.001). These changes in kidney weight were associated with reduced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. In summary, our genetic model shows that substantial amounts of IGF-II in the circulation do not rescue the postnatal growth deficit of IGF-I-deficient mice but increase absolute and relative kidney weights of normal and IGF-I-deficient male mice, suggesting a gender-specific role of IGF-II for kidney growth.

Water quality following extensive beetle-induced tree mortality: Interplay of aromatic carbon loading, disinfection byproducts, and hydrologic drivers.

PubMed

Brouillard, Brent M; Dickenson, Eric R V; Mikkelson, Kristin M; Sharp, Jonathan O

2016-12-01

The recent bark beetle epidemic across western North America may impact water quality as a result of elevated organic carbon release and hydrologic shifts associated with extensive tree dieback. Analysis of quarterly municipal monitoring data from 2004 to 2014 with discretization of six water treatment facilities in the Rocky Mountains by extent of beetle impact revealed a significant increasing trend in total organic carbon (TOC) and total trihalomethane (TTHM) production within high (≳50% areal infestation) beetle-impacted watersheds while no or insignificant trends were found in watersheds with lower impact levels. Alarmingly, the TTHM concentration trend in the high impact sites exceeded regulatory maximum contaminant levels during the most recent two years of analysis (2013-14). To evaluate seasonal differences, explore the interplay of water quality and hydrologic processes, and eliminate variability associated with municipal reporting, these treatment facilities were targeted for more detailed surface water sampling and characterization. Surface water samples collected from high impact watersheds exhibited significantly higher TOC, aromatic signatures, and disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation potential than watersheds with lower infestation levels. Spectroscopic analyses of surface water samples indicated that these heightened DBP precursor levels are a function of both elevated TOC loading and increased aromatic character. This association was heightened during precipitation and runoff events in high impact sites, supporting the hypothesis that altered hydrologic flow paths resulting from tree mortality mobilize organic carbon and elevate DBP formation potential for several months after runoff ceases. The historical trends found here likely underestimate the full extent of TTHM shifts due to monitoring biases with the extended seasonal release of DBP precursors increasing the potential for human exposure. Collectively, our analysis suggests that while water quality impacts continue to rise nearly one decade after infestation, significant increases in TOC mobilization and DBP precursors are limited to watersheds that experience extensive tree mortality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

O3 and CO in New England: Temporal variations and relationships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Huiting; Talbot, Robert

2004-11-01

We examined seasonal and interannual variability in the mixing ratios of ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) and their relationships at a rural low-elevation site (24 m, 43.11°N, 70.95°W) and higher-elevation site (406 m, 43.75°N, 71.35°W) in New Hampshire, United States. The data were obtained over 2 years (2001-2003) by the Atmospheric Investigation, Regional Modeling, Analysis, and Prediction (AIRMAP) program at the University of New Hampshire. An analysis of the frequency distributions of O3 and CO grouped by wind speed and direction and over four time periods of the day showed that the most polluted air masses arrived from the southeasterly and westerly wind sectors during the local afternoon hours (1800-2300 UT, -5 hours for U.S. eastern standard time (EST)). In summer within this time window a well-defined positive O3-CO correlation with a slope ˜0.37 existed in these air masses. Applying this relationship together with the CO emission inventory and its temporal profile from the emission model SMOKE, we estimate that 370 Mmol d-1 of O3 are exported from the northeastern United States within this time window during summer. However, over 70% of the data were obtained under weak wind conditions (<2 m s-1) when CO and O3 exhibited a dispersed relationship. An analysis using the ratio NO/NOy and the mixing ratios of NOy revealed a dominance of photochemically aged air masses with significant NOy removal accompanying high levels of O3. This result implies that elevated O3 in southern New Hampshire can largely be attributed to long-range transport of air masses from outside the region. Furthermore, the O3-CO relationship in each season produced a smooth lower CO boundary, which appears to represent air masses with a composition reflecting the evolutionary stages of photochemical aging and progressive phases of transport.

Myocardial Injury in Patients With Sepsis and Its Association With Long-Term Outcome.

PubMed

Frencken, Jos F; Donker, Dirk W; Spitoni, Cristian; Koster-Brouwer, Marlies E; Soliman, Ivo W; Ong, David S Y; Horn, Janneke; van der Poll, Tom; van Klei, Wilton A; Bonten, Marc J M; Cremer, Olaf L

2018-02-01

Sepsis is frequently complicated by the release of cardiac troponin, but the clinical significance of this myocardial injury remains unclear. We studied the associations between troponin release during sepsis and 1-year outcomes. We enrolled consecutive patients with sepsis in 2 Dutch intensive care units between 2011 and 2013. Subjects with a clinically apparent cause of troponin release were excluded. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) concentration in plasma was measured daily during the first 4 intensive care unit days, and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to model its association with 1-year mortality while adjusting for confounding. In addition, we studied cardiovascular morbidity occurring during the first year after hospital discharge. Among 1258 patients presenting with sepsis, 1124 (89%) were eligible for study inclusion. Hs-cTnI concentrations were elevated in 673 (60%) subjects on day 1, and 755 (67%) ever had elevated levels in the first 4 days. Cox regression analysis revealed that high hs-cTnI concentrations were associated with increased death rates during the first 14 days (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.59 and hazard ratio, 1.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.62 for hs-cTnI concentrations of 100-500 and >500 ng/L, respectively) but not thereafter. Furthermore, elevated hs-cTnI levels were associated with the development of cardiovascular disease among 200 hospital survivors who were analyzed for this end point (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.50). Myocardial injury occurs in the majority of patients with sepsis and is independently associated with early-but not late-mortality, as well as postdischarge cardiovascular morbidity. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Increased SHP-1 Protein Expression by High Glucose Levels Reduces Nephrin Phosphorylation in Podocytes*

PubMed Central

Denhez, Benoit; Lizotte, Farah; Guimond, Marie-Odile; Jones, Nina; Takano, Tomoko; Geraldes, Pedro

2015-01-01

Nephrin, a critical podocyte membrane component that is reduced in diabetic nephropathy, has been shown to activate phosphotyrosine signaling pathways in human podocytes. Nephrin signaling is important to reduce cell death induced by apoptotic stimuli. We have shown previously that high glucose level exposure and diabetes increased the expression of SHP-1, causing podocyte apoptosis. SHP-1 possesses two Src homology 2 domains that serve as docking elements to dephosphorylate tyrosine residues of target proteins. However, it remains unknown whether SHP-1 interacts with nephrin and whether its elevated expression affects the nephrin phosphorylation state in diabetes. Here we show that human podocytes exposed to high glucose levels exhibited elevated expression of SHP-1, which was associated with nephrin. Coexpression of nephrin-CD16 and SHP-1 reduced nephrin tyrosine phosphorylation in transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells. A single tyrosine-to-phenylalanine mutation revealed that rat nephrin Tyr1127 and Tyr1152 are required to allow SHP-1 interaction with nephrin. Overexpression of dominant negative SHP-1 in human podocytes prevented high glucose-induced reduction of nephrin phosphorylation. In vivo, immunoblot analysis demonstrated that nephrin expression and phosphorylation were decreased in glomeruli of type 1 diabetic Akita mice (Ins2+/C96Y) compared with control littermate mice (Ins2+/+), and this was associated with elevated SHP-1 and cleaved caspase-3 expression. Furthermore, immunofluorescence analysis indicated increased colocalization of SHP-1 with nephrin in diabetic mice compared with control littermates. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that high glucose exposure increases SHP-1 interaction with nephrin, causing decreased nephrin phosphorylation, which may, in turn, contribute to diabetic nephropathy. PMID:25404734

Metabolomic Markers of Altered Nucleotide Metabolism in Early Stage Adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Wikoff, William R.; Grapov, Dmitry; Fahrmann, Johannes F.; DeFelice, Brian; Rom, William; Pass, Harvey; Kim, Kyoungmi; Nguyen, UyenThao; Taylor, Sandra L.; Kelly, Karen; Fiehn, Oliver; Miyamoto, Suzanne

2015-01-01

Adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is the most frequently diagnosed lung cancer and the leading cause of lung cancer mortality in the United States. It is well documented that biochemical changes occur early in the transition from normal to cancer cells, but the extent to which these alterations affect tumorigenesis in adenocarcinoma remains largely unknown. Herein we describe the application of mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis in one of the largest biomarker research studies to date aimed at distinguishing metabolic differences between malignant and non-malignant lung tissue. Gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to measure 462 metabolites in 39 malignant and non-malignant lung tissue pairs from current or former smokers with early stage (Stage IA–IB) adenocarcinoma. Statistical mixed effects models, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and network integration, were used to identify key cancer-associated metabolic perturbations in adenocarcinoma compared to non-malignant tissue. Cancer-associated biochemical alterations were characterized by: 1) decreased glucose levels, consistent with the Warburg effect, 2) changes in cellular redox status highlighted by elevations in cysteine and antioxidants, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, 3) elevations in nucleotide metabolites 5,6-dihydrouracil and xanthine suggestive of increased dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidoreductase activity, 4) increased 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine levels indicative of reduced purine salvage and increased de novo purine synthesis and 5) coordinated elevations in glutamate and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine suggesting increased protein glycosylation. The present study revealed distinct metabolic perturbations associated with early stage lung adenocarcinoma which may provide candidate molecular targets for personalizing therapeutic interventions and treatment efficacy monitoring. PMID:25657018

The relationship between elevated red cell distribution width and long-term outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Wan, Huaibin; Yang, Yanmin; Zhu, Jun; Huang, Bi; Wang, Juan; Wu, Shuang; Shao, Xinghui; Zhang, Han

2015-08-01

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between elevated RDW and long-term clinical outcomes among patients with AF. We prospectively observed 300 consecutive patients with AF (50.3% males, mean age 62.6 ± 12.9 years) between February 2009 and October 2011. Baseline RDW levels and clinical data were collected. The primary clinical outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality and the incidence of major adverse events (MAEs). During a median follow-up period of 3.2 years, 60 deaths and 92 MAEs were recorded. From the lowest to the highest RDW quartile, an increased risk of mortality (2.76, 3.98, 8.40 and 13.77 per 100 person-years, respectively) and an incidence of MAEs (6.46, 8.18, 13.79 and 20.27 per 100 person-years, respectively) were noted. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, RDW was independently associated with both all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR): 1.024; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.012-1.036, P < 0.001) and MAEs (HR: 1.012; 95% CI: 1.002-1.023, P = 0.023). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that RDW predicted both mortality and MAEs with areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) of 0.682 (P < 0.001) and 0.617 (P = 0.001); the best cutoff points were 13.85% and 13.55%, respectively. Elevated RDW is an independent predictor of long-term adverse clinical outcomes, including all-cause mortality and MAEs, among patients with AF. Copyright © 2015 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physiological and transcriptomic responses in the seed coat of field-grown soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) to abiotic stress.

PubMed

Leisner, Courtney P; Yendrek, Craig R; Ainsworth, Elizabeth A

2017-12-12

Understanding how intensification of abiotic stress due to global climate change affects crop yields is important for continued agricultural productivity. Coupling genomic technologies with physiological crop responses in a dynamic field environment is an effective approach to dissect the mechanisms underpinning crop responses to abiotic stress. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. Pioneer 93B15) was grown in natural production environments with projected changes to environmental conditions predicted for the end of the century, including decreased precipitation, increased tropospheric ozone concentrations ([O 3 ]), or increased temperature. All three environmental stresses significantly decreased leaf-level photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, leading to significant losses in seed yield. This was driven by a significant decrease in the number of pods per node for all abiotic stress treatments. To understand the underlying transcriptomic response involved in the yield response to environmental stress, RNA-Sequencing analysis was performed on the soybean seed coat, a tissue that plays an essential role in regulating carbon and nitrogen transport to developing seeds. Gene expression analysis revealed 49, 148 and 1,576 differentially expressed genes in the soybean seed coat in response to drought, elevated [O 3 ] and elevated temperature, respectively. Elevated [O 3 ] and drought did not elicit substantive transcriptional changes in the soybean seed coat. However, this may be due to the timing of sampling and does not preclude impacts of those stresses on different tissues or different stages in seed coat development. Expression of genes involved in DNA replication and metabolic processes were enriched in the seed coat under high temperate stress, suggesting that the timing of events that are important for cell division and proper seed development were altered in a stressful growth environment.

Characterization of an activation-tagged mutant uncovers a role of GLABRA2 in anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

DOE PAGES

Wang, Xiaoyu; Wang, Xianling; Hu, Qingnan; ...

2015-06-17

In Arabidopsis, anthocyanin biosynthesis is controlled by a MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) transcriptional activator complex. The MBW complex activates the transcription of late biosynthesis genes in the flavonoid pathway, leading to the production of anthocyanins. A similar MBW complex regulates epidermal cell fate by activating the transcription of GLABRA2 (GL2), a homeodomain transcription factor required for trichome formation in shoots and non-hair cell formation in roots. Here we provide experimental evidence to show that GL2 also plays a role in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. From an activation-tagged mutagenized population of Arabidopsis plants, we isolated a dominant, gain-of-function mutant with reduced anthocyanins.more » Molecular cloning revealed that this phenotype is caused by an elevated expression of GL2, thus the mutant was named gl2-1D. Consistent with the view that GL2 acts as a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis, gl2-1D seedlings accumulated less whereas gl2-3 seedlings accumulated more anthocyanins in response to sucrose. Gene expression analysis indicated that expression of late, but not early, biosynthesis genes in the flavonoid pathway was dramatically reduced in gl2-1D but elevated in gl2-3 mutants. Further analysis showed that expression of some MBW component genes involved in the regulation of late biosynthesis genes was reduced in gl2-1D but elevated in gl2-3 mutants, and chromatin immunoprecipitation results indicated that some MBW component genes are targets of GL2. We also showed that GL2 functions as a transcriptional repressor. Altogether, these results indicate that GL2 negatively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis by directly repressing the expression of some MBW component genes.« less

Characterization of an activation-tagged mutant uncovers a role of GLABRA2 in anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

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

Wang, Xiaoyu; Wang, Xianling; Hu, Qingnan

In Arabidopsis, anthocyanin biosynthesis is controlled by a MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) transcriptional activator complex. The MBW complex activates the transcription of late biosynthesis genes in the flavonoid pathway, leading to the production of anthocyanins. A similar MBW complex regulates epidermal cell fate by activating the transcription of GLABRA2 (GL2), a homeodomain transcription factor required for trichome formation in shoots and non-hair cell formation in roots. Here we provide experimental evidence to show that GL2 also plays a role in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. From an activation-tagged mutagenized population of Arabidopsis plants, we isolated a dominant, gain-of-function mutant with reduced anthocyanins.more » Molecular cloning revealed that this phenotype is caused by an elevated expression of GL2, thus the mutant was named gl2-1D. Consistent with the view that GL2 acts as a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis, gl2-1D seedlings accumulated less whereas gl2-3 seedlings accumulated more anthocyanins in response to sucrose. Gene expression analysis indicated that expression of late, but not early, biosynthesis genes in the flavonoid pathway was dramatically reduced in gl2-1D but elevated in gl2-3 mutants. Further analysis showed that expression of some MBW component genes involved in the regulation of late biosynthesis genes was reduced in gl2-1D but elevated in gl2-3 mutants, and chromatin immunoprecipitation results indicated that some MBW component genes are targets of GL2. We also showed that GL2 functions as a transcriptional repressor. Altogether, these results indicate that GL2 negatively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis by directly repressing the expression of some MBW component genes.« less

ADHD and risky sexual behavior in adolescents: conduct problems and substance use as mediators of risk.

PubMed

Sarver, Dustin E; McCart, Michael R; Sheidow, Ashli J; Letourneau, Elizabeth J

2014-12-01

Recent studies have linked attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to elevated rates of risky sexual behavior (RSB) in adult samples. The current study tested whether ADHD symptoms were associated with RSB among adolescents, and examined comorbid conduct problems and problematic substance use as joint mediators of this association. ADHD symptoms, conduct problems (oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder symptoms), problematic alcohol use (alcohol use disorder symptoms, alcohol use frequency), problematic marijuana use (marijuana use disorder symptoms, marijuana use frequency), and RSB were assessed among an ethnically diverse cross-sectional sample of adolescents (N = 115; mean age = 14.9 years) involved in the juvenile justice system. Bootstrapped mediation models revealed an initial association between ADHD symptoms and RSB that was accounted for fully by the influence of problematic alcohol and marijuana use, but not conduct problems. A follow-up multiple groups mediation analysis demonstrated that the relationship between ADHD symptoms and RSB emerged only among youth with clinically elevated conduct problems, and that problematic marijuana use fully accounted for this relationship. Hyperactive/impulsive, but not inattentive, symptoms were related to RSB, although the pattern of indirect effects was consistent with the multiple groups analysis. The association between ADHD and adolescent RSB is restricted to youth with elevated comorbid conduct problems and reflects the contributions of comorbid marijuana use problems, and to a lesser extent alcohol use problems. Early identification and treatment of these comorbid conditions may be important for the prevention of negative sexual health outcomes among youth with ADHD. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Adult cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy and Addison's disease in a female carrier.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoyan; Chen, Zhiye; Huang, Dehui; Liu, Xiaofeng; Gui, Qiuping; Yu, Shengyuan

2014-07-10

We described a 38-year-old woman of rapidly progressive dementia with white matter encephalopathy and death. She had Addison's disease but the adrenal glands were hyperplastic. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse white matter lesion predominantly in the frontal lobe with band-like contrast enhancement. l-Methyl-11C-methionine positron emission tomography revealed accumulation of tracer in bilateral frontal lobes. Stereotactic biopsy demonstrated demyelination changes. A number of urinary organic acids were elevated. Adrenoleukodystrophy was diagnosed by elevated plasma very long chain fatty acid and ABCD1 gene mutation (C1544C/T). Adrenoleukodystrophy should be considered as a differential diagnosis in women with rapidly progressive white matter encephalopathy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with syphilis infection: a comprehensive analysis based on a case-control study.

PubMed

Xiao, Y; Li, S-L; Lin, H-L; Lin, Z-F; Zhu, X-Z; Fan, J-Y; Gao, K; Zhang, H-L; Lin, L-R; Liu, L-L; Tong, M-L; Niu, J-J; Yang, T-C

2016-04-01

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate factors that influence the likelihood of syphilis infection from risk-taking behaviours and medical conditions. A retrospective case-control study was conducted by enrolling 664 syphilis inpatients (excluding 11 congenital syphilis patients) and 800 sex- and age-matched controls. Medical histories, clinical data and patient interview data were collected and subjected to logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of syphilis in the study population was 3·9% (675/17,304). By univariate analysis, syphilis infection was associated with migration between cities, marital status, smoking, reproductive history, hypertension, elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) (P < 0·05). A high rate of syphilis-HBV co-infection was observed in HIV-negative patients and further research revealed an association between syphilis and specific HBV serological reactivity. Syphilis was also associated with the frequency, duration and status of tobacco use. Multivariate analysis indicated that syphilis infection was independently associated with migration between cities [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1·368, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·048-1·785], current smoking (aOR 1·607, 95% CI 1·177-2·195), elevated BUN (aOR 1·782, 95% CI 1·188-2·673) and some serological patterns of HBV infection. To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, inpatients and blood donors should be tested for HIV, syphilis, HBV and HCV simultaneously.

Clinical investigation into feed-related hypervitaminosis D in a captive flock of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus): morbidity, mortalities, and pathologic lesions.

PubMed

Olds, June E; Burrough, Eric; Madison, Darin; Ensley, Steve; Horst, Ronald; Janke, Bruce H; Schwartz, Kent; Stevenson, Gregory W; Gauger, Phillip; Cooper, Vickie L; Arruda, Paulo; Opriessnig, Tanja

2015-03-01

The Blank Park Zoo began suffering mortalities in the spring of 2012 within a flock of 229 captive budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) housed in an interactive public-feeding aviary. Clinical signs in affected birds included weakness, posterior paresis, inability to fly, or acute death. Gross and microscopic lesions were not initially apparent in acutely affected deceased birds. Many birds had evidence of trauma, which is now hypothesized to have been related to the birds' weakness. Investigation into the cause(s) of morbidity and mortality were complicated by the opening of a new interactive enclosure. For this reason, environmental conditions and husbandry protocols were heavily scrutinized. Microscopic examination of dead budgies later in the course of the investigation revealed mineralization of soft tissues consistent with hypervitaminosis D. Pooled serum analysis of deceased birds identified elevated vitamin D3 levels. Vitamin D3 analysis was performed on the feed sticks offered by the public and the formulated maintenance diet fed to the flock. This analysis detected elevated levels of vitamin D3 that were 22.5-times the manufacturer's labeled content in the formulated diet. These findings contributed to a manufacturer recall of more than 100 formulated diets fed to a wide variety of domestic and captive wild animal species throughout the United States and internationally. This case report discusses the complexities of determining the etiology of a toxic event in a zoologic institution.

Regional Patterns of Elevated Alpha and High-Frequency Electroencephalographic Activity during Nonrapid Eye Movement Sleep in Chronic Insomnia: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Riedner, Brady A; Goldstein, Michael R; Plante, David T; Rumble, Meredith E; Ferrarelli, Fabio; Tononi, Giulio; Benca, Ruth M

2016-04-01

To examine nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in insomnia using high-density electroencephalography (EEG). All-night sleep recordings with 256 channel high-density EEG were analyzed for 8 insomnia subjects (5 females) and 8 sex and age-matched controls without sleep complaints. Spectral analyses were conducted using unpaired t-tests and topographical differences between groups were assessed using statistical non-parametric mapping. Five minute segments of deep NREM sleep were further analyzed using sLORETA cortical source imaging. The initial topographic analysis of all-night NREM sleep EEG revealed that insomnia subjects had more high-frequency EEG activity (> 16 Hz) compared to good sleeping controls and that the difference between groups was widespread across the scalp. In addition, the analysis also showed that there was a more circumscribed difference in theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (8-12 Hz) power bands between groups. When deep NREM sleep (N3) was examined separately, the high-frequency difference between groups diminished, whereas the higher regional alpha activity in insomnia subjects persisted. Source imaging analysis demonstrated that sensory and sensorimotor cortical areas consistently exhibited elevated levels of alpha activity during deep NREM sleep in insomnia subjects relative to good sleeping controls. These results suggest that even during the deepest stage of sleep, sensory and sensorimotor areas in insomnia subjects may still be relatively active compared to control subjects and to the rest of the sleeping brain. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Oxidation of Ca-α-SiAlON Powders Prepared by Combustion Synthesis

PubMed Central

Li, Jinfu; Li, Zhongmin; Wang, Enhui; Wang, Zhanjun; Yin, Xiaowei; Zhang, Zuotai

2015-01-01

The oxidation of Ca-α-SiAlON synthesized by the combustion synthesis (CS) method with different additives was investigated in air atmosphere using thermogravimetric (TG) analysis in a temperature range from 1453 K to 1653 K. The experimental results indicated that oxidation was controlled by mixed chemical and diffusion steps. The oxidation products by XRD analysis were composed of SiO2 and CaAl2Si2O8 at low oxidation temperature, whereas the SiO2-Al2O3-CaO ternary glassy phase was formed at elevated temperature. The deviation of oxidation resistance from each sample may be due to the morphological difference brought about by different additive additions. This study reveals the effects of additives on the oxidation resistance of synthesized Ca-α-SiAlON powders. PMID:28793657

PLE in the analysis of plant compounds. Part I. The application of PLE for HPLC analysis of caffeine in green tea leaves.

PubMed

Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Wianowska, Dorota

2005-04-29

A broad spectrum of sample preparation methods is currently used for the isolation of pharmacologically active compounds from plant and herbal materials. The paper compares the effectiveness of infusion, microwave assisted solvent extraction (MASE), matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) as sample preparation methods for the isolation of caffeine from green tea leaves. The effect of PLE variables, such as extraction temperature, pressure and time, on the yield of caffeine from the investigated matrix is discussed. The obtained results revealed that PLE, in comparison with other sample preparation methods applied, has significantly lower efficacy for caffeine isolation from green tea leaves. The evaluation of PLE conditions leads to the conclusion that elevated pressure applied in the PLE process is the factor hindering the extraction.

Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children Associated With the Flint Drinking Water Crisis: A Spatial Analysis of Risk and Public Health Response.

PubMed

Hanna-Attisha, Mona; LaChance, Jenny; Sadler, Richard Casey; Champney Schnepp, Allison

2016-02-01

We analyzed differences in pediatric elevated blood lead level incidence before and after Flint, Michigan, introduced a more corrosive water source into an aging water system without adequate corrosion control. We reviewed blood lead levels for children younger than 5 years before (2013) and after (2015) water source change in Greater Flint, Michigan. We assessed the percentage of elevated blood lead levels in both time periods, and identified geographical locations through spatial analysis. Incidence of elevated blood lead levels increased from 2.4% to 4.9% (P < .05) after water source change, and neighborhoods with the highest water lead levels experienced a 6.6% increase. No significant change was seen outside the city. Geospatial analysis identified disadvantaged neighborhoods as having the greatest elevated blood lead level increases and informed response prioritization during the now-declared public health emergency. The percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels increased after water source change, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Water is a growing source of childhood lead exposure because of aging infrastructure.

Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children Associated With the Flint Drinking Water Crisis: A Spatial Analysis of Risk and Public Health Response

PubMed Central

LaChance, Jenny; Sadler, Richard Casey; Champney Schnepp, Allison

2016-01-01

Objectives. We analyzed differences in pediatric elevated blood lead level incidence before and after Flint, Michigan, introduced a more corrosive water source into an aging water system without adequate corrosion control. Methods. We reviewed blood lead levels for children younger than 5 years before (2013) and after (2015) water source change in Greater Flint, Michigan. We assessed the percentage of elevated blood lead levels in both time periods, and identified geographical locations through spatial analysis. Results. Incidence of elevated blood lead levels increased from 2.4% to 4.9% (P < .05) after water source change, and neighborhoods with the highest water lead levels experienced a 6.6% increase. No significant change was seen outside the city. Geospatial analysis identified disadvantaged neighborhoods as having the greatest elevated blood lead level increases and informed response prioritization during the now-declared public health emergency. Conclusions. The percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels increased after water source change, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Water is a growing source of childhood lead exposure because of aging infrastructure. PMID:26691115

Poly(ether ester) Ionomers as Water-Soluble Polymers for Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Processes.

PubMed

Pekkanen, Allison M; Zawaski, Callie; Stevenson, André T; Dickerman, Ross; Whittington, Abby R; Williams, Christopher B; Long, Timothy E

2017-04-12

Water-soluble polymers as sacrificial supports for additive manufacturing (AM) facilitate complex features in printed objects. Few water-soluble polymers beyond poly(vinyl alcohol) enable material extrusion AM. In this work, charged poly(ether ester)s with tailored rheological and mechanical properties serve as novel materials for extrusion-based AM at low temperatures. Melt transesterification of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, 8k) and dimethyl 5-sulfoisophthalate afforded poly(ether ester)s of sufficient molecular weight to impart mechanical integrity. Quantitative ion exchange provided a library of poly(ether ester)s with varying counterions, including both monovalent and divalent cations. Dynamic mechanical and tensile analysis revealed an insignificant difference in mechanical properties for these polymers below the melting temperature, suggesting an insignificant change in final part properties. Rheological analysis, however, revealed the advantageous effect of divalent countercations (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Zn 2+ ) in the melt state and exhibited an increase in viscosity of two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, time-temperature superposition identified an elevation in modulus, melt viscosity, and flow activation energy, suggesting intramolecular interactions between polymer chains and a higher apparent molecular weight. In particular, extrusion of poly(PEG 8k -co-CaSIP) revealed vast opportunities for extrusion AM of well-defined parts. The unique melt rheological properties highlighted these poly(ether ester) ionomers as ideal candidates for low-temperature material extrusion additive manufacturing of water-soluble parts.

Adaptive Evolution under Extreme Genetic Drift in Oxidatively Stressed Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Christy, Stephen F; Wernick, Riana I; Lue, Michael J; Velasco, Griselda; Howe, Dana K; Denver, Dee R

2017-01-01

Abstract A mutation-accumulation (MA) experiment with Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes was conducted in which replicate, independently evolving lines were initiated from a low-fitness mitochondrial electron transport chain mutant, gas-1. The original intent of the study was to assess the effect of electron transport chain dysfunction involving elevated reactive oxygen species production on patterns of spontaneous germline mutation. In contrast to results of standard MA experiments, gas-1 MA lines evolved slightly higher mean fitness alongside reduced among-line genetic variance compared with their ancestor. Likewise, the gas-1 MA lines experienced partial recovery to wildtype reactive oxygen species levels. Whole-genome sequencing and analysis revealed that the molecular spectrum but not the overall rate of nuclear DNA mutation differed from wildtype patterns. Further analysis revealed an enrichment of mutations in loci that occur in a gas-1-centric region of the C. elegans interactome, and could be classified into a small number of functional-genomic categories. Characterization of a backcrossed four-mutation set isolated from one gas-1 MA line revealed this combination to be beneficial on both gas-1 mutant and wildtype genetic backgrounds. Our combined results suggest that selection favoring beneficial mutations can be powerful even under unfavorable population genetic conditions, and agree with fitness landscape theory predicting an inverse relationship between population fitness and the likelihood of adaptation. PMID:29069345

Systemic Immune Activation Profiles of HIV-1 Subtype C-Infected Children and Their Mothers.

PubMed

Makhubele, Tinyiko G; Steel, Helen C; Anderson, Ronald; van Dyk, Gisela; Theron, Annette J; Rossouw, Theresa M

2016-01-01

Little is known about immune activation profiles of children infected with HIV-1 subtype C. The current study compared levels of selected circulating biomarkers of immune activation in HIV-1 subtype C-infected untreated mothers and their children with those of healthy controls. Multiplex bead array, ELISA, and immunonephelometric procedures were used to measure soluble CD14 (sCD14), beta-2 microglobulin (β2M), CRP, MIG, IP-10, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1). Levels of all 6 biomarkers were significantly elevated in the HIV-infected mothers and, with the exception of MIG, in their children (P < 0.01-P < 0.0001). The effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and maternal smoking on these biomarkers were also assessed. With the exception of TGF-β1, which was unchanged in the children 12 months after therapy, initiation of ART was accompanied by decreases in the other biomarkers. Regression analysis revealed that although most biomarkers were apparently unaffected by smoking, exposure of children to maternal smoking was associated with a significant increase in IP-10. These findings demonstrate that biomarkers of immune activation are elevated in HIV-infected children pre-ART and decline, with the exception of TGF-β1, after therapy. Although preliminary, elevation of IP-10 in smoke-exposed infants is consistent with a higher level of immune activation in this group.

Pediatric obesity is associated with an altered gut microbiota and discordant shifts in Firmicutes populations.

PubMed

Riva, Alessandra; Borgo, Francesca; Lassandro, Carlotta; Verduci, Elvira; Morace, Giulia; Borghi, Elisa; Berry, David

2017-01-01

An altered gut microbiota has been linked to obesity in adulthood, although little is known about childhood obesity. The aim of this study was to characterize the composition of the gut microbiota in obese (n = 42) and normal-weight (n = 36) children aged 6 to 16. Using 16S rRNA gene-targeted sequencing, we evaluated taxa with differential abundance according to age- and sex-normalized body mass index (BMI z-score). Obesity was associated with an altered gut microbiota characterized by elevated levels of Firmicutes and depleted levels of Bacteroidetes. Correlation network analysis revealed that the gut microbiota of obese children also had increased correlation density and clustering of operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Members of the Bacteroidetes were generally better predictors of BMI z-score and obesity than Firmicutes, which was likely due to discordant responses of Firmicutes OTUs. In accordance with these observations, the main metabolites produced by gut bacteria, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were higher in obese children, suggesting elevated substrate utilisation. Multiple taxa were correlated with SCFA levels, reinforcing the tight link between the microbiota, SCFAs and obesity. Our results suggest that gut microbiota dysbiosis and elevated fermentation activity may be involved in the etiology of childhood obesity. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Spatial Correlations of Malaria Incidence Hotspots with Environmental Factors in Assam, North East India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handique, Bijoy K.; Khan, Siraj A.; Dutta, Prafulla; Nath, Manash J.; Qadir, Abdul; Raju, P. L. N.

2016-06-01

Malaria is endemic and a major public health problem in north east (NE) region of India and contributes about 8-12 % of India's malaria positives cases. Historical morbidity pattern of malaria in terms of API (Annual Parasite Incidence) in the state of Assam has been used for delineating the malaria incidence hotspots at health sub centre (HSC) level. Strong spatial autocorrelation (p < 0.01) among the HSCs have been observed in terms of API (Annual Parasite Incidence). Malaria incidence hot spots in the state could be identified based on General G statistics and tested for statistical significance. Spatial correlation of malaria incidence hotspots with physiographic and climatic parameters across 6 agro-climatic zones of the state reveals the types of land cover pattern and the range of elevation contributing to the malaria outbreaks. Analysis shows that villages under malaria hotspots are having more agricultural land, evergreen/semi-evergreen forests with abundant waterbodies. Statistical and spatial analyses of malaria incidence showed a significant positive correlation with malaria incidence hotspots and the elevation (p < 0.05) with villages under malaria hotspots are having average elevation ranging between 17 to 240 MSL. This conforms to the characteristics of two dominant mosquito species in the state Anopheles minimus and An. baimai that prefers the habitat of slow flowing streams in the foot hills and in forest ecosystems respectively.

Oxidative Stress in Dilated Cardiomyopathy Caused by MYBPC3 Mutation

PubMed Central

Lynch, Thomas L.; Sivaguru, Mayandi; Velayutham, Murugesan; Cardounel, Arturo J.; Michels, Michelle; Barefield, David; Govindan, Suresh; dos Remedios, Cristobal; van der Velden, Jolanda; Sadayappan, Sakthivel

2015-01-01

Cardiomyopathies can result from mutations in genes encoding sarcomere proteins including MYBPC3, which encodes cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C). However, whether oxidative stress is augmented due to contractile dysfunction and cardiomyocyte damage in MYBPC3-mutated cardiomyopathies has not been elucidated. To determine whether oxidative stress markers were elevated in MYBPC3-mutated cardiomyopathies, a previously characterized 3-month-old mouse model of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) expressing a homozygous MYBPC3 mutation (cMyBP-C(t/t)) was used, compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Echocardiography confirmed decreased percentage of fractional shortening in DCM versus WT hearts. Histopathological analysis indicated a significant increase in myocardial disarray and fibrosis while the second harmonic generation imaging revealed disorganized sarcomeric structure and myocyte damage in DCM hearts when compared to WT hearts. Intriguingly, DCM mouse heart homogenates had decreased glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio and increased protein carbonyl and lipid malondialdehyde content compared to WT heart homogenates, consistent with elevated oxidative stress. Importantly, a similar result was observed in human cardiomyopathy heart homogenate samples. These results were further supported by reduced signals for mitochondrial semiquinone radicals and Fe-S clusters in DCM mouse hearts measured using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In conclusion, we demonstrate elevated oxidative stress in MYPBC3-mutated DCM mice, which may exacerbate the development of heart failure. PMID:26508994

Childhood lead exposure associated with the use of kajal, an eye cosmetic from Afghanistan - Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2013.

PubMed

2013-11-22

Lead is a toxic metal that damages blood cells, the kidneys, the cardiovascular system, and the developing nervous system. The risk for lead exposure causing subsequent cognitive and neurobehavioral deficits is especially high among toddlers because of their hand-to-mouth activities and their higher absorption of ingested lead compared with adults. In January 2013, the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) received a report from an Albuquerque clinic of a refugee child aged 20 months (patient 1) with an elevated blood lead level (BLL) of 27.0 µg/dL (CDC reference value = 5.0 µg/dL). Medical staff informed NMDOH that the child and family used kajal, a traditional eye cosmetic brought from Afghanistan, their country of origin. Further investigation revealed that patient 1's brother, aged 4 months (patient 2), also had an elevated BLL of 33.5 µg/dL. Laboratory analysis of kajal used by the family showed a lead content of 54%. These two cases highlight the potential for lead poisoning among refugee populations in the United States and call attention to contaminated consumer products as a source of lead exposure. Physicians who provide health services to refugee and immigrant children should be aware of this potential exposure. Health-care providers who routinely screen refugee and immigrant children for elevated BLLs should consider asking questions about the use of traditional eye cosmetics.

Evaluation of T1/T2 ratios in a pilot study as a potential biomarker of biopsy: proven benign and malignant breast lesions in correlation with histopathological disease stage.

PubMed

Malikova, Marina A; Tkacz, Jaroslaw N; Slanetz, Priscilla J; Guo, Chao-Yu; Aakil, Adam; Jara, Hernan

2017-08-01

Early breast cancer detection is important for intervention and prognosis. Advances in treatment and outcome require diagnostic tools with highly positive predictive value. To study the potential role of quantitative MRI (qMRI) using T1/T2 ratios to differentiate benign from malignant breast lesions. A cross-sectional study of 69 women with 69 known or suspicious breast lesions were scanned with mixed-turbo spin echo pulse sequence. Patients were grouped according to histopathological assessment of disease stage: untreated malignant tumor, treated malignancy and benign disease. Elevated T1/T2 means were observed for biopsy-proven malignant lesions and for malignant lesions treated prior to qMRI with chemotherapy and/or radiation, as compared with benign lesions. The qMRI-obtained T1/T2 ratios correlated with histopathology. Analysis revealed correlation between elevated T1/T2 ratio and disease stage. This could provide valuable complementary information on tissue properties as an additional diagnostic tool.

Mother-Adolescent Physiological Synchrony in Naturalistic Settings: Within-Family Cortisol Associations and Moderators

PubMed Central

Papp, Lauren M.; Pendry, Patricia; Adam, Emma K.

2010-01-01

In this study, the authors examined parent-adolescent cortisol associations in 45 families with adolescent children (24 girls; M age = 15.78 years, SD = 1.44 years). Family members’ salivary cortisol levels were measured 7 times a day on 2 typical weekdays. Family members provided reports of demographic and health variables, and adolescents rated parent-child relationship characteristics. After accounting for the effects of time of day and relevant demographic and health control variables on cortisol levels, hierarchical linear models indicated the presence of significant covariation over time in mother-adolescent cortisol (i.e., physiological synchrony). Furthermore, moderating tests revealed that mother-adolescent cortisol synchrony was strengthened among dyads characterized by mothers and adolescents spending more time together, and in families rated higher on levels of parent-youth shared activities and parental monitoring/supervision. Analysis of momentary characteristics indicated that maternal presence at the time of cortisol sampling lowered adolescent cortisol levels but did not account for mother-adolescent cortisol synchrony. Within-family physiological synchrony was amplified in momentary contexts of elevated maternal negative affect and elevated adolescent negative affect. PMID:20001147

Mother-adolescent physiological synchrony in naturalistic settings: within-family cortisol associations and moderators.

PubMed

Papp, Lauren M; Pendry, Patricia; Adam, Emma K

2009-12-01

In this study, the authors examined parent-adolescent cortisol associations in 45 families with adolescent children (24 girls; M age = 15.78 years, SD = 1.44 years). Family members' salivary cortisol levels were measured seven times a day on 2 typical weekdays. Family members provided reports of demographic and health variables, and adolescents rated parent-child relationship characteristics. After accounting for the effects of time of day and relevant demographic and health control variables on cortisol levels, hierarchical linear models indicated the presence of significant covariation over time in mother-adolescent cortisol (i.e., physiological synchrony). Furthermore, moderating tests revealed that mother-adolescent cortisol synchrony was strengthened among dyads characterized by mothers and adolescents spending more time together, and in families rated higher on levels of parent-youth shared activities and parental monitoring or supervision. Analysis of momentary characteristics indicated that maternal presence at the time of cortisol sampling lowered adolescent cortisol levels but did not account for mother-adolescent cortisol synchrony. Within-family physiological synchrony was amplified in momentary contexts of elevated maternal negative affect and elevated adolescent negative affect.

The Effect of Geraniol on Liver Regeneration Αfter Hepatectomy in Rats

PubMed Central

CANBEK, MEDIHA; UYANOGLU, MUSTAFA; CANBEK, SELCUK; CEYHAN, EMRE; OZEN, AHMET; DURMUS, BASAK; TURGAK, OZGE

2017-01-01

Geraniol is a monoterpenoid alcohol that has a hepatoprotective effect. We investigated the regenerative effects of geraniol in rats after a 70% partial hepatectomy (PH). Using Wistar albino rats, nine groups were created: Group I was the control group, while the remaining groups received a single intraperitoneal dose of saline, Silymarin, or geraniol after PH. A 70% PH was performed on all groups except for groups II and III. Blood serum samples were obtained for alanine amino transferase (ALT) analysis. Then liver tissues were harvested for histological and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL6) gene expression were examined 24 and 48 h after PH. ALT levels were found to be statistically significantly increased in all PH-treated groups. TNFα and IL6 gene expression levels were elevated in geraniol-treated groups. Histological evaluation revealed a hepatoprotective effect for geraniol-treated groups. Our results suggest that geraniol plays a significant role during liver regeneration, which involves the elevated expression of TNFα and IL6 48 h after PH. PMID:28358702

The transcription factor Rap1p is required for tolerance to cell-wall perturbing agents and for cell-wall maintenance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Azad, Gajendra Kumar; Singh, Vikash; Baranwal, Shivani; Thakare, Mayur Jankiram; Tomar, Raghuvir S

2015-01-02

Yeast repressor activator protein (Rap1p) is involved in genomic stability and transcriptional regulation. We explored the function of Rap1p in yeast physiology using Rap1p truncation mutants. Our results revealed that the N-terminal truncation of Rap1p (Rap1ΔN) leads to hypersensitivity towards elevated temperature and cell-wall perturbing agents. Cell wall analysis showed an increase in the chitin and glucan content in Rap1ΔN cells as compared with wild type cells. Accordingly, mutant cells had a twofold thicker cell wall, as observed by electron microscopy. Furthermore, Rap1ΔN cells had increased levels of phosphorylated Slt2p, a MAP kinase of the cell wall integrity pathway. Mutant cells also had elevated levels of cell wall integrity response transcripts. Taken together, our findings suggest a connection between Rap1p and cell wall homeostasis. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lap Shear Testing of Candidate Radiator Panel Adhesives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, David; Briggs, Maxwell; McGowan, Randy

2013-01-01

During testing of a subscale radiator section used to develop manufacturing techniques for a full-scale radiator panel, the adhesive bonds between the titanium heat pipes and the aluminum face sheets failed during installation and operation. Analysis revealed that the thermal expansion mismatch between the two metals resulted in relatively large shear stresses being developed even when operating the radiator at moderate temperatures. Lap shear testing of the adhesive used in the original joints demonstrated that the two-part epoxy adhesive fell far short of the strength required. A literature review resulted in several candidate adhesives being selected for lap shear joint testing at room temperature and 398 K, the nominal radiator operating temperature. The results showed that two-part epoxies cured at room and elevated temperatures generally did not perform well. Epoxy film adhesives cured at elevated temperatures, on the other hand, did very well with most being sufficiently strong to cause yielding in the titanium sheet used for the joints. The use of an epoxy primer generally improved the strength of the joint. Based upon these results, a new adhesive was selected for the second subscale radiator section.

Cold adaptive traits revealed by comparative genomic analysis of the eurypsychrophile Rhodococcus sp. JG3 isolated from high elevation McMurdo Dry Valley permafrost, Antarctica.

PubMed

Goordial, Jacqueline; Raymond-Bouchard, Isabelle; Zolotarov, Yevgen; de Bethencourt, Luis; Ronholm, Jennifer; Shapiro, Nicole; Woyke, Tanja; Stromvik, Martina; Greer, Charles W; Bakermans, Corien; Whyte, Lyle

2016-02-01

The permafrost soils of the high elevation McMurdo Dry Valleys are the most cold, desiccating and oligotrophic on Earth. Rhodococcus sp. JG3 is one of very few bacterial isolates from Antarctic Dry Valley permafrost, and displays subzero growth down to -5°C. To understand how Rhodococcus sp. JG3 is able to survive extreme permafrost conditions and be metabolically active at subzero temperatures, we sequenced its genome and compared it to the genomes of 14 mesophilic rhodococci. Rhodococcus sp. JG3 possessed a higher copy number of genes for general stress response, UV protection and protection from cold shock, osmotic stress and oxidative stress. We characterized genome wide molecular adaptations to cold, and identified genes that had amino acid compositions favourable for increased flexibility and functionality at low temperatures. Rhodococcus sp. JG3 possesses multiple complimentary strategies which may enable its survival in some of the harshest permafrost on Earth. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cryptic differentiation in the endemic micromoth Galagete darwini (Lepidoptera, Autostichidae) on Galápagos volcanoes.

PubMed

Schmitz, Patrick; Cibois, Alice; Landry, Bernard

2008-10-27

To gain insight into the early stages of speciation, we reconstructed a DNA-based phylogeny, using combined mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunits I and II: 1008 bp) and nuclear (elongation factor 1-alpha and wingless: 1062 bp) markers of populations of the moth Galagete darwini endemic to the Galápagos, which belongs to an insular radiation similar in size to that of Darwin's finches. Adults of G. darwini were collected in the arid lowlands of 11 of the Galápagos Islands (Baltra, Española, Fernandina, Floreana, Isabela, Pinta, Pinzón, San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Santiago and Seymour) and the humid highlands of a subset of 5 of them (Fernandina, Floreana, Isabela, Santa Cruz and Santiago). The combined phylogeographic analysis surprisingly revealed that G. darwini populations at higher elevation on the western islands (Fernandina, Isabela and Santiago) represent a distinct lineage from the one in the low arid zones of these same islands. This is the first reported case in the archipelago of genetic cryptic differentiation correlated with elevation on the western Galápagos volcanoes.

Chronic fluoride exposure exacerbates headkidney pathology and causes immune commotion in Clarias gariepinus.

PubMed

Singh, Rashmi; Hussain, Md Arafat; Kumar, Jai; Kumar, Manmohan; Kumari, Usha; Mazumder, Shibnath

2017-11-01

The current study was aimed to understand the effects of chronic fluoride exposure on fish immune system. African sharp tooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) were exposed to 73.45mg/L of fluoride corresponding to 1/10 96h LC 50 for 30 d and the effects on general fish health and several immune parameters were studied. Chronic fluoride exposure led to significant alteration in serum biochemical parameters including alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, triglycerides, cholesterol and blood urea nitrogen levels revealing the detrimental effect of fluoride on general fish health. Upregulation in cytochrome P450 1A expression, both at mRNA and protein level suggested that fluoride activates the detoxification machinery in headkidney (HK) of C. gariepinus. Histopathological analysis of HK from exposed fish further revealed fluoride-induced hypertrophy, increase in melano-macrophage centers (MMCs) and the development of cell-depleted regions. Fluoride reduced headkidney somatic index (HKSI) and the phagocytic potential of headkidney macrophages (HKM). It induced caspase-3-dependent headkidney leukocyte (HKL) apoptosis, elevated superoxide generation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α besides suppressed T-cell proliferation in the exposed fish. We surmise the elevation in superoxide levels coupled with increased TNF-α production to be plausible causes of fluoride-induced HKL apoptosis. It is concluded that chronic fluoride exposure induces structure-function alterations in HK, the primary lymphoid organ in fish leading to impairment in immune responses. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

1-Oleoyl Lysophosphatidic Acid: A New Mediator of Emotional Behavior in Rats

PubMed Central

Castilla-Ortega, Estela; Escuredo, Leticia; Bilbao, Ainhoa; Pedraza, Carmen; Orio, Laura; Estivill-Torrús, Guillermo; Santín, Luis J.; de Fonseca, Fernando Rodríguez; Pavón, Francisco Javier

2014-01-01

The role of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in the control of emotional behavior remains to be determined. We analyzed the effects of the central administration of 1-oleoyl-LPA (LPA 18∶1) in rats tested for food consumption and anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors. For this purpose, the elevated plus-maze, open field, Y maze, forced swimming and food intake tests were performed. In addition, c-Fos expression in the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG) was also determined. The results revealed that the administration of LPA 18∶1 reduced the time in the open arms of the elevated plus-maze and induced hypolocomotion in the open field, suggesting an anxiogenic-like phenotype. Interestingly, these effects were present following LPA 18∶1 infusion under conditions of novelty but not under habituation conditions. In the forced swimming test, the administration of LPA 18∶1 dose-dependently increased depression-like behavior, as evaluated according to immobility time. LPA treatment induced no effects on feeding. However, the immunohistochemical analysis revealed that LPA 18∶1 increased c-Fos expression in the DPAG. The abundant expression of the LPA1 receptor, one of the main targets for LPA 18∶1, was detected in this brain area, which participates in the control of emotional behavior, using immunocytochemistry. These findings indicate that LPA is a relevant transmitter potentially involved in normal and pathological emotional responses, including anxiety and depression. PMID:24409327

Elevated levels of Ser/Thr protein phosphatase 5 (PP5) in human breast cancer

PubMed Central

Golden, Teresa; Aragon, Ileana V.; Rutland, Beth; Tucker, J. Allan; Shevde, Lalita A.; Samant, Rajeev S.; Zhou, Guofei; Amable, Lauren; Skarra, Danalea; Honkanen, Richard E.

2008-01-01

Ser/Thr protein phosphatase 5 (PP5) regulates several signaling-cascades that suppress growth and/or facilitate apoptosis in response to genomic stress. The expression of PP5 is responsive to hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and estrogen, which have both been linked to the progression of human breast cancer. Still, it is not clear if PP5 plays a role in the development of human cancer. Here, immunostaining of breast cancer tissue-microarrays (TMAs) revealed a positive correlation between PP5 overexpression and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS; P value 0.0028), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC; P value 0.012) and IDC with metastases at the time of diagnosis (P value 0.0001). In a mouse xenograft model, the constitutive overexpression of PP5 was associated with an increase in the rate of tumor growth. In a MCF-7 cell culture model overexpression correlated with both an increase in the rate of proliferation and protection from cell death induced by oxidative stress, UVC-irradiation, adriamycin, and vinblastine. PP5 overexpression had no apparent effect on the sensitivity of MCF-7 cells to taxol or rapamycin. Western analysis of extracts from cells over-expressing PP5 revealed a decrease in the phosphorylation of known substrates for PP5. Together, these studies indicate that elevated levels of PP5 protein occur in human breast cancer and suggest that PP5 overexpression may aid tumor progression. PMID:18280813

Genetic evidence for restricted dispersal along continuous altitudinal gradients in a climate change-sensitive mammal: the American Pika.

PubMed

Henry, Philippe; Sim, Zijian; Russello, Michael A

2012-01-01

When faced with rapidly changing environments, wildlife species are left to adapt, disperse or disappear. Consequently, there is value in investigating the connectivity of populations of species inhabiting different environments in order to evaluate dispersal as a potential strategy for persistence in the face of climate change. Here, we begin to investigate the processes that shape genetic variation within American pika populations from the northern periphery of their range, the central Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. At these latitudes, pikas inhabit sharp elevation gradients ranging from sea level to 1500 m, providing an excellent system for studying the effects of local environmental conditions on pika population genetic structure and gene flow. We found low levels of neutral genetic variation compared to previous studies from more southerly latitudes, consistent with the relatively recent post-glacial colonization of the study location. Moreover, significant levels of inbreeding and marked genetic structure were detected within and among sites. Although low levels of recent gene flow were revealed among elevations within a transect, potentially admixed individuals and first generation migrants were identified using discriminant analysis of principal components between populations separated by less than five kilometers at the same elevations. There was no evidence for historical population decline, yet there was signal for recent demographic contractions, possibly resulting from environmental stochasticity. Correlative analyses revealed an association between patterns of genetic variation and annual heat-to-moisture ratio, mean annual precipitation, precipitation as snow and mean maximum summer temperature. Changes in climatic regimes forecasted for the region may thus potentially increase the rate of population extirpation by further reducing dispersal between sites. Consequently, American pika may have to rely on local adaptations or phenotypic plasticity in order to survive predicted climate changes, although additional studies are required to investigate the evolutionary potential of this climate change sensitive species.

Plasma biomarker discovery in preeclampsia using a novel differential isolation technology for circulating extracellular vesicles.

PubMed

Tan, Kok Hian; Tan, Soon Sim; Sze, Siu Kwan; Lee, Wai Kheong Ryan; Ng, Mor Jack; Lim, Sai Kiang

2014-10-01

To circumvent the complex protein milieu of plasma and discover robust predictive biomarkers for preeclampsia (PE), we investigate if phospholipid-binding ligands can reduce the milieu complexity by extracting plasma extracellular vesicles for biomarker discovery. Cholera toxin B chain (CTB) and annexin V (AV) which respectively binds GM1 ganglioside and phosphatidylserine were used to isolate extracellular vesicles from plasma of PE patients and healthy pregnant women. The proteins in the vesicles were identified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, antibody array, and mass spectrometry. CTB and AV were found to bind 2 distinct groups of extracellular vesicles. Antibody array and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that PE patients had elevated levels of CD105, interleukin-6, placental growth factor, tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase 1, and atrial natriuretic peptide in cholera toxin B- but not AV-vesicles, and elevated levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, pro-calcitonin, S100b, tumor growth factor β, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, brain natriuretic peptide, and placental growth factor in both cholera toxin B- and AV-vesicles. CD9 level was elevated in cholera toxin B-vesicles but reduced in AV vesicles of PE patients. Proteome analysis revealed that in cholera toxin B-vesicles, 87 and 222 proteins were present only in PE patients and healthy pregnant women respectively while in AV-vesicles, 104 and 157 proteins were present only in PE and healthy pregnant women, respectively. This study demonstrated for the first time that CTB and AV bind unique extracellular vesicles, and their protein cargo reflects the disease state of the patient. The successful use of these 2 ligands to isolate circulating plasma extracellular vesicles for biomarker discovery in PE represents a novel technology for biomarker discovery that can be applied to other specialties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography Identifies Symptomatic Cavum Septum Pellucidum Cyst: Case Report

PubMed Central

Bell, Randy S.; Vo, Alexander H.; Dirks, Michael S.; Mossop, Corey; Gilhooly, John E.; Cooper, Patrick B.; Razumovsky, Alexander Y.; Armonda, Rocco A.

2010-01-01

Objective: Cavum Septum Pellucidum (CSP) cysts are considered normal anatomic variants, comprising as many as 15% of the adult and 85% of pediatric populations. On rare occasions, the cavum can obstruct CSF outflow from the lateral ventricles causing elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) and headaches. The purpose of this paper is to present a challenging case of new onset symptomatic CSP in a previously healthy adult male without papilledema and elevated ICP detected by transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography. Clinical Presentation: A previously healthy 44 year-old man presented to the neurology service with debilitating positional headaches that were mitigated solely by recumbent positioning. A magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) of the brain revealed a cavum septum pellucidum. A lumbar puncture was performed and revealed normal ICP. No papilledema was evident on fundoscopic examination. A CSF flow study revealed normal dye opacification pattern without evidence of CSF leak. Intervention: Without other clinical indicators of high ICP, but a history suspicious for symptomatic CSP, TCD study was performed and revealed abnormally low cerebral blood flow velocities (CBFV’s) and significantly elevated pulsatility indices (PI’s) for patient’s age indicative of high ICP. Endoscopic fenestration of the septum pellucidum was performed improving the patient’s headaches and normalization of the PI’s and CBFV’s to normal (p<0.01). Conclusions: Symptomatic CSP is a difficult diagnosis to make based on existing diagnostic paradigm. TCD in the absence of other objective confirmatory studies, can aid in the diagnosis and provide information about the success of fenestration of the cavum septum. PMID:22518255

Systematic review of decreased intracranial pressure with optimal head elevation in postcraniotomy patients: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Jiang, Yan; Ye, Zeng pan-pan; You, Chao; Hu, Xin; Liu, Yi; Li, Hao; Lin, Sen; Li, Ji-Pin

2015-10-01

To determine an optimal head elevation degree to decrease intracranial pressure in postcraniotomy patients by meta-analysis. A change in head position can lead to a change in intracranial pressure; however, there are conflicting data regarding the optimal degree of elevation that decreases intracranial pressure in postcraniotomy patients. Quantitative systematic review with meta-analysis following Cochrane methods. The data were collected during 2014; three databases (PubMed, Embase and China National Knowledge Internet) were searched for published and unpublished studies in English. The bibliographies of the articles were also reviewed. The inclusion criteria referred to different elevation degrees and effects on intracranial pressure in postcraniotomy patients. According to pre-determined inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, two reviewers extracted the eligible studies using a standard data form. These included a total of 237 participants who were included in the meta-analysis. (1) Compared with 0 degree: 10, 15, 30 and 45 degrees of head elevation resulted in lower intracranial pressure. (2) Intracranial pressure at 30 degrees was not significantly different in comparison to 45 degrees and was lower than that at 10 and 15 degrees. Patients with increased intracranial pressure significantly benefitted from a head elevation of 10, 15, 30 and 45 degrees compared with 0 degrees. A head elevation of 30 or 45 degrees is optimal for decreasing intracranial pressure. Research about the relationship of position changes and the outcomes of patient primary diseases is absent. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Headaches secondary to intraventricular silicone oil successfully managed with ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

PubMed

Hruby, Paul M; Poley, Preeti R; Terp, Patricia A; Thorell, William E; Margalit, Eyal

2013-01-01

To describe a case of intravitreal silicone oil (SO) migration into the cerebral ventricles with secondary chronic headaches. Retrospective case report. Chart review. Single patient. A 51-year-old man with a history of proliferative diabetic retinopathy underwent surgery for traction retinal detachment using SO. Postoperatively, he developed elevated intraocular pressure, headaches, and a blind painful eye, which was enucleated. Neuroimaging revealed SO within the cerebral ventricles. Five years after the initial retinal detachment surgery, the patient developed chronic headaches. Lumbar puncture revealed an elevated opening pressure. The headaches were initially managed medically. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt was placed after the headaches persisted, which resulted in their complete resolution at 6 weeks after shunt placement. Ocular hypertension after intravitreal SO placement may play a role in SO intracranial migration. In the case presented, intraventricular SO was the apparent cause of elevated intracranial pressure and headaches. As all published cases of intraventricular SO migration reporting intraocular pressure to this point have described ocular hypertension, careful monitoring of intraocular pressure and aggressive control of ocular hypertension in the presence of intravitreal SO is recommended.

Porphyromonas gingivalis Promotes Unrestrained Type I Interferon Production by Dysregulating TAM Signaling via MYD88 Degradation.

PubMed

Mizraji, Gabriel; Nassar, Maria; Segev, Hadas; Sharawi, Hafiz; Eli-Berchoer, Luba; Capucha, Tal; Nir, Tsipora; Tabib, Yaara; Maimon, Avraham; Dishon, Shira; Shapira, Lior; Nussbaum, Gabriel; Wilensky, Asaf; Hovav, Avi-Hai

2017-01-10

Whereas type I interferons (IFNs-I) were proposed to be elevated in human periodontitis, their role in the disease remains elusive. Using a bacterial-induced model of murine periodontitis, we revealed a prolonged elevation in IFN-I expression. This was due to the downregulation of TAM signaling, a major negative regulator of IFN-I. Further examination revealed that the expression of certain TAM components was reduced as a result of prolonged degradation of MYD88 by the infection. As a result of such prolonged IFN-I production, innate immunological functions of the gingiva were disrupted, and CD4 + T cells were constitutively primed by dendritic cells, leading to elevated RANKL expression and, subsequently, alveolar bone loss (ABL). Blocking IFN-I signaling restored proper immunological function and prevented ABL. Importantly, a loss of negative regulation on IFN-I expression by TAM signaling was also evident in periodontitis patients. These findings thus suggest a role for IFN-I in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between adiposity indicators and elevated blood pressure among Chinese children and adolescents.

PubMed

Dong, B; Wang, Z; Wang, H-J; Ma, J

2015-04-01

Adiposity is closely related to elevated blood pressure (BP); however, which adiposity indicator is the best predictor of elevated BP among children and adolescents is unclear. To clarify this, 99,366 participants aged 7-17 years from the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health in 2010 were included in this study. The adiposity indicators, including weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), hip circumference, body adiposity index (BAI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and skinfold thickness, were converted into z-scores before use. The associations between elevated BP and adiposity indicators z-scores were assessed by using logistic regression model and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). In general, BAI, BMI and WHtR z-scores were superior for predicting elevated BP compared with weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, WHR and skinfold thickness z-scores. In both sexes, BMI z-score revealed slightly higher AUCs than other indicators. Our findings suggest that general adiposity indicators were equivalent, if not superior, to abdominal adiposity indicators to predict elevated BP. BMI could be a better predictor of elevated BP than other studied adiposity indicators in children.

Association between systemic inflammation and serum prostate-specific antigen in a healthy Korean population

PubMed Central

Yun, Jonghyun; Lee, Hyunyoung; Yang, Wonjae

2017-01-01

Objective Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) may be elevated in healthy men with systemic inflammation. We aimed to investigate the association between systemic inflammation markers and serum PSA in a healthy Korean population. Material and methods A cohort of 20,151 healthy native Korean men without prostate disease between the ages of 40 and 65 years who underwent medical checkups were studied from January 2007 to December 2013. Serum total PSA and serum C-reactive protein concentrations, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts were determined. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated. We checked the correlation between systemic inflammation markers and PSA. Results Data obtained from 18,800 healthy men were analyzed. The mean age of the study subjects was 50.72±7.62 years and the mean NLR was 1.764±0.804. Correlation analysis after adjustment for age and body mass index (BMI) revealed that neutrophil count (coefficient = 0.028, p value <0.001), and NLR (coefficient = 0.027, p value <0.001) correlated with PSA. Multivariate analysis using the full model revealed that age, neutrophil count and NLR were positively correlated with PSA (p<0.001, 0.001, and 0.043 respectively). Multivariate analysis using a stepwise model revealed that age, neutrophil count and NLR were positively correlated with PSA (p<0.001, 0.001, and 0.040, respectively) and BMI was negatively correlated with PSA (p<0.001). Conclusion Systemic inflammation markers are useful with a serum PSA in a healthy Korean population. NLR in particular is significantly associated with serum PSA. PMID:28861299

Mechanisms of astrocytic K(+) clearance and swelling under high extracellular K(+) concentrations.

PubMed

Murakami, Shingo; Kurachi, Yoshihisa

2016-03-01

In response to the elevation of extracellular K(+) concentration ([K(+)]out), astrocytes clear excessive K(+) to maintain conditions necessary for neural activity. K(+) clearance in astrocytes occurs via two processes: K(+) uptake and K(+) spatial buffering. High [K(+)]out also induces swelling in astrocytes, leading to edema and cell death in the brain. Despite the importance of astrocytic K(+) clearance and swelling, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report results from a simulation analysis of astrocytic K(+) clearance and swelling. Astrocyte models were constructed by incorporating various mechanisms such as intra/extracellular ion concentrations of Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-), cell volume, and models of Na,K-ATPase, Na-K-Cl cotransporter (NKCC), K-Cl cotransporter, inwardly-rectifying K(+) (KIR) channel, passive Cl(-) current, and aquaporin channel. The simulated response of astrocyte models under the uniform distribution of high [K(+)]out revealed significant contributions of NKCC and Na,K-ATPase to increases of intracellular K(+) and Cl(-) concentrations, and swelling. Moreover, we found that, under the non-uniform distribution of high [K(+)]out, KIR channels localized at synaptic clefts absorbed excess K(+) by depolarizing the equivalent potential of K(+) (E K) above membrane potential, while K(+) released through perivascular KIR channels was enhanced by hyperpolarizing E K and depolarizing membrane potential. Further analysis of simulated drug effects revealed that astrocyte swelling was modulated by blocking each of the ion channels and transporters. Our simulation analysis revealed controversial mechanisms of astrocytic K(+) clearance and swelling resulting from complex interactions among ion channels and transporters.

Dramatic response to climate change in the Southwest: Robert Whittaker's 1963 Arizona Mountain plant transect revisited

PubMed Central

Brusca, Richard C; Wiens, John F; Meyer, Wallace M; Eble, Jeff; Franklin, Kim; Overpeck, Jonathan T; Moore, Wendy

2013-01-01

Models analyzing how Southwestern plant communities will respond to climate change predict that increases in temperature will lead to upward elevational shifts of montane species. We tested this hypothesis by reexamining Robert Whittaker's 1963 plant transect in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona, finding that this process is already well underway. Our survey, five decades after Whittaker's, reveals large changes in the elevational ranges of common montane plants, while mean annual rainfall has decreased over the past 20 years, and mean annual temperatures increased 0.25°C/decade from 1949 to 2011 in the Tucson Basin. Although elevational changes in species are individualistic, significant overall upward movement of the lower elevation boundaries, and elevational range contractions, have occurred. This is the first documentation of significant upward shifts of lower elevation range boundaries in Southwestern montane plant species over decadal time, confirming that previous hypotheses are correct in their prediction that mountain communities in the Southwest will be strongly impacted by warming, and that the Southwest is already experiencing a rapid vegetation change. PMID:24223270

Managing in-hospital quality improvement: An importance-performance analysis to set priorities for ST-elevation myocardial infarction care.

PubMed

Aeyels, Daan; Seys, Deborah; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2018-02-01

A focus on specific priorities increases the success rate of quality improvement efforts for broad and complex-care processes. Importance-performance analysis presents a possible approach to set priorities around which to design and implement effective quality improvement initiatives. Persistent variation in hospital performance makes ST-elevation myocardial infarction care relevant to consider for importance-performance analysis. The purpose of this study was to identify quality improvement priorities in ST-elevation myocardial infarction care. Importance and performance levels of ST-elevation myocardial infarction key interventions were combined in an importance-performance analysis. Content validity indexes on 23 ST-elevation myocardial infarction key interventions of a multidisciplinary RAND Delphi Survey defined importance levels. Structured review of 300 patient records in 15 acute hospitals determined performance levels. The significance of between-hospital variation was determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test. A performance heat-map allowed for hospital-specific priority setting. Seven key interventions were each rated as an overall improvement priority. Priority key interventions related to risk assessment, timely reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention and secondary prevention. Between-hospital performance varied significantly for the majority of key interventions. The type and number of priorities varied strongly across hospitals. Guideline adherence in ST-elevation myocardial infarction care is low and improvement priorities vary between hospitals. Importance-performance analysis helps clinicians and management in demarcation of the nature, number and order of improvement priorities. By offering a tailored improvement focus, this methodology makes improvement efforts more specific and achievable.

Autopsy case of the C12orf65 mutation in a patient with signs of mitochondrial dysfunction

PubMed Central

Nishihara, Hideaki; Omoto, Masatoshi; Takao, Masaki; Higuchi, Yujiro; Koga, Michiaki; Kawai, Motoharu; Kawano, Hiroo; Ikeda, Eiji; Takashima, Hiroshi

2017-01-01

Objective: To describe the autopsy case of a patient with a homozygous 2-base deletion, c171_172delGA (p.N58fs), in the C12orf65 gene. Methods: We described the clinical history, neuroimaging data, neuropathology, and genetic analysis of the patients with C12orf65 mutations. Results: The patient was a Japanese woman with a history of delayed psychomotor development, primary amenorrhea, and gait disturbance in her 20s. She was hospitalized because of respiratory failure at the age of 60. Pectus excavatum, long fingers and toes, and pes cavus were revealed by physical examination. Her IQ score was 44. Neurologic examination revealed ophthalmoplegia, optic atrophy, dysphagia, distal dominant muscle weakness and atrophy, hyperreflexia at patellar tendon reflex, hyporeflexia at Achilles tendon reflex, and extensor plantar reflexes. At age 60, she died of pneumonia. Lactate levels were elevated in the patient's serum and CSF. T2-weighted brain MRI showed symmetrical hyperintense brainstem lesions. At autopsy, axial sections exposed symmetrical cyst formation with brownish lesions in the upper spinal cord, ventral medulla, pons, dorsal midbrain, and medial hypothalamus. Microscopic analysis of these areas demonstrated mild gliosis with rarefaction. Cell bodies in the choroid plexuses were eosinophilic and swollen. Electron microscopic examination revealed that these cells contained numerous abnormal mitochondria. Whole-exome sequencing revealed the 2-base deletion in C12orf65. Conclusions: We report an autopsy case of the C12orf65 mutation, and findings suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction may underlie the unique clinical presentations. PMID:28804760

The function of oxytocin: a potential biomarker for prostate cancer diagnosis and promoter of prostate cancer.

PubMed

Xu, Huan; Fu, Shi; Chen, Qi; Gu, Meng; Zhou, Juan; Liu, Chong; Chen, Yanbo; Wang, Zhong

2017-05-09

To measure the level of oxytocin in serum and prostate cancer (PCa) tissue and study its effect on the proliferation of PCa cells. Oxytocin level in serum was significantly increased in PCa patients compared with the no-carcinoma individuals. Additionally, the levels of oxytocin and its receptor were also elevated in the PCa tissue. However, no significant difference existed among the PCa of various Gleason grades. Western blot analysis confirmed the previous results and revealed an increased expression level of APPL1. The level of oxytocin in serum was measured by ELISA analysis. The expression of oxytocin and its receptor in prostate was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The proliferation and apoptosis of PCa cells were assessed by the Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) assay, cell cycle analysis and caspase3 activity analysis, respectively. Western blot analysis was used for the detection of PCNA, Caspase3 and APPL1 protein levels. Serum and prostatic oxytocin levels are increased in the PCa subjects. Serum oxytocin level may be a biomarker for PCa in the future. Oxytocin increases PCa growth and APPL1 expression.

[Analysis of the binding capacity of the benzodiazepine site of gabaa receptor in mice C57BL/6 and BALB/C pretreated with anxiolytics].

PubMed

Iarkova, M A

2011-01-01

The level of specific 3H-flunitrazepam binding in synaptosomal membranes of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice brain underwent to the stress of different types has been studied. Mild stress (Elevated Plus Maze) was shown to induce the decrease of benzodiazepine binding in BALB/c mice only, while the strong one (Exposure to a predator) was revealed to cause this decrease in both strains. Behavioral effects of different non-benzodiazepine drugs possessing anxiolytic properties (Afobazol, Ladasten and Noopept) was accompanied with the normalization of the level of benzodiazepine reception, reduced by the stress of both modalities.

Data mining analysis of factors influencing children's blood pressure in a nation-wide health survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasiewicz, Piotr; Kulaga, Zbigniew; Litwin, Mieczyslaw

2009-06-01

Blood pressure in childhood and adolescents is important indicator of good health and strong predictor of BP in adulthood. Genetic susceptibility, environmental and socioeconomic factors are related both with life style, obesity and cardiovascular risk including elevated BP. Increased body mass index is strictly correlated with BP, and obesity and overweight is main intermediate phenotype of childhood hypertension. However, despite current obesity epidemic available data do not fully support the hypothesis that it has resulted in increase of BP in children. We analysed data obtained from 7591 children participating in nation-wide health survey using data mining methodology. Results reveal relationships of obesity and high blood pressure with school environment characteristics.

Energy and glucose pathways in thiamine deficient primary rat brain microvascular endothelial cells.

PubMed

Ham, D; Karska-Wysocki, B

2005-12-01

Thiamine deficiency (TD) results in lactate acidosis, which is associated with neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate this alteration in primary rat brain endothelia. Spectrophotometric analysis of culture media revealed that only a higher concentration of pyrithiamine, which accelerates the intracellular blocking of thiamine, significantly elevated the lactate level and lactate dehydrogenase activity within 7 days. The medium without pyrithiamine and with a thiamine concentration comparable to pathophysiological plasma levels mildly reduced only the activity of transketolase. This suggests that significant metabolic changes may not occur at the early phase of TD in cerebral capillary cells, while anaerobic glycolysis in capillaries may be mediated during late stage/chronic TD.

Increased incidence and disparity of diagnosis of retinoblastoma patients in Guatemala

PubMed Central

Bendfeldt, Giovana; Lou, Hong; Giron, Veronica; Garrido, Claudia; Valverde, Patricia; Barnoya, Margarita; Castellanos, Mauricio

2014-01-01

Analysis of 327 consecutive cases at a pediatric referral hospital of Guatemala reveals that retinoblastoma accounts for 9.4% of all cancers and the estimated incidence is 7.0 cases/million children, higher than the United States or Europe. The number of familial cases is low, and there is a striking disparity in indigenous children due to late diagnosis, advanced disease, rapid progression and elevated mortality. Nine germline mutations in 18 patients were found; two known and five new mutations. Hypermethylation of RB1 was identified in 13% of the tumors. An early diagnosis program could identify cases at an earlier age and improve outcome of retinoblastoma in this diverse population. PMID:24814393

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria in an African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris).

PubMed

Wolff, Carlos; Corradini, Paulina; Cortés, Galaxia

2005-06-01

A 6-mo-old, male African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) presented with a history of pink urine and demonstrating pink-colored teeth and mild hepatomegaly on examination. Urinalysis revealed no physical, chemical, or cellular abnormalities other than a pink color and fluorescence under ultraviolet light (UV). Also under UV, intense fluorescence of teeth, feet, and spines was noted. Porphyria was suspected. Spectrophotometric evaluation of urine showed extremely elevated levels of copro- and uroporphyrins. Analysis of the urine by thin-layer chromatography showed an abnormal pattern of excreted porphyrin intermediates. Urine high-performance thin-layer chromatography showed that excreted porphyrins were 90-95% of the type-I isomeric form, suggestive of congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

From inequity to burnout: the role of job stress.

PubMed

Taris, T W; Peeters, M C; Le Blanc, P M; Schreurs, P J; Schaufeli, W B

2001-10-01

This research examined burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment) among 2 samples of Dutch teachers as a function of inequity and experienced job stress in 3 different exchange relationships (with students, colleagues, and the school). It was hypothesized that inequity would be linked to burnout through the stress resulting from this inequity. Analysis of a cross-sectional sample (N = 271) revealed that this was indeed the case. Findings were replicated longitudinally using an independent sample of 940 teachers. It is concluded that the often-reported effect of inequity on burnout can partly be interpreted in terms of elevated levels of job stress. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Postzygotic HRAS mutation causing both keratinocytic epidermal nevus and thymoma and associated with bone dysplasia and hypophosphatemia due to elevated FGF23.

PubMed

Avitan-Hersh, Emily; Tatur, Sameh; Indelman, Margarita; Gepstein, Vardit; Shreter, Roni; Hershkovitz, Dov; Brick, Riva; Bergman, Reuven; Tiosano, Dov

2014-01-01

Epidermal nevus syndrome is a rare group of disorders characterized by the combination of congenital epidermal nevi and extracutaneous features, including skeletal, neurological, ocular, and other systemic findings. We report a case of keratinocytic epidermal nevus syndrome that includes a thymoma, bone dysplasia, and hypophosphatemia with elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels associated with postzygotic HRAS mutation. A 14-year-old boy was admitted due to recent limping. The physical examination revealed multiple right-sided linear epidermal nevi along Blaschko's lines. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cystic lesions in cervical bones and thymoma, and x-ray examination showed cystic lesions in the hands. Biochemical studies demonstrated severe hypophosphatemia, normocalcemia, high normal PTH, low 25-hydroxyvitamin D and low 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. The serum FGF23 C-terminal level was normal, but the intact FGF23 level was found to be elevated. Genetic evaluation revealed a heterozygote mutation in the HRAS gene in both the keratinocytic epidermal nevus and thymoma but not in DNA extracted from blood lymphocytes, thus establishing the mutation as postzygotic. Postzygotic mutations in HRAS lead to elevation of FGF23 levels, as found in mutated PHEX, FGF23, DMP1, and ENPP1 genes, which lead to hypophosphatemia. An identical postzygotic HRAS mutation was shown to be present in both keratinocytic epidermal nevus and thymoma and to be associated with bone lesions and hypophosphatemia due to elevated FGF23 levels. These may all be related to the HRAS mutation.

Advanced Running Performance by Genetic Predisposition in Male Dummerstorf Marathon Mice (DUhTP) Reveals Higher Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein (SREBP) Related mRNA Expression in the Liver and Higher Serum Levels of Progesterone

PubMed Central

Brenmoehl, Julia; Walz, Christina; Ponsuksili, Siriluck; Schwerin, Manfred; Fuellen, Georg; Hoeflich, Andreas

2016-01-01

Long-term-selected DUhTP mice represent a non-inbred model for inborn physical high-performance without previous training. Abundance of hepatic mRNA in 70-day male DUhTP and control mice was analyzed using the Affymetrix mouse array 430A 2.0. Differential expression analysis with PLIER corrected data was performed using AltAnalyze. Searching for over-representation in biochemical pathways revealed cholesterol metabolism being most prominently affected in DUhTP compared to unselected control mice. Furthermore, pathway analysis by AltAnalyze plus PathVisio indicated significant induction of glycolysis, fatty acid synthesis and cholesterol biosynthesis in the liver of DUhTP mice versus unselected control mice. In contrast, gluconeogenesis was partially inactivated as judged from the analysis of hepatic mRNA transcript abundance in DUhTP mice. Analysis of mRNA transcripts related to steroid hormone metabolism inferred elevated synthesis of progesterone and reduced levels of sex steroids. Abundance of steroid delta isomerase-5 mRNA (Hsd3b5, FC 4.97) was increased and steroid 17-alpha-monooxygenase mRNA (Cyp17a1, FC -11.6) was massively diminished in the liver of DUhTP mice. Assessment of steroid profiles by LC-MS revealed increased levels of progesterone and decreased levels of sex steroids in serum from DUhTP mice versus controls. Analysis of hepatic mRNA transcript abundance indicates that sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) may play a major role in metabolic pathway activation in the marathon mouse model DUhTP. Thus, results from bioinformatics modeling of hepatic mRNA transcript abundance correlated with direct steroid analysis by mass spectrometry and further indicated functions of SREBP-1 and steroid hormones for endurance performance in DUhTP mice. PMID:26799318

An Extended ADOP for Performance Evaluation of Single-Frequency Single-Epoch Positioning by BDS/GPS in Asia-Pacific Region

PubMed Central

Liu, Xin; Zhang, Shubi; Zhang, Qiuzhao; Yang, Wei

2017-01-01

Single-Frequency Single-Epoch (SFSE) high-precision positioning has always been the hot spot of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and ambiguity dilution of precision (ADOP) is a well-known scalar measure for success rate of ambiguity resolution. Traditional ADOP expression is complicated, thus the SFSE extended ADOP (E-ADOP), with the newly defined Summation-Multiplication Ratio of Weight (SMRW) and two theorems for short baseline, was developed. This simplifies the ADOP expression; gives a clearer insight into the influences of SMRW and number of satellites on E-ADOP; and makes theoretical analysis of E-ADOP more convenient than that of ADOP, and through that the E-ADOP value can be predicted more accurately than through the ADOP expression for ADOP value. E-ADOP reveals that number of satellites and SMRW or high-elevation satellite are important for ADOP and, through E-ADOP, we studied which factor is dominant to control ADOP in different conditions and make ADOP different between BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), Global Positioning System (GPS), and BDS/GPS. Based on experimental results of SFSE positioning with different baselines, some conclusions are made: (1) ADOP decreases when new satellites are added mainly because the number of satellites becomes larger; (2) when the number of satellites is constant, ADOP is mainly affected by SMRW; (3) in contrast to systems where the satellites with low-elevation are the majority or where low- and high-elevation satellites are equally distributed, in systems where the high-elevation satellites are the majority, the SMRW mainly makes ADOP smaller, even if there are fewer satellites than in the two previous cases, and the difference in numbers of satellites can be expanded as the proportion of high-elevation satellites becomes larger; and (4) ADOP of BDS is smaller than ADOP of GPS mainly because of its SMRW. PMID:28973977

CYP2E1-dependent elevation of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and hepatic bile acids by isoniazid

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

Cheng, Jie; Krausz, Kristopher W.; Li, Feng

Isoniazid is the first-line medication in the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis. Isoniazid is known to have a biphasic effect on the inhibition–induction of CYP2E1 and is also considered to be involved in isoniazid-induced hepatotoxicity. However, the full extent and mechanism of involvement of CYP2E1 in isoniazid-induced hepatotoxicity remain to be thoroughly investigated. In the current study, isoniazid was administered to wild-type and Cyp2e1-null mice to investigate the potential toxicity of isoniazid in vivo. The results revealed that isoniazid caused no hepatotoxicity in wild-type and Cyp2e1-null mice, but produced elevated serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and hepatic bile acids in wild-typemore » mice, as well as decreased abundance of free fatty acids in wild-type mice and not in Cyp2e1-null mice. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that production of isoniazid metabolites was elevated in wild-type mice along with a higher abundance of bile acids, bile acid metabolites, carnitine and carnitine derivatives; these were not observed in Cyp2e1-null mice. In addition, the enzymes responsible for bile acid synthesis were decreased and proteins involved in bile acid transport were significantly increased in wild-type mice. Lastly, treatment of targeted isoniazid metabolites to wild-type mice led to similar changes in cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids. These findings suggest that while CYP2E1 is not involved in isoniazid-induced hepatotoxicity, while an isoniazid metabolite might play a role in isoniazid-induced cholestasis through enhancement of bile acid accumulation and mitochondria β-oxidation. -- Highlights: ► Isoniazid metabolites were elevated only in wild-type mice. ► Isoniazid caused no hepatotoxicity in wild-type and Cyp2e1-null mice. ► Isoniazid elevated serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and hepatic bile acids. ► Bile acid transporters were significantly decreased in isoniazid-treated mice.« less

Topogrid Derived 10 Meter Resolution Digital Elevation Model of the Shenandoah National Park and Surrounding Region, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chirico, Peter G.; Tanner, Seth D.

2004-01-01

Explanation The purpose of developing a new 10m resolution DEM of the Shenandoah National Park Region was to more accurately depict geologic structure, surfical geology, and landforms of the Shenandoah National Park Region in preparation for automated landform classification. Previously, only a 30m resolution DEM was available through the National Elevation Dataset (NED). During production of the Shenandoah10m DEM of the Park the Geography Discipline of the USGS completed a revised 10m DEM to be included into the NED. However, different methodologies were used to produce the two similar DEMs. The ANUDEM algorithm was used to develop the Shenadoah DEM data. This algorithm allows for the inclusion of contours, streams, rivers, lake and water body polygons as well as spot height data to control the elevation model. A statistical analysis using over 800 National Geodetic Survey (NGS) first and second order vertical control points reveals that the Shenandoah10m DEM, produced as a part of the Appalachian Blue Ridge Landscape project, has a vertical accuracy of ?4.87 meters. The metadata for the 10m NED data reports a vertical accuracy of ?7m. A table listing the NGS control points, the elevation comparison, and the RMSE for the Shenandoah10m DEM is provided. The process of automated terrain classification involves developing statistical signatures from the DEM for each type of surficial deposit and landform type. The signature will be a measure of several characteristics derived from the elevation data including slope, aspect, planform curvature, and profile curvature. The quality of the DEM is of critical importance when extracting terrain signatures. The highest possible horizontal and vertical accuracy is required. The more accurate Shenandoah 10m DEM can now be analyzed and integrated with the geologic observations to yield statistical correlations between the two in the development of landform and surface geology mapping projects.

The sweet side of global change-dynamic responses of non-structural carbohydrates to drought, elevated CO2 and nitrogen fertilization in tree species.

PubMed

Li, Weibin; Hartmann, Henrik; Adams, Henry D; Zhang, Hongxia; Jin, Changjie; Zhao, Chuanyan; Guan, Dexin; Wang, Anzhi; Yuan, Fenghui; Wu, Jiabing

2018-06-11

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) play a central role in plant functioning as energy carriers and building blocks for primary and secondary metabolism. Many studies have investigated how environmental and anthropogenic changes, like increasingly frequent and severe drought episodes, elevated CO2 and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, influence NSC concentrations in individual trees. However, this wealth of data has not been analyzed yet to identify general trends using a common statistical framework. A thorough understanding of tree responses to global change is required for making realistic predictions of vegetation dynamics. Here we compiled data from 57 experimental studies on 71 tree species and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate general responses of stored soluble sugars, starch and total NSC (soluble sugars + starch) concentrations in different tree organs (foliage, above-ground wood and roots) to drought, elevated CO2 and N deposition. We found that drought significantly decreased total NSC in roots (-17.3%), but not in foliage and above-ground woody tissues (bole, branch, stem and/or twig). Elevated CO2 significantly increased total NSC in foliage (+26.2%) and roots (+12.8%), but not in above-ground wood. By contrast, total NSC significantly decreased in roots (-17.9%), increased in above-ground wood (+6.1%), but was unaffected in foliage from N fertilization. In addition, the response of NSC to three global change drivers was strongly affected by tree taxonomic type, leaf habit, tree age and treatment intensity. Our results pave the way for a better understanding of general tree function responses to drought, elevated CO2 and N fertilization. The existing data also reveal that more long-term studies on mature trees that allow testing interactions between these factors are urgently needed to provide a basis for forecasting tree responses to environmental change at the global scale.

Thyroid function tests in patients taking thyroid medication in Germany: Results from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).

PubMed

Hannemann, Anke; Friedrich, Nele; Haring, Robin; Krebs, Alexander; Völzke, Henry; Alte, Dietrich; Nauck, Matthias; Kohlmann, Thomas; Schober, Hans-Christof; Hoffmann, Wolfgang; Wallaschofski, Henri

2010-08-16

Studies from iodine-sufficient areas have shown that a high proportion of patients taking medication for thyroid diseases have thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels outside the reference range. Next to patient compliance, inadequate dosing adjustment resulting in under- and over-treatment of thyroid disease is a major cause of poor therapy outcomes. Using thyroid function tests, we aim to measure the proportions of subjects, who are under- or over-treated with thyroid medication in a previously iodine-deficient area. Data from 266 subjects participating in the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were analysed. All subjects were taking thyroid medication. Serum TSH levels were measured using immunochemiluminescent procedures. TSH levels of < 0.27 or > 2.15 mIU/L in subjects younger than 50 years and < 0.19 or > 2.09 mIU/L in subjects 50 years and older, were defined as decreased or elevated, according to the established reference range for the specific study area. Our analysis revealed that 56 of 190 (29.5%) subjects treated with thyroxine had TSH levels outside the reference range (10.0% elevated, 19.5% decreased). Of the 31 subjects taking antithyroid drugs, 12 (38.7%) had TSH levels outside the reference range (9.7% elevated, 29.0% decreased). These proportions were lower in the 45 subjects receiving iodine supplementation (2.2% elevated, 8.9% decreased). Among the 3,974 SHIP participants not taking thyroid medication, TSH levels outside the reference range (2.8% elevated, 5.9% decreased) were less frequent. In concordance with previous studies in iodine-sufficient areas, our results indicate that a considerable number of patients taking thyroid medication are either under- or over-treated. Improved monitoring of these patients' TSH levels, compared to the local reference range, is recommended.

Evidence for sustained elevation of IL-6 in the CNS as a key contributor of depressive-like phenotypes

PubMed Central

Sukoff Rizzo, S J; Neal, S J; Hughes, Z A; Beyna, M; Rosenzweig-Lipson, S; Moss, S J; Brandon, N J

2012-01-01

There is compelling clinical literature implicating a role for cytokines in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) are pleiotropic inflammatory cytokines that have been reported to be elevated in patients with MDD. The present studies were undertaken to investigate the relationship between IL-6 and IL-1β in animal models of depressive-like behavior. Analysis of brain tissue homogenates in the cortex of rats subjected to chronic stress paradigms revealed elevated levels of IL-6 protein in the absence of elevations in IL-1β. Central administration of recombinant mouse IL-6 produced depressive-like phenotypes in mice, which were not accompanied by IL-1β-induced increases in the brain tissue or IL-1β-related sickness behavior typical of a general central nervous system inflammatory response. Systemic administration of fluoxetine in the presence of centrally administered IL-6 failed to produce the expected antidepressant-like response in mice relative to sham-infused controls. Further, administration of fluoxetine to mice with endogenous overexpression of brain IL-6 (MRL/MpJ-FasLPR/LPR (LPR mice)) failed to produce the expected antidepressant-like effect relative to fluoxetine-treated control mice (MRL/MpJ+/+). Interestingly, blockade of IL-6 trans-signaling by coadministration of a gp130/Fc monomer or an anti-mouse IL-6 antibody with IL-6 prevented the IL-6-induced increases in immobility time as well as attenuated IL-6-induced increases of protein in the cortex. Taken together, these data indicate that elevations in IL-6 may have a pathophysiological role underlying depression and more specifically resistance to current classes of antidepressant medications and suggest that modulation of the IL-6 signaling pathway may have therapeutic potential for treatment-resistant depression. PMID:23212583

Sinus Floor Elevation and Augmentation Using Synthetic Nanocrystalline and Nanoporous Hydroxyapatite Bone Substitute Materials: Preliminary Histologic Results.

PubMed

Belouka, Sofia-Maria; Strietzel, Frank Peter

To compare the tissue composition of augmented sites after using two different synthetic bone substitute materials, nanocrystalline and nanoporous hydroxyapatite (HA), for sinus floor elevation and augmentation. Forty-four patients received 88 titanium screw implants (Camlog Promote plus) of 4.3-mm diameter and 11- or 13-mm length, placed simultaneously during sinus floor elevation and augmentation. Nanocrystalline (Ostim) or nanoporous (NanoBone) HA were used exclusively. Bone substitute materials and implant lengths were allocated by randomization. Bone biopsy specimens were obtained from the former area of the lateral access window at implant exposure during healing abutment placement after 6 months. Biopsy specimens were prepared and examined histologically and histomorphometrically. All implants were osseointegrated at the time of exposure. Clinically and histologically, no signs of inflammation in the augmented sites were present. The histomorphometric analysis of 44 biopsy specimens revealed 31.8% ± 11.6% newly formed bone for sites augmented with nanocrystalline HA and 34.6% ± 9.2% for nanoporous HA (P = .467). The proportion of remaining bone substitute material was 28.4% ± 18.6% and 30% ± 13%, respectively (P = .453). The proportion of soft tissue within the biopsy specimens was 39.9% ± 11.1% and 35.4% ± 6.8%, respectively (P = .064). No significant differences were found between the area fractions of bone, bone substitute material, and soft tissue concerning the bone substitute material utilized. Within the present study, both synthetic bone substitute materials, nanocrystalline and nanoporous HA, were found to support bone formation in sinus floor elevation and augmentation procedures by osteoconductivity. They were not completely resorbed after 6 months. The amounts of newly formed bone, soft tissue, and bone substitute material remnants were found to be similar, indicating that both materials are likewise suitable for sinus floor elevation and augmentation procedures.

Evolution of Subaerial Coastal Fluvial Delta Island Topography into Multiple Stable States Under Influence of Vegetation and Stochastic Hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moffett, K. B.; Smith, B. C.; O'Connor, M.; Mohrig, D. C.

2014-12-01

Coastal fluvial delta morphodynamics are prominently controlled by external fluvial sediment and water supplies; however, internal sediment-water-vegetation feedbacks are now being proposed as potentially equally significant in organizing and maintaining the progradation and aggradation of such systems. The time scales of fluvial and climate influences on these feedbacks, and of their responses, are also open questions. Historical remote sensing study of the Wax Lake Delta model system (Louisiana, USA) revealed trends in the evolution of the subaerial island surfaces from a non-systematic arrangement of elevations to a discrete set of levees and intra-island platforms with distinct vegetation types, designated as high marsh, low marsh, and mudflat habitat. We propose that this elevation zonation is consistent with multiple stable state theory, e.g. as applied to tidal salt marsh systems but not previously to deltas. According to zonally-distributed sediment core analyses, differentiation of island elevations was not due to organic matter accumulation as in salt marshes, but rather by differential mineral sediment accumulation with some organic contributions. Mineral sediment accumulation rates suggested that elevation growth was accelerating or holding steady over time, at least to date in this young delta, in contrast to theory suggesting rates should slow as elevation increases above mean water level. Hydrological analysis of island flooding suggested a prominent role of stochastic local storm events in raising island water levels and supplying mineral sediment to the subaerial island surfaces at short time scales; over longer time scales, the relative influences of local storms and inland/regional floods on the coupled sediment-water-vegetation system of the subaerial delta island surfaces remain the subject of ongoing study. These results help provide an empirical foundation for the next generation of coupled sediment-water-vegetation modeling and theory.

Plant population differentiation and climate change: responses of grassland species along an elevational gradient.

PubMed

Frei, Esther R; Ghazoul, Jaboury; Matter, Philippe; Heggli, Martin; Pluess, Andrea R

2014-02-01

Mountain ecosystems are particularly susceptible to climate change. Characterizing intraspecific variation of alpine plants along elevational gradients is crucial for estimating their vulnerability to predicted changes. Environmental conditions vary with elevation, which might influence plastic responses and affect selection pressures that lead to local adaptation. Thus, local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity among low and high elevation plant populations in response to climate, soil and other factors associated with elevational gradients might underlie different responses of these populations to climate warming. Using a transplant experiment along an elevational gradient, we investigated reproductive phenology, growth and reproduction of the nutrient-poor grassland species Ranunculus bulbosus, Trifolium montanum and Briza media. Seeds were collected from low and high elevation source populations across the Swiss Alps and grown in nine common gardens at three different elevations with two different soil depths. Despite genetic differentiation in some traits, the results revealed no indication of local adaptation to the elevation of population origin. Reproductive phenology was advanced at lower elevation in low and high elevation populations of all three species. Growth and reproduction of T. montanum and B. media were hardly affected by garden elevation and soil depth. In R. bulbosus, however, growth decreased and reproductive investment increased at higher elevation. Furthermore, soil depth influenced growth and reproduction of low elevation R. bulbosus populations. We found no evidence for local adaptation to elevation of origin and hardly any differences in the responses of low and high elevation populations. However, the consistent advanced reproductive phenology observed in all three species shows that they have the potential to plastically respond to environmental variation. We conclude that populations might not be forced to migrate to higher elevations as a consequence of climate warming, as plasticity will buffer the detrimental effects of climate change in the three investigated nutrient-poor grassland species. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is the boundary layer of an ionic liquid equally lubricating at higher temperature?

PubMed

Hjalmarsson, Nicklas; Atkin, Rob; Rutland, Mark W

2016-04-07

Atomic force microscopy has been used to study the effect of temperature on normal forces and friction for the room temperature ionic liquid (IL) ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), confined between mica and a silica colloid probe at 25 °C, 50 °C, and 80 °C. Force curves revealed a strong fluid dynamic influence at room temperature, which was greatly reduced at elevated temperatures due to the reduced liquid viscosity. A fluid dynamic analysis reveals that bulk viscosity is manifested at large separation but that EAN displays a nonzero slip, indicating a region of different viscosity near the surface. At high temperatures, the reduction in fluid dynamic force reveals step-like force curves, similar to those found at room temperature using much lower scan rates. The ionic liquid boundary layer remains adsorbed to the solid surface even at high temperature, which provides a mechanism for lubrication when fluid dynamic lubrication is strongly reduced. The friction data reveals a decrease in absolute friction force with increasing temperature, which is associated with increased thermal motion and reduced viscosity of the near surface layers but, consistent with the normal force data, boundary layer lubrication was unaffected. The implications for ILs as lubricants are discussed in terms of the behaviour of this well characterised system.

Localization of the delta opioid receptor and corticotropin-releasing factor in the amygdalar complex: role in anxiety

PubMed Central

Reyes, B. A. S.; Kravets, J. L.; Connelly, K. L.; Unterwald, E. M.; Van Bockstaele, E. J.

2016-01-01

It is well established that central nervous system norepinephrine (NE) and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) systems are important mediators of behavioral responses to stressors. More recent studies have defined a role for delta opioid receptors (DOPR) in maintaining emotional valence including anxiety. The amygdala plays an important role in processing emotional stimuli, and has been implicated in the development of anxiety disorders. Activation of DOPR or inhibition of CRF in the amygdala reduces baseline and stress-induced anxiety-like responses. It is not known whether CRF- and DOPR-containing amygdalar neurons interact or whether they are regulated by NE afferents. Therefore, the present study sought to better define interactions between the CRF, DOPR and NE systems in the basolateral (BLA) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of the male rat using anatomical and functional approaches. Irrespective of the amygdalar subregion, dual immunofluorescence microscopy showed that DOPR was present in CRF-containing neurons. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that DOPR was localized to both dendritic processes and axon terminals in the BLA and CeA. Semi-quantitative dual immunoelectron microscopy analysis of gold-silver labeling for DOPR and immunoperoxidase labeling for CRF revealed that 55% of the CRF neurons analyzed contained DOPR in the BLA while 67% of the CRF neurons analyzed contained DOPR in the CeA. Furthermore, approximately 41% of DOPR-labeled axon terminals targeted BLA neurons that expressed CRF while 29% of DOPR-labeled axon terminals targeted CeA neurons that expressed CRF. Triple label immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that DOPR and CRF were co-localized in common cellular profiles that were in close proximity to NE-containing fibers in both subregions. These anatomical results indicate significant interactions between DOPR and CRF in this critical limbic region and reveal that NE is poised to regulate these peptidergic systems in the amygdala. Functional studies were performed to determine if activation of DOPR could inhibit the anxiety produced by elevation of NE in the amygdala using the pharmacological stressor yohimbine. Administration of the DOPR agonist, SNC80, significantly attenuated elevated anxiogenic behaviors produced by yohimbine as measured in the rat on the elevated zero maze. Taken together, results from this study demonstrate the convergence of three important systems, NE, CRF, and DOPR, in the amygdala and provide insight into their functional role in modulating stress and anxiety responses. PMID:27376372

Localization of the delta opioid receptor and corticotropin-releasing factor in the amygdalar complex: role in anxiety.

PubMed

Reyes, Beverly A S; Kravets, J L; Connelly, K L; Unterwald, E M; Van Bockstaele, E J

2017-03-01

It is well established that central nervous system norepinephrine (NE) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems are important mediators of behavioral responses to stressors. More recent studies have defined a role for delta opioid receptors (DOPR) in maintaining emotional valence including anxiety. The amygdala plays an important role in processing emotional stimuli, and has been implicated in the development of anxiety disorders. Activation of DOPR or inhibition of CRF in the amygdala reduces baseline and stress-induced anxiety-like responses. It is not known whether CRF- and DOPR-containing amygdalar neurons interact or whether they are regulated by NE afferents. Therefore, this study sought to better define interactions between the CRF, DOPR and NE systems in the basolateral (BLA) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of the male rat using anatomical and functional approaches. Irrespective of the amygdalar subregion, dual immunofluorescence microscopy showed that DOPR was present in CRF-containing neurons. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that DOPR was localized to both dendritic processes and axon terminals in the BLA and CeA. Semi-quantitative dual immunoelectron microscopy analysis of gold-silver labeling for DOPR and immunoperoxidase labeling for CRF revealed that 55 % of the CRF neurons analyzed contained DOPR in the BLA while 67 % of the CRF neurons analyzed contained DOPR in the CeA. Furthermore, approximately 41 % of DOPR-labeled axon terminals targeted BLA neurons that expressed CRF while 29 % of DOPR-labeled axon terminals targeted CeA neurons that expressed CRF. Triple label immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that DOPR and CRF were co-localized in common cellular profiles that were in close proximity to NE-containing fibers in both subregions. These anatomical results indicate significant interactions between DOPR and CRF in this critical limbic region and reveal that NE is poised to regulate these peptidergic systems in the amygdala. Functional studies were performed to determine if activation of DOPR could inhibit the anxiety produced by elevation of NE in the amygdala using the pharmacological stressor yohimbine. Administration of the DOPR agonist, SNC80, significantly attenuated elevated anxiogenic behaviors produced by yohimbine as measured in the rat on the elevated zero maze. Taken together, results from this study demonstrate the convergence of three important systems, NE, CRF, and DOPR, in the amygdala and provide insight into their functional role in modulating stress and anxiety responses.

Modulation of invasive phenotype by interstitial pressure-driven convection in aggregates of human breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Tien, Joe; Truslow, James G; Nelson, Celeste M

2012-01-01

This paper reports the effect of elevated pressure on the invasive phenotype of patterned three-dimensional (3D) aggregates of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. We found that the directionality of the interstitial pressure profile altered the frequency of invasion by cells located at the surface of an aggregate. In particular, application of pressure at one end of an aggregate suppressed invasion at the opposite end. Experimental alteration of the configuration of cell aggregates and computational modeling of the resulting flow and solute concentration profiles revealed that elevated pressure inhibited invasion by altering the chemical composition of the interstitial fluid near the surface of the aggregate. Our data reveal a link between hydrostatic pressure, interstitial convection, and invasion.

Fish allergy causing angioedema and secondary angle-closure glaucoma.

PubMed

Calder, Donovan; Calder, Jennifer

2013-03-06

A 56-year-old woman with a history of primary angle-closure glaucoma presented with acute generalised swelling, and facial angioedema following a fish meal. She complained of nausea, vomiting, headache, pain in both eyes and acute loss of vision. Her visual acuity was reduced and intraocular pressures (IOP) were elevated. Gonioscopy revealed complete angle closure in the left eye and complete to partial closure in the right eye. Through existing peripheral iridotomies the anterior capsules were seen pressed up against the iris of both eyes. A diagnosis of angle-closure glaucoma was made, medications were started to reduce the elevated intraocular pressure and systemic antihistamine to counter the allergic reaction. She was hospitalised for further management. A follow-up at 2 years revealed her visual acuities and IOP had remained normal.

Impact of elevated nitrate on sulfate-reducing bacteria: A comparative study of Desulfovibrio vulgaris

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

He, Q.; He, Z.; Joyner, D.C.

2010-07-15

Sulfate-reducing bacteria have been extensively studied for their potential in heavy-metal bioremediation. However, the occurrence of elevated nitrate in contaminated environments has been shown to inhibit sulfate reduction activity. Although the inhibition has been suggested to result from the competition with nitrate-reducing bacteria, the possibility of direct inhibition of sulfate reducers by elevated nitrate needs to be explored. Using Desulfovibrio vulgaris as a model sulfate-reducing bacterium, functional genomics analysis reveals that osmotic stress contributed to growth inhibition by nitrate as shown by the upregulation of the glycine/betaine transporter genes and the relief of nitrate inhibition by osmoprotectants. The observation thatmore » significant growth inhibition was effected by 70 mM NaNO{sub 3} but not by 70 mM NaCl suggests the presence of inhibitory mechanisms in addition to osmotic stress. The differential expression of genes characteristic of nitrite stress responses, such as the hybrid cluster protein gene, under nitrate stress condition further indicates that nitrate stress response by D. vulgaris was linked to components of both osmotic and nitrite stress responses. The involvement of the oxidative stress response pathway, however, might be the result of a more general stress response. Given the low similarities between the response profiles to nitrate and other stresses, less-defined stress response pathways could also be important in nitrate stress, which might involve the shift in energy metabolism. The involvement of nitrite stress response upon exposure to nitrate may provide detoxification mechanisms for nitrite, which is inhibitory to sulfate-reducing bacteria, produced by microbial nitrate reduction as a metabolic intermediate and may enhance the survival of sulfate-reducing bacteria in environments with elevated nitrate level.« less

Ozone levels in the Spanish Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range are above the thresholds for plant protection: analysis at 2262, 1850, and 995 m a.s.l.

PubMed

Elvira, S; González-Fernández, I; Alonso, R; Sanz, J; Bermejo-Bermejo, V

2016-10-01

The Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range, located at 60 km from Madrid City (Spain), includes high valuable ecosystems following an altitude gradient, some of them protected under the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. The characteristic Mediterranean climatic conditions and the precursors emitted from Madrid favor a high photochemical production of ozone (O 3 ) in the region. However, very little information is available about the patterns and levels of O 3 and other air pollutants in the high elevation areas and their potential effects on vegetation. Ozone levels were monitored at three altitudes (2262, 1850, and 995 m a.s.l.) for at least 3 years within the 2005-2011 period. NO x and SO 2 were also recorded at the highest and lowest altitude sites. Despite the inter-annual and seasonal variations detected in the O 3 concentrations, the study revealed that SG is exposed to a chronic O 3 pollution. The two high elevation sites showed high O 3 levels even in winter and at nighttime, having low correlation with local meteorological variables. At the lower elevation site, O 3 levels were more related with local meteorological and pollution conditions. Ozone concentrations at the three sites exceeded the thresholds for the protection of human health and vegetation according to the European Air Quality Directive (EU/50/2008) and the thresholds for vegetation protection of the CLRTAP. Ozone should be considered as a stress factor for the health of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain ecosystems. Furthermore, since O 3 levels at foothills differ from concentration in high elevation, monitoring stations in mountain ranges should be incorporated in regional air quality monitoring networks.

Tracing the Origins of Coarse Sediment in Steep Mountain Catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukens, C. E.; Riebe, C. S.; Shuster, D. L.; Sklar, L. S.; Beyeler, J. D.

2011-12-01

Where does coarse sediment come from? How long does it persist in channels? What can the origins of sediment tell us about erosional processes and particle comminution in hillslope soils and mountain streams? To address these questions, we present new apatite-helium (AHe) ages from coarse sediment in steep streams of the Sierra Nevada, California. The evolution of grain size in sediment reflects both the physical and chemical breakdown of particles as they travel downstream. It also should reflect the dominant mechanisms of landscape evolution within a watershed. Previous studies have exploited detrital thermochronology in tracing the origins of sand-sized particles; the approach uses AHe age distributions in the sand as a geochemical fingerprint that can be compared with age-elevation relationships in bedrock as an indicator of provenance. In steep catchments, however, sand-sized particles comprise only a fraction of the sediment on the bed, and therefore tell only part of the erosional story. Much can be learned by examining age distributions of coarser grain sizes. Source elevations of coarse particles, for instance, may help reveal the relative importance of erosional mechanisms. For example, if boulders are sourced at high elevations, rock fall and debris flows likely dominate their transport. Conversely, if boulders are sourced only at lower elevations (nearer the sample location), they are more likely produced locally, and thus break down in place. We show how hypotheses such as these can be tested using detrital thermochronology on coarse sediment. We show how our analysis of detrital apatite can be coupled with a numerical model of the evolution of grain-size distributions by particle breakdown and input from slopes. We elaborate on how this approach can shed new quantitative light on processes of sediment production, transport, and breakdown in mountainous settings.

Trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms in older adults: a 6-year prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Holmes, Sophie E; Esterlis, Irina; Mazure, Carolyn M; Lim, Yen Ying; Ames, David; Rainey-Smith, Stephanie; Fowler, Chris; Ellis, Kathryn; Martins, Ralph N; Salvado, Olivier; Doré, Vincent; Villemagne, Victor L; Rowe, Christopher C; Laws, Simon M; Masters, Colin L; Pietrzak, Robert H; Maruff, Paul

2018-02-01

Depressive and anxiety symptoms are common in older adults, significantly affect quality of life, and are risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. We sought to identify the determinants of predominant trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms in cognitively normal older adults. Four hundred twenty-three older adults recruited from the general community underwent Aβ positron emission tomography imaging, apolipoprotein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genotyping, and cognitive testing at baseline and had follow-up assessments. All participants were cognitively normal and free of clinical depression at baseline. Latent growth mixture modeling was used to identify predominant trajectories of subthreshold depressive and anxiety symptoms over 6 years. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify baseline predictors of symptomatic depressive and anxiety trajectories. Latent growth mixture modeling revealed two predominant trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms: a chronically elevated trajectory and a low, stable symptom trajectory, with almost one in five participants falling into the elevated trajectory groups. Male sex (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 3.23), lower attentional function (RRR = 1.90), and carriage of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met allele in women (RRR = 2.70) were associated with increased risk for chronically elevated depressive symptom trajectory. Carriage of the apolipoprotein epsilon 4 allele (RRR = 1.92) and lower executive function in women (RRR = 1.74) were associated with chronically elevated anxiety symptom trajectory. Our results indicate distinct and sex-specific risk factors linked to depressive and anxiety trajectories, which may help inform risk stratification and management of these symptoms in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Increased homocysteine levels impair reference memory and reduce cortical levels of acetylcholine in a mouse model of vascular cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Dam, Kevin; Füchtemeier, Martina; Farr, Tracy D; Boehm-Sturm, Philipp; Foddis, Marco; Dirnagl, Ulrich; Malysheva, Olga; Caudill, Marie A; Jadavji, Nafisa M

2017-03-15

Folates are B-vitamins that are vital for normal brain function. Deficiencies in folates either genetic (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, MTHFR) or dietary intake of folic acid result in elevated levels of homocysteine. Clinical studies have shown that elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcy) may be associated with the development of dementia, however this link remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of increased Hcy levels on a mouse model of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) produced by chronic hypoperfusion. Male and female Mthfr +/+ and Mthfr +/- mice were placed on either control (CD) or folic acid deficient (FADD) diets after which all animals underwent microcoil implantation around each common carotid artery or a sham procedure. Post-operatively animals were tested on the Morris water maze (MWM), y-maze, and rotarod. Animals had no motor impairments on the rotarod, y-maze, and could learn the location of the platform on the MWM. However, on day 8 of testing of MWM testing during the probe trial, Mthfr +/- FADD microcoil mice spent significantly less time in the target quadrant when compared to Mthfr +/- CD sham mice, suggesting impaired reference memory. All FADD mice had elevated levels of plasma homocysteine. MRI analysis revealed arterial remodeling was present in Mthfr +/- microcoil mice not Mthfr +/+ mice. Acetylcholine and related metabolites were reduced in cortical tissue because of microcoil implantation and elevated levels of homocysteine. Deficiencies in folate metabolism resulting in increased Hcy levels yield a metabolic profile that increases susceptibility to neurodegeneration in a mouse model of VCI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blood lead levels among rural Thai children exposed to lead-acid batteries from solar energy conversion systems.

PubMed

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya; Tontiwattanasap, Worawit; Khunyotying, Wanlee; Sanreun, Cherd

2013-11-01

We evaluate blood lead levels among Thai children to determine if exposure to lead-acid batteries is associated with elevated blood lead levels (EBLL). We screened 254 children aged 1-14 years old from 2 rural Thai villages for blood lead levels. We also screened 18 of 92 houses in these 2 villages for the presence of environmental lead. The overall prevalence of EBLL (> or = 10 microg/dl) was 43.3% and the mean lead level among study subjects was 9.8 +/- 5.1 microg/dl. The blood lead levels significantly decreased with increasing age. Fifty point eight percent of children who lived in a house with vented lead-acid batteries had EBLL while 23.3% of children who lived in a house without vented lead-acid batteries had EBLL. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between the presence of vented lead-acid batteries and EBLL, after adjusting for other variables. Forty-two point nine percent of house floor dust samples collected near the batteries had elevated lead levels, 7.1% of house floor dust samples collected from other areas in the house had elevated lead levels and 0% of the house floor dust samples collected in houses without vented lead-acid batteries had elevated lead levels. In the sampled houses with vented lead-acid batteries, lead contamination was found in the drinking-water kept in household containers, but not in the tap water or other village sources of water. Improper care and placement of vented lead-acid batteries can result in lead contamination in the home environment causing EBLL in exposed children.

Bile acids-mediated overexpression of MUC4 via FAK-dependent c-Jun activation in pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Joshi, Suhasini; Cruz, Eric; Rachagani, Satyanarayana; Guha, Sushovan; Brand, Randall E; Ponnusamy, Moorthy P; Kumar, Sushil; Batra, Surinder K

2016-08-01

The majority of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients are clinically presented with obstructive jaundice with elevated levels of circulatory bilirubin and alkaline phosphatases. In the current study, we examined the implications of bile acids (BA), an important component of bile, on the pathophysiology of PC and investigated their mechanistic association in tumor-promoting functions. Integration of results from PC patient samples and autochthonous mouse models showed an elevated levels of BA (p < 0.05) in serum samples compared to healthy controls. Similarly, an elevated BA levels was observed in pancreatic juice derived from PC patients (p < 0.05) than non-pancreatic non-healthy (NPNH) controls, further establishing the clinical association of BA with the pathogenesis of PC. The tumor-promoting functions of BA were established by observed transcriptional upregulation of oncogenic MUC4 expression. Luciferase reporter assay revealed distal MUC4 promoter as the primary responsive site to BA. In silico analysis recognized two c-Jun binding sites at MUC4 distal promoter, which was biochemically established using ChIP assay. Interestingly, BA treatment led to an increased transcription and activation of c-Jun in a FAK-dependent manner. Additionally, BA receptor, namely FXR, which is also upregulated at transcriptional level in PC patient samples, was demonstrated as an upstream molecule in BA-mediated FAK activation, plausibly by regulating Src activation. Altogether, these results demonstrate that elevated levels of BA increase the tumorigenic potential of PC cells by inducing FXR/FAK/c-Jun axis to upregulate MUC4 expression, which is overexpressed in pancreatic tumors and is known to be associated with progression and metastasis of PC. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of ocean acidification on growth and otolith condition of juvenile scup, Stenotomus chrysops.

PubMed

Perry, Dean M; Redman, Dylan H; Widman, James C; Meseck, Shannon; King, Andrew; Pereira, Jose J

2015-09-01

Increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from human industrial activities are causing changes in global ocean carbonate chemistry, resulting in a reduction in pH, a process termed "ocean acidification." It is important to determine which species are sensitive to elevated levels of CO2 because of potential impacts to ecosystems, marine resources, biodiversity, food webs, populations, and effects on economies. Previous studies with marine fish have documented that exposure to elevated levels of CO2 caused increased growth and larger otoliths in some species. This study was conducted to determine whether the elevated partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) would have an effect on growth, otolith (ear bone) condition, survival, or the skeleton of juvenile scup, Stenotomus chrysops, a species that supports both important commercial and recreational fisheries. Elevated levels of pCO2 (1200-2600 μatm) had no statistically significant effect on growth, survival, or otolith condition after 8 weeks of rearing. Field data show that in Long Island Sound, where scup spawn, in situ levels of pCO2 are already at levels ranging from 689 to 1828 μatm due to primary productivity, microbial activity, and anthropogenic inputs. These results demonstrate that ocean acidification is not likely to cause adverse effects on the growth and survivability of every species of marine fish. X-ray analysis of the fish revealed a slightly higher incidence of hyperossification in the vertebrae of a few scup from the highest treatments compared to fish from the control treatments. Our results show that juvenile scup are tolerant to increases in seawater pCO2, possibly due to conditions this species encounters in their naturally variable environment and their well-developed pH control mechanisms.

Urine Albumin Excretion Is Associated with Cardiac Troponin T Detected with a Highly Sensitive Assay in a Community-Based Population.

PubMed

Xiao, Wenkai; Ye, Ping; Cao, Ruihua; Yang, Xu; Bai, Yongyi; Wu, Hongmei

2015-01-01

Urine albumin excretion is an important predictor of adverse cardiovascular events. Minimally elevated levels of serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT), a marker of cardiomyocyte micronecrosis, can be detected with high sensitivity cTnT (hs-cTnT) assays. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between alterations in albuminuria and serum hs-cTnT levels in a community-based population. We examined the association between the urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) and hs-cTnT levels in 1354 participants without overt cardiovascular disease in a community-based, cross-sectional study in Beijing, China. With the highly sensitive assay, cTnT levels were detectable in 90.5% of our subjects. The median (interquartile range) concentrations of hs-cTnT were 7 (5-10) pg/mL. After adjustment for several factors, UACR (odds ratio: 1.40; 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.65; P = 0.002) was associated with a higher likelihood of elevated hs-cTnT (≥14 pg/ mL), whereas the relationship between UACR and a higher presence of detectable hs-cTnT (≥ 3 pg/ mL) was not significant. In addition, a fully adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed that compared with participants in the lowest UACR quartile, those in the highest quartile had a 2.43- fold (95% CI: 1.25-5.08; P = 0.006) increased risk of elevated hs-cTnT. Higher urine albumin excretion is associated with elevated hs-cTnT among persons without clinically evident cardiovascular disease, suggesting that albuminuria may be a potential risk factor for subclinical cardiovascular disease in the general population.

High-Precision (MC-ICPMS) Isotope Ratio Analysis Reveals Contrasting Sources of Elevated Blood Lead Levels of an Adult with Retained Bullet Fragments, and of His Child, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

PubMed

Smith, Kate E; Shafer, Martin M; Weiss, Debora; Anderson, Henry A; Gorski, Patrick R

2017-05-01

Exposure to the neurotoxic element lead (Pb) continues to be a major human health concern, particularly for children in US urban settings, and the need for robust tools for assessment of exposure sources has never been greater. The latest generation of multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) instrumentation offers the capability of using Pb isotopic signatures as a tool for environmental source tracking in public health. We present a case where MC-ICPMS was applied to isotopically resolve Pb sources in human clinical samples. An adult male and his child residing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, presented to care in August 2015 with elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) (>200 μg/dL for the adult and 10 μg/dL for the child). The adult subject is a gunshot victim who had multiple bullet fragments embedded in soft tissue of his thigh for approximately 10 years. This study compared the high-precision isotopic fingerprints (<1 ‰ 2σ external precision) of Pb in the adult's and child's whole blood (WB) to the following possible Pb sources: a surgically extracted bullet fragment, household paint samples and tap water, and a Pb water-distribution pipe removed from servicing a house in the same neighborhood. Pb in the bullet and adult WB were nearly isotopically indistinguishable (matching within 0.05-0.56 ‰), indicating that bullet fragments embedded in soft tissue could be the cause of both acute and chronic elevated blood Pb levels. Among other sources investigated, no single source dominated the child's exposure profile as reflected in the elevated BLL.

Elevated circulating IGF-I promotes mammary gland development and proliferation.

PubMed

Cannata, Dara; Lann, Danielle; Wu, Yingjie; Elis, Sebastien; Sun, Hui; Yakar, Shoshana; Lazzarino, Deborah A; Wood, Teresa L; Leroith, Derek

2010-12-01

Animal studies have shown that IGF-I is essential for mammary gland development. Previous studies have suggested that local IGF-I rather than circulating IGF-I is the major mediator of mammary gland development. In the present study we used the hepatic IGF-I transgenic (HIT) and IGF-I knockout/HIT (KO-HIT) mouse models to examine the effects of enhanced circulating IGF-I on mammary development in the presence and absence of local IGF-I. HIT mice express the rat IGF-I transgene under the transthyretin promoter in the liver and have elevated circulating IGF-I and normal tissue IGF-I levels. The KO-HIT mice have no tissue IGF-I and increased circulating IGF-I. Analysis of mammary gland development reveals a greater degree of complexity in HIT mice as compared to control and KO-HIT mice, which demonstrate similar degrees of mammary gland complexity. Immunohistochemical evaluation of glands of HIT mice also suggests an enhanced degree of proliferation of the mammary gland, whereas KO-HIT mice exhibit mammary gland proliferation similar to control mice. In addition, HIT mice have a higher percentage of proliferating myoepithelial and luminal cells than control mice, whereas KO-HIT mice have an equivalent percentage of proliferating myoepithelial and luminal cells as control mice. Thus, our findings show that elevated circulating IGF-I levels are sufficient to promote normal pubertal mammary epithelial development. However, HIT mice demonstrate more pronounced mammary gland development when compared to control and KO-HIT mice. This suggests that both local and endocrine IGF-I play roles in mammary gland development and that elevated circulating IGF-I accelerates mammary epithelial proliferation.

Comparison of Bioclimatic, NDVI and Elevation variables in assessing extent of Commiphora wightii (Arnt.) Bhand.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulloli, R. N.; Kumar, S.

2014-11-01

Commiphora wightii (Arnt.) Bhand., is an important medicinal plant of Indian Medicine System (IMS) since ancient time. It is used in different ailments of obesity, arthritis, rheumatism and high cholesterol. Due to overexploitation its natural populations declined to large extent. IUCN has put it under Data Deficient (DD) category due to lack of data on its extent of occurrence in nature. Hence, the study was carried out using MaxEnt distribution modelling algorithm to estimate its geographic distribution and to identify potential habitats for its reintroduction. For modelling employed 68 presence locality data, 19 bioclimatic variables, Normalize Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and elevation data. These were tested for multicollinearity and those variables having r-value less than 0.8 were selected for further analysis, which was carried out in two ways i) Bioclimatic variables and elevation; ii) NDVI and elevation. Area Under the Curve (AUC) in both analysis was above 0.9 for all variables, indicating very high accuracy of prediction. Variables governing distribution of C. wightii in the analysis using bioclimatic and elevation data set are precipitation seasonality (56.6 %), annual precipitation (16.4 %) and elevation (14.7 %). Extent of occurrence of C.wightii predicted by model closely matched in the districts of Jaisalmer and Barmer. In the second analysis elevation (48.3 %), NDVI of June (11.1 %) and August (11.2 %) contributed for NDVI and Elevation data set. NDVI of June corresponds to its leafing phase while NDVI of August to flowering phase. Area of its occurrence predicted for NDVI and elevation data set are Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunun some part of Jodhpur which are completely sandy, where C. wightii is totally absent. Extent of occurrence was also validated in ground survey. Potential areas for its reintroduction were identified as Jaisalmer and Barmer districts in Indian arid zone.

Separation and characterization of magnetic fractions from waste-to-energy bottom ash with an emphasis on the leachability of heavy metals.

PubMed

Wei, Yunmei; Mei, Xiaoxia; Shi, Dezhi; Liu, Guotao; Li, Li; Shimaoka, Takayuki

2017-06-01

Magnetic fractions were extracted from pulverized waste-to-energy (WTE) bottom ashes using a combined wet-dry extraction method. The resulting magnetic and non-magnetic fractions were subjected to compositional, mineralogical, and redox state analyses by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The distribution and leaching toxicity of heavy metals were assessed to evaluate potential effects on the environment. Compositional analyses revealed that Fe accounted for 35% of the magnetic fraction of pulverized ashes, which was approximately seven times that of the raw ash. In addition to Fe, elemental Ni, Mn, and Cr were also significantly enriched in the magnetic fractions. The mineralogical analysis determined that Fe was primarily present as hematite and magnetite, and metallic iron was also identified in the magnetic fraction samples. The XPS analysis further proved the existence of zero-valence Fe. However, a significant amount of Fe remained in the non-magnetic fractions, which could partially be ascribed to the intergrowth structure of the various minerals. The elevated concentrations of toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP)-extracted Mn, Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn were primarily ascribed to the lower buffering capability of the magnetic fractions, with the enrichment of Mn, Ni, and Cr in the magnetic fractions also contributing to this elevation.

[Metabolic changes associated with obesity in adults].

PubMed

Rincón, E; Ryder, E; Valbuena, H; García de Zambrano, N; Campos, G; Morales, L M; Semprún de Fereira, M; Wilhelm, I

1989-01-01

In order to find if the metabolic disorders more frequently found in our obese population were similar to the ones reported in the literature for other countries, a study was conducted in a group of 34 obese subjects (10 men and 24 women) whose only apparent alteration was a body mass index above 30 (mean value: 36.8 +/- 4.6) to obtain the relation between anthropometric measurements (Quetelet index, skinfold measures and waist/hip ratio) and plasma levels of nine biochemical parameters (including lipids, lipoproteins and glucose and insulin levels after an oral glucose load). The results revealed a tendency to the android distribution of fat in the female population, a significantly elevated triglyceride and total lipids levels and a decreased in HDL-cholesterol in both sexes. Hypercholesterolemia was present mainly in the male population. The most frequent dyslipidemia was Type IV (23%) followed by type IIb (15%). Practically none of the subjects had abnormal glycemic values after the glucose load, however the insulin levels were highly elevated in 80% of the patients, resulting in a great insulin/glucose ratios. Correlation analysis showed no association of the BMI with any biochemical parameter; only the insulin area was positively associated with anthropometric measures (mainly waist/hip ratio) and with the most altered biochemical parameter, the triglycerides. Variance analysis showed that only low HDL-cholesterol values were significantly different in patients presenting high blood pressure and familiar history of diabetes.

Use of PCR-DGGE Based Molecular Methods to Analyse Microbial Community Diversity and Stability during the Thermophilic Stages of an ATAD Wastewater Sludge Treatment Process as an Aid to Performance Monitoring

PubMed Central

Piterina, Anna V.; Pembroke, J. Tony

2013-01-01

PCR and PCR-DGGE techniques have been evaluated to monitor biodiversity indexes within an ATAD (autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion) system treating domestic sludge for land spread, by examining microbial dynamics in response to elevated temperatures during treatment. The ATAD process utilises a thermophilic population to generate heat and operates at elevated pH due to degradation of sludge solids, thus allowing pasteurisation and stabilisation of the sludge. Genera-specific PCR revealed that Archaea, Eukarya and Fungi decline when the temperature reaches 59°C, while the bacterial lineage constitutes the dominant group at this stage. The bacterial community at the thermophilic stage, its similarity index to the feed material, and the species richness present were evaluated by PCR-DGGE. Parameters such as choice of molecular target (16S rDNA or rpoB genes), and electrophoresis condition, were optimised to maximise the resolution of the method for ATAD. Dynamic analysis of microbial communities was best observed utilising PCR-DGGE analysis of the V6-V8 region of 16S rDNA, while rpoB gene profiles were less informative. Unique thermophilic communities were shown to quickly adapt to process changes, and shown to be quite stable during the process. Such techniques may be used as a monitoring technique for process health and efficiency. PMID:25937969

Infragravity waves on fringing reefs in the tropical Pacific: Dynamic setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, J. M.; Merrifield, M. A.; Yoon, H.

2016-05-01

Cross-shore pressure and current observations from four fringing reefs of lengths ranging from 135 to 420 m reveal energetic low-frequency (˜0.001-0.05 Hz) motions. The spatial structure and temporal amplitudes of an empirical orthogonal function analysis of the pressure measurements suggest the dominant low-frequency variability is modal. Incoming and outgoing linear flux estimates also support partially standing modes on the reef flat during energetic events. A cross-covariance analysis suggests that breakpoint forcing excites these partially standing modes, similar to previous findings at other steep reefs. The dynamics of Symonds et al. (1982) with damping are applied to a step reef, with forcing obtained by extending a point break model of Vetter et al. (2010) for breaking wave setup to the low-frequency band using the shoaled envelope of the incident free surface elevation. A one parameter, linear analytical model for the reef flat free surface elevation is presented, which describes between 75% and 97% of the variance of the observed low-frequency shoreline significant wave height for all reefs considered over a range of conditions. The linear model contains a single dimensionless parameter that is the ratio of the inertial to dissipative time scales, and the observations from this study exhibit more low-frequency variability when the dissipative time scale is greater than the inertial time scale for the steep reefs considered.

Plant mitochondria synthesize melatonin and enhance the tolerance of plants to drought stress.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Feng, Chao; Zheng, Xiaodong; Guo, Yan; Zhou, Fangfang; Shan, Dongqian; Liu, Xuan; Kong, Jin

2017-10-01

Synthesis of melatonin in mitochondria was reported in animals. However, there is no report on whether plant mitochondria also produce melatonin. Herein, we show that plant mitochondria are a major site for melatonin synthesis. In an in vitro study, isolated apple mitochondria had the capacity to generate melatonin. Subcellular localization analysis documented that an apple SNAT isoform, MzSNAT5, was localized in the mitochondria of both Arabidopsis protoplasts and apple callus cells. The kinetic analysis revealed that the recombinant MzSNAT5 protein exhibited high enzymatic activity to catalyze serotonin to N-acetylserotonin with the K m and V max of 55 μmol/L and 0.909 pmol/min/mg protein at 35°C, respectively; this pathway functioned over a wide range of temperatures from 5 to 75°C. In an in vivo study, MzSNAT5 was drought inducible. The transgenic Arabidopsis ectopically expressing MzSNAT5 elevated the melatonin level and, hence, enhanced drought tolerance. The mechanistic study indicated that the ectopically expressing MzSNAT5 allows plant mitochondria to increase melatonin synthesis. As a potent free radical scavenger, melatonin reduces the oxidative stress caused by the elevated reactive oxygen species which are generated under drought stress in plants. Our findings provide evidence that engineered melatonin-enriched plants exhibit enhanced oxidative tolerance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Increased expression and processing of caspase-12 after traumatic brain injury in rats.

PubMed

Larner, Stephen F; Hayes, Ronald L; McKinsey, Deborah M; Pike, Brian R; Wang, Kevin K W

2004-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) disrupts tissue homeostasis resulting in pathological apoptotic activation. Recently, caspase-12 was reported to be induced and activated by the unfolded protein response following excess endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. This study examined rat caspase-12 expression using the controlled cortical impact TBI model. Immunoblots of fractionalized cell lysates found elevated caspase-12 proform (approximately 60 kDa) and processed form (approximately 12 kDa), with peak induction observed within 24 h post-injury in the cortex (418% and 503%, respectively). Hippocampus caspase-12 proform induction peaked at 24 h post-injury (641%), while processed form induction peaked at 6 h (620%). Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis confirmed elevated caspase-12 mRNA levels after TBI. Injury severity (1.0, 1.2 or 1.6 mm compression) was associated with increased caspase-12 mRNA expression, peaking at 5 days in the cortex (657%, 651% and 1259%, respectively) and 6 h in the hippocampus (435%, 451% and 460%, respectively). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed caspase-12 induction in neurons in both the cortex and hippocampus as well as in astrocytes at the contusion site. This is the first report of increased expression of caspase-12 following TBI. Our results suggest that the caspase-12-mediated ER apoptotic pathway may play a role in rat TBI pathology independent of the receptor- or mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways.

Variation of amino acid sequences of serum amyloid a (SAA) and immunohistochemical analysis of amyloid a (AA) in Japanese domestic cats.

PubMed

Tei, Meina; Uchida, Kazuyuki; Chambers, James K; Watanabe, Ken-Ichi; Tamamoto, Takashi; Ohno, Koichi; Nakayama, Hiroyuki

2018-02-02

Amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis, a fatal systemic amyloid disease, occurs secondary to chronic inflammatory conditions in humans. Although persistently elevated serum amyloid A (SAA) levels are required for its pathogenesis, not all individuals with chronic inflammation necessarily develop AA amyloidosis. Furthermore, many diseases in cats are associated with the elevated production of SAA, whereas only a small number actually develop AA amyloidosis. We hypothesized that a genetic mutation in the SAA gene may strongly contribute to the pathogenesis of feline AA amyloidosis. In the present study, genomic DNA from four Japanese domestic cats (JDCs) with AA amyloidosis and from five without amyloidosis was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and direct sequencing. We identified the novel variation combination of 45R-51A in the deduced amino acid sequences of four JDCs with amyloidosis and five without. However, there was no relationship between amino acid variations and the distribution of AA amyloid deposits, indicating that differences in SAA sequences do not contribute to the pathogenesis of AA amyloidosis. Immunohistochemical analysis using antisera against the three different parts of the feline SAA protein-i.e., the N-terminal, central, and C-terminal regions-revealed that feline AA contained the C-terminus, unlike human AA. These results indicate that the cleavage and degradation of the C-terminus are not essential for amyloid fibril formation in JDCs.

Prevention of the Angiogenic Switch in Human Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

elevated plasma bFGF and CTAPIII (connective tissue activating protein III) in mice bearing tumors that were non-angiogenic. This breast cancer also...increases in bFGF and PDGF were found In platelets, but not in plasma , as early as day 32 after implantation of breast cancer that was non-angiogenic...implantation of non-angiogenic tumor cells in SCID immunodeficient mice (Figure 6a). The plasma angiogenesis proteome revealed an elevation of PDGF and PF4 and

Integrating Instrumental Data Provides the Full Science in 3D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turrin, M.; Boghosian, A.; Bell, R. E.; Frearson, N.

2017-12-01

Looking at data sparks questions, discussion and insights. By integrating multiple data sets we deepen our understanding of how cryosphere processes operate. Field collected data provide measurements from multiple instruments supporting rapid insights. Icepod provides a platform focused on the integration of multiple instruments. Over the last three seasons, the ROSETTA-Ice project has deployed Icepod to comprehensively map the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. This integrative data collection along with new methods of data visualization allows us to answer questions about ice shelf structure and evolution that arise during data processing and review. While data are vetted and archived in the field to confirm instruments are operating, upon return to the lab data are again reviewed for accuracy before full analysis. Recent review of shallow ice radar data from the Beardmore Glacier, an outlet glacier into the Ross Ice Shelf, presented an abrupt discontinuity in the ice surface. This sharp 8m surface elevation drop was originally interpreted as a processing error. Data were reexamined, integrating the simultaneously collected shallow and deep ice radar with lidar data. All the data sources showed the surface discontinuity, confirming the abrupt 8m drop in surface elevation. Examining high resolution WorldView satellite imagery revealed a persistent source for these elevation drops. The satellite imagery showed that this tear in the ice surface was only one piece of a larger pattern of "chatter marks" in ice that flows at a rate of 300 m/yr. The markings are buried over a distance of 30 km or after 100 years of travel down Beardmore Glacier towards the front of the Ross Ice Shelf. Using Icepod's lidar and cameras we map this chatter mark feature in 3D to reveal its full structure. We use digital elevation models from WorldView to map the other along flow chatter marks. In order to investigate the relationship between these surface features and basal crevasses, the deep ice radar enables a 3D model of the base of the ice shelf. Both the high resolution imagery and radar echograms along with a VR experience of our 3D models, allows viewers to fully explore the dataset and gain insight into the processes producing these features.

Insulin-like growth factor I gene deletion causing intrauterine growth retardation and severe short stature.

PubMed

Woods, K A; Camacho-Hübner, C; Barter, D; Clark, A J; Savage, M O

1997-11-01

The first human case of a homozygous molecular defect in the gene encoding insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is described. The patient was a 15-year-old boy from a consanguineous pedigree who presented with severe intrauterine growth failure, sensorineural deafness and mild mental retardation. Endocrine evaluation of the growth hormone (GH)--IGF-I axis revealed elevated GH secretion, undetectable serum IGF-I and normal serum IGF-binding protein-3, acid-labile subunit, and GH-binding activity. Analysis of the IGF-I gene revealed a homozygous partial IGF-I gene deletion involving exons 4 and 5, which encodes a severely truncated mature IGF-I peptide. This patient demonstrates that complete disruption of the IGF-I gene in man is compatible with life, and indicates a major role for IGF-I in human fetal growth. In addition, his neurological abnormalities suggest that IGF-I may be involved in central nervous system development.

MULTICENTRIC T-CELL LYMPHOMA AND CUTANEOUS HEMANGIOSARCOMA IN A CAPTIVE CHEETAH (ACINONYX JUBATUS).

PubMed

Lindemann, Dana M; Carpenter, James W; Nietfeld, Jerome C; Gonzalez, Estehela; Hallman, Mackenzie; Hause, Ben M

2015-12-01

A 13-yr-old intact male cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) presented for evaluation after a 4-mo history of intermittent lethargy and increased expiratory effort. The clinical signs were initially noted after the diagnosis and death of its 13-yr-old male sibling with solitary hepatic T-cell lymphoma. Physical examination findings included thin body condition, harsh lung sounds, peripheral lymphadenopathy, and a cutaneous mass on the right medial tarsus and scrotum. Excisional biopsies diagnosed well-differentiated cutaneous hemangiosarcomas. Thoracic radiographs revealed a cranial mediastinal mass. Complete blood count and serum biochemical analyses showed a leukocytosis with persistent lymphocytosis, progressive azotemia, and markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase. Because of the cheetah's declining quality of life, euthanasia was elected. Postmortem examination, histopathology, and immunohistochemical staining revealed multicentric T-cell lymphoma. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, FeLV polymerase chain reaction (whole blood), and viral metagenomic analysis were negative. This is the first case of cutaneous hemangiosarcoma and multicentric T-cell lymphoma reported in a FeLV-negative cheetah.

Improving the Performance at Elevated Temperature of High Voltage Graphite/LiNi 0.5Mn 1.5O 4 Cells with Added Lithium Catechol Dimethyl Borate

DOE PAGES

Dong, Yingnan; Demeaux, Julien; Zhang, Yuzi; ...

2016-12-13

Performance of LiNi 0.5Mn 1.5O 4/graphite cells cycled to 4.8 V at 55°C with the 1.2 M LiPF 6 in EC/EMC (3/7, STD electrolyte) with and without added lithium catechol dimethyl borate (LiCDMB) has been investigated. The incorporation of 0.5 wt% LiCDMB to the STD electrolyte results in an improved capacity retention and coulombic efficiency upon cycling at 55°C. Ex-situ analysis of the electrode surfaces via a combination of SEM, TEM, and XPS reveals that oxidation of LiCDMB at high potential results in the deposition of a passivation layer on the electrode surface, preventing transition metal ion dissolution from themore » cathode and subsequent deposition on the anode. NMR investigations of the bulk electrolyte stored at 85°C reveals that added LiCDMB prevents the thermal decomposition of LiPF 6.« less

Improving the Performance at Elevated Temperature of High Voltage Graphite/LiNi 0.5Mn 1.5O 4 Cells with Added Lithium Catechol Dimethyl Borate

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

Dong, Yingnan; Demeaux, Julien; Zhang, Yuzi

Performance of LiNi 0.5Mn 1.5O 4/graphite cells cycled to 4.8 V at 55°C with the 1.2 M LiPF 6 in EC/EMC (3/7, STD electrolyte) with and without added lithium catechol dimethyl borate (LiCDMB) has been investigated. The incorporation of 0.5 wt% LiCDMB to the STD electrolyte results in an improved capacity retention and coulombic efficiency upon cycling at 55°C. Ex-situ analysis of the electrode surfaces via a combination of SEM, TEM, and XPS reveals that oxidation of LiCDMB at high potential results in the deposition of a passivation layer on the electrode surface, preventing transition metal ion dissolution from themore » cathode and subsequent deposition on the anode. NMR investigations of the bulk electrolyte stored at 85°C reveals that added LiCDMB prevents the thermal decomposition of LiPF 6.« less

Early-onset ocular ochronosis in a girl with alkaptonuria (AKU) and a novel mutation in homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD).

PubMed

Gucev, Z S; Slaveska, N; Laban, N; Danilovski, D; Tasic, V; Pop-Jordanova, N; Zatkova, A

2011-01-01

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a disorder of phenylalanine/tyrosine metabolism due to a defect in the enzyme homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD). This recessive disease is caused by mutations in the HGD gene. We report a 14-year-old girl who was referred after presenting black urine. Careful examination revealed ochronosis of the conjunctiva. There was no affection of the cardiac valves. Elevated excretion of homogentisic acid in urine was found. Sequence analysis of the HGD gene from genomic DNA revealed that the patient is a compound heterozygote with a previously described mutation (c.473C>T, p.Pro158Leu), and a novel one (c.821C>T, p.Pro274Leu). Her mother is heterozygous for the novel mutation, while the brother is heterozygous for the previously described mutation. In summary, we describe an alkaptonuric patient with ocular ochronosis and a novel HGD mutation, c.821C>T, p.Pro274Leu.

[A case of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection associated with recurrent cerebellar ataxia and skin eruptions].

PubMed

Araki, Katsuya; Okuno, Tatsusada; Honorat, Josephe Archie; Kinoshita, Makoto; Takahashi, Masanori P; Mizuki, Masao; Kitagawa, Kazuo; Mochizuki, Hideki

2013-01-01

A 62-year-old woman presented with subacute cerebellar ataxia, lymph node swelling and skin eruption. Laboratory tests revealed elevated titers of anti-VCA-IgG antibody and anti-EADR-IgG antibody, with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA detected from the blood and CSF by PCR. Since these data were highlighted with the diagnosis of chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) and her ataxia improved concomitantly with the remission of other infectious mononucleosis-like symptoms, we supposed her ataxia is associated with CAEBV. Five years later, at the age of 67, her ataxia relapsed concurrently with skin eruptions, whereas MRI demonstrated progression of cerebellar atrophy. After high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone treatment, the clinical symptoms resolved. Initial infection of EBV in childhood often causes autoimmune acute cerebellitis but cerebellar ataxia has rarely been described in CAEBV. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis revealed a reactivity of the patient's serum and CSF on rat cerebellum, suggesting an autoimmune pathomechanism for the ataxia.

Neutron irradiation and high temperature effects on amorphous Fe-based nano-coatings on steel – A macroscopic assessment

DOE PAGES

Simos, N.; Zhong, Z.; Dooryhee, E.; ...

2017-03-23

Here, this study revealed that loss of ductility in an amorphous Fe-alloy coating on a steel substrate composite structure was essentially prevented from occurring, following radiation with modest neutron doses of ~2 x 10 18 n/cm 2. At the higher neutron dose of ~2 x 10 19, macroscopic stress-strain analysis showed that the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating, while still amorphous, experienced radiation-induced embrittlement, no longer offering protection against ductility loss in the coating-substrate composite structure. Neutron irradiation in a corrosive environment revealed exemplary oxidation/corrosion resistance of the amorphous Fe-alloy coating, which is attributed to the formation of the Fe 2Bmore » phase in the coating. To establish the impact of elevated temperatures on the amorphous-to-crystalline transition in the amorphous Fe-alloy, electron microscopy was carried out which confirmed the radiation-induced suppression of crystallization in the amorphous Fe-alloy nanostructured coating.« less

Improved Thermal Stability of Lithium-Rich Layered Oxide by Fluorine Doping.

PubMed

Kapylou, Andrei; Song, Jay Hyok; Missiul, Aleksandr; Ham, Dong Jin; Kim, Dong Han; Moon, San; Park, Jin Hwan

2018-01-05

The thermal stability of lithium-rich layered oxide with the composition Li(Li 1/6 Ni 1/6 Co 1/6 Mn 1/2 )O 2-x F x (x=0.00 and 0.05) is evaluated for use as a cathode material in lithium-ion batteries. Thermogravimetric analysis, evolved gas analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry show that, upon fluorine doping, degradation of the lithium-rich layered oxides commences at higher temperatures and the exothermic reaction is suppressed. Hot box tests also reveal that the prismatic cell with the fluorine-doped powder does not explode, whereas that with the undoped one explodes at about 135 °C with a sudden temperature increase. XRD analysis indicates that fluorine doping imparts the lithium-rich layered oxide with better thermal stability by mitigating oxygen release at elevated temperatures that cause an exothermic reaction with the electrolyte. The origin of the reduced oxygen release from the fluorinated lithium-rich layered oxide is also discussed. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Seismic zonation of Port-Au-Prince using pixel- and object-based imaging analysis methods on ASTER GDEM

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yong, Alan; Hough, Susan E.; Cox, Brady R.; Rathje, Ellen M.; Bachhuber, Jeff; Dulberg, Ranon; Hulslander, David; Christiansen, Lisa; and Abrams, Michael J.

2011-01-01

We report about a preliminary study to evaluate the use of semi-automated imaging analysis of remotely-sensed DEM and field geophysical measurements to develop a seismic-zonation map of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. For in situ data, VS30 values are derived from the MASW technique deployed in and around the city. For satellite imagery, we use an ASTER GDEM of Hispaniola. We apply both pixel- and object-based imaging methods on the ASTER GDEM to explore local topography (absolute elevation values) and classify terrain types such as mountains, alluvial fans and basins/near-shore regions. We assign NEHRP seismic site class ranges based on available VS30 values. A comparison of results from imagery-based methods to results from traditional geologic-based approaches reveals good overall correspondence. We conclude that image analysis of RS data provides reliable first-order site characterization results in the absence of local data and can be useful to refine detailed site maps with sparse local data.

Photosynthetic performance of restored and natural mangroves under different environmental constraints.

PubMed

Rovai, André Scarlate; Barufi, José Bonomi; Pagliosa, Paulo Roberto; Scherner, Fernando; Torres, Moacir Aluísio; Horta, Paulo Antunes; Simonassi, José Carlos; Quadros, Daiane Paula Cunha; Borges, Daniel Lázaro Gallindo; Soriano-Sierra, Eduardo Juan

2013-10-01

We hypothesized that the photosynthetic performance of mangrove stands restored by the single planting of mangroves species would be lowered due to residual stressors. The photosynthetic parameters of the vegetation of three planted mangrove stands, each with a different disturbance history, were compared to reference sites and correlated with edaphic environmental variables. A permutational analysis of variance showed significant interaction when the factors were compared, indicating that the photosynthetic parameters of the restoration areas differed from the reference sites. A univariate analysis of variance showed that all the photosynthetic parameters differed between sites and treatments, except for photosynthetic efficiency (αETR). The combination of environmental variables that best explained the variations observed in the photosynthetic performance indicators were Cu, Pb and elevation disruptions. Fluorescence techniques proved efficient in revealing important physiological differences, representing a powerful tool for rapid analysis of the effectiveness of initiatives aimed at restoring coastal environments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predictive value of high-sensitivity troponin-I for future adverse cardiovascular outcome in stable patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I(hs-TnI) and T levels(hs-TnT) are sensitive biomarkers of cardiomyocyte turnover or necrosis. Prior studies of the predictive role of hs-TnT in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) patients have yielded conflicting results. This study aimed to determine whether hs-TnI, which is detectable in a higher proportion of normal subjects than hsTnT, is associated with a major adverse cardiovascular event(MACE) in T2DM patients. Methods and results We compared hs-TnI level in stored serum samples from 276 consecutive patients (mean age 65 ± 10 years; 57% male) with T2DM with that of 115 age-and sex-matched controls. All T2DM patients were prospectively followed up for at least 4 years for incidence of MACE including heart failure(HF), myocardial infarction(MI) and cardiovascular mortality. At baseline, 274(99%) patients with T2DM had detectable hs-TnI, and 57(21%) had elevated hs-TnI (male: 8.5 ng/L, female: 7.6 ng/L, above the 99th percentile in healthy controls). A total of 43 MACE occurred: HF(n = 18), MI(n = 11) and cardiovascular mortality(n = 14). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that an elevated hs-TnI was associated with MACE, HF, MI and cardiovascular mortality. Although multivariate analysis revealed that an elevated hs-TnI independently predicted MACE, it had limited sensitivity(62.7%) and positive predictive value(38.5%). Contrary to this, a normal hs-TnI level had an excellent negative predictive value(92.2%) for future MACE in patients with T2DM. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that elevated hs-TnI in patients with T2DM is associated with increased MACE, HF, MI and cardiovascular mortality. Importantly, a normal hs-TnI level has an excellent negative predictive value for future adverse cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up. PMID:24661773

Satisfying Psychological Needs on the High Seas: Explaining Increases Self-Esteem Following an Adventure Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarf, Damian; Kafka, Sarah; Hayhurst, Jill; Jang, Kyungho; Boyes, Mike; Thomson, Ruth; Hunter, John A.

2018-01-01

A number of recent studies have revealed that taking part in a sail-training-based Adventure Education Programme elevates youths' self-esteem. Across two studies, we sought to examine the extent to which youths' sense of belonging contributed to this increase in self-esteem. Study 1 revealed that participants who completed the voyage showed an…

Refraction corrections for surveying

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lear, W. M.

1980-01-01

Optical measurements of range and elevation angles are distorted by refraction of Earth's atmosphere. Theoretical discussion of effect, along with equations for determining exact range and elevation corrections, is presented in report. Potentially useful in optical site surveying and related applications, analysis is easily programmed on pocket calculator. Input to equation is measured range and measured elevation; output is true range and true elevation.

Multi-Scale Fractal Analysis of Image Texture and Pattern

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emerson, Charles W.; Lam, Nina Siu-Ngan; Quattrochi, Dale A.

1999-01-01

Analyses of the fractal dimension of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images of homogeneous land covers near Huntsville, Alabama revealed that the fractal dimension of an image of an agricultural land cover indicates greater complexity as pixel size increases, a forested land cover gradually grows smoother, and an urban image remains roughly self-similar over the range of pixel sizes analyzed (10 to 80 meters). A similar analysis of Landsat Thematic Mapper images of the East Humboldt Range in Nevada taken four months apart show a more complex relation between pixel size and fractal dimension. The major visible difference between the spring and late summer NDVI images is the absence of high elevation snow cover in the summer image. This change significantly alters the relation between fractal dimension and pixel size. The slope of the fractal dimension-resolution relation provides indications of how image classification or feature identification will be affected by changes in sensor spatial resolution.

[Canine peritoneal larval cestodosis caused by Mesocestoides spp. larval stages].

PubMed

Häußler, T C; Peppler, C; Schmitz, S; Bauer, C; Hirzmann, J; Kramer, M

2016-01-01

In a female dog with unspecific clinical symptoms, sonography detected a hyperechoic mass in the middle abdomen and blood analysis a middle grade systemic inflammatory reaction. Laparotomy revealed a peritoneal larval cestodosis (PLC). The diagnosis of an infection with tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides spp. was confirmed by parasitological examination and molecularbiological analysis. Reduction of the intra-abdominal parasitic load as well as a high dose administration of fenbendazole over 3 months led to a successful treatment which could be documented sonographically and by decreased concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP). Seven months after discontinuation of fenbendazole administration, PLC recurred, pre-empted by an elevation of serum CRP values. According to the literature a life-long fenbendazole treatment was initiated. In cases of unclear chronic granulomatous inflammations in the abdominal cavity in dogs, PLC should be considered. CRP concentration and sonographic examinations are suitable to control for treatment success and a possibly occurring relapse.

Multi-Scale Fractal Analysis of Image Texture and Pattern

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emerson, Charles W.; Lam, Nina Siu-Ngan; Quattrochi, Dale A.

1999-01-01

Analyses of the fractal dimension of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images of homogeneous land covers near Huntsville, Alabama revealed that the fractal dimension of an image of an agricultural land cover indicates greater complexity as pixel size increases, a forested land cover gradually grows smoother, and an urban image remains roughly self-similar over the range of pixel sizes analyzed (10 to 80 meters). A similar analysis of Landsat Thematic Mapper images of the East Humboldt Range in Nevada taken four months apart show a more complex relation between pixel size and fractal dimension. The major visible difference between the spring and late summer NDVI images of the absence of high elevation snow cover in the summer image. This change significantly alters the relation between fractal dimension and pixel size. The slope of the fractal dimensional-resolution relation provides indications of how image classification or feature identification will be affected by changes in sensor spatial resolution.

Magnetic characteristics of CoPd and FePd antidot arrays on nanoperforated Al2O3 templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maximenko, A.; Fedotova, J.; Marszałek, M.; Zarzycki, A.; Zabila, Y.

2016-02-01

Hard magnetic antidot arrays show promising results in context of designing of percolated perpendicular media. In this work the technology of magnetic FePd and CoPd antidot arrays fabrication is presented and correlation between surface morphology, structure and magnetic properties is discussed. CoPd and FePd antidot arrays were fabricated by deposition of Co/Pd and Fe/Pd multilayers (MLs) on porous anodic aluminum oxide templates with bowl-shape cell structure with inclined intercellular regions. FePd ordered L10 structure was obtained by successive vacuum annealing at elevated temperatures (530 °C) and confirmed by XRD analysis. Systematic analysis of magnetization curves evidenced perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of CoPd antidot arrays, while FePd antidot arrays revealed isotropic magnetic anisotropy with increased out-of-plane magnetic contribution. MFM images of antidots showed more complicated contrast, with alternating magnetic dots oriented parallel and antiparallel to tip magnetization moment.

High resolution imaging of latent fingerprints by localized corrosion on brass surfaces.

PubMed

Goddard, Alex J; Hillman, A Robert; Bond, John W

2010-01-01

The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is capable of imaging fingerprint ridges on polished brass substrates at an unprecedented level of detail. While exposure to elevated humidity at ambient or slightly raised temperatures does not change the image appreciably, subsequent brief heating in a flame results in complete loss of the sweat deposit and the appearance of pits and trenches. Localized elemental analysis (using EDAX, coupled with SEM imaging) shows the presence of the constituents of salt in the initial deposits. Together with water and atmospheric oxygen--and with thermal enhancement--these are capable of driving a surface corrosion process. This process is sufficiently localized that it has the potential to generate a durable negative topographical image of the fingerprint. AFM examination of surface regions between ridges revealed small deposits (probably microscopic "spatter" of sweat components or transferred particulates) that may ultimately limit the level of ridge detail analysis.

High-dimensional single-cell analysis reveals the immune signature of narcolepsy.

PubMed

Hartmann, Felix J; Bernard-Valnet, Raphaël; Quériault, Clémence; Mrdjen, Dunja; Weber, Lukas M; Galli, Edoardo; Krieg, Carsten; Robinson, Mark D; Nguyen, Xuan-Hung; Dauvilliers, Yves; Liblau, Roland S; Becher, Burkhard

2016-11-14

Narcolepsy type 1 is a devastating neurological sleep disorder resulting from the destruction of orexin-producing neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite its striking association with the HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele, the autoimmune etiology of narcolepsy has remained largely hypothetical. Here, we compared peripheral mononucleated cells from narcolepsy patients with HLA-DQB1*06:02-matched healthy controls using high-dimensional mass cytometry in combination with algorithm-guided data analysis. Narcolepsy patients displayed multifaceted immune activation in CD4 + and CD8 + T cells dominated by elevated levels of B cell-supporting cytokines. Additionally, T cells from narcolepsy patients showed increased production of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-2 and TNF. Although it remains to be established whether these changes are primary to an autoimmune process in narcolepsy or secondary to orexin deficiency, these findings are indicative of inflammatory processes in the pathogenesis of this enigmatic disease. © 2016 Hartmann et al.

High-dimensional single-cell analysis reveals the immune signature of narcolepsy

PubMed Central

Quériault, Clémence; Krieg, Carsten; Nguyen, Xuan-Hung

2016-01-01

Narcolepsy type 1 is a devastating neurological sleep disorder resulting from the destruction of orexin-producing neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite its striking association with the HLA-DQB1*06:02 allele, the autoimmune etiology of narcolepsy has remained largely hypothetical. Here, we compared peripheral mononucleated cells from narcolepsy patients with HLA-DQB1*06:02-matched healthy controls using high-dimensional mass cytometry in combination with algorithm-guided data analysis. Narcolepsy patients displayed multifaceted immune activation in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells dominated by elevated levels of B cell–supporting cytokines. Additionally, T cells from narcolepsy patients showed increased production of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-2 and TNF. Although it remains to be established whether these changes are primary to an autoimmune process in narcolepsy or secondary to orexin deficiency, these findings are indicative of inflammatory processes in the pathogenesis of this enigmatic disease. PMID:27821550

Distribution patterns in the native vascular flora of Iceland.

PubMed

Wasowicz, Pawel; Pasierbiński, Andrzej; Przedpelska-Wasowicz, Ewa Maria; Kristinsson, Hörður

2014-01-01

The aim of our study was to reveal biogeographical patterns in the native vascular flora of Iceland and to define ecological factors responsible for these patterns. We analysed dataset of more than 500,000 records containing information on the occurrence of vascular plants. Analysis of ecological factors included climatic (derived from WORLDCLIM data), topographic (calculated from digital elevation model) and geological (bedrock characteristics) variables. Spherical k-means clustering and principal component analysis were used to detect biogeographical patterns and to study the factors responsible for them. We defined 10 biotic elements exhibiting different biogeographical patterns. We showed that climatic (temperature-related) and topographic variables were the most important factors contributing to the spatial patterns within the Icelandic vascular flora and that these patterns are almost completely independent of edaphic factors (bedrock type). Our study is the first one to analyse the biogeographical differentiation of the native vascular flora of Iceland.

In-vivo corneal pulsation in relation to in-vivo intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanics assessed in-vitro. An animal pilot study.

PubMed

Rogala, Maja M; Danielewska, Monika E; Antończyk, Agnieszka; Kiełbowicz, Zdzisław; Rogowska, Marta E; Kozuń, Marta; Detyna, Jerzy; Iskander, D Robert

2017-09-01

The aim was to ascertain whether the characteristics of the corneal pulse (CP) measured in-vivo in a rabbit eye change after short-term artificial increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) and whether they correlate with corneal biomechanics assessed in-vitro. Eight New Zealand white rabbits were included in this study and were anesthetized. In-vivo experiments included simultaneous measurements of the CP signal, registered with a non-contact method, IOP, intra-arterial blood pressure, and blood pulse (BPL), at the baseline and short-term elevated IOP. Afterwards, thickness of post-mortem corneas was determined and then uniaxial tensile tests were conducted leading to estimates of their Young's modulus (E). At the baseline IOP, backward stepwise regression analyses were performed in which successively the ocular biomechanical, biometric and cardiovascular predictors were separately taken into account. Results of the analysis revealed that the 3rd CP harmonic can be statistically significantly predicted by E and central corneal thickness (Models: R 2  = 0.662, p < 0.005 and R 2  = 0.832, p < 0.001 for the signal amplitude and power, respectively). The 1st CP harmonic can be statistically significantly predicted by the amplitude and power of the 1st BPL harmonic (Models: R 2  = 0.534, p = 0.015 and R 2  = 0.509, p < 0.018, respectively). For elevated IOP, non-parametric analysis indicated significant differences for the power of the 1st CP harmonic (Kruskal-Wallis test; p = 0.031) and for the mean, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.025, p = 0.019, p = 0.033, respectively). In conclusion, for the first time, the association between parameters of the CP signal in-vivo and corneal biomechanics in-vitro was confirmed. In particular, spectral analysis revealed that higher amplitude and power of the 3rd CP harmonic indicates higher corneal stiffness, while the 1st CP harmonic correlates positively with the corresponding harmonic of the BPL signal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Navy Shipboard Cargo and Weapons Elevator Controller and Sensor Subsystem Problem Analysis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-24

safe operation, and standardization. The conclusion of the review was that elevator manufact - urers in general have motives in design and construction...controller. Two days are spent on the elevator theory and the rest in hands-on training and trouble-shooting bad cards. There is also a 26-week...was spent on the two computer con- trolled elevators than on all of the remaining 20 freight, food , and weapons elevators on the ship. Phoenix

Gene Expression Correlated with Severe Asthma Characteristics Reveals Heterogeneous Mechanisms of Severe Disease.

PubMed

Modena, Brian D; Bleecker, Eugene R; Busse, William W; Erzurum, Serpil C; Gaston, Benjamin M; Jarjour, Nizar N; Meyers, Deborah A; Milosevic, Jadranka; Tedrow, John R; Wu, Wei; Kaminski, Naftali; Wenzel, Sally E

2017-06-01

Severe asthma (SA) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple molecular mechanisms. Gene expression studies of bronchial epithelial cells in individuals with asthma have provided biological insight and underscored possible mechanistic differences between individuals. Identify networks of genes reflective of underlying biological processes that define SA. Airway epithelial cell gene expression from 155 subjects with asthma and healthy control subjects in the Severe Asthma Research Program was analyzed by weighted gene coexpression network analysis to identify gene networks and profiles associated with SA and its specific characteristics (i.e., pulmonary function tests, quality of life scores, urgent healthcare use, and steroid use), which potentially identified underlying biological processes. A linear model analysis confirmed these findings while adjusting for potential confounders. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis constructed 64 gene network modules, including modules corresponding to T1 and T2 inflammation, neuronal function, cilia, epithelial growth, and repair mechanisms. Although no network selectively identified SA, genes in modules linked to epithelial growth and repair and neuronal function were markedly decreased in SA. Several hub genes of the epithelial growth and repair module were found located at the 17q12-21 locus, near a well-known asthma susceptibility locus. T2 genes increased with severity in those treated with corticosteroids but were also elevated in untreated, mild-to-moderate disease compared with healthy control subjects. T1 inflammation, especially when associated with increased T2 gene expression, was elevated in a subgroup of younger patients with SA. In this hypothesis-generating analysis, gene expression networks in relation to asthma severity provided potentially new insight into biological mechanisms associated with the development of SA and its phenotypes.

Gene Expression Correlated with Severe Asthma Characteristics Reveals Heterogeneous Mechanisms of Severe Disease

PubMed Central

Modena, Brian D.; Bleecker, Eugene R.; Busse, William W.; Erzurum, Serpil C.; Gaston, Benjamin M.; Jarjour, Nizar N.; Meyers, Deborah A.; Milosevic, Jadranka; Tedrow, John R.; Wu, Wei; Kaminski, Naftali

2017-01-01

Rationale: Severe asthma (SA) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple molecular mechanisms. Gene expression studies of bronchial epithelial cells in individuals with asthma have provided biological insight and underscored possible mechanistic differences between individuals. Objectives: Identify networks of genes reflective of underlying biological processes that define SA. Methods: Airway epithelial cell gene expression from 155 subjects with asthma and healthy control subjects in the Severe Asthma Research Program was analyzed by weighted gene coexpression network analysis to identify gene networks and profiles associated with SA and its specific characteristics (i.e., pulmonary function tests, quality of life scores, urgent healthcare use, and steroid use), which potentially identified underlying biological processes. A linear model analysis confirmed these findings while adjusting for potential confounders. Measurements and Main Results: Weighted gene coexpression network analysis constructed 64 gene network modules, including modules corresponding to T1 and T2 inflammation, neuronal function, cilia, epithelial growth, and repair mechanisms. Although no network selectively identified SA, genes in modules linked to epithelial growth and repair and neuronal function were markedly decreased in SA. Several hub genes of the epithelial growth and repair module were found located at the 17q12–21 locus, near a well-known asthma susceptibility locus. T2 genes increased with severity in those treated with corticosteroids but were also elevated in untreated, mild-to-moderate disease compared with healthy control subjects. T1 inflammation, especially when associated with increased T2 gene expression, was elevated in a subgroup of younger patients with SA. Conclusions: In this hypothesis-generating analysis, gene expression networks in relation to asthma severity provided potentially new insight into biological mechanisms associated with the development of SA and its phenotypes. PMID:27984699

Positron emission tomography–computed tomography predictors of progression after DA-R-EPOCH for PMBCL

PubMed Central

Ng, Andrea K.; Dabaja, Bouthaina S.; Milgrom, Sarah A.; Gunther, Jillian R.; Fuller, C. David; Smith, Grace L.; Abou Yehia, Zeinab; Qiao, Wei; Wogan, Christine F.; Akhtari, Mani; Mawlawi, Osama; Medeiros, L. Jeffrey; Chuang, Hubert H.; Martin-Doyle, William; Armand, Philippe; LaCasce, Ann S.; Oki, Yasuhiro; Fanale, Michelle; Westin, Jason; Neelapu, Sattva; Nastoupil, Loretta

2018-01-01

Dose-adjusted rituximab plus etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (DA-R-EPOCH) has produced good outcomes in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), but predictors of resistance to this treatment are unclear. We investigated whether [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET-CT) findings could identify patients with PMBCL who would not respond completely to DA-R-EPOCH. We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to IV PMBCL treated at 2 tertiary cancer centers who had PET-CT scans available before and after frontline therapy with DA-R-EPOCH. Pretreatment variables assessed included metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Optimal cutoff points for progression-free survival (PFS) were determined by a machine learning approach. Univariate and multivariable models were constructed to assess associations between radiographic variables and PFS. At a median follow-up of 36.6 months (95% confidence interval, 28.1-45.1), 2-year PFS and overall survival rates for the 65 patients were 81.4% and 98.4%, respectively. Machine learning–derived thresholds for baseline MTV and TLG were associated with inferior PFS (elevated MTV: hazard ratio [HR], 11.5; P = .019; elevated TLG: HR, 8.99; P = .005); other pretreatment clinical factors, including International Prognostic Index and bulky (>10 cm) disease, were not. On multivariable analysis, only TLG retained statistical significance (P = .049). Univariate analysis of posttreatment variables revealed that residual CT tumor volume, maximum standardized uptake value, and Deauville score were associated with PFS; a Deauville score of 5 remained significant on multivariable analysis (P = .006). A model combining baseline TLG and end-of-therapy Deauville score identified patients at increased risk of progression. PMID:29895624

The prognostic significance of HOTAIR for predicting clinical outcome in patients with digestive system tumors.

PubMed

Ma, Gaoxiang; Wang, Qiaoyan; Lv, Chunye; Qiang, Fulin; Hua, Qiuhan; Chu, Haiyan; Du, Mulong; Tong, Na; Jiang, Yejuan; Wang, Meilin; Zhang, Zhengdong; Wang, Jian; Gong, Weida

2015-12-01

Although some studies have assessed the prognostic value of HOTAIR in patients with digestive system tumors, the relationship between the HOTAIR and outcome of digestive system tumors remains unknown. The PubMed was searched to identify the eligible studies. Here, we performed a meta-analysis with 11 studies, including a total of 903 cases. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) of HOTAIR for cancer survival were calculated. We found that the pooled HR elevated HOTAIR expression in tumor tissues was 2.36 (95 % CI 1.88-2.97) compared with patients with low HOTAIR expression. Moreover, subgroup analysis revealed that HOTAIR overexpression was also markedly associated with short survival for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HR 2.19, 95 % CI 1.62-2.94) and gastric cancer (HR 1.66, 95 % CI 1.02-2.68). In addition, up-regulated HOTAIR was significantly related to survival of digestive system cancer among the studies with more follow-up time (follow time ≥ 5 years) (HR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.99-3.17). When stratified by HR resource and number of patients, the result indicated consistent results with the overall analysis. Subgroup analysis on ethnicities did not change the prognostic influence of elevated HOTAIR expression. Additionally, we conducted an independent validation cohort including 71 gastric cancer cases, in which patients with up-regulated HOTAIR expression had an unfavorable outcome with HR of 2.10 (95 % CI 1.10-4.03). The results suggest that aberrant HOTAIR expression may serve as a candidate positive marker to predict the prognosis of patients with carcinoma of digestive system.

Analysis of severely fractured glenoid components: clinical consequences of biomechanics, design, and materials selection on implant performance.

PubMed

Ansari, Farzana; Lee, Taylor; Malito, Louis; Martin, Audrey; Gunther, Stephen B; Harmsen, Samuel; Norris, Tom R; Ries, Mike; Van Citters, Douglas; Pruitt, Lisa

2016-07-01

The longevity of total shoulder replacement is primarily limited by the performance of the ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) glenoid component in vivo. Variations in glenoid design (conformity, thickness), biomechanics (joint kinematics), and UHMWPE material selection (sterilization, cross-linking) distinguish total shoulder replacements from hip and knee arthroplasty devices. These variables can lead to severe mechanical failures, including gross fracture. Sixteen retrieved glenoids with severe fracture were analyzed. The explant cohort included 3 material groups (gamma-sterilized Hylamer; gamma-sterilized UHMWPE; and gas plasma-sterilized, remelted, highly cross-linked UHMWPE [HXL]) and a range of conformities (0- to 10-mm radial mismatch). Analysis included fractography (optical and scanning electron microscopy) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for oxidative analysis. Fracture primarily occurred along the exterior rim for all 16 explants. Fourier transform infrared analysis and fractography revealed significant oxidative embrittlement for all gamma-sterilized glenoids. Fatigue striations and internal flaws were evident on the fracture surface of the HXL glenoid, with little oxidation detected. Fracture initiated at the external rim of all devices. Elevated oxidation levels and visible material distortion for representative gamma-sterilized conventional and Hylamer devices suggest oxidative embrittlement as a driving force for crack inception and subsequent fracture. Brittle fracture of theHXL glenoid resulted from a combination of elevated contact stress due to a nonconforming surface, an internal flaw, and reduced resistance to fatigue crack growth. This demonstrates that glenoid fracture associated with oxidation has not been eliminated with the advent of modern materials (HXL) in the shoulder domain. Basic Science Study; Implant Retrieval Study. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography predictors of progression after DA-R-EPOCH for PMBCL.

PubMed

Pinnix, Chelsea C; Ng, Andrea K; Dabaja, Bouthaina S; Milgrom, Sarah A; Gunther, Jillian R; Fuller, C David; Smith, Grace L; Abou Yehia, Zeinab; Qiao, Wei; Wogan, Christine F; Akhtari, Mani; Mawlawi, Osama; Medeiros, L Jeffrey; Chuang, Hubert H; Martin-Doyle, William; Armand, Philippe; LaCasce, Ann S; Oki, Yasuhiro; Fanale, Michelle; Westin, Jason; Neelapu, Sattva; Nastoupil, Loretta

2018-06-12

Dose-adjusted rituximab plus etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (DA-R-EPOCH) has produced good outcomes in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), but predictors of resistance to this treatment are unclear. We investigated whether [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) findings could identify patients with PMBCL who would not respond completely to DA-R-EPOCH. We performed a retrospective analysis of 65 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to IV PMBCL treated at 2 tertiary cancer centers who had PET-CT scans available before and after frontline therapy with DA-R-EPOCH. Pretreatment variables assessed included metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Optimal cutoff points for progression-free survival (PFS) were determined by a machine learning approach. Univariate and multivariable models were constructed to assess associations between radiographic variables and PFS. At a median follow-up of 36.6 months (95% confidence interval, 28.1-45.1), 2-year PFS and overall survival rates for the 65 patients were 81.4% and 98.4%, respectively. Machine learning-derived thresholds for baseline MTV and TLG were associated with inferior PFS (elevated MTV: hazard ratio [HR], 11.5; P = .019; elevated TLG: HR, 8.99; P = .005); other pretreatment clinical factors, including International Prognostic Index and bulky (>10 cm) disease, were not. On multivariable analysis, only TLG retained statistical significance ( P = .049). Univariate analysis of posttreatment variables revealed that residual CT tumor volume, maximum standardized uptake value, and Deauville score were associated with PFS; a Deauville score of 5 remained significant on multivariable analysis ( P = .006). A model combining baseline TLG and end-of-therapy Deauville score identified patients at increased risk of progression. © 2018 by The American Society of Hematology.

Methods for structural design at elevated temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellison, A. M.; Jones, W. E., Jr.; Leimbach, K. R.

1973-01-01

A procedure which can be used to design elevated temperature structures is discussed. The desired goal is to have the same confidence in the structural integrity at elevated temperature as the factor of safety gives on mechanical loads at room temperature. Methods of design and analysis for creep, creep rupture, and creep buckling are presented. Example problems are included to illustrate the analytical methods. Creep data for some common structural materials are presented. Appendix B is description, user's manual, and listing for the creep analysis program. The program predicts time to a given creep or to creep rupture for a material subjected to a specified stress-temperature-time spectrum. Fatigue at elevated temperature is discussed. Methods of analysis for high stress-low cycle fatigue, fatigue below the creep range, and fatigue in the creep range are included. The interaction of thermal fatigue and mechanical loads is considered, and a detailed approach to fatigue analysis is given for structures operating below the creep range.

Construction of conditional acid ceramidase knockout mice and in vivo effects on oocyte development and fertility.

PubMed

Eliyahu, Efrat; Shtraizent, Nataly; Shalgi, Ruth; Schuchman, Edward H

2012-01-01

The number of resting follicles in the ovary and their successful maturation during development define the fertile female lifespan. Oocytes, enclosed within follicles, are subject to natural selection, and the majority will undergo apoptosis during prenatal life through adulthood. Our previous studies revealed high levels of the lipid hydrolase, acid ceramidase (AC), in human and mouse oocytes, follicular fluid and cumulus cells. In addition, supplementation of in vitro fertilization media with recombinant AC enhanced the survival of oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Herein we constructed and used a conditional knockout mouse model of AC deficiency (cACKO) to further investigate the role of this enzyme in oocyte survival in vivo. Immunohistochemical staining, activity assays, and western blot analysis revealed that AC expression was high in the ovaries of normal mice, particularly in the theca cells. After induction of the AC gene knockout with tamoxifen (TM), AC levels decreased in ovaries, and ceramide was correspondingly elevated. A novel immunostaining method was developed to visualize follicles at various stages, and together with light microscopic examination, the transition of the follicle from the secondary to antral stage was found to be defective in the absence of AC. Western blot analysis showed elevated BAX and PARP expression in TM-treated cACKO mouse ovaries compared to control animals. In parallel, the levels of BCL-2 and anti-Mullerian hormone, a marker of ovarian reserve, were decreased. In addition to the above, there was a significant decrease in fertility observed in the TM-treated cACKO mice. Together, these data suggest that AC plays an important role in the preservation of fertility by maintaining low ceramide levels and preventing apoptosis of theca cells, thereby promoting survival of the follicle during the transition from the secondary to antral stage. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Imaging the fate of histone Cse4 reveals de novo replacement in S phase and subsequent stable residence at centromeres

PubMed Central

Wisniewski, Jan; Hajj, Bassam; Chen, Jiji; Mizuguchi, Gaku; Xiao, Hua; Wei, Debbie; Dahan, Maxime; Wu, Carl

2014-01-01

The budding yeast centromere contains Cse4, a specialized histone H3 variant. Fluorescence pulse-chase analysis of an internally tagged Cse4 reveals that it is replaced with newly synthesized molecules in S phase, remaining stably associated with centromeres thereafter. In contrast, C-terminally-tagged Cse4 is functionally impaired, showing slow cell growth, cell lethality at elevated temperatures, and extra-centromeric nuclear accumulation. Recent studies using such strains gave conflicting findings regarding the centromeric abundance and cell cycle dynamics of Cse4. Our findings indicate that internally tagged Cse4 is a better reporter of the biology of this histone variant. Furthermore, the size of centromeric Cse4 clusters was precisely mapped with a new 3D-PALM method, revealing substantial compaction during anaphase. Cse4-specific chaperone Scm3 displays steady-state, stoichiometric co-localization with Cse4 at centromeres throughout the cell cycle, while undergoing exchange with a nuclear pool. These findings suggest that a stable Cse4 nucleosome is maintained by dynamic chaperone-in-residence Scm3. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02203.001 PMID:24844245

Genomic Landscape of Atypical Adenomatous Hyperplasia Reveals Divergent Modes to Lung Adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Sivakumar, Smruthy; Lucas, F Anthony San; McDowell, Tina L; Lang, Wenhua; Xu, Li; Fujimoto, Junya; Zhang, Jianjun; Futreal, P Andrew; Fukuoka, Junya; Yatabe, Yasushi; Dubinett, Steven M; Spira, Avrum E; Fowler, Jerry; Hawk, Ernest T; Wistuba, Ignacio I; Scheet, Paul; Kadara, Humam

2017-11-15

There is a dearth of knowledge about the pathogenesis of premalignant lung lesions, especially for atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH), the only known precursor for the major lung cancer subtype adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we performed deep DNA and RNA sequencing analyses of a set of AAH, LUAD, and normal tissues. Somatic BRAF variants were found in AAHs from 5 of 22 (23%) patients, 4 of 5 of whom had matched LUAD with driver EGFR mutations. KRAS mutations were present in AAHs from 4 of 22 (18%) of patients. KRAS mutations in AAH were only found in ever-smokers and were exclusive to BRAF -mutant cases. Integrative analysis revealed profiles expressed in KRAS -mutant cases ( UBE2C, REL ) and BRAF -mutant cases ( MAX ) of AAH, or common to both sets of cases (suppressed AXL ). Gene sets associated with suppressed antitumor (Th1; IL12A, GZMB ) and elevated protumor ( CCR2, CTLA-4 ) immune signaling were enriched in AAH development and progression. Our results reveal potentially divergent BRAF or KRAS pathways in AAH as well as immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of this premalignant lung lesion. Cancer Res; 77(22); 6119-30. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Pathway Analysis Hints Towards Beneficial Effects of Long-Term Vibration on Human Chondrocytes.

PubMed

Lützenberg, Ronald; Solano, Kendrick; Buken, Christoph; Sahana, Jayashree; Riwaldt, Stefan; Kopp, Sascha; Krüger, Marcus; Schulz, Herbert; Saar, Kathrin; Huebner, Norbert; Hemmersbach, Ruth; Bauer, Johann; Infanger, Manfred; Grimm, Daniela; Wehland, Markus

2018-06-27

Spaceflight negatively influences the function of cartilage tissue in vivo. In vitro human chondrocytes exhibit an altered gene expression of inflammation markers after a two-hour exposure to vibration. Little is known about the impact of long-term vibration on chondrocytes. Human cartilage cells were exposed for up to 24 h (VIB) on a specialised vibration platform (Vibraplex) simulating the vibration profile which occurs during parabolic flights and compared to static control conditions (CON). Afterwards, they were investigated by phase-contrast microscopy, rhodamine phalloidin staining, microarray analysis, qPCR and western blot analysis. Morphological investigations revealed no changes between CON and VIB chondrocytes. F-Actin staining showed no alterations of the cytoskeleton in VIB compared with CON cells. DAPI and TUNEL staining did not identify apoptotic cells. ICAM-1 was elevated and vimentin, beta-tubulin and osteopontin proteins were significantly reduced in VIB compared to CON cells. qPCR of cytoskeletal genes, ITGB1, SOX3, SOX5, SOX9 did not reveal differential regulations. Microarray analysis detected 13 differentially expressed genes, mostly indicating unspecific stimulations. Pathway analyses demonstrated interactions of PSMD4 and CNOT7 with ICAM. Long-term vibration did not damage human chondrocytes in vitro. The reduction of osteopontin protein and the down-regulation of PSMD4 and TBX15 gene expression suggest that in vitro long-term vibration might even positively influence cultured chondrocytes. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Temporal variability of coastal Planctomycetes clades at Kabeltonne station, North Sea.

PubMed

Pizzetti, Ilaria; Fuchs, Bernhard M; Gerdts, Gunnar; Wichels, Antje; Wiltshire, Karen H; Amann, Rudolf

2011-07-01

Members of the bacterial phylum Planctomycetes are reported in marine water samples worldwide, but quantitative information is scarce. Here we investigated the phylogenetic diversity, abundance, and distribution of Planctomycetes in surface waters off the German North Sea island Helgoland during different seasons by 16S rRNA gene analysis and catalyzed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH). Generally Planctomycetes are more abundant in samples collected in summer and autumn than in samples collected in winter and spring. Statistical analysis revealed that Planctomycetes abundance was correlated to the Centrales diatom bloom in spring 2007. The analysis of size-fractionated seawater samples and of macroaggregates showed that ~90% of the Planctomycetes reside in the >3-μm size fraction. Comparative sequence analysis of 184 almost full-length 16S rRNA genes revealed three dominant clades. The clades, named Planctomyces-related group A, uncultured Planctomycetes group B, and Pirellula-related group D, were monitored by CARD-FISH using newly developed oligonucleotide probes. All three clades showed recurrent abundance patterns during two annual sampling campaigns. Uncultured Planctomycetes group B was most abundant in autumn samples, while Planctomyces-related group A was present in high numbers only during late autumn and winter. The levels of Pirellula-related group D were more constant throughout the year, with elevated counts in summer. Our analyses suggest that the seasonal succession of the Planctomycetes is correlated with algal blooms. We hypothesize that the niche partitioning of the different clades might be caused by their algal substrates.

Elevated postvoid residual urine volume predicting recurrence of urinary tract infections in toilet-trained children.

PubMed

Chang, Shang-Jen; Tsai, Li-Ping; Hsu, Chun-Kai; Yang, Stephen S

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to examine whether toilet-trained children with a history of febrile urinary tract infection (fUTI) and elevated postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume according to a recently published PVR nomogram were at greater risk of UTI recurrence. One month after recovery from febrile UTI, constipation was diagnosed according to the Rome III criteria, and lower urinary tract (LUT) function was evaluated with two sets of uroflowmetry and PVR by ultrasonography. For children aged ≦ 6 and ≧ 7 years, elevated PVR is defined as >20 and >10 ml, respectively. Cox proportion hazards regression was used to evaluate the risk factors for recurrence of UTI. Between 2005 and 2011, 60 children aged 6.5 ± 2.5 years (boy:girl ratio 27:33) were enrolled for analysis. Univariate analysis showed that recurrent febrile UTI was more commonly observed in children with elevated PVR [repetitive elevated PVR: hazard ratio (HR) 5.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41-23.4; one elevated PVR: HR 4.53, 95% CI 1.01-20.2] and high-grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR; HR 4.53, 95% CI 1.46-14.07). Multivariate analysis showed that younger age (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.03-1.82, p < 0.01) and elevated PVR (HR 2.88, 95% CI 1.44-5.73, p = 0.01) were significant, independent risk factors for recurrent febrile UTI--but not gender, presence of high-grade VUR and constipation. Elevated PVR defined by the new PVR nomogram predicted recurrent UTI in children with history of febrile UTI. Care should be taken to manage children with elevated PVR.

Stair-Step Pattern of Soil Bacterial Diversity Mainly Driven by pH and Vegetation Types Along the Elevational Gradients of Gongga Mountain, China

PubMed Central

Li, Jiabao; Shen, Zehao; Li, Chaonan; Kou, Yongping; Wang, Yansu; Tu, Bo; Zhang, Shiheng; Li, Xiangzhen

2018-01-01

Ecological understandings of soil bacterial community succession and assembly mechanism along elevational gradients in mountains remain not well understood. Here, by employing the high-throughput sequencing technique, we systematically examined soil bacterial diversity patterns, the driving factors, and community assembly mechanisms along the elevational gradients of 1800–4100 m on Gongga Mountain in China. Soil bacterial diversity showed an extraordinary stair-step pattern along the elevational gradients. There was an abrupt decrease of bacterial diversity between 2600 and 2800 m, while no significant change at either lower (1800–2600 m) or higher (2800–4100 m) elevations, which coincided with the variation in soil pH. In addition, the community structure differed significantly between the lower and higher elevations, which could be primarily attributed to shifts in soil pH and vegetation types. Although there was no direct effect of MAP and MAT on bacterial community structure, our partial least squares path modeling analysis indicated that bacterial communities were indirectly influenced by climate via the effect on vegetation and the derived effect on soil properties. As for bacterial community assembly mechanisms, the null model analysis suggested that environmental filtering played an overwhelming role in the assembly of bacterial communities in this region. In addition, variation partition analysis indicated that, at lower elevations, environmental attributes explained much larger fraction of the β-deviation than spatial attributes, while spatial attributes increased their contributions at higher elevations. Our results highlight the importance of environmental filtering, as well as elevation-related spatial attributes in structuring soil bacterial communities in mountain ecosystems. PMID:29636740

Metabolome analysis of biosynthetic mutants reveals a diversity of metabolic changes and allows identification of a large number of new compounds in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Böttcher, Christoph; von Roepenack-Lahaye, Edda; Schmidt, Jürgen; Schmotz, Constanze; Neumann, Steffen; Scheel, Dierk; Clemens, Stephan

2008-08-01

Metabolomics is facing a major challenge: the lack of knowledge about metabolites present in a given biological system. Thus, large-scale discovery of metabolites is considered an essential step toward a better understanding of plant metabolism. We show here that the application of a metabolomics approach generating structural information for the analysis of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants allows the efficient cataloging of metabolites. Fifty-six percent of the features that showed significant differences in abundance between seeds of wild-type, transparent testa4, and transparent testa5 plants could be annotated. Seventy-five compounds were structurally characterized, 21 of which could be identified. About 40 compounds had not been known from Arabidopsis before. Also, the high-resolution analysis revealed an unanticipated expansion of metabolic conversions upstream of biosynthetic blocks. Deficiency in chalcone synthase results in the increased seed-specific biosynthesis of a range of phenolic choline esters. Similarly, a lack of chalcone isomerase activity leads to the accumulation of various naringenin chalcone derivatives. Furthermore, our data provide insight into the connection between p-coumaroyl-coenzyme A-dependent pathways. Lack of flavonoid biosynthesis results in elevated synthesis not only of p-coumarate-derived choline esters but also of sinapate-derived metabolites. However, sinapoylcholine is not the only accumulating end product. Instead, we observed specific and sophisticated changes in the complex pattern of sinapate derivatives.

Donor-Specific Indirect Pathway Analysis Reveals a B-Cell-Independent Signature Which Reflects Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients

PubMed Central

Haynes, L. D.; Jankowska-Gan, E.; Sheka, A.; Keller, M. R.; Hernandez-Fuentes, M. P.; Lechler, R. I.; Seyfert-Margolis, V.; Turka, L. A.; Newell, K. A.; Burlingham, W. J.

2012-01-01

To investigate the role of donor-specific indirect pathway T cells in renal transplant tolerance, we analyzed responses in peripheral blood of 45 patients using the trans-vivo delayed-type hypersensitivity assay. Subjects were enrolled into five groups—identical twin, clinically tolerant (TOL), steroid monotherapy (MONO), standard immunosuppression (SI) and chronic rejection (CR)—based on transplant type, posttransplant immunosuppression and graft function. The indirect pathway was active in all groups except twins but distinct intergroup differences were evident, corresponding to clinical status. The antidonor indirect pathway T effector response increased across patient groups (TOL < MONO < SI < CR; p < 0.0001) whereas antidonor indirect pathway T regulatory response decreased (TOL > MONO = SI > CR; p < 0.005). This pattern differed from that seen in circulating naïve B-cell numbers and in a cross-platform biomarker analysis, where patients on monotherapy were not ranked closest to TOL patients, but rather were indistinguishable from chronically rejecting patients. Cross-sectional analysis of the indirect pathway revealed a spectrum in T-regulatory:T-effector balance, ranging from TOL patients having predominantly regulatory responses to CR patients having predominantly effector responses. Therefore, the indirect pathway measurements reflect a distinct aspect of tolerance from the recently reported elevation of circulating naïve B cells, which was apparent only in recipients off immunosuppression. PMID:22151236

Detection of altered extracellular matrix in surface layers of unstable carotid plaque: an optical spectroscopy, birefringence and microarray genetic analysis.

PubMed

Korol, Renee M; Canham, Peter B; Liu, Li; Viswanathan, Kasinath; Ferguson, Gary G; Hammond, Rob R; Finlay, Helen M; Baker, Henry V; Lopez, Cecilia; Lucas, Alexandra R

2011-01-01

Erosion and rupture of surface layers in atherosclerotic plaque can cause heart attack and stroke; however, changes in luminal surface composition are incompletely defined. Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFS), with limited tissue penetration, was used to investigate the surface of unstable carotid plaque and correlated with microscopy, birefringence and gene expression. Arterial matrix collagens I, III and elastin were assessed in unstable plaques (n = 25) and reference left internal mammary arteries (LIMA, n = 10). LIFS in addition to selective histological staining with picrosirius red, Movat pentachrome and immunostaining revealed decreased elastin and increased collagen I and III (P < 0.05) in carotid plaque when compared with LIMA. Within plaque, collagen I was elevated in the internal carotid region versus the common carotid region. Polarized light microscopy detected layers of aligned collagen and associated mechanical rigidity of the fibrous cap. Microarray analysis of three carotid and three LIMA specimens confirmed up-regulation of collagen I, III and IV, lysyl oxidase and MMP-12. In conclusion, LIFS analysis coupled with microscopy revealed marked regional differences in collagen I, III and elastin in surface layers of carotid plaque; indicative of plaque instability. Birefringence measurements demonstrated mechanical rigidity and weakening of the fibrous cap with complementary changes in ECM gene expression. © 2011 The Authors. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2011 The American Society of Photobiology.

In silico analysis of stomach lineage specific gene set expression pattern in gastric cancer.

PubMed

Pandi, Narayanan Sathiya; Suganya, Sivagurunathan; Rajendran, Suriliyandi

2013-10-04

Stomach lineage specific gene products act as a protective barrier in the normal stomach and their expression maintains the normal physiological processes, cellular integrity and morphology of the gastric wall. However, the regulation of stomach lineage specific genes in gastric cancer (GC) is far less clear. In the present study, we sought to investigate the role and regulation of stomach lineage specific gene set (SLSGS) in GC. SLSGS was identified by comparing the mRNA expression profiles of normal stomach tissue with other organ tissue. The obtained SLSGS was found to be under expressed in gastric tumors. Functional annotation analysis revealed that the SLSGS was enriched for digestive function and gastric epithelial maintenance. Employing a single sample prediction method across GC mRNA expression profiles identified the under expression of SLSGS in proliferative type and invasive type gastric tumors compared to the metabolic type gastric tumors. Integrative pathway activation prediction analysis revealed a close association between estrogen-α signaling and SLSGS expression pattern in GC. Elevated expression of SLSGS in GC is associated with an overall increase in the survival of GC patients. In conclusion, our results highlight that estrogen mediated regulation of SLSGS in gastric tumor is a molecular predictor of metabolic type GC and prognostic factor in GC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Garlic Lowers Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Individuals, Regulates Serum Cholesterol, and Stimulates Immunity: An Updated Meta-analysis and Review.

PubMed

Ried, Karin

2016-02-01

Garlic has been shown to have cardiovascular protective and immunomodulatory properties. We updated a previous meta-analysis on the effect of garlic on blood pressure and reviewed the effect of garlic on cholesterol and immunity. We searched the Medline database for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1955 and December 2013 on the effect of garlic preparations on blood pressure. In addition, we reviewed the effect of garlic on cholesterol and immunity. Our updated meta-analysis on the effect of garlic on blood pressure, which included 20 trials with 970 participants, showed a mean ± SE decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 5.1 ± 2.2 mm Hg (P < 0.001) and a mean ± SE decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 2.5 ± 1.6 mm Hg (P < 0.002) compared with placebo. Subgroup analysis of trials in hypertensive subjects (SBP/DBP ≥140/90 mm Hg) at baseline revealed a larger significant reduction in SBP of 8.7 ± 2.2 mm Hg (P < 0.001; n = 10) and in DBP of 6.1 ± 1.3 mm Hg (P < 0.001; n = 6). A previously published meta-analysis on the effect of garlic on blood lipids, which included 39 primary RCTs and 2300 adults treated for a minimum of 2 wk, suggested garlic to be effective in reducing total and LDL cholesterol by 10% if taken for >2 mo by individuals with slightly elevated concentrations [e.g., total cholesterol >200 mg/dL (>5.5 mmol/L)]. Garlic has immunomodulating effects by increasing macrophage activity, natural killer cells, and the production of T and B cells. Clinical trials have shown garlic to significantly reduce the number, duration, and severity of upper respiratory infections. Our review suggests that garlic supplements have the potential to lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals, to regulate slightly elevated cholesterol concentrations, and to stimulate the immune system. Garlic supplements are highly tolerated and may be considered as a complementary treatment option for hypertension, slightly elevated cholesterol, and stimulation of immunity. Future long-term trials are needed to elucidate the effect of garlic on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

[Position of Betula ermanii population ecotone in Changbai Mountains].

PubMed

Zou, Chunjing; Wang, Xiaochun; Han, Shijie

2004-12-01

The vegetation on the northern slope of Changbai Mountains forms a vertical zone due to the vertical differentiation of moisture and heat conditions. Ecotones are obviously existed between different vegetation zones, but it is difficult to decide their positions. In the area from 1400 m to 2200 m elevation, we adopted the methods of gradient sampling, fractal analysis, population pattern analysis, and interspecific competition index analysis to describe Betula ermanii population ecotone. The results showed that there was a forest ecotone between Betula ermanii and Picea-Abies forest near elevation 1650 m, and there was a forest line ecotone between Betula ermanii and alpine tundra near elevation 2080 m.

Development and validation of a ultra performance LC-ESI/MS method for analysis of metabolic phenotypes of healthy men in day and night urine samples.

PubMed

Wang, Xijun; Lv, Haitao; Zhang, Guangmei; Sun, Wenjun; Zhou, Dixin; Jiao, Guozheng; Yu, Yang

2008-09-01

Ultra-performance LC coupled to quadrupole TOF/MS (UPLC-QTOF/MS) in positive and negative ESI was developed and validated to analyze metabolite profiles for urine from healthy men during the day and at night. Data analysis using principal components analysis (PCA) revealed differences between metabolic phenotypes of urine in healthy men during the day and at night. Positive ions with mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 310.24 (5.35 min), 286.24 (4.74 min) and 310.24 (5.63 min) were elevated in the urine from healthy men at night compared to that during the day. Negative ions elevated in day urine samples of healthy men included m/z 167.02 (0.66 min), 263.12 (2.55 min) and 191.03 (0.73 min), whilst ions m/z 212.01 (4.77 min) were at a lower concentration in urine of healthy men during the day compared to that at night. The ions m/z 212.01 (4.77 min), 191.03 (0.73 min) and 310.24 (5.35 min) preliminarily correspond to indoxyl sulfate, citric acid and N-acetylneuraminic acid, providing further support for an involvement of phenotypic difference in urine of healthy men in day and night samples, which may be associated with notably different activities of gut microbiota, velocity of tricarboxylic acid cycle and activity of sialic acid biosynthesis in healthy men as regulated by circadian rhythm of the mammalian bioclock.